Thursday, June 29, 2017

FBHOF 2017 Amateur Fight Night Recap And Thoughts


One of the biggest weekends in the state of Florida’s Boxing scene occurred between June 23rd-25th as the 2017 Florida Boxing Hall Of Fame weekend took place at the beautiful Westshore Grand Hotel in Tampa, FL. Among the various events that compromised the weekend was the annual FBHOF Amateur Fight Night on June 23rd, which featured a seventeen bout card comprised of amateurs of various levels from across the state as well as a meet and greet with some of the inductees that made up the 2017 class. This observer was honored to be in attendance at this event and was at ringside for the card.  Here are some of the highlights of what took place on this card.

  In JO division bouts: Jomar Blasin representing Gladiator Boxing Tampa Bay scored a third round TKO of Rodney Morris representing Belle Glade P.A.L.  All of the bouts on this card were scheduled for three two-minute rounds and that meant the action inside the ring started quickly as fighters looked to gain an upper hand on their opposition. In this fight, Blasin was able to withstand the aggression of Morris to force a standing eight count in the first round. A left hook to the head of Morris late in the second round forced a second standing eight count. In round three, a right, left combination to the head of Morris by Blasin forced a third standing eight count and forced a stoppage of the fight by Referee Bob  Nicholson.

Although Morris was aggressive early in this bout, he seemed too intent on trying to end the fight in the first round and perhaps due to the two minute round length, did not pace himself allowing Blasin to get the better of the action particularly in exchanges by landing the cleaner punches.  

Albert Jenkins representing Belle Glade P.A.L scored a three round split decision over Alberto Blanco. Unofficially, I scored in favor of Jenkins two rounds to one or 29-28 in points.  

Landon Minus representing Belle Glade P.A.L scored a three round split decision over Alberto Zumaeta representing Elite Boxing.  Zumaeta started the fight landing a combination to the head of Minus. Minus however, finished the first round strong landing punches on the inside of Zumaeta making the round a close one. Minus was able to outwork Zumaeta in the second round, but it was Zumaeta, got the upper hand in the third and final round, in my opinion and I scored the bout two rounds to one or 29-28 in his favor. Although I thought Zumaeta won the fight, I believe Minus got the nod from the judges based on how effective he was when he was able to get on the inside of Zumaeta as well as his overall aggression.

Albert Jenkins representing Belle Glade P.A.L scored a three round split decision over Alberto Blanco. This was another close and competitive fight where both fighters had their moments. Jenkins was able to be more active and effective in my view as I scored all three rounds in his favor or 30-27 in points. 

In an Open Class bout: Malik Roberts representing Double V. Boxing Club scored a three round split decision over Terrence Gipson representing Main Event Boxing Club. This was one of the more difficult fights to score on this card, in my opinion as I thought Gipson won two out of three rounds or 29-28 in points and scored the fight unofficially in his favor. I can easily see how some may have seen the fight going in favor of Roberts.



In Novice division bouts:

 Shamara Woods representing Elite Boxing scored a three round unanimous decision over Jhnealle Gilman, who was not representing a Boxing team or club on this card.  Woods consistently pressed the action throwing hooks with both hands and pushing Gilman back.  Despite having a reach advantage over Woods, Gilman was unable to control the tempo of the combat and could not control distance to keep Woods from coming forward and that was what allowed Woods to earn the unanimous decision, in my opinion. Unofficially, I scored all three rounds of this bout for Woods or 30-27 in points. Woods’ overall aggression and ability to land the more effective punches was the story of this fight.

 In other action, Jibir Pough representing H&G Boxing scored a second round stoppage of Marguis Newwell representing Team China Smith. Roberto Beltran representing Marco Island Boxing Club scored a three round unanimous decision over Jaime Perez representing SJC Boxing Team. Perez went down shortly after the beginning of the fight from what appeared to this observer to be a slip, but was ruled a knockdown by Referee Michael De Jesus. Beltran was able to control this fight with his movement, jab, and combination punching as he was an elusive target that Perez had trouble finding consistently. Unofficially, I scored all three rounds in favor of Perez or 30-26 in points.

Aimable Marckens representing Young Guns Boxing Club scored a three round split decision over Kelly Marlon. Although all of the rounds in this fight were close, I felt Marckens won all three rounds or 30-27 in points based on landing the cleaner punches.

Isreal Bencivenga representing Elite Boxing scored a three round unanimous decision over Jorge Hernandez, who was not representing a Boxing team or club on this card. Unofficially, I scored all three rounds in favor of Benchvenga or 30-27 in points.



 Douglas Ruiz representing Beast Mode Boxing scored a second round stoppage of Jerry Moore representing SJC Boxing Team. Ruiz landed some flush right hands in the opening round, had success catching Moore in exchanges with both hands, and forced a standing eight count by Referee Michael De Jesus. In round two, Ruiz forced a second standing eight count after landing a flush combination to the head of Moore as he had Moore against the ropes and would get the stoppage of Moore later in the round.


In what may have been the fight of the night in the eyes of some, James Walker, who was not representing a Boxing team or club on this card, scored a devastating third round knockout of Antonius Grable representing SJC Boxing Team. After two relatively even rounds where both fighters had their moments, Walker brought a sudden conclusion to the fight with a flush left hook to the head of Grable knocking him down and out. Despite the brutal nature of the knockout, Grable was able to get up and left the ring under his own power.  This was frankly a scary knockout to watch especially when one considers that this was a bout between two novice amateur boxers. It should however, remind any fan that Boxing just like all combat sports is a one where the participants take a risk on both the amateur and professional level and that what makes the sport so great is that anything can happen at any given time. Prior to the knockout, I had the fight even at one round a piece, Given the dramatic ending to this bout and how competitive it was prior to it, it would not surprise me to see Walker and Grable’s paths cross again at some point.

 Richard Graham representing St. Pete Boxing scored a three round unanimous decision over Dejon Bendezu representing SJC Boxing Team. Graham attacked Bendezu with both hands from the opening bell and was able to force a standing eight count in round one due to Bendezu not throwing much offense in return. The second round was close due to the pace of the fight slowing slightly, but in my eyes Graham was the more active of the two fighters and was the one forcing the action. Graham continued to control the tempo in round three and landed some solid right hands on Bendezu as well as outworked him on the inside to earn the unanimous decision. Unofficially, I scored all three rounds in favor of Graham or 30-26 in points. Graham’s cleaner offense and greater activity made this a convincing victory for him.

 Lecorey Fields representing Team China Smith scored a three round unanimous decision over Justin Crimmis representing SJC Boxing Team. Fields started this fight well working behind his jab and looking to mix in combinations, but as the first round progressed, Crimmis was able to use his strength to land some shots of his own in what ended up being a close round in my view. What made this fight difficult to score was Fields was most effective during periods where he was able to keep the combat at a distance where it allowed him to control the tempo with his jab. Crimmis meanwhile was most effective when he was able to use his size to push Fields back and get on the inside where he was able to land some effective body punches on Fields. A small combination to the head of Crimmis late in the second round however, led to a standing eight count and turned what was an otherwise narrow and close fight in Fields’ favor. The third round saw Fields being more aggressive being the more active fighter and landed some combinations. Fields would go on to earn the unanimous decision victory. Unofficially, I scored this fight in favor of Fields giving him all three rounds or 30-26 in points. Although a shut out score may not indicate a close competitive fight in the eyes of some, the second round was dictated largely by Crimmis in my view and had it not been for the combination that led to the standing eight count against him, the fight would have been even on my card. This was one of the more competitive fights of the evening, in my opinion.

 Colby Shaw representing Young Guns Boxing Team scored a first round stoppage of Roy Jones representing Team China Smith. A combination to the head by Shaw sent Jones down to the canvas in a neutral corner. Although he was able to beat the count, Jones was unable to continue and the bout was stopped by Referee Raymond Ortiz. Shaw was simply too strong for Jones and once he saw his opportunity he took advantage of it.

Miguel Garcia, who was not representing a Boxing team or club on this card, scored a three round unanimous decision over Ollen Galdames Garia representing Jupter Boxing. Much as was the case with some of the other bouts on this card, Garcia was simply the more effective fighter over three rounds and forced the action. Unofficially, I scored all three rounds for Garcia or 30-27 in points.

 Marques McBride, who was not representing a Boxing team or club on this card, scored a third round stoppage over Bilal Quintyne representing Main Event Boxing Club. Despite being at a height disadvantage, McBride was able to force the action in round one and was able to land the more effective punches. In the second round McBride continued to press forward forcing Quintyne back and throwing combinations. In round three a barrage of punches by McBride forced a standing eight count of Quintyne and led to Referee Bob Nicholson stopping the fight. McBride simply did what he had to do against a fighter in Quintyne, who was not able to offer much resistance as the fight progressed.

 Inu Matelau representing Young Guns Boxing Team was declared the winner by disqualification in the third round in his bout with Tyler Yavarar representing St. Pete Boxing. The first round of this fight was close and I thought Yavarar had a slight edge due to landing the cleaner punches. Yavarar was penalized a point for holding in round two and in round three was disqualified by Referee Bob Nicholson.

There was a lot of holding in this fight and that could be due to perhaps a bad meshing of styles between the two fighters, similar to what happens from time to time in Professional Boxing. Although this observer did not see the foul which led to the disqualification from my position at ringside, it was a judgment call by the referee. The decision however, was not a popular one with the crowd in attendance, who responded by booing the call.


Closing Thoughts: Longtime readers who have followed this observer’s work in both online and in print over the years should be familiar with one of my most consistent themes. To focus on what is good and will benefit the sport of Boxing long-term.

It goes without saying that one of the things someone who writes about and covers sports will deal with from time to time is the opinions of those who choose to focus on the negative aspects of sports. Boxing is one such sport where there is no shortage of fans voicing their outrage on a regular basis. Although it is understandable to a degree when such outrage is expressed depending on the situation, I have at times been accused of perhaps being too optimistic and for seeing the good in Boxing when no one else seems to.

During my time at this event, I had the opportunity to speak with some of those who were inducted on June 25th into the Florida Boxing Hall Of Fame as well as others who were also in attendance and one of the pleasures of the evening was simply to sit and listen to the various stories that they shared whether it involved a particular fight or event that they were involved in or listening to how they became involved in the sport. As I listened, I was reminded of a guest column that I wrote for Chuck Horton Boxing in May 2015 entitled What Is It Like To Be A Boxing Writer?, where I shared my own story of what drew me to Boxing and addressed the question that I have been asked on more than one occasion of why would I want to cover and write about a sport that is subject to consistent ridicule as well as subject to questions of potential corruption? I stated that it was true that Boxing has had more than it’s share of black eyes over the years and it can be at times all too tempting for fans to throw up their hands and voice their dissatisfaction with the sport.

Events like the Florida Boxing Hall Of Fame weekend are a perfect example of the good in Boxing. Not only do those who have contributed in various capacities to the sport have an opportunity to receive the recognition they deserve, but events like this also present a look into what could be the future of the sport by showcasing some of the up-and-coming amateur talent the sport has to offer. Although there will be those who will continue to focus on and criticize Boxing for its flaws and imperfections, it is a shame that some of those detractors could not be in attendance at any of the festivities that comprised the 2017 Florida Boxing Hall Of Fame weekend. Perhaps those who choose to focus on the negative aspects of the sport would have been given a fresh perspective on the good Boxing has to offer. Congratulations to all of the inductees in the class of 2017 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

For more information about the Florida Boxing Hall Of Fame please visit: www.floridaboxinghalloffame.com.

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

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


















Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Belated Thoughts On Ward-Kovalev II


The first encounter between undefeated two-division world champion Andre Ward and longtime Light-Heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev in November of last year had all the elements that make a great fight. Two elite level world class fighters meeting for Kovalev's unified Light-Heavyweight world championship. By now, most Boring fans know that Ward overcame a second round knockdown at the hands of Kovalev to earn a razor thin twelve round unanimous decision to hand the previously unbeaten “Knockout Artist” Kovalev his first loss as a professional to earn his second world championship in as many weight classes.

The competitive nature of that fight along with what some felt was a controversial decision in Ward’s favor fueled demand for a rematch. On June 17th, the two fighters squared off for the second time in one of the sport's most anticipated fights of 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. In previewing the rematch this observer mentioned that much as is the case with movies that very seldom are rematches as good or even outdo the original encounter. There are times however, where much like a good movie or series of films, where the outcome of a rematch leaves more questions than answers and/or a conclusion that could best be described as a “Cliffhanger “ where there is not only debate as to what had taken place, but also what will happen next.

Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev: part 2 offered such a “Cliffhanger.” Much as was the case in the first fight, the rematch was fought at a measured and tactical pace where both fighters were able to have periods of effectiveness. Through the first three rounds, this observer found the fight to be difficult to score due largely to the pace, but I felt that the former champion Kovalev had a narrow edge due to his being able to outwork Ward and landing the more effective punches similar to the first encounter as I had him winning two of the first three rounds.

As the fight progressed however, Ward as he had done in the first fight, stepped up his pace using lateral movement to set up counter punches as well as making going to Kovalev's body a key focal point of his offense. Although Kovalev was able to land some body punches of his own, it was clear in this observer's eyes that by the midway point of the bout, the tempo was being dictated by the champion.

Readers may recall in previewing this fight, I stated my view that I believed that it was crucial for Kovalev turn the rematch into a fight early and needed to cut the ring off from Ward consistently in order to be successful. Kovalev was unsuccessful in doing this and the tactical errors of not being able to push Ward back as well as his inability to cut the ring off from Ward, which worked against the former champion in the first encounter remained present in the rematch. Ward’s ability to place his punches and land the more effective punches as the bout progressed became the story. Even though Kovalev threw more punches than the champion, Ward was able to frequently make him miss. Although some Boxing fans may believe that the fighter who throws more punches than their opponent should get the benefit of the doubt in narrow rounds in a close fight based on mere activity, it will more often than not boil down to who is able to land the more effective blows that will determine who will get the upper hand with regard to the scoring of a fight. In this observer's eyes, in this bout the more effective fighter was Ward.

What seemed to be a fight that was evolving into a clear outcome would instead end in a scenario of a “Cliffhanger” where there were obviously more questions than answers. In the eighth round, Ward connected with a solid right hook to the head of Kovalev that staggered the former champion. Sensing he had his opponent in trouble, Ward pressed forward looking to finish Kovalev off with a series of punches to the body and the head.

The champion eventually got Kovalev pressed against the ropes and landed a series of uppercuts to the body that caused Kovalev to sit on the middle rope and Referee Tony Weeks stepped in and stopped the fight. What appeared to be a clear technical knockout in favor of Ward however, quickly emerged as a controversy as video replays showed that the uppercuts that Ward had landed were in fact low blows.

Although the low blows did not appear to be intentional and did appear in my eyes to be borderline, there was a legitimate cause to call the stoppage of this fight “Controversial.” It should not be overlooked that Kovalev was hit low in both the second and seventh rounds, but when he was hit low in round seven there was no break in the action and no warning from Referee Tony Weeks. There was also no warning from Weeks in round eight, but rather a judgment call by him thinking that Kovalev was hurt to stop the fight rather than issue a count seeing as Kovalev did sit on the middle rope even though he did not technically go down to the canvas.

For his part, Weeks stated on Twitter the day after the fight quote “I am being criticized a lot unjustly. I have watched the replay and have to admit I was wrong I missed the low blows from Ward. I stopped the fight due to Kovalev not protecting himself, had I saw the shots were low I would not have stopped the fight. My mistake.”

It is important to remember that referees, judges, the fighters themselves, and all of us are all human and make mistakes from time to time. Tony Weeks is rightfully regarded as one of the best referees in the entire sport and his statement following this fight should be applauded by anyone and everyone who is a fan and/or has any association or involvement in the sport.

The question is will there be a third chapter in the rivalry between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev? Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva stated that she intended to file a protest of the outcome shortly after the fight with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Whether or not a protest will in fact change the outcome of the fight from a knockout win in favor of Ward to a no decision remains unknown over a week after the fight took place. It should not be overlooked however, that there was a fight that took place on the undercard of Ward-Kovalev II in an attempted unification of the WBA and IBO Jr. Featherweight world championships between Guillermo Rigondeaux and Moises Flores, which was originally ruled a first round knockout win in favor of WBA world champion Rigondeaux was overturned by the NSAC last week via unanimous vote due to the punch that knocked Flores down and out striking the IBO world champion after the bell had sounded ending the first round.

Whether or not the result of the Ward-Kovalev rematch will be overturned remains unknown as of this writing. It is this observer’s opinion based not only on the video replays of the uppercuts that Ward landed appearing to be below the belt of Kovalev and Tony Weeks’ own acknowledgment that he missed the low blows that the result should be changed to a no contest and a third encounter between Ward and Kovalev should be ordered by the WBO, WBA, and IBF as soon as possible. Of course, each organization does have mandatory obligations where the world champion, in this case Ward, has to defend his championship against each organization’s highest-rated contender on an annual basis. This could present an obvious obstacle that could prevent a potential third encounter between Ward and Kovalev from taking place immediately.

If the stoppage of this fight were not marred in “Controversy” and there was no such protest filed based on video evidence, this observer would be discussing potential options for Ward going forward such as potential fights with contenders Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, if not a fight to fully unify the Light-Heavyweight world championship against longtime WBC world champion Adonis Stevenson. Given that Kovalev does have a legitimate complaint however, it is my opinion that a third fight between Ward and Kovalev is “Warranted.”

“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



Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Brief Update


We would like to let our readers know that new material discussing the Ward-Kovalev rematch controversy will be released on Tuesday, June 27th. 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.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Ward-Kovalev II Weights


The official weigh-in for Saturday’s rematch between undefeated unified WBO/WBA/IBF Light-Heavyweight world champion Andre Ward and former champion Sergey Kovalev took place on Friday in Las Vegas, NV. The official weights for the entire card are as follows.

Main Event: WBO/WBA/IBF Light-Heavyweight world championship – 12Rds.

Andre Ward (Champion) 175lbs. vs. Sergey Kovalev (Challenger) 175lbs.

United States Boxing Association (USBA) Middleweight championship – 10Rds.

Luis Arias (Champion) 160lbs. vs. Arif Magomedov 159 3/4lbs.

WBA/IBO Jr. Featherweight world championship Unification Bout – 12Rds.

Guillermo Rigondeaux (WBA champion) 122lbs. vs. Moises Flores (IBO champion) 122lbs.

Light-Heavyweight – 10Rds.

Cedric Agnew 174 1/2lbs. vs. Dmitry Bivol 175lbs.

Featherweight – 8Rds.

Tramaine Williams 124 1/2lbs. vs. Chris Martin 125 3/4lbs.

Welterweight – 4Rds.

John Bauza 143lbs. vs. Brandon Sanudo 144lbs.

Middleweight – 6Rds.

Bakhram Murtazaliev 159 1/2lbs. vs. Alex Duarte 159lbs.

Welterweight – 6Rds.

Jonathan Steele 146lbs. vs. Enriko Gogokhia 146 1/2lbs.

Super-Middleweight – 8Rds.

Fabiano Pena 166lbs. vs. Vaughn Alexander 161lbs.

Light-Heavyweight 6Rds.

Zoltan Sera 170 1/2lbs. vs. Junior Younan 170 1/2lbs.

Ward vs. Kovalev II takes place Tonight (Saturday, June 17th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. The fight can be seen in the United States and Canada on a pay-per-view basis on HBO Pay-Per-View for $64.95 HD/$54.95 Standard Definition beginning at 9PM ET/ 6PM PT. Contact your local cable or satellite provider for ordering information. For more information about HBO Sports, HBO Pay-Per-View, and HBO Boxing please visit: www.hbo.com/boxing. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the fight, as well as the undercard can be seen on Sky Sports 1 beginning at 2AM (Sunday, June 18th Local U.K. Time.) Check your local listings for time and channel in your area. For more information about Sky Sports please visit: www.skysports.com.

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

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

Friday, June 16, 2017

Ward-Kovalev II: Will The Sequel Outdo The Original?


In November of last year the Boxing world was treated to a highly anticipated battle for the unified WBO/IBF/WBA Light-Heavyweight world championship as undefeated champion and “Knockout Artist” Sergey Kovalev defended his crown against undefeated former Super-Middleweight world champion Andre Ward at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. It was a rare time in the recent history of the sport  that a bout  described as a “Big” or “Super” fight among both Boxing fans and experts lived up to the hype that preceded it.

An argument could be made that it is somewhat of a rarity in today's sport to see an encounter between two top stars that did not have a long period of time where Boxing fans had to wait to see it come to fruition while those two stars faced other opposition. It is equally rare even when the element of rematch clauses are involved to see a rematch of a fight that was regarded by many as a Fight of the Year candidate between two stars take place so soon after the original showdown. The rivalry between these two men is a rare exception.

The first encounter between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev saw plenty of action where both fighters had periods of effectiveness. As this rematch approaches, it is crucial in my eyes that both fighters look to duplicate those moments while trying to limit their opponent from having opportunities. Readers may recall this observer’s coverage of the first encounter, where I felt Sergey Kovalev was particularly effective in the first half of the fight as he was able to apply significant pressure on Ward and limit the challenger’s lateral movement and hand speed.

Kovalev was able to win the first four rounds on my scorecard, highlighted by a knockdown of Ward in the second round with a flush right hand, due largely to how effective he was in pressuring the challenger as well as landing the cleaner and more effective punches. As the bout progressed however, Ward was able to shift the momentum in his favor by using his movement to offset Kovalev’s pressure as well as making going to the champion’s body a focal point of his offense. Ward was able to win rounds five through nine on my scorecard with this approach and with the two fighters trading momentum in the final three rounds of the twelve round championship bout, Boxing fans were left with the very definition of a “Close Fight.”

At the end of the bout I had arrived with a scorecard of 114-113 in favor of Kovalev, but having scored six rounds a piece in rounds. It was no surprise to see a difference of opinion as the three official judges scored the fight in favor of Ward by the same score. This was a fight that was open to interpretation as to who got the upper hand. Even though I personally felt Kovalev got the upper hand in the first half of the fight, the combat was fought at such a measured and tactical pace that there were rounds that could have gone either way depending on one's perspective as to who got the better of the action.

As is the case with practically every “Close Fight”, there were some who described the outcome as “Controversial” and/or brought into question the subject of potential corruption that in their minds may have played a role in the decision. This observer was not one of those who felt there was a “Controversy “, but rather focused on the benefit this fight gave to the sport in saying that in an era where Boxing fans are asked to pay ever-increasing pay-per-view prices to see the sport's top/elite stars compete where more often than not the fights do not live up to the hype that preceded it, much less the price to see it, this was one that lived up to expectations as well as hype.

With the rematch between Ward and Kovalev drawing near, what does each fighter need to do in order to be successful? How can each duplicate their success from the first encounter?

For the former champion Sergey Kovalev, who will be attempting to both regain his unified world championship as well as avenge his only professional loss, it is crucial that he pressure Ward from the outset as he did in the first fight. Although he was successful for most of the first half of that fight, I felt that Kovalev made two tactical errors that ultimately worked against him.

Although he was successful in pressuring Ward, Kovalev did not apply the type of pressure that pushed Ward backward toward the ropes. This along with Kovalev's inability to cut the ring off from Ward where it would have theoretically limited his movement became a disadvantage for Kovalev as the fight progressed. Despite the success he had particularly in being able to dictate a tactical pace in the first half of the first encounter, I feel Kovalev needs to show the instinct that has made his career. The instinct of a seek and destroy “Knockout Artist.” Kovalev must turn this rematch into a fight early and must cut off the ring from Ward consistently in order to be successful.

In contrast to the former champion, Ward must attempt to duplicate his performance over the second half of the first fight. What worked so well for Ward after he recovered from the knockdown Kovalev was able to score in the first encounter was how he utilized his movement and timing to outbox Kovalev. Ward executed an attack to Kovalev's body in that fight that was not necessarily eye-catching, but it was able to offset Kovalev as he came forward, allowing Ward to move and avoid getting caught on the inside, but most importantly this approach allowed Ward to gradually get himself back into the fight on the scorecards after being at a deficit in the first half of the bout.

Those who are fans of movies as yours truly is are probably familiar with the cliché that films that are sequels very seldom are as good or even outdo the movie that preceded it. The same holds true in regard to the sport of Boxing as there always seems to be a segment of fans who will feel disappointed as regardless of who comes out on top and regardless of what the circumstances of the outcome might be, rarely does a rematch live up to the anticipation that precedes it or the action of a first encounter.

Rather than go into a long detailed point of view of the exceptions that do exist throughout the history of the sport where a second encounter lived up to the hype and in some cases led to a third or even more encounters, I will say that as the first fight was a classic scenario of a fighter known for his punching power against a pure boxer, this second encounter presents the classic scenario of circumstances, which warrant a rematch. A battle between two of Boxing’s top stars that evolved into a great fight. An encounter which produced varying opinions as to who won, and one where some pointed to an element of what they saw as a controversial decision. Two fighters, who each have something to prove.


For Andre Ward, an argument can be made that he wants to avenge a victory by producing a clear a decisive win in the rematch and to hopefully in the process win over those who felt he lost the first fight. For the former champion Sergey Kovalev, the motivation is obvious. This fight represents an opportunity to not only regain his unified crown, but to also avenge the lone loss of his career and one might argue average what was seen as an injustice in the eyes of some.

Whether or not the sequel to the first encounter between these two men does outdo it's predecessor remains to be seen. It is refreshing in this observer's eyes however, to see an immediate rematch to a fight that I simply said following the first encounter “Great Fight, Close Fight, Rematch Warranted.” In an era where the best interests of both the Boxing fan as well as the sport as a whole aren't always taken into consideration, this rematch should be viewed as a win prior to the two fighters doing battle for the second time.

Regardless of who comes out on top this time around, it is my hope that when all is said and done that the sport, Boxing fans, and those of us who cover the sport and/or are involved with Boxing in varying capacities, who all serve as advocates for the sport as well as the fighters who compete in it, will truly be able to celebrate this win. Boxing and by extension all of combat sports are after all truly elevated and given a boost when the best interests of the fans who tirelessly support the sports both with their passion and their hard earned money as well as the best interests of the long-term benefits of the sports themselves as a whole are considered. We will see what is in store in Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev: Chapter 2 on Saturday night.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Ward vs. Kovalev II takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, June 17th) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. The fight can be seen in the United States and Canada on a pay-per-view basis on HBO Pay-Per-View for $64.95 HD/$54.95 Standard Definition beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT Contact your local cable or satellite provider for ordering information. For more information about HBO Sports, HBO Pay-Per-View, and HBO Boxing please visit: www.hbo.com/boxing. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the fight, as well as the undercard can be seen on Sky Sports 1 beginning at 2AM (Sunday, June 18th Local U.K. Time.) Check your local listings for time and channel in your area. For more information about Sky Sports please visit: www.skysports.com.

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

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





Monday, June 12, 2017

Schedule Update


We would like to let our readers know that a preview for the upcoming World Light-Heavyweight championship rematch between undefeated champion Andre Ward and former champion Sergey Kovalev is in the works and will be released on Friday, June 16th. 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.twitter.com/Beau_Denison



Friday, June 9, 2017

CES Boxing 6/9/2017 Weights


The official weigh-in for Friday night’s Boxing card promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s CES Boxing at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI took place on Thursday. The official weights for the entire card are as follows.

Main Event: New England Jr. Middleweight championship – 8Rds.*

Greg Vendetti 152lbs. vs. Khiary Gray 154lbs.

(*Vendetti currently holds the New England Jr. Middleweight championship. Title will be on the line in this bout.)

Jr. Middleweight – 8Rds.

Mark DeLuca 154lbs. vs. Chris Chatman 156lbs.

Middleweight – 6Rds.

Kendrick Ball 163lbs. vs. Godson Noel 162lbs.

Heavyweight – 6Rds.

Dan Biddle 224lbs. vs. Juiseppe Cusumano 235lbs.

Lightweight – 6Rds.

Abraham Torres 135lbs. vs. Anthony Marsalla 135lbs.

Lightweight – 4Rds.

Matt Doherty 138lbs. vs. Placido Hoff 136lbs.

Lightweight – 4Rds.*

Michael Valentin 137lbs. vs. Kevin De Freitas 137lbs.

(*Both fighters will be making their pro debuts on this card.)

Featherweight – 4Rds.

Malcolm Simms 124lbs. vs, Rick Delossantos 126lbs.

CES Boxing: Vendetti vs. Gray takes place Tonight (Friday, June 9th) at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI. The card can be seen on the Fite TV app and website on a pay-per-view basis for $14.99 and will be available for viewing worldwide. The Fite TV app is available on the Google Play Store as well as the Apple App Store. For more information about Fite TV and how to cast content to your TV please visit: www.fite.tv.

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

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




Brief Thoughts On Stevenson-Fonfara II


On June 3rd WBC World Light-Heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson climbed back into the ring with top Light-Heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara in a rematch of their May 2014 battle for Stevenson's Light-Heavyweight crown. The rematch between the two took place in the same venue as their first encounter the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

Prior to this second encounter between the two, this observer stated that it was my view that the main story of this fight would be what Andrzej Fonfara would have to offer. Although Fonfara, who lost a hard fought decision to Stevenson in their first encounter, was largely able to establish himself as a player in the division in defeat; he had suffered a brutal first round knockout loss to undefeated top contender Joe Smith Jr. two fights before his rematch with Stevenson. Despite being able to bounce back to stop former Light-Heavyweight world champion Chad Dawson earlier this year, one might argue that Dawson, who has been a cornerstone of the Light-Heavyweight division for much of the last decade, is now a fighter who's best days could well be behind him. On this basis, it was fair to ask the question of whether or not Fonfara's knockout loss at the hands of Smith was a case of a fighter having a bad night at the office or a sign of a fighter on the decline.

It would not take long for that question to be answered as unlike the first encounter where despite being dominated early in the fight the challenger was able to rally late in the bout, the rematch would not see such a spirited battle. Instead, this fight would be a clear demonstration of one fighter's superiority over the other in devastating fashion.

In previewing this bout, I stated that the biggest challenge for Fonfara in addition to answering the question of what he would have to offer and in the process answer those who were skeptical of his getting another opportunity to fight for a world championship a year after suffering a knockout loss would be if he could avoid the tactics that the champion Stevenson was able to implement successfully in the first fight, specifically the champion’s lateral movement and hand speed. The challenge was simply too much for Fonfara to overcome as Stevenson would quickly find a home for his left hand and score a knockdown of the challenger midway through the first round.

Even though Fonfara was able to get up after being dropped as was the case in the first fight, he simply had no answer to avoid Stevenson's left hand as the combat quickly became target practice for the champion. Stevenson battered Fonfara and had the challenger in serious trouble on the ropes at the end of the first round. At this point in the fight, I was frankly surprised to see Fonfara make it out of the first round as he was unable to provide any resistance to whatever Stevenson threw at him.

Sensing he had his opponent in trouble, the champion quickly picked up where he had left off at the end of round one, battering Fonfara with flush left hands to the head before the bout was promptly stopped by Fonfara's trainer Virgil Hunter early in the second round. Simply put there was not much to say about this fight. A world champion seeing his opening and taking full advantage of that opening was the story.

An interesting question is what will be next for the champion Adonis Stevenson. We will likely not get the answer to that question until the outcome of the upcoming rematch between undefeated unified WBO/IBF/WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Andre Ward and former champion Sergey Kovalev, which will take place on June 17th in Las Vegas. As readers might recall prior to the Stevenson-Fonfara rematch, I offered a brief explanation as to why Fonfara, who was rated number six in the world in the World Boxing Council (WBC) Light-Heavyweight ratings was in position to challenge for a world championship, despite his recent loss to Joe Smith Jr. in explaining how world champions are granted what are referred to as “Elective Defenses” of their championship in between making annual mandatory title defenses against a sanctioning organization's top/number one contender.

Although I suggested that the possibility exists that the winner of the Stevenson-Fonfara rematch could request an extension from the WBC, which would theoretically allow that winner to seek an opportunity to further unify the World Light-Heavyweight championship against the winner of the Ward-Kovalev rematch, I believe regardless of who wins that fight that a unification bout between the two champions might not take place until sometime in 2018. This is primarily due to both the negotiating process that would be required to sign such a bout as well as the potential of injuries that might occur, which might make a fight toward the end of 2017 less likely.

If one also takes into account that most fighters at the top/elite level of the sport typically average between one to two fights per year, this observer believes it may be more likely to see Stevenson make a mandatory title defense before a unification clash with the Ward-Kovalev winner can be made. Current WBC number one Light-Heavyweight contender Eleider Alvarez fresh off of a convincing victory over former WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Jean Pascal on the undercard of the Stevenson-Fonfara rematch has built significant momentum including also scoring a knockout win over former IBF Super-Middleweight world champion Lucian Bute earlier this year appears to be ready for the opportunity to fight for the WBC Light-Heavyweight world championship that he has earned.

A fight between Stevenson and Alvarez seems to be an ideal option for Stevenson should the champion want to compete once more before settling his sights on a unification clash with the winner of the Ward-Kovalev winner. Given that both Stevenson and Alvarez are both fighters with significant fan followings and have each drawn huge crowds in Canada, where both fighters reside, it would not surprise me to see a potential encounter between the two also take place in Montreal’s Bell Centre, one of the sport's more popular venues. Boxing fans and experts alike will first turn their attention to the June 17th battle between Ward and Kovalev to see how the outcome of that fight will impact not only the landscape of the division, but more specifically what impact it will have on Stevenson’s plans before any potential fights could be made.

Some may also question what is next for Andrzej Fonfara coming off another devastating setback. At the end of the day, this bout had a similar look and outcome as Fonfara’s loss in June of last year to Joe Smith Jr. Although some fighters have been able to bounce back from such defeats as Fonfara has shown in the past, it was clear to this observer that perhaps Fonfara was compromised by the effects of the punishment he suffered at the hands of Smith in that he did not seem to have good reaction time once he was hit by Stevenson in this rematch. Whether or not Andrzej Fonfara will go on with his career is anyone’s guess, but when one considers the ongoing research that has taken place with regard to the effects of concussions on athletes throughout all of sports, one should wonder how many knockout losses and overall punishment a fighter can or should take as the risk of long-term damage is always present. Fonfara has always been a valiant warrior who has given it everything he has every time he’s stepped inside the ring. Whether or not this latest loss to Stevenson will signal the end of his career, Andrzej Fonfara should hold his head high because he has nothing to be ashamed of.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Update


We would like to let our readers know that new material will be released on Friday, June 9th. 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.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Stevenson-Fonfara II Weights



The official weigh-in for Saturday’s WBC Light-Heavyweight world championship rematch between champion Adonis Stevenson and longtime contender Andrzej Fonfara took place earlier today in Montreal, Canada. The official weights for the entire card are as follows.

Main Event: WBC Light-Heavyweight world championship – 12Rds.

Adonis Stevenson (Champion) 173 1/2lbs. vs. Andrzej Fonfara 174 1/2lbs.

 Light-Heavyweight – 12Rds.*

Eleider Alvarez 174 1/2lbs. vs. Jean Pascal 174 1/2lbs.

(* The WBC Silver championship in the Light-Heavyweight division currently held by Alvarez will be at stake.)

Jr. Middleweight – 8Rds.

Mikael Zewski 150 3/4lbs. vs. Fernando Silva 151lbs.

Super-Middleweight – 8Rds.

Dario Bredicean 167 1/4lbs. vs. Manuel Garcia 165 3/4lbs.

Middleweight – 4Rds.*

Christian Mbilli vs. Cesar Ugarte

(Weights for the Mbilli-Ugarte bout are unavailable as of this writing, bout still scheduled to take place as of this writing. A ten round Welterweight bout featuring undefeated prospect Custio Clayton is also scheduled to take place on this card however, no opponent has been named as of this writing.)

Stevenson vs. Fonfara II takes place Tonight (Saturday, June 3rd) at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. The fight is being televised in Canada on a pay-per-view basis for $69.99 HD/ $64.99 Standard definition. Contact your pay-per-view provider or visit: http://www.canalindigo.com/en/event/event-sheet/284/Stevenson-vs-Fonfara-2-and-Alvarez-vs-Pascal-LIVE for ordering information. In the United States, the fight can be seen on Showtime beginning at 9PM ET/PT and will also be available on the Showtime and Showtime Anytime apps. For more information about Showtime, Showtime Sports, and the Showtime and Showtime Anytime apps please visit:www.sho.com.

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

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


Friday, June 2, 2017

Stevenson-Fonfara II Preview


In May of 2014 WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson entered the ring to defend his portion of the Word Light-Heavyweight championship against top contender Andrzej Fonfara at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. A fight that was in some ways overshadowed by the biggest story that centered around the division, an anticipated encounter between Stevenson and then undefeated unified WBO/IBF world champion Sergey Kovalev.

The fight between Stevenson and Fonfara saw the champion face a more difficult than expected test as both fighters suffered knockdowns before Stevenson retained his championship and standing in the Light-Heavyweight division with a hard fought  twelve round unanimous decision. In the three years since Stevenson’s victory over Fonfara, the main storyline in the division has largely been the potential encounter between Stevenson and Kovalev as both world champions continued doing circles around each other while facing and defeating other opposition.

This of course was changed by Kovalev suffering the first loss of his career last November when he lost his unified world championship to undefeated former Super-Middleweight world champion Andre Ward via a razor thin twelve round unanimous decision. Ward’s victory over Kovalev that has been disputed by some has obviously caused a wrinkle in any potential plans for a Stevenson-Kovalev showdown. The outcome of that fight also left Stevenson as the longest reigning world champion in the division.

The loss to Stevenson one might argue benefited Fonfara from the standpoint of gaining more notoriety than he had prior to that fight due largely to the “Game” effort he put forth. Fonfara was able to bounce back to win his next three fights since that setback including impressive wins over former world champions Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Nathan Cleverly. Fonfara however, suffered another setback when he was stopped in one round by rising contender Joe Smith Jr. in June of last year.

Although Fonfara was again able to bounce back to defeat former Light-Heavyweight champion Chad Dawson in March of this year, it is understandable how one might question why Smith, who was able to build off the momentum from stopping Fonfara by knocking out future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins in December of last year, is not getting the title shot against Stevenson rather than Fonfara given that Smith is currently rated number three in the World Boxing Council (WBC) Light-Heavyweight ratings compared to Fonfara’s current number six rating by the same organization. It is important to remember that world champions are granted what are referred to as “Elective defenses” of their world championship against a top contender of their choosing in between annual mandatory championship defenses against a sanctioning organization's top/number one contender.

It is certainly possible that seeing as this is an “Elective defense” for Stevenson that the winner of this fight will be mandated by the WBC to face the winner of the bout between current WBC number one contender Eleider Alvarez and former WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Jean Pascal, which will be taking place on the undercard of the Stevenson-Fonfara rematch. It is also possible that whomever wins this rematch could ask the WBC for an extension in order to pursue a unification bout with the winner of the June 17th rematch between WBO/IBF/WBA world champion Andre Ward and former champion Sergey Kovalev.

As for the fight itself, the main story of this fight in this observer's eyes will be what Andrzej Fonfara will have to offer. Was his first round knockout loss at the hands of Joe Smith Jr. a case of a fighter having a bad night at the office or a sign of a fighter on the decline? The biggest challenge for Fonfara in addition to answering the question of what he has left and in the process answering those who might be skeptical of his getting a second opportunity at a world championship so soon after suffering that loss will be can he avoid some of the tactics that Stevenson was able to execute in the first encounter.

In the first fight between these two men Stevenson was able to largely dominate the first half of the bout with lateral movement and combination punching. The task for Fonfara in my eyes will be to find a way to nullify Stevenson's movement and hopefully limit Stevenson's hand speed. Fonfara was dropped twice during the first encounter in rounds one and five each as a result of a straight left hand. It will also be up to Fonfara to find a way to avoid Stevenson's left hand and must find a way to neutralize the champion’s power.

One key component that led to Stevenson's success against Fonfara the first time around was not only the tactics of hand speed and his ability to land his punches in combination, but more specifically how he balanced his attack to the body and head of Fonfara. The challenger must also disrupt Stevenson's offensive rhythm in order to have success in this rematch.

In contrast to Fonfara, an interesting question that surrounds the second encounter will be how Stevenson, who is coming into this fight off of a fourth round knockout win over Thomas Williams Jr. in July of last year, will approach this rematch. The thirty-nine year old world champion who will be making his eighth title defense n this fight is a fighter who has knocked out twenty-three opponents in his twenty-eight career wins registering a career knockout percentage of 79%.

Given the success his measured approach had in the first fight the question of whether the champion will look to implement a similar approach in the rematch or if after seeing how quickly Joe Smith was able to hurt and finish Fonfara last year, if Stevenson will opt to approach this fight with more aggression in the hope of trying to get a similar result as Smith is a fair one to ask. One may also wonder whether the near year of inactivity for Stevenson will have some effect on him in this fight.

Although Stevenson dominated a significant portion of the first fight, Fonfara was able to have success as the fight progressed and did score a knockdown of Stevenson in the ninth round with a straight right hand as part of a rally in the second half of the bout. Even though the champion was able to recover from the knockdown, there was little doubt as some readers might recall this observer's coverage of the first fight that Stevenson did show signs of fatigue as the bout went on. One may also question  if Fonfara can neutralize Stevenson's movement and is able to put the champion in a position where he is not as effective with his hand speed and punching power whether fatigue will become a factor as this rematch progresses.

In many ways, the rematch between Adonis Stevenson and Andrzej Fonfara will have a similar look as the first fight. Once again Stevenson will look to defend his championship against a top contender who is considered an underdog by some. Much like the first fight, a potential lucrative opportunity might be ahead for Stevenson should he be successful. A difference between the first encounter and when Stevenson and Fonfara square off again one might argue is that for the longtime Light-Heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara, he might view this fight as what could be his last chance to win a world championship. Despite suffering the setback against Joe Smith last year, Fonfara is still one of the best Light-Heavyweights in the world and is once again in a scenario where he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. If Fonfara's loss to Smith will indeed influence the champion in how he approaches this fight one might wonder if Stevenson will have a sense of complacency by thinking this rematch will not be as competitive as the first encounter perhaps with an eye on the potential payday that might loom ahead. If Stevenson is overlooking Fonfara, this could play into the challenger’s hands.

With the month of June largely highlighted by two World Light-Heavyweight championship rematches, the Boxing world will once again focus its attention on the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada where Adonis Stevenson and Andrzej Fonfara will square off on Saturday night. We will see if this fight will provide more wrinkles to not only a storyline that until recently Boxing fans thought was only a matter of when and not if a potential showdown would take place, but perhaps more significantly the long term landscape of the Light-Heavyweight division as a whole.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Stevenson vs. Fonfara II takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, June 3rd) at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. The fight is being televised in Canada on a pay-per-view basis for $69.99 HD/ $64.99 Standard definition. Contact your pay-per-view provider or visit: http://www.canalindigo.com/en/event/event-sheet/284/Stevenson-vs-Fonfara-2-and-Alvarez-vs-Pascal-LIVE for ordering information. In the United States, the fight can be seen on Showtime beginning at 9PM ET/PT and will also be available on the Showtime and Showtime Anytime apps. For more information about Showtime, Showtime Sports, and the Showtime and Showtime Anytime apps please visit: www.sho.com.

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

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









Thursday, June 1, 2017

Brief Update

We would like to let our readers know that new material will be released on Friday, June 2nd. 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.twitter.com/Beau_Denison