Cameron Defeats McGee To Unify Women’s WBC/IBF Jr. Welterweight World Championship In London

 

Undefeated Women’s WBC Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron scored a hard fought ten round decision over IBF Jr. Welterweight world champion Mary McGee to successfully unify the two crowns on Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London, England. In what was a very entertaining bout from start to finish, Cameron used her greater hand speed, timing, and counter punching to dictate how the fight was fought. 

 

There were several furious exchanges of offense throughout as the two world champions had no issue trading blows in close where either fighter could have landed a fight ending blow.  It was during these exchanges however, where Cameron was generally the fighter coming forward and pressing McGee against the ropes. A highlight came in round three where an exchange of offense at the end of the round resulted in Cameron shoving McGee down. Although this was a clear foul, there was no point deduction against her. The two fighters continued to engage in a battle right until the final bell. Official scores were: 100-90, 99-91, and 99-92 all in favor of Cameron. Chantelle Cameron advances to 15-0, with 8 Knockouts. Mary McGee falls to 27-4, with 15 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Undefeated Heavyweight “Knockout Artist” Alen Babic scored a second round stoppage in destroying former Heavyweight world title challenger Eric Molina. Babic dropped Molina in the opening seconds of the fight with a short right hand to the head. Although Molina was seemingly in trouble from the outset, for a time he was able to hold his own in exchanging wide hooks with the free swinging Babic for the remainder of the first round. In round two, Babic scored his second knockdown  of Molina with a right hand that Molina contended hit him behind the head. This would be followed by a third knockdown with a short left hand that sent Molina down. The final knockdown came with a right hand that even though Molina was able to beat the count for the fourth time, the fight was stopped as Molina seemingly resigned to the fact that it was not his night. Official time of the stoppage was 1:30 of round two. Alen Babic advances to 9-0, with 9 Knockouts. Eric Molina falls to 28-8, with 20 Knockouts.

 

Also in the Heavyweight division, unbeaten Johnny Fisher scored a second round stoppage of veteran Alvaro Terrero. Fisher dropped Terrero with a left hook in the second round and followed that up with two more knockdowns to get the stoppage. Official time of the stoppage was 2:06 of round two. Johnny Fisher advances to 4-0, with 4 Knockouts. Alvaro Terrero falls to 5-14-2, with 3 Knockouts.

 

Former Light-Heavyweight world title challenger Craig Richards scored a sixth round stoppage of Marek Matyja. Richards seemed to control this fight with his jab and by being able to keep Matyia at distance. Matyia was able to have sporadic success with his offense, but in round six, Richards unleashed a brutal left uppercut to the head that badly stunned Matyia. Matyia tried to hold on, but Richards was able to get enough distance between himself and his opponent and set off a barrage of unanswered punches that forced the stoppage of the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 2:34 of round six. Craig Richards advances to 17-2-1, with 10 Knockouts. Marek Matyja falls to 20-3-2, with 9 Knockouts.

 

Jr. Lightweight Jorge Castaneda scored a hard fought ten round majority decision over previously undefeated Youssef Khoumari. A very tactical fight that was fought at a high pace from the outset, both fighters traded the ebb and flow of momentum throughout and both had moments where they were able to stun the other in some fierce exchanges of hooks to the head throughout. What was a very close fight in the eyes of any objective observer was ultimately decided by Castaneda’s consistent jabbing, changing levels between the body and head, as well as seeming to get the better of the action in the later rounds. Official scores were 95-95 (Even), and 97-94, 96-94 in favor of Castaneda. Jorge Castaneda advances to 15-1, with 11 Knockouts. Youssef Khoumari falls to 13-1-1, with 5 Knockouts. With the win, Castaneda earned a ranking in the World Boxing Council (WBC) Jr. Lightweight ratings.

 

Women’s Jr. Featherweight Ellie Scotney moved to 3-0 in her career by scoring an eight round decision over Eva Cantos. Scotney dictated the pace of the combat from the opening bell and landed the hard, cleaner, and more consistent punches throughout. As all non-title bouts held in the United Kingdom that do not impact regional or world rankings are scored solely by the referee officiating a bout, Referee John Latham scored the bout, Referee John Latham scored the bout 79-73 in Scotney’s favor. Ellie Scotney advances to 3-0 with 0 Knockouts. Eva Cantos falls to 2-2, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Cruiserweight Jordan Thompson scored a first round knockout of Piotr Podlucki. A flush right hand behind a jab to the jaw of Podlucki sent him down and unable to beat the ten count. Official time of the stoppage was 2:52 of round one. Jordan Thompson advances to 11-0, with 9 Knockouts. Piotr Podlucki falls to 6-6, with 2 Knockouts.

 

Light-Heavyweight John Hedges improved to 4-0 in his career by pounding out a lopsided six round unanimous decision over late substitute Ben Thomas. Referee John Latham scored the bout 60-54 in Hedges’ favor. John Hedges advances to 4-0, with 0 Knockouts. Ben Thomas falls to 2-8-3, with 1 Knockout.

 

Heavyweight Thomas Carty moved to 2-0 in his career to start the evening by scoring a third round knockout over Igors Vasiljevs. The first two rounds saw a lot of wrestling on the inside between the two fighters. Carty changed things dramatically in round three when he connected with a straight left hand that badly staggered Vasiljevs. Vasiljevs tried everything he could to hold on, but ultimately Carty beat him down with a series of left hands that sent Vasiljevs down along the ropes. He did not get up and took the ten count. Official time was 2:49 of round three. Thomas Carty advances to 2-0, with 1 Knockout. Igors Vasiljevs falls to 4-2, with 3 Knockouts.

 

We will have further coverage of this card including what is next for Chantelle Cameron and Mary McGee as part of a feature column looking at the final weekend in Boxing of October 2021 that will be released here on the website next week. Stay tuned.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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ANDRES CAMPOS RETURNS TO ACTION IN CHILE, DEC 4, AIMS TO SET UP WORLD TITLE FIGHT IN 2022

  

Press Release: October 30, 2021 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Chilean standout Andres Campos is geared up for his ring return, as the highly touted 112 pounder looks to set himself up for a world title clash in 2022. 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing

 

Campos sits high in the world ratings, as he currently holds regional titles with both the WBO and WBA, placing in prime positions to challenge of the champions, with Japan’s Junto Nakatani being one of Campos’ targets.

 

The Chilean Crocodile, who is guided by Australian boxing monocrat Tony Tolj, discussed his ring return on December 4.

 

Campos said, “I am so happy to be back in the ring. The COVID period has not been easy for professional boxers, but my team have made a big effort to keep me busy, including traveling to the United States of America to spar Andrew and Jason Moloney. That was a fantastic experience.

 

“Now I get back in the ring and I look to show everybody that I am ready to challenge for a world title. I have to continue to show that I am improving and that I can genuinely challenge fighters like Nakatani and get into the ring knowing I can win.”

 

Campos has held numerous titles as a professional whilst gaining multinational experience due to his affiliation with Tony Tolj’s Dragon Fire Boxing.

 

The Chilean opened up about his plans to go international.

 

“I’ve travelled a lot as a professional already for camps, so going overseas doesn’t concern me when it comes to fighting. I always go into fights looking for the knockout, so I don’t think about overseas judging. I just come to win in style in every fight I have.

 

“I would love to go to Japan to challenge Nakatani. He is a great champion. However, right now my focus in on December 4, and putting on a show for my supporters here in Chile. I am very blessed to have great support in Chile so I need to give them a show they will remember. After December, I am happy to go to Japan, America or wherever to become champions.

 

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.

 

 

Thunderdome 37 Set For December 3rd In Metro City

 Press Release: October 29, 2021 By Dragon Fire Boxing – December 3rd will mark the final date of 2021 of an Australian institution, The THUNDERDOME boxing series based out of Metro City in Perth, Western Australia.

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing

 

The name comes out of the Mad Max Thunderdome Movie, as it’s the most unique venue in all of Australia boxing, there are 4 levels in an amphitheater style modern-day colosseum, all looking down at the ring. The ring itself is situated on a stage as the venue operates as a concert venue.

Thunderdome began back in 2003 and has amassed 33 events & is ingrained in the fabric of Australian boxing. World Champions who have appeared on Thunderdome cards have been WBA Champion of the decade Chris John, Vic Darchinyan, Jeff Horn, Daud Yornan, Simpiwe Vetyeka as well as regular appearances by Australian icon Danny Green. The current generation of Western Australian boxers have all made their pro debuts at the Thunderdome

Dragon Fire Boxing Promoter Tony Tolj discusses the pandemic and the upcoming card;

“I’m so glad we got to re-establish Western Australian boxing in 2021, it was almost a 12 month layoff in February before our first event in WA since the pandemic began and I know the fighters have been over the moon with excitement about getting their careers on track. We are still bound by border issues as currently we can only have Western and South Australian boxers due to strict border controls due to Covid 19. 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

 

One thing which has separated Thunderdome from everywhere else is the competition, its always as best of 50/50 fights as you can get and March is shaping up to be another stellar night of action featuring ANBF Light Flyweight title contest putting Sarah Higginson and Bec Moss. Also will be two state titles as Matt Floyd takes on Lui Guivalu and Joe McCoy takes on Fano Kori, the exciting debut of Simon Gerbat.

 

There are many more exciting fights to be announced along with some pro debuts, one thing is for certain, 2 men enter, 1 man leaves, Welcome back the Thunderdome!”

 

Material and Photos 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.

Shakur Stevenson: A Star-Making Performance

 

It can sometimes be defined as common in a combat sport that has seventeen weight classes and for the moment, a sanctioning organization with intentions of establishing an eighteenth division, to see fighters outside of those born Heavyweights to compete in several weight classes throughout their careers. For many fighters at the top of the sport of Boxing, the goal is attempt to win world championships in multiple weight divisions over the course of a career. While such a feat is extremely difficult, the fact that some fighters are blessed with the ability to accomplish that goal in w relatively short period of time gives the impression that it is commonplace, despite the difficulty such a task entails.

 

When a fighter is able to accomplish such a goal however, such an achievement can be defined by calling it a “Star-Making” performance. For undefeated former WBO Featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson, such an occasion occurred when he entered the ring on October 23^rd at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA to challenge WBO Jr. Lightweight world champion Jamel Herring for his crown.  Under most circumstances, the question that is asked of a fighter that is moving up in weight is whether or not they will be able to deal with opponents that are theoretically bigger and stronger. While this question on the surface does not take into the equation a fighter's style and overall skillset, this fight was no exception as on the surface the champion had natural size and what seemed to be a strength advantage over Stevenson.

 

It did not take long for Stevenson to dispel the theoretical disadvantage that some may have felt he had going into the fight as from the opening bell, he proved to simply be too quick and too strong for the naturally bigger champion. Although Shakur Stevenson is not known necessarily for his punching power, his hand speed quickly became the story of this fight as he frequently beat Herring to the punch. If one were to ask me to describe Shakur Stevenson's  style, he is a slick boxer that can fight either orthodox or southpaw, but what makes him even more dangerous to combat is he approaches his offense with the mentality of a sniper. Such a systematic, yet pinpoint approach that is q very difficult puzzle to solve because in addition to his hand speed, he is also very elusive and can attack his opponents from various angles.

 

What made Stevenson's performance more impressive as the fight progressed was his ability to mix things up. Not strictly from the standpoint of mixing his attacks on Herring to the body and head, but also his knowing when to step up his aggression and knowing when not to be overly aggressive to where it may have created an opportunity for Herring to turn the ebb and flow of the fight in his favor.

 

Although no one can take anything away from Jamel Herring in showing a true heart of a champion, despite the increasing effects of punishment dished out by Stevenson, which was frankly a gradual beating, it simply was not his night as he would eventually be cut over the left eye before ultimately being stopped in the tenth round. While the simple term was to say that Herring had a bad night, stylistically he was outgunned by Stevenson. The former champion however, showed class in defeat by saying that Stevenson was the better man. A show of sportsmanship that frankly yours truly would like to see more of throughout combat sports.

 

While there was not much to say about this fight beyond it being the type of dominant performance that the turns heads by Stevenson, the obvious question is what will come next coming out of this fight. There are a few things that need to be kept in mind. First Shakur Stevenson has become a two-division  world champion in only seventeen professional fights. While it is certainly possible that Stevenson may look to unify the Jr. Lightweight division by seeking a bout with WBC world champion Oscar Valdez and such an encounter may be theoretically easy to come to fruition seeing as both are promoted by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, this observer believes it will be more likely in the long-term that Stevenson will look to venture into the 135lb. Lightweight division where there is certainly no shortage of potential lucrative opponents and obviously a lot of money to be made. The downside however for a fighter of Shakur Stevenson’s skillset is such a start making performance can unfortunately for a time have the opposite effect in making some of those lucrative opponents view a potential fight with someone like Stevenson as a high risk/low reward scenario for them.

 

Although not necessarily a good position to find yourself in if you’re in Stevenson's shoes, this unfortunately is something that comes with the territory in the sport of Boxing. While often it does not work to the sport's best interest, the flip side is that it allows anticipation to build for those marquee fights. It may be a question of whether or not Stevenson will be able to put enough pressure on Arum outside of the ring in order to get those lucrative opportunities while continuing to make as strong an argument for himself with the public whenever he is inside the ring to fuel demand amongst Boxing fans for those fights to take place.

 

“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

PROBELLUM LINKS UP WITH TOP RUSSIAN PROMOTER GERMAN TITOV

 Press Release: By Probellum – Los Angeles, CA – October 25, 2021 - Probellum can today announce their latest co-promotional agreement - joining forces with Russia's German Titov.

The partnership will see Probellum and Titov working together to stage big cards in Russia, helping to showcase the wide array of talent that the country has to offer.

Led by experienced and respected boxing figure German Titov, the promotion has been involved in some major events for a number of years, with the majority taking place in Ekaterinburg in Russia with respected and long-time partner RCC.

Russia has produced some of the best fighters on the planet, and even more of the finest athletes can now be discovered and given a big platform to perform thanks to Probellum and Titov joining forces.

It is Probellum’s latest addition to their expanding co-promotional partnerships, having already secured agreements with Wasserman Boxing, Universum in Germany, Groupe Yvon Michel in Canada, Maravillabox Promotions in Spain, LNK Boxing in Latvia, Glozier Boxing in New Zealand, Shuan Boxing Promotions in the Dominican Republic, Bufalo Boxing in Nicaragua, Team Ellis Boxing in Australia, Armin Tan Promotions in Indonesia, and Box Office Sports in Ghana.

"I'm proud to take boxing to the next level by teaming up with a major force like Probellum," said German Titov. "From all of our conversations it has been clear how ambitious and motivated they are, so it is fantastic news for Russian boxing.

"Boxing in Russia has been booming over the past couple of years, especially with our partner RCC, and with Probellum now on board, I am certain that we will reach even bigger heights in the very near future."

"We're thrilled to enter into Russia with this co-promotional agreement," said Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum. "German Titov has been promoting events in the country for over 20 years, so partnering with such a legendary figure is going to lead to huge success.

"Along with the current Russian world champions, Russia also has dozens of fighters who are on the cusp of big things, so we're open to working with everyone and we'll look to do all we can to help shine a light on these amazing athletes."

For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Material Courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission.

 

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

 

 

Fight 4 The Cure 10-23-2021 Results From Tampa, FL

 

Unbeaten Welterweight Harold Calderon scored a somewhat controversial sixth round disqualification victory over veteran Luis Florez on Saturday night at the Convention Center in Tampa, FL. An uneventful fight that can be described as a workmanlike performance by Calderon as he gradually and systematically approached breaking Florez down. In round six, a barrage of punches forced Florez to take a knee. He was able to get up and the fight continued. Moments later Florez went down on his knee in in his corner by what appeared to the eye as his claiming he was hit by a low blow. Referee Christopher Young stopped the bout. While it appeared that the bout was stopped due to perhaps the one-sided nature of the bout, it was revealed shortly after that Calderon was declared the winner by disqualification with the reasoning citing as Florez biting his opponent. At the time of this writing, there is no word as to where Calderon was bit, but he was extremely vocal following the fight in expressing his anger. Harold Calderon advances to 26-0, with 17 Knockouts. Luis Florez falls to 25-22, with 21 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Lightweight Clarence Booth scored a seventh round stoppage of Alejandro Munera. Booth was in control from the outset and was very strategic in picking his spots and gradually stepping up his aggression as the fight progressed. The end came when a body shot set off a barrage of unanswered punches that sent Munera down face first on the canvas. The fight was stopped without a count. Official time of the stoppage was 2:30 of round seven. Clarence Booth advances to 21-4, with 13 Knockouts. Alejandro Munera falls to 6-4-4, with 5 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Women’s Jr. Lightweight Rosalinda Rodriguez scored a one-sided second round stoppage of Elizabeth Tuani. Rodriguez carried the action until the bout was stopped at 1:16 of round two when the corner of Tuani requested that the bout be stopped. Although the bout was one-sided, Tuani did put up a fight and there were no knockdowns. Despite this being a decision the corner of Tuani made, the crowd in attendance booed the stoppage. Rosalinda Rodriguez advances to 13-0, with 3 Knockouts. Elizabeth Tuani falls to 1-4, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Welterweight Bobby Henry remained unbeaten by scoring a four round decision over Bryant Costello. A fight that was made on less than twenty-four hours notice saw Henry nearly score a third round stoppage when Costello turned his back and the referee waived the bout off. However, upon review the call was overturned when it was ruled that Costello had been hit below the belt. Henry was deducted a point and the fight continued. Although Costello was able to land some solid hooks periodically throughout, Henry’s greater activity and ring generalship were enough to earn the unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 38-36, and 39-35 (On two scorecards) in favor of Henry. Bobby Henry advances to 5-0, with 3 Knockouts. Bryant Costello falls to 1-5, with 1 Knockout.

 

Undefeated Jr. Featherweight Otabek Kholmatov remained perfect by scoring a second round knockout of Juan Medina. Kholmatov knocked Medina down with a left hook to the body in round one that seemed to have a delayed reaction prior to Medina taking a knee. Kholmatov closed the show in the second round by landing a left hook, right hook combination to the body that sent Medina down for the second time. This time, for the ten count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:51 of round two. Otabek Kholmatov advances to 4-0, with 4 Knockouts. Juan Medina falls to 12-9, with 11 Knockouts.

 

Welterweight Jean Guerra Vargas survived a knockdown and a stern test to maintain his undefeated record in scoring a hard fought four round split decision over Rueben Morales. Morales implemented an unorthodox style in throwing punches at odd angles that made it a difficult fight for Vargas. It was Morales’ awkwardness that opened up an opportunity for him to land a short right hand to the head that sent the unbeaten Vargas down in the second round. From this point in the fight, Vargas was able to regroup and over the remaining two rounds was the fighter able to land the cleaner, more effective punches in order to edge Morales to win a four round split decision. Official scores were: 38-37 (Morales), and 38-37 (On two scorecards in favor of Vargas. Jean Guerra Vargas advances to 6-0, with 1 Knockout. Ruben Morales falls to 0-2, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Heavyweight Adrian Pinheiro moved to 4-0 in his young career by scoring a second round stoppage of Milton Nunez. Pinheiro dropped by Nunez in the closing seconds of round one with a right hook, left hook combination to the body. Nunez beat the count, but in round two knowing his opponent was compromised, Pinheiro went back to the body landing a left uppercut to the head followed by a right hook to the body that sent Nunez down for a second time. The bout was stopped before the ten count was completed. Official time of the stoppage was 1:05 of round two. Adrian Pinheiro advances to 4-0,  with 4 Knockouts. Milton Nunez falls to 37-28-1, with 32 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Jr. Welterweight Bryan Lopez scored a second round knockout of William Fauth. Lopez was deducted a point in the first round for what might have been hitting on the break, despite landing what appeared to be a clean uppercut that knocked Fauth down on one knee. In the second round, Lopez knowing he was behind on the scorecards in the scheduled four round bout dropped Fauth with a beautiful one, two combination right down the middle to the chin that sent him down officially for the first time in the bout. Fauth got up on very unsteady legs and it was not long before Lopez scored his second official knockdown with a left hand to the head. This time Fauth was not able to beat the count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:56 of round two. Bryan Lopez advances to 3-0, with 2 Knockouts. William Fauth falls to 0-7, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Unbeaten Heavyweight Istvan Bernath began the evening by scoring a first round stoppage of Guillermo Del Rio. Del Rio began the fight by looking to pick his spots by trying to get on the inside and staying low on the taller and longer Bernath. Bernath however, caught his opponent with a right to the body followed by a right that appeared to have landed on the back of Del Rio’s head that sent him down to the canvas in his own corner. Del Rio was able to get up, but the bout was stopped at 2:30 of round one. Istvan Bernath advances to 8-0 with 6 Knockouts. Guillermo Del Rio falls to 3-4-1, with 2 Knockouts.

 

This card, which was promoted by promoter Gary Lewis’ Signature Punch Promotions showcased some of the up and coming prospects the state of Florida has to offer at various stages in their development. More importantly, proceeds from this event Fight 4 The Cure are going towards Breast Cancer research. As someone who lost my sister Shanna to Breast Cancer, regardless of the action that took place inside the ring, as entertaining as the card was, the purpose behind the event is something this observer appreciates. As I have said numerous times across social media platforms whenever I have discussed my sister’s battle with the disease and/or in my effort to spread awareness of Breast Cancer, it is something I want to see done away with in my lifetime.

 

“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

 

 

Belated Garcia-Martin Thoughts

A quote that this observer has referenced often over the years in regard to unexpected things occurring is one that came from the Hall of Fame trainer and former fighter Freddie Roach who in the prelude to Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008 said as many felt that his fighter Pacquiao had bitten off more than he could chew by jumping up significantly in weight to face the bigger and theoretically stronger De La Hoya “If there were no upsets in the world, the world would be boring.” As many know, Pacquiao went on to score a dominant victory over De La Hoya in which he forced him to quit on his stool and into retirement. Truly one of the milestones in Pacquiao’s legendary career.

Of course, upsets are not something that is exclusive to the sport of Boxing, but is something that occurs throughout all of sport. Recently, this was proven in Baseball where in the divisional round of the American League playoffs, the Boston Red Sox, a team that got into the divisional stage courtesy of winning the wildcard against the New York Yankees, upset the number one seeded Tampa Bay Rays, a team that had won the American League championship in 2020, and after winning one hundred games in baseball’s regular-season this year, appeared to be a lock to at least return to the World Series this year. Despite being shut out in game one of the best of five series, Boston came back to defeat the Rays in three straight games to eliminate them from the playoffs and advance to the American League championship series where they are currently facing the Houston Astros. Certainly, all logic suggested that the Tampa Bay Rays were likely to steamroll past the Red Sox much in the same way they had against virtually every team they had faced during the regular season in becoming one of the rare teams to win over a hundred games during a season. Sometimes logic and sports do not mix.

The sport of Boxing meanwhile saw a significant upset in September when former undefeated Cruiserweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk scored a twelve round unanimous decision over two-time unified Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. While the reader may question why yours truly has used as examples, it is to show that even the most seasoned of those who cover sports and the most seasoned of sports fan should always expect the unexpected.

Such a scenario occurred on October 16th at the Chuchansi Park minor league baseball stadium in Fresno, CA where former four-division world champion Mikey Garcia faced Sandor Martin in a ten round Welterweight bout. Garcia is obviously one of the more accomplished fighters in the sport currently having won world titles from the 126lb. Featherweight division to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. In his only career defeat, Garcia was out boxed in a one-sided decision loss to undefeated IBF Welterweight world champion Errol Spence in March 2019.

Although it is arguable that Garcia has not been the same fighter since moving into the Welterweight division, he still managed to look impressive against former WBO Welterweight world champion Jessie Vargas in his first fight since suffering the loss to Spence in February 2020. Garcia, much like many fighters throughout the entire sport saw his career stall after that victory due largely to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. After over a year of inactivity, which was approaching nearly two years, Garcia’s bout against Sandor Martin was curious in the eyes of some.

Despite entering the fight with a respectable record of 38-2, with 13 Knockouts and being the current European Jr. Welterweight champion, Martin was not particularly well-known in the United States and was thought by some as merely an opponent for Garcia to work off “Ring Rust.” While we do live in a time where many fans can express their opinion freely and unfortunately can resort to conduct that is not exemplary online in expressing those opinions, I believe that the view that Martin was lightly regarded is simply due to the fact that he had not fought in the United States before this fight and more specifically had not fought anyone of Garcia’s caliber in his career. While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, Martin had been one of the fighters that has been able to benefit from the era of streaming technology in being showcased on international cards thanks to promoter Eddie Hearn’s broadcast agreement with global digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, so I believe not only based on the benefits that such technology offers, but also Martin’s style that he should have been held in higher regard by those who felt that this was a soft touch for Garcia to resume activity.

Martin is after all a southpaw and a fighter who is a slick boxer in any fighter with those attributes is bound to create some difficulty even for high profile opposition such as Garcia. Nevertheless, I did wonder how he would respond to the atmosphere of not only fighting in the United States for the first time, but also fighting under circumstances where Garcia was the significant fan favorite and fighting in Garcia’s home state of California. 

Despite being a significant underdog with all boxes seemingly checked against him, Martin came into this encounter with a calculated, tactical fight plan that he seemingly executed to near perfection. By making full use of the ring and use of his lateral movement, Martin was able to dictate how the fight was being fought even though Garcia was the one who consistently came forward and forced the action throughout. How did Martin do this? One aspect was that he was able to frequently catch Garcia with offense as he came forward whether it be with straight punches with either hand or hooks. What made this a more effective strategy was that Martin was in the process also able to evade Garcia or block a good majority of his offense as he came forward.

There were no thrills to write about in this fight, but what became noticeable as it progressed was that Martin’s strategy was working so well that it pretty much quelled the largely pro-Garcia crowd that had come to Chuchansi Park to support their favorite. Although a boxer who puts an emphasis on technique as opposed to trying to win the crowd over does not always endear a fighter to a crowd, particularly one that is accustomed to seeing action-packed fights, if one looked at this fight objectively, it was hard not to be impressed with Martin’s performance in skillfully out boxing a former four-division world champion in the biggest fight of his career. While Garcia was able to have his moments sporadically throughout the bout, what made the difference beyond Martin’s ability to control the ebb and flow of the fight was Martin was also landing the more effective punches of the two fighters.

Due to the pace in which the fight was fought however, it was nevertheless a close fight and as I have often said through the years, you really never know which was three official judges might be leaning, particularly when a fight favors a fighter that is a fan favorite in his home region going against a fighter who while skillful and had proven his ability throughout the fight, was a relative unknown to those in the United States whom Boxing is of casual interest. Nevertheless, at the conclusion of the ten round bout, I felt that Sandor Martin had done enough to earn the decision and had done so convincingly even though he did not appear to hurt Garcia at any point throughout the fight as I scored it 97-93 or seven rounds to three unofficially in his favor. 

Perhaps it is a sign of this observer’s experience in covering Boxing for most of my life as well as having watched the sport on all levels since I was a young child, but it did not surprise me to see one official judge see the fight exactly the way I did. In this case however, two of three official judges saw it exactly the same way as yours truly in turning in identical scorecards of 97-93 in Martin’s favor making him the winner by majority decision. What was a bit surprising however, was that one judge saw the fight even 95-95 resulting in the majority ruling. 

Although I do not have to tell regular readers that I have certainly seen stranger decisions rendered and far more controversial scorecards turned in, many of which I have written extensively about both online and in print, the reason why I was surprised in this circumstance was more so in thinking that perhaps Garcia’s consistent aggression throughout, albeit ineffective aggression may have been enough to sway at least one scorecard in his favor if not sway the majority of the three official judges outright. While I am not by any means suggesting that I expected to see what would amount to a “Hometown Decision”, there are some judges working throughout the sport that seem to give more credit in their criteria to the element of aggression as opposed to ring generalship and defense, as well as clean effective punching. This can also be a detriment to European fighters who travel here to the United States, who like Sandor Martin, have highly technical Boxing-based styles where the emphasis more often than not is on technique as opposed to trying to score knockouts or being known as an “Action Fighter.”

Boxing nevertheless will always be a sport of opportunity and no matter what a fighter’s background might be going into a fight, there is always the chance that they can score a major victory and almost instantly change their standing in the sport. This is exactly the position that Sandor Martin now finds himself in after scoring a major upset in the biggest win of his career over Mikey Garcia. Although he is still the European Jr. Welterweight champion, obviously, the odds of Martin potentially challenging for a world championship in 2022 in either the Jr. Welterweight or Welterweight divisions have naturally increased off of this victory. 

Of course, there is also the possibility of a rematch with Garcia, which given Garcia’s stature in the sport may be likely to happen before Martin can set his sights on challenging for a world championship. Although Mikey Garcia was simply out boxed by a crafty, and slick tactician, this observer does not know if a rematch between the two would turn out to be any different than this fight was. Styles do indeed make fights and if Martin were to approach the rematch with the same type of tactical approach as he did in this fight, it is hard for me to see the fight going differently. It is however, certainly not impossible and all eyes will obviously be on Garcia if/when these two fighters square off for a second time.

“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 

WHYTE VS. WALLIN CANCELLED DUE TO INJURY - OCTOBER 30 DAZN SHOW GOES AHEAD

 Press Release: By DAZN – A shoulder injury has forced Dillian Whyte to cancel his Interim WBC Heavyweight World Title defence against Sweden’s Otto Wallin scheduled for The O2 in London on Saturday October 30.

 

The event, shown live worldwide on DAZN, will continue as planned with Chantelle Cameron’s (14-0, 8 KOs) WBC, IBF and Ring Magazine Super-Lightweight Unification clash with the USA’s Mary McGee (27-3, 15 KOs) now topping the bill. 

 

Elsewhere on the card, ‘The Savage’ Alen Babic (8-0, 8 KOs) clashes with two-time World Title challenger Eric Molina (28-7, 20 KOs) over eight rounds, Craig Richards (16-2-1, 9 KOs) returns to the ring against Poland’s Marek Matyja (20-2-2, 9 KOs) after pushing WBA Light-Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol all the way in May, Youssef Khoumari (13-0-1, 5 KOs) takes on Jorge David Castaneda (14-1, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBC International Silver Super-Featherweight Title, ‘The Romford Bull’ Johnny Fisher (3-0, 3 KOs) faces Spain’s Alvaro Terrero (5-13-2, 3 KOs) in front of over 1,000 of his fans, Catford Super-Bantamweight Ellie Scotney (2-0) squares off against Eva Cantos (2-1) in her first fight with new trainer Shane McGuigan, Manchester Cruiserweight Jordan Thompson (10-0, 8 KOs) makes his Matchroom debut against Poland’s Piotr Podlucki (6-5, 2 KOs), Takeley Light-Heavyweight prospect John Hedges (3-0) meets Antony Woolery (2-7) over four rounds and Dublin Heavyweight Thomas Carty (1-0) has his second professional fight. 

 

"I am devastated as I had a great camp, was in great shape, and had great sparring," said Whyte. "I was looking forward to knocking Wallin out and would have done so in the first half of the fight. 

 

"I am devastated about not being able to fight on October 30 but I want to thank everyone for all of their support."

 

Dillian Whyte's Physician, and leading Sports & Exercise Medicine Consultant, Dr Harjinder Singh, said: "Dillian sustained a shoulder injury during training in preparation for his planned fight on October 30 2021, which I have assessed and confirmed with diagnostic imaging. 

 

"I have treated the injury, but the injury will unfortunately prevent him from fighting on October 30 2021. With immediate rest, physiotherapy and rehabilitation there should be no enduring concerns."

 

“Dillian carried this injury for the last couple of weeks but it worsened in sparring on Monday night and it was impossible for him to continue,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “It’s a huge shame because Dillian had a great camp before the injury and was ready to go. The show will continue on October 30 without Dillian and we wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back in the ring very soon.”

 

“We wish Dillian all the very best in his recovery and look forward to him fighting on DAZN again very soon,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP. “The Super-Lightweight unification matchup between Chantelle Cameron and Mary McGee now tops the bill, as both fighters battle it out in the road to Undisputed. We look forward to delivering that thrilling main event and the rest of the action-packed card on October 30, live from The O2 and to DAZN subscribers around the world.”

 

Refunds are available at point of purchase.

 

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, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

 

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

RICHARD SCHAEFER PROUD TO SEE PROBELLUM REPRESENTING FIGHTERS ALL OVER THE WORLD

 Press Release: By Probellum – Los Angeles, CA – October 19, 2021 - Probellum President Richard Schaefer has reflected on the fantastic signings that have been made during the first month of Probellum's tenure - following their ground-breaking launch four weeks ago.

Credit: Probellum

Probellum made waves in the boxing industry one month ago, when their ambitious next-generation sports company was officially announced, and in the process saw them begin their structured global expansion strategy.

It has seen the promotion sign some of the very best fighters that the world has to offer, with many more set to come in the near future.

At present, 14 fighters have been signed, with 11 countries being represented by boxers across the world. Armenia, Canada, England, Lithuania, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Ukraine and the United States all boast stars in Probellum's stable.

Five of those athletes are current or former world champions, with boxing superstars like Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Badou Jack, Ricky Burns and Paul Butler all part of the team, while there are also a number of top contenders on the cusp of big things, including Eimantas Stanionis, Arthur Biyarslanov, and Taras Shelestyuk.

The likes of Lewis Ritson, Hovhannes Bachkov, Darius Fulghum, Eduardo Hernandez, Mark Dickinson and Brandon Moore round up the talented boxers that are part of Probellum, with all of them set for plenty of success alongside their new promotional outfit.

Schaefer, along with Harrison Whitman, are both delighted with how everything has gone over the last four weeks, and they insist that it is just the start for the promotion.

"We are extremely proud of the stable that we have already established here at Probellum," said Schaefer. "The fact that we have managed to recruit so many huge names shows the level of trust that they have within us, and that's a great honor.

"This is just the beginning of what is going to be a very bright future. We only launched Probellum one month ago and we've already had great success, so watch this space to see what else is in store."

"We always had a very clear vision to establish a global presence, and we're thrilled with what we've been able to achieve so far," said Whitman.

"Boxing is a worldwide sport, and it is essential to approach it in that manner."

Probellum has also secured co-promotional agreements with some of the leading promoters in the sport, having partnered with Wasserman Boxing, Universum in Germany, Groupe Yvon Michel in Canada, Maravillabox Promotions in Spain, Kynoch Boxing in Scotland, LNK Boxing in Latvia, Glozier Boxing in New Zealand, Shuan Boxing Promotions in the Dominican Republic, Bufalo Boxing in Nicaragua, Team Ellis Boxing in Australia, Armin Tan Promotions in Indonesia, and Box Office Sports in Ghana.

For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission.

 

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

 

 

Dominguez Stops Rubio In 5: RJJ Boxing 10/15/2021 Results From Sinaloa, Mexico

 

Undefeated Welterweight contender Santiago Dominguez scored a dominant fifth round stoppage of Jesus Rubio on Friday night at the Auditorio Benito Juarez in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Dominguez pressed the issue from the outset landing hooks to the body and head as well as mixing in uppercuts and right hands that kept Rubio moving backward trying to evade. Although Rubio was able to land a solid left hook to the head of Dominguez in round four, it was mostly one-sided in Dominguez’ favor. Following a Dominguez combination in round five Rubio turned his back appearing to indicate that he did not want any more and the fight was stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 1:03 of round five. Santiago Dominguez advances to 25-0, with 19 Knockouts. Jesus Rubio falls to 13-5-1, with 7 Knockouts.

Also on this card:

Jr. Lightweight contender Jose Nunez scored a one-sided ninth round stoppage of Osvaldo Maldonado. Nunez implemented a body, head attack from the opening bell consistently forcing Maldonado back and landing hard, thudding punches. Nunez suffered a low blow in round seven where he was on the ground for several minutes and appeared to be debating as to whether he was going to continue the combat. The action was halted when Maldonado’s corner stopped the fight at 1:02 into round nine when Nunez appeared to be nearing putting their fighter on the canvas. Jose Nunez advances to 22-1, with 22 Knockouts. Osvaldo Maldonado falls to 10-2, with 5 Knockouts.

 Featherweight Nazario Castro outworked Enrique Morales over six rounds to earn a unanimous decision. Morales was more active early on, but Castro picked up his pace in the third round and generally landed the harder punches of the two to earn the decision win. Official scores were 60-54, 59-54, and 58-56 all in favor of Castro. Nazario Castro advances to 7-2, with 3 Knockouts. Enrique Morales falls to 3-2, with 0 Knockouts.

Women's Jr. Middleweight Valerie Bustamante began the evening by successfully making her pro debut in scoring a four round unanimous decision over Milagros Diaz. Official scores were: 40-36 (On all three scorecards) in favor of Bustamante. Valerie Bustamante advances to 1-0, with 0 Knockouts. Milagros Diaz falls to 1-15, with 1 Knockout.

This card ended a two night run of Boxing cards promoted by future Hall of Famer Roy Jones’ RJJ Boxing. While cards under the RJJ Boxing banner usually serve as a showcase for prospects nearing contention, these two cards in particular showed a mix of both prospects and contenders nearing the next levels of their respective careers. This observer was particularly impressed by unbeaten Lightweight Jorge Cota, who on night one was dominant in his fight with Edgar Alameda. Despite it only being his fifth professional bout, the nineteen year old Cota displayed a skillset of a fighter that is a seasoned professional and if he is able to continue his winnings ways, he may likely be in the mix of contenders in the talent deep 135lb. Lightweight division sooner than later.  This was followed by a grueling battle that frankly stole the show on night one between Super-Middleweights Lester Martinez and Raiko Santana, who engaged in a near non-stop ten round battle where I felt Santana got the edge due to a knockdown in round eight. Though I could see an argument for Martinez as having won the fight or one that would have resulted in a draw due to the ebb and flow constantly changing hands throughout, I would love to see a rematch between the two.

As for night two, both Santiago Dominguez and Jesus Nunez were impressive in their respective bouts in fights where frankly they did not face much resistance. It would be good however, to see both step up in the caliber of their opposition in their next bouts as both look to progress towards potential world championship opportunities down the road. Both fighters did make convincing arguments with these performances as fighters to watch as 2022 nears.

“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

Gallegos Stops Lopez In 5: RJJ Boxing 10/14/2021 Results From Sinaloa, Mexico

 

Super-Middleweight Manuel Gallegos scored a fifth round stoppage of veteran Gabriel Lopez on Thursday night at the Auditorio Benito Juarez in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Gallegos used his taller height to keep Lopez at distance where Lopez had trouble getting on the inside and being able to close the distance consistently. In round four, Gallegos dropped Lopez with a left hook to the body that sent Lopez down on his knees in a neutral corner. Although Lopez struggled, he was able to beat the count, but appeared clearly hurt. A short combination highlighted by a right hand to the head sent Lopez down for the second and final time as the bout was stopped without a count following the second knockdown. Official time of the stoppage was 1:21 of round five. Manuel Gallegos advances to 19-1, with 16 Knockouts. Gabriel Lopez falls to 10-6-1, with 7 Knockouts.

Also on this card:

In a grueling Super-Middleweight battle undefeated Lester Martinez overcame a knockdown in the late rounds to earn a very hard-fought ten round unanimous decision over Raiko Santana. The fight was fought in close from the outset with both fighters being more than willing to engage and neither really taking a backwards step. Martinez seemed to pull ahead slightly in the middle rounds, but Santana nearly brought the fight to a sudden conclusion when he dropped the unbeaten Martinez with a left hook to the body in round eight. Despite the ebb and flow seeming to shift towards Santana at that point in the bout, Martinez was able to regain his poise and pounded out the decision win. Official scores were 95-94 (On two scorecards), and 97-92 in favor of Martinez.  Lester Martinez advances to 10-0, with 9 Knockouts. Raiko Santana falls to 8-3, with 5 Knockouts.

Undefeated Lightweight prospect Luis Torres scored a second round knockout over late substitute Jose Guevara. Torres systematically walked Guevara down with steady pressure and power punches. The end came in the closing seconds of round two when Torres successfully cornered Guevara and knocked him down with a right hook to the body. Although the end of the round came while Guevara was on the canvas, he was unable to beat the count. Official time of the stoppage was 3:00 of round two. Luis Torres advances to 13-0, with 9 Knockouts. Jose Guevara falls to 6-6-1, with 2 Knockouts.

19 year old unbeaten Lightweight prospect Jorge Lugo Cota began the evening by scoring a six round unanimous decision over Edgar Alameda. Cota displayed superb head movement, a consistent a varied jab that he used to dictate the combat from the opening bell. Alameda was very “Game” and tried to fight back, but he was unable to land anything to quell Cota’s head movement or ability to dictate the fight. As the fight progressed, Cota began to implement a steady body attack and it was a flush left hook to the body that sent Alameda down late in round four. Although at times it appeared that the fight could have and perhaps should have been stopped due to the gradual beating Alameda was taking, he was able to last the six round distance in becoming the first to go the distance with Cota. Official scores were 60-53 (On two scorecards), and 60-52 all in favor of Cota. Jorge Lugo Cota advances to 5-0, with 4 Knockouts Edgar Alameda falls to 4-3-1, with 3 Knockouts.

This card was the first of two consecutive evenings of Boxing in Sinaloa, Mexico promoted by future Hall of Famer Roy Jones’ RJJ Boxing. We will continue our coverage on Friday night in addition to offering a summary of the two nights of Boxing. 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

RJJ Boxing 10/15/2021 Official Weights From Sinaloa, Mexico

 

The official weigh-in for Friday’s RJJ Boxing card took place earlier today in Sinaloa, Mexico. Weights for the card, which will take place at the Auditorio Benito Juarez and be broadcast globally by digital combat sports streaming network UFC Fight Pass are below.

 

Main Event: Welterweight – 10Rds.

 

 Santiago Dominguez 146lbs. vs. Jesus Rubio 144lbs.

 

Jr. Lightweight – 10Rds.

 

Jose Nunez 132lbs. vs. Osvaldo Maldonado 132lbs.

 

Jr. Middleweight – 8Rds.*

 

Jose Valenzuela 135lbs. vs. Jose Vazquez 157lbs.

 

(*Valenzuela nineteen pounds under the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight limit. Vazquez three pounds over the limit. Bout to go on as scheduled as of this writing.)

 

Featherweight – 6Rds.

 

Nazario Castro 126lbs. vs. Enrique Morales 127lbs.

*Card Subject To Change*

 

RJJ Boxing: Dominguez vs. Rubio takes place on Friday, October 15^th at the Auditorio Benito Juarez in Sinaloa, Mexico. The card can be seen globally on digital combat sports streaming network UFC Fight Pass beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT (U.S. Time.) For more information about UFC Fight Pass including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.UFCFightPass.com.

 

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

 

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

RJJ Boxing 10/13/2021 Official Weights From Sinaloa, Mexico

 The official weigh-in for Thursday night’s Boxing card at the Auditorio Benito Juarez in Sinaloa, Mexico, being promoted by Roy Jones’ RJJ Boxing took place earlier today. Weights for the card, which can be seen on digital combat sports streaming network UFC Fight Pass are below.

 

Main Event:  Super-Middleweight – 10Rds.

 

Manuel Gallegos 168lbs. vs. Gabriel Lopez 168lbs.

 

Super-Middleweight – 10Rds.

 

Lester Martinez 170lbs. vs. Raiko Santana 170lbs.

 

Lightweight – 10Rds.

 

Luis Torres 134lbs. vs. Jose Palos 136lbs.

 

Lightweight – 6Rds.

 

Jorge Cota 135lbs. vs. Edgar Alameda 136lbs.

 

*Card Subject To Change*

 

RJJ Boxing: Gallegos vs. Lopez takes place tomorrow night (Thursday, October 14^th) at the Auditorio Benito Juarez in Sinaloa, Mexico. The card can be seen globally on digital subscription combat sports streaming network UFC Fight Pass beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT (U.S. Time.) For more information about UFC Fight Pass including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.UFCFightPass.com.

 

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

 

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

 

GALAHAD AND HARPER TOP NOVEMBER 13 WORLD TITLE DOUBLE-HEADER IN SHEFFIELD ON DAZN

 Press Release: October 13, 2021 By DAZN – IBF Featherweight ruler meets Martinez whilst ‘Belter’ defends WBC & IBO straps against Baumgardner 

Credit: DAZN

 

Kid Galahad will make the maiden defence of his IBF Featherweight World Title against former World Champion Kiko Martinez on the same night that WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight ruler Terri Harper returns to put her belts on the line against the USA’s Alycia Baumgardner, live exclusively on DAZN worldwide - excluding Australia and New Zealand.

 

The World Title double-header lands at the Utilita Arena Sheffield on Saturday November 13 and is supported by a stellar undercard that features Chris Billam-Smith (13-1, 10 KOs) making the first defence of his European Cruiserweight Title, Leeds Super-Bantamweight talent Hopey Price (6-0, 2 KOs), James Flint (9-0-1, 2 KOs) battling Dom Hunt (7-0, 1 KO) for the Central Area Welterweight Title, Donte Dixon (5-0, 3 KO) squaring off with Jordan McCorry (19-7-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round Super-Featherweight contest,Raven Chapman (1-0, 1 KO), Sheffield Light-Heavyweight Khalid Ayub (1-0) and Oldham debutant William Cawley.

 

Sheffield’s Galahad (28-1, 17 KOs) turned in a superb performance as he clinically stopped Liverpool’s Jazza Dickens in eleven rounds to claim the vacant IBF crown at Matchroom HQ in Brentwood, Essex back in August – fulfilling his life-long dream of becoming a World Champion.

 

The Dominic Ingle-trained 31-year-old is targeting supremacy at 126lbs, and has already called for unification fights with the likes of WBC ruler Gary Russell Jr. and WBO Champion Emanuel Navarrete, but must first get past former IBF Super-Bantamweight Champion Martinez (42-10-2, 29 KOs).

 

Spain’s Martinez is relishing the opportunity to become a two-weight World Champion after suffering a controversial loss at the hands of Manchester’s Zelfa Barrett at The SSE Arena, Wembley earlier this year, and the 35-year-old is well known on these shores having shared the ring with multiple World Champions.

 

Harper (11-0-1, 6 KOs) looked sensational as she stopped Norway's Katharina Thanderz in nine rounds to retain her WBC and IBO 130lbs crowns last time out in November 2020 on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s win over Miriam Gutierrez in London. 

 

The Denaby favourite was set to defend her World Titles in a unification clash with South Korea’s undefeated WBA World Champion Hyun-Mi Choi in May before sustaining a hand injury that has kept her side-lined for a number of months, but will now look to get her career back on track against Baumgardner (10-1, 6 KOs) in Sheffield.

 

“I am beyond excited for this,” said Galahad. “It will give me a great sense of pride to be making my first World Title defence right here in Sheffield, the city where my boxing journey began with the legend Brendan Ingle. 

 

“Brendan told me way back when I was 14 years old that if I stuck with it, I would be a World Champion one day – so this will be a special moment for me, and it will be dedicated to Brendan and Alma Ingle. To make my maiden World Title defence right here in front of the incredible people of Sheffield, my family and my fans will be a very special moment. 

 

“Kiko is a former World Champion and has been in with multiple other World Champions so he has a huge amount of experience. He is a very tough man and never shy’s away during a fight. You’re always going to be in for a hard night’s work with Kiko who will be pushing, pressuring and punching all night long.

 

“We saw how sharp and hungry he looked against Zelfa Barrett recently so with this being his chance to become World Champion again, I’m expecting an even hungrier and sharper version and I will be preparing for exactly that, with no stones left unturned!”

 

“The UK is like my second home, I felt robbed against Zelfa Barrett, but all the fans know who the real winner was,” said Martinez. “I hope that this time the judges will be fair with me. Galahad is a very good boxer and I respect him, but I am very confident in my abilities. I am excited with this opportunity. To become a World Champion in a second weight division is my goal.”

 

“I am very excited to be back out on November 13 and continuing the journey,” said Harper. “It has been a tough year out with the injury, but we have been constantly working in the gym and I feel so much more focused mentally. I couldn’t think of a better return than at Sheffield Arena back in front of the home crowd where I last boxed before lockdown.”

 

“I hope Terri Harper understands that when you step in the ring with me, I’m throwing bombs,” said Baumgardner. “Terri will feel every punch I throw. My punches are thrown with evil intent and I intend to hurt her, and to become ‘The New’. My time is now, and everyone will know who ‘The Bomb’ is. Don’t let a pretty face fool you. On November 13 I can’t wait to show the world that god has blessed me with talent and I intend to show what happens when talent meets opportunity and my fist meets Terri Harper’s face.”

 

“After a fantastic performance at Fight Camp, Kid Galahad is back defending his IBF Featherweight World Title for the first time,” said Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN. “It doesn’t get much better than a maiden title defence in your hometown, against a former World Champion in Kiko Martinez. Terri Harper also returns to the ring after a year out, putting her WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight Titles on the line. This is certainly not one to miss, live on DAZN around the world.”

 

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, local start times in your area and to subscribe please visit: http://www.DAZN.com.

 

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