Chapter 2 Belongs To Bivol

One of the benefits to the sport of Boxing over the last couple of years as the sport has expanded into new markets including several events now regularly taking place in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been not only bouts of significant interest taking place with seemingly less red tape than is the norm, but also rematches of those bouts occurring in a more streamlined way than what is normally the case. In recent times, it was the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world in 2024 between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Uysk, first to determine an undisputed champion, then the rematch in December of last year. Two fights that saw Usyk emerge victorious.

Another undisputed championship that was also staged in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in October of last year was the encounter between undefeated world champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol met to determine a sole champion in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. In a highly competitive bout that saw several shifts in momentum throughout, it was Beterbiev that emerged victorious via a twelve round majority decision to become the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight champion of the world. Four months later, in a similar timeframe to the timeline of the Usuk-Fury rematch, the time for the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch on February 22nd back in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The first encounter between the two was almost a virtual standstill in terms of who had the upper hand in a fight that could have gone either way. Bivol seeming to do more in the early rounds and outworking Beterbiev, and then Beterbiev rallied in the middle and late rounds to narrowly score the victory. Frankly, that fight could have been scored either way.

This time, the tempo of the combat was much the same way as it was in the first fight. If there were differences, they were subtle in that Beterbiev seemed to be more aggressive early in the fight rather than gradually stepping up his pace as the fight progressed. Another subtle change that occurred this time around is that while Beterbiev applied consistent pressure from the outset, Bivol kept his jab working throughout the entire fight while being forced to move by Beterbiev.

While the jab is something that seems to be overlooked by some due to it being an elementary punch that is among the first thing that one is taught in the gym as they attempt to become a fighter, when it is implemented and executed with both timing and precision, it can not only be an effective weapon, but it also can help win rounds that could otherwise be scored the other way. Although Beterbiev seemed to land the harder punches of the two fighters when he did land, which is what happened in the first fight as well, the difference was unlike the first fight where he stopped using his jab as the fight progressed, Bivol kept throwing his jab and mixing in combinations with consistency throughout the rematch. 

Despite the subtle adjustments of both fighters, the rematch, much like the first fight, ended up in a virtual standstill. No knockdowns scored between the two fighters and several proverbial “Swing Rounds" where who won a round could have been determined by moments that could sway opinion one way or another. Due to being impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton in October of last year when the first fight between Beterbiev and Bivol occurred, this observer was prevented from covering that bout as would normally be the case. Nevertheless, I did watch the first encounter via my phone due to the circumstances at that time and I felt Bivol won that fight seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points. My initial score was verified when I was able to return to my home and view the fight once more even though it was Beterbiev that got the nod in the first fight.

This time, at the conclusion of twelve rounds, I arrived with the same scorecard as I had in October with Bivol winning seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points. The difference between fight one and fight two, at least as far as how yours truly saw things, is I felt Bivol won three of the last four rounds, which was enough to give him the edge by two rounds on my scorecard. In the first fight, I felt Bivol won the first four out of twelve rounds and then earned three more rounds out lf the final eight rounds, as Beterbiev seemed to take control of the ebb and flow.

Although I ended up with the same score in the rematch as I had the first time around, I also felt the same way as I did at the end of fight one in feeling that it could go either way. This time, it would also be a majority decision, but with Bivol getting the nod making him the new Undisputed Light-Heavyweight champion of the world.

With two fights now in the books between Bivol and Beterbiev, and with the undisputed championship in the Light-Heavyweight division now having changed hands, the obvious question is what happens now? The logical answer would be a third fight between the two. After twenty-four closely fought rounds in two fights being fought to a virtual standstill, would a third fight produce a conclusive outcome? While one can never rule out a possibility of a knockout or a potentially wide decision win, stylistically, the styles of the two fighters, Beterbiev a pressure power puncher, Bivol, a fighter who also has punching power, but one that has evolved into a boxer/puncher, are such that they mesh in such a way that they could square off ten times and each time, the combat will likely be close, competitive, and have a difference of opinion amongst fans and experts alike as to who has the upper hand. It will likely always be a close call, but this observer is very much looking forward to the next chapter. 

“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     

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1      

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1     

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social 

Bellew And Groves Predict Beterbiev-Bivol II

Press Release: February 22, 2025 By CasinoBeats.com - Recently, former world champions and Boxing legends Tony Bellew and George Groves sat down with CasinoBeats.com to predict today's Undisputed Light-Heavyweight world championship rematch between undefeated champion Artur Beterbiev and former unified world championship Dmitry Bivol. Bellew and Groves shared their thoughts on the highly anticipated showdown below.

Tony Bellew on Beterbiev v Bivol:

“I do (think it will be a different outcome) with Bivol winning on points. Once again, I thought the first could have gone either way. I thought Bivol was the better boxer on the night, but I thought Beterbiev pressed the whole night and he outpunched him. He just outworked him. And I think them championship rounds in that fight were big. I did like Bivol’s boxing, so Bivol has shown us he has the ability. I think he'll learn his lesson from the first fight. But if Beterbiev is successful again, then I think he could take on Jai Opetaia.” 

George Groves on Beterbiev v Bivol:

“It's only four months since the first match, isn't it? So it's a quick turnaround. I think Bivol wins though. I think it will be close again, but I think Bivol wins and then we see the trilogy. Both guys were cautious of each other's ability and each other's punch power in the first fight. Both guys showed each other a lot of respect and therefore we didn't get the best version of that fight. This one should be more lively.”

Material Courtesy of: CasinoBeats.com Used with permission.

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

Belated Weekend Thoughts: Benavidez, Shields Shine In Separate Main Events

The first weekend of February 2025 featured what proved to be a grudge match between two unbeaten Light-Heavyweight contenders as both were looking to take the next and supposed final step towards challenging for a world championship, and was followed by a new chapter of Boxing history being written as a future Hall of Famer added another accolade to her already stellar legacy.

First, it was the Light-Heavyweight battle between undefeated former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion David Benavidez and unbeaten top Light-Heavyweight contender David Morrell, which took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The main event of the latest Prime Video pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters did not disappoint as what appeared to be a dislike between the two fighters in the lead up to the encounter, which more often than not and for better or worse, is used as a way to promote fights, manifested into a grueling back and forth battle between two fighters who are not only labeled as “Knockout Artists," but arguably two of the most avoided fighters in and around the Light-Heavyweight division after both spent the bulk of their careers in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division.

Despite the high pace in which this fight was fought, there was one consistent pattern. Benavidez coming forward throwing a consistently high volume of punches where Morrell’s only tactic was to try and catch Benavidez as he was throwing, between his punches. While David Morrell did have success periodically in catching Benavidez, at times solidly, the pattern of the fight never changed. There was, however, one exception when Benavidez was caught off balance by a right hand to the head that sent him down in the eleventh round. Though the knockdown was clear due to Benavidez’ gloves touching the canvas, he did not appear to be hurt and was able to hang on for a wide and convincing twelve round unanimous decision. Before discussing where both David Benavidez and David Morrell will go moving forward coming out of this fight, which will come at the conclusion of this column, another significant fight took place during the first weekend of February that to sum in one word was “Historic." 

This observer is referring to the encounter that took place on February 2nd at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, MI, where undefeated four-division world champion Claressa Shields defended her unified WBC/WBF World Heavyweight championship against undefeated top contender Danielle Perkins. Beyond it being a title defense for Shields, the vacant crowns of the IBF, WBA, and WBO were also at stake making this the first fight in Boxing history to determine an Undisputed Women's Heavyweight champion of the world.

Despite being at a significant height disadvantage, Shields added another accolade to her Hall of Fame resume by dominating a determined opponent in Perkins over ten rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory. As has been the case throughout her career, Shields did this with a combination of hand speed, timing, and combination punching, which was highlighted by scoring a knockdown of Perkins in the final round.

While some might be critical of the various sanctioning organizations choosing to fill their vacancies in this fight and thus allowing the winner, in this case Shields, to become an undisputed world champion, it is important to remember that, despite the significant growth of Women's Boxing over the last decade, there are still some weight divisions are still growing as well and as the sport for female fighters continues to grow, the depth of those weight classes that may not have much competition currently will continue to grow as well. Determining a recognized champion of a division is a necessary step in that growth. For Shields, becoming the first Woman's Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world frankly is the pinnacle of what can be accomplished in a career. The question now is whether she will stay at Heavyweight and continue to defend her crown, her third undisputed title in her career, whether she will move back down in weight, which is common in Women's Boxing to see fighters move up and down in weight depending on what fights and opportunities might be available, or if she will shift her primary focus to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, where she has a record of 3-1. Although I do not think Shields should consider retirement from combat sports at this point, one has to wonder what she has left to accomplish after her latest accolade.

Getting back to David Benavidez and David Morrell, for the moment, Benavidez is now the mandatory challenger for the winner of the upcoming World Light-Heavyweight championship rematch between Undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev and former champion Dmitry Bivol. As we have seen pretty much from the beginning of the sport, however, earning a mandatory position to challenge for a world championship is rarely set in stone. This is especially true when world titles are unified and in this case, where an undisputed championship is involved. We will have to simply wait to see what happens when Beterbiev and Bivol meet again on February 22nd in Saudi Arabia. For David Morrell, he is still a top contender in the Light-Heavyweight division and depending on what happens after the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch could be right back in line as a potential challenger. With the ongoing possibility that current unified Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez might choose to move back up to Light-Heavyweight and use his clout as one of the sport’s top draws to possibly challenge Beterbiev or seek a rematch with Bivol, who defeated him in 2022. The Light-Heavyweight division will remain a focal point of the sport as 2025 moves along.

“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    

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1     

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1    

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1    

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social 

DAZN TO BROADCAST HISTORIC “THE LAST CRESCENDO” BOXING EVENT LIVE WORLDWIDE

Press Release: January 30, 2025 By DAZN- 

Light Heavyweight Rematch Between

Beterbiev and Bivol Headlines an Unmissable Night on Saturday, 22 February 2025 

 

LONDON – January 29, 2025 – DAZN, the global home of boxing, can announce that

 it will broadcast The Last Crescendo, 

the fight card of the century, live on Saturday, 22 February 2025 worldwide. The PPV is available for purchase now

 from DAZN.com/boxing

 

 

This monumental event, part of Riyadh Season, will take place at the ANB Arena in Saudi Arabia and features a stellar line-up of championship bouts, headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight World Championship. 

 

Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs), the reigning champion and one of boxing’s most impressive fights, is set to defend his perfect record in a rematch against Bivol (21-1, 11 KOs), who is determined to avenge his 2024 loss in what was one of the greatest bouts of the modern era. This headline fight promises to be another unforgettable chapter in boxing history. 

 

Also on the card, IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois will defend his title against former WBO champion Joseph Parker, in what many expect to be an equally exciting clash. Dubois,

 who shocked the boxing world with a stunning knockout victory over Anthony Joshua last September, looks to continue his meteoric rise. Meanwhile, Parker aims to reclaim championship glory. 

 

The night will feature an exciting slate of

additional bouts, including: 

 

·        

A WBC middleweight title showdown between

Carlos Adames and Hamzah Sheeraz, with

Sheeraz coming off a standout 2024. 

·        

Zhilei Zhang

 facing Agit Kabayel for the WBC interim heavyweight title after Zhang’s emphatic knockout of Deontay Wilder last year. 

·        

A super welterweight interim title clash between

Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Israil

Madrimov. 

·        

Shakur Stevenson defending his lightweight title against

Floyd Schofield. 

·        

British stars

Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith battling for the interim WBO light heavyweight title. 

 

The card also highlights local talent with Saudi fighters Ziyad

Almaayouf and Mohammed Alaqel, whose opponents will be announced soon. 

 

“This is a night that truly encapsulates the spirit of boxing – the best fighting the best on a global stage,” said Pete Oliver, CEO of Growth Markets at DAZN. “We are proud to bring

 this extraordinary event to fight fans worldwide, as Riyadh once again proves itself as the premier destination for world-class sports and entertainment. From the blockbuster

Beterbiev-Bivol rematch to Dubois defending his crown,

The Last Crescendo promises to be a spectacle unlike any other. Fans will be able to watch every moment of the action on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing”. 

Material Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event and for specific pricing in your region of the world please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Benavidez-Morrell: Will The Winner Get A Shot At Alvarez?

As 2025 has now begun, Boxing’s 168lb. Super-Middleweight division is still dominated by one fighter, the once and perhaps future Undisputed king of the division Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who still reigns as the division’s unified world champion, despite having relinquished the IBF world championship due to his decision to face top contender Edgar Berlanga last September, rather than the International Boxing Federation’s top contender William Schull, who was due in the rotation of mandatory challengers that subsequently made up the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world. Schull went on to win the IBF crown and could still face Alvarez at some point this year in what would be a rarity in Boxing, a reunification bout involving a title that was given up by one of the champions involved due to circumstances that can only be summed up as the politics that be in the sport of Boxing.

Two fighters, however, that have been angling for a shot at Alvarez for some time will instead turn their attention to each other in what is being billed as an elimination bout in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division are undefeated former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion David Benavidez and unbeaten top Light-Heavyweight contender David Morrell. A scheduled twelve round bout that will take place on Saturday, February 1st at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, which can be seen on Prime Video Pay-Per-View. Some might question why two fighters, whom for the moment have moved out of the Super-Middleweight division, would still be in the discussion as a potential challenger for Alvarez, especially given that the winner of this fight, in theory will be in a position to face the winner of the upcoming Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship rematch between undefeated champion  Artur Beterbiev and former unified world champion Dmitry Bivol.

The simple answer is Alvarez, who also briefly held a portion of the World Light-Heavyweight championship in his career, is for lack of a better term, one of the sport’s cash cows and has gotten to a point in his career where he chooses his fights based more on opportunity and finances rather than legacy. While Alvarez is certainly not the first fighter to take advantage of such a status once acquired, the fact is that while both Benavidez and Morrell were Super-Middleweights, neither had the type of market appeal or drawing power that was able to convince Alvarez to fight either fighter in what would have been a high risk, low reward scenario based on both Benavidez’ and Morrell’s styles. It is also worth noting that in regard to the issue of drawing power, Benavidez was positioned in the main event of the final pay-per-view card produced by the now-defunct Showtime Sports against former two-division world champion Demitrius Andrade in November 2023 only produced 60,000 buys at a $74.99 price point. This followed a similar low drawing buyrate for Benavidez against former IBF Super-Middleweight world champion Caleb Plant in March of that year.

Although more of a reflection of an outdated pay-per-view model that this observer has been highly critical of and will continue to be so until such time as things change for the betterment of the sport, the reality of the matter is with low buyrates, which are also affected by piracy, an elephant in the room that no one in the sport likes to take about and folks who cover the sport like yours truly do not like to write about due to the obvious negative aspects attached to it, which can be directly attributed to the overuse of pay-per-view as well as the price points, which whether promoters and networks want to admit it or not, are continually rejected by consumers, there was little incentive for Alvarez to take the risk against Benavidez  as the perception was that in a promotional sense, Benavidez and his promoter the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters needed Alvarez, more than Alvarez needed them, despite it being a fascinating fight on paper in terms of style and a dangerous one for Alvarez. Given the state of the pay-per-view model and the fact that InDemand the leading pay-per-view distributor on cable and satellite outside of satellite provider DirecTV here in the United States will be ceasing operations before the end of 2025, Benavidez is in a bit of an unfair conundrum being labeled as not a pay-per-view draw when the fact is, the whole pay-per-view concept and model is one that is severely outdated and affects every Boxing card that is placed on pay-per-view.

With the majority of Boxing events either tapped for subscription-based streaming or offered via pay-per-view via apps as this one will be through Prime Video, it remains to be seen how long the model will last with one of the biggest distributors preparing to cease operations, which would not be the case if the pay-per-view model were viable and successful now in the year 2025. Whether this fight will be any more successful than previous Benavidez/PBC pay-per-view attempts  also remains to be seen.

In terms of style, both Benavidez and Morrell are come forward pressure fighters that each have power and put forth consistent offensive output. On paper, this has all the appearance of potentially an all-action fight that will likely end within the twelve round distance. The reasoning behind this is both fighters have career knockout percentages of over 80%. What also makes this fight interesting is that because both fighters have been so dominant in facing other opposition up to this point, some might contend that neither has faced a fighter with the type of punching power that they will now be facing by facing each other.

Perhaps the question that should be asked here in regard to this encounter is whether we will see a shootout from the opening bell where they both come out with the intention of going toe to toe with the goal to try and end the fight as quickly as possible, or if one of the fighters will attempt to take a more tactical approach with the knowledge of what their opponent can do? The possibility certainly exists that, despite the styles of both Benavidez and Morrell, that both fighters will have a healthy respect for the other and therefore, be more passive in their approach at least in the early rounds. 

As one who has covered thousands of fights over the last three decades between fighters who are labeled as “Knockout Artists," this is an instance where this observer cannot give an educated guess as to what might happen. This appears to be an evenly matched fight where, despite my experience and a lifetime as a proud Boxing lifer, I cannot see a way where things might lean in terms of who has a theoretical advantage. Although a mandatory position, at least in theory in the WBC’s Light-Heavyweight ratings is on the line, whether it be the Beterbiev-Bivol winner that will be next for the winner of this fight, or if Saul Alvarez will use his clout to interject himself into the equation either for the winner here between Benavidez and Morrell or the winner of the rematch between Beterbiev and Bivol, which can all be talked about after this fight, this is one occasion that I am very much looking forward to the opening bell between Benavidez and Morrell. It is too early to use the selling point of "Fight of the Year Candidate," but I would not dismiss the possibility.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Benavidez vs. Morrell takes place on Saturday, February 1st at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as it's undercard can be seen on digital entertainment and sports streaming platform Prime Video on a pay-per-view basis for $79.99. The card will begin at 6PM ET/3PM PT with preliminary bouts followed by the pay-per-view card, which will begin at 8PM ET/5PM PT. For more information about Prime Video please visit: www.PrimeVideo.com for information on how to download the Prime Video app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. To order this pay-per-view event search Benavidez vs. Morrell within the Prime Video app or Click Here.

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   

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1     

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1   

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social 

Wallace Stop Wellem In 8

The recent times in Boxing’s 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division have centered around Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, the two long-reigning world champions of the division, who finally met in October of this year to determine the Undisputed World Light-Heavyweight championship. In what was a highly competitive fight, it was Beterbiev who emerged victorious by a razor thin decision. Both due to the competitive nature of that fight as well as a rematch clause, Beterbiev and Bivol will continue to be the focus as they will meet again in February 2025.

Outside of the top of the division where the focus remains on Beterbiev and Bivol, however, there are prospects and contenders looking to position themselves for potential lucrative bouts against either later in 2025 and beyond. One such fighter is rising prospect Conor Wallace. Wallace, a native of Newry, Northern Ireland, now based in Queensland, Australia, has quickly emerged as a fighter to watch and could well find himself in the mix among the top contenders, or Beterbiev, or Bivol sooner rather than later.

After establishing a record of 14-1, with 10 Knockouts, Wallace concluded his 2024 on Wednesday night when he faced the unbeaten, but largely unknown Asemahle Wellem at the Fortitude Music Hall in Queensland Australia. Despite coming into the fight with an undefeated record of 7-0-1, with 3 Knockouts, Wellem, a native of South Africa, was a bit of a mystery in the sense that there was not  footage that this observer could access prior to this bout of his previous fights, and all one could really go on without the benefit of film study, was simply the statistical figures in his record as well as the knowledge per that record that Wellem came into this fight off of a draw in his last bout in March against a fellow undefeated fighter named Selemani Kidunda in a fight fought in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division.

Often when there is not much known about a fighter going into a bout, it can be difficult to get an idea as to what type of fight one could expect. Wellem would turn out to be a fighter who was quite awkward, but one that ended up providing Wallace with what turned out to be a significant test.

The early rounds saw both fighters looking to establish position, Wallace, a southpaw seeming to be the naturally bigger fighter and attempting to keep Wellem at distance with his longer reach. As tends to happen when a southpaw faces an orthodox fighter, there was no shortage of trips, unintentional, and perhaps intentional grappling between the two fighters throughout with Wallace often getting the worst of it in hitting the canvas and at times appearing to be thrown akin to what one would see in the sport of Judo. This was not aided by what appeared to be moisture on the canvas, which had both fighters having trouble periodically maintaining their footing.

Wellem did succeed for a time in being able to keep Wallace from finding a rhythm by frequently changing the levels of his attack from the head to the body as well as not over playing his hand in only taking opportunities as they came rather than being overly aggressive. As the fight progressed, Wallace managed to gradually apply tactical pressure, which opened up opportunities to land his left hand from the southpaw stance. This did not prevent him from getting caught in the fourth round and appearing to be hurt by a right hand by Wellem. Wallace would respond by landing a left hook to the body that forced Wellum to take a knee moments later. 

Perhaps because he had now felt the power of his opponent, Wellem would resort to a dirty tactic in the fifth round when while being separated by the referee, he hit Wallace in the back of the head, which caused an immediate point deduction for not only hitting on the break, but also hitting his opponent in the back of the head. The subject of potential scoring of the fight, however, would prove to be a moot point as Wallace continued to apply pressure and gradually land hard punches that affected Wellem.

In the eighth round Wallace would drop Wellem for the second time with a straight left hand. Although Wellem showed his mettle by getting up, he was clearly hurt, and Wallace sensing his opponent was in trouble, went for the finish. A follow-up combination sent Wellem down for a third and final time as the bout was promptly stopped. The fifthteeth victory in the career of Conor Wallace and his eighth straight win since suffering his only career setback in April 2021, earned him the WBA’s vacant Oceania Light-Heavyweight title, one of the regional championships used to elevate fighters into the world rankings who compete in the Asia-Pacific region of the world, not unlike fighters who win British titles in the United Kingdom or European championships throughout Europe, which all serve as a route for fighters to elevate themselves into the world rankings. 

More importantly, this win will serve Wallace well in terms of his development in the long-term. He did face an opponent here in Asemahle Wellem, who presented an awkward style that for a time proved difficult to combat. Furthermore, Wellem did test Wallace's ability to cope with being hurt and was not cooperative and kept fighting after being knocked down initially. While fights like this often serve better than a quick knockout in the long-term as far as a fighter’s development is concerned, the ability to cope with what some might view as an unexpected test and still accomplish the task of victory will also serve Wallace as he looks to progress against theoretically tougher competition with the goal of eventually challenging for a world championship.

“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   

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1     

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1   

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social 

Beterbiev Batters And Stops Smith In 7

The much anticipated World Light-Heavyweight  championship bout between undefeated unified IBF/WBC/WBO world champion Artur Beterbiev and former WBA Super-Middleweight world champion and WBC number one Light-Heavyweight contender Callum Smith, in addition to being an intriguing battle between two fighters with punching power, was anticipated largely because the fight, which was supposed to take place during 2023, but was delayed because of a dental infection suffered by the champion. By allowing the fight to simmer, albeit unintentionally, it also allowed the fight to take place with the potential of the winner to face undefeated unified WBA/IBO champion Dmitry Bivol for the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship of the world.

Although it is no secret to those who follow the sport of Boxing that the potential of an encounter between Beterbiev and Bivol has been discussed for years at this point, it is in some ways disrespectful to any opponent when there is at least an expectation of a fight being in the works for a champion before that opponent gets their opportunity to fight said champion. Nevertheless, Callum Smith entered the Videotron Centre on January 13th in Quebec City, Canada, Beterbiev's adopted home country to challenge the champion with one agenda, to try and upset the apple card of whatever might have been in the pipeline for the Beterbiev later this year. 

Despite a tactical start between the two fighters where both fighters, who were each coming off lengthy stretches of inactivity due to this bout being delayed, started slowly, the primary difference in this fight was the punching power of Beterbiev as well as the pressure he was able to apply on Smith. Smith was able to have success periodically in landing combinations flush on Beterbiev, but he could not stop the pattern that developed in which the fight was fought. Beterbiev was able to take what Smith was able to dish out, apply pressure on the challenger, and gradually unload with a full arsenal of punches to the body and head when he was able to get Smith against the ropes.

To Smith's credit, he withstood as much as he could and continued to try and turn the fight around in his favor. After four rounds of seeing this pattern, Smith's trainer, former two-division world champion Buddy McGirt, who for the last several decades has become one of the top trainers in the entire sport, told his fighter that he needed to use his jab more, to try to go to Beterbiev's body with his left hook, and needed to keep the combat in the center of the ring. Smith made an effort in rounds five and six to do that and did have some success, but the one constant was that whenever Beterbiev landed, his punches had more power behind them and did more damage. The attempted tactical adjustment by Smith did seem to be changing the tempo slightly. 

In round seven, the roles seemed to reverse with Smith applying the pressure and backing Beterbiev up. Unfortunately for the former Super-Middleweight world champion, just as it appeared he was about to get Beterbiev cornered on the ropes, the champion caught him as he was coming forward with a right hand that landed flush on the jaw. This badly staggered Smith, who had no answer for the brutal barrage of punches that followed, which ultimately sent the challenger down to the canvas for the first time in his career. Showing the mettle of a warrior, Smith was able to get up from the knockdown, but would be sent down a second time from a follow-up barrage of punches from Beterbiev. Although Smith got up a second time, McGirt, seeing his fighter was compromised, got into the ring and stopped the fight at 2:00 of round seven. 

The eigth successful defense of his crown for Beterbiev also signaled his twentieth straight knockout in twenty professional fights. With the victory, obviously, the question now becomes whether a fight brtween Beterbiev and Bivol for the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship of the world will happen later this year. According to Beterbiev's promoter Hall of Famer Bob Arum, contrary to what wss believed by some prior to this fight, a bout between Beterbiev and Bivol has not been finalized, but the goal would be for it to occur later this year in Saudi Arabia, which is fast becoming one of the sought after destinations for Boxing’s bigger events.

Although a fight between the two has been talked about for years, if Arum is correct and an encounter between Beterbiev and Bivol does take place in either late spring or during the summer of this year, it should be viewed as significant progress and a victory for the sport. All too often, fights like this where there is an undisputed championship involved and/or other bouts that have significant public interest can take several years to make happen and too often, when those fights do finally occur, it fails to live up to expectations and the combination of both a lengthy wait as well as a perceived lack of competitive action leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Boxing fans, who are also often asked to pay an asinine price to see those fights when they finally happen. If the politics of the sport do not in one way or another interfere, there are no other roadblocks that come up during the negotiation process, and the fight fan be made within a reasonable timeframe as Arum has suggested, it is a true win for Boxing and should be celebrated.

“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  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1   

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1  

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

Beterbiev-Smith: The First Major World Championship Clash Of 2024

The first major world championship fight of 2024 will take place on Saturday, January 13th in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division as undefeated Unified WBC/WBO/IBF Light-Heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev will defend his crown against former WBA Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith. The fight, which will take place at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada and can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ will finally bring to fruition a fight that was originally supposed to take place in August 2023, but was delayed due to the champion needing additional time to recover from dental surgery. It is also a bout that could lead to some significant business in the division later in the year. 

This fight will represent Beterbiev’s eighth defense of his title, which originally began with the IBF world championship before he added the WBC and WBO crowns during his reign. Although Beterbiev has been inactive for nearly one year by the time this fight will take place, he still holds the distinction of being one of the sport’s feared knockout artists having knocked out all nineteen of his previous opponents. In his last title defense, Beterbiev stopped Anthony Yarde in eight rounds in a fight where the champion suffered a deep cut over his left eye in the fifth round. 

Now the champion prepares to get back to business by facing a fighter with significant momentum in Callum Smith. Smith, who gained notoriety for winning the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) Super-Middleweight tournament in 2018 and along with it, the WBA Super-Middleweight world championship, held onto the title until December 2020 when he lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Saul “Canelo" Alvarez. Following what is to date the only loss of his career, Smith moved up to the Light-Heavyweight division and will enter this fight coming off two knockout wins and is the current WBC number one Light-Heavyweight contender. 

What this fight will boil down to in my eyes will be whether or not Smith will be able to dictate the pace of the combat and do so for however long the fight lasts. Although Smith has shown punching power throughout his career and is capable of getting an opponent out of there should an opportunity arise, most likely see his best chance in this fight as trying to box Beterbiev, who only knows one direction, forward with constant pressure as he looks to break his opponent down. Whether or not the champion will be able to do that against a tall and lengthy opponent like Smith remains to be seen.

The element that looms over this fight is at least the possibility that the winner of it could be in line to face undefeated unified WBA/IBO world champion Dmitry Bivol for what would be the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship of the world. Bivol recently added the International Boxing Organization (IBO) championship to his collection by scoring a dominant twelve round unanimous decision over Lyndon Arthur on December 23rd in Saudi Arabia. A fight between Bivol and Beterbiev has been seemingly alluded to for the last couple of years, but this observer should not have to explain to the reader that even as illogical as the sport of Boxing in various aspects tends to be, nothing is a sure thing and Callum Smith should be viewed as a dangerous opponent rather than a formality for Beterbiev on the way to what would be an obvious lucrative payday and a career-defining fight for both Beterbiev and Bivol. One truly never knows what can happen when two fighters enter the ring to do battle. It is truly what makes Boxing great.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Beterbiev vs. Smith takes place on Saturday, January 13th at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada. In the United States, the fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 5:25PM ET/2:25PM PT.

(*Card and Start Time Subject to Change.*)

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

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  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1   

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1  

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1 

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 

Beterbiev-Yarde Thoughts

 The fight between undefeated unified IBF/WBO/WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev and top Light-Heavyweight contender Anthony Yards was one that brought two of the division’s power punchers together. What made this more intriguing was the fact that the champion Beterbiev had knocked out every previous opponent that he had faced as a professional. Although Yarde had previously fought for a world title and gave a determined effort against then WBO world champion Sergey Kovalev in 2018, he had suffered one setback and avenged it prior to this encounter.

Despite working his way back into world title contention and having scored knockouts in twenty a two of his twenty-three career wins, there were many that considered Yarde to be a significant underdog going into his second opportunity at a world championship. While this in part was likely due to the aura that Beterbiev had established as one of the Light-Heavyweight division’s feared “Knockout Artists,” as well as perhaps the outcome of Yarde’s previous attempt at a world championship against Kovalev, where after a good start where it appeared at times that he might have been on the verge of stopping him, he ultimately fell to fatigue as well as Kovalev’s pressure before being stopped in the eleventh round.

In previewing this world championship bout, this observer stated that it would likely come down to whether or not Anthony Yarde would be able to combat the pressure of Beterbiev and do so for all twelve rounds. When the two fighters met at the legendary Wembley Arena in London England on January 28th, the crowd support was in favor of Yarde as expected and for a time it appeared as though the challenger had a tactical strategy in which to approach Beterbiev. This included using faints as well as varying his attack between the body and the head.

 

For a brief time, it appeared to favor Anthony Yarde. As the fight progressed however, and Artur Beterbiev began to close the distance it turned into a fire fight between two of the Light-Heavyweight division’s feared punchers. While this was the fight that yours truly personally expected to happen at some point as the two fighters engaged, I was impressed by how Anthony Yarde was able to respond to the champion’s power punches and how he was also able to return power shots of his own.

 

One thing that Yarde got away from as the fight progressed was he did not go to Beterbiev’s body consistently and did not at any point try to administer a sustained attack to the body. The concept of a body attack in Boxing and other combat sports is a bit of a lost art as it can be one of the most effective components of a fighter’s offense when executed properly as it can not only take a fighter’s legs away and thus their ability to move and evade an attack, but it also can gradually fatigue a fighter with punching power such as Beterbiev. Thus, it is a lost art that is very underappreciated by many competing in the sport.

 

The challenger, perhaps inspired by the atmosphere of the event with a hometown crowd supporting him, instead neglected what appeared to be a tactical approach early in the fight and chose to fight Beterbiev essentially toe to toe. Although no one can take away from the courage Anthony Yarde showed in this fight, the decision to fight fire with fire proved to be costly as eventually after several heated exchanges that left both fighters hurt and bleeding throughout the fight, Beterbiev would drop Yarde with a flush right hand to the jaw that sent the challenger down on his knees in the eighth round. Yarde showed his mettle by getting up from the knockdown though clearly hurt and fatigued. It would only be moments before the challenger’s corner would step up on the ring apron and ask for the fight to be stopped.

 

The victory for Beterbiev was his nineteenth consecutive victory in his thus far undefeated career and also his nineteenth consecutive knockout. A victory for the champion that will obviously stir more interest in a potential unification bout between Beterbiev and undefeated WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol for the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship of the world. It appears unlikely that the potential fight between the two will happen in 2023 due to Bivol likely facing the man he beat last year Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in a rematch that if nothing else is a more lucrative opportunity for him at the present time, despite his dominating Alvarez when they met in May of last year.

 

As for Anthony Yarde, as was the case when he first fought for a world championship in losing via knockout to former longtime Light-Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in 2018, he was not disgraced in this fight and showed his mettle in defeat. While some may choose to say that Yarde will no longer be a factor in the Light-Heavyweight division, I don’t necessarily share that point of view. Yarde proved once again why he has been a top contender in the division for several years and I believe it may have been a case of him allowing the atmosphere and emotion of the event before a hometown crowd to get to him and thus he ended up forgoing what appeared to be a tactical strategy to try and combat Beterbiev and chose to go toe to toe. Although that certainly made the fight more entertaining for any fan that may have been watching it, it was the wrong approach to take. Perhaps after some time to reflect on this setback and maybe even make additions to his team, Yarde as he was able to do following his loss to Kovalev, can bounce back and be back in the mix of potential challengers for Beterbiev, Bivol, or whomever holds a world championship in the Light-Heavyweight division at that time.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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

Can Yarde Pull Off The Next Light-Heavyweight Upset?

 

Perhaps the biggest story in Boxing in 2022 came in the month of May when undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision over current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to retain his WBA crown. While Bivol was naturally bigger and stronger than Alvarez and has a difficult Boxing style that has proven difficult for opponents to combat, much less solve, most viewed his victory over Alvarez as “An Upset.” This view, which is not shared by this observer, is based largely on the fact that Alvarez is one of the sport’s biggest stars and the expectation of many was that he would defeat Bivol, a fighter not well-known to casual fans on what was his quest to begin the process of trying to fully unify a second division after what he had accomplished in fully unifying the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. While Boxing is truly the theater of the unexpected, Bivol did go against the script that at least some had envisioned prior to that fight.

 

With victories over Alvarez and former Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez in 2022 behind him, Bivol could potentially be nearing either a rematch with Alvarez or a potential unification bout with the only remaining world champion in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. Artur Beterbiev. Like Bivol, Beterbiev is an undefeated world champion, currently holding the IBF, WBC, and WBO crowns in the division, which would make a potential encounter with Bivol for the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship of the world. Before the Boxing world can begin wetting their collective appetites for that bout, Beterbiev has business to tend to as he will defend his unified portion of the World Light-Heavyweight championship against IBF number three rated contender Anthony Yarde on Saturday, January 28^th at the  Wembley Arena in London, England.

 

The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+, has one central question that surrounds it. Can Yarde pull off what would be seen as a significant upset and derail any potential plans for an undisputed clash between Beterbiev and Bivol. This will be Yarde’s second opportunity at a world championship. In August 2019, a then undefeated Yarde put forth a spirited effort against former longtime WBO Light-Heavyweight world champion and division cornerstone Sergey Kovalev before being stopped in the eleventh round. Yarde did appear to have Kovalev in trouble throughout that fight and made a good account of himself in defeat. Since that loss, Yarde has split two fights with Light-Heavyweight contender Lyndon Arthur, losing a twelve round split decision in their first fight in December 2020 and avenging that loss via fourth round knockout in their rematch in December 2021.

 

The London-born Yarde will have significant support from the crowd in attendance at the legendary Wembley Arena, but he does face a difficult task in the champion Beterbiev. In some ways however, this is a similar situation as the one the challenger faced when he fought Kovalev in that like Kovalev, Beterbiev is a “Knockout Artist.”

 

Beterbiev has knocked out all eighteen of his previous opponents as a professional and has the ability to end a fight with either hand. What this will likely come down to is whether or not Yarde will be able to combat the pressure of Beterbiev and do so for all twelve rounds if needed. In his last title defense, Beterbiev destroyed WBO world champion Joe Smith in two rounds. The champion has also shown the ability to overcome adversity during a fight as he showed in his title defense against Marcus Browne in December 2021, where he suffered a deep gash on his forehead early in the fight as a result of an accidental clash of heads, before stopping Browne in the ninth round. In both instances neither Browne or Smith had a way to deal with Beterbiev‘s relentless pressure and could not avoid his punching power.

 

Yarde does have twenty-two knockouts in his twenty-three career wins so he is also capable of ending a fight early should an opportunity arise. Whether or not he will have a tactical approach or will attempt to fight fire with fire and go toe to toe with Beterbiev remains to be seen. Wisdom would suggest that he will need to find a way to dictate the fight from the outset and try to nullify Beterbiev’s pressure if he wants to pull off the upset in front of a hometown crowd, as the champion has only shown one approach in his career, seek and destroy.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Beterbiev vs. Yarde takes place on Saturday, January 29^th at the Wembley Arena in London, England. The card can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 2:30PM ET/11:30AM PT.

 

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices and smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

 

*Card and start time subject to change.*

 

*Check your local listings internationally.*

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

Beterbiev Makes His Intention To Be Undisputed World Light-Heavyweight Champion Clear

 

The World Light-Heavyweight championship unification bout between undefeated WBC/IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev and WBO world champion Joe Smith, which took place on June 18th at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY was one that lacked the type of buzz normally afforded to such unification bouts. This could be because much of the attention in recent times has centered on undefeated WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol‘s recent dominant win in successfully retaining his title over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in May. Although it is also a reflection of the politics that be in the sport that some high level fights receive more attention than others, the bout between Beterbiev and Smith was one that had action written all over it. 

 

In previewing this fight in discussing the similarities between the two fighters in terms of style, this observer said perhaps too simply that this fight could come down to whoever was able to land the first significant punch. Despite both fighters displaying a healthy respect for each other, the question of who would take the initiative to force the fight between the two pressure fighters was answered almost immediately as Smith initiated the combat. While this seemed like an interesting approach, it proved not to be a tactical one as Beterbiev patiently waited for his opening and then connected with a counter right hand that seemed to land on Smith’s temple sending the WBO champion down for the first time in his career.  

 

Smith was able to get up and survive the round, but it seemed as though whatever strategy he may have been trying to implement prior to the knockdown went out the window. It was in the second round where Beterbiev continued to find a home for his right hand and would ultimately score three more knockdowns of Smith before the fight was stopped. Beterbiev had made an emphatic statement in scoring a one-sided second round knockout over a normally durable Joe Smith to add the WBO Light-Heavyweight crown to his unified Light-Heavyweight world championship. 

 

Sometimes there is simply not much one could say or analysis that one could offer beyond the simple description of a one-sided fight that ended in dominant fashion. Although this observer was not expecting the fight to end as quickly as it did, despite the styles of the two fighters and knowing that anything can happen when two fighters get into a ring to do battle, it was as convincing a performance by Artur Beterbiev as I have seen thus far in his career. 

 

While in a perfect scenario, this would naturally lead to a bout with WBA champion Dmitry Bivol, it would appear that Beterbiev’s next bout as now the WBC/IBF/WBO world champion will come against former world title challenger and current WBO number one contender Anothony Yarde, which could take place in the fall. Despite Beterbiev’s next bout appearing to be set in stone per mandatory defense obligations, which usually follow a unification bout such as this, that has not stopped speculation of a potential undisputed world championship fight between Beterbiev and Bivol, to the point that when asked outright what he wanted to do after his knockout of Joe Smith, Beterbiev stated outright that he wants to be undisputed champion when asked by ESPN as to what he wanted to do next. This then promoted a discussion amongst ESPN’s broadcast team as to the need of their network and digital subscription-based sports streaming network DAZN, which has broadcast several of Bivol’s recent fights including the recent victory over Saul Alvarez, to find common ground to make the fight happen.  

 

Although longtime readers know that I am a long and vocal critic of the idea of networks whether they be traditional television or streaming becoming the ultimate decider as to when and how fights take place, Beterbiev’s promoter Hall of Famer Bob Arum, said in a recent interview with Boxing news outlet Boxing Scene, that he wants to see Beterbiev continue to remain on ESPN, referring to DAZN as “Dead Zone” in citing what he believes as DAZN’s low viewership. It is important for me to state before I go any further that I have been a vocal supporter of both DAZN and ESPN as both have focused heavily in recent years on moving Boxing more towards a reasonably priced subscription-based streaming model as compared to pay-per-view. While both have dipped their toes into the pay-per-view model by force in recent times, it cannot be ignored the progress both networks have made. 

 

Now that I have made my position clear, it is important to remember that both networks have exclusive deals with promoters with Arum having an exclusive deal with ESPN here in the United States to provide Boxing content to the network across both its traditional network and it’s streaming network ESPN+. While no one can take away from Arum’s accomplishments in the sport and while he is entitled to his point of view as we all are, perhaps he should be spending more time worrying about his own business as opposed to throwing shots at a network that he does not have an agreement with and one that has shown a willingness to work with ESPN in the past. 

 

Even though Arum’s comments can be explained as a promoter doing what a promoter does, it is such rhetoric that serves more as a determent to the sport more than an asset and Arum and ESPN would be better served by looking to provide the best cards possible for their audience as well as trying as best as possible to avoid using the pay-per-view model, which has seen underwhelming returns whenever they have gone in that direction. 

 

Whether or not Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol are officially on a collision course for the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship of the world remains to be seen. The 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division does however, have two unbeaten dominant world champions sitting atop the division and if that continues to be the case, interest in a fight between the two will grow organically and it will not matter much as to the various interests of promoters or networks. When interests in a fight builds naturally, the public will support it. 

 

“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