BREAKING: Whyte Forced To Withdraw From Joyce Fight Due To Injury

It has been reported by TalkSport out of the United Kingdom that Heavyweight contender and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled April 5th bout with Heavyweight contender Joe Joyce due to what is at this time an undisclosed injury. The bout, which was due to headline a fight card at the Manchester Arena in Manchester England as part of Queensberry Promotions global debut on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN might be salvaged as Joyce is reportedly looking for a new opponent to step in for Whyte.

We will keep readers updated on developments as they become available.

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Can Whyte Continue To Build Momentum?

December 2024 in Boxing has seen the focus firmly planted on the Heavyweight division. With the highly anticipated rematch between undefeated unified WBO/WBA/IBO/WBC Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former champion Tyson Fury still to take place on December 21 in Saudi Arabia, the month of December has seen potential challengers for whomever should emerge from that fight victorious, angling for position. We have seen former two-time world title challenger Kubrat Pulev take his next step by scoring a convincing twelve round unanimous decision over longtime contender Manuel Charr. Now, another former world title challenger looks to make his argument as longtime contender Dillian Whyte will return to the ring on Sunday, December 15th in Gibraltar at the Europa Point Sports Complex to face  contender Ebenezer Tetteh. 

The scheduled ten round Heavyweight bout, which can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, will be Whyte’s third bout since coming up short against then WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury in April 2022. Since that loss, where he was knocked out in the sixth round, Whyte has rebounded in his last two fights scoring victories over contenders Jermaine Franklin and Christian Hammer. In his previous fight in March, Whyte scored a third round stoppage of Hammer. 

While the story of this fight is a simple one to describe in a longtime top contender looking to put himself back into the Heavyweight championship picture, the subplot here will be what Whyte’s opposition will be on this occasion. Ebenezer Tetteh will come into this fight with a record of 23-1, with 20 Knockouts, is riding a four fight knockout streak. Tetteh does have power in both hands and should be viewed as a potentially dangerous opponent for the thirty-six year old Whyte. The one blemish on Tetteh’s record, however, came against the one recognizable opponent on that ledger in the form of current IBF Heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois, who knocked him out in one round in 2019 when Dubois was a rising contender.

This could be interpreted in a few ways. Although Tetteh has bounced back since that setback, he has only fought four times since that loss in 2019. What this fight will come down to is whether or not Tetteh is ready for the step up that he was not ready for when he faced Dubois. There is also the aspect of what version of Whyte will be in the ring.

Dillian Whyte has been in many grueling battles throughout his career and like Tetteh, he is capable of ending a fight with either hand, there have been times where he has appeared sluggish, most recently in his bout with Jermaine Franklin in November 2022, where he won a twelve round majority decision in a fight that some thought Franklin deserved the victory. The question, which will likely follow Whyte for the remainder of his career is not only one regarding consistency of his performances, but also one whether the accumulation of a long career and those grueling battles will show itself.

Whether or not that will happen against  Ebenezer Tetteh remains to be seen. When a notable Heavyweight such as Whyte competes, however, it will draw attention. Especially when the goal of every Heavyweight not currently a world champion or a challenger for a world championship is to get themselves into that position. With Pulev having scored a convincing victory over Manuel Charr, it is now time to see whether Whyte can put forth a performance that might nudge him ahead in the pecking order of potential future world title challengers or if Ebenezer Tetteh will be able to score what some will view as an upset and move his own name into that discussion.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Whyte vs. Tetteh takes place on Sunday, December 15th at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar. The fight can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 2:30 PM ET/11:30 AM 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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Joshua And Navarrete Triumph On A Memorable Day In Boxing

Following a week where his bout required a substitution, former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua returned to the ring to face longtime Heavyweight contender Robert Helenius at the O2 Arena in London, England. The main story of this fight was that because Helenius took the bout on a little more than four days notice, what type of fight would occur inside the ring when he faced Joshua on August 12th. This was a question that proved to be warranted because Joshua after all did lose his first world championship in June 2019 to Andy Ruiz, a fighter who took that fight on limited notice. The commonality between the two bouts unfortunately was that each came as a result of Joshua’s original opponent testing positive for banned substances. 

Although it is hard to ignore that coincidence, that would prove to be the only similarity between the two bouts. While in his first encounter with Ruiz, Joshua was reckless when he was able to score a knockdown of Ruiz in a memorable third round, which resulted in him getting caught, knocked down, and ultimately losing his title via stoppage, this time around the primary takeaway was Joshua’s patience. In that he was able to implement a tactical strategy where the primary weapon was his jab. An approach that was nearly identical to the one Joshua used in his bout with Heavyweight contender Jermaine Franklin in April of this year. 

A fighter implementing a tactical strategy is something that does not always lend itself to the appreciation of Boxing fans, especially when the fighter who is executing such a strategy is known for scoring quick knockouts as Joshua is. It is an approach however, that more often than not, proves to be successful. This fight would prove to be no different as Joshua frequently landed his jab and was able to control the tempo of the fight simply based on being able to land it frequently. While not always entertaining, it does a few things that some fans might overlook, one, it can limit an opponent’s ability to throw punches simply because it is a weapon that can make an opponent reluctant to throw punches because of the possibility of getting countered. The second thing a consistent jab can do beyond winning rounds and limiting an opponent’s offense is, it can gradually bust an opponent up and cause among other things swelling and bleeding. 

This set up a scenario where much like Joshua's performance against Jermaine Franklin earlier this year, it was a workmanlike performance where Joshua simply bided his time and took his time gradually mixing in hooks and right hands behind his jab. It would be a right hand in the seventh round that landed high on the head of Helenius that sent the longtime contender down hard and out on the canvas, the fight was over.

While some might be critical of Joshua's performance as was the case after his victory over Franklin, I felt that he was consistent and with this fight being his second under new trainer Derrick James, he is gradually showing improvement while also showing new wrinkles to his Boxing style. It is something that is not always appreciated, but it does show that a boxer's skillset never stops evolving as long as the fighter is committed to learning new things among the polishing and refinement process that takes place as a fighter prepares for competition. This fight should also prove that the biggest benefit to a fighter is being active regardless of what level you might be at in the sport.

With two wins in 2023, Joshua appears to be heading towards a showdown with former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. While this is a fight that has been a wish for many Boxing fans for years and would have been bigger than what it would be now if it had taken place while both Joshua and Wilder were world champions as it would have led to an undisputed champion being crowned in the division, it is still one of the bigger fights that could be made currently and the only question might be whether that fight would be next or if Joshua might be able to get one more fight in before facing Wilder.

The key for Joshua will be to stay active because being active will allow him the best opportunity for success when fights that are more lucrative come along. Despite the economics that be in the sport that do not always promote the idea of consistent activity for fighters at or near the top level of the sport, we have seen time and time again the flaws of inactivity when a fighter or more specifically their promoters and management teams only want marquee fights where either the fighter underperforms or outright loses to an opponent that prior to that fight was more active and in competition on a regular basis.

Anthony Joshua's comeback continuing was not, however, the only bout that took place on August 12th of significant interest to the Boxing public. Following Joshua's win over Helenius, the Boxing world focused its attention on the Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ for a fight that many observers, including yours truly, felt that a Fight of the Year candidate would take place. The battle for the WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship between champion Emanuel Navarrete and former WBC Jr. Lightweight world champion Oscar Valdez did not disappoint.

In previewing this fight, I started that both Navarrete and Valdez had similar styles and with each being a fighter that likes to come forward, it ultimately proved to be worth the anticipation that preceded it. From the opening bell, the two fighters engaged in a battle that was fought at a high pace with each having his share of moments throughout. 

What stood out to me however was the difference in size between the two fighters. Although both men made the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight limit, Navarrete looked like the much bigger fighter to the extent that he looked like perhaps a full 135lb. Lightweight or maybe even a 140lb. Jr. Welterweight compared to Valdez, who looked smaller in comparison. There were a few additional things that would ultimately prove to be crucial in this fight. First, despite the near non-stop pace in which this bout was fought, Navarrete was able to control a significant portion of the combat with his jab and this in addition to seeming to land the harder punches of the two in a toe to toe battle gave him the edge, despite Valdez having several moments throughout the fight where he appears to stun Navarrete. 

The courage both men displayed in this fight is something that can also not go unnoticed as by the late rounds of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout, Valdez was figuring with his right eye shown shut as a result of the jab and power punches of Navarrete. Despite fighting with an apparent injury to his right hand, Navarrete was able to kerp what was an ungodly pace in throwing 1,038 total punches and landing 216 according to CompuBox compared to Valdez' 436 total punches thrown and landing 140. While Valdez was ultimately the more accurate of the two, which made the fight competitive and close in landing nearly 33% of his total punches to Navarrete's near 21%, it was the greater activity of the champion that led to him retaining his title via twelve round unanimous decision. Unofficially, I had Navarrete winning this fight eight rounds to four or 116-112 in points.

While I felt Navarrete won this fight clearly, I also felt that it was highly competitive and have a strong feeling as someone who has covered several notable series of fights over the years including many trilogies that this might be the conclusion of chapter one in the story of Emanuel Navarrete versus Oscar Valdez. Boxing is a sport, but part of it is the constant desire of promoters and networks to want to put on the most competitive and most entertaining fights for their respective audience. Although this desire does not always happen on a consistent basis for several reasons related to the business of the sport, which more often than not does not serve in Boxing's best interest, this is a case where two fighters are willing to face each other and both said following the fight that if the fans wanted to see a rematch, they would be open to it. Style wise, the competition level and intensity will likely be the same no matter how many times Navarrete and Valdez fight. 

Ultimately, August 12, 2023 was a memorable day in the sport of Boxing. Not only did the Boxing fans get to see the next chapter in the comeback story of a former Heavyweight champion of the world that almost didn not happen, which resulted in what could be a candidate for Knockout of the Year, but what followed later in the day was a fight that lived up to every bit of hype as the potential Fight of the year for 2023. The real winners were the Boxing fans.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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BREAKING: Joshua-Whyte Rematch Cancelled

It has been announced that the scheduled August 12th rematch between former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte has been cancelled. The bout, which was to take place at the O2 Arena in London, England was cancelled earlier today by promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing after Whyte had what was being described as a quote "Adverse Finding" in random pre-fight testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) of which both fighters are enrolled according to a statement released on the promotional company's respective social media platforms. 

As of this writing, there is no word on whether there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout, which was to headline a Boxing card broadcast by digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and DAZN Pay-Per-View in select countries. Matchroom Boxing has gone onto say that in addition to the cancellation, a full investigation will be forthcoming. As to whom will be conducting the investigation is not known at this time, but it may be likely that the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) who were sanctioning the bout as it was to take place under their jurisdiction will be the regulatory body conducting the investigation and possibly handing down disciplinary actions depending on what the findings of the investigation might be.

We will keep readers updated on wny developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Joshua -Whyte To Meet In Highly Appreciated Rematch August 12th In London, England On DAZN

Press Release: July 6,, 2023 By DAZN - British Heavyweight rivals Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte will meet in an explosive rematch at The O2 in London on Saturday August 12, shown exclusively live on DAZN around the world and on DAZN PPV in the UK and Ireland.

Credit: DAZN 

 

Two-time unified Heavyweight World Champion Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs) and former World Title challenger Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs) lock horns again nearly eight years on from their wild British Title clash in Greenwich, which Joshua won by a huge seventh-round stoppage to end a thrilling war. 

 

Brixton’s Whyte has a long-running rivalry with Joshua, having beaten the Watford man on points as an amateur back in 2009 before Joshua won an Olympic gold medal at London 2012 which kick-started his meteoric rise to global stardom. 

 

‘AJ’ went on to unify the Heavyweight division, winning the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO crowns as he became one of the biggest athletes on the planet with a string of wins against the likes on Charles Martin, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin, Andy Ruiz and Kubrat Pulev. 

 

The 33-year-old convincingly outpointed Jermaine Franklin at The O2 earlier this year as he returned to winning ways under new trainer Derrick James following back-to-back defeats to Ukrainian pound-for-pound great Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.

 

Whyte, whose last win also came via a points decision against the USA’s Franklin last year, fell short in his record-breaking World Title challenge against undefeated WBC ruler Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium in April 2022, succumbing to a sixth-round TKO loss.

 

The Jamaican-born warrior, 36, has aspirations of fighting for another World Title and knows that a win over his old foe Joshua next month will put him in prime position for another mega-fight against one of the division’s other glamour names later this year. 

 

In the UK and Ireland the PPV will cost £26.99 via DAZN.com. Prices may vary on other providers.

 

“I’ve been clear that my plan is to be active this year," said Joshua. "August 12 is the date, I’ll be ready to fight. I look forward to dealing with business."

 

“I’m looking forward to returning to the London O2 on August 12 and going to war,” said Whyte. “It's 1-1 so this is the decider!”

 

"I can’t quite believe this fight is happening and there was absolutely no stopping either man," said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. "The rivalry runs deep and there is something about these two where they will never back down from each other. At times it may have looked like a game of bluff but now we are set and with everything that’s on the line this is an absolute must win for both. Just like the first time at The O2, get ready for fireworks August 12 and a huge night of boxing live on DAZN."

 

“It is great to have Anthony Joshua back fighting on the platform so soon after his fight in April," said Joseph Markowski, CEO North America, DAZN Group. "We want ‘AJ’ in the biggest fights and in Dillian Whyte this is a massive one - reigniting a feud that has bubbled away for well over a decade. August 12 promises to be fireworks. Watch a night of all out action, live and exclusive on DAZN around the world and on DAZN PPV in the UK and Ireland.”

 

Tickets for Joshua vs. Whyte 2 are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £300, £400 and £800 (VIP).

Tickets are available to O2 and Virgin Media customers via Priority from 10.00am on Friday July 7. 

Tickets are available via The O2 venue presale and AXS presale from 10.00am on Saturday July 8.

Matchroom Fight Pass members will also be able to purchase tickets from 10.00am on Saturday July 8. Priority ticket info will be emailed directly to eligible members ahead of the on-sale time. 

General Sale tickets can be purchased via Stage Front and AXS from 9.00am on Monday July 10.

 

About DAZN Group 

  

DAZN is a leading sports streaming service in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, the US and UK.  Its wide range of content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.   DAZN is the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match outside North America.   

  

DAZN is building the ultimate sports entertainment business where fans from across the globe can watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.   

  

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

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission. 

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

 

 

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

Joshua-Franklin: Can Joshua Bounce Back?

Only with the rarest of exceptions, one would be hard pressed to not find a fighter in the sport of Boxing or to take it a step further, all of combat sports, that has not at one time or another experienced a setback or several throughout the course of their careers. This is one reason why veteran writers/journalists/historians such as this observer will refer to what a fighter goes through during the course of their careers as "Chapters" in the story of that career. The story of former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua is one that is about to embark on a new chapter that one might have the working title of "The Rebuild?" or "The Comeback." 

Without delving too much into the backstory of how we got here to what will be the start of what is essentially phase three of Joshua's career, the conclusion of the previous chapter was Joshua's failure to regain his title for second time in his rematch against undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk in August of last year, Usyk, the man who took the unified portion of the World Heavyweight championship from Joshua and ended his second reign as champion over a year earlier.

While Joshua fought a better fight in the rematch with Usyk, he was still unable to get the job done. In hindsight, even though Joshua had an immediate rematch clause, which he exercised to get another fight with Usyk, there are likely some who question the wisdom of that decision even though he was simply out boxed by a master tactician both times and was not knocked down or out in either bout. Now Joshua prepares to try and get his career back on track as he will face Heavyweight contender Jermaine Franklin on Saturday, April 1st at the O2 Arena in London, England. A bout that can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

Although there is the similarity of both Joshua and Franklin coming into this fight off of losses, Franklin's loss in November of last year to former world title challenger and former Joshua opponent Dillian Whyte, established the previously unknown native of Saginaw, MI as a Heavyweight contender. It was in that fight where Franklin, who entered that bout unbeaten in twenty-one professional fights, dropped a twelve round majority decision to Whyte, but arguably came out of that fight looking more like a winner then Whyte did as there were several including yours truly who felt that Franklin deserved the decision. Perhaps, it was that consensus opinion as well as Franklin's performance in that fight where he seemingly outworked Whyte in a fight that was not the most entertaining to watch, which has resulted in him getting this chance against the former champion Joshua.

This will be Joshua's first fight and second connective fight with a new head trainer in his corner. After previously working with trainer and former world champion Robert Garcia for the rematch with Usyk, this time Joshua has enlisted trainer Derrick James to be his coach. James has trained several world champions, much like Garcia, including current undefeated IBF/WBA/WBC Welterweight world champion Errol Spence, among others. The obvious question that is asked whenever a new trainer takes over the reins of an established star in the sport is what new elements or wrinkles can that new trainer bring to the table in terms of hopefully helping improve and evolve that fighter's skillset.

In this case, I believe most would concede that even though Joshua fought a better fight the second time around against Usyk and that fight was closer than the first encounter, at no point in either fight did Joshua assert his naturally bigger size and strength on Usyk, who at that point was an undefeated former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion, who also showed mixed returns in terms of his ability to handle Heavyweights in his previous Heavyweight bouts prior to facing Joshua. Whether it was a case of Joshua being under prepared in either of those fights or perhaps complacency in underestimating just how good and skillful Oleksandr Usyk is, I believe many would say that whatever the case was, it was the wrong strategy.

Many will of course remember that Joshua began his pro career with a string of quick knockouts. While that certainly helped him move up the ladder of contention quickly and eventually to a world title, a problem that many fighters that are able to have a similar rise up the ranks run into at some point is not having a Plan B when an opponent is prepared for and able to withstand their punching power. In Joshua's three losses, first to Andy Ruiz, then the two against Usyk, an argument can be made that not only did Joshua not have a Plan B, but he also did not recognize the need to adjust whatever plan he had in those fights when it became clear that his strategies were not working. The challenge for Derrick James is not only to find a way to reinstill Joshua's instincts as a power puncher, but also, giving him the mental aspects to recognize when a change of approach is needed, as well as a way to tactically implement it.

In terms of the opposition, Jermaine Franklin is still largely unknown from the standpoint that it is not known how he will respond to a fighter with Joshua's power. What can be said however, is he was able to withstand the best of what Dillian Whyte threw at him and in addition to seemingly being able to outwork him over the course of the fight, Franklin also proved to be durable. The question is whether or not that was a case of Franklin catching Whyte on an off night or more of a circumstance of Franklin not getting the benefit of exposure on television consistently prior to that fight that was the reason why he was able to turn in a performance that many did not expect.

Given what happened in that fight in Franklin coming out on the losing end of a decision many felt he deserved, it will also be interesting to see if Franklin approaches this fight a bit more aggressively in an effort to keep the outcome out of the hands of the three official judges. One should also keep in mind, despite Anthony Joshua's reputation as a "Knockout Artist," he has been caught, hurt, knocked down, and knocked out before. As such, even though Franklin has had limited exposure up to this point, the possibility certainly exists that Joshua can be caught and the beauty of Boxing is after all, "Anything Can Happen At Any Time." Whether Franklin, who has fourteen knockouts in his twenty-one career wins, has the power or the timing to be able to catch Joshua as Andy Ruiz was able to do when he knocked him out in their first fight in June 2019, remains to be seen.

While there is not much "Hype" at least from yours truly, beyond the simple quote that indeed anything can happen, which should not be viewed as "Hype" more than it should be taken as "Common Sense," promoter Eddie Hearn, who has prompted Joshua for his entire career, has started that if Joshua were to lose this fight, it might signal the end of his career. Although that should be taken in context as a promoter's primary job is after all, to generate as much interest as possible to both sell tickets as well as to hopefully, move the needle for lack of a better term for their broadcaster, in this case DAZN, I do not necessarily believe that should he lose this fight that Joshua would be finished as a fighter because he is one of the biggest stars in the sport, particularly in the United Kingdom where he has routinely drawn massive crowds in stadiums for his fights.

A loss however, would at minimum take Anthony Joshua out of the world championship picture for a period of time and it would be dishonest to say that the onus is not on Joshua in this fight and obviously with that, there is pressure. On the other side of the equation, much as was the car prior to his bout with Dillian Whyte, Jermaine Franklin has nothing to lose and everything to gain. No matter how well regarded a fighter might be, their stature in the sport, and how dominant they might be, the longer a fighter's career continues, the competition will get tougher with time and the possibility of a loss is always there. How Part 3: Chapter 1 in the story of the career of Anthony Joshua is ultimately written remains to be seen. 

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Joshua vs. Franklin takes place on Saturday, April 1st at the O2 Arena in London, England. The bout as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with The DAZN Boxing Show: Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts beginning at 11:45AM ET/8:45AM PT. This will be followed by the main card, which will begin st 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(* U.S. Times Only*) 

(*Card and start times subject to change.*)

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

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

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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

 

Is Whyte Ready For Joshua Rematch?

 

In April of this year, the long wait for longtime Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte to receive an opportunity to fight for the WBC World Heavyweight championship came to an end when Whyte finally stood across the ring from undefeated WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury before a crowd of over 90,000 at the legendary Wembley Stadium. Despite giving a good account of himself, Whyte exited the bout with Fury without the WBC world championship in the Heavyweight division, being knocked out by one uppercut in the sixth round. The question that normally follows a fighter losing a world championship fight whether they be in the role of champion or challenger is the same, when will the rebuilding process begin?

 

For Dillian Whyte, the process began on November 26^th at the Wembley Arena as he faced undefeated, but largely unknown Heavyweight Jermaine Franklin in a scheduled twelve round bout. Although Whyte has been in a position similar to the one he was in going into the bout against Franklin in looking to bounce back after suffering a defeat, after an eleven year career, it was fair to question if at thirty-five years old and having been through his share of grueling battles over the years if the accumulative effect of a long career might have been starting to effect Whyte. In Jermaine Franklin, Whyte faced an unbeaten Heavyweight with a record of 21-0, with 14 Knockouts, but a fighter that due to managerial problems had only fought once since 2019 and was taking a step up in the caliber of his opposition in facing a fighter in Whyte, who has been a top contender in the division for several years and was coming off of fighting for a world title.

 

Although there was a bit of mystery regarding Franklin going into this fight and to be more specific, whether he was ready for this step up given both the lengthy period of inactivity prior to May of this year when he scored a fifth round knockout of Rodney Moore, you never really know what may or may not happen when two fighters get into a ring to do battle even if there may be questions regarding the caliber of opposition of one of the boxers prior to the bout. While some may assume that Whyte may have been looking for a soft touch for lack of a better term in his first bout back in an effort to boost his confidence again, you simply do not know what will happen until a fight begins.

 

In this case, this fight was fought at a somewhat surprising tactical pace. What made this surprising was, despite Whyte’s reputation as a power puncher, he did not press the issue early in the fight even though he also has a reputation as a slow starter in fights. Perhaps this could be explained as showing Franklin respect in not trying to press the issue too early, but the pace in which this fight was fought seemed to favor Franklin, who showed a calm poise in his approach as well as an edge in hand speed compared to Whyte.

 

What impressed this observer about Franklin was how he often threw punches in two and three punch combinations whenever he did let his hands go. Despite the edge Franklin seemed to quickly establish, it was also clear that Whyte had the edge in punching power. Franklin also seemed to be able to bait Whyte into creating openings for him to counter punch, which for a period of time did seem to quell Whyte’s power.

 

This created a scenario where it was the volume punching of Franklin against the more damaging blows of Whyte. A very close fight that came down to a simple, yet complex question of what a judge would prefer that would ultimately determine who would win this fight. Although the difference in punching power was indisputable and the gradual body work of Whyte did prove to be effective as the fight progressed, I felt Franklin’s offensive output was something that could not be ignored as at the end of the twelve round bout, I had him ahead by a margin of seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points. The basis of my scoring was not only the volume in which Franklin threw his punches, but also how he was able to answer back with offense whenever Whyte would land something significant. It was however, one of those fights where, despite the score I arrived at, at the conclusion of the bout, I felt could go either way and I certainly would not have been surprised if the result proved to be a draw.

 

One official judge did score the bout even 115-115, a rare scorecard, but at the same time an illustration as to how close the fight proved to be. The two remaining official judges however, arrived with identical scorecards of eight rounds to four or 116-112 in favor of Whyte making him the winner via majority decision.

 

While some may say that this was not the statement-making performance that Whyte may have needed coming off of a knockout loss in his overdue title shot, he still was able to score a victory in what proved to be a closer fight than some had anticipated. What this fight did prove is no matter how long a fighter is a top contender and competes near the top level of the sport, the competition never stops and Jermaine Franklin has now entered the discussion of contenders who may fight for a world championship down the line.

 

In terms of what comes next, it was said by promoter Eddie Hearn that the winner of this bout would be positioned to face former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua in early 2023. This now sets up a rematch for Whyte against Joshua. In their first meeting in December 2015 when the two met for the then vacant British Heavyweight championship, Joshua scored a seventh round stoppage of Whyte. Nearly eight years will have passed between the that fight and when a potential rematch will take place if indeed it does happen in 2023. Obviously, both fighters have changed significantly compared to their first meeting and much like Whyte, Joshua will be looking to bounce back off of consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Although some may wonder off of this performance against Jermaine Franklin if Whyte is ready for such a crossroads bout with Joshua, there is very little room to maneuver near the top of the division if the goal is ultimately to fight for a world championship. With new fighters trying to work their way into contention on a consistent basis, it puts fighters like Whyte and Joshua into a position where a fight such as a rematch between the two is almost a necessity at this point in their respective careers as they look to maintain their positions as top contenders. As the new year approaches, the Heavyweight division will continue to be one of the main topics of discussion in the entire sport. A rematch between Whyte and Joshua would be among those topics.

 

“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

 

 

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

Was Victory Over Whyte Fury’s Finest Hour?

 

The fight between undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and WBC number one Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte was more than the practice of a world champion fulfilling his mandatory defense obligations. For Fury’s second defense of his WBC crown, it was both a fight for a portion of the World Heavyweight championship as well as an event. 

 

An enthusiastic crowd of over 94,000 spectators packed the legendary Wembley Stadium in London, England to witness what had become one of the most anticipated fights of 2022. Why was it so anticipated? It is important to keep in mind that this was a bout that went beyond the description of a world champion defending his title against a longtime contender who had a lengthy wait to get the title shot that he had earned due in part to the politics that be in the sport. Both Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte are two of the Heavyweight division's top stars and in particular in the United Kingdom, both have drawn sell out crowds when they have competed. When one throws into the equation that this was Fury’s first fight in the United Kingdom in several years, it was certainly not hard to understand how a fight like this could draw a record crowd in a historic venue such as Wembley Stadium. 

 

Although the atmosphere provided by the massive crowd in attendance was a big part of the story of this encounter, the fight itself was also compelling because it pitted two fighters that are comparable of ending fights quickly if the opportunity arose. Some might argue that a large part of the appeal of the sport as a whole is due to the anticipation prior to a Heavyweight championship fight with such a scenario. 

 

There were two questions that this observer had in mind prior to this bout. One, what would Tyson Fury have left in him as a fighter after participating in a grueling trilogy with Deontay Wilder, with the last of the three bouts last October being the most brutal in the series. As I pointed out in previewing this fight, despite the fact that Fury emerged from that trilogy still unbeaten and as a two-time world champion, each fight does take something out of a fighter even when the results of those fights are victories. It was on this basis that I felt it was a fair question to ask. The second question was whether Dillian Whyte would be able to pull off what many would consider an upset being at a significant height, weight, and reach disadvantage compared to the champion. 

 

Even though every box that one could checkmark in terms of the physics of this bout as well as advantages in overall skillset seemed to favor Fury, Whyte did still have a punchers chance and could not be dismissed, especially when one considers that Fury had been dropped four times over the course of the trilogy with Deontay Wilder and had been knocked down five times in his career overall. It would nevertheless be a difficult task for the challenger to combat. 

 

It did appear as though Whyte had a strategy in mind as he began the fight aggressively and looked to focus his attack on Fury’s body. Something that many previous opponents have neglected to pursue. This is due in part to Fury’s ability to bait opponents into thinking that he is open for punches to the head, and using upper body movement to evade punches and counter punch effectively. While such an elusive style can be frustrating for opponents to combat, for Fury it has proven quite effective. This was however, the first time in this observer's recollection that an opponent attempted to focus an attack on Fury’s body from the outset. Despite Whyte having only sporadic success due largely to the difficulty he had getting inside Fury’s reach, I felt he did enough to win the first round based largely on that success in landing offense to the champion's body. 

 

An illustration of Fury’s skillset and ability to quickly adapt was seen as early as the second round of the fight as he began to utilize his reach to his advantage using his jab to keep Whyte at a distance where Fury could control the tempo. It was Fury’s ability to use his jab and right hand, the classic one, two combination that allowed him to control the combat. While Whyte was still able to sporadically land offense, the rhythm was such that Fury could box contently and choose to pile up rounds if he wanted to. One aspect that worked against Whyte in addition to being at a physical disadvantage was a lack of head movement. 

 

When a scenario of a fighter who is blessed with both height and reach goes against a shorter opponent, there are usually two ways short of what would amount to what some would call a “Lucky Punch” for the shorter fighter to succeed from a tactical standpoint. The first would be to use head movement, make the taller/bigger fighter miss and attempt to move inside his reach in the process. A second tactic, which also involves some elements of head movement would be for the shorter fighter to get low.  

 

Some may wonder what yours truly means by the term “Get Low,” while obviously easier said than done, in simple terms it means attempt to crouch down as the taller fighter attempts to throw punches and try to move in as punches hopefully go over the shorter fighter’s head and shoulders to get on the inside. Instead, Whyte became a target for Fury’s jab and right hand. This added to increasing frustration for the challenger as he began to lunge with his punches in what turned out to be vain attempts to land something that would turn the ebb and flow in his favor. What made things worse for the challenger was whenever he would get close, the champion would tie him up and use his body weight to his advantage. This resulted in some ugly grappling scuffles throughout the fight particularly in the fourth round. 

 

Although such tactics that were implemented by the champion are not exactly legal, as I have said numerous times over the years in covering fights where a fighter with a significant height and weight advantage over a shorter fighter, if a referee does not call the infraction of the rules and will allow the taller fighter to use their physical advantages, it is a wise move for said fighter to try and take advantage of it for as long as they are allowed to. While yours truly has seen far worse instances in a taller fighter being able to lean, grapple, and prevent a shorter fighter being able to get consistent offense in, it is important to note that Referee Mark Lyson did issue warnings to Fury and Whyte throughout the fight. 

 

Despite the warnings, Lyson did not deduct any points from the champion or challenger and for the most part Fury was allowed to use those tactics to his advantage. This in addition to Whyte’s inability to tactically adjust presented a scenario where barring the chance of a “Lucky Punch,” the challenger had two options.  Be thoroughly out boxed over the course of twelve rounds or become overly aggressive and get caught. As it would turn out, both options turned out to be what happened as Whyte was out boxed convincingly by Fury before a sudden end to the bout occurred in round six. 

 

In a scenario quite similar to the one in August 2020 where Whyte was knocked out in his first fight against Alexander Povetkin, Whyte would be knocked out by a Fury right uppercut to the head behind a jab. Readers may recall in previewing this fight, that I brought up this exact scenario in stating that Whyte had to keep in mind that Fury was a solid counter puncher and could land uppercuts with both hands. A slight difference between Povetkin’s knockout of Whyte and what happened in this fight was Whyte was ahead on the scorecards at the time of that knockout and was caught by being overly aggressive by a shot that he did not see coming. This time, Whyte was falling behind on the scorecards and while not aggressive at the moment in which Fury’s knockout blow landed, he still did not see the punch coming. The right uppercut from Fury landed followed by a slight push by the champion that sent the challenger backward on his back on the canvas.  

 

Although some may argue that the push by Fury was what caused the knockdown, this observer feels that Whyte was on his way down from the uppercut and while the push is not legal, it was likely an attempt by Fury to prevent Whyte from attempting to hold. Mark Lyson not calling the push, did not change the fact that Whyte fell on his back and hard on the canvas. While unlike his knockout loss to Povetkin, Whyte was not knocked out cold, he staggered to his feet on unsteady legs and the bout was stopped.  

 

Fury’s second title defense of the WBC Heavyweight world championship was successfully in the books. A performance that was ugly at times, but near flawless by the champion was one that some might call the best of his career. With his title defended before 94,000 fans, some might go as far as to say it was Fury’s finest hour. 

 

As someone who has covered many of Tyson Fury’s fights both before his two reigns as a Heavyweight world champion and in between when he was on the comeback trail after a lengthy absence to deal with mental health struggles, I believe this was the best Fury has looked in his career. The obvious question is what happens now? 

 

In the build-up to this bout, Fury was quite vocal in saying that this would be his last fight in saying that he had promised his wife that he would retire. While there is not much left currently for Fury to accomplish having held every world championship there is to hold in the sport across two separate reigns as a world champion, there is one thing left that he has not accomplished that could keep him in the ring a little longer. To become Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world in holding all five recognized world championships in the division at once, something that has never been accomplished in the history of the sport in what is known as the five belt era. Having said this and keeping in mind that there is no shortage of lucrative paydays for Fury moving forward if he continues Boxing, there is something to be said for a fighter’s family and those who care for the person outside the ring. 

 

Some can indeed forget and/or take for granted the sacrifices that a fighter’s family makes while they pursue their careers. What can also be overlooked by some fans is the toll a family goes through over the course of a fighter’s career both in terms of relationships as well as emotionally. Although we live in an era where anyone can express their point of view thanks to the advent of social media, which good, bad, or indifferent, whether based on facts or biases, do not always take things like what a fighter’s family goes through into consideration before expressing such points of view. It also goes without saying that long after a fighter’s career is over, it will be the fighter’s family who will look after them. Regardless of what one’s point of view might be, any time a fighter can exit the sport on their own terms with all their physical and mental faculties intact and be financially secure going forward, it is truly a victory. 

 

Whether Tyson Fury continues his second reign as a Heavyweight world champion remains to be seen, but if he chooses to walk away from the sport at this point with his health intact and hopefully, with wise financial investments that can keep himself and his family secure in the long-term, it is a decision that needs to be and should be respected. 

 

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

 

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