Thursday, March 31, 2016

Premier Boxing Champions 4/1/2016 Weigh-In Results: Broner Loses World Title On Scale



The official weigh-in for tomorrow’s Premier Boxing Champions card taking place in at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. was held earlier today in Washington, D.C. Four-division world champion Adrien Broner was slated to defend his WBA Jr. Welterweight world championship in the main event of this card, but came in over the 140lb. weight limit. After being given two hours to attempt to make weight, Broner never returned to the scale and relinquished his world championship.  The title will be on the line for Broner’s opponent Ashley Theophane only. If Broner is victorious, the WBA Jr. Welterweight world championship becomes vacant.  The official weights for the entire card are as follows.


Main Event: WBA Jr. Welterweight world championship* – 12Rds.

Adrien Broner* 140 ½ lbs.      vs.       Ashley Theophane 140lbs.

*Broner over weight title remains on the line for Theophane only.


Lightweight – 10Rds.

Argenis Mendez 134lbs.         vs.       Robert Easter Jr. 133lbs.


Jr. Lightweight – 10Rds.


Gervonta Davis 131lbs.          vs.        Guillermo Avila  130lbs.


Jr. Welterweight – 10Rds.

Anthony Peterson 137lbs.                   vs.       Samuel Neequaye 138lbs.


Super-Middleweight – 8Rds.

Demond Nicholson   164lbs.               vs.       Joshua Okine 160lbs.


Light-Heavyweight – 10Rds.

J’Leon Love  169lbs.               vs.       Michael Gbenga 169lbs.


Welterweight – 6 Rds.

Kareem Martin 147lbs.                       vs.       Somner Martin 147lbs.


*Bouts scheduled to take place with weights unavailable as of this writing:


Lightweight – 6Rds.
Patrick Harris                          vs.       Samuel Amoako


Jr. Middleweight – 4 Rds.

Shyngyskhan Tazhibay                      vs,       Riarus Dudley


*Both bouts are still scheduled to take place as of this writing.


PBC: Broner vs. Theophane takes place tomorrow night (Friday, April 1st) at the DC Armory in Washington D.C. The card can be seen in the United States on Spike TV beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT. Contact your local cable/satellite provider for time and channel in your area. Check your listings internationally.


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Monday, March 28, 2016

Is Ward Ready For Kovalev?



The storyline heading into Andre Ward’s battle against undefeated IBF number one rated Light-Heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera was whether or not Ward’s sporadic activity as a fighter in recent years would work against him in a bout that ultimately would determine a mandatory challenger for undefeated unified WBO/IBF/WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev. Despite his status as one of the best fighters in the sport, Ward’s career has been plagued by a combination of promotional issues as well as injuries.


Ward however, has managed to remain unbeaten and is a former unified world champion of the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Despite circumstances that have often led to in the ring setbacks for some fighters, Ward has continued to dominate his opposition. The bout against Sullivan Barrera would be no different. For twelve rounds Andre Ward used hand speed, defense, and elusiveness to outbox Barrera in a performance that was highlighted by a third round knockdown as a result of a perfectly timed left hook in what would become a convincing twelve round unanimous decision victory.


There was no drama attached to this fight, but what was noteworthy is despite the struggles he has faced outside of the ring that has prevented him from fighting consistently, Andre Ward proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with. The obvious storyline that comes out of this fight is a potential encounter between Ward and Sergey Kovalev, one of the sport’s feared knockout artists.


This observer has gone on the record in the past in saying that it is time for Kovalev and WBC world champion Adonis Stevenson, widely regarded as the two best Light-Heavyweights in the world to finally make a fight between the two a reality to determine an undisputed Light-Heavyweight world champion. Readers may recall in February of this year following Sergey Kovalev’s second knockout victory over former Light-Heavyweight world champion Jean Pascal that I made an impassioned plea to Boxing’s respective sanctioning organizations, television networks that are involved, and rival promoters to make this fight a reality saying simply “Make It Happen!”


Even though my opinion has not changed, if a fight between Kovalev and Stevenson cannot be made at least in the immediate future, a viable option for Kovalev just might be a title defense against Andre Ward. After all, Ward is as skilled a fighter as they come and has the resume and marquee value that would make him a likely candidate to face Kovalev if in the event a fight against Adonis Stevenson is not an immediate future.


A potential fight between Kovalev and Ward offers an upside for both fighters. For Kovalev, a bout against Ward would offer him another opportunity to show what he can do against a fighter who has been regarded as one of the best fighters pound for pound in the world. For Andre Ward, a fight against Kovalev would not only give him the opportunity at potentially winning a world championship in a second weight division, but more importantly a victory over Kovalev would almost certainly put him back in the discussion among the Boxing’s pound for pound elite.


From a business perspective it would not surprise this observer to see a potential fight between the two possibly headline a pay-per-view card and it would be a legitimate attraction that would likely generate decent pay-per-view numbers in an era where the sport is in transition. An interesting question that some might ask however, is should Andre Ward take on another opponent before facing Kovalev?


It is important to remember that Ward’s victory over Barrera essentially earned him the right to a mandatory title shot against Kovalev, a fighter who is the unified world champion of the Light-Heavyweight division. Even though Ward has been sporadic in terms of his activity in the ring in recent years due to promotional issues and injuries, he has shown no negative effects from what has periodically prevented him from stepping in the ring on a more frequent basis when he has fought regardless of who his opposition might be.


Although some may be of the opinion that Ward should face another opponent before squaring off against Sergey Kovalev, I believe that it will come down to simply what is on the table for both fighters in terms of economics that will determine how soon the fight will take place. This observer believes that if the fight can be made and it makes sense from a financial standpoint for both fighters it would not make sense for either fighter to turn the fight down.


As for whether or not Ward is ready for the challenge of Sergey Kovalev that is a question that will be answered if and when the fight takes place. For a fighter in Ward who has dealt with his share of criticism however, one might argue that there is no better way to silence your critics than to take on a fighter who is viewed as one of the most dangerous in the sport.


Despite this observer’s opinion as to what should happen in the Light-Heavyweight division, if a battle between Kovalev and Ward does take place sometime later this year and if the winner of that fight is then be placed in a bout against Adonis Stevenson to determine an undisputed Light-Heavyweight world champion, it should be viewed as a positive for Boxing. As we have often seen in the sport however, getting fights made that will ultimately benefit Boxing in the long-term is a task that can be easier said than done.


“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”


The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


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Friday, March 25, 2016

Ward-Barrera Weigh-In Results


The official weigh-in for the upcoming Light-Heavyweight bout between undefeated former Super-Middleweight champion Andre Ward and undefeated IBF number one Light-Heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera took place earlier today in Oakland, CA. Below are the official weights for the entire card.


Main Event: Light-Heavyweight – 12 Rds.

Andre Ward (28-0, 15 Knockouts) 174lbs.          vs.       Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 Knockouts) 174lbs.


North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Featherweight Title – 10Rds.


Joseph Diaz (19-0, 11 Knockouts) 125lbs.         vs.       Jayson Velez (23-1-1, 16 Knockouts) 125lbs.


Jr. Welterweight – 10Rds.

Maurice Hooker (19-0-2, 14 Knockouts)  140lbs.           vs.       Wilfredo Buelvas (17-5, 11 Knockouts)138lbs.


Featherweight – 8Rds.

Daniel Franco (12-0-3, 7 Knockouts) 126lbs.     vs.       German Meraz (52-37-1, 30 Knockouts) 125lbs.


Jr. Middleweight – 6Rds.

Aaron Coley (12-1-1, 6 Knockouts) 157lbs.        vs.       Urmat Ryskeldiev (11-3-2, 7 Knockouts) 155lbs.


Heavyweight – 4Rds.

Zhilei Zhang (7-0, 4 Knockouts) 253lbs. vs.       Tyree Ortiz (5-2, 4 Knockouts) 282lbs.

Light-Heavyweight – 4 Rds.

Junior Younan (7-0, 6 Knockouts) 173lbs          vs.       Cristian Solorzano (4-7, 3 Knockouts) 174lbs.

Middleweight – 6Rds.

Rudy Puga (7-0, 6 Knockouts) 162lbs.    vs.       Carlos Lozano (7-5, 4 Knockouts) 162lbs.


Ward vs. Barrera takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, March 26th) at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA. The fight will be broadcast by HBO Sports in the United States at 9:45PM ET/6:45PM PT. In the United Kingdom and Ireland the fight can be seen on BoxNation at Midnight (Sunday, March 27th (Local UK Time) Check your listings internationally.  Update: We will have post-material for Ward-Barrera on the website on Monday, March 28th. Stay tuned.


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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Brief Update


We here at The Boxing Truth ® would like to let our readers know that we are between rounds and will resume our regular schedule on Friday, March 25th. Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twtter.com/Beau_Denison 

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Reader Poll: The Lightweights


We here at The Boxing Truth ® would like to let readers know that a feature looking at Boxing’s Lightweight division is currently in the works.  The Lightweight division has long been one of the sport’s most storied weight classes and has had such legendary champions as Benny Leonard, Roberto Duran, Pernell Whitaker, Lou Ambers, and Shane Mosley just to name a few who were each recognized as the best Lightweight in the world during their respective times in the division.  We would like to know your opinion on who currently is the number one Lightweight in the world.


Please cast your vote for one of the following fighters in our Reader Poll section:

Jorge Linares

Rances Barthelemy

Anthony Crolla

Terry Flanagan

Or,

Other (Please specify in our comments section.)


This reader poll will open on Sunday, March 20, 2016 and will close on Friday April 1, 2016 with the feature to follow on Monday, April 4, 2016. We look forward to hearing from you. Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”


The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Premier Boxing Champions 3/15/2016 Recap


Unbeaten  Jr. Welterweight prospect Sergey Lipinets added another victory to his resume by scoring an impressive fifth round knockout over Levan  Ghvamichava on Tuesday night at the Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino in Nice, CA.  In what was a competitive bout, both fighters had their share of moments and neither was able to stand out clearly from the other in the early rounds.


As the fight progressed Lipinets was able to work effectively behind his jab and land power punches using a systematic approach in his attack. Although Ghvamichava was almost matching Lipinets punch for punch in the early rounds, he was sporadic with his offense as the fight went on.


Lipinets was able to mix in some combinations as the fight progressed and was able to bring the fight to an end in round five when he connected with a devastating left hook to the body of Ghvamichava. Ghvamichava appeared to be in excruciating pain as a result of the shot to the body was unable to beat the count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:40 of round five.


Sergey Lipinets advances to 9-0, with 7 Knockouts. Levan Ghvamichava falls to 16-2-1, with 12 Knockouts.


Also on this card, in the Welterweight division unbeaten prospect Kevin Watts scored a fifth round knockout over Michal Chudecki. Watts was in control of this fight from the opening bell and dropped Chudecki with a beautiful right hand/left hook combination in the fifth round. Although Chudecki was able to beat the count, he had no resistance as Watts continued to dish out punishment until the fight was finally stopped by Referee Edward Collantes. Official time of the stoppage was 2:01 of round five.


Kevin Watts advances to 11-0, with 4 Knockouts. Michal Chudecki falls to 11-3-1, with 3 Knockouts.


In the Super-Middleweight division unbeaten prospect Sergiy Derevyanchenko picked up his eighth career victory in as many fights as he scored an eighth round stoppage over a very “Game” Mike Guy. Several of the rounds in this fight were very close and competitive with Guy, who took the fight on one week notice showing that he had come to fight.


As the fight progressed however, Derevyanchenko found a home for his left hook as he was able to land it effectively to the body of Guy as well as landing uppercuts to the head. In the eighth and final round Derevyanchenko caught up with his “Game” opponent as he dropped guy with a solid right hand to the head. Guy was able to beat the count, but was floored for a second time moments later as a result of a follow-up barrage by Dereyanchenko. Guy showing his mettle was able to beat the count for the second time, but the bout was stopped shortly after the bout resumed following the second knockdown by Referee Michael Margado.


Sergiy Derevyanchenko advances to 8-0, with 6 Knockouts. Mike Guy falls to 8-2-1, with 4 Knockouts.


In other bouts *:

Leduan Barthelemy (9-0, 5 Knockouts) KO1 over Pedro Melo (14-13-2, 7 Knockouts) Official time: 259 of round one.

*A scheduled eight round Jr. Lightweight bout between undefeated prospect Mario Barrios 14-0, 8 Knockouts) and Erick Martinez (11-4-1, with 5 Knockouts) did not take place. Although both fighters weighed in for the bout on Monday, the fight was cancelled hours before the card, which was televised in the U.S. by Fox Sports 1 took place. The reason for the cancellation stems from Martinez, who weighed in at 136lbs. failing to make the contractually agreed upon weight limit of 132lbs. As of this writing there is no word if there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout at some point in the near future.


As has been the norm for the Premier Boxing Champions series, this card featured a look at three undefeated rising prospects. Although Sergey Lipinets, Kevin Watts, and Sergiy Derevyanchenko are still relatively young in their respective careers, the television exposure this card provided them will likely benefit all three as they look to continue to climb up the ranks.


An interesting conundrum that will probably be present for the handlers of all three fighters will be just how quickly each fighter will move up the ladder of contention. Although it is logical to assume that each is not nearing world title contention at least in the immediate future, if all three can continue to win as they progress it would not surprise this observer to see any of the three knocking on the door of world title contention within a year or two years from now. The only question that I have in mind is who will each fighter be put in against in the meantime that will determine if either is ready to face a fighter who is considered a top contender.


“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”


The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


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Monday, March 14, 2016

Premier Boxing Champions 3/15/2016 Weigh-In Results



The official weigh-in for tomorrow’s Premier Boxing Champions card was held earlier today in Nice, CA. The weights for the entire card are as follows.


Main Event: Jr. Welterweight – 10Rds.


Sergey Lipinets (8-0, 6 Knockouts) 141lbs. vs.  Levan Ghvamichava (16-1-1,12 Knockouts) 140lbs.


Super-Middleweight – 8Rds.


Sergiey Derevyanchenko (7-0, 5 Knockouts) 167lbs. vs. Mike Guy (8-1-1, 4 Knockouts) 166lbs.


Jr. Lightweight – 8Rds.


Mario Barrios (14-0, 8 Knockouts) 131lbs. vs. Erick Martinez (11-4-1, 5 Knockouts) 136lbs.


Jr. Welterweight - *


Kevin Watts (10-0, 3 Knockouts) 139lbs.  vs. Michal Chudecki 140lbs (11-1-1, 3 Knockouts)


Featherweight - *


Leduan Barthelemy (8-0, 4 Knockouts) 123lbs. vs. Predo Melo 123lbs. (14-12-2, 7 Knockouts)


*As of this writing there has not been a scheduled distance announced for either the Watt-Chudecki or Barthelemy-Melo bouts. Both bouts remain scheduled to take place.

PBC: Lipinets vs. Ghvamichava takes place tomorrow night (Tuesday, March 15th) at the Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino in Nice, California. In the United States the card will be televised by Fox Sports 1 at 9PM ET/6PM PT. Check your cable or satellite provider for time and channel in your area. Check your listings internationally. We will have a recap of the card released on Wednesday, March 16th.


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Saturday, March 12, 2016

Update:

We would like to let our readers know that we are between rounds and will resume our regular weekly schedule on Monday, March 14th. Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”'

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


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Friday, March 11, 2016

Zab Judah Comeback Fight Cancelled For The Third Time



It has been announced that the Zab Judah- Josh Torres bout which was scheduled to take place tomorrow (Saturday, March 12th) has been cancelled. The cancellation comes amid what has been called “eligibility concerns.” The entire card, which was to take place at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center at The D in Las Vegas, NV and was to be televised in the United States by CBS Sports Network has been cancelled.  In a statement released to the media earlier today Derek Stevens CEO of the D Las Vegas and the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center stated quote “Last night, I received multiple calls from the Nevada Athletic Commission regarding eligibility concerns.  After our discussions, it became apparent the fight card could not move forward. Although I'm disappointed with the situation, I appreciate the phone calls and look forward to working with the Nevada Athletic Commission on future boxing events at the DLVEC.”


For the thirty-eight year old Judah, who has not fought since losing a twelve round unanimous decision to Paul Malignaggi in December 2013, the cancellation of his bout with Torres marks his third failed attempt to get back in the ring.  Judah was previously scheduled to face Hevinson Herrera in September of last year, but that fight was cancelled when Herrera suffered an injury during a scuffle with Judah at the official weigh-in the day before the fight was to take place. The former multi-division world champion Judah was then scheduled to face Juan Carlos Salgado in November of last year, but that bout was also cancelled when Salgado suffered an injury while training for the bout.


All ticket purchases for the Judah-Torres card will be reimbursed. Credit card transactions will be automatically refunded and cash refunds will be issued at their point of purchase.  As of this writing there is no word as to what the eligibility issues that led to this latest cancellation were or if the card will eventually be rescheduled.  We will keep you updated on any developments as they become available.



The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Where Things Stand In The WBA Heavyweight Tournament



On March 5th the Boxing world focused its attention on two important Heavyweight fights that impacted not only the rankings in the Heavyweight division as it relates to the World Boxing Association (WBA), but more specifically the recently announced tournament format by the organization that will theoretically put an end to the use of interim/regular champion designations below the recognized WBA world champion.


What made these two bouts particularly interesting was that it involved two fighters who were designated as having interim/regular champion status, or to be more specific the top two contenders in the WBA Heavyweight ratings. The first of the two bouts took place at the Colosseum Sport Hall in Grozny, Russia where former WBA Heavyweight world champion Ruslan Chagaev put his designation on the line against undefeated top contender Lucas Browne.


The story of this fight for much of the first half was Browne’s ability to work consistently off his jab, mix in combinations, and use lateral movement to dictate how the fight was fought. Although many rounds in the first half of the bout were fought at a tactical pace where it was not easy to determine which fighter had an edge over the other, it was clear that Browne was the fighter who was controlling how the combat was taking place and that is what gave him the edge in the eyes of this observer.


In round six however, Chagaev would almost bring a sudden end to the fight. First, the former world champion cut his opponent over the left eye and then dropped Browne later in the round with a flush overhand left. Even though Browne was clearly hurt and appeared as though he may have been in danger of being stopped, the Australian-based contender showed his mettle by surviving the round and the fight continued.


The two fighters engaged in a toe to toe war in the seventh round. Although Browne looked to be out on his feet at the end of round six, he did not respond in a defensive manner in the seventh round and was more than willing to exchange punch for punch with Chagaev.


After the fierce battle that developed in round seven, rounds eight and nine largely resembled the way the first half of the fight was fought. Browne Boxing on the outside behind a consistent jab, mixing in combinations, using lateral movement, and only allowing Chagaev to get his punches off sporadically.


Even though Chagaev nearly brought an end to matters in round six, it would be Browne who would bring the fight to its conclusion in round ten. A flush right hand would send the former world champion Chagaev down to the canvas late in the round. Although Chagaev was able to beat the count, Browne would respond by pummeling the defenseless former world champion along the ropes before the fight was stopped.


Lucas Browne essentially answered questions that are commonly asked of undefeated prospects/contenders who are known as “Knockout Artists.” He not only showed the ability to box effectively and execute an effective tactical fight plan, but he also showed the ability to get up from the knockdown, survive circumstances where fights have been stopped, and respond by turning the tables on his opponent to get a knockout win.


Although the victory over Chagaev was simply the first step for Browne, who scored his twenty-fourth professional victory and his twenty-first knockout, it was a star making performance that immediately established him as a player in the division and one might argue off of his performance against Chagaev that he could be a favorite to go all the way to the finals of this would be tournament concept should it fully run its course.


Next up for Browne will be a fight against longtime Heavyweight contender Fres Oquendo at a date to be determined. Although the forty-two year old Oquendo will likely be viewed as an underdog not only against Browne, but in this would be tournament concept, he has faced many of the top contenders and world champions in the Heavyweight division of the last decade and no doubt has significant experience in his favor. It will be interesting to see how Oquendo will attempt to combat Browne if and when a bout between the two takes place.


The second Heavyweight encounter that took place on March 5th was a battle between undefeated knockout artist Luis Ortiz and longtime Heavyweight contender Tony Thompson, which took place at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. Unlike the battle between Chagaev and Browne, which had immediate ramifications on the WBA’s tournament concept, Ortiz, the second fighter designated as having interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings did not have that designation at stake when he faced Thompson.


Readers may recall in previewing this fight last week this observer stated that although Ortiz’ designation as having interim/regular champion status would not be at stake theoretically in this fight against Thompson, that I believed if Thompson were able to win the fight that the WBA would likely remove Ortiz’ designation, despite not officially sanctioning the bout. Despite a significant experience edge against top competition as compared to Ortiz, Thompson entered into this fight having lost three of his last five fights and appeared to be on the decline.


This observer stated that it was logical to assume that Thompson would have to weather some of Ortiz’ power and that once it happened I believed we would find out how much the forty-four year old battle tested veteran Thompson had left to give as a fighter. It became clear almost from the outset that Thompson’s best days were behind him.


Ortiz would drop Thompson with a flush left hand midway through the first round. Although it was not the first punch Ortiz landed in the fight, the fact that he was able to knock Thompson down with the first punch he was able to land cleanly was troubling in the eyes of this observer. Thompson was able to beat the count, but fought this fight largely on the defensive and did not offer much in the way of resistance.


Ortiz would score a second knockdown of Thompson as a result of another left hand at the end of round three. As was the case in the first round, Thompson was able to get up off the canvas, but the sporadic offense that he was able to put forth in this fight simply did not discourage Ortiz was coming forward nor was Thompson’s offense able to turn the momentum in his favor.


The largely one-sided bout would come to an end in round six when Ortiz would score a third and final knockdown of Thompson with yet another left hand that sent the always “Game” Thompson down for the count. Simply put Luis Ortiz did what he had to do against an opponent who could not offer much resistance.


Although some may argue that the single punch knockdowns that ultimately led to Thompson’s downfall in this fight were an example of just how hard Luis Ortiz hits, this observer was concerned for Thompson’s well-being as I watched this fight. In previewing this fight, I stated that one has to wonder if Tony Thompson’s age as well as the wear and tear of a long career would be a factor in the fight.


Even though there is no dispute that Luis Ortiz is among the Heavyweight division’s feared power punchers, it appeared at least in this observer’s eyes that perhaps Thompson simply could not absorb the type punishment that Ortiz was throwing at him as he was able to against power punching Heavyweights earlier in his career. After forty-seven professional fights and losing four of his last six bouts, this could be the end of the road for one of the division’s cornerstones of the last several years. Tony Thompson has always given everything he has each time he has stepped in the ring and if this is the end for him as a fighter he has nothing to be ashamed of after having a fine career.


As for Luis Ortiz his position as one of two fighters holding interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings remains secure. As for where things stand for this tournament concept after these two Heavyweight bouts, in addition to Lucas Browne meeting Fres Oquendo in the future, Luis Ortiz will face top contender Alexander Ustinov in his first official fight in the tournament and a rematch between unified WBO/WBA/IBO Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and longtime former champion Wladimir Klitschko will round out the would be first round of this tournament concept.


The winners of Fury-Klitschko II and Ortiz-Ustinov will square off in the semi-finals with that winner to face the winner of Browne-Oquendo in the finals tentatively scheduled to take place between December of this year or January 2017. Although it would be nice to see this tournament concept run its course and finally see an end to interim/regular championship status designations and for the concept to be adapted throughout the entire sport, the important thing one should keep in mind is that the politics that be in the sport will always play a factor in one facet or another and one cannot rule out the possibility of circumstances emerging that could change the landscape of this tournament concept as has been the case in previous tournament concepts in Professional Boxing over the years.


For now, although some may choose to be skeptical as to whether or not this tournament concept will fully run its course, this observer chooses to remain optimistic and hopeful that the end result will not just be the end of a policy of interim/regular championship status that although well-intended has created more problems than solutions, but hopeful that what ultimately comes out of this concept will be something that will have long-term benefits for not only the Heavyweight division, but the entire sport if it is successful. We simply must wait for what is next in store for the WBA Heavyweight tournament concept. This observer is looking forward to it.


“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”


The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


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Saturday, March 5, 2016

A Look At An Important Saturday For The Heavyweight Division



One of the more interesting storylines of the year 2016 thus far in regard to Boxing’s Heavyweight division was the recent announcement that the World Boxing Association (WBA) would begin a tournament concept of sorts with the goal of determining one champion in it’s Heavyweight ratings after having a system where there is one world champion and two contenders who had designation as having interim/regular champion status in it’s ratings for several years. The fighters involved in this tournament concept include unified WBO/WBA/IBO Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, former longtime unified world champion Wladimir Klitschko, Luis Ortiz, Alexander Ustinov, former WBA world champion Ruslan Chagaev, Lucas Browne, and Fres Oquendo.


On Saturday two Heavyweight bouts will take place that could have an impact on not only the tournament concept that the WBA has laid out, but also its ratings. In the first of the two Heavyweight bouts, former world champion Ruslan Chagaev will take on undefeated contender Lucas Browne in a bout where Chagaev’s designation as one of two fighters with interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s ratings will be at stake in a fight that will take place in Grozny, Russia.


Chagaev, who became a world champion with an upset victory over Nikolay Valuev in April 2007 has faced many of the top contenders and former world champions of the Heavyweight division in the last decade. Although Chagaev never officially lost his title in the ring, he was stopped in 2009 at the hands of then unified world champion Wladimir Klitschko in what was the first loss of his career. Following a decision loss to top contender Alexander Povetkin in 2011, Chagaev has been undefeated and has won seven straight fights including earning interim/regular champion status in a controversial decision victory over Fres Oquendo in July 2014.


Chagaev will enter into this fight with a record of 34-2-1, with 21 Knockouts. Standing across the ring from the former world champion will be undefeated WBA number two rated contender Lucas Browne. Browne, a knockout artist will enter into this fight with a record of 23-0, with 20 Knockouts and has stopped his last two opponents inside the distance.


This fight, much like the second Heavyweight encounter taking place on Saturday seems to be a battle in this observer’s eyes of a knockout artist versus an opponent with significant experience against top level opposition. Although the biggest win on Browne’s resume was a twelve round unanimous decision over a faded former multi-division world champion in James Toney in April 2013, he has not faced much in the way of top contenders, despite his being rated number two in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings. Chagaev is clearly the more experienced of the two fighters heading into this fight. The question that I have as this fight approaches is whether or not Browne, a fighter with an 86% career knockout percentage will attempt to jump on Chagaev from the outset.


Chagaev has pulled off more than one upset in his career and has earned some close decisions off of his ability to gradually outwork his opposition over the course of a fight. Although Chagaev is coming off of a first round knockout win in his last fight over Francesco Pianeta in July of last year, this observer believes that it is logical to assume that he will look to extend Browne into the middle and late rounds of this fight. If Browne is indeed intending on testing the former world champion out of the gate, it will be interesting to see if Chagaev will attempt to wear Browne down and gradually increase his punch output as the fight progresses. On Friday, the two fighters weighed in officially for the bout and quite frankly the weights between the two were nearly identical as Chagaev weighed in at 248lbs. and Browne weighed in one pound heavier at 249lbs.


The winner of this fight will be slated to face Fres Oquendo at a date to be determined. The second Heavyweight encounter that will take place on Saturday will involve a battle between undefeated knockout artist Luis Ortiz and former multi-time world title challenger Tony Thompson in Washington, D.C.


Ortiz, who will enter the fight with a record of 24-0, with 21 Knockouts is coming off of a seventh round stoppage over former world title challenger Bryant Jennings in December of last year. Ortiz however, as the second fighter designated as having interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings will not have that designation at stake when he faces Thompson as the WBA stated earlier this week in part of their reasoning for not sanctioning the bout being that Thompson, who will enter the fight with a record of 40-6, with 27 Knockouts has lost three of his last five fights.


Although Ortiz’ designation of having interim/regular champion status will not be at stake officially in this fight, this observer believes that if he were to lose to Thompson, a fighter currently not rated in the top fifteen in the WBA ratings, the WBA will remove Ortiz’ designation, despite the fact that they have not officially sanctioned this fight.


Much like Lucas Browne, Ortiz is a knockout artist who has a career knockout percentage of over 80%. Unlike Browne however, Ortiz has faced a recent world title challenger in Bryant Jennings and was tested by him before ultimately stopping Jennings in the seventh round. As is the case with Ruslan Chagaev, Tony Thompson although not being able to win a world title thus far in his career has a significant experience edge in this fight being a longtime contender in the division for several years.


The question going into this fight in my eyes centers on what the forty-four year old Thompson has left to offer. Even though Thompson has pulled off more than one upset his career and to his credit challenged Wladimir Klitschko twice for the unified Heavyweight world championship, one has to wonder if Thompson’s age as well as the wear and tear of a long career will be a factor in this fight.


Despite being on the losing end of three of his last five bouts, Thompson has only been stopped by one man and that was in his two losses to Wladimir Klitschko. Thompson has shown in the past that he can get up from a knockdown and go on to win a fight as he did in his second of two wins over former prospect David Price in July 2013.


The weigh-in for this fight that was held on Friday did somewhat surprise this observer as Thompson came in over twenty-one pounds heavier than Ortiz weighing in at 263lbs. to Ortiz’ 242lbs.  Whether or not this will have an impact on the fight remains to be seen. Much as will be the case when Chagaev faces Browne, I believe that Tony Thompson’s fight plan will be to attempt to extend Ortiz into the middle and late rounds of the fight. It will be interesting to see if Thompson intends on using his weight advantage if the fight is fought on the inside where he could possibly clinch, hold, and lean on Ortiz if the opportunity presents itself.


Much as I question whether Lucas Browne will attempt to jump on Ruslan Chagaev from the outset in their fight, I have the same question with regard to how Luis Ortiz will approach this fight against Tony Thompson. Although Thompson’s significant experience should not be dismissed or ignored by anyone, especially Luis Ortiz, a fighter of Thompson’s age and having lost three of his last five fights may give the impression to some that he is a fighter in decline and it will be interesting to see if Ortiz attempts to impose his will on Thompson early in the fight.


It is logical to assume that Thompson will have to weather some of Ortiz’ power at some point in this fight and this observer believes when that happens we will find out how much Tony Thompson has left to give as a fighter. If Thompson can withstand the punching power over Ortiz and manage to get into the fight it would not surprise me based on past history if this turns out to be more competitive than some might expect. It is clear however, that although Thompson has pulled off more than one upset in his career, this could be his last chance at competing near the top level of the Heavyweight division. As has been the case periodically throughout his career, Thompson has nothing to lose and everything to gain should he win this fight. Should Ortiz be successful in this fight against Tony Thompson, he is slated to face Alexander Ustinov at a date to be determined as part of the WBA Heavyweight tournament concept. It will be interesting to see if Thompson is victorious if the WBA will enter him into their tournament concept being that he will have defeated one of the fighters participating in it.


What both fights on Saturday present is an element of intrigue and it will be interesting to see who emerges victorious in these two fights and furthermore the potential impact these bouts will have on not only the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings and tournament concept, but potentially the rest of the division as well. It certainly has the ingredients of what could be an entertaining day of Boxing.


“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”


Chagaev vs. Browne takes place Saturday, March 5 at the Colosseum Sport Hall in  Grozny, Russia. In the United States, the fight can be seen on AWE at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT. AWE is available on Over The Top (OTT) streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV. To see if AWE is available on a cable or satellite provider in your area please visit: http://www.awetv.com/wheretowatch/. Check your listings internationally.


 

Ortiz vs. Thompson takes place Saturday, March 5 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. In the United States, the fight can be seen on HBO Sports at 10 PM ET/PT. Check your listings internationally.


 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison




Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Thoughts on Crawford-Lundy


On February 27th at the Theater at Madison Square Garden undefeated two-division world champion Terence Crawford entered the ring to do battle in his second defense of the WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship. Crawford’s opponent on that evening came in the form of longtime Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight contender Hank Lundy, who despite his status as a longtime contender was fighting for a world championship for the first time in his career.


The story going into this fight in the eyes of this observer was whether or not Crawford could continue to impress the Boxing world after impressive victories over the likes of Yuriorkis Gamboa, Ray Beltran, Thomas Dulorme, and Dierry Jean. Although Crawford has only continued to impress no matter who his opposition might be, he has yet to secure a lucrative opportunity to face a fighter who is considered a star of the sport.


Although Crawford was ultimately not chosen as an opponent for former multi-division world champion Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming fight, there is no doubt that Crawford is and has been a star on the rise in the sport of Boxing. The task of a fighter who is on the rise, but does not get an opportunity to showcase their skills against fighters who are considered marquee stars immediately is to continue to make the best argument for themselves as a potential future opponent for a marquee star as possible.


Even though some would say that the best way for a fighter to make that argument would be to simply continue to win, sometimes it is not only if the rising star continues to win, but rather the quality of those victories that may ultimately determine when that fighter gets an opportunity against a marquee star. In this fight Crawford simply waited for his opening and once it was presented to him, he took advantage and closed the show.


The first four rounds of this fight saw both fighters having periods of effectiveness in what was a tactical Boxing match. Although Lundy had periodic success throughout those rounds particularly when he was able to land his left hook on the champion, the combat was very close and competitive throughout. It was in the fifth round however, where Crawford would bring the fight to a sudden conclusion.


The champion would stun Lundy midway through the fifth round with a left hand. Crawford sensing that he had an opening on his challenger pressed forward landing shots to the body and head before dropping Lundy to the canvas with a left hand to the head. Although the challenger showed his mettle by getting up from the knockdown, Crawford would not let Lundy off the hook as he pressed forward with a follow-up barrage that forced Referee Steve Willis to step in and stop the fight at 2:09 of the fifth round.


Sometimes it is as simple as whether or not a fighter can execute on an opening their opponent leaves them. Simply put, Terence Crawford waited patiently, and once he saw his opening took advantage of it, and brought the fight to an end.


For Crawford, who earned his twenty-eighth career victory with his stoppage of Lundy, the question is whether or not he will be a potential opponent for the winner of the upcoming third encounter between former multi-division world champions Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley on April 9th. Even though theoretically a potential encounter with the winner of that fight would mean that Crawford would move up from the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to the 147lb. Welterweight division for that fight, I believe that Crawford has earned the opportunity to face a marquee star in the sport and as the Welterweight division continues to be heading toward a period of transition, an argument could be made that there may be more money to be made at 147lbs. than if Crawford were to remain at 140lbs.


If however, a fight with the winner of Pacquiao-Bradley III is not in the works for Crawford, a possibility certainly exists that he could attempt to unify the Jr. Welterweight division against the likes of WBA world champion Adrien Broner, WBC world champion Viktor Postal, and IBF world champion Eduard Troyanovsky. A possibility also exists that if Crawford is not intending on moving up in weight at least in the immediate future that he could be mandated by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to defend his title against a mandatory contender such as Jason Pagara or former WBO world champion Ruslan Provodnikov, who are currently rated number one and number two respectively in the WBO’s Jr. Welterweight ratings.


This observer believes it is logical that Crawford will what for the outcome of Pacquiao-Bradley III before deciding on what route he will take next. It is clear in my eyes however, that Terence Crawford remains a fighter to watch and it will be interesting to see if he does not get an opportunity against a marquee star of the sport in his next fight if he can continue making the best argument possible for a potential opportunity down the line.


“And That’s the Boxing Truth.”


The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.


Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison