Cruz-Bravo Preview

 On Saturday, September 19th, top Jr. Welterweight contender and former world title challenger Isaac Cruz will return to the ring to take on fellow top contender Nestor Bravo in a scheduled twelve round bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. The bout, which will take place at the Pechanga Arena, in San Diego, CA will be for Interim/Regular champion status in the World Boxing Council (WBC) Jr. Welterweight ratings, a designation currently held by Cruz as the WBC’s top contender in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. 

Fighters are often known by their nicknames. Cruz’ style fits his moniker perfectly. “Pitbull.” Known for a relentless come forward pressure style, Cruz has endeared himself to Boxing fans for having a fan-friendly style as well as his willingness to fight anyone in and around the Jr. Welterweight division. In his last fight, Cruz was held to a controversial draw against former world champion Lamont Roach in a fight that some felt should have gone Roach’s way. It served as the latest chapter in what has been a hard luck career for Cruz as he has also found himself on the wrong end of decisions that many felt should have gone his way. The draw nevertheless allowed Cruz to maintain his position as the top WBC Jr. Welterweight contender and in a prime position to either challenge current WBC World Lightweight champion Dalton Smith. 

On this occasion, Cruz will face fellow top contender Nestor Bravo. Bravo will enter this fight with a record of 25-1, with 15 Knockouts and is a former North American Boxing Organization (NABO) Jr. Welterweight champion. Bravo’s one career defeat came in a split decision to veteran Xolisani Ndongeni in March of last year. Bravo was able to get back in the ring and score a knockout win in his last fight in January of this year when he scored a second round knockout of Pedro Campa at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

This fight is a case where one fighter, Bravo, suffered one setback when he stepped up in caliber of opposition and while one loss does not define a fighter, he will be taking an even steeper step up by facing Cruz, who will enter this encounter with a record of 28-3-2, with 18 Knockouts, that has fought a higher level of competition in his career and has held his own against them including against fighters like Lamont Roach, Rolando Romero, and Gervonta Davis. On this basis, it is understandable how some might view Bravo as an underdog going into this bout. 

What this encounter will come down to in my eyes is virtually the same question that is asked prior to every Isaac Cruz opponent, How will Nestor Bravo contend with the constant pressure Cruz will bring and more specifically, can he do so for twelve rounds and be able to control the tempo of the combat as well. Although Cruz is not known for his punching power, he has been able to gradually break opponents down and the fight plan for him will be to cut off the ring, try to limit Bravo’s movement, and look to establish an attack to Bravo’s body, which has led to success for him in the past. Whether or not such an approach will be successful for him in this fight remains to be seen. 

Obviously, the main goal here for these two boxers beyond attempting to get another victory for their careers is obviously trying to secure an opportunity to challenge Dalton Smith for the WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship. Whether or not that would be more streamlined of a process for the winner of this fight seeing as the promoter of this fight, the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters recently began a worldwide broadcast agreement with digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and DAZN also has on its ever increasing stable of promoters, which also includes promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, the current promoter of Smith, also remains to be seen. With a significant majority of the sport’s major promoters now firmly aligned under one global broadcast platform, one can hope that it will lead to more streamlined approaches in making sure fights of not only significant interest get made in a more timely manner than has been the norm for decades, but in this case where a mandatory challenger might be able to get their opportunity to fight for a world title sooner than is typically the norm. If that indeed were to happen, it’s a win for the sport and a significant step forward in the right direction.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth/”

Cruz vs. Bravo takes place on Saturday, September 19th at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT and is available to both standard and DAZN Ultimate subscribers as part of a subscription. 

(*North American Start 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.

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Mini Preview: Romero-Lopez

On Saturday, August 22nd, WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero will make the first defense of his world title against former two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez at the T-Mobile Arenas in Las Vegas, NV. A twelve round world championship bout that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

This is a fight that in some ways may be the unofficial start or a two fight box off as it will occur only weeks before WBC World Welterweight champion Ryan Garcia defends his portion of the World Welterweight championship for the first time against top Welterweight contender Conor Benn at the same arena. Ironically, Romero defeated Garcia in Times Square in New York City in May of last year for what became the vacant WBA world championship in the Welterweight division. Now over a year later, both fighters are atop the Welterweight division and the possibility of a rematch where the stakes would be higher is obviously there. For Romero, first he must contend with Teofimo Lopez.

Lopez is coming off losing a twelve round unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson in January in which he lost the WBO World Jr. Welterweight championship. Now eight months later, Lopez attempts to move up in weight as a former Undisputed Lightweight and former Jr. Welterweight world champion in attempting to become a world champion in a third weight division. 

What this fight will come down to in my eyes will center around which fighter will be able to set and dictate the tempo of combat. This is an encounter between two boxer/punchers who have shown the ability to do a little of everything inside the ring. There was a time, however, where Lopez, as a Lightweight, carved a reputation for being able to score quick, and often devastating knockouts. Coming off of a fight where he was bested by a master boxer in Shakur Stevenson, it will be interesting to see if Lopez takes a more aggressive approach here as Romero is also a crafty boxer that likes to give angles and most would say was able to have his way against Garcia last year by implementing such an approach where Garcia was dropped in the second round and simply could not find his rhythm throughout the fight.

As skilled as Romero has proven to be, in his two career defeats against Gervonta Davis and Issac Cruz, he has also shown vulnerability in that both Davis and Cruz were able to catch him and he was not able to stand up to either fighter’s punching power. Although Lopez has not scored a knockout/stoppage in over four years at the time this fight will take place, some will likely give the edge in terms of punching power to him and it is logical to assume that priority number one for the challenger will be to try and cut the ring off from Romero and not allow him an opportunity to be as elusive or establish a rhythm, which Garcia was unable to do when he fought the champion, but clearly worked for both Davis and Cruz when each fought him. 

What is also clear here regardless of the outcome of this fight is the Welterweight division is starting to heat up again with several intriguing bouts both that have been made and could be made in the near future. With many focusing on the fight to come in September between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, both Romero as champion and Lopez as challenger are likely looking to make a statement with their performance that could make a showdown with the winner of Garcia-Benn enticing for whomever that might be in addition to the lucrative side of the equation that will likely be substantial for all involved. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Romero vs. Lopez takes place on Saturday, August 22nd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as either a standalone pay-per-view offering for $79.99 or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The card will also be available at the aforementioned standalone price on DAZN on Prime Video. The card will begin at 6PM ET with free preliminary bouts followed by the main card beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Start 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, to order this event or subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

To learn more about how to order this event or subscribe to DAZN through Prime Video channels please visit: www.PrimeVideo.com.  (*DAZN Ultimate Subscription not available through Prime Video at this time.*)

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Joshua-Paul: Another Curiosity, Or Legitimate Fight?

On December 19th, aspiring boxer Jake Paul, who had previously been known as a social media influencer, will return to the ring for his fourteenth professional fight. While this noted Boxing scribe has been critical of Paul, who has frequently boasted about his desire to become a world champion, but has not compiled a resume of opponents that would suggest legitimacy of trying to attain that goal, having faced primarily fighters who have come from the sport of MMA, who had limited or no Boxing experience, or those who have come either from an influencer background or in one case one retired hall of fame fighter who was twenty years removed from a competitive fight, while simultaneously giving him credit for his promotional savvy and in particular what he has done in advocating and helping advance and elevate Women's Boxing, to be honest, I did not feel optimistic when Paul's original fight, which was to take place during the month of November was announced.

This was due to Paul, who has fought most of his fights as a 190lb. Cruiserweight and in one instance against an advanced-aged Mike Tyson at Heavyweight, choosing to face Gervonta Davis, who while an active fighter, who is at or near the top of the sport, had never fought above the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. To say that the idea of a flight between the two gave this observer vibes of something strictly intended to generate buzz and the look of a physical mismatch is an understatement. Fortunately, I was not the only one who felt this way as the announcement was met with no shortage of criticism from both those of us who cover the sport as well as fans. Criticism that ultimately led to the Georgia State Athletic Commission, as the bout was originally slated to take place in Atlanta, refusing to sanction the bout, even as an exhibition, resulting in the event being moved to Miami, FL, whose commission unfortunately has a history of accepting events that were denied from taking place in other jurisdictions for reasons including, but not limited to medical grounds, as was the case when the Florida State Athletic Commission greenlit the unfortunate Evander Holyfield-Vitor Belfort event in 2021, a fiasco that yours truly was extremely critical of, which I stand by, agreed to hold the announced Paul-Davis event. 

Perhaps a blessing in disguise, however, emerged when Davis was removed from the bout due to accusations of domestic violence. The blessing in disguise reference is in no way a commentary on the ongoing issues Gervonta Davis finds himself dealing with, but is in reference to that situation indirectly saving the commission in Florida, where this observer also resides, from having to defend what would likely have been another controversial decision by allowing that event to go forward given the significant size and weight disparity between Paul and Davis.

Nevertheless, the circumstances of which the event fell apart left Paul as well as digital subscription general entertainment network Netflix, who also broadcast Paul’s fight against Tyson in its first foray into the sport of Boxing, with a conundrum of trying to find a suitable opponent to replace Davis so at least Paul could compete before the end of 2025 after previously defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. earlier this year.

While Chavez is one of five previous Paul opponents with a Boxing background, the perception I had was that if someone was going to step in on what would be short notice, it would likely have been a fighter from the sport of MMA, as whether seen as legitimate in pushing towards his goal of eventually fighting for a world title or not, has been a successful approach at least in terms of making sure events take place even if original dates end up being changed. To the surprise of many, yours truly included, former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua stepped in and will face Paul in a scheduled ten round Heavyweight bout at the Kaysa Center in Miami that will be broadcast worldwide by Netflix.

Upon being notified of this change in opponent, in all honesty with the reader, my initial thought was at least the Florida State Athletic Commission would not face as much criticism as would have been the case if the event had gone on with Davis as the opponent. My other thought was at least this has the potential to be viewed as a legitimate fight.

The Cruiserweight division is only one division away from the Heavyweight division and regardless of what one might have thought about Paul's eight rounds against Mike Tyson in November of last year, Paul did move to in weight for it so the initial thought was this would not be something that the central topic would be about a weight difference because numerous fighters who have fought as Cruiserweights at one time or another over decades, long before Paul was born in the 1990’s, have fought in the Heavyweight division either originally starting at Heavyweight and moving down in weight or starting at Cruiserweight and moving up in weight. This will be more a question of whether Paul with limited experience will be able to compete against someone who has fought at a much higher level and is closer to his physical prime than Tyson and Chavez were when they shared the ring with Paul.

From skillset, to level of competition, to having an advantage in both height and weight, every metric that one could point to in comparing two fighters, favors Joshua. Despite those facts, Joshua is coming into this fight off of a knockout loss at the hands of then IBF World Heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois in September of last year and the perception, which could have some validity is Joshua's punch resistance is not what it once was and he has also been known to fatigue later in fights. The obvious question here is whether Paul has the polish in order to try and exploit those perceived flaws. 

As has been the case for most of Jake Paul's fights, the element of curiosity is there, but some are likely questioning if this will be a legitimate fight. Regardless of what one might think, Jake Paul does have a fan following that enables him to draw significant interest regardless of who he fights. It is debatable as to whether or not that ability has started to wane due to his not facing fighters that will push him up the ladder towards contention, with the perception being that most of his fights have been more about the event than expected competition.

In this case, the curiosity remains, but there is a better than average chance that Paul will be tested here as when he is at his best Anthony Joshua has power in either hand and can be devastating when he lands flush on an opponent. What one needs to also keep in mind here is, despite being knocked out in his last fight in a failed attempt to become a three-time World Heavyweight champion, Joshua is still considered one of the top Heavyweight contenders and if one views the objectively, he has very little to gain here by facing a fighter that many would consider a novice strictly based on his resume. It is also an open secret that there might be significant plans for Joshua in 2026 towards getting back in line to try and regain a Heavyweight title. Paul meanwhile is also taking a risk in that he has not faced anyone that would make one consider him a prospect or contender, but is now taking a steep step up in class. 

The era in which we all live is one where folks for whatever their motivations like to vent their grievances via social media on just about any topic one could think of. No matter who Paul has fought, he too has not been immune from such rhetoric whether legitimate or not. This is a scenario where most people if they are objective would say at minimum, Paul has an uphill battle given his limited resume and previous competition. If he were to find himself on the receiving end of a quick knockout here, the opinion of many of those keyboard warrior types will likely be that none of his previous fights were legitimate, or at least that will be the narrative some will attempt to push. If he holds his own, but still loses criticism will remain. If he wins, the criticism and narrative will be that Joshua was a shot fighter at minimum or will devolve into accusations of fixed fights, which has been a narrative some have pushed in recent fights, but often such claims have lacked legitimate evidence to support it. 

What that all amounts to is a no win scenario for Paul. The silver lining, however, if he can pull off what would be a significant upset here is he might finally be forced to face boxers and active ones exclusively. While Paul is rated in the top twenty of contenders by the WBA, a sanctioning organization that does not do it's best to avoid controversy, in the Cruiserweight division, despite not facing anyone in the WBA’s rankings to earn a spot in the rankings,a win over a fighter of Joshua's resume and caliber would likely lead to a ranking at Heavyweight as well.

It is a truly unlikely scenario and an unlikely encounter where two fighters are rolling the dice on their futures. We will simply have to wait and see how it all plays out.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Joshua vs. Paul takes place on Friday, December 19th at the Kaysa Center in Miami, FL. The fight can be seen on digital subscription general entertainment network Netflix beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. (*North American Times Only.*)

(*Card Subject To Change.*)

For more information about Netflix including availability on streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.Netflix.com. 

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Can Lamont Roach Get A Fair Shake?

The fight between Isaac Cruz and former WBA Jr. Lightweight world champion Lamont Roach on December 6th in San Antonio, TX not only was an encounter between two of the best fighters currently in the sport of Boxing, but also represented Roach’s debut in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. One could also say that Roach was riding a career high after receiving a draw in his previous bout in March with the talented, but troubled Gervonta Davis. In facing Cruz, Roach was in some ways going back into a fire pit by facing a fighter known for his aggression that while not known for the type of knockout power that Davis had, has a non-stop come forward, pressure attack that many fighters including Davis have found difficult to combat. It was also a fight that Roach openly sought after not being able to secure a rematch with Davis.

The question of this fight was both simple and complex. Would Roach be able to deal with a fighter like Cruz who suffocates opponents with pressure and could he do so ten pounds heavier than where he was a world champion in the 130lb. Jr. Featherweight division? It became apparent early on when the two fighters met at the Frost Bank Center that Cruz had every intention of being as difficult a task to combat as he has been for virtually every opponent he has ever faced. 

By applying pressure early, Cruz made it difficult for Roach, a well-rounded boxer/puncher, to find a consistent rhythm by forcing him to stand and fight on the inside, which is not typically the norm for Roach, who uses lateral movement and angles to attack his opponents. This approach for Cruz, the current WBC number one Jr. Welterweight contender, by making it a rough and at times ugly fight, was highlighted in round three when he was credited with a knockdown when a left hook to the jaw knocked Roach off balance where one of his gloves touched the canvas. Although this was the correct call by Referee James Green, it was a cruel irony that the first knockdown of Roach’s career came in a similar manner as when he was not credited with a knockdown when Davis took a knee in the ninth round of their fight back in March of this year. In that instance, however, a knockdown, which would have been the correct call was not made and that error, arguably resulted in that fight being scored a draw and not a victory for Roach as many observers, including this one, felt he deserved. 

Unfortunately for Roach, the irony and the cruelty would not stop with the knockdown here, despite that ruling being correct. From the point in which Roach got up from the knockdown, he gradually got himself into a rhythm by throwing short and consistent combinations that often caught Cruz as he came forward. Often when Cruz did get in close, he clinched and held Roach on the inside. It was such holding that often resembled more grappling on the inside as opposed to what is considered holding to necessitate a separation from the referee or holding when the fighter doing so is hurt and trying to avoid being knocked down or out, that resulted in him being penalized a point for holding excessively in round seven. By that point, however, Roach seemed to have nullified the effects of the knockdown in round three in terms of points as this observer felt, though many of the rounds remained competitive, he took over the tempo of the fight and carried the action for the remainder of the twelve round bout.

At the conclusion of the twelve round fight, I arrived with a 114-111 scorecard in favor of Lamont Roach. A three point margin, but I had Roach winning eight rounds to four. Normally when there is an eight-four margin in a twelve round fight, one usually arrives at a 116-112 scorecard in points. The three point margin rather than a four point margin is a reflection of both the knockdown of Roach in round three, which was scored 10-8 in favor of Isaac Cruz per it being a round where he scored a knockdown, and the point deduction against Cruz in round seven in a round where he was losing the round prior to that penalizing. Without the point being taken from him, he would have lost the round by a score of 10-9. The deduction, however, resulted in a 10-8 score and ultimately how I ended up with a 114-111 final score rather than the standard 116-112 score for an eight rounds to four margin. 

The thorough explanation and analysis of scoring from yours truly is moot in this case as the result of this fight would ultimately be a majority draw with only one judge, having a victor in Cruz on his scorecard. The cruelty for Roach is that this is now the second consecutive fight in less than a year where he was held to a draw in a fight many feel he won. 

The question I have coming out of this fight is Can Lamont Roach get a fair shake, or as several fighters in previous eras have had a label placed on them, has Roach become Boxing’s latest hard luck fighter? A label usually reserved for fighters who either end up with losses against more notable opposition or end up with draws as Roach has now done twice. For his part, Roach did not hide his frustration in a post-fight interview in the ring immediately after the decision was announced calling the verdict quote “Bullshit” and saying he was tired of not getting a fair shake. While this observer does not often display expletives in his writings per professional/journalistic standards, the quote offered by a frustrated fighter in Lamont Roach, who has proven to be one of the best fighters in the sport, despite not getting the victories in these two recent outings that many feel, including yours truly that he deserved, was both blunt and one that many fighters throughout history have expressed at one time or another when on the wrong end of a decision they felt should have gone their way, whether justified in those feelings or not. 

It is hard to not sympathize with a fighter that clearly has the talent and credentials to be one of the top fighters of his era, who feels like they were not given the credit/victory they felt they were due. Unfortunately, the Cruz-Roach bout will also now take its place as the latest in a long line of controversial fights over decades to be held in the state of Texas, which have often revolved around controversial scoring. Whether this decision, like Roach’s bout with Gervonta Davis, which was held in Brooklyn, NY is simply a case of judges, who like the rest of us, are human beings, having a bad night at the office is something that will likely be debated. What is perhaps more troublesome for sanctioning organizations and state and international regulatory boards is if fighters feel that they aren't being treated fairly and that perception slowly spreads amongst fellow fighters and subsequently gains public support, it will become increasingly harder to hold combat sports events and have the credibility that it is truly an even playing field for all combatants where adequate decisions will be rendered. When one also considers the times in which we live where it is all too easy for one, whether they have credibility or not, to air their grievances publicly, such controversies should not be dismissed.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Cruz-Roach Preview

On Saturday, December 6th, the Boxing world will focus on the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX for a fight, which in all likelihood will have repercussions in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division heading into 2026 and to be specific, with regard to the World Boxing Council (WBC) Jr. Welterweight ratings. This observer is referring to the battle between top contenders Isaac Cruz and Lamont Roach, a fight that will headline a pay-per-view card promoted under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner and streamed in the United States by Prime Video. What makes this an intriguing battle beyond an interesting clash of styles, which alone should draw interest amongst Boxing aficionados is the stakes of this encounter have potentially increased since the time the bout was announced.

First we have the clash of styles between a come forward pressure fighter in Cruz that tries to break his opponents down gradually in the mold of a Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., in that often from the opening bell, he comes forward and tries to apply constant pressure and back his opponent up with a swarming attack to the body and head. In thirty-two professional bouts, Cruz, who will walk into this fight holding an interim championship designation in the WBC Jr. Welterweight ratings, has a record of 28-3-1, with 18 Knockouts.

Standing across the ring from him on December 6th will be Lamont Roach. Roach, a former longtime top contender in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division, who briefly held a similar interim designation in the WBA’s rankings in that weight class, is a well-rounded boxer/puncher that can do a little of everything, who will enter the fight with a record of 25-1-2, with 10 Knockouts. Despite the contrast in styles, both fighters share a commonality. Both have previously found themselves in decisions that many feel should have gone their way against the same fighter in Gervonta Davis. Some may recall Cruz putting forth a spirited effort against Davis four years and one day from where this fight will take place against Roach, in December 2021. A fight where many believed he deserved the decision based on the pressure and body work he inflicted on Davis over the course of the fight, but ended up losing a close twelve round unanimous decision. 

More recently, Roach found himself on what many considered to be the wrong end of a decision against Davis in March of this year where he appeared to not have what should have been credited as a knockdown in his favor in the ninth round where Davis took a knee and had one of his cornermen wipe his face with a towel before continuing on. This blown call by Referee Steve Willis by not ruling a knockdown against Davis, as should have been the case when a fighter takes a knee for any reason outside of after suffering an illegal blow, is what many point to in resulting in Roach getting a twelve round majority draw as opposed to a victory that many observers including this one, felt he deserved. Obstacles toward a rematch with Davis, coupled with the latter’s choosing to sign to participate in an exhibition with Jake Paul, before ultimately being removed from that endeavor due to accusations of domestic violence against him, have resulted in Roach now facing Cruz.

What this fight comes down to in my eyes is virtually the same question that is asked of all Isaac Cruz opponents. Can Roach find a way to offset the pressure attack that Cruz will be trying to execute? While Cruz is not known for punching power, his knockouts have come from breaking his opponents down and he tries to more or less pin himself onto an opponent's chest where he not only cuts the ring off, but makes it extremely difficult for that fighter to get any breathing room where they can move, let alone find a consistent rhythm.

Although this has proven to be a difficult task to combat for many opponents, Lamont Roach does have good lateral movement, the ability to use angles, and a good mix of hand speed and accuracy when it comes to counter punching. Whether or not he will be able to set traps for Cruz as he comes forward to set up counter punch opportunities and whether he can evade the pressure and body/head attack of Cruz for all twelve rounds remains to be seen. 

The wrinkle that has emerged since this fight was announced that could potentially raise the stakes is while Cruz’ WBC Interim designation will be at stake in the fight, current WBC World Jr. Welterweight champion Subriel Matias, who has a scheduled title defense in January against Dalton Smith in New York, recently tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine during randomized testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) while in training for that title defense. As of this writing, the status of both that fight as well as Matias’ standing as WBC world champion in the Jr. Welterweight division is unknown. 

The possibility certainly exists, however, that the WBC could strip Matias of the title per the testing results either before or shortly after the Cruz-Roach fight takes place, which would obviously either elevate this fight to a world title bout or create a situation where the winner of it will be named world champion and possibly be mandated to fight Dalton Smith in 2026 assuming that Matias would not be permitted to fight due to possible suspension both by the WBC as well as the Association of Boxing Commissions that has both state and international membership due to the failed test.

Either way one chooses to look at this situation, the stakes are high for both Cruz and Roach regardless of a world title is on the line here as regardless, the winner will be in a position for potential lucrative fights going into 2026 and even though world championships still mean something and will always hold value in the sport, the possibility for more lucrative paydays often man as much or more than the championships themselves. Which fighter will find himself in such a position remains to be seen.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Cruz vs. Roach takes place on Saturday, December 6th at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX. The fight as well as its undercard can be seen in the United States on Prime Video Pay-Per-View beginning at 5:30 PM ET/2:30 PM PT with free preliminary bouts with the pay-per-view portion beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT for $79.95. To order this pay-per-view event download the Prime Video app on mobile, tablet, or connected streaming devices and smart TVs and find Premier Boxing Champions in the Sports section or click the following link : PBC: Cruz vs. Roach

(*Card And Start Times Subject To Change.”

(*Check your local listings and Prime Video for availability and pricing internationally.*)

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Paul-Davis Cancelled

Press Release: November 3 , 2025 By Most Valuable Promotions - Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix have announced that Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis, originally scheduled for Friday, November 14 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, will no longer be moving forward.

“Our team has worked closely with all parties to navigate this situation responsibly,” said Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions. “While we will not be moving forward with this event, our plan still remains for Jake Paul to headline an event on Netflix in 2025. Details regarding a new date, location, Jake’s opponent, and additional bouts will be shared as soon as they are finalized. We thank Netflix, the Kaseya Center, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for their partnership.”

Most Valuable Promotions appreciates the continued support and understanding of our athletes, partners, sponsors, and fans as we work to finalize updated event plans.

Fans who purchased tickets via Ticketmaster for the Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis event will get an automatic refund through their original point of purchase within 14-21 days. Fans who purchased through secondary markets should contact them. For ticket assistance, please contact Ticketoffice@heat.com.

MVP thanks everyone for their patience and looks forward to delivering an extraordinary boxing event in 2025, live globally only on Netflix.

Material Courtesy of:Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission.

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Official Statement From Most Valuable Promotions Regarding Status Of Paul-Davis

Press Release: November , 2025 By Most Valuable Promotions -  

Credit:Most Valuable Promotions 

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Will We See A Davis-Roach Rematch?

In recent years, the term “Pay-Per-View Star" has lost some of its value due to the pay-per-view model being one that is overpriced and over used even as subscription-based streaming has offered better value for consumers and generally produces higher viewership numbers than those events that are reserved for pay-per-view. There are, however, some exceptions or at least some fighters that a portion of Boxing fans will argue are worthy of the label “Pay-Per-View Star" even as the model is a dying medium. One such fighter is Gervonta Davis.

Davis, a fighter who has competed in three weight classes ranging from the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division up to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division is known for producing knockouts that are the type that come suddenly and are often brutal. Along the way, Davis has won world titles in the Jr. Lightweight and Lightweight divisions, while for a time holding Interim/Regular champion status in the Jr. Welterweight division. As the current WBA World Lightweight champion, few fighters have been able to withstand Davis’ punching power and compete effectively. Unbeaten in thirty professional fights, with twenty-eight of those wins coming via knockout registering a career knockout percentage of over 90%, Davis climbed into the ring at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY to face current WBA Jr. Lightweight world champion Lamont Roach on March 1st in the main event of the latest pay-per-view offering on Prime Video promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters.

Despite the fact that this was a fight between two current world champions, with a past history having fought twice in 2011 as amateurs, there were some who felt this encounter would be another note on Davis’ extensive record of knockout wins. Perhaps the perception of that beyond the track record that Davis has was rooted in the fact that Roach, who entered the fight with a record of 25-1-1, with 10 Knockouts, was not only moving up five pounds to challenge Davis for his world title, but was not known for his punching power. While their meetings as amateurs should not have been used as a way to attempt to measure what might happen when they faced off due to the fact that both were kids at the time, Davis did win both bouts via close decisions, which context aside, could have also led to the perception that Roach would be a footnote on Davis’ record. Although in recent times Davis has become known as a fighter that starts slow and gradually picks up his pace as a fight progresses, it did not take Roach long to establish that whatever perception a fan might have had of his chances going into this fight may have been misjudged. 

Roach did this by applying tactical pressure on Davis early in the fight. While both fighters did not throw many punches through several of the early rounds, which resulted in a bout fought at an extremely measured pace, what was noticeable was Roach’s ability to gradually walk Davis backward. Despite neither fighter being able to establish a clear offensive output from the other and seemingly matching each other punch for punch, it was the challenger’s calculated approach that gave an impression that he may have had the upper hand, albeit slightly through the first six rounds of the fight. 

Although it was not the most entertaining of fights for those who are looking for action, the level of competition between the two fighters is something that should not be ignored. Through the first six rounds, I felt Roach was ahead by a round, however, this observer has been around long enough and has certainly covered enough close fights in just about every scenario one could name in three decades to know that how I might be seeing things could be reversed for someone else or might be a little wider as well, in particular, how the three official judges might be see things. 

Though Roach being able to be tactical and largely nullify the pace in which the combat was being fought was the most noticeable thing through the first half of the fight, the champion subtly began landing hard, thudding punches when he did let his hands go, which can leave just as much an impression on those scoring a fight as who might be dictating how a fight is being fought. The seventh round saw the beginning of a change in the pace of the fight as the challenger Roach seemed willing to stand and try to trade power punches with Davis. In that if Davis landed solidly on Roach, Roach would respond by trying to not only land punches that were as solid as the ones the champion was landing, but would try doing so in combination. 

As the action began to heat up, an element of controversy would occur in the ninth round when Davis seemed to turn his back and take a knee. Under most circumstances, this would result in a knockdown being ruled against the fighter that took a knee. Referee Steve Willis would frankly blow the call and while he did admonish Davis and warn him that what he had done constituted a knockdown, he did not score one in favor of Roach. While in fairness, I did not see a punch land on Davis prior to him taking a knee, Willis’ decision to not call it a knockdown, which it should have been outside of something illegal like a low blow landing, would prove to be crucial even as the tempo of the fight had changed and we saw more heated exchanges between the two fighters.

What stood out as the fight entered the championship rounds was not so much that the tempo had switched from measured and tactical, to tactical yet with heated exchanges, was Roach’s willingness to play with fire and exchange with Davis, but more specifically seemingly getting the better of the action particularly when he was able to land with his right hand, often in a counter punch sequence. Going into the twelfth round, I felt the fight was close, but had Roach narrowly edging Davis, just as I had at the halfway point at the conclusion of round six. Roach seemed to get the better of the action in the final round leading me to have a seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points scorecard in his favor. Ultimately, one official judge had a seven rounds to five margin in favor of Davis, while the two remaining judges turned in identical deadlocked scorecards of six rounds to six or 114-114 in points resulting in a majority draw.

Just how crucial the first six rounds were in terms of who had the upper hand when the two fighters were matching each other punch for punch, but more specifically Steve Willis’ decision as the referee to not rule a knockdown against Davis will be heavily debated as to whether that decision cost Lamont Roach a victory and his second world title in this fight. If the knee Davis took in the ninth round had been scored correctly as a knockdown, it is logical to think that it would have been the difference maker on the two scorecards that resulted in a draw in turning what was a draw into a majority decision win for Roach as it would have been scored s 10-8 round due to the knockdown and not a 10-9 round, which though still resulting in a narrow score margin, would have determined a winner.

It is clear coming out of this fight that some decisions will have to be made. One, will Roach, who is still the WBA’s Jr. Lightweight world champion, choose to move back down in weight to defend his title or will he choose to remain at Lightweight. Two, will Davis, who was talking about retirement before this fight, indeed move in the direction or continue on with his career. While it is still to be determined as to how successful this fight proved to be as a pay-per-view attraction with a $79.95 price point, given what happened in the ring and the fact that for the first time since he fought Isaac Cruz in December 2021 that there was legitimate doubt as to the outcome and the fact that this turned out to be a draw and not a win for Davis, with the impression being left that it was Lamont Roach, who saw his stock go up, we should see a rematch. Whether we will and whether it comes in a timely manner as some other rematches have in the recent history of the sport remains to be seen. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Davis-Roach Pay-Per-View Card Now Available For Preorder On Prime Video

The March 1st  Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view card headlined by undefeated WBA World Lightweight champion Gervonta Davis defending his title against current WBA Jr. Lightweight world champion Lamont Roach is now available for preorder on Prime Video for $79.95. The fight, which will headline a night of Boxing from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY can be purchased by visiting the Prime Video app on your streaming device of choice or by the following link Davis vs. Roach.

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Gloves Off: Davis-Roach Now Streaming On Prime Video

Credit: Prime Video 

Press Release: February 15, 2025 By NEW YORK—February 14, 2025— Today, Prime Video announced the release of Gloves Off: Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs Lamont Roach Jr., the sixth installment of the compelling docuseries. This two-part series delves into the preparation for the anticipated 12-round lightweight world championship bout set for Saturday, March 1 at Barclays Center.

Boxing superstar and reigning WBA Lightweight World Champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) will defend his title against WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) in the main event of a stacked PBC Pay-Per-View on Prime Video card. The 30-year-old Davis from Baltimore and 29-year-old Roach from Washington, D.C., previously met as amateurs and now face off for Tank's World Lightweight belt.

 

Narrated by Barry Pepper, the program takes fans beyond the ring, blending footage of the fighters' lives, families, and training camp activities as excitement builds for this prime-time encounter in Brooklyn.

Material, Photo, and Trailer Courtesy of: Prime Video Used with permission. 

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Stevenson Looks To Make Successful First Defense Of Lightweight Crown

 

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 many felt was an upset in scoring a twelve round split decision over the heavily favored former three-division world champion Emanuel Navarrete in San Diego, CA.

This was followed by Gervonta Davis, who was recently elevated to world champion in the WBA Lightweight ratings, making a successful first defense of his piece of the World Lightweight championship with a brutal eighth round knockout of previously unbeaten top contender Frank Martin in Las Vegas, NV on June 15th. A fight and Davis appeared to be losing, only for the champion to graciously walk his opponent down and end matters with a brutal right uppercut, left him combination. As much of a statement as that knockout was by Davis, there is one more world champion in the Lightweight division that is awaiting his chance to make his claim as being the best Lightweight in the world. 

Yours truly is referring to undefeated three-division world champion Shakur Stevenson, who is the current holder of the WBC World Lightweight championship. Stevenson won the then vacant WBC crown with a twelve round unanimous decision over Edwin De Los Santos in November of last year. While Stevenson did what he had to do in that fight to win a world championship in his third weight class, it was not a crowd-pleasing performance by Stevenson who tends to be underappreciated by some for his overall skillset and his ability to box rather than engaging in a more toe to toe battle with his opponents.

Following the success of Lomachenko, Berinchyk, and Davis, Stevenson will now look to make the first defense of his WBC crown on July 6th as he will face current WBC number seven Lightweight contender Artem Harutyunyan at the Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, NJ. A world championship bout that can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

While this fight has all the appearance of a homecoming for the champion in a venue that he has fought three times previously in his career, what does the challenger bring with him into this fight? Artem Harutyunyan has had thirteen professional fights and has only one defeat. Some might argue that the setback for the Armenian-born, German-based Harutyunyan came in his only opportunity to date to step up in the caliber of opposition in terms of world level. The defeat came in losing a twelve round unanimous decision to Frank Martin in July of last year, which was coincidentally Harutyunyan’s last fight. 

The effort he showed in that fight however, in what was a close and competitive contest, along with his having won titles on the regional level of the sport including titles affiliated with the World Boxing Council (WBC), earned him the number seven ranking in their Lightweight ratings. While Harutyunyan does have a limited resume in terms of facing world-rated opposition, he has scored knockouts in seven of his twelve victories, albeit against largely unknown opposition.

Nevertheless, the challenger faces a significant uphill battle against Stevenson. The onus is on Harutyunyan to show what he can do and show that this is a more serious fight than some are anticipating. 

The old adage of styles make fights almost always applies to just about any fight, but the adage that this observer is often quoted as saying should also apply. “Boxing Is A Sport Of Opportunity." While just about every attribute one could measure seems to be in favor of the champion Stevenson, from overall experience on the world championship level to style in being elusive, to hand speed, sometimes all a fighter wants is an opportunity. There is always the possibility for a challenger, a significant underdog, to pull off a surprise, despite what logic and statistics might suggest. Whether Artem Harutyunyan can do that remains to be seen as does whether Stevenson can make a convincing argument for himself as the number one fighter amidst the latest refresh of the Lightweight division. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Stevenson vs. Harutyunyan takes place on Saturday, July 6th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The fight and its full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

(*Card and Start Time Subject To Change*)

(*Check your local listings Internationally*)

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Punching Power Saves The Day For Davis

On June 15th the Boxing world focused it's attention on the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV where undefeated WBA Lightweight world champion Gervonta Davis made his first defense of the title since being named world champion following former undisputed world champion Devin Haney relinquishing his crown to move up in weight, against undefeated WBA number two rated Lightweight contender Frank Martin. While this observer would like to paint a picture of this fight being simply about an unbeaten world champion meeting an unbeaten challenger, as there always seems to be in Boxing, there ended up being more to the story. 

In this case, in the days leading up to the fight, there was a situation that emerged that frankly took attention away from the fight. Yours truly is referring to a situation that led to the dismissal of Leonard Ellerbe, longtime CEO of Floyd Mayweather’s Mayweather Promotions, who promote both Davis and Martin under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner as in the days leading up to the twelve round world championship bout at a pre-fight press conference Ellerbe seemingly did everything to discredit Martin as a challenger to Davis rather than promoting the fight, which was the main event of the latest PBC on Prime Video Pay-Per-View offering. Shortly after that press conference, news broke that Ellerbe had been dismissed and former CEO of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer now being designated as the man who will take over the duties for Mayweather Promotions. Although this was the latest in a series of struggles of the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters, the blunder while taking attention away from the fight and card as a whole for a time, did not overshadow this event. With the situation regarding Ellerbe and Mayweather seemingly in the rearview for the time being, it was time for Davis and Martin to meet inside the ring. 

What stood out immediately was the challenger’s ability to use angles to offset the pressure of Davis. This in addition to Martin's ability to land precise counter punches and beat Davis to the punch is what carried the fight for most of the first five rounds. Although it seemed clear that Frank Martin was gradually compiling a lead on the official scorecards and it was approaching a point where it would be difficult for the champion to dig himself out of a hole if he needed to win a decision to retain his title, Davis never ceased applying constant pressure and gradually walking Martin back both against the ropes and in corners of the ring. While it is indisputable that Gervonta Davis is the type of fighter that has the type of punching power that can and often does end fights suddenly if he connects flush, I wondered as I watched the fight whether that asset, as valuable as it is for those who are blessed to have it, would end up working against Davis against a fighter that clearly had a fight plan and was tactically Boxing him with seemingly significant success.

This was because as the fight progressed, not only was Davis’ face gradually swelling from the effects of Martin's jab, short combinations, and catching the champion with counter punches that briefly stopped him in his tracks, but Davis was seemingly putting everything he had behind every punch he threw, was made to miss with a good portion of those punches, and was visibly becoming frustrated. Despite this, Davis maintained his approach and in the eighth round would finally catch up with the elusive boxer Martin.

As he had been doing for virtually the entire fight, Davis stalked and gradually cornered Martin. Despite Martin appearing comfortable throughout the bout in being willing to stand in corners or on the ropes while Davis came forward, rather than trying to move and evade the champion, it was such willingness that would prove to be a costly mistake. Davis connected with a brutal right uppercut followed by a left hook to the jaw that sent Martin down and out on the canvas. The champion had retained his title in devastating fashion.

At the end of the day, Gervonta Davis’ power saved the day and he was able to get the job done. An obvious question that should be asked coming out of this fight is should there be concerns moving forward? In that, Davis had the punching power to bail him out of what was looking to potentially be a fight that he was losing on the scorecards. While no one can take anything away from Davis as he was blessed with punching power and did what he had to do, the danger for fighters who have such God given talents such as punching power is they tend to rely strictly on power to get them through and though it might work for a period of time, it also can serve as somewhat of a blueprint for future opponents that could study what Frank Martin was able to do in this fight for example and try to implement elements of that strategy into their own approach. A fighter such as recently crowned IBF/IBO Lightweight world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, who is a possible target for Davis later this year, is a master boxer, who has immaculate footwork and ability to use angles, in addition to having quick hands and punching power of his own. 

If a fight between Lomachenko and Davis is indeed next for both, the concern for Davis should be to try and find a way to implement an approach that will have an emphasis on winning rounds as opposed to relying strictly on his punching power to get the job done. Vasyl Lomachenko is among the most tactical fighters in the entire sport and there is little doubt that he will try to implement an approach with an emphasis on angles as well as avoiding the power Davis has. Although laying out such a strategy is easier than attempting to execute one in the midst of battle, Davis should prepare for the possibility that his power may not be all he needs to win moving forward, regardless of whether Vasyl Lomachenko will be the next opponent standing across the ring from him. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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