Making The Best Of Unforseen Circumstances, Mercito Gesta Seizes The Day

Originally, this column was to be the follow-up/post-fight feature to the much anticipated Light-Heavyweight clash between former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez and longtime veteran contender and former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in what was to be Rosado's debut in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. As most now know however, the fight was cancelled on the day before the scheduled March 18th bout at the official weigh-in when Ramirez arrived in being what was described as significantly overweight and in no condition to attempt to get down in weight to a point where the bout was salvageable, resulting in the fight being cancelled.

While this is certainly nothing new in the sport of Boxing as it is unfortunately all too common for there to be complications regarding the weight of a fighter in at least one bout on a full card, the cancellation, though disappointing did not result in the entire card being cancelled along with it as unfortunately also tends to happen when a main event for whatever reason is cancelled. Instead, the fight that was slated as the co-main event would be elevated to the featured bout of the evening at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA.

This bout, much as was the case between Ramirez and Rosado featured the storyline of a former world champion going against a veteran contender and former world title challenger. Some may also continue the similarity by also pointing out that the veteran in this case, as it was with Rosado, could have been making his last stand in an attempt to once again get an opportunity to fight for a world championship. This observer is referring to the encounter between former IBF Jr. Lightweight world champion Joseph Diaz and longtime contender Mercito Gesta. A fight that took place in the 135lb. Lightweight division.

Although yours truly was intending to save his coverage of this fight to be included in an upcoming edition of the periodic feature Jabs and Observations here on The Boxing Truth® where I discuss several topics in the sport including bouts that could not be covered in a shorter timeframe for one reason or another, the unforeseen circumstances of the Ramirez-Rosado cancellation facilitated the need to change those plans. This bout was however, no less intriguing both due to the aforementioned similarities of this bout to the cancelled original main event, but also because of an interesting clash of styles between the two fighters.

Joseph Diaz is known as a boxer/puncher, but has been more than willing to engage with his opponents in heated exchanges as was the case when he won his world title by defeating Tevin Farmer in January 2020, shortly before the circumstances of  the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic brought much of the world including sports to a halt for much of that year. Diaz, who's struggle to make the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight limit, resulted in his losing the title on the weight scale prior to a scheduled title defense in February 2021, had gone on a streak that can be described as akin to a baseball player going through a "Slump" in that since he defeated Farmer, he had gone 1-2-1 in his previous four bouts prior to this fight. 

Mercito Gesta meanwhile is also a fighter that can do a little bit of everything, but was more known as a fighter who had come up short when he stepped up in caliber of opposition including when he challenged Miguel Vazquez for the IBF World Lightweight championship in December 2012. Despite the fact that Gesta had only been stopped once in thirty-nine professional fights prior to taking on Diaz, at thirty-five years old, having been through a long career up to this point, it was understandable how some may have questioned how much Mercito Gesta had left at this stage of his career.

What stood out immediately in this fight was Gesta's ability to use his footwork not only as a means of creating lateral movement, but also to create angles. This resulted in Gesta being able to attack in short, but explosive spurts, often throwing punches in variations of between four and eight punch combinations at a time to the body and head of Diaz. While such offensive tactics are often flashy and attention-grabbing not just for fans watching a fight, but also perhaps the three official judges who are tasked with scoring a bout, what this does from a tactical standpoint is ! make the opponent go on the defensive where they are occupied with trying to protect themselves from incoming punches rather than letting their hands go.

Joseph Diaz did succeed in being able to block a good portion of Gesta's offense by tightening up and staying behind a high defensive guard. This in turn resulted in a lot of Gesta's punches either hitting Diaz' gloves or hitting his arms if they were not able to connect cleanly. What was also noticeable was whenever Diaz was able to let his hands go and connected with punches of his own, Gesta answered back immediately throwing combinations.

As the fight progressed, it became more competitive. The pattern of the fight however, largely remained the same. Gesta getting his punches off first, attacking at varying angles, keeping his opponent from being able to let his hands go consistently, and Diaz attempting to walk Gesta down, try to either corner him or get him against the ropes, and then let his hands go. Although Diaz succeeded in backing Gesta up against the ropes periodically throughout this fight, the issue became whether those instances would be enough for him to earn the nod of the three judges as in seemingly every round, Gesta was outworking him. A round in professional Boxing for men's bouts is three minutes in duration. There are certainly more than a few ways to win a round, but generally the fighter who is busier over the duration of a round will get the nod over a fighter who might be more accurate with his offense.

This is essentially the scenario in which this fight was fought. One of the ways a fighter that is more accurate can win a round over a volume puncher is to land the harder, more damaging punches, if not also score knockdowns, which depending on the number of knockdowns over the course of a fight, could have a significant impact on how a bout is ultimately scored if a fight does go the scheduled distance.

The conundrum here is neither Diaz nor Gesta are known for punching power and as such it became difficult, at least in my eyes, to justify giving Diaz some rounds throughout this scheduled ten round bout that others may have seen as close due to Diaz being able to have moments periodically throughout several of them. The reason for this in this observer's eyes came down to this. When he did let his hands go, Joseph Diaz was both accurate and the punches he threw landed cleanly. At no point however, was he able to hurt Gesta, much less discourage him from returning offense. This in addition to Diaz being unable to score knockdowns is primarily what I based my scoring on in having Gesta ahead 97-93 or seven rounds to three on my unofficial scorecard at the conclusion of the ten round bout.

While it is indisputable that Joseph Diaz applied constant pressure from the outset of this fight and that pressure led to some heated exchanges of offense between the two fighters as well as opened opportunities for Diaz in the latter rounds as I felt he was able to win three out of the last five rounds, ultimately, he simply was not busy enough and allowed Mercito Gesta to put too many of the early rounds in the bank as well as generally outwork him throughout the fight. The assessment of yours truly was seemingly confirmed by two of three official judges that had Gesta ahead, resulting in him winning a ten round split decision by margins of nine rounds to one, 99-91 and eight rounds to two 98-92. The third judge meanwhile had what some might view as a drastic difference in scoring Diaz the winner seven rounds to three or 97-93.

Ultimately, that scorecard though differing from what appears to be a consensus score of not only yours truly, but of two official judges who were scoring the same fight, it did not have as severe an impact as it potentially could have in terms of the outcome. If one were to ask me as for what the reasoning might be for a scorecard that differs from what seemingly is a consensus score, obviously I am unable to get into a judge's head, much less be able to distinguish what he or she might base their scoring on based on established criteria of clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. Based on a literal lifetime that this observer has spent covering Boxing on every level imaginable, I can however, suggest that a potential reason could be that Diaz was applying pressure seemingly from the opening bell and that along with being able to block or otherwise deflect a portion Gesta's punches over the course of the fight in addition to his landing cleanly when he was able to let his hands go might be how that judge arrived at a differing scorecard at the end of the bout. It is also important to keep in mind that Boxing is scored on a round by round basis, which leaves opportunity for both interpretation as well as a judge perhaps not knowing what their final score might be as once a round concludes, judges are to score that round only and turn that score in to the athletic commission or regulatory board that is sanctioning and overseeing a fight. If fights do go the distance, scores from each individual round is then tabulated and added up into what is referred to as a master scorecard of the aforementioned parties sanctioning the bout totalling the three judges individual scorecards to then determine a winner.

Although this particular fight might not warrant such a thorough explanation by yours truly in regard to the procedures and process of scoring a fight, the fan should take the time to learn about said protocols. In any event, I do not feel this fight was in any way controversial in terms of how it was scored, but it does boil down to both interpretation as well as one's perspective. For Mercito Gesta, the thirty-fourth win of his forty fight career might be one that could elevate him towards a potential world title shot at Lightweight. After suffering his third consecutive loss in his last five fights, I do not believe that Joseph Diaz is approaching what some might call the twilight of his career. It is clear however, that he has not been the same fighter since he won his world championship as a Jr. Lightweight. Whether the circumstances of COVID-19 which led to a layoff for him or possibly issues outside the ring are contributing factors or not, I certainly can not say, but it would appear that something is not working for him in some aspect and a retooling process should be considered before attempting to go back to the drawing board.

"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: Ramirez Overweight, Bout With Rosado Cancelled, Card To Go Forward With New Main Event

At the official weigh-in on Friday for his scheduled Light-Heavyweight bout with Gabriel Rosado on Saturday, which was to be televised by digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez arrived at the weigh-in in what was described as being significantly over the 175lb Light-Heavyweight limit and was deemed unable to compete resulting in the bout with Rosado being cancelled. The remainder of the card however, will proceed as planned woth former IBF Jr. Featherweight world champion Joseph Diaz facing former world title challenger Mercito Gesta in a scheduled twelve round Lightweight bout with now main event the scheduled card at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA.

As of this writing, there is no word regarding if or when the bout between Ramirez and Rosado will be attempted to be rescheduled. If there are further developments, we will update on the situation as they become available. We will have a column covering the Diaz-Gesta fight, which will be released here on the website on Monday, March 20th.

Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Diaz vs. Gesta takes place on Saturday, March 18th at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA. The bout as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with a portion of preliminary bouts beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT. This will be followed by the main card, which will begin at 9PM ET/6PM PT. (U.S. Times Only.)

*Card and start times subject to change.*

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

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

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

Ramirez-Rosado: A Veteran's Last Stand?

On Saturday, Match 18th an intriguing battle will take place in Boxing's 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division, which could both be defined as a "Crossroads Fight," as well as a bout that could have implications for the winner challenging for a world championship down the line. This observer is referring to the encounter between former Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez and longtime veteran and former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado.

The fight between the two, which will take place at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, has two key storylines going into it. While both Ramirez and Rosado will come into this encounter coming off losses, one might argue that both men are moving in different directions at this stage in their respective careers.

Ramirez is coming off of his first career defeat at the hands of undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol in November of last year. While Ramirez went the distance with Bivol, he was out boxed over the course of the fight in what proved to be a bad style matchup for him against a fighter in Bivol, who is a master boxer. Nevertheless Ramirez made a good account for himself in defeat and now looks to begin the rebuilding process with the hope of gaining another title shot.

In Gabriel Rosado, Ramirez will face a tough and durable veteran, who always puts up a tough fight. Many may recall Rosado, who began his career as a 154lb. Jr. Middleweight, once challenged for a Middleweight world championship, being stopped in seven rounds by Gennady Golovkin in 2013. Although the goal of winning a world title has remained elusive for Rosado, he has continued on with his career and has endeared himself to Boxing fans for always giving a "Game" performance win or lose. After a recent run where he has only won one of his last five bouts and having moved through the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions, career fight forty-five for Rosado will see him moving up in weight again in what will be his Light-Heavyweight debut.

If one is objective, it is obviously a scenario where Rosado, as has been the case throughout his career, is in the role of an underdog. Stylistically, every metric from style, to hand speed, to punching power would appear to favor Ramirez. The key to the fight however, will be how Gabriel Rosado not only looks as a 175lb. Light-Heavyweight, but how will he respond to being hit by the naturally bigger Ramirez. Although this will be the fourth weight class that Rosado has competed in, he has never been known as a power puncher, despite scoring some head-turning knockouts throughout his career.

The interest in any fighter moving up in weight beyond the obvious questions of how they will look at the heavier weight, as well as the issue of whether they will be able to take the punches of opponents at that weight is, at what point will the fighter reach a ceiling where moving up in weight becomes no longer an option. Obviously, we likely will not know the answer to at least the latter until after this fight, but an argument could be attempted at saying that a fighter in Rosado's position may not only look better, but might perform better at a heavier weight simply because the process of cutting down to what may be considerably lower than their normal walking around weight for competition might be less of a difficult process.

After forty-four  professional fights in a seventeen year career, this might be viewed by some as potentially Rosado's last stand in terms of possibly securing an opportunity to fight for a world championship again at this late stage in his career. Despite the odds seemingly being against him, Rosado has beaten the odds before against theoretically superior opposition, the question is whether or not he can do that against a fighter of Ramirez' caliber, who in addition to having a good mix of hand speed and punching power, is also very crafty and elusive, remains to be seen. Whether or not a victory for either Ramirez or Rosado will lead to another world title shot in their next fight is also obviously unknown, but a good performance by either will at minimum put the winner in the discussion to challenge either Dmitry Bivol or undefeated WBC/IBF/WBO world champion Artur Beterbiev down the line.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Ramirez vs. Rosado takes place on Saturday, March 18th at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach University in Long Beach, CA. The bout as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with a portion of preliminary bouts beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT followed by the main card at 8PM ET/5PM PT. (U.S. Times Only.)

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

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

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

Can Yarde Pull Off The Next Light-Heavyweight Upset?

 

Perhaps the biggest story in Boxing in 2022 came in the month of May when undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision over current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to retain his WBA crown. While Bivol was naturally bigger and stronger than Alvarez and has a difficult Boxing style that has proven difficult for opponents to combat, much less solve, most viewed his victory over Alvarez as “An Upset.” This view, which is not shared by this observer, is based largely on the fact that Alvarez is one of the sport’s biggest stars and the expectation of many was that he would defeat Bivol, a fighter not well-known to casual fans on what was his quest to begin the process of trying to fully unify a second division after what he had accomplished in fully unifying the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. While Boxing is truly the theater of the unexpected, Bivol did go against the script that at least some had envisioned prior to that fight.

 

With victories over Alvarez and former Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez in 2022 behind him, Bivol could potentially be nearing either a rematch with Alvarez or a potential unification bout with the only remaining world champion in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. Artur Beterbiev. Like Bivol, Beterbiev is an undefeated world champion, currently holding the IBF, WBC, and WBO crowns in the division, which would make a potential encounter with Bivol for the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight championship of the world. Before the Boxing world can begin wetting their collective appetites for that bout, Beterbiev has business to tend to as he will defend his unified portion of the World Light-Heavyweight championship against IBF number three rated contender Anthony Yarde on Saturday, January 28^th at the  Wembley Arena in London, England.

 

The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+, has one central question that surrounds it. Can Yarde pull off what would be seen as a significant upset and derail any potential plans for an undisputed clash between Beterbiev and Bivol. This will be Yarde’s second opportunity at a world championship. In August 2019, a then undefeated Yarde put forth a spirited effort against former longtime WBO Light-Heavyweight world champion and division cornerstone Sergey Kovalev before being stopped in the eleventh round. Yarde did appear to have Kovalev in trouble throughout that fight and made a good account of himself in defeat. Since that loss, Yarde has split two fights with Light-Heavyweight contender Lyndon Arthur, losing a twelve round split decision in their first fight in December 2020 and avenging that loss via fourth round knockout in their rematch in December 2021.

 

The London-born Yarde will have significant support from the crowd in attendance at the legendary Wembley Arena, but he does face a difficult task in the champion Beterbiev. In some ways however, this is a similar situation as the one the challenger faced when he fought Kovalev in that like Kovalev, Beterbiev is a “Knockout Artist.”

 

Beterbiev has knocked out all eighteen of his previous opponents as a professional and has the ability to end a fight with either hand. What this will likely come down to is whether or not Yarde will be able to combat the pressure of Beterbiev and do so for all twelve rounds if needed. In his last title defense, Beterbiev destroyed WBO world champion Joe Smith in two rounds. The champion has also shown the ability to overcome adversity during a fight as he showed in his title defense against Marcus Browne in December 2021, where he suffered a deep gash on his forehead early in the fight as a result of an accidental clash of heads, before stopping Browne in the ninth round. In both instances neither Browne or Smith had a way to deal with Beterbiev‘s relentless pressure and could not avoid his punching power.

 

Yarde does have twenty-two knockouts in his twenty-three career wins so he is also capable of ending a fight early should an opportunity arise. Whether or not he will have a tactical approach or will attempt to fight fire with fire and go toe to toe with Beterbiev remains to be seen. Wisdom would suggest that he will need to find a way to dictate the fight from the outset and try to nullify Beterbiev’s pressure if he wants to pull off the upset in front of a hometown crowd, as the champion has only shown one approach in his career, seek and destroy.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Beterbiev vs. Yarde takes place on Saturday, January 29^th at the Wembley Arena in London, England. The 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 and smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

 

*Card and start time subject to change.*

 

*Check your local listings internationally.*

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

Bivol-Ramirez Thoughts

 

There are times when the ingredients for what most identity as a major fight throughout combat sports seem to match up perfectly at least on paper. Among those ingredients, two undefeated fighters, one a former world champion attempting to win a world title in a second weight class going against a world champion that is also unbeaten, has been dominant, and when you add into the equation that both fighters are in their competitive prime, the set up for a marquee bout that would be highly anticipated would appear to be close to perfect.

Such a set up was the scenario when undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol defended his crown against undefeated former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez on November 5th at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, U. A. E. A fight that came in the aftermath of the champion Bivol’s biggest win of his career in a dominant successful title defense against multi-division world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in May of this year.

While this observer pointed out the similarities between what Bivol had accomplished against Alvarez and what Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins had done when he defeated Felix Trinidad in September 2001, in that like Hopkins, Bivol had beaten a fighter considered to be one of the top stars in the entire sport, and was not expected by some to do so, in previewing this fight, Bivol arguably fought the toughest opponent available to him coming out of his victory over Alvarez in Gilberto Ramirez. Ramirez was not only an undefeated former world champion, but had also worked himself into a mandatory challenger position since moving up to the Light-Heavyweight division. 

Although there are times when a world champion facing their number one contender/mandatory challenger does not always generate attention, what made this fight compelling came down to the styles of the two fighters in that they could each do a little of everything. When one factors in the differences between the two in Ramirez being a southpaw, who was naturally bigger and longer than Bivol, the fight between the two was compelling to see.

While both men could score knockouts if the opportunity arose, I was not surprised to see a tactical Boxing match between the two where both were willing to stand and engage in the pocket. What stood out to me was even though Ramirez was the naturally bigger fighter with the longer reach between the two, it was Bivol who was dictating how the fight was fought.

If one were to ask me to sum up this fight in a word, it would be “Discipline.” The Discipline of the champion Bivol to tactically pick his spots, land punches in short, compact combinations, and using footwork and lateral movement to keep Ramirez from being able to get his punches off consistently. What was particularly impressive about what yours truly refers to as a disciplined, but scientific Boxing style that Bivol implemented here in this fight was not only the approach, not only the discipline and consistency the champion showed, but also his ability to maintain both even while under fire, particularly in some heated exchanges of offense with Ramirez.

Although such a disciplined style often leads to frustration for opponents, for those who appreciate the tactical skill that boxers can implement, Bivol was quite enjoyable to watch and has been throughout his whole career. One aspect of Ramirez’ offense that I felt worked against him in this fight was he was not consistent in focusing a portion of his attack to Bivol’s body. This resulted in Bivol being able to catch much of Ramirez’ punches with his gloves or using other methods to make the challenger miss such as lateral movement and maintaining distance where he could pick his spots while Ramirez seemed to be a few seconds behind in terms of throwing punches. 

All of the above in addition to a significant edge in terms of hand speed, resulted in a performance by the champion that was quite similar to the one that he produced against Alvarez six months ago in terms of his control of the fight and the result, a clear, dominant twelve round unanimous decision to retain his WBA crown for the tenth time. As for what is next for Bivol, the premise going into this fight at least for some was if Bivol were to defeat Ramirez, it would it lead to a big money rematch with Saul Alvarez.

While a rematch of a fight that was dominated by one fighter clearly is not warranted in this observer’s view given what we saw in that fight as well as the fact that the current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Alvarez was moving up in weight to challenge Bivol for his championship and lost, it is important to remember that the sport of Boxing for better or worse can be political and as such, those fighters who are able to achieve the star status that Alvarez has in his career, do have the ability to secure opportunities based on their name recognition clout for a period of time regardless of whether they win or lose. 

Although that ability to secure opportunities will obviously be limited if said fighter continues to lose over time, it is not far fetched to think of a rematch between Bivol and Alvarez. Alvarez, who is recovering from recent surgery on his left wrist following his second victory in his trilogy with two-time Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin, will likely want to get back in against Bivol as soon as possible. If I were advising Alvarez however, I would suggest that seeking a rematch with Bivol may not be the best decision.

Styles do make fights and after a second dominant performance over someone who like Alvarez is a highly skilled boxer in Gilberto Ramirez, there is no evidence at least at this point to suggest that a rematch between Bivol and Alvarez would have a different outcome.

“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 

Bivol-Ramirez Preview

In May of this year, undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol entered the to defend his portion of the World Light-Heavyweight championship against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the man regarded by many as the best fighter in the world pound for pound, who had recently fully unified the Super-Middleweight division to become Undisputed world champion. Although Bivol went into the fight unbeaten and was a longtime champion, the champion was treated almost as if he were the challenger.

 

This was due largely to Alvarez’ standing in the sport and for better or worse fighters who are fortunate to covet such a position often take advantage of what are seen by some fans as perks, whether it be in contract negotiations and/or in the ability to dictate terms including, but not limited to at times who they fight, when they fight, and unfortunately for the fan/consumer how said bouts will be made available to the public. While some have used such a position to avoid challenges by choosing to not face fighters deemed as competitive threats, to his credit, even though Alvarez hand picked Bivol as his opponent in an attempt to begin the process of trying to unify a second division, he picked arguably the most dangerous fighter the Light-Heavyweight division has to offer both in terms of overall Boxing skill and punching power.

 

As most know, Bivol used those attributes to his advantage as he tactically out boxed Alvarez over twelve rounds to earn a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to retain his championship for the ninth time. While Bivol’s performance was one that was of the tactical/pure Boxing form, he dictated how the fight was fought from start to finish in a bout that this observer felt he dominated.

 

 In some ways, Bivol’s victory over Alvarez reminded me of a fight that I covered in September 2001 between Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad in what was a Middleweight world championship unification bout. It reminded me of that fight for one similarity. Much like Bivol, Hopkins had held his version of the World Middleweight championship for several years dominating most of his opposition prior to facing Trinidad. Despite this, there were several, particularly casual Boxing fans who did not know much about Hopkins and treated him with little regard. This was due to Trinidad being one of the biggest stars in the sport at the time and being more well known outside of the true Boxing enthusiast.

 

When the two met inside Madison Square Garden in the weeks that followed the 9/11 attacks, Hopkins dominated Trinidad before knocking him down in the twelfth round and stopping him. While much like Bivol’s decision win over Alvarez, Hopkins’ knockout of Trinidad was viewed as the best win and a career definer for him, the similarities may not end there.

 

Despite his win over Trinidad and his status afterward as unified Middleweight world champion, it took Hopkins a few more years to get the acclaim and respect he had earned that night in Madison Square Garden. Most would say that it was not until he knocked out Oscar De La Hoya in September 2004 to fully unity the Middleweight division that Hopkins finally was regarded as the great fighter he was and ultimately the Hall of Famer he is today.

 

Although that delayed recognition for Hopkins can be explained as the politics that be in the sport and others including promoters and networks working against him, some might say that decades later, Dmitry Bivol now finds himself in a similar position. While Boxing is truly the theater of the unexpected and the best unscripted drama sports has to offer, in my view, there are likely some who either because of biases related to being a fan of those with other vested interests that would say that what happened when Bivol beat Alvarez that the outcome was not in the long-term plan for the latter’s career.

 

Nonetheless, Bivol did what he had to do, retained his title, and could well meet Alvarez again down the line. Before that can happen however, the undefeated champion will make the tenth defense of his WBA crown when he faces undefeated former WBO Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez on Saturday, November 5^th at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, U. A. E. The fight, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN is frankly one of the most dangerous fights that Bivol could have taken following his victory over Alvarez. Ramirez, unbeaten in forty-four professional fights, has thirty knockouts in his career and will enter this fight having scored five straight knockouts. The challenger also goes into this fight as the WBA’s  number one contender.

 

While Bivol had to take this fight per Ramirez’ status as a mandatory challenger, it is commendable that the champion did not spend too much time exploring options to delay this bout from taking place as unfortunately sometimes happens throughout the sport both due to the politics that be in the sport as well as potentially more lucrative opportunities that might be available to a fighter. One could argue that from a public perception standpoint that Bivol ‘s standing in the sport will be further elevated if he can defeat Ramirez.

 

In terms of how this fight might be fought, it is important to keep in mind that both Bivol and Ramirez are boxer/punchers that can do a little of everything inside the ring. What this bout will come down to in this observer’s eyes is whether or not the challenger will be able to bring the fight to Bivol. One thing that stood out in Bivol’s victory over Alvarez is at no point in that fight did the champion appear uncomfortable and not in the position to dictate how that fight was fought. This also was visible by Bivol’s not allowing himself to be baited into exchanges with Alvarez, particularly when Alvarez chose to sit on the ropes and motion for Bivol to step in and attack. The champion instead chose to remain at a distance where he could hit Alvarez, but remain in control of how the fight was fought.

 

Although Gilberto Ramirez is also a crafty fighter much like Alvarez, he will nerd to avoid some of the mistakes Alvarez made throughout that fight. While Ramirez is naturally bigger than Alvarez, the task is largely the same for him against Bivol. He must look to apply pressure on Bivol early and make him uncomfortable. Ramirez must be tactical in his approach as Bivol does have good hand speed and is an accurate counter puncher.

 

Bivol has proven to be quite the tactician in recent fights after beginning his career with a string of knockouts similar to that of current Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin. Even though a pure Boxing style with an emphasis on technique is not always fan friendly, when executed well it can prove to be very effective and difficult for opponents to combat as Bivol has shown in recent fights. Even though the champion still likely has the punching power to get an opponent out of there if an opportunity arises, it is logical to expect that Bivol will try to implement a similar strategy as he has used in recent fights in this title defense against Ramirez.

 

The winner of this fight will likely find himself in good position as 2023 approaches with two realistic options. Option one could be a bout with Alvarez who insists on returning to the Light-Heavyweight division with his eye particularly on a possible rematch with Bivol. Perhaps more enticing however, could be the second option, which would be to try and unify the division. With a lot on the line for both fighters going into this fight and possibly coming out of it, it comes down to two fighters meeting in the ring with Bivol’s WBA World Light-Heavyweight championship at stake. We will see what happens on Saturday, November 5^th.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

 

Bivol vs. Ramirez takes place on Saturday, November 5^th at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, U. A. E. The bout as well as it’s full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 10AM ET/7AM PT with Before the bell, which will include preliminary bouts on the card. This will be followed by the main card beginning at 1:30PM ET/10:30AM PT (U.S. Times). For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

 

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

 

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

Bivol-Ramirez Set For November 5TH ON DAZN

 

Press Release: August 30, 2022 By DAZN – Dmitry Bivol will defend his WBA Light-Heavyweight World Title against Mandatory Challenger Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Saturday November 5, live to subscribers worldwide on DAZN (excluding South Korea and MENA).

Credit: DAZN

 

Bivol (20-0, 11 KOs) is coming off a huge upset win over Mexican pound-for-pound superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in May, where he retained his 175lbs World Title via a unanimous decision to make it 20 wins from 20 fights.

 

The 31-year-old handed Alvarez only the second loss of his career, nine years on from his first at the hands of modern great Floyd Mayweather, and in doing so further cemented himself as one of the very best Light-Heavyweights on the planet.

 

Ramirez (44-0, 30 KOs) is a former WBO Super-Middleweight World Champion who has won all five of his fights at Light-Heavyweight inside the distance in impressive fashion since moving up in weight in 2019.

 

The heavy-handed Mexican southpaw emerged as the Mandatory Challenger to long-reigning champion Bivol, after a fourth-round knockout of Dominic Boesel in their May 14 title eliminator in Ontario, California.

 

“The fight with Zurdo has been brewing for some time, many things have been said,” said Bivol. “Now we have the chance to take care of things with our actions in the ring, and not our words outside of the ring.”

 

“I’m happy that the fight is finally happening despite all the challenges,” said Ramirez. “It’s been a long time coming and I look forward to a great night come November 5. I would fight Bivol anywhere - including Mars, but I know we’ll put on a great show in Abu Dhabi. I’m happy overall and very thankful to the WBA, Mr. Gilberto Mendoza and the Golden Boy family for being on this journey with me.”

 

“Dmitry Bivol has now secured himself with pound-for-pound status after his victory over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in May and looks to make a hugely important defence against Mandatory Challenger and former World Champion Gilberto Ramirez. The card will be stacked with World Championship fights and is set to be one of the biggest nights of boxing in 2022,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “I’m delighted to bring this huge World Title fight to Abu Dhabi and would like to thank Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi for all of their help in making this world-class event become a reality. Roll on November 5 for a huge night of World Championship boxing live on DAZN.”

 

“With this fight finally materialising we look forward to a great night of boxing to remember and another exceptional performance by Dmitry Bivol,” said Bivol’s manager Vadim Kornilov. “We are very excited to be in Abu Dhabi, which is on the way to be the modern top sports attraction of the world."

 

"Dmitry Bivol vs. Gilberto Ramirez will be a great fight, many fans have been waiting for this fight to happen and it will finally materialise," added President of World of Boxing, Andrei Ryabinskiy.

 

“We are headed to Abu Dhabi and Zurdo will prove he is the best Light-Heavyweight when he fights Bivol on November 5,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya.

 

“We are thrilled to host this spectacular boxing event in Abu Dhabi - partnering with reputable partner Matchroom Boxing adds yet another dimension to our exciting calendar,” said HE Saleh Mohamed Saleh Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism, at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi,  “Once again, the eyes of the world will be on Abu Dhabi on November 5 as we continue to strengthen our position as a top destination for world-class sport. As the host city, we are eager to share our warm Emirati hospitality to visiting fans and offer them memorable, exciting experiences to enjoy at their own pace.”

 

“Thank you to our brilliant partners Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy for delivering another blockbuster fight to the platform,” said Joseph Markowski, EVP, DAZN Group. “We can’t wait to see Dmitry Bivol back in the ring after he pulled off the upset of the year against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in May, and in the unbeaten Zurdo Ramirez, he will face one of his toughest opponents yet. We have a potential classic on our hands. Watch it live and worldwide on DAZN.”

 

An announcement on tickets will follow in due course.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

December 17th-18th, 2021 Weekend Thoughts

 As the world nears the Christmas holidays, the Boxing world will not be taking much of a hiatus as was the case in previous years. With the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters staging two cards on Christmas night and New Year’s Day on Fox and Fox Sports Pay-Per-View here in the United States and will be largely alone in doing so, the weekend of December 17^th and 18^th of 2021 saw a focus on the Light-Heavyweight division, a world title elimination bout, and two rematches that depending on one’s perspective were anticipated for different reasons. While one of those rematches as well as it’s full undercard have already been covered by this observer here on The Boxing Truth®, the final weekend before Christmas saw other action throughout the sport that also deserves attention.

 

The first of these bouts took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where an elimination bout took place to determine the next mandatory challenger in the World Boxing Association (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings between top contenders Israil Madrimov and Michel Soro.  Although this observer did not have an opportunity to preview this bout in the days leading up to it, this fight as much as any should serve as a reminder particularly to the sport’s detractors as to just how global Boxing is as well as the benefits that yours truly has frequently pointed out in recent years with regard to digital streaming networks that have increased access on a global scale to much of what goes on throughout the sport that would otherwise not be broadcast by traditional networks as this bout was a late addition to the schedule of digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, that also broadcast the previously covered Parker-Chisora rematch.  As for the fight itself, it was fought at a very tactical pace where both fighters were able to execute their offense in spots. It was this pace that resulted in several of the first eight rounds of this bout being very close and very difficult to score.

 

While Soro tended to be more accurate with his offense, it was Madrimov who seemed to land the harder punches, particularly when the two fighters engaged in exchanges. Although the element of who lands the harder blows is what some would consider as the determining factor in who ultimately gains the upper hand in terms of the scoring of a fight, it is not necessarily the case. When two fighters are able to essentially match each other punch for punch as was the case in this bout, it creates a very challenging conundrum where it will as I have said numerous times over the years, come down to what a judge prefers in their own criteria in how they see a fight based on clean punching, effective aggression, ring generalship, and defense. In this case, after eight rounds I felt the fight was even as usually when one fighter seemed as though they were starting to gain a slight advantage over the other, the opposition would return offense to such degree where it left the impression that this was an even fight.

 

In round nine however, all questions regarding the potential scoring of the bout would come to an end, but an element of controversy would emerge that left more questions than answers. As was the case for the previous eight rounds, the two fighters continued to exchange and match each other’s offense. It was in the closing seconds of the ninth round where Madrimov would break through with a combination of hooks to the head of Soro that appeared to have Soro legitimately stunned and backed against the ropes. The controversy that emerged came when Madrimov pressed forward with his opponent against the ropes and continued throwing punches, the bell appeared to ring several times with no movement from Referee Salvador Salva, who perhaps did not hear the bell due to the roar of the crowd in attendance, seconds later he did jump in and signaled a stoppage of the fight ruling Madrimov the winner by technical knockout.

 

Although it was clear that Soro was hurt in my eyes at this stage in the bout, the fact that the bell rang several times before the referee stepped in opens the question of whether or not the ruling of Salva of a TKO in favor of Madrimov could possibly be challenged in an attempt to have the result changed to a no contest simply because once the bell rang, the action should have been halted and the blows Madrimov was able to land after that were thus after the bell and would be considered illegal.  While normally I tend to side with the referee in instances like this as they are the closest person to the action and a referee’s discretion could be the difference between a fight ending appropriately or one that ends up having tragic circumstances, I do believe that there might be some sort of challenge regarding the result of this fight with both the WBA and the Federation of Professional Boxing of Uzbekistan who regulated the bout. In the interest of full disclosure with the reader, it needs to be noted that Salva only had twenty-one professional bouts under his officiating record at the time this bout took place in a career as a referee that began in 2016. Perhaps what will be difficult to argue in any potential protest, despite the issue of the bell ringing and an apparent miscommunication between the timekeeper and the referee is that Soro was not answering back with punches when the fight was stopped and did have his hands down when Salva stepped in and stopped the fight.

 

Even though some might point to Salva’s not hearing the bell to end the round as well as only having twenty-one bouts officiated in five years as a professional referee as inexperience particularly for a fight between two top contenders to determine who gets an opportunity to fight for a world title, Salva’s argument will like be that he saw a fighter in a compromised state in taking punches with his hands down, who was also clearly hurt when he decided to step in and stop the fight.  Although it is a heartbreaking way to lose a fight if you are in Soro’s position, if Salva does in fact have to give an explanation for his stoppage of this bout and provides a similar one to the example this observer has laid out, a protest by Soro and his team will not likely succeed. The best case scenario for Soro, under the circumstances would not be to protest the result of the fight, but rather to petition the WBA for a rematch. particularly since both Jermell Charlo the WBC/WBA/IBF Jr. Middleweight world champion and Brian Castano the WBO world champion appear to be headed towards a rematch of their unification bout, which ended in a draw earlier this year, in 2022. Whether or not the WBA would order an immediate rematch remains to be seen.

 

The final weekend before Christmas 2021 was also highlighted in part by two Light-Heavyweight bouts including a title defense by undefeated unified WBC/IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev, who made the fifth defense of his title at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada against longtime top contender Marcus Browne. Although much of the focus of the Light-Heavyweight division in recent times has centered around two central figures in Beterbiev and undefeated WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol, Browne did pose a serious test for Beterbiev as a former mandatory challenger in the WBA's Light-Heavyweight ratings. In previewing this bout, I stated that the key to the fight was whether or not Browne would be able to survive Beterbiev’s pressure and be able to extend him into the middle and late rounds of the fight in saying that at this stage we did not know how Beterbiev would respond to being in such a situation as being taken into the deep waters of a fight and whether or not he would be able to adapt.

 

An argument can be made that Browne was not only able to answer that question, but also was able to get an additional question answered of the champion who had scored knockouts in every one of his previous sixteen bouts in his professional career. How would Beterbiev respond to adversity? As expected, the champion began the fight by applying pressure on Browne and trying to walk him down. Although the pressure was clear, Browne did for a time manage you use his movement and combination punching to offset the tactics of Beterbiev. In the fourth round, both fighters suffered cuts as a result of an accidental clash of heads, but it was Beterbiev’s cut, a deep gash on the forehead that appeared as though might be the cause of the fight being stopped due to the blood going into the champion’s eyes and the bleeding of the wound being difficult for his corner to control.

 

Despite being under circumstances where some fighters do not respond well, Beterbiev became more aggressive and made it very difficult for Browne to use his movement to gain space between himself and the champion. In round seven, Beterbiev would score his first knockdown of the fight by dropping Brown with a left hook to the body that appeared to cause a delayed reaction. In the ninth round, the champion would bring an end to the fight by dropping Browne for a second time with another left hook to the body that forced Browne to take a knee and the ten count resulting in another knockout victory for Beterbiev in what was an impressive performance under what had to be trying circumstances due to the gash on his forehead. Even though the gash Beterbiev suffered was frankly enough justification to stop the fight, due to the fact that it was caused by an accidental head clash, if the fight had been stopped, the outcome would have been determined by going to the scorecards for a technical decision.

 

Although no one should discredit the heart Marcus Browne showed in this fight, his effectiveness gradually declined as the bout progressed and if the bout had gone to the scorecards, it is likely that Beterbiev would have retained his title with a decision win. While Beterbiev and Bivol appear to be on a collision course, there is another potential opponent that both champions should keep an eye on. This observer is referring to undefeated former WBO Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez, who returned to the ring on December 18^th against Yuneski Gonzalez at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.

 

With so much of the recent times of the Light-Heavyweight division focused on Bivol, Beterbiev, and the fact that both have been angling for a potential fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the sport’s biggest star that has been seeking the most lucrative fights possible in his career, or a potential fight with each other, Ramirez has quietly emerged as a potential wild card opponent for either of the three if the opportunity were available to him. In Yuneski Gonzalez, Ramirez faced a solid boxer/puncher who showed immediately upon the fight beginning that he was not a mere opponent for Ramirez to simply get some work in before more lucrative fights in 2022. Gonzalez was more than willing to engage in exchanges of punches with Ramirez from the outset and from my perspective had particular success in landing his right hand as well as being able to periodically back Ramirez against the ropes.

 

It did not take long before this fight evolved from a Boxing match to an all-out brawl with both fighters standing and going toe to toe, and punch for punch. While there were moments where Ramirez was able to hurt Gonzalez and had him appearing as though he might be able to get a stoppage early, Gonzalez kept fighting on and kept answering whatever Ramirez threw at him. When it comes to fights that are fought like this, the primary question that comes to mind beyond the subject of potential scoring of a bout is which fighter will have enough left in them to go the distance if required to do so.  This was a case where as I watched this fight, the idea of scoring did not come to mind simply due to the way the fight was being fought and the high pace of the combat with both fighters throwing seemingly every punch with fight ending intentions.

 

As the bout went on however, it did appear that Ramirez was gradually getting the better of the exchanges and the question that formed in my mind was whether or not Gonzalez would be able to go the distance. The war of attrition continued on until the tenth round when Ramirez connected with a barrage of punches on a fatigued Gonzalez along the ropes, which forced the fight to be stopped.

 

Although Gilberto Ramirez had more difficulty than some may have expected going into this fight, he did what he had to do in outlasting a very “Game” Yuneski Gonzalez in what was a very grueling fight that might be considered one of the best bouts of 2021 depending on one’s perspective. While Ramirez remains a live opponent for either Bivol or Beterbiev going into 2022, he has earned the opportunity to rest, despite his stating that he would like a bout with Bivol in his next fight shortly after his victory over Gonzalez.

 

The final bout that took place on December 18^th featured YouTube star turned boxer Jake Paul in a rematch against former UFC World Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in a rematch of a bout the two had earlier this year in Cleveland, OH. This rematch, which was fought at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL, came out of necessity for Paul and United States cable network Showtime to keep the pay-per-view date after original opponent Tommy Fury, withdrew with what was described as a chest infection and a broken rib that he suffered in training.

 

Even though this rematch came not necessarily out of public demand as it did out of necessity in terms of the business aspects of the sport, Paul’s status as a celebrity did succeed in selling out the near 20,000 seat arena, which were no doubt full of both his sizable YouTube following as well as those who remain curious as to Paul’s legitimacy as a boxer. It is a fact that Paul has yet to face someone with a legitimate Boxing background and that fact alone has fueled much criticism in addition to his being pushed as a pay-per-view headliner with only four professional bouts to his credit going into what turned out to be an immediate rematch with Woodley. The first encounter, which was won by Paul via eight round split decision had the consensus that, despite Woodley being able to stun Paul in the fourth round of that fight, he simply was not active enough over the course of the fight to garner favor of the judges scoring the bout. Woodley did claim in the lead up to this rematch that he would be more active this time around and for a period of time, he did seem intent on keeping his word as he did try to pressure Paul early.  Unfortunately for those in attendance at Amalie Arena and those watching via pay-per-view, this rematch did not have much in the way of action throughout much of the first five rounds of the bout as both fighters tried to engage each other, but more often than not ended up in clinches, which did not produce much in the way of action.

 

This can be attributed to inexperience of both fighters in terms of Boxing, but it should also be noted that many of the clinches seemed to be initiated by Woodley. While clinching is not allowed in Boxing and is normally separated by a referee officiating a bout, in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), where Woodley has primarily competed for most of his combat sports career, fighters are allowed to fight while in a clinch. Perhaps Woodley out of instinct tried to gain an advantage over Paul by way of clinching, and thus forgetting that this bout was being fought under Boxing rules. This would prove to be a moot point as Paul would bring a sudden end to the fight in round six when he connected with a flush right hook to the jaw that knocked Woodley out cold face first on the canvas.

 

Although Paul moved his record to 5-0, with 4 Knockouts with his second victory over Tyron Woodley, criticism will likely remain again based on the fact that he has not faced someone with a legitimate Boxing background and the decision of Showtime to push him as a pay-per-view attraction having not faced a legitimate boxer.  While the issue of the business of the sport and it’s flaws is a subject to be discussed at a later time, it will be interesting if in 2022 those at Showtime, who have struggled to draw consistently high buy rates for their pay-per-view cards amid the consumer trend shifting more towards subscription-based streaming, will insist that Paul fight against people with legitimate Boxing backgrounds going forward if he is truly serious about wanting to be taken seriously as a boxer.  It will also be interesting to see if Showtime’s parent company ViacomCBS chooses to use the growth of it’s subscription streaming network Paramount+ as a pay-per-view alternative in perhaps using Paul as a way to drive subscribers as many of his followers are likely casual Boxing fans and would likely be more inclined to subscribe to Paramount+ for the entertainment options the network has to offer in addition to seeing Paul featured as part of the streaming platform’s sports programming as opposed to paying inflated pay-per-view fees.  For now, Paul has succeeded in scoring another knockout and maintaining the curiosity that has followed he and his brother Logan’s respective entries into the sport. It will be up to him to prove that this is a legitimate Boxing career and not a novelty act that will eventually wear off.

 

While this is usually where this observer shares some closing thoughts on what has been an extremely active year, despite the continued impacts of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. As much as I would like to close this column reflecting on some of the events that have taken place, the Boxing calendar now turns to what the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters will have to offer on Christmas night and a pay-per-view card to take place on New Year’s Day in Hollywood, FL.

 

Although the choice to do Boxing cards over the holidays is a curious one that will have debatable returns, it is important to keep in mind that as of now, both cards are scheduled to take place as planned, but with the impacts of the COVID-19’s latest variant Omicron beginning to lead to cancellations in the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL) and has already led to at least one Boxing-related postponement in the scheduled Middleweight championship unification bout between world champions Gennady Golovkin and Ryota Murata, which was scheduled to take place on December 29^th in Tokyo, Japan being postponed due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions in the country, the possibility of those two cards being potentially impacted is at least that a possibility. While this observer takes a pause for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the reader can rest assured that I will be keeping an eye on the developments of these two cards and if they do indeed take place as scheduled, those events will be covered when our schedule resumes in January 2022.

 

Happy 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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