Taylor Becomes Undisputed Champion In Two Weight Divisions, Benavidez Breaks Down Andrade

Thanksgiving weekend 2023 in the world of Boxing was highlighted by two marquee attractions on November 25th in the Women's Jr. Welterweight and Men's Super-Middleweight divisions. First, it was a highly anticipated rematch for the Undisputed Women’s Jr. Welterweight championship of the world as undefeated champion Chantelle Cameron attempted to score her second victory in a six month span by giving Undisputed Lightweight world champion Katie Taylor a second opportunity to become an undisputed world champion in two weight divisions.

In some ways, this rematch offered little upside for the defending champion beyond perhaps a good payday as well as a chance to prove that her victory over Taylor in the first fight was not a case of her catching Taylor on an off night. The second encounter would take place at the same location as the first fight, the 3 Arena in Dublin, in Taylor's home country of Ireland. As this observer pointed out in previewing this fight, despite Taylor having what amounted to a “Home Ring Advantage" in the first fight, Cameron was able to win under those conditions in what was a highly competitive and close fight. 

The second fight was also competitive, but the difference between the two fights became the approach of Taylor. At her best, Katie Taylor is a combination puncher that attacks in short, but explosive spurts and uses lateral movement to control the tempo of the combat. In the first fight in May of this year, she had success in spots with this approach, but was unable to nullify Cameron's pressure as she was frequently pushed back against the ropes and not able to use her movement to her advantage particularly during the second half of that fight.

This time around, Taylor used her movement as well as a consistent jab to control the combat along with mixing in the short combinations that have been her trademark throughout her career. The primary difference throughout much of this rematch was Taylor's ability to turn Cameron whenever she got close to the ropes, which kept the champion from being able to get her punches off with consistency and also made the pressure that Cameron applied less effective as compared to the first meeting between these two world champions.

Cameron also suffered a deep gash on her forehead as a result of an accidental clash of heads in the third round. Despite a gash that yours truly felt was severe enough to warrant a stoppage of the the bout, which if it had been before the completion of the fourth round, it would have resulted in a no contest, Cameron showed why she is a champion by fighting through what had to be severe pain as well as the punishment Taylor was able to dish out. She was also able to come on as the fight progressed as she had done in the first fight.

In a scenario that was similar to their first encounter, Taylor seemed to struggle over the second half of the fight. While this could be attributed to the high pace in which the fight was fought, as was the case the first time around, Cameron seemed to land the harder punches of the two as Taylor fought the effects of fatigue. Unlike in the first fight however, just as it seemed as though she did not have much left to give, Taylor also showed the heart of a champion by gutting it out, continuing to avoid being put on the ropes as much as she could and trading punches with Cameron till the final bell.

At the conclusion of the ten round undisputed world championship bout, I felt that Taylor had done enough to win, but the rally that Cameron was able to put forth during the second half of the fight, as was the case the first time around, resulted in a close majority decision. The outcome of the second fight would be different as Taylor would be declared the winner making her the latest fighter, male or female to join an exclusive club as being an Undisputed world champion in multiple divisions.

The stage appears to be set for a third fight between Taylor and Cameron in 2024. Although Katie Taylor’s future place in any Boxing Hall of Fame is more than secure and regardless of what happens in a potential third fight, that will not change, the question now becomes how soon would that third bout between her and Cameron take place. At thirty-six years old, Taylor has been through a lot of grueling battles throughout her career and several in the last several years. There is no question that Chantelle Cameron deserves a rematch because after all, she gave Taylor a rematch that she did not have to give, but both fighters deserve significant time to rest and heal before considering a third fight. 

This brings us to the second marquee attraction that took place on November 25th. A battle between two former world champions at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV as undefeated former world champions David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade met in what amounted to an elimination bout to determine the next mandatory challenger in the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) Super-Middleweight ratings for current Undisputed champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez.

The fight, which brought together arguably two of the most avoided fighters in and around the Super-Middleweight division due to the respective styles of Benavidez and Andrade, also holds the distinction of headlining the final pay-per-view produced by United States premium cable network Showtime, who will soon exit the sport after a thirty-seven year run as one of Boxing’s power players in broadcasting the sport. It was a main event that did not disappoint.

Benavidez is a fighter that typically starts slow, but gradually picks up his output as a fight progresses. For the first time in either fighter's career, they were faced with a scenario of facing a fighter with a style that was in some ways similar to their own, but one that they had not had to face themselves. Demetrius Andrade is a fighter that is very crafty, elusive, and has proven to be a difficult puzzle to solve. The first three rounds of this fight was largely dictated on Andrade’s ability to use angles, out throw, and land fast combinations on Benavidez.

Although this initially had the appearance of many of Andrade's previous fights where he seemed to be too quick and elusive and was beating Benavidez to the punch at this stage in the bout, what could not be ignored was the size difference between the two. Despite being similar in both height and weight, Benavidez appeared as though he had the body frame of a Light-Heavyweight or a Cruiserweight going against a fighter in Andrade, who won his first world championship as a 154lb. Jr. Middleweight. While this fight was fought in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division, it appeared that Andrade might have hit his ceiling in terms of moving up in weight standing in the ring with Benavidez. 

It would not take long before the appearance of Andrade facing a naturally bigger fighter began to show itself in the fight as wherever Benavidez was able to land punches, it seemed to hurt Andrade. The turning point in the fight would occur in the fourth round when Benavidez connected with a right hand that landed high on the head of Andrade that sent the former two-division world champion down on his knees on the canvas. Although Andrade was able to get up from the knockdown, he was clearly hurt and the offensive rhythm that seemed to give him an early advantage in the first three rounds of the scheduled twelve round bout became less and less as Andrade went into survival mode in trying to get his bearings. In the process, Benavidez administered significant punishment to the body and head. 

At the conclusion of the fifth round Referee Thomas Taylor walked with Andrade back to his corner and told him that he needed to show him something. This coincided with Taylor having Andrade examined by a ringside physician between rounds five and six. Despite looking like a fighter that was in the process of suffering what was becoming a one way beating, Andrade was given the chance to continue. In round six, Benavidez continued to batter Andrade, knocking his mouthpiece out twice. Although Andrade tried his best to fight back, there was not much force behind his punches.

As he had done after the previous round, Taylor followed Andrade back to his corner after round six and informed him that he could not see another round like what had just occurred. After a brief exchange between Taylor and Andrade’s trainer and father Paul Andrade, the fight was stopped giving Benavidez a convincing stoppage victory over a fighter regarded as one of the most defensively sound fighters in the entire sport.

Whether or not this victory, as convincing as it was for Benavidez will finally result in him getting an opportunity to fight Saul Alvarez for the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world in 2024 remains to be seen. Unfortunately for Benavidez, it may depend on what happens with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, who have promoted many of Benavidez’ bouts including his victory over Andrade as the PBC’s future remains uncertain as they continue to look for a new platform for their stable of fighters after losing broadcast homes with both Fox Sports and Showtime here in the United States over the last two years. With no new platform either traditional or streaming based announced to broadcast PBC promoted Boxing cards in 2024, as of this writing and Showtime and it's parent company Paramount Global preparing to exit Boxing before Christmas, it may be time for not only Benavidez, but all fighters currently competing under the PBC banner to not only explore other options, but to also come to the realization that if they want to compete on a regular basis, a problem that has become more and more frequent for fighters in the PBC’s stable in recent years as their network agreements have evaporated and both Fox Sports and Showtime have bowed out of the sport, the insistence on the pay-per-view model is not conducive to a successful career going into 2024 and is directly responsible for the state in which the PBC currently finds itself in. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Cameron-Taylor II: Repeat Or Redemption?

Women's Boxing has made significant strides over the last decade that has seen the sport for women receive long overdue recognition as well as mainstream attention. One of the most notable fighters that has led the charge in this era has been former Olympic Gold medalist and current Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Katie Taylor.

Taylor has become one of the biggest stars in the sport both due to her dominance in the Lightweight division as well as her willingness to fight anyone in and around the division. Many likely remember Taylor taking part in a true groundbreaking moment for the sport when she scored a close decision victory over Undisputed Featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano in April 2021. A fight that was not only an all-time classic, but more importantly before a sellout crowd, one that marked the first time that a woman's bout main evented a Boxing card in the main arena in New York’s Madison Square Garden. As Taylor's dominance of the Lightweight division has continued, in search of a challenge, she moved up in weight to challenge undefeated Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron earlier this year in her home country of Ireland.

Despite having what amounted to a home field advantage over the champion in May of this year, Taylor was unable to come away with a victory. In what was a close and competitive fight, it was Cameron who outworked Taylor over the course of the ten round world championship bout to retain her undisputed championship via majority decision. In doing so, Cameron not only scored what many felt was an upset given Taylor's standing in the sport, but also handed the Undisputed Lightweight queen the first loss of her career.

Rather than going back to the Lightweight division and look to continue her reign, Taylor will instead attempt to avenge her defeat when she faces Cameron for a second time. A rematch that will take place on November 25th in Dublin, Ireland and can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

The story of this rematch is simple, can Taylor avenge her first career loss or will Chantelle Cameron be able to get a second victory over a future Hall of Famer? A misconception that this observer believes was exposed in the first fight between these two world champions is that even though Katie Taylor had a considerably higher profile and what amounted to a home field advantage, Cameron was also an undefeated, undisputed world champion in her division going into that fight, and was able to show that she herself is a world-class boxer that belonged in the ring with someone of Taylor's caliber.

This time around, the scenario is almost identical to what it was like for Cameron going into the first fight. Despite her victory over Taylor, there are some that view her as an underdog going into the rematch, much like how even though she was the defending champion the first time around, there were some that did not think she had much of a chance. As was the case in the first fight, the rematch will also take place in Taylor's home country of Ireland giving her once again, the theoretical home field or to be more appropriate “Home Ring" advantage. Cameron proved however, she could win under those conditions and did win the first fight. With that knowledge, she is not likely to feel intimidated going into fight two.

What this will boil down to in my eyes is whether Taylor will be able to control the tempo of the combat and be able to use her lateral movement and combination punching, two cornerstones of her Boxing style, to try and out box Cameron. There were periods in the first fight where Taylor was able to implement this approach, but she could not sustain it for the duration, which allowed Cameron to come on in the middle and late rounds to secure the victory. Taylor must be elusive and be tactical in her approach in this fight because if she gives up any ground, Cameron will look to take advantage as was the case in the first encounter. Whether Cameron can limit Taylor's movement again as she was able to in the first fight and try to get a more conclusive victory remains to be seen. 

2023 has been another year that has marked progress for Women's Boxing. Will Cameron-Taylor II be regarded as another classic in the continued progression for the sport and possibly lead to a third chapter? We will find out on Saturday, November 25th.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Cameron vs. Taylor II takes place on Saturday, November 25 at 3 Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 11:05AM ET/8:05AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts. This will be followed by the main card, which will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(*U.S. Times Only.*)

(*Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Cameron-Taylor II Set For November 25th In Dublin, Ireland On DAZN

Press Release August 2, 2023 By DAZN - Chantelle Cameron returns to the Lion’s Den to put her undisputed Super-Lightweight World Titles on the line for a second time against Irish legend Katie Taylor at the 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday November 25, live worldwide on DAZN.

 

Credit: DAZN 

Northampton’s Cameron (18-0, 8 KOs) handed undisputed Lightweight World Champion Taylor the first defeat of her career to remain undisputed ruler at 140lbs when they met on an historic night at the sold-out 3Arena in Dublin back in May.

 

Despite coming into the fight defending her belts, Cameron was seen as a major underdog for Taylor’s first fight in Ireland in her seven-year professional career – but the 32-year-old Brit stunned the home crowd by scoring a majority decision win over their hero.

 

The bout lived up to the huge expectation as both fighters left everything in the ring in front of a deafening partisan crowd, but after ten close rounds, Cameron was a worthy winner and cemented her place as one of the best female fighters on the planet.

 

“Last time out I pulled off one of the best ever away wins against the best female fighter on the planet,” said Cameron. “To go over to Ireland for her homecoming with my belts on the line and beat her was a brilliant experience, but beating her on November 25 will surpass that as I know what to expect now.

 

“I’ve boxed at that high level with a huge amount of pressure on me and the crowd against me. Going into November 25 I’m more than prepared this time. I know what it feels like now and I’m going to go in there with more aggression and energy and I’m confident of getting the job done in better fashion.

 

“I’m going to be a lot better in the rematch. In the gym we’re correcting mistakes that I’ve made. There were little things that I was doing during the first fight that led to me being headbutted a lot – that’s why my face was very bruised up at the end of the fight.

 

“Going back to Ireland to beat Katie Taylor twice in a row will show that it wasn’t just a lucky night for me and an off night for Katie. I said it last time – I think I’m all wrong for Katie. I’m too big, I’m too strong and my will to win is too strong. I’m going to be there all night long. Katie picked the wrong fighter to fight.”

 

“I'm delighted the rematch has been made and really can't wait for another huge night in November,” said Taylor. “I relish challenges like this and these are the occasions I live for.”

 

“Strap yourselves in for another electric night at the 3Arena in Dublin as Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor run it back for Super-Lightweight supremacy on Saturday November 25,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “The atmosphere inside that arena was one of the loudest and most special that I’ve ever experienced in all my years in this sport and I expect November 25 to be even better.

"Last time out Chantelle Cameron proved that she in one of the very best female fighters on the planet by handing Katie Taylor her first loss in the professional ranks. Katie will be desperate to avenge that loss but Chantelle is determined to prove that it wasn’t a one off. Don’t miss this one, live and exclusive around the world on DAZN.”

"Another massive fight to add to our ever growing autumn schedule”, said Alfie Sharman, VP, DAZN. “There is nothing more dangerous than a motivated Katie Taylor and after being defeated for the very first time in her pro career to a modern day great in Chantelle Cameron I am expecting fireworks. Tune in November 25 to watch live and exclusive only on DAZN.”

 

Ticket details will be announced in due course.

 Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

 

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

Ebanie Bridges Interview

Press Release: June 27, 2023By Bitcoin Casinos - IBF Women's Bantamweight world champion Ebanie Bridges recently sat down with BitcoinCasinos.com for an exclusive interview where she shares her thoughts on a potential rematch between Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor as well as a variety of subjects including the state of Women's Boxing. A full transcript of the interview can be read below.

Question: It’s all about the hype and ramping it up to the next level – so, have you thought about what you can do next time at the weigh-in?

Ebanie Bridges: I just want to be comfortable, it’s not like I’m being big-headed or anything like that – I like to wear what I look good in and I seem to break the internet now no matter what I wear as ‘my thing’ seems to be a big deal. I wear lingerie and I think it’s classy what I wear – it’s nice, elegant and anything too trashy. It’s not about competing; it’s just about doing what’s right for me and ‘doing me’ always works. While my past as a bodybuilder and stage presence helps me being comfortable for the weigh-ins and the poses etc.

Question: Going back to boxing, women’s boxing is buzzing and in a great place at the moment – do you feel it’s finally getting the respect it deserves

Ebanie Bridges: Yeah, it’s definitely getting more of the respect it deserves and I’d say in the last 3 or 4 years more so now than ever. We are getting good matches and more girls in the sport.

Obviously, Katie Taylor was amazing for the sport, but her fights were very one-sided and wasn’t competitive enough then and people don’t want to see lob-sided fights.

One star back then wasn’t enough, but now we’ve got so many stars in women’s boxing and there’s no 2-3 years waiting for fights – we just fight.

Question: You mentioned Katie Taylor – she fought Chantelle Cameron recently – Taylor fighting above her weight and lost. Do you think if they fought again – maybe if Cameron comes down to her weight – who will win?

Ebanie Bridges: Oh, Chantelle blitzes it. Too strong – I’d always pick Chantelle anyway and I had no doubt she’d win the last fight vs Taylor. She’s just better – I think the only thing Katie Taylor has on her is speed. But other than that Chantelle Cameron’s defense is brilliant – her pressure is brilliant – her punch selection is brilliant and has great speed and is strong. I just think she’s better all-round.

Question: So, how long are you looking forward to, in terms of getting back in the ring?

Ebanie Bridges: My next fight will be in August, so pretty soon – just 2 ½ months or so. I’ll be looking to get back out there before the end of the summer.

Question: Have you got an eye on your potential opponent?

Ebanie Bridges: Not yet we are working on it at the moment but coming back off a lay-off and the injury it’s not going to be a unification fight or anything like that. It will be more to test the hand out really and make sure that’s okay.

Material Courtesy of: BitcoinCasinos.com Used with permission. 

 

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

May 20, 2023: Day Of Undisputed Thoughts

 

The Boxing world focused its attention on two undisputed world championship bouts that confidentially took place on May 20, 2023, making it "A Day Of Undisputed" in the sport. Women's Boxing was first to take the spotlight as undefeated Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron defended her crown against undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Katie Taylor in Taylor's hometown of Dublin, Ireland. 

Taylor, who was attempting to accomplish something rare in the sport, to become an undisputed world champion in two weight classes simultaneously, had the support of her hometown behind her in this bout against Cameron. Those who thought that Taylor would have an easy time of things in a fight billed as her Homecoming, were left disappointed. In what was a close fight from start to finish, it was Cameron's constant pressure and ability to back Taylor up against the ropes that seemed to be the subtle difference in the fight.

As is usually the case when it comes to Women's Boxing, what made this bout difficult to score in addition to the two minute round length, one minute less than men's bouts, was that Taylor was able to keep it close due to being able to respond to Cameron's offense by throwing short, blistering combinations of punches, despite being pushed backwards by Cameron throughout most of the scheduled ten round world championship fight. This created something else that is all too common in women's bouts. The definition of a nightmare in terms of determining which fighter was able to get the upper hand in rounds that could be scored either way depending on one's perspective based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense, the accepted criteria in which Boxing on every level is scored.

It was indisputable as the fight progressed that Taylor was able to get the upper hand in some rounds simply due to her having the quicker hands when she was able to let her hands go. Despite also being able to evade some of Cameron's offense with effective lateral and head movement, she was not able to break the pattern of the fight, which was being pressured and pushed back against the ropes by a naturally stronger opponent. Cameron's consistency in this area, ultimately resulted in her retaining her Undisputed Jr. Welterweight championship of the world via ten round majority decision. Earning the nod of two of the three official judges. Unofficially, this observer scored the bout also in Cameron's favor six rounds to four or 95-93 in points. In all honesty, I felt the fight could have gone either way and as I often say when it comes to close fights, it will often come down to what a judge prefers based on the aforementioned criteria. Something that is important for the reader to keep in mind because as fate would have it, the subject of how fights are scored and the criteria in which is used to do so would turn out to be just as relevant to the second undisputed world championship bout that took place on May 20th.

This observer is referring to the battle for the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world between undefeated undisputed world champion Devin Haney and former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. As expected, this was a tactical chess match from the outset, which similar to the Cameron-Taylor bout earlier that day presented a conundrum in terms of how the fight was scored and again, what a judge prefers based on the accepted criteria in how Boxing is scored.

In this case, it was Lomachenko, the naturally shorter fighter, generally bringing the fight to the younger and naturally bigger Haney. This included attacking in short, explosive spurts, using angles to vary the attack, and being physical on the inside with the champion when he needed to be. Unlike the approach of Chantelle Cameron, which was largely based on applying constant pressure on Katie Taylor, Devin Haney's approach had an emphasis on trying to get to Lomachenko's body, while trying to be elusive and maintain a distance where he could get his punches off first before Lomachenko could return offense.

While it is indisputable that Haney's consistent focus on Lomachenko's body did have an effect as this fight progressed, the conundrum for yours truly was trying to decide for myself as an observer whether or not the body attack would be enough for the champion to win rounds that were otherwise very close. As the twelve round world championship bout progressed, there was one thing that stood out that ultimately would influence how I scored this fight unofficially. It is important to keep in mind that this fight was not only on the highest level of the sport, but was being fought at a high competitive level from start to finish. The consistent thing that stood out however, was Lomachenko was the fighter generally forcing the action and dictating how the fight was fought. 

Although this by no means indicates that the fight was one-sided because it was anything but, at no point throughout this fight was Haney able to get into a rhythm such where he could control the pace without feeling resistance from the challenger. Despite this, I felt that Haney was able to win three of the last four rounds, which resulted in my scoring the fight seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points for Lomachenko. 

Much like my feelings on Cameron-Taylor, I thought one fighter won the fight clearly, but I also felt that it could have gone either way on the scorecards. At the risk of sounding repetitive to the reader, it truly does boil down to what a judge prefers based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. Why did I rewrite the criteria one more time? The answer is simple. Although Boxing is a sport known as “The Sweet Science,” the practice of scoring fights on every level of the sport ranging from amateur, to professional, to professional Bareknuckle, is far from a perfect science and is often very much open to interpretation. This is why you will often hear this observer talk about the idea of “Swing Rounds,” which can be defined as close rounds where the winner of those rounds is often determined based on moments in a round that can sway opinion as opposed to one fighter being able to control the action over the other for the direction of a round. 

In this case, there were indeed several rounds that could have been scored either way, but from my perspective, it was Lomachenko who carried the majority of the action, which is ultimately what I based my scoring on. The three official judges however, did not see this fight the way yours truly did in scoring the fight unanimously for the champion via margins of seven rounds to five on two scorecards, (115-113) and eight rounds to four (116-112) resulting in Haney retaining his undisputed championship. 

While I did not and do not agree with the decision having taken a couple of days to digest things and gather my thoughts, I will say that after a lifetime watching Boxing and almost three decades covering the sport and other combat sports, I could probably write a series of columns or perhaps even a book that would cover the series of decisions that I have seen on every imaginable level of the sport that I personally did not agree with and I felt/feel were worse decisions than this one turned out to be, which is too long of a list to cover in the context of one column. As I deliberately took a few days before releasing this column, it does nevertheless interest me to see, hear, and read the opinions of others who saw the same fight I did. After all, opinions will differ and the reasons behind those opinions will vary depending on who you ask. The consensus in the case of Haney-Lomachenko seems to be that this was a controversial decision. For those who feel that way, I do feel that the label “Controversial” is justified and I do agree with that.

Now, I will not spend too much time talking about how after virtually every fight there are accusations of corruption, calls for investigation, and even those who will call a fight fixed. While most of the time, such calls in my experience come from disgruntled fans who either because of a lack of understanding of how fights are scored, or simply because of bias in that the fighter they root for and support ended up on the wrong side of a bad decision or a controversial stoppage, I will not go down that road here simply because as I point out to those folks, in order to make an accusation as someone in media who covers the sport, you need indisputable evidence before saying anything as unlike a fan, if you cover the sport, your reputation is on the line, but what I will say is I think the three judges in this instance appointed by the Nevada State Athletic Commision (NSAC) got this one wrong. It is important however, to keep in mind that judges who are tasked with scoring high-profile world championship fights as the two undisputed championship bouts discussed in this column are the best of the best in the field, have decades of experience on every level of the sport, and are often asked to fly around the world to score world championship bouts based on their respective resumes and reputations. 

Despite those facts and the experience therein, a judge will not get it right 100% of the time and regardless of how a fan might feel, a judge will often see things differently from their position at ringside than what a fan will see either sitting in the crowd or watching on some form of television, whether it be via traditional mediums or streaming. While fans have also called out yours truly from time to time for how I have scored bouts unofficially even though I also have experience, it is just something that comes with the territory and unfortunately, one cannot please everyone.

While I will not join those calling for an investigation into this fight because I am smart enough to know that this was not the first controversial decision I have seen and it definitely will not be the last, what I will say is if fans are truly that passionate and want to see something done, the best way to do it is to not only voice your opinion, not only threaten not to support the sport going forward, but to realize that the only way to get your point across is not only to stick to your word, but also reach out to your respective governors, who in the case of the United States appoint the respective state athletic commissions, and maybe go as far as your state representatives if you truly feel that an injustice has taken place and want to see something done that would benefit the sport. I would caution however, that a process such as that will take time and progress more often than not is slow.

Ultimately, I would like to see rematches of both Cameron-Taylor and Haney-Lomachenko. In all honesty with the reader, I can sit all day and talk about changes that I would like to see in the sport including the need for regulatory overhaul on a global level, as well as judging, many of which I have written about frequently over the years, but I am realistic enough to know that it is far more likely that a rematch of a close or controversial fight will happen sooner than any regulatory intervention, especially if the public demands it. In this case, the Boxing world was treated to two highly competitive fights on the highest level the sport has to offer, each with an undisputed world championship on the line. Close or not, controversial or not, the best way to answer any questions or skeptics is to do it again, and to be frank, the sport as well as all four fighters deserve it. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth”

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May 20, 2023: A Day Of Undisputed In Boxing

The sport of Boxing in recent years has made significant progress on both the male and female ends of the sport where there has been a consistent effort to unify world titles in various weight classes with the goal of determining a single undisputed world champion per weight class. While it is a goal that this observer has said in the past is something for a variety of reasons is difficult to accomplish, a sign of that progress that has been made will be on full display on Saturday May 20th where two important undisputed world championship fights will take place in both Women's Boxing as well as Men's Boxing, which could have a significant impact on the sport moving forward.

The first fight scheduled for May 20 for an undisputed world championship was to have been a highly anticipated rematch of 2022's Fight of the Year for the Women's Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world between undefeated world champion Katie Taylor and current Featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano. When Serrano withdrew from the rematch due to an injury earlier this year, Taylor, wanting to keep the scheduled date in her home country of Ireland, opted to take a risk by moving up five pounds from the 135lb. Lightweight division to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to challenge undefeated Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron in an attempt to accomplish a rarity in Boxing, to become a two-division undisputed world champion.

The fight, which will take place at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland  and will be broadcast globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, brings together something else that is rare. Two unbeaten fighters, each an undisputed champion in their respective weight classes choosing to face each other. Something that for a variety of reasons we do not see in the sport. While Taylor will come in with more experience having a record of 23-0, with 6 Knockouts, this is essentially an even fight as Cameron, who will enter with a record of 17-0, 8 Knockouts, much like Taylor is a compact boxer/puncher that throws in volume and looks to pile up points on scorecards.

Although this observer stands by his assessment that this bout at least in comparison of styles is even and could be a toss up, Taylor does have more experience and will likely be looking to use that to her advantage in this fight in front of what is likely to be a significant hometown crowd. The question however, might come down to how Taylor looks at the heavier weight, whether her hands are as quick and reaction time is there at the heavier weight as it has been at Lightweight. It is important to keep in mind that rounds in Women's Boxing are two minutes in duration, which could prove to be a very difficult task for the three judges scoring a fight when you are trying to decide who is getting the upper hand in a fight between two fighters with similar styles, which means this fight could end up in a close decision if it does go the distance.

In a strange way, the cancellation of the rematch with Serrano for Taylor has led to an unofficial four fighter box off as in addition to Taylor's challenge of Cameron, it was recently announced that Serrano will defend her Featherweight world championship in a rematch with former world champion Heather Hardy in August on the undercard of the Jake Paul-Nate Diaz bout in Dallas, TX. While there is nothing official at least as of this writing, if the circumstances end up where the winners of these two fights do end up facing each other later in the year or in 2024, it will obviously keep interest high and Women's Boxing will continue to benefit from that increased interest as the sport for women continues to grow overall.

The second undisputed world championship fight on May 20 will see undefeated Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney defend his crown for the second time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV against former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko. A fight that can be seen here in the United States on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View, is not only one of the most anticipated fights of 2023, but may be viewed as a superstar in the making in Haney facing one of the , most dominant fighters of the last decade in Lomachenko, who has acknowledged that this could be his last chance to win am undisputed world championship.

Many will recall that Lomachenko previously came up short in his unification bout against then undefeated IBF world champion Teofimo Lopez in the fight that fully unified the Lightweight division in October 2020. Although that is the only loss Lomachenko has had since his second pro bout nearly a decade ago in 2014, the Undisputed Lightweight championship has changed hands twice since that fight, first from Lopez to George Kambosos and then from Kambosos to Haney, who is coming off of his second consecutive twelve round unanimous decision victory over Kambosos.

While Haney has for the moment put a stop to the hot potato passing of the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world, he has also acknowledged that his time in the 135lb. Lightweight division may be near an end as he is likely to move up to the Jr. Welterweight division sooner than later. What this creates is a scenario where if Haney does retain the title in this fight and decides to move up, the undisputed championship in the Lightweight division will be broken up as all the world championships that make up the undisputed crown would obviously be vacated.

How likely is Haney to retain his crown against Lomachenko is a question that can be quite complicated depending on one's perspective. At his best, Vasyl Lomachenko is a fighter with impeccable foot work, hand speed, deceptive punching power, and has the ability to use angles, which with the lone exception of the fight with Teofimo Lopez, has proven to be a difficult puzzle for opponents to solve. The possibility of Lomachenko simply having a bad night against Lopez, who outworked him over twelve rounds is certainly possible.

Much like Lopez however, Devin Haney is a younger fighter than Lomachenko and some might argue is a more complete fighter than Lopez, who is primarily known for his punching power. The key to this fight in my eyes will be whether or not Lomachenko will be able to establish the tempo of the fight early. This may prove to be more difficult than against previous opponents because of Devin Haney's hand speed, so it will be crucial that Lomachenko use his legs and look to set angles. 

To date, the only fighter who has really been able to hurt the champion was former world champion Jorge Linares, who badly staggered Haney in the later rounds of their fight in May 2021. Perhaps a method of attack for Lomachenko might be to use his footwork to bait Haney into making a mistake by missing with his punches and looking to catch him in the midst of those punches as they are being thrown. A method otherwise known as catching an opponent between punches, which is very difficult to defend against simply because the opponent is in the midst of throwing and thus is theoretically not thinking about defense in the process. This in turn makes a tactic like that a vital asset for counter punchers who have the timing, lateral movement, and accuracy to be able to pull it off. Lomachenko must be consistent in this fight from start to finish if he wants to have success here. Despite his only having two losses as a professional and three overall as a fighter going back to his illustrious amateur career where he had three hundred ninety-five wins against a single loss, this is one of the rare occasions that Lomachenko is being viewed by some as an underdog.

While that might give an impression that Haney could dominate this bout, the champion must not approach this with a complacent mindset and should view Lomachenko as the dangerous tactician he has proven to be throughout his career. If for whatever reason Haney might be looking beyond this fight, perhaps with an eye towards moving up in weight, it could backfire on him if Lomachenko is prepared.

No matter who emerges victorious in these two undisputed world championship fights there are at least a few things that most Boxing fans and experts alike can probably universally agree on. The goal to determine an undisputed world champion in each individual weight class for both the men's and women's sides of the sport remains at best a work in progress, but it is a goal that at least with each passing day seems more reachable, especially when the fighters themselves are starting to express their desire to achieve that goal, which in theory should put the pressure needed for those on the business side of Boxing to make the goal of being undisputed more attainable, which will ultimately benefit the sport. What can also be agreed on is these two particular fights are two of the best on the 2023 schedule to date.

After some recent mishaps and controversies in the sport particularly with some fights that were treated as major events, perhaps what can also be in universal agreement is Boxing is due for a day where it is the topic of discussion for all the right reasons. Hopefully, May 20, 2023, a day of Undisputed in the sport will be that day.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Cameron vs. Taylor takes place on Saturday, May 20th at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 12PM ET/9AM PT with Before The Bell featuring preliminary bouts followed by the main card beginning at 2PM ET/11AM 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. 

Haney vs. Lomachenko takes place on Saturday, May 20th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen in the United States on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with a portion of free preliminary bouts followed by the pay-per-view card beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT for $59.99. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices, and Smart TV's. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, to subscribe, and order Haney vs. Lomachenko please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com/PPV.  (U.S. Times Only) *Check your local start times internationally.*

(* Cards and start times subscribe to change.)

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

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

The Conclusion Of October 2021 In Boxing

 While the month of October 2021 will likely go down in memory of most Boxing fans and experts alike as being the month where the classic third encounter between undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, the month in the sport concluded with three Boxing cards that will certainly have the Boxing world talking moving forward. Readers likely recall the coverage provided by this observer of a card that took place on October 30^th, one of three events that will be highlighted in this column, in London, England, which was headlined by a unification bout in the Women’s 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division between WBC world champion Chantelle Cameron, who scored a ten round unanimous decision over IBF world champion Mary McGee.

 

A bout that Cameron won convincingly, but one that saw plenty of back and forth action that elevated both fighters as well as showed the continuing significant progress that has been made for women in the sport. What was not touched upon in the coverage of that card, but has been seen in other content that is available in the archives here on The Boxing Truth® is that the bout between Cameron and McGee was the start of a tournament to fully unify the Women’s Jr. Welterweight division and Cameron will face the winner of the November 19^th clash between WBA/IBO Jr. Welterweight champion Kali Reis and Jessica Camara where the vacant WBO crown will also be at stake, in 2022 to determine an undisputed champion in the division. While this will also mark the first time in this observer’s memory where all five major sanctioning organizations, the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World Boxing Association (WBA), The International Boxing Federation (IBF), the World Boxing Organization (WBO), and the International Boxing Organization (IBO) will be involved to determine an undisputed world champion in either men’s or women’s Boxing, the unification of this weight class seems to be more significant in terms of a shift in the entire sport as unification processes are taking place for both men and women competing in Boxing. Further thoughts on this particular subject later in this column.

 

The Cameron-McGee card also saw two quick knockouts in Boxing’s Heavyweight division. First, it was unbeaten prospect Johnny Fisher who scored three knockdowns in the second round of veteran Alvaro Terrero. While there was not much to say about this fight as Fisher is still in the early stages of his development against a fighter in Terrero, who frankly has been on the losing end of most of his fights, Fisher has been gradually developing and now with a record of 4-0, with 4 Knockouts, the question is what will he do next in his progress. Similarly, unbeaten Heavyweight Alen Babic, who followed Fisher’s bout with Terrero with a first round second round knockout of former two-time world title challenger Eric Molina, one might argue is at a similar stage as Fisher. A primary similarity between the two is both men have scored knockouts in every one of their bouts. Although Babic has more experience in scoring his ninth victory in his career over Molina, the possibility of the two potentially meeting in the future is certainly there.

 

As for Babic’s bout with Molina, it is not often that you see a fighter with under ten bouts in their career facing a fighter with Molina’s resume in being a longtime contender and former multi-time world title challenger. On this basis, I felt that Molina may be able to give Babic a test that he may not have been ready for. Babic of course, put a quick end to that possibility as he quickly dropped Molina with a short, but flush right hand to the jaw that sent him down. This was followed by two subsequent knockdowns that frankly gave an impression that Molina potentially was looking for a way out of the bout. While disappointing on one hand because of Molina’s experience, perhaps it was also an indication of Babic’s punching power that it discouraged a normally “Game” and veteran fighter from continuing on in the fight. Nevertheless, much like Johnny Fisher, the question for Alen Babic remains the same and unfortunately, his victory over Eric Molina left more questions than provided answers simply due to Molina’s performance or lack thereof.  It is therefore difficult to surmise where Babic is in his development simply because Molina did not provide much resistance in this bout.

 

While the questions surrounding these two Heavyweight prospects remain unanswered for the moment, a bout that took place in Madison Square Garden’s Theater in the Men’s Jr. Welterweight division may have indicated a potential challenger for current undefeated Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion Josh Taylor. Yours truly, is referring to the clash between former world title challenger Jose Zepeda and rising contender Josue Vargas.

 

This was a classic scenario of youth versus experience in Zepeda a former world title challenger and current top contender facing a fighter in Vargas who is nine years younger and who seemingly was on the way up towards a potential world title shot. Often fights like this are viewed as a necessity of young fighters as they look to position themselves to challenge for a world championship. Although sometimes there are fighters who emerge at that level in being in position to challenge a world champion without facing a top contender or two beforehand due to the politics that be in the sport, more often than not, a fight like this is what can at times be a final step before getting that opportunity.

 

Despite being in a scenario where he was facing a young fighter in Vargas, who also had a significant portion of crowd support being based in the Bronx and with the fight taking place in Madison Square Garden, Zepeda showed his experience as he was able to quickly land a flush right hand to the jaw of the twenty-three year old Vargas that sent him down on the canvas almost as quickly as the fight began. Due to the way Vargas went down from this punch, I believed that the fight should have been stopped even though Vargas showed his mettle by being able to get up on very unsteady legs. Simply put, the type of punch Vargas was hit with in addition to the way he went down to the canvas was such that it is extremely rare to see a fighter be able to come back from. While not necessarily something that can be viewed as comparable due to the obvious differences between the two combat sports, more often than not when a fighter in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) goes down after being hit in the way Vargas was, the fight is almost always stopped immediately.

 

This would not be the case in this fight as Vargas was given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to attempt to continue, but it would be seconds later that Zepeda would corner his opponent and unleash a barrage of unanswered blows that would force a stoppage of the fight in just under two minutes of the first round. It was a statement making performance by the thirty-two year old Zepeda who has now won five straight fights. Zepeda, who challenged then WBC Jr. Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez unsuccessfully in 2019 now figures to be a likely candidate to challenge Josh Taylor for the Undisputed world championship at 140lbs. at some point in 2022. As for Josue Vargas, a loss like this will likely require some time for him to digest. Even though he did not take a long, drawn out beating in this fight, it was still the type of loss that can impact a fighter mentally and it is important to keep in mind that he is only twenty-three years old and while this should not be viewed as a career-threatening loss, it is something that he will need time to come back from. Vargas simply just got caught by a perfectly timed right hand and unfortunately for him, he was not able to recover, much less realize what was happening before the fight was over.

 

The final stop on the journey this column has taken us on as far as the Boxing action that closed out the month of October takes us to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV, where two fights in Boxing’s 147lb. Welterweight division took place. In the first of the two bouts, undefeated top contender Jaron Ennis faced former world title challenger and longtime contender Thomas Dulorme. Much like the bout that took place in Madison Square Garden’s theater between Jose Zepeda and Josue Vargas, this was another scenario of youth versus experience.

 

Although the thirty-one year old Dulorme appeared to be on the downside of his career that had seen thirty-one professional bouts going into this fight, he still had the experience that I felt would be a good test for the twenty-four year old Ennis, who had scored knockouts in twenty-five of his twenty-seven career wins registering a career knockout percentage of over 89%. Unlike Zepeda-Vargas however, where experience won out over youth, this would be the reverse scenario, but ironically would end almost as quickly as Ennis would drop Dulorme with an overhand right that seemed to land behind the ear. Dulorme was able to get up, but in this observer’s view, made the wrong decision by attempting to trade punches with Ennis under circumstances where he probably should have held on to give himself a chance to clear his head and regain his legs. Dulorme’s decision would prove costly as, despite landing a punch of his own in an exchange following the knockdown, Ennis would send him down for the second and final time with a straight left hand leaving Dulorme struggling and ultimately unable to get up from the canvas. The fight was over in 1:49 of the first round.

 

For Ennis who is rated in the top five in the WBA, IBF, and WBO Welterweight ratings, this was a star-making performance and should put him in line to face the winner of the November 20^th bout between undefeated multi-division world champion Terence Crawford, current holder of the WBO Welterweight world championship and former two-time Welterweight world champion Shawn Porter. With undefeated current IBF/WBC world champion Errol Spence sidelined due to an eye injury, and the WBA Welterweight world championship in the midst of the organization’s initiative to eliminate interim/regular championship designations, and to determine one WBA world champion per weight class, something that yours truly has been screaming for, for several years as part of his annual Boxing Wishlist that usually begins a new year here on The Boxing Truth®, it would make all the sense in the world for Ennis to face the winner of Crawford-Porter if the politics that be in the sport do not get in the way. With a record of 28-0, with 26 Knockouts, it is hard to come up with an argument as to why Ennis should not be in line.

 

As for the situation involving the WBA Welterweight world championship, coincidentally that is the final stop in terms of the coverage of cards in this column as the bout that followed Ennis’ knockout of Dulorme was to determine at least one slot in the WBA’s “Tournament” of sorts to determine one “world champion” in the division. While the need for such a concept was something that was the result of the World Boxing Association’s flawed policies and Yordenis Ugas is currently the WBA world champion, I will move on. This bout featured top contender Jamal James and undefeated contender Radzhab Butaev. James, who held interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s rankings prior to this fight seemed to have more experience than the unbeaten Butaev, who entered the bout rated number four in the WBA Welterweight ratings compared to James, who was the mandatory challenger for Ugas going into the fight per his designation. Beyond the rankings, Butaev only had thirteen pro fights coming into this encounter compared to James’ twenty-eight pro bouts so on the surface, you would think James would have the edge going in. In what was a competitive fight, Butaev would show he was the stronger of the two fighters and ultimately would score a somewhat controversial stoppage of James in the ninth round to become the mandatory challenger for Ugas. The reason the stoppage of the fight was somewhat controversial was James did not appear as though he was in dire trouble, but was on the receiving end of a barrage of punches that caused the referee to step in and stop the fight.

 

As is normally the case when it comes to the stoppage of fights that appear as though might have been stopped prematurely, this observer will always give the referee, in this case Referee Celistino Ruiz the benefit of the doubt because the referee is the closest person to the action and no matter how great technology continues to be as it is ever evolving, no matter how big  one’s television screen, tablet screen, or phone screen might be, or how good one’s view might be from a ringside seat or in a venue where a fight is taking place, the referee will always have an opportunity to see something that a fan, a television commentator/broadcaster, or those of us who cover the sport may not see simply due to the vantage point they have as being in the ring with the fighters. Although perhaps this fight could have gone a little longer, Ruiz should be given the benefit of the doubt in his call.

 

As for where this leaves things in the “WBA Mess”, Butaev will now be slated to face the winner of a proposed bout between WBA champion Yordenis Ugas and top contender Eiamtas Stanionis.  Ugas however, fresh off of his first title defense over Manny Pacquiao, a fight in which for the moment appears to be Pacquiao’s last as a fighter, has expressed his desire for a unification bout with Errol Spence once Spence is able to return to the ring. Unfortunately, we will have to wait and see where that goes before a bout with Stanionis, or a resolution of the “WBA Mess” as I call it will come to pass.

 

Although I could end this column by leaving the negative impression created by the WBA, it should not go unnoticed that the month of November begin with another unification bout for Women’s Boxing. This time, in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division as undefeated WBO world champion Mikaela Mayer will face IBF world champion Maiva Hamadouche on Friday, November 5^th at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. While the battle for the Undisputed Men’s Super-Middleweight world championship between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Caleb Plant, which will also take place in Las Vegas on November 6^th will receive more attention, it should not be overlooked that the women in the sport of Boxing seem to be moving towards unification of all weight divisions at a more consistent pace than their male counterparts. Hopefully, the steady and increased progress for women in the sport will ultimately continue to spill over to the men’s side of the equation where the politics of the sport does not interfere. If it does, Boxing will finally be defined by one word for both men and women that compete in the sport. “Progress.”

 

“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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Also on this card:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Refunds are available at point of purchase.

 

Material Courtesy of: DAZN used with permission.

 

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

 

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

THE ROAD TO UNDISPUTED: WOMEN'S 140LBS CROWN UP FOR GRABS IN FOUR WAY SHOWDOWN

 

Press Release: September 3, 2021 By DAZN – Chantelle Cameron will fight Mary McGee for the IBF, WBC and Ring Magazine World Titles

Kali Reis will fight Jessica Camara for the WBA, WBO and IBO World Titles

 

Matchroom Boxing, in partnership with DiBella Entertainment, announce today that the Undisputed Super-Lightweight crown will be put on the line as Chantelle Cameron, Mary McGee, Kali Reis and Jessica Camara fight it out for 140lbs supremacy, live on DAZN around the world. 

Credit: DAZN

 

Cameron (14-0, 8 KOs) displayed an impressive performance last time out in her maiden WBC World Title defence, beating former champion Melissa Hernández by TKO in the fifth round to retain the green and gold strap and continue her flawless record since turning professional in 2017.

 

Mary ‘Merciless’ McGree (27-3, 15 KOs) comes into the fight with increased momentum, notching seven straight wins since her World Title loss in 2013 and picking up the IBF Super-Lightweight Title on the way. The American’s last win came via a ninth round TKO against Deanha Hobbs to retain her crown. 

 

American two-weight World Champion Kali Reis (18-7-1, 5 KOs) retained her WBA World Title and won the vacant IBO Super-Lightweight belt in August 2021 in a convincing unanimous decision against Australian challenger Diana Prazak at Sycuan Casino, California. 

 

‘The Cobra’ Jessica Camara (8-2) beat former World Champion Heather Hardy impressively last time out, scoring a unanimous decision to hand the Hardy her second career loss and dramatically boost the Canadian’s ranking in the 140lbs division.

 

"I'm delighted to have this opportunity to show that I’m the number one fighter in the world at 140lbs,” said Cameron. “All I've wanted since I started in boxing is to become Undisputed, and now I have a fantastic chance to achieve that.

 

"These tough fights against the other champions are what motivates me and pushes me in the gym, and you're going to see the very best Chantelle Cameron.

 

"They are all great champions, and first things first I have Mary McGee to take care of, and then once I come through that I'll be ready to make history against the winner of Kali Reiss and Jessica Camara." "This is an exciting time for women's boxing," said Camara. "I'm honoured to be a part of an event of this magnitude that will help to bring a lot of exposure to the ladies. Kali, Mary and Chantelle are all great fighters, and I know these fights will bring out the best in me. Thank you to Lou DiBella and Eddie Hearn for coming together to make this possible and for providing a platform for me to show the world what I am capable of."

 

“If we can work together to find one champion for every division then it would be a massive moment for the sport and we have a great opportunity to do that in the 140lbs division,” said Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman. “Women’s boxing is red hot at the moment and huge credit to these 4 champions for putting it on the line in the road to Undisputed on DAZN. Lou and I have been heavily committed to women’s boxing for a number of years now and it’s great to see them finally getting the plaudits and the rewards they deserve.”

 

“What a way to crown the true 140lbs champion. We're thrilled to feature on DAZN these two hugely competitive match-ups with four fearless fighters ready to leave it all in the ring for the undisputed title,” said Joseph Markowski, EVP of DAZN. "We're committed to growing women’s sport around the world and this elite four-way showdown will undoubtedly showcase to fans worldwide that women's boxing is sensational as ever."

 

"Both DiBella Entertainment and Matchroom have been leaders in advancing women's boxing and elevating the great female fighters in our sport," said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. "I'm happy that Eddie and I were able to arrange these historic fights and I'm grateful to my friends at DAZN, who will be streaming it. Chantelle, Mary, Kali and Jessica are four elite 140-pound athletes, deserving of this incredible opportunity. After two terrific semi-finals, a queen will be crowned at Super-Lightweight."

 

Dates and venues for Cameron vs. McGee and Reis vs. Camara will be announced in due course.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

 

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

 

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