Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Schedule Update


We would like to let our readers know that we are between rounds and will resume our regular schedule on Friday, August 3rd. Stay tuned. "And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Monday, July 30, 2018

“Brawl At The Mall 11” Results


Press Release: July 30, 2018 by Sanman Promotions – Fighters  from the Sanman Boxing Gym scored a clean sweep in the 11th installment of the 11th Brawl at the Mall card on Sunday night, July 29, at the packed Robinsons Mall Atrium in General Santos City. Sanman fighters went seven-for-seven with Jade Bornea leading the onslaught as he scored a third-round knockout win over Alvin Bais of Sarangani Province.

Bornea of Sanman-Amoy remained unbeaten as he improved to 12W-0L-0D, 8KOs. Jerven Mama pulled off a fourth-round technical knockout (TKO) win over Cebu's Ryan Tampus, while Jerry Francisco prevailed over Davao's Gerald Alvarez via unanimous decision. Richie Mepranum eked out a majority decision win over Bukidnon's Rodel Tejares, while Adam Diu Abdulhamid needed just two rounds to knock out Philip Parcon of Davao.


Judy Flores scored a resounding first-round KO victory over Sarangani's Paolo Perono and also coming up with an impressive performance was Presco Carcosia, who knocked out Rey John Indita of Bukidnon in the second round. The main event showed Jasur Akhmadjonov of Uzbekistan settling for a draw with Cebu City's Rodel Wenceslao.

Akhmadjonov's compatriot Ulugbek Sobirov emerged triumphant following a first-round KO win over Baguio City's Dennis Padua. Another visiting fighter was also victorious as Rajan Nadarajah of Malaysia defeated Davao's Junrix Saldivia via unanimous decision. In other fights, GenSan's Virgil Deguma scored a fifth-round KO win over Davao's Michael Padayag, while Ranjo Napoles also of GenSan nipped Ador Torres of Baguio via unanimous decision.



Material courtesy of: Sanman Promotions/Photo courtesy of: Jerven Mama Used with permission. For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Brawl At The Mall Boxing series please visit Sanman Promotions’ official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.

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






Saturday, July 28, 2018

“Brawl At The Mall 11” Weights



Credit: Sanman Promotions
Press Release: July 28, 2018 by Sanman Promotions – Protagonists in the stacked 11th Brawl at the Mall card hurdled the initial test after making weights on Saturday noon, July 28, at Robinsons Mall in General Santos City. Jasur Akhmadjonov of Uzbekistan weighed 145 pounds, while his opponent for the eight-round duel Rodel Wenceslao from Cebu City logged 147 pounds.

         
Another fighter from Uzbekistan Ulugbek Sobirov and his opponent Dennis Padua from Baguio both tipped the scales at 150 lbs. Another foreign fighter, Rajan Nadarajah weighed 120 lbs for four-round showdown with Davao’s Junrex Saldivia (124lbs). The card will start at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 29, at the Robinsons Mall Atrium.

Meanwhile, Jade Bornea of Sanman Amoy also showed his readiness to protect his unbeaten record after tipping the scales at 120 lbs. His opponent Alvin Bais also appeared in tip-top shape as he also weighed 120 lbs. The following are the weigh-in results for other bouts: Jerven Mama (116lbs) vs. Ryan Tampus (116lbs); Jerry Francisco (110lbs) vs. Gerald Alvarez (110lbs); Richie Mepranum (117lbs) vs. Rodel Tejares (118lbs); Adam Diu Abdulhamid (145 lbs) vs. Philip Parcon (142lbs); Judy Flores (118lbs) vs. Paolo Perono (120lbs); Virgil Deguma (126lbs) vs. Michael Padayag (124lbs); Presco Carcosia (128lbs) vs. Rey John Indita (132lbs); Ranjo Napoles (147lbs) vs. Ador Torres (145lbs).

Material and Photo courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission. For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Brawl At The Mall Boxing series please visit Sanman Promotions’ official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.

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






Friday, July 27, 2018

Saturday 7/28/2018 Weights



The official weigh-ins for some significant bouts that will take place on Saturday throughout the sport took place earlier today across the globe. The official weights and broadcast information for these events are as follows.


O2 Arena – London, England

Main Event:

WBC Silver and WBO International Heavyweight championships – 12Rds.*

Dillian Whyte 258 1/2lbs. vs. Joseph Parker 242lbs.

(*Bout will determine the WBC mandatory challenger for current WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. The WBC Silver Heavyweight championship currently held by Whyte will be at stake in addition to the WBO International Heavyweight championship, which is currently vacant.)

Vacant WBA International Heavyweight championship – 12Rds.

Carlos Takam 246 1/4lbs. vs. Dereck Chisora 249 1/4lbs.

Women’s IBF/WBA Lightweight world championship – 10Rds.

Katie Taylor (Champion) 134 1/4lbs. vs. Kimberly Connor 132lbs.

Vacant WBA Continental Welterweight championship – 10Rds.

Connor Benn 146 1/4lbs. vs. Cedrick Peynaud 146 1/4lbs.

Jr. Middleweight – 8Rds.

Craig O’Brien 153 1/2lbs. vs. Anthony Fowler 155 1/4lbs.

Cruiserweight – 4Rds.

Elvis Dube 195lbs. vs. Richard Riakporhe 199lbs.

Cruiserweight – 4Rds.

Charlie Duffield 177 1/4lbs. vs. Reinis Porozovs 181lbs.

Heavyweight – 10Rds.

Nick Webb 260 1/4lbs. vs. David Allen 258 1/4lbs.

Light-Heavyweight – 10Rds.

Andrejs Pokumeiko 173 1/2lbs. vs. Joshua Buatsi 174 1/4lbs.

Light-Heavyweight – 8Rds.

Frank Buglioni 178 1/4lbs. vs. Emmanuel Feuzeu 174lbs.

Whyte vs. Parker takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, July 28th) at the O2 Arena in London, England. The card can be seen on a pay-per-view basis on Sky Box Office in the United Kingdom for £19.95. The broadcast will begin at 6PM (Local UK Time.) For more information and to order the event please visit: www.sky.com/boxoffice/Whyte-Parker. As of this writing, there has been no announcement on whether there will be television coverage of this card available here in the United States. We will keep you posted on any developments as they become available.



Kissimmee Civic Center – Kissimmee, FL

Main Event:

Vacant WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship – 12Rds.

Masayuki Ito 129 1/2lbs. vs. Christopher Diaz 129 1/4lbs.

Middleweight – 10Rds.

Jonathan Tavira 161 1/4lbs. vs. Esquiva Falcao 161 3/4lbs.

Welterweight – 10Rds.
Gabriel Bracero 148lbs. vs. Artemio Reyes 149 1/2lbs.

Jr. Lightweight – 6Rds.

Luis Torres 129 1/2lbs. vs. Henry Lebron 131lbs.

Jr. Lightweight – 4Rds.

Vincente Loredo 125 3/4lbs. vs. Luis Melendez 126 1/4lbs.

Jr. Welterweight – 6Rds.

Yomar Alamo 141 1/4lbs. vs. Wilfrido Buelvas 142 3/4lbs.

Featherweight – 6Rds.

Edward Kakembo 126 1/4lbs. vs. Vladimir Nikitin 125 1/4lbs.

Welterweight – 6Rds.

Jorge Rodriguez 149 1/4lbs. vs. Jose Lopez 145lbs.

Bantamweight – 6Rds.

Aaron Lopez 117 3/4lbs. vs. Antonio Vargas 118 1/4lbs.

Ito vs. Diaz takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, July 28th) at the Kissimmee Civic Center in Kissimmee, FL. The card can be seen in the United States on the new digital streaming network from ESPN, ESPN+ with undercard bouts beginning at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT. The main event portion of the card will begin streaming at 9:30PM ET/6:30PM PT.  ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app for $4.99 a month or $49.99 per year. To subscribe to ESPN+ Click the ESPN+ tab within the ESPN app or visit:watch.espnplus.com/sports/ to subscribe as well as for a list of available streaming devices carrying the ESPN app. For more information about ESPN please visit:www.espn.com.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the card can be seen on Boxnation beginning at 2:30AM (Sunday, July 29th Local UK Time) for more information about Boxnation please visit: www.Boxnation.com. Check your listings internationally.


Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA

Main Event: IBF/WBC World Lightweight Unification Bout – 12Rds.

Robert Easter (IBF champion) 134 1/2lbs. vs. Mikey Garcia (WBC champion) 135lbs.

Heavyweight – 10Rds.

Luis Ortiz 241lbs. vs. Razvan Cojanu 269lbs.

Vacant WBA Intercontinental Welterweight championship – 10Rds.

Jose Roman 142lbs. vs. Mario Barrios 141 1/2lbs.

(*Weights and bout information for additional bouts on this card are unavailable as of this writing. This portion of weights/bouts will be updated and added at the bottom of this text if they are made available.)

Easter vs. Garcia takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, July 28th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The card can be seen in the United States on Showtime across cable and satellite providers as well as the Showtime and Showtime Anytime streaming apps beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT. For more information about Showtime, Showtime Sports, the Showtime and Showtime Anytime streaming apps, and a list of available streaming devices please visit: www.sho.com. 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

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Brief Update


We would like to let our readers know that new material will be released on Friday, July 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

Monday, July 23, 2018

Three Bouts Announced For 11th "Brawl At The Mall" Card


Jasur Akhmadjonov L/ Rodel Wenceslao R Credit: Sanman Promotions
Press Release: July 23, 2018 by Sanman Promotions – Three unbeaten boxers from Uzbekistan will be invading General Santos City to test the mettle of Filipino boxers in the 11th installment of the Brawl at the Mall boxing series scheduled on July 29 at the Robinsons Place Atrium. Jasur Akhmadjonov (5W-0L-0D, 3KOs), Ulugbek Sobirov (5W-0L-0D, 3KOs) and Anvar Tuparov will look to stretch their unbeaten starts against separate opponents.

           
The three fighters from Uzbekistan are managed by Vikram Swapragasam of Vladimir Boxing.
Akhmadjonov will take on Rodel Wenceslao in an eight-round super welterweight duel, while Ulugbek Sobirov will trade leathers with Dennis Padua in their own eight-round battle in the welterweight division. Tuparov, on the other hand, will slug it out with Adam Diu Abdulhamid in a six-round super lightweight encounter.

           
“Filipino fight fans will witness three great international fights. Good boxers from Uzbekistan against tough Filipino fighters. Boxing fans should not miss the event,” said Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil. The much-awaited card will be headlined by Jade Bornea, the reigning WBO Oriental Youth super flyweight champion who is yet to lose in 11 fights with seven knockout victories. Bornea will take on Alvin Bais, who sports a 15W-12L-1D, 4KOs record.

           

Material and Photo courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission. For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Boxing Series visit Sanman Promotions official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.


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

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Munguia Scores Unanimous Decision Over Smith To Retain WBO Jr. Middleweight World Championship



Undefeated WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia scored a hard-fought twelve round unanimous decision over former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion and number one WBO Jr. Middleweight contender Liam Smith on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.  The twenty-one year old Munguia, who was making the first defense of his world championship following winning the crown in May of this year with a fourth round stoppage of then champion Sadam Ali faced a stern test in the form of former world champion Liam Smith.

Although Munguia had scored knockouts in twenty-five of his previous twenty-nine professional fights and had registered a career knockout percentage of over 80%, it was Smith who immediately took the fight to the new champion and seemed to get the better of the action during the first three rounds consistently beating Munguia to the punch, landing combinations, and had particular success in landing his right hand.  As the fight progressed however, Munguia’s bigger size and harder punches began to have an impact on the combat.

Munguia consistently applied pressure on the challenger landing thudding blows to the body and head. The champion scored a knockdown of Smith in round six with a left hook to the head. Even though he was at a disadvantage in terms of punching power, Smith remained more than willing to engage with Munguia and was able to continue having periodic periods of effectiveness throughout. The former world champion however, was unable to land a significant punch to turn the momentum back in his favor. Jaime Munguia would go on to retain his world championship after twelve rounds with a convincing unanimous decision. Official scores were 119-108, 119-110, and 116-111.

Unofficially, I scored this fight 116-111 for Jaime Munguia. Although the scorecards of two of the three official judges would give the impression of a lopsided fight in Munguia’s favor, this was a competitive fight that I saw Munguia winning eight of the twelve rounds with a slightly wider margin due to the knockdown of Smith in round six.

Jaime Munguia advances to 30-0, with 25 Knockouts. Liam Smith falls to 26-2-1, with 14 Knockouts.
Also on this card, undefeated Jr. Lightweight contender Alberto Machado scored a twelve round unanimous decision over previous undefeated contender Rafael Mensah. Machado, who currently holds interim/regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Jr. Lightweight ratings put on a masterful display of Boxing over twelve rounds. Machado dictated the combat from the opening bell by controlling distance, mixing his attack to the body and head of Mensah, frequently throwing and landing combinations, and simply out Boxing the very “Game” Mensah. Machado scored a knockdown of Mensash in the first round when while exchanging hooks, it was Machado’s right hook to the head that sent Mensah back and down along the ropes.  At the end of the twelve round bout all three judges turned in scores of 120-107, scoring all twelve rounds for Machado giving him the unanimous decision victory.

Alberto Machado advances to 20-0, with 16 Knockouts. Rafael Mensah falls to 31-1, with 23 Knockouts.

In the Middleweight division, undefeated rising prospect Yamaguchi Falcao scored a ten round unanimous decision over veteran Elias Espadas.  Falcao scored a knockdown of Espadas in the second round in route to the decision victory. Official scores were 95-93, and 96-92 (On two scorecards) in favor of Falcao. Yamaguchi Falcao advances to 16-0, with 7 Knockouts. Elias Espadas falls to 17-4, with 12 Knockouts.

In the Welterweight division, undefeated prospect Blair Cobbs scored a second round stoppage of Emmanuel Valadez. Cobbs was very aggressive and used his natural size advantage to dictate the combat. Cobbs scored a knockdown of Valadez in round two with a right hand that appeared to land on the top of the head. Although Valadez was able to get up from the knockdown and was very “Game” in trying to fight back, he found himself quickly cornered by Cobbs and the bout was stopped by Referee Jay Nady. Official time of the stoppage was 1:52 of round two.

Blair Cobbs advances to 9-0-1, with 6 Knockouts. Emmanuel Valadez falls to 5-5, with 4 Knockouts.

In the Jr. Featherweight division, undefeated rising prospect Carlos Carballo scored his eighth straight stoppage in eight professional fights as he scored a fifth round stoppage of veteran Jesus Martinez. Carballo consistently forced the action throughout bringing the fight to Martinez. The fight was stopped after round five by Martinez’ corner in what was a fairly lopsided bout.

Carlos Carballo advances to 8-0, with 8 Knockouts. Jesus Martinez falls to 24-4, with 12 Knockouts.

This card was highlighted by two rising stars in Jaime Munguia and Alberto Machado. As for what the future holds for both fighters, there are some interesting possibilities for both men. For Munguia, a question of how long he will continue to compete in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division is a valid one due to both the potential of more lucrative opportunities in the 160lb. Middleweight division as well as the fact that after making weight on Friday for his title defense against Liam Smith, he re-hydrated up to 176lbs. one pound over the Light-Heavyweight limit of 175lbs. before entering the ring to defend his championship. A possible indication that Munguia might be approaching a point where he is outgrowing the Jr. Middleweight division, despite still being able to make the weight limit when required.

With his first title defense now officially behind him and having defeated the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) current mandatory challenger in the Jr. Middleweight division, it would not surprise this observer to see Munguia potentially testing the waters by moving up six pounds to the Middleweight division for his next fight.  For Alberto Machado, an obvious possibility that might be available to him could be to face undefeated WBA Jr. Lightweight world champion Gervonta Davis or possibly looking to face the winner of the upcoming battle for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Jr. Lightweight world championship between former world champion Billy Dib and Tevin Farmer, which will take place on August 3rd in Australia.

Boxing and by extension all Combat Sports is constantly searching for new stars. It remains to be seen whether Jaime Munguia and Alberto Machado will eventually garner superstar status in the sport. Both fighters however, have succeeded in generating buzz and interest in both boxers will only continue to increase as each look to progress in their respective careers.

“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, July 21, 2018

Gaballo Returns To Action Soon




Reymart Gaballo Credit: Sanman Promotions
 Press Release: July 21, 2018 by Sanman Promotions – The long break is soon to end for Reymart Gaballo as his next fight is already in the works. Fight fans may see Gaballo back in the ring late September where he will put on the line his interim WBA world featherweight belt, announced Jim Claude Manangquil, CEO of Sanman Promotions.

 “We will have a formal announcement by the end of this month or early August,” said Manangquil. Nicknamed “Assassin”, Gaballo has been itching to fight again as he has not seen action since pulling off a decisive unanimous win over erstwhile unbeaten Stephon Young last March 23rd at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. “I’m excited to be back in the ring,” said Gaballo, whose win over Young netted him the interim WBA world title belt.

         
Gaballo is one of the country’s rising boxing start as he is yet to lose in 19 fights with 16 knockout victories. Gaballo has started his light training at the Sanman Boxing Gym in General Santos City. “I had little rest after my world title win but I’m back to work now. I’m ready to showcase my talent again,” he said.

Material and Photo courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission.

For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Boxing series please visit Sanman Promotions official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.

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



         
         


Munguia-Smith Weights



The official weigh-in for Saturday’s WBO Jr. Middleweight world championship fight between undefeated WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia and former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Liam Smith took place on Friday in Las Vegas, NV. The official weights for the entire card are as follows.

Main Event: WBO Jr. Middleweight world championship – 12Rds.

Jaime Munguia (Champion) 153 3/4lbs. vs. Liam Smith (Challenger) 153 3/4lbs.

Jr. Lightweight – 12Rds.*

Alberto Mechado 130lbs. vs. Rafael Mensah 130lbs.

(*Bout is for Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA’s Jr. Lightweight ratings currently held by Mechado.)

Jr. Featherweight – 8 Rds.

Jesus Martinez 121lbs. vs. Carlos Caraballo 121 1/2lbs.

Middleweight – 10Rds.

Yamaguchi Falcao 159 3/4lbs. vs. Elias Espadas 159lbs.

Welterweight – 6Rds.

Emanuel Valadez 147 3/4lbs. vs. Blair Cobbs 146 1/2lbs.

Munguia vs. Smith takes place Tonight (Saturday, July 21st) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The card can be seen in the United States on HBO beginning at 10PM ET/PT. For more information about HBO, HBO Sports, and HBO Boxing please visit: www.hbo.com.   In the United Kingdom the card can be seen on BT Sport 1 beginning at 1:45AM (Sunday, July 22nd Local UK Time.) For more information about BT Sport please visit: www.sport.bt.com.

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

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

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Update

We would like to let our readers know that new material will be released here on the website on Saturday, July 21st. 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

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Promising Sanman Prospects To See Action On 11th "Brawl At The Mall" Card


Credit: Sanman Promotions
Press Release: July 17, 2018 by Sanman Promotions – Top prospects of the Sanman Boxing Gym will see action in the 11th edition of the “Brawl at the Mall” on July 29 at Robinsons Place Atrium in General Santos City. Headlining the card is Jade Bornea, the reigning WBO Oriental Youth super flyweight champion who is yet to lose in 11 fights with seven knockout victories.

           
The card will also feature Jerven Mama, who holds a 5W-0L-1D, 3KOs card. Also scheduled to strut his wares is Richi Mepranum, who sports a 32W-7L-1D, 9KOs record. The complete card is still being finalized, said Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil.  “Gensan will witness another great show. A couple of top prospects will be in the card. It should be fun,” said Manangquil.

Material and Photo courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission.

For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Boxing series please visit Sanman Promotions’ official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.

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







Monday, July 16, 2018

Moloney Set To Face Concepcion

Andrew Moloney Credit: Hosking Promotions
Press Release: July 16, 2018 by Hosking Promotions – WBA, IBF #3, WBC #4, WBO #9 Australian Boxing sensation Andrew “The Monster” Moloney 17 – 0 returns to the ring for his 3rd fight of 2018.

The 2017 Australian prospect of the year will be defending his coveted World Boxing Association Oceania Super Flyweight Championship against WBA #7, WBC #14 Luis “El Nica” Concepcion 37-6. This will be the grand opening Ultra Tune event of the new Bendigo Stadium in Bendigo, Victoria Australia.

Concepcion a former 2 weight division WBA World Champion himself, a national icon in Panama this will be Moloneys biggest challenge yet. This will mark Moloneys 9thWBA Oceania fight in the Bantam & Super Fly divisions.

The man known as “The Monster” has been gunning for the WBA World Super Flyweight Championship opportunity against Kal Yafai for over year. All the top rated fighters refused to take on Moloney. Concepcion has stepped up to the plate and will come to Australia. The winner will be right in the mix for the World Title opportunity.

Concepcion is no stranger to travelling as he previously beat Japanese Icon Kohei Kono for the WBA World Super Flyweight Title in Japan and David Sanchez in Mexico.

Moloney has great respect for the former World Champion, Concepcion is an extremely tough and very experienced boxer, he always comes to fight and puts a lot of pressure on his opponents. I know that I will have to be in great condition for this fight.

I am very familiar with how Concepcion fights, I have watched him many times over the years as he has always been one of the top guys in the Super Flyweight division.
My dream is to become World Champion. Every day I am doing absolutely everything I can to achieve this dream.

Concepcion was the last man to hold the WBA Super Flyweight Title before the current champion Kal Yafai.  I want to show everyone what level I am at by beating Concepcion and then we will set our sights on Yafai next” States Moloney

The event will also feature son of a legend, Tim Tszyu. As well as Aussie prospects, “Golden Greek” Adam Kaoulas, Che St John and more.

Twin Brother Jason “The Smooth” Moloney face Puerto Rican IBF World Bantamweight Champion Emmanuel Rodriguez in the Quarter final of the World Super Series, date to be determined.

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Hosking Promotions Used with permission.

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


Sunday, July 15, 2018

Pacquiao Stops Matthysse In 7 In Return To The Ring, What’s Next?


Thirty-nine year old future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring with a dominant seven round stoppage of longtime top Jr. Welterweight and Welterweight contender Lucas Matthysse on Sunday morning (Saturday night in the United States) at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In what was the first fight for the former eight-division world champion since losing the WBO Welterweight world championship via what some felt was a controversial twelve round unanimous decision to then undefeated number one contender Jeff Horn in July of last year in Horn’s hometown of Brisbane, Australia, Pacquiao showed no signs of a fighter that is in decline.

From the opening bell Pacquiao used angles and hand speed to keep Matthysse on the defensive and unable to be effective. The fight was fought primarily in the middle of the ring where Pacquiao would be able to dictate the combat. There were times throughout the bout that Pacquiao showed glimpses of the swarming, aggressive style that was his trademark throughout much of his career. Matthysse simply could not find a way to neutralize Pacquiao’s movement and nullify his attack.

Pacquiao scored a knockdown of Matthysse in round three with a left uppercut that sent Matthysse to the canvas. This will be followed by a second knockdown in round five as a result of a short right hook that seemed to connect on Matthysse’s temple causing him to take a knee. The end of the fight came in round seven when Pacquiao scored a third and final knockdown of Matthysse with another left uppercut that sent Matthysse down and forced Referee Kenny Bayless to stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 2:43 of round seven.

Manny Pacquiao advances to 60-7-2, with 39 Knockouts. Lucas Matthysse falls to 39-5, with 36 Knockouts.

The victory for Pacquiao, his sixtieth in sixty-nine professional fights, secured him interim/regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Welterweight ratings, which makes him the mandatory challenger for undefeated WBA world champion Keith Thurman. An obvious an interesting question coming out of this fight is what exactly will the thirty-nine year old Pacquiao do next?

Although Pacquiao has been through many wars throughout his career and was coming off of a loss to Jeff Horn, he showed no negative effects, despite his advanced age. The stoppage win over Matthysse for Pacquiao, his first since stopping future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto in November 2009 should be an indicator that he is not at the end of his career just yet. What that means for any fighter ranging from the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division up to the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division is a longtime marquee draw for the sport is still around and viable.

For now, Pacquiao appears content to remain in the 147lb. Welterweight division where he has spent much of the last decade of his career. It should not be overlooked that Pacquiao’s fight against Lucas Matthysse was his first without longtime trainer Freddie Roach. While it did not appear to have any effect on him not having Roach in his corner for the first time in many years, one subject that some fans have chosen to be critical of Pacquiao about is his ongoing career as a politician in his native Philippines where he currently serves as a senator. The questions of whether his duties as a politician would eventually have a negative impact on his Boxing career have been asked before.

This observer is however, reminded of a statement that Freddie Roach made in the weeks leading up to Pacquiao’s landmark victory over Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008, where Roach was critical of De La Hoya for not being as active as a fighter as Roach believed he should have been as De La Hoya was also involved in the sport heavily as a promoter before he retired after Pacquiao defeated him. Roach said that it was his opinion that a fighter could not maintain his sharpness only competing on a part-time basis.

While no one has suggested that one could say Manny Pacquiao is in a similar position as De La Hoya was, it is important to remember that he will be forty years old in January 2019. Although many modern-day fighters have competed well beyond the age of forty, I believe that it will be to Pacquiao’s best interest as a fighter if he can stay active and compete on a regular basis.

As many of the top fighters of Pacquiao’s era are now either retired or approaching retirement, he will be facing fighters who are likely younger than he is and as such might be viewed as having a theoretical advantage over him. In some ways, it is not a position that Pacquiao is unfamiliar being in as he spent much of the last decade facing fighters who were naturally bigger than him, but the obvious difference is Pacquiao was younger throughout much of that time.

In terms of the Welterweight division, I believe Pacquiao would be a viable option for any world champion in the division not only due to his new designation as having interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s ratings, but also the name recognition clout that he brings to the table. With WBA champion Keith Thurman presently inactive due to injuries, an interesting possibility for Pacquiao’s next fight could come in the form of potential fights with either undefeated current WBO world champion Terence Crawford or undefeated IBF world champion Errol Spence. It may simply come down to which fight can be made and when that will determine who Pacquiao faces next.

The illustrious career of future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao has had many chapters chronicling the highs and lows of a great fighter. The Boxing world eagerly awaits the next chapter.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Friday, July 13, 2018

The Resurgence Of Bareknuckle Boxing


Over the past five years, readers of The Boxing Truth® have seen a story chronicled from its debut until it’s last installment in August 2015. The story of an innovation in the sport of Boxing known by three simple letters “BKB.” A concept that was developed and nurtured by United States satellite television provider DirecTV that debuted in 2013 as a modernized form of Bareknuckle Boxing.

The concept involved the idea of bringing Boxing back to its origins, but included the introduction of knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves thus modernizing Bareknuckle Boxing from its original form. What was also innovative about the BKB concept was that bouts under the BKB format did not take place in a traditional Boxing ring, but instead were fought in an area known as the “BKB Pit.” A fighting area with no ring ropes that measures seventeen feet in diameter and 227 square feet. Fights under the BKB format were also fought with  two minute round limits and rounds were scheduled for five, seven, and ten rounds respectively.

The first two cards in the history of the BKB concept took place in the state of New Hampshire here in the United States and featured the use of the knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves. After BKB 2 in December 2013, the concept underwent a slight revamp. Gone were the use of the knuckle-exposed gloves and with that change the abbreviation BKB: Bare-Knuckle Boxing was also charged to Big-Knockout Boxing. The use of standard Boxing gloves, the same used in traditional Professional Boxing was introduced while the rest of the BKB format remained the same.

As some readers might remember in my coverage of BKB, I stated that the revamped concept while moving the concept closer to the traditional format of Professional Boxing was a necessary step as it allowed BKB to be regulated in more states and thus allowed a significant hurdle to be cleared in a quicker timeframe than that of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), which was originally introduced as a form of bare knuckle, full contact fighting that was essentially no holds barred with the exception of no biting and eye gouging among other rules. While MMA has always been a popular combat sport from its inception in the early 1990’s on through to present day, the original format of the sport incurred the ire of many politicians and as a result many MMA promoters including the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) faced an uphill battle for several years as far as licensing and regulation were concerned no doubt delaying the overall growth of the sport for several years.

As the sport of MMA gradually evolved over time and gained long overdue acceptance and recognition in the mainstream as a combat sport, so too did the innovative BKB concept with notable professional fighters competing in the BKB Pit and some such as Gabriel Rosado and Jullian Pollard winning BKB world championships. There has not been much announced by BKB or DirecTV however, since BKB’s last event in June 2015. While some may choose to speculate as to the reason or reasons for BKB’s inactivity, this observer will not refer to the BKB concept in past-tense simply because there has been no announcement made of it’s closure or its status as of this writing, but one thing BKB’s inactivity has caused beyond stalling what was growing momentum is it has also taken away potential opportunity for combat sports athletes, specifically those in Boxing and those who compete in several combat sports/martial arts disciplines.

While BKB remains inactive, a form of Professional Boxing has risen from the sport’s origins. A legal form of the original concept of Bareknuckle Boxing. As readers might recall in my initial coverage of BKB’s inception in 2013, I stated that when I had been asked over the years as to my thoughts of a potential return of Bareknuckle Boxing that I did not see it happening primarily due to the safety concerns, the issue of regulation and the dangers that exist in Boxing as it is, while also stating that safety standards in the sport have greatly improved over the years.

Ironically, it wasn’t long after writing and releasing that column covering BKB’s debut that I had an opportunity to view a bareknuckle event that was broadcast by the now defunct GFL Combat Sports network, but the question of whether or not the event, which ultimately was a one-off was in fact regulated by a state athletic commission was not answered.  During the month of June however, two separate bareknuckle events took place that were regulated by the state of Wyoming.

The first of these events took place on June 2nd at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, a debut of a promotion known as the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship or BKFC for short that was televised via traditional cable/satellite pay-per-view as well as digital pay-per-view via Fite.TV. In a similarity to the BKB format, bouts fought under BKFC rules were fought in a fighting area known as “The Squared Circle.”

No, this is not a reference to a term commonly used in professional wrestling to describe where matches normally take place, but rather a unique form of a Boxing ring with a circular fighting area surrounded by  four circled ropes.  The circled ring measures twenty-two feet and is incased on a twenty-eight foot square platform. This fighting area similar to bouts fought under the BKB format seems ideal for fighters who tend to be offensive-minded and the narrow length did ensure for bouts that were fan-friendly. While due to both the time between these events  and the release and length of this column I will not provide a standard recap of the events, I will offer the reader some of my impressions regarding what took place.

As was the case with the BKB format while fights were being fought with the knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves it was almost immediately noticeable as to the damage sustained by the fighters who competed due to no gloves being used. While this obviously would create concern for most people whether they be fans watching the event or those who are involved in the sport and/or cover it, there was not an instance where I felt a fight was allowed to go on longer than it should due to a fighter sustaining too much punishment and it seemed to be along the same guidelines as how Mixed Martial Arts fights are officiated in that bouts were stopped in an appropriate timeframe if a fighter had suffered too much punishment or was in a predicament where they suffered knockdowns where it was obvious that a fight should not continue.

Although many of the bouts on this card saw fighters sustain cuts and other injuries, it was clear that concern over fighters safety was a priority and I feel that while Bareknuckle Boxing may not be for everyone, appropriate steps were taken to ensure those competing on this card were safe as well as the card that followed the debut of BKFC later in the month of June. While fights on the first BKFC card were scheduled for five two-minute rounds and that ensured a quick pace for most of the bouts, it did not necessarily mean that elements that are required in traditional Professional Boxing would not be needed under the BKFC format such as timing, technique, and essential tools that are a part of most boxers respective arsenals.

Some of the notable fighters on this card included former UFC Heavyweight world champion Ricco Rodriguez, former world title challenger and undefeated bareknuckle legend Bobby Gunn, former UFC women’s Flyweight contender Bec Rawlings, and fellow MMA notables Joey Beltran and Tony Lopez just to name a few.  What I look for whenever a new variation of combat sports is introduced is to see how the fighters approach their respective fights. Whether there will be brawling or whether bouts will be fought more tactically.

Whenever something new or in this case something that has been updated from it’s original format takes place, I always find myself watching some of the early UFC events and other variations of MMA from many years ago and it is always interesting to see how much the sport of MMA evolved from it’s original tournament/bareknuckle full contact concept to what the sport is today. In this case, I went back and studied both some of the early UFC events as well as revisited some of the events that took place under the BKB format and I looked for things that might be similar between the BKB format and these two bareknuckle cards.

Beyond the obvious of BKB initially being introduced as a form of gloved-Bareknuckle Boxing, while these bareknuckle events were the definition of what one would think of the subject of Bareknuckle Boxing with fighters only having hand wraps slightly below their fists, I felt the combat that took place on the first BKFC event as well as the event that took place two weeks later on June 23rd titled Bareknuckle Fight Club 4, which took place at the Cam Plex Central Pavilion in Gillette, WY, which was also televised by Fite.TV were very similar to the BKB format. A mix of narrow fighting areas and fast-paced bouts created what most would call an ideal scenario for fans viewing the action as most of the bouts on both events were of the quick variety, which normally creates an exciting atmosphere.

A question some might ask is who will be next to regulate Bareknuckle Boxing? Although fighter safety was a priority at both of these events as should be the case with all combat sports events, regulation might be difficult to obtain in some states due largely to safety concerns. One needs to look no further than the progression of BKB to see the potential argument that the slight revamp of the concept and elimination of the knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves and change to standard Boxing gloves opened the door for BKB to be regulated in the state of Nevada as well as opened greater exposure as more media outlets covered BKB events following the revamp than had been the case as those of us who have  covered BKB from its debut in 2013.


While some may debate whether Bareknuckle Boxing will be able to gain more traction beyond these two events, this observer feels much like the BKB concept that as long as safety concerns continue to be addressed that it could provide another route for fighters who are looking for an opportunity to ply their trade. Even though BKB remains on hiatus, with more legalized Bareknuckle Boxing events scheduled to take place in the coming months, there will be opportunities for multi-combat sport athletes to compete in what could be the next growing form of Professional Boxing. A form that this observer looks forward to covering as it evolves.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

To order Bareknuckle Fighting Championship 1 and Bareknuckle Fight Club 4 visit www.Fite.TV for ordering information.

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

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



Thursday, July 12, 2018

Dela Torre Hits Malaysia For Showdown With Unbeaten Yang

Photo Credit: Sanman Promotions
Press Release: July 12, 2018 By Sanman Promotions – Armed with the needed preparation and tremendous will to win, Harmonito "Hammer" Dela Torre has arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for an all-important fight on Sunday. (Saturday, July 14th in the United States) Dela Torre is accompanied in Kuala Lumpur by coaches Rodel Mayol and Marquil Salvana. Also, with the team to lend support are Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil and Sanman Promotions CFO Dexter Tan.


         
         
Dela Torre (19w-1L-0D, 12KOs) will be fighting unbeaten Chinese fighter Yongqiang Yang in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse duel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dela Torre assured he is in tip-top shape against Yang, who is unbeaten in 10 fights with seven knockout victories. "It's been a good camp. We have a good gameplan and I can't wait for the big day on Sunday," said Dela Torre.
  
         
         
Dela Torre is aware of the significance of the fight, hence, fight fans can expect him to go all out. "This could bring me back to title contention if I win," said Dela Torre, who is aspiring to bounce back after absorbing his first career-loss to Mongolian Tugstsogt Nyambayar last November 18, 2017 in Las Vegas, USA. It will be the second time in his career that Dela Torre will be fighting in a card headlining Pacquiao. Dela Torre fought in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Brandon Rios duel last November 2013 wherein the Sanman Boxing Gym stalwart pulled off  a third-round knockout win over Indonesia’s Jason Butar.

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission. For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Boxing Series please visit Sanman Promotions’ official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.

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



         
         
         


Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Happy 4th Of July 2018


We here at The Boxing Truth® would like to wish everyone a Happy and safe Fourth of July. We would also like to remind readers that new material discussing the recent revival of Bareknuckle Boxing will be released on Friday, July 13th. 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

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Foley Inks With Dragon Fire Boxing

Kerry Foley Credit: Tony Tolj
Press Release: July 3, 2018 by Dragon Fire Boxing – Leading Australian Super Middleweight “Captain Kerry Foley” has signed a multi-year managerial agreement with prominent boxing managerial company Dragon Fire Boxing. Foley has joined the growing stable of fighters, World rated fighters Reagan Dessaix, Andrew Moloney and Jason Moloney who has just entered the prestigious World Boxing Super Series.

Kerry Foley returns September 7th in Melbourne to challenge World rated Jayde Mitchell for the interim WBA Oceania Super Middleweight Title in Melbourne on a Big Time Boxing event.

Foley discusses the transition from part-time to full-time boxer & the improvement training under Arnel “Peter” Barotillo.

“With the help of some very close people they have turned me into a full time fighter, which means I train all year round no matter what I have organised. Iv had the last year in fight prep. This is just an added 10 weeks with titles at the end of the rainbow. 

Best thing iv done in my life. Arnel’s style is perfect for me and I enjoy going to the gym every day with him. Learning so much and he has so much more to teach. I can also understand words that he has made up that no one else can 

“Dragon Fire Boxing have done everything that they said they could and would do. My job is a boxer so I train and fight and leave the rest in their capable hands and they are doing awesome. 1 fight with them and I’ve got Jayde Mitchell. Can’t ask for any more.

“You wanna see me knock people out, raise the flags. No Quarter given, Australia is gonna have a real world champion. One that hits harder then anyone in the division, is exciting and has an iq higher then his age. 

Excited is an understatement, I love my job I love being in there and I cannot wait to show Australia what Captain Kerry Foley does. I’m more then just rum” 

 – States Foley

 Material Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing/ Photo Courtesy of: Tony Tolj Used with permission.

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