Saturday, November 30, 2019

CANOY TO FACE JOYI FOR IBO 105 LBS WORLD TITLE


Credit: Sanman Promotions

Press Release: November 30, 2019 By Sanman Promotions – It’s another world title fight for a Filipino as Joey Canoy (W15 KO8 L3 D1) faces former minimumweight world champion Nkosinathi Joyi (W28 KO19 L5 D1) for the IBO World Minimumweight belt on December 16, 2019 at the ICC Hotel,  East London South Africa.


Canoy has been on knockout winning streaking recently beating Ryan Makiputin and Rodel Tejares. Meanwhile, Joyi’s latest win was a unanimous decision against Nhlanhla Tyirha for the WBO African light flyweight title. Joyi has the experience advantage having faced former world champions including two TKO losses to our Filipino champion Rey Loreto.


Canoy could not contain his excitement on the fight. “I’ve been training for two months now and am in perfect shape for the fight. This is my biggest fight. It’s an opportunity I will grab and I will do everything to bring home that IBO belt. Thank you so much Sanman for this opportunity”, Canoy said.


For Sanman CEO Jim Claude Manangquil, “It’s another break for Canoy to be a world champion. I know he will give it his all to get that belt. For me, he is the best minimumweight in the country right now and has everything it will take to beat Joyi.”

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.




Friday, November 29, 2019

Has Wilder Silenced His Critics?



Throughout Boxing history there are countless stories of fighters who are able to achieve a level of dominance as world champions throughout their careers. From Joe Louis, to Rocky Marciano, to fighters like Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, and Mike Tyson to name a few, there have been several dominant champions who each made their footprint in the history of the sport. All of these fighters each had lengthy reigns atop Boxing’s Heavyweight division.

As much as Boxing history is filled with stories of dominant champions, so too are stories of the criticism each champion had to deal with. All of the former Heavyweight world champions mentioned at the beginning of this column though dominant in their respective reigns as champion, were also not immune from criticism.

While criticism can range from the average fan, to the knowledgeable fan, to those who cover the sport like yours truly, to even fellow fighters, most dominant world champions throughout the entire sport of Boxing deal with some form of criticism at some point in their reign. Enter WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. 

Wilder's rise to Heavyweight dominance is one that has been chronicled extensively by this observer here on The Boxing Truth® as well as in other media outlets. Despite a career knockout percentage of well over 90%, Wilder has also not been immune from criticism. In his case, most of the criticism has been rooted in his not facing s significant test for several years and once he was tested, more questions being asked than were answered.

Thus far only two tests have been provided to the reigning WBC Heavyweight world champion that created both questions and debate about Wilder. This observer is referring to his bouts with Luis Ortiz and undefeated former Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. Two fighters who each were able to give Wilder more difficulty than any previous opponent. Although the outcome of Wilder’s encounter with Fury, a split decision draw remains a topic of debate throughout the Boxing community, his encounter with Ortiz also left questions for the champion to answer.

As most Boxing Aficionados know, when Ortiz met Wilder in March of last year he became the first fighter to provide the champion with a stern test. Although Ortiz would suffer three knockdowns over the course of the fight and would ultimately be stopped in the tenth round, he gave a solid account of himself in defeat. For the first time in Wilder’s career not only did he have to overcome being hurt for the time, but also had to overcome what appeared to be a deficit on the scorecards to stop an opponent late in the fight. Though Wilder would experience similar circumstances in his fight with Tyson Fury in December of last year in getting two knockdowns to retain his world championship by a draw, Ortiz’ performance against him was deserving of a rematch.

The rematch would come on November 23rd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. In previewing this fight, I stated that Wilder needed to avoid the straight left hand that Ortiz was able to land frequently in the first fight. The second encounter began at a measured pace and  in some ways it resembled the first fight. Ortiz found success in landing his straight left hand both to the head and body of Wilder.

Wilder meanwhile, was consistent in throwing his jab and landing his right hand on Ortiz. Although both fighters executed their offense sparingly, it seemed that Ortiz had a slight advantage due largely to his waiting for the right opportunity to come forward and land his left hand. It can be a difficult task to determine who has the upper hand in a fight that is fought in the way that several rounds in this rematch were, but often it will come down to who is able to execute their offense in w way to stand out from their opponent. For a portion of this fight, that fighter was Luis Ortiz in this observer’s eyes. 

While the aspect of statistics were not overwhelmingly in favor of either fighter, it appeared as the fight entered round seven that Deontay Wilder was facing a deficit on the scorecards. The champion however, would show that in Boxing and by extension all combat sports sometimes all a fighter needs is one punch/strike to end matters.

In the closing seconds of round seven, Wilder connected with a flush straight right hand to the head head sending Ortiz down on his back on the canvas. Although Ortiz tried to beat the count, he was unable to do so and the champion successfully retained his crown. Wilder’s tenth successful title defense of his WBC world championship puts him among a select group of fighters to have compiled a double-digit number of successful defenses. 

In scoring his second knockout win over Luis Ortiz, Wilder may have begun to answer some of his critics. From this observer’s perspective, Wilder did accomplish his goal of answering questions that surfaced against the first fighter to give him a test by removing doubts by producing a more conclusive outcome the second time around.

If there is one thing that should be a concern going forward comes from comments Wilder made in an interview with the Fox Sports broadcast team following the fight where he eluded to not needing to win rounds due to having the punching power to end a fight at any time. Although Wilder’s record speaks for itself in scoring knockouts in forty-one of his forty-two career wins cannot be disputed, a mentality of not needing to score points to win fights is a potentially dangerous one to have.

In some ways however, it does remind me of stories I have heard and read through the years of a similar mentality that George Foreman had during his first reign as a Heavyweight world champion in the 1970’s. Much like Wilder, Foreman was noted for his punching power and was not known as a fighter who tried to win fights by scoring decisions. Although Foreman met his match when he was defeated in October 1974 by Muhammad Ali, when Foreman began his comeback in 1987 he was w more tactical fighter and while he still maintained the punching power that struck fear in many Heavyweights, he also developed the poise to win rounds in order to score decision wins when he had to.

This is something Wilder should keep in mind as he moves forward. It appears Wilder’s eleventh title defense will come in February 2020 against the only other opponent to put a scare into the champion, Tyson Fury in what will be the third rematch of Wilder’s career. Even though Wilder’s power was able to score two knockdowns of Fury late in their fight in December of last year, he should keep in mind that without those two knockdowns, Fury would have won a decision over him. With this in mind, the champion should keep in mind that the ability to win rounds is important. Even if a fighter is blessed to have the punching power that Wilder has, sometimes a fighter needs to score points in order to win a fight. Simply put, sometimes the opportunity to score a knockout will not be there.

“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

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving



We would like to wish our readers a Happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. New material discussing the recent Heavyweight world championship rematch between Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz will be released here on the website on Friday, November 29th. 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, November 26, 2019

Mundine-Parr: Combat Sports Next Curiosity



One of the biggest events in Combat Sports history was when two-division MMA world champion Connor McGregor, one of the biggest stars in not just the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), but in the entire sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) stepped out of his comfort zone to challenge future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather in the Boxing ring in August 2017. Although the fight was “A Curiosity” as this observer said prior to it and one that was heavily criticized by some fans and those inside Boxing, it did succeed as a Pay-Per-View attraction in generating 4.3 million buys at a near $100 price tag.

While the actual fight did surprise many including yours truly in being more than an event, the outcome was what many expected. Floyd Mayweather stopped Connor McGregor in the tenth round of a fight that did have periods where it was competitive. The fight may not have surprised many in terms of the outcome, but it did show that there is interest in seeing fighters from different primary combat sports disciplines squaring off against each other that in some ways conjures up memories of the original tournament format the sport of MMA was based on many years ago. Even though the sport of MMA has moved far beyond the days of one night tournament style competition, there remains the same “Curiosity “ of what would happen if two fighters from different primary disciplines squared off against each other.

Such an occasion will take place on November 30th at  CBUS Stadium in Queensland, Australia as former IBO Middleweight world Boxing champion Anthony Mundine will face former multi-time world Kickboxing champion John Wayne Parr in a fight fought under traditional Boxing rules scheduled for ten rounds. This fight pits two of the top stars of Australian combat sports against each other under circumstances where much like Mayweather-McGregor the interest may be as much about the event as what will take place inside the ring.

For Anthony Mundine, this will be his first fight in exactly one year since being knocked out in the first round at the hands of former WBO Welterweight world champion Jeff Horn in November of last year. As some might recall in this observer’s coverage of that fight, Mundine was not able to offer much resistance as the former Middleweight world champion was knocked out in 1:36. At forty-three years old at the time of that loss, I frankly did not think Mundine, who has a record of 48-9, with 28 Knockouts, would be back in the ring as coincidentally his fight against Parr will come exactly one year later.

As for John Wayne Parr he has one advantage that Connor McGregor did not have prior to facing Floyd Mayweather. Parr does have Professional Boxing experience and will enter this fight with a record of 10-3, with all ten of those victories coming by knockout. Although Parr has never been stopped in his thirteen previous bouts as s pro boxer, his last bout in a professional Boxing fight was over sixteen years ago when he lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Sakio Bika, who would eventually go on to win a world championship.

Parr is more known for his success as a kickboxer under both traditional and Muay Thai formats where he has won world championships in multiple weight classes and various Kickboxing promotions including the ISKA and K-1 where he amassed a combined record of 99-33, with 46 Knockouts. When you factor in his thirteen bouts as a pro boxer, Parr has competed in one hundred-forty-five professional fights in his combat sports career. Although Parr has not competed professionally in Boxing in many years, he does know how to get an opponent out of there should the opportunity arise. Much like Mundine however, it is logical to ask at forty-three years old and after so many fights across two combat sports and three disciplines how much John Wayne Parr could have left to give as a fighter.


When yours truly was informed about this fight, several thoughts did come to mind. Obviously, I asked myself the same question in regard to both fighters, what do they have left to give? I also found myself as someone who spent several years of his career covering Boxing as an overseas correspondent for The Fist in Australia, and as someone who to this day tries to cover as much of the Australian Boxing scene as I can, legitimately wondering what may or may not happen when the two fighters square off, knowing what both are capable of in their respective primary disciplines, and having seen what both can do at their respective best.

The same “Curiosity” that tends to reel in fans ranging from the casual to the aficionado can indeed even intrigue those of us who cover combat sports full time. Speaking only for myself, even with all the negative things that can be associated with Boxing and by extension all combat sports, which unfortunately tends to get more attention than the good combat sports have to offer, this is one of the rare times in over two decades that there is no real analysis that this observer can offer because quite frankly, the reader’s guess is as good as mine as to what may or may not happen.  Although we obviously won’t know the answer until after Mundine and Parr meet, it definitely has me “Curious.” We will simply have to see what Anthony Mundine and John Wayne Parr have to offer on November 30th.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Mundine vs. Parr takes place on Saturday, November 30th at CBUS Stadium in Queensland, Australia. The fight as well as a five fight undercard can been seen globally on FITE.TV for $24.99. FITE TV is available on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. For more information about FITE TV including schedules, where to download the FITE app and how to install the app on your preferred streaming device 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



Monday, November 25, 2019

Reagan Dessaix Ready To Head To Austria For WBC Title Clash On December 7


Press Release: November 25, 2019 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Reagan Dessaix's wish of boxing abroad has been granted, as the highly-rated Australian light heavyweight heads to Austria on December 7 to face Austrian champion Mansur Elsaev. 
Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Elsaev has 10 wins via stoppage in his first 12 professional contests which have all resulted in victory for the Austrian based Russian. Elsaev now takes a step up in class as he takes on the tried and tested Reagan Dessaix who many are tipping for world titles in the coming years.

Australian Dessaix opened up on the opportunity of traveling to Central Europe and attempt to gatecrash the WBC world rankings, "Firstly I'd like to thank my manager Tony Tolj and all of my training team for getting me this opportunity and getting me prepared for the challenge that I face in Austria.

"I've had two good wins in my last two outings and I've shown that I am well beyond my years experience-wise and I believe that this will be a telling factor in the fight and I'm fully confident I will emerge victoriously and I will do it in style.

Dessaix has already held 5 titles a professional with the WBA, IBF, and WBC alongside winning the Australian national title and lost controversially to Blake Caparello. 'The President' discussed his professional journey so far and how that will effect his clash with Elsaev.

Dessaix stated, "I have a lot of experience as a professional and have mixed it with some of the best in the world and I know when I did with Caparello as I believe I won that fight as do most of the Australian boxing public.

"I have operated at a much higher level than Elsaev and I believe that this will pay dividends in the fight. I believe I am a future world champion and I need to be beating opposition like this and then I can push through the world rankings and challenge for world titles.

"The light heavyweight division has the best champions in boxing in my opinion. I want to mix it with the best and the likes of Berterbiev and Kovalev who are some of the world's most elite fighters and that's where I'm aiming to be in boxing."

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

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

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Smith Defeats Ryder



Undefeated WBA Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith scored s hard-fought twelve round unanimous decision over mandatory challenger John Ryder on Saturday night at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England. Despite being at a height disadvantage, the 5’9 Ryder brought the fight to the 6’3 Smith from the outset. Smith appeared to have trouble getting into a rhythm early due to the challenger’s bobbing and weaving. In short, this was a story of two different fights. When the combat was confined to the center of the ring the advantage generally went to the champion Smith, but when Ryder was able to execute his offense in spurts and force the fight on the inside where Smith was being pushed back, it was his advantage. Several of the rounds in this fight were close due largely to the ebb and flow seeming to turn frequently between the two fighters where who got the nod came down to specific moments in a round. Both fighters suffered cuts as a result of clashing heads throughout the fight, but this would prove to be s non-factor in the bout.

As the fight progressed, Ryder’s aggression and effective work to the champion’s body began to frustrate Smith. While Smith was the more effective fighter when he was able to keep the fight in the center of the ring and was most effective with his right hand throughout, it became a question as is often the case in close fights of what a judge prefers in their own criteria of scoring based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense that would ultimately determine who would win this fight. At the end of the twelve round world championship bout, Callum Smith had done enough in the three official judges eyes to earn the unanimous decision victory. Official scores were 116-112 (On two scorecards), and 117-111 all in favor of Callum Smith. Callum Smith advances to 27-0, with 19 Knockouts. John Ryder falls to 28-5, with 16 Knockouts.


Also on this card:


In a Lightweight bout former European Jr. Lightweight champion and former world title challenger James Tennyson scored an eleventh round stoppage over Craig Evens. James Tennyson advances to 26-3, with 23 Knockouts. Craig Evens falls to 20-3-2, with 3 Knockouts.

A Jr. Welterweight bout billed as an elimination bout for a shot at the World Boxing Council (WBC) world championship between contenders Tom Farrell and Sean Dodd ended in a four round technical decision after four rounds due to an accidental clash of heads that caused a deep gash over the right eye of Farrell. The fight saw several exchanges between the two fighters, who each had periods of effectiveness, but at the time of the stoppage, it was Dodd who appeared to be getting the better of the action. At the time of the stoppage, Dodd was ahead on two official scorecards giving him the win. Sean Dodd advances to 17-5-1, with 3Tom Farrell falls to 17-3, with 5 Knockouts. 


In a battle for the vacant Commonwealth Cruiserweight championship, Chris Billiam-Smith scored an impressive fifth round knockout over Craig Glover. Both fighters had their moments early on, but Billiam-Smith’s harder punches gradually allowed him to take control. In round four, a flush right hand to the head set off a barrage of punches that sent Glover down. Although Glover was able to survive the round, the punishment continued in round five as Billiam-Smith scored two more knockdowns of Glover leading to s stoppage at 1:45 of the fifth round. Chris Billiam-Smith advances to 10-1, with 9 Knockouts. Craig Glover falls to 10-3, with 8 Knockouts.


Jr. Middleweight Anthony Fowler scored a workmanlike ten round decision over previously undefeated Harry Scarff. Fowler was in control from the opening bell and scored a knockdown of Scarff with a short left hook to the head in round nine on the way to a convincing victory.Anthony Fowler advances to 11-1, with 8 Knockouts. Harry Scarff falls to 8-1, with 1 Knockout.


Light-Heavyweight Thomas Whitaker-Hart remained unbeaten by scoring a fifth round stoppage of Josip Perkovic. Whitaker-Hart used his tall 6’0 frame to pressure Perkovic. A combination in round five by Whitaker-Hart caused Perkovic to turn his back causing a stoppage at 1:26 of round five. Thomas Whitaker-Hart advances to 4-0, with 2 Knockouts. Josip Perkovic falls to 6-11-1, with 3 Knockouts.

Jr. Welterweight Steven Smith scored a six round decision over Jonny Phillips. Steven Smith advances to 28-4, with 15 Knockouts. Jonny Phillips falls to 5-3, with 2 Knockouts.

Also in the Jr. Welterweight division, Tom Aitchison scored the second win of his career by scoring a four round decision over Matija Petrinic. Tom Aitchison advances to 2-0, with 0 Knockouts. Matija Petrinic falls to 1-2, with 0 Knockouts.

Undefeated Lightweight Marcos Molloy scored a four round decision over Jamie Quinn. Marcos Molloy advances to 2-0, with 0 Knockouts. Jamie Quinn falls to 6-95-2, with 0 Knockouts.

Although Callum Smith was given a more difficult fight against John Ryder than some had expected, he still did what he needed to do to retain his world championship. From this observer’s perspective, I felt Ryder did enough to win the fight as I scored it eight rounds to four in his favor or 116-112 in points. It was the kind of fight where depending on one’s perspective scores and opinion as to who won it can vary. As for what’s next for Callum Smith, he remains in good position to potentially secure lucrative fights in either the 168lb. Super-Middleweight or 175lb. Light-Heavyweight divisions. Though this was not the showcase type of performance some may have thought it would be for Smith, he did get the win and sometimes that is all a fighter can do.

Could Callum Smith be s potential opponent for the likes of Billy Joe Saunders and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2020? In Boxing just about anything is possible, but after a hard fight with John Ryder, who will remain a contender and who’s stock goes up in defeat, Smith has earned a chance to rest and think about what he will do next.

“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, November 22, 2019

Ortiz To Face Solomon On December 13TH


Press Release: By DAZN – INDIO, CALIF. (Nov. 22, 2019): Vergil Ortiz Jr. (14-0, 14 KOs) will look to end the 2019 year with another spectacular knockout win when he defends his WBA Gold Welterweight Title against Brad “King” Solomon (28-1, 9 KOs) in a 12-round fight. The event will take place Friday, Dec. 13 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live as part of fight season on DAZN.  
Credit: Golden Boy Promotions 

“We’re absolutely proud of what Vergil Ortiz Jr. has been able to accomplish in his young career,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “That’s why we’re ending the year with him in an exciting main event fight on DAZN. The 147-pound division is one of the most competitive and popular divisions in boxing, so another knockout win will put this young talent on the path to very big fights in 2020.”

Since debuting as a professional in 2016, Ortiz Jr. knocked out every opponent in sight. The native of Grand Prairie, Texas, who has roots in Michoacan, Mexico, will return after passing the toughest test of his career with flying colors: a sixth-round stoppage victory against former world title challenger Antonio “Relentless” Orozco earlier this year. This young man is excited to return to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, the place where he made his professional debut over three years ago.

“Fantasy Springs has a special place in my heart,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. “I made my pro debut there in July 2016. Knowing I’m headlining there is motivating me to show my fans out there how much I have improved over the years. I’m also happy because an event like this shows that I’m on the right path. Everything is going as it should be. I’ve seen Brad Solomon’s record. I’ve seen that he’s beaten Adrian Granados and Ray Robinson, so you have to be pretty skilled to beat people like them. I don’t know how this fight ends, but you can all expect a great fight.”

Solomon is a 36-year-old contender of Lafayette, Lousiana who was a standout amateur boxer before debuting as a professional in 2008. Aside from winning several Golden Gloves titles, Solomon also possess an amateur win over Javier Molina. As a professional, he as defeated tough fighters such as Freddy “The Rail” Hernandez and Adrian “El Tigre” Granados. Solomon will look to put is career back on track to a world title if he can get past Ortiz Jr.

“Vergil Ortiz Jr. is a great young prospect,” said Brad Solomon. “It’s going to be a good matchup. I’ve been out of the ring for about a year, so I have to come back and beat this young fighter. I have to show everyone in the welterweight division that I’m still here.”

Also, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, Golden Boy Business Partner and Hall of Famer, will be the special VIP guest for this event. Hopkins will be in attendance for this event to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures inside the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center. The meet-and-greet is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket to the event.

In the co-main event, Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (21-2, 17 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico will make his highly anticipated return in a 10-round fight. Machado will officially make his debut at 135 pounds after losing his WBA Super Featherweight World Title against Andrew “El Chango” Cancio. Machado will look to make a campaign for a world title in this new division.

Erik Bazinyan (23-0, 17 KOs) of Quebec, Canada will defend his NABA Super Middleweight World Title in a 10-round clash. Bazinyan is inching closer to a world title with each battle, and he’ll look to maintain his top contender status with an impressive win to close out the year. Opponents for Machado and Bazinyan will be announced shortly.

Golden Boy is also proud to announce two high-level matchups that are sure to produce fistic fireworks.

Alexis “Lex” Rocha (14-0, 9 KOs) of Santa Ana, Calif. will defend his WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title in a 10-round bout against Michael “The Artist” Perez (25-3-1, 11 KOs) of Newark, N.J.

Luis Feliciano (13-0, 8 KOs) of Milwaukee, Wis. will defend his NABF Super Lightweight Title against Herbert “Ace” Acevedo (16-2-1, 6 KOs) of Garden City, Kansas in a 10-round fight.

Genaro “El Conde” Gamez (9-1, 6 KOs) of San Diego, Calif. will open the night in an eight-round lightweight clash.

Ortiz vs. Solomon is a 12-round fight for the WBA Gold Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Tecate, "THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING," and Hennessy "Never Stop. Never Settle." The event will take place Friday, Dec. 13 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live on DAZN. 

Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Nov. 22 at 10:00 a.m. PT are priced at $25, $35 and $45. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com. 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. 
Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #OrtizSolomon 

Material Courtesy of: DAZN/ Photo Courtesy of: Golden Boy Promotions Used with permission.

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

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Thoughts On BKFC 9


One of the biggest stories throughout all of combat sports over the last year has been the reemergence of Boxing in Bareknuckled form. As has been discussed by yours truly here at The Boxing Truth®️ over that time, this reemergence has seen several Bareknuckle Boxing promotions launch, each with its own unique presentation and in some cases, their own specific rules.  Although the influx of Bareknuckle Boxing promotions has seemed to adopt a similar approach in terms of a business model to that of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) with fighters being exclusive to one promotion and rules varying on promotion, modernized Bareknuckle Boxing has certainly drummed up interest. 

A promotion that has been front and center in the resurfacing of Boxing in Bareknuckled form has been the Bareknuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). In the relatively short period of time since its inception, the BKFC has staged cards in Wyoming, Mississippi, and Florida. BKFC 9 took place on November 16th at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum And Convention Center in Biloxi, MS. The card featured two marquee bouts in what was called co-main events. In the final bout of the evening, a highly anticipated rematch took place in the Jr. Middleweight division between UFC veterans Artem Lobov and Jason Knight. A rematch of a highly competitive and entertaining bout that took place at BKFC 5 in April of this year, which was won by Lobov in a close five round unanimous decision.

A question that I had going into this rematch was what type of fight would it be. The first encounter between the two was near non-stop toe to toe action from the opening bell. While such fights will almost always earn unanimous praise from fans due largely to the entertainment value they provide, it is illogical to expect those types of battles to take place on a regular basis especially in bouts that are fought under Bareknuckle rules. Regardless of the form of Boxing whether amateur or professional, there are times however, where two fighters respective styles will mesh well to produce similar battles no matter how many times they are pitted against each other.

As is the case with most rematches, it is always of interest to see which fighter can make the necessary adjustments that may need to be made from their performance in the previous encounter. Although most fights fought under the Bareknuckle format are known for being fast-paced and rarely go the distance, there have been flashes of technique in several bouts since the sport in Bareknuckled form has reemerged. With the final bout on this card being a rematch, it wasn’t a stretch to think that this encounter might kook a little different in terms of the pace of combat given that the fighters have faced each other before.

What was immediately noticeable at the start of this fight was not only the healthy respect the two fighters had for each other, stemming from their battle earlier this year, but also both appeared more measured in their approach this time around. I was impressed particularly with how well Jason Knight used head movement and worked behind a consistent jab. This led to not only the forming of a mouse under Lobov’s right eye as a result of the jab Knight was able to execute, but also a knockdown in the second round with a right hand.

The primary difference in this fight compared to the first encounter was Knight’s ability to time Lobov with lateral movement and avoid being put into a toe to toe war. He accomplished this by controlling distance and being an elusive target. Artem Lobov just couldn’t seem to find a way to get in a consistent rhythm due largely to Knight’s movement and varying his attack to the body and head. A short left hook to the head sent Lobov to the canvas for a second time in round five, but this time the fight would be stopped. 


While the rematch between Lobov and Knight was not as filled with back and forth action as their first encounter, I feel with one win each, it is logical to think there will be a third bout between the two at some point in the future. Whether or not that third fight takes place in a relatively short time as the rematch took place following the first fight is anyone’s guess, but I feel after two grueling battles in such a short period and keeping in mind that these bouts were fought under the Bareknuckle format both fighters need time to recuperate.

Although I don’t want to go through each individual bout that took place on the undercard of Lobov-Knight 2, I do want to share some thoughts on the two Heavyweight bouts that took place. First, a bout between MMA veterans Wes Combs and Adrian Miles was over almost as quickly as it began, but did have an element of controversy that should be discussed.

As the bell rang for the start of round one, Miles immediately charging Combs and unleashing a barrage of punches that sent Combs down. Miles however, landed one punch to the head of Combs while Combs was down on the canvas. Combs managed to get to his feet, but the fight was waved off in an indication similar to a knockout/technical stoppage. This created some confusion at the time because the referee Bill Clancy had ruled a disqualification against Miles and awarding the victory to Combs.

The reemergence of Bareknuckle Boxing in its modernized current form has opened further s for fighters across all combat sports disciplines including MMA fighters. While the foul against Combs in this fight was clear and the ruling of a disqualification under Boxing rules was correct, one should keep in mind that a punch strike from a standing position to a downed opponent is legal in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights and it seemed to be a mental lapse by Miles. 

Even though understandable to a degree as some fighters compete in multiple combat sports depending on whatever opportunities might be available to them, the ruling of a disqualification was indeed the right call. Some may feel however, that Clancy perhaps should have given Miles a warning rather than disqualifying him outright. I believe one reason why Clancy made the call he did beyond a clear foul having taken place was even though Combs was able to make it to his feet, he was in no condition to continue thus making the ruling of a disqualification the appropriate call as the foul was not accidental.

The second bout of the co-main event was a battle for the BKFC Heavyweight world championship between champion Chase Sherman and Joey Beltran. Much like the other half of the co-main event, this encounter pitted two MMA veterans against each other. Although bouts that are fought under the Bareknuckle format are known for often being quick and brutal, it is always of interest to me to see which fighters can implement Boxing skill and strategy though competing in a different form of Professional Boxing than traditional.

In this fight it appeared the fighter who would be able to execute an effective Boxing strategy was the champion Chase Sherman. What stood out in my eyes was how well Sherman was able to use side to side movement along with a good jab and mixing in short combinations to offset the consistent pressure of Beltran. Sherman used his longer reach to accomplish much of the success he was able to have offensively and from my perspective, he was able to control the tempo of combat for the first three rounds of the five round world championship bout.

Beltran however, did have his moments early on particularly when he was able to land on the inside and fight effectively while in clinches, which is legal under Bareknuckle rules. As the fight progressed, Beltran’s pressure and heavier blows gradually took their effective on the champion.


The challenger took over the tempo in rounds four and five, forcing Sherman backward and unable to use the movement and combination punching that worked in his favor in the first three rounds. It was clear that both due to the constant movement, the pace of the fight, and Beltran’s overall aggression that fatigue became a factor for Sherman.

At the conclusion of five rounds, the judges turned in a unanimous decision in favor of Joey Beltran making him the new BKFC Heavyweight world champion. Although the exact scoring for this fight was not announced, I felt the decision was correct. My reasoning is based on Beltran’s seemingly harder punches and greater activity over the final two rounds. Despite my feeling that Sherman was in control after three rounds, the ebb and flow was starting to turn in Beltran’s favor by the end of round three after landing some flush hooks and it is understandable how that might have been enough to sway opinion for Beltran as having won round three before clearly winning rounds four and five. A rematch between the two would not be a bad idea for the BKFC to try and make sometime in 2020, in this observer’s opinion.

With now nine cards in its existence in the books, the BKFC finds itself in a great position heading into 2020. While it remains to be seen whether or not any other notable world champions in traditional Professional Boxing will test the Bareknuckled waters as Paul Malignaggi did earlier this year, the BKFC as a promotion is likely to continue growing going forward.

“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, November 20, 2019

MEXICAN STAR JAIME MUNGUIA TO MAKE MIDDLEWEIGHT DEBUT AGAINST IRISH PUNCHER GARY ‘SPIKE’ O’SULLIVAN


Press Release By DAZN – SAN ANTONIO (Nov. 20, 2019): Golden Boy will kick off the 2020 year with an exciting battle between Mexico and Ireland as Jaime Munguia (34-0, 27 KOs) makes his middleweight debut against Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (30-3, 21 KOs) in a 12-round bout on Saturday, Jan. 11 at The Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. This fight will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. 
Credit: Golden Boy Promotions 

Undercard information for this event will be announced shortly.

“Golden Boy always likes to kick the year off with a bang, and January 11 will be no exception,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Jaime Munguia is developing into a big star in this sport, so we’re happy that our strategic partnership with Zanfer Promotions has been able to continually deliver great fights featuring this young talent. At the same time, ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan is an exciting puncher with a lot of experience, so Munguia will have to come very well prepared with all that he’s been learning under trainer Erik Morales. It also goes without saying that their styles are guaranteed to make for a fun fight for as long as it lasts.”

Munguia is a 23-year-old boxer of Tijuana, Mexico who catapulted to the highest levels of the 154-pound division by knocking out Sadam "World Kid" Ali in May to capture the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title. Munguia then defended his title against Liam "Beefy" Smith, Brandon "Bad Boy" Cook, Takeshi Inoue, Dennis Hogan and Patrick Allotey. After five defenses at junior middleweight, Munguia is ready to take on new challenges in the very stacked division of 160 pounds.

“I feel very happy to be starting the year 2020 with a great fight at a great place like San Antonio, Texas,” said Jaime Munguia. “I have fought in Houston, Texas before, where the people there treated me very well. I think that San Antonio won’t be any different. We’re going to deliver a great fight against a tough fighter in Gary O’Sullivan. He’s great and he’s strong, but we’re going to come very well prepared. We plan to do an excellent job and make it very clear who is the best in the ring. Thank you to all, and we’ll see you this January 11 in San Antonio, Texas!”

“I’m very proud of who I consider to be the best and most beloved Mexican fighter, Jaime Munguia,” said Fernando Beltran, CEO of Zanfer Promotions. “He’ll start the new year off for Aztec Boxing on January 11 against a very tough opponent in his first fight at middleweight.”

O’Sullivan is a 35-year-old contender who is known for his lively personality outside the ring and his exciting aggression in the ring. The native of Cork, Ireland is coming off two impressive victories and has faced the likes of Antoine Douglas, Chris Eubank Jr. and Billy Joe Saunders throughout an impressive professional career that has lasted more than a decade. O’Sullivan will look to derail Munguia’s plans at 160 pounds on January 11 
Credit: Golden Boy Promotions 

“For me it’s a dream come true to fight the undefeated champion of the world and the number one ranked fighter in the world,” said Gary O’Sullivan. “It makes it even better that he’s Mexican. I grew up watching the great Mexican champions and to get the opportunity to fight Jaime is an honor. I will leave no stone unturned in my preparation for this fight. I can’t recall feeling more motivated by any other fight in my career thus far. I believe this fight will be a war that the fans will talk about for many years to come.”

“Spike always knew in the back of his mind that one day he would have to fight Jaime Munguia,” said Packie Collins, Manager and Trainer of Gary O’Sullivan. “We have gone through every different scenario of how to approach this fight if it were to take place. I would like to thank both Jaime, Golden Boy and Murphy’s Boxing for handing Spike this huge opportunity. Come Jan 11, Spike will be ready for whatever Jaime Munguia turns up on the night of the fight.”

“Jaime Munguia is stepping up to one of the best divisions in boxing,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP, North America. “We wanted to extend the Fight Season momentum into 2020 by scheduling a fight in early January. Thanks to the fighters for staying on weight over the holidays!”

Munguia vs. O’Sullivan is a 12-round middleweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions and Murphy’s Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy "Never Stop. Never Settle." The event will take place Saturday, Jan. 11 at The Alamodome in San Antonio and be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. 

Tickets for Munguia vs. O’Sullivan go on sale to the public on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 12:00 pm C.T. Tickets are priced at $200, $100, $65, $40 and $25 plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketsmaster.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available at the Alamodome box office, which is open Monday – Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm C.T. and Saturdays and Sundays when events are taking place at the Alamodome.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaOSullivan

Material Courtesy of:DAZN/Photos Courtesy of:Golden Boy Promotions Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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


Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Wilder-Ortiz 2: Expect The Unexpected?

The year 2019 will conclude with two anticipated rematches with every portion of the World Heavyweight championship at stake between the two encounters. Although most of the attention has centered on the second encounter between unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO world champion Andy Ruiz and former champion Anthony Joshua, which will take place on December 7th in Saudi Arabia, the first of these two rematches is just as intriguing. This observer is speaking of course of the rematch between undefeated WBC world champion Deontay Wilder and longtime top contender Luis Ortiz. A rematch that will headline a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View card on November 23rd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

Wilder, the longest reigning current world champion in the division has defended his crown successfully nine times since winning the world championship from Bermane Stiverne in January 2015. The reign of Wilder has been marked largely by the reputation he had built as a contender. A reputation of being a “Knockout Artist.” In his forty-two professional fights, Wilder has scored knockouts in forty of those bouts registering a career knockout percentage of over 95%.

The champion last defended his crown in May of this year scoring a first round knockout of number one rated WBC contender Dominic Breazeale in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to that victory however, Wilder survived two of the toughest tests of his career. Most would point to the draw he had with undefeated former unified world champion Tyson Fury in December of last year as being the toughest of those tests as two knockdowns during the second half of the fight allowed Wilder to retain his title with a draw that was seen as controversial in the eyes of some.

Before Wilder was tested by Fury, the champion fought a grueling battle against Ortiz in March of last year. Much like Wilder, Ortiz had established himself as one of the Heavyweight division’s “Knockout Artists” having scored knockouts in twenty-four of his twenty-eight career wins prior to challenging Wilder. The question for Ortiz, who was also unbeaten at the time of the fight was whether or not he could provide a legitimate test for Wilder.

The fight was surprisingly tactical given both fighters reputations as power punchers. Ortiz appeared to have significant success fighting out of his customary southpaw stance and did connect more than occasionally with his straight left hand. This as well as being able to make the champion miss was something that worked strongly in Ortiz’ favor. 

As much success as Ortiz was able to have in the first fight however, he also felt Wilder’s power. With the fight appearing to be in Ortiz’ favor, Wilder was able to turn the momentum in the fifth round by landing a flush straight right hand that sent Ortiz down. This as much as any previous fight showed how Wilder has the ability and punching power to change the tempo with one punch.

While the saying that “It only takes one punch” holds true for virtually any fight in the sport of Boxing, it is especially true when talking about the Heavyweight division. Although Luis Ortiz also has the type of punching to turn or end a fight suddenly in his favor, he must be wary of Wilder’s power at all times.

Following the knockdown of Ortiz in round five of the first fight, it was Ortiz that showed the ability to recuperate and he badly staggered Wilder in round seven with a counter right hook followed by a barrage of power shots. This was the first time in this observer’s view that Wilder had been significantly in danger in his career. The champion would also show the ability to recover and ultimately would regain control of the fight late in the ninth round staggering Ortiz with a right hook that landed on the temple. With the momentum in his favor, Wilder was ultimately able to score two knockdowns in round ten to earn a stoppage and retain his world championship.

Some may question why a rematch would be warranted because Wilder did score three knockdowns of Ortiz and did stop him in the first encounter. It is important to remember that Ortiz was the first fighter to provide the champion with a legitimate test and was the first man to put a scare into Wilder.

As the rematch approaches, the question that faces Wilder is will this fight be different in the sense of his being able to control the combat without being hurt by Ortiz. The only rematch Wilder has had as a professional prior to this fight against Luis Ortiz was his second encounter with Bermane Stiverne in November 2017. Although Stiverne was the first fighter to go the distance with Wilder in the fight where Wilder became a world champion in 2015, the rematch between the two was a destruction as the champion knocked Stiverne out in one round, scoring three knockdowns of the former world champion in the process. 

Though one should not use that rematch as a way to think of what might happen in Wilder’s second encounter with Ortiz, Wilder did show he can improve on his performance the second time around. How does the champion do that against Luis Ortiz? First and foremost, Wilder must avoid the straight left hand of Ortiz. The challenger was also able to make him miss and counter punch effectively in the first fight.

While this was also something that Wilder had difficulty with in his fight against Tyson Fury, one way to potentially avoid this would be for him to not be as wild, no pun intended, with his punches. Although Wilder has used his unorthodox style to his advantage throughout his career, but it could become a liability later in his career especially against skilled counter punchers such as Ortiz. If Wilder can shorten his punches and avoid over throwing his target he would be less susceptible to being countered in my view.

With the focus of the Boxing world firmly focused on these two bouts for portions of the World Heavyweight championship at stake, it will also be interesting to see not just in regard to the Wilder-Ortiz rematch, but also the Ruiz-Joshua rematch if the champions going into these fights are potentially looking past the immediate business at hand with the possibility of a potential unification bout for the Undisputed Heavyweight world championship in 2020 to consider.

If the circumstances that led to Andy Ruiz stepping into a world championship fight on limited notice against Anthony Joshua earlier this year and walking away as a unified world champion has proven anything it is anything can happen. While some may expect Deontay Wilder to emerge victorious based on what happened the last time he fought Luis Ortiz, Wilder should not focus on potential fights to come down the line. As Andy Ruiz proved when he stopped Anthony Joshua earlier this year, sometimes all it takes is for a fighter with nothing to lose to get an opportunity to upset the whole apple card of whatever potential opportunities may be ahead. Luis Ortiz has now received a second opportunity at a world championship. Whether he will be able to make the most of it remains to be seen.

“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

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Brief Update


We would like to let our readers know that new material is in the works discussing the Bareknuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC 9) event, which took place on November 16th, will be released on the website on Thursday, November 21st during the evening hours. 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