Follow-Up: DAZN's Three Upcoming Pay-Per-View Cards Now Available For Purchase

In a follow-up to the recent column discussing DAZN’s upcoming three pay-per-view Boxing cards, which will take place within a seven day period. All three events are now available to purchase on DAZN’s website. The first event, which will take place on Saturday, April 26th will be headlined by a long-awaited grudge match between sons of Hall of Fame rivals Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, Sr., two-division world champion Chris Eubank, Jr. and Conor Benn, which will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England is available here in the United States for $24.99. This will be followed by back-to-back events on May 2nd and 3rd. First on May 2nd a tripleheader will take place outdoors in Times Square in New York City, NY featuring Ryan Garcia facing Rolando Romero, former two-division world champion Devin Haney facing former Jr. Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez, and current WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez defending his title against number one WBO contender Arnold Barboza for $59.99. On May 3rd, Super-Middleweight world champions Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and William Scull will meet in Saudi Arabia for the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world, which is also priced at $59.99. DAZN, however, is offering an option for both the May 2nd and 3rd events by offering consumers the option to either purchase both events separately at the aforementioned $59.99 per event or as a bundle for $89.99. All three events are available for purchase at DAZN.com We will have coverage of all three events in the coming weeks here on Stay tuned.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, to subscribe, and for region-specific pricing for select pay-per-view events please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Harlem Eubank Emerges On The Jr. Welterweight Radar

Longtime readers of this observer's work both online and in print over the years, have likely seen yours truly at one time or another chronicle the rise of a fighter, who is the offspring of a former fighter, who in most cases is a former world champion. As time has gone on, unfortunately I find myself in a position where now when these scenarios come up, the offspring of a fighter I will be covering is one where I covered their parent during the early days of my journey covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, which began in the mid-1990's. While that does offer me the chance to feel old, it also provides yours truly an opportunity to provide some insight that some might describe as unique due to my either having covered or otherwise watched the parent during their time competing in the sport of a fighter that is now starting to emerge on the scene in Boxing.

Such a scenario presented itself on March 31st, when on an otherwise quiet afternoon, I found myself browsing the app of digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as I often look to see if there are additions to their schedule. A pleasant surprise emerged when I came across an advert for a Boxing card taking place within minutes from the legendary York Hall in London, England where undefeated Jr. Welterweight prospect Harlem Eubank, the son of former world champion Chris Eubank Sr., and the brother of former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr., would be competing in the main event.

In the interest of disclosure with the reader, I had been aware that a card would indeed be taking place on March 31st in York Hall, but was unaware that I would have access to the event and further did not know that the opportunity to watch the card would also present the chance to see Harlem Eubank compete for the first time. Having previously covered both his father and his brother, I was naturally interested by the chance to cover the latest in the Eubank bloodline.

As is usually the case whenever a fight featuring the offspring of a great fighter occurs, I do tend just out of instinct, to look for similarities between what I had seen previously and what the offspring has to offer. In this case, this fight in particular had an added wrinkle in that Eubank would be facing a late replacement in the form of thirty-two bout veteran Miguel Antin. This created a sense of the unknown as to what I thought I might see as often those who take fights on short notice are either under prepared, which is natural given the circumstances and that usually results in a short fight,  or they end up being considerably more dangerous than the label of a "Late Replacement" would suggest.

What stood out to me immediately was Eubank, who entered the fight unbeaten in sixteen bouts with six knockouts, displayed speed both in terms of lateral movement as well as hand speed. Eubank's ability to change levels and attack Antin, a native of El Boldon, Argentina, who entered the fight with a record of 20-11-1, with 8 Knockouts, at varying levels and ability to use angles in doing so, reminded this observer of Chris Eubank Sr., who won world titles in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions, at his best. While it can be tempting when one sees such similarities to get caught up in nostalgia, it is important for one to keep in mind that when it comes to the offspring of great fighters, it may not necessarily be wise for one to associate their style as being similar or a direct copy of who they have sprung from.

Nevertheless, Eubank's approach did catch my attention as he appeared to implement a stick and move approach, throwing and landing short, compact combinations, and evading Antin with his movement. Although the circumstances seemed to favor Embank in every way, Antin would catch Eubank with a few solid hooks to the head as the fight progressed and in doing so, was able to provide him with something that can be at times elusive for young prospects on the rise regardless of their lineage, a stern test.

At least for this fight, Eubank showed he could take a punch and not only was able to take the best that Antin could throw at him including some roughhouse tactics, but he also showed that he could stay focused on the task of executing his fight plan. In rounds six and seven, Eubank would score a knockdown in each round as a result of some effective work to Antin 's body. Antin was very "Game" in getting up from the knockdowns and, despite being clearly out of the fight on the official scorecards, under circumstances where he could have said he had, had enough, he continued the fight all the way to the final bell.

A clear and wide unanimous decision in favor of Eubank was no surprise at the conclusion of the scheduled ten round bout. What this fight did for Eubank beyond allowing him to box against a late replacement was by producing a solid performance under those circumstances and also passing what was likely the first test of his career, he has now emerged on the Jr. Welterweight radar. Given the name recognition he brings to the table, it would not be surprising from a business standpoint to see an attempt to move him towards world title contention. 

Based on this performance, it may not be too long before an attempt towards that is made. The development of a fighter however, is truly a delicate balancing act, and it might be wise to give him a few more fights now as a 17-0 prospect before trying to move him against the top contenders in the talent-deep 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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CHRIS EUBANK JR VS LIAM SMITH TO BE BROADCAST ON DAZN IN THE US, CANADA, DACH AND JAPAN ON JANUARY 21

 

Press Release: By DAZN – HUGE ALL BRITISH BOUT FROM BOXXER IN ASSOCIATION WITH WASSERMAN BOXING CONTESTED LIVE FROM MANCHESTER 

Credit:DAZN

 

 London, January 10th , 2022 – DAZN Group, the leading global sports entertainment platform, today announces that it will broadcast the all-British dust up, Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith, Saturday, January 21^st, from BOXXER in association with Wasserman Boxing, Live from AO Arena in Manchester. The event will be available to all DAZN subscribers in the US, Canada, DACH and Japan.

Chris Eubank Jr (32-2-0, 23 KOs) needs no introduction, son of legendary former world champion Chris Eubank, the 33-year-old has successfully carved out his own reputation in the sport and is seen as one of the leading middleweights in the world.

 

His latest fight in February 2022 saw an impressive shutout points win over Liam Williams at the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff in which he showed his class by knocking down the Welshman four times.

 

Liam Smith (32-3-1, 19 KOs) heads into this mouth-watering clash in the form of his life following big wins over Jesse Vargas, Anthony Fowler and Roberto Garcia. The Liverpool man is determined to become a world champion for a second time and a statement win vs Eubank JR will kick off 2023 with a bang.

 

‘DAZN are always looking to deliver the best boxing schedule to our subscribers and we are proud to be showing this huge fight between two of Britain’s finest’ said Joe Markowski, CEO DAZN North America. ‘We are no strangers to Liam and Chris and know we have a potential blockbuster on our hands. In 2023, we are determined to work with as many promoters as we can in order to deliver the best fights for fight fans and with actions speaking louder than words we are excited to be working for the first time with BOXXER on this special event. Tune in live January 21^st for a memorable night of British boxing’.

 

BOXXER CEO & Founder, Ben Shalom said: “This is fantastic news. I am delighted that fight fans in the US, Canada, DACH and Japan will be able to watch this blockbuster event live and exclusively on DAZN. The card is stacked with massive fights from top to bottom. And the brewing animosity between bitter rivals, Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith will reach boiling point in what promises to be an unmissable main event in front of a sold-out AO Arena in Manchester.”

 

Wasserman’s Head of Global Boxing, Kalle Sauerland, said: "It’s fantastic that this mega fight will now have a global audience on DAZN, it’s a fight that merits a global audience and the eyeballs of the world will be on Manchester come next Saturday."

 

The show features a stacked undercard with Richard Riakporhe launching his quest for a world title shot in 2023 when he battles former two-time WBO cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof Głowacki and local lad Jack Massey stepping up to face former WBO world heavyweight champion, Joseph Parker.

 

Joining them on this blockbuster night of boxing will be Ekow Essuman vs Chris Kongo and further bouts involving Frazer Clarke, Matty Harris, Scott Forrest and Amine ‘The Beast’ Boucetta.

 

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. 

Jabs And Observations September-November 2022

 

While it was originally intended as a monthly to bi-monthly feature that was introduced earlier this year by this observer here on The Boxing Truth® as a means to frankly cover as much ground as possible in covering the sport of Boxing beyond the short-form card coverage and individual features that cover specific fights and subjects throughout the calendar year, Jabs And Observations has been absent since March. Although this was not intended as such, I felt coverage provided throughout 2022 had been smooth where the feature would be used on an occasional basis for the remainder of the year when circumstances warranted, with the aim of returning it as a bi-monthly feature column in 2023. As tends to be the case from the months of September through the remainder of a year, yours truly began the month of September in the midst of what I consider to be my norm, covering what usually tends to be a very active Boxing schedule during the latter months of the year.

Even though most of September ran smoothly in this regard, unfortunately plans changed in the last week and a half of the month. This was due to the unfortunate disaster known as Hurricane Ian, which necessitated my family and I to evacuate to seek higher ground. Although I am as have said in the weeks and months since the storm across social media, extremely grateful that the storm did not directly impact my area as was originally forecasted in the days prior to it making landfall in Florida and have no illusions as to how lucky we were upon seeing the effects of the storm in other areas as it could have been much worse, unfortunately having to evacuate as well as the Boxing schedule continuing as normal resulted in material that was in development for the final week of September as well as the first few weeks of October being sidelined, thus necessitating the return of Jabs and Observations.

 

While I will not put the reader through the several pages of material that was written across two features if memory serves me as I write this, I do want to spend a little time discussing some of the events that took place prior to the storm that I did cover as well as some things that have happened since as I have eased back into the schedule following what frankly was a scary and stressful time. Something that unfortunately we had a subtle reminder of recently with hurricane Nicole as well.

 

With the subject now thankfully turning to Boxing, the last week of September 2022 featured two bouts that were of particular interest to yours truly. First, was the September 23^rd bout, which featured undefeated two-division world champion  Shakur Stevenson in what turned out to be his final bout in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division. This was because not only his setting his sights on the 135lb. Lightweight division where there are some interesting fights that could be ahead for him as well as more lucrative paydays, but also because he failed to make weight for his scheduled title defense against top contender Robson Conceicio resulting in his losing the unified WBC/WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship on the weight scale. Stevenson’s struggle to make the 130lb. limit did not have an adverse effect on him as he soundly out boxed Conceicio over twelve rounds to earn a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

 

While some were critical of Stevenson for not making the weight prior to this fight, it is important to keep in mind that the human body can be a mystery at times and what may work for one fighter in terms of cutting and maintaining weight may not necessarily work for another fighter under similar circumstances. There are also times where no matter what a fighter does, the issue of making weight remains difficult especially for fighters who are naturally bigger than where they compete in terms of fighting weight, thus a move up in weight to a heavier weight class is often a necessity for fighters that are not natural Heavyweights as their careers progress. With his focus now turning to the Lightweight division, I do not necessarily see Stevenson remaining in the division for long.

 

This is due to several notable fighters that could be lucrative opportunities for him either having already moved up to the 140lb. Lightweight division or will soon be doing so. Along with Stevenson’s comfort level at that weight, which is yet to be determined, it will likely mean that his time as a Lightweight could be brief depending on what may be available to him as a Jr. Welterweight down the line.

 

On September 24^th, an important Heavyweight bout took place in London, England that featured former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and undefeated top contender Joe Joyce in what was billed as a world title elimination bout. Although Joyce had ended every bout, but one he has fought as a professional inside the distance, the question remained as to whether or not he would face a sufficient test before getting a shot at a world championship. Parker proved to provide that test as the former world champion was able to land flush right hands on Joyce throughout the fight. Despite Parker’s success, as the fight progressed, Joyce gradually wore and broke him down before knocking Parker out in the eleventh round. The first knockout loss of Parker’s career.

 

Two important questions of Joyce were answered in this fight. The first was how he would react to being hit flush by a fighter that has some punching power. Despite being hit with right hands that may have dropped some Heavyweights, Joyce was able to take the best that Parker had to offer and press forward. The second question was would being hit flush change his approach? Joyce was able to show that he could keep his mind on the task at hand and ended up producing one of the best performances of his fifteen fight professional career. With the win, Joyce became the WBO’s number one Heavyweight contender for undefeated current IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. It may be unlikely based on Usyk’s desire to meet undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury in a bout for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world in the near future that Joyce will get his opportunity at least in the immediate months ahead. If however, Joyce can remain active against other top contenders in the meantime and continue to maintain his position as the WBO’s top contender, he will likely be the first fighter in line once the issue regarding a potential undisputed championship fight is settled.

 

While yours truly spent the last week of September and the first weeks of October evacuating due to hurricane Ian and subsequently taking a little time to recharge and refocus after a difficult time, the month of October was dominated by one topic. The collapse of the scheduled bout between undefeated Welterweight contender Conor Benn and former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. By now most know that the bout, which was to take place in London, England on October 8^th ended up being cancelled by the British Boxing Board of Control in the days prior to the bout taking place, while the fighters were in the midst of the normal “Fight Week” festivities and obligations. The reason for the abrupt cancellation was due to Benn testing positive for a banned substance in the weeks prior.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, my mind was frankly on other things at the time this occurred, but as I observed the fallout, which as of this writing is still not settled, one question continuously ran through my mind. Why would the British Boxing Board of Control wait until mere days before what was a highly anticipated event, particularly throughout the United Kingdom, if the board were aware of a positive test well before fight week festivities began? It is important for me to point out that I ask this question not as an expert in the field of drug testing, but merely as an observer who covers the sport. This situation has not been resolved as of this writing, but I will say that at minimum, the protocols of not only the British Boxing Board of Control and any other reputable state or international regulatory boards should be reviewed in order to ensure if there is indeed a circumstance of a positive test that a situation like this can be avoided in the future.

 

Now as we approach Thanksgiving here in the United States, I would like to share a few brief thoughts about what has gone on in recent weeks. First, as the reader can probably tell, I have jumped around a bit here and if there is anything omitted from this edition of Jabs And Observations it is merely a circumstance of the constraints of what can fit into a single column. Originally, I intended to conclude this edition with the Benn-Eubank Jr. controversy. I would however, be doing readers and the sport a disservice if I did not share my view on the recent fights between undefeated Super-Middleweight contender David Morrell and Aids Yerbossynuly. A fight that took place in the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN on November 5^th. Quite frankly, the fight was a mismatch from very early in the bout as Morrell administered what can be described as a beating on a very “Game,” but overmatched Yerbossynuly. Despite the one-sided nature of the bout, somehow the fight was allowed to go into the twelfth and final round, where after sustaining significant punishment throughout the contest, Morrell was able to drop Yerbossynuly and led to a long overdue stoppage.

 

Most who are familiar with this fight know that Yerbossynuly suffered a severe brain injury, had to be helped back to his corner by Morrell and Referee Tony Weeks. Following the bout, Yerbossynuly was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery to reduce swelling on his brain and was for a time put in a medically induced coma. Although Yerbossynuly remains hospitalized as of this writing, he is said to be improving, which is news that  all who are involved in the sport should welcome.

 

This observer however, has struggled to find the words to describe my feelings on what I saw in this bout. After a lifetime covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, there is not much that I have not seen. This unfortunately includes several bouts that were allowed to go on well past the point where they should have been stopped resulting in traumatic brain injury and death. While I will admit that the topic of when a fight should be stopped is one that can be it’s own column and perhaps several if I am honest with the reader, I do wonder when does common sense enter the equation?

 

As in when it is clear that a fight is one-sided as this one was, at what point is it the responsibility of a fighter’s corner, the referee, and the athletic commission overseeing a fight to exercise common sense and prevent an injury or God forbid worse before it occurs. No one can take anything away from the heart Aidos Yerbossynuly showed in this fight, but his corner, the Minnesota Boxing commission, and Referee Tony Weeks should review the fight, which was subsequently pulled from reairings by United States premium cable network Showtime and see where they could have stopped the fight sooner. While Aidos Yerbossynuly is recovering, the reality is missing the signs of when a fight should be stopped may result in a more tragic outcome next time. Everyone involved in the sport, especially commissions/regulatory boards and referees should consider if protocols need to be changed. This observer believes at minimum a dialogue should take place in order to hopefully, try and prevent something like this from happening in the future.

 

“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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eubank Jr.-Benn Card Set For October 8th On DAZN

Credit: DAZN

Press Release: By DAZN –

EVENT TO BE BROADCAST ON DAZN PPV IN THE UK, IRELAND, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND AND AROUND THE REST OF THE WORLD ON DAZN

London, 22 September, 2022 – Matchroom and Wasserman stars make up the undercard of the highly-anticipated ‘Born Rivals’ clash between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, broadcast live worldwide on DAZN from what is already a sold-out night at The O2 in London on Saturday, 8 October.

The event, in partnership with Matchroom and Wasserman, will be on DAZN PPV in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, with the PPV available for purchase beginning tomorrow at www.DAZN.com or via the DAZN app. The event will be broadcast around the rest of the world on DAZN.

The Eubank Jr vs. Benn full card:

· Olympic gold medal star Galal Yafai will defend his WBC International Flyweight title against Gohan Rodriguez Garcia.

· It’s a family affair for Harlem Eubank, who fights on the undercard of his older cousin Chris Jr and meets Spaniard David Martin over six rounds.

· Ellie Scotney hunts for another title as she challenges Mary Romero for the European Super-Bantamweight title.

· Light-Heavyweight star Lyndon Arthur is back out in quick succession following his return to action in September.

· World rated Middleweight Felix Cash continues his hunt for World title honours as he meets the unbeaten Connor Coyle for the WBA Intercontinental title.

· Big hitting Heavyweight Matty Harris is on the hunt for a third first round KO win in a row and will take on Chris Healey over six.

· Shannon Courtenay makes a welcome return to the ring against Gemma Ruegg.

· Former Team GB talent Chloe Watson completes the line-up, with the Flyweight talent taking on former World champion Nancy Franco in a six rounder.

An unmissable event for fight fans around the world, Eubank Jr vs. Benn promises to be one of the most electrifying British boxing contests in decades as the sons of two of the sport’s most famous names battle it out in an incredible second-generation showdown.

Eubank Jr vs Benn will be live on DAZN around on the world and on DAZN PPV in the UK and Ireland (£19.99/€19.99 for current subscribers), Australia (AUD $41.99 for current subscribers), and New Zealand (NZD $19.99 for current subscribers). All new subscribers will also need to purchase one month’s subscription to DAZN together with the PPV.

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including scheduled, 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.

BORN RIVALS: EUBANK JR AND BENN CLASH IN MEGA FIGHT AT THE O2 IN LONDON

 Sensational showdown lands on October 8, live on DAZN worldwide and DAZN PPV in the UK and Ireland

 

Blockbuster all-British battle reignites famous family feud 30 years on

Press Release: By DAZN – LONDON, 9 August 2022: Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will collide in a colossal catchweight clash at The O2 in London on Saturday October 8, shown exclusively live on DAZN around the world and on DAZN PPV in the UK and Ireland, 30 years on from their iconic fathers’ second showdown at Old Trafford.

Credit: DAZN

 

An unmissable event for fight fans around the world, Eubank Jr vs. Benn promises to be one of the most electrifying British boxing contests in decades as the sons of two of the sport’s most famous names battle it out in an incredible second-generation showdown.

 

Eubank Snr and Benn Snr captured the nation’s imagination with their bitter rivalry during a boom era for British boxing in the early nineties. The pair laid it all on the line in front of millions on terrestrial TV, sharing two legendary battles in 1990 and 1993. Eubank Snr stopped his foe in the ninth round of their first bruising battle at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

 

It took three years for the rematch to happen which took place at a sold-out Old Trafford in Manchester. The clash for the WBC and WBO Super-Middleweight Titles ended in a draw and the pair never fought each other again. But their sons will reignite the family feud in one of the biggest fights the UK has ever seen.

 

Eubank Jr (32-2, 23 KOs) heads into his blockbuster bout with Benn coming off the back of an impressive shutout points win over Liam Williams at the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff in which he showed his class by knocking down the Welshman four times.

 

Having previously campaigned at Super-Middleweight, Eubank Jr is a former two-time IBO Super-Middleweight Champion. He captured the IBO crown with a 10^th round stoppage win over Renold Quinlan in 2017, before defending the belt against German legend Arthur Abraham and Avni Yildirim.

 

Following a huge clash with George Groves for the WBA 168lbs World Title in February 2018 in which he was defeated on points, Eubank Jr reclaimed the IBO Title in 2019 with a spectacular performance against rival James DeGale at The O2 in London. 

 

Returning to the Middleweight division, Eubank Jr claimed the WBA Interim Middleweight World Title for the second time with a TKO win over former World Title challenger Matvey Korobov in December 2019, while making his US debut at the Barclays Center in New York.

 

Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) has exploded onto the world Welterweight scene with a series of eye-catching wins that have propelled the big-hitting 25-year-old Essex native into the top five rankings with all of the recognised governing bodies.

 

He sent out a vicious warning to his 147lbs rivals by wiping out Samuel Vargas inside the opening round at the Copper Box Arena in April 2020, living up to his nickname as he took just 1 minute and 20 seconds to viciously halt the durable Colombian.

 

‘The Destroyer’ secured a stunning knockout win over former World Champion Chris Algieiri in December 2021, taking out the American with a brutal right hand in the fourth round of their top of the bill clash at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

 

Another devastating early finish followed at Manchester’s AO Arena in April as Benn demolished South Africa’s Chris van Heerden inside two rounds to send an emphatic message to the top names in the ultra-competitive 147lbs division.

 

Now one of the hottest properties in world boxing, Benn dares to be great by leaping up in weight to challenge himself against former Super-Middleweight World Title challenger Eubank Jr in a fight that will bring the UK to a standstill.

 

“I grew up watching their legendary battles and always wanting to emulate that, and find my own arch nemesis… could this now be Conor Benn? We will find out,” said Eubank Jr.

 

"He has walked the same path as I have. I know his struggle. Living in the shadow of a legend and trying to break out of that shadow and make his own name. If he can beat me, his name will be made, and he will never walk in his father’s shadow again.

 

“It’s a fight that’s going to spark the imagination of the British public, that’s what I’m happy about. In terms of anticipation, legacy and hype it’s the biggest fight of my career.”

 

“This fight is for the legacy and was an opportunity I felt I couldn't pass up,” said Benn. “My team and I had other options on the table as I'm currently ranked top 5 with all governing bodies at Welterweight and no doubt I'm looking for a World Championship fight very soon, but this fight is embedded with so much history and I know it's one the public really want to see. To me this fight is personal - it's more than titles and rankings, this is unfinished business between our families!

 

“Born Rivals is the perfect calling for this fight, because we have always been associated and I've always been asked if we'd ever fight, and now I can't wait for the world to be able to watch us make that happen.

 

“All I know is that from my side, this will be an all-out war, last man standing kind of fight. Neither will give up until the last bell rings. I won't be looking to take this to the score cards though, this will be explosive from the off. I'm so up for this.”

 

“I can’t quite believe this is happening but let me tell you, it’s happening!” said Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman. “Weeks of negotiations have led to one of the biggest moments in British boxing - these two Born Rivals will do battle in an epic match up that has absolutely everything. Ever since they both turned professional, people talked about this moment and now is the time to see the historic rivalry continue. I want to thank DAZN for all their support in making this mega fight - roll on October 8!”

 

Kalle Sauerland:

 

“Throughout 20 years of promoting boxing on the highest level, from unification fights to Heavyweight World Championship bouts all over the world, this is without doubt the most iconic fight we’ve had the pleasure of promoting, said Kalle Sauerland, Wasserman’s Head of Global Boxing. “I fell in love with boxing as a teenager growing up in London, watching the original Eubank vs. Benn saga, and it gives me a huge sense of pride to now be promoting Eubank vs. Benn decades later.

 

“This fight is guaranteed to be astronomical in its own right. Their surnames create a grudge match, but their skillsets make an elite-level contest between two stars moulding their own legacies. This is boxing’s own ‘Back to the Future’, and there’s not a single sports fan who doesn’t want to see this blockbuster.”

 

“We are thrilled to be broadcasting this mega fight in October to boxing fans around the world,” said Joseph Markowski, EVP, DAZN. “Benn and Eubank are two of the most storied names in British boxing, and in Conor and Chris you have two of the most exciting fighters around. This fight is not to be missed and we look forward to showcasing this blockbuster evening worldwide on DAZN.”

 

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.

February 5th Pay-Per-View Doubleheader Thoughts

 

Following the month of January, which was one that was largely quiet in terms of beginning 2022 inside the Boxing ring, the month of February began with two well-publicized pay-per-view cards that each took place on the same day. This observer is referring to the two events that occurred on February 5^th in Cardiff, Wales and Las Vegas, NV respectively.

 

First was the event in Cardiff, Wales, which was co-headlined by two Middleweight bouts featuring both the women and men of the sport. First up was undefeated unified WBC/WBA/IBF Women’s World Middleweight champion Claressa Shields, who scored a dominant ten round unanimous decision over a very “Game” previously unbeaten World Boxing Federation (WBF) world champion Ema Kozin. In previewing this bout, this observer stated that I felt that the key to the fight would be whether or not Kozin would be able to get the respect of Shields early.

 

As has been the case in virtually every fight that Claressa Shields has had in her professional career, she brought the fight to her opponent from the opening bell. Applying consistent pressure and mixing hand speed and punching power, which kept Kozin on the defensive, Shields implemented an offensive approach that for a time appeared as though would break Kozin down in the middle and late rounds. Despite suffering significant punishment over the course of the scheduled ten round world championship bout, Kozin showed a lot of heart and was able to go the distance against a fighter in Shields, who is regarded as one of the top fighters in the entire sport.

 

A bigger story emerged following Shields victory over Kozin however, as during a post-fight interview, Shields engaged in a heated argument with undefeated WBO world champion Savannah Marshall, who is the only person to have scored a victory over Shields when the two met several years ago as amateurs. While it is not uncommon to see such arguments occur in the middle of a post-fight interview as it is unfortunately something that is used as a promotional tool by promoters and networks, whether they are willing to admit it or not, it is not a good look not just for women in the sport, but the sport of Boxing as a whole when such arguments occur on television that give an appearance as though it comes from “Reality” television. The view of yours truly on that subject notwithstanding, obviously, the wheels are in motion for a Shields-Marshall unification bout later in 2022. Although it may be true that these two fighters do not like each other, hopefully, those around both of them will remind both that outside of whatever dislike they might have towards each other, they are also representing Boxing and in any promotion for the bout, representing the sport in the best way possible should be a focus.

 

This brings us the second Middleweight bout that took place in Cardiff, Wales as former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. squared off against former world title challenger Liam Williams in a twelve round bout. Frankly, this bout turned out to be one between a good fighter in Eubank, who proved to be just a little too quick for a good fighter in Williams, who was very “Game,” but arguably should not have been able to go the distance as he did.

 

Why am I being as direct as I am in saying that? Due to Eubank scoring four knockdowns throughout the bout in rounds one, two, four, and eleven. While two of these knockdowns came as a result of jabs and were the definition of what is referred to as a “Flash Knockdown” where Williams was off balance, knocked off his feet by jabs, and was not visibly hurt, it is rare to see a fight being allowed to go on beyond three knockdowns against one fighter. The lone exception would be under circumstances where both fighters are knocked down during the course of a fight.

 

Despite the clear advantage that Eubank had as the fight progressed in a dominant performance in winning a clear unanimous decision, if there is one criticism that one could point to beyond the fact that Eubank failed to finish Williams and to be more specific failed to force the issue after four knockdowns to get a stoppage, it is that he chose to mock Williams and for lack of a better term play around during the middle and late rounds rather than try to end the fight. Although this could perhaps be attributed to the bad blood between the two fighters prior to the fight, an argument can be made that at times it is just as important in how you win as it is simply getting a win.

 

For a fighter in Eubank, who has a lineage through the accomplishments of his father former multi-division world champion Chris Eubank Sr., who has also gone on to hold a world championship in his own right in his career, if Eubank Jr. wants to secure another opportunity at a world title he needs to win and do so impressively in order to drum up interest and demand for him to challenge one of the current champions in the 160lb. Middleweight division. In this case, though he was impressive and keeping in mind that Williams deserves all the credit for being able to go the distance, the fact that Eubank did not force the issue and chose to mock his opponent rather than trying to finish the fight, is something that will likely turn off some fans and may be viewed by promoters who currently represent one of the world champions in the division as a tough sale. While keeping in mind that Eubank’s approach could have indeed been influenced by whatever issues that may have been between he and Williams going into the fight, he will likely have to explain why he chose not to force the issue and seemed content with going the distance when the possibility of a stoppage was clearly there for him.

 

Whether or not Eubank will be fighting for a world championship at some point later in the year remains to be seen. One should not discount the possibility of his name recognition as a former world champion being enough to at least enter the discussion for a possible challenge. The public being supportive of such a challenge at this point however, might be debatable. For now, Chris Eubank Jr. did do what he had to do in scoring a convincing and wide decision victory.

 

This leads us to the second pay-per-view Boxing event that took place on February 5^th in Las Vegas, NV. A card that featured two former world champions returning to the ring looking to bounce back from losses in separate bouts. First to return to the ring was multi-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz, who returned to action for the first time since Halloween night of 2020 to face Jr. Lightweight contender Keenan Carbajal in a ten round bout.

 

Despite suffering a bad cut over the right eye as a result of an accidental clash of heads in round two, Santa Cruz did not show any ill effects from his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis or more than a year of inactivity. When a fighter suffers the type of knockout that Santa Cruz suffered at the hands of Davis, the primary question whenever that fighter returns to action is not only what effect did the knockout have on them, but also how would that experience influence how they fight going forward.

 

Santa Cruz was able to show early on in this fight that the loss to Davis would not change his approach as he was more than willing to engage with Carbajal from the outset. What stood out in my eyes was not only that Santa Cruz willingness to engage, but more specifically how he established a balanced attack to the body and head of Carbajal. Although Santa Cruz would deal with periodic accidental head clashes throughout the bout, the cut he suffered over the right eye did not seem to slow him down as he outworked Carbajal over the ten rounds to earn a convincing unanimous decision.

 

For Keenan Carbajal, this was his first taste of fighting on a significant stage and to his credit, he held his own throughout and seemed to deal with an injured left arm in the latter stages of the fight. Despite the loss to Santa Cruz, Carbajal was able to make a solid showing in defeat and he will likely get another opportunity against a notable opponent down the line. This was simply a case of one fighter being about to outwork the other and Carbajal being unable to slow Santa Cruz’ offensive output in that whenever Santa Cruz threw punches, they were in combination and when a fighter is able to do that, it become very challenging for the opposing fighter to combat. Nevertheless, for what was a significant step up in class for Carbajal, he did perform well and did try his best to match Santa Cruz offensively.

 

As for Leo Santa Cruz, the question becomes what will he do coming out of this fight. Santa Cruz does still hold recognition as the WBA Featherweight world champion in the 126lb. Featherweight division, despite not defending that title since winning it in November 2019. Whether or not he chooses to stay in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division remains to be seen. What this fight did accomplish for Santa Cruz was it should boost his confidence after suffering a setback. He was able to produce a convincing performance where he showed the skills that has made him a future Hall of Famer.

 

The main event of the pay-per-view card in Las Vegas saw former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman return to the ring for the first time in over two years to face Jr. Welterweight contender Mario Barrios in a twelve round Welterweight bout. In what can be described as a tactical Boxing match, Thurman, who was competing for the first time since losing his WBA championship to Manny Pacquiao in July 2019, displayed a measured approach as he often was the fighter that dictated how the combat was fought. He did this by controlling distance and using lateral movement to keep Barrios from being able to plant his feet and throw offense in situations where it may have been favorable for him.

 

There were several exchanges of offense between the two fighters however, and Barrios, who was moving up from the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division for this fight in the 147lb. Welterweight division, was able to take the punches Thurman landed well, despite suffering a bad cut over the left eye in the middle rounds of the bout. The difference in punching power was nevertheless evident as Thurman seemed to have more behind his shots. What was also noticeable in addition to Thurman’s ability to dictate the combat as well as the aforementioned attributes including timing, was in most instances he was the fighter throwing first, which while Barrios was able to have his share of moments, generally left the impression that Thurman was getting the better of the action.

 

Barrios’ best moment of the bout came late in the eight round when he connected with a right hand to Thurman’s body that forced the former world champion to retreat and catch his breath. While Barrios had sporadic success whenever he went to the body of Thurman, he simply was not consistent enough in focusing his attack to the body, which may have been able to limit Thurman’s movement as the fight progressed. Despite putting forth a very “Game” effort in his Welterweight debut, Barrios was unable to turn the ebb and flow of the combat in his favor, which allowed Keith Thurman to box his way to a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, while there may be some who will choose to be critical of Thurman for perhaps not pressing the issue more especially after he was able to cut Barrios in the middle rounds where he may have been able to get a stoppage, after two and a half years out of action, this was the type of performance that Thurman needed. Not only to shake off what is known as “Ring Rust” from inactivity, but also much like Leo Santa Cruz, as a confidence booster after losing his world championship in his previous fight.

 

As for where Thurman will go coming out of this victory over Mario Barrios, the World Boxing Council (WBC) had the Thurman-Barrios bout as an elimination bout in it’s Welterweight rankings. This could mean that Thurman might be in line to face the winner of the recently announced upcoming unification bout between undefeated IBF/WBC Welterweight world champion Errol Spence and WBA world champion Yordenis Ugas, which will take place at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX in the month of April in what will likely be another pay-per-view offering. While it is indisputable that Keith Thurman is still one of the best fighters that the Welterweight division has to offer, this observer feels that it might be best if he takes another fight before potentially challenging the winner of Spence-Ugas.

 

Although these two pay-per-view cards did provide a lot of action and a full day of Boxing for those who opted to purchase both events, obviously how successful both ultimately prove to be is unknown as of this writing. It is my hope however, as someone who has been critical of the pay-per-view model due to among other things inflated price points and the fact that more often than not, not every bout on a Boxing card that is sold as a pay-per-view is made available to the buying consumer with purchase resulting in either some fights being blacked out or, portions of the undercard being sprinkled between either streaming or traditional television platforms, that those promoters who continue to insist on such a model, will at least make the price points economically reasonable for the consumer. While this may be easier said than done for a variety of reasons, the success of digital subscription streaming is something that should not be ignored and if the pay-per-view model is to continue, despite obvious evidence of needing to adapt, those “Hold Outs” as I often refer to them, need to come up with concepts of comparable value for the consumer if they want their events to be successful on a consistent basis.

 

As always, it is important for me to point out that my criticism of the pay-per-view model and those promoters that continue to insist on such a model is not, nor has ever been aimed at any of the fighters involved as I have always had the view long before I began covering the sport that boxers should be able to make as much money as they can while they can due to the obvious dangers of the sport, the fact that fighters risk their lives every time they compete, and that a career can end just as quickly as one begins. With the pay-per-view model however, no longer being the revenue generator that it once was for networks, promoters, and the fighters, who are promised percentages of such revenue, the fighters should be asking themselves how much money could be left on the table by not adapting, could revenues that promoters look to pay-per-view for, be replaced by advertising sponsorships and other forms of revenue, which would allow the Boxing fan to be able to access the sport regardless of whether they may or may not be able to afford prices that more often than not begin above $60, as well as the obvious opportunity that comes from exposing the sport to new eyes.

 

While it remains to be seen how successful these particular events were in terms of pay-per-view buys, it was an interesting and at times entertaining day of Boxing and for those who truly love the sport and have its best interests at heart, this is something that should not go unnoticed. Even as the need for the sport as a whole to embrace adapting in the subscription-based streaming era becomes more apparent.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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

 

Saturday February 5th Pay-Per-View Doubleheader Weights From Cardiff, Wales And Las Vegas, NV

 The official weigh-ins for Saturday’s two Boxing pay-per-view cards took place earlier today in Cardiff, Wales and Las Vegas, NV respectively. Below are available weights for both events as well as legal broadcast information for each card.

 

Eubank vs, Williams/ Shields vs. Kozin – Motorpoint Arena – Cardiff, Wales – FITE Pay-Per-View (Streaming) Select cable/satellite providers

 

Co-Mian Event: Unified WBC/WBA/IBF/WBF Women’s Middleweight world championship – 10Rds.

 

Claressa Shields (WBC/WBA/IBF world champion) 159lbs. vs. Ema Kozin (WBF world champion) 154 1/4lbs.

 

Co-Main Event: Middleweight – 10Rds.

 

Chris Eubank Jr. 160lbs. vs. Liam Williams 159lbs.

 

British English Welterweight championship – 10Rds.

 

Samuel Antwi (Champion) 146 1/4lbs. vs. Conah Walker (Challenger) 146lbs.

 

Heavyweight – 8Rds.

 

Otto Wallin 253 1/4lbs. vs. Kamil Sokolowski 234 1/4lbs.

 

 

 

Eubank vs, Williams/ Shields vs. Kozin takes place tomorrow (Saturday, February 5^th at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. This pay-per-view event can be seen in the United States and several international countries on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE beginning at 3PM ET/12PM PT (U.S. Time) for $29.99. For more information about FITE including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs and information on how to download the FITE app please visit: www.FITE.TV. To order this pay-per-view event on FITE, download the FITE app, or Click Here.  This card will also be available on select cable/satellite providers throughout the United States, contact your cable/satellite provider for ordering information. Check your local listings or FITE for availability internationally.

 

 

Thurman vs. Barrios – Mandalay Bay Events Center – Las Vegas, NV – Fox Sports Pay-Per-View Cable/Satellite FITE Pay-Per-View (Streaming)

 

Main Event: Welterweight – 12Rds.

 

Keith Thurman 145 1/2lbs. vs. Mario Barrios 146 1/2lbs.

 

*Jr. Lightweight – 10Rds.

 

Leo Santa Cruz 128 3/4lbs. vs. Keenan Carbajal 129lbs.

 

(*Originally scheduled as a Featherweight bout, both fighters over the 126lb. Featherweight limit. Bout will go on as a 130lb. Jr. Lightweight bout.)

 

Welterweight – 10Rds.

 

Abel Ramos 145 3/4lbs. vs. Lucas Santamaria 145 1/2lbs.

 

Jr. Featherweight – 10Rds.

 

Luis Nery 121 3/4lbs. vs. Carlos Castro 121 1/2lbs.

 

Thurman vs. Barrios takes place tomorrow (Saturday, February 5^th) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. This pay-per-view event can be seen in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View across cable/satellite providers and on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT for $74.99. Contact your cable/satellite provider for ordering information. For more information about FITE including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, event availability in your country, and for instructions on how to download the FITE app please visit: www.FITE.TV. To order this event on FITE download the FITE app or Click Here. Check your local listings or visit www.FITE.TV for event availability internationally.

 

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

 

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

Previewing A Pay-Per-View Doubleheader February 5th

 The ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic has caused and continues to cause several issues throughout day-to-day life as well as in the world of sports. It was one such complication that has led to something somewhat unique in the current landscape in which we are in, in the sport of Boxing. Two well-publicized pay-per-view Boxing cards taking place on the same day. 

 

Those who have followed the work of this observer over the years know that I have long been a critic of the pay-per-view model. To be more specific, I am critical of inflated price points as well as more often than not, only a fraction of a full Boxing card being made available to the consumer for what are often price points that begin at $60 or above. On February 5^th, there will be two different price points that will be interesting to see what attracts consumers more as one is reasonably priced, while the other is in line with what has unfortunately become the industry's standard for pay-per-view events.  First, the card which has led to this unique double offering of Boxing cards is one that was rescheduled from it’s original January 29^th date due to the British Boxing Board of Control choosing to suspend all combat sports events in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the month of January due to the surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the latest Omicron variant of the virus.  This observer is referring to the pay-per-view card that will take place in Cardiff, Wales where undefeated multi-division world champion Claressa Shields will defend her unified WBC/IBF/WBA Middleweight world championship against undefeated top contender Ema Kozin in a scheduled ten round bout.

 

The bout, which will co-headline a pay-per-view event will be available on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE in the United States and several international countries for a price of $29.99.  For Shields, this will be her return to the Boxing ring after losing a three round split decision in her second Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bout in October of last year to Abigail Montes in a bout promoted by the Professional Fighters League (PFL) MMA promotion. While Shields took some criticism from some fans online following that loss, the reality is the sport of MMA is one that is still fairly new to her in that Boxing is her primary combat sports discipline and she is certainly not the first boxer to step into fighting under an MMA format with mixed results.

 

While Shields’ MMA record stands at 1-1 and it is logical that she will likely continue to pursue her MMA career, in the Boxing ring, she remains undefeated as a professional and between the two combat sports, she has only lost two fights with the one Boxing loss occurring as an amateur prior to her winning two consecutive Olympic Gold medals in the 2012 and2016 games respectively. The one Boxing loss was to fellow Middleweight world champion Savannah Marshall, who like Shields is unbeaten as a professional. Perhaps not coincidentally, Shields and Marshall appear to be on a collision course for a potential unification bout later this year if Shields is able to retain her unified portion of the Women’s World Middleweight championship against Kozin.

 

In Ema Kozin, Shields will face a fighter who is unbeaten in twenty-two professional fights and will have a slight professional experience edge over the more accomplished Shields. Kozin is also recognized as a world champion by the World Boxing Federation (WBF) in the Middleweight division and while some may not recognize the WBF as a world sanctioning organization, that world championship will also be at stake in this bout in addition to the three world titles that Shields currently holds.

 

The key to this fight in this observer's eyes will be whether or not Kozin will be able to get the respect of Shields early. At her best, Shields is a compact offensive-minded fighter that has a good mix of hand speed and punching power in being able to either out work opponents to win rounds or score knockouts should the opportunity arise. It will boil down to whether or not Kozin will be able to establish and control the pace. For her part, Kozin has good hooks with either hand and has shown in her career to have an effective attack to an opponent's body. Kozin has yet to face a fighter that fights at a fast pace as Shields typically does and whether or not Kozin will be able to implement an attack that is based on both counter punching as well as being able to take advantage of openings an opponent might leave her, remains to be seen.

 

There is always the possibility given that Shields has split her time between Boxing and her MMA career that burn out could also be a factor. As of yet, there has not been any indication that this could happen as between her two MMA bouts, Shields has continued to be dominant in the Boxing ring. Nevertheless, the possibility of burn out as well as physical fatigue from significant training exists in addition to the potential of Shields possibly looking ahead towards a bout with Savannah Marshall.

 

Also on the card in Cardiff, Wales, will be an intriguing Middleweight bout between former IBO world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and top contender and former world title challenger Liam Williams. A bout that uniquely is being marketed as being the main event of the card in the United Kingdom whereas the Shields-Kozin bout has received top billing here in the United States. The differences in the marketing of this card notwithstanding, the Eubank-Williams bout one might argue is a crossroads encounter in a 160lb. Middleweight division that could be heading towards a period of transition with several top players in the division including Demetrius Andrade, the two-division world champion and most recently the former WBO Middleweight world champion potentially seeking more lucrative opportunities in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division where current Undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez sits atop the division and as the top marquee draw in the sport has the ability to make any fight he is involved in very lucrative for those who will be sharing the ring with him. With several top fighters in the Middleweight division looking at the possibility of moving up to challenge Alvarez, providing that Alvarez stays in the division, there is obviously the potential for contenders like Eubank and Williams to maneuver into possibly fighting for a Middleweight world championship.

 

In terms of what one can look for in this fight, this will be an interesting clash of styles. Liam Williams is coming into this fight off of a failed world championship challenge to then WBO world champion Andrade in his last fight. Despite being knocked down in the second round of that fight, Williams, a former British Middleweight champion was very “Game” in going the distance with Andrade in losing a twelve round unanimous decision. In his twenty-seven career bouts, Williams has a record of 23-3-1, with 18 Knockouts. Those three losses however, came to arguably the two best fighters that Williams has fought thus far in his career. The most recent loss to Andrade as well as two losses to former Jr. Middleweight world champion Liam Smith in 2017.

 

Williams however, has good punching power and has shown that he is capable of scoring quick knockouts should the opportunity arise. This seems at least on paper to create a scenario of what could be an exciting bout as Williams’ opponent Chris Eubank Jr. is also someone who likes to come forward, has twenty-three knockouts in his thirty-one career wins registering a near 70% career knockout percentage compared to Williams’ near 67%. With both fighters having come forward styles that look to bring the fight to their opponent, this might be a scenario that it may come down to who is able to land the first significant power punch.

 

The pay-per-view doubleheader in Cardiff, Wales will not be the only pay-per-view offering on February 5^th as later that evening former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman will return to the ring for the first time in nearly two years by facing top Jr. Welterweight contender Mario Barrios at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV that will headline a four bout pay-per-view card broadcast by Fox Sports Pay-Per-View here in the United States for $74.99 that will also be available on FITE as well as the Fox Sports app and traditional cable/satellite providers.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, I would not be doing my job as a Boxing journalist/historian if I did not at least mention the fact that this fight being sold as a pay-per-view event and more specifically the inflated price point has drawn significant criticism from Boxing fans. This is due in large part to Fox Sports doing a pay-per-view on new year’s day, which was headlined by former Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin and former world title challenger Luis Ortiz, being marketed heavily as being economically priced at $39.99. Despite the more reasonable price point, some estimates that have been reported by a variety of Boxing media outlets have claimed that the event, which was held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL only generated 25,000 buys on pay-per-view between traditional providers and streaming platforms/networks like Fox’s own sports app and FITE.

 

Keeping in mind that this observer has long been critical of those in the sport both promoters and television networks for their continued reliance on the pay-per-view model, despite the success of digital subscription-based streaming networks like DAZN and ESPN+, which have shown that there is a viable alternative not just for the consumer in a subscription-based streaming model, but also a revenue source for promoters and fighters who have yet to embrace the benefits of such a model, I do not have access to the numbers of what the Martin-Ortiz event actually drew on pay-per-view, which is why the term estimates is being used here.

 

With that said, if the event truly underperformed to that degree, it is highly questionable why the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, who also promoted Martin-Ortiz and Fox Sports would think that a card, that has pretty much the same premise of the main event being a crossroads fight, would do better in terms of buys at an inflated price point, which unfortunately has become the standard for what this observer has called the “Hold Outs” that have yet to embrace the benefits subscription-based options could have for their events and for their networks. The criticism of yours truly, which I stand by, notwithstanding, the Thurman-Barrios bout is intriguing.

 

What makes this fight intriguing? It is the first fight for Keith Thurman since he lost his WBA Welterweight world championship to Manny Pacquiao in July 2019. The question going into this fight is fairly obvious. What kind of condition will Thurman be in after such a lengthy layoff. Although Thurman’s loss to Pacquiao came via split decision, it was a fight where the opinion of many felt Pacquiao out boxed Thurman over the twelve round world championship bout. Rather than trying to quickly re-establish himself following the loss and the global epidemic of COVID-19 that followed and unfortunately continues, Thurman has chosen to stay inactive until now. While a lengthy rest likely helped Thurman to recover from nagging injuries that all fighters deal with, one does have to wonder what Thurman will look like nearly two years removed from his last fight.

 

Although the length of Thurman’s inactivity was likely influenced in part by the uncertainty of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, an old-school perspective from this observer is that more often than not, the best way for a fighter to remain in fighting shape and avoid what is known as “Ring Rust” is to not only be in the gym training, but more importantly by being active in competition. Opinions can obviously differ, but I have always held the belief that the more active a fighter can be, the better that fighter’s odds of being prepared if a lucrative fight and/or an opportunity to fight for a world championship comes along.  This is why many veteran fighters opt to stay as active as possible regardless of the caliber of opposition.

 

Of course, it is difficult to expect every fighter to have that approach, particularly when fighters at the highest level of the sport as Thurman had been for several years prior to his layoff earn millions of dollars each time they step into the ring to compete. As such, some might argue that the incentive to remain active is not as strong at least from a financial standpoint. While all fighters who enter the ring to compete deserve to make as much as they can, while they can because after all each and every fighter is risking their lives each time the enter the ring to compete, there has been evidence that fighters who compete on a limited basis whether it be once or twice a year, or even long stretches of inactivity between fights eventually suffer from eroded skills at some point in their careers.

 

At his best, Keith Thurman is a come forward fighter who has been more than willing to engage with his opponents with a good mix of hand speed and punching power. It will be interesting to see if the inactivity has benefited Thurman not only in terms of physically, but in terms of during a fight if the inactivity will have had an effect on his reaction time, reflexes, and his ability to take a punch. The answer to those questions will likely come early in this fight against Mario Barrios.

 

Barrios, who will be moving up seven pounds in weight from the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to the 147lb. Welterweight division is, like Thurman a boxer/puncher, who likes to come forward and engage with his opponents. Mario Barrios is coming into this fight off of his only career defeat in being stopped in his last bout by Gervonta Davis in eleven rounds in June of last year. In what was a very competitive bout where he held his own against the betting favorite Davis, Barrios nearly pulled off what some might have called an upset before he was caught and stopped late in the eleventh round. 

 

Coming into this fight, Barrios has what might be seen as an advantage simply because he has been the more active of the two fighters. The question that will surround Barrios going into this bout will be how he will respond to fighting as a Welterweight against the naturally bigger Thurman. It will also be interesting to see if Barrios will look to test Thurman early given the issue of his inactivity or if he will be cautious and respectful of Thurman’s punching power. Barrios must keep in mind however, that he was caught in his last fight against Davis and that led to him being stopped. With this in mind, it is probably wise to assume that Barrios will be tactical in his approach even if he does test Thurman early.

 

While this fight is between two notable fighters, one a former world champion and the other a top contender moving up in weight for this fight, it is difficult at least for the moment to say where the winner of this bout might figure into the equation of the Welterweight division given that both Thurman and Barrios are coming off losses in their last bouts and the depth of the division that is largely in a state of flux due to issues occurring outside of the ring in terms of the top of the division. Nevertheless, the winner will likely find himself with some room to maneuver to at the very least get another bout against a top contender if an opportunity against one of the current world champions in the division is not available in the foreseeable future.

 

On the undercard of Thurman-Barrios former three-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz will return to action for the first time since Halloween night 2020 when he faces Keenan Carbajal in a Featherweight bout scheduled for ten rounds. Similar to Mario Barrios, Santa Cruz is coming off of a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis. In what was an exciting fight that was quite competitive, the bout came to a sudden conclusion when an uppercut from Davis ended the night for Santa Cruz. Although Santa Cruz’ loss to Davis was a one punch knockout, the effects from it have kept him out of competition for over a year.  Santa Cruz now looks to get back on track in this fight against Keenan Carbajal. Carbajal, the nephew of former four-time world champion and Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal, will enter this fight with a record of 23-2-1, with 15 Knockouts and has been unbeaten since 2015. This however, will be a step up in caliber of opposition for Carbajal, who will be giving up significant experience to Santa Cruz, who will enter with a record of 37-2-1, with 19 Knockouts.

 

While Carbajal may be unknown to some going into this bout, it is important to remember that Santa Cruz is coming off of a knockout loss that was severe in how it occurred. It is logical to assume that Carbajal will look to test Santa Cruz early. At his best, Santa Cruz is a fighter with an entertaining style that has been more than willing to engage with his opponents over the years. After suffering the first knockout of his career however, an obvious question that will probably be asked among some Boxing fans is whether or not he will be as willing to engage in exchanges of offense as he was before he was caught by Gervonta Davis.

 

Although Keenan Carbajal has an eighteen fight winning streak coming into this bout, he has fought several fighters that are not known and who some would describe by a term that this observer personally dislikes “Journeymen.” As much as the story of this fight will center around what effect did the knockout Leo Santa Cruz suffered had on him, the other plot line here will be what will Carbajal bring to the table in what is clearly the biggest fight of his career and a chance to instantly establish himself amongst the best in the 126lb. Featherweight division should he turn in a good performance win or lose. While there is a clear temptation to label this as simply a “Comeback Fight” for Santa Cruz, the reality is, it may be best to view things with the mindset of one fight at a time at this stage of his career and what path his career takes going forward could be influenced in part by what happens in this fight against Carbajal.

 

The concept of two pay-per-view Boxing cards taking place in the span of one day is something that is indeed not new as Boxing has flirted with it on an occasional basis going back to the early 2000’s prior to the advent of streaming technology and the often more sensible subscription-based streaming model. With four fights, the four headline bouts on these two pay-per-view cards having been previewed in this column, it would be a shame given the stories leading into each bout if the main story in the weeks that follow these two cards concerns strictly the estimates of pay-per-view buys each event generates, which has unfortunately been as much of the story of recent pay-per-view events as the fights themselves.

 

Although it is tempting to take a negative view having seen the decline of the pay-per-view model and the thus far unwillingness to adapt by some promoters and networks to a more economically reasonable model that will not in essence price out many consumers, yours truly will take an optimistic stance and say simply that I am looking forward to what occurs inside the ring between these two separate cards. The other factors that be in regard to the business of Boxing and the paywall structure can be discussed at a later time. For now, let these fighters do what they do best, compete. We’ll see who emerges victorious from these two events on Saturday, February 5^th.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

We will have weigh-in and broadcast information for these two cards available here on The Boxing Truth® on Friday, February 4^th. Stay Tuned.

 

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