Chisora And Shields Triumph In Heavyweight Bouts

While July 27th signaled the beginning of competition of Boxing at the 2024 Summer Olympics being held in Paris, France, two intriguing bouts took place in two other countries on the professional side of the sport in the Heavyweight division featuring both Men and Women. First at the O2 Arena in London, England, it was a crossroads encounter between two longtime Heavyweight contenders Joe Joyce and Derek Chisora.

This was a fight where both fighters entered at a stage in their careers where some felt each was on the verge of a win or retire scenario. Hence, this observer’s label of it being a “Crossroads Encounter." Thought the label was appropriate, one might argue, despite the appearance that both fighters were at a similar stage, it was Chisora that was closer to retirement due to both the fact that he has had a seventeen year career, but also his talking about wanting to retire after his fiftieth professional fight. Chisora’s forty-ninth fight would arguably be one of his best.

From the opening bell Joyce tried to impose his 6’6 frame and 281lb. body on the 6’1 Chisora. While Chisora entered the fight weighing 256lbs., the difference in size was clear as was the pressure Joyce applied on Chisora. Despite appearing to have more success when he used his reach to keep Chisora at distance, Joyce chose to fight in close, which not only negated the effectiveness of his punches by smothering them, it also played into Chisora’s strategy, which is almost always to get in close and fight on the inside as more often than not, he is competing against taller and heavier opponents.

What was also evident early on was Joyce was throwing slow, but hard thudding punches, and Chisora was either looking for counter punches, or trying to land in two or three punch combinations. The pace in which this fight was fought was one that at times was slow, but also seemed to be higher compared to most fights fought in the Heavyweight division. As yours truly watched this fight, I had a sense that it may come down to which fighter runs out of steam first as both fighters landed hard shots throughout and both had moments where they looked utterly fatigued and struggling to stay on their feet. Despite this, I felt that Chisora was outworking Joyce in what was a hard fought battle. With the fight entering the final three rounds, however, I questioned whether Chisora would get to the finish line.

Just as it appeared the effects of fatigue and Joyce's pressure were breaking him down, Chisora landed a right hand out of nowhere that knocked Joyce flat on his back on the canvas. To his credit, Joyce was able to get to his feet and continued the fight. It was at this point given that he had scored the knockdown and seemed to be outworking Joyce that I felt the knockdown likely secured the win on the scorecards. 

With both fighters looking utterly exhausted, the tenth and final  round was as the previous nine had been, a battle of wills. It would be Derek Chisora, who would get the nod from the three official judges in scoring one of the biggest wins of his career. In doing so, he also likely opens himself to more opportunities that will take him beyond fifty fights in his career.

As one fighter seemed to revitalize his career at age forty, another fighter looked to further cement her legacy. Yours truly is referring to undefeated three-division world champion Clareasa Shields, who after becoming an undisputed world champion as a Jr. Middleweight and Middleweight, the latter of which she still holds, made another jump up in weight to challenge Women's WBC Heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse.

The flight, which was held in Detroit, MI at the Little Caesars Arena, was essentially a hometown fight for Shields, who is from Flint, MI. In addition to the WBC Heavyweight world championship, the vacant Women's WBO Light-Heavyweight world championship was also at stake, giving Shields the opportunity to become a five-time world champion in five divisions in a single fight.

Although when a fighter is making a move up in weight as Shields was, the standard question of how that fighter will respond to being hit by fighters who are used to competing at heavier weights, was asked prior to this encounter, the reality is Shields did not give the champion an opportunity to test her ability to take a punch. This was due to Shields being able to showcase her hand speed early. In the second round, the challenger would drop the champion with a three punch combination that sent  Lepage-Joanisse down to the canvas. Shields followed up with two more knockdowns forcing the fight to be stopped giving the future Hall of Famer and two-time Olympic Gold medalist another accolade tonadd to her legacy. 

There is simply not much to say here other than Shields saw her opening, took full advantage, and closed the show. While this victory was only the third knockout in Shields’ professional career, she did show that she has punching power even though knockouts in Women's Boxing remain rare due largely to the fact that rounds are only two minutes in duration, and only recently has the transition to three minute rounds been used on a selective basis, but has been used and is currently being used in women's bouts in the ongoing Olympics. It is something this observer has long advocated for to see three minute rounds become the standard in Women's Professional Boxing, the same as Men's bouts.

Nevertheless, Shields did not need three minute rounds in this fight and got the job done. The obvious question remains, however, for Shields. After being so dominant for her entire career and now having successfully moved up to Heavyweight to further her legacy, is there an opponent out there in Boxing that can compete with Shields, and furthermore, how much more can she accomplish? This observer cannot give an answer…

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Joyce-Chisora: A Crossroads Heavyweight Battle

There is an old saying that this observer firmly believes in. “A Fighter Is Always One Punch Away From Revitalizing Their Career." While that can be applied to the entire sport, it is especially true with regard to the Heavyweight division. After all, if one were to go through the history of the division, no matter the era, you would find along with the various world champions that dominated a certain period, several fighters who had opportunities to fight for world titles and came up short, or others who spent their careers on the fringe or contender level that continued competing for years in search of an opportunity that for some never came.

The one thing that you will find as you research is there are some fighters whom either because of age, or issues having to do with ability to continue competing at or near the top of the sport, are written off at some point by various pundits and Boxing scribes. While such statements do not always prove to be accurate, where the fighter ends up getting the last laugh on his or her skeptics that say they should retire, it is very much a case by case scenario.

In present times, two Heavyweights that one might argue fit that description are former European Heavyweight champions and contenders Joe Joyce and former  multi-time world title challenger Derek. Two men who will meet in a crossroads Heavyweight bout on Saturday, July 27th at the O2 Arena in London, England in a fight that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. The question going into this fight could be what does either fighter have left in them?

In this case, we are discussing a scenario of one fighter, who just a few years ago, was viewed by many as potentially the next dominant Heavyweight going against a true veteran, who has worked his way back into contention on more than one occasion after suffering setbacks over the course of a seventeen year career. What makes this a crossroads battle is while Joyce was the fighter that was viewed as a potential dominant World Heavyweight champion in the making, both he and Chisora are each trying to rebuild following setbacks.

For Joyce, “Knockout Artist" with a near 94% career knockout percentage, his setback came in the form of suffering back to back knockout losses at the hands of top contender Zhilei Zhang last year. While those losses represent the only defeats in Joyce's eighteen fight professional career, the knockouts he suffered at the hands of Zhang were brutal and sometimes it is not the number of fights one has, but rather what happens in those fights that can take a lot out of a fighter. Joyce was able to take the initial step forward in trying to bounce back in March of this year when he scored a tenth round knockout of Kash Ali.

As for Derek Chisora, a career that began in 2007 and has seen numerous ups and downs including challenging former longtime Heavyweight world champion Vitali Klitschko in February 2012 for the WBC World Heavyweight crown, appeared to reach its end when Chisora after forty-five professional fights in his career got one last attempt at the WBC crown and was stopped in his third fight with then WBC champion Tyson Fury in December 2022. Chisora, however, returned to the ring in August of last year and scored a ten round unanimous decision over fellow longtime contender Gerald Washington.

If one were to look at bare statistics to compare between Joyce and Chisora, one could give an edge to the younger and theoretically fresher fighter based largely on the fact that Joyce has scored knockouts in fifteen of his sixteen career wins. The thing that will make this interesting, however, is the experience of Chisora in that he has foug\ht several fighters that were known as power punchers and, though he has suffered some knockout losses, he has shown that he can compete effectively when he is at a theoretical disadvantage. The question for him will not only be what he has left, but also, was he able to learn anything about how Zhang approached his encounters with Joyce that he might be able to use in this fight.

Derek Chisora is a fighter that applies pressure from the opening bell and tries to get on the inside of his opponents and look to gradually break them down. While Chisora is a different style of fighter than Zhilei Zhang, he is consistent and does have punching power of his own having scored twenty-three knockouts in his thirty-four wins. Whether Chisora at 6’1 ½ can get on the inside of the 6’6 Joyce remains to be seen. 

At least on paper, Joyce seems to have the advantage standing 6’6 and an eighty inch reach compared to Chisora’s seventy-four inch reach. The question for him will be whether those knockouts at the hands of Zhang have taken something out of him and how he will be able to withstand Chisora’s pressure. Although some might see this encounter as a win or go home scenario, the reality is one can never count any fighter out in the Heavyweight division and the question here might be who will take a step forward and who will wait for another opportunity down the line.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Joyce vs. Chisora takes place on Saturday, July 27th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 3:30PM ET/12:30PM PT.

For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

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

(*Check your local listings Internationally.*)

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Fury Concludes Chisora Trilogy In Dominant Fashion

 

In previewing the third bout between undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and longtime contender and former world title challenger Dereck Chisora, this observer pointed out that the trilogy bout between the current holder of the WBC World Heavyweight championship and the former European Heavyweight champion Chisora did not come in the standard way that most think of when it comes to a series of three fights between two fighters. While it was indeed true that Fury had won both of the previous encounters, including stopping Chisora in the second bout eight years ago, the question going into the third fight for the champion was whether or not he was looking past the challenger and toward a potential unification bout in 2023 against undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk for what would be the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world.

 

An additional question that I personally had in mind given not only what had occurred in the previous two meetings between Fury and Chisora, but specifically given Fury’s status going into the third fight as a significant favorite, was whether Fury could produce a statement-making performance and close the book on the trilogy in convincing fashion. It was also worth wondering whether at an advanced stage of his career, if Chisora could produce an upset the likes of which would be one of the top in the history of the Heavyweight division.

 

With a crowd of over 60,000 in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night in London, England, Fury showed that he was not looking ahead to a more lucrative bout to come in the near future. Although Chisora came out aggressively in the first round and did what a shorter fighter is theoretically supposed to do against a taller and longer fighter in trying to push the 6’9 268lb. Fury back by going to the body and applying pressure, it was not long before Fury put on a full display of his Boxing skills. Following the opening round where the challenger seemed to land more punches, Fury began using his reach, angles, and combination punching to gradually administer a beating on the longtime contender. One of the primary weapons that the champion used in doing that was his jab, followed by overhand rights, and mixing his punches in combination to keep the 6’1 ½ Chisora at a distance where Fury could hit him and the challenger could only occasionally return offense. Another weapon that was noticeable in this fight as was the case in Fury’s last title defense in April against top contender Dillian Whyte was the use of the right uppercut that the champion used when Chisora tried to duck under his long reach and attempted to get on the inside.

 

Although Chisora as has been the case throughout his career remained very “Game” and was able to hit Fury sporadically, particularly with flush overhand rights, as the fight progressed, one question came to mind as it became clear that Fury would be able to take what Chisora had to offer and continue dominating the combat, how long would the fight last? While no one can take anything away from the heart a fighter shows during a fight, this was the type of fight that I frankly worried that if it were not stopped as the one-way beating continued, it may have resulted in permanent injury for Chisora.

 

It was after all only recently that Aidos Yerbossynuly was hospitalized with a severe brain injury after being stopped by undefeated Super-Middleweight contender David Morrell. The commonalities between that fight and this one was clearly apparent. Both Yerbossynuly and Chisora were too brave for their own good and both fights were allowed to go on well beyond where they should have been stopped. In a scenario that was similar to the second encounter between Fury and Chisora where Fury stopped him in ten rounds in a mostly one-sided fight, the third bout between the two would also be stopped with just ten seconds remaining in the tenth round when Referee Victor Loughlin finally decided that Chisora had taken enough punishment.

 

Although in some ways Fury’s performance and to be more specific the dominance he showed in this fight reminded me of two dominant Heavyweight champions from a recent era in the sport, brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, the latter of whom Fury defeated to win his first world championship in November 2015 in that he was so dominant that the outcome of the fight was formulaic, I found myself openly questioning why the fight was allowed to go into the tenth round. No one should take anything away from Dereck Chisora for the heart and frankly mettle he showed in this fight and has shown for his entire career, but as was the case several weeks ago following David Morrell’s twelfth round stoppage of Aidos Yerbossynuly, I feel that both Chisora’s corner as well as Referee Victor Loughlin allowed this to go on well beyond where it should have been stopped.

 

A fighter’s mentality, at least most of the time where a boxer does not determine on their own that they have taken enough punishment and decide to retire from a fight, is to keep fighting no matter what where the only way a fight will be stopped is either that fighter being knocked out, or being able to go the distance. What is not factored into the equation is the amount of punishment a fighter suffers in the process. It is therefore, the responsibility of both the referee officiating a bout and more specifically a fighter’s corner to know when enough is enough and to protect a fighter from themselves in order to hopefully prevent the possibility of permanent injury.

 

While in this case Dereck Chisora was able to leave the ring and by all accounts at least as of this writing seems to be okay following this fight, the subject of when a fight should be stopped is something that yours truly feels needs to be addressed by the various state athletic commissions, international regulatory boards, and sanctioning organizations that appoint referees to official bouts. It should also be explained to those working a fighter’s corner that they are the first line of protection to ensure that their fighter can exit competition safely. Although thankfully there was no instance of severe injury resulting from this fight, preventing and perhaps protocols need to be implemented in the future at every level of the sport.

 

As for Tyson Fury, if a bout between he and Oleksandr Usyk is indeed the aim going into 2023, he has done his part to set up the potential Undisputed Heavyweight championship fight. Perhaps the champion will choose to have one more fight prior to a potential bout with Usyk. If that were the case, top contenders Joe Joyce, who is currently unbeaten and the WBO’s top Heavyweight contender and WBA number one contender Daniel Dubois, who scored a third round stoppage of Kevin Lerena after being dropped three times in the first round on the undercard of Fury’s second stoppage of Dereck Chisora, would both be good potential options for Fury, particularly if the champion wants to continue fighting for the time being in the United Kingdome where both fighters much like Whyte and Chisora before them, have sizable followings and could likely help sell a stadium out to challenge Fury.

 

With two victories in 2022 now in the books, if Fury is done toying with retirement, it is hard to say that he would not be favored over Usyk, Joyce, or Dubois given both his size and skillset, which seems to be improving with every fight. No matter who the current WBC world champion fights next, there are some interesting times and possibilities ahead in the Heavyweight division heading into 2023. The only question might be could either of the three potential opponents or perhaps a contender not currently in the mix pose a challenge for Fury.

 

“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

 

Estrada -Gonzalez 3 Preview

Perhaps it is a mere coincidence, but the first Saturday in the final month of 2022 in the sport of Boxing is highlighted by two trilogy bouts ranging from one of the sport’s lightest divisions to it’s heaviest. While this observer has already penned a preview of the third encounter between WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and longtime contender Dereck Chisora, the second trilogy bout that will take place on Saturday, December 3rd is one that is also highly anticipated. Yours truly is referring to the third battle between WBC Jr. Bantamweight world champion Juan Francisco Estrada and four-division world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez. A fight that will headline a Boxing card from the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ that can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

Although the Fury-Chisora third bout has come in an unconventional way with Fury having won the previous two fights, the Estrada -Gonzalez trilogy is the more standard set up when most think of a three-fight series between two fighters with each having won one bout. In their last encounter in March of last year, Estrada evened the score by avenging his November 2012 loss to Gonzalez by scoring a twelve round split decision to retain his WBC crown. The first two fight between these two were fought at an extremely high pace and it would be logical to assume that the third encounter might be similar. Why could one make that assumption? 

While the possibility certainly exists that both fighters will look to make tactical adjustments having seen what each other can do after sharing the ring for two twelve round battles, sometimes the old adage of “Styles Make Fights” holds true in that no matter how many times two fighters face each other, the combat tends to be fought in a similar way. If there were slight differences between the first and second bouts it was that in fight two, Estrada used significantly more movement to offset the pressure of Gonzalez, which also allowed him to stay off the ropes. Something that he did not do consistently in the first fight.

Although the combat in fight two was fierce as was the case in the first encounter, the subtle difference in Estrada’s approach as well as seeming to get the upper hand in several of the exchanges resulted in a close victory for him. Now the task for the champion, which may be easier said than done, particularly in regard to a fight in the sport's lower divisions where fights are fought typically at an exhausting pace, will be to try and duplicate and improve on what proved to be a winning strategy last time against Gonzalez. In contrast, Gonzalez must look to cut off the ring and try to limit Estrada’s movement as best as he can.

One thing that a fan should keep in mind as this fight approaches is that both men have been through many wars including the two against each other. Although neither fighter is necessarily near the end of their respective careers, one should wonder when the accumulation of all the battles each fighter has been through will begin to show as they continue on with their careers. It should also not be overlooked that the careers of fighters that compete in Boxing’s lower weight classes tend to be shorter than those who fight at heavier weights with rare exceptions. Whether or not that can be attributed to the pace in which fights at lower weights tend to be fought is a subject to discuss and debate at another time.

One can only hope however, given the fierce battles that Estrada and Gonzalez have given us that both have enough left in them to produce what could, like the last two encounters, be a Fight of the Year candidate. Will chapter three between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez be another classic? We will find out on Saturday, December 3rd.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Estrada vs. Gonzalez 3 takes place on Saturday, December 3rd at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 5PM ET/2PM PT with Before The Bell, featuring preliminary bouts, followed by the main card beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT (U. S. Times only.) 

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

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Fury-Chisora 3 Preview

Normally when there is a trilogy of fights between two fighters, the third bout is usually the deciding encounter between the two, usually with each fighter having won one fight each in a conventional scenario. There are times however, when a trilogy comes about not to determine who is the better fighter, but because one fighter is able to secure an opportunity. In the case of the rivalry between undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and longtime contender and former world title challenger Dereck Chisora, their third bout comes more than eight years after their second bout with Fury having won both of those fights. 

Obviously, a lot can happen in eight years time and these two are different fighters than the ones that first met in July 2011 for the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight championships. Although Chisora was stopped in their second bout in November 2014 and is many years removed from his one previous attempt at a world championship when he lost a decision to Vitali Klitschko for the WBC world championship that Fury now holds, he has seen a recent career resurgence following some hard luck decisions that have gone against him. In his last bout, Chisora scored a hard fought twelve round split decision over former world title challenger Kubrat Pulev in July of this year, the second of the two encounters between the two.  

After forty-five bouts in a career that began fifteen years ago in 2007, Chisora has admitted that he does not have too many fights left in him. Despite losing two fights to Tyson Fury, the stakes are obviously higher this time around with a world championship on the line. Fury meanwhile, has spent the last several months retiring and unretiring from the sport seemingly in an attempt to goad the media as well as former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, who has been a potential opponent for him for the last several years. In his last fight, Fury successfully made the second defense of his WBC championship by scoring a sixth round knockout of longtime mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte in Wembley Stadium.  

Although Fury has managed to stay unbeaten in the years since he last fought Chisora, he has also like his next challenger gone through ups and downs both in and out of the ring. Many will recall the punishment Fury sustained in two of his three bouts with Deontay Wilder, the man who Fury won two bouts via knockout to win the WBC championship and successfully defend it against in one of the sport’s most memorable trilogies in the recent history of Boxing. While Fury did not show any signs of decline in his most recent title defense against Whyte, it should be obvious to any level-headed observer that fighters have two things that they combat over the course of their careers that ultimately take a toll on them. One is the natural passage of time, after all, we are all human and fighters like the rest of us do age with time. The second thing a fighter combats over the course of that time in terms of both preparing for competition and during the actual fights themselves is the accumulative effect of all the punishment both in training and in competition that ultimately leads to a fighter’s decline.  

For Fury, the question going into this fight is simple. After thirty-three pro bouts in a career that began in 2009 as well as his struggles with mental health outside the ring, and the wars he has been in inside the ring, at thirty four years of age, it is fair to ask whether his heart is truly in it now after retiring once and relinquishing what was a unified crown several years ago to address his mental health, as well as his recent retirements and unretirements, which may or may not be a case of an athlete having a bit of fun at the expense of both media and fans. It is also fair to question how prepared he is to face Dereck Chisora a third time after failed negotiations for a fight with Joshua on relatively short notice failed to materialize and Fury’s potential unification bout with undefeated unified WBA/IBF/IBO/WBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk, which is said to be aimed for sometime in 2023. 

While it is understandable on one hand given the ups and downs Chisora has gone through in the ring, which tends to be the case for many fighters over a long career as well as his previous two losses to Fury how he is viewed as an underdog going into this fight, Chisora is literally in a position where he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. If this is indeed a scenario where the champion having won two previous fights against him is looking ahead to a more lucrative fight, if Chisora is ready for this fight, there may be a surprise.  

How can Chisora pull off a significant upset at a latter point in his career? Having covered the previous two fights there is only one way I can see Chisora having success. He must bring the fight to Fury from the outset and stay on him for however long the bout lasts. There are two important things to consider in this fight, both of which, led to defeat for Chisora in the previous two bouts against the champion. One, Fury is 6’9 and in recent fights has scaled to nearly 280lbs. Despite his height and weight, Fury is also one of the more elusive Heavyweights currently in the sport and has proven to be both difficult to hit and also shown an ability to quickly recover when he has been caught and knocked down most notably in the first and third bouts against Deontay Wilder. Chisora must find a way to get inside Fury’s eighty-five inch reach and do so consistently if he wants to be successful. If the natural advantages Fury has over the 6’1 ½ Chisora are not frustrating enough to combat, Fury is also skilled in the mental aspects of the sport and has shown the ability to goad his opponents into making mistakes during bouts, this was noticeable in the first encounter between these two fighters in particular. Chisora must keep his mind on the task at hand even if he is able to have success in this fight, he must be tactical and not allow Fury to try and bait him into making mistakes. 

While on the surface this fight has an appearance of another title defense for an undefeated world champion against a longtime contender who after a decade of waiting is getting his second opportunity at a world championship at a stage in his career where he might be nearing retirement, both Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora have sizable fan followings and no matter how the odds may appear, a sizable crowd is expected in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England to see the two men renew their rivalry, this time with the WBC’s version of the World Heavyweight championship on the line. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.” 

Fury vs. Chisora 3 takes place on Saturday, December 3rd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. 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 1PM ET/10AM PT (U.S. Time). 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 visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. *Check your local listings internationally.  

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

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Joyce-Parker Preview

 One of the intriguing bouts on the Boxing schedule for September 24^th will take place in the Heavyweight division as former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker will face undefeated WBO number one contender Joe Joyce at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ will be to determine interim championship status in the World Boxing Organization’s current Heavyweight ratings as both Joyce and Parker are the top two contenders for the WBO championship currently held by  undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk.

 

While this does amount to an elimination bout to see who the next mandatory challenger as far as the WBO is concerned for its version of the World Heavyweight championship, it is still one of the best fights that has been made in the division in recent times. Parker will come into this fight having been unbeaten four years. In that time, Parker has won six straight fights with three of those bouts coming by knockout. Most recently, Parker is coming off back to back decision victories over longtime contender and former world title challenger Dereck Chisora in 2021.

 

Although Parker has rebounded well from his loss to former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in 2018 and his loss earlier that year in losing his world title in a unification bout against Anthony Joshua, he has yet to secure another opportunity to challenge for a world championship again. Now Parker finds himself in position to be the mandatory challenger for the world title he once held, if he can defeat Joe Joyce.

 

Joyce is unbeaten in fourteen professional bouts having scored knockouts in thirteen of those fights. Despite currently having a career knockout percentage of nearly 93% coming into this fight, Joyce will be at a significant disadvantage in terms of experience and more specifically experience at nearly the top level of competition in the Heavyweight division. In his last fight, Joyce scored a fourth round stoppage of longtime contender Christian Hammer in July.

 

What this fight will boil down to in this observer’s eyes is whether or not Parker will be able to use his experience to his advantage. To be more specific, whether Parker will be able to extend Joyce into the deep waters of a fight also known as the middle and late rounds and put the unbeaten contender in a position where he is not dictating the tempo of the combat. Parker is a good boxer/puncher that has shown in his career not only an ability to go into the late rounds of a fight at the highest level of the sport, but also an ability to gradually outwork his opponents. There have however, been times throughout Parker’s career where he has been caught and knocked down as was the case in his first bout against Dereck Chisora and was also the case in the latter stages of his bout against Dillian Whyte.

 

Joe Joyce does have the type of punching power that can end a fight suddenly. While some may be expecting that to happen in this fight should Joyce connect flush with his punches on Parker, the challenge for the former world champion that may prove to be easier said than done will be to fight an extremely tactical fight from start to finish and not allow Joyce to dictate how the combat is fought. Joyce meanwhile should not go into this fight expecting to rely on his punching power.

 

Simply put, Joyce must know the caliber of opponent his is in the ring with and must be prepared to go all twelve rounds if need be. If Joyce goes into this fight with the intention of trying to end it quickly and does not pace himself, it could play into the strategy that Parker will likely be looking to implement by using movement and attempting to out box Joyce.

 

With the Boxing world still abuzz over Oleksandr Usyk’s recent second victory over Anthony Joshua in August, and recent ramblings of Joshua facing undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury later this year, the winner of this fight may seem to be on the outside looking in, especially if Usyk has no intention of fighting anyone else than the winner of the potential Fury-Joshua bout. A good performance by either fighter however, may be the fuel that will start an argument for them getting an opportunity to fight Usyk in the near future. With the stakes rising in the division, we will see who will be able to make the next step forward between Joyce and Parker on Saturday night.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Joyce vs. Parker takes place on Saturday, September 24^th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. In the United States, the fight as well as it’s undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

 

*Check your local listings internationally.

 

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

 

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

Revenge: Chisora Upsets Pulev In Rematch

 

Longtime Heavyweight contender and former world title challenger Dereck Chisora avenged a split decision loss six years ago to former world title challenger and top contender Kubrat Pulev in a rematch by scoring his own twelve round split decision on Saturday night at the 02 Arena in London, England. In contrast to the first fight where Pulev was able to keep Chisora on the end of his punches with his longer reach for the majority of the fight, this time Chisora had head movement in his favor working from the outset and that allowed him to get in close and launch a consistent attack to the body of Pulev.

 

It was this consistency that carried the fight. As the fight progressed, Pulev was able to have periodic success in landing his right hand on Chisora, but in the middle and late rounds, Chisora began to land regularly with his own right hand to the head of Pulev. This was no doubt was a result of the body work that Chisora kept landing on Pulev throughout. With both fighters fighting fatigue in the latter rounds, Chisora landed his right hand on Pulev frequently off the ropes and was able to hang on earning the decision victory on two of three official scorecards. Official scores were 116-112, (Pulev) and 116-112, 116-114 in favor of Chisora. Dereck Chisora advances to 33-12, with 22 Knockouts. Kubrat Pulev falls to 29-3, with 14 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

 A Jr. Middleweight rematch billed as a final eliminator for the WBA Jr. Middleweight championship between undefeated top contender Israil Madrimov and former world title challenger Michel Soro ended in a three round technical draw. The first encounter between the two ended in controversial fashion last December when Madrimov was declared the victor by ninth round stoppage even though punches that landed on Soro that led to the stoppage occurred after the bell ending the round. This time it appeared as though Madrimov was on the verge of scoring his second stoppage of Soro, as he had the former world title challenger hurt in the second round after connecting with a flush overhand right to the head. Shortly after the start of round three, Soro suffered a gushing cut over the left eye as a result of an accidental clash of heads. The bout was halted immediately on advice of the ringside physician.  Official time of the stoppage was :05 of round three. Israil Madrimov advances to 8-0-1, with 6 Knockouts. Michel Soro advances to 35-3-2, with 24 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Women’s Jr. Featherweight Ramla Ali scored an eight round decision over a very “Game” Augustina Rojas. Ali landed the cleaner shots over the course of eight rounds, but Rojas did bring the fight to her and was periodically successful in landing hooks throughout. As all non-title bouts held in the United Kingdom that do not impact regional or world rankings are scored solely by the referee officiating a bout, Referee Chas Coakley scored the bout 80-72 in favor of Ali. Ramla Ali advances to 6-0, with 1 Knockout. Augustina Rojas falls to 6-2, with 0 Knockouts.

 

In his Jr. Middleweight debut, unbeaten prospect Caoimhin Agyarko scored a dominant ten round unanimous decision over veteran Lukasz Maciec. From the opening bell, Agyarko, who previously competed in the 160lb. Middleweight division, showed that his movement and angles were as present in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division as they were at Middleweight. Agyarko displayed a full range of offense and lateral movement to consistently keep Maciec on the defensive. Agyarko’s attack consisted of a mix of offense to the body and the head often being thrown in combination. Maciec periodically caught Agyarko with looping right hands, but was unable to land anything to really cause concern of the undefeated prospect. Despite appearing as though he may have been on the verge of being stopped at times due to the effect Agyarko’s body punches were having on him, Maciec was able to go the distance. Official scores were: 100-90, (On two scorecards) and 99-93 in favor of Agyarko. Caoimhin Agyarko advances to 12-0, with 7 Knockouts. Lukasz Maciec falls to 28-5-1, with 5 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Heavyweight Fabio Wardley scored a second round knockout of an overmatched late substitute Chris Healey, who took the bout on twenty four hours notice. Wardley scored knockdowns in rounds one and two each with a short right hand to the head. After the second knockdown early in round two, Healey’s corner threw the towel in to prevent their fighter from further punishment. Official time of the stoppage was :40 of round two. Fabio Wardley advances to 14-0, with 13 Knockouts. Chris Healey falls to 9-10, with 2 Knockouts.

 

Heavyweight Solomon Dacres moved to 4-0 in his career by outworking veteran Kevin Espindola over eight rounds to earn a decision victory... Referee Mark Bates scored the bout 80-72 in favor of Dacres. Solomon Dacres advances to 4-0, with 1 Knockout. Kevin Espindola falls to 7-5, with 2 Knockouts.

 

Unbeaten Jr. Featherweight Yousuf Ibrahim began the evening by scoring a four round decision over veteran Francisco Rodriguez. Ibrahim dominated the fight with lateral movement, picking his shots and throwing combinations. Rodriguez was simply not quick handed enough to land the type of punches that would have turned the ebb and flow in his favor. Referee Chas Coakley scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Ibrahim. Yousuf Ibrahim advances to 2-0, with 0 Knockouts. Francisco Rodriguez falls to 1-7, with 1 Knockout.

 

A scheduled ten round Middleweight bout between unbeaten Felix Cash and Vaughn Alexander was cancelled prior to the card due to Cash coming down with an undisclosed illness. As of this writing, there is no word as to when or if there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout.

 

In previewing the rematch between Dereck Chisora and Kubrat Pulev, this observer questioned whether there could be a different outcome this time around compared to when these two met for the first time over six years ago. Although Chisora was coming off of three straight losses and by all appearances appears to be nearing the end of a fine career, he was able to turn back the clock and produced what some might call a career-defining performance. The primary difference between this rematch and their first encounter was Kubrat Pulev never seemed to get into a rhythm.

 

In the first encounter, Pulev was able to keep Chisora at distance with his jab and frequently landed his right hand throughout. Although much like the first fight, the rematch ended in a split decision, Chisora’s head movement and body punching were the key components that catapulted him to victory. For his part, the thirty-eight year old Chisora said shortly after being declared the winner that he does not have too many fights left in him, he has proven that no matter what a fighter might go through in terms of setbacks inside the ring, they are always one fight away from revitalizing their career. For Dereck Chisora, the twilight of his career could well lead to further opportunities at or near the top of the Heavyweight division.

 

“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

 

Pulev-Chisora 2: Can There Be A Different Outcome?

If one is a student of Boxing they are likely familiar with the idea that in just about every division there are always a short list of fighters that end up being associated with the era they fought in for their ability to remain in the discussion of fringe and top contenders for many years. While such fighters are not always defined by the world championships they are able to obtain during their careers, others are defined by being contenders who may have come up short in challenging for world titles.

Two such fighters are longtime Heavyweight contenders and former world title challengers Kubrat Pulev and Dereck Chisora. Two fighters that have spent most of the last decade at or near the top of the contenders pool of the Heavyweight division. Both men, former European Heavyweight champions are also no strangers to each other. For it was in May 2016 when the two met for the then vacant European Heavyweight championship. 

On that evening, it was Pulev, who put on a disciplined Boxing performance to earn a twelve round split decision. A major key to Pulev’s success was how he strategically found ways to land his right hand on Chisora and to be more specific, how he was able to keep him at distance for lengthy periods throughout the fight. 

As the fight went on, Chisora did have sporadic success in landing punches on Pulev, but often those punches were thrown singularly and not in combination. The frustration for Chisora eventually mounted where he seemingly elected to sit on the ropes in the later rounds and thus gave up more ground to Pulev in terms of the scoring of the fight.

Although the result of the bout ultimately was a split decision in favor of Pulev, this observer felt that he out boxed Chisora clearly. Now over six years later, Pulev and Chisora have found their way back to each other as they will meet in a rematch on Saturday, July 9th at the O2 Arena in London, England.

An argument can be made that both fighters are in similar positions as they were going into this rematch, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, as they were prior to their first fight in 2016. Both men have the ultimate goal of trying to position themselves for another opportunity to fight for a world title.

Perhaps the difference going into this fight however, is both fighters might be at different stages in their careers. While Pulev went on to challenge for a world title for a second time in 2020 and is coming off a ten round unanimous decision two months ago over contender Jerry Forrest in his one bout since being stopped by Anthony Joshua, Chisora is coming off two losses to former world champion Joseph Parker. The second loss to Parker saw Chisora take a beating, but did manage to go the distance.

Some might say that this bout could represent what might be viewed as a last chance for Chisora in terms of being a perennial contender. Having said that, a fighter is always one fight or in some cases one punch away from bouncing back from a down period in their careers. 

The question that I have going into this fight centers on Dereck Chisora and just how much he has left in him as a fighter. It is important to remember however that a significant period of time has passed since Pulev and Chisora last saw each other inside the ring and both have had highs and lows over the course of that time.

A question that some may ask is after forty-four professional fights, suffering twelve losses over those bouts, and coming off of two losses just how much Chisora has left to give. Given how the first fight was fought between the two, perhaps another question that should be asked is can there be a different outcome in the rematch?

At his best, Dereck Chisora is a pressure fighter that moves his head in a similar manner as former World Heavyweight champion Joe Frazier. While this style can effectively close distance against taller fighters like Pulev, Chisora was not able to close the gap consistently and was kept at distance by Pulev’s reach.

While it is a task that is easier said than done, Chisora must find a way to close the distance between himself and Pulev. Although Chisora much like his opponent has the type of punching power that can turn a fight in his favor at any time if he lands cleanly, he must also avoid throwing punches singularly. Simply put, Chisora needs to throw more than one punch at a time when he lets his hands go if he wants to be successful in this fight. 

In contrast to Chisora, the task that faces Kubrat Pulev is to attempt to repeat his performance from 2016. Although he dominated the first fight, he must not become complacent and must be as disciplined as he was in the first encounter because Dereck Chisora is the type of fighter that can take advantage of any openings that an opponent might leave. As such, Pulev needs to box and try to keep Chisora on the outside of his reach. Beyond this, one tactic that worked to Pulev’s advantage in the first fight was as Chisora gradually became frustrated and began to lunge forward with wide hooks in an attempt to land something significant on Pulev, Pulev was able to use his legs to move back at an angle as well as move his upper body to evade those punches. Pulev should look to use this tactic once again. While such tactics do not always translate into the most entertaining bouts to watch if you are successful, if you are a fighter you do what you need to in order to win and such an approach when executed can be quite successful.

Although there will likely be discussion as to what may loom ahead for the winner of this fight, neither fighter should be looking beyond this rematch. After all, the most important fight a fighter should be concerned about is the one that is directly in front of them. Will the rematch have a different outcome? We will find out on Saturday, July 9th.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Pulev vs. Chisora 2 takes place on Saturday, July 9th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The card can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 12:30PM ET/9:30AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature a portion of undercard bouts. The remainder of the undercard, which will be followed by the main event, will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT (*Main Event tentatively scheduled to begin at 5PM ET U. S. Times Only.)

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

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

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

Parker Defeats Chisora For Second Time In Rematch In Manchester, England

 

Former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker scored a convincing, yet hard-fought twelve round unanimous decision over longtime contender Dereck Chisora on Saturday night at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. A rematch of a closely fought battle earlier this year at the same venue held behind closed doors due to COVID-19 protocols, this time Parker did not willingly engage on the inside and made Chisora work for every opportunity to get on the inside. In the process, Parker was administering a beating on the former world title challenger. Parker was credited with a knockdown in round four when a right uppercut to the head of Chisora staggered him into the ropes and it was ruled by Referee Howard Foster that the ropes prevented him from going down to the canvas. Chisora responded by getting up and walking over to a corner and waited for Parker to come forward in an attempt to bait him into walking into a punch he would not see coming. Despite the veteran tactics, the punishment continued, even though when it appeared that Chisora was on the verge of being stopped he would respond by firing hard punches that kept him in the fight.

 

In round seven, Parker would score a second knockdown of Chisora, this time sending him down on his knees on the canvas. As was the case in round four, Chisora walked over to a corner and positioned himself in a way to challenge Parker to come forward. Chisora was able to land hard shots that kept him competitive in the fight, but was knocked down for a third time in round eight. After the third knockdown, it appeared that Chisora had nothing left to give and the fight would be justifiably stopped, but as had been the case throughout the fight, when he was knocked down, he would again walk to a corner and wait for Parker to follow. What gradually became a grueling battle as the fight progressed, eventually, Chisora suffering the effects of both punishment that was dished out by Parker as well as fatigue appeared to struggle to stay on his feet. In what can only be described as a veteran fighter refusing to be stopped, Chisora, as he has done his entire career showed his mettle and made it to the final bell still throwing punches with knockout intention when the bell to end the bout rang. The three knockdowns over the course of the fight as well as Parker’s more effective punches throughout made the decision a logical conclusion in what was still an entertaining bout from start to finish. Official scores were: 115-110, 114-112, 115-111 for Joseph Parker. Joseph Parker advances to 30-2, with 21 Knockouts. Dereck Chisora falls to 32-12, with 22 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

In a battle for the vacant European Super-Middleweight championship, undefeated Kevin Sadjo scored a sixth round knockout over heavily favored Jack Cullen. Sadjo, who took the fight on short notice had to deal with the taller and longer Cullen, but was able to get on the inside and landed several right hands to the head throughout. Although Cullen was cut over the left eye in round two as a result of an accidental clash of heads and seemed as though he was landing the more effective shots throughout, Sadjo found increasing success as the fight progressed. The end of the fight came suddenly when Sadjo landed a perfectly placed left hook to the body that crumbled Cullen to the canvas in pain. Cullen was able to get up at the count of nine, but was in no condition to continue resulting in the fight being stopped.  Official time of the stoppage was 1:11 of round six. Kevin Sadjo advances to 17-0, with 15 Knockouts. Jack Cullen falls to 20-3-1, with 5 Knockouts.

 

Jr. Lightweight contender Zelfa Barrett scored a twelve round unanimous decision over fellow contender Bruno Tarimo. In what was a final elimination bout in the IBF Jr. Lightweight ratings, Tarimo tried to apply consistent pressure on the taller Barrett from the opening bell. This approach had some success, however Barrett was able to catch Tarimo with a short left hook to the head in round three that knocked him down. As the fight progressed Barrett was able to gain more distance between himself and Tarimo and with that separation was able to open his offense more in landing right hands, uppercuts, and mixing in combinations on his way to the unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 117-110 (On two scorecards), and 116-111 for Barrett. Zelfa Barrett advances to 27-1, with 16 Knockouts. Bruno Tarimo falls to 26-3-2, with 5 Knockouts.

 

In a battle for the International Boxing Organization (IBO) Super-Middleweight world championship undefeated former European Super-Middleweight champion Lerrone Richards scored a twelve round split decision over previously unbeaten world champion Carlos Gongora. An extremely tactical fight from the outset, Richards used lateral movement to evade, counter punch, and outwork the champion over the course of the fight. Gongora had his best moments of the fight when he was able to get in close and land hooks on Richards, but ultimately, his spurts of success with his offense were not enough for him to retain his world championship in what was a very difficult fight to gage who had the upper hand due to the pace and the tactics in which the fight was fought. Official scores were: 15-113 for Richards, 116-112, for Gongora, and 115-113 for Richards giving the challenger his first world championship. Lerrone Richards advances to 16-0, with 3 Knockouts. Carlos Gongora falls to 20-1, with 15 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Heavyweight Alen Babic scored a sixth round knockout over a “Game” David Spilmont. A brawl from the outset, Babic nearly put Spilmont down in a neutral corner in the first round, but Spilmont was able to withstand the storm. Despite the constant pressure and power punches of Babic, Spilmont began to find holes in Babic’s offense in being able to counter his wide punches. It was a counter left hook to the jaw that caught and badly hurt Babic in the closing seconds of the third round. Babic was able to recover and a combination of hooks along the ropes put Spilmont down in the fourth round. In round five Spilmont was able to land the harder shots of the two, but in round six, Babic put him down for a second time with a hook to the head. This time, Spilmont was unable to get up and was counted out. Official time of the stoppage was :53 of round six. Alan Babic advances to 10-0, with 10 Knockouts. David Spilmont falls to 11-8-1, with 7 Knockouts.

 

2020 Olympic Heavyweight Bronze medalist David Nyika, now competing as a Cruiserweight, scored a first round stoppage of Anthony Carpin to earn the second victory of his professional career. Nyika immediately put Carpin on the defensive and landed several right hands behind a consistent jab throughout the round including stunning Carpin with a right hand to the head at the midway point of round one. Carpin was able to get out of the round, but the bout was stopped by his corner due to an apparent injury to Carpin’s left elbow. David Nyika advances to 2-0 with 2 Knockouts. Anthony Carpin falls to 5-7-2, with 2 Knockouts.

 

Unbeaten Women’s Jr. Welterweight Sandy Ryan scored a third round stoppage of a very “Game” Maria Capriolo. From the opening bell, Ryan used her height and reach to keep Capriolo on the defensive. In round three a left hook the seemed to land on the top of the head briefly knocked Capriolo off balance and caused her glove to touch the canvas. Ryan followed this up with a barrage of mostly unanswered punches that ultimately forced a stoppage of the bout. Official time of the stoppage was 1:11 of round three. Sandy Ryan advances to 3-0 with 2 Knockouts. Maria Capriolo falls to 7-14-4, with 0 Knockouts.

 

A battle of unbeaten Cruiserweights saw Jordan Thompson needing only fifty-three seconds to score a first round knockout of Piotr Budziszewski. Thompson dropped Budziszewski quickly with a jab early in the round and sent him down for a second and final time with a flush uppercut. The fight was immediately stopped. Jordan Thompson advances to 12-0, with 10 Knockouts. Piotr Budziszewski falls to 4-1, with 2 Knockouts.

 

In Women’s Lightweight rematch that began the evening, Rhiannon Dixon scored her second victory over Vaida Masiokaite in scoring a six round decision victory. A rematch of Dixon’s pro debut in 2020, which she won a four round decision, this time, Dixon was able to outwork Masiokaite over six rounds to earn the decision win. Referee John Latham scored the bout 60-54 in favor of Dixon.  Rhiannon Dixon advances to 4-0, with 0 Knockouts. Vaida Masiokaite falls to 2-14-4, with 1 Knockout.

 

A Welterweight bout between Cyrus Pattinson and Evgenii Vazem that was scheduled for this card was cancelled the day before the card due to Vazem testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. As of this writing, there is no word as to whether there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout for 2022.

 

The rematch between Joseph Parker and Dereck Chisora was eagerly anticipated following their first encounter in May of this year. Although like the first encounter there was no shortage of entertainment value in the rematch, a clear winning did emerge this time around. While Joseph Parker will likely spend 2022 trying to secure another opportunity to win a world championship in the Heavyweight division, the obvious question that needs to be asked is whether this loss for Dereck Chisora will be the final bout of a fourteen year career that has seen him win British, Commonwealth, and European Heavyweight championships as well as spend much of his career at or near the top of the division in terms of contenders vying for a shot at the World Heavyweight championship.

 

While Chisora has made news at times for the wrong reasons including slapping then WBC Heavyweight world champion Vitali Klitschko prior to challenging him for the crown in February 2012, he has always given his best every time he has entered the ring and the heart he has displayed throughout his career is something that has endeared him to Boxing fans around the world. At thirty-seven years of age after forty-four bouts and more than a few grueling battles, this observer believes it might be time for Chisora to consider retirement. Ultimately, the decision to retire will be the fighter’s decision to make and only Chisora alone should make that decision, but the heart he has shown may eventually lead to a tragic circumstance if he does continue fighting after taking punishment not just in this latest loss to Joseph Parker, but throughout his career. It is my hope that Chisora will take time to recover and then make the best decision for himself going forward.

 

“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

December 11th Thoughts And Previewing December 17th-18th In Boxing

By now, readers have had an opportunity to read and digest this observer's coverage of both Conor Benn's knockout of former world champion Chris Algieri and the continuing evolving story of Boxing's Lightweight division, which coincidentally took place on December 11th. It goes without saying however, that Boxing is one of the most global sports in existence and as such, it can be a challenge for one to adequately keep an eye on all the action that can and often does occur throughout the sport when so many cards and world championship bouts are scheduled for one day around the world. 

 

Even those of us who cover the sport and are used to what yours truly often refers to as marathons of Boxing cards that take place over anywhere from a one to three day period can still find it difficult to keep an eye on and subsequently cover everything that goes on, despite significant advances in technology that frankly makes our jobs easier. While December 11, 2021 was notable for the debut of Probellum, Boxing's newest promotional and managerial entity, something which will be discussed in greater detail after the new year here on The Boxing Truth®, there were two other notable events that took place on that day, which has not previously been covered in recent content that is available in our archives section that deserves some discussion and insight from this observer before a brief preview of what is to follow later in this column. 

 

First up is future Hall of Famer and current WBC Bantamweight world champion Nonito Donaire, who made the first defense of the world title he won back in May of this year by facing unbeaten top contender Reymart Gaballo in a bout that took place at the legendary outdoor arena in Carson, CA currently known as Dignity Health Sports Park. While the venue that has been a staple for Boxing for many years has gone through several name changes in its history, Donaire is one of the legends of the sport to have performed in the stadium. This latest performance by the thirty-nine year old four-division world champion was such that, despite a long career that has seen it’s share of wars, Donaire seems to have plenty of fight left in him as he ended the fight with Gaballo with one second remaining in the fourth round with a left hook to the body.

 

There is simply not much you can say to describe this fight beyond saying that one fighter simply caught the other with a flush shot that landed perfectly. Although it seemed as though the fight was just starting to heat up, when it comes to body punch knockouts, more often than not, it will be where the punch landed that will be the reason for a fight’s conclusion as these type of punches are known to essentially freeze the fighter that is on the receiving end of it. This is precisely what happened in this fight as the left hook that Donaire landed seemed to catch Gaballo on the liver and many fighters including, but not limited to Micky Ward carved out a reputation throughout their careers for their ability to end fights with body shots similar to the one Donaire was able to land in this encounter.

 

Despite a long and grueling career, Donaire appears to not be done carving out his Hall of Fame credentials as he appears to be nearing a rematch with undefeated unified IBF/WBA Bantamweight world champion Noya Inoue, who defeated Donaire in a unification bout in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) Bantamweight tournament in 2019. As this column was in development, Inoue scored a knockout of top contender Aran Dipaen in the eighth round of a fight that took place on December 14th in Tokyo, Japan. With Donaire recently signing with Probellum, and the promotional entity’s global plans, it will be interesting to see if a rematch of what was an extremely competitive fight can be made in 2022. In all honesty, at this stage in his career, it’s the biggest fight that could be on the table for Donaire.

 

The last bout that took place on December 11th, which coincidentally will tie in perhaps heavily to the bouts that will be previewed that will be taking place on December 17th and 18th respectively involved undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol, who scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Umar Salamov in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Bivol out boxed a very “Game”, but tactically outgunned Salamov over the course of the twelve round bout to earn a convincing decision victory in a fight that did not offer much in the way of highlights, but can be described as a workmanlike performance by the champion..

 

This victory for Bivol should be viewed as one that will allow him to stay active while trying to secure more lucrative opportunities in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. Bivol has been a potential opponent for current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, but with Alvarez looking to challenge for a world title in the Cruiserweight division in 2022, a bout between Alvarez and Bivol seems unlikely at least in the short-term. As for where that might leave Bivol as 2022 approaches, there are two Light-Heavyweight bouts that will take place on December 17th and 18th that could well produce his next opponent.

 

The first of these bouts will be fought in Montreal, Canada where undefeated unified IBF/WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev will defend his title against top contender Marcus Browne in a bout that can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. When it comes to potential opponents for Bivol outside of Alvarez, Beterbiev might be at the top of the list. Not only because of his status as a unified world champion, but also the fact that he has knocked out all sixteen of his opponents going into this fight with Browne, As mouth watering as a potential encounter between Bivol, who also has knockout power, and Beterbiev is, Beterbiev must first face what could be a test in the form of top contender Marcus Browne. 

 

Browne, who will enter the bout with a record of 24-1, with 16 Knockouts, has previously held interim/regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Light-Heavyweight ratings in his career and will be entering his first world championship fight in this bout. Browne is a solid boxer/puncher that is capable of out Boxing an opponent should the opportunity arise and also has punching power. While Browne is one of several fighters throughout the whole sport that has had an interim/regular designation in the WBA rankings in his career, it will be interesting to see how he will respond to fighting for a world championship against a fighter of Beterbiev’s caliber and reputation.

 

It is that reputation in my view as a “Knockout Artist” that Browne will need to be respectful of and the key to this fight for the challenger in my view will be whether or not he will be able to survive what will likely be early pressure by the champion and extend him into the middle and late rounds of this fight. At this stage in Beterbiev’s career, we do not know how he will respond to being taken into the deep waters of a fight or how he will adapt if an initial strategy does not work initially. If Browne succeeds in extending this fight or putting Beterbiev in a scenario or scenarios that we have not seen the champion put in before, some of the questions that have surrounded him may start to get answered in this fight.

 

One fighter who will probably be watching the Beterbiev-Browne bout with keen interest is undefeated former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez, who will return to action on December 18th in San Antonio, TX where he will face Yuneski Gonzalez in a twelve round bout that can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. Much like Bivol, Ramirez has also been name dropped as a potential opponent for Alvarez and like Bivol and Beterbiev, is undefeated in his career. Ramirez will look to position himself for a bout with either Bivol or the Beterbiev-Browne winner in this fight with Yuneski Gonzalez. 

 

In his last bout in July of this year, Ramirez scored a fourth round knockout of longtime contender and former world title challenger Sullivan Barrera. A similarity that Ramirez shares with Dmitry Bivol is that he is a boxer/puncher that is capable of doing pretty much anything from a skill/tactical standpoint. Ramirez’ opponent on this occasion Yuneski Gonzalez will bring a record of 21-3, with 17 Knockouts into the encounter compared to Ramirez’ 42-0, with 28 Knockouts. Gonzalez’ three losses however, all came when he attempted to step up in caliber of opposition, most notably against former WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, who stopped him in 2017. The question that I have as this fight approaches is whether or not Gonzalez will be able to make this step up against a fighter of Ramirez’ caliber and skillset. Despite being in the role of opponent, Gonzalez should be taken seriously and if he can step up and/or if Ramirez might be looking past him, he could possibly pull off a surprise here, but the focus will be on what he will be able to bring to the table in this fight. Gonzalez has won three bouts since his loss to Gvozdyk and has won those bouts by knockout so he has earned this chance to see if he can step up. If Gonzalez were to defeat Ramirez, he would almost certainly be entered into the discussion of potential world title contenders. Whether or not he will be able to do that remains to be seen.

 

December 18, 2021 will also feature two rematches in the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions. First, Youtube star Jake Paul will face the man he defeated in August of this year, former UFC Welterweight world champion Tyron Woodley in Tampa, FL in an eight round Cruiserweight bout that can be seen in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View. Paul, who is unbeaten in four professional fights as a Cruiserweight was supposed to face fellow unbeaten Cruiserweight Tommy Fury, the brother of undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury in what would have been Paul’s first bout against a legitimate boxer after facing two Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters including Woodley, a former NBA player, and a fellow Youtube star in his pro debut in 2020. Fury however, was forced to pull out of the bout due to an undisclosed medical issue. Thus, Woodley, who did extend Paul eight rounds in August steps in to take an impromptu rematch on short notice. A fight that ended in a split decision victory for Paul, Woodley was able to briefly stun Paul with a hook to the head during the course of the fight, but the consensus was that he simply did not do enough to win the fight.

 

The bout has since been the subject of both speculation and criticism by both fighters and those of us in media for accusations of a supposed no knockout clause in the contract that many feel was a means to protect Paul as well as the issue of a fight between a novice against a former MMA world champion headlining a pay-per-view card.  This observer has said from the get go since the influx of youtube stars and other forms of “Celebrity” began interjecting themselves into the sport of Boxing that I would be objective and give the benefit of the doubt to those who are entering the sport.

 

In Paul’s case, he has shown some development in his bouts and in giving credit where it’s due, he did go eight rounds against Woodley last time out. One does have to wonder however, given the state of both the pay-per-view medium as well as the fact that said medium is gradually being phased out by a subscription-based model as to the wisdom of continuing to market Paul as a pay-per-view attraction when frankly, he is not anywhere near the status of a prospect, much less a contender. While his knack for promotion is something that does generate attention whether it be good or bad, it is hard to take someone seriously who does not box against actual boxers and is being pushed as a pay-per-view star having not gone up against legitimate boxers in addition to having a record where most fighters that are starting out are in the opening bouts on a card, not in a main event position.

 

Although the argument of both Jake and his brother Logan Paul are attracting new eyes to the sport and can interest a more casual observer might indeed be valid, it is only a matter of when and not if the novelty will wear off. It also can be seen as a red flag for a network like Showtime, that has refused to adapt to a subscription streaming model for their top tier pay-per-view level bouts through its parent company ViacomCBS’ streaming network Paramount+ and has seen inconsistent pay-per-view returns would resort to this type of attraction on a regular basis without insisting that Paul faces boxers that could provide a test. In short, one does wonder what standard there is as to what classifies a pay-per-view level fight in 2021 at least as far as Showtime and even Fox Sports, two of the networks in the sport that have as of now been resistant to adapt to a subscription streaming model is concerned.

 

While I continue to be objective, the only question here will be whether or not Woodley will be more aggressive this time out and whether the outcome will be any different. Given that this rematch comes out of necessity of Paul and Showtime wanting to maintain the December 18th date, not out of public demand, and the fact that Woodley has had limited time to prepare, no one can say what type of fight this will be.It is my hope however, that Paul and the others that have ventured into the sport after gaining name recognition in another field show that this is not a novelty and that their ventures in Boxing will include bouts against legitimate boxers.

 

The second rematch that will likely be viewed as the more legitimate of the two that will take place on December 18th will be a Heavyweight bout between former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and former world title challenger, longtime contender, and former European Heavyweight champion Dereck Chisora in a twelve round bout that can be seen on DAZN from Manchester, England.

 

In what was a very close and competitive bout in their first encounter in May of this year, Parker was able to withstand a steady pressure attack from Chisora and outwork him over the second half of the fight to earn a hard-fought split decision victory.  It will be interesting to see if this fight will be fought in a similar fashion because at his best, Dereck Chisora is a come forward pressure fighter and an argument can be made that what led to his defeat in the first fight was as much fatigue from what he was able to do in the first half of the bout as it was what Parker was able to get down over the second half. 

 

Chisora has been at or near the top of the Heavyweight division’s contenders for much of the last decade, but has not succeeded at the top tier of the division, despite his status as a former European champion and former world title challenger. With his forty-fourth fight in a fourteen year career that began in 2007 on the horizon, one might be wondering if this is Chisora’s last chance on the world level of the sport. As for Parker, if he should win this rematch, it is likely that he will try to positon himself amongst several top contenders and former world champions vying for a shot at the World Heavyweight championship. Although Parker’s status as a former world champion is something that theoretically gives him an advantage over other potential challengers, should Dereck Chisora win this rematch, we could be looking at a possible trilogy between the two. If fight two turns out to be as competitive as fight one was, this observer says “Why Not?”

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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