Sunday, April 28, 2024

Alvarez-Munguia Pay-Per-View Now Available To Preorder Purchase On Prime Video, DAZN

The upcoming Undisputed Super-Middleweight world championship fight between reigning champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and undefeated former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Mungiia, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, is now available to purchase on Prime Video both through the Prime Video app available on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs as well as Amazon. The pay-per-view card, which is priced at $89.95, will also be simulcast on a pay-per-view basis on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN at the same price point. 


To order this pay-per-view event on Prime Video, download the Prime Video app on your device of choice or click here. To order on DAZN, download the DAZN app or click here


We will have a preview of Alvarez-Munguia here on The Boxing Truth®️ on Thursday, May 2nd. Stay tuned. 


"And That's The Boxing Truth." 


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YOENIS TELLEZ SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS WBA LATIN AMERICA CONTINENTAL TITLE IN HARD-FOUGHT UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER JOSEPH JACKSON AT MVP’S MOST VALUABLE PROSPECTS VI

Press Release: April 28, 2024 By  DAZN And Most Valuable Promotions- Benigno Aguilar settles the score against Alexander Rios with unanimous decision victory in highly-anticipated Most Valuable Prospects rematch


Credit: Ryan Lolo/Most Valuable Promotions 

Puerto Rican amateur standout Jan Paul Rivera defeated David Perez and Cuban Olympian Danier “The Fear” Pero TKOs Jose Mario Tamez to round out main card 



Amanda Serrano’s newest signee Alexis Chaparro delivers first-round TKO win in pro debut, Natalie Dove, training partner to MVP’s Wanna Walton wins by UD against Alyssia Lopez, and DeMichael Harris who trains out of Puerto Rico with Team Jake Paul, continued his undefeated streak with a 5th-round TKO of Blas Ezequiel Caro


ORLANDO, FL – April 26, 2024 – In a stunning display of his championship potential, WBA’s #9 ranked super welterweight Yoenis Tellez (8-0, 6 KOs) brought the crowd to its feet with a spectacular unanimous decision (100-89 x3) victory against Joseph Jackson (19-1, 15 KOs) at MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects VI in his first defense of the WBA Latin America Continental Title. The second installment of the Most Valuable Prospects 2024 series took place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, globally on DAZN subscription with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. Most Valuable Prospects VI, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, featured thirteen undefeated rising stars and ten fights total in the most-decorated Most Valuable Prospects card to date and the card lived up to its hype. In the co-main event, Benigno “Tony” Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) settled the score once and for all against Alexander “La Mole” Rios (8-2, 3 KOs) in the local favorites’ highly-anticipated rematch of their previous Most Valuable Prospects battle, with Aguilar putting Rios’s expectations of a fifth-round bodyshot KO to rest as he won by unanimous decision (78-76, 79-73 x 2). Also on the main card, Cuban Olympian Danier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) flashed his potential with a devastating TKO win over Jose Mario Tamez (4-4, 1 KO) and Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs) remained undefeated with a win over previously unbeaten David Perez (9-1, 2 KOs). In a clean sweep for the MVP extended family, Amanda Serrano’s newest signee, Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (1-0, 1 KO) took home a first-round KO win over Daniel Augare (2-4, 2 KOs) in his pro debut, Natalie “No Love” Dove (2-0), training partner to MVP’s Wanna Walton, beat Alyssia Lopez (0-1) by unanimous decision (39-37, 40-36 x2), and DeMichael “Trigga Man” Harris (11-0-1, 10 KOs), who trains out of Puerto Rico with Team Jake Paul, beat Blas Ezequiel Caro (11-8, 5 KOs) by ferocious 5th round TKO.



In a thrilling main event, Yoenis “El Bandolero” Tellez (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. Joseph “Action” Jackson (19-1, 15 KOs) took center stage at the Caribe Royale Resort in a 10-round super welterweight headliner in defense of the WBA Continental Latin Americas title. Both fighters put their undefeated records on the line, coming out with intensity in a back and forth first round as each fighter tested the other. Tellez, fighting out of Orlando, FL by way of Santiago, Cuba and promoted by Boxlab Promotions and Warrior’s Boxing, dropped Jackson in the second round with a left hook, and as Jackson took his feet, Tellez moved in again delivering a devastating series of uppercuts, sending Jackson against the ropes. In the fourth round, Jackson landed an illegal punch to the groin just before the bell, sending Tellez to the mat. Tellez rebounded well and was in control the entire match, displaying the type of tools and control that make him one of the most promising prospects in the sport. Despite Jackson’s ability to make it to the final bell, Tellez successfully retained his WBA Latin America Continental Title with a decisive unanimous decision (100-89 x3) win.



After the bout, a joyful Tellez thanked MVP, Boxlab, and the fans of his new home in Orlando. He also expressed how meaningful it was for him to represent his native Cuba in the ring, and discussed how the new generation of Cuban fighters do not run, but rather stand and fight, and promised that there is a bright future ahead for Cuban boxing. Jackson thanked Tellez for a hard-won battle and promised he’d be back in the ring soon.



In the co-main event, local favorites Benigno “Tony” Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Alexander “La Mole” Rios (8-2, 3 KOs) took the ring for an 8-round lightweight fight. The pair came out swinging, with Rios eager to settle the score and avenge his disappointing split decision loss against Aguilar on Most Valuable Prospects III in October 2023. However, Crescent City, Florida’s Aguilar proved too tough, sending the raucous crowd screaming to its feet in support throughout the fight as he took the advantage in the early rounds with a series of powerful combos. Rios fought back, continuing to put the pressure on Aguilar and delivering his own series of devastating body shots, looking to wear down Aguilar and end the fight as he predicted it–with a fifth round body shot knockout–but was unable to deliver on the promise despite his impressive bombardment of body shots throughout the round. Rios battered Aguilar against the ropes throughout the sixth and seventh rounds, while Aguilar showed impressive resilience and energy with selective dodges and well-placed hits, knocking back Rios. Outlasting each other through the eighth round, the bloodsoaked fighters took their rivalry once again to the cards, earning Aguilar the unanimous decision (78-76, 79-73 x 2), determining the results of the pair’s rivalry once and for all. 



Following the fight, an emotional Aguilar told Sibley Scoles he was pissed off about the cut on his eye but admitted he knew he was still pretty. He gave love to his team and family for supporting him in quitting his job so that he could dedicate his career to boxing and continue growing in the ring. Rios also shared his thoughts with Scoles after the fight, thanking God for pushing him, saying he’s “just a fat kid from Puerto Rico that loves to eat,” and that he plans to keep going, giving respect to Aguilar for his sportsmanship and giving a good fight in the ring. 



Salinas, Puerto Rico featherweight Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs) faced off against fellow undefeated talent David Perez (9-1, 2 KOs) in a six round main card fight. Rivera, the 22-year-old prospect and Puerto Rican national boxing team standout, set out to establish dominance over Perez from the opening bell. Perez proved ready to rise to the challenge, however, continuing to come at Rivera and even smiling as he suffered a series of devastating combos from the Puerto Rican talent. The pair showed off their punching power, precision, and agile footwork, trading relentless blows and tensions ran high before the sixth and final round, as the fighters traded barbs after the bell. After going the distance Rivera earned a hard-fought unanimous decision (60-54 x3) over Perez. 



Following the fight, Rivera thanked MVP and Boxlab for the opportunity to fight on Most Valuable Prospects VI, with and shared his pride in fighting for the people of Salinas. Amanda Serrano and her trainer and manager Jordan Maldonado joined Rivera in the ring. Serrano shared that she would be working with Rivera in the gym in the future, calling his performance a perfect fight.



Opening the main card, Orlando, Florida’s Dainier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) made his return to Most Valuable Prospects in a 6-round heavyweight bout vs. Jose Mario Tamez (4-4, 1 KO) in a battle of Cuba vs. Mexico. Pero, the 24-year-old 6’5” Olympian promoted by Boxlab Promotions, was all business from the moment he stepped into the ring, proving his merit as a fighter on the fast track to heavyweight title contender. Pero came out strong from the first round bell, quickly bloodying Tamez with a series of face shots. The fight was called at 2:00 in the round as Pero relentlessly landed power combos against the overmatched Tamez with a TKO win to stay undefeated.



In a special walkout fight following the main card, Tampa, FL powerhouse Ariel “Golden Hulk” Perez (3-0, 2 KO) faced off with Bessemer, Alabama’s Steven “Big Mot” Motley (1-1, 1 KO) in an action-packed four round light heavyweight fight. Perez boasted a rowdy crowd of supporters in the back-and-forth fight, before surging to a thrilling third round barrage that brought Team Golden Hulk to its feet as Perez knocked down Motley at the bell before ending Motley for good with a TKO in the fourth round.



Headlining the preliminary card, Crescent City, FL’s David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) took on fellow undefeated fighter Henry Richard (4-1, 3 KOs) in a six round heavyweight battle. Garcia, the former Junior Olympics national champion, came out swinging from the start and the two powerful hitters battered each other with a thundering series of shots. Garcia sent Richard staggering into the ropes twice in the first round and kept up the momentum through the second round before successfully handing Richard his first professional loss by TKO at 1:41 in the second round. Following the fight, Garcia spoke with ringside reporter Sibley Scoles in-ring, thanking his fans, family, God, and Crescent City, expressing his hopes to return to Most Valuable Prospects VII on Friday, July 26 to continue testing his undefeated streak.



Also in the preliminary rounds, Amanda Serrano’s newest signee, Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (1-0, 1 KO) made his pro debut against Daniel Augare (2-4, 2 KOs). Chaparro proved why he was a 2x Olympic trials qualifier as he demonstrated star qualities against Augare from the opening bell, earning a swift first-round TKO win. DeMichael “Trigga Man” Harris (11-0-1, 10 KOs), who trains out of Puerto Rico with Team Jake Paul, continued his undefeated streak with an impressive 5th-round TKO of Rosario, Argentina fighter Blas Ezequiel Caro (11-8, 5 KOs). Four-time US national champion and 20-year-old Texas native Xavier “X-Man” Bocanegra (4-0, 2 KOs) won by unanimous decision (40-34 x3) against Carlos Andre Dos Santos Rocha (3-4, 2 KOs) of São Paulo, Brazil in a four-round featherweight fight. Opening the night, Natalie “No Love” Dove (2-0), the highly-talented 22-year-old prospect and training partner to MVP’s Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton, stayed true to her nickname as she brought the heat against Cleveland’s 3x Golden Gloves champion Alyssia Lopez (0-1) with a fiery barrage from the opening bell, ultimately resulting in a unanimous decision (39-37, 40-36 x2) victory for 15x national amateur champion Dove. 



The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The sixth event in the series continued the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 



For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.




About MVP


MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.



About DAZN


DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.  Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  



DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.  DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 



DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 



DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   



DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.  


Material Courtesy of: DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions/Photo Courtesy of: Ryan Lolo Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission 


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

Friday, April 26, 2024

Garcia Shows Legitimacy In The Ring, But Should Concern Remain?

Prior to the encounter between undefeated two-division world champion Devin Haney and top Jr. Welterweight contender Ryan Garcia on April 20th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, this observer expressed concern for Garcia's well-being due to his documented struggles with his mental health. A subject the fighter has been open about in the past, which I have praised him for, particularly during the times where, despite his success in the Boxing ring and his status as a celebrity in the social media age, he has put his health first as the main priority, even walking away from the sport for a time to address his struggles when he appeared to be on the brink of fighting for a world championship. 


My concern for Garcia was and is based on his erratic behavior, which has been shown to the world both in various press conferences to promote his bout with Devin Haney, but also in numerous posts that circulated online that were posted by the fighter himself that frankly should have raised concerns for anyone who views things objectively and with a level head. It was on this basis of simply observing things from a far that I spent the majority of a column released two days before the fight outright questioning whether it should take place and though I did briefly touch upon the fight itself, it should have been clear to the reader that I was thinking less about the fight and more about Garcia's long-term well-being.


This observer also went on to state for the record that I do not know Garcia and have never had an opportunity to meet him, despite covering many of his bouts in his career. My concern was and is merely based on what I had seen put out by the fighter himself and was not based on any background in mental health or in medicine, which yours truly does not have and am far from an expert on either subject. I did, however, state based on what I had seen in the lead up to the fight that perhaps Boxing should not be a priority currently for Garcia and those around him should voice their concern if they genuinely care for him and have his best interest at heart. Comments which I stand by.


Nevertheless, I would be lying to the reader if I said that in the days prior to this fight I felt excited or was filled with anticipation. Rather, I was hoping that what I had seen in the build up would not lead to yet another instance where the sport of Boxing would be subjected to ridicule and see calls for reform and accountability after another instance possibly occurring that could have been prevented. My concern seemed more justified on the day before the fight where Garcia showed up to the weigh-in drinking what appeared to be a bottle of beer while on the scale and subsequently weighed-in over the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight limit by three pounds resulting in Garcia no longer being eligible to win the WBC World Jr. Welterweight championship and paying Haney $1.5 Million in order to keep the fight on. 


Upon learning of this, I put out a statement on this observer’s respective social media platforms where I said in the midst of said statement “This will be a non-title bout now, but at the risk of sounding unprofessional should people really give a damn about a world championship not being on the line when the question should be whether this should be taking place at all. Not because a fighter missed weight, but because it's obvious to anyone with a level head, who is objective, that something is wrong here.” Comments, which I also stand by.


After a lifetime covering the sport, I have learned not to be surprised if a fight gets cancelled or postponed for any reason prior to two fighters actually getting in the ring. This has even at times included seeing scheduled main events of a card I was covering cancelled mere minutes before the two fighters were due to enter the ring. It certainly would not have surprised yours truly based on Garcia's behavior and also threatening the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) in the weeks prior due to them wanting Garcia to undergo a mental evaluation before licensing him to compete, to have been notified at some point during fight day that there had been a postponement, whether it be due to the commission mandating it or one of the fighters opting not to compete for whatever reason. In the interest of honesty with the reader, I will say for the record that I spent most of fight day, Saturday, April 20th keeping my phone nearby waiting for a potential text, which seems to be a preferred method of communication for many in present times or an email informing me of a change or cancellation of the bout. It would not have surprised me at all, especially in knowing that the NYSAC is regarded as one of the strictest athletic commissions in the United States.


Despite the previous statement, the fight would indeed move forward at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Although both Haney and Garcia are highly skilled world-class boxers, who split their previous meetings as amateurs, my main focus was simply on whether Garcia's behavior, which was dismissed by some as merely promotional hype, would manifest itself negatively during the fight. As sad as it is to admit, when you have covered more than a few bizarre incidents in nearly three decades covering the sport, there are times when unfortunately you almost expect something bad to happen.


To my pleasant surprise, I am grateful that Haney-Garcia did not result in such an incident. Instead, the Boxing world was treated to what any fan should want to see. A highly competitive fight with twists and turns that kept one interested throughout. What stood out immediately was García attempting to impose his will on Haney and landing his signature weapon, a left hook that landed flush on Haney's jaw and staggered him in the opening round. While some might attribute this to him not making weight, García was able to establish that he was the stronger fighter and his perceived advantage when it came to punching power was not theory, but a statement of fact. It seemed that whenever he was able to land punches cleanly, he hurt Haney. 


What should not be overlooked is there was also a lot of rough housing that occurred throughout this fight by both fighters, which made Referee Harvey Dock a central figure throughout the bout. Despite the success he was able to have early on, there were two things that came to mind as I watched this fight that I did wonder about Garcia. First, even though it became clear as the fight progressed that his punches were harder and doing more damage, would it be enough to earn the nod of the three official judges in rounds where Haney appeared busier and García was not able to land attention grabbing power punches to leave an impression that he was winning rounds that might otherwise be viewed as close where Haney might have had the upper hand.  



Secondly, while both fighters did their share of rough housing, I wondered aloud whether from Haney's point of view, he was trying to either make Garcia make a mistake that he could try to exploit, and/or whether he was trying to give Garcia a test, perhaps trying to instigate Garcia into allowing his struggles outside the ring to get the better of him in the fight. Although it would be dishonest of me to say that the holding and grappling that took place throughout the fight did not make it at times ugly, Garcia managed to keep his composure for the most part. In round seven, Garcia would drop Haney for the first time in his career with a left hook to the head. Haney was badly hurt upon getting up from the knockdown and immediately held Garcia seemingly in a death grip looking to survive. In response while Referee Harvey Dock was in the midst of trying to separate the fighters, Garcia threw and landed a punch on the break, resulting in him losing a point following the knockdown.


Some may contend that Dock acted too quickly in deducting a point from Garcia for the deliberate foul. While Dock is the only one who can say why he opted to take a point from Garcia at what turned out to be a crucial moment in the fight, one should keep in mind that there were a lot of roughhouse tactics being used by both fighters in several rounds prior to Garcia being able to score the knockdown. It is logical to guess that perhaps Dock, having admonished both fighters before the seventh round, opted to deduct the point as a means of both showing the fighters he was serious as well as a means of establishing control as the referee.


What was indisputable however, was once Haney was knocked down, it became a different fight in that he was hurt and as most fighters do when they are in that position, the instinct to go into what is often referred to throughout combat sports as “Survival Mode" seemed to kick in. While this is understandable given that he was hurt, in this case it seemed as though he not only had trouble recovering from the knockdown, despite getting out of the round, but also did not seem to have an answer to stop the momentum Garcia was building. Subsequent knockdowns in rounds ten and eleven for Garcia giving him a total of three knockdowns in the fight, based largely on his left hook and the power advantage he had over Haney, not only minimized the point deduction in round seven following the first knockdown, but seemed to seal a victory for him at the conclusion of the twelve round bout in what should have been fairly lopsided fashion due to three knockdowns being scored by one fighter throughout. The competitiveness of the first half of the fight made the scoring of it narrow, which was perhaps also due in part to the point deduction against Garcia following the first knockdown.


It would ultimately turn out to be a moot point as Garcia’s rally over the second half of the fight and knockdowns in rounds ten and eleven resulted in him winning the fight on two official judges' scorecards for a majority decision victory. At least in terms of what happens inside of the Boxing ring, if one is objective, they would have to say this was the biggest win of Garcia’s career, despite his behavior and what are obvious signs of a person struggling with their mental health.


Although the latter was dismissed by Garcia and many after the fight as him “Fooling Everyone," the bottom line here is even though he did what he had to do inside the ring, despite the fact that he failed to make weight and thus blew an opportunity to be a world champion, his behavior should be a concern to anyone who legitimately cares for him and who will be around him long after his career is over and not the hanger on types that will be more than happy to enable such conduct and take whatever they can from him while they can. If this will be dismissed as nothing more than hype tactics and using the tools available to all of us including social media to make people concerned, perhaps like a lot of others of this generation, who tend to find humor in such conduct, Garcia should be advised on maturity.


The bottom line is he is talented as a fighter and does have a following that could help grow the sport and perhaps set himself up for other opportunities in and outside of Boxing once his career as a fighter is over. Garcia's talent is all the hype he should need and he should understand that per his position as a rising star in the sport as well as a public figure, there are responsibilities that come with that. One other thing he should keep in mind, while he has been open in the past about his struggles with mental health, something this observer has commended him for, it is not a subject to be taken lightly and definitely not something that should be treated as a joke, a card to play, or used for promotional purposes unless the goal is not promoting a fight, but rather raising awareness with the intent to help people.


Millions of folks around the world struggle every day with various mental health issues. The last thing it should be treated as is a game or a tool for manipulation. Garcia and those around him may not want to hear this, but if his behavior is and has been nothing more than attention ploys and a means of attempting to gain publicity and his talking about mental health struggles is not now or ever was legitimate, it makes it that much harder for those who are legitimately struggling and suffering to take the necessary step to seek help because there is still a stigma attached to the subject of mental health and he is in a position to at minimum help encourage folks to take that step. This may sound harsh, but if that is the case and all of his claims of dealing with mental health struggles were never legitimate, Garcia and those around him should be ashamed of themselves.


“And That's The Boxing Truth." 



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



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Thursday, April 25, 2024

Gloves Off: Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia Now Streaming On Prime Video

Press Release: April 25, 2024 By  Prime Video - The all-new edition of Gloves Off will chronicle the intriguing backstories of two Mexican-born fighters set to appear in the can’t-miss PBC on Prime Video Pay-Per-View showdown, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 4

Credit: Prime Video 

NEW YORK— April 24, 2024—Today, Prime Video announced the launch of an all-new, two-episode presentation of Gloves Off, the revealing series that brings fight fans compelling behind-the-scenes access in the lead-up to highly-anticipated PBC on Prime Video boxing events. Gloves Off: Canelo vs. Munguia, narrated by Barry Pepper, premieres on Prime Video today, and takes fans far beyond the ring. The series blends footage and stories of the two fighters’ lives, families, training camp team members, and training camp activity as the build-up increases to the highly-anticipated Cinco de Mayo weekend showdown in Las Vegas.


 


Squaring off in the May 4 blockbuster event will be Undisputed Super Middleweight World Champion and Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez placing his world title on the line versus rising Mexican star Jaime Munguia, an unbeaten former world champion. The episodes illustrate the personal stakes on the line and offers an intimate look at these prizefighters headlining the first four-belt undisputed title fight between Mexican combatants and harkens back to the great Mexico vs. Mexico matchups of the past.



Material and Photo Courtesy of Prime Video Used with permission.


For more information about Prime Video please visit: www.PrimeVideo.com


For more information about Premier Boxing Champions please visit: www. PrimierBoxingChampions. com



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

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Haney-Garcia: Should It Go On?

It is often customary prior to what is viewed as a significant or “Major” fight on the Boxing calendar to fall into a seemingly endless cycle of hype surrounding what often becomes more of an event rather than simply an encounter between two world-class boxers. When it comes to the scheduled encounter between undefeated two-division world champion Devin Haney and top Jr. Welterweight contender Ryan García, who are to do battle for Haney's WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship on April 20th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, this observer has been asking himself one question for the previous two months. Should the fight go on as planned? 


Before anyone jumps to conclusions, when I question if the fight should go on, it is not another in my long-standing criticisms regarding the pay-per-view model,  in which this will be slated as a DAZN Pay-Per-View offering in North America,  nor is it a concern similar to those that yours truly was very vocal in expressing during the global COVID-19 epidemic where I outright questioned whether due to health concerns, whether it was in the best interest of Boxing to resume under what were at that time, never before seen circumstances. A view that I also expressed regarding other sports as well during that time. Rather, when I ask the question of if a fight should go on, it is in this case, out of concern for the well-being of one of the combatants. I am referring to Ryan García. 


Under most circumstances when someone in my position in covering the sport voices concern for a fighter's well-being, most would probably associate such concern with citing eroding skills that often come with a long career inside the ring. In this case, I would not be doing my job nor the reader any justice if I said that my concern for García was not in relation to his mental health,  a subject he has been open about throughout his career. A major focal point in the lead up to this encounter with Haney has not been on anything related to the styles of the two fighters or what each brings to the battle inside the ring, but rather what can be described as erratic conduct of Garcia at press conferences as well as numerous online videos posted by the fighter himself. Out of respect for the reader, I will not discuss each instance, but Garcia's conduct in which he has ranted, made accusations, and even threatened to sue  the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), to name a few, suggests to this observer, someone who has praised him before when he put his mental health first in taking time away from Boxing, that perhaps he might be struggling with something that might not be known to the public and it would then make one question whether Boxing should be a priority. 


At this point,  I feel it is important for me to state that I am not a mental health professional and I do not have a medical background, and there are surely folks who are more qualified than I on the subject of behavior and whether or not someone might be struggling with something that may be previously diagnosed that could likely share a more educated point of view than I could.  I am simply sharing my point of view having quietly observed the circumstances leading up to this fight. While some may dismiss Garcia's conduct as merely promotional tactics in an attempt to drum up interest in this fight, I simply do not see things with a similar view. As I have continued to observe things, I have kept repeating three words. I am concerned. 


Obviously,  I am not involved with Ryan Garcia's team and I will state for the record that I have never had an opportunity to meet Garcia, but in watching what has gone on, I wondered for a time whether the concern I have might be an overreaction in some way. As a noted historian, I decided to try to jog my memory to try and remember a circumstance where a fighter's struggles outside the ring were such a focal point prior to a bout that it ended up overshadowing the fight itself.  One such instance came to mind. On February 7, 1997 Heavyweight champions Lennox Lewis and Oliver McCall met for the vacant WBC world championship in the Heavyweight division. Both former champions at the time of what was a rematch of a world championship bout three years earlier where McCall scored a second round knockout of the then WBC champion Lewis to become a world champion in his own right.


Prior to the rematch, the main topic of discussion among many was not about the fight itself,  but centered around McCall, who was said to had prepared for the bout while undergoing drug rehabilitation treatment. This along with other troubles McCall was going through outside of the Boxing ring cast some uncertainty regarding what type of bout it would be, despite McCall's success in the first encounter as well as being an underrated fighter who was taken lightly prior to that first fight, despite having been in the ring with many of the top Heavyweights of the late 1980's and 1990's, where he held his own. 


Despite exiting his dressing room at the Las Vegas Hilton, jumping up the ring steps,  and appearing motivated, it was not long before McCall in the midst of the fight began to have what by all accounts seemed to be a breakdown where he refused to engage with Lewis and began crying. The bout would be halted in the fifth round when the late great Referee Mills Lane stopped the fight and the victory was awarded to Lewis beginning his second reign as a world champion. In response to what had occurred the Nevada State Athletic Commission withheld McCall's purse for the bout.


It was and remains one of the most bizarre events this observer has ever seen in his career covering the sport and to my knowledge, to this day, there has never been an explanation for what exactly happened that evening other than to say a man who was going through significant struggles in his life at the time had a breakdown. While as a society there is more known now about mental health as compared to when the Lewis-McCall rematch took place twenty-seven years ago, I will take it a step further by saying based on what I saw that night that there were likely signs that McCall should not have been in the ring and for whatever reason, they were likely ignored. 


With regard to Ryan García, I sincerely hope that those around him are not turning a blind eye to what may be occurring, despite the appearance that some including Oscar De La Hoya, his promoter, and a man who himself has had personal struggles,  have seemed to find humor in his fighter's conduct,  most notably at recent press conferences promoting this bout against champion Devin Haney. While it remains to be seen what the New York State Athletic Commission might do and whether they will license García, despite his threats towards the commission as well as his overall conduct,  this observer believes at least for García, Boxing might not be a priority right now and the last impression I have as this fight approaches is not one of a fighter who is prepared to fight for a world championship for the first time in his career. 


Assuming the fight is allowed to go on as scheduled,  what should one expect in terms of styles? While one should keep in mind the stance of yours truly that perhaps this fight should not go forward out of concern for Garcia's well-being, if we are to assume the fight will go on, this will be the first time that Haney and García will have met as professional boxers,  but they have faced each other three times as amateurs. In those bouts, which took place between 2014 and 2015, Haney emerged with two decision victories, while Garcia was victorious via decision in the second of those three bouts.


It goes without saying that there are differences between the amateur and professional ranks in Boxing and what happened in amateur bouts nearly a decade ago when two fighters were teenagers might not necessarily be an indication of what will happen ten years later as professionals. Both fighters have quick hands and while some might give an edge in power to Garcia based on his twenty knockouts in twenty-four professional victories compared to the champion's fifteen of thirty-one wins,  Haney is very crafty and has shown an ability to dominate world-class opposition by winning every round of a fight and of the two, it is the champion who has more accomplishments at the top level of the sport as a two-division world champion. 


The key will be, if the fight is allowed to go on, whether Garcia will be able to respond to not only the pressure of the event, but also a very crafty and slick opponent that will be in front of him. While the styles of the fighters and the circumstances were different,  the one time Garcia was involved in a fight similar to this in terms of atmosphere and hype,  García was knocked out by Gervonta Davis under circumstances where, despite being knocked down by a left hook to the body, there are some who felt that Garcia could have continued rather than allowing himself to be counted out while on one knee. Although Garcia himself is the only one who can say what happened in that fight, it might give an impression that he does not respond well to pressure and regardless of the view of this observer regarding this fight taking place given his well-being is being questioned, it is something to keep in mind if this fight does indeed happen. 


Usually, at the end of a column discussing an upcoming fight, readers are used to me giving a positive spin on things in hopes that Boxing will be benefited from what takes place rather than ridiculed. In this case,  I truly hope that all my concerns for one fighter's well-being turn out to be unfounded, despite how things would appear. It is also my hope that in the days that follow, we as a sport, and those of us who cover it are not talking about something that probably should have been prevented where the blame will fall squarely on those who were in positions to do something, but chose not to,  whether it be promoters, networks, family members,  or a state athletic commission,  who will be overseeing and sanctioning the bout. If a worse case scenario does indeed occur,  whatever that might be, it will be hard to defend all of the above and not say criticism, ridicule, mockery, and inevitable calls for reform and yes, accountability will not be deserved.


“And That's The Boxing Truth.”


Haney vs. Garcia takes place on Saturday, April 20th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight can be seen in North America on DAZN Pay-Per-View beginning at 8PM ET/5?PM PT for $69.99 and will be available through the DAZN app as well as through traditional cable/satellite providers. For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, to subscribe and order this select pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com



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Monday, April 8, 2024

Schedule Resumption Notice

We would like to let our readers know that we will resume our regular schedule on Thursday, April 18th with a preview of the upcoming WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship bout between undefeated champion Devin Haney and top contender Ryan Garcia. 


Additional content regarding events and subjects that have taken place while we have been between rounds are being planned for an upcoming feature that we hope to schedule in the coming weeks. We again want to apologize for any inconvenience our absence has caused and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. In the interim until we resume, any additional content that is sent to us by promoters, networks, and others involved in the sport of Boxing will be made available here on the website as normal. Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth." 


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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:



X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison