October 15, 2022 To Be A Full Day For Boxing Fans

 

In addition to the Heavyweight bout between former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius, a bout that was previously covered here in preview on The Boxing Truth®, Saturday, October 15, 2022 will feature much more for Boxing fans. Firstly, on the undercard of the Wilder-Helenius bout at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY that can be seen here in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View as well as on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE, will be a bout in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division between former world champions Caleb Plant and Anthony Dirrell.

 

Some may call this a “Crossroads Fight” for both men. As some may recall, Plant was last in the ring in  November of last year when he lost his unbeaten record and IBF Super-Middleweight world championship in a unification bout with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for the Undisputed world championship in the division. Although Plant would be stopped by Alvarez in eleven rounds, he did make a solid account of himself in defeat. Much like Deontay Wilder, Plant now looks to rebuild and the first step in that process will come in the form of former WBC world champion Anthony Dirrell. Dirrell, a veteran of thirty-eight professional fights, has also been looking to get back into position to fight for a world title and will come into this bout unbeaten in his last two fights having a draw and a win to his ledger in those bouts since suffering a knockout loss at the hands of David Benavidez in September 2019.

 

Although the story at least going into this fight will be one fighter looking to bounce back from the first loss of his career going against a fighter looking to continue building momentum, what this will come down to in the eyes of this observer could be who will be able to dictate the combat. What we have here is an encounter between two fighters who can do a little bit of everything. Two boxer/punchers that are capable of scoring a knockout should an opportunity arise and are also capable of Boxing to a decision victory.

 

While it may be logical to expect that Plant may want to make a statement in his first fight back, it may be wise to implement a tactical approach here as Dirrell has sixteen more bouts in his career compared to him and has scored knockouts in twenty-five of those bouts compared to Plant’s twelve knockouts in his twenty-one career wins. While this will likely be viewed as an advantage by some in Dirrell’s favor, one aspect that normally works in Plant’s favor is his lateral movement and ability to use angles.

 

 In his fight against Saul Alvarez, his movement and ability to attack Alvarez from various angles did for a time particularly early in the fight bring Plant success. As they bout went on however, Alvarez was able to put consistent pressure on Plant and gradually broke him down with body punches in addition to what he was able to land to his head.

 

Dirrell likely saw that fight and will likely be looking to implement a similar approach in his own way. What he needs to keep in mind is that Alvarez himself had trouble with Plant throughout that fight and it was largely his consistency in how he approached Plant that led to his success in the middle and late rounds and ultimately to his victory over him. Dirrell must also keep in mind that Plant does have quick hands and the ability to attack in spurts. If he is able to find success against him early, he must not get complacent and allow Plant any openings. Plant is the type of fighter that can take advantage of lulls throughout a fight and Dirrell needs to be aware of that.

 

As is the case for pretty much any fighter in the Super-Middleweight and 175lb. Light-Heavyweight divisions, the end goal for both fighters is likely an encounter with Saul Alvarez. With Alvarez maintaining his position as Undisputed world champion in the division, despite being shelved with an injury to his left hand following his third bout with Gennady Golovkin, this bout will likely amount to an audition among the potential opponents for Alvarez once he heals and is able to return to competition.

 

The Plant-Dirrell bout is not however, the only bout outside of Wilder-Helenius that will likely draw the interest of Boxing fans throughout the day on October 15^th. Two events will be taking place outside of the United States that also have intrigue. First, at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England the highly anticipated Women’s world championship unification doubleheader featuring Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall meeting for the Undisputed Women's Middleweight championship of the world and a Jr. Lightweight unification bout between undefeated WBO/IBF world champion Mikaela Mayer and WBC/IBO world champion  Alycia Baumgardner, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

 

The card, which was scheduled to take place on September 10th, was delayed due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8^th as the United Kingdom entered a period of mourning, which suspended many activities including sports.

 

While all four fighters were in Manchester and participating in fight week activities including the pre-fight press conference prior to the Queen’s passing, an obvious question as these bouts near taking place is what affect if any will the one month delay have on the fighters.

 

The Shields-Marshall unification bout is one of the most anticipated fights throughout the entire sport. Two undefeated world champions putting their respective portions of a world championship on the line to unify and determine one champion alone is enough to draw interest even amongst casual fans, but this fight also has bad blood between the champions attached to it.

 

This stems from the meeting the two had as amateurs in May 2012 where Marshall scored a four round decision over Shields, in what was the only defeat Shields has suffered in a Boxing ring in a career that has seen her win two Olympic Gold medals as an amateur and win world titles in three weight divisions as a professional including briefly becoming the Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion.

 

Obviously, the bad feelings between the two has simmered in the decade since that bout including a heated exchange between the two in a post-fight interview following Shields victory in February of this year over Ema Kozin. While some may view such an exchange “Pull Apart” as a means of promotion, this observer was vocal in saying that it was a negative for the women of the sport to see such an incident particularly when the sport is taking advantage of unprecedented exposure and long overdue recognition for the female fighters in the sport.

 

The view of yours truly notwithstanding, the fight between the two, this time as professionals appears to be an even fight. Shields has been splitting time between Boxing and competing in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) where she has a 1-1 record currently.

 

 Although one should not compare Boxing with the sport of MMA as it is two different sports and require different attributes, it is nevertheless interesting that someone of Shields’ caliber would be willing to venture into a different sport while still at the top of her game as a boxer. Given the demands and tone each sport requires to compete at a high level, a question done might ask is how will this impact her preparation for this fight particularly because it comes against not only the only boxer to defeat her as an amateur or professorial, but also someone that has proven to be very dangerous as a professional. Marshall has scored knockouts in ten of her twelve pro fights and will enter into this fight having scored eight consecutive knockouts.

 

At her best, Claressa Shields is a compact combination puncher that often overwhelms and out works her opponents with activity. While Shields only has two knockouts in her twelve career wins as a professional, she has on occasion shown punching power in her own right. Wisdom would suggest that she look to out box Marshall over the course of the scheduled ten round bout. Even though you can never dismiss the possibility of a knockout for either fighter and keeping in mind that Claressa Shields has yet to really be in danger in a fight to this point, sure must be wary of Marshall’s power because she has shown the ability to end a fight with one punch before. Despite the bad blood between the two, Shields must be tactical and not allow her emotion to dictate how she approaches this fight.

 

For Marshall, her fight plan should be looking for a way to limit Shields’ offense over the course of the fight. While one could make an argument based on statistics that she might have the edge in terms of power, Marshall must not head hunt and should be tactical as well, but try not to leave Shields openings. Marshall must dictate how the fight is to be fought in other to be successful.

 

Although the winner of Shields-Marshall will have status as Undisputed world champion in the Middleweight division, the co-main event could lead to an undisputed championship fight for the winner in 2023 in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division.

 

The fight between world champions Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner presents an interesting clash of styles. Mayer is a solid boxer/puncher that uses lateral movement and hand speed to get the upper hand on her opponents. Unbeaten in seventeen pro bouts with five knockouts, Mayer has gradually been working her way towards unifying the division by successfully adding the IBF crown to the WBO championship she won in October 2020 with a ten round unanimous decision over Ewa Brodnicka. In the fight where she added the IBF championship, Mayer scored a ten round unanimous decision over Maiva Hamadouche in November of last year. While Mayer has not faced much resistance on her path towards an undisputed championship bout, her opponent Alycia Baumgardner could prove to be a dangerous obstacle in that path. Baumgardner won her portions of the World Jr. Lightweight championship by scoring a one punch knockout over previously undefeated world champion Terri Harper in November of last year a knockout where Harper appeared to be out cold on her feet. Since that victory, which some called an upset, Baumgardner successfully defended her crown in April by scoring a ten round unanimous decision over Edith Mattysee.

 

Despite her rise to the top of the division coming quickly and as a surprise to some, Baumgardner has shown obviously that she does have the punching power and credentials that should be taken seriously by fans and more importantly her opponents. This could potentially be a close fight depending on who is able to dictate how the fight is fought. Mayer must rely on what has gotten her in this position and box Baumgardner by being a tactician. Baumgardner meanwhile needs to find a way to cut the ring off and limit Mayer’s ability to move.

 

Although Mayer likely has an edge in regard to hand speed, she has not been put in a position thus far in her career where her ability to take a punch from a fighter with significant punching power has been tested. If Baumgardner is able to dictate the tempo of the combat, Mayer may well be tested in what has the appearance of a close and competitive bout at least on paper.

 

Following the Women’s world championship unification doubleheader, ESPN+ continues their Boxing programming of the day by presenting the rematch for the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world between undefeated world champion Devin Haney and the former champion George Kambosos. A contractually mandated rematch that will take place in the country  as their first encounter Melbourne, Australia.

 

In their first bout in June of this year, Haney thoroughly out boxed the previously unbeaten Kambosos over twelve rounds to win the Undisputed championship in what was a pro-Kambosos environment before the champion’s home country.

 

Although this rematch was pre-ordained per contractual terms for the original bout and there remains a possibility that there could be a third bout between the two per the same contractual terms should Kambosos regain the championship, done questioned the wisdom of the former champion for exercising his rematch clause.

 

This is due to how the first fight was fought where Haney was simply too quick and too elusive for Kambosos. While some may say that it was a matter of the adage of “Styles Make Fights,”  the onus is on the former champion to show that he had a bad night at the office and this fight will be different.

 

How can Kambosos accomplish this? It is certainly easier said than done, but he needs to bring the fight to Haney from the outset and apply pressure on him. The difference in hand speed in the first fight was clear and some might be wondering how Kambosos can combat that speed this time around.

 

This observer is a firm believer that one of the best ways to try to negate a fighter’s hand speed is through timing. Although keeping in mind that it is easier said than done, Kambosos has to find a way as he is applying pressure on Haney to make the champion miss and counter his offense. This was accomplished by former world champion Jorge Linares, who was able to badly stun Haney in the closing seconds of the tenth round of their fight in May 2021. To date, this was the only time Haney has been hurt in his career. While he was able to recover and go on to win a convincing unanimous decision, it did show how an opponent needs to approach Haney.

 

Kambosos must find the balance of applying pressure, being more aggressive, but doing so tactically and trying to bait Haney into creating openings for him to exploit if he wants to be successful in this fight. Simply put, he cannot try to box with someone who might prove to be a master boxer by the time his career is over. He must force Haney into his role of fight.

 

The task for the champion going into his first title defense is to try and repeat a near-perfect performance that he was able to produce in the first fight. Haney must however, not be complacent and must be prepared for any adjustments that Kambosos might make this time around. While both fighters are likely going to be moving up to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division in the not too distant future, there remains unfinished business and we will see if Kambosos can find a way to force a chapter three in this rivalry.

 

As tends to be the case especially as the sport of Boxing moves more in the direction of digital streaming on terms of how it is broadcast to the public, this day of Boxing truly offers a little something for every type of Boxing fan. How October 15, 2022 will be remembered in the history book of Boxing however, remains to be seen.

 

“And That's The Boxing Truth. “

 

Wilder vs. Helenius (Featuring Plant vs. Dirrell) takes place on Saturday, October 15th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight can be seen in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT for $74.99. In addition to being streamed on the Fox Sports app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, the event will also be streamed in the United States and globally on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE in addition to also being available via traditional cable/satellite pay-per-view throughout the United States and Canada.

 

To order and stream on the Fox Sports app download the Fox Sports app on your preferred device and follow the ordering instructions or visit www.FoxSports.com/PPV for ordering information.

 

To order and stream on the FITE app, download the FITE app on mobile, tablet or connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, or Click the following link to order and for instructions on how and where to download the FITE app: https://www.fite.tv/watch/wilder-vs-helenius/2pbyb/

 

Shields vs. Marshall /Mayer vs. Baumgardner takes place Saturday, October 15^th at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The full card can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 2:30PM ET/11:30AM PT. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, to subscribe, and where and how to access the ESPN app please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

 

Haney vs. Kambosos 2 takes places Saturday, October 15^th at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The card can also be seen in the United States on ESPN+ beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. The main event will also be simulcast on the main ESPN cable network across cable and satellite providers with a scheduled start time of 10:30PM ET/7:30PM PT.

 

*Fights and Cards Subject To Change 

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wilder-Helenius: The Comeback Begins

For many fighters that go on to become world champions throughout their careers, there comes a point where they enter a stage known simply as “The Comeback.” While it is a period that a fighter can find his or herself in for several reasons/circumstances, more often than not, “The Comeback” represents the start of a rebuilding process following a setback. In the case of former longtime WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, the recent past has seen him suffer two notable setbacks.

This observer is referring to his two losses in his second and third fights against Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Although the third encounter between the two was regarded as one of the best and dramatic Heavyweight championship fights in several years, Wilder did suffer two beatings in those fights and it was fair to question whether the former champion, who reigned as WBC king from 2015 until his first loss to Fury in 2020, would fight again. It was after all a fair question to ask after the punishment he sustained in those two bouts.

While that certainly can not be ignored as Boxing is a combat sport and fighters do risk their lives every time they compete, it may be easy for some to forget that prior to those setbacks, Deontay Wilder was firmly established as one of the sport’s feared “Knockout Artists,” having compiled forty-one knockouts in his forty-two career wins registering a career knockout percentage of over 91%. It can also be easy for some to overlook that in addition to his lengthy title reign in terms of time, Wilder also had one of the most active reigns as champion in terms of title defenses in the modern era of the sport in the five years as champion as he successfully defended his title ten times.

The loss of his crown in 2020, the legal hurdles he had to clear to get his contractually stipulated return bout in what was the third bout with Fury last year also likely took a toll on him in addition to what happened to him in those fights. After a year out of competition, Wilder now prepares to return to the ring as he will face longtime Heavyweight contender and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius on October 15th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View, has one central question that surrounds it. What kind of Deontay Wilder will we see inside the ring?

At his best, Wilder is a devastating puncher that is more than capable of ending a fight quickly should the opportunity arise. It is important to keep in mind however, that Wilder is attempting now to bounce back from two brutal knockout losses. Beyond the obvious question regarding what did those two fights take out of him physically, it is equally important to question what effect those bouts had on him mentally.

Although this observer is a firm believer in the saying that the biggest enemy of a fighter is inactivity, the year Wilder has spent out of the ring probably did him more good than harm. Beyond giving him time to reflect and decide whether he wanted to continue with his career, the year off also provided time for him to heal physically. What those two fights did to him psychologically however, will be as compelling as the question of what those fights took out of him from a physical standpoint.

While Wilder has never been regarded for his Boxing ability or technique, one possible change we could see is how he approaches his opposition. In the third fight with Tyson Fury, Wilder nearly brought an end to the fight by dropping Fury twice in round four. Although frankly I was surprised that Fury was able to survive the attack Wilder was able to dish out in that round as many fighters under similar circumstances would likely not have been able to survive, Wilder was not able to build on what he was able to do in that round. This in addition to suffering punishment himself in being dropped three times throughout the fight in what was a very grueling battle, ultimately worked against Wilder leading to his second defeat to Fury.

One could suggest that a tactical mistake that Wilder made was that he did not pace himself and perhaps thought he would be able to rely on his punching power after what he was able to do to Fury in the fourth round of that fight. It will be interesting to see if Wilder will be more tactical and more aware of pacing himself going forward if a situation occurs where an opponent is able to survive multiple knockdowns where he does not burn himself out over the course of a fight and if he will take more of a boxer’s approach rather than relying solely on his punching power.

Wilder’s opponent for his first step on the comeback trail may prove to be a sturdy test in the form of former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius. At one point during the era of the division that was dominated by Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Helenius was viewed as one of the potential fighters that could have succeeded them as a potential central figure of the Heavyweight division.

Despite entering into this fight with an impressive record of 31-3, with 20 Knockouts as well as his status as a former European Heavyweight champion, some might say that Helenius has not fulfilled his potential. Much like Wilder, Helenius has gone through some setbacks in his career, but in recent times has gone through a resurgence including two knockout wins over highly touted rising prospect Adam Kowacki, who was unbeaten at the time Helenius fought him the first time in March 2020.

Although Robert Helenius has credentials and is not someone to take lightly, there are some who feel based on the fact that Wilder and Helenius were at one time sparring partners that this fight is designed to be a soft touch for Wilder in his first fight back after two losses to Tyson Fury. While you will never be able to convince some folks that their opinion may not be accurate, the sport of Boxing and by extension all combat sports are filled with stories of fighters who initially crossed paths as sparring partners and eventually met down the line in competition.

One thing that should be advised to any fan who watches a fight between fighters who have experience sparring with each other is there is a significant difference between sparring in a gym/training camp and facing each other in a competitive fight. A reason for this is a sparring partner’s responsibility is to mirror a style that their partner will be facing in their upcoming bout and as such, there is the obvious possibility that what a fighter sees in a sparring scenario may not necessarily be the same as in competition. It will nevertheless be interesting to see if Helenius either saw something in his sparring sessions with Wilder or in Wilder’s three bouts with Tyson Fury that he might look to exploit in this fight.

As was the case with his two bouts against Adam Kowacki, Helenius is being viewed by many as the opponent for Wilder as opposed to a competitive threat to the former world champion. In terms of how he should approach this fight, Helenius needs to get the respect of Wilder early, but must be cautious in doing so. Wilder does have the type of punching power that can end a fight suddenly and even though there is possibility that Wilder may not be as willing to let his hands go as freely as he was prior to those two losses to Fury, a fighter’s power is something to always respect.

The challenge for Helenius will be to find the balance between putting Wilder under pressure and doing so with caution. Helenius is also a fighter that is not known for his Boxing ability, but he must be the one to dictate the combat here in this fight.

While this fight has the tagline of being the first step for Deontay Wilder, this will be a good gage to evaluate just how much the two losses to Tyson Fury took out of him and this fight may also serve as an indicator as to how much Wilder has left to give as a fighter. We will see if we will get those answers when Wilder meets Helenius on Saturday, October 15th

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Wilder vs. Helenius takes place on Saturday, October 15th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight can be seen in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT for $74.99. In addition to being streamed on the Fox Sports app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, the event will also be streamed in the United States and globally on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE in addition to also being available via traditional cable/satellite pay-per-view throughout the United States and Canada.

To order and stream on the Fox Sports app download the Fox Sports app on your preferred device and follow the ordering instructions or visit www.FoxSports.com/PPV for ordering information.

To order and stream on the FITE app, download the FITE app on mobile, tablet or connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, or Click the following link to order and for instructions on how and where to download the FITE app: https://www.fite.tv/watch/wilder-vs-helenius/2pbyb/

*Fight and Card Subject To Change 

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

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter:

www.twitter. com/Beau_Denison

Ruiz-Ortiz Weights From Los Angeles, CA

The official weigh-in for a rare Sunday night pay-per-view card headlined by former unified Heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz and longtime top. contender and former two-time world title challenger Luis Ortiz took place on Saturday in Los Angeles, CA. The bout, which will headline a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View card from the venue now known as Cryto.com Arena that can be seen on traditional cable/satellite providers as well as digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE is also being billed as an elimination bout for the WBC World Heavyweight championship.

Although it is unclear as of this writing as to whether or not the winner of this fight will indeed be declared the next mandatory challenger by the World Boxing Council (WBC), the stakes are high for both fighters. The former champion Andy Ruiz weighed in at 268 3/4lbs. He will have a weight advantage of nearly twenty-four pounds over Ortiz, who weighed in at 245 1/2lbs. for the scheduled twelve round bout.

"Weights for undercard bouts on this card are unavailable as of this writing.*

Ruiz vs. Ortiz takes place on Sunday, September 4th at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. The fight can be seen on a pay-per-view basis in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View for $74.99 beginning at 9PMET/6PM PT. The bout as well as it’s undercard will be available through traditional cable/satellite providers as well as through streaming by the Fox Sports streaming app across mobile, tablet, and connect streaming devices/Smart TVs, as well as through digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE.  

 

Contact your cable/satellite provider for ordering information.  

 

To order and stream via the Fox Sports app visit the Fox Sports app on your device of choice or visit: www.FoxSports.com/PPV to order. 

 

To order and stream on FITE visit the FITE app on your device of choice, visit: www.FITE.TV for ordering information or Click Here. 

*Check your local listings internationaly.*

 

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

 

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

 

Previewing A Pay-Per-View Doubleheader February 5th

 The ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic has caused and continues to cause several issues throughout day-to-day life as well as in the world of sports. It was one such complication that has led to something somewhat unique in the current landscape in which we are in, in the sport of Boxing. Two well-publicized pay-per-view Boxing cards taking place on the same day. 

 

Those who have followed the work of this observer over the years know that I have long been a critic of the pay-per-view model. To be more specific, I am critical of inflated price points as well as more often than not, only a fraction of a full Boxing card being made available to the consumer for what are often price points that begin at $60 or above. On February 5^th, there will be two different price points that will be interesting to see what attracts consumers more as one is reasonably priced, while the other is in line with what has unfortunately become the industry's standard for pay-per-view events.  First, the card which has led to this unique double offering of Boxing cards is one that was rescheduled from it’s original January 29^th date due to the British Boxing Board of Control choosing to suspend all combat sports events in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the month of January due to the surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the latest Omicron variant of the virus.  This observer is referring to the pay-per-view card that will take place in Cardiff, Wales where undefeated multi-division world champion Claressa Shields will defend her unified WBC/IBF/WBA Middleweight world championship against undefeated top contender Ema Kozin in a scheduled ten round bout.

 

The bout, which will co-headline a pay-per-view event will be available on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE in the United States and several international countries for a price of $29.99.  For Shields, this will be her return to the Boxing ring after losing a three round split decision in her second Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bout in October of last year to Abigail Montes in a bout promoted by the Professional Fighters League (PFL) MMA promotion. While Shields took some criticism from some fans online following that loss, the reality is the sport of MMA is one that is still fairly new to her in that Boxing is her primary combat sports discipline and she is certainly not the first boxer to step into fighting under an MMA format with mixed results.

 

While Shields’ MMA record stands at 1-1 and it is logical that she will likely continue to pursue her MMA career, in the Boxing ring, she remains undefeated as a professional and between the two combat sports, she has only lost two fights with the one Boxing loss occurring as an amateur prior to her winning two consecutive Olympic Gold medals in the 2012 and2016 games respectively. The one Boxing loss was to fellow Middleweight world champion Savannah Marshall, who like Shields is unbeaten as a professional. Perhaps not coincidentally, Shields and Marshall appear to be on a collision course for a potential unification bout later this year if Shields is able to retain her unified portion of the Women’s World Middleweight championship against Kozin.

 

In Ema Kozin, Shields will face a fighter who is unbeaten in twenty-two professional fights and will have a slight professional experience edge over the more accomplished Shields. Kozin is also recognized as a world champion by the World Boxing Federation (WBF) in the Middleweight division and while some may not recognize the WBF as a world sanctioning organization, that world championship will also be at stake in this bout in addition to the three world titles that Shields currently holds.

 

The key to this fight in this observer's eyes will be whether or not Kozin will be able to get the respect of Shields early. At her best, Shields is a compact offensive-minded fighter that has a good mix of hand speed and punching power in being able to either out work opponents to win rounds or score knockouts should the opportunity arise. It will boil down to whether or not Kozin will be able to establish and control the pace. For her part, Kozin has good hooks with either hand and has shown in her career to have an effective attack to an opponent's body. Kozin has yet to face a fighter that fights at a fast pace as Shields typically does and whether or not Kozin will be able to implement an attack that is based on both counter punching as well as being able to take advantage of openings an opponent might leave her, remains to be seen.

 

There is always the possibility given that Shields has split her time between Boxing and her MMA career that burn out could also be a factor. As of yet, there has not been any indication that this could happen as between her two MMA bouts, Shields has continued to be dominant in the Boxing ring. Nevertheless, the possibility of burn out as well as physical fatigue from significant training exists in addition to the potential of Shields possibly looking ahead towards a bout with Savannah Marshall.

 

Also on the card in Cardiff, Wales, will be an intriguing Middleweight bout between former IBO world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and top contender and former world title challenger Liam Williams. A bout that uniquely is being marketed as being the main event of the card in the United Kingdom whereas the Shields-Kozin bout has received top billing here in the United States. The differences in the marketing of this card notwithstanding, the Eubank-Williams bout one might argue is a crossroads encounter in a 160lb. Middleweight division that could be heading towards a period of transition with several top players in the division including Demetrius Andrade, the two-division world champion and most recently the former WBO Middleweight world champion potentially seeking more lucrative opportunities in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division where current Undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez sits atop the division and as the top marquee draw in the sport has the ability to make any fight he is involved in very lucrative for those who will be sharing the ring with him. With several top fighters in the Middleweight division looking at the possibility of moving up to challenge Alvarez, providing that Alvarez stays in the division, there is obviously the potential for contenders like Eubank and Williams to maneuver into possibly fighting for a Middleweight world championship.

 

In terms of what one can look for in this fight, this will be an interesting clash of styles. Liam Williams is coming into this fight off of a failed world championship challenge to then WBO world champion Andrade in his last fight. Despite being knocked down in the second round of that fight, Williams, a former British Middleweight champion was very “Game” in going the distance with Andrade in losing a twelve round unanimous decision. In his twenty-seven career bouts, Williams has a record of 23-3-1, with 18 Knockouts. Those three losses however, came to arguably the two best fighters that Williams has fought thus far in his career. The most recent loss to Andrade as well as two losses to former Jr. Middleweight world champion Liam Smith in 2017.

 

Williams however, has good punching power and has shown that he is capable of scoring quick knockouts should the opportunity arise. This seems at least on paper to create a scenario of what could be an exciting bout as Williams’ opponent Chris Eubank Jr. is also someone who likes to come forward, has twenty-three knockouts in his thirty-one career wins registering a near 70% career knockout percentage compared to Williams’ near 67%. With both fighters having come forward styles that look to bring the fight to their opponent, this might be a scenario that it may come down to who is able to land the first significant power punch.

 

The pay-per-view doubleheader in Cardiff, Wales will not be the only pay-per-view offering on February 5^th as later that evening former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman will return to the ring for the first time in nearly two years by facing top Jr. Welterweight contender Mario Barrios at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV that will headline a four bout pay-per-view card broadcast by Fox Sports Pay-Per-View here in the United States for $74.99 that will also be available on FITE as well as the Fox Sports app and traditional cable/satellite providers.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, I would not be doing my job as a Boxing journalist/historian if I did not at least mention the fact that this fight being sold as a pay-per-view event and more specifically the inflated price point has drawn significant criticism from Boxing fans. This is due in large part to Fox Sports doing a pay-per-view on new year’s day, which was headlined by former Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin and former world title challenger Luis Ortiz, being marketed heavily as being economically priced at $39.99. Despite the more reasonable price point, some estimates that have been reported by a variety of Boxing media outlets have claimed that the event, which was held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL only generated 25,000 buys on pay-per-view between traditional providers and streaming platforms/networks like Fox’s own sports app and FITE.

 

Keeping in mind that this observer has long been critical of those in the sport both promoters and television networks for their continued reliance on the pay-per-view model, despite the success of digital subscription-based streaming networks like DAZN and ESPN+, which have shown that there is a viable alternative not just for the consumer in a subscription-based streaming model, but also a revenue source for promoters and fighters who have yet to embrace the benefits of such a model, I do not have access to the numbers of what the Martin-Ortiz event actually drew on pay-per-view, which is why the term estimates is being used here.

 

With that said, if the event truly underperformed to that degree, it is highly questionable why the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, who also promoted Martin-Ortiz and Fox Sports would think that a card, that has pretty much the same premise of the main event being a crossroads fight, would do better in terms of buys at an inflated price point, which unfortunately has become the standard for what this observer has called the “Hold Outs” that have yet to embrace the benefits subscription-based options could have for their events and for their networks. The criticism of yours truly, which I stand by, notwithstanding, the Thurman-Barrios bout is intriguing.

 

What makes this fight intriguing? It is the first fight for Keith Thurman since he lost his WBA Welterweight world championship to Manny Pacquiao in July 2019. The question going into this fight is fairly obvious. What kind of condition will Thurman be in after such a lengthy layoff. Although Thurman’s loss to Pacquiao came via split decision, it was a fight where the opinion of many felt Pacquiao out boxed Thurman over the twelve round world championship bout. Rather than trying to quickly re-establish himself following the loss and the global epidemic of COVID-19 that followed and unfortunately continues, Thurman has chosen to stay inactive until now. While a lengthy rest likely helped Thurman to recover from nagging injuries that all fighters deal with, one does have to wonder what Thurman will look like nearly two years removed from his last fight.

 

Although the length of Thurman’s inactivity was likely influenced in part by the uncertainty of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, an old-school perspective from this observer is that more often than not, the best way for a fighter to remain in fighting shape and avoid what is known as “Ring Rust” is to not only be in the gym training, but more importantly by being active in competition. Opinions can obviously differ, but I have always held the belief that the more active a fighter can be, the better that fighter’s odds of being prepared if a lucrative fight and/or an opportunity to fight for a world championship comes along.  This is why many veteran fighters opt to stay as active as possible regardless of the caliber of opposition.

 

Of course, it is difficult to expect every fighter to have that approach, particularly when fighters at the highest level of the sport as Thurman had been for several years prior to his layoff earn millions of dollars each time they step into the ring to compete. As such, some might argue that the incentive to remain active is not as strong at least from a financial standpoint. While all fighters who enter the ring to compete deserve to make as much as they can, while they can because after all each and every fighter is risking their lives each time the enter the ring to compete, there has been evidence that fighters who compete on a limited basis whether it be once or twice a year, or even long stretches of inactivity between fights eventually suffer from eroded skills at some point in their careers.

 

At his best, Keith Thurman is a come forward fighter who has been more than willing to engage with his opponents with a good mix of hand speed and punching power. It will be interesting to see if the inactivity has benefited Thurman not only in terms of physically, but in terms of during a fight if the inactivity will have had an effect on his reaction time, reflexes, and his ability to take a punch. The answer to those questions will likely come early in this fight against Mario Barrios.

 

Barrios, who will be moving up seven pounds in weight from the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to the 147lb. Welterweight division is, like Thurman a boxer/puncher, who likes to come forward and engage with his opponents. Mario Barrios is coming into this fight off of his only career defeat in being stopped in his last bout by Gervonta Davis in eleven rounds in June of last year. In what was a very competitive bout where he held his own against the betting favorite Davis, Barrios nearly pulled off what some might have called an upset before he was caught and stopped late in the eleventh round. 

 

Coming into this fight, Barrios has what might be seen as an advantage simply because he has been the more active of the two fighters. The question that will surround Barrios going into this bout will be how he will respond to fighting as a Welterweight against the naturally bigger Thurman. It will also be interesting to see if Barrios will look to test Thurman early given the issue of his inactivity or if he will be cautious and respectful of Thurman’s punching power. Barrios must keep in mind however, that he was caught in his last fight against Davis and that led to him being stopped. With this in mind, it is probably wise to assume that Barrios will be tactical in his approach even if he does test Thurman early.

 

While this fight is between two notable fighters, one a former world champion and the other a top contender moving up in weight for this fight, it is difficult at least for the moment to say where the winner of this bout might figure into the equation of the Welterweight division given that both Thurman and Barrios are coming off losses in their last bouts and the depth of the division that is largely in a state of flux due to issues occurring outside of the ring in terms of the top of the division. Nevertheless, the winner will likely find himself with some room to maneuver to at the very least get another bout against a top contender if an opportunity against one of the current world champions in the division is not available in the foreseeable future.

 

On the undercard of Thurman-Barrios former three-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz will return to action for the first time since Halloween night 2020 when he faces Keenan Carbajal in a Featherweight bout scheduled for ten rounds. Similar to Mario Barrios, Santa Cruz is coming off of a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis. In what was an exciting fight that was quite competitive, the bout came to a sudden conclusion when an uppercut from Davis ended the night for Santa Cruz. Although Santa Cruz’ loss to Davis was a one punch knockout, the effects from it have kept him out of competition for over a year.  Santa Cruz now looks to get back on track in this fight against Keenan Carbajal. Carbajal, the nephew of former four-time world champion and Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal, will enter this fight with a record of 23-2-1, with 15 Knockouts and has been unbeaten since 2015. This however, will be a step up in caliber of opposition for Carbajal, who will be giving up significant experience to Santa Cruz, who will enter with a record of 37-2-1, with 19 Knockouts.

 

While Carbajal may be unknown to some going into this bout, it is important to remember that Santa Cruz is coming off of a knockout loss that was severe in how it occurred. It is logical to assume that Carbajal will look to test Santa Cruz early. At his best, Santa Cruz is a fighter with an entertaining style that has been more than willing to engage with his opponents over the years. After suffering the first knockout of his career however, an obvious question that will probably be asked among some Boxing fans is whether or not he will be as willing to engage in exchanges of offense as he was before he was caught by Gervonta Davis.

 

Although Keenan Carbajal has an eighteen fight winning streak coming into this bout, he has fought several fighters that are not known and who some would describe by a term that this observer personally dislikes “Journeymen.” As much as the story of this fight will center around what effect did the knockout Leo Santa Cruz suffered had on him, the other plot line here will be what will Carbajal bring to the table in what is clearly the biggest fight of his career and a chance to instantly establish himself amongst the best in the 126lb. Featherweight division should he turn in a good performance win or lose. While there is a clear temptation to label this as simply a “Comeback Fight” for Santa Cruz, the reality is, it may be best to view things with the mindset of one fight at a time at this stage of his career and what path his career takes going forward could be influenced in part by what happens in this fight against Carbajal.

 

The concept of two pay-per-view Boxing cards taking place in the span of one day is something that is indeed not new as Boxing has flirted with it on an occasional basis going back to the early 2000’s prior to the advent of streaming technology and the often more sensible subscription-based streaming model. With four fights, the four headline bouts on these two pay-per-view cards having been previewed in this column, it would be a shame given the stories leading into each bout if the main story in the weeks that follow these two cards concerns strictly the estimates of pay-per-view buys each event generates, which has unfortunately been as much of the story of recent pay-per-view events as the fights themselves.

 

Although it is tempting to take a negative view having seen the decline of the pay-per-view model and the thus far unwillingness to adapt by some promoters and networks to a more economically reasonable model that will not in essence price out many consumers, yours truly will take an optimistic stance and say simply that I am looking forward to what occurs inside the ring between these two separate cards. The other factors that be in regard to the business of Boxing and the paywall structure can be discussed at a later time. For now, let these fighters do what they do best, compete. We’ll see who emerges victorious from these two events on Saturday, February 5^th.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

We will have weigh-in and broadcast information for these two cards available here on The Boxing Truth® on Friday, February 4^th. Stay Tuned.

 

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

 

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Was Holiday Boxing A Wise Decision For The PBC?

 

Brief introduction By Beau Denison: It is time for this observer to share his belated thoughts in the form of a feature column that was originally scheduled to begin our 2022 schedule here on The Boxing Truth® discussing two Boxing cards that closed out 2021 taking place on Christmas day and New Year’s day respectively. As the bulk of this column was written in advance of an unexpected delay in the column’s release to readers, what follows is the column as it was written. Towards the end of this column both due to the time between when the material was written as well as what has occurred in the days since what was to be the original release date, the column will be updated to hopefully provide as current information as possible. We thank readers for your patience and hope you enjoy reading.

 

The year 2020 for several reasons, all of which are not necessarily good, was a year that broke a lot of norms both in regard to everyday life as well as in the world of sports. For the sport of Boxing, at least as far as the United States was concerned, Boxing Day 2020 was one that saw a televised Boxing card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters. In all the years, this observer has covered combat sports, specifically Boxing, I could not recall a time previously where I saw a Boxing card take place here in the United States on Boxing Day or in the days that occur between Christmas and New Year’s Day. In fairness, I did look at the 2020 Boxing Day event that the PBC promoted as something that likely would not have taken place if it were not for the impacts of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic in that almost half of a year was largely lost in Boxing due to the almost universal shutdown of the sport that occurred during the first six months of 2020, and on that basis it was understandable that promoters, and to be specific those who had broadcast agreements with television networks across traditional and streaming platforms would want to get as much content as possible produced when the sport began resuming activity in the summer of 2020 largely in closed-door settings.

 

As 2021 drew to a close, I was surprised to see the PBC and one of it’s television partners here in the United States Fox Sports opt to produce cards on both Christmas night and New Year’s day, with the latter of the two being a pay-per-view card.  It surprised me because I had always had the impression going back to long before my journey in covering the sport began in the 1990's that the primary sports that would take place over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays are typically team sports that occur during the time of year where the Christmas and New Year’s holidays take place, namely National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and College Football bowl games. It were those reasons why I was not critical as much as I was curious as to why the PBC and Fox Sports would choose to put on two cards, with one being a pay-per-view event with frankly minimal promotion and questionable interest that would be debatable as to whether it would appeal to casual observers as well as those for whom Boxing is a lifelong passion.

 

While it is during this holiday period that more often than not, I as a Boxing lifer and someone who covers the sport fulltime during a calendar year, usually take a pause to enjoy the holidays and recharge my batteries for the coming year, during this holiday break, I did make a point of it to observe these two cards even though I would not be covering them as they took place. What was of interest to me was not only how these two events would fare both in terms of crowd attendance given that it took place over the holidays as well as how it would fare in terms of ratings and buys for the New Year’s day pay-per-view card, in addition to obviously what would occur inside the ring.

 

First, it would be the Christmas night event that took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, that was broadcast on the national Fox Network in here in the United States. Headlining this card was nineteen year old Welterweight prospect Vito Mielnicki, who faced veteran Nicholas DeLomba in a ten round bout. This bout showcased Mielnicki’s skillset as well as his disciplined approach in gradually breaking down DeLomba over nine rounds before finally breaking through with a barrage of punches highlighted by a flush right hand to earn a stoppage in the tenth and final round.  The thing that stood out to me was the disciplined approach that Mielnicki used throughout this fight. In particular, how well he was able to control the tempo of the combat with his jab, which is something that you do not always see with regard to a young fighter. What was also noticeable was how he simply bided his time and waited for the opportunity to get the stoppage win rather than trying to force the issue too much, which is something that even seasoned veterans do not always do when they are in control of a bout to such degree that they could probably end things when they choose to.

 

Although some might say that Mielnicki could have been a bit more aggressive and if he were then he may have been able to get an earlier stoppage, it is important to keep in mind that this was only the eleventh professional bout for the nineteen year old native of Roseland, NJ. While it is indeed true that a prospect that is able to score head turning knockouts more often than not generates more attention, there is something to be said about the development of a young fighter and the fact that Mielnicki was able to not only go into the tenth round, but do so in a way where he pretty much controlled the bout from the opening bell is something that will likely serve him better than a quick knockout might have in terms of the long-term picture as he progresses in his career.  The only loss for Mielnicki thus far in his career came in dropping an eight round majority decision to James Martin in April 2021. With two victories since that setback, each coming via stoppage, the future looks bright for Mielnicki going into 2022 and the question that might be asked is whether or not he may be ready for a bit of a test in his next fight to see where he fits in what is usually a talent-deep 147lb. Welterweight division.

 

The future also looks bright for undefeated Middleweight prospect Joey Spencer, who also appeared on this card in scoring a fifth round stoppage of veteran Limberth Ponce.  This was a fight that could be described as a systematic breakdown of an opponent as much like Mielnicki did in the main event of the card, the twenty-one year old Spencer gradually wore Ponce down. Spencer did this by implementing a tactical approach that had an emphasis on maintaining distance, but also allowed him to pick his shots in spurts to the body and head, which kept Ponce off balance and unable to do much beyond trying to defend against what Spencer was throwing. The combination of well-timed and executed offense to the body and head eventually created the opening where Spencer was able to stagger Ponce with a left hook to the head and follow that with a right hand that sent Ponce down on his back midway through the fifth round resulting in a stoppage of the fight without a count from the referee.

 

Although Spencer was able to get to his opponent in a quicker fashion than Mielnicki was able to in his bout, the approach both fighters used was similar in it’s execution and both fighters were able to get the impressive victories they needed heading into 2022. For Spencer, the stoppage win over Limberth Ponce was his fourteenth professional victory and his tenth knockout. The similarities between Spencer and Mielnicki will continue going into this year as much like Mielnicki, the question for Spencer will be whether or not he is ready for a test to see where he fits into the 160lb. Middleweight division and hopefully an attempt to move him into the top thirty rankings of Boxing’s five recognized world sanctioning organizations the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), the International Boxing Federation (IBF), the World Boxing Organization (WBO), and finally, the International Boxing Organization (IBO).  While the PBC’s decision to broadcast a Boxing card on Christmas night proved to be a surprising success with over two million viewers tuning in to watch what was the highest rated Boxing card broadcast by Fox in 2021, it led to the pay-per-view event that took place on New Year’s day at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL.

 

A Heavyweight-themed event that featured five bouts with the sales pitch being priced at a $39.99 price point, much lower than the $60-$80 price points, which despite the consistently dwindling returns for pay-per-view cards over the last several years, remains the norm. This PBC Fox Sports Pay-Per-View card did however, feature an interesting main event that pitted former IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin against former two-time world title challenger and longtime Heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz.  A bout that was billed as an elimination bout in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Heavyweight ratings that perhaps because I was observing this card during some downtime that I had an impression was a final eliminator to determine the next IBF mandatory challenger that would theoretically face the winner of the presumed rematch between undefeated IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, which might take place later this year. The elements of the business side of the sport as it relates to the IBF aside for the time being, this was nevertheless a fight between two fighters who have been at or near the top of the division for several years.

 

Although the forty-two year old Ortiz is known for his ability to score quick knockouts, I wondered how he would respond to a fighter in Martin, whom like himself, is a crafty southpaw, who had not been known for his punching power, but did have the ability to score knockouts should the opportunity arise in scoring knockouts in twenty-five of his twenty-eight career victories. Martin also came into the bout on a five fight winning streak and one might argue that he had more momentum coming into the bout than Ortiz, who was coming off of a victory in his last fight following his second stoppage loss to then WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder in November 2019.

 

The thing that stood out to me when the fight began was the measured approach in which Martin chose to pursue Ortiz. While Ortiz seemed to be the busier of the two fighters, Martin chose a calculated approach focusing on making the most of his openings rather than trying to outwork Ortiz. It was this approach that resulted in an unexpected knockdown when Martin connected with a short left hook that seemed to land behind Ortiz’ ear that sent him down in the first round. Although this was what is often referred to as a “Flash Knockdown” in that Ortiz was caught off balance and was subsequently knocked down rather than it being a case where he was badly stunned/hurt, Martin was able to show that he could exploit openings that Ortiz would leave him and this in my view gave him what some might have viewed as an unlikely advantage as the fight progressed. It also stood out to me that Ortiz’ apparent issues with his balance may not have been a case of an effective fight plan by the former world champion Martin, but also perhaps an indication that at Fort total years old that Ortiz may be at the point where he may not be able to maintain his balance as well as he has done previously throughout his career and that in addition to elements such as age and TBE physical wear and tear that comes with being a competitor in combat sports is something that might become an increasing issue as Ortiz continues on in his career.

 

Martin would follow the knockdown he was able to score in round one with a second knockdown of Ortiz in the closing seconds of round four. Much like the first knockdown in round one, Ortiz was caught off balance, but this time, it was a jab that knocked Ortiz off his feet. While some may not think much of knockdown a that occur in this way due simply to more often than not, the fighter being knocked down not being hurt, the fact that knockdowns are scored can have a crucial role in how a fight is scored. In this case, particularly because this was a bout between two southpaws that were able to counter each other's offense effectively in spots as this fight progressed.

 

In this observer's view, the two knockdowns Martin was able to score as well as the general measured approach he implemented for a large portion of the bout was enough to give him the advantage. Despite my view, when Ortiz was able to connect with his offense, he did seem to have more power behind his punches compared to Martin. This kept Ortiz not just in the fight, but also extremely dangerous. The question that developed in my mind was whether or not Ortiz would be able to catch Martin, who had proved to be elusive and almost sniper like with his tactics in setting up his punches.

 

As can sometimes happen in Boxing and in particular the Heavyweight division, fights can change in the blink of an eye. This is essentially what would happen in this fight. As Martin appeared at least in my eyes to be building a lead on the scorecards based largely on the strength of the two knockdowns he had scored, Ortiz would turn things in his favor in sudden and dramatic fashion. In round six, Ortiz would connect with a flush overhand left that landed on Martin's temple that more or less froze the former world champion on his feet. This set off a brutal barrage of punches that ultimately sent Martin down. Some might say that at this point, Martin was able to benefit from a break of sorts in that because one of his gloves got tied in the first and second ropes as he went down, the referee Frank Santore Jr. opted to stop the count at around the count of seven to unhook Martin's glove. Despite momentarily getting crucial seconds to try and clear his head once the count was stopped, Ortiz sensing he had his opponent in serious trouble, pressed forward with a near relentless assault of punches resulting in Martin being dropped for a second time. This time even though Martin was able beat the count, Santore did not like what he saw in Martin's eye and body language and stopped the fight.

 

Although this was as impressive a come from behind victory for Luis Ortiz as one could draw up, more questions emerged from this fight regarding Ortiz than there were questions answered. To be specific, given both his age as well as the balance problems that were clearly evident in this fight, just how much longer will he continue on with his career? Despite emerging victorious in what was billed as an IBF elimination bout, an indication that perhaps Ortiz may not have been100% going into the fight with Martin became known in the days that followed the fight as Ortiz withdrew from an ordered IBF elimination bout against undefeated top contender Filip Hrgovic citing an undisclosed injury that would prevent a bout, which would determine a new mandatory challenger in the IBF Heavyweight ratings to face the winner of the upcoming rematch later this year between undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. Taking Ortiz' place in the planned IBF elimination bout will be top contender Tony Yoka of France, who had a scheduled bout this month cancelled due to the French government imposing restrictions in regard to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. As has been the case for many things over the last two years regarding COVID-19 virus, it may be best to wait and see what happens regarding the ongoing crisis before discussing when those two bouts, the Usyk-Joshua rematch as well as this planned IBF elimination bout will take place beyond saying hopefully, they will both occur during the course of 2022.

 

There were also four other Heavyweight bouts that occurred on the undercard of Luis Ortiz’ stoppage of Charles Martin that will be touched upon here before sharing some closing thoughts. Unbeaten Heavyweight prospect Frank Sanchez had to overcome circumstances, which unfortunately because of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic have become an issue throughout the entire sport. A change of opponent due to an originally scheduled opponent due to contracting COVID-19. In this case, Sanchez’ original opponent was to be Carlos Negron, who was forced to withdraw from the bout in the days prior to the card due to contracting the COVID-19 virus. Longtime Heavyweight contender Christian Hammer stepped in on limited notice and was able to last the full ten round distance against Sanchez in losing a unanimous decision.

 

It was a workmanlike performance by Sanchez who simply did what he needed to do over the ten rounds to earn the victory. While there was not much in the way of highlights to speak of regarding this bout, the reality is under the current circumstances the world is in because of the COVID-19 crisis, fights like this are as much an adjustment for the fighter who had to have a change in opponent as much as it is for the fighter stepping into the bout on what is often times limited notice. While as of this writing there is no word as to whether there will be an attempt to reschedule Sanchez to face Negron down the line, but it was as good a performance as one could expect under such a scenario against a durable opponent in Christian Hammer that was able to hang in there and did his best.

 

Ali Demirezen also saw action on this card in scoring the most notable win in his career thus far in stopping former world title challenger Gerald Washington in eight rounds. The veteran Washington was able to have some sporadic success early on in this fight, but Demirezen gradually was able to take control and midway through the eighth round with their fighter seeming badly fatigued and suffering significant punishment, Washington’s corner stopped the fight. Although Washington had some success throughout particularly when he was able to work behind his jab, he simply did not let his hands go with consistency to be effective for a sustainable period of time. Whether or not this was due to the pressure Demirezen was able to put on him, the effect of Demirezen’s power, or the fact that Washington is thirty-nine years old and has suffered some punishment throughout his twenty-six bout career is only something that he can answer, but for Demirezen, who entered the bout with a record of 14-1, with 11 Knockouts, these are the type of tests that a prospect is often faced with as they look to progress towards an eventual challenge of a world championship. This observer is not quite ready to say that Demirezen is ready for the upper class of the Heavyweight division, but the fact that he was able to stop a former world title challenger is something that should be viewed as a positive as he looks to progress forward in the new year.

 

This card also featured a rematch as veteran Johnnie Rice scored a lopsided and uneventful ten round unanimous decision over Michael Coffee. Similar to Frank Sanchez’ victory over Christian Hammer, there is simply not much to say about this fight beyond the simple description of one fighter besting the other. Unlike their first encounter in July of last year where Rice entered as an unknown opponent for the then unbeaten Coffee and was not thought to be much of a test for him in entering with a record of 14-6-1, with 9 Knockouts compared to Coffee’s 12-0, with 9 Knockouts, a fight where Rice surprised many in stopping Coffee in five rounds, the rematch was a slow methodical bout that Rice was able to control from the outset to earn a convincing victory on the scorecards. While it is hard to say that Rice is a potential contender at this stage, two consecutive victories over a previously unbeaten prospect is definitely something to take notice of and at minimum Rice has earned status as a potential spoiler for prospects on the rise and fringe contenders for now. As for Michael Coffee, a problem many prospects throughout the entire sport face as they move up towards world contender status, particular those who are able to score several knockouts on their rise up is the issue of what happens when they are tested by fighters that may not be household names, but are capable of giving a prospect a tough fight and possibly a surprise. Two losses to one fighter is certainly not an indication that a fighter does not have potential to be a contender or even a world champion at some point in their career, but for Michael Coffee, it will be a question of whether these two losses were a case of a fighter in Johnnie Rice being under the radar and being a more dangerous opponent than his record may have suggested, or if it was simply a bad clash of styles for Coffee. For now, the two losses should be viewed as something that Coffee should take time to digest, learn from, and see what adjustments can be made in the gym before he attempts to resume his career.

 

Perhaps the most entertaining bout on this pay-per-view card was it’s opening bout between unbeaten Heavyweight Viktor Faust who scored an exciting and somewhat controversial second round stoppage of veteran Iago Kiladze. A bout that can be best described as “Rock Em’, Sock Em’ the two fighters exchanged multiple knockdowns in the round and a half that they were in the ring together and this can be attributed to both fighters willingness to stand and trade punches with little regard for defense. For Faust, who came into the fight having scored knockouts of six of his previous eight opponents and was heavily favored over Kiladze, this proved to be a significant test that was not anticipated. Faust quickly dropped Kiladze with a short left hook in the opening seconds of round one. Kiladze responded just as quickly as Faust pressed forward following the knockdown and dropped Faust with a counter right hand to the jaw moments later. Not to be outdone, Faust would score a second knockdown of Kiladze later in the first round with another left hook to the head. 

 

The wild encounter would continue in the second round with Kiladze dropping Faust for the second time with a flush counter right hook to the jaw. Faust was able to get up and later in the round he would respond by dropping Kiladze with a right hand that seemed to land behind the ear. After what was the fifth knockdown of the fight between the two in a little over four minutes of action, Kiladze got up once more. This time on unsteady legs when asked by Referee Sam Burgos whether he wanted to continue Kiladze did not appear to give a clear response prompting Burgos to stop the fight. An enraged Kiladze responded by throwing a right hand that landed on the arm of Burgos. Burgos understandably angry, responded with some explicit language that in essence he asked Kiladze “What is wrong with you?!” before saying the fight is over and pointing Kiladze to his corner. Kiladze was clearly irate at the stoppage and threw his gloves out to the spectators in attendance before leaving the ring in utter disgust.

 

It is not often that one can say on any level of the sport of Boxing that you see a total of five knockdowns exchanged between two fighters in such a short period of time. Although some may criticize Referee Sam Burgos for stopping this fight and see it as a controversial move, it is important to remember that Burgos was the third man in the ring in September of last year when the ill advised bout between Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield and former UFC world champion Vitor Belfort took place in the same venue. Burgos should be credited as this observer said in covering that sad moment in the sport, for saving the fifty-nine year old Holyfield from himself and quickly stopping the fight following a knockdown and a follow up barrage in which it was clear that Holyfield no longer belonged in the ring as a fighter. That sad night in the sport’s history aside, which this observer simply asked in the days following the event in his coverage “What’s Wrong With Boxing?,” the fact was that Sam Burgos did what the Florida State Athletic Commission refused to do in protecting a man from himself in allowing the event to take place when the state of California, which was originally slated to host the event, refused to license Holyfield citing his age as well as the punishment he had taken throughout his career as well as being many years removed from active competition. In this case, Burgos again proved to be a competent referee and once he did not get a clear response to the question of can you continue from Kiladze, he promptly stopped the fight.

 

If there is a controversy to point to however, it is in how Kiladze responded to the stoppage. A referee’s primarily responsibility is to ensure the safety of the fighters that compete in addition to ensuring rules and regulations are followed. While it is certainly understandable Kiladze’s anger at the stoppage in what was an exciting fight, putting his hands on the referee crossed the line, and no matter what one thinks of the stoppage should be viewed as unacceptable.

 

While it is unclear as of this writing as to whether or not Kiladze will face action from the Florida State Athletic Commission (FSAC) for his actions following the stoppage, the bout between him and Viktor Faust was exciting and definitely deserves a rematch just based on the action that took place. Whether or not a rematch will take place will probably come down to whatever repercussions Kiladze faces for assaulting Burgos after the fight was stopped.

 

As for whether this Heavyweight pay-per-view was successful, yours truly has heard estimates citing by others within the sport claiming that the event drew under 25,000 buys. While I will not speculate on the claims as they are not numbers that have been released by the PBC or Fox Sports, if the numbers were in that range, perhaps it is an indication that doing a pay-per-view card on New Year’s day against a wide range of college football games was maybe not the best idea though if the PBC continues to insist on using the pay-per-view model as they will be in a scheduled February 5^th Fox Sports Pay-Per-View card headlined by a twelve round Welterweight bout between former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman and Mario Barrios, perhaps they should keep the price point at a reasonable range as this card was.

 

Was the decision to stage Boxing cards on Christmas night and New Year’s day by the PBC and Fox Sports a wise decision? This observer believes, despite the high ratings that the Christmas night card was able to generate on the national Fox network, probably not. It is a fact that was even pointed out by Fox Sports during the Christmas night broadcast that the last Boxing card to have taken place on Christmas in the United States before Christmas 2021 was in the 1960’s. While I could not personally verify when the last card to have taken place on New Year’s day here in the United States was before 2022 began, I would feel safe in suggesting that there have not been too many. While it is important to keep in mind the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 global crisis and that the main priority for all promoters in the sport including the PBC is to try to be as active as possible and to try to keep their fighters that they promote as active as they can in such circumstances, maybe by the Christmas and New Year’s holidays in 2022 roll around, we might see a more strategic approach in scheduling Boxing cards around the holidays.

 

“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

 

 

 

 

BREAKING: British Boxing Board of Control Suspends Boxing Events Throughout January Due TO COVID-19

 

 

It has been announced that due to COVID-19’s latest omicron variant that has been spreading throughout the world that the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) has suspended all Boxing cards throughout the month of January throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. What this does mean is the scheduled January 29^th card featuring a Women’s World Middleweight championship bout between undefeated world champion Claressa Shields and Ema Kozin, as well as a Middleweight bout between former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams that was one of the marquee events on the schedule for January 2022, which was due to co-headline a pay-per-view event here in the United States from Cardiff, Wales, that was already rescheduled from it’s original December 11^th date, has been postponed again. As of this writing, there is no word on whether the card will be attempted to be rescheduled beyond the BBBofC’s January pause.

 

  This however, does not have any impacts on tonight’s scheduled pay-per-view card here in the United States, which will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL, which will be headlined by a Heavyweight bout between former IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin and former multi-time world title challenger Luis Ortiz. There has been one replacement opponent on the undercard of the Heavyweight-themed pay-per-view, that will see veteran Christian Hammer step in on short notice to replace Carlos Negron, in a bout against undefeated prospect Frank Sanchez. Negron, was forced to withdraw from the fight earlier in the week due to testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. As of this writing, the card, which can be seen in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View and FITE, will take place as scheduled. 

 

We will however, keep readers updated on any COVID-19 related postponements/cancellations throughout the world as we learn of them. Stay tuned.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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