Friday, March 31, 2023

CARLOS SANCHEZ AND ALEXANDER DURAN TOP PROBOX TV CARD IN MEXICO CITY, APRIL 5

Press Release: March 31, 2023 By  ProBox TV - ProBox TV alongside the legendary Juan Manuel Márquez returns with its monthly show from Mexico on April 5th. 




The Mexican capital will play host to three televised fights at the cost of absolutely nothing to viewers with a free boxing show for fight fans to enjoy on ProBox TV. 




A ten-round welterweight battle will take place between Mexican Carlos Sanchez Valdez (23-1, 19 KOs) and Panama’s Alexander Duran (21-0, 7 KOs). Sanchez comes off a 7th round KO victory over Elvis Torres last October, the undefeated southpaw was last in the ring against Edwin Bennett, picking up a points victory over eight rounds. 




Brandon Reyes Valle (6-0-1, 2 KOs) will put his unblemished record on the line when he faces off with fellow Mexican, Abraham Arreola Calixtro (5-2-1, 4 KOs). Valle makes a long awaited return to the ring after a period of inactivity coming off a majority decision draw to Luis Castro. Calixtro also comes off a draw, sharing the spoils with Luis Bolanos Lopez. 




Rounding off the televised action from Mexico City will be a ten-round contest at lightweight. Jose Angel Napoles (14-1-2, 6 KOs) will lock horns with Eduardo Martinez Martinez (10-1, 7 KOs) to kick the evening off. 




Promoter Juan Manuel Márquez shared his delight upon returning to Mexico City. “It means a lot every time I come back to this magical place. This show you will see next Wednesday will also be very magical. Some very strong Mexican men will give everything to make sure the Mexican boxing fans are entertained. Tune in for free on ProBox TV if you can’t make it.”


Material and Photo Courtesy of ProBox TV Used with permission.


For more information about ProBox TV including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, Full library of previous Boxing events, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.ProBoxTV.com 



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

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

BLK PRIME PRESENTS TUESDAY NIGHT FIGHTS FEATURING THE NEW ERA BOXERS

Press Release: March 29, 2023 By BLK Prime - (San Jose, CA - March 29, 2023) – BLK Prime is committed to being a force in the sport of Boxing. Excitement awaits Boxing Fans around the world by offering opportunities to prospects throughout different Boxing communities. With that in mind, BLK Prime is excited to announce the return of Tuesday Night Fights featuring the New Era Boxers. Starting in May 2023, BLK Prime will feature five fights every Tuesday night live, included in your $3.99 subscription. Rising stars, undefeated fighters, and top prospects will showcase their skills every week on the BLK Prime platform. 

Credit: BLK Prime 



A significant aspect of BLK Prime's mission is to be a leader in Women's Boxing featuring weekly women's fights and all women's cards. Although Women's Boxing has been on the rise, there are numerous women lacking opportunities to get in the ring, BLK Prime is opening that platform for all women fighters.


BLK Prime wants to offer Boxing fans the chance to watch great fights weekly, including many undefeated prospects. Competitive fights will demonstrate how prospects can become contenders. BLK Prime will feature seasoned commentators along with current and former champions. BLK Prime aims to be the go-to destination for Boxing enthusiasts.


"The top five of the week are going to be the new wave of Boxing for all emerging fighters. BLK Prime is providing a platform for all fighters to showcase and show the world who the best fighters are!" - Zab Judah, Former Champion, and Spokesperson for BLK Prime


The first Tuesday Night Fights Main Event prospect will be Alan Garcia, (8-0, 7 KOs), a lightweight hailing from Ulysses, Kansas hungry to make a statement in the sport of Boxing. Further information will be available soon.


Be sure to follow BLK Prime across all social media platforms for upcoming information on the first Tuesday Night Fights.

Material and Photo Courtesy BLK Prime Used with permission.

For more information about BLK Prime and to subscribe please visit: www.BLKPrime.com


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

Joshua-Franklin: Can Joshua Bounce Back?

Only with the rarest of exceptions, one would be hard pressed to not find a fighter in the sport of Boxing or to take it a step further, all of combat sports, that has not at one time or another experienced a setback or several throughout the course of their careers. This is one reason why veteran writers/journalists/historians such as this observer will refer to what a fighter goes through during the course of their careers as "Chapters" in the story of that career. The story of former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua is one that is about to embark on a new chapter that one might have the working title of "The Rebuild?" or "The Comeback." 


Without delving too much into the backstory of how we got here to what will be the start of what is essentially phase three of Joshua's career, the conclusion of the previous chapter was Joshua's failure to regain his title for second time in his rematch against undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk in August of last year, Usyk, the man who took the unified portion of the World Heavyweight championship from Joshua and ended his second reign as champion over a year earlier.


While Joshua fought a better fight in the rematch with Usyk, he was still unable to get the job done. In hindsight, even though Joshua had an immediate rematch clause, which he exercised to get another fight with Usyk, there are likely some who question the wisdom of that decision even though he was simply out boxed by a master tactician both times and was not knocked down or out in either bout. Now Joshua prepares to try and get his career back on track as he will face Heavyweight contender Jermaine Franklin on Saturday, April 1st at the O2 Arena in London, England. A bout that can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.


Although there is the similarity of both Joshua and Franklin coming into this fight off of losses, Franklin's loss in November of last year to former world title challenger and former Joshua opponent Dillian Whyte, established the previously unknown native of Saginaw, MI as a Heavyweight contender. It was in that fight where Franklin, who entered that bout unbeaten in twenty-one professional fights, dropped a twelve round majority decision to Whyte, but arguably came out of that fight looking more like a winner then Whyte did as there were several including yours truly who felt that Franklin deserved the decision. Perhaps, it was that consensus opinion as well as Franklin's performance in that fight where he seemingly outworked Whyte in a fight that was not the most entertaining to watch, which has resulted in him getting this chance against the former champion Joshua.


This will be Joshua's first fight and second connective fight with a new head trainer in his corner. After previously working with trainer and former world champion Robert Garcia for the rematch with Usyk, this time Joshua has enlisted trainer Derrick James to be his coach. James has trained several world champions, much like Garcia, including current undefeated IBF/WBA/WBC Welterweight world champion Errol Spence, among others. The obvious question that is asked whenever a new trainer takes over the reins of an established star in the sport is what new elements or wrinkles can that new trainer bring to the table in terms of hopefully helping improve and evolve that fighter's skillset.


In this case, I believe most would concede that even though Joshua fought a better fight the second time around against Usyk and that fight was closer than the first encounter, at no point in either fight did Joshua assert his naturally bigger size and strength on Usyk, who at that point was an undefeated former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion, who also showed mixed returns in terms of his ability to handle Heavyweights in his previous Heavyweight bouts prior to facing Joshua. Whether it was a case of Joshua being under prepared in either of those fights or perhaps complacency in underestimating just how good and skillful Oleksandr Usyk is, I believe many would say that whatever the case was, it was the wrong strategy.


Many will of course remember that Joshua began his pro career with a string of quick knockouts. While that certainly helped him move up the ladder of contention quickly and eventually to a world title, a problem that many fighters that are able to have a similar rise up the ranks run into at some point is not having a Plan B when an opponent is prepared for and able to withstand their punching power. In Joshua's three losses, first to Andy Ruiz, then the two against Usyk, an argument can be made that not only did Joshua not have a Plan B, but he also did not recognize the need to adjust whatever plan he had in those fights when it became clear that his strategies were not working. The challenge for Derrick James is not only to find a way to reinstill Joshua's instincts as a power puncher, but also, giving him the mental aspects to recognize when a change of approach is needed, as well as a way to tactically implement it.


In terms of the opposition, Jermaine Franklin is still largely unknown from the standpoint that it is not known how he will respond to a fighter with Joshua's power. What can be said however, is he was able to withstand the best of what Dillian Whyte threw at him and in addition to seemingly being able to outwork him over the course of the fight, Franklin also proved to be durable. The question is whether or not that was a case of Franklin catching Whyte on an off night or more of a circumstance of Franklin not getting the benefit of exposure on television consistently prior to that fight that was the reason why he was able to turn in a performance that many did not expect.


Given what happened in that fight in Franklin coming out on the losing end of a decision many felt he deserved, it will also be interesting to see if Franklin approaches this fight a bit more aggressively in an effort to keep the outcome out of the hands of the three official judges. One should also keep in mind, despite Anthony Joshua's reputation as a "Knockout Artist," he has been caught, hurt, knocked down, and knocked out before. As such, even though Franklin has had limited exposure up to this point, the possibility certainly exists that Joshua can be caught and the beauty of Boxing is after all, "Anything Can Happen At Any Time." Whether Franklin, who has fourteen knockouts in his twenty-one career wins, has the power or the timing to be able to catch Joshua as Andy Ruiz was able to do when he knocked him out in their first fight in June 2019, remains to be seen.


While there is not much "Hype" at least from yours truly, beyond the simple quote that indeed anything can happen, which should not be viewed as "Hype" more than it should be taken as "Common Sense," promoter Eddie Hearn, who has prompted Joshua for his entire career, has started that if Joshua were to lose this fight, it might signal the end of his career. Although that should be taken in context as a promoter's primary job is after all, to generate as much interest as possible to both sell tickets as well as to hopefully, move the needle for lack of a better term for their broadcaster, in this case DAZN, I do not necessarily believe that should he lose this fight that Joshua would be finished as a fighter because he is one of the biggest stars in the sport, particularly in the United Kingdom where he has routinely drawn massive crowds in stadiums for his fights.


A loss however, would at minimum take Anthony Joshua out of the world championship picture for a period of time and it would be dishonest to say that the onus is not on Joshua in this fight and obviously with that, there is pressure. On the other side of the equation, much as was the car prior to his bout with Dillian Whyte, Jermaine Franklin has nothing to lose and everything to gain. No matter how well regarded a fighter might be, their stature in the sport, and how dominant they might be, the longer a fighter's career continues, the competition will get tougher with time and the possibility of a loss is always there. How Part 3: Chapter 1 in the story of the career of Anthony Joshua is ultimately written remains to be seen. 


"And That's The Boxing Truth."


Joshua vs. Franklin takes place on Saturday, April 1st at the O2 Arena in London, England. The bout as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with The DAZN Boxing Show: Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts beginning at 11:45AM ET/8:45AM PT. This will be followed by the main card, which will begin st 2PM ET/11AM PT.


(* U.S. Times Only*) 


(*Card and start times subject to change.*)


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. 


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

Monday, March 27, 2023

Benavidez-Plant Thoughts

As strictly a Boxing match, the encounter between former Super-Middleweight world champions David Benavidez and Caleb Plant checked a lot of boxes that a Boxing fan looks for in the lead up to the fight. A clash of styles that when matched against each other was likely to produce a competitive fight. A rivalry between the two fighters that appeared to grow into legitimate bad blood, and the sub-plot of potentially getting another opportunity to fight for a world championship. With the fight fan's list of what to look forward to checked off, it was time for the two fighters to converge on the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV on March 25th to do battle. 


In previewing this bout, this observer stated that it would likely come down to whether or not Plant would be able to deal with the punching power and hand speed of Benavidez. It was also crucial in my eyes that Benavidez not allow Plant, a fighter known for his elusiveness, to be able to set the tempo of the fight and could not start slow as he had done in previous fights as the possibility existed that Plant could build an early lead on the scorecards


For most of the first six rounds of the fight, this is exactly what Plant was able to accomplish. Using his ability to move laterally and approach Benavidez at varying angles, Plant was able to pick his shots by throwing and landing short, crisp combinations to the body and head and then move before Benavidez could return offense. This essentially was the pattern in which the fight was fought for a significant period of time. What yours truly also stated was that Benavidez needed to avoid following Plant around, needed to find a way to cut the ring off to try and limit his movement, and needed to let his hands go consistently.



Throughout most of the first half of the twelve round bout, Benavidez seemingly fell into that trap, which is a testament to what appeared to be an effective fight plan that Caleb Plant was able to execute. It also should not be overlooked that as Benavidez followed Plant around, it was Plant who was able to frequently make the undefeated former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion miss with the punches that he did throw. Plant, the former IBF Super-Middleweight world champion, also succeeded in keeping Benavidez from being able to establish any kind of consistent rhythm offensively by implementing this strategy, with an emphasis on movement and trying to out box his opponent.



At the halfway point of the fight, I felt that Plant had won five of the first six rounds based largely on his execution of his fight plan. While I did not feel the bout was close in terms of scoring at this point, one thing that also stood out was when he was able to connect with his punches, David Benavidez was the harder puncher of the two. Although that should not be surprising to most knowledge Boxing fans, who are familiar with the styles of the two fighters, the question that formed in my mind as the fight progressed was whether or not power punches would be enough for Benavidez to be able to get the job done in this fight as it appeared going into the second half of the fight that he was being out boxed and out worked by Plant.


During the second half of the fight however, the ebb and flow changed as the pressure of Benavidez as well as fatigue began to slow Plant down, which made him more of a stationary target. This along with Benavidez being able to land punches more consistently, seemed in some ways to mirror Plant's only career defeat at the hands of current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who was able to gradually break Plant down and stop him in eleven rounds in their unification bout in November 2021. Much like Benavidez, Alvarez was able to land the harder shots particularly to the body, which slowed Plant down. In this case, perhaps because of what happened to him against Alvarez, Plant though slowed considerably as the bout progressed tried to go toe to toe with Benavidez, despite it not being to his advantage.



Some might also point to the fact that Caleb Plant was able to get away with what at times appeared to be excessive holding throughout the fight when Benavidez was able to get close. While the tactic of holding an opponent is one that a boxer uses both as a means of defense as well as a way to physically turn an opponent where they are not able to get punches off and then be able to maintain distance when separated by the referee, I will say that I felt the holding by Plant did border on excessive, particularly in the second half of the fight when he was unable to use his legs as he had done over the first six rounds to evade Benavidez.


It needs to be pointed out however, that skilled boxers as Caleb Plant certainly is will look to take advantage of whatever they are able to get away with as long as they are allowed to by the referee. The referee for this bout was Kenny Bayless, who is one of the most respected referees throughout the entire sport that is frequently called upon to officiate bouts all over the world, not just in the state of Nevada in a career where he has officiated close to 900 professional bouts as a referee, many of those bouts having been for world championship fights. Why am I taking the time to point out the credentials of the referee of this fight the reader might ask?



Well, if you are knowledgeable about the sport and you have spent as much time covering it as I have in having spent most of my life writing about and covering Boxing as well as other combat sports, you unfortunately get used to hearing the criticism of fans of referees, judges, and hear the subsequent accusations of potential corruption hurled in the direction of those who are criticized. Although I have not spent too much time as I write this column to see if there has been such criticism of Bayless, I do not feel there was anything suspicious going on in terms of potential corruption. I do feel however, that Bayless should have at least warned Plant about holding as the fight progressed. Referees and judges, like the rest of us, are human and are just as prone to having an off night at the office for lack of a better term as any of us. Bayless is still one of the best in the sport, but it is quite possible that he indeed had an off night here and that did serve to benefit Plant.



Unlike in the Alvarez fight where the effects of pressure, punishment, and fatigue led to his downfall, just as it appeared this fight was heading for a similar outcome, Plant was somehow able to survive a terrible beating that Benavidez dished out in the later rounds. This was particularly surprising in the eleventh round where I frankly thought he was taking too much punishment and wondered if Bayless or his corner would stop the fight as a result. Although Plant did not get knocked down during this period of the fight and deserves a lot of credit for being able to survive and go on to finish the fight, I felt the eleventh round was lopsided to the degree that scoring that round 10-8 in favor of Benavidez was appropriate. As it would turn out, that decision by yours truly would end up producing a rarity on my unofficial scorecard at the end of the fight.


At the end of the twelve round bout, I arrived with an even score in terms of rounds in having scored six rounds a piece between Benavidez and Plant. In points however because I scored the eleventh round 10-8, a score that most of the time is reserved for when there is a knockdown, in favor of Benavidez, I arrived with Benavidez winning the fight 115-113 in points, akin to a seven rounds to five scorecard. 



Ultimately, Benavidez would win the fight via unanimous decision by margins of 115-113 (Seven rounds to five), 116-112 (Eight rounds to four), and 117-111 (Nine rounds to three). While I do not feel a nine rounds to three scorecard was an accurate illustration of how close this fight was, it is indisputable that once Caleb Plant was not able to use his movement, the dynamic of the bout changed and it was a different type of fight from the second half of the contest on through the end of the fight. 


The victory for David Benavidez now moves him into a mandatory position to challenge Saul Alvarez as far as the World Boxing Council's (WBC) Super-Middleweight ratings is concerned. The likelihood of Benavidez getting that shot in the near future seems unlikely due both to Alvarez' upcoming title defense against WBO mandatory challenger John Ryder in May and assuming he retains his undisputed championship in that fight, his desire to seek a rematch with undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol, who defeated Alvarez last year in defense of his Light-Heavyweight crown. This as well as the uncertainty of the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, who currently promote Benavidez, seems to keep him out of the equation at least in the immediate future, though he did do his best to call Alvarez out for a fight later this year shortly after defeating Plant. 


As for Caleb Plant, the second loss of his career will do little to negatively affect his standing in the Super-Middleweight division. He has however, earned the chance to rest after what was a very tough and grueling fight. The uncertainty that the PBC, who also promotes Plant, currently finds itself in will likely allow Plant all the time he needs to recover and decide what he wants to do before going back to the drawing board. The one thing Plant can take from this loss is he performed well and even though he did lose this fight, the way he fought, particularly in the later rounds will endear him to fans going forward and his stock in the division will go up as a result.




"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, March 25, 2023

"HE IS COMING TO TAKE OVER": AUSSIE SENSATION ALEX WINWOOD LOCKS IN CHANCE AT A SECOND BELT

Press Release: March 25, 2023 By  Jarred Cross and Dragon Fire Boxing - Aussie sensation and next-big-thing Alex Winwood may find himself with two regional belts after just three fights come June.

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 





The 25-year-old’s next bout is set for three months' time - looking at the numbers, it’s a big one. 





While Winwood has blown past his competition so far at light flyweight, namely former world champion Tibo Monabesa on February 3, a drop down to strawweight could present a trickier task; WBC champ and world no.9 Reyneris Gutierez. 





The Nicaraguan similarly boasts an undefeated record, not that it phases the young Western Australian. 





Despite his preference for discipline and preparation over the bravado you might expect from a boxer, Winwood had one subtle reminder for his next opponent. 





“For most of these fights we're gonna be giving up experience. But in terms of the people he’s fought, maybe (they) might not hold too much weight, I guess,” he told the National Indigenous Times.





"I don't feel like I'm out of my depth.





“He’s (Guiterez) obviously got a lot of confidence. He's not used to losing and he's one he's built, and he's still holding it…he’s not going to want to lose it…but I'm the International champion at the heavier weight coming down, so it's gonna be a good matchup.”





The plan is to be a world champion within six fights; one shy of Jeff Fenech's record for the quickest Australian man to the top. 





With that comes a strategy for taking names and making one for himself, often against more experience to put himself on the map of those making the big decisions. 





It’s something he and renowned trainer Angelo Hyder believes is a pursuit well within reach.





“To be at this stage of my career and already looking out to grab a second WBC belt is just unreal,” Winwood said.





“It's also the path that we need to be on if we want to be as ambitious as we are.





“We're obviously going in the right direction and we've got to take a step up every fight and this is just one of the many people that's gonna try to knock us off our course. 





“We’ve just got to lock in and get through this guy and take him at his best ‘cause I’m sure he’s gonna be at his best on the night.”





Even better - doing in front of his home town. 





“The crowd is just getting bigger and bigger every every time I fight in Perth,” he said. 





“I'm very keen to bring another big fight back there. 





“I think they're not used to having such big title fights and they’re only getting bigger and the crowds obviously loving it so they're coming out full force.”








Any reservations on talking himself up are happily left to the men around him. 





Winwood’s manager Tony Tolj likened him to “a cross between Roy Jones and Mike Tyson.”





“He knows the sacrifices that are needed to be the absolute best possible…he is a student of greatness and by stepping in with a guy with 21 wins, one loss and world no.13 in his second fight (Monabesa) shows he is not coming to take part.





“He is coming to takeover.”





Alex Winwood faces Reyneris Gutierez for the WBC Strawweight International championship on June 16 in Perth. 


Material and Photo Courtesy of Jarred Cross and 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.

Friday, March 24, 2023

BREAKING: Gonzalez Withdraws From Unification Bout With Teraji Due To Illness

It has been announced that the April 8th Jr. Flyweight world championship unification bout between WBC world champion Kenshiro Teraji and WBO world champion Johnathan Gonzalez has been called off. The bout, which was scheduled for April 8th at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan and was to include the vacant WBA world championship in the 108lb. Jr. Flyweight division was called off when Gonzalez had to withdraw from the bout after coming down with pneumonia.


As of this writing, an attempt is being made by promoters and Teraji 's handlers to secure a substitute opponent in what one would assume would be an attempt to not only maintain the April 8th date, but also a defense of his WBC world championship. The Teraji-Gonzalez unification bout was scheduled to be streamed here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. Obviously, with the status of the event now uncertain, there is also no word as of this writing as to whether the network will still stream the event if it goes forward, assuming a substitute opponent for Teraji can be secured. 


We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available. Stay tuned.


"Abd That's The Boxing Truth."


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


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

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Benavidez-Plant Preview

On Saturday, March 25th, two former world champions will enter the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV with the goal of taking one step closer to challenging once more for a world championship. This observer is referring to the encounter between David Benavidez and Caleb Plant. Two fighters who each know what it is to be a world champion in the talent-deep 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. A division currently ruled by Undisputed world champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.


While the goal of both men is obviously an eventual fight with Alvarez, the encounter between the two, which will headline a pay-per-view card broadcast by Showtime Pay-Per-View here in the United States, could possibly be one of the best fights of the year. The reason for that is it is an interesting clash of styles between two boxer/punchers, but one who is more noted for his punching power than the other. David Benavidez is a former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion. He also has a rare distinction for being one of the few fighters to have held a world championship, but never lost his title in the ring. Some may recall that Benavidez, who won the title in 2017, becoming the youngest world champion in the history of the Super-Middleweight division in the process, was ultimately stripped of it by the World Boxing Council due to having tested positive for cocaine shortly after defeating Ronald Gavril for the title. The WBC then ruled that Benavidez was a "Champion in Recess," which allowed him to fight for the title again only to ultimately be stripped for failing to make weight prior to a scheduled title defense against Roamer Angelo.


Despite his struggles out of the ring, Benavidez has remained unbeaten in twenty-six professional fights and has scored knockouts in twenty-three of those bouts. Inside the ring, Benavidez has been a dominant force that has yet to be tested. Enter Caleb Plant.


Plant, as some may recall, had a lengthy reign as the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Super-Middleweight world champion before being stopped in eleven rounds by Saul Alvarez in a unification bout for the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world. While Plant lost that fight, he made a good account of himself in defeat, particularly in the early rounds before eventually being broken down by Alvarez' pressure and body attack. While that loss is to date the only one Plant has suffered in his career, he obviously would like another opportunity against Alvarez. In his only fight since that loss, Plant scored a devastating knockout of former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Anthony Dirrell in February of last year.


What this fight will come down to in my eyes is whether Plant will be able to deal with the punching power and hand speed of Benavidez. At his best, Caleb Plant is an elusive fighter, who in addition to having hand speed of his own, is known for his lateral movement and ability to use angles. These aspects of his skillset did for a time create problems for Alvarez before he was able to eventually break Plant down as that fight progressed. While Plant's knockout of Dirrell in his last fight was a brutal hook to the body/hook to the head combination, he is not known for his power and logic would suggest that he will need to try and implement a similar approach as he attempted to use against Alvarez, but obviously will look to correct the flaws in that approach that Alvarez ultimately took advantage of, if he wants to be successful in this fight.


The reason for this is Benavidez has exceptionally quick hands in addition to his punching power and Plant will need to be meticulous and tactical for the duration of the scheduled twelve round bout. Perhaps a flaw in Benavidez that Plant will look to take advantage of is that at times he can start slow and not let his hands go much in the early rounds. While obviously Plant should not base his entire approach on this, he must be elusive and try to resist the temptation to go toe to toe with Benavidez if he is able to connect more than occasionally with offense in the early rounds.


For David Benavidez, he must study Plant's fight with Alvarez and look at what Alvarez did that led to his being able to stop Plant late in the fight. Although implementing a similar strategy can be easier said than done, there are two aspects that Benavidez must keep in mind at all times in this fight. One, he needs to find a way to cut off the ring and try to limit Plant's ability to move and must do so early on in the fight as to not allow Plant to establish the tempo of the fight or give him the chance to potentially build up a lead on the scorecards. Benavidez must avoid following Plant around and must limit his movement. Secondly, Benavidez must let his hands go consistently from the outset. If he starts slow and allows Plant to dictate the combat, Benavidez might be in a position where he might need a knockout in the later rounds in order to maintain his undefeated record.


While this fight being the main event of a pay-per-view card in the present time when Showtime as the last premium cable network televising Boxing in the United States may be on its way out in similar fashion as former longtime rival HBO had done in 2018 following a corporate restructuring of its parent company, has drawn criticism of some as a similar restructuring is now taking place in Showtime's parent company Paramount Global, the fight between Benavidez and Plant is still one of the best fights that has been made recently at least on paper. Whether or not that ultimately translates to a memorable battle inside the ring on Saturday night March 25th remains to be seen, even if those broadcasting the fight are likely setting themselves up for failure in the form of underwhelming pay-per-view buy numbers as Boxing fans continue to reject what has become an overpriced, undervalued, and outdated revenue model for the sport that needs to change.


"And That's The Boxing Truth."


Benavidez vs. Plant takes place on Saturday, March 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight can be seen in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View beginning at 9PM ET/ 6PM PT. The pay-per-view event will be available on traditional cable/satellite providers as well as through the Showtime streaming app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices and Smart TVs. Contact your local cable/satellite provider for ordering information.


To order via and stream on the Showtime streaming app please visit: www.SHO.com/PPV for ordering information.

The event is also available for streaming for the aforementioned price through PPV.com and the PPV.com app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices and Smart TVs. To order through PPV.com and for more information about compatible streaming devices, please visit: www.PPV.com


*Check your local listings internationally*


*Card and start time subject to change*


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


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

Monday, March 20, 2023

Making The Best Of Unforseen Circumstances, Mercito Gesta Seizes The Day

Originally, this column was to be the follow-up/post-fight feature to the much anticipated Light-Heavyweight clash between former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez and longtime veteran contender and former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in what was to be Rosado's debut in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. As most now know however, the fight was cancelled on the day before the scheduled March 18th bout at the official weigh-in when Ramirez arrived in being what was described as significantly overweight and in no condition to attempt to get down in weight to a point where the bout was salvageable, resulting in the fight being cancelled.


While this is certainly nothing new in the sport of Boxing as it is unfortunately all too common for there to be complications regarding the weight of a fighter in at least one bout on a full card, the cancellation, though disappointing did not result in the entire card being cancelled along with it as unfortunately also tends to happen when a main event for whatever reason is cancelled. Instead, the fight that was slated as the co-main event would be elevated to the featured bout of the evening at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA.


This bout, much as was the case between Ramirez and Rosado featured the storyline of a former world champion going against a veteran contender and former world title challenger. Some may also continue the similarity by also pointing out that the veteran in this case, as it was with Rosado, could have been making his last stand in an attempt to once again get an opportunity to fight for a world championship. This observer is referring to the encounter between former IBF Jr. Lightweight world champion Joseph Diaz and longtime contender Mercito Gesta. A fight that took place in the 135lb. Lightweight division.


Although yours truly was intending to save his coverage of this fight to be included in an upcoming edition of the periodic feature Jabs and Observations here on The Boxing Truth® where I discuss several topics in the sport including bouts that could not be covered in a shorter timeframe for one reason or another, the unforeseen circumstances of the Ramirez-Rosado cancellation facilitated the need to change those plans. This bout was however, no less intriguing both due to the aforementioned similarities of this bout to the cancelled original main event, but also because of an interesting clash of styles between the two fighters.


Joseph Diaz is known as a boxer/puncher, but has been more than willing to engage with his opponents in heated exchanges as was the case when he won his world title by defeating Tevin Farmer in January 2020, shortly before the circumstances of  the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic brought much of the world including sports to a halt for much of that year. Diaz, who's struggle to make the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight limit, resulted in his losing the title on the weight scale prior to a scheduled title defense in February 2021, had gone on a streak that can be described as akin to a baseball player going through a "Slump" in that since he defeated Farmer, he had gone 1-2-1 in his previous four bouts prior to this fight. 


Mercito Gesta meanwhile is also a fighter that can do a little bit of everything, but was more known as a fighter who had come up short when he stepped up in caliber of opposition including when he challenged Miguel Vazquez for the IBF World Lightweight championship in December 2012. Despite the fact that Gesta had only been stopped once in thirty-nine professional fights prior to taking on Diaz, at thirty-five years old, having been through a long career up to this point, it was understandable how some may have questioned how much Mercito Gesta had left at this stage of his career.


What stood out immediately in this fight was Gesta's ability to use his footwork not only as a means of creating lateral movement, but also to create angles. This resulted in Gesta being able to attack in short, but explosive spurts, often throwing punches in variations of between four and eight punch combinations at a time to the body and head of Diaz. While such offensive tactics are often flashy and attention-grabbing not just for fans watching a fight, but also perhaps the three official judges who are tasked with scoring a bout, what this does from a tactical standpoint is ! make the opponent go on the defensive where they are occupied with trying to protect themselves from incoming punches rather than letting their hands go.


Joseph Diaz did succeed in being able to block a good portion of Gesta's offense by tightening up and staying behind a high defensive guard. This in turn resulted in a lot of Gesta's punches either hitting Diaz' gloves or hitting his arms if they were not able to connect cleanly. What was also noticeable was whenever Diaz was able to let his hands go and connected with punches of his own, Gesta answered back immediately throwing combinations.


As the fight progressed, it became more competitive. The pattern of the fight however, largely remained the same. Gesta getting his punches off first, attacking at varying angles, keeping his opponent from being able to let his hands go consistently, and Diaz attempting to walk Gesta down, try to either corner him or get him against the ropes, and then let his hands go. Although Diaz succeeded in backing Gesta up against the ropes periodically throughout this fight, the issue became whether those instances would be enough for him to earn the nod of the three judges as in seemingly every round, Gesta was outworking him. A round in professional Boxing for men's bouts is three minutes in duration. There are certainly more than a few ways to win a round, but generally the fighter who is busier over the duration of a round will get the nod over a fighter who might be more accurate with his offense.


This is essentially the scenario in which this fight was fought. One of the ways a fighter that is more accurate can win a round over a volume puncher is to land the harder, more damaging punches, if not also score knockdowns, which depending on the number of knockdowns over the course of a fight, could have a significant impact on how a bout is ultimately scored if a fight does go the scheduled distance.


The conundrum here is neither Diaz nor Gesta are known for punching power and as such it became difficult, at least in my eyes, to justify giving Diaz some rounds throughout this scheduled ten round bout that others may have seen as close due to Diaz being able to have moments periodically throughout several of them. The reason for this in this observer's eyes came down to this. When he did let his hands go, Joseph Diaz was both accurate and the punches he threw landed cleanly. At no point however, was he able to hurt Gesta, much less discourage him from returning offense. This in addition to Diaz being unable to score knockdowns is primarily what I based my scoring on in having Gesta ahead 97-93 or seven rounds to three on my unofficial scorecard at the conclusion of the ten round bout.


While it is indisputable that Joseph Diaz applied constant pressure from the outset of this fight and that pressure led to some heated exchanges of offense between the two fighters as well as opened opportunities for Diaz in the latter rounds as I felt he was able to win three out of the last five rounds, ultimately, he simply was not busy enough and allowed Mercito Gesta to put too many of the early rounds in the bank as well as generally outwork him throughout the fight. The assessment of yours truly was seemingly confirmed by two of three official judges that had Gesta ahead, resulting in him winning a ten round split decision by margins of nine rounds to one, 99-91 and eight rounds to two 98-92. The third judge meanwhile had what some might view as a drastic difference in scoring Diaz the winner seven rounds to three or 97-93.


Ultimately, that scorecard though differing from what appears to be a consensus score of not only yours truly, but of two official judges who were scoring the same fight, it did not have as severe an impact as it potentially could have in terms of the outcome. If one were to ask me as for what the reasoning might be for a scorecard that differs from what seemingly is a consensus score, obviously I am unable to get into a judge's head, much less be able to distinguish what he or she might base their scoring on based on established criteria of clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. Based on a literal lifetime that this observer has spent covering Boxing on every level imaginable, I can however, suggest that a potential reason could be that Diaz was applying pressure seemingly from the opening bell and that along with being able to block or otherwise deflect a portion Gesta's punches over the course of the fight in addition to his landing cleanly when he was able to let his hands go might be how that judge arrived at a differing scorecard at the end of the bout. It is also important to keep in mind that Boxing is scored on a round by round basis, which leaves opportunity for both interpretation as well as a judge perhaps not knowing what their final score might be as once a round concludes, judges are to score that round only and turn that score in to the athletic commission or regulatory board that is sanctioning and overseeing a fight. If fights do go the distance, scores from each individual round is then tabulated and added up into what is referred to as a master scorecard of the aforementioned parties sanctioning the bout totalling the three judges individual scorecards to then determine a winner.


Although this particular fight might not warrant such a thorough explanation by yours truly in regard to the procedures and process of scoring a fight, the fan should take the time to learn about said protocols. In any event, I do not feel this fight was in any way controversial in terms of how it was scored, but it does boil down to both interpretation as well as one's perspective. For Mercito Gesta, the thirty-fourth win of his forty fight career might be one that could elevate him towards a potential world title shot at Lightweight. After suffering his third consecutive loss in his last five fights, I do not believe that Joseph Diaz is approaching what some might call the twilight of his career. It is clear however, that he has not been the same fighter since he won his world championship as a Jr. Lightweight. Whether the circumstances of COVID-19 which led to a layoff for him or possibly issues outside the ring are contributing factors or not, I certainly can not say, but it would appear that something is not working for him in some aspect and a retooling process should be considered before attempting to go back to the drawing board.


"And That's The Boxing Truth."


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


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

Sunday, March 19, 2023

A FAR CRY FROM A JOB DONE - ALEX “THE A ROCK” WINWOOD RACES TO #13 IN WBC RANKINGS EN ROUTE TO TOP PRIZE

Press Release: March 19, 2023 By  Jarred Cross and Dragon Fire Boxing - Two fights in and with four to play to make history as the fastest Australian man to a world title, Alex Winwood has labelled his latest piece of acknowledgement from the boxing fraternity a “surreal” one. 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 




In a blink, the Noongar man has gone from professional debutant to no.13 on the WBC’s light flyweight rankings.





Its enviable territory after just two pro bouts, his latest against former world champion Tibo Monabesa to claim the WBC international title in devastating fashion. 





Winwood has failed to wobble thus far and has no plans to start.





All eyes are on claiming a world title within six fights - one shy of Jeff Fenech’s record Australian pace.





“12 months ago I was still in the amateur system training for the Commonwealth Games,” Winwood told the National Indigneous Times.





“To think that within three months of turning pro that I’ve made it in the top 15 in the world,  It's pretty surreal.





The mild-mannered 25-year-old concedes the path he and his team have mapped out is “very ambitious” but holds no doubt in his ability to prove himself at the global level before so many others could hope to get a look in. 





“This is the risk reward factor that we're going after and obviously I have what it takes to match these guys and beat them,” he said. 





“We're trying to do things fast and I think I've got the ability so it's just about taking the risks…there's big rewards behind it.”





The swift journey up the ladder comes after giving away a steady job helping build navy ships as an electrical apprentice; a willing sacrifice for a passion that has “always come first”.





The West Australian is now based in far-north NSW with his globally-respected trainer Angelo Hyder. 





What’s next? Trimming off a touch from his 158 centimetre frame to fight at the lightest weight class and get his hands on another belt. 





“We’re going to drop down to minimum (weight) and get rated for the world title,” Hyder said.





“I'm training him now, early, to change his body just that little bit to try and get the muscle off him that's not needed and change it around a little bit.”





Despite the relative inexperience of his man, Hyder remains very bullish about what's to come. 





He's seen his fair share of talent over the years but a discussion with him about Winwood makes assertions of his talent, discipline and being “something special” come in spades.





Still humble, Winwood thanked the WBC and president Mauricio Sulaimán for their backing and belief in him being able to hold his hands up with the world's best so early in his career.





“I just want to thank them for giving me the opportunity and allowing me to display my talent at such an early stage in my career,” Winwood said.


 


Material and Photo Courtesy of Jarred Cross and 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.

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Angel Vazquez Collides With Mohamed Soumaoro, March 22nd Live On PROBOX TV

Press Release: March 18, 2023 By ProBox TV - PROBOX TV returns with its monthly installment of Wednesday Night Fights from Plant City, Florida with three televised fights.  

Credit: ProBox TV 



The night’s main event comes from the lightweight division, undefeated Mexican Angel ‘El Chocolatito’ Vazquez (12-0) will square-off with Canadian based Guinean Mohamed ‘El bufalo negro’ Soumaoro (12-1) over ten rounds. Vazquez comes off a points victory over the unbeaten Nicholas Sullivan in December, with Soumaoro taking the zero away from Jusiyah Shirley in his most previous bout. Subsequently both fighters picked up a victory on their American debuts in their last fight against an undefeated opponent.




Dominic Valle (5-0, 4KOs) will run the gauntlet with Carlos Rosario (5-1) at featherweight in the evening’s chief support. Valle has been in solid form since turning pro in 2021 with five straight victories, the first four coming by stoppage. Valle was last in action against Jose Antonio Meza with a comfortable win over the distance. Puerto Rican Rosario looks to get back to winning ways after a lone career defeat to Ezequiel Borrero, losing the decision over six rounds in Plant City.




Somebody’s 0 will have to go when Kentuckian Demontaze Duncan (8-0, 8KOs) goes to battle with Puerto Rican Axl Melendez (5-0, 4KOs). The two knockout artists open the televised card at 147 pounds in a six round duel. Duncan retired Tyrone Crawley in the second round in his last outing, Melendez will make his American debut.




The previous ten-round main event featuring Mexican southpaw Jorge Lara (29-2-2) has been postponed due to a hand injury. The super featherweight’s fight will be rescheduled at a later date on PROBOX TV.




The commentary comes from former world champions Paulie Malignaggi and Chris Algieri alongside Mike Goldberg in English. The Spanish speaking team will consist of Claudia Trejos and Mexican hero Juan Manuel Márquez.




You can watch ProBoxTV ad free on ProBoxTV.com for only $1.99/Month in English and Spanish.


Material and Photo Courtesy of ProBox TV Used with permission.


For more information about ProBox TV including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, full archive of previous events and additional content, and to subscribe please visit: www.ProBoxTV.com


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

Friday, March 17, 2023

BREAKING: Ramirez Overweight, Bout With Rosado Cancelled, Card To Go Forward With New Main Event

At the official weigh-in on Friday for his scheduled Light-Heavyweight bout with Gabriel Rosado on Saturday, which was to be televised by digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez arrived at the weigh-in in what was described as being significantly over the 175lb Light-Heavyweight limit and was deemed unable to compete resulting in the bout with Rosado being cancelled. The remainder of the card however, will proceed as planned woth former IBF Jr. Featherweight world champion Joseph Diaz facing former world title challenger Mercito Gesta in a scheduled twelve round Lightweight bout with now main event the scheduled card at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA.


As of this writing, there is no word regarding if or when the bout between Ramirez and Rosado will be attempted to be rescheduled. If there are further developments, we will update on the situation as they become available. We will have a column covering the Diaz-Gesta fight, which will be released here on the website on Monday, March 20th.


Stay tuned.


"And That's The Boxing Truth."


Diaz vs. Gesta takes place on Saturday, March 18th at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA. The bout as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with a portion of preliminary bouts beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT. This will be followed by the main card, which will begin at 9PM ET/6PM PT. (U.S. Times Only.)


*Card and start times subject to change.*


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.


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


DAZN Continues To Roll The Dice

As previously announced earlier this week, Undisputed Super-Middleweight champion of the world Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will defend his crown on May 6th against WBO number one contender and mandatory challenger John Ryder in Mexico, signaling Alvarez' first fight in his home country in more than a decade. While this column will not discuss the fight in detail as we are still more than two months away from the scheduled date, the bout already has generated controversy.


How has a fight that is still weeks away from taking place already raised the ire of Boxing fans? The Alvarez-Ryder bout will be broadcast on DAZN internationally, which means that it will be part of a standard monthly or annual subscription to the digital streaming network in many countries around the world. In the United States and Canada however, the fight will be available on DAZN Pay-Per-View. Why has that decision already raised the ire of many? It is important for this observer to state as I have in the past when discussing the business of the sport of Boxing that I do not currently work for any other outlet or network outside of my own The Boxing Truth®, which I own and operate. Having said that, I would not be objective if I did not say that I have been a vocal advocate for the subscription-based model that both DAZN and ESPN's digital streaming network ESPN+ operate under as it generally offers much more value for subscribers as compared to pay-per-view, which over the last twenty years has frankly resembled that of a compulsive gambler in that both the frequency of events once touted and reserved for fights of significant public demand, have increased to insane levels and along with it so has the prices for such events have increased to where in the United States, one can expect most pay-per-view Boxing events to have a starting price at or above $70, which when one also factors in taxes and additional fees means the final price is actually closer to $90 on a per event basis. This does not also add to the equation that there are times where networks that produce these events will continue to roll the dice and raise the price point even further akin to one playing one too many rolls on a craps table or one too many spins on a slot machine trying to hit the ever elusive "Jackpot," which in this case, means revenues via pay-per-view buys that will make an event a rousing success. The problem with such a mentality is as most those who deal with gambling problems eventually discover, what is hoped for is rarely achieved, and more often than not, the opposite of hitting the "Jackpot" or in this case achieving massive revenues in the form of pay-per-view buys result in both promoters, networks that put on the events, and more importantly the fighters losing money. 


In the current landscape, as of this writing, there are three pay-per-view Boxing events that have been announced between late March and the scheduled May 6 bout between Alvarez and Ryder, with more potentially to be added either before and after that date. When one also factors in that DAZN will be a co-broadcaster for the April 22 pay-per-view bout between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia, along with Showtime and both networks are selling the pay-per-view broadcast on their respective platforms with each's respective branding, one would be justified to question the wisdom of DAZN opting to roll the dice again and to be more specific, do so in relatively close proximity to the April 22 date in producing another pay-per-view event (At least in North America) mere weeks after that event. Considering the co-production with Showtime, who may be nearing an exit of the sport by year's end due to a major restructuring of it's Paramount Global, being rumored to be priced at $100 as of this writing, the question of wisdom in the decision process perhaps becomes more important and the ire/outrage of the Boxing fan becomes more understandable.


An element that has not been touched upon by yours truly thus far is the fact that fighters have been conditioned to expect substantial money via pay-per-view, which unfortunately for many does not materialize into significant income for them when all is said and done for reasons including, but not limited to the revenue split model, which more often than not favors cable/satellite providers, pay-per-view distributors, and finally the promoters and networks, before it trickles down to the fighters. When one takes into the equation that many pay-per-view attractions fail to reach a break even point for all involved, let alone profitability, which I have felt along with the model being outdated compared to what else is available to consumers, can be directly tied to the ever increasing price points for such events, which whether networks want to admit it or not, consumers continue to largely reject.


While all the aforementioned points this observer has made should not be viewed as an indictment against DAZN in particular, as I still feel they have a more economically reasonable model in place with their subscription service if they commit to it, the points I have made is more of an indictment on the pay-per-view model itself, which no longer offers value to the consumer for the price and very rarely is used only for the true "Big Fights" / "Special Events" that it was originally intended to be.


Although Saul Alvarez is one of the top stars in the sport, if he is using the model as a requirement for a broadcaster like DAZN to be able to carry his bouts, unfortunately it does a disservice to Boxing and the fans that support both him, the sport, and other fighters who have been conditioned to have a similar mentality. Despite my view that DAZN would be better served to try and work out a deal with Alvarez and other fighters that fight on their network similar to that of the 11 fight, $365 Million guarantee with incentives for subscription milestones being met that Alvarez received shortly after premium cable network HBO announced it's exit from Boxing after forty-five years in 2018, that saw Alvarez featured as the centerpiece of DAZN's streaming network and marketing the subscription model over pay-per-view, a deal that seemed beneficial until the COVID-19 epidemic and a well-publicized split between Alvarez and his longtime promoter Oscar De La Hoya, which for a time also brought an end to his relationship with the network, an opinion which I stand by as evidence continues to show the decline of pay-per-view, at least for now DAZN continues to dip their toes in the pay-per-view model, which they continue to insist will be strictly on a case by case basis.


A potential problem for the network however, is whether subscribers will continue to support the network if it eventually becomes clear that in order to see the marquee stars of the sport, a subscriber will unfortunately be asked to shell out an additional fee on top of what they pay monthly or annually. Considering that the network raised their subscription rates to $24.99 per month or $224 yearly in the United States in February, there is reason to be concerned when they are also continuing to dip their toes in the pay-per-view model. While I remain supportive of a subscription-based model that I truly believe both as someone who has covered Boxing and combat sports most of his life, but also as a consumer, that has better value, I have also been around long enough to know red flags when I see them.


For most of it's forty-five year run, HBO was firmly established as one of the sport's power players even as unfortunately, Boxing moved away from free over the air television, where revenues were earned not only by ratings, but also by significant advertising, which is still something Boxing sorely needs. Up until a certain point in the late 1990's even as the network had created it's own pay-per-view network TVKO (Later renamed HBO Pay-Per-View) many of Boxing's biggest fights aired on HBO or similarly it's longtime rival Showtime. Eventually, HBO became more reliant on the pay-per-view model, even at times moving fights off their network to pay-per-view, but only opting to serve as a distributor of such events. While I spent a good portion of my career as a writer up to their 2018 exit calling out the network for that as well as other decisions related to how they presented the sport, eventually the over reliance on pay-per-view, increased prices, lack of value, and ultimately arrogance of those running the network at that time in assuming that such decisions would not have a negative impact on their network, led to their demise. 


With Showtime seemingly heading in a similar direction now having moved more and more Boxing events away from their subscribers and to pay-per-view, as well as the former head of Showtime Sports Stephen Espinoza touting how "Pay-Per-View is a tool," but failing to come up with any legitimate justification for using the model on an all too frequent basis as well as displaying a similar arrogance as those who ran HBO when they were still part of the sport, with the restructuring of the network's parent company Paramount Global now underway and Espinoza now recognized as one of the presidents of CBS Sports under the Paramount banner and with Showtime soon to be absorbed into the Paramount+ streaming network, it would appear that it is indeed heading for a similar exit as it's longtime rival HBO.


What both network's forays into the sport and what have proved to be bad decisions, which as of now has led to one exit with perhaps the other with one foot out the door, should show DAZN as a network that is seven years into it's existence that has expanded rapidly including it's 2018 launch here in the United States, is essentially a playbook on what not to do if they want to both survive and thrive in the sport of Boxing. Unfortunately, no matter how big a star might be in the sport, the Boxing fan/subscriber will remain the ultimate authority and if events used for the antiquated model of pay-per-view do not do overwhelmingly well in terms of buys, no matter what a promoter or network executive might say in attempt to spin the obvious slap in the face of fans/subscribers especially when those same people not only criticized the pay-per-view model for many of the points yours truly has made, but also succeeded in showing that a better model that offers more value for the price does indeed exist, DAZN, much like a compulsive gambler may find that they have rolled the dice one time too many, which more often than not means one thing. "Craps." For a network that has been a credit to Boxing since it's inception, it would truly be a shame to see it go down the same path as the former power players of Boxing television in the United States, especially when the evidence to avoid that same path is clearly visible. 


As someone who always has the best interest of Boxing at heart and sees untapped potential in DAZN as a network, particularly here in the United States, I sincerely hope this is not the start of something akin to two stories about networks involved in the sport of Boxing that I have seen play out before, both as a fan growing up and as someone who has covered the sport since the mid-1990's. If it indeed is, the victims will continue to be the sport itself and the fans who support it. Although I am a proud Boxing lifer, in the interest of both objectivity as well as honesty, I will concede that for those who are not involved in the sport beyond being a fan, there is only so many times a fan will allow themselves to be slapped in the face and will willingly pay expensive fees to watch the sport they love before both out of anger as well as fiscal responsibility, they say enough is enough. Regardless of who might be at the top of a Boxing card. 


"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, March 16, 2023

Miller vs. Browne To Be Streamed On ProBox TV In The United States And Australia Saturday, March 18th

Press Release: March 16, 2023 By ProBox TV - DUBAI –  Already catching re with boxing fans around the world, 

Florida-based PROBOXTV.COM has secured the American and Australian broadcast rights to this weekend’s potentially explosive Saturday, March 18, heavyweight crossroads battle between undefeated New Yorker, Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and dangerous former WBA (Regular)+Heavyweight Champion Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne of Australia.

Fans can catch all the action and a lot more for a very special deal: Subscribe to PROBOXTV.COM for a year for the regular one-time price of just USD $18 (no automatic yearly renewal) and watch the potential heavyweight ght of the year, starting at 1 pm (ET) this Saturday (March 18). 


Then with your 2023 yearly subscription, catch all the action on boxing’s hottest new series, the always thrilling back-and-forth of Wednesday Night Boxing twice a month on 


PROBOXTV.COM. Plus, you’ll get exclusive events and shows featuring boxing’s best commentary team of Paulie Malignaggi, Mike Goldberg, Chris Algieri, and Juan Manuel Marquez, plus up-to-the-minute news updates from their crack team of top boxing journalists whenever boxing news breaks.


Held at the famous Agenda arena in Dubai,+United Arab Emirates, WBA #10 Miller (25-0-1, 21 KOs) and WBA #9 Browne (31-3, 27 KOs) will meet in the 10-round main event of a stacked night of world-class boxing that also features a 10-round super featherweight co-main event between Dublin Ireland’s WBA #5- and IBF #11-rated former world title challenger Jono “King Kong” Carroll+(23-2-1, 7 KOs) and three-time world title challenger

Miguel “The Scorpion” Marriaga (30-6, 26 KOs). Also broadcast that night will be a 10-round cruiserweight battle between fast-tracking former amateur star Soslan “Cobra” Asbarov (3-0, 1 KO) of Chapaevo and once-beaten American Brandon Glanton (17-1, 14 KOs).


A former top-rated contender already two ghts into his comeback from nearly four years of inactivity, the charismatic “Big Baby” Miller is a former WBO-NABO and WBA-NABA 


Champion with impressive wins over top-rated former title challengers and top contenders including Mariusz Wach, Gerald Washington, Johann Duhaupas, Bogdan Dinu and former world champion Tomas Adamek. Miller was last seen taking out Mexican veteran Derek “Vikingo” Cardenas in four rounds in July of last year.


Currently residing in Perth, Western Australia, Lucas Browne is a former WBA and WBF world champion, as well as the reigning WBA Oceania and IBF Australasian champion. During his long and distinguished career, Browne has defeated quality opponents such as James 

“Lights Out” Toney, Ruslan Chagaev and Andrey Rudenko. The hard-punching Aussie fan favorite was last seen taking out fellow contender Junior Fa via impressive rst-round TKO in 

June of last year. The anvil sts of Browne had Fa down twice within two minutes before the stoppage at 1:58. Lucas Browne’s Promoter, hall of famer Lou DiBella, gave this take on the hard-hitting clash in the Middle East.+ “Lucas Browne, even at forty, poses the danger of a true puncher. He’s proven that in his last two knockouts as an underdog,” said DiBella. “He represents the rst real threat that Miller has faced since his return. Lucas is a pro’s pro and Jarrell is going to nd that out this weekend. Thanks to ProBox TV for making this strong card available to its subscribers.”


Dublin’s Jono Carroll won the IBF European Super Featherweight Championship in 2017 with a stoppage of then undefeated Englishman John Quigley and defended it twice before unsuccessfully challenging then IBF Super Featherweight Champion Tevin Farmer in 2019. 


The energetic southpaw has since rebounded with a stoppage win over former world champion+Scott Quigg and an impressive decision over then WBA #7-ranked super featherweight Andy Vences in September 2021. Carroll is currently on a ve-ght winning streak. 


Arjona, Colombia’s Miguel Marriaga has challenged for world titles three times, but each time come up short. The hard-punching slugger has stopped all but four of his 30 victims and will be looking to return to top contender status with an upset victory against Carroll. 


Marriaga was last seen dropping a highly competitive decision to former Olympian and interim world champion Michael Conlan.


Calling all the action will be top-notch commentator/ring announcer Ray Flores, along with popular former UFC star Tyron Woodley. Current $1.99 monthly subscribers will not be able to watch Miller vs. Browne without upgrading their subscription to the $18 per year plan. 


Material Courtesy of ProBox TV Used with permission.


For more information about ProBox TV including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, local start times in your area, full library of previous events and additional Boxing content, and to subscribe please visit: www.ProBoxTV.com


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

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Ramirez-Rosado: A Veteran's Last Stand?

On Saturday, Match 18th an intriguing battle will take place in Boxing's 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division, which could both be defined as a "Crossroads Fight," as well as a bout that could have implications for the winner challenging for a world championship down the line. This observer is referring to the encounter between former Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez and longtime veteran and former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado.


The fight between the two, which will take place at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, has two key storylines going into it. While both Ramirez and Rosado will come into this encounter coming off losses, one might argue that both men are moving in different directions at this stage in their respective careers.


Ramirez is coming off of his first career defeat at the hands of undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol in November of last year. While Ramirez went the distance with Bivol, he was out boxed over the course of the fight in what proved to be a bad style matchup for him against a fighter in Bivol, who is a master boxer. Nevertheless Ramirez made a good account for himself in defeat and now looks to begin the rebuilding process with the hope of gaining another title shot.


In Gabriel Rosado, Ramirez will face a tough and durable veteran, who always puts up a tough fight. Many may recall Rosado, who began his career as a 154lb. Jr. Middleweight, once challenged for a Middleweight world championship, being stopped in seven rounds by Gennady Golovkin in 2013. Although the goal of winning a world title has remained elusive for Rosado, he has continued on with his career and has endeared himself to Boxing fans for always giving a "Game" performance win or lose. After a recent run where he has only won one of his last five bouts and having moved through the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions, career fight forty-five for Rosado will see him moving up in weight again in what will be his Light-Heavyweight debut.


If one is objective, it is obviously a scenario where Rosado, as has been the case throughout his career, is in the role of an underdog. Stylistically, every metric from style, to hand speed, to punching power would appear to favor Ramirez. The key to the fight however, will be how Gabriel Rosado not only looks as a 175lb. Light-Heavyweight, but how will he respond to being hit by the naturally bigger Ramirez. Although this will be the fourth weight class that Rosado has competed in, he has never been known as a power puncher, despite scoring some head-turning knockouts throughout his career.


The interest in any fighter moving up in weight beyond the obvious questions of how they will look at the heavier weight, as well as the issue of whether they will be able to take the punches of opponents at that weight is, at what point will the fighter reach a ceiling where moving up in weight becomes no longer an option. Obviously, we likely will not know the answer to at least the latter until after this fight, but an argument could be attempted at saying that a fighter in Rosado's position may not only look better, but might perform better at a heavier weight simply because the process of cutting down to what may be considerably lower than their normal walking around weight for competition might be less of a difficult process.


After forty-four  professional fights in a seventeen year career, this might be viewed by some as potentially Rosado's last stand in terms of possibly securing an opportunity to fight for a world championship again at this late stage in his career. Despite the odds seemingly being against him, Rosado has beaten the odds before against theoretically superior opposition, the question is whether or not he can do that against a fighter of Ramirez' caliber, who in addition to having a good mix of hand speed and punching power, is also very crafty and elusive, remains to be seen. Whether or not a victory for either Ramirez or Rosado will lead to another world title shot in their next fight is also obviously unknown, but a good performance by either will at minimum put the winner in the discussion to challenge either Dmitry Bivol or undefeated WBC/IBF/WBO world champion Artur Beterbiev down the line.


"And That's The Boxing Truth."


Ramirez vs. Rosado takes place on Saturday, March 18th at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA. The bout as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with a portion of preliminary bouts beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT followed by the main card at 8PM ET/5PM PT. (U.S. Times Only.)


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.


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



Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Alvarez To Defend Undisputed Super-Middleweight Championship Against Ryder May 6th On DAZN and DAZN Pay-Per-View

Press Release March 14, 2023 By DAZN - Saúl Canelo Álvarez will defend his Undisputed Super-Middleweight title against John Ryder at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico on Saturday May 6, live around the world on DAZN and DAZN PPV in the U.S & Canada – the first time in over eleven and a half years that Canelo has fought in Mexico.

Credit: DAZN 

Canelo (58-2-2 39 KOs) defends his Undisputed Crown for the second time after beating bitter rival Gennadiy Golovkin in their trilogy battle in Las Vegas in September, having ripped the IBF crown from Caleb Plant in Sin City in November 2021 with an 11th round stoppage.


The Mexican superstar will make an emotional return to his homeland for his latest Cinco de Mayo showdown, and it will be 4180 days since he last stepped through the ropes in Mexico, when he stopped Kermit Cintron in Mexico City in five rounds to defend his WBO World Light-Middleweight title.


The 32 year old four-weight World Champion fights for the 63rd time of his storied career as he closes in on 18 years as a pro. Cinco de Mayo weekend will see him fight for the 35th time in his homeland and it promises to be a spectacular occasion with the state of Jalisco marking 200 years of independence.


WBO mandatory challenger Ryder (32-5 18 KOs) will be looking to spoil the party, as the popular Londoner travels to Mexico for the biggest fight of his 12-year career. ‘The Gorilla’ landed the WBO interim title in his last fight when Zach Parker retired on his stool after four rounds of their clash in London, England in November.



That win for the 34 year old followed a career-best victory earlier in 2022 over former Middleweight ruler and old Canelo foe Daniel Jacobs, with Ryder having also tackled three other Britons who have taken on the Mexican king, challenging Callum Smith for the Super-Middleweight World crown after fights with Billy Joe Saunders and Rocky Fielding.


“I feel really happy to be coming back in May because following my surgery, I was unsure of when I'd be coming back,” said Canelo. “Returning to the ring and coming back to fight in Jalisco, where I'm from, makes me especially happy. And in John Ryder, I'm facing a very competitive fighter.”


“There’s no denying that Canelo is one of the greats and I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s achieved in the sport but I fully believe this is my time fulfil my dream of becoming a World champion,” said Ryder.


“I’m not going over there for a holiday. For me this is purely business and my full focus is on going into his backyard in Guadalajara on May 6 and bringing those belts back with me to the UK. I want to thank the team, Tony and Charlie Sims and Matchroom Boxing for making this happen.”

“Canelo’s return to Mexico is historic for Mexican boxing,” said trainer Eddy Reynoso. “He is returning as an Undisputed champion, this is proof that a Mexican can succeed outside his country with discipline and love for his sport.

“I feel proud of all of this, because the dream of a kid who started in Guadalajara came true and he returns as a winner!”

“This is a moment that will be forever engrained in the history of boxing and Mexican sport,” said Eddie Hearn. “Canelo Alvarez defending his undisputed championship in his hometown in front of 50,000 fans will be an incredible sight and a night we will never forget.


“In John Ryder, you have a mandatory challenger that has paid his dues and off the back of big wins against Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker is ready for the ultimate challenge. See you May 6 in Guadalajara for something very special, live on DAZN.”

“It doesn’t get bigger than Canelo in Mexico,” Joe Markowski, CEO North America, DAZN Group said, “Canelo returning home, John Ryder coming to spoil the party after big wins versus Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker in 2022; this has the makings of a classic. Tune in to this historic event live on DAZN around the world and in Mexico for the very first time.”

An announcement on ticket sale dates will be made soon.


DAZN first quarter schedule is below:


Saturday, March 18: Cyrus Pattinson vs. Chris Jenkins 



Saturday, March 18: Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez vs. Gabriel ‘King’ Rosado 


Saturday, April 1: Anthony Joshua vs. Jermaine Franklin 


Saturday, April 8: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Christian Gonzalez


Saturday, April 22: Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov vs. Joe Cordina 


Saturday, April 22: Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia (DAZN PPV in US & Canada)


Saturday, April 29: Eimantas Stanionis vs Virgil Ortiz Jr  



Saturday, May 6: Canelo Alvarez vs. John Ryder  (On DAZN & DAZN PPV in US & Canada)


Saturday, May 20: Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron  


 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: www.DAZN.com


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




Monday, March 13, 2023

March 11, 2023 Boxing Thoughts

Saturday, March 11, 2023 in the sport of Boxing was largely highlighted by two main events that took place across Europe. The first of these main events would occur at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, England where undefeated Super-Middleweight prospect Diego Pacheco met veteran Jack Cullen in a scheduled ten round bout.


Although this represented the first time the American Pacheco was in the position of headlining an international card, and that came about due to an injury to former Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith, which moved Pacheco's bout with Cullen to the main event of a card promoted by promoter Eddie Hearn, the move to the headline position did not have a negative effect on Pacheco. From the opening bell, Pacheco's approach was one of almost surgical precision as he plotted a strategy with an emphasis on landing his right hand and immediately put Cullen under pressure. What stood out to this observer was the poise in which Pacheco displayed seemingly from the outset. 


While there were points where Cullen attempted to turn the tempo of combat in his favor, particularly by throwing jabs in double and triple variations, it did not phase Pacheco, who simply bided his time and looked to exploit any openings Cullen left him. This often resulted in Pacheco landing hard shots to the body and head of his opponent in short, but controlled bursts. In the fourth round, it would be one of those bursts, a short right hand to the head, left hook to the body combination that would send Cullen down on the canvas. As Cullen got to his feet an example of Pacheco's surgical approach was displayed.


Under circumstances where some fighters knowing that an opponent is hurt with rush in recklessly throwing a flurry of punches, Pacheco simply stepped forward, landing a flush right hand to the jaw that sent Cullen backwards against the ropes and down for a second and final time as Referee Steve Gray stepped in and stopped the fight. The fifteenth knockout in his eighteen career wins for the twenty-two year old Pacheco ultimately did not come following a stern test by his opponent. Nevertheless, Pacheco's performance should be viewed as one that should put the rest of the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division on notice of a potential emerging star in the division.


While the current holy grail of the division and all contenders as well as rising prospects is to work toward a potential challenge of current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, Pacheco may not be quite ready to take what would be a major leap in the caliber of opposition to possibly challenge Alvarez at this point. The Boxing world however, is always looking for it's next star and if Pacheco remains active, continues to win, and more specifically, continues producing the type of performances that he has been consistently doing up to this point, it may not be too long before he is indeed in position to challenge for a world championship. For the immediate future, it would appear that an ideal fight that could be made for Pacheco would be an encounter with fellow undefeated prospect and "Knockout Artist" Edgar Berlanga, who coincidentally recently signed with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing after a successful run in his early career fighting under Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum's Top Rank, Inc. promotional banner.


While a fight between the two young prospects does not necessarily need to be made immediately and an argument can certainly be made for not making it and allowing both Pacheco and Berlanga to continue trying to move up the ranks against other opposition in the hope of not only drawing interest in a fight between the two, but also from a business standpoint attempting to maximize potential financial interests in that encounter, especially if either of them is able to work themselves into position as a top contender to potentially challenge Alvarez down the line, Boxing for better or worse has a long history of at times taking too long or I should say, the powers that be in the sport, to produce fights that have significant interest and demand from the public, which unfortunately, has led to the sport being the subject of ridicule and criticism from its detractors. In this case, both Pacheco and Berlanga are under contract to the same promoter and if Eddie Hearn, who has emerged as one of Boxing's biggest promoters over the last decade is wise, he will not let a potential encounter between Pacheco and Berlanga simmer too long before seizing the opportunity.


From Liverpool, England to Paris, France where the second main event took place at the Zenith De Paris. A "Crossroads Fight" in Boxing's Heavyweight division featuring longtime contender and former world title challenger Carlos Takam facing rising contender and former Olympic Gold medalist Tony Yoka in a scheduled ten round bout.


Although Yoka's status as a former Olympic champion was oddly omitted by this observer in previewing this fight as well as the aforementioned encounter between Diego Pacheco and Jack Cullen, this fight nevertheless had the sub-plot of two fighters looking to bounce back from defeat. In Takam's case, he was looking to rebound from two consecutive losses, while Yoka was looking to bounce back from his first loss as a professional. While that was the similarity between the two, this fight also appeared at least going into it to be an encounter between two fighters that were seemingly going in different directions in their respective careers with the forty-two year old Takam perhaps nearing the finish line of his career.


Despite this, it would be Takam who would take the initiative and bring the fight to the thirty year old Yoka. For ten rounds, Takam consistently pressed forward, throwing punches to the body and head of Yoka and backing his younger opponent up.  While this can be described as a workmanlike performance by Takam in a fight that did not have too many highlights, the story of the bout was one fighter simply outworking the other. Although he had some moments periodically throughout the fight, Yoka could not break the pattern in which the fight was fought, which consisted of Takam coming forward, throwing punches, and pushing him back. Furthermore, Yoka was simply not active enough throughout the fight to make the fight close in terms of scoring, in my view.


The view of this observer notwithstanding, Takam would still earn a victory via ten round split decision. Although I personally did not feel that the fight was close and felt that Takam won eight of the ten rounds largely based on him being the one forcing the fight, it is important to remember that sometimes three official judges, who have a better view than a crowd watching a fight, or even those watching via some form of television, and who also are positioned at varying angles, can at times see things differently than a consensus opinion of others viewing the same bout. In the interest of saving time and energy, I will simply say that I felt Takam won this fight clearly and the decision should have been unanimous. Nonetheless, for a fighter who has traveled around the world to compete and has seen some decisions in fights fought on an opponent's home turf go against him, not unlike this fight against Tony Yoka, at least this was an instance where Takam got a victory he deserved and the fight does not have an element of controversy in terms of the outcome.


Whether or not the victory for Carlos Takam will move him back towards a potential challenge for a portion of the World Heavyweight championship at this stage remains unclear and perhaps unlikely given the current landscape of the division and it's two undefeated world champions Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, who are in the midst of negotiations for an encounter for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world, which may or may not be happening in the near future. It is nevertheless clear however, at age forty-two Carlos Takam still has fight left in him and will likely remain a difficult fight for any contender currently in the division. The only thing Takam can realistically do is try to remain as active as possible and try to make a strong enough argument for himself as a potential challenger if and when the situation between Usyk and Fury resolves itself. Although Takam is at an advanced age for a fighter, it is a compelling story of a longtime contender seeking one more shot at a world championship against all odds that the Boxing world loves to see, much like the endless search for the sport's next star.


"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