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.

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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. 

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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." 

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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.

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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.  

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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.*)

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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.*)

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Paul-Perry Preview

July 20, 2024 was to be a day in the world of Boxing marked by an event that is a curiosity more so than a legitimate fight in the eyes of many. The day that social media influencer turned aspiring Cruiserweight boxer Jake Paul was to enter the ring at AT&T Stadium in Dallas,TX to square off against long-retired two-time World Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in an event that would also signal a new entry of broadcast platform into the sport of Boxing in the form of Netflix. As most know, Tyson recently suffered a medical emergency on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles, which resulted in the event being postponed until Friday, November 15th.

With the fifty-eight year old Hall of Famer Tyson sidelined, Paul has opted to keep the original July 20 date as he will face UFC veteran and current Bareknuckle boxer Mike Perry at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL in a Cruiserweight bout that can be seen on DAZN Pay-Per-View. There are a few interesting things to keep in mind going into this fight. One the risk for Paul in moving forward with the date even though the fight with Tyson, criticized or not, has been rescheduled for November. After all,  there is always the possibility of potential injury that could be sustained, including, but not limited to cuts that could derail things with Tyson even further.  Secondly, there is a perception that Paul, who insists he is serious about being a boxer and wanting to be taken seriously as a boxer, with the goal of fighting for world championships, facing another fighter who is primarily known for his background in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

The wrinkle here is Mike Perry does have professional Boxing experience, but primarily as a Bareknuckle boxer. How that will translate as he will be fighting under the traditional professional Boxing format for only the second time, remains to be seen. What Perry does bring into this fight is he has shown in his Bareknuckle bouts that he is durable and can take a punch. Where there might be a liability for him is he has shown to be susceptible to being hit with right hands in those fights. 

Although fights fought under Bareknuckle rules do not have the emphasis on the element of defense as compared to its traditional counterpart, what makes this noteworthy is Paul's primary weapon that he has shown throughout his career has been a right hand that he has been able to score six knockouts in his nine career victories. Meanwhile, Perry's lone bout fought under traditional Boxing rules was a four round decision loss to a fighter named Kenneth McNeil in March 2015 in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight. As a Bareknuckle boxer, however, Perry is unbeaten with a record of 6-0, with 3 Knockouts and will come into this fight off of a first round knockout over fellow UFC veteran Thiago Alvez in a fight fought in the Bareknucke Fighting Championship promotion (BKFC) in April of this year.

For his part, Paul is also coming off of a first round knockout win in March over a fighter named Ryan Bourland. While Bourland, a veteran of nineteen professional fights prior to facing Paul, was seen as a step in the right direction for Paul in the sense that unlike the vast majority of Paul's previous opposition, he was a professional boxer with more experience than him, he offered no resistance and Paul was able to get a stoppage late in the first round.

Whether or not this fight with Mike Perry turns out to be something more serious than a “Stay Busy" fight for Paul before taking part in an event being sold as a fight that has been heavily criticized due to the age of Mike Tyson, remains to be seen. While there is some risk involved here and it is understandable that Paul like most fighters in his position would want to stay active when an originally scheduled opponent had to withdraw, it is also understandable how criticism of Paul will likely continue, despite his wanting to be taken seriously as a boxer, regardless of what happens in this fight or in November, if the event with Tyson does take place.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Paul vs. Perry takes place on Saturday, July 20th at Amalie Arena In Tampa, FL. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View with free preliminary bouts beginning at 7PM ET/4PM PT followed by the pay-per-view card beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT for $64.99. For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Paul-Perry Set For July 20th In Tampa On DAZN Pay-Per-View

Press Release: June 18, 2024 By DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions- NEW YORK, NY – June 18, 2024 – Today, MVP announced that international superstar Jake “El Gallo” Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) will return to the ring for “Fear No Man,” a cruiserweight battle against the incredibly dangerous bare knuckle champion boxer and MMA star “Platinum” Mike Perry (5-0, 3 KOs BKFC) on Saturday, July 20 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, live on DAZN pay-per-view. Paul vs. Perry will be an eight round cruiserweight bout, as Paul faces his most dangerous opponent to date and puts it all on the line in an incredibly risky fight against the baddest bare knuckle boxer of all time ahead of his bout with the Baddest Man on the Planet, Mike Tyson. Boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) will also return to the ring against Tampa, Florida’s top-10 ranked IBF, WBO, and WBA talent and KO artist, Stevie “Sledgehammer” Morgan (14-1, 13 KOs) in the co-main event. Serrano vs. Morgan will be a super lightweight battle, contested over 10, two-minute rounds as Serrano aims to display her power at super lightweight against the powerful puncher, Morgan, ahead of her clash with Katie Taylor on Friday, November 15. Tickets for Paul vs. Perry and Serrano vs. Morgan at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL will go on sale Wednesday, June 19th at 12pm ET on Ticketmaster.com. 

Credit: DAZN/Most Valuable Promotions 

“Fear No Man” is presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy. The undercard will also feature the rematch of Crescent City, Florida’s Tony Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Orlando, Florida’s Corey “2Smoove" Marksman (9-0-1, 7 KOs) in an 8-round lightweight bout. Further undercard fights will be announced in the coming days. 

Jake “El Gallo” Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) has shown tremendous growth as a boxer on his path to becoming a world champion, and now will face his most dangerous opponent to date, Mike Perry, on Saturday, July 20. Perry’s formidable knockout power and fearless mentality will pose a true risk and test for Paul as the 27-year-old aims to prove he has what it takes in the ring against his second youngest opponent to date, the 32-year-old Perry, who is one of the world’s most feared fighters and the baddest bare knuckle boxer of all time. Paul will nevertheless put it all on the line ahead of his bout against the Baddest Man on the Planet, Mike Tyson on Friday, November 15. Since turning pro in 2020, Paul has collected multiple accolades for his commitment to the sport of boxing, including ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of the Year, Sports Illustrated’s 2021 Breakout Boxer of the Year, ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year, and was the cover of Sports Illustrated’s “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports” issue, awarded specifically for his groundbreaking work to revolutionize the sport through equitable pay, providing a platform for young fighters, and his support of female boxers. Paul also recently announced a partnership with USA Boxing ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, continuing his mission to elevate the sport and its future champions. 

Since headlining his first fight, Paul has broken records at every arena he’s fought at during his professional career, including his first fight at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, Paul vs. Woodley II, which set the record for the highest combat sports gate in the arena’s history. Paul now returns to challenge his own record at Amalie Arena.

“When Paul vs. Tyson was rescheduled, I knew immediately that I wanted to still fight on Saturday, July 20. Now, as I prepare for my fight against Iron Mike, there’s no better opponent for me than Mike Perry,” said Jake Paul. “He’s a proven knockout artist who has shown to be a maniac in and out of the ring. This is the perfect experience for me to gain in advance of facing Mike Tyson. But getting that experience comes with risk. Those who know me know I’m a risk taker and while ‘Platinum’ Perry might try to end me, I’m Titanium Jake Paul and I fear no man. I’m going to get the W and give everyone a preview of what I’m bringing to the ring against Mike Tyson. Tune in on DAZN PPV as I return to Tampa and send ‘Platinum’ Perry the Platypus back to bare knuckle for good.”

"Platinum" Mike Perry (5-0, 3 KOs BKFC), one of the most dangerous fighters in combat sports, steps into the ring with Jake Paul following his fearsome career across the UFC, Triad Combat, and bare knuckle boxing. Following his 14-win career in the UFC, boasting 11 wins by knockout, Perry made his Triad Combat debut in November 2021, taking on 27-3, 21 KOs seasoned boxer Michael Seals, demonstrating his ability to handle power punchers and outworking Seals to a split decision victory in the bout. Less than three months later, Perry made his bare knuckle boxing debut with BKFC, securing his first win over Julian Lane in 2022, which he followed with a thrilling win over dynamic striker Michael “Venom” Page later that year. Perry's bout with former UFC champion Luke Rockhold in April 2023 ended decisively with a second-round knockout, highlighting Perry’s striking power and relentless pressure from the opening bell. In his BKFC “King of Violence” title fight in December 2023 against Eddie Alvarez, the first-ever fighter to become a champion in both UFC and Bellator, Perry displayed his vicious power yet again with a second round TKO due to corner stoppage. Perry earned the 2023 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Male Fighter of the Year and in April 2024, he expanded his undefeated record to 5-0 with a first-round KO of UFC veteran Thiago Alves. The bout served as the latest testament to the power, tenacity and skill Perry will bring to the ring against Jake Paul on Saturday, July 20 for “Fear No Man”.

“Jake Paul claims he fears no man, but on Saturday, July 20, the world will see the truth: he just made the worst mistake of his life in trying to get through me before Iron Mike,” said Mike Perry. “I’m going to make it look easy on Saturday July 20th, and I’m going to teach Jake Paul the most he’s ever learned about fighting."

Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs), the first-ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion, started her current featherweight title reign by defeating Heather Hardy in a brutal 10-round fight in 2019 to win the WBO belt, and has since defended her WBO belt six times. Serrano offered Hardy redemption in August 2023, but successfully defended her undisputed featherweight world champion title for the first time in a decisive 10 round unanimous decision victory. Serrano also won a blood-soaked war against WBA featherweight champion Erika Cruz in February 2023, which made her the undisputed featherweight champion. Serrano’s decisive win against Cruz followed her previous win over Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England that added the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO, WBC, and IBO featherweight belts. Her historic clash against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022 earned recognition as Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year and was further nominated for Event of the Year by Sports Business Journal. Most recently, Serrano took home a unanimous decision victory against her mandatory WBO challenger Danila Ramos, making history in the first-ever women’s unified world championship to be fought over 12, three-minute rounds, equal to any men’s championship fight, and marking the first time a women’s fight has gone the full 12x3. Serrano threw a career high of 1103 punches in the bout. In honor of her trailblazing achievements inside and outside the ring, Serrano was also recently awarded the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Female Fighter of the Year for 2023. Following her bout against Stevie Morgan on Saturday, July 20, Serrano is set to face Katie Taylor in the most anticipated women’s boxing rematch in modern history, for the undisputed super lightweight women’s championship. Taylor vs. Serrano will be the co-main event of the rescheduled Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson mega-event at AT&T Stadium on Friday, November 15. 

“I’ve already been preparing for a fight on Saturday, July 20, and even though I’ll now be waiting a little longer for my rematch with Katie Taylor, this is an opportunity for me to face another tough boxer in Stevie Morgan in Tampa,” said Amanda Serrano. “My opponent has 13 KOs, more than almost every other active female boxer, but I fear no woman – I embrace the war. I look forward to seeing all my Puerto Rican fans in Tampa for my 50th professional fight to show the world my skills at super lightweight, live on DAZN PPV.” 

Stevie Morgan (14-1, 13 KOs), the 34-year-old 5’8” lightweight talent, has established herself as a formidable force in the boxing world. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Stevie was an athlete throughout her school years, excelling in track and field, basketball, and football. Her journey into boxing began just a year before her first amateur fight, under the guidance of coach John Cassella. As an amateur, Stevie quickly rose to prominence with around 40 fights and accolades such as Outstanding Female Boxer and Florida Golden Gloves Champion. Stevie made her professional debut on June 18, 2022, with Brandi Mccain’s One One Six Promotions in Memphis, Tennessee. Under the expert training of Monyette Flowers at Flowers Boxing Lab, she has continued to build on her amateur success as a professional. Now in just her second year as a pro, she is currently ranked by the WBC and is in the top 10 of the IBF, WBO, and WBA world rankings. 

“We’ve been training for an opportunity like this, and I want to give full respect to Amanda for all she has done in her career and for women’s boxing,” said Stevie Morgan. “In this sport, though, in order to make a name, you have to take a name. I have 13 KOs and nothing will be sweeter than making Amanda Serrano number 14. Come fight night on Saturday, July 20 there will be fireworks!” 

“The stakes are high for every single one of MVP’s fighters stepping into the ring on Saturday, July 20. For Jake and Amanda, the pressure is on to emerge with a W against two very dangerous opponents in Mike Perry and Stevie Morgan,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “Jake Paul is facing a monster in Mike Perry. Amanda Serrano is going in there with a fighter who has 13KOs in 15 fights. Nothing is a given for our two superstars. We also have an incredible lineup of undercard fights coming together, the first of which features highly talented lightweight prospects Aguilar vs. Marksman. This fight will see these young talents putting their undefeated records on the line and working to set a new precedent for hopeful title contenders in the sport. We are excited to return to Tampa and put on another heart racing night of fights.”

Joining the undercard will be a battle of two of boxing’s up-and-coming lightweight prospects, Tony Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Corey Marksman (9-0-1, 7 KOs). The two were longtime amateur rivals before turning pro, and now look to secure Florida bragging rights during the bout. The 25-year-old Aguilar, a Crescent City, FL native, returns to the ring off his latest three thrilling fights on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects series, including his initial bout against Marksman on Most Valuable Prospects 5 in February 2024. He proudly represents his Mexican heritage in the ring, and is a relentlessly hard-working fighter who will look to keep the action high and his opponent guessing in his eagerly-anticipated rematch against Orlando, Florida’s Marksman. In the pair’s recent faceoff, the 23-year-old Marksman matched Aguilar’s energy and met the challenge with his own aggression and power. Aguilar, promoted by boxing legend Christy Martin, and Marksman fittingly fought to a split draw, a decision each will look to right in their favor on Saturday, July 20 in their first major PPV appearances.

“It’s great to have Jake Paul back on DAZN in another action packed, high risk fight,” said Jared Kass, SVP North America of DAZN. “With an unprecedented number of top-tier fights every year of DAZN, we are pleased to be adding another huge fight to our already packed summer schedule. Watch the fight exclusively live Saturday, July 20, only on DAZN PPV.”

Paul vs. Perry and Serrano vs. Morgan: “Fear No Man” is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed by DAZN pay-per–view. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP. Additional information will be announced in the coming weeks. 

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

About MVP

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

About DAZN

DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). We are building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.

For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com. 

Vinik Sports Group/Tampa Bay Lightning/AMALIE Arena:

The three-time Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning (2004, 2020, 2021) of the National Hockey League and the leasehold rights to AMALIE Arena, the 19,092-seat home in which the team plays its games, were purchased by Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment, an entity established by Chairman and Governor Jeff Vinik, in March of 2010. Since that time, the Lightning and the arena have undergone a complete brand and business transformation, featuring a $100 million dollar renovation of the publicly owned facility as well as back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2020 and 2021. AMALIE Arena serves as the centerpiece of the vibrant Water Street district of downtown Tampa, a development spearheaded by Vinik, in a partnership with Strategic Property Partners. In February of 2020, the organization announced the creation of Vinik Sports Group, which now serves as the parent company of the Lightning, AMALIE Arena and other sports and entertainment assets, including management of the Yuengling Center on the campus of the University of South Florida, as well as multi-media rights for USF Athletics. AMALIE Arena hosts over 200 events per year with over 2 million guests walking through the doors, while Yuengling Center hosts over 250 events per year with over 1 million guests. Both have the mission to provide world-class entertainment for sports fans and music enthusiasts alike.

Material and Photo Courtesy of:DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission.

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

Haney-Garcia: Should It Go On?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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

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