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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Benavidez-Andrade Take Boxing's Spotlight On Thanksgiving Weekend 2023

There are several weekends throughout the calendar year that Boxing fans look forward to every year. Whether it be on the fourth of July weekend, Cinco De Mayo, or Mexican Independence Day weekend to name a few, there is always at least one Boxing event that draws interest. One holiday weekend that is normally associated with great food, parades, NFL Football, and of course, shopping as the official beginning of the Christmas holiday season, is Thanksgiving weekend here in the United States. While the aforementioned activities will always be first in mind for many, one aspect of Thanksgiving weekend that at times can be overlooked is that it has periodically also been a destination for Boxing.

The 2023 Thanksgiving weekend will be headlined by a battle between two undefeated former world champions in an intriguing Super-Middleweight elimination bout. Former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion David Benavidez will meet former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade in a WBC elimination bout to determine the next number one contender as far as the WBC is concerned for current Undisputed Super-Middleweight champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez. A fight that will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV that can be seen in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View in the main event of what will be the final pay-per-view card produced by Showtime Sports before the network exits the sport of Boxing at the conclusion of 2023.

In some ways, this fight, though not for a world championship, brings together two fighters who have each been regarded as both among the best in the sport and arguably two of the most avoided fighters as well. Fighters with styles like Benavidez and Andrade are indeed viewed by some as a high risk, low reward scenario. This is due to both being crafty, elusive boxers, each with the ability to box, but also having solid hand speed and punching power. Such attributes have rightfully earned both the label as a dangerous option for potential opponents to take and many including for the moment, Alvarez, have for whatever reason chosen other options rather than face either Benavidez or Andrade.

Thus, it has created a unique and somewhat rarely seen scenario where two fighters labeled as both “Dangerous" and “Avoided" have the option of facing each other in the hope that a victory will allow them not just an opportunity to fight for another world championship, but also the potential for a significantly lucrative payday by potentially facing Alvarez. Perhaps such a scenario points out a flaw that can unfortunately exist from time to time in the sport of Boxing in that, despite being a former world champion and being among the highest skilled fighters in the sport as both Benavidez and Andrade are, it does not necessarily equate to getting the most lucrative opportunities, at least without going through significant hurdles beforehand.

Nevertheless, the fight between the two does present what should be an interesting clash of styles where the question going into the fight might be who will take the initiative. Although both fighters can do many of the same things inside the ring, a small wrinkle that some might point to that could give Andrade an edge is that David Benavidez is traditionally a slow starter. While the counter argument is that by starting slow it allows Benavidez an opportunity to assess what his opponent has, against a fighter like Andrade, starting slow might ultimately work against him if Andrade is able to find his rhythm early and dictate the tempo of the combat.

Where Benavidez’ strength is, is as a fight progresses, he picks up his offensive output and tends to throw punches at a significantly high volume. This could be a key if the fight gets into the middle and late rounds because Demetrius Andrade has not to date faced a fighter with the type of hand speed or punching power that his opponent in this bout Benavidez has in his arsenal as he will likely be trying to apply pressure that Andrade has not experienced before in the middle and late stages of the fight. By the same token, Benavidez has not faced a fighter with either the hand speed or power that Andrade has and he has never faced a fighter with Andrade’s skill.

What this creates for the Boxing fan is a true case of the element of the unknown as there is a legitimate question as to what will happen when the two fighters get in the ring because for all intents and purposes, this looks to be an even fight at least on paper. As interesting as this fight appears to be, it will be taking place under the shadow of Showtime’s impending exit from the sport after thirty-seven years as one of the powerhouses in Boxing.

Although this observer will have more thoughts about that subject as we get closer to the end of 2023 in an upcoming column here on The Boxing Truth®️, one might wonder with the network having announced their impending exit in October, if that will hurt or perhaps help the potential pay-per-view buys for this bout. While there is significant evidence to suggest that the overuse of an outdated and overpriced model of pay-per-view has led to Showtime and to be more specific it's parent company Paramount Global seeking to leave the sport, it is still a shame that a fight like this, which deserves significant attention, has not been given the same type of promotional pudh as some previous Showtime Pay-Per-View events. Even if this fight as many others before it would likely have more eyes viewing it if it were available live on Showtime's cable network or even Paramount's streaming network Paramount+ than it probably will on pay-per-view, it nevertheless has the potential to be a great fight.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Benavidez vs. Andrade takes place on Saturday, November 25th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. The fight can be seen in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View beginning at 8PM ET/5PN PT for $74.99. The pay-per-vieq broadcast will be available on traditional cable/satellite telco providers as well as streaming pay-per-view platforms such as FITE and PPV.com. Contact your local cable/satellite provider for more information.

To order and stream on the FITE app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs Click here to order and for additional instructions on how to download the FITE app. 

To order and stream on the PPV.com app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs and for instructions on how to download the PPV.com app Click here.

(*Check your local listings Internationally.*)

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

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Zhanibek Alimkhanuly: The Next Star Of The Middleweight Division?

The 160lb. Middleweight division in addition to being one of the most competitive throughout the history of Boxing is also a division that has been defined by fighters that have through their success in the weight class, have gone on to be stars in the sport with many ultimately being regarded as legends when their careers are over. In recent times the fighter most identified with the Middleweight division has been two-time Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin, who's first reign as champion saw him tie the record set by Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins for most consecutive successful title defenses of twenty.

Throughout Golovkin's reign, which this observer chronicled as "A Path Of Destruction" due to Golovkin also compiling a streak of knockouts in addition to making a run for the record held by Hopkins, I also routinely discussed the parallels between him and another legendary Middleweight world champion, the late great Marvelous Marvin Hagler in that much like Hagler, Golovkin literally forced his way to a position where he was regarded as a star in the sport, despite several fighters who had that star label choosing to avoid fighting him and used his reign atop the Middleweight division to do it. As most know in Golovkin's case, it eventually led to his trilogy with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez where two of the three fights ended in controversial decisions that many felt should have gone Golovkin's way, not all unlike Hagler losing a close and controversial split decision to Sugar Ray Leonard in April 1987 and with it the loss of his Middleweight crown.

Following his second loss to Alvarez in September of last year, where he moved up in weight to challenge Alvarez for his Undisputed Super-Middleweight world championship, Golovkin appears to be heading to retirement as he began relinquishing world championships that he had once again unified during his second reign, which began in 2019 following his first loss to Alvarez in their second fight in 2018 at Middleweight. Ironically, as one fighter's career appears to be at its end, the vacancies created by Golovkin relinquishing his portions of the World Middleweight championship has given way to a new world champion, who like Golovkin, might be the next star to carry the division.

Enter Zhanibek Alimkhanuly. Alimkhanuly similar to how Gennady Golovkin initially became a world champion, earned his position by becoming a mandatory challenger for then WBO world champion Demetrius Andrade. When Andrade decided to vacate his world championship and move up to the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division, Alimkhanuly per his holding a mandatory challenger position and with it, an interim champion designation, became the recognized WBO Middleweight world champion. With his reign now recognized, Alimkhanuly now prepares for what will be the second defense of his title when he faces WBO number six rated Super-Middleweight contender Steven Butler on Saturday, May 12th at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA.

The story going into this fight, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ is largely what type of champion Alimkhanuly might be. While this will be his second defense of a reign that initially began under an interim champion designation, Alimkhanuly does have a limited, but impressive resume to this point being unbeaten in thirteen professional fights with nine knockouts. The most recognizable name on the champion's record to date is former WBO Middleweight world champion Hasan N'Dam, whom Alimkhanuly defeated in November 2021 via stoppage.

A recurring theme that will be present at least for a while assuming that Alimkhanuly is able to keep his portion of the World Middleweight championship is he will likely be facing fighters with more experience in terms of professional fights than he has. It is a scenario that he will face in going against Steven Butler.

Butler, a former Canadian amateur champion, has a respectable record of 32-3-1, with 26 Knockouts coming into this challenge for a world championship in what will be the first world title fight in his career. Butler had previously come up short in attempting to secure an interim designation when he was stop by Ryota Murata in 2019. Despite having more experience than the champion coming into this bout, a potential red flag against Butler is he has been stopped in each of his three losses. What Butler does have going for him in addition to having more professional experience than the champion is he has won his last four fights and it will be interesting to see what he brings with him in this fight against a fighter in Zhanibek Alimkhanuly that has yet to be tested thus far in his career.

Ultimately, despite the unknowns that surrounds Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, despite being a world champion, due to his limited experience, what will hang over the Middleweight division at least for the immediate future if Gennady Golovkin does decide to retire, will be a period of transition where both contenders and world champions try to establish themselves as the division's next central figure. Whether Zhanibek Alimkhanuly or Steven Butler are among the fighters who will be vying for that position in the post-Golovkin era of the Middleweight division remains to be seen.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Alimkhanuly vs. Butler takes place on Saturday, May 13th at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 6:10PM ET/3:10PM PT. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please www.ESPNPlus.com. 

*Check your local listings internationally.*

*Card and start time subject to change.*

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Davis-Garcia Weights

The official weigh-in for Saturday’s Lightweight bout between undefeated former unified Jr. Lightweight world champion Gervonta Davis and current WBA Jr. Lightweight world champion Hector Garcia took place on Friday in Washington, D. C. Weights for the four bout televised card, which can be seen here in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View are as follows.

*Main Event: Lightweight – 12Rds.

Gervonta Davis 134lbs. vs. Hector Garcia 134lbs.

(* Bout will determine Interim/Regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s Lightweight ratings. A designation currently held by Davis.*)

*Welterweight – 12Rds.

Jaron Ennis 145 3/4lbs. vs. Karen Chukhadzhian 146 1/2lbs.

(*Bout will determine Interim/Regular champion status in the International Boxing Federation Welterweight ratings.*)

Welterweight – 12Rds.

Rashidi Ellis 146 1/2lbs. vs. Roiman Villa 145 3/4lbs.

Super-Middleweight – 10Rds.

Demetrius Andrade 167lbs. vs. Demond Nicholson 167 1/2lbs.

Davis vs. Garcia takes place Tonight Saturday, January 7th at the Capital One Center in Washington, D. C. The fight as well as three undercard bouts can be seen in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View on cable/satellite as well as the Showtime and PPV.Com streaming apps for $74.95 beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT. Contact your local cable/satellite providers or visit: www.SHO.com or www.PPV.com for ordering information.

*Check your local listings internationally.

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Andrade KO’s Quigley In 2 To Retain WBO Middleweight World Championship

 

Undefeated WBO Middleweight world champion Demetrius Andrade scored a statement-making second round knockout of WBO number ten rated Middleweight contender Jason Quigley on Friday night at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH. Andrade, who is a two-division world champion having previously held the WBO Jr. Middleweight crown, was making the fifth defense of his WBO Middleweight world championship. An extremely talented boxer with an impressive skillset, Andrade has faced struggles in securing lucrative fights in and around the 160lb. Middleweight division due to his Boxing style that while dominant does not always result in entertaining knockouts the generate interest to secure some of those lucrative fights. Andrade was not interested in going twelve rounds in this title defense as he patiently waited for his opening and then landed a short left hook to the head that sent Quigley down. In round two, Andrade did not allow Quigley time to recover dropping him a second time with a left hook to the head. The end came when a combination landed and sent Quigley down for a third time forcing a stoppage of the bout. Official time of the stoppage was 2:24 of round two. Demetrius Andrade advances to 31-0, with 19 Knockouts. Jason Quigley falls to 19-2, with 14 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

In a disappointing clash for the WBC Flyweight world championship, champion Julio Cesar Martinez and veteran McWilliams Arroyo fought to a three round no contest. It did not take long for the action to heat up as the challenger Arroyo dropped Martinez midway through the first round with a flush left hook to the jaw that sent the champion down into the ropes. Although Martinez did not go down fully, the ropes did prevent him from going down, but also his glove did touch the canvas. Late in round one, the champion answered back by dropping Arroyo with a left hook of his own to the head. Round two saw Martinez score a second knockdown of the challenger with a left hook followed by a push. Although the push was clear, it was ruled a knockdown. Later in round two, Arroyo was cut over the right eye as a result of an accidental clash of heads. At the beginning of round three, Arroyo informed the ringside physician that he could not see resulting in the no contest being rendered. Julio Cesar Martinez maintains his record of 18-1-0 1NC, with 14 Knockouts. McWilliams Arroyo maintains his record of 21-4-0-1NC, with 16 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated unified IBF/WBA Jr. Featherweight world champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision over a very “Game” Jose Velasquez. The challenger consistently pressed the action from start to finish and was the aggressor throughout, but it was Akhmadaliev’s cleaner punches, angles, and ring generalship that resulted in him retaining his unified world championship via unanimous decision. Official scores were: 119-109 (On all three scorecards) for Akhmadaliev. Murodjon Akhmadaliev advances to 10-0, with 7 Knockouts. Jose Velasquez falls to 29-7-2, with 19 Knockouts.

 

In a bout for the WBA/IBO/WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship, WBA/IBO world champion Kali Reis scored a hard fought ten round split decision over top contender Jessica Camara. Reis started the fight at a quick pace, but as the fight progressed the challenger pressed the action and landed several right hands and left hooks to the head that appeared to be the cleaner punches through the middle rounds. With the championship seemingly slipping away, Reis was able to get a second wind in the closing rounds to earn the nod on two of three judges scorecards to retain her championship and add the vacant WBO championship to her unified crown. Reis now advances to face undefeated WBC/IBF Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron in 2022 to determine an undisputed world champion in the Women’s 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. Official scores were 97-93 (Reis), 95-94 (Camara), and 97-93 in favor of Reis. Kali Reis advances to 19-7-1, with 7 Knockouts. Jessica Camara falls to 8-3, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Heavyweight Demsey McKean battered an over matched Don Haynesworth over six one-sided rounds to earn a stoppage win early in the sixth round. Official time was :27 of round six. Demsey McKean advances to 20-0, with 13 Knockouts. Don Haynesworth falls to 16-8-1, with 14 Knockouts.

 

Unbeaten Jr. Welterweight Nelson Perez scored a four round unanimous decision over Raymundo Cardiel. Perez dropped Cardiel in an exchange of left hooks in the first round where his simply landed first. This was followed by a second knockdown in round two with another left hook to the head of Cardiel. Although Perez simply could not miss with his left hand and it seemed Cardiel was outgunned, to his credit, Cardiel hung in there and made it to the final bell. All three official judges scored the bout 40-34 in favor of Perez. Nelson Perez advances to 5-0, with 2 Knockouts. Raymundo Cardiel falls to 3-8-2 with 3 Knockouts.

 

In a battle of unbeaten Cruiserweights Thomas O'Toole scored a first round knockout of previously undefeated Mark Malone. The southpaw O'Toole rocked Malone with a left hand that staggered him and while against the ropes O’Toole unleashed a vicious left hook to the head that sent Malone down and out on the canvas. Official time of the stoppage was 1:31 of round one. Malone was down for a few minutes following the knockout, but was able to leave the ring under his own power. Thomas O’Toole advances to 2-0, with 2 Knockouts. Mark Malone falls to 1-1, with 0 Knockouts.  

 

Light-Heavyweights Khalil Coe and Aaron Casper began the evening by fighting to a four round majority draw. Coe had a solid first round mixing his attack to the body and head of Casper. From round two on however, Casper seemed to get more aggressive and brought the fight to Coe and forcing the combat on the inside. While neither fighter never stood out clearly from the other, it appeared Casper dictated the fight down the stretch. Official scores were 39-37 (Coe), and 38-38 (On two scorecards. Khalil Coe advances to 1-0-1, with 1 Knockout. Aaron Casper advances to 6-4-2, with 5 Knockouts.

 

This latest victory for Demetrius Andrade was the type that in a perfect Boxing universe would drum up demand for him to face the other champions in the division including WBC world champion Jermall Charlo and the winner of the upcoming unification bout between unified IBF/IBO Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and WBA champion Ryota Murata, which will take place on December 29^th in Tokyo, Japan, in scoring a quick conclusive knockout where he did not leave much room for critics to criticize his performance if they were to do so objectively..  Boxing unfortunately is far from a perfect universe, but Andrade has done everything he can do as a defending champion to make the argument for the lucrative fights that have thus far eluded him. While there is certainly more that goes into the equation on the business end of the sport, this observer asks this simple question. After thirty-one consecutive wins and being a world champion in two different divisions, what more does Demetrius Andrade have to do to get one lucrative fight let alone the slew of lucrative opportunities normally available to the top stars in the sport?

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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Andrade-Quigley Weights

 

The official weigh-in for Friday’s WBO Middleweight world championship fight between undefeated world champion Demetrius Andrade and WBO number ten rated contender Jason Quigley took place earlier today in Manchester, NH. Weights for the entire card, which will be broadcast globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN are below.

 

Main Event: WBO Middleweight World championship – 12Rds.

 

Demetrius Andrade (Champion) 160lbs. vs. Jason Quigley (Challenger) 159 3/4lbs.

 

*Women’s WBA/IBO/WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship – 10Rds.

 

Kali Reis (WBA/IBO world champion) 138lbs. vs. Jessica Camara (Challenger) 139lbs.

 

(*The vacant WBO world championship in the Women’s Jr. Welterweight division will also be at stake in this bout. Winner of this bout to face WBC/IBF world champion Chantelle Cameron on a date to be determined in 2022 for the Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world championship.)

 

WBC Flyweight World championship – 12Rds.

 

Julio Cesar Martinez (Champion) 111 1/4lbs. vs. McWilliams Arroyo (Challenger) 111 1/2lbs.

 

IBF/WBA Jr. Featherweight world championship – 12Rds.

 

Murodjon Akhmadaliev (Champion) 121 3/4lbs. vs. Jose Velasquez (Challenger) 121 1/2lbs.

 

Heavyweight – 8Rds.

 

Demsey McKean 243lbs. vs.  Don Haynesworth 293 1/2lbs.

 

Jr. Welterweight – 6Rds.

 

Nelson Perez 140lbs. vs. Raymundo Cardiel 139 1/2lbs.

 

Light-Heavyweight – 4 Rds.

 

Khalil Coe 175 3/4lbs. vs. Aaron Casper 174 3/4lbs.

 

Cruiserweight – 4Rds.

 

Thomas O’Toole 186 3/4lbs. vs. Mark Malone 198 1/2lbs.  

 

Andrade vs. Quigley takes place tomorrow night (Friday, November 19^th) at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH. The entire card can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with Before The Bell, which will air preliminary bouts beginning at 5:15PM ET/2:15PM PT. This will be followed by the main card, which will begin at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT (U.S. Times). For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

 

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Is Munguia Ready For Middleweight World Title Shot?

 

The Middleweight fight between undefeated former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia, current top rated Middleweight contender and former Middleweight world title challenger Gabriel Rosado was eagerly anticipated from the moment the scheduled November 13^th clash was announced. The obvious reason for this is you had two fighters that are known as offensive-minded boxers with one, Munguia, being a noted as a feared “Knockout Artist.”

 

While it is indeed true that Munguia entered the bout against Rosado having scored knockouts in thirty of his thirty-seven career wins including three straight knockouts since moving up from the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division to the 160lb. Middleweight division, like most fighters who are able to garner a reputation for scoring quick knockouts, he had not been tested in his career and with potential title shots looming, it was logical to wonder if the veteran Rosado would be able to provide that tesy for him.

 

In Gabriel Rosado, Munguia faced what amounted to the very definition of a seasoned professional fighter. Rosado a veteran of forty-one bouts going into this fight and had earned a reputation for his willingness to fight anyone regardless if the circumstances were such that he stepped into fights on short notice and/or viewed as a significant underdog depending on his opposition. Rosado however, had developed a bit of a career resurgence after aligning with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach in dropping a disputed split decision to former IBF Middleweight world champion Daniel Jacobs in November of last year and then scoring what many feel is a candidate for Knockout of the Year when he knocked out previously undefeated highly touted prospect Bektemir  Melikuziev in June of this year. A fight where Rosado got up from a knockdown in the first round before knocking Melikuziev out cold with a single counter punch in the third round.

 

Despite the thrilling nature in which that knockout occurred, Rosado still had a hard luck reputation as well having lost thirteen bouts in his career. While it was understandable that he would again be put in position as an underdog going into this fight, Rosado had shown significant improvement under Roach's guidance and thanks to his performance against Melikuziev, had also shown an ability to end a fight suddenly if given the opportunity.

 

It was certainly not surprising to see Munguia attempt to establish a quick pace from the outset when the two fighters met at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. The question this observer had however, was one that can be split into two parts. Would Rosado be able to handle fighting at such a high pace and if so, could he potentially find a way to use Munguia’s aggression against him?

 

One aspect of Rosado's approach that I noticed early on that I felt worked well for him was the periodic use of his jab and what appeared to be a strategy based on trying to land offense to Munguia’s body. While at not point at least in the first half of the fight did Rosado come close to matching Munguia's output, I did feel the strategic approach as well as setting up counter punch opportunities would show more success as the fight progressed.

 

Furthermore, I felt that if Rosado could land offense to Munguia’s body more than occasionally, Munguia’s pace would decline in the middle and later rounds. Rosado was able to execute some effective counter shots particularly in being able to snap Munguia’s head back with his right hand periodically throughout the twelve round bout, but as the fight progressed, he gradually got away from both using his jab and did not attempt to go to the body with consistency throughout. This allowed Munguia to maintain control of the combat in what was an exciting fight albeit lopsided victory for Munguia on the scorecards in earning a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to move his record to 38-0, with 30 Knockouts.

 

While at the end of the day, Munguia simply did what he needed to do in scoring a victory, he was also put to the test by Rosado who gave him a hard fight for all twelve rounds. Although Rosado simply did not throw often enough and was not able to score knockdowns throughout the fight, which could have made a difference in the scoring of the fight, he did succeed in testing Munguia’s chin and Munguia did pass this test. The question now becomes is Munguia ready to challenge for a world championship in 2022?

 

This observer believes that Munguia is ready and could be a likely opponent for the winner of upcoming world championship bouts including undefeated WBO world champion Demetrius Andrade, who will defend his title on November 19^th against top contender Jason Quigley seeing as he is currently the WBO number one contender, or a potential opponent for the winner of the December 29^th unification bout between IBF/IBO world champion Gennady Golovkin and WBA world champion Ryota Murata. Obviously, there is at least speculation at this point that if Golovkin is successful in that bout against Murata that a possible third bout between he and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is on the table, which would see Golovkin move up eight pounds to the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division to challenge the recently crowned undisputed world champion Alvarez for the crown. Based on this, I believe the more logical scenario for Munguia at this point would be to wait for the Andrade-Quigley winner to emerge and seek an opportunity against that winner.  From a business perspective, a fight between the Andrade-Quigley winner and Munguia seems like it would be straightforward to make seeing as both Andrade’s promoter Eddie Hearn, and Munguia’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya have not only regularly worked together to co-promote fights as they will be with Andrade-Quigley, but also both are aligned with global digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, which would likely welcome what would be another marquee attraction for their network. One must also keep in mind that Andrade has been clamoring for a marquee opponent and if he should retain his championship over Quigley, would likely welcome the opportunity to fight someone of Munguia’s caliber and growing popularity in the sport.

 

For now, it is simply a process of waiting for Jaime Munguia. Boxing fans can only hope that as the world continues to deal with the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic that more marquee fights that will have significant interest will be in the works for 2022. One such bout would be Munguia challenging the Andrade-Quigley winner.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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

Andrade Defeats Williams To Retain WBO Middleweight World Championship

 

WBO Middleweight world champion Demetrius Andrade scored a twelve round unanimous decision over WBO number one Middleweight contender Liam Williams on Saturday afternoon at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL. The difference in speed between the fighters was immediately apparent as the champion started fast landing combinations on a pressuring Williams. A short three-punch combination to the head wobbled the challenger in the first round, but Williams was able to stay on his feet.

 

This would change in round two when Andrade knocked Williams down with a perfectly timed one-two combination to the head. Despite looking badly hurt and under circumstances where he might have been on the verge of being stopped, Williams survived.

 

Despite being at a disadvantage in terms of hand speed, Williams was able to gradually close the distance as the fight progressed and had more than occasional success landing punches on Andrade, who is regarded as one of the most elusive fighters in the entire sport. A testament to Williams’ success in making this a rough fight continued to show in the middle and late rounds including landing a hard right hand that stunned Andrade in the late rounds.

 

Although Williams was able to make up ground, Andrade’s ability to generally get his punches off first as well as the knockdown and the early lead he was able to build ultimately led to Andrade scoring a unanimous decision to retain his WBO Middleweight world championship. Demetrius Andrade advances to 30-0, with 18 Knockouts. Liam Williams falls to 23-3-1, with 18 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Undefeated IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Carlos Gongora scored an eighth round knockout over Christopher Pearson. In what was his first title defense of the world championship he won at the same Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in December of last year, Gongora did not face much resistance in a largely uneventful bout. The end came when the champion landed a short left hook from the southpaw stance that landed flush on the right eye of Pearson that sent him down. Although Pearson initially beat the count and got up from the knockdown , he was clearly bothered by the blow to his eye and kneeled back down and took the remainder of the ten count. Official time of the stoppage was 2:17 of round eight. Carlos Gongora advances to 20-0, with 15 Knockouts. Christopher Pearson falls to 17-3, with 12 Knockouts.

 

Also in the Super-Middleweight division, Alexis Espino scored a dominant six round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Ty McLeod. Espino used his hand speed and combination punching to dictate the combat from the outset and appeared at times that he might have gotten a stoppage, but McLeod was able to hang in there till the final bell. Official scores were 60-54, and 59-55 (On two scorecards) for Espino. Alexis Espino advances to 8-0 with 5 Knockouts. Ty McLeod falls to 6-1, with 6 Knockouts.

 

Heavyweight Andrey Fedosov scored a first round knockout over previously undefeated Mahammadrasul Majidov. Fedosov connected with an overhand right to the head that sent Majidov down. Majidov appeared to suffer a broken right ankle during the knockdown, but attempted to continue before going down a second time and taking the full ten count. Majidov was taken from the ring on a stretcher. There is no word as of this writing as to the severity of the break of Majidov’s ankle. Official time was 1:24 of round one. Andrey Fedosov advances to 32-3, with 26 Knockouts. Mahammadrasul Majidov falls to 3-1, with 3 Knockouts.

In a battle of undefeated Jr.Welterweights Movladdin Biyarslanov scored an eight round majority decision over previously unbeaten Israel Mercado. A very competitive bout that saw several shifts in momentum, Biyarslanov’s effectiveness in the early rounds proved to be the difference as he earned the nod from two of three official judges to score the victory. Official scores were: 76-76, (Even) and 78-74, 77-75 in favor of Biyarslanov. Movladdin Biyarslanov advances to 8-0, with 6 Knockouts. Israel Mercado falls to 9-1, with 7 Knockouts.

 

Lightweight Jorge Castaneda scored an eight round majority decision over Otha Jones. Official scores were: 76-76, (Even) and 76-75, 77-75 in favor of Castaneda. Jorge Castaneda advances to 14-1, with 11 Knockouts. Otha Jones falls to 5-1-1, with 2 Knockouts.

 

In a Jr. Welterweight bout, undefeated Aaron Aponte

scored a four round unanimous decision over Javier Martinez. Official scores were 40-36 (On all three scorecards for Aponte. Aaron Aponte advances to 3-0, with 1 Knockout. Javier Martinez falls to 4-8, with 3 Knockouts.

 

Demetrius Andrade has been cast in the role of the odd world champion out in the Middleweight division as despite being an unbeaten two-division world champion, he has struggled to secure lucrative opportunities against the other marquee attractions in and around the 160lb. Middleweight division. This can be attributed to both his overall skillset as well as not having a Boxing style that is universally appealing. Andrade’s title defense against Liam Williams was the first time that he was not allowed to coast his way to either a stoppage or a shut out decision.

 

 While a win is still a win and Andrade did indeed do what he needed to do to retain his portion of the World Middleweight championship, the fact that he was hit more than occasionally and was given a difficult fight by w determined challenger might give the other world champions in the Middleweight division and perhaps even current WBC/WBA Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez the evidence that fighting Andrade is a viable option. Quite frankly, Andrade is long overdue for a lucrative payday that a fighter of his skillset and accomplishments has earned. It remains to be seen whether the politics of the sport will allow him to get the opportunity he deserves.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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