Barrios-Garcia Preview

On February 21st, the Boxing world will converge on the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV for a truly interesting and some might argue curious world title bout in the 147lb. Welterweight division. WBC World Welterweight champion Mario Barrios will defend his title against top contender Ryan Garcia in a bout scheduled for twelve rounds that can be seen globally as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription or as a standalone pay-per-view option for non-ultimate DAZN subscribers.

What makes this both an interesting and curious affair between two fighters is both have arguably not been at their best in recent outings. The champion Mario Barrios will be making the third defense of his WBC crown and has not heard his name announced as the winner in his previous title defenses up to this point as his previous two defenses each ended in hotly contested draws. The most recent of those defenses came in July of last year when forty-six year old recent International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee and legend Manny Pacquiao came out of retirement and to most observers, including this one, did enough to warrant a decision victory over Barrios, but did not get the nod of two of three official judges to win the fight.

Although Barrios, who was named WBC world champion in after previous Undisputed World Welterweight champion Terence Crawford vacated the championship and left the Welterweight division, has managed to retain his title in two subsequent defenses after being named champion from previously being a mandatory challenger for Crawford, he has yet to show he can win a fight as a defending champion. While not a circumstance of his making in retaining his portion of the World Welterweight championship in two consecutive bouts that ended in draws, the obvious question that Mario Barrios will have to answer is not only can he retain the title via a victory, but can he do so in such a manner that it will quell skeptics who feel he may have benefited from those two bouts being scored draws rather than having an opinion that he won those fights.

It is often an unfair practice, but it can truly be easy to label a fighter off of a bad performance or one that some might call sub-par. In Barrios’ case he is coming off two fights where perception is not necessarily in his favor and that could prove to be a motivator for a world champion who likely feels he has something to prove both to himself and any would-be skeptics.

Standing across the ring from Barrios on February 21st will be Ryan Garcia. Garcia, who not long ago was viewed as one of Boxing’s hottest rising stars, has seen his career hit a snag in recent times marked by periods of inconsistency and struggles outside of the ring. Despite Garcia maintaining his fan base, one might be curious as to why he is getting a shot at a world championship at this point in time. 

In his fight in May of last year in Times Square in New York City, Garcia was knocked down in the second round and thoroughly out boxed by Rolando Romero in losing a twelve round unanimous decision in a WBA Welterweight elimination bout. This followed Garcia serving a one year suspension for testing positive for Ostarine in the aftermath of his victory over Devin Haney in 2023, a result that was subsequently changed to a no contest. One might question both given what could probably be described as his erratic behavior before and after the Haney fight as well as his defeat to Romero last year as to why the World Boxing Council would grant Garcia this opportunity at their world title as its number four rated Welterweight contender.

It is important to keep in mind that while Garcia is coming off a loss, his fight against Rolando Romero was not sanctioned by the WBC and while one would think a loss would negatively affect any fighter’s standing in a sanctioning organization’s rankings, that simply is not always the case. From an old school perspective, Ryan Garcia though a very good and potentially still yet maybe a great fighter when all is said and done, has not earned this title shot as a fighter. Perhaps it may be accurate to assume that a combination of both Garcia's popularity as well as Barrios seeking an opponent of a reasonably high profile for what is known as an elective defense for him played a role in Garcia getting this opportunity. In fairness to the challenger, it is not unlike a position that other fighters who have had star value in the sport have been able to use to their advantage over the years regardless of wins and losses. 

Garcia, however, has yet to win a world title to this point and it may be logical to wonder what his star value, the proverbial stock a fighter has within the sport, will be if he fails to capitalize on the opportunity that is before him in this fight. It may truly be a roll of the dice for Garcia's future at or near the top of the sport.

A wrinkle that emerged in the promotion of this fight that could have an impact on what happens inside the ring was Barrios hiring the legendary trainer and broadcaster Joe Goosen as his new trainer. Goosen served as a trainer for Garcia both as an amateur and for a period of time as a professional. While it is not uncommon trainers to eventually work against fighters they spent time working with as time goes on, Garcia appeared to not take kindly to Goosen working with his opponent and lashed out at his former trainer at a press conference to announce the fight several weeks ago where both he and his father and now trainer Henry Garvia confronted him. Goosen for his part called it a difficult situation, but stated that things change in Boxing and accepted the job when Barrios and his team offered him the job to come on as his new trainer.

Whether or not the exchange between fighter and former trainee and father, turned new trainer can be dismissed as hype promotional tactics or legitimate bad feelings is likely something that will be left to one's own opinion. What effect that this could have on the actual fight remains to be seen.

The most obvious way one could point to as far as it having a direct influence on this fight could be in Goosen having knowledge as a previous coach/trainer of Garcia's training methods and tendencies, which his current charge Barrios may be able to exploit. What we have here is an encounter between two boxer/punchers where an argument could be made that in terms of punching power, a slight edge may go to the challenger Garcia. Despite that, the question here is whether each fighter’s respective recent performances and to be more specific, the criticism of those performances may result in each implementing a more aggressive approach with the mindset of looking to impress, rather than a tactical one rooted in strategy.

The tagline of the promotion for this fight is truly both ironic and appropriate. “High Stakes.” Both fighters have a lot to gain, but also a lot to lose here. Beyond the WBC World Welterweight championship being on the line, both Barrios and Garcia are gambling their long-term futures in the sport here and this is a case where beyond a win or a loss, it may be even more important in terms of what may be ahead for both fighters as to how they perform rather than their potential futures being strictly viewed based on the outcome. We will see who stands tall on Saturday, February 21st.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.” 

Barrios vs. Garcia takes place on Saturday, February 21st at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen as part of a DAZN Ultimate tier subscription for $44.99 per month or as a standalone pay-per-view offering for $69.99. The card will begin at 5:45PM ET 2:45PM PT. 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, subscription and pay-per-view options in your region, and to subscribe or order this event please visit: www.DAZN.com.  

(*North American Start Times and Price Points Only*)

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

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1 

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1 

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1   

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

The Rivalry Continues: Previewing Eubank Jr.-Benn II

In April of this year, an enthusiastic crowd of over 60,000 spectators crammed into London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the renewal of one of Boxing’s great rivalries. Eubank vs. Benn. A rivalry of legitimate bad blood that began with world champions and legends Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn in the 1990s, would be carried on by their offspring IBO Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn in a non-title twelve round bout that was more about the rivalry itself rather than each fighter’s respective standings in the sport.

The fight did not disappoint with both fighters engaging in a battle of wills from the opening bell that did not let up from start to finish where despite at times late in the fight that he might have been stopped due to utter exhaustion, Eubank was able to prevail to win a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision. Now, only seven months later the two British stars will return to the site of their first meeting, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 15th that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View or included with subscription for DAZN Ultimate Tier subscribers.

In all truth and honesty with the reader, the fact that this rematch, which is essentially chapter four of the rivalry between the two bloodlines, is occurring as quickly as it is. Certainly not because this veteran Boxing scribe does not feel a rematch is warranted, but because all too often, the business of Boxing tends to rear its head where highly anticipated fights, let alone rematches occur in a reasonable timeframe. It also is worth noting that there was two years and eleven months between the first fight between their fathers and their rematch.

In one sense it is refreshing to see a quick return, but on the other hand, one might question if this second encounter between the two sons is a bit too soon. After all, the first fight was highly anticipated and took years to come to fruition for various reasons, but the fight that was fought back in April was an exhausting one that had to take a lot out of both fighters. Often after a battle like that, it does take time for one to recover from the physical and mental toll a fight like that can take from a fighter. While there are exceptions to that thinking obviously, especially in previous eras where fighters at or near the top of the sport fought more frequently during a calendar year as compared to present day, will this turn out to be one of those exceptions?

Obviously we are likely to get some clarity on that question depending on what occurs in this rematch. What could be different this time? Well, in the eyes of this observer, it will boil down to what approach Conor Benn will try to implement. If one were to look at the first fight and specifically how this bout was fought, they might be surprised that it went the distance. Both fighters seemed to go all out and while it resulted in an entertaining bout that exceeded expectations especially given that Benn was moving up two divisions from Welterweight to Middleweight to face a fighter in Eubank who had held world titles in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions. Whether that pace in which the combat was fought was rooted more in emotion in terms of the bad blood between the fighters and their fathers more than a strategic approach is something only the fighters can answer, but a potential benefit for Benn from the rematch coming so quickly is he might be able to approach Eubank more tactically.

Although Eubank ultimately won the first fight by a margin of eight rounds to four or 116-112 in points on all three scorecards, it is indisputable that Benn had periods of significant success throughout the fight and appeared at points where he may have been able to stop Eubank later in the fight due to exhaustion. While I thought the fight was closer than the official judges and ended up with a six rounds to six scorecard at the end of the twelve round bout, I ended up with a unique score in that, despite ending up even in rounds, I had Eubank up two points 114-112. This was due to Eubank, despite looking extremely fatigued having a strong eleventh and twelfth round. In particular, the final round, which he dominated to such a degree that I scored it 10-8 on my unofficial scorecard, despite Eubank not being able to score a knockdown of Benn.

If Benn is able to control the pace this time where it's more about tactics rather than trying to stand and trade shots toe to toe, things may tip more in his favor this time around. How does Benn accomplish this? He needs to cut the ring off and limit Eubank’s ability to move. Although Benn is the fighter known as the puncher of the two, the key will be whether he can be strategic and look to try and gradually break Eubank down rather than trying to end the fight with every punch he throws and he must make sure he conserves his stamina in the event this fight goes into the later rounds as was the case in the first encounter.

In contrast, Eubank needs to be elusive, needs to control the pace in such a way that he can avoid the periods of fatigue that almost got to him in the first fight. While this may be easier said than done, if Eubank can box more than be forced to trade punches this time and find a way to nullify Benn any time he gets close, he may be able to get his second victory in this renewed rivalry, but it may be more lopsided this time around.

The first fight was more about the curiosity of the offspring of two great fighters and the event of the occasion. This time, while it is still about the rivalry between the two bloodlines, hopefully it is more about these two fighters and more about the contrast of styles between them rather than expectations that are hard to live up to. In fairness, the first fight did exceed every possible expectation, what happens in this latest chapter remains to be seen.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Eubank Jr. vs. Benn 2 takes place on Saturday, November 16th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $59.99 or as part of DAZN’s newly introduced Ultimate subscription tier for $44.99 per month or $449.99 per year. The broadcast will begin at 11:45AM ET/8:45AM PT.

(*North American pay-per-view and subscription prices only.*)

(*Card 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 and pricing in your area, to order this pay-per-view event or to subscribe or upgrade your existing subscription please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1      

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1    

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1 

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

Parker And Wardley Emerge In High Stakes Pay-Per-View Showdown

Originally, this column was intended and scheduled to preview two separate pay-per-view main events scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 25th. As some Boxing fans know, what was intended has obviously had to change due to the cancellation of the scheduled WBC World Jr. Middleweight championship bout between champion Sebastian Fundora and former World Welterweight champion Keith Thurman, which was due to headline a pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and streamed through digital streaming entertainment and subscription platform Prime Video, being cancelled due to a hand contusion suffered by Fundora while in training for the bout. While as of this writing, the plan appears for that bout to be rescheduled as soon as possible, there remains one pay-per-view main event to take place on October 25th that will now be the sole subject of this writing, which could and should have ramifications the the Heavyweight division moving into 2026.

This observer is referring to the bout between former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and the undefeated Fabio Wardley in a scheduled twelve round fight that will headline a pay-per-view card at the O2 Arena in London, England and can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. What makes this encounter interesting beyond it being a battle between two of the top Heavyweights in the division, which alone often is enough to draw interest is this fight presents a rarity as well that primarily due to the politics that be in the sport of Boxing and multiple sanctioning organizations, you rarely see. Two fighters, each with a number one mandatory ranking with an interim championship designation, putting their respective standings on the line. In this case in order to attempt to secure a fight with the undefeated two-time Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Parker, who has been at or near the top of the Heavyweight division for most of the last decade is a one time WBO World Heavyweight champion, and after some ups and downs over the years, has worked his way back to the number one contender position in the same organization. A testament to perseverance that cannot be dismissed. Although seemingly on a career high minus the ultimate goal of regaining a world title, Parker, who has had to contend with his fair share of power punching sharks in the waters of the Heavyweight division will be tasked with facing one more in his hopes to secure another world title opportunity in the form of unbeaten “Knockout Artist” Fabio Wardley.

Wardley, who will come into this fight with a near 95% career knockout percentage, will enter as the WBA’s top contender. With a record of 19-0-1, with 18 Knockouts, few have been able to withstand the punching power Wardley has in either hand. This presents the classic scenario of a fighter noted for his ability to end fights quickly, going against a more seasoned and more experienced opponent at this level of competition.

It is not a scenario that the former world champion Parker, who will enter the bout with a record of 36-3, with 24 Knockouts, is unfamiliar. Some may recall his fights against Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce, and Zhilei Zhang, three noted “Knockout Artists,” in which Parker suffered two losses out of those three fights. What is revealing, however, is Parker has only been stopped once in his three defeats and that was at the hands of Joe Joyce in September 2022. Parker was competitive in all three of his losses and was ahead on all three scorecards when Joyce was able to catch up to him in the eleventh round of that fight.

In thinking of how this fight might be fought from Parker’s perspective, I thought of two fights that might be similar, that he was successful and dominant in winning. Two opponents that stylistically are similar to Wardley in being “Knockout Artists” that come forward and can knock an opponent out with either hand. Yours truly is referring to his bouts with the aforementioned Zhilei Zhang and before that encounter, his bout against former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. Two fights that took place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2023 and 2024 respectfully.

In both fights, Parker used effective lateral movement, footwork, and timing to consistently beat both fights to the punch, often by landing variations of two, three, and four punch combinations and then using his movement to evade before either fighter could return offense consistently. Two performances by Parker, who was viewed as an underdog going into both fights that frankly should be viewed as a masterclass in effective execution by a boxer/puncher. It is an approach that Parker must implement once again in this fight.

Much like Wilder and Zhang, Fabio Wardley is not known for his quickness, but has shown more than once thus far in his career that he can end a fight with one punch if given an opening. One need look no further than Wardley’s last fight in June of this year against previously unbeaten contender Justis Huni. A fight held in rainy conditions in Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England, that was dominated by Huni from the outset, frequently out throwing and outlanding Wardley in seemingly every round and often landing in combination. Huni had particular success in landing flush right hands on Wardley, which is also coincidentally one of Parker's best offensive weapons.

The accumulation of punishment along with the fact that Huni had stepped in and took the fight on short notice along with the bout being held outdoors in rainy conditions seemed to have Wardley at times seemingly on the verge of being stopped due primarily to fatigue. Just as it appeared Huni was about to make a significant shake up in the Heavyweight division, the two fighters exchanged punches midway through the tenth round. Seemingly out of nowhere, Wardley connected with an overhand right that turned certain defeat as he had lost the fight on the scorecards by that point in the bout, into a thrilling come from behind knockout victory.

As great as that knockout was and as accurate a demonstration of the power Wardley has that one can find, if one is objective they would say that Justis Huni put a significant scare into both Wardley and his promoter the Hall of Famer Frank Warren, who is also the promoter of this bout with Parker. To expand a bit further, if one were honest they would say that even though Huni up to the point where he got caught put in a career high performance in that fight, he has limited experience and Joseph Parker is both more experienced, particularly at this level of competition at or near the top of the sport, and is also lighter on his feet than Huni.

The element of danger, however, is very real and Parker must keep in mind here that he can be winning every second of every round and one lapse in focus, leaving even the slightest opening, can end up costing him the fight. Though the circumstances are/were different, Parker found himself in a similar situation as Huni when he fought Joe Joyce in September 2022 in that like Wardley, Joyce, at the time was an unbeaten “Knockout Artist” that Parker hit repeatedly throughout that fight with the type of flush right hands that would end the night for most fighters, let alone Heavyweights and like Huni, Parker seemed to have the fight well under control and winning on points when Joyce was able to catch him and knock him out. A possibility certainly exists here that a similar scenario could happen where by all accounts and without a question of doubt, Parker could find himself in control and winning every aspect of the combat. Parker knows what happened to him against Joyce and he needs to be aware not to get overly aggressive where he might be vulnerable again to being caught. Even if a scenario presents itself where he might be able to score a knockdown, he must be tactical at all times and until the final bell or a potential stoppage, approach Wardley with caution.

The approach for Fabio Wardley is both simple and complex. He needs to try and cut the ring off from Parker and try to limit his ability to move and use angles, but must also pace himself in doing so. A problem that fighters, as I have often said over the last thirty years I have covered Boxing and by extension other combat sports, that are known for their punching power is they can fall into a false sense of security in thinking that their power will be enough to get the job done every time they enter the ring and as a result, neglect developing other facets of their game in terms of tactics, strategy, the ability to pace themselves, and develop an overall well-rounded skillset, which more often than not tends to have negative effects long-term on their careers. Wardley did succeed in saving himself from defeat in his last fight, but he may not be as fortunate if he finds himself in a similar hole on the scorecards in this fight.

Whether or not the winner of this fight gets a title shot against Oleksandr Usyk, or due to the unique circumstances of this encounter, ends up potentially emerging as a unified world champion depending on what Usyk decides to do, remains to be seen. These are the types of fights, however, that I tend to look forward to more than most not only from a stylistic standpoint, but when you also throw into the equation that anything can happen, which is especially true when it comes to Heavyweights, it sparks interest. We will see if it's Parker or Wardley that comes out on top. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Parker vs. Wardley takes place on Saturday, October 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight as well as it's undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View at 1:30PM ET/10:30AM PT for $59.99. (*North American times and pricing 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 and pricing in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1     

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1   

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

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

Belated: Wilder Successfully Starts Rebuilding Process/Paul Has A Workout For Eight Rounds Then A Fight Starts

The final weekend of June 2025 in the sport of Boxing was highlighted by two events that for different reasons drew significant interest. First on June 27th, it was the return of former WBC World Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in Wichita, KS as he faced veteran Tyrell Hearndon in a fight scheduled for ten rounds. In the interest of full disclosure with the reader, this fight, which was broadcast worldwide by digital subscription streaming entertainment platform BLKPrime, was riddled with technical issues, which unfortunately necessitated a delay in this column’s release due to this observer being unable to access the broadcast. While this unfortunately is not the first time that the upstart network/platform has had issues broadcasting their Boxing events after initially making a splash upon its entry into the sport just a few years ago, I felt it important to state not only why there was a delay in this column’s release, but also to illustrate that much like several folks who reached out to yours truly across social media platforms as this fight took place to share their experiences with me, those of us who cover the sport, are at times in the same boat as a fan might be when it comes to technical issues that can befuddle a broadcaster/network’s ability to successfully air events. Although the issues, which seem to be an ongoing problem with regard to BLKPrime, as the network has seen several starts and stops since their initial entry into the sport, is likely worthy of a column of its own, it is not a subject I want to spend too much time on at the present time. 

The delay for yours truly notwithstanding, as well as the justifiable frustration amongst fans who tried to tune in on fight night, it was a fight that symbolized what could be a new beginning for the former World Heavyweight champion in Wilder, who was looking for his first win since a first round knockout of Robert Helenius in October 2022 and was coming off two losses, the most recent a brutal knockout loss at the hands of Zhilei Zhang in June of last year. 

If one is honest, they would say first that this fight was designed for Wilder to have an edge with the goal of trying to restore confidence after those two setbacks,but quite frankly, this was likely also used as an evaluation of sorts by Wilder and his team to see what he has left. Although the knockout at the hands of Zhang was the most recent setback, one needs to keep in mind that Wilder has sustained punishment throughout his career, most notably in his trilogy with Tyson Fury in which Fury, who also suffered punishment over the three encounters, was able to score two knockout wins. After openly questioning whether Wilder’s career had come to an end after the loss to Zhang in a fight where he looked lethargic and was dominated by Zhang before being knocked out in the fifth round, I did not know what to expect going into this fight.

 In 30 years of writing about combat sports with Boxing as my primary, this observer has covered and written about countless fighters who I felt had come to a point where their best days were behind them. I often hesitate to use the term “Shot Fighter" when such situations occur because there are occasions where, despite how a fighter might look in one fight or over a stretch of several bouts where the results indicate a decline, some fighters are able to bounce back. Though I approached this fight with an open mind, I would be lying if I said I felt that the answer would be established in one fight as to whether Wilder could be one of those fighters to do so. 

The reason for this is his opponent Tyrell Hearndon, a veteran of twenty-nine professional bouts leading up to this fight had a decent record in earning twenty-four wins, but those victories came against relatively unknown opposition and seemingly any time Hearndon attempted to step up in competition, he has come up short. Perhaps another reason I felt that an answer regarding Wilder would not necessarily come in this fight was the knowledge that Wilder is among the most devastating punchers in Boxing history with a near perfect career knockout percentage. Unless Hearndon were able to provide what some would call an unlikely test out of the gate, it would be difficult to surmise where Wilder was at given that he had forty-two knockouts in his forty-three career wins and had the capability to end a fight at any moment.

There was one thing, however, that stood out to me when the fight began. To sum it up in a word, “Patience." The patience of Deontay Wilder. Despite his devastating punching power, Wilder has never been known as the most technical fighter and there have been times throughout his career where he has relied on that power perhaps too much, with mixed results. As one who has covered Wilder since his Olympic days where he won a Bronze medal in 2008, this was the first time I can recall seeing Wilder in such a relaxed state in simply being patient. One aspect that was also new at least in terms of degree in which it was used was Wilder’s jab. From the outset Wilder worked behind his jab maintaining a distance with it where the conditions of combat were favorable to him. 

While there were times where Wilder would throw occasional wide, looping punches, he generally relied on his jab and kept Hearndon on the end of his jab. It was this approach by the former world champion that led to Wilder scoring a knockdown of Herndon with a short left hook to the head that countered him as he attempted to press forward. Although a short knockdown where he was able to catch his opponent off balance, this was not the power first type of approach that has been identifiable throughout Wilder’s career.

A calculated, measured approach that Wilder stayed consistent throughout this fight. As the fight progressed Wilder began also landing his trademark right hand, gradually breaking Herndon down, scoring a second knockdown in round six before ultimately getting a stoppage in the seventh round.

An impressive performance marked more by the approach to victory than the fact that Wilder gained his forty-third knockout in forty-four career wins. What is next remains to be seen, but the key will be for Wilder to stay active and continue not only rebuilding his standing in the Heavyweight division, but also continuing to polish and refine the more technical approach he implemented in this fight, which could make him even more of a threat to the upper echelon of the division if he continues to win and gets back in contention.

This leads us to the second half of this column, a look at the Cruiserweight bout that took place in Anaheim, CA on June 28th that saw social media influencer turned aspiring boxer Jake Paul meet former WBC Middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. in a scheduled ten round bout, which was seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. Those who have read this observer’s previous coverage of Jake Paul’s career up to this point know that I have openly questioned whether one can establish not only a legitimate Boxing career, but more specifically, get into position to challenge for a world championship by taking an unconventional route by fighting either people with little to no Boxing experience such as fellow influencers, or athletes from other sports such as basketball or the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, or as recently as last November when Paul scored a victory over a 58 year old Hall of Famer in Mike Tyson, who had not competed in an official fight in twenty years prior to that event, and not by facing fighters who are working their way up towards prospect/contender status with an eye towards fighting for a world championship. 

Much as was the case prior to his sharing the ring with Tyson, there was criticism of this bout primarily because Chavez though in his 40’s was years removed from competitive action and was only competing for the second time at Cruiserweight following a return to the ring last year after being off for nearly three years. What resulted did not quell the criticism.

For eight rounds of the scheduled ten, Paul faced little resistance from Chavez, who chose to sporadically throw any punches and to be frank, moved around the ring with his guard up to more or less serve as a moving heavy bag as Paul put round after round in the bank. It was only towards the end of round eight and into the final two rounds that Chavez began to open up and to his credit put pressure on Paul and was able to connect more than occasionally with a few solid punches. To Paul's credit he withstood the blows well and held on for a convincing ten round unanimous decision victory.

Quite frankly, there is not much one can write or analyze about a fight that resembles a workout or a light sparring session for 80% of the fight. Paul, however, did what he had to do and has been officially added to the World Boxing Association's  Cruiserweight rankings at number fourteen. While that will open both the WBA and Paul to more criticism and keeping in mind that regardless of what one might think of Paul as a fighter at this stage, he has proven to be a solid promoter within the sport. Having said this, the period of these type of curiosity events has passed and if Paul wants to finally silence the criticism, he needs to fight fighters who are at or near him in the rankings. If he can continue to win and work his way up either through the WBA or through another sanctioning organization, the criticism will stop and he will earn the respect of even the most jaded amongst Boxing fans, experts and those of us who cover the sport, but it is time for the standards of the sport in which fighters get into position to fight for a world title to be respected. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

UPDATE: While this column was in preparation for publication, it was reported by various news outlets including ABC News here in the United States that Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. was arrested by federal authorities in the days following his loss to Jake Paul.and is facing several criminal charges and deportation to his native Mexico. Chavez and his team have denied any wrongdoing. For more detailed information about this ongoing story refer to ABC News at the following link.

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1      

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1    

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1 

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

Paul-Chavez Preview

It seems as though it has become an annual tradition of sorts when social media influencer turned aspiring boxer Jake Paul is preparing to step back into the Boxing ring. Despite taking an unconventional route towards his stated goal of becoming a world champion, by fighting either folks with little or no Boxing experience or fighters who are long past their prime, rather than working his way up the ladder of prospects and contenders to get into a position where he could challenge for a world title, the one thing that is indisputable is whenever Paul steps into the ring, it becomes an event. This was proven in November of last year when the Cruiserweight boxer moved to Heavyweight to share the ring for eight rounds with former two-time Heavyweight world champion and Hall of Famer Mike Tyson. An event that marked streaming giant Netflix's entry into the sport of Boxing.

Despite the fact that Tyson, was fifty-eight years old and a shell of what he was when he was an active fighter, for better or worse, the bout proved to be a success for Netflix, despite technical issues with the live broadcast of the event, as it looks to increase its involvement in Boxing with two major events scheduled in the coming weeks and months, as well as a financial success in selling it the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium.

In reality, however, sharing the ring with a legend who was in no realistic position to compete and if one were honest, probably should not have been in the ring both due to his age as well as being retired for nearly twenty years since his last competitive fight, did little to quell the criticism of Paul and the victory over a shell of a once great fighter did not move him any closer to that goal of fighting for a world championship, and frankly it would be a travesty if it had.

Now Paul prepares to return to the ring on Saturday, June 28th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA as he will face former WBC Middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. in a fight that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. While this is a similar scenario as Paul's last outing in that he is facing a boxer with name recognition value and a former world champion that is past his prime, has not been as active as one would expect of a competitive fighter trying to work his way back into contention, the one thing that makes this a little difference is Chavez is nearing his fortieth birthday, and at least in theory, should be closer to what he was when he was competing regularly at least in terms of age.

In his last outing, Chavez scored a six round decision over former MMA fighter Uriah Hall on the undercard of Paul’s fight against Mike Perry in July of last year. Although Chavez did what was expected and scored a victory over a novice boxer, some may have expected him to be more convincing in a fight where he looked sluggish at times, which was attributable to inactivity. Immediately after defeating Hall, the seeds were planted for Chavez as a potential opponent for Paul following the Tyson event. In this aspect, it is not a surprise that Chavez will now be the opponent as Paul seems intent on continuing to forge an unconventional path towards what he hopes will lead to a shot at a world championship.

Despite the fact that Chavez is significantly closer to his athletic prime than what Tyson was, and keeping in mind that like Tyson, he has significantly more experience than Paul as a world-class boxer, this is another scenario where Paul will be facing someone with name recognition clout, but not one that is currently ranked and one would be justified to wonder whether a win for Paul will be enough to place him in the rankings of the Cruiserweight division even though he has yet to face a ranked boxer in any of the respective sanctioning organizations rankings.

This fact will likely mean regardless of what happens in the ring, criticism of Paul will continue win or lose. Meanwhile, for Chavez, if he has approached this fight seriously, which became an issue for him throughout his career, lead to some setbacks, and stretches of inactivity, this could for better or worse and for lack of a better term, serve as a way to reboot his career and try to use a victory here to try and get one more opportunity at a world championship at an advanced stage of his career.

Frankly, we will have to wait and see whether this is a fight or as was the case last November, more of an event rooted in the curiosity of the casual sports fan than the expectation and anticipation of a competitive fight. For the moment, this observer cannot give an answer.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.*

Paul vs. Chavez takes place on Saturday, June 28th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $59.99. The card will begin with preliminary bouts at 3PM ET/12PM PT. This will be followed by the main pay-per-view card, which will begin at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Price Points and Start 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, region-specific pricing, to subscribe, and purchase this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1      

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1   

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

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

Paul-Chavez PPV Card Now Available For Preorder On DAZN

The June 28 pay-per-view Boxing card headlined by a ten round Cruiserweight bout between social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul and former WBC Middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. is now available for pre-order on DAZN. The card, which will feature six bouts and will take place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, will be available globally through the DAZN streaming app and website for $59.99. (*North American Price Only.*) We will have a preview of Paul-Chavez here on The Boxing Truth®️ later in the month of June as we get closer to the date of the event. To order Paul vs. Chavez visit the DAZN streaming app on your favorite streaming device or www.DAZN.com for region-specific pricing in your region of the world. Stay tuned.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1      

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1    

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

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

35 Years Later: Sons of Legends To Resume Rivalry In The Ring

In the 1990’s in the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions, there was perhaps no more bitter rivalry than the one between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr., two world champions, who would go on to become legends, Hall of Famers and in terms of the Boxing hotbed of the United Kingdom, two of the most dominating British fighters of their era. Like many great rivalries, there was demand for the two to meet and once they did, no shortage of debate as to who had the upper hand. 

In their first fight in November 1990, Eubank became a world champion by stopping Benn in nine rounds to win the WBO World Middleweight championship in a fight where the fighters were separated by only one point on all three official scorecards. A classic encounter in every sense of the term. Three years later, the two would meet again in October 1993, this time in the Super-Middleweight division where the two, at the time both world champions holding the WBO and WBC world titles respectively, fought to a hotly disputed split decision draw in front of over 47,000 spectators in Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, England.

Despite the close competition in two fights and seemingly the ideal conditions for a third encounter given the draw and the public support for a third bout between the two, it was not to be, but the rivalry has remained all these years. Fast forward thirty-five years from their first encounter and the names Eubank and Benn are as much a focal point today in 2025 as they were back then in the sport. Only now the rivalry and hostiles have spread to the offspring of those legends.

Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn. Like his father before him, Chris Eubank Jr. has become a two-division world champion in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions. Conor Benn meanwhile appeared to be on a fast track towards a world title shot in the 147lb. Welterweight division. Originally, the two were to meet in 2022, but the fight was cancelled following Benn testing positive for a banned substance, which ultimately resulted in a lengthy legal battle between the undefeated fighter and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), who suspended him, which in turn led to a lengthy absence from in ring competition. All the while, both hostiles and accusations between the two fighters and their camps have only continued.

Benn  was able to return to the ring in 2023 and 2024 in two fights held in the United States while he fought for his license to be reinstated in the United Kingdom. With that license officially reinstated, both fighters are now able to renew their focus as they will finally meet on Saturday, April 26th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a fight that can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View.

Without getting into the issue of what led to the fight between these two fighters falling apart just days before it was to take place three years ago, a subject that has been discussed seemingly everyday since throughout the sport and something which Benn has always maintained his innocence, this fight brings together a unique scenario, assuming that it will take place this time. 

What makes this particular fight unique? It is not the first time that offsprings of great fighters have met in the ring, both male and female, but what makes this a bit different is unlike their fathers before them who were competing in the same divisions when they fought those two fights, Conor Benn will be moving up two weight divisions to the 160lb. Middleweight division and Chris Eubank Jr. will be coming down eight pounds from the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division to make this fight a reality.

While the undefeated Benn fought his last two bouts technically as a 154lb. Jr. Middleweight, this is a circumstance where he will be moving up again to face not only a naturally bigger opponent, but also one with more experience. Although Eubank is the current International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Middleweight champion, he has gone between both Middleweight and Super-Middleweight throughout his career and will have both natural size and height to his advantage. 

Despite Eubank’s status as a current world champion, the twelve round Middleweight bout will not be for the IBO world championship as of this writing. What are we likely to see on fight night? The question here will center on whether Benn will be able to compete effectively as a Middleweight having now jumped up two divisions from where all signs of him challenging for a world championship as a Welterweight.  It was as a Welterweight that Benn scored several highlight reel type of knockouts as he gradually climbed the ranks. While that reputation now has some skepticism attached to it due to the circumstances, which led to the cancellation of this fight the first time it was made three years ago, Benn, like his father before him, has the ability to end a fight with either hand, often in sudden and brutal fashion. Skepticism aside, nearly every non-Heavyweight that is known for their punching power, will eventually have to answer whether that punching power will be as effective and devastating as they move up in weight as it was at a lighter weight. He will be facing a naturally bigger opponent in Chris Eubank Jr. and it will be interesting to see what impact the punching power Benn has will have if he can connect both cleanly and , more than occasionally.

This certainly could prove to be easier said than done given Eubank’s ability to be elusive, attack at varying angles, and his attribute of being able to throw in volume. While a style that may not always be entertaining to watch, it has won Eubank two world championships in his career. 

Given the long history of animosity between the two fighters that goes back to their fathers, the possibility exists that styles of the two fighters will not be part of the equation here and that animosity will lead to both fighters being willing to stand and trade shot for shot with each other. If that were indeed to happen, it could be a toss up as to who will emerge victorious. While such a scenario would be ideal for those who want to see an all-action fight, there is a lot on the line for both Eubank and Benn and it would be wise for both fighters to approach things strategically rather than looking to go toe to toe. Who will win is anyone's guess, but for a fierce rivalry between two Hall of Fame fighters, who were among the best of their era to now see that rivalry continue through their offspring, this observer is looking forward to seeing how this chapter will be written.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Eubank Jr. vs. Benn takes place on Saturday, April 26th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $24.99 beginning at 12PM ET/9AM PT (*U.S. Pricing and Times only.*) 

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

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1 

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1  

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1     

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

 

Usyk-Fury: The Story Continues

In chapter one of the story between Heavyweight champions Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, the focus was centered on the element of history. After all, when the two undefeated champions met in May of this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it was to determine something that hadn't been seen in Boxing in twenty-five years albeit and unfortunately temporarily. An Undisputed World Heavyweight champion and the first champion to successfully unify all five recognized world championships under one fighter.

As most know, despite the historical significance of the occasion, there was the knowledge going into the event last May 18th that the new Undisputed championship would not last long. This was due to a pre-ordained rematch clause between Usyk and Fury and the International Boxing Federation being due its mandatory title defense in the rotation amongst the various sanctioning organizations immediately following the bout. Nevertheless, that knowledge did little to quell what truly was a special moment in the sport’s history. 

In a competitive bout, it was Oleksandr Usyk who would emerge victorious in becoming the Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world by defeating Fury via twelve round split decision. For Usyk, there was added significance as the victory also cemented his future Hall of Fame status as the only man in history to fully unify both the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions. While Usyk would relinquish the IBF world championship shortly after defeating Fury, clearing the way for IBF number one contender Daniel Dubois, a former Usyk opponent, to officially become IBF World Heavyweight champion, the victory over Fury was simply the conclusion of chapter one. 

Now comes chapter two as Usyk, the unified WBO/IBO/WBA/WBC world champion prepares to meet Fury once again at the same site of their first meeting, the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 21st. A rematch that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. In some ways, this rematch is also a rarity.

It is rare even in an era where there are theoretical pre-agreed rematch clauses before an initial high-profile bout such as Usyk and Fury to see the rematch come to fruition without complications whether it be due to injuries or one fighter choosing a different option, which often can lead to legal entanglements. In this sense, the fact that this rematch comes in a rather streamlined way is quite refreshing. Although the undisputed championship is not at stake this time around, the winner of this fight will be viewed as the number one fighter in the division with an obvious path to reunify the title against Dubois or whomever the IBF champion might be down the line. 

What stood out in the first encounter was, despite being the naturally shorter fighter, it was Usyk who forced the action for most of the first six rounds by coming forward and forcing the naturally bigger and heavier Fury to fight at a much quicker pace than is typically his norm. Usyk was also able to establish angles and land short, but crisp combinations on Fury, which were often highlighted by an overhand left thrown from the southpaw stance.

Despite the significance of the occasion, an argument could and perhaps should be made that Fury perhaps gave away some of the early rounds by taunting Usyk, playing to the crowd, and attempting to bait him into making a mistake. Tactics, which Usyk did not fall for. By the midway part of the fight, Fury began coming forward more, landing punches to the body of Usyk and stunning him with a right hand in the sixth round. To Usyk’s credit, he was able to take it well and there was decent back and forth action that followed between the two fighters. 

It would be in round nine, however, that a controversy would emerge. A combination of punches by Usyk sent Fury staggering around the ring and seemingly made him defenseless for several seconds while Usyk pressed forward. Where the element of controversy comes in is in the decision of Referee Mark Nelson choosing to rule a knockdown against Fury when under similar circumstances a referee might have stepped in and stopped the fight. While some have made an issue of this in the months since the first encounter, this observer needs to point out as I have many times over the years that referees are human like the rest of us, and decisions regarding whether a fight should be stopped under circumstances like the one Fury was in comes down to split second judgments. Perhaps given the magnitude of the event and likely knowing that his call would be questioned either way, Nelson decided to rule a knockdown rather than stopping the fight outright to give Fury every chance he could to show he could continue. It proved to be the appropriate call as Fury was able to recover and finished the fight. The knockdown, however, likely put Usyk over the top in winning a very close twelve round split decision and emerging ever so briefly as the Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world. 

Now, as this rematch approaches, the obvious question is what could be different this time? The answer for your truly all boils down to whether Fury will be focused and not give away what ultimately proved to be crucial rounds in addition to the knockdown ruled against him later in the fight. There are two things to keep in mind here. One the champion Oleksandr Usyk has always been all business and did not allow himself to be baited into verbal exchanges before the first fight and did not take the bait when Fury spent time showboating in the early rounds. Fury thus must keep in mind that this time, he is the challenger and the onus is on him to turn things in his favor.. Will he be more aggressive in the early rounds and take an overall more serious approach in this fight as compared to the last time he faced Usyk and in his outing before that where former UFC Heavyweight world champion Frances Ngannou nearly upset him in a non-title bout?

For Usyk, the question will be whether he can deal with a more aggressive Fury out of the gate. The champion is known for his ability to use angles and out box his opponents and it will be interesting to see if Usyk will somehow be more technical in his approach than he was in the first encounter. Although the possibility exists that Usyk might be looking to make a statement this time seeing as he was able to nearly stop Fury last time, one should not expect an approach that would be over aggressive and one where Usyk tries to use his power to try and get Fury out of there. Usyk must remember that he is a master boxer and has an advantage in terms of hand speed that worked to his benefit in the first fight. One might argue that his timing and ability to catch Fury was what led to him nearly getting a stoppage in the first fight and the more sensible approach might be to try and set traps and look to counter Fury.

It does not take hype to say what this fight is about here. The Boxing world is waiting to see what happens the second time around. Will it be a repeat of what happened in chapter one or will Tyson Fury put forth a performance which would likely lead to a third encounter down the road? All questions will be answered Saturday, December 21st.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Usyk vs. Fury 2 takes place on Saturday, December 21st at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight as well as it’s full undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $39.99 beginning at 10:30AM ET/7:30AM 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, to subscribe and order this special pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com.  

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1 

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1 

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1    

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

DAZN TO BROADCAST RIYADH SEASON’S USYK VS FURY 2 : REIGNITED WORLDWIDE

Press Release: December 2, 2024 By DAZN - LONDON – December 2, 2024 – DAZN, the leading destination for boxing fans around the globe, will broadcast the highly-anticipated heavyweight rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury on Saturday, 21 December, 2024, live on DAZN PPV, from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This event will serve as the grand finale to DAZN’s extraordinary 2024 boxing lineup, which has delivered a weekly schedule of premium fights featuring the sport’s brightest stars.

Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs), the reigning WBA, WBC, and WBO Heavyweight World Champion, is set to defend his titles after his historic victory over Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) earlier this year in Riyadh. The closely contested bout marked Fury’s first professional loss and crowned Usyk the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. Fury now seeks redemption, while Usyk looks to solidify his place among boxing’s all-time greats. Highlights from their first legendary encounter can be found on DAZN Boxing’s YouTube Channel. 

DAZN continues to raise the bar in boxing coverage, offering fans unmatched access to elite matchups and rising stars. The Usyk vs. Fury rematch underscores DAZN’s mission to provide fans with the best boxing content year-round. “This fight is the perfect conclusion to an incredible year for DAZN and boxing fans everywhere,” said Alfie Sharman, Vice President DAZN. “Usyk vs. Fury 2 exemplifies the level of world-class events we are committed to delivering regularly, bringing fans the biggest names as well as the most competitive and exciting matchups the sport has to offer.”

The blockbuster main event will be complemented by a stellar undercard featuring elite talent across multiple divisions, including heavyweight clashes between top teenage prospect Moses Itauma (22-0, 10 KOs) and the Australian Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs), and undefeated Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs) against former Commonwealth title challenger Dave Allen (23-6, 18 KOs). Fans can also look forward to former WBA 154-pound Champion Israil Madrimov (10-1, 7 KOs) taking on former WBC 154-pound interim titleholder Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs), Dennis McCann (16-0-1, 8 KOs) defending his European Super Bantamweight title against Peter McGrail (10-1, 6 KOs), and Scotland’s Isaac Lowe (25-2-3, 8 KOs) facing former IBO Super Bantamweight title challenger Lee McGregor (14-1-1, 11 KOs) in a featherweight bout. 

The blockbuster card will be available worldwide on DAZN. Fans purchasing the event on DAZN Pay-Per-View before Saturday, 4 December will automatically enter a sweepstake for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid VIP trip to Riyadh, including ringside seats. Information on how to enter can be found HERE.

DAZN subscribers can access the fight via the DAZN app on any device, from smart TVs to smartphones and tablets, with no additional contracts or hidden fees.

For more information and to purchase the fight, please visit www.dazn.com. 

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 for information on how to order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Dubois-Joshua Preview

 On September 21st, the Boxing world will converge on the legendary Wembley Stadium for a significant event in Boxing’s Heavyweight division. Before we can talk about this event, however, we must briefly go back to the recent history of the sport to the last major event in the Heavyweight division. This observer is referring to the much-anticipated unification bout between undefeated world champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, which took place in Saudi Arabia on May 18th.

A unification bout, which saw Usyk emerge as the Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world, becoming the first fighter in Boxing history to successfully unify all five major sanctioning organizations to become a fully undisputed champion. As monumental as that moment in history was in seeing the first undisputed champion in the division crowned in twenty-five years, an element of the business of the sport loomed over the occasion. The fact that there was both a mandatory rematch clause as well as a separate mandatory title defense obligation by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), which conflicted with each other. 

Unfortunately, conflict would mean that there would only be one world champion in the division for several months as Usyk would be contractually unable to fulfill his obligation to the IBF due to his upcoming rematch with Fury in December, which resulted in him relinquishing the IBF crown and IBF number one mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois being named the IBF Heavyweight world champion. Dubois, who nearly dethroned Usyk when they fought in August 2023 now prepares to make the first defense of his world title in Wembley Stadium against former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua in a showdown that can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View.

While some have already chosen to discredit this encounter as a legitimate world championship fight, a point of view not shared by yours truly for the obvious reasons of regulations and policies needing to be followed and per those policies, this is a legitimate world championship fight, it does nevertheless bring together two of the division's feared “Knockout Artists." 

For the champion Daniel Dubois, he will enter this title defense having scored two impressive knockout wins in his two bouts since he lost to Usyk against Jarrell Miller in December of last year and Filip Hrgovic in June of this year. Dubois has scored knockouts in twenty of his twenty-one career wins registering a 95% career knockout percentage. The criticism of the champion, however, has been what happened to him in his two losses to Joe Joyce and Usyk where he suffered knockout losses.

 Despite suffering a broken left eye socket in his fight with Joyce in November 2020, and being broken down by Usyk, the perception of some was that Dubois quit under pressure in those fights. Although Dubois has shown the ability to bounce back well from those setbacks, he still has to combat that perception. 

If one is looking for Dubois to be tested under circumstances where the pressure will be high due in part to the “Big Fight Atmosphere," that test will likely come against Anthony Joshua.

By now, the story of Anthony Joshua is well known. A former Olympic Gold medalist and two-time unified Heavyweight world champion who is a future Hall of Famer and has spent most of his career competing in the “Big Fight Atmosphere." Much like Dubois, Joshua has suffered setbacks along the way and has also suffered two losses to Oleksandr Usyk.

Manny Boxing fans will recall that Usyk ended Joshua's second reign as a world champion in September 2021 via decision and then lost a decision in their rematch in August 2022. Since those setbacks, Joshua has rebounded winning his last four fights, three coming via knockout. In his last outing in March, Joshua scored a second round knockout of former UFC Heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou.

While the victory over the novice boxer in Ngannou was not surprising to menu given the significant difference in experience between the boxer Joshua and the MMA star Ngannou, the third consecutive knocked in the span of less than a year showed that Joshua is still a force in the division and will enter this fight rated number three in the IBF ratings. What this fight represents for Joshua is not only an opportunity to regain a version of the World Heavyweight championship, but if he were to be successful, to enter his name into a select group of fighters in the history of the sport to have won the World Heavyweight championship on three separate occasions.

It is logical based on the styles of the two fighters to think of the possibility of a short, but potentially explosive fight given the power each fighter has. The question this observer has is whether the knowledge each fighter has of what the other can do will cause them to take a more tentative approach early on. Both fighters are capable of ending a fight with one punch so the possibility of one or both being gun shy at least early is a real one. An additional thing one should keep in mind is both champion and challenger have been known to fatigue the longer a fight goes on. While that has not always translated into losses for either, it is nevertheless, something to keep an eye on. 

Beyond a version of the World Heavyweight championship being at stake in this fight, what looms ahead also seems obvious for the winner. To put themselves in position to potentially fight the winner of the Usyk-Fury rematch to once again determine one Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world. So much is at stake for both fighters, not just in terms of the often debated term “Legacy,” but also significant money to be made. We will see who will be able to take a step forward and move himself into the position to potentially fight for “Undisputed.”

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Dubois vs. Joshua takes place on Saturday, September 21st at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $19.99. The broadcast will begin at 10:30AM ET/7:30AM PT with The DAZN Boxing Show previewing the event with the Boxing action beginning at 11:30AM ET/ 8:30AM PT. (*U.S. Start 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, to subscribe, for region specific pricing, and to order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1 

 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/BeauDenison1

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1  

Crawford To Test Jr. Middleweight Waters

It may seem like a cliche in present times because there are many talented fighters throughout the entire sport of Boxing that one might argue could have this label bestowed upon them, but there are few fighters that can legitimately lay claim to being a true “Generational Talent." One such fight that this observer has used the term in describing is undefeated multi-division world champion Terrence Crawford. 

If one were to ask me to sum up Crawford’s career up to this point in a single word, it would be “Dominant" Crawford has simply dominated every weight division he has been in from the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division, to the 147lb. Welterweight division, becoming an undisputed world champion in both the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight and Welterweight divisions. As his dominance has continued, the question that has begun to be asked is when and where will Crawford reach his ceiling in terms of the weight scale. With a Hall of Fame career already cemented, having fully unified his previous two divisions, Crawford now seeks to test the waters in yet another division.

On August 3rd at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, CA, Crawford will square off against undefeated WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Israil Madrimov. A fight that can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View. This fight, which will also have Interim/Regular champion status in the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) Jr. Middleweight ratings at stake, also has the element of the unknown attached to it.

Although this will be Crawford's first fight as a 154lb. Jr. Middleweight and as such the unknown surrounding him going into this encounter is how he will respond at this weight and how he will take a punch from a natural Jr. Middleweight, this is a scenario where he is the likely favorite and has a significant edge in experience compared to champion. Israil Madrimov will enter the bout unbeaten, as will Crawford, but he has only had eleven professional fights compared to Crawford's forty. Despite the limited resume Madrimov has up to this point, he has scored knockouts in seven of his ten career wins with a draw coming in July 2022 against Michel Sorro.

Madrimov won the vacant WBA Jr. Middleweight world championship in March of this year with a fifth round knockout of previously unbeaten Magomed Kurbanov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Much like it will be in his first title defense, Madrimov won the title by beating a fighter with considerably more experience in that Kurbanov was 25-0, with 13 Knockouts going into that fight.

The difference here is Crawford is significantly more accomplished and has higher name recognition as a former two-time undisputed world champion as well as being a three-division world champion overall. What this fight will come down to is whether or not Madrimov will be able to get the respect of Crawford early. It is important to keep in mind that Crawford has been one of the most dominant fighters of his era and has not had the type of wars that often come with a long and illustrious career. When a fighter is used to outclassing their competition to the degree that Crawford has, there can be at least an expectation from a fan’s perspective that they will be able to just walk in and continue doing the same as they continue to fight on and in this case, move up in weight.

Madrimov must show early on that not only is he there to fight and defend his title, but also show Crawford that this will not be a fight that he will be able to dictate. This obviously is something that could be easier said than done.

While Crawford has never shown a tendency towards being potentially over confident and is usually one of the most dedicated and serious practitioners of the sweet science of Boxing, he could have some potentially lucrative paydays in line for him including, but not limited to a potential encounter with current unified Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez down the line. Despite everything from a statistical standpoint appearing to favor Crawford, he needs to maintain the same serious mindset he has shown his whole career. He is after all the challenger and is going against a fighter who has fought as high as 166lbs. as an amateur and is naturally bigger than him.

Boxing is truly a sport of opportunity. In this case, a future Hall of Famer is looking to add another accolade to his legacy, and on the other side of the ring will be an undefeated world champion that has a golden opportunity to make a name for himself by scoring what many would consider an upset in his first title defense. Such storylines are what makes the sport great.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Madrimov vs. Crawford takes place on Saturday, August 3rd at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View beginning at 4:30PM ET/1:30PM PT for $79.99. For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times and pricing in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

(*Card and Start Times Subject To Change.*)

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1    

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1 

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1