The Boxing Truth®

On June 14th Brooklyn-born undefeated IBF Jr. Welterweight world champion Richardson Hitchins returned to New York City for his first title defense as the headliner of a card at The Theater inside of Madison Square Garden. For a fighter in Hitchens, who won the IBF world championship in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division with a twelve round split decision over Liam Paro in December of last year, to make his first title defense inside of Madison Square Garden alone was a motivator. To be in the headline position, however, a solid performance in the theater inside of Madison Square Garden, which in itself is a historic Boxing venue, would be an obvious step towards eventually headlining in the Garden’s main arena. Hitchins’ opponent also offered a dynamic of youth versus experience in the form of former two-time Lightweight world champion George Kambosos, who was no stranger to Madison Square Garden's theater having become Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world by decisionin...

  With the departure of former Undisputed Lightweight world champion Devin Haney, the period of transition in the 135lb. Lightweight division continues with several world champions in the division looking to make their claim as being the best Lightweight in the world. In recent times both Vasyl Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis have made their respective arguments. Lomachenko emerged as a unified world champion in the division on May 12th with an eleventh round stoppage of IBO world champion George Kambosos in Kambosos’ home country of Australia. Along with the IBO world championship, Lomachenko also gained the vacant IBF crown, emerging as a unified world champion, and in many ways, by default, because he became a unified world champion, became the fighter that all top contenders, other world champions, and would be prospects look to target for a potential fight. The vacant WBO world championship would be decided on May 18th when undefeated top contender Denys Berinchyk scored what ma...

The career of two-division world champion Teofimo Lopex has been one marked by highlight reel knockouts and an expedited rise up that saw him go from rising star, to a world champion, to an undisputed world champion rather quickly. As most know, his reign as an undisputed world champion was short in losing the title in his first defense following successfully unifying the crown with a decision victory over Vasyl Lomachenko in October 2020, to then unbeaten top contender George Kambosos in November 2021. As the rise up of Lopez was quick, so too would be the rebuild process. A rebuild process, which began in August 2022 and saw him move up in weight to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division, to win two bouts before defeating the previously unbeaten Josh Taylor in June of last year to win the WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship. Lopez’ second reign as a world champion began with his first title defense of the WBO crown earlier this year when he scored a twelve round unanimous decision ...

Three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko has had a career most fighters can only dream of. A two-time Olympic Gold medalist representing Ukraine, who had nearly four hundred wins as an amateur with only one defeat, Lomachenko arguably achieved Hall of Famer status long before he turned professional. Since turning pro in October 2013, Lomachenko quickly ascended to become a world champion taking only three professional fights to accomplish a goal that for some fighters, takes an entire career, if at all. Despite three setbacks as a pro, two of which are the subject of much debate, Lomachenko has remained one of the best fighters in the entire sport. It was the most recent setback, a controversial twelve round unanimous decision to then undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Devin Haney in May of last year, a fight that many, including this observer felt he won, put his career in doubt. In doubt not because of eroding skills and/or the impacts/effects of injuries, which a...

As the year 2023 begins to wind down, there are only a few dates left on the Boxing schedule in the month of December that should be of interest to many Boxing fans. One of those dates will take place on December 9th in San Francisco, CA as two-time Jr. Welterweight world champion Regis Prograis, current holder of the WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship, will make the second defense of his title against undefeated former Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney. An intriguing encounter between two dynamic fighters, which will take place at the Chase Center and can be seen in North America on DAZN Pay-Per-View and as part of a standard subscription to DAZN’s streaming network internationally. Ironically, this fight cones as many believe both fighters lost their respective last fights against different opposition. As most know, in his last outing in what turned out to be his final defense of the Undisputed Lightweight world championship, Devin Haney scored a controve...

The storyline going into the IBO Lightweight world championship bout between defending champion Maxi Hughes and former Undisputed Lightweight champion George Kambosos was whether Kambosos could find a way to bounce back after losing his crown to Devin Haney and suffering a second loss to Haney in an immediate rematch. Two fights where Kambosos was out boxed by the superiorly skilled Haney. While at the moment that Kambosos' challenge of Hughes on July 22nd in Shawnee, OK, the four world championship that comprise the undisputed championship in the 135lb. Lightweight division remain unified and in Haney's procession, there was also the wrinkle of Hughes, who was making the third defense of the one world championship not in the undisputed Lightweight crown, being treated as an opponent rather than a world champion from the broadcasters broadcasting the bout for sports cable network ESPN and it's streaming network ESPN+ to him being announced first during ring introductions pr...

The recent history of Boxing's 135lb. Lightweight division has been dominated by current undisputed world champion Devin Haney. Haney as most know emerged as the Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world by scoring a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over previously undefeated undisputed champion George Kambosos in June 2022 and then repeated the victory in his first title defense against Kambosos in a rematch in October of last year. While Haney has remained undisputed champion, most recently scoring a decision win over Vasyl Lomachenko in May, Haney's future appears to be heading above and beyond the Lightweight division.  Although as of this writing Haney remains regarded as the undisputed champion of the division, if he should choose to move up in weight to possibly challenge WBC Jr. Welterweight world champion Regis Prograis, it will open up an opportunity for contenders and former world champions in the Lightweight division to maneuver towards fighting for a wor...

As the year 2022 winds down, arguably the last what this observer often calls “Marathon Day” of Boxing features a fight that some might argue is under the radar amongst all of what remains on the Boxing schedule this year, but is one of the more interesting bouts yet to take place. Yours truly is referring to the Jr. Welterweight encounter between former Undisputed Lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez and Jr. Welterweight contender Sandor Martin. A fight that will be taking place on December 10th at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY and can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ . This bout will be the second for Lopez since moving up from the 135lb. Lightweight division to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. In his Jr. Welterweight debut, Lopez scored a seventh round stoppage of Pedro Campa in August of this year. Although Lopez had some difficulty with Campa early, he was eventually able to break him down and get the stoppage. While not necessar...

  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. Altho...

Press Release: October 4, 2022 By Team Moloney –  Andrew Moloney is ready for the test of Norbelto Jimenez, as the Aussie stylist continues to hunt down a fight with pound for pound star Kazuto Ioka. Credit:Mikey Williams/ Top Rank Boxing  Moloney impressed last time out, taking out Alexander Espinoza in two rounds on the undercard of Devin Haney and George Kambosos Jr in Melbourne, and now Moloney returns to the scene of the crime as he looks to continue his good form against Jimenez. Moloney opened up about preparation going into his next outing, coming on the undercard of Devin Haney vs George Kambosos II. Moloney said, “I’m excited to be back and to be back at home is always special. I won my first world title in Melbourne, so it will be always be a special place in my heart. Thank you once again to Top Rank and my manager Tony Tolj who’s never failed to have mine and my brothers back for our entire career.  “You always find a different type of motivation ...

There are several chapters one might say that chronicles a fighter’s career. For most fighters that eventually go on to achieve great success as professional boxers, the first chapter usually begins with an amateur career. Upon turning professional a fighter then reaches a stage known as the prospect level. While obviously some fighters will progress further along and eventually become contenders with the aim of challenging and hopefully winning a world championship, not every fighter’s path to that destination is exactly the same .      In the case of Teofimo Lopez, he developed quickly from prospect to world champion in under fifteen professional fights. Lopez did this due to both a crowd pleasing style as well as by building a reputation for scoring quick and often brutal knockouts. It were these attributes that saw Lopez catapulted into a unification bout for the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world shortly after winning the IBF Lightweight world champio...