Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Shakur Stevenson are the two most talented young fighters on the planet, and on Saturday night, you are going to see one of them emerge into a superstar. The term “generational talent” gets thrown around willy-nilly nowadays. It should refer to someone whose talent level is only seen once in a generation. From my era (I am a late-90s baby), just two names fall into that category.
At the 2015 US Junior Open & Youth National Championships, I witnessed a crop of young American boxers emerge. The list includes Devin Haney, Edgar Berlanga, Marc Castro, Brandun Lee, and Jared Anderson. But two names, in particular, stood out amongst the crowd: Jaron Ennis and Shakur Stevenson.
That same year, he won the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves and looked to punch his ticket for the plane to Rio 2016. However, at the Olympic Trial Box-Off, he suffered defeat in the deciding contest at the hands of his amateur rival, Gary Antuanne Russell.
Although his Olympic dream had been crushed, he was only eighteen so, theoretically, could have stuck around for a second Olympic cycle. Instead, he made the bold choice to turn professional in April the following year. Despite his immense talent and amateur pedigree, Ennis was not thrust under the limelight or given primetime television slots.
The Philadelphian boxed on small-hall shows and often fell towards the bottom of the show running order. After eventually being picked up by Showtime Sports, he built his brand by brutalising everyone on the ShoBox circuit.
In 2020, he graduated to the Showtime main broadcast, destroying Juan Carlos Abreu inside six rounds with one of the most perfect counter uppercuts I have ever witnessed. A couple of months later, he was pitted against the former contender, Chris van Heerden. However, an unfortunate, accidental clash of heads saw the fight ruled a no-contest after just one round.
This Saturday, Ennis will headline his first Showtime bill against former 140-pound titleholder and welterweight championship campaigner, Sergey Lipinets (16-1-1).
Enough about his journey. I put my neck on the line in the opening stanza by stating that Ennis is the best fighter under 25 in the world. When you consider the talent coming out of the U.S. at the moment, that is quite a statement. To support my case, I have picked out six key attributes that not only make him special but will also see him flourish into one of the elite pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.
Experience
In the amateur ranks, he shared the ring with some of the most talented young fighters in the States. Facing the likes of Richardson Hitchins and Gary Antuanne Russell during his teens, as well as sparring other members from Team USA, will no doubt have moulded him into the fighter we see today.
Now switching focus to his paid career; at just twenty-three, Boots has 26 professional bouts to his name, which is pretty damn impressive. Admittedly, the opposition was overmatched but it has enabled him to gain valuable experience by dealing with a variety of opponents and styles.
Physicality & Athleticism
Turning professional young meant Ennis became accustomed to facing physically stronger men almost immediately. Those experiences has toughened him up and enhanced his own physicality, which is one of the reasons he looks so comfortable on the inside. He employs his strength at close quarters to bully and manipulate his opponent’s positioning, creating openings for him to facilitate his own attacks.
Standing at 5ft 11inches, with a 188cm wingspan, Ennis is huge for the 147lb limit. Whilst his body may not have fully developed like Errol Spence, Terence Crawford or Yordenis Ugas, he would enter as the naturally bigger man against all three of the current welterweight champions.
His natural size opens a variety of doors for his progression. It means we can expect him to climb through the weights gradually over the coming years. I predict that Boots will retire having picked up legitimate world titles at welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight, eventually.
To compare someone to Roy Jones Jr athletically is almost blasphemous. His reflexes, his speed, his explosiveness was almost inhuman. However… Ennis possesses some of those traits. To the same level? No. But having 75-80% of the athleticism that RJJ boasted would place any fighter in good stead. Boots relies on his cat-like reflexes to avoid his opponent’s shots and his blistering speed to make them pay.
Switch-hitting
In the latest episode of the Punch Perfect Podcast, I used the words: “Switch-hitting is a fine art in boxing”. It is a tough skill to utilise effectively, let alone make look easy. Currently, Bud Crawford and Tyson Fury are the prime examples of being able to effortlessly alter between stances. Despite his age, Ennis stands right beside those two names. Beating someone with the size and skills of Ennis is difficult enough. But throw the fact that he can switch to the opposite stance and differ his approach at any given moment into the equation, it makes him one of the toughest assignments in boxing.
Engine
We are yet to see Ennis go the championship distance, so you might question me highlighting his engine. From what I have read and watched from Ennis, his team put their trust in conditioning. Jaron doesn’t jog for miles each day, he RUNS miles. There is a huge difference. Fellow Philly boxer and current WBO super bantamweight champion, Stephen Fulton Jr, is cut from the same cloth. People always question how a young fighter will respond when dragged into the latter stages of a championship contest. But I firmly believe that if Boots is dropped in at the deep end, he will comfortably swim to shore.
Power
Ennis boasts an 89% knockout ratio, with 24 of his 26 fights ending early. Not only does he have the ability to school, but he also carries the power to switch your lights off. Just another factor that makes him so dangerous. It will be interesting to see whether that power translates as his the level of opposition improves and he jumps up in weight. This will tell us whether he is naturally heavy-handed or his raw athleticism allows him to be an explosive puncher.
Youth
When flicking through all the points that I have outlined, please consider that Jaron Ennis turns twenty-four in June. TWENTY-FOUR! The kid from the City of Brotherly Love has 10/12 more years in the sport and is already operating at this level. Superstardom, world titles and healthy paydays await him.
#TeamEnnis Stand Up
Before I go, I encourage you to check out these two videos to learn more about Boots and his potential. Firstly, check out “The Downside to Jaron Ennis” by Con10der Regime Boxing. In this video, he breaks down what makes him a generational talent and why he could be the future of the sport.
Secondly, respected Philly boxing coach Stephen “Breadman” Edwards joined the Barbershop Conversations Podcast and when asked “who is the next superstar in boxing?” it took the esteemed trainer a split second to respond with “Jaron Ennis.” Breadman formerly worked the corner of former undisputed 154lbs champion, Julian Williams, and said that “J-Rock had to be in the right mood to spar with Boots”.
Lastly, we previewed Ennis vs Lipinets – amongst other upcoming fights this weekend – on the latest episode of the Punch Perfect Podcast. If you are just looking for boxing content to set the mood for Saturday night, we encourage you to check it out.
30 March 2021: The Neutral Corner is delighted to announce that English middleweight champion, Linus Udofia will be joining the team to feature on weekly episodes of the Punch Perfect Podcast, alongside co-hosts Jamie Bourne and Charlie Griffiths.
Founder of The Neutral Corner and host of the podcast, Jamie Bourne, gives his thoughts on the addition: “Linus is an exciting addition to our fast-growing podcast. His professional fighting experience and wealth of boxing knowledge will bring a unique perspective to our episodes. His passion and love for the fight game will resonate with the listeners.”
The Nigerian-born Lutonian won the English middleweight strap in November 2019, with a ten-round thriller against Tyler Denny at a jampacked York Hall. He made his first successful defence against John Harding Jr last October, stopping his bitter rival in nine rounds – live on Sky Sports.
His much-anticipated debut appearance will be live on Sunday April 4, where he will be joining Jamie and Charlie to preview Conor Benn vs Samuel Vargas, along with some other tasty matchups on April 10.
The April schedule includes the British middleweight clash between Felix Cash and Denzel Bentley – both of whom are potential future opponents for Udofia. As well as the PPV showdown between Dereck Chisora and Joseph Parker, with an undercard that features Chris Eubank Jr, Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas, plus more.
Video episodes of the Punch Perfect Podcast can be found on YouTube, whilst audio versions are available on Apple & Spotify Podcasts, Podbean, and Amazon Music. If you are looking forward to seeing Linus on the channel, make sure you Subscribe and hit the Notification Bell to never miss an episode.
By Billy Marsden – The eagerly anticipated match-up between David Avanesyan and Josh Kelly finally comes to fruition after numerous setbacks over the past 12 months. The welterweight rivals will settle their long-running feud once-and-for-all with the winner looking to push on to more prestigious honours.
Listen to the preview podcast – available on all audio platforms.
MAIN EVENT: DAVID AVANESYAN VS. JOSH KELLY
12 x 3 Rounds – EBU European Welterweight Championship.
Josh Kelly (10-0-1, 6 KOs) will belatedly challenge David Avanesyan (26-3-1, 14 KOs) for the European Welterweight strap. The fights looked doomed from the offset and has been repeatedly pushed back due to injuries and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Kelly, a former top amateur has made a smooth transition to the pro game, however, recent performances have been less impressive from the Sunderland native. Under the tutelage of one of the country’s finest trainers Adam Booth, Kelly will be hoping to showcase his full arsenal of weapons as he will no doubt need them to repel the aggressive champion.
Avanesyan has shared the ring with a much higher calibre of opponent in his career than his younger counterpart. The British-based Russian has always fallen short when it counts but with back-to-back knockout wins over Spanish puncher Kerman Lejarraga under his belt, the seasoned Russian is riding the crest of a wave as he enters this must-win fight at Wembley Arena on Saturday night.
Defeat for Kelly doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the world as he’s still young enough to come again, however the same can’t be said for Avanesyan as defeat would almost certainly derail any future title ambitions.
CHIEF SUPPORT: FLORIAN MARKU VS. RYLAN CHARLTON
10 x 3 Rounds @ Welterweight.
In the chief support bout of the evening, it is a battle of the unbeaten prospects, as former MMA fighter Florian Marku (7-0-1, 5 KOs) goes up against Norwich’s Rylan Charlton (6-0-1, 3 KOs). The pair became embroiled in a war of words on Twitter following the Albanian’s controversial draw with Jamie Stewart on the Joshua vs. Pulev undercard.
Charlton is coming off a career-best win against Joe Laws. The “Pint-Sized Powerhouse” will be looking to have a good old-fashioned tear up and I’m pretty sure Marku will be willing to oblige. Although both men are somewhat raw and inexperienced, their come-forward styles should hopefully gel and provide us with a fun fight for as long as it lasts.
UNDERCARD: JORDAN GILL VS. CESAR JUAREZ
10 x 3 Rounds @ Featherweight.
Jordan Gill (25-1-0, 7 KOs) returns to action after an impressive display last time out against Reece Bellotti at Fight Camp. Dave Coldwell’s charge has bounced back well since suffering his first career loss against Italian, Mario Enrique Tinoco, back in May 2019. Gill will square off against durable Mexican Cesar Juarez (25-9-0, 19 KOs).
Juarez has shared the ring with numerous world-ranked fighters including Nonito Donaire, Isaac Dogboe and Ryosuke Iwasa. Although losing on each occasion, the former WBO Inter-continental Super-Bantamweight champion will be coming to win and can certainly bang a bit, boasting 19 of his 25 wins coming by way of knockout.
UNDERCARD: ROBBIE DAVIES JR VS. GABRIEL GOLLAZ VALENZUELA
Another England vs. Mexico clash seesRobbie Davies Jr (20-2-0, 13 KOs) take on Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (22-2-1, 13 KOs) for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental title. After falling short in his domestic thriller with Lewis Ritson at the back end of 2019, Davies Jr got back to winning ways with a steady if unspectacular points decision over Argentinean, Damian Leonardo Yapur.
Valenzuela has strung together a 20-fight unbeaten streak. However, having fought on foreign soil just once before, his in-experience could prove to be a telling factor for the 26-year-old from Guadalajara.
UNDERCARD: JOHNNY FISHER VS. MATT GORDON
4 x 3 Rounds @ Heavyweight.
Recent Matchroom recruit, Johnny Fisher, makes his professional debut as he meets 36-year-old veteran Matt Gordon (2-5-1, 0 KOs) from West Bromwich. After building a good friendship with Joe Joyce and helping him prepare for the Daniel Dubois fight, “The Romford Bull” has already gained invaluable experience in his short time in boxing. Trained by the respected Mark Tibbs, big things are expected of the 21-year-old as he embarks on his journey in the paid ranks.
JAMIE BOURNE (@JayTB__ on Twitter).
Firstly, I am glad we finally get to see these two square off. The postponements have been frustrating for fans, let alone the fighters. And it seemed destined never to happen. But thankfully, we are here!
The multiple delays will have benefited Josh Kelly greatly. Momentum and confidence favoured David Avanesyan back in 2019, ahead of their March 2020 date as well. The break has enabled Kelly and Adam Booth to prepare fully for the heat that Avanesyan brings, replaying every scenario and drilling their tactics.
I am not convinced the Russian is quite the “Beast from the East” like everyone is suggesting. The back-to-back Kerman Lejarraga victories were notable but not unexpected, in my honest opinion. Every time he has stepped up to fringe-world level, he has come up short. Barring a victory against the over-the-hill Shane Mosley. He is relentless and heavy-handed offensively, but his feet are very slow and is susceptible defensively.
Whilst I do not believe Kelly will win a world title at welterweight, I believe he has the talent to win a European title at least. He looks in tremendous shape, and if he has binned the show-biz aspect of his game, he can outthink and outmanoeuvre the champion. May I add, I think the added fear factor that Avanesyan poses will bring the best out of him as well.
You might think the way to win for Kelly will be predominantly on the back foot; make Avanesyan miss and make him pay. But I think it could be the opposite. The Russian looks hopeless on the back-foot and thrives going forward. Kelly should look to dominate centre-ring and prevent Avanesyan working where he feels most comfortable. If Josh is capable of doing so, the stoppage could present itself late in the encounter.
Something else to consider is Adam Booth and recognising his fighters capabilities. As well as being a top-class trainer, he is an astute matchmaker for his students. He knows Kelly inside out, and if there were any doubts about him being able to win this matchup, I don’t think he would have accepted it.
The lack of crowd won’t feature in the outcome of this fight, but ring-rust might. Kelly is the sharper of the two, and inactivity tends to reflect more on those operators. That is a worry, considering Kelly has to make a fast-start and restrict Avanesyan from building any kind of early momentum.
On Saturday, Kelly starts strongly and frustrates Avanesyan, who becomes increasingly reckless throughout. His feet are too slow and his attacks too predictable, which plays into the palm of the challenger’s hands.
JOSH KELLY WINS VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION.
BILLY MARSDEN (@BMARSDEN83 on Twitter).
At long last, Josh Kelly gets his acid test against David Avanesyan in this crossroads affair for the European welterweight strap. For Kelly to win this fight, I feel he has to get back-to-basics and box to an educated plan. He has quick feet and a decent jab, which he needs to utilise – instead of sitting back, showboating and admiring his work. The challenger also needs to maintain a solid tempo throughout the 12 rounds; boxing on the back foot and using his jab and reach advantage to frustrate the aggressive Avanesyan.
On the other hand, Avanesyan could do with turning the fight into a proper tear-up. He has a come-forward style and hits hard to both head and body, the looping left hook a particular favourite of his. If the experienced Russian can stay on Kelly’s chest and walk through him it could become a very long night indeed for the younger man. Avanesyan is a compact pressure fighter and a great finisher when he has his opponents in trouble. Despite this, he does at times tend to neglect his own fundamentals and can be out-boxed, as was the case when he fought Lamont Peterson and Egidijus Kavaliauskas before the stoppage.
Both men will inevitably have a degree of ring-rust to shake off for the first couple of rounds; this could be a bit more of a problem for Kelly, as the slicker of the two fighters he sometimes takes a while to get going and find his rhythm in a fight.
Prediction time, after much deliberation I’m going for David Avanesyan to win this fight via stoppage. He’s not going to get the nod in a close decision but I don’t think this will matter as the judges will not be needed on Saturday night.
I can see Avanesyan getting to Kelly midway through the fight connecting with some hurtful shots. A few rounds later he closes the show with a huge left hook starting the onslaught; Avanesyan doesn’t let Kelly off the hook and stops his man on his feet in round 8.
DAVID AVANESYAN WINS VIA TKO/KO ROUND 8.
MICHAEL JOYCE (MICHAELJOYCE10 on Twitter).
Personally this is my favourite main event in the upcoming Matchroom schedule. The fight has managed to retain its intrigue amongst boxing fans, despite the multiple delays.
The promise of Josh Kelly’s potential has been there for everyone to see, since turning pro after Rio 2016. A boxer with a slick, flashy style, who relies defensively on his reflexes. However, despite all the skill, Kelly has not necessarily had it all his own way, after labouring to draw against Ray Robinson in 2019.
Avanesyan, however, will come to the ring with plenty experience, having three consecutive knockouts in his last three fights with the European title on the line. This is just Kelly’s 12th pro fight and a genuine step up in competition. I would expect Avanesyan to use his experience in order to make the fight uncomfortable.
He simply cannot allow Kelly to settle in a rhythm early boxing and moving. Whilst not known as a huge power puncher, there could be a chance for Avanesyan too land against Kelly’s relaxed defence if he can get into range.
Inactivity could play a part as neither have boxed since 2019. It may just come down to who will catch the eye of the judges more. With many of the rounds possibly being close to score I think that the winner will be Josh Kelly using his speed and combinations to win over twelve rounds.
By Alexis Rodriguez – On Saturday, January 23, 2021, the UFC will present its first PPV event, and it is a spectacular one. Dustin Poirier meets MMA’s biggest superstar Conor McGregor in a rematch. The UFC is starting 2021 off with a monumental main event. The lightweight division is flourishing, yet floundering, with so many exciting contenders and the mystery surrounding champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement. Let’s take a look at the important bouts for UFC 257:
Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor
In one of the most anticipated rematches in recent history, Dustin Poirier receives a second chance against Conor McGregor. “The Diamond” has been one of the best fighters on the planet for the past few years. Since losing to McGregor in 2014, at featherweight, Poirier has been on a tear. Other than losing to a dominant Khabib Nurmagomedov and a quick knockout loss to Michael Johnson, Poirier has been spectacular. He has shown immense improvement in his entire game. His striking, still powerful, is much more fluid and calculated. His wrestling has improved, as well as his already solid jiu-jitsu. 2014, featherweight Poirier was left behind on that fateful night. UFC 178 marked the arrival for Conor McGregor and marked a turn for the revitalized Dustin Poirier.
Conor McGregor is a laundry list full of highlights in and out of the octagon since 2014. He accomplished his “Mystic Mac” prophecy by taking over the featherweight division. His foray into the welterweight division against Nate Diaz was almost disastrous, but he evened the rivalry. By then, he was already MMA’s biggest star. When he won the UFC lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez, McGregor became a two-division champ. As his star grew, he entered into the transcendent territory by boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr. This left the lightweight division in limbo with guys like Tony Ferguson, Khabib, and Poirier stepping up to become interim champions. Khabib truly came out amongst all of the division to become the undisputed champion by mauling McGregor in a heated fight that broke records. McGregor returned and annihilated Donald Cerrone last year in mere seconds.
Now, with the lightweight division in flux, both Poirier and McGregor have the chance of a lifetime. A victory may mean the belt itself or a rematch against the possibly returning Khabib. After Khabib’s meeting with Dana White during UFC on ABC, a rematch for the winner is now looking like a reality. Poirier’s confidence has thankfully shot up as well. The first bout saw McGregor beat him down consistently with trash talk. Poirier appeared to be rattled and emotional. Now, though, he’s more cerebral and patient. He’s become tougher somehow. McGregor, ever the showman, has become an enigma with his real-life issues.
It is a fight worthy of starting the 2021 PPV calendar!
Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler
In another anticipated fight, Michael Chandler makes his UFC debut against the dangerous Dan Hooker. Chandler has been one of, if not the best, fighter outside of the UFC. He’s a former Bellator lightweight champion and has shown immense ability with his knockout power and wrestling.
Hooker has been a UFC mainstay. His spectacular kickboxing has been his bread and butter. 2020 was the year he showed out with 2 fight of the year performances against Paul Felder and Dustin Poirier. He won a razor-close decision against Felder and lost a back-and-forth decision to Poirier. He’s a kickboxer who ups the pace quickly and has the power to end the night early.
Chandler wants to pencil himself as a contender. He was an alternate for the title fight between Khabib and Justin Gaethje; thus, the UFC sees him as a worthy fighter. A win for either one puts them right with Khabib, McGregor, and Poirier. It’s a compelling bout that is more than capable of coming before such a big main event.
Matt Frevola vs. Ottman Azaitar
In a very interesting bout, Matt Frevola faces the undefeated Ottman Azaitar. Frevola has had a mixed record in his UFC career but has won his last two fights. However, Azaitar is a powerful puncher and has only known success. He’s a great striker with unfathomable power. Frevola is a well-rounded fighter out of Serra-Longo. This seems like an Azaitar knockout waiting to come, especially with the streak he has. Nevertheless, this fight should be the continuation of a prospect’s rise or a great upset.
Marina Rodriguez vs. Amanda Ribas
The main card opens with Marina Rodriguez vs. Amanda Ribas. Rodriguez is coming off a split decision loss to Carla Esparza. Meanwhile, Ribas is riding a wave of momentum and is one of the biggest prospects in women’s MMA. As a black belt in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu, she brings high-level grappling with an improving and smothering striking game. Ribas should take care of business, but Rodriguez will look to play spoiler.
UFC 257 is on Saturday, January 23, 2021. It will take place at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The fight will be broadcasted on BT Sport in the UK and ESPN+ PPV in the U.S.
By Jamie Bourne – This Saturday, the rescheduled meeting between Angelo Leo vs Stephen Fulton for the WBO super bantamweight world title, takes place at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Originally pitched to square off last August for the vacant strap, Stephen Fulton was ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19. His opponent, Angelo Leo, remained on the card and fought for the title, but under the strict condition that his fight with Fulton would be rescheduled for December 2020 or January 2021.
Instead, he faced Tramaine Williams on August 1, comfortably defeating him over twelve rounds to assume the vacant WBO championship.
How they matchup: The match up pretty much identical. Both American, both 26-years-old, and both are undefeated. Leo has twenty career wins, whilst Fulton has eighteen. Both boast a 45% knockout ratio, so neither are big hitters, and size-wise, Fulton has half an inch in height, as well an inch and a half reach, advantage.
Leo has been matched well of late and is backed heavily by Mayweather promotions, with head honcho Floyd Mayweather Jr said to be a keen admirer, having witnessed him hold his own in a spar with Gervonta Tank Davis.
Fulton has swept aside unbeaten opposition in his previous two outings. He was a decorated amateur; winning the Golden Gloves, boxing in the national championships, and featuring in the World Series of Boxing. However, he narrowly missed out on a place in the US squad for the Olympic qualifiers.
The momentum is with Leo, who has fought more recently and will have the confidence of a champion, now he officially owns the belt. Although Fulton will have been inactive for a year come fight night, he has been through multiple training camps for this fight, so there should be no excuses on Saturday night.
Breakdown: Neither possesses one-punch knockout power, so the smart money would be placed on this to hear the final bell.
Fulton is a little more cerebral. He is well-equipped, with a good jab and ring generalship, something that comes with an amateur pedigree. He moves well and has really fast hands. But his counter-punching is a little bit average.
Leo is a pressure fighter that likes to throw punches in bunches. He is also an excellent body puncher, which could be his route to success. For all his offensive traits, the defensive side is lacking. He is very hittable, fails to display much head movement and is sometimes overeager when he looks to move into range.
Fulton has the better defence, but his main issue is that he doesn’t anticipate his opponent’s attacks. He waits for them to throw and then reacts accordingly. Against a fighter like Leo, who constantly follows up on his attacks, Fulton could be thwarted.
Leo is there to be picked off when he attacks, it’s just whether Fulton can retain composure and counter him. Rather than reeling backwards and trying to avoid it, like he usually does. It’s a complete 50/50 fight. And one that certainly deserves more attention. Whilst Fulton might dictate the action for the most part, Leo’s output could be more eye-catching and favoured with the judges.
By Alexis Rodriguez – The 21st century became a gold mine for incredible talent for the lightweight and welterweight divisions. Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Kostya Tszyu, and Juan Manuel Marquez. These names are synonymous with the previous generation of outstanding champions. Each has provided classic moments in boxing through sheer will, skill, and excitement.
One fighter, however, is wrongly overlooked is Juan “Baby Bull” Díaz – a.k.a. one of the most exciting fighters of the past two decades. His relentless pressure bagged him 3 of the 4 major titles in the lightweight poundage. He would throw dozens of punches and apply relentless pressure to overwhelm his opponents. It was an agonising form of fighting, but it provided many memorable exchanges.
His rise towards the top of the lightweight division was truly a treat. At the tender age of 20, Díaz won his first world title against Lakva Sim. He showcased his trademark pressure to chop Sim down over the distance, resulting in a commanding unanimous decision for the WBA lightweight title. He would proceed to continue winning against less than formidable competition, other than an undefeated Jose Cotto. Díaz was a young champion; thus, his career had to be built.
It wasn’t until he fought Acelino Frietas for the WBO lightweight title, that he received his true coming-out party. Frietas, a former world champion with a sole loss on his record, was a formidable foe. Early on, he was having small success with the wild exchanges against Díaz. However, the Texan exhibited that relentlessness that defined his career. He overwhelmed Frietas and forced him into submission, making quitting on the stool. Díaz was already a champion, but now he was becoming a star.
Next, Díaz challenged for his third title against his namesake, Julio Díaz. With the IBF title on the line, “Baby Bull” put on another masterful performance of pressure and nonstop punching. Julio’s corner halted the action, as Juan inched closer to become undisputed. At such a young age, Díaz was flourishing into a pound-for-pound superstar.
However, the illumination that shone from Díaz’s star, still had to deal with adversity. In boxing, many prodigies are afforded “easy” fights to help them develop and essentially pad their record. Díaz made a steady climb in competition, yet his fight against Nate Campbell was seen as another stepping stone. Campbell was 36 at the time, and although he had shown ability at that age, Díaz was expected to win.
The fight followed the script early on, as Díaz powered forward and landed consistently. It wasn’t the usual effective Díaz, but Campbell was fighting in Diaz’s wheelhouse. Then, slowly Campbell started landing his own shots, before a nasty cut opened on Díaz’ eye, and he froze in the moment.
This was the moment of adversity Diaz had to face. The moment, though, was too much to handle. Campbell seized control and was beating Díaz in his own world. Campbell gave Diaz a sobering moment for him to reflect on, taking his titles before regrouping against the ferocious Michael Katsidis.
Against Katsidis, Diaz performed worthy of his reputation. Katsidis was also known for his exciting style. The fight, even with both coming off losses, was highly anticipated. Two action fighters clashed in an instant classic. The third round contained that toe-to-toe action that had boxing fans animated. Díaz controlled most of the bout, until the final rounds where Katsidis roared back. But it wasn’t enough, as Diaz came away with a split decision victory.
It would be a sin to not mention his all-time classic with Juan Manuel Márquez. Simply, Juan Díaz vs. Juan Manuel Márquez was one of the most thrilling affairs of the 2000s. Scintillating action, high-paced rounds, and a glorious finish lent boxing fans one night to truly remember. The result is widely known as Márquez ended Díaz with a perfect uppercut. But Díaz was far from dominated through the entire fight.
He exhibited outstanding pressure, which forced wild exchanges. Díaz had Márquez staggering in the second round from a hard left hook. His pressure was infatuating; Díaz, no matter the result, had supplanted himself as the ultimate fan favourite. Although he was continuously pressuring, Díaz was getting countered by the crafty Marquez. Díaz was giving everything, but taking an obscene amount as well.
Again, Díaz was facing hardship. Márquez opened a cut and was punishing him with left hands. Baby Bull Díaz was up against a wily veteran, who is today remembered as a pound-for-pound great. However, once again, he could not overcome. Marquez finished him viciously. The fight was best summarized by Max Kellerman: “What you just saw was a really good young fighter get knocked out by a great, old fighter.”
From then on, the career of Díaz was mildly disappointing. His next three bouts were either marred with controversy or substandard. Against Paulie Malignaggi, Díaz fought a decent fight, but it was Malignaggi using the Márquez strategy and implementing movement, combined with speed, and managing the distance.
Díaz struggled to close the distance and get going. But the judges seemingly didn’t care, as they scored in favour of Diaz. For most, this was the personification of a boxing robbery, especially since the fight took place in Díaz’ hometown of Houston, Texas. Nothing was left to do but make a rematch.
In the immediate rematch, Malignaggi took the victory with decisiveness and effectiveness. Diaz was now 2-3 in his past 5 fights. It wasn’t going to get better either, as he accepted a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez in a PPV showdown. Díaz was now considered a huge underdog because of recent woes and because of the result of the first fight.
He gave a spirited effort, but Marquez’s experience and counters were too much. Díaz, for the second straight time, was soundly defeated. His effort and resiliency were present, but Marquez showed his prowess once again. From then on, Díaz would undertake a three-year hiatus, after focusing on his law career. He would come back in 2013, 2014, and 2016 against unknown opponents, due to his love for the sport.
Díaz, though, should not just be remembered for his all-action style. He should be recognized as a fighter beyond the ring as he excelled in his schoolwork. Boxing didn’t appear to be his only path. He was an honour student and attended the University of Houston-Downtown. Before the second Marquez bout, he was even preparing for the LSAT – a notorious pre-law test.
For many, he showcased that there are many paths to success, even as a famous boxer. Díaz owns a successful trucking company and was admitted to Dartmouth Law School. The action hero from Houston was all brawn and all brain. He worked hard inside the ring to win fights and showed the same tenacity outside of it as well. For that, Díaz deserves commendation.
Now, it has been almost five years since his last fight. When he left the sport at a high-level and young age, it was crushing for his fans. His comeback fights were fun, but they weren’t the same as his days as champion or challenger. It didn’t matter. Díaz made it. He made it inside the ring and out.
He may not have reached the all-time great heights of the previous names, like Mayweather, Pacquiao, Cotto, or his rival Marquez, but he reached something different. He made his own name, carved his own reputation, and did everything on his terms. He found success as an incredible fighting champion and a student/entrepreneur.
Here’s hoping retirement serves “Baby Bull” Díaz well because his underrated legacy will always be appreciated.
By Jamie Bourne – As we near the five-year anniversary of the Rio Olympics, 2021 looks set to be a defining year for many of the 2016 GB squad. Here is a forecast of what this year could entail for these eleven British boxers – both amateur and professional.
Flyweight (Amateur): Galal Yafai
At Rio 2016, the youngest of the Yafai brothers was eliminated in the round of 16 by eventual Bronze medallist, Joahnys Argilagos. Galal went back to the drawing board and refined his style, developing his all-round game. The flyweight poundage is packed with talent, but with qualification already secured, Yafai is one of the GB medal hopes for Tokyo.
Super Bantamweight: Qais Ashfaq (9-1-0, 4 KOs)
The southpaw super bantamweight suffered the first defeat of his professional career last year. Ashfaq was dropped twice, en route to a convincing points decision for Marc Leach. He rebounded two months later by stopping Ashley Lane, claiming the defeat to Leach was an “off night” and he had learned a valuable lesson. Guided by Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn, opportunities will always be available to him domestically, but if he has genuine aspirations of becoming something special, he will need to right his wrongs against Leach in a rematch.
Featherweight: Muhammad Ali (2-0-0, 0 KOs)
The modestly-named Muhammad Ali joined the paid ranks in 2020, winning his first two outings by decision. The bantamweight GB representative at Rio 2016 was banned from boxing for two years in 2018, after testing positive for traces of the anabolic steroid, Trenbolone. He served his punishment and has turned professional under the Frank Warren Queensberry promotional banner. 2021 should be geared towards rebuilding his reputation and making up for lost time, having wasted two years of valuable development time.
Super Featherweight: Joe Cordina (11-0-0, 7 KOs)
Due to injuries, 2020 was a frustrating year for Joe Cordina. The “Welsh Wizard” notched three victories in 2019, winning the British title against Andy Townend and making his first defence against Gavin Gwynne. Before relocating down to 130lbs and dominating Mexican bogeyman, Mario Enrique Tinoco. Following Robert Guiterrez’ victory over Rene Alvarado at the turn of the new year, promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested he will look to put Cordina in with the Venezuluan for the WBA regular belt. Expect the Welshman to return with a tune-up to shake off the ring rust, before stepping up in class later in the year. IBF-holder Joseph Diaz also remains a viable option, given his ties to the DAZN network.
Welterweight (Amateur): Pat McCormack
The Rio 2016 experience was the perfect learning curve for Pat McCormack. He has developed ten-fold since, winning Gold at the Commonwealth and European Games, as well as Silver at the 2019 World Championships. The current welterweight number one will be the favourite to go one step further and take the top spot on the podium in Japan. But he must overcome some tricky opposition first.
Welterweight: Josh Kelly (10-0-1, 6 KOs)
Much-like Cordina (and Buatsi, who we mention later), 2021 will see “PBK” sink-or-swim. His European title showdown with bitter rival David Avanesyan was penned in the diary for March 28, 2020, before a UK national lockdown saw those plans scuppered. After ten months of uncertainty, Eddie Hearn announced the fight was rescheduled for January 30, 2021. But once again, COVID-19 threw another spanner in the works, so we can now expect the fight to be staged in February or March, providing there are no more obstacles placed in the way again. Should Kelly come through his toughest test to-date, Hearn will look to build a summer showdown with 147-pound domestic counterpart and fast-improving, Conor Benn.
Light Middleweight: Anthony Fowler (13-1-0, 10 KOs)
The 154-pound division is thriving domestically, with a whole host of fights available to Anthony Fowler in 2021. The British Boxing Board of Control has ordered a British title fight between Ted Cheeseman and JJ Metcalf, with purse bids expected soon. Fowler could await the winner, but in the meantime, we could see a mouth-watering rematch with his conqueror Scott Fitzgerald. Alternatively, he may choose to ignore his fellow Brits and pursue EBU champion, Sergio Garcia.
Middleweight: Savannah Marshall (9-0-0, 7 KOs)
The Hartlepool middleweight became the first GB Olympian that featured in Rio to win a world championship professionally. As she produced a career-best performance to take out Hannah Rankin on Halloween night. The biggest fight available to her at middleweight is the former two-weight undisputed champion, Claressa Shields. Marshall boasts an amateur victory over her, which the American is desperate to overturn in the paid ranks. If a deal can be negotiated for 2021, it will be one of the biggest women’s fights of the year.
Light Heavyweight: Joshua Buatsi (13-0-0, 11 KOs)
2021 could be the turning point in the career of Joshua Buatsi. When the Rio Bronze medallist turned over in 2017, anticipation was sky-high as many tipped him to achieve great things in the sport. But over the past eighteen months, his performances have been underwhelming, whilst injuries/illness also hindered his progression. The Ghanian-born south Londoner is hoping to feature three times this year, with the view to increase the level of opposition with each fight and strengthen his position for a 2022 world title challenge. Blake Caparello and Callum Johnson are potential opponents, both of which would prepare him for a final eliminator, before taking the leap against one of the dangerous light heavyweight titleholders.
Cruiserweight: Lawrence Okolie (15-0-0, 12 KOs)
“The Sauce” is primed to become the first male GB 2016 Olympian to taste world championship glory. Originally pitched to face Krzysztof Glowacki on the Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev undercard in December, the vacant WBO title bout was postponed after Glowacki contracted COVID-19. Although his wait for silverware has been extended, the east Londoner will no doubt receive his long-awaited opportunity in the first half of the year. If he advances, I’m sure attention will turn straight to unification bouts for later in the year.
Heavyweight: Joe Joyce (12-0-0, 11 KOs)
2020 was a pivotal year in the development of Joe Joyce. He took an acid test against dynamite-punching, domestic rival, Daniel Dubois. Displaying a granite chin, limitless engine and solid fundamentals, he stopped the pre-fight favourite in the tenth. With all the domestic titles now in his possession, his #2 ranking with the WBO has seen the “Juggernaut” set his sights on amateur rival and former cruiserweight king, Oleksandr Usyk. In 2021, Joyce will either challenge for the vacant world title against the Ukrainian or participate in eliminators against other world-ranked contenders. The WBO and WBC rankings are littered with fun fights for the Brit, so expect Joyce to play his part in some exciting matchups in due course.
WHILE YOU ARE HERE…
While we have your attention, check out the Punch Perfect Podcast. In the latest episode, Jamie and Charlie discuss the red-hot lightweight division and which one of the 135-pounders will ultimately emerge as the top dog. Subscribe today!
By Jamie Bourne – For any of our UK friends, we have entered our third national lockdown. We understand, at this time, hopes may be damped and people are handling the news differently. To help lift your spirits, The Neutral Corner has put together this boxing (e)survival kit, packed with content to keep you busy – based on your preference. Keep your eyes peeled throughout, as we offer you the chance to win prizes!
SOMETHING TO READ
The Dark Trade: If you love boxing, and you enjoy nothing more than a good read, The Dark Trade is the perfect book for you. Don McRae’s first-hand interactions with Mike Tyson, James Toney and Roy Jones Jr, all expose the darker sides of the sweet science and the sacrifices required to succeed in the hurt business.
Smokestack Lightning: 5ft 7inch Harry Greb had the best heavyweight in the world running for the hills. Don’t believe me? Smokestack Lightning brings you back to a post-WW1 America, at the dawn of the Jazz Age and the brink of Prohibition. A time where Harry Greb ferociously pursued every middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight on the planet, promising to “whup ’em all”.
The Ghost of Johnny Tapia: One of the UK’s finest boxing writers, Paul Zanon, describes the tortured life and meteoric rise of three-weight world champion Johnny Tapia. This book takes you through a mixed bags of emotions.
The Ice Punch: Friend of the website, Brian Duncan, wrote a fascinating book on how two young boxers from the hardened backdrop of the Rhondda Valley became forever fused with the world’s most famous maritime tragedy.
SOMETHING TO WATCH
Series 2: One Gotta Go: Perhaps biased, but the second season of the One Gotta Go Game Show is a fun series to follow this lockdown. The premise of the show is simple… Four options (related to boxing) and one has to be removed from boxing history forever. The person with the best argument earns fifteen points, runner-up receives ten points and last place settles for five. Series 1 victor, Charlie Griffiths, plays host and head judge, whilst Jamie, Michael and Alexis state their cases to become champion.
Episode #1 is now live, with further episodes dropping every Saturday.
Tris Dixon Life Stories: If you are looking for some longer-form content, Tris Dixon: Boxing Life Stories sees him sit down with some of boxing’s most integral figures. It gives you a deeper insight into the lives and careers of fighters, trainers, promoters and more!
Monzón: If you are unfamiliar with the tale of Carlos Monzón, the 2019 Netflix Original series paints a vivid picture. Arguably the greatest middleweight of all-time, a coward and murderer in the eyes of others. The series details his rise to record-making championship defences, as well as his downfall to life imprisonment. The boxing aspect could have been given greater focus, but overall, this Netflix production is well worth a watch.
FIVE MUST WATCH FIGHTS
We’ve picked out five fun fights, one from each of the previous five decades. Enjoy!
70s: Danny Lopez vs Mike Ayala
80s: Matthew Saad Muhammad vs John Conteh I
90s: Riddick Bowe vs Evander Holyfield I
00s: Israel Vazquez vs Rafael Marquez III
10s: Roman Gonzalez vs Juan Francisco Estrada I
COMPETITION TIME!
We are offering two of our readers the chance to win a prize.
First prize: The Neutral Corner branded beanie hat for all your winter warmth.
Second prize: A free copy of The Ice Punch (by Brian Duncan).
HOW TO WIN: Tweet us, or Tag us on Facebook, telling us your favourite fight of all-time and why. We will select two people to win a prize, before announcing the winner on Sunday 17 January.
By Jamie Bourne – Ryan Garcia and Luke Campbell opened the new year with a bang! The world witnessed the social media sensation climb off the canvas to produce a spectacular body shot finish in the seventh. Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to review the performance and asset what lies ahead for King Ryan.
Key Takeaways
Gut Check Complete: In order to lay claim to your hype, you are required to prove that you can stare adversity in the face, and overcome it. He was dropped heavily in the second, courtesy of a perfectly-timed counter left from Campbell. Not only did he display guts and composure to beat the count, he regained leg stability almost instantly, which is evidence of a sturdy chin and elite physical conditioning.
Speed Kills: Ryan Garcia has the most blistering hand speed in boxing right now. Those natural, fast-twitch fibres that cannot be taught or nurtured in the gym; you are simply born with or without it.
The Power is Real: Campbell humbly admitted that Garcia is the hardest puncher he has shared the ring with. The power is legit, and regardless of how you feel he fares vs Tank Davis, Devin Haney or Teófimo López, his explosivity is a potential equaliser in those matchups.
Flaws Are Obvious: The flaws were evident. And I would say, Ryan needs finetuning – more so – than the other barking lightweight dogs. His narrow stance and lack of upper body movement makes him a stationary, upright target for an accurate puncher. Leaving his chin hanging in plain sight makes him susceptible to overhand crosses, as demonstrated by Campbell on Saturday.
Support Network: For all his flaws, having Eddy Reynoso at his disposal and training alongside pound-for-pound #1 Canelo Álvarez, will only see him improve. At 22-years-old, he will surely tighten up those holes and continue to develop his game.
Star Power: The looks, the charisma, the ring entrances, and now the performances. The star power is apparent with Garcia. Win, lose or draw, he will be one of the most prevalent faces in the sport over the next decade.
What Next?
Gervonta Davis: Throughout fight week, Golden Boy and Garcia openly expressed their desire to face 130-pound WBA champion, and fellow undefeated American superstar, Gervonta Davis. When asked whom he wanted next, he made his intentions abundantly clear, screaming “LET’S GO TANK!” down the microphone. However, with Tank headlining on the rival broadcast network, SHOWTIME, negotiations could prove tricky, so I wouldn’t get your hopes up.
Devin Haney: Meanwhile, his former amateur rival and the man he became the mandatory challenger for, Devin Haney, was present at ringside on Saturday night. With both tied to the same television network, and Garcia now mandated to fight Haney for the title, as well as their existing history from the amateurs, this showdown has the perfect narrative and all the ingredients for a 2021 super-fight on DAZN.
Jorge Linares:(Deferring to the last paragraph) Personally, I believe we see one more outing for each man (Haney and Garcia) before they collide in 2022. (Back in the room) Golden Boy seems to like the Jorge Linares fight for Garcia. Whilst Haney was pitched to face Javier Fortuna earlier in 2020. I have an inclining we see those two bouts staged this year before Haney and Garcia finally collide in 2022.
By Michael Joyce – In what has been a tough year for everyone, few can claim the continued rise and success that MTK Global enjoyed throughout 2020. The largest boxing management company in the sport continued to sign amateurs turning pro, prospects and major stars – both domestically and overseas – this year. All whilst regularly showcasing their talented roster on competitive midweek fight nights, satisfying fans post lockdown and concluding their well-received Golden Contract tournaments under difficult circumstances.
Those who are not familiar with the MTK name, you would have likely noticed the companies golden crest branded on many of your favourite fighters attire over recent years, or maybe even plastered across promotional fight night banners.
In the years before showmen promoters like Don King, a boxer wouldn’t necessarily sign exclusively with a promotional company, they would work with a manager who would be responsible for brokering deals for their fighters. MTK Global has adopted the old approach, but added a modern spin, which has enabled a large part of their success.
Fighters under the MTK fold aren’t all necessarily signed exclusively to one promotional banner, allowing their clients the freedom to roam and progress their careers in the ring, whether that is against a Matchroom or a Queensberry fighter. Being able to appear on a multitude of different platforms, including their own shows, is a great incentive for upcoming or seasoned professionals.
They boast gyms and academies in all quarters of the globe, providing fighters with facilities to train year-round, as well as nurturing future talent in the meantime. Boxing aside, they also have interests in other avenues, for example, they advise UFC middleweight Darren Till and other MMA fighters.
The impressive roster includes a who’s who in boxing, featuring: Tyson Fury, Carl Frampton, Josh Taylor, Billy Joe Saunders just to name a few. Alongside a whole host of exciting rising talent, including: Dennis McCann, Harlem Eubank, Sean McComb and others that you will know about in the months and years to come.
2020 – The Fights
Post lockdown, MTK Global staged their own set of fight cards that were a regular midweek occurrence and were available free to air via YouTube, a refreshing change in the boxing business keeping the fans in mind during this difficult period.
The superstars of the stable all competed successfully throughout 2020. The Tyson Fury destruction of Deontay Wilder in February has been labelled by many as the Performance of the Year and rightfully so. Unified world champion Josh Taylor blasted out his mandatory in one round with a crippling body shot. Northern Ireland’s Carl Frampton kept busy and tested the water at lightweight, also stopping his opponent in the seventh with a brutal body shot. And finally, Billy Joe Saunders outpointed fellow MTK member Martin Murray over twelve in December.
The conclusion of the Golden Contract took place across three weight divisions – Featherweight, Light Welterweight and Light Heavyweight. The winner of each tournament would be awarded a two year, five-fight contract with MTK.
At featherweight, the final included two established British fighters in Ryan Walsh v Jazza Dickens. Going in, it was considered a 50/50 and the best final on paper in terms of both boxers abilities and achievements. Early on, it was cagey as both fighters patiently waited for the other to commit. Dickens’ jab was sharp and constant throughout the contest, not allowing Walsh to settle in a rhythm. As the fight wore on, Dickens was landing the cleaner, more effective shots and went on to win by unanimous decision. Dickens will now be looking at competing towards world level in 2021, thanks to high world ranking position with the WBO.
The light Welterweight final saw Ohara Davies square off against Tyrone McKenna in a grudge match. There had been some needle before the tournament and throughout the build-up. Davies had blown through his competition en route to the final, whilst McKenna was considered fortunate, following a points verdict in the semis. The final itself was a scrappy affair, as Davies looked to box at distance but the teak-tough McKenna was hoping to turn it into a slugfest. Ultimately, Davies did enough to win on the scorecards and get himself back in the mix at 140lbs.
In the light heavyweight version, the final sprung up a surprise, as the two finalists Richard Bolotniks and Serge Michel were not expected to go this far. Bolotniks outpointed tournament favourite Hosea Burton in the semi-final, whilst Michel stopped Liam Conroy. The fight started at a frantic pace, with Michel trying to keep Bolotniks at bay with his jab and power. Bolotniks, however, was inspired, constantly pressuring Michel backing him up on the ropes and landing heavy body shots. The Latvian eventually stopped Michel in the tenth and final round.
Elsewhere, one of the Upsets of the Year featured on a card in August when outsider Maxi Hughes defeated world title hopeful, Jono Caroll, on the scorecards. Chantelle Cameron was also crowned world champion, adding her to the growing list of female world champions and priming herself up an exciting 2021.
2020 – The Signings
The brand continued to grow and expanded to boxers based overseas. Notable signings included upcoming welterweight rising star Vergil Ortiz Jr, 130-pound world champions Joseph Diaz and Jamel Herring, plus a partnership deal with world-renowned trainer Robert Garcia.
Looking to pick up where they left off in 2020, MTK Global are hoping to kick start 2021 with a bang! On their first show of the year, rising Scottish star Lee McGregor competes for the European Bantamweight title in just his tenth professional contest in January, a card which also features Sean McComb v Gavin Gywne for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title. In February, Liam Walsh takes on Paul Hyland Jr for the vacant British lightweight title in another competitive match up. Expect the winners of the respective matchups to face each other for both belts later in the year.
In the first quarter, we are also anticipating announcements on the date for Carl Frampton’s bid to make history and become the first Irish born fighter to become a three-weight world champion. He and WBO champion, Jamel Herring are both managed by MTK. The 140lb undisputed title fight between Josh Taylor against Jose Ramirez is also awaiting announcement, as well perhaps the biggest fight in world boxing announced between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
You can also expect to see in 2021 Michael Conlan, Hughie Fury and Charlie Edwards (all of whom also had successful wins in 2020) continue the climb up the rankings towards competing for world honours. The boxing world will have to wait and see what’s next but on the horizon, you would have to imagine more big-name signings, more competitive 50/50 cards and hopefully further golden contract tournaments. Delivering for both fighters and fans alike, the MTK Global brand is sure to enjoy more success in 2021 and beyond.
This article was written and submitted by Michael Joyce – a contributor to the site. The lead editor would like to remind readers that the opinion of the writer doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the team.
By Jamie Bourne – Saving the best for last. As we wave goodbye to what has been a forgettable year, boxing looks to conclude 2020 on a positive note. On New Year’s Eve, leather will fly in Tokyo, as Kosei Tanaka bids to become a four-weight world champion in just his sixteenth fight. But must overcome the first ever Japanese boxer to reach that milestone, in reigning WBO super flyweight champion, Kazuto Ioka.
Ioka – The Journey to Four Weight Supremacy
The formidable Kazuto Ioka has reached the heights Kosei Tanaka is aspiring towards. Since securing his first world title down at minimumweight over nine years ago, the cultured technician transitioned through the lower weight-classes, picking up world titles at every step of his journey.
After compiling a fourteen-fight unbeaten streak and brushing aside top opposition to bank world honours at 105 and 108 pounds, he received the first blemish on his immaculate record.
Stepping up in weight, he challenged crafty IBF flyweight champion, Amnat Ruenroeng. The unbeaten Thai boxer, despite having lesser fights than Ioka, possessed the advantages in experience and ring generalship. The decision was heavily disputed, and many argued Ioka should have had his arm raised.
Rebounding with back-to-back victories, he defeated Juan Carlos Reveco to become WBA flyweight champion. Five successful defences followed before he dared to be great once again, relocating to 115-pounds in search of a world title in a fourth division.
He overcame world-ranked contender McWilliams Arroyo to earn a shot at the vacant WBO championship against lower-weight stalwart, Donnie Nietes. The fight lasted the distance, but to the dismay of Ioka and his Japanese contingency, the split decision verdict landed in the Filipino’s favour.
Many observers felt the judge’s verdict was bogus, with the 118-110 Nietes scorecard rightfully receiving heavy criticism. With another controversial loss staining his record, a frustrated Ioka hinted at retirement.
Thankfully, those arrangements were only temporary, as he returned six months later to capture the same belt (after it was vacated by Nietes) against Aston Palicte. That evening, he carved his name into the history books, earning the title of the first Japanese boxer to capture world championships in four weight categories.
Most recently, he outpointed skilled operator Jeyvier Cintron – the first Puerto Rican to feature at two Olympic Games – in his first defence of the crown. A victory that will no doubt age well, as the former Olympian continues to impress.
Tanaka – Rapid Rise to Pound-for-Pound
At eighteen, Tanaka made the bold decision to join the paid ranks. Five fights and eighteen months down the line, his pluck was validated as he was crowned world champion for the first time against Julian Yedras at minimumweight.
The transformation since, from world champion to pound-for-pound contender, has been a whirlwind rise for the 25-year-old. He moved up to light flyweight to snatch the title from Mexican, Moises Fuentes, before facing Angel Acosta in a breath-taking, undefeated clash in his first defence.
At 16-0, the Puerto Rican dangerman was yet to hear the final bell in the paid ranks, having wiped the floor with every man placed in his path. His reputation was fearsome, but Tanaka was unfazed, showing a sturdy set of whiskers to cope with the power and decent pop himself, dropping Acosta twice en route to a unanimous decision.
A further defence and a non-title win saw the end of his reign at 108lbs, as he set his sights on a third WBO title. The champion, Sho Kimura, was riding high of a series of noteworthy wins, involving the likes of Zou Shiming, Toshiyuki Igarashi and Froilan Saludar. Meanwhile, Tanaka had his heart set on equalling the record for fewest fights completed to become a three-weight world champion, set twelve months earlier by Vasyl Lomachenko.
The bout was a reminder of how great the little guys can be, as both showed unbreakable mental resolve in an all-action back-and-forth affair. After twelve hard-fought rounds, Tanaka emerged victoriously and etched his name into fight history.
Last year, he successfully defended the WBO flyweight crown on three occasions against respectable, but somewhat limited opposition.
A Career Crossroads
Although Tanaka has been pipped by Ioka to the title of the first Japanese boxer to win a world title in four divisions, he has a golden opportunity to create his own piece of history, by becoming the quickest male boxer to accomplish this feat.
He is teetering on the edge of most pound for pound top ten lists, and a victory on Saturday would further cement his status amongst the elite of the sweet science. Should he win on Saturday, no one can argue he belongs in the company of Juan Estrada, Errol Spence or anyone else knocking on the door of the top five.
As well as pound for pound acclaim, victory over his fellow countryman will see him become a certified nationwide superstar across Japan – making him a lucrative opponent to overseas champions.
The Future Is Bright
Flyweight: In early November, Junto Nakatani assumed the WBO flyweight with an impressive showing against Giemel Magramo. At twenty-two, he will inevitably be forced to climb through the weight categories. Whether he comes up to challenge the winner or the loser goes down to face him, a fisticuff between Nakatani and either man would be a momentous occasion for Japan.
Super Flyweight: Two of the three 115-pound titleholders, Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez, are set to unify their WBC and WBA belts in 2021. The WBC will immediately enforce Srisaket Sor Rungvisai as their mandatory afterwards, so the WBC and WBA belts could be wrapped up until 2022.
The remaining champion is Jerwin Ancajas, who is a recognised sports star in his native Philippines and throughout parts of South Asia. Whilst the Filipino receives criticism for the lack of depth on his résumé, a unification with Tanaka or Ioka would present a massive occasion for Asian boxing.
Bantamweight: Admittedly, 118lbs would be too significant a climb for either man. But the prospect of a Japanese super fight with Naoya Inoue might just persuade either of them to take the plunge. Now, I would refrain from actively pushing anyone towards a showdown with “The Monster” at bantamweight. However, you cannot deny the enormity of the event.
Breakdown – Who Comes Out On Top?
Ioka will want this fight at range; Tanaka will look to keep this close. It is the typical boxer vs the aggressor matchup, which stylistically always promises thrilling action.
Tanaka is explosive and will walk through walls to get up close and engage in phonebooth-style warfare. Ioka will happily oblige when it comes to a trade-off, but has struggled at close quarters in the past, namely in his defeat to Nietes.
Sure, he needs to stand his ground and avoid being overwhelmed, but a twelve-round round war is not the route to victory for Ioka. His jab is one of the most decorated in the sport and it should be employed to defuse Tanaka. He is an excellent body puncher too, so needs to create the space to target the challenger’s mid-section and slow him down.
Tanaka will need to raise his levels in order to defeat Ioka. Whilst his attack-focused mindsight has served him well thus far, his sometimes-reckless approach has found him on the canvas multiples time in his short career.
Part of me feels it could be a case of Tanaka simply will not be denied on Saturday. But as someone who has admired Ioka’s brilliance for some time, his superior fundamentals, more layered skillset, and general ring craft could be the difference this weekend.
One thing I can promise is that the Fight of the Year race could be decided on the final day of the calendar, so save your picks for the New Year. Both have granite chins, limitless engines, and unrelenting work ethic, which practically guarantees excitement.
Many have hinted at the possibility of bias from the officials on fight night because Ioka’s promotional outfit are managing the event. Keep your fingers crossed that no degree of favouritism is shown during the contest on Thursday.
Details – When, Where, How?
For the UK fans – you are in luck! The fight will kick-off around 9am on Thursday 31 December, so you can enjoy watch elite-level boxing with your morning coffee and breakfast. But if you want to get the New Year’s celebration underway early doors, we promise we will not judge if you opt for something stronger. The fight will be aired live on BoxNation in the UK.
To our Stateside counterparts, get the alarms set for bright and early because you are looking at a 4am (EST) or 2am (PST) start time, live on ESPN Ringside.
Elsewhere, TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting Service) will be airing the broadcast.
By Jamie Bourne – In a year clouded by lows, boxing has provided some much-needed some highs. We’ve seen masterclasses from Canelo, López, Fury, and Briedis. But there have been plenty of other moments that have altered careers and more importantly, livelihoods. Here are my top ten moments from 2020 in boxing, in no particular order.
Whilst you are here, check out The Neutral Corner End of Year Awards.
#1 – McCaskill Upsets Cecilia Braekhus
Jessica McCaskill sprung the most seismic upset of women’s boxing this year, handing Cecilia Braekhus the first defeat of her 13-year professional career. The younger and busier American challenger edged a narrow 10-round majority decision to capture the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles at 147lbs.
The 35-year-old investment banker from Chicago gave an emotional post-fight interview, detailing her transition from homelessness as a child, to becoming the undisputed female welterweight world champion.
“This is for the fourth-grade homeless Jessica. This is for the little girl that just didn’t care what people thought about her, and learned to love herself even though she was really weird. And for the me now that sacrifices everything to put this sport first and make a difference.”
The heart-rending interview was inspiring and provided hope to people going through similar personal trials. Her victory was one of the happiest, tear-jerking moments in boxing throughout 2020.
#2 – Underdogs Prevail
Frank Warren and BT Sport rounded off the year in style with back-to-back domestic dust ups. First up was the unbeaten heavyweight showdown between Rio 2016 silver medallist Joe Joyce, and 23-year-old knockout artist, Daniel Dubois.
With a WBO world title opportunity on the horizon, the punters installed their faith in the hard-hitting Dubois, who entered as the heavy favourite on fight night.
However, the economical Joyce upset the apple cart, displaying a granite chin and employing a pesky jab to defuse “Dynamite” Dubois. A broken orbital bone forced DDD to take a knee in the eleventh, and after failing to beat the ten-count, the underdog, Joyce, was crowned British, Commonwealth and European champion.
The following weekend, Lyndon Arthur put his Commonwealth light heavyweight crown on the line against former world title challenger, Anthony Yarde. Again, despite the disparity in skill and amateur pedigree, the bookies sided with Yarde.
A damaged right hand saw the undefeated Mancunian solely restricted to his cultured jab. However, it more than sufficed as he dictated the action throughout and survived a twelfth round scare to inflict the second blemish on the record of Yarde.
2020 ended with two likeable, seasoned underdogs prevailing in successive weeks, and setting up exciting 2021 campaigns for Joyce and Arthur.
#3 – Defining Night for the Charlo Twins
The Charlo Twins divide opinion, but them love or loathe them, September 26th was a defining night for the Houston brothers. Co-headlining their first pay-per-view event on Showtime, they each faced the toughest tests of their respective professional campaigns.
The older twin, Jermall, defended his WBC middleweight title against the tough, but tricky, Sergey Derevyanchenko. The Ukrainian had fallen short in previous title tilts against Danny Jacobs and Gennady Golovkin, but was motivated to make it third time lucky against the undefeated ‘Mall.
Recognised predominantly as a puncher first, boxer second, Jermall flipped the script and operated impressively off the back foot. Derevyanchenko looked to get on the inside, but was met with a ramrod jab and thumping right crosses. Despite raising the intensity and reducing the deficit in the second half, Charlo cruised to a unanimous decision.
Younger twin and 154lbs WBC champion, Jermell, met IBF and WBA holder, Jeison Rosario, in a much-anticipated three-belt unification showdown. The Dominican, fresh off an upset over the talented Julian Williams, exuded confidence in the pre-fight build up and saw this as his opportunity to change his family’s lives.
‘Mell got off to a flying start, flooring Rosario in the first. The Dominican regained composure and rallied, but his momentum was halted when he was decked again in the sixth. Charlo smelt blood and stalked his prey, eventually securing the stoppage with a jab to the body in the eighth.
The victories confirmed the suspicion that the Twins are the real deal. Jermall is a rumoured frontrunner to face pound-for-pound #1 Canelo in 2021, whilst Jermell is on a mission to become undisputed at light middleweight.
#4 – Nakatani Rises from the Brink of Defeat
Masayoshi Nakatani retired in 2019, after suffering his first career defeat to (now) undisputed lightweight king, Teófimo López. Seventeen months later, he was enticed back into the ring to face 2012 Olympian, Felix Verdejo, this December.
The explosive Puerto Rican entered the pro game carrying great expectations, and whilst he hasn’t quite lived up to them, his recent exploits saw him on a clear path to title contention. Nakatani is freakishly tall and rangy for the 135lbs division, and gave an elite fighter in López some genuine problems back in July ’19.
On fight night, Nakatani was made to regret his decision to return, as Verdejo exploded out of the traps and demonstrated blistering speed to floor the Japanese boxer twice. All roads seemed to lead towards a TKO/KO victory for the Puerto Rican, but once Nakatani had shaken off the ring-rust, he grew into the contest and started to land heavy on the tiring Verdejo.
In the ninth, the fight was over… but not in the predicted fashion. Nakatani rocked and dropped Verdejo early in the penultimate round, and when the former Olympian attempted to return fire, he was clipped again and laid flat on the canvas.
Considering Nakatani had washed his hands of boxing last year, to come back and rise from the brink of defeat to close the show emphatically, in a fight of year candidate, was one of my favourite moments of 2020.
#5 – Spence Returns from Near-Death Car Accident
In September 2019, Errol Spence unified the WBC and IBF welterweight belts in a Fight of the Year contender against the rugged Shawn Porter. One month later, he was involved in a high-speed, near-death car accident.
Footage emerged, along with images of the injuries sustained to Spence, and many questioned whether “The Truth” would ever be the same. Prior to the incident, former two-weight world champion Danny Garcia was his rumoured next opponent, and that remained the case when Errol announced his return for December 2020.
People speculated over whether Spence should have taken a tune-up bout first to prepare for the challenge of Garcia. But he showed on the night why it wasn’t required, controlling the action to outpoint DSG comfortably.
Given the doubts surrounding his long-term future in the sport post-accident, the nature in which he recovered, and returned to the ring to dominate a world class opponent, makes his latest victory one of my moments of 2020.
#6 – Smith Jr Stamps Ticket for WBO Title Shot
In any walk of life, we love when the good guy comes out on top. Joe Smith Jr bounced back fantastically in 2020, beating top ranked contenders and punching his ticket for a 2021 date with Maxim Vlasov for the WBO light heavyweight title.
At the turn of the new year, a split decision victory over top 10 ranked contender Jesse Hart saw him return to winning form. This summer, he was drafted in to replace Gilberto Ramírez in the four man WBO tournament, to determine their 175lbs champion.
He was pitted against the favourite of the elimination series, Eleider Álvarez. The former holder was riding high off a knockout of the year contender vs Michael Seals, and having won the title from Kovalev in 2018, he was expected to beat Smith Jr.
However, the “Common Man” silenced the doubters and rose to the occasion, dominating the contest before clinically cleaning the Columbian out in the ninth. Now Smith has the opportunity to finally get his hands on silverware in 2021.
#7 – Women Take Centre Stage
A prevalent topic throughout this year has been the staggering evolution of female boxing. The Matchroom Fight Camp series, especially, allowed the women to take centre stage, and after three weeks of exciting female fights, the standout was the domestic clash between Terri Harper and Natasha Jonas.
These two British boxers collided at a crossroads in their respective careers. Harper was on the rise and is considered one of the leading candidates to carry the torch when Katie Taylor eventually steps away.
Whilst Jonas hadn’t failed to reach the same heights as she did during her stellar amateur career, so this fight was billed as the last chance saloon for the Liverpudlian.
Their contest was exhilarating, with Jonas’ southpaw style and superior ring craft giving Harper all sorts of problems to overcome. Harper responded by adapting her regular approach; going on the front foot and looking to knock Tasha off her stride.
At the end of ten, two-minute rounds, the fight ended in a stalemate. One judge favoured Jonas by one, the second saw the same for Harper, whilst the final official scored it level 95-95.
Regardless of who you felt deserved the nod (I had Jonas), in a year where the females left their mark on the sport and proved they were here to stay, Harper vs Jonas was the pick of the bunch. It also took home The Neutral Corner – British Fight of the Year.
#8 – Povetkin Shifts the Heavyweight Landscape
1000 days as WBC mandatory and one victory away from a guaranteed shot at holder Tyson Fury, all shattered within a split second. Worthy of The Neutral Corner – Upset of the Year, Alexander Povetkin sent the heavyweight scene into disarray, and Dillian Whyte into a different realm, with one pinpoint, brutal left uppercut.
After being floored twice in the fourth, we looked set for Fury vs Whyte in 2021. But as is the nature of heavyweight boxing, if you switch off for a second, your lights can be switched off as equally quick.
The Russian laid the ground work for the uppercut in the early rounds, jabbing to the chest of Whyte and looking to lure him into a moment of vulnerability. With his back to the wall, Povetkin jabbed one final time, dropped his weight to the left slightly, and launched one of the most perfect uppercuts the boxing world has ever witnessed.
Their rematch awaits in the first quarter of 2021, but a rematch was never part of the road map initially, and that’s thanks to Mr Povetkin.
#9 – Shootout Between Zepeda vs Baranchyk
Five rounds, eight knockdowns, four apiece, one knockout of the year contender.
Yep, it’s safe to say, Jose Zepeda vs Ivan Baranchyk was the most frantic fight of 2020. Their five-round shootout saw both men hit the deck four times, before Zepeda rendered the machine-like Baranchyk unconscious in the fifth round.
These types of fights are anomaly. Very rarely are we subjected to these types of short-lived barnstormers, where the combatants somehow cram fifteen rounds worth of edge-of-your-seat action into just a couple of minutes of action, e.g. Hagler vs Hearns is the most famous example.
Whilst Juan Estrada vs Carlos Cuadras is my favourite fight of 2020, there is no doubt that Zepeda vs Baranchyk was the wildest and wackiest, making it one of my top 10 moments from 2020.
#10 – Maxi Hughes Turns His Career Around
One of the nice guys of British boxing completely turned his career around in 2020, and you simply love to see it.
After his grandmother sadly passed away last year, Maxi Hughes turned his back on boxing. Ten years of failing to capture a meaningful title, capped off by a points defeat to Liam Walsh in November ’19, spelled the end of his paid career.
His grandad convinced him to continue, to pursue his dream of winning a title in tribute of his late grandma. An opportunity arose to face the high-flying Jono Carroll, who was looking to keep busy after his headline victory over Scott Quigg in March.
“Maximus” arrived to the Production Park Studios as an opponent, but left the arena as the victor – springing a shock unanimous decision over the former world title challenger.
MTK Global rewarded his magnificent effort with a promotional contract agreement, providing him with a shot at the WBC International title against unbeaten Kazakh, Viktor Kotochigov. The southpaw, Hughes, put Kotochigov down with a sharp left uppercut in the third, and had the champion reeling for the remainder of the round.
The Yorkshireman continued to land the harder shots and repeatedly hurt the Kazakh throughout. At the end of ten fast-pace rounds, Hughes fulfilled his promise to his grandparents, and achieved his career aspirations, winning his first professional title.
By Billy Marsden – Here at The Neutral Corner were taking a look at ten names to keep an eye on for 2021. Some are at the beginning of their journey, conversely, some are on the cusp of championship stardom.
Name: Vergil Ortiz Jr Record: (16-0-0, 16 KOs) Division: Welterweight Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, USA. Nickname: N/A
The 2019 Ring Magazine Prospect of the Year and to many, a sure bet as one of the next superstars of the sport. Vergil Ortiz Jr is on the verge of some massive fights in 2021. At 22-years old, some might argue that there is no rush to throw Ortiz Jr in with the Shawn Porter’s and Keith Thurman’s of this world. But to me, if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.
There may be a touch of ring-rust to shake off first, since his solitary appearance this year came in the form of a seventh-round battering over Samuel Vargas. Well ranked with both the WBC (No. 5) and WBO (No. 2), the question is no longer if, but when, Ortiz Jr will net a coveted world title shot.
Name: Jesse Rodriguez Record: (13-0-0, 9 KOs) Division: Light-Flyweight Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, USA. Nickname: Bam
After a trio of victories in 2020, culminating in a second-round demolition of tough Mexican, Saul Juarez, blue-chip prospect Jesse Rodriguez will be looking to push on to bigger things next year. The Robert Garcia-trained southpaw turns twenty-one in January and will be hard to hold back, as he seems to have all the tools required to win titles in multiple divisions.
The Texan has terrific footwork and explosive, sleep-inducing power and is already ranked second with both the WBO and WBA. In competition with his older brother (WBA super-flyweight champ Joshua Franco), don’t be surprised to see the younger sibling outshine his big brother in 2021.
Name: Edgar Berlanga Record: (16-0-0, 16 KOs) Division: Super-Middleweight Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA. Nickname: The Chosen One
Sixteen fights, sixteen first-round knockouts. That’s the frightening power that Edgar Berlanga possesses. Leaving a trail of devastation in his wake since turning pro four years ago, the brash New-Yorker has even been compared to a young Mike Tyson by Hall of Fame promoter, Bob Arum.
With P4P King Canelo Álvarez, Caleb Plant and Billy Joe Saunders holding the belts at 168lbs, KO artist Berlanga may have to bide his time for a title shot. On the other hand, if he keeps knocking down opponents for fun, the belt-holders must surely stand up and take notice of this monster-punching phenomenon.
The 26-year old had his breakout win in the summer, demolishing fellow countryman and former WBO welterweight champion, Jeff Horn, in clinical fashion. The son of Kostya has improved immeasurably over the past 12 months, appearing to sit down on his punches and delivering some extra spite into his already polished work.
With Patrick Teixeira scheduled to defend his WBO strap against Brian Castano in February, the logical next step would be for Tszyu to meet the winner later in the year. It’s rumoured that a possible world title fight could land on the same card as the yet-to-be-finalised bout between Teofimo Lopez and George Kambosos Jr.
The Uzbek southpaw has been going about his business in a solid, if fairly unspectacular fashion, over the last couple of years. Now based in Detroit, Michigan and fighting under the Dmitriy Salita promotions banner, Ergashev is highly-ranked with both the IBF (No. 5) and WBA (No. 7).
He is closing in on the big names at 140 lbs, but Ergashev is seen by many observers as a fully-fledged member of the “who needs him” club. Nevertheless, if the powerful knockout artist keeps producing the goods, the lucrative fights will undoubtedly present themselves.
Name: Chris Colbert Record: (15-0-0, 6 KOs) Division: Super-Featherweight Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA. Nickname: Prime Time
An emerging star, Chris Colbert had his first taste of headlining a few weeks ago, when he topped the Showtime bill against hard-hitting Panamanian Jamie Arboleda.
The lightening-quick 24-year old was impressive in dropping his man four times and closing the show late, to retain his interim WBA belt at 130lbs. Colbert can be frustrating to watch at times, taking unnecessary shots and showboating, but there’s no denying the natural talent he possesses.
Blazing hand and foot speed, coupled with his eye-catching combinations are just a few of his many assets. The next twelve months could be exciting times for fans of the flashy American, as he ascends up the rankings of the jam-packed division.
Name: Julio Cesar Martinez Record: (17-1-0, 13 KOs) Division: Flyweight Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico. Nickname: El Rey
Last time out, the WBC king halted late replacement Moises Calleros in the second round. He was due to fight former unified minimumweight champ Francisco Rodriguez Jr on the Canelo-Smith card, but was withdrawn due to a non-COVID related illness.
The pocket dynamo has been impressing more and more with each passing fight, and is showing little sign of slowing down. Under the tutelage of the imperious Eddy Reynoso, the all-action Mexican is fast becoming one of boxing’s premier attractions in the lower weight classes. 2021 could see him in some mouth-watering unification fights with the likes of Junto Nakatani (WBO) and Moruti Mthalane (IBF).
Name: Jared Anderson Record: (7-0-0, 7 KOs) Division: Heavyweight Birthplace: Toledo, Ohio, USA. Nickname: Real Big Baby
Having recently turned twenty-one, and as his moniker suggests, Jared Anderson is still a baby when it comes to heavyweight boxing. The 6 ft. 4-inch man-mountain was a former two-time national amateur champion and has transitioned to the pro game seamlessly.
The young heavyweight sensation has amassed seven knockout victories in just fourteen months, five of which have been in the first round. Don’t expect Anderson to be taking on the big names any time soon, but towards the end of next year, notice a lot more people standing up and taking notice of Jared Anderson.
Exciting Japanese lightweight, Masayoshi Nakatani, has only fought once this year, where he stole the show on the recent Top Rank card-headlined by Shakur Stevenson. Squaring off against top contender Felix Verdejo, the fight turned out to be a FOTY candidate. Nakatani twice climbed off the canvas before stopping the Puerto Rican with a beautiful right hand in the ninth.
His sole career defeat was to Teofimo Lopez in July 2019, and he’s made his intentions clear that he would relish another shot at Lopez, insisting he’d be more aggressive in the rematch. One thing for certain, the tough 31-year old will be a hard nights work for any potential opponents in 2021.
Another one of the many Uzbek fighters blazing the trail, Shakhram Giyasov is a former amateur starlet, winning World Championship gold, as well as silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Under the guidance of the Díaz brothers, the hard-hitting Giyasov is unbeaten in ten. His only action this year saw him stop Nicaraguan journeyman Wiston Campos in the third, crushing blows to both body and head doing the damage.
There are intriguing fights to be made in the 140lbs division in 2021, the top 15 is stacked full of talent and Shakhram Giyasov could well emerge from the pack as the frontrunner.
This article was written and submitted by Billy Marsden – a contributor to the site. The lead editor would like to remind readers that the opinion of the writer doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the team.
By Kaiser Koba – In light of former lightweight world champion Vasyl Lomachenko’s comments on receiving a draw in his recent unification loss with Teofimo Lopez, there has been some relevant outcry. Many have claimed he shows a lack of character by disputing what many feel was a clear loss. Many have indeed felt this way because the majority felt that Lopez won no fewer than 7 rounds and the fight outright. Yet, some feel the fight was closer.
Recent Hall of Fame inductee Andre Ward scored the fight, in line with Lomachenko’s own recent take, a 114-114 draw. He, like Teddy Atlas too, gave Lomachenko round two and therefore five out the last 6 to arrive at a drawn scorecard. What intrigues me, and this highlights something deep-seated in boxing no one has really come to terms with, the lack of uniformity in scoring a fight.
Nowadays it is easy to hear something along the lines of “boxing scoring is subjective; it’s what you like more, the busier person or the harder/cleaner shots”. Whilst this is an easily repeated line, I feel we have to touch on a few things about boxing scoring. We score boxing on the 10 point must system (which if you did not know was introduced by the WBC in the late 1960’s so take from that what you will). There are a few sources out there that tell us that we should score a fight on effective aggression; clean and hard-punching; defence and ring generalship.
A great article on boxing scoring from Monte Cox (who is or at least was a member of the international boxing research organisation- so he ought to know a thing or two): https://coxscorner.tripod.com/scoring.htm
In this he details the above and something interesting at the bottom:
“The next time you score a fight remember these four categories of judging. Another thing that will help immensely is to watch the clock and divide the round into thirds. Look for the minute marks and decide who is better based on the above criteria during that minute. Whoever wins two or more minutes in a close, competitive round is the winner of that round. Watch out for the guy who does nothing for most of the round and then tries to steal it at the end, unless he scores a knockdown or has his opponent in serious trouble he should be viewed as the loser of the round. If one fighter is somewhat better in the first and the other in the second minute of the round, and the third minute is still up for grabs then give the guy who finishes the round credit.”
This is what I want to highlight. Cox here explains the four categories (which we all know and can factor in) before saying that these factors should be essentially taken into the account for the majority of the round. This dynamic changes every round. For example, let us look at round 10 in the first fight between Golovkin and Canelo.
Canelo starts very strongly and dominates the first minute by landing clean; hard and effective punches (by far the most effective shots of the round). After this, he tires and plays defensive by choosing to use the ring and block, as Golovkin comes forward jabbing.
GGG won the last two minutes, and if we scored the last two minutes against the criteria, it would look like this:
Effective aggression: Golovkin – he consistently landing clean punches for the majority of the round. Clean and effective punching: Golovkin – He landed hard jabs as Canelo was inactive. Ring Generalship: Even – Canelo used his legs to move around and did not look to engage and build up stamina. This was the intention. However, Golovkin also looked to have Canelo manoeuvred to the ropes so he could establish his left jab. Defence: Even – Could edge either way. Both used defensive skill to make the opponent miss. Canelo spent most of this time defensive- however, Golovkin easily evaded his counters.
However, if we view this without this point of view the round is different. For example, say we apply the criteria to the whole three minutes in general then it may look something like this:
Effective aggression: Golovkin – he consistently landing clean punches for three minutes and was initiating the exchanges in the last two minutes. Clean and effective punching: Canelo- in the first minute lands several power shots which are the most damaging shots of the round. Defence: Even – both exhibit defensive skill and this could be argued either way. Ring Generalship: Edge – Canelo. The last two minutes were even in which both more or less looked for what they wanted to do but in the first minute Canelo was dominant, standing in front of Golovkin in the centre of the ring and doing what he wanted.
Now the round is competitive but edges to Canelo. Most fan scorecards had Canelo winning round 10 on what essentially was 50 seconds of punching despite being outworked by Golovkin for two straight minutes. Monte Cox would have trouble with this.
However, he is not the authoritative voice and some would disagree with his rationale. Boxing judges Tom Kaczmarek and Harold Lederman have both acknowledged the four scoring criteria (which indicates it’s definitely real and must be taken into account). Although, both have said that instead of a 25% for each approach, clean and effective punching is by far the most important category, which is kind of ironic considering some of the scorecards they have both turned in but that’s neither here nor there.
Hypothetically, if the most important category is clean and effective punching, did Canelo win round 10? Harold Lederman scored it for Golovkin. My observation is that the lack of uniformity is the issue. If we apply the four criteria to every minute to who is “outboxing” someone, for the majority we get a vastly different result if we do it after all three minutes are complete.
Let us look at round 2 of Lomachenko vs Lopez. If we do it minute by minute, I do not think anyone would argue Lopez clearly won the first two minutes. However, if we look at the whole round you can maybe see where Ward and Atlas are coming from:
Effective aggression: Lopez – On the front foot for the whole round mixing power shots to head and body. Clean and effective punching: Edge Lomachenko- Lomachenko’s combination rally to the head in the last 30 seconds including the most eye-catching shots of the round. Defence: Lomachenko – Lomachenko moves around using an effective guard and makes Lopez miss the majority of his shots for most of the round. Whilst Compubox is inaccurate and does not score fights here is the ballpark estimate for round 2. In total punches landed vs thrown Lopez was 11/35 at 31.4% connect percentage whereas Lomachenko was 5/12 at 41.7%. Ring Generalship: Even- both can argue this side. On the one hand, Lopez took control of the ring and forced Lomachenko to stay defensive and “run”. On the other hand, Lomachenko cleverly circled and waited for an opportunity to score with an effective combination a la Sugar Ray.
This leads us to something else. In a hypothetical fight, let’s say Sam Eggington vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Floyd decides he will play around. He leans against the ropes and employs a textbook guard. Eggington hits his arms for 3 minutes with hooks unable to get through. How do we score this round? Many will say Eggington was aggressive and did all the punching (like Frampton vs Quigg).
Well, Floyd Mayweather Jr used his superior defence to nullify Eggington’s effective aggression and clean and punching. So our breakdown over the whole round or every minute would look like this:
Effective aggression: Even – to be an effective aggressor one has to consistently land clean punches. Eggington’s shots have all been blocked therefore has he been ineffective. Clean and effective punching: Even – Sam Eggington’s shots have all been blocked but Floyd Mayweather Jr has not thrown a punch. Defence: Floyd Mayweather Jr has shown more defensive skill by blocking every single one of the punches thrown at him. Ring Generalship: Even – Neither has taken the initiative of the fight.
In this way, Mayweather Jr technically wins the round by not throwing punches (given this is hypothetical like the myth about Willie Pep) but despite this, if this happened every single person would have scored the round for Eggington just for throwing punches. I think my closing argument and thoughts that boxing is an inherently aggressive sport. It requires activity.
Whilst we have four categories to judge a fight, the effective punching is regarded by many judges (and likewise fans) to be the most important. Our required uniformity to get even on judging is to confirm that and make it the written, not unwritten, rule and to decide if a round of boxing can be won in 1 minute or requires 2.
This article was written by Kaiser Koba. The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the writer, and do not directly reflect the opinions of the rest of The Neutral Corner team.
By Jamie Bourne – On Saturday night, Callum Smith dares to be great in Texas, putting his super middleweight crown on the line against pound-for-pound number one, Canelo Álvarez.
The stage is set at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, where a limited number of fans will be allowed in attendance. The 64,000 seater stadium hosted the PPV showdown between Leo Santa Cruz and Gervonta Davis on Halloween, with just under 10,000 people present. Expect around similar numbers this Saturday.
Callum Smith (27-0-0, 19 KOs) will wager his Ring Magazine belt and WBA Super title, whilst the vacant WBC 168lbs championship is also at stake for the victor. Although Saul Álvarez(53-1-2, 36 KOs) brings no silverware to the party, his status as the number one fighter in the game provides plenty of incentive for Smith.
Punch Perfect Podcast – Episode #20
Before we continue, Jamie & Charlie previewed this championship showdown on the latest episode of the Punch Perfect Podcast. Check it out and subscribe to the channel below.
Recent Form
It’s safe to say recent form favours Canelo. 2019 was a defining year in the Hall of Fame-worthy professional campaign of the Mexican superstar. He successfully retained his 160lbs crown against Daniel Jacobs in May, before jumping up two weight-classes to dethrone Sergey Kovalev at 175lbs – overcoming a significant size disadvantage. His exploits earned him the Fighter of the Year award from all respected boxing publications.
On the other hand, Smith received mixed reviews for his 2019 showings against Hassan N’Dam and John Ryder. In June, he demolished N’Dam on the AJ-Ruiz card at Madison Square Garden in New York. Whilst the opponent was criticised, the clinical performance received high praise. In November, he returned to his home city to defend his world title against fellow Brit, John Ryder.
With one eye on unifications and the potential Canelo golden ticket, he struggled with the awkward and rugged challenger, who many felt deserved the decision after twelve completed rounds. Smith escaped with the split decision and his unbeaten record unblemished, but his reputation damaged.
What is at stake?
For Canelo, this is another opportunity to strengthen his standing within the sport. He has held major titles at 154, 160 and 175, but is yet to win one at 168. Yes, he took the WBA Regular belt from Rocky Fielding in 2017, however, the “Super” title is considered the superior version. Victory would cement his claim as a four-weight world champion, and with the vacant WBC strap also up for the grabs, this would see Canelo unify – and hold the prestigious Ring Magazine belt – in a third division.
For Smith, it’s the chance to be great. The chance to be remembered forever. Not just another British world champion that was talented, but ultimately lost in their toughest test. If he dethroned the pound-for-pound number one on Saturday night, he would become a British boxing legend, by producing one of the greatest away victories of all-time.
Prediction
We encourage you to listen to the Punch Perfect Podcast – Episode #20 for a more comprehensive prediction from Jamie and Charlie. They tactically break down the contest and highlight the keys to victory for both men.
However, know that the team are 5-1 in favour of Canelo. In the past eighteen months, the Mexican has entered an entirely new realm; his ring intelligence, cat-like reflexes, crisp combination punching, brutal body work, and dazzling speed will simply be too overwhelming for any super middleweight on the planet.
Expect Smith’s size to play a factor early on, but slowly become his detriment as the contest unfolds. Some expect Canelo to enforce the early finish, whilst others feel the naturally bigger man can survive the distance.
TV Details
The card will stream live globally on DAZN, to more than 200 countries and territories (excluding Mexico, where it will be shown on TV Azteca). In the United Kingdom, DAZN is available to sign up for £1.99 per month: https://www.dazn.com/account/signup. Expect ringwalks around 22:30 (Central Time), 04:30 for those in the UK.
Welcome to Episode #20 of the Punch Perfect Podcast – brought to you by The Neutral Corner.This week, Jamie & Charlie review Anthony Joshua’s knockout performance over Kubrat Pulev, before previewing the return of P4P #1, Canelo Alvarez.
By Jamie Bourne – From building sites, to world championship glory. The working class hero, Joe Smith Jr, co-headlines Top Rank’s first Stateside show of 2021 on February 13, facing Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBO light heavyweight title.
Joe Smith Jr. is living the real-life Rocky story. He stems from humble beginnings, a local community that works tirelessly and cares profusely for one another. Just four years ago, Joe was power washing faecal matter off tanks at the Bay Park Sewage Plant with RJ Industries.
Nowadays, when he is not preparing for a fight date, he can be found around Long Island servicing trees with his Dad, for their company, “Team Smith Tree Service.” His working-class pride and determination to make something of himself earned him the fitting moniker the “Common Man”.
At this stage of his professional campaign, his legacy is simply lacking one key component – a world championship belt. In 2021, he not only has a chance to reach that milestone, he will have the opportunity to exceed it beyond expectations.
Victory on February 13 will open doors that have never been available to him before; unifications, big money contracts, and headline shows. But he most clear the final hurdle in two months’ time.
THE RISE
The 31-year-old has been a reliable servant to the sport over the past decade. After rebounding from a stoppage defeat in his early days, he burst onto the scene with an emphatic first-round TKO of Andrzej Fonfara in 2016.
“The Polish Prince” was riding high of a decision victory over Nathan Cleverly and was promised a world title shot on PBC. Until Smith stuck a pin in those plans and was rewarded with a headline bout of his own against the legendary Bernard Hopkins.
The New Yorker overwhelmed the history-making, multi-weight world champion in his farewell outing, closing the show in the eighth by knocking B-Hop through the ropes with a double right-left combo. He became the first man to halt Hopkins inside the scheduled distance.
THE FALL
Seven months later, he stepped in the ring with Sullivan Barrera – a man with a sole blemish on his record to pound-for-pound star, Andre Ward. Originally, he was ordered to face Oleksandr Gvozdyk in a WBC final eliminator, but a deal never materialised, and the Ukrainian proceeded to challenge the champion, Adonis Stevenson.
Despite Smith flooring the Cuban in the opener, that proved to be his final piece of noteworthy success. Barrera repaid the favour by breaking his jaw in the second, before dominating the remainder of the ten rounds. Smith required surgery to fix the broken jaw afterwards.
The following year, it took less than two measly minutes for Smith to splatter Melvin Russell across the canvas. Subsequently, his manager looked to secure a fight with Russian destroyer Artur Beterbiev, but nothing came to fruition.
Instead, he received his long-awaited title opportunity in 2019, facing WBA holder Dmitry Bivol – also hailing from Russia. Barring a couple of sticky moments for the undefeated champion in rounds three and ten, Bivol dictated the action as he neutralised Smith’s offence and retained his belt in a fairly lacklustre affair.
WBO TOURNAMENT
This past January; Gilberto Ramírez, Eleider Álvarez, Maxim Vlasov (45-3, 26 KO), and Umar Salamov, were ordered by the WBO to participate in a semi-final playoff for the belt vacated by Canelo Álvarez.
“Zurdo” Ramírez removed himself from the frame, inviting Smith Jr (26-3, 21 KO) – fresh off a victory over ranked contender Jesse Hart – to replace him. He met former holder Eleider Álvarez in August, brutally beating down the Columbian dangerman inside nine rounds to set up a showdown with the winner of Vlasov vs Salamov.
However, after the fight was postponed for the second time when Salamov contracted COVID-19, the WBO removed the middleman and ordered the vacant championship showdown between Smith and Vlasov for 2021.
FEBRUARY 13
His opponent on February 13, Vlasov has found his feet at 175lbs since moving down from cruiserweight, after Krzysztof Glowacki snapped his 12-fight winning streak in November 2018. The Russian has notched three wins, most recently beating Emmanuel Martey via unanimous decision, one year ago.
This show will be Top Rank’s first stateside show of 2021, as Richard Commey ends a lengthy layoff after his knockout defeat to (now) undisputed champion Teófimo López. He faces Jackson Marinez in the co-main event of the evening, setting up a fascinating doubleheader on ESPN.
A LOOK AHEAD
Light heavyweight number one and fellow Top Rank stablemate, Artur Beterbiev, defends his unified WBC and IBF crown on, January 30, against Adam Denis. Should Smith overcome Vlasov two weeks later, the relevant parties will look to agree to a deal that sees a three-belt unification staged in the second half of 2021.
Whilst the Russian presents arguably the most daunting assignment in boxing right now, he is hittable and can be hurt. In the past, Smith Jr has upset the odds on numerous occasions, and whilst he would rightfully enter as the underdog, you would be foolish to dismiss his chances entirely.
When two power punches collide, fireworks are guaranteed. A showdown between these two heavy hitters has all the elements of a Fight of the Year candidate, so let us hope both prevail in their upcoming contests.
By Scott Janes – On Saturday night, the two-time, unified heavyweight champion of the world Anthony Joshua returns to action, facing mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev. The world awaits a monster showdown with Tyson Fury in 2021, so AJ cannot afford to slip up this weekend.
If you are looking for a preview podcast to get you in the mood for Saturday night, check out the latest episode of the Punch Perfect Podcast.
UNDERCARD: QAIS ASHFAQ VS ASHLEY LANE.
8 x 3 Rounds @ Super Bantamweight.
Opening the show is the returning Qais Ashfaq, looking to rebound from a disappointing defeat to Marc Leach, back in October. The former Olympian was set for bigger and better things in 2021, but the nature of the Leach defeat showed that their vast improvements to be made. He resurgence begins against Ashley Lane, whose record may not look the most attractive on paper, but is a former Commonwealth champion, and as game as they come.
UNDERCARD: FLORIAN MARKU VS JAMIE STEWART.
8 x 3 Rounds @ Welterweight.
If you are not aware of the “Albanian King” Florian Marku, you certainly will be after Saturday night. The former mixed martial artist has developed a huge following and made quite the impression on the boxing world. Marku and manager Sam Jones are keen to progress quickly, calling out the big British boys at 147. However, he must impress on his Sky Sports debut against a man who is undefeated and has nothing to lose in Jamie Stewart.
MAIN CARD: KIERON CONWAY VS MACAULAY MCCOWAN.
10 x 3 Rounds @ Light Middleweight.
A fight that has flown under the radar this weekend, and one I am very much excited about is Kieron Conway vs Macaulay McCowan. Record-wise, they are evenly matched, but Conway has the backing of Matchroom and Eddie Hearn. He is riding high off an impressive points victory in August, against Nav Mansouri, and will be hoping to showcase why he is one of the top British fighters at 154-pounds.
MAIN CARD: MARTIN BAKOLE VS SERGEY KUZMIN.
10 x 3 Rounds for the WBC International Heavyweight Title.
The term “50/50 fight” gets thrown about too often, but it summarises Martin Bakole vs Sergey Kuzmin perfectly. Both men have fun, action-packed styles and carry respectable power, so expect fireworks. They share the same record and each have a sole career loss to Michael Hunter. This is a must-win fight for both men, as victory will put them right back in the mix, whilst defeat would spell a long road back to contention.
MAIN CARD: HUGHIE FURY VS MARIUZ WACH.
10 x 3 Rounds @ Heavyweight.
The career of Hughie Fury has been an interesting one to say the least. At such a young age, Fury has been slung in the deep end prematurely on numerous occasions. After suffering his most recent defeat to Alexander Povetkin, promoter Eddie Hearn has promised to rebuild him correctly. He easily dispatched Pavel Sour in March, and he meets Mariusz Wach, who is a former world title challenger and has shared the ring with the best in the division. He is teak tough and will not come to lie down, so expect this one to go the distance.
CHIEF SUPPORT: LAWRENCE OKOLIE VS NIKODEM JEZEWSKI
12 x 3 Rounds for WBO International Cruiserweight Title.
We received the disappointing news last week that Lawrence Okolie will no longer challenge for the vacant WBO cruiserweight world championship this weekend, after his opponent Krzysztof Glowacki tested positive for COVID-19.
It was an intriguing matchup and a chance for the Brit to become the first world champion from the crop of 2016 Rio GB Olympians. With Glowacki out, incomes fellow countryman Nikodem Jezewski, who carries a perfect record of 19-0.
Okolie has been out of the ring since capturing the EBU title last October, so there could be some ring rust and sticky patches, but we fully except Okolie to advance and setup a 2021 rescheduled title showdown with Glowacki.
MAIN EVENT: ANTHONY JOSHUA VS KUBRAT PULEV.
12 x 3 Rounds for WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO Heavyweight Titles.
A year on from righting his wrongs against Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia, Anthony Joshua is back on our screens, and the pressure is more intense than ever before.
Mega fights with British rival and WBC holder, Tyson Fury, are within touching distance for next year. But AJ must get past mandatory challenger, Kubrat Pulev, and look good in doing so.
He returned to winning ways last December and reclaimed his world titles, beating Ruiz Jr in a one-sided points victory. He proved many doubters wrong that night; showing his boxing brain and ability to follow instructions.
Saturday night, he faces a tough assignment in Pulev, who has beaten some credible names in Derek Chisora and Hughie Fury, to earn his shot that he has been patiently waiting for.
If Joshua is triumphant on Saturday night, everyone will be clamouring for the Fury fight, and whether you are an AJ fan or not, let’s all hope he gets through Pulev to tee up a massive 2021.
WHEN, WHERE AND HOW?
The undercard gets underway from 18:30 on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US. Purchase your PPV here:https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/joshua-pulev
By Jamie Bourne – Shakur Stevenson enters the second chapter of his fledgling career, debuting at super featherweight ahead of a proposed title challenge in 2021. He tops the Top Rank card on ESPN, supported by a number of his fellow rising stars.
This show was originally headlined by Miguel Berchelt defending his WBC crown against fellow Mexican, Oscar Valdez. Until the contest was postponed after the champion tested positive for COVID-19.
MAIN EVENT: SHAKUR STEVENSON VSTOKA KAHN CLARY
10 x 3 Rounds @ Super Featherweight.
2016 Rio Silver medallist and former WBO featherweight holder, Shakur Stevenson (14-0-0, 8 KOs), debuts at super featherweight this Saturday, ahead of a 2021 world title showdown.
After vacating his WBO crown, he was installed as the mandatory challenger to the 130-pound holder and close friend, Jamel Herring. Given their friendship, and Herring having agreed terms to defend against Carl Frampton, Stevenson set his sights on the WBC strap instead.
The famous green and gold belt is currently held by the number one super featherweight in the world, Miguel Berchelt. As mentioned earlier on, he was preparing to headline this card against Oscar Valdez, before COVID-19 struck.
Stevenson has suggested he would be willing to face Herring if required, but the WBC would be his preferred route to two-weight supremacy. Expect a routine victory for him on Saturday against Toka Kahn Clary (28-2, 19 KOs).
CO-MAIN EVENT: FELIX VERDEJO VS MASAYOSHI NAKATANI
10 x 3 Rounds @ Lightweight.
In the potential Fight of the Night, Félix Verdejo(27-1, 17 KOs) faces a sink or swim assignment in the awkward Masayoshi Nakatani (18-1, 12 KOs).
The 2012 Olympian joined the paid ranks with a stellar reputation and was expected to reach the pinnacle of the sport. Six years later and 28-fights deep, we are yet to see a signature performance from the Puerto Rican.
The talent is undoubtedly there, but the motivation and the focus has been lacking. Defeat on Saturday would spell the end of his championship ascent, whilst a victory would propel him to a world title challenge.
His opponent, Nakatani, is best known for his points defeat to Teófimo López in 2019. He gave the (now) undisputed lightweight king all he could handle for twelve uncomfortable rounds. Verdejo will certainly have his hands full with Nakatani’s lanky frame and ring craft.
This is a wonderful clash of styles and crossroads affair, joint-topping the bill.
MAIN CARD: EDGAR BERLANGA VS ULISES SIERRA
8 x 3 Rounds @ Super Middleweight.
Super middleweight dangerman, Edgar Berlanga (15-0, 15 KOs), will look to extend his devastating knockout streak on Saturday against Ulises Sierra(15-1-2, 9 KOs).
After fifteen professional bouts, the Brooklynite is yet to hear the opening bell for the second round, having dispatched all of his opposition inside the first three minutes.
With Canelo Alvarez making his intentions clear at 168-pounds, it is a great time to be a part of the super middleweight division. Alongside “The Bully” Bektemir Melikuziev, Berlanga is the most exciting prospect at the weight, and will kick onto bigger fights in 2021.
MAIN CARD: JESSE RODRÍGUEZVS SAUL JUAREZ
8 x 3 Rounds @ Light Flyweight.
Texan twenty-year-old, Jesse “Bam” Rodríguez (12-0, 8 KOs), is highly regarded and has been tipped for greatness. He looks to end 2020 with a bang, facing Mexican journeyman and tough guy, Saul Juarez (25-12-2, 13 KOs).
The brother of super flyweight titleholder, Joshua Franco, produced one of the most brutal, post-lockdown knockouts when he annihilated Juan Rivera in September.
The Robert Garcia-trained prospect is ranked #2 with the IBF and WBA, meaning he will likely challenge for world honours in 2021. Part of the thriving light flyweight poundage, his résumé lacks world level experience, but with his decorated skillset, he will undoubtedly lift a championship belt at some stage.
MAIN CARD: ROBEISY RAMÍREZVS BRANDON VALDES
8 x 3 Rounds @ Featherweight.
Two-time Olympic Gold medallist, Robeisy Ramírez (5-1, 3 KOs), makes his fifth appearance of 2020, taking on tricky Columbian, Brandon Valdes (13-1, 7 KOs).
The Cuban prodigy suffered a shock defeat on his professional debut in 2019, but has rebounded with five consecutive victories, including revenge against his conqueror Adan Gonzalez.
Whilst he is yet to set the world alight in the paid ranks, he has been matched tough and overcome some sturdy opposition. Valdes will present another stern challenge on Saturday, but Ramirez should have enough to prevail.
REST OF THE CARD: UNDERCARD
Also on the card, Clay Collard (9-2-3, 4 KOs) meets the unbeaten Quincy LaVallais (9-0-1, 5 KOs).Dominican light welterweight, Elvis Rodriguez (10-0-1, 10 KOs), features for the sixth time this year, against Cameron Krael (11-3-0, 4 KOs). Lastly, Haven Brady and Kasir Goldston both look to advance to 2-0.
Welcome back to the Punch Perfect Podcast – brought to you courtesy of The Neutral Corner.It’s Anthony Joshua fight week, and in preparation for Saturday night, Jamie and Charlie got together for their first ever video podcast!
AGENDA
Weekend Review: Arthur beats Yarde, Spence beats Garcia.
Preview: Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev (+Rest of the card).
Question of the Week: Favourite of the Four Kings.
VIDEO VERSION
If you are joining us on YouTube, please don’t forget to Like, Comment and Subscribe. We are nearing our goal of 100 subs, so every little helps!
AUDIO VERSION
Available on Apple & Spotify Podcasts, Podbean, and Amazon Music.
By Jamie Bourne – Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions are closing out the year in style, with back-to-back all British headliners between four of the country’s most promising talents. Last week, we saw Joe Joyce defuse the dynamite of Daniel Dubois; this week, attentions turn to the light heavyweight division, where “King” Lyndon Arthur puts his Commonwealth Crown on the line against Anthony Yarde.
MAIN EVENT: LYNDON ARTHUR VS ANTHONY YARDE
12 x 3 Rounds for the Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Title.
Much like last Saturday, this domestic title fight is mouth-watering. It’s the skill and ring craft of Lyndon Arthur (17-0, 12 KOs) up against the athleticism and raw power of Anthony Yarde (20-1, 19 KOs).
This fight was spoken about prior to lockdown 1.0, but COVID-19 delayed any further talks. Both of their most recent appearances came against a common foe in Dec Spelman. Arthur boxed his ears off en route to a unanimous decision in July, meanwhile, Yarde dispatched Spelman inside six back in September.
Arthur got his hands on the Commonwealth title in October 2019, outpointing Emmanuel Amin over twelve rounds. The Mancunian has defeated some experienced operators to this point, but this Saturday represents his first serious step up in class.
Yarde came up short in his ambitious world title challenge in Russia against the formidable, albeit fading champion in Sergey Kovalev. Barring the eighth round where he had the home fighter in a world of trouble, the Brit was thoroughly outboxed and halted in the penultimate round.
The away championship experience will no doubt serve him well moving forward, but he must overcome similar moments against Arthur this Saturday, who like Kovalev, possesses a potent jab and sound fundamentals.
This Saturday, the winner will progress to European and world honours, but the loser will drop down the domestic pecking order. Both are young enough to rebound following a loss, but any future plans will be put on hold for the meantime.
CHIEF SUPPORT: MICHAEL RAMABELETSA VS CHRIS BOURKE
The rescheduled super bantamweight title fight between Michael Ramabeletsa (18-17, 8 KOs) and Chris Bourke (8-0, 5 KOs) will act as chief support to the main event on Saturday night after the super middleweight showdown between Lennox Clarke and Willy Hutchinson unfortunately fell through earlier this week.
The Preston-based South African has a deceiving record. At first glance, 18-17 seems pretty uninspiring, but when you dig a little deeper, you see the majority of those losses came against future world champions and top prospects.
Since tasting defeat to Ashley Lane for the Commonwealth strap in 2017, he has found a new lease of life and strung together three consecutive victories over unbeaten opposition, winning the English super bantam and Central Area super feather belts in the process.
Bourke is the current Southern Area holder and is expected to advance onto further domestic honours, but has a tricky hurdle to overcome on Saturday. Despite the delays due to COVID, he has managed to keep busy – having boxed twice this year.
MAIN CARD: DENNIS MCCANN VS PEDRO MATAS
One of the UK’s hottest prospects, Dennis McCann (7-0, 5 KOs), is back in action on Saturday, taking on his first opponent with a winning record in Pedro Matas (7-3, 1 KO).
McCann has impressed in previous showings on BT Sport thus far. A rangy southpaw, with quick feet and heavy hands, you can certainly see why the youngster has drawn comparisons with Naz.
Matas has failed to register a victory since 2018, suffering back-to-back defeats on British shores to Sunny Edwards and Quaise Khademi.
UNDERCARD: REST OF THE EVENING
Karol Itauma makes his debut against well-known journeyman Lewis van Poetsch (9-123-2, 2 KOs), the modestly-named Muhammad Ali (1-0) looks to make it two wins from two against Jamie Quinn (7-105-2), and lastly, the highly-rated Sam Noakes (4-0, 4 KOs) will also feature on the card.
By Billy Marsden – Errol Spence Jr defends his WBC/IBF welterweight titles against former two-weight ruler Danny “Swift” Garcia on Saturday night. The AT & T Stadium in Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys will be the venue for this intriguing PPV clash, which will see around 11,000 socially-distanced fans in attendance for one of the most anticipated fights of the year.
MAIN EVENT: ERROL SPENCE VS DANNY GARCIA
12 x 3 Rounds – WBC/IBF Championship @ 147 lbs.
Errol “The Truth” Spence (26-0-0, 21 KOs) makes his long-awaited return to the ring after his thrilling win over Shawn Porter in September of last year. A couple weeks after that fight, Spence was involved in a horrific high-speed car crash and was lucky to escape with only minor injuries.
Rather than having a straight-forward tune-up fight, perhaps a top 15-20 ranked contender, he is going straight back in with another elite fighter in Danny Garcia (36-2-0, 21 KOs). If the Texan southpaw is anything less than 100 % on his game, rest assured that Garcia will make it a long and uncomfortable night for Spence.
Garcia is coming off a fairly lacklustre run in the last few years. Losing his titles against Keith Thurman, a succession of wins came against fairly uninspiring opposition; the likes of Brandon Rios, Adrian Granados and Ivan Redkach were sandwiched by a points loss to Shawn Porter.
The 32-year old Philadelphian may be slightly on the decline but the former two-weight king will know that victory against Spence will push him back into the upper echelons of boxing’s glamour division.
A certain Mr Crawford will be watching intently, as a proposed mega-fight with Spence edges nearer with each passing fight.
CHIEF SUPPORT: SEBASTIAN FUNDORA VS JORGE COTA
12 x 3 Rounds @ 154 lbs.
Fresh of his knockout win against Nate Gallimore back in August, 6″5 light-middleweight Sebastian Fundora (15-0-1, 10 KOs) takes on durable Mexican Jorge Cota (30-4-0, 27 KOs).
The chief support bout is a WBC title eliminator with a shot at Jermell Charlo awaiting the victor. “The Towering Inferno” is unbeaten in fifteen contents and will be looking to do a more clinical job on his opponent than Charlo, who dispatched Cota in three rounds last year. The Charlo defeat aside, Cota is a rugged experienced campaigner and pushed Jeison Rosario to a split-decision loss last April.
The 154lb division is ultra-competitive with good match-ups to be made, so an impressive performance from Fundora could set up a big 2021 for him.
MAIN CARD: JULIO CEJA VS EDUARDO RAMIREZ
12 x 3 Rounds @ 126 lbs.
Former WBC super-bantamweight champ Julio Ceja (32-4-1, 28 KOs) returns against Eduardo Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) in an eliminator for the WBC featherweight strap.
Ceja is coming off a hard-fought draw against Brandon Figueroa 12 months ago. The Mexican missed weight in that fight and will be hoping the move up to featherweight can bring a change of fortunes, as he hasn’t tasted victory since 2017.
Ramirez may be familiar to British fans as he lost a wide decision to Lee Selby at the Copper Box in London three years ago.
MAIN CARD: JOSESITO LOPEZ VS FRANCISCO SANTANA
10 x 3 Rounds @ 147 lbs.
Veteran contender Josesito Lopez (37-8-0, 20 KOs) faces off against fellow Californian Francisco Santana (25-8-1, 12 KOs) in a ten-round welterweight contest.
The all-action Lopez makes only his second appearance in almost two years, losing a majority decision to Keith Thurman back in January 2019 then knocking out John Molina Jr in the 8th later on that year. Santana is a tough cookie and has only been stopped once, which was back in 2009.
If Lopez wants one last crack at a world honours, he needs to get rid of Santana in convincing fashion.
REST OF THE CARD
10 x 3 Rounds @ 130lbs.
Miguel Flores (24-3-0, 12 KOs) and Isaac Avelar (16-2-0, 10 KOs) square off in a ten-round super-featherweight contest. In his most recent fight against Leo Santa Cruz, Flores was valiant in defeat dropping a lopsided unanimous decision on the undercard of Deontay Wilder’s rematch with Luis Ortiz.
27-year old Texan, Juan Tapia (9-3-0, 3 KOs) goes head-to-head with Fernando Garcia (13-2-0, 8 KOs); Tapia has gone the distance with Olympic medallists Vladimir Nikitin and Shakur Stevenson and will fancy his chances of upsetting the home fighter on Saturday night.
Lastly, there are outings for a trio of unbeaten prospects. Exciting lightweight Frank Martin (11-0-0, 8 KOs) returns to action along with super-middleweight Burley Brooks (6-0-0, 5 KOs) and 18-year old former amateur starlet, Vito Mielnicki Jr (6-0-0, 4 KOs).
By Jamie Bourne – Two graduates of Dale Youth ABC turned bitter rivals, and later became super middleweight world champions. One remained in-home comforts and left his mark on British boxing history; the other ventured overseas to earn his fortune and create his own legacy. But with both now happily retired, we are left to debate: who had the greater career between George Groves and James DeGale?
In Episode #1 of the Punch Perfect Podcast, a discussion arose on this particular subject. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to delve into the nitty-gritty and dissect their careers in greater depth, however, it inspired the idea for this mini-series.
My motivation escalated further when I recently joined Darren Barker’s Instagram live stream and posed the question: “Who had the greater career of DeGale and Groves?” After a couple minutes of attempting to provide an answer, the former IBF middleweight champion simply couldn’t summon a response and eventually replied with “I’m not sure.”
Disclaimer: For anyone reading who hasn’t read Part 1 (George Groves) and Part 2 (James DeGale) of this series, please refer back to them for a retrospective of both of their careers. This will add context to some of the points, fights and examples I defer to in this piece.
Before comparing their records, I wanted to analyse their head-to-head meetings. Opinion is divided on who deserved the victory in their meeting for the British and Commonwealth titles, while the fighters themselves recite contrasting versions of their amateur contest.
First Meeting (Amateurs) – 2006
When asked to provide details of their meeting back in 2006, both Groves and DeGale each depict a non-identical series of events. Groves claimed he bullied his rival, while the latter was adamant he schooled “ugly boy”. To provide my thoughts and to make a fair assessment, I rewatched the fight. Here are my takeaways:
Round One: A difficult round to score. DeGale on the front foot, landing the lead straight left hand and pushing Groves back against the ropes. But Groves holds his feet and returns fire, landing with a few wide hooks and uppercuts. I preferred the pressure and accuracy of DeGale over the wild countering of Groves.
10-9 DeGale (10-9 DeGale).
Round Two: For me, the easiest round of the fight to score. DeGale assumes control of the centre ring and repeatedly times the straight left to perfection, before countering Groves whenever he attempts to respond.
10-9 DeGale (20-18 DeGale).
Round Three: Following a bad round, Groves attempts to make a statement in the third. This time not conceding the front foot advantage and increasing his work rate. However, DeGale continues to land the more eye-catching work and makes Groves miss continuously.
10-9 DeGale (30-27 DeGale).
Round Four: An exciting final round! Tricky to score but Groves might have just nicked it. DeGale again with the cleaner work, but Groves forces the issue and becomes the aggressor.
10-9 Groves (39-37 DeGale).
Outcome: A majority decision lands in favour of Groves. I feel the verdict was harsh on DeGale, who, in my opinion, dominated the second and third – I’m not sure how you could give either of those rounds to Groves. DeGale couldn’t miss with the straight left, knocking Groves into the ropes multiple times and picking him off whenever the former attempted to reply.
The opening and closing rounds were competitive and open for interpretation; it depends whether you prefer the calculated, accurate work of DeGale or the aggression and volume from Groves. In my opinion, it should have been a DeGale victory but like one of the judges, I can see a draw.
One thing I will say, the growth and development of Groves from amateur to professional is unrecognisable. His renowned jab was non-existent in this fight and he looked reckless compared to the sharpshooter that we later saw in the paid ranks.
Whereas DeGale looked very similar to the fighter we later came to know; I’d say he was a little more refined and much less awkward in the amateurs. He looked his most effective on the front foot, timing hard straight shots to bring him into range before stepping back and countering.
The Rematch (Professionals) – 2011
Fast forward to 2011: the pair were making waves as professionals and had each picked up a domestic title; Groves holding the Commonwealth, DeGale with the British. There was more at stake this time; the victor continues his ascent to stardom, the other settles for domestic level and endures a monotonous rebuilding process.
Round 1: Cagey opening round. Both men spent the majority feinting and probing. DeGale wins the early battle of the jabs, stepping in and snapping Groves’ head back once or twice, pretty much determining the round in his favour.
10-9 DeGale (10-9 DeGale).
Round 2: Better from Groves; countering with the reverse 1-2. DeGale is unable to get into the right positions to throw his shots and attempts to shoulder butt Groves out of frustration, resulting in a stern warning from the referee.
10-9 Groves (19-19 Even).
Round 3: Another close round. DeGale landed a nice combination at the beginning but struggled to build on his success. Groves jabbing to the body and countering upstairs with the lead right, before dancing away to safety.
10-9 Groves (29-28 Groves).
Round 4: Despite starting the stronger of the two, stepping in with his meaningful jab, DeGale slowed his work rate and allowed Groves back into the round. The latter throws in flurries of threes and fours, using lateral movement to keep DeGale guessing.
10-9 Groves (39-37 Groves).
Round 5: DeGale, with a renewed sense of urgency, increased his work rate; stepping in with the jab before taking a half-step back and inviting Groves to commit – creating openings for counters. Difficult to split them but I preferred DeGale’s accuracy over Groves’ movement.
10-9 DeGale (48-47 Groves).
Round 6: A pretty unspectacular round. The first ninety seconds were spent feinting and luring the other to commit. As the crowd begin to boo in disdain, DeGale forces Groves onto the ropes and lands a solid left, complemented with a right hook. His pressure in the second half of the round, along with a few clean left crosses, earned him the round. All square through six.
10-9 DeGale (57-57 Even).
Round 7: Take your pick. Groves on the move and countering throughout the round, with DeGale backing him up and landing the harder shots towards the bell. I preferred DeGale’s aggression and felt he was slightly more accurate. However, I can see why some might prefer Groves’ work.
10-9 DeGale (67-66 DeGale).
Round 8: I am not a fan of giving even rounds and usually do my utmost to avoid scoring a round 10-10. However, on this occasion, it is pretty much unavoidable. Barring one or two decent exchanges, where neither man came out on top, there was very little action to judge.
10-10 Even (77-76 DeGale).
Round 9: DeGale’s best round, using hard single shots to move into range, then unloading in volume when up close. The pair exchange at the end of the round, with DeGale coming out on top and staggering Groves. An accidental clash of heads opens cuts for both men.
10-9 DeGale (87-85 DeGale).
Round 10: A much-needed response from Groves. Far busier, targeting the body with hard single shots and countering in spurts upstairs. Some exciting exchanges but DeGale was too hesitant to let his hands go.
10-9 Groves (96-95 DeGale).
Round 11: Better from DeGale; the more accurate of the two and throwing with real spite. An accidental clash of heads at the start of the round splits Groves’ forehead, painting his face in claret.
10-9 DeGale (106-104 DeGale).
Round 12: Groves on the back foot but his punches have lost their snap. DeGale stalks him, throwing in bunches and each shot looks more damaging than his rivals. Groves has the final say, ending the closing exchange with a clean flurry.
10-9 DeGale (116-113 DeGale).
Outcome: Again, Groves via majority decision (115-115, 115-114, 115-114). Again, I disagree.
Was it a robbery? Far from it. DeGale could have done more to assert his authority and win rounds more decisively. Plus Groves’ constant movement and countering painted the picture that he was the more effective boxer.
The seventh really could have fallen either way. I preferred DeGale, but I can see why Groves won the round in the eyes of other spectators. For argument’s sake, let’s say I gave that round to Groves, my card would read 115-114 DeGale instead.
Also, the eighth round that I scored even, I’ve watched back three times consecutively and I simply cannot award the round to either man. Neither did enough to deserve it, but if you were completely averse to scoring even rounds, you might be able to summon yourself to give it to Groves, which, along with the seventh, would bring my card to 114-114 even.
Now, while the rest of the rounds were clear enough for me to award to either man, they weren’t so one-sided that you couldn’t see it the other way. For that reason, I can understand how you favour Groves. The acceptable region of scoring, in my opinion, ranges from 115-114 Groves to 116-113 DeGale.
Do I believe DeGale was unlucky not to get the win? Yes. But cannot I categorically claim that he deserved the decision? No. Barring the ninth, and possibly the eleventh, he left too much room for interpretation. He took too long to let his hands go, which often resulted in Groves throwing and darting off to safety.
When he did time his shots, step into range and unload in bursts, he made Groves look uncomfortable and unsettled his rhythm. But Chunky didn’t do it frequently enough to claim rounds convincingly.
Who had the better title victory?
With their meetings out of the way, let’s dive into the argument – the reason why you are all here. Beginning with their title success: Groves, on the fourth time of asking, claimed the world title against Fedor Chudinov, whilst DeGale defeated Andre Dirrell for the vacant strap. Let’s compare those wins.
Quality of opponent: First up, Andre Dirrell.
A slick southpaw and proven world level operator, he came up short in the super middleweight Super Six tournament in 2009, losing a narrow split decision to Carl Froch. Many felt that Dirrell was unlucky not to get the nod and was a victim of hometown bias towards the “Cobra”.
In his next outing, he defeated the multi-time world champion Arthur Abraham via disqualification, following a bizarre series of events in the eleventh round. Despite Dirrell slipping on the wet canvas and ending up on his backside, Abraham couldn’t resist throwing an illegal right hook.
An impressive theatrical performance from the American prompted the referee to disqualify the German. Nonetheless, he was winning on all three cards at the time and dropped Abraham in the fourth – the first knockdown of his career.
Following the Abraham debacle, he fought sporadically between 2010 and 2015 – boxing just five times against uninspiring opposition. The DeGale fight was his chance to win his first world championship and to join his brother Anthony in becoming a world champion in the Dirrell family.
Post-Degale, he had a mediocre victory over light heavyweight Blake Caparello and another disqualification victory, this time over Jose Uzcategui – who returned a year later to avenge the defeat. His last outing came at the end of last year when he knocked out Juan Ubaldo Cabrera in five rounds. It is uncertain whether Dirrell will continue to box or not.
Now, let us move onto Chudinov.
The rugged Russian built an unbeaten 12-0 record before challenging for his first world title against two-weight champion Felix Sturm. He beat the experienced German in his backyard to claim the WBA super-middleweight title.
His first defence saw him travel to Britain, beating Frank Buglioni over twelve rounds to retain the belt. He returned to Germany to rematch Sturm, losing his belt in a highly controversial affair. Sturm announced his retirement shortly afterwards and Chudinov, given the contentious nature of the Sturm rematch, was prioritised to fight for the vacant belt against Groves.
Following the Groves defeat, Chudinov has fought an astounding eight times – winning all of them and restoring his high ranking with the WBA, and he could be in line to challenge for the regular version of the WBA belt – providing Canelo decides to vacate.
Manner of victory: DeGale vs Dirrell was very close. I had it 6-6 (even) but the two knockdowns in the second round gave DeGale the edge on my card, 114-112. Over the course of his career, Chunky developed a habit of starting quickly and building an early lead, before gassing out around the halfway mark and struggling in the second half of the contest.
When considering the manner of victory, it was a close contest that was ultimately defined by the knockdowns. I feel 7-5 either way or 6-6 are all fair cards, however, even if you had it 7-5 for Dirrell, that would still read 113-113 even. I feel you can make more of a case for DeGale winning than Dirrell but a draw would be a fair reflection.
Groves’ victory was not just more emphatic, but also more sentimental. The narrative that it was his final bite of the cherry in terms of winning a world title, and defeat could mean retirement, added extra pressure onto his shoulders.
During the fight, matters were made worse after he suffered a nasty cut and broken jaw during the early stages, suggesting his destiny was never to become champion. However, he dug deep and took his chance when it arrived, battering Chudinov around the ring and forcing referee Steve Gray to prevent further damage.
Verdict: While Groves closed the show in style and the outcome was more conclusive, DeGale faced the more awkward and proven opponent AND defeated him on away soil. George had thousands in attendance willing him on and rejoicing with him when he finally had the belt wrapped around his waist. Whereas DeGale, in the early hours of the morning in the UK, was made to travel and beat the home fighter on his turf, with just a couple hundred in the arena rooting for him. That is why I feel DeGale had the greater world title win. Although, Groves’ special night was undoubtedly more memorable.
Who had the better title reign?
Breakdown: Groves made two successful defences of his title, both against fellow Brits, Jamie Cox and Chris Eubank Jr. Meanwhile, DeGale defended his belt twice, against Lucian Bute and Rogelio Medina, before keeping his crown against Badou Jack in their unification fight – courtesy of a majority draw verdict.
If we take those four names (Cox, Eubank Jr, Bute, Medina) and rank them, it outlines a perception of who had the greater reign.
Lucian Bute, albeit past his peak, is the most impressive victory of all the names mentioned. Again, DeGale did it on away soil, this time against a resident Canadian in Quebec. Why is he the best victory? He made ten defences of his IBF super-middleweight title from 2007-2012, and while the majority of his opposition before losing to Froch was lacklustre, his record had some solid names in Sakio Bika and Edison Miranda, as well as two former champions in William Joppy and Glen Johnson.
He entered the Froch fight as the favourite but was brutally dismantled and was never quite the same afterwards. Jean Pascal handed him his second defeat two years later up at light heavyweight. By that time, he was no longer a formidable champion but became a capable contender. Therefore, DeGale has the most impressive title defence out of him and Groves.
Next, I’d say it’s between Chris Eubank Jr and Rogelio Medina for second place. Eubank has proven himself to be superior to the domestic level but is yet to make his stamp on the world scene. His best wins were against former, over-the-hill champions in DeGale and Arthur Abraham, as well as an impressive third-round knockout of Avni Yildirim. There is no shame in losing to two world level operators in Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves, however, his performances in those fights left plenty to be desired.
Medina is certainly no world-beater but has mixed it with a whole host of world champions, including Gilberto Ramirez, Jose Uzcategui, Badou Jack, DeGale, David Benavidez and Caleb Plant. His career highlight was knocking out Mayweather Promotions highly rated J’Leon Love in three rounds.
It’s also worth mentioning Eubank Jr is hitting his peak right now and will be challenging for world titles over the coming years. Therefore, I’ll go with Eubank in second, and Medina in third.
Lastly, Jamie Cox – a solid middleweight/super middleweight British level contender, who was awarded a golden opportunity to participate in the World Boxing Super Series. To draw the tournament #1 seed in the first fight isn’t ideal, but he gave a solid account of himself before Groves took him out. His lack of experience at world level and high profile victories mean he falls into fourth place.
By that method of ranking, DeGale had the tougher title reign – a former world champion in Bute and an experienced world level gatekeeper in Medina – both away from home. While Groves beat a borderline world level contender in Eubank and a domestic level operator in Cox – both on home soil.
However, we must also consider the manner in which they lost their titles. Groves was outgunned and overwhelmed by a younger, hungrier challenger in Callum Smith, while DeGale suffered an upset defeat to Caleb Truax – a capable contender but no world-beater.
Following a dislocated shoulder and numerous gruelling battles throughout his career, Groves looked well and truly spent. He lacked the razor-sharpness or explosiveness that he displayed in his earlier years. At 70/80% of his former self, he faced a stern test in 6ft 4inch super middleweight Smith, who looked the more motivated of the two and the fight felt like a passing of the torch.
Like Groves, DeGale was recovering from various injuries and he massively underestimated Truax. For the American, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to win a world title, so he prepared meticulously and gave 100% on the night.
His arrogance, along with injuries and the brutal nature of the Jack fight, meant DeGale was about 60 or 70% of the man that beat Dirrell for the title. He ultimately put the record straight in the rematch, but it was a disappointing and unexpected defeat nonetheless.
Verdict: While DeGale lost his title in worse fashion, in my opinion, he also had a better title reign because he faced the toughest test in Bute away from home and won. Not to mention in his third act as champion, he opted to unify against the other leading super middleweight (Badou Jack). Although he failed to add to his belt collection, he did enough to keep the IBF strap. If he won that fight, I think he would have separated himself from Groves.
Before The Belts
I am comparing their careers, so it is only fair I mention life before championships.
Their domestic records are pretty similar. Both held the British and European title (at different points in time), while Groves also held the Commonwealth belt. Outside of fighting each other, both their best victory at domestic level was Paul Smith. DeGale completely outclassed and systematically broke down the Liverpudlian over nine rounds, whereas Groves blasted him out inside two rounds after a poor opening round. A knockout in two rounds is more spectacular, but the way in which DeGale dismantled Smith in just his ninth pro fight was seriously impressive too.
DeGale went through a period of facing European no-hopers at leisure centres while Groves closed in on a title shot, without fighting anyone of note himself. The two opponents (for each of them) I picked out that were of any note were: Marco Antonio Periban and Brandon Gonzalez for DeGale; Martin Murray and Edward Gutneckt for Groves.
The standout name in that list is Martin Murray. After being on the wrong end of two questionable decisions to Felix Sturm and Sergio Martinez, respectively, he suffered a slow, painful beating at the hands of Gennady Golovkin – all down at middleweight. The Brit decided to move up to 168-pounds and looked to take the WBO strap from Arthur Abraham. Again, he came up short and was forced to rebuild.
The Groves fight was a real crossroad affair; the losers world title ambitions would be squashed entirely, while the other would continue along the road to redemption. Murray was thoroughly outclassed, barely winning a round on route to a wide Groves point decision. It was a disciplined display from Groves against a borderline world-class operator, who I felt was the best of the four names mentioned.
Next, I’d probably say Marco Antonio Periban. The Mexican was thoroughly beaten whenever he stepped up to world level but proved a handful for WBC champion Sakio Bika when they squared off. Thirdly, I’ll go with Eduard Gutknecht. Sadly, as mentioned in Part 1, the German is no longer boxing and still suffers terribly from the Groves fight. However, his record was better than Brandon Gonzalez – taking two-weight world champion Juergen Braehmer the distance on two occasions – as well as Groves.
Gonzalez proved to be a case of don’t believe the hype. Before the DeGale fight, he was highly regarded by his entourage involving Virgil Hunter and pound-for-pound star Andre Ward. He was unbeaten but DeGale proved he was nothing special that night at Wembley when the pair met in the IBF final eliminator. To his credit, Chunky looked like a man possessed that night.
Verdict: Therefore, outside of their title reigns, I would say Groves fought the tougher opposition. Christopher Rebrasse is another name that Groves defeated, who was not world championship calibre, but someone that had proven themself at European level and gave the likes of Callum Smith and Rocky Fielding real trouble.
Not to mention, I haven’t even brought Carl Froch into the argument yet.
The Froch Factor
Let me address the elephant in the room. A massive part of Groves’ legacy was his rivalry with Carl Froch and in the eyes of a lot of people, it is what separates him from DeGale in the career comparison argument.
In terms of profile, excitement and money, Froch-Groves II remains the biggest fight in British boxing – and it will take a special match-up to surpass it. The only fight that could supersede it (at the moment) would be Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury, but whether we see the two come together for all the heavyweight marbles is another story.
The scale of the rematch catapulted Groves to stardom and following the controversial first meeting, he became one of Britain’s most well-known sportsmen. His performance in their first scrap proved he was world level and primed him for the big time. Not only that, I believe it was the most impressive performance of his career – despite ultimately coming up short.
The premature stoppage, albeit I believe things were heading in Froch’s favour anyway, robbed him of the silverware to back up his claim as one of the top super middleweights. The rematch showed he wasn’t quite at the elite level yet, as Froch utilised his experience to set up and time that sleep-inducing right hand.
DeGale’s career lacked a high-profile and mainstream fight. His duels with Groves and Eubank Jr were well-received by British fans but failed to capture the attention of your average joe. Whereas Froch-Groves captivated the nation; not just sports/fight fans.
Therefore, we cannot be too harsh on DeGale. Perhaps a homecoming defence after Dirrell would have broadened his fan base and helped him develop a relationship with the British public. A rematch with Groves when DeGale held the IBF, or even after he regained the title against Truax and Groves held the WBA, might have elevated his profile. But, that never happened.
Who had the greater career?
In his retirement interview with SkySports, when questioned about his rivalry with DeGale, Groves smugly replied with: “I’ve earned more money than he has, I’ve been involved in bigger fights that he has, and every time we boxed: I beat him”.
Financially speaking, I’m sure Groves did earn more across his career. However, I doubt the difference between the two is as significant as some suggest. The second Froch fight, as well as the World Boxing Super Series, would have no doubt pocketed Groves a hefty amount. But let’s not forget, DeGale made £1.5m just for signing with Frank Warren when he turned professional, which, along with the lucrative Al Haymon deal and the final payout against Eubank Jr, would have set him up for life.
Was Groves involved in bigger fights? Absolutely. He was the b-side in the biggest British fight of all-time and even the first Froch meeting was more anticipated than any DeGale fight. Remaining in the UK and facing fellow Brits; Martin Murray, Jamie Cox and Callum Smith helped maintain his profile in the second phase of his career.
The ultimate and most significant bragging right is that when the pair squared off, Groves emerged victorious on both occasions (once in the amateurs and once in the pros). With all things considered, does that mean his career was better overall? Not necessarily. Especially when you could argue that DeGale deserved the decision on both occasions, which I feel is the case. Although the history books will say Groves won, the people watching will have their assumption on who deserved to be victorious.
Verdict: This has been difficult to conclude. Let me just say, regardless of whom I pick, I feel there are very fine margins between the two and I can see why you might oppose the decision. So, who do I believe had the greater career? All things considered, I’m going with George Groves. He trumps DeGale in terms of acclaim from the British fans, his title victory was more memorable and he faced the more notable opposition prior to their respective titles reigns.
If you alter the question and pose who had the greater resume, I’d say James DeGale. He defeated the better opposition and did it on away soil; he had a slightly more impressive title reign and his Olympic success cannot be disregarded. Becoming the first British Olympic gold medallist to win a world championship will remain in the history books forever. I know it is not necessarily relevant when comparing their professional careers, but I genuinely believe DeGale beat him twice too.
Check out Part 1: George Groves Career Retrospective and Part 2: James DeGale Career Retrospective of theseries.
Welcome back to the Punch Perfect Podcast on The Neutral Corner. In Episode #18, Jamie and Charlie reflect on a statement performance from Joe Joyce over Daniel Dubois. Before previewing a huge week of boxing coming up, including (full agenda):
Tuesday – MTK Golden Contract Finals – 126 & 175.
Friday – Billy Joe Saunders vs Martin Murray.
Saturday – Anthony Yarde vs Lyndon Arthur.
Saturday – Errol Spence vs Danny Garcia.
Question of the Week: What is our ultimate fantasy fight?
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By Jamie Bourne – The bad blood between Daniel Jacobs and Gabriel Rosado will be put to bed once and for all, as DAZN and Matchroom USA returns with another Friday Fight Night in the States.
MAIN EVENT: DANIEL JACOBS VS GABRIEL ROSADO
Two-time middleweight champion Danny Jacobs (36-3, 30 KOs) looks to settle his long-running feud with Gabe Rosado (25-12-1, 14 KOs). In May 2019, Jacobs surrendered his IBF strap to pound-for-pound number one, Canelo Alvarez.
He returned up at super middleweight later in the year, where he defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a bizarre fight. Following a bright start, the son of the greatest Mexican of all-time quit on his stool after the fifth.
The Philadelphian has been unsuccessful in multiple world title attempts but has shared the ring with some of the sport’s finest. Rosado talks a good game and can absorb an abnormal level of punishment, which makes him a fun-to-watch and ultimately keeps earning him these card-topping opportunities.
Demetrius Andrade was originally scheduled to feature on this bill but was forced to withdraw due to his opponent testing positive for COVID-19. He has mandatory obligations to fulfil in 2021, but a fight between him and Jacobs could also be in the pipeline for next year.
CHIEF SUPPORT: DANIYAR YELEUSSINOV VS JULIUS INDONGO
2016 Olympic Gold Medallist and Amateur World Champion, Daniyar Yeleussinov (9-0, 5 KOs) takes his first real step up against former unified 140-pound champion, Julius Indongo (23-2, 12 KOs).
With a distinguished amateur career and hailing from the Uzbekistan school of boxing, Yeleussinov – like many of his fellow countryman – is expected to achieve great things in the sport. Meaning he should be overcoming these types of challenges comfortably.
The Namibian has fought just twice since his devastating first career defeat to Terence Crawford back in 2017; stopped in three by Regis Prograis in 2018 before rebounding with a TKO win of his own last year.
The IBF Inter-Continental strap will be on the line, warranting the winner a top fifteen spot in the welterweight rankings. The division is packed with talent right now, all vying to prove themselves amongst the elite of the weight category.
MAIN CARD: EMMANUEL TAGOE VS MASON MENARD
Ghanaian lightweight Emmanuel Tagoe (31-1, 15 KOs) makes just his second appearance outside of his home country to face the experienced Mason Menard (36-4, 25 KOs).
He was ordered to face Ryan Garcia in a final eliminator for the WBO lightweight championship, however, the young prodigy chose the WBC route instead, leaving Tagoe without an opponent for a final eliminator. If he comes through Friday night as expected, he will no doubt feature in a final eliminator for Teófimo López in 2021.
Menard has four defeats, two at the hands of the sports most high-profile rising stars in Devin Haney and the current undisputed 135lbs champion López. He also has a loss to former titleholder Raymundo Beltran on his record, plus an early-career defeat back in 2008.
REST OF THE CARD
Mahammadrasul Majidov (2-0, 2 KOs) looks to maintain his 100% knockout ratio this Friday against a fellow unbeaten heavyweight in Sahret Delgado (8-0, 7 KOs).
The Russian-born Azerbaijani has been out of the ring for nearly a year, following his brutal knockout of Tom Little on the Joshua-Ruiz rematch undercard in Saudi Arabia. His Puerto Rican opponent has seven knockouts in eight outings, and at just 26-years-old, will fancy his chances.
Lastly, 22-year-old Nikita Ababiy (9-0, 6 KOs) returns to action after a points win back in August, squaring off against Brandon Maddox (7-3-1, 5 KOs).
The boys are back ahead of a heavyweight blockbuster this weekend, with Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce squaring off in an eagerly anticipated domestic showdown. Join Jamie and Charlie as they discuss the fight this Saturday, Conor Benn, Alen Babic, Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr, and the best British overseas performances.
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This Saturday night, two undefeated British heavyweights take centre stage, as Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce collide for the British, Commonwealth and European titles.The Neutral Corner staff have huddled together to make our cases for who emerges victoriously in this mouth-watering showdown.
PREVIEW
Initially pencilled in the diary for April 24 at The O2 in London, the fight fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. After months of delay and uncertainty, it was rescheduled for October 24, with the possibility of a live audience being permitted.
Again, it was postponed after the plans to introduce crowds were scuppered by the government. Without a live attendance gate, it was believed this fight wouldn’t be possible without PPV. But following discussions with both camps, they agreed to a deal that will see the card aired free on BT Sport 1 HD, this Saturday night.
Both have featured just once this year, with Joyce returning in July with a routine third-round destruction of Michael Wallisch. Before Dubois returned the following month to dispatch of Ricardo Snijders inside two.
With a combined 26-fight unbeaten record, with all but two of those coming inside the distance, fireworks are expected on Saturday. Dubois puts his British and Commonwealth belts on the line, whilst the vacant EBU Championship is also up for contention. The winner is expected to kick onto bigger and better things, whilst the loser will be forced to either rebuild or settle for domestic level.
For Dubois, victory on Saturday could see him fight for a world title in 2021. Ranked #2 with the WBO, it looks increasingly likely that Anthony Joshua will vacate the belt to pursue a mouth-watering showdown with Tyson Fury. This would lead to a clash with former cruiserweight king, Oleksandr Usyk, who is the current WBO mandatory challenger.
Following a positive COVID-19 test, Joyce will be without his trusted head trainer Ismael Salas this weekend. The impact that will have mentally on “The Juggernaut” remains to be seen, but the combined experience of Steve Broughton and Jimmy Tibbs should serve him well in the ring.
Enough of the talking, it’s time for The Neutral Corner staff to hedge their bets and make their prediction. Here we go!
JAMIE BOURNE (@JAYTB__)
This is tough. When originally announced, I was leaning towards a late stoppage for Joe Joyce. My prediction has since wavered, though. Even if you are sold on a Joyce victory (as I previously was), you no doubt also have a Daniel Dubois TKO/KO lingering at the back of your mind, which is causing uncertainty.
When a fight is dubbed a fifty-fifty or a pick ‘em, the outcome is more conclusive than perceived beforehand. As this is heavyweight boxing where absolutely anything goes, what I’m about to say could be totally incorrect, BUT… I cannot shake this feeling that Saturday will be fairly lacklustre.
Most expect this contest to end one of two ways; Dubois early or Joyce late. Given Dubois is extremely dangerous early on but lacks the experience and stamina of Joyce, it make sense. However, it leads me to believe one of them does something unforeseen on Saturday.
Joyce, whilst mocked for his lack of speed and mobility, has an effective style. You don’t medal at every major amateur tournament without being relatively skilled too. I envisage him standing his ground early, before turning up the heat.
That leads me to Dubois, who when he fought Nathan Gorman, proved his worth as a boxer and not just a banger; employing a nose-busting jab and chopping body attacks to dismantle his supposed acid assignment.
This is what I expect on Saturday; a patient and calculated Dubois channels his inner-boxer to take a decision. His jab disrupts Joyce’s rhythm, supported by the occasional “dynamite” right hand and sporadic body assaults. The key will be the body, as shown by Byrant Jennings, who made Joyce uncomfortable when he targeted the mid-section.
Joyce has a sturdy set of whiskers and a healthy engine, so it would be stately if Dubois can clean him out. I do suspect he will wobble him, maybe even notch a 10-8 round on the cards, but is unable to dispatch him. By the time Joyce manages to break the lines and garner some momentum, Dubois has established a comfortable lead and cruises to a unanimous decision victory.
PREDICTION: DANIEL DUBOIS VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION.
CHARLIE GRIFFITHS (@CHARLIE_GRIFF90)
This feels like one that was never going to come around but now it is finally here, it’s even harder to predict than it originally was when it was made. Joe Joyce seems to know this is his one big crack to put himself in the tier of heavyweights just below the champions and has seemingly got himself in the best shape of his career.
Dubois’ odds have shortened since the fight was originally made and Joe’s have gone longer. It seems the public are starting to believe Joyce will be another victim of Daniel’s heavy hands. I’m not quite sure it will play out as brutal or as one sided as some have made out and here’s why.
My prediction is that this one, unfortunately, won’t be as entertaining as some are hoping and will have two fighters desperate to not get beat in there and, therefore, will be cagey most of the fight. I am hoping it catches light at some point though and they choose to trade some leather, but ultimately, I think what will swing it in Dubois favour is his power advantage will back Joyce up that bit more and be favoured by the judges.
PREDICTION: DANIEL DUBOIS VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION.
BILLY MARSDEN (@BMARSDEN83)
Joyce is a notoriously slow starter, but he can’t afford that luxury on Saturday night. He`ll have to be switched on from the get-go as the first few rounds will be where Dubois is at his most dangerous, setting up his big right hand behind the trusty jab.
Among Joyce`s best attributes are his solid chin, although he was hurt to the body in his fight against Bryant Jennings last year. Don’t be surprised to see an early softening up period to the body from Dubois before targeting the head of his opponent.
Dubois is showing controlled aggression in the early stages of the fight, but the challenger is setting the pace, using his jab and constant pressure to unsettle his young counterpart. Dubois comes out for the 4th like an express train and lands a massive overhand right to the chin of Joyce, to the amazement of everyone, Joyce eats the shot and fires back with a couple of his own.
The middle rounds and more of the same from Dubois, he’s firing out his jab with deft precision and looking to land that signature haymaker to close the show. Joyce is starting to have success of his own though, he’s applying educated pressure and his tactics of trying to old man Dubois are evident as he keeps leaning on the chest of the champion and roughing him up on the inside; neither man is taking a backward step as the fight develops into an all-out dogfight.
The fight is developing into a cracking scrap, credit to both men for putting it all on the line and leaving nothing in the tank. The 10th and Dubois is blowing badly, after being outworked for the last couple of rounds he tries for one last push. He connects with a spiteful uppercut to the chin of Joyce and unloads with a 6-punch combo in what seems like Dubois`s version of Custer’s last stand. Joyce survives the onslaught and smirks through his gum-shield; the pair trade blows until the bell rings at the end of round 10.
As Dubois emerges for the 11th, it’s clear he’s running on empty. Joyce on the other hand is relentless and shows no signs of slowing down; midway through the round he whips in a left to the body that hurts his man. Exhausted, Dubois sags backwards onto the ropes and Joyce unloads with a barrage of unanswered punches, snapping the head back of Dubois. The referee is forced to step in and save the champ from further punishment.
PREDICTION: JOE JOYCE VIA TKO/KO ROUND 11.
MICHAEL JOYCE (@MICHAELJOYCE10)
First of all at this point in both of their careers, both fighters and promoters deserve a lot of credit for putting this fight together. Looking at the careers so far, you would have to agree with the consensus that this is Dubois toughest fight to date and a decent step up, whether it is the right time or not we will find out Saturday night. Joyce brings to the ring an iron chin, great work rate along with the better amateur pedigree and professional record in terms of opponents faced.
Dubois at the young age of 23 has been a wrecking ball so far, beating 14 of 15 opponents by KO. One thing that is under estimated about Dubois is his overall boxing ability in terms of his jab and work to the body and I feel that they could be the deciding factors in this contest.
The question marks surrounding this fight are mainly what happens to Dubois if Joyce can withstand the power and take him into the late rounds? And how will Dubois react to getting clipped by boxer who will hit back.
Ultimately my feeling is Joyce takes too many shots and has the slower footwork of the two and will be the one who comes up short on the night. Whilst I have no doubt Joyce will have moments of success with his high punch output and relentless pressure he does not have the defensive skills to evade Dubois power for the whole fight who’s clean shots throughout the contest will force the stoppage.
PREDICTION: DANIEL DUBOIS VIA TKO/KO ROUND 7.
ALEXIS RODRIGUEZ (@BABYBULL214)
This is a great fight for the heavyweight division. Dubois has been steamrolling opponents like crazy with vicious power and natural instinct. Meanwhile, Joe Joyce has had his fair share of finishes but showcases a more power/volume-like approach.
Dubois appears to be the future of heavyweight. His one-punch knockout power is terrifying even for the heavyweight division. He hasn’t truly struggled in his career and has only gone past the fifth round once in his young career. Meanwhile, Joyce is a huge heavyweight in terms of mass. He has weighed at 270, but he may be a bit lighter for this fight if he looks to extend and force Dubois into deep waters. He is not the fastest fighter and has shown deficiencies, but his size and chin have held up. It has allowed him to make mistakes. Meanwhile, Dubois is around 240; thus, he will be the smaller fighter. It will be interesting to see how his power can translate against Joyce – his toughest opponent by far. Joyce will attempt to use his power and strength to disrupt Dubois from throwing his natural, huge punches.
Dubois will look to start fast and use his athletic ability to overwhelm Joyce. Since Joyce is the slower fighter, he may look to frustrate him early and quickly in order to bait into shots. He may also simply blitz and storm Joyce. He may want to slow that down if the fight goes the full distance. Joyce can capitalize on an exhausted Dubois with his power and volume.
This is a tough fight to predict. Experience is a huge factor considering Joyce’s amateur background. However, Dubois has all of the tools to put him away and prove his worth as a scary future contender. That is why Dubois should get the victory here. Joyce will look to be patient early on, but Dubois keeps improving. He will overwhelm early, but in a calculated manner. He won’t knock Joyce out cold, but the referee will have seen enough.
PREDICTION: DANIEL DUBOIS VIA TKO/KO ROUND 4.
USMAN ALYAS (@USMAN_A1)
I, for one, always get jitters and bursts of excitement whenever it’s a big heavyweight fight. Dubois vs Joyce is arguably the biggest domestic heavyweight clash to take place in a long while, some may argue one of the biggest domestic bouts in recent years. With the British, Commonwealth and European titles on the line it can be deemed a sort of throwback fight going back to the glory days of Joe Bugner and Henry Cooper.
This is a fisticuff which guarantees excitement: Joe Joyce’s volume combined with power in both fists up against Dubois’ raw one punch knockout power, not to mention his crisp jab. I, personally feel the fight will get interesting once Dubois gets tagged flush, the burning question regarding any heavyweight prospect is the fated ‘chin’, if he gets caught flush on the chin will he be able to take the power? I feel if Dubois can withstand Joyce’s early onslaughts and bursts of punching, he can potentially take Joyce out in the middle rounds, if his power can also be carried forward into the mid/later rounds, we saw how he found it hard to stop Kevin Johnson (an experienced veteran), which is why he must stay calm and composed throughout. Joyce has an enormous depth of amateur experience, mixing it up with the best at the Olympics and Worlds, however his age may prove to be a factor: at 35 he is no spring chicken and time beckons for him to take the step up in level, a victory over Dubois will do just that.
Dubois may find it difficult to find the knockout punch straight away, a given whenever a heavyweight steps up in level, knockouts for Anthony Joshua were also hard to come by whence he made the step up in level, which is why Dubois must bide his time and pick his openings. If Daniel Dubois can stick to his guns and stay patient and again, withstand the onslaughts and volume of Joyce, he will come through with a victory in the middle rounds.
PREDICTION: DANIEL DUBOIS VIA TKO/KO ROUND 6.
SCOTT JANES (@SCOTTSJANES)
I am so glad we are getting to see this mouth-watering clash; it was nearly the one that got away. This sounds bullish but I have been confident in my pick from the moment this fight was originally announced in February. It amazes me that one of Britain’s most decorated amateurs, Joe Joyce, is such a huge underdog. He may not be the prettiest on the eye, but his work is highly effective and hasn’t failed him in his 11 wins to date.
Daniel Dubois, the man with all hype is expected to make a huge statement Saturday night, and knockout Joyce in spectacular fashion, but I just do not think it will be that easy. Don’t get me wrong, I think everyone can see an outcome which results in a Dubois knockout, it is the safe bet, but I will be gambling on Joyce big time.
As powerful and as ruthless a puncher Dubois is, at the young age of 23, I simply feel the timing is too early for him. Experience will play a huge part Saturday night, and how will Dubois deal with all pressure being on him? Joyce has been in some hard contest’s, amateur and professional and I believe he will use this to sail him to victory.
I see Joyce using his ringcraft and experience to smother Dubois’s work. It won’t be pretty pretty on the eye but that won’t concern the Juggernaut. Dubois will bring the fire to Joyce, looking to test the chin and knock him out with one of his huge shots early doors.
However, I just see the bigger stronger man in Joyce getting through the early rounds and coming on strong as the rounds go by with Dubois weakening and starting to lose faith in himself, resulting in the referee stopping Dubois on his feet in round 9. It is a huge shout but one I think more people are starting to believe in.
By Alexis Rodriguez – This Saturday, the UFC presents an event that has been promoted as a flyweight showcase. The main event pits flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo, against 4th ranked contender Alex Perez. The co-main event features women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko against 3rd ranked contender Jennifer Maia. Two title fights with two champions looking to continue their dominance over their divisions. Let’s take a look at some of the key fights as well as the two featured bouts.
Brandon Moreno vs. Brandon Royval: This one is the featured prelim of the night, but should be on the main card. This is a number one contender’s fight for the flyweight title. Both are on good winning streaks and have looked impressive against quality competition. Moreno is a mainstay of the division and will look to finally earn a title shot. Meanwhile, Royval can finish this year with 3 victories and push himself amongst the breakout stars of 2020.
Mauricio Rua vs. Paul Craig: A rematch will open the main card as Paul Craig takes on Pride legend Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Both have not changed much since their last fight. Craig is the triangle choke maestro, and Rua is now the sly veteran who fights ugly. Rua was hurt on the feet in their first fight, but Craig couldn’t take advantage. Now, with Rua in the twilight of his career, he faces Craig who looks to move up the ladder.
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Cynthia Calvillo: Calvillo has been clamouring for a title shot after her victory over Jessica Eye. Interestingly, she’s being matched up with Chookagian, who’s coming off a loss to Jessica Andrade only a month ago. With Lauren Murphy looking to make noise for a title shot, a victory here virtually guarantees either a fight with Murphy or a title shot.
Mike Perry vs. Tim Means: Tim Means is replacing Robbie Lawler in a tough fight against Mike Perry. Means is coming off a decision win, and so is Perry. Their styles could mix to provide fireworks even if it’s a short fight. Perry will look to bring his patented aggression and power, while Means will look to make it ugly. This one could be short, but extremely exciting.
The Title Fights
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jennifer Maia: This is an interesting matchup on paper. Maia is a black-belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. She lost to Chookagian a year ago but beat Joanne Calderwood right after.
Meanwhile, Shevchenko has dominated everyone in the flyweight poundage and is well on her way to becoming an all-time great with her established array of skills. She is a considerable favourite in this fight, and whilst she may be looking for bigger fights, Maia will attempt to showcase her own skills and play spoiler.
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Alex Perez: The main event pits replacement Alex Perez against the champion Figueiredo. Perez has rallied for three straight victories with his last being a TKO due to leg kicks. He has looked impressive, and he has shown improvement since his lone UFC loss to Joseph Benavidez.
Figueiredo is in the running for the fighter of the year after dominating the aforementioned, Benavidez – not once but twice. He has looked stellar since his lone loss to Jussier Formiga more than a year and a half ago. Formiga happens to be the fighter Perez beat to earn this shot. Although Cody Garbrandt was Figueiredo’s original opponent, Perez presents a new challenge and an actual flyweight matchup. Simply, this fight shows that flyweight is far from dead.
UFC 255 is Saturday, November 21st. It will be aired on BT Sport in the UK and ESPN+ pay-per-view in the United States. Don’t miss it!
By Billy Marsden – The term Murderers Row was originally given to the New York Yankees Baseball teams in the late 1920s, in particular the 1927 team. In 1940s America, a group of eight black middleweights fought under the Black Murderers Row banner. According to decorated sportswriter Jim Murray: “They were so good and so feared that they had to have their own tournament”.
Racism was a widespread feature of the American mainstream; the problems of the Great Depression affected virtually every group of Americans and no group was harder hit than African-Americans.
The lack of equality given to African-Americans, coupled with the stranglehold mobsters had over certain fighters meant none of these exceptional combatants ever got to fight for a world title. Routinely frozen out of the title picture, they did what fighters do best…fight. And by god could these men fight.
Let us have a look at the Black Murderers Row fighters in more detail:
JACK CHASE
Record: (81-24-12, 35 KOs)
Born: January 27, 1914
Birthplace: Sherman, Texas USA.
Born Isaiah James Chase, he fought under the name “Young Joe Louis” in the early part of his career; it was not until 1942 that he began using the name, Jack Chase. From a young age, Chase had numerous run-ins with the law and was a frequent visitor to various correctional systems as a minor.
After making an impressive start, his professional career was soon derailed when he found himself in a Colorado prison for committing burglary with force. After spending two years in prison, further misfortune struck Chase after his 1941 bout with debutant Roy Jack Gillespie. The fight was his first after a four-year hiatus and the damaging consequences would torment Chase for the remainder of his days. Gillespie was punished throughout the fight and collapsed onto the ropes in the sixth round. After being rushed to hospital in Denver for an operation to remove a blood clot on his brain, the 26-year old tragically died three days later.
During the 40s, Chase fought a veritable array of boxing hard-men. These included fellow Murderers Row members, Booker, Marshall, Burley and Wade.
Chase soon found himself in trouble yet again when he was arrested for shooting former opponent Aaron Wade in California. After being freed on bail and eventually cleared of all charges, he resumed his livelihood, losing twice to “The Old Mongoose” Archie Moore before sharing the ring with Holman Williams four times, losing on points on each occasion.
Chase moved up to light-heavyweight and was never as effective as he was down at middleweight. Following his retirement from boxing in 1948, he worked for years as a truck driver before falling ill in 1971; he died the following year in Washington aged 58.
LLOYD MARSHALL
Record: (70-25-4, 36 KOs)
Born: June 4, 1914
Birthplace: Madison County, Georgia USA.
Marshall turned pro at 17 after a successful amateur career of over 200 fights, the highlight being a brace of Cleveland Golden Gloves titles in 1934 and ‘35. After suffering his first defeat at the hands of Californian southpaw Johnny ‘Bandit’ Romero, Marshall achieved notable scalps in knocking out Johnny Rossi, gaining revenge over Romero, and toppling Ken Overlin on points.
In the aftermath of the Overlin victory, Marshall became involved with the mob and basically, his hands were tied from that point on. A feared, skilful fighter with power in both hands, Marshall was a hard night’s work for anyone. Like his seven comrades in Murderers Row, his career was hampered by extensive hate and racial prejudice.
After back-to-back defeats to Ceferino Garcia, Marshall beat Teddy Yarosz, before beating Charley Burley via split decision. A couple of months later came perhaps his finest hour when he destroyed the “The Cincinnati Cobra”, Ezzard Charles, knocking him down eight times en route to an eighth round TKO. He subsequently beat Greece’s Anton Christoforidis and shared an epic encounter with “The Cleveland Spider-Man” Jimmy Bivins. After flooring Bivins in the seventh, he was eventually halted by the much bigger man in the thirteenth.
He went on to defeat the likes of Jake LaMotta, Joey Maxim, Freddie Mills and the “Tonypandy Terror” Tommy Farr before losing his final two bouts against Bobo Olsen and Harry “Kid” Matthews.
Post-boxing, Marshall ventured into security and correctional work. He passed away in Sacramento, California aged 83, and was inducted into the IBHOF in 2010.
CHARLEY BURLEY
Record: (83-12-2, 50 KOs)
Born: September 6, 1917
Birthplace: Bessemer, Pennsylvania USA.
Perhaps the most well-known of all the Murderers Row fighters, Burley was widely regarded as the most talented fighter to never win a world title. Born to mixed-race parents, he was the only boy of seven children.
As well as boxing, he was a gifted baseball player and once received an offer from the Homestead Greys to play professionally. He started his boxing journey at the Kays Boys Club aged 12 and won countless tournaments including Golden Gloves junior and senior titles.
In 1936, he was invited to attend the box-offs for the 1936 Berlin Olympics but declined as he objected to the racial and religious persecution taking place in Germany. He made the switch to the paid ranks later that year, beating George Liggins in a four-rounder.
Fast forward two years to 1938, Burley lost to Fritzie Zivic before exacting revenge a few months later. In August, he won the Colored Welterweight title against Cocoa Kid, dropping him three times on the way to a decisive points win.
Burley was a high-risk/low-reward fighter. Unorthodox, complex, and spiteful in his work he made such greats as Ray Robinson, Marcel Cerdan, Jake LaMotta and Billy Conn look in the opposite direction and run a mile.
He defeated future world champions Billy Soose and Archie Moore, then knocked out Holman Williams to become Colored middleweight champ. Another notable fight was his win against J.D Turner. Despite being outweighed by 70 lbs, it was said that Burley beat his man black and blue until he failed to come out for the seventh round.
Barring the occasional loss to bigger men, namely Charley Doc Williams, Jimmy Bivins and Ezzard Charles (twice in the space of 35 days), Burley was never stopped in the ring.
He retired in 1950 without ever being involved in a world title fight. One of the real reasons for this may simply be his honesty. He was a respectful, moral, prize-fighter and had no implications to the criminal underworld, unlike others at the time.
He died in 1992, aged 75 and was inducted into the IBHOF later that year.
BERT LYTELL
Record: (71-23-7, 24 KOs)
Born: January 24, 1924
Birthplace: Victoria, Texas USA.
Bert Lytell also was known by the name “Chocolate Kid “enlisted in the naval reserves in 1942 and that is where he would learn his craft as a fighter. After being discharged two years later, he moved to New York where he would reside for the majority of his career.
An extremely brash, confident young man. It is reported he walked into the famous Stillman Gym, where upon seeing two men sparring, he said to the man shouting tactics from ringside that he could whoop them both. Lytell was a busy, skilled southpaw, a swarmer with a great chin and solid defence. Early in his career, his style drew comparisons with “The Pittsburgh Windmill”, earning him the nickname of the “black Harry Greb”.
He turned pro in July 1944 and lost his debut, dropping a points decision to Artie Towne. During his career, “The Beast of Stillman’s Gym” defeated Murderers Row members, Cocoa Kid, Charley Burley and Holman Williams. In 1945, Lytell lost a close split decision to Jake LaMotta, with many ring observers thinking he had done enough to win the fight. His team tried incessantly to get the rematch but LaMotta wanted no part of it.
In April 1948, Lytell took a rematch with Jackie Darthard, following their hard-fought stalemate just a few months before. The rematch had grievous consequences, as Darthard never regained consciousness due to injuries sustained during the fight. The resulting tragedy plagued Lytell until he hung up his gloves in 1951.
After retiring, he moved to Oakland, California, to be closer to his family. He died in 1990, shortly after his 66th birthday.
HOLMAN WILLIAMS
Record: (146-31-11, 36 KOs)
Born: January 30, 1915
Birthplace: Pensacola, Florida USA.
As an amateur, Williams had a short but successful career at bantamweight, before turning over in 1932. One of the smartest technicians to grace the squared circle, his skillset was unbelievable. The fleet footer boxer-puncher was a defensive genius with an excellent jab, but if you were to nit-pick, you could say his lack of power was his main flaw.
Among the many Hall of Famers and hardened boxers he faced, Murderers Row counterpart Cocoa Kid was unquestionably his bogeyman. Kid beat his rival eight times from their eleven fights, with many of those victories coming against a prime Williams.
Williams had a string of fine victories, including wins against Baby Tiger Flowers, Archie Moore, Kid Tunero and Bob Satterfield. Even though Williams was ranked #3 middleweight and primed to challenge then-champion Tony Zale, his title fight never materialised as “Man of Steel” went off to fight in WW II.
Stablemates of Williams were boxing greats, Eddie Futch and Joe Louis. Futch once said that Williams and Charley Burley (Williams and Burley shared a seven-fight rivalry, winning three apiece with one no contest) were the two greatest fighters he ever had the privilege to see. He was quoted as saying that he would rather watch Williams shadow box than watch most other fighters in action.
Besides his many other talents, Williams was instrumental in the gym, assisting Jack Blackburn with the training of Louis at the Brewster Recreation Centre in Detroit.
By 1946, Williams was very much on the slide. He lost ten out of last seventeen fights, including back-to-back losses to Marcel Cerdan and “The Bronx Bull” Jake LaMotta.
Upon retiring he relocated to Akron, Ohio, where he trained youngsters and carried out maintenance at the club where they trained. In 1967, he was killed whilst asleep when a suspected arson attack engulfed the club where he worked; he was 52 when he died. Williams was inducted into the IBHOF in 2008.
AARON WADE
Record: (64-16-6, 32 KOs)
Born: March 17, 1916
Birthplace: Trenton, Tennessee USA.
Aaron “Little Tiger” Wade was the first African-American Golden Gloves champion in Peoria, Illinois, and reportedly had over 600 amateur fights before turning pro in 1935. Wade was somewhat vertically challenged, measuring up at 5 feet 5 inches tall. Although not the tallest, he was a dangerous fighter that packed one hell of a punch. He fought at welterweight, middleweight, and light-heavyweight, and would constantly give away a considerable height/weight advantage.
He tasted defeat for the first time as a pro when he was flattened three times and stopped in the opening round by Filipino great, Ceferino Garcia. Undeterred by the defeat, he got back on the horse and returned to winning ways. Unbeknown to most, Wade was a heavy drinker and had his own personal fight outside of the ring battling alcoholism and would often scrap under the influence.
Some of Wade’s most significant wins include Archie Moore, Bert Lytell, Sam Baroudi and three victories over Oakland Billy Smith. In 1948, Wade allegedly laid a beating on sparring partner Sugar Ray Robinson. Following a dispute over his sparring fee, Wade left Robinson with badly injured ribs and unable to compete for two months.
In his last fight in 1950, after a two-year layoff against the aforementioned Ray Robinson, it’s claimed that Wade was paid a few hundred dollars by a promoter to take a dive, according to the local newspaper he began hitting the canvas for apparently no reason at all.
After overcoming alcoholism, Wade became a Christian minister and devoted his life to helping the less fortunate. He died in 1985, aged 68, from a heart attack.
EDDIE BOOKER
Record: (66-5-8, 33 KOs)
Born: November 5, 1917
Birthplace: Alto, Texas USA.
An accomplished amateur, Booker won numerous state and national titles before turning pro in 1935. With his muscular physique, “Black Dynamite” could bang or box – depending on what the situation required. Booker was a defensive stylist with a methodical approach to the sweet science.
After going undefeated for his first 44 bouts, he ran into Croatian rough-house and overall hard man, Fritzie Zivic. He suffered an 8-round points decision defeat and was beaten again next time out by Cocoa Kid. He rebounded with fine victories over Shorty Hogue, Freddie Dixon, and Lloyd Marshall. Sandwiched between this he held the great Archie Moore to several hard-fought draws.
After facing Moore again in 1943, Booker became the first man to stop “The Old Mongoose” with an eighth round TKO. Booker was highly thought of by Moore, he was quoted as saying “I’ve had some rough fights in my time, but all things being equal, when I was in my prime, one of my toughest had to have been against Eddie Booker, a fighting machine … who shot out punches with deft precision … [Booker] was one of the great fighters of my time. He had me fighting for dear life.”
Amazingly Booker was never stopped, despite the high calibre of opponents he faced. He was forced into retirement in 1944 with a detached retina, reportedly due to an incident involving a former opponent of his wearing doctored gloves.
He lived his remaining years blind and died in San Francisco, aged 57. He was inducted into the IBHOF in 2017.
COCOA KID
Record: (178-58-11, 48 KOs)
Born: May 2, 1914
Birthplace: Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.
After his family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, when he was just a child, Hebert Lewis Hardwick had the grave misfortune of being orphaned. His father had disappeared with his ship in WWII and his mother died shortly afterwards. He was thereafter raised by his aunt and in 1932 they relocated to New Haven, Connecticut, to pursue his career in the pro game.
It was around this time that the only Hispanic member of Murderers Row would change his name to Cocoa Kid, reportedly in tribute to the Hall of Fame Cuban, Kid Chocolate.
Cocoa Kid was a decorated pugilist, with a solid left jab followed by a dangerous right cross. It was said that none of the champions dared to face him; even legendary figures such as Barney Ross and the great Henry Armstrong refused him a title shot. After notching a surprise win over former featherweight champion Louis Kaplan in 1933, Kid went on to fight Lou Ambers, where he was floored three times and dropped a points decision to the “Herkimer Hurricane”.
He proceeded to bank famous victories over the likes of Chalky Wright, Jimmy Leto, Slugger White, Young Peter Jackson (where he won the World Colored Welterweight Championship), plus draws with Kid Azteca and Charley Burley.
During this time, he had a thirteen-fight rivalry with Holman Williams, winning eight, losing three and drawing twice. In their tenth encounter, Kid beat Williams for the World Colored Middleweight Championship; he never defended the title as it became extinct soon after.
He was supposed to clash with Sugar Ray Robinson, but negotiations broke down between the teams. Kid had previously knocked him down in sparring, and some onlookers believed that the great Ray Robinson ducked Kid Cocoa because of it.
He retired from the sport in 1950 and faced the next few years battling pugilistic dementia. Homeless, divorced and abandoned by his children. His long, hard career had unfortunately caught up with him and led to this unhappy demise of this once great pugilist.
He died in Chicago, two days after Christmas 1966, aged 52. He was inducted into the IBHOF in 2012.
MURDERERS ROW
So, there we have it, the eight fighters of the Black Murderers Row. And after reading that I would think you agree with me in saying that these men would have held their own in any era of middleweights. Granted they all tasted defeat, some more than others, but the quality of opposition they fought negates any validity to the argument of “well look how many times he got beat”.
Contenders and champions alike avoided these fighters like the plague, so much so they took matters into their own hands, fighting each other no less than sixty-two times in total throughout their respective careers, while constantly being looked down on with contempt for their colour; inside and outside of the ring.
During writing this, I found myself cheering for these men, willing them home, and wondering how they would fare against modern-day fighters. The short answer to this is we will never know. But what we do know is that these eight tough, skilful pugilists dedicated their lives to the sport of boxing and were given little back in way of return.
As their names drift off into obscurity it is pivotal their legacy stays alive and runs deep into every fight fan across the globe.
This article was written and submitted by Billy Marsden – a contributor to the site. The lead editor would like to remind readers that the opinion of the writer doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the team.
By Jamie Bourne – Unfortunately, no Punch Perfect Podcast is coming your way this week, but expect a big episode previewing the fascinating upcoming heavyweight clash between Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois. In the meantime, we bring you our weekly low-down, with all the results and news from last week in the world of boxing.
TUESDAY 10. NOVEMBER – BT SPORT/BOXXER
Top Story: Zak Chelli is crowned the winner of the super middleweight BOXXER tournament on BT Sport.
Zak Chelli received compensation for his Fight Camp disappointment on Tuesday night, winning the latest BOXXER tournament at the BT Sport Studios in London.
Despite being just 22, he entered as the most seasoned professional, having shared the ring with the likes of Jack Cullen, Kody Davies and Umar Sadiq. Chelli had an easy night’s work, comfortably beating Vladimir Georgiev before dropping Mike McGoldrick three times in the final.
Other News: Popular Albanian, Florian Marku, gets rid of Muma Mweemba in the first and calls out Conor Benn in the post-fight interview. Nigerian-born West Londoner, Mikael Lawal, moves to 13-0 as he edges closer to a title opportunity.
WEDNESDAY 11. NOVEMBER – ESPN+/MTK GLOBAL
Top Story: Tursynbay Kulakhmet dominates Macaulay McGowan to become WBC International light middleweight champion, whilst Danny Murrell makes his professional debut.
Kulakhmet maintained control throughout the fight, and complimented his performance with a knockdown at the end of the seventh round. McGowan was able to recover and last the distance, but suffered his first career defeat, with all three judges scoring it 99-89 in Kulakhmet’s favour.
Danny Murrell successfully won his professional debut with a four rounds points victory against the experienced Dale Arrowsmith. The 18-year-old has been much hyped after being dubbed Dave Allen’s protégé. It was a classy performance from the Yorkshireman, earning the 40-36 verdict from the referee after four completed rounds.
Other News: In the battle of unbeaten prospects, Jack Martin defeats Inder Bassi. Also, Jack Rafferty, Lewis Edmondson and Paddy Donovan pick up routine victories.
FRIDAY 13. NOVEMBER – BT SPORT/QUEENSBERRY
Top Story: Tommy Fury shows vast improvement under new trainer SugarHill Steward, knocking out Genadij Krajevskij in the second round. Denzel Bentley becomes British middleweight champion, halting Mark Heffron in four rounds.
Following their unanimous draw back in September, Denzel Bentley and Mark Heffron resumed battle on Friday night. Like their previous meeting, it was Bentley who enjoyed the faster start and displayed the superior skill.
In the second, a heavy shot from Bentley resulted in Heffron’s eye closing shut. The fight was stopped after four, as the eye worsened and Bentley started landing with increasing regularity. “2Sharp” had the prestigious Lonsdale belt draped over his shoulder, and will be mandated to defend it against Felix Cash in 2021.
Former Love Island runner-up and brother of the heavyweight king, Tommy Fury returned to the ring on Friday night. After linking up with esteemed coach SugarHill Steward during the lockdown, Fury was keen to put his new skills to the test.
The Lithuanian Genadij Krajevskij proved no match, as Fury produced an explosive second-round knockout to end the night. Thankfully, Krajevskij was okay after being tended to by ringside medics.
Other News: Caoimhin Agyarko caught the eye once again, wiping the floor with Robbie Chapman inside the distance. Plus Micky Burke Jr and Henry Turner both advance to 4-0.
SATURDAY 14. NOVEMBER – SKY SPORTS/MATCHROOM
Top Story: Katie Taylor reminds the boxing world who is the best female fighter in the sport, Terri Harper hands the dangerous Katharina Thanderz her first career defeat, and lastly, Jack Cullen upsets the undefeated John Dochertyto inch closer to the British 168lbs title.
Irish boxing hero Katie Taylor cements her place at the top of the pound-for-pound female rankings, dominating unbeaten mandatory challenger, Miriam Gutiérrez. The undisputed lightweight Queen exploded out of the traps, lighting up the challenger with blistering combinations from an array of angles.
The contest was one-sided from the outset, with Taylor flooring the Spaniard at the end of the fourth. However, Gutiérrez proved teak-tough and went out on her shield by surviving the full ten. The 100-89, 100-90, and 99-91 scorecards summarised Taylor’s dominance.
Eddie Hearn fuelled rumours of a crossover bout between Taylor and MMA-star Cris Cyborg, which could be on the cards in 2021. Whilst title fights with Chantelle Cameron, Amanda Serrano and Jessica McCaskill remain possible also.
After a frustrating draw against Natasha Jonas back in August, Terri Harper responded with a faultless showing last night, outclassing the heavy-hitting Norwegian, Katharina Thanderz. Her advantages in hand and foot speed befuddled the challenger, and despite breaking her right hand in the fourth, Harper managed to secure the stoppage in the ninth.
Promoter Eddie Hearn and Harper expressed their desires to pursue undisputed status, meaning fights against the other titlists will need to be made in 2021. Matchroom have secured the services of WBA champion Hyun Mi Choi and IBF holder Maiva Hamadouche. The WBO belongs to the vocal Mikaela Mayer, who has issued a word of warning on social media ahead of a potential unification clash.
Finally, Jack Cullen overcame the worst possible start to inflict the first blemish on the perfect record of the highly-rated John Docherty. Cullen was floored in the first, but responded well in the second and took over down the stretch, earning him the decision from all three judges.
Other News: Rachel Ball takes a (questionably) wide decision over Jorgelina Guanini to become WBC Interim super bantamweight champion, Kash Farooq shines on Matchroom/Sky Sports debut, and Thomas Whittaker-Hart moves to 5-0.
SATURDAY 14. NOVEMBER – ESPN/TOP RANK
Top Story: Terence Crawford extends his knockout streak with another clinical finish, this time over former IBF welterweight world champion, Kell Brook. Chaos unfolds as Joshua Franco and Andrew Moloney ends in a no-contest.
Kell Brook looked ripped and ready on the scales on Friday, boiling down to the 147lbs limit for the first time since 2017. On fight night, the first two round turned into a jabbing contest, with the man from Sheffield coming out on top, earning him a 2-0 lead.
However, Crawford is the master at making in-fight adjustments, which was evident once again when he switched stances to southpaw in the third. Leading with the left made Brook hesitant with the jab and forced him to commit with the right hand, allowing Crawford to get inside and find counter-punching opportunities.
After taking the third round, “Bud” closed the show emphatically in the fourth. A short, counter right sent the challenger reeling towards the ropes. The referee gave a mandatory count before Crawford put his foot to the floor and forced the stoppage, reminding everyone that he is still the most clinical closer in the sport.
In the post-fight interview, Bob Arum criticised Errol Spence but expressed his willingness to work with him or Manny Pacquiao to set up a unification showdown with Crawford in 2021.
It was an infuriating night for Andrew Moloney and his camp, as victory was snatched from his grasp. The Aussie started brightly, peppering the champion with razor-sharp jabs. By the end of the third, the right eye of Joshua Franco had closed shut and he was no longer in a fit state to continue.
The decision was declared a no-contest because it was originally believed an accidental clash of heads caused the injury. But after the footage was reviewed by ESPN, it showed the swelling was a result of the stiff jabs coming from Moloney.
Board officials and ringside referees reviewed the footage, and after a whopping 26 minutes, and despite there being no evidence of an accidental head clash, the no-contest ruling stuck. There was an altercation between the respective teams on the way back to the changing rooms, whilst Bob Arum angrily sought an explanation from the officials. Expect a third fight between them at some stage in 2021.
Other News: Joshua Greer Jr vs Edwin Rodriguez ends in a stalemate, whilst Tyler Howard, Raymond Muratalla, Duke Ragan and Vegas Larfield remain undefeated.
Check out the latest episode of the best boxing game show on YouTube!
By Michael Joyce – Top Rank brings you more world title action from the MGM Bubble in Las Vegas featuring the return of pound for pound star Terence Crawford and a Super flyweight world title rematch, live on Premier Sport in the UK and ESPN stateside.
Main Event – Terence Crawford (36-0) v Kell Brook (39-2)
WBO Welterweight Championship – 12 x 3 (Minute) Rounds
Multi-weight world champion and arguably the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford returns to defend his WBO welterweight crown. The slick switch hitter from Omaha has had a frustrating time finding suitable opponents for his ring return.
Kell Brook, however, never shy of taking on a challenge that many have seemingly turned down, has stepped up to the plate. But has it all to do, especially without long time trainer Dominic Ingle in the corner, and boiling down to the 147lb weight limit – something he has not done since 2017.
Can “Special K” use his natural size advantages he will have on the night to become a two-time world champion? Or will Crawford’s ring craft be too much for the challenger?
Should Brook be victorious he will have to roll back the years, in what will have to be one of the greatest performances by a British boxer in many of years. With a Crawford victory, all eyes will further point towards a Welterweight unification super-fight with former Brook foe, Errol Spence Jr.
Chief Support – Joshua Franco (17-1-2) v Andrew Maloney (21-1)
WBA (Regular) Super Flyweight Championship – 12 x 3 (Minute) Rounds.
A quick turnaround from their contest in June 2020, American Joshua Franco takes on Australian Andrew Maloney in a rematch for the WBA super-flyweight world title.
Andrew Maloney will be looking to go one better than his brother Jason who fought and lost in the MGM bubble just two weekends ago against Naoya Inoue.
Considered somewhat of a minor upset, Franco narrowly outpointed Maloney in their first contest, by one point on two judges’ scorecards and three points on another. Maloney was knocked down in the eleventh round and that seemed to be the deciding factor first time round.
Will it be repeat or Revenge? Both boxers will be looking for a more convincing victory this time, with the winner looking to move onto bigger fights in the current competitive red hot super flyweight division.
Undercard
Elsewhere on the card, you have Joshua Greer Jr (22-2-1) who will be looking to get back into the win column after his upset defeat earlier in the summer.
Also featured earlier on in the undercard are unbeaten prospects lightweight Raymond Muratalla (10-0), middleweight Tyler Howard (18-0), featherweight Duke Ragan (2-0), and bantamweight Vegas Larfield (1-0).
By Jamie Bourne – BT Sport opens a busy weekend of boxing on Friday night, headlined by an exciting rematch for the British middleweight title. The rest of the card sees the return of popular prospect, Tommy Fury, alongside a bunch of unbeaten talent.
The action will get underway on BT Sport 1 HD from 19:00 on Friday (13th November) evening, with the main event ring walks expected around 21:00.
MAIN EVENT: MARK HEFFRON VS DENZEL BENTLEY
12 x 3 (Minute) Rounds for vacant British Middleweight Title.
After all three judges failed to split them back in September, Mark Heffron (25-1-1, 19 KOs) and Denzel Bentley (13-0-1, 11 KOs) will resume battle on Friday for the prestigious Lonsdale middleweight crown.
The undefeated Bentley started brighter last time out, flooring Heffron in the second round and establishing an early lead. Until the latter turned up the heat in the second half and set a demanding pace; outworking and roughing up Bentley on the ropes.
At the sound of the final bell, the judges were in agreement with three scores of 95-95, resulting in a unanimous draw – a result that occurs once in a blue moon.
If Bentley can handle the pace and negate Heffron’s forward pressure, he should come out on top. However, if he allows the Oldham fighter gets on his chest, it could be an uncomfortable and frustrating night for the south Londoner.
MAIN CARD: THE RETURN OF TOMMY FURY
6 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ Light Heavyweight.
The baby brother of the current heavyweight king and former Love Island runner-up, Tommy Fury (3-0-0, 2 KOs), returns to action in a six-rounder. It was revealed at the weigh-in on Thursday that he will be facing 0-11, Genadij Krajevskij.
During what has been a crazy 2020, Tommy has returned to training with a renewed focus, working closely with his superstar brother and his esteemed trainer, SugarHill Steward.
Hoping to capitalise on the 21-year-olds huge social media following and family fame, promoter Frank Warren will aim to keep Tommy busy over the next eighteen months. With the long-term plan being to make domestic dust-ups with other known British light heavyweights.
UNDERCARD: THE REST OF THE SHOW
There are outings for unbeaten talents; Micky Burke (3-0-0, 0 KOs), Henry Turner (3-0-0, 0 KOs), and Caoimhin Agyarko (7-0-0, 4 KOs). Opponents are all yet to be announced.
LAST MINUTE CANCELLATIONS
COVID-19 has seen the postponement and cancellations of fights across the globe. This card on Friday has been hit hard, as the two international title bouts on the card were removed on Wednesday.
The chief support contest between undefeated Londoner Chris Bourke (8-0-0, 5 KOs) and South African gatekeeper Michael Ramabeletsa (18-17-0, 8 KOs) was the first affected, after the latter tested positive for the virus.
Afghan-born Eastender, Quaise Khademi (8-0-0, 2 KOs), was preparing to make his Queensbury debut and put his unbeaten record on the line against Ijaz Ahmed (7-2-0, 0 KOs). However, Khademi received the positive notification yesterday.
Lastly, Masood Abdullah was set to make his professional debut on the card, until a positive test from his camp saw him crossed off the running order too.
By Scott Janes – Who run the world? This Saturday on Sky Sports, the women takeover as female boxing figurehead Katie Taylor headlines a world championship tripleheader.
MAIN EVENT: KATIE TAYLOR VS MIRIAM GUTIÉRREZ
10 x 2 (Minute) Rounds for the Undisputed Lightweight Championship.
What Katie Taylor has done for women’s boxing is incredible and should not be thought of lightly. Saturday night would not be possible without her dedication to the sport and her ground-breaking career.
She has conquered the lightweight division, but now defends her undisputed crown against the unbeaten Miriam Gutierrez. The Spaniard is the mandatory challenger and knows a victory will change her life, so you can guarantee she will give it everything.
Taylor, at the age of 34, will be looking to get through this stiff test and advance to mega matchups in the final stages of her exhilarating career.
CO-MAIN EVENT: TERRI HARPER VS KATHARINA THUNDERZ
10 x 2 (Minute) Rounds for the WBC & IBO Super Featherweight Championships.
Terri Harper, who is coming off a barnstormer draw with fellow brit, Natasha Jonas, will be hoping for a much easier nights work. However, that may not be the case, as she faces a tough mandatory defence in the unbeaten WBC Interim champion, Katharina Thanderz.
The Norwegian has an impressive win over Rachel ball and will be there to cause all sorts of problems for Harper.
The champion acknowledged her inexperience and admits she made mistakes in her last outing. Yet, she and her team are fully confident she can rectify them in her second defence of the famous green and gold belt.
CHIEF SUPPORT: RACHEL BALL VS JORGELINA GUANINI
10 x 2 (Minute) Rounds for the WBA Bantamweight Championship.
Social worker Rachel Ball has the Cinderella story. In August, she was brought in as a stepping stone for the exciting, unbeaten prospect, Shannon Courtenay. But manged to upset the apple cart, dropping and beating Courtenay in a cracking encounter.
Now, Ball gets her dream shot at the WBA bantamweight world title, facing the current IBF super flyweight champion, Jorgelina Guanini, who has been campaigning at championships level for over three years now.
Will the Cinderella story continue for Ball on Saturday? And set up a much-anticipated rematch with Courtenay in 2021.
MAIN CARD: JOHN DOCHERTY VS JACK CULLEN
10 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ Super Middleweight.
My favourite fight this Saturday night is, by far, John Docherty vs Jack Cullen. Both men have fan-friendly styles, so this should produce fireworks.
Docherty faces his hardest test to date with Cullen, who has made quite the name for himself on Sky, featuring in some great matchups. “The Doc” is being touted as a future world champion and will hopefully show his levels in this fascinating contest.
ON THE UNDERCARD
THOMAS WHITTAKER HART VS JERMAINE SPRINGER: Tony Bellew’s exciting protégé, Thomas Whittaker-Hart, dips his feet into deep waters of the professional boxing game. Hart, the former, well-established, GB boxer squares off against Jermaine Springer, who carries an impressive record of 7 wins and only 1 defeat. Hart, who has a record of only 4 wins and 0 defeats, will be looking to make a name for himself and show everyone what the fuss is all about.
KASH FAROOQ VS ANGEL AVILES: Scotland’s Kash Farooq finally makes his long-awaited Matchroom debut on Saturday night. The former British bantamweight champion will be looking to make a huge statement, following his split decision loss to Lee McGregor last year. Farooq was very unlucky to not get the decision that night, but he made quite the impression on promoter, Eddie Hearn. Let us hope he gets the W on Saturday and kicks on to bigger and better things.
This article was written and submitted by Scott Janes – a contributor to the site. The lead editor would like to remind readers that the opinion of the writer doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the team.
By Michael Joyce – Long gone are the days where women boxing was cast to the side. It is now under the spotlight, featuring on major cards and driving more conversation than ever before. Pioneers such as Jane Crouch and Anne Wolfe struggled to gain the recognition that their male counterparts received. But like I said, this is a new era.
Rewind to pre-lockdown; the women’s scene was teetering on the verge of breaking out to the mainstream audience. Fast forward to post-lockdown; it has transcended and boxing fans have the women combatants to thank for serving up some of best fights since boxing reopened for business.
Setting the Standard
During Matchroom Fight Camp held in July/August, a women’s contest featured on three of the four cards and you could argue, stole the show on all of them.
Week 2 was headlined by Terri Harper v Tasha Jonas. They made history by becoming the first ever world title bout between two British female boxers. Going in, the bout was considered a one-sided affair, with the majority thinking Harper would take out Jonas in style, but Miss GB had other ideas. She landed the cleaner shots throughout in spite of the relentless pressure from Harper.
The judges scored the contest a draw – with many observers feeling Jonas had done enough for the win. The fight was gruelling for both, as both proudly showed off their war wounds in the post-fight interviews. You can envisage a rematch in the future, with the fight serving up a taste of what was to come in the upcoming weeks.
Week 3 saw Shannon Courtenay v Rachel Ball square off in a crossroads affair. Courtenay started out as the betting favourite, but during fight week the money started to pour in for Ball, who ended up starting as the favourite.
The first round saw Ball landing an inside counter which floored Courtenay for the first time in her short career. Despite the knockdown, she rallied back and managed to find her range against her much taller opponent. She clawed back the middle rounds, but a defiant Ball returned fire in the closing stages.
Ball was given the decision in a razor-close fight, which many thought could have gone either way in the end. Again, don’t be surprised to see a rematch in play in the near future.
The PPV in Week 4, we had the eagerly-anticipated rematch of Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon. Similar to their first meeting back in 2019, the styles blended perfectly. Taylor landing the crisper, more eye-catching shots, whilst Persoon was unrelenting and producing the higher output.
Taylor won on the judge’s scorecards in a slightly more convincing manner than the first encounter, but it seems as though every fighter between these two would end in a contentious decision. The spotlight was somewhat taken away from this fight due to the dramatic nature of the Whyte v Povetkin knockout, but make no mistake this was undoubtedly the fight of the night.
Elsewhere post lockdown we also had Cecilia Braekhus v Jessica McCaskill. The undisputed forever reigning welterweight champion Braekhas was dethroned in one of the true great underdog stories and a changing of the guard service. McCaskill landed freely and was quicker to the punch throughout the contest.
McCaskill, formerly homeless, has battled her way up the rankings the hard way. Having also lost previously to Katie Taylor a few years ago, she was given very little chance of victory. Braekhus did not look the same as in previous fights and suggestions of the classic “old overnight” phrase began to surface after the final bell. A rematch is scheduled for early 2021.
Chantelle Cameron joined the growing list of British world champions, outclassing her Brazilian opponent without breaking a sweat. Her punch selection and movement was impeccable and will surely line up a big 2021 for her.
Savannah Marshall with not only Performance of the Night, but arguably the Performance of the Year by a female boxer. She was recently crowned WBO middleweight champion by stopping Hannah Rankin in the seventh round of their bout on the Oleksandr Usyk v Dereck Chisora PPV bill.
Rankin, who has shared a ring with Claressa Shields, had never been stopped previously. Marshall, however, was clinical in dispatching Rankin, the footwork allowed Marshall to land punches from angles which troubled the Scot throughout the fight, before closing the show in style. Bringing excitement along with a high KO percentage to the ring, an exciting 2021 looms for Hartlepool’s new world champion.
Ellie Scotney caught the eye in her long-awaited debut, dropping Bec Connolly in the third en route to a six round points decision. Scotney, again, looks to be another great addition to the already thriving domestic scene.
[Left to Right] Cameron, Marshall, Scotney all have bright futures in the sport.
Breaking Boundaries
November 14th will feature three world title fights all to be headlined by female boxers. Firstly, Rachel Ball, who through her Fight Camp performance has earned a vacant WBA bantamweight title shot against late Argentinian replacement, Jorgelina Guanini.
Terri Harper returns to defend her two world super featherweight titles against Katharina Thanderz who has defeated the previously mentioned Rachael Ball. Katie Taylor who is largely viewed as the face of women’s boxing tops the bill, putting her undisputed lightweight status on the line against unbeaten Miriam Gutierrez.
Harper v Thanderz and Taylor v Gutierrez represent two world title bouts where all four boxers are undefeated and co-headlining the same card; a rarity in modern-day boxing.
Live on Sky Sports this Saturday.
In the Pipeline
In the near future, we could see matchups, such as the ones below, that would not only headline cards but whet the appetite of any boxing fans:
Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall – Shields the self-proclaimed GWOAT from America has become a three-weight world champion after just ten fights. Continuing her dominance from the amateur game to the paid ranks. Marshall, however, is the only person to beat Shields in the amateurs, so this would be a natural fight to make and would settle the dispute in a professional showdown for the undisputed middleweight crown.
Katie Taylor v Jessica McCaskill – In a rematch, which could see the biggest box office attraction in women’s boxing Taylor become a two-weight undisputed world champion. Alternatively, perhaps we could see Taylor v Cameron. Cameron has mentioned previously her natural weight is suited to lightweight, under the same promotional banner this is a fight we could see happen down the road.
Harper v Jonas rematch – You could say Jonas was unlucky not too receive the immediate rematch following the outcome of the fight in August. But unfortunately, we all know boxing is a business and this fight will always be there to be made at any time, as you can be sure both would want to prove who the definitive winner is.
Another boxer to keep an eye on is Caroline Dubois. The current BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and younger sister of heavyweight Daniel Dubois is likely to turn over to the paid ranks after the Olympics. Should this happen, Dubois will go straight in the mix and at a young age could become a household name and the face of women’s boxing for many years to come, especially in the UK.
Final Hurdles
The only thing you could say is holding back the women’s game from progressing even further is the lack of depth in quality and experience throughout the rankings. Whilst this is improving (certainly domestically in the UK), it is still way off from the deep pool of male fighters in terms of competitiveness.
Recently a discussion has emerged regarding the introduction of three-minute rounds, as opposed to the current two-minute rounds. Perhaps this will be introduced once the level and experience of competition increase. The additional minute increases the potential of highlight reel KO’s, which will inevitably grab more attention and help appeal to a broader audience.
But the last thing the sport needs is a professional novice, with very limited quality amateur experience, getting hurt against a more experienced pro after the two-minute mark. The introduction of three-minute rounds would be welcomed and would better suit certain fighters. Again, perhaps it is best to just air on the side of caution for the time being.
In the midst of the weekly shocking judge’s scorecards and circus act fights being made, the females are representing the sport with dignity and have saved many of the boxing cards post lockdown. Now some of the world’s biggest boxing attractions are starting to return to our screens let’s not forget the skill, entertainment and displays put on by these boxers as the women are here to stay and rightfully deserve boxing fans respect.
This article was written and submitted by Michael Joyce – a contributor to the site. The lead editor would like to remind readers that the opinion of the writer doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the team.
This week, the women take centre stage as Katie Taylor, Terri Harper and Rachel Ball headline a Saturday Fight Night – live on Sky Sports. Kell Brook attempts one last hurrah as he challenges pound-for-pound talent, Terence Crawford. And lastly, Jamie and Charlie discuss whether Devin Haney has slipped down the lightweight pecking order.
AGENDA
Weekly News Update
Is Devin Haney ready for the elite?
Who should Filip Hrgovic target next?
Will Kell Brook roll back the years on Saturday?
Should Terence Crawford jump ship to PBC?
Matchroom Woman’s Tripleheader.
Denzel Bentley and Mark Heffron rematch.
Question of the week: which fighter never lived up to your hype?
WATCH ON YOUTUBE
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By Jamie Bourne – In recent weeks, the lightweights have taken centre stage, and that is set to continue for the remainder of the year, as Devin Haney returns this Saturday against former champion, Yuriorkis Gamboa.
The 135lbs division is red hot at the moment, with Teófimo López emerging as the frontrunner last month, following his emphatic triumph over pound-for-pound genius Vasyl Lomachenko. Last weekend saw Gervonta Davis produce a devastating knockout to render four-weight world champion Leo Santa Cruz unconscious, headlining his first Showtime PPV event.
This Saturday, attention turns to another of the lightweight rising stars, as Devin Haney puts his WBC title on the line after being out of action for nearly a year. The 21-year-old last featured on the undercard of the controversial fight between Logan Paul and KSI, defeating Alfredo Santiago over twelve.
He was hoping to return early this year, but the pandemic and necessary surgery on his right shoulder delayed his plans. His team targeted bouts with Adrien Broner and Gary Russell Jr for this fall, but the respective teams were unable to strike a deal.
Former unified featherweight champion, Yuriorkis Gamboa, stepped up to the plate and accepted the challenge of the young, hungry hotshot. Without question, Gamboa represents Haney’s toughest professional test to date. The Cuban is a 2004 Olympic gold medallist and been through the wringer with some of the finest the sport has to offer in Terence Crawford and Gervonta Davis.
Last December, Gamboa put up a valiant effort against the aforementioned Davis, surviving an early knockdown and battling with a torn Achilles for the majority of the fight, before being dispatched in the final round.
He has since made a full recovery and bids to become a two-weight world champion on his third attempt, this Saturday night.
In the wake of two spectacular performances from his lightweight counterparts, Haney will be preparing to produce a statement performance this weekend. His former amateur rival, Ryan Garcia, faces experienced Brit Luke Campbell in a couple of weeks, with the winner in line to face Haney for the green and gold strap.
TELEVISION DETAILS
The undercard will be underway from 20:00 Eastern Time, 01:00 for our UK readers, with the main expected around 23:00 (ET) and 04:00 in the UK. Boxing fans in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, Spain and Brazil, can sign up to watch the fight online with DAZN. This fight will not be available in the UK via DAZN or Sky Sports.
REST OF THE CARD
FILIP HRGOVIC VS. RYDELL BOOKER – 10 Rounds @ Heavyweight
ZHILEI ZHANG VS. DEVIN VARGAS – 10 Rounds @ Heavyweight
RAYMOND FORD VS. RAFAEL REYES – 6 Rounds @ 126lbs.
DARREN CUNNINGHAM VS. JUAN GABRIEL MEDINA – 6 Rounds @ 122lbs.
ARTHUR BIYARSLANOV VS. JUAN JOSE MARTINEZ – 6 Rounds @ 140lbs.
By Jamie Bourne – A star pupil and graduate of the finest institution in amateur boxing. A national hero, who in pursuit of a greater life, was deemed a traitor. El Chacal made unimaginable sacrifices and took unthinkable risks en route to fulfilling his lifelong dream. But upon reaching the pinnacle of the sport, he would find himself a victim of his own brilliance, becoming one of the most avoided fighters of the modern era. This is the story of Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Early Life
Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz came from a modest, hardworking family, who lived on a coffee farm in Santiago de Cuba. The Caribbean islands boast sunshine, sandy beaches, and beautiful blue seas – but away from the coastlines and holiday resorts, the impoverished inner towns and grimy city streets present a hostile environment.
The mean streets of Santiago de Cuba.
With street-fighting required to gain respect, especially for working-class adolescents, Guillermo struggled to find his calling. In an interview with Boxing Scene, he said: “As a kid, I had a random violent experience of such humiliation that I was afraid to leave my house for about three years.”
A young man can take a number of paths when constrained by oppressive and volatile surroundings. One option is to harness violence to support a life of drugs, guns, and criminality. Another is to channel the same energy into a productive outlet, such as boxing.
Cuba’s record of producing elite-level pugilists is prolific, largely due to a highly successful state-sponsored programme. From the age of 12, promising youngsters are identified and sent to specialised schools, where they can focus on developing the skills to fulfil their potential. The cream of the crop are rewarded with a placement at the prestigious facility in Wajay, Havana, to benefit from a concentrated training regime.
Since the introduction of amateur boxing at the Summer Olympics in 1904, the only nation to record more medals than Cuba is the United States. But when you consider the population of Cuba is approximately 3% of the U.S., you can grasp just how astounding the medal return is.
Castro’s Cuba
Throughout the timeline of boxing history, Cuba has birthed some of the most cerebral operators the world has seen. The likes of Kid Gavilán, Luis Manuel Rodríguez, and José Nápoles (amongst others) are held in the highest regard within boxing circles. But for every great Cuban champion, many special talents were unable to gain the international recognition they deserved.
In 1961, Fidel Castro prohibited professional boxing from taking place in Cuba, leaving tens of thousands of ambitious amateur boxers but only 12 Olympic places up for grabs. Some sought safe passage overseas and abandoned their homeland forever, whilst others simply forfeited their dreams of becoming world champion, and remained loyal to the ideals of their leader.
Cuban President Fidel Castro raising the arm of heavyweight Olympic boxer Teofilo Stevenson during a photo shoot.
Amateur Dominance
Rigondeaux won everything available to him in the amateurs, not just once but multiple times. Beating every top contender in the process, his astonishing amateur record would conclude with 363 wins and just 12 defeats.
It is no secret that the most prestigious prize in amateur boxing is an Olympic Gold medal. In 2000, after winning his first Cuban National title to earn selection for the squad, he travelled to Australia for the Sydney Games, in search of the ultimate accolade.
There, he proved levels above the competition, winning his first four bouts without breaking a sweat. In the final, he outpointed 1996 bronze medallist, Raimkul Malakhbekov, 18-12, earning him the top spot on the medal podium.
Rigondeaux takes Gold in Sydney.
Over the course of the next Olympic cycle, he travelled the world and swept aside all in his path. He would win Gold at the 2001 World Championships in Belfast, the 2002 World Boxing Cup IN Nur-Sultan (Astana), the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, and four further National Championships across Cuba.
All of which was in preparation for his second Olympic Games in 2004, hosted in Athens, Greece, where Rigondeaux dominated his bantamweight counterparts en route to a second Olympic Gold Medal.
With the ban on professional boxing still in effect, he embarked on a third Olympic cycle, continuing to secure gold medals at a prodigious rate. These included the World Championships in 2005, two at the World Boxing Cup in 2005 and 2006, the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2006, along with two more Cuban National titles.
All roads led towards the 2008 Games in Beijing. A third Olympic Gold would match the record-breaking accomplishments of fellow Cubans, Teófilo Stevenson and Félix Savón. In addition to Hungarian, László Papp, the elite group were the only amateur boxers to win three Olympic gold medals.
Early in 2007, fellow Cuban Olympians Odlanier Solis, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy defected to the United States, where they turned professional and penned promotional contracts with ARENA Box-Promotion. Rigondeaux planned to follow in their footsteps.
On 22 July 2007, along with teammate Erislandy Lara, he failed to appear for his scheduled bout at the Pan American Games in Brazil. The pair were apprehended by Brazilian police two weeks after absconding from the competition and the saga became national news.
Lara and Rigo being escorted by Brazilian police.
Both boxers were branded as “traitors” by Fidel Castro, with whom Rigondeaux had regularly dined in the past. As punishment, they were banned from representing their country but avoided imprisonment.
Their exclusion from the Cuban squad would rule them both out of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. More significantly, Rigondeaux was denied the opportunity of a third successive gold medal and a legitimate claim to be the greatest amateur of all time.
Defection
Lara defected a year later to Germany, reportedly selling his World Championship Gold medal to fund the trip.
In February 2009, Rigondeaux finally defected to the U.S. Thirty men, women and children were crammed onto a speed boat, which crossed shark-infested waters to reach Cancun, Mexico. Joining him on this perilous journey were 2004 Olympic Silver Medallist Yudel Johnson, Yordanis Despaigne and Yuniel Dorticos.
Upon arrival in Cancun, they were taken to Mexico City, where transport was arranged to carry them to Miami. Rigondeaux sacrificed his family in pursuit of becoming a prizefighter, leaving behind his wife Farah Colina, a 7-year-old son and a 17-year-old stepson.
He initially resided at the home of fellow countryman and featherweight contender Yuriorkis Gamboa. They trained together in the same gym and Rigondeaux became a part of the Arena Box-Promotion stable, as had originally been planned in 2007.
His career was guided by Gary Hyde from Ireland. In his first act as manager, Hyde appealed to the Olympic Committee to replace Rigondeaux’s Olympic medals, asserting that he’d been forced to sell them for $200 to feed his family back in Cuba.
Professional Debut
He made his professional debut 22 May 2009, winning via a third-round technical knockout over Juan Noriega in Miami. Less than two months later, he won his second pro fight against Robert Guillen by first-round knockout, folding him in half with a gut-wrenching body shot.
During his early days, the Cuban was reserved with his punch output but demonstrated tremendous counterpunching and devastating power.
In his third fight, he dispatched Giovanni Andrade in three to become WBA-NABA super bantamweight champion. Two further victories saw him catch the eye of Hall-of-Fame promoter Bob Arum, who signed Rigondeaux to a three-year contract.
On November 13, 2010, he was handed his first primetime television slot, on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito, in front of 41,734 spectators at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. After flooring Cordoba with a body shot in the fourth, everything was seemingly going to plan for the unbeaten Cuban, until he tasted the canvas himself in the sixth, in what most considered to be a slip.
Despite dominating the contest, the fight was inexplicably scored a split decision, in Rigondeaux’s favour, crowning him the WBA-Interim holder in just his seventh professional bout.
For his first defence, Rigondeaux flew to Dublin, Ireland, where he wiped the floor with local lad Willie Casey, dropping him twice en route to a first-round TKO.
World Championship
On January 20, 2012, Rigondeaux met Ring Magazine #2 ranked super bantamweight, Rico Ramos, for the full version of the WBA World Championship. Unbeaten in 20 fights with 11 KOs, the American was his toughest assignment to date, on paper.
Rigondeaux opened brightly, catching Ramos with a left that sent him reeling into the ropes, resulting in a knockdown at 2 minutes 24 seconds of the first round. The pace waned through rounds two and three, with both men patiently waiting for opportunities to pounce.
In the fourth, an accidental clash of heads caused a small cut over Ramos’ left eyebrow. Following a stern warning from the referee for holding down his opponent’s head, Rigondeaux flipped a switch and sent Ramos sprawling to the canvas with a body shot. He failed to beat the count and the Cuban was pronounced world champion in his ninth bout.
Top Rank looked to secure a unification showdown with the other champions. But negotiations with the parties of Nonito Donaire (WBO holder), Abner Mares (WBC), and Jeffrey Mathebula (IBF) proved fruitless. A frustrated Rigondeaux branded them all “cowards” and continued to defend his belts, retaining his title with victories over Teon Kennedy and Roberto Marroquin in 2012.
Roberto Marroquin couldn’t cope with the pinpoint accuracy of the slippery southpaw.
His Defining Night
In 2013, Rigondeaux received the opportunity he had been waiting for: a chance to unify – but not just against any regular world champion. On April 13, he would meet (then) three-weight world champion, pound-for-pound superstar, and Ring Magazine champion, Nonito Donaire.
The Filipino Flash had blasted his way through the weight divisions, becoming the super bantamweight king in 2012 by defeating Jeffrey Mathebula. At the time of this fight, Donaire had not tasted defeat in twelve full years. And with a left-hook that could flatten a horse, he was one of the hardest hitters in the sport.
In front of a sell-out crowd at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, Rigondeaux and Donaire met for the WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine belts. Donaire had already experienced a handful of special nights in his professional career but for Rigondeaux, this was his most important twelve rounds to date.
For the first nine rounds, Rigondeaux bobbed, weaved, and countered his way to a convincing lead. A darting straight left staggered Donaire early in the first round and a succession of thudding right hooks kept Donaire on the back foot. Quite simply, he taught the Filipino a harsh lesson in the noble art of ‘hit and don’t get hit’.
Donaire was peppered with the straight left hand all night.
Things got sticky in the tenth, however, when a frustrated Donaire launched his infamous left hook off the clinch, dumping the Cuban on his backside. But as champions do, Rigondeaux recovered and resumed control, hurting the Filipino with another blistering left early in the twelfth.
The right-side of Donaire’s face was left in a grotesque state.
Upon the final bell, all three judges were unanimous in awarding the victory to Rigondeaux, whose pinpoint accuracy and persistent power punches had left Donaire’s face in a grotesque state. He conducted the post-fight interview with a severely swollen right eye and blood gushing from the nose and mouth.
In the wake of the Rigondeaux defeat, Donaire moved up to featherweight. The loss of three of his next ten fights prompted suspicions amongst the fight fraternity that the Cuban had ruined his career. But in fairness to Donaire, he has since won further world titles at featherweight and back down at bantamweight.
The victory cemented Rigondeaux as the number one super bantamweight on the planet, and the unified WBA (Super), WBO and Ring Magazine champion. Many labelled the showing as the performance of the decade (2010-2019).
Title Reign
A rematch was discussed but there was a dispute regarding the weight/rehydration limit. Instead, Rigondeaux defended against the former 118-pound world champion, Joseph Agbeko. The Ghanaian was overmatched from the outset and Rigondeaux cruised to a shutout 120-108 points win on all three cards.
The Donaire fight was supposed to be his breakout night, a showcase to catapult him toward further unification showdowns. Sure, he received due recognition by being placed amongst the pound-for-pound finest but this proved a deterrent to potential opponents. A victim of his own success, El Chacal would receive a scant reward for his achievements and a sustained period of frustration would follow.
Whilst the rest of the pack at super bantamweight fought each other, the slippery Cuban was circumvented like the plague, forcing him to go overseas in search of average opposition. He was simply too good for his own good.
His next defence came seven months later against the veteran, Sod Kokietgym, in Macao, China. A bizarre series of events was initiated by an accidental clash of heads in the opening round. The challenger hit the deck and was afforded the regulatory time to recover. After rising to his feet, the pair went to touch gloves when Rigondeaux unexpectedly rendered Kokietgym out for the count with a sucker punch.
The ending was reminiscent of the Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Victor Ortiz fight back in 2009 and highlighted the importance of the famous “protect yourself at all times” instruction.
The Kokietgym fight ended in controversy.
In the aftermath, Rigondeaux challenged fellow titleholders Leo Santa Cruz (WBC) and Kiko Martinez (IBF) to unification matchups. Those fights never came to fruition because his deal with Top Rank had run its course and the champions saw the Cuban as high risk for low reward.
On New Year’s Eve 2014, he was back in Asia for another title defence, this time against Hisashi Amagasa in Osaka, Japan. The performance received mixed reviews, as despite controlling the action for the majority of the fight, he was floored twice in the seventh – one of which should have been ruled a slip. He returned the favour with a knockdown of his own in the ninth before the fight concluded in the eleventh. Amagasa failed to leave his stool, which was understandable given the extent of facial disfigurement from a suspected broken cheekbone.
Eleven months later, Rigondeaux returned to the States after 23 months away from his adopted home. Featuring on the PPV card headlined by Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez, he boxed the ears off Drian Francisco over ten rounds.
The roadshow continued in 2016. Whilst training in Russia, a deal was agreed for Rigondeaux to fly to Liverpool to face hometown favourite, Jazza Dickens. They looked set to meet at the Echo Arena on March 12, but in a strange turn of events, it was only revealed on fight day that Rigondeaux had been unable to obtain a UK visa, resulting in the bout being cancelled and the Cuban returning to the U.S.
Shortly afterwards, he was reinstalled as the WBA (Super) champion, when holder Carl Frampton moved up to featherweight. Despite lengthy talks of a defence against regular WBA holder, Jamie McDonnell, the WBA rightfully allowed him to fulfil his previous contract with Jazza Dickens. On July 16 at the Ice Arena in Cardiff, the blatant mismatch was over in the third, after Rigondeaux broke the Liverpudlian’s jaw with a straight left.
Dickens was forced to retire on his stool with a broken jaw.
A deal was agreed to face unbeaten mandatory challenger and Interim titleholder, Moises Flores, in a PPV co-headline with Miguel Cotto and James Kirkland on January 25, 2017. Disappointingly, the card was postponed because Kirkland sustained a nose injury during training.
A new date was set for June 17, on the undercard of Andre Ward vs Sergey Kovalev 2. In a lively opening round, they immediately became acquainted with the other’s power. The deciding punch of the round became the deciding punch of the fight – but it was not without controversy.
Attempting to see out the remaining seconds on the clock, Flores unsuccessfully sought to clinch. With the bell about to sound, Rigondeaux landed a devastating left hook that left the Mexican staring at the ceiling.
Ringside doctors tended to Flores whilst the referee reviewed the footage to ascertain whether the shot had landed before the bell. Rigondeaux was ruled the victor by first-round knockout after the referee ruled it a legitimate punch.
The verdict did not prevent the further debate amongst the HBO commentary team, as slow-motion footage proved that the punch connected after the bell. Many argued that the victory should be overturned and a disqualification ruled, but because it had been unintentional, others felt a no-contest would have been more equitable.
On June 26, following a vote from all four commissions, the result was updated to a no-contest and the WBA ordered an immediate rematch to take place within 150 days.
No Mas-Chenko
On August 6, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum announced Vasyl Lomachenko would be defending his world title in December. Various names were mentioned as a potential opponent; Orlando Salido, Miguel Berchelt, Ray Beltran – and perhaps most surprisingly, Guillermo Rigondeaux.
The rumours began to gain serious momentum throughout August and by September 15, a deal was confirmed to take place at 130lbs – eight pounds heavier than Rigondeaux’s optimum weight.
Having foregone the Flores rematch in the process, the WBA announced the Cuban would be stripped of his super bantamweight strap should he lose to Lomachenko. A win would allow him five further days to decide whether he wished to remain champion or not.
Plenty was made about the obvious weight disparity between the two, hence a rehydration clause in the contract, which restricted Lomachenko from weighing more than 138-pounds on fight night.
The height difference was plain to see at the press conference.
The Ukrainian entered the ring at 137.4lbs, whilst Rigondeaux barely scraped the super featherweight limit of 130lbs. In front of a packed-out 5,102 crowd at the MSG Theatre in New York, the two greatest amateurs of the modern era squared off for the WBO super featherweight championship.
Between them, they had a combined amateur record of 759 wins and 13 losses, as well as four Olympic, and four World Championship Gold medals.
Rigondeaux proved no match for the naturally bigger and more offensively proficient Lomachenko. The size, speed, and angles of the Ukrainian befuddled the Cuban and after landing no more than three punches per round, for four rounds straight, Rigondeaux quit on his stool.
He became the fourth consecutive opponent to retire on his stool against Loma. In the post-fight interview, the Ukrainian jokingly coined the “No Mas Chenko” nickname for himself. He humbly praised the skills of Rigondeaux, but also acknowledged the size disadvantage, saying: “This is not his weight, so it’s not a big win for me”.
The Abyss
The WBA followed through with their promise of stripping Rigondeaux, who, for the next seven months, took a sabbatical. He finally returned to training in July, but with no prospect of a big fight, due to the termination of his promotional contract with Roc Nation Sports.
Towards the end of the year, Rigondeaux joined friend Erislandy Lara in Houston, Texas. There he trained alongside his fellow countryman and under the tutelage of experienced cornerman Ronnie Shields.
That same month, he joined forces with powerful advisor Al Haymon under the Premier Boxing Champions banner. With a change of trainer to provide a fresh perspective, as well as a promotional powerhouse to back him, Rigondeaux possessed a renewed sense of optimism for the first time in a long while.
Friends reunited: eleven years after their attempted escape, Lara (right) and Rigo (left) joined forces in Texas.
Following the year-long hiatus, he returned in January, against featherweight journeyman Giovanni Delgado. Rigondeaux whetted the appetite of the boxing fraternity by ending the fight in the first round and promising a swift return to action.
In June, he took on former Interim holder, Julio Ceja, in a final eliminator for the WBC world super bantamweight title. A gruelling battle ensued, as they slugged it out for eight rounds straight.
Both were deducted points in the eighth for low blows before Rigondeaux emphatically closed the show with a vicious left hook in the closing seconds. Aside from the finish, it was plain to see Guillermo was on the decline.
The famous Rigondeaux left-hand left Ceja out for the count.
Bantamweight
He was installed as mandatory challenger to WBC champion Rey Vargas, however, Rigondeaux instead opted to move down in weight to 118 pounds for the first time since his amateur days.
He challenged Liborio Solis for the WBA Regular bantamweight belt on February 8, 2020. His masterful skill set was on display but the reflexes had noticeably diminished, exacerbated by the added weight loss to reach the lower limit. Rigondeaux emerged a clear winner, with a knockdown in the seventh, yet he was not quite the same fighter we had come to know and admire.
Rigondeaux has his arm raised victoriously after outpointing Solis.
What Now?
At 41-years-old, there has been no inclination of retirement from Rigondeaux. Still signed to Al Haymon and PBC, he has options available to him at 118lbs and 122lbs. Whilst his powers have dwindled, the fact remains that to any champion/contender around his weight class, he offers high risk for little reward.
Guillermo has expressed an intention to continue right through his forties, likening himself to Bernard Hopkins, though I suspect his plans are largely dependent on whether he can secure the right financial opportunities.
His manager has recently taken to Twitter to entice the champions from 118-122, stating: “All roads lead to Guillermo Rigondeaux.”
Legacy
As alluded to earlier, Rigondeaux belongs in the argument for the greatest amateur boxer of all-time. I have him in the top five, but of the modern era, he and Lomachenko are undoubtedly the leading two. His standing as the greatest Cuban amateur since Félix Savón is under threat, however.
Fellow Cuban, Julio César La Cruz, has the opportunity to add a second Olympic medal in Tokyo next year. And if he can, he will have surpassed Rigondeaux in terms of achievements and having beating better opposition along the way.
La Cruz is on the verge of amateur greatness.
In the pro game, there is always the question of “what if?” when it comes to Rigondeaux. The Donaire performance will forever be his crowning moment but in the long run, proved detrimental to his future. No one of any status would take the risk of fighting him, which ultimately led to an absurd jump in weight to challenge one of the most talented boxers in history, Lomachenko. The nature of the defeat wounded his pride and tarnished his once feared status.
But in his heyday, The Jackal was simply sensational. His lightning-quick hands and expert footwork enabled him to explode from defence to attack in in the blink of an eye. His cat-life reflexes and ring intelligence rendered his opponent’s offence useless, before exploiting their vulnerabilities with clinical counterpunching. Not to mention, he was a lefty – and nobody relishes the prospect of sharing fisticuffs with a southpaw. Especially one as technically gifted and venomous as Rigondeaux.
El Chacal will be remembered fondly – but also with a bitter tinge of disappointment.
By Jamie Bourne – With no Punch Perfect Podcast coming your way this week, we thought it was time to bring back the weekly low-down. Following the fallout of an action-packed Halloween weekend, here are all the results and top headlines.
FRIDAY 30. OCTOBER: GOLDEN BOY/DAZN USA
Top Story: Jaime Munguía inches closer to a second world title shot, whilst Rashidi Ellis outpoints fellow unbeaten prospect, Alexis Rocha.
A horrific cut to the lip of Tureano Johnson brought an abrupt end to his fight with rapidly rising Jaime Munguía on Saturday night. The former 154lbs Mexican titleholder continues his ascent towards a second world title, with a shot at either Demetrius Andrade or Gennady Golovkin firmly in his cross hairs for 2021.
In the chief support bout of the evening, Rashidi Ellis came out on top in the battle of unbeaten welterweight prospects. Taking a comfortable unanimous decision over highly-rated California, Alexis Rocha.
Other News: Elwin Soto retains WBO light flyweight strap, Bektimir Melikuziev batters Alan Campo in three, as Marlen Esparza, Lamont Roach, and Tristan Kalkreuth all advance.
Top Story: Oleksandr Usyk lines up a blockbuster showdown with Anthony Joshua by defeating Dereck Chisora on points– live on Sky Sports Box Office. George Kambosos Jr becomes mandatory challenger to undisputed lightweight champion, Teófimo López.And lastly, Savannah Marshall delivers a punch perfect performance to halt Hannah Rankin in seven and become WBO Middleweight Champion.
Former Cruiserweight King, Oleksandr Usyk, proved he is capable of hanging with the big boys on Saturday, outclassing an inspired Dereck Chisora. After weathering the early storm, the Ukrainian settled into his groove and left the Brit chasing shadows. At the end of twelve high-paced rounds, the judges agreed in awarding Usyk the decision, by scores of 115-113, 115-113 and 117-112.
In the post-fight interview, Usyk rated his performance a 3 out of 10 – despite dominating for the majority of the contest. He also expressed his desire to face the unified heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, in 2021, and stated he would not accept step aside money to allow a Joshua-Fury undisputed clash.
Self-assured Aussie, George Kambosos Jr bagged himself the IBF mandatory position, with a shot at Teófimo López expected to place in 2021. He produced the more eye-catching shots to outwork the ever-tricky Lee Selby. One judge scored it for the Welshman, with the remaining two seeing it wide for Kambosos Jr. Whether the newly-crowned undisputed champion, López, will opt to defend his crown or vacate in pursuit of bigger opportunities remains to be seen.
One-time talented amateur Savannah Marshall laid claim to the hype surrounding her name, producing a spectacular display to take out Scotland’s Hannah Rankin. The Hartlepool boxer and her promoter Eddie Hearn have reiterated their intentions of making an exciting showdown with former two-weight undisputed champion, Clarissa Shields. Marshall holds an amateur victory of the American.
Other News: Ramla Ali impresses on her professional debut, Tommy McCarthy becomes European Cruiserweight Champion, and Carly Skelly vs Amy Timlin ends in a stalemate.
SATURDAY 31. OCTOBER: TOP RANK/ESPN
Top Story: “The Monster” Naoya Inoue produces a frightening knockout on Halloween, whilst Mikaela Mayer becomes WBO super featherweight world champion.
Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue shines on his long-awaited Top Rank debut at The Bubble in Las Vegas. After eleven months out of action, he outclassed Aussie championship contender, Jason Moloney, before finally putting him out of his misery in the seventh.
In pursuit of the pound-for-pound throne, Inoue has set his sights on the undisputed crown, with the previously cancelled matchup against WBO champion John Riel Casimero at the top of his wish list.
Former U.S. Olympian, Mikaela Mayer, picked her up first world title on Saturday night. Her opponent, Ewa Brodnicka, surrendered her title on the scales after failing to make weight on Friday. But regardless of the weight advantage, the American dominated from the outset, cruising to a unanimous decision over ten rounds.
She has called for a unification clash with Terri Harper in 2021 and promoter Bob Arum has expressed his willingness to work with Eddie Hearn to get that fight over the line.
Other News: Robson Conceição survives a knockdown and point deductions to beat Luis Coria, “Hammer Hands” makes easy work of Jose Eduardo Lopez Rodriguez, and Jared Anderson and Andy Hiaroka extend their unbeaten records.
SATURDAY 31. OCTOBER: PBC/SHOWTIME PPV
Top Story: A star is born as Gervonta Davis renders Leo Santa Cruz unconscious with a beautiful left uppercut, Regis Prograis comes back with a bang, and Isaac Cruz blitzes Diego Magdaleno.
Gervonta “Tank” Davis delivered a highlight-reel knockout in the toughest test of his professional career. His opponent, four-weight world champion, Leo Santa Cruz, gave him something to think about throughout the first five rounds. But, in the sixth, Davis backed him into the ropes and timed a perfect, sleep-inducing left uppercut, leaving the Mexican collapsed in a heap on the canvas.
A WBA titleholder at 130 and 135-pounds, it remains to be seen what his next move will be. The Mayweather Team has suggested a showdown with Teófimo López, but in the meantime, Tank should look to assert his authority at 130lbs.
Former light welterweight number #1, Regis Prograis, returned after a year of inactivity, destroying the undefeated Juan Heraldez inside three rounds. “Rougarou” hopes to face the winner of the Taylor-Ramirez undisputed showdown, but will his recent weight troubles force him to consider a move to welterweight instead?
Lastly, Isaac Cruz Gonzalez wasted no time in getting rid of Diego Magdaleno on Saturday. The twenty-two-year-old Mexican exploded out of the traps and cleaned out the former title challenger in style.
Other News: Mario Barrios stops Ryan Karl to keep his WBA 140-pound strap, Michel Rivera outpoints Ladarius Miller for the USBA title, and Julian Rodarte goes unbeaten in nineteen pro bouts.
OTHER RESULTS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
Former unified cruiserweight champion, Murat Gassiev, made easy work of Nuri Sefer after two years out of the ring. The destructive Russian looks to have acclimatised to his heavyweight surroundings, and at the age of twenty-seven, has plenty to offer in a thriving division.
By Scott Janes – Live on Sky Sports Box Office this Saturday night, Oleksandr Usyk looks to punch his ticket for a WBO world title challenge in 2021, but must first overcome an inspired Dereck Chisora.
For a full weekend preview, check out our podcast!
CANCELLED: KASH FAROOQ VS MARTIN TECUAPELTA
Late last night (Friday evening), it was revealed that a member of the Kash Farooq camp has tested positive for COVID-19. Meaning his fight is now off the card.
UNDERCARD (18:00): AMY TIMLIN VS CARLY SKELLY
10 x 2 (Minute) Rounds for vacant Commonwealth Super Bantamweight title.
Since boxing has returned, the women have assumed centre stage. We have witnessed some brilliant matchups and the emergence of some exciting talents. And that looks set to continue on Saturday when Amy Timlin faces her toughest test to date in Carly Skelly.
Manged by Dave Coldwell, Timlin has been making a name for herself on social media, calling out all the well-known British female fighters. But now has to back her words up against the undefeated Skelly, who also comes in with a stellar reputation.
Neither have boxed on the big stage before, so expect both ladies to attempt to produce a statement on Saturday.
UNDERCARD (18:30): RAMLA ALI VS EVA HUBMEYER
6 x 2 (Minute) Rounds @ Lightweight.
A late addition to this PPV card sees Ramla Ali make her professional debut against Eva Hubmeyer of Germany.
An accomplished amateur, Ali has the tools to flourish in the paid ranks. Having modelled for various magazines and signed exclusively to Nike in 2018, Ali enters her pro debut with some serious backing and marketing firepower.
Hubmeyer presents an unknown quantity, having only made her debut back in July, winning inside the opening round.
UNDERCARD (19:00): TOMMY MCCARTHY VS BILAL LAGGOUNE
12 x 3 (Minute) Rounds for vacant European Cruiserweight Title.
The British cruiserweight division has lit up in the past year. In what was once considered the weakest division in Britain, it has become one of the hottest.
For Tommy McCarthy, capturing the European title on Saturday night would cement his place as one of the top boys in Britain. However, it is no easy task as he faces the well-seasoned Laggoune, who has some good wins under his belt. The most notable one coming against once highly touted brit, Simon Barclay.
The Northern Irishman has had a mixed career, but is coming off his best win: beating the undefeated Fabio Turchi in his hometown. He’ll be looking to top that amazing night and capture that blue and gold European belt tomorrow.
CANCELLED:DAVE ALLEN VS CHRISTOPHER LOVEJOY
Following a dispute with infamous promotor Don King, Eddie Hearn was forced to officially pull this fight from the card yesterday, as Christopher Lovejoy has other contractual obligations to fulfil elsewhere. Disappointingly for British fight fans, Dave Allen will no longer feature on the PPV line-up.
UNDERCARD (20:00): SAVANNAH MARSHALL VS HANNAH RANKIN
10 x 2 (Minute) Rounds for vacant WBO Middleweight title.
I am sure we were all delighted that this tense all-British world title fight was rescheduled so promptly. They were set to meet earlier this month until Marshall’s trainer, Peter Fury, tested positive for COVID-19.
Marshall, the former Team GB athlete, will be looking to show the world just how talented she is and fulfil her quest of winning world honours. In the process, a victory could setup a huge fight with Claressa Shields.
Scotland’s Hannah Rankin, who lost to Shields, is the only obstacle in her path. The former world title challenger looks to have the bit between her teeth and is hoping to inflict a major upset tomorrow night.
CHIEF SUPPORT (21:00): LEE SELBY VS GEORGE KAMBOSOS JR
12 x 3 (Minute) Rounds for IBF Lightweight mandatory position.
Lee Selby vs George Kambosos Jr is a cracking final eliminator for the lightweight IBF title and has the potential to be fight of the night.
Selby, the former IBF champion at featherweight, is now the more seasoned and experienced fighter. Taking on the young, undefeated, hungry Aussie in Kambosos Jr. Who is coming off a career-best win, beating Mickey Bay by SD. Meanwhile Selby picked up a solid win against Ricky Burns last time out.
Both men are in good form but the older, and possibly on the decline Selby will need to produce a near career-best to topple the fiery Kambosos. Depending on Teofimo Lopez’ title plans, the winner could find themselves fighting for a vacant strap in 2021
MAIN EVENT (22:00): OLEKSANDR USYK VS DERECK CHISORA
12 x 3 (Minute) Rounds for WBO Heavyweight mandatory position.
Oleksandr Usyk will sit his first heavyweight exam tomorrow night. In a bout I am sure everyone cannot wait to see.
Usyk, the former undisputed Cruiserweight champion is ready to conquer the heavyweight division. He undoubtedly has the skill set to tackle the big boys, but how can he cope with their size and strength? We will find out Saturday night.
Chisora, a British boxing fan favourite, has been given a chance of a lifetime to face the master that is Usyk. He is in the final days of his exhilarating carer, so will be taking this chance with both hands and will give absolutely everything.
The WBO heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, will be keeping a close eye on Usyk this Saturday. As the Ukrainian looks to retain his position as mandatory challenger. With that in mind, a super fight could be on the horizon. But the question is: can the unpredictable, resilient Chisora derail the Usyk steam train?
By Billy Marsden – It is fitting that on the eeriest day of the calendar, one of the most fearsome fighters to grace the squared circle makes his ring return. On Halloween night, Japanese phenomenon Naoya Inoue, the man they call “The Monster” headlines a stacked card that features a women’s world title fight and an array of unbeaten prospects, including San Antonio’s prodigious talent “Bam” Rodriguez.
MAIN EVENT: NAOYA INOUE VS JASON MOLONEY
12 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ 118lbs for Ring/IBF/WBA World Championships.
After his Fight of The Year with Nonito Donaire last November, “The Monster” Naoya Inoue (19-0-0, 16 KOs) returns against Aussie banger, Jason Moloney (21-1-0, 18 KOs). The Japanese superstar was scheduled to face WBO titleholder John Riel Casimero on the 25th April in Las Vegas in a bantamweight title unification bout. However, the fight fell through after being postponed due to COVID-19.
The dynamite-punching pound-for-pound star will be hoping to clean up at bantamweight and cement his spot as one of the world’s premier fighters. A win over Moloney would almost certainly see the Casimero fight come to fruition, with the victor facing the winner of WBC champ Nordine Oubaali’s clash with Nonito Donaire. Setting up a huge undisputed showdown next year.
Moloney is saying all the right things in the build-up. The Australian has every right to be confident; stringing together four stoppage wins since his split decision loss to Emmanuel Rodriguez in 2018. Should Moloney emerge victorious on Saturday night, it would rank as one of the greatest achievements in Australian boxing history. Alongside Lionel Rose’s upset win over Fighting Harada and Jeff Horn’s victory over Manny Pacquiao.
CHIEF SUPPORT: EWA BRODNICKA VS MIKAELA MAYER
10 x 2 (Minute) Rounds @ 130lbs for WBO World Championship.
In the battle of the unbeaten super featherweights, Mikaela Mayer (13-0-0, 5 KOs) challenges current WBO titleholder Ewa Brodnicka (19-0-0, 2 KOs).
One-time amateur star Mayer has fought her way into a mandatory position with the WBO and will be hoping to put the extra preparation time to good use. As their fight was originally scheduled for June 9, before testing positive for COVID-19 a few days before the fight.
Brodnicka has recently signed a multi-fight deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, and will be appearing out of her native Poland for the first time. The winner could well meet the winner of November’s clash between Terri Harper and Katharina Thanderz in the UK.
UNDERCARD: ROBSON CONCEIÇÃO VS LUIS COREA
10 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ 130lbs.
Former amateur standout and Rio 2016 Gold medallist Robson Conceição (14-0-0, 7 KOs) will seek to breathe some much-needed impetus into his career when he takes on the Robert Garcia-trained Luis Coria (12-3-0, 7 KOs).
Having made the transition to the paid ranks from the amateurs almost four years ago, the 31-year old Brazilian takes a major step up in class and will need to be on the top of his game to advance past Coria.
The Californian native is coming off a razor-thin loss to Adam Lopez in an all-out war. Victory over his more illustrious counterpart on Saturday night would go a long way to rectifying that defeat for the ever-improving Coria.
UNDERCARD: JULIAN RODRIGUEZVS JOSE RODRIGUEZ
10 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ 140lbs.
“Hammer Hands” Julian Rodriguez (20-0-0, 13 KOs) is progressing nicely through the 140lbs ranks, and possesses all the tools needed to pick up a world title in the foreseeable future. Managed by Pat Lynch, who guided Hall of Famer Arturo Gatti throughout his career, the former amateur prodigy is unbeaten in twenty contests, winning thirteen inside the distance.
He faces experienced Mexican, Jose Eduardo Lopez Rodriguez (29-7-2, 15 KOs). The 29-year-old has over forty professional bouts under his belt and has shared the ring with the likes of Viktor Postol and Humberto Soto. But his recent spell of inactivity could prove detrimental on Saturday night.
UNDERCARD: JESSIE RODRIGUEZVS TBA
8 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ 108lbs.
All-action 20-year old southpaw Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (12-0-0, 8 KOs) makes a swift return to the bubble after impressing just eight weeks ago. Knocking out Puerto Rican Janiel Rivera inside the first round.
Rodriguez is one of the rising stars in the lower weight classes and is the younger brother of WBA super flyweight champ, Joshua Franco. The blue-chip prospect can punch like a jackhammer and is highly regarded amongst boxing circles.
Under the tutelage of Robert Garcia and lower weight specialists Teiken Promotions, the Texan pocket-rocket looks set for a title push in 2021, with Mexico’s WBO champ Elwin Soto firmly in his sights.
UNDERCARD: JARED ANDERSONVS LUIS EDUARDO PENA
6 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ Heavyweight.
Heavyweight prospect Jared “Big Baby” Anderson (6-0-0, 6 KOs) has made a swift start to his career in the pro game, blowing away all six of his opponents in double-quick time.
The unbeaten 20-year old from Toledo, Ohio, has already gained valuable experience serving as one of Tyson Fury’s primary sparring partners during the build-up to the Deontay Wilder fights.
His opponent Luis Eduardo Pena (6-1-0, 6 KOs) will be hoping to test the chin of the young American and cause a major upset in the process.
UNDERCARD: ANDY HIRAOKA VS. RICKEY EDWARDS
8 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ 140lbs.
After turning pro back in 2013 at 17-years old, Andy Hiraoka (15-0-0, 10 KOs) made his U.S debut last year, knocking out Rogelio Casarez in two rounds. Hiraoka, a stablemate of Inoue back in Yokohama, faces off against New Jersey’s Rickey Edwards (12-4-0, 3 KOs). A man looking to secure his first win since beating Argentinean William Gonzalez on points two years ago.
UNDERCARD: ANDRES CORTES VS. GEORGE ACOSTA
8 x 3 (Minute) Rounds @ 130lbs.
Andres Cortes (13-0-0, 7 KOs) returns to the bubble after defeating Alejandro Salinas in a brutal affair back in July. Cortes, who captured a silver medal at the 2013 Junior Olympic National Championships in Alabama, will go up against George Acosta (10-1-0, 1 KOs).
Acosta is unbeaten since his defeat to Ruben Torres in 2019 and will be hoping for a big performance against the undefeated Cortes.
By Jamie Bourne – On Friday night, Golden Boy Promotions heads to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, for a show that has flown under the radar. Headlined by Tijuana native Jaime Munguía alongside a wealth of rising stars and future hopes.
MAIN EVENT: JAIME MUNGUÍA v TUREANO JOHNSON
12 x 3 Mins @ Middleweight.
Topping the bill is the undefeated Jaime Munguía (35-0-0, 28 KOs). Ranked number #1 with the WBO, #2 in the WBC, and #9 in the IBF, he is primed for another title tilt in 2021. But he must first overcome a dangerous assignment in Bahamian Olympian, Tureano Johnson (21-2-1, 15 KOs).
At twenty-four-years-old, Munguía is entering the second chapter of his professional campaign. After joining the paid ranks at seventeen, he served his apprenticeship in his beloved Mexico. Before heading stateside and picking up his first world championship at twenty-one.
Over the following eighteen months, he defended his WBO light middleweight strap on four occasions. Sweeping aside former holders and ranked contenders with relative ease. Barring his majority decision victory over Dennis Hogan, which brought controversy as many felt he was the benefactor of a generous decision.
As expected with any young man, his body is still maturing. Which has forced him to relinquish the 154lbs belt and move up to middleweight. Where he debuted impressively at the start of the year by halting Spike O’Sullivan in the eleventh.
Tureano – the former WBC silver middleweight champion – has been out of action for fifteen months. In his last outing, he battered Jason Quigley and inflicted the first stain on the Irishman’s record. Despite his inactivity, he will provide a stern test for the Mexican on Friday.
CO-FEATURE: RASHIDI ELLIS v ALEXIS ROCHA
10 x 3 Mins @ Welterweight.
The co-feature bout of the evening sees two unbeaten welterweight prospects collide. As Rashidi Ellis and Alexis Rocha put their unbeaten records on the line over ten rounds.
Both men have made their names featuring on the undercards of Golden Boy Promotions shows over recent years. However, Friday night will be their opportunity to shine on the grand stage.
Despite his mesmerising hand speed and spectacular footwork, Ellis’ career has lost momentum. Having boxed three times in 2018, he appeared just once in 2019. In a rematch with fellow stablemate Eddie Gomez, which he dominated for the most part.
He was scheduled to return in August, until the postponement of Jorge Linares vs Javier Fortuna saw his comeback plans thwarted.
Meanwhile, Rocha has put together an admirable recent string of victories. With the most recent coming against Brad Solomon back in February. The 23-year-old hasn’t received same amount of hype as Ellis, but a win on Friday would transcend his career. As well as line up some huge matches in the already stacked welterweight poundage.
UNDERCARD: ELWIN SOTO v MCWILLIAMS ARROYO
In the only world title fight on the card, Elwin Soto (17-1, 12 KO) makes the second defence of his WBO light flyweight crown. The Mexican prodigy famously took the title from Puerto Rican dangerman, Angel Acosta, via comeback knockout last year.
He faces the experienced Nicaraguan veteran, Carlos Buitrago, (32-5-1, 18 KO), who managed to drop McWilliams Arroyo twice last year. But was unsuccessful in five previous world championship attempts.
UNDERCARD: MARLEN ESPARZA v SULEM URBINA
Down at 112lbs, there is a crossroads matchup between Marlen Esparza and Sulem Urbina, who square off in a WBC flyweight title eliminator.
The former Olympian, Esparza, dropped a gruelling technical decision to Seniesa Estrada last year. Now, there are doubts about her credentials at the world level. Meaning a loss on Friday could see her championship dreams diminish entirely.
On the other hand, the unbeaten Urbina takes a considerable step up in competition. She has campaigned predominantly in her native Mexico, but Friday is her chance to secure a world championship showdown for 2021.
ALSO ON THE CARD:
Further down the card, former amateur standout Bektemir “The Bully” Melikuziev (5-0-0, 4 KOs) meets super middleweight stalwart, Alan Campa (17-5, 11 KO). The Mexican, Campa, has shared the ring with the likes of Jesse Hart and Sergiy Derevyanchenko, but will surely wilt under the firepower of the Uzbek on Friday.
Lastly, TBA takes double duty against Lamont Roach Jr. (19-1-1, 7 KO) and Tristan Kalkreuth (5-0, 4 KO).
By Usman Alyas – The sun rises and shines on a cool spring morning in the Sandtown-Winchester area of Baltimore, Maryland. The morning is silent. Houses are boarded shut. A soulless neighbourhood. Corners outside grocery stores filled with those who tend to loiter around either smoking or indulging in drink to simply pass time. Lives void of any ambition. Lives which have seen unimaginable heartache. A row of abandoned houses lines the streets that were once vibrant and colourful. The neglected piping on the houses leads to rainwater pouring onto the alleyway and eventually gushing onto the streets. A place dejected of any glimmer of hope. A black Rolls Royce Ghost gracefully passes through the street. A rare occasion in such a place. Out steps a young man no taller than 5’6, donning a pair of Armani shades and a green Moncler jacket. His personal photographer proceeds to take a picture on the same street corner, where he and many others were forced to make ends meet.
Nobody – bar himself – will ever know the terror Gervonta Davis was forced to witness during a childhood lost on the unforgiving streets of Baltimore. A city far from any fairy tales of redemption, instead slowly murdering its future. As a young child, Davis was forced to watch as his parents became victims of the crack pipe and he was thereafter shuttled around from care home to care home. Becoming just another statistic and eventually wounding up within the broken social system. As those around him perished to the consequences of being embroiled in the unrelenting and violent street life.
Davis entered the doors of the Upton Boxing Club, run by Calvin Ford (the inspiration for Coach Cutty from The Wire) at the age of five. Upton is not far from where Freddie Gray was arrested in 2015, leading to the ride in a police van that left him with a spinal cord injury that killed him a week later. The drugstore that was looted and burned during the riots which subsequently ensued after his funeral is six blocks away. The kids who entered through the gym’s doors are offered a chance to learn how to cope with the hopelessness outside, where, Ford said, violence claims “a body every motherfucking day.”
A safe haven for young Tank, the gym offered a place where he could exhale his frustration and rage. However, finding respite from the unrelenting street lifestyle, it was common knowledge that ex-friends of Davis would wait for him, before heading out and running the streets. Despite being unable to step away from the corners of Sandtown-Winchester, Coach Calvin eventually stood firm towards Davis. He saw a glimmer of hope in Tank’s empty vessel, moulding him into a diamond in the dirt. Tank would eventually become the rose which emerged from the concrete.
Upon becoming a regular, Davis adopted the alias “Shorty”, which some even refer to him to this day. The youngest fighter in the gym, he bludgeoned and ruthlessly beat the older boys as if he had been here before. Taking out the rage of his personal losses upon those he shared the ring with – regardless of friend or foe. The talent was evident and upon becoming an amateur, he collected regional titles from the age of 13. Winning the Junior Olympics and National Golden Gloves twice, meanwhile living with relatives who had survived the unforgiving streets mentioned above. All whilst keeping a count of the dead within his head. A phenomenal amateur amassing a record of 206-15, Davis made the bold decision not to chase the Olympic dream like most fighters. The dream for Gervonta Davis was clear from day one; box for pay, become a world champion, and change his life forever.
In 2013, at the mere age of 19, Tank joined the paid ranks. Knocking out Desi Williams in the first round of his debut. The star quality was evident. He immediately signed to Stephen Espinoza’s lucrative Showtime Promotions, who made certain he was must-see TV and he quickly amassed an eye-catching record of 14-0 with 13 KOs. Before making the step up to face former world title challenger, Cristobal Cruz. Davis brutalised Cruz in just three rounds, announcing himself as a serious prospect within the sport and catching the eye of those within the upper echelons of the sweet science. Davis viciously continued his streak of knockouts, the finishes often appearing on social media, leading him to gain serious traction, mainly among young people. He quickly garnered significant exposure and his horizons were eventually broadened. Many promoters would try their hand at tempting Davis to commit to their stable, presenting lucrative riches and intangible benefits. But for Davis, ‘Money’ was the motive.
In January of 2017, Davis took a risk in fighting for the IBF championship against renowned technician, Jose Pedraza, who possessed an unblemished record, much like Davis. Many pundits claimed he was raw and unready. Just another young man who fought with his heart rather than his brain. But this night proved to be the coming of age of Gervonta Davis. His most phenomenal performance and crowning achievement. Brutally ruining Pedraza in seven violent rounds to win the IBF super featherweight title.
Striking the hopeless Pedraza with venom at every opportunity and launching every punch with the intent to cause the Puerto Rican serious harm. The finish to his piece was a sensational left hook which savaged Pedraza. His legs betraying him from underneath and leaving him in a heap below the bottom rope. Forcing the referee to wave off the contest. The ensuing celebration resulted in Tank mounting the top rope, beating his chest, roaring up into the heavens. A picture that has ultimately become one of my personal favourite sporting images. At the age of twenty-two, he finally realised his dream of ruling the world. Becoming the youngest champion in boxing at the time. The sky was the limit. Even leading to a certain somebody claiming he was the future of the sport.
On a cold and wintry January morning back in Upton, a FedEx package containing the junior lightweight championship belt, intended for Gervonta Davis, arrived at the gym in the early hours. When Davis entered the gym a few hours later to find a heavily taped cardboard box on the reception desk, it was Ford who handed him the scissors. The man who had rescued him from a life of violence and chaos. Inside was a deep-red belt with a large gold logo of the International Boxing Federation.
“Strap me up,” Davis said through a stifled grin.
Ford, wearing a beanie with #STRAPSEASON printed on the front, put the belt on the 5-foot-6-inch, 130-pound Davis. The new champion posed for a picture under banners that included Angelo Ward, who trained at Upton before he was shot to death in 2012, and a scowling version of Davis’s younger self, draped in belts and medals a decade ago. Now, with a new belt over his shoulder, Davis glowed as the jewels glistened.
“I might walk up and down the avenue,” he said, gesturing to the street outside. After locking his belt in its case, Davis drove a few blocks northwest in the Rolls Royce and stood in front of the home he once shared with his mother and grandmother. A bitter wind tunnel of a block dotted with abandoned row houses. Garbage spilt into an alley framed by a rowhouse with no roof. An open Bible lay on a stoop, its pages fluttering. Davis pointed out a cactus a few doors down. He used to touch it every day as he walked to and from the elementary school at the end of the block, a child’s personal challenge to himself ahead of a career of stinging hands. Gervonta Davis’s defensive instincts in the ring, and his calm demeanour, hew to the style of someone who many claims is ‘The Best Ever.’ His success, however, presents new challenges: the thorny world of professional boxing, and the rigours of grooming and marketing himself to be a pay-per-view star.
It finally felt as if Tank had escaped his haunting past as the plaudits would begin to sing his praises. Until just eight weeks after his crowning night, a young boxer whom Davis was helping to see a world away from the meaningless violence and street corners, Telly Pridget, was gunned down only a few streets away from the Upton Gym. In a needless and spontaneous act of violence. The death brought about a change in Davis, the end-goal was for both to be on the same card on a homecoming show in Baltimore. But that dream was now ruined due to an unnecessary gunshot. Coach Calvin himself said, “Shorty went real quiet after that.” He also stated the death motivated Davis to help bring about change. In his own words, Tank stated: “Put the guns down, put the gloves up.” A plea to the youth of Baltimore to take up boxing as a means of solitude and escape from the street lifestyle. As stated in his own words time and time again “Everyone who I started boxing with, all of them are dead.”
There is no question that Davis’ aptitude for the noble art is inexorably linked to his troubled background. There is not much in the ring that can hurt him more than the tentacles of his city’s drug trade already have and that gives him an authenticity that rings true for his community. Everything Davis does is for Baltimore. It is safe to say, his heart beats for the city despite the metropolis being unforgiving towards its youth. Tank feels as if he can be the one to bring about change. Whenever he sets foot through the ropes, a loyal Baltimore contingency follows every step. Many local government officials and police superintendents have stated young individuals are willing to get behind a figure like Gervonta Davis in the hopes of being inspired by him and potentially following suit. Rather than being inspired to take up a program which they themselves introduce. A loyal following for one of its most beloved sons. Plenty treat a Gervonta Davis fight as a means of escape, an event which brings an entire neighbourhood together – most times in jubilant celebration.
Even with Davis’ success, and the national attention it has brought to Upton, the loss of previous fighters — those who the coaches said decided to “go left” and give in to the streets — weighs heavy. Ronald Gibbs, a 17-year-old nationally ranked amateur, was stabbed in the heart in 2012 in a dispute defending his sister. That same year, Ward, the fighter under whose banner Gervonta Davis had his picture taken, was shot nine times. He was two fights into his professional career. Upton Boxing Club is still haunted by the talent which could have seen it established as one of the top gyms within the country. This is the sole reason Davis has chosen to remain in Baltimore, rather than uproot himself to Las Vegas, the fight capital. By staying, he believes he can honour the people who helped raise him — mainly Calvin Ford. “More than myself, they deserve the belt,” Davis said. “They go through a lot. You got to look at it. The people before me, the boxers that they lost. People that they put their blood, sweat and tears into. And the fighters that ‘go left,’ it’s not right for Coach Calvin.” So, the next time we see Gervonta Davis mount the top rope, roaring and beating his chest – see it not as a celebration, more a means of redemption for those who came before him, fulfilling their legacies.
Despite the losses in potential stardom that Upton Boxing Club had sustained – in recent times it has seen future faces of the sport walk through its doors. Aside from Gervonta Davis, fighters such as Lorenzo Simpson (9-0, 5 KO’s), Malik Hawkins (18-0, 11 KOs) and highly touted amateur, McKinley Fulton all grace the gym with their talent and charisma. All hoping to follow in the footsteps of Upton’s hero. Without the guidance and support of Calvin Ford, it was granted that Davis would perish in the cursed lifestyle which has cruelly taken future kings of the sport. However under Ford’s guidance and almost father-like presence, he now stands alone as the only and hopefully not the last world champion to come out from Baltimore. As of 2020, Coach Calvin Ford is still taking care of the neighbourhood.
It is without question that ups and downs have followed Davis throughout his life. Personal problems were few and far between. Despite his unfortunate relationship problems being leaked for all to see, it was a controversial friendship with the always enigmatic Adrien Broner that was a source of much conversation within the boxing fraternity. Some would argue that the older Broner was a negative influence upon Tank, overindulging in the luxurious and extravagant lifestyle. The two were often seen together on many occasions in public places, much to the dismay of most. The subject rose time and time again when Tank was discussed amongst boxing purists. The feeling was that Tank himself may follow the arc of unfulfilling his potential much like Broner, however, he chose to follow his intuition and respectfully end the friendship. By ridding himself of this web of associates, his focus was now purely on pugilism, sacrificing his lucrative lifestyle to continue to fulfil the dream which he and Coach Calvin had worked their whole lives for.
For Gervonta Davis: “it pays to follow the money”, which brings us to sunny Las Vegas, a stark contrast to the furnace which is Baltimore and a city which many proclaim is the fight capital of the world. The sun shines upon a specific gym within the area, known for its “hard work and dedication.” Within the gym stands a black and gold ring. Within the ring, a figure with a highly distinctive voice proceeds to turn to the sparring partner telling him to protect himself at all times with a trademark charming smile. Before turning his attention to Tank (who is now in camp for his much-anticipated fight against Leo Santa Cruz), the smile turning to an almost contemptuous scowl, he proceeds to whisper “Hurt the motherfucker.” Upon taking these orders Tank proceeds to viciously pound his sparring partner, like a Pitbull who smells blood. Yet, at times in which Tank smells blood, the figure tells Tank to “take it easy, boy.” Upon the end of the sparring session, Tank is seen hitting the pads, like poetry in motion. The figure can be heard shouting phrases such as “easy work!” Now sporting a full beard but still draped in his trademark designer gear, namely a black and gold Phillip Plein t-shirt with 50-0 embroidered in gold. Looking like a million dollars, Floyd Mayweather overlooks Gervonta Davis’ training for his upcoming fisticuff. Someone asks if he has “a little money left’’ more than three years after retiring from boxing.
“Oh, a lot,” Mayweather said. Then he looked across the room as if double-checking on something.
“I got probably $1.3 million on me,’’ he said.
“In cash? Right there in his boxing gym?”
A grin spread across the retired boxer’s face.
“I’m Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather,’’ he said.
He no longer plays the pantomime villain that made him arguably the most polarizing fighter since Ali. Some proclaim he is now more mellow and toned down, playing the role of a promoter, trying to keep his fighters’ best interests at heart. In 2015, Davis proceeded to sign with Mayweather’s renowned ‘Money Team’ Promotions. And the mission for Floyd was clear from day one. In his own words, he wanted Davis to surpass the phenomenal career that he mustered. Some may say the master is moulding his apprentice in his image, to a tee. Davis, much like Mayweather in his prime, often trains late into the night – fine tuning and nurturing the body to be at its optimum level at a similar time to when the fight would take place. During one of these late-night forays, Davis proceeds to finish his session by going through high intensity, low interval bag workout. The sweat pours and pours through the all-black Boxraw sweatsuit embroidered with Tank’s signature gorilla logo. As Davis continues tapping away with precision and elite concentration. Calvin Ford is heard shouting out what sounds like rallying cries, “IT CAN BE DONE, IT CAN BE DONE!” yells his coach, forcing and urging Tank to dig deep within himself. As the thirty-minute continuous round now seconds away from ending, he is in the “trenches”. Coach Calvin lets out a mammoth rallying yell and like a personal hype man, proceeds to lean into Davis and shout “YOU DID THAT SHIT! YOU DID THAT SHIT! AIN’T SHIT YOU CAN’T GET IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO IT!” Both coach and fighter are locked in and focused as ever before. As stated before, a focused Tank is a dangerous Tank.
In this unforgiving sport. Empires are not bestowed but earned. Many agree that we are, as not only a boxing fraternity but a sports fraternity, witnessing the rise of Gervonta Davis. An icon who potentially has the talent to take his place upon the throne left abdicated by somebody known as “TBE.” Interviewing within the Mayweather Gym, Coach Calvin sheds a tear and proceeds to say “with hard work you can achieve anything you set your mind to, anything. We are evidence of that.” The goal for the pair was to simply make enough to get out of the hood, being apart of Mayweather’s immediate circle and the perks that come with it and being the subject of so much praise and attention was nothing short of a dream. With perseverance and hard work, they now stand on the cusp of potential lightweight greatness. This Saturday, now possessing a phenomenal record of 23-0 with 22 knockouts, Davis attempts to once again defend his WBA gem against Leo Santa Cruz, rather than fight for his legacy, Gervonta Davis will fight for those who fought for him.
Davis steps out of the black Rolls Royce and proceeds to lean on the car in the bleak midwinter Baltimore weather, the photographer’s camera can be heard shuttering. But Davis is in a zone, almost a dream-like state. He proceeds to stand and stare up into the abode which hardened him. The roof is still leaking down small gushes of water into the gutter pipes which flow into the nearby alleyways. The Bible remaining on the stoop. The pages are still fluttering in the winter wind. The same cactus in which Davis would run his hands through still stood down the block. Life hasn’t moved forward in this small enclave, but Davis has moved with the times. His shiny red IBF and now WBA straps gleam over his shoulder, almost like diamonds in the dirt, almost like beams of hope for the youth still trapped in this concrete jungle.
Walking back down the streets in which many of his friends perished, he now walks with charisma and charm, greeted with love at every opportunity. Many fists bump him and ask for pictures, an elder who witnessed him grow up states “We are so proud of you Tank, so proud. It was hard enough to keep you out of trouble.” To which Davis shows a glimmer of a smile, a sight rarely seen. Praise was something that he never desired within himself, evident as he remains softly spoken with a hint of humility. The blocks and sidewalks still embroidered in his memory, the ghosts of those who came before him still haunt his mind. The goal was to bring a smile back to those who witnessed and came up in the same furnace as himself, to give those people a glimmer of hope.
Gervonta Davis has witnessed trauma no child should ever witness. But one fact remains steadfast: to these streets, Gervonta Davis owes his success. Ignoring all the riches that have graced him, he gives a big thank you to the streets. Since the beginning they embraced him, they taught him everything: the good, the bad, the ugly. They took away too many loved ones but also gave him his “brothers.” They have a love/hate relationship, but they moulded him into the man he is today. Before he signed his first contract in life, he signed himself to the streets. And in his own words; “I promise to represent you forever.”
Gervonta Davis was only twenty-years into a life full of pain and loss when he decided to get his neck tattooed, instructing the artist to inscribe a single word over his throat, seven letters which will always and forever continue to define him: “BLESSED.”
This article was written and submitted by Usman Alyas – a contributor to the site. The lead editor would like to remind readers that the opinion of the writer doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the team.
Happy Halloween! Jamie & Charlie preview a huge Saturday night of boxing. Starting with the Oleksandr Usyk vs Dereck Chisora PPV on Saturday. Followed by the return of Naoya Inoue and the toughest test of Gervonta Davis professional career against Leo Santa Cruz.
Please don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. Show agenda:
Charlie’s Weekly News.
Estrada and González set for 2021 rematch.
Oleksandr Usyk vs Del Boy: Does Chisora stand a chance?
Box office in the UK – are we being ripped off?
Murat Gassiev: A new chapter.
Top Rank debut for Naoya Inoue.
Will Tank Davis deliver a statement on Saturday?
The return of “Rougarou” Regis Prograis.
Question of the Week: What is the most excited you’ve been for a fight?
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By Alexis Rodriguez – Ahead of the most eagerly-anticipated MMA event of the year, here is everything you need to know about the entire UFC 254 fight card – live from Fight Island this Saturday night.
DETAILS
You can watch UFC 254 exclusively live on BT Sport Box Office in the UK. The event will cost a one-off fee of £19.95, with coverage starting at 19:00.
The prelims will get under way from 15:30 before the six-strong main card starts at around 19:00. Khabib vs Gaethje will headline the evening from around 22:00.
Fans were left bitterly disappointed earlier this year when the championship fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson collapsed for the fifth time. But every cloud has a silver lining. After his dominant upset victory over Ferguson in May, Interim champion Justin Gaethje will meet titleholder Nurmagomdeov at UFC 254 on Saturday night. In arguably the most intriguing matchup in MMA right now.
At 28-0, no one has found an answer to Khabib’s highly effective ground-and-pound. His unrelenting pressure sucks the life out of his opponent until they are forced into admitting defeat. Whilst he may not be able to match the stand-up game of the Arizonan, his striking has noticeably improved since getting his hands on the prestigious UFC belt. This will be his first defence without the comfort of his father in his corner. Abdulmanap sadly passed earlier this year and having played a pivotal role in the success of his son’s career, his absence will no doubt be noticed this weekend.
Gaethje is a former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler. But, amazingly, is yet to shoot for a takedown since joining the UFC. Make no mistake, his wrestling credentials will be put to the sword on Saturday. Over the years, his style has evolved from a reckless brawler to a cerebral technician. And if he can keep Khabib on his feet this Saturday, his superior striking could prove the difference.
Will Gaethje extend his knockout streak on Fight Island? Or will The Eagle maintain his perfect MMA record? Tune in Saturday night to find out.
WHITAKER VS. CANNONIER
The chief support on this weekend’s fight card could determine the next middleweight title challenger. As former holder Robert Whittaker meets dangerous contender Jared Cannonier.
These two were originally scheduled to meet in March at UFC 248. Before Whittaker withdrew, later revealing the decision was made due to burnout. After allowing some time to recover, he returned with a unanimous decision victory over Darren Till in July.
Since cutting down to middleweight, Cannonier has gone 3-0. Establishing himself as a legitimate threat at 185lbs, with stoppages over David Branch, Anderson Silva, and Jack Hermansson. His impressive run has been further supplanted by his impressive finishing power. In a division that is being quickly cleaned out by Adesanya, Cannonier can insert himself as a fresh, dangerous contender with an impressive win over the former champion.
Whilst a shot at the UFC Championship isn’t guaranteed, a victory will put them in prime position for a title challenge. After surrendering the belt to Israel Adesanya last year, back-to-back victories over top-tier opposition in Till and Cannonier would warrant a rematch for Whittaker. Meanwhile, the Scandanavian, on a four-fight winning run would feel he deserves the opportunity.
ALEXANDER VOLKOV VS. WALT HARRIS
Two top ten heavyweights, both of whom are looking to return to winning ways, meet this Saturday. As the frightening Russian, Alexander Volkov squares off against the popular Walt Harris.
Volkov has posted five wins in seven UFC contests, with the most impressive coming in the form of a fourth-round TKO against former champion Fabricio Werdum. But ultimately, he has fallen at the last hurdle to becoming a fully-fledged title contender. Having been finished by Derrick Lewis and outpointed by Curtis Blaydes.
Just when Harris’ UFC career was garnering serious momentum, his life was flipped upside down. Tragically losing his daughter, Aniah, last year. He returned to the Octagon in May, suffering a second-round defeat to Alistair Overeem. This Saturday will be the one-year anniversary of his daughter’s abduction, so Harris undoubtedly will be prepared to lay it all on the line on Fight Island.
A win is imperative for both men. The victor will progress and ramp up another title charge, while the loser could fall out of the picture entirely. With the heavyweight division becoming more interesting with the arrival of Jon Jones, the winner can potentially play spoiler and have a case for a top fight. You don’t want to miss this one!
MAGOMED ANKALAEV VS ION CUTELABA
A rematch between the Sambo expert, Magomed Ankalaev, and the “Hulk”, Ion Cutelaba, is an exciting match-up that looks to correct the controversy from the first fight between these two exciting, up and coming contenders.
Ankalaev is a surging contender in the light heavyweight division. After losing his first UFC fight to Paul Craig in a last-second submission, he has gone off for 4 straight victories with impressive finishes using head kicks as well as a dominant decision win. Ankalaev’s victory over Cutelaba was marred in controversy after it was stopped when it appeared that Cutelaba was playing possum.
Cutelaba, meanwhile, has found both success and roadblocks in his UFC tenure. He has impressive wins over Khalil Rountree and Henrique da Silva but has fallen short to top fighters Glover Teixeira and Jared Cannonier. After the controversial stoppage this past February, Cutelaba looks to redeem himself in a big way.
POTENTIAL SHOW STEALING PRELIM FIGHTS
Stefan Struve vs Tai Tuisava: A must-win for both fighters. Struve has been around for more than a decade, but he is 1-5 in his past 6 fights. Meanwhile, Tuisava is still a younger fighter on a 3-fight losing streak. He’s a brawler with some kickboxing credentials, but his ground game and ability to close the distance may be put to the test. You may not want to blink for this one.
Nathaniel Wood vs Casey Kenney: Two prospects looking to earn a number behind their names. Kenney is coming off a dominant victory just a few weeks prior and is looking to ride the momentum. Wood bounced back from his UFC loss to John Dodson and looked impressive in a decision win. With both men being well-rounded, this one could be a close affair. It is for the fan looking to scout the future of MMA since both are on a path towards contender status.
PREDICTION
Alexis Rodriguez: This is a great fight because of its simplicity. Khabib can use his patented pressure to employ his sambo/Judo/catch wrestling style to overwhelm Gaethje over time, or Gaethje can survive the pressure and attempts to keep the fight on the feet and outstrike Khabib. The sheer domination of Khabib’s grappling is the more sure-fire outcome because he has given everyone no reason to doubt him. He has embarrassed the best the division has had to offer. He’s also improved his striking with the ability to use level changes to throw a big shot as seen in the McGregor and Tavares fights. His “eagle punch”, a mix of an upper-cut and cross, has been used sparingly, but it has been very effective in both hurting and closing the distance. Meanwhile, Gaethje has improved tremendously after his two losses to Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez. He has become patient, varied, and mobile. He can fight moving backwards, he moves his head more frequently and uses counters beautifully. His wrestling credentials are noteworthy since he is the first NCAA All-American from the University of Northern Colorado. However, we have yet to truly see this part of his game in full fruition. The analysis of Gaethje’s striking is important, but everything boils down to one aspect – can he keep Khabib off of him? It is possible, but as said before, there is no reason to doubt Khabib anymore. After many dominant victories, Khabib has earned the untouchable status. He should win by 4th round submission with Gaethje having some success by getting up, but Khabib will refuse to stop.
KHABIB VIA 4TH ROUND SUBMISSION.
This article was written and submitted by Alexis Rodriguez – a contributor to the site. The lead editor would like to remind readers that the opinion of the writer doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the team.
By Jamie Bourne – The collision course between former foes, Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez, continues on Friday night in Mexico, as both men defend their respective super flyweight world titles. The card also features flyweight terror El Rey, alongside three of the sport’s hottest prospects.
MAIN EVENT: JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA VS CARLOS CUADRAS
WBC Championship & Ring Magazine Belt – 12 x 3 Mins @ 115lbs.
These two men met back in 2017. In what proved to be a closely fought affair, Estrada emerged victorious, with a tenth round knockout proving the difference on three 114-113 scorecards.
Since then, Estrada (40-3-0, 27 KOs) has elevated to another level. Cementing himself in the pound-for-pound top ten by becoming a two-weight world champion, producing a sensational performance over Thai slugger, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, in their 2018 rematch.
Meanwhile, Cuadras has shown signs of deterioration. Dropping a ten-round decision to McWilliams Arroyo in 2018. He has strung together three wins since but has made tougher work than expect of his opposition.
“El Gallo” has been out of action for over a year through injury, following his first title defence against Dewayne Beamon last August. Whilst he is expected to come through routinely on Friday, there could be signs of ring rust for the champion.
Estrada has improved and Cuadras has worsened since their previous fixture in 2017. That should give you an idea of how the contest is going to play out. Gallo should look to force the early finish, but given the lengthy layoff, points might be the safer bet.
CHIEF SUPPORT: ROMÁN GONZÁLEZ VS ISRAEL GONZALEZ
WBA (Super) Championship – 12 x 3 Mins @ 115lbs.
The great Chocolatito could round off an impressive 2020 with a victory over the hungry, game contender, Israel Gonzalez this weekend.
Both men have a common name on their records in Kal Yafai. At 21-years-old, Israel challenged the Brit for his WBA world championship in 2018. The decision went the champions way, but many felt the Mexican was unfortunate that night.
Earlier this year, Román challenged Yafai at The Ford Center in Frisco. The former four-weight titlist rolled back the years and delivered a clinical display to brutally dismantle the champion in nine rounds.
Israel recorded the most impressive win of his career at the back end of 2019, outpointing Sho Ishida in his own backyard. This should fill him with confidence heading into his world title charge on Friday.
Chocolatito is in the twilight of his stellar professional campaign. Although his powers have diminished slightly, he has enough in the locker to still mix it with the elite of the super flyweight division.
For years, Tito has operated at a level above everyone else in the lower weights. But following two gruelling battles with Rungvisai, his air of invincibility has subsided. He should still have plenty to come through the challenge of Israel González unscathed, but the Mexican is brimming with confidence after his recent outing and could pose some problems.
JULIO CESAR MARTINEZ VS MOISES CALLEROS
WBC Championship – 12 x 3 Mins @ 112lbs.
After his fight in August was postponed due to a positive case of COVID-19, Julio Cesar Martinez will look to continue his mean streak on Friday against Moises Calleros. His original opponent, IBO champion, Maximo Flores, tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw.
The past eighteen months have been a whirlwind for the all-action Mexican. He has strung together four victories, with three ending inside the scheduled distance. Whilst securing his first world championship against veteran Cristofer Rosales.
His opponent and fellow countryman, Calleros, has predominantly campaigned down at minimumweight throughout his career. Having unsuccessfully challenged for the WBO title back in 2018, he will surely see this as his final crack at world honours.
There is no telling how the pandemic has impacted fighters training camps, but if everything has gone to plan, Martinez should get rid of the undersized Calleros without issue tomorrow night.
UNDERCARD: AUSTIN WILLIAMS VS ESAU HERRERA
6 x 3 Mins @ 160lbs.
“Ammo” Williams returns to action with a six-rounder against Mexican veteran, Esau Herrera. The hotly-rated American has come under some scrutiny during recent months, after he posted sparring footage of him beating down on a lesser partner.
Herrera is vastly experienced but has featured just once in the past three years, so Williams should be in for an easy night.
UNDERCARD: DIEGO PACHECO VS JUAN ANTONIO MENDEZ
6 x 3 Mins @ 168lbs.
The likeable Californian, Diego Pacheco, is tipped to achieve big things in the sport. And his ascent to superstardom looks set to continue on Friday, as he faces Juan Antonio Mendez over six.
The Mexican, Mendez, made a bright start to life as a professional. Winning his first eight contests all inside the distance. However, a series of defeats and draws from 2012-2013 saw his journey tall off course, causing multiple spells out of the ring. Pacheco should be too young, too fresh and too skilled for Mendez.
UNDERCARD: OTHA JONES III VS ALEJANDRO PALMERO
6 x 3 Mins @ 135lbs.
20-year-old Otha Jones III is back against Alejandro Palmero. “El Piston” Palmero has boxed twice this year, so will enter the fresher of the two on Friday. But the American will more than likely have too much in the locker for the Mexican.
In Episode #14, Jamie & Charlie review an emphatic performance from Teófimo López against Vasyl Lomachenko. Before discussing the state of judging in the UK and the additional weight class announced this week by the WBC. They also look ahead to the Matchroom Mexico card this Friday night.
If you are joining us on YouTube, let us know in the comments who you would like to López fight next. Don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe!
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By Billy Marsden – The Matchroom Boxing roadshow continues this weekend with the fighters heading to the East of England Arena in Peterborough, headlined by fan favourite Lewis Ritson.
Lewis Ritson (20-1-0, 12 KOs)vs Miguel Vázquez
12 x 3 Rounds @ Light Welterweight for Vacant WBA Inter-Continental Title.
Geordie cult hero, Lewis Ritson, returns to the ring almost a year to the day since his win over Robbie Davies Jr in a domestic thriller.
His opponent, 33-year old Miguel Vázquez, is coming towards the end of a long, hard career. The former IBF lightweight champ has lost more than he’s won over the last few years and coming up against a young hungry fighter such as Ritson may prove a step too far for the ageing Mexican at this stage of his career.
With his all-action style and fanatical support, the “Sandman” has had some memorable nights so far in boxing. The Newcastle Arena has become his second home over the last few years and a win over Vázquez could see some big names brought to the North-East for a possible stadium fight in 2021.
One name that keeps being linked with Ritson is American sensation Regis “Rougarou” Prograis. A potential showdown between the two would certainly whet the appetite, with 50,000 vociferous Geordies belting out Blaydon Races as their local hero emerges from the St James Park Tunnel.
On Wednesday, we received the disappointing news that the middleweight world title encounter has been removed from the card. The fight between Savannah Marshall and Hannah Rankin was supposed to act as chief support to the main event. But following a positive COVID-19 from the Marshall camp, the contest has unfortunately been postponed.
Qais Ashfaq (8-0-0, 3 KOs) vs Marc Leach(14-1-1, 3 KOs)
10 x 3 Mins @ Super Bantamweight.
In a British title eliminator, former Olympian and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Qais Ashfaq, faces off against friend and former sparring partner, Marc Leach. In what promises to be a competitive match-up in Peterborough this weekend.
The English bantamweight champion, Leach, is a good test at domestic level and won’t be fazed by the move up to 122lbs. He will need to bring his A-game, though, if he’s going to defeat the slick southpaw from Leeds.
Joe Laws (9-0-0, 5 KOs) vs Rylan Charlton(5-0-1, 2 KOs)
6 x 3 Mins @ Welterweight.
The unbeaten and always entertaining, Joe Laws, returns to the ring this Saturday to take on fellow undefeated fighter, Rylan Charlton, from Norwich. The all-action welterweight, Laws, lives for a tear up and I don’t see this fight being any different. Should he come out of this one victorious, the Benwell Bomber could push on to area title fights and a possible tilt at the English strap in 2021.
Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0-0, 4 KOs) vs Thomas Essomba(10-6-0, 4 KOs)
10 x 3 Mins @ Super Bantamweight.
County Durham’s Thomas Patrick Ward will go up against late replacement Thomas Essomba, after original opponent Jose Martin Estrada Garcia reportedly failed a COVID test. After turning pro at 17-years old, Ward has fought his way up and is now ranked #7 with the IBF and #13 with the WBC. His fight against Essomba will be his 30th as a pro, and a clinical victory on Saturday night could see him challenge Italy’s Luca Rigoldi for the European Super Bantamweight title.
Kane Barker (13-7-0, 0 KOs) vs Meshech Speare (5-0-0, 3 KOs)
6 x 3 Mins @ Lightweight.
Following a social media conversation between Eddie Hearn and Tony Bellew on Wednesday, a deal for Meshech Speare to meet Kane Baker on Saturday night was struck between the promotor and his former fighter.
In the wake of Matchroom Fight Camp, Baker has earned some plaudits for the way he conducted himself during the process. After his fight on Week 2 with Aqib Fiaz was postponed, he was promised the fight would be rescheduled for a later date.
On the Joshua Buatsi card earlier this month, Fiaz cruised to an eight-round points decision, with Baker giving a respectable account of himself.
A national amateur champion, Speare, is relatively unknown to the wider audience. But with his career now guided by former world champion, Bellew, he will look to make a statement in Peterborough this weekend.
Ellie Scotney (Debut) vs Bec Connolly (3-7-0, 0 KOs)
4 x 2 Rounds @ Featherweight.
Opening the show on Saturday night is the recent Matchroom recruit, Catford’s Ellie Scotney. Under the management of Adam Booth, Scotney will make her belated professional debut, going toe-to-toe with Swindon’s Bec Connolly.
Big things are expected of the exciting Londoner, as she begins her journey in the paid ranks after impressing in the amateurs, where she was apart of the GB setup.
Welcome back to the Punch Perfect Podcast – brought to you by The Neutral Corner. It’s here, ladies and gentlemen! Vasily Lomachenko and Teófimo López go ahead this Saturday for the undisputed lightweight crown. And it’s safe to say, the team can hardly wait.
In Episode #13, Jamie and Charlie state their case for their winner. Before previewing the Matchroom card on Saturday and the MTK Show on Sunday. Finishing the episode discussing the decision from Jack Catterall to step aside and allow Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez meet for the undisputed 140-pound crown.
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