Monday, June 28, 2021

DAZN AND MATCHROOM UNVEIL EXCITING NEW ON-AIR TALENT ROSTER

 Press Release: By DAZN London, 28th June 2021 - Following recent news of a game-changing five-year global deal, DAZN, the leading global sports streaming platform, and Matchroom, the leading international boxing promoter, are thrilled to announce details of their exciting new on-air talent roster loaded with some of the best broadcasters in sport. 

Credit: DAZN 

 

This brand new on-air talent team will bring fight fans all of the ringside action, kicking off with an exhilarating second instalment of Fight Camp. Taking place at the stunning Matchroom HQ in Brentwood, Essex across three weekends - July 31, August 7 and August 14 - this festival of fights kicks off an unrivalled schedule for boxing fans and cements DAZN as THE global home of boxing. 

 

In a huge coup for DAZN and Matchroom, British broadcasting legend Mike Costello will take the reins as the lead commentator, leaving his role as the BBC’s Boxing and Athletics correspondent after 15 years. Having covered seven Olympics and countless World Title fights during his glittering career at the BBC, Costello has established himself as one of the most popular commentators in sport today.

 

The UK’s most talked about TV and radio broadcaster Maya Jama brings a fresh perspective to the team. Maya is a hugely influential personality and has presented a variety of flagship shows for Channel 4, ITV and the BBC across TV and radio. Most recently, she co-presented the BBC show Save Our Summer and Year-Late Euros with former England striker Peter Crouch. And she has also hosted numerous award shows such as the MOBOs, BRITS and 2020 BAFTA red carpet. 

 

Former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Tony Bellew is one of the most well-known fight figures in boxing following his retirement from the sport in 2018. The former PPV star lit up stadiums and arenas across the world during a memorable career and has since gone on to carve out a career as a media personality as well as a leading pundit in the sport.

 

Laura Woods joins the team as the 2021 SJA Sports Presenter of the Year and one of the leading broadcasters in the sports industry. She is a regular weekly broadcaster on national radio and TV, hosting talkSPORT radio’s Breakfast Show, one of the most listened to sports radio shows in the country.

 

Former WBO Middleweight World Champion Andy Lee remains one of the most prominent figures in boxing and holds a brilliant insight into coaching due to his involvement with Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker. The Irish fight legend possesses one of the sharpest minds in the sport and has quickly established himself as a fan favourite after stints with BBC Radio 5 Live and many more. 

 

Former IBF Middleweight World Champion Darren Barker and expert analyst Chris Lloyd have built an excellent relationship since they started working with each other across the Matchroom fight week build up shows back in September 2018. Fight fans will be delighted that the dynamic duo will continue to bring all of the big fight week build up and much more.  

 

DAZN Group EVP Joseph Markowski commented: “This stellar line-up of broadcasters underlines our commitment to bringing in a new era of global boxing, providing fans with the very best experience, as we roll out fights and wider programming on a scale never seen before. Each presenter will bring their own unique perspective and style to our coverage, as we take a fresh approach to this fast-growing sport, and will engage existing and new fans alike.”

 

Matchroom Boxing Chairman Eddie Hearn said: “I couldn’t be prouder of this team of talent that we have assembled for our ground-breaking new project. The launch of Matchroom Media has enabled us to form a cradle to grave mindset across inception to completion of our shows so we can deliver the live event experience to the viewer in the narrative and style in which we have built it.

 

“It’s a real mixture of industry legends and fresh new talent that will give us the credibility and the energy to drive this new era forward. Mike Costello has long been the fan favourite for live boxing commentary, and we are honoured to welcome him to the team. Maya Jama is now one of the leading broadcasters and personalities in British television, and brings a great new perspective to the audience to the audience, as a boxing fan and well-known sports presenter. We can’t wait to get started with Fight Camp next month!”

 

Mike Costello said: “I’ve had such a great time at the BBC for so long that I’ve always said it would take something special to persuade me to leave that role and I get the impression this is that something special. 

 

“I love the energy, ambition and passion around this new venture with DAZN and Matchroom. From black and white television, Boxing was one of the most popular sports where televised sports were growing. We then moved into the PPV and satellite era. Over the decades boxing has tended to move with the times in the media landscape and I think this is the next step of that journey.

 

“The clearest challenge is that on radio the task is to paint the pictures, on television the task is to add to what the viewers can already see. It’s a very different style of commentary but I have to bring all my experience from ringside on radio into television. This to me this is one of the attractions of the new role is taking on a new challenge at this stage of my career.

 

“This is a great chance for the big fights to happen more regularly and I’m looking forward to being the voice at ringside for many big nights to come.”

 

Maya Jama said: “I am thrilled to be joining DAZN and Matchroom. I’ve always loved boxing and this is a whole new adventure for me which I can’t wait to begin. I’m hoping to bring a new energy, flavour and vibe to one of my favourite sports and couldn’t be more excited to be working alongside such a fantastic and world class team.”

 

To become a subscriber, download the DAZN app on any internet-connected device, including living room devices such as smart TVs, streaming sticks and game consoles as well as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. A special introductory offer of £1.99 / €1.99 per month is currently available to UK & Ireland fans - for more information, visit www.DAZN.com

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN 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.

Schedule Update

 We would like to let our readers know that we are between rounds and will resume our regular schedule on Wednesday , July 7th. In the interim, any additional content that has been sent to us for release will be made available to readers as normal. 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

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Loop Media, Inc. to Deliver Exciting New Content in Partnership with FITE

 

Press Release: June 24, 2021 By FITE – Glendale, CA—June 24, 2021Loop Media, Inc. (“Loop Media”) (OTC: LPTV), a multichannel digital platform and a leading provider of video streaming services for businesses and consumers that features Loop Media’s own branded music and entertainment channels and curated playlists, today announced a major content partnership with FITE, the premiere digital network for global sports and entertainment.

The new partnership with FITE allows Loop Media to bring thousands of hours of live and on demand free programs to millions of fans around the world.  FITE is the leading global digital distributor for the industry’s marquee PPV shows, such as Tyson-Jones Jr and Paul-Askren Triller Fight Club events, PBC/Fox, Showtime and Top Rank/ESPN events, along with BKFC, AEW, Impact, and NWA, plus concerts, soccer, motorsports and more, up to 1,000 per year.

We are very excited for FITE to be added to Loop TV’s video distribution,” stated Louis Lewow, FITE’s VP of Distribution. “Loop Media has built a terrific footprint for consumer awareness and engagement, which will allow us to promote our content offering, and attract new fans to our brand.”

“In our never-ending drive to make Loop for business the ultimate service for our clients, we are thrilled with the addition of the FITE content.  FITE is a fantastic and exciting new partner. They are a world class producer and provider of high-quality programming and the FITE content opens a compelling and dynamic new category for us and our clients.” said Greg Drebin, Chief Content and Marketing Officer for Loop Media.

 

ABOUT FITE

FITE is the premiere global platform for live sports and entertainment offering PPV events and SVOD packages with 4.6M+ registered users. FITE is available worldwide through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU, Amazon Fire TV and Huawei apps. Inaddition, FITE supports Samsung, LG, Cox Contour, Vizio SmartCast™, Virgin Media, Foxxum, Chromecast, PS4, XBOX, ZEASN, Netrange, Vidaa/Hisense, Vewd, Netgem TV, Comcast’s Xfinity 1 and Xfinity Flex as well as 7,000 models of Smart TVs. Available online atwww.FITE.tv. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIN and Facebook If it Happens, it’s on FITE.

 

About Loop Media

Loop Media, Inc. is a multichannel digital platform and a leading provider of video streaming services for businesses and consumers that features Loop Media’s own branded music and entertainment channels and curated playlists. Through its proprietary “Loop Player” for businesses and interactive mobile and TV apps for consumers, Loop Media is the only company in the U.S. licensed to stream music videos directly to consumers and venues out-of-home (“OOH”).  

 

Loop Media’s digital video content reaches thousands of OOH locations including hotels, bars/restaurants, office buildings, and retail businesses, as well as millions of consumers in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America through its apps for iOS, Android, and Huawei, as well as connected TVs and Smart TVs. These TV platforms include Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, AT&T TV, Hisense, JVC, LG, Philips, Roku, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, VIZIO, and free ad-supported TV platforms TIVO+, Plex, DistroTV, and GSTV. 

 

Loop is fueled by one of the largest and most important libraries that includes music videos, movie trailers and live performances.  Loop Media’s non-music channels cover a multitude of genres and moods and include movie trailers, sports highlights, lifestyle and travel videos, viral videos, and more. The Loop Media consumer apps allow users to create their own playlists, or “Loops,” and share them live with interactive watch parties. Loop Media’s streaming services generate revenue from advertising, sponsorships, integrated marketing, and branded content from free-ad-supported-television (“FAST”) and from subscription offerings.

 

Download the Loop Media app by searching “Loop Media” on your Smart TV's app store or opening loop.tv/app on your mobile device.  To learn more about Loop Media products and applications, please visit us online at Loop.tv

 

Material Courtesy of FITE Used with permission.

 

For more information about FITE including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, and for information about how to download the FITE app please visit: www.FITE.TV.

 

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

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

BREAKING: Lopez Tests Positive For COVID-19, Title Defense Against Kambosos Postponed

 It has been announced that Saturday’s scheduled Undisputed Lightweight world championship bout between undefeated champion Teofimo Lopez and undefeated IBF/WBO number one contender George Kambosos has been postponed due to the champion testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. The new date for the bout will August 14thaccording to Mike Coppinger of The Athletic. The bout as well as it’s full undercard was to have headlined a Triller pay-per-view event broadcast globally by digital combat sports network FITE TV. As of this writing, the bout will still take place under the Triller platform, despite Lopez signing an extension of his promotional agreement with promoter Bob Arum and presumably penciled in for a title defense on October 2nd to be broadcast here in the United States by ESPN.

 

While the sport of Boxing has been largely able to avoid COVID-19-related postponements since the beginning of 2021, this is a reminder that the COVID-19 global crisis is still very much ongoing. We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

 

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

 

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

 

MATCHROOM FIGHT CAMP RETURNS WITH THREE BACK-TO-BACK WEEKENDS AS GAME-CHANGING GLOBAL FIVE-YEAR DEAL WITH DAZN BEGINS IN THE UK

 

Press Release: June 14, 2021 By DAZN – Matchroom and DAZN are delighted to announce the full schedule for the second instalment of Fight Camp – an unmissable summer of boxing based at the stunning Matchroom HQ in Brentwood, Essex – with all of the action broadcast live worldwide on DAZN for the initial monthly price of just £1.99 in the UK and €1.99 in Ireland.

 

Last summer, the unique and ground-breaking outdoor setting played host to memorable World Title clashes, British and Commonwealth Title showdowns, Heavyweight wars and countless other Title fights as Matchroom brought top tier boxing back to the screens of fights fans across the world – resulting in a nomination for Event of the Year at the Sports Industry Awards 2021.

 

DAZN, the leading global sports streaming platform, will kick off its landmark deal with Matchroom with an exhilarating Fight Camp series that features all-British World Title action, keenly anticipated domestic and European Title showdowns, some of the very best up-and-coming stars from Matchroom’s unrivalled stable of talent and much more.

 

This year’s sizzling summer schedule is set to be even bigger and better as Matchroom open their doors to fight fans – with a limited number of tickets going on sale for each event – which is sure to help create a special and unique atmosphere.

 

Fight Camp returns with a bang on Saturday July 31 as rising Welterweight star Conor Benn (18-0, 12 KOs) puts his WBA Continental Title on the line against Mexico’s Adrian Grandos (21-8-3, 15 KOs) following his sensational first round KO win over Samuel Vargas, newly-crowned WBA Bantamweight World Champion Shannon Courtenay (7-1, 3 KOs) puts her World Title on the line for the first time, Tommy McCarthy (18-2, 9 KOs) and Chris Billam-Smith(12-1, 10 KOs) collide in a huge showdown for the European, British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Titles, former World Title challenger Avni Yildrim (21-3, 12 KOs) aims to bounce back from his loss to pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez when he takes on ‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ Jack Cullen (19-2-1, 9 KOs), Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler (14-1, 11 KOs) promises to build on his huge third-round knockout win over Jorge Fortea when he takes on Roberto Garcia (44-5, 27 KOs), Manchester Lightweight Campbell Hatton (2-0) continues his young journey in the pro ranks and former amateur star Sandy Ryan makes her highly-anticipated professional debut at Super-Lightweight.

 

Sheffield’s Kid Galahad (27-1, 16 KOs) and Liverpool’s Jazza Dickens (30-3, 11 KOs) meet in an all-British clash for the vacant IBF Featherweight World Title at the top of Week 2 on Saturday August 7, Ipswich Heavyweight knockout artist Fabio Wardley (11-0, 10 KOs) steps up again after stopping Eric Molina in five rounds, the ‘Albanian King’ Florian Marku (8-0-1, 6 KOs) fights Maxim Prodan (19-0-1, 15 KOs) for the IBF International Welterweight Title, ‘The Savage’ Alen Babic (7-0, 7 KOs) looks to extend his KO streak against Mark Bennett (7-1, 1 KO), popular Australian Ebanie Bridges (5-1, 2 KOs) went to war with Shannon Courtenay last time out and returns to the UK to face Bec Connolly (3-9) over eight rounds, gifted Catford talent Ellie Scotney (2-0) looks to impress again, Romford Heavyweight Johnny Fisher (2-0, 2 KOs) goes for another knockout against Josh Sandland (5-3-1) and Oldham prospect Aqib Fiaz (6-0) fights for the first time in 2021. 

 

Fight Camp concludes with an action-packed night of boxing on Saturday August 14 that sees Joshua Buatsi (14-0, 12 KOs) defend his WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title against the winner of the MTK Global Golden Contract winner Richard Bolotniks (18-5-1, 8 KOs), Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall (10-0, 8 KOs) makes the second defence of her WBO Middleweight World Title as she pushes for unification fights, undefeated New Jersey Featherweight Raymond Ford (8-0-1, 4 KOs) fights in the UK for the second time against Reece Bellotti (14-4, 12 KOs), Portsmouth’s Michael McKinson (20-0, 2 KOs) puts his WBO Global Welterweight Title on the line against Poland’s Przemyslaw Runowski (19-1, 5 KOs) following his breakout win over Chris Kongo in Gibraltar, Wokingham’s Felix Cash (14-0, 10 KOs) blitzed Denzel Bentley in three rounds last time out and puts his Commonwealth belt up for grabs again in the Matchroom garden, Glasgow Bantamweight slickster Kash Farooq (15-1, 6 KOs) makes the first defence of his WBC International Silver Title, two-time World Title challenger Tasha Jonas (9-2-1, 7 KOs) returns to the scene of her epic Fight of the Year contender with Terri Harper and Leeds Featherweight talent Hopey Price looks to go 5-0. 

 

To become a subscriber, download the DAZN app on any internet-connected device, including living room devices such as smart TVs, streaming sticks and game consoles as well as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. For more information, visit www.DAZN.com

 

Information on the limited tickets available for Fight Camp will be announced in due course. 

 

DAZN’s Co-CEO, James Rushton said: "As we kick off our game-changing global partnership with Matchroom, launching DAZN as the new home of boxing in the UK & Ireland and the global home of global boxing, we’re proud to unveil a Fight Camp season packed with some of the world’s best talent, with a few surprises still to come. We can’t wait to give fans a glimpse into our brand new boxing offering this summer - and we’re just getting started."

 

Matchroom Boxing Chairman Eddie Hearn said: "I'm delighted to begin our game-changing partnership with the leading global sports streaming platform DAZN with another sizzling summer of Fight Camp action from our stunning HQ in Brentwood, Essex. Last year's line up had it all – and this year's series is set to be even bigger and better with addition of fans. One of the hottest properties in the Welterweight division Conor Benn gets things underway on July 31 when he puts his WBA Continental Title on the line against Adrian Grandos, the all-British clash for the IBF Featherweight World Title between Kid Galahad and Jazza Dickens is set to be a cracker at the top of Week 2 and rising Light-Heavyweight start Joshua Buatsi takes a huge step up when he takes on the MTK Global Golden Contract winner Richard Bolotniks at the top of Week 3. Watch it around the world live and exclusively on DAZN!"

 

 

Material Courtesy of: DAZN 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.

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Boxing Masterclass Taught By Sakur Stevenson

 

The sport of Boxing is a martial art that has one main goal. To hit your opponent, but not be hit by your opposition. A practice that is often easier said than done, but one that when executed to near perfection is not always appreciated by Boxing fans that look to Boxing for the type of entertainment value that is seen in the type of thrilling back and forth battles that are not only remembered fondly by fans and viewed by Boxing fans decades after they occur thanks to available technology, but also allows Boxing scribes and historians no shortage of material to reference as we continue our journeys covering the sport we love.

 

For a Boxing purist however, there is something to appreciate when a fighter comes along that is able to blend the elements of the art of Boxing, the sport known as” The Sweet Science “ into a complete package it is fascinating to watch. In the case of undefeated former WBO Featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson has shown in just sixteen professional fights that he is one such fighter that might have that complete blending of a full Boxing skillset.

 

After briefly holding the WBO Featherweight world championship, Stevenson moved up into the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division where he has continued his winning ways. What makes Stevenson so dangerous is he has a mix of hand speed, punching power, and defense that has thus far proven difficult for opponents to combat to such degree that opponents have found it difficult to land single punches on him consistently. When one throws into the equation that Stevenson is also a southpaw, you have a combination of attributes that in simple terms if you’re a fighter or corner opposing him can be described as a migraine in trying to figure out how to solve Stevenson’s puzzle.

 

Stevenson entered his sixteenth professional fight on June 12th at the Virgin Hotel In in Las Vegas, NV to face top contender Jeremia Nakathila. With both fighters rated number one and two respectively in the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) Jr. Lightweight ratings, this fight amounted to a world title elimination bout to determine a mandatory challenger for current WBO Jr. Lightweight world champion Jamel Herring.

 

Although much of the focus going into this fight did center on Stevenson, I was interested to see whether Nakathila, a veteran of twenty-two professional bouts, who is known for having a right hand that when it lands is capable of ending fights as he had scored seventeen knockouts in his twenty-one career wins could find a way to land it on a fighter that id regarded as one of the most elusive in the sport such as Stevenson.

 

The short answer is for twelve rounds what was billed as an elimination bout quickly evolved into what became a masterclass with Shakur Stevenson showcasing the art of Boxing. While not necessarily an entertaining bout for those who like back and forth battles, this was a Boxing purists dream. Showcasing hand speed, timing and immaculate defense, Stevenson turned what was a competition between two top contenders into a sparring session where one fighter simply could not get any punches off and if he was able to land a punch, it was sporadic and ineffective. An illustration of Stevenson’s dominance in the fight was not only that he was able to keep his opponent from hardly landing any offense, but also an ability to perfectly time anything that Nakathila had to offer. This was evidenced late in round four when Stevenson caught Nakathila with a short counter right hook that he could not see. 

 

At no point during the twelve round bout was Stevenson put in any kind of danger nor was Nakathila able to get close enough to land a power punch that may have led to a rally of sorts. While this is something that is not always appreciated by Boxing fans and frankly, narrows the analysis that this observer can offer beyond saying it was a dominant display of one fighter’s skill, if you train a boxer, this is the type of performance that you want to see out of your charge in your fighter not taking any significant damage over the course of a fight, but also sweeping the scorecards, which is exactly what happened here as Stevenson won all twelve rounds on all three official judges scorecards to improve to 16-0, with 8 Knockouts.

 

If there was a criticism that one might point to of Stevenson as he is now the mandatory challenger for Jamel Herring and thus earned interim championship status in the WBO Jr. Lightweight ratings as a result, it might be that the potential was there once it became apparent that Nakathila had no answer for Stevenson’s hand speed, that perhaps if he had pressed the issue, he may have been able to stop Nakathila in a fight that he was in complete control of.

 

Despite the clear victory for Stevenson, an issue that can exist for fighters in his position that have similar skillsets and attributes is, it could discourage those in the Jr. Lightweight division and potentially above, who might hold the opportunity for lucrative paydays from fighting someone of Stevenson’s caliber. In short, like many great fighters who were as savvy when it came to mastering the defensive aspects of the art of Boxing as they were the offensive aspects, some fighters snd to be more specific, promoters who have a vested interest in potential opponents may view Shakur Stevenson as a high risk/low reward option. While that is not necessarily fair for a fighter in Stevenson’s position, it unfortunately is one of the issues that makes Boxing a flawed sport as much as it is a great one.

 

Whether or not Shakur Stevenson will get his opportunity to fight Jamel Herring in what would be his attempt to become a two-division world champion remains to be seen. It may however, come down to whether there might be more lucrative options available to Herring, who may ultimately decide to move up to the 135lb. Lightweight division where there is certainly no shortage of potential options and a lot of money to be made.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Ponce Stops Ritson In 10 In Newcastle

 Undefeated former IBO world Jr. Welterweight champion Jeremias Ponce scored a tenth round knockout over a very “Game “ Lewis Ritson on Saturday night at the Eagles Community Arena in Newcastle, England. Before a pro hometown Ritson crowd of a thousand spectators, Ponce implemented a grueling strategy by forcing the fight in close early and focusing much of his attack to Ritson’s body with both hands. This in addition to a near non-stop pace Ponce put forth gave him an edge. In the first round a combination of body shots appeared to have Ritson in trouble, but he was able to survive. From this point on, the fight followed a consistent pattern, Ritson trying to land punches to keep Ponce from coming forward, but Ponce immediately answering any offense Ritson had with harder punches often in combination.

 

Remarkably, Ponce’s pace did not decrease as the fight progressed. By round ten, Ritson was seemingly behind on the scorecards, but it would be the consistent body attack that would pay off for the former world champion Ponce as a combination to the body dropped Ritson. In a move this observer has never seen before, Ritson’s corner threw in the towel to stop the fight, but this was ignored by Referee Steve Grey, who threw the towel out of the ring. This allowed the fight to continue, but the reprieve did not work to Ritson’s benefit as he would be dropped two more times, both as a result of body shots leading to Grey finally stopped the fight after the third knockdown in the round. Official time of the stoppage was 1:24 of round ten. Jeremias Ponce advances to 28-0, with 18 Knockouts. Lewis Ritson falls to 21-2, with 12 Knockouts. 

 

 

Also on this card:

 

Undefeated Jr. Featherweight competing as a Featherweight.Thomas Ward scored a convincing ten round unanimous decision over Edy Valencia. Ward showcased the art of Boxing of hit, but not be hit for the majority of the ten round bout. Although not the most entertaining of bouts, Ward’s Boxing ability was exciting to watch for the Boxing purist. The lone blip of the fight came in round five when Valencia landed a glancing left hook to the head of an off balance Ward that briefly knocked him down. Ward was not shaken by this and quickly regained control and was able to continue to box his way to a convincing unanimous decision victory. Official scores were 97-93, and 98-92 (On two scorecards) in favor of Ward. Thomas Ward advances to 30-0-1, with 4 Knockouts. Edy Valencia falls to 17-6-6, with 5 Knockouts.

 

Unbeaten Heavyweight Alen Babic scored a third round stoppage of Damian Chambers. The difference in punching power was immediately apparent as Babic immediately put Chambers on the defensive by trying to end the fight with one punch. Babic was credited with a knockdown in the first round when a left hook to the head staggered Chambers into the ropes that prevented him from going down. Although Chambers was very “Game” and tried to fight Babic on his terms, he simply did not have a punch to discourage him from coming forward. A hellacious left hook to the head turned Chambers around when he was against the ropes that convinced Referee Ron Kearney to stop the fight at 1:30 of round three. Alen Babic advances to 7-0, with 7 Knockouts. Damian Chambers falls to 11-2, with 7 Knockouts.

 

 

 

Decorated British amateur Jr. Middleweight Cyrus Pattinson successfully made the transition to the professional ranks by scoring a second round knockout of Yoncho Markov. In his professional debut, Pattinson showed seasoning that is often gained on the amateur level by implementing an attack to the head and body of Markov. The consistency of the attack as well as the combination punching of Pattinson ultimately wilted Markov’s resistance. In the second round a right hand to the head followed by one to the body dropped Markov. Markov was able to get up, but had no answer to keep Pattinson off of him. The same sequence occurred moments later sending Markov down for a second time. Struggling to get up and shaking his head in resignation, Markov was unable to beat the count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:57 of round two. Cyrus Pattinson advances to 1-0, with 1 Knockout. Yoncho Markov falls to 4-3, with 0 Knockouts.

 

 Heavyweight Solomon Dacres moved to 2-0 in his young career by scoring a fourth round stoppage of Alvaro Terrero. Dacres was in control from the opening bell and had particular success in landing his right hand to the head of Terrero. The gradual one-sided combat was finally halted by Referee Ron Kearney stopped the fight midway through the fourth round. Official time of the stoppage was 1:36 of round four. Solomon Dacres advances to 2-0, with 1 Knockout. Alvaro Terrero falls to 5-12-3, with 3 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Women’s Welterweight April Hunter scored a four round decision over veteran Klaudia Vigh. A fight that Vigh tried to press from the outset, saw several heated exchanges of offense between the two fighters. As the bout progressed, Hunter gradually took the offensive tempo and appeared at moments to be on the verge of a possible stoppage, but Vigh was able to hang on to the final bell. As all non-title bouts that do not impact regional or world rankings are scored solely by the referee officiating a bout, Referee Victor Laughlin scored the bout 40-37 in favor of Hunter. April Hunter advances to 4-0, with 0 Knockouts. Klaudia Vigh falls to 3-28-1, with 2 Knockouts.

 

Welterweight Joe Laws began the evening by scoring a six round decision over Chris Adaway. Referee Ron Kearney scored the bout 60-54 in favor of Laws. Joe Laws advances to 10-1, with 5 Knockouts. Chris Adaway falls to 10-70-4, with 1 Knockout.

 

Although the victory for Jeremias Ponce now puts him as the mandatory challenger for recently crowned Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion Josh Taylor in the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) Jr. Welterweight ratings, the story that emerges out of this fight was the call of Referee Steve Grey to ignore the move of Lewis Ritson’s corner of throwing the towel in to stop the fight.

 

Quite frankly, the only time I can remember seeing something similar to this occurring in a Boxing ring was in the movie Diggstown. In the movie starring Louis Gossett, Jr. who played the role of Heavyweight “Honey” Roy Palmer, a near fifty year old boxer finds himself in the middle of a bet between two less than honorary characters played by James Woods and Bruce Dern. 

 

While this observer will not give away the plot of the film nor the film’s premise in complete form, even though I highly recommend the film to anyone who has not seen it as it is one of my favorite films, the gist of the bet was that Palmer could defeat ten men in the span of twenty-four hours. As Palmer prepared to face opponent number nine after battling his way through eight opponents and suffering a beating, John Gillon, the main antagonist of the film, played by Bruce Dern, informs Gabriel Cain, portrayed by James Woods of a change of opponent, one that had not been previously agreed to, a fighter who the story depicted was the only man to defeat “Honey “ Roy. A fighter by the name of “Hammerhead “ Hagen.

 

As you might guess if you have not seen the film, Hagen, portrayed by Wille Green is sent in to finish Palmer off. As expected, Hagen administrators a brutal beating on an already exhausted Palmer, finally knocking him down to the canvas. In a corner scene between rounds Cain had told Palmer that he was going to stop the fight, Palmer insisted to continue saying “Don’t lose faith in me twice.” 

 

Now on the canvas, Palmer struggling to get to his feet locks eyes with Cain who standing on the apron of the ring reaches for a towel that was draped over the corner, he yells out “Roy!” and throws the towel in. Angered, Palmer intercepts the towel and throws it right back at Cain the fight continued. Although this is where I will leave this brief synopsis as yours truly does not believe in the practice of “Spoiling,” it is important to keep in mind, Diggstown was a work of fiction and as such, once a director yells “End Scene,” it is over.

 

The difference between fiction and reality is, obviously there is significant danger associated with what goes on in the real Boxing ring. While Steve Grey’s decision could probably be summed up as “Referee’s discretion,” he will have to explain why he chose to ignore the wishes of a fighter’s corner that wanted the fight stopped.

 

If there is anything beyond a point of view that somehow the fighter, in this case Ritson, was still in position to win the fight on the scorecards, the bottom line here is Grey made the wrong decision. Although for the moment the decision does not seem as though it led to serious consequences medically for Ritson, it will be interesting to see if the British Boxing Board of Control, (BBBofC) the sole regulator of all combat sports events to be sanctioned throughout the United Kingdom, questions Grey on his decision and decides whether a disciplinary action might be necessary as usually when a towel is thrown in, the fight is stopped, regardless of a referee’s opinion. This is what should have been done here.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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“ THE DYNAMITE KID” MITCHEL STAPLETON READY TO EXPLODE AUGUST 14

 Press Release: June 12, 2021 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Australian prodigy “The Dynamite Kid” Mitchel Stapleton has not stopped training during the global pandemic and is eager to add to his perfect professional record two wins undefeated with two 1st round devasting Knock-Outs. 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

 

The Nambucca Heads native , has been patiently waiting for his comeback fight which has been 18 months in the making with many fights falling through. Stepleton was originally set to return as a featured contest on a Tim Tszyu bill early this year but opponent Ricky Collisimo declined the challenge after initially agreeing.

Stapleton is now set to return  on the 14th of August in Nambucca Heads New South Wales in the headline fight.

“The Dynamite Kid” spoke up recently about his time away from the ring and his upcoming fight.

“It feels really good to have my next fight date set, and even better its in my home town.  I will admit it has been frustrating to not been fighting, Im ready for anyone, anywhere, anytime.

 

August 14 I’m looking to showcase all the hard work I have put in the past 18 months and show Australia and soon the World that the Dynamite Kid can bang with the best.

 

I know one day I will be World Champion, and my time will come, but as the old saying goes, I have to clean out my backyard first.

I respectfully would love to get into a position to Challenge ANBF Australian champion Andrew Hunt.

I know my manager, The Big Boss Man, Tony Tolj, will get me the opportunities. He’s the best in the world, look at what he and the Moloney twins have accomplished.

 

Andrew and Jason are my boxing idols, and to be guided by the same team is an absolute honor, and I’m reading to show the world The Dynamite Kid is ready to Bang!”

 

Leading global boxing manager Tony Tolj gives his thoughts on Stapleton as well.

“Mitchel is a class act, I know how frustrated he must be, as I have had so many opportunities which resulted in opponents requiring new underwear after initially agreeing to the fight and forwhatever reason the fights haven’t eventuated. The Prime focus is to get “The Dynamite Kid” in the ring and getting the rounds in.

 

Mitchell is a great kid, undefeated with 2 fights for 2 1st round KOs, 5x time National Champion. He’s only 22, but I know the dedication he puts into boxing and his time will come”.

 

I’m very pumped to see him return in the ring, and his future will just go BANG!,” Tolj stated.

 

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

 

For more information about Dragon Fire Boxing please visit Dragon Fire Boxing’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DragonFireBoxing.

 

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