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 

Jabs And Observations September-November 2022

 

While it was originally intended as a monthly to bi-monthly feature that was introduced earlier this year by this observer here on The Boxing Truth® as a means to frankly cover as much ground as possible in covering the sport of Boxing beyond the short-form card coverage and individual features that cover specific fights and subjects throughout the calendar year, Jabs And Observations has been absent since March. Although this was not intended as such, I felt coverage provided throughout 2022 had been smooth where the feature would be used on an occasional basis for the remainder of the year when circumstances warranted, with the aim of returning it as a bi-monthly feature column in 2023. As tends to be the case from the months of September through the remainder of a year, yours truly began the month of September in the midst of what I consider to be my norm, covering what usually tends to be a very active Boxing schedule during the latter months of the year.

Even though most of September ran smoothly in this regard, unfortunately plans changed in the last week and a half of the month. This was due to the unfortunate disaster known as Hurricane Ian, which necessitated my family and I to evacuate to seek higher ground. Although I am as have said in the weeks and months since the storm across social media, extremely grateful that the storm did not directly impact my area as was originally forecasted in the days prior to it making landfall in Florida and have no illusions as to how lucky we were upon seeing the effects of the storm in other areas as it could have been much worse, unfortunately having to evacuate as well as the Boxing schedule continuing as normal resulted in material that was in development for the final week of September as well as the first few weeks of October being sidelined, thus necessitating the return of Jabs and Observations.

 

While I will not put the reader through the several pages of material that was written across two features if memory serves me as I write this, I do want to spend a little time discussing some of the events that took place prior to the storm that I did cover as well as some things that have happened since as I have eased back into the schedule following what frankly was a scary and stressful time. Something that unfortunately we had a subtle reminder of recently with hurricane Nicole as well.

 

With the subject now thankfully turning to Boxing, the last week of September 2022 featured two bouts that were of particular interest to yours truly. First, was the September 23^rd bout, which featured undefeated two-division world champion  Shakur Stevenson in what turned out to be his final bout in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division. This was because not only his setting his sights on the 135lb. Lightweight division where there are some interesting fights that could be ahead for him as well as more lucrative paydays, but also because he failed to make weight for his scheduled title defense against top contender Robson Conceicio resulting in his losing the unified WBC/WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship on the weight scale. Stevenson’s struggle to make the 130lb. limit did not have an adverse effect on him as he soundly out boxed Conceicio over twelve rounds to earn a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

 

While some were critical of Stevenson for not making the weight prior to this fight, it is important to keep in mind that the human body can be a mystery at times and what may work for one fighter in terms of cutting and maintaining weight may not necessarily work for another fighter under similar circumstances. There are also times where no matter what a fighter does, the issue of making weight remains difficult especially for fighters who are naturally bigger than where they compete in terms of fighting weight, thus a move up in weight to a heavier weight class is often a necessity for fighters that are not natural Heavyweights as their careers progress. With his focus now turning to the Lightweight division, I do not necessarily see Stevenson remaining in the division for long.

 

This is due to several notable fighters that could be lucrative opportunities for him either having already moved up to the 140lb. Lightweight division or will soon be doing so. Along with Stevenson’s comfort level at that weight, which is yet to be determined, it will likely mean that his time as a Lightweight could be brief depending on what may be available to him as a Jr. Welterweight down the line.

 

On September 24^th, an important Heavyweight bout took place in London, England that featured former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and undefeated top contender Joe Joyce in what was billed as a world title elimination bout. Although Joyce had ended every bout, but one he has fought as a professional inside the distance, the question remained as to whether or not he would face a sufficient test before getting a shot at a world championship. Parker proved to provide that test as the former world champion was able to land flush right hands on Joyce throughout the fight. Despite Parker’s success, as the fight progressed, Joyce gradually wore and broke him down before knocking Parker out in the eleventh round. The first knockout loss of Parker’s career.

 

Two important questions of Joyce were answered in this fight. The first was how he would react to being hit flush by a fighter that has some punching power. Despite being hit with right hands that may have dropped some Heavyweights, Joyce was able to take the best that Parker had to offer and press forward. The second question was would being hit flush change his approach? Joyce was able to show that he could keep his mind on the task at hand and ended up producing one of the best performances of his fifteen fight professional career. With the win, Joyce became the WBO’s number one Heavyweight contender for undefeated current IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. It may be unlikely based on Usyk’s desire to meet undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury in a bout for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world in the near future that Joyce will get his opportunity at least in the immediate months ahead. If however, Joyce can remain active against other top contenders in the meantime and continue to maintain his position as the WBO’s top contender, he will likely be the first fighter in line once the issue regarding a potential undisputed championship fight is settled.

 

While yours truly spent the last week of September and the first weeks of October evacuating due to hurricane Ian and subsequently taking a little time to recharge and refocus after a difficult time, the month of October was dominated by one topic. The collapse of the scheduled bout between undefeated Welterweight contender Conor Benn and former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. By now most know that the bout, which was to take place in London, England on October 8^th ended up being cancelled by the British Boxing Board of Control in the days prior to the bout taking place, while the fighters were in the midst of the normal “Fight Week” festivities and obligations. The reason for the abrupt cancellation was due to Benn testing positive for a banned substance in the weeks prior.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, my mind was frankly on other things at the time this occurred, but as I observed the fallout, which as of this writing is still not settled, one question continuously ran through my mind. Why would the British Boxing Board of Control wait until mere days before what was a highly anticipated event, particularly throughout the United Kingdom, if the board were aware of a positive test well before fight week festivities began? It is important for me to point out that I ask this question not as an expert in the field of drug testing, but merely as an observer who covers the sport. This situation has not been resolved as of this writing, but I will say that at minimum, the protocols of not only the British Boxing Board of Control and any other reputable state or international regulatory boards should be reviewed in order to ensure if there is indeed a circumstance of a positive test that a situation like this can be avoided in the future.

 

Now as we approach Thanksgiving here in the United States, I would like to share a few brief thoughts about what has gone on in recent weeks. First, as the reader can probably tell, I have jumped around a bit here and if there is anything omitted from this edition of Jabs And Observations it is merely a circumstance of the constraints of what can fit into a single column. Originally, I intended to conclude this edition with the Benn-Eubank Jr. controversy. I would however, be doing readers and the sport a disservice if I did not share my view on the recent fights between undefeated Super-Middleweight contender David Morrell and Aids Yerbossynuly. A fight that took place in the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN on November 5^th. Quite frankly, the fight was a mismatch from very early in the bout as Morrell administered what can be described as a beating on a very “Game,” but overmatched Yerbossynuly. Despite the one-sided nature of the bout, somehow the fight was allowed to go into the twelfth and final round, where after sustaining significant punishment throughout the contest, Morrell was able to drop Yerbossynuly and led to a long overdue stoppage.

 

Most who are familiar with this fight know that Yerbossynuly suffered a severe brain injury, had to be helped back to his corner by Morrell and Referee Tony Weeks. Following the bout, Yerbossynuly was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery to reduce swelling on his brain and was for a time put in a medically induced coma. Although Yerbossynuly remains hospitalized as of this writing, he is said to be improving, which is news that  all who are involved in the sport should welcome.

 

This observer however, has struggled to find the words to describe my feelings on what I saw in this bout. After a lifetime covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, there is not much that I have not seen. This unfortunately includes several bouts that were allowed to go on well past the point where they should have been stopped resulting in traumatic brain injury and death. While I will admit that the topic of when a fight should be stopped is one that can be it’s own column and perhaps several if I am honest with the reader, I do wonder when does common sense enter the equation?

 

As in when it is clear that a fight is one-sided as this one was, at what point is it the responsibility of a fighter’s corner, the referee, and the athletic commission overseeing a fight to exercise common sense and prevent an injury or God forbid worse before it occurs. No one can take anything away from the heart Aidos Yerbossynuly showed in this fight, but his corner, the Minnesota Boxing commission, and Referee Tony Weeks should review the fight, which was subsequently pulled from reairings by United States premium cable network Showtime and see where they could have stopped the fight sooner. While Aidos Yerbossynuly is recovering, the reality is missing the signs of when a fight should be stopped may result in a more tragic outcome next time. Everyone involved in the sport, especially commissions/regulatory boards and referees should consider if protocols need to be changed. This observer believes at minimum a dialogue should take place in order to hopefully, try and prevent something like this from happening in the future.

 

“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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update: Jabs And Observations

 We would like to let our readers know that we are between rounds and will return with a special edition of our periodic feature that was introduced earlier this year Jabs and Observations, that will discuss several topics spanning from late September to November 2022, on Thanksgiving eve here in the United States, Wednesday, November 23rd. In the interim, any content that is sent in for release from promoters, networks, and others involved in the sport of Boxing will be released here on the website as normal as they are sent in. Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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

Jabs And Observations: February 2022

 A new feature here on The Boxing Truth® Jabs And Observations that was introduced in the month of January that will hopefully become a regular fixture of the rotation of content offered to readers as well as in an effort to cover more ground by this observer in regard to the events and happenings in the world of Boxing. Following the feature’s first installment last month, the time has come for the February 2022 edition. While there has been plenty that has gone on outside of the Boxing ring over the last several weeks that will be touched upon later in this month's Jabs And Observations, the February installment should begin with what has happened inside the ring. To be more specific, some of the events that took place over February 18th and 19th around the Boxing world.

 

Obviously, one that is knowledgeable in regard to the sport of Boxing knows that it is a sport that truly operates twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred sixty-five days a year both in and out of the ring. As such, it can be a difficult task to keep track of and watch everything that goes on even as advances in technology in the streaming realm have greatly improved access to the sport. In honesty with the reader, it is one reason why features such as this have become necessary for yours truly to pen as even though my commitment to covering the sport is a true 24/7 passion for me, I am after all only one person and, despite my dedication, even I will not be able to cover all the fights and events that take place throughout the sport as they occur. Such was the case over this two day period as while I was covering a six bout Boxing card that was promoted by Thompson Boxing Promotions that took place on February 18th in Ontario, CA, other events were occurring throughout the sport.

 

First among those Boxing cards that will be covered as part of this month's edition of Jabs And Observations took place in Orlando, FL on February 18th where premium cable network Showtime presented its latest installment of its popular ShoBox: The New Generation series. A series that has long been a platform for rising prospects to take steps towards world title contention, the most recent edition of the series was no exception.

 

The main event saw undefeated rising Lightweight prospect Jamaine Ortiz score a dominant ten round unanimous decision over Nahir Albright. In what was Ortiz’ sixteenth bout as a professional, he displayed hand speed, timing, elusiveness, and solid counter punching to out work Albright over ten rounds to earn the unanimous decision victory and along with it, the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Lightweight championship.

 

The 135lb. Lightweight division has historically been one of the most competitive in the entire sport due simply to the depth of talent that consistently occupies the division. As most Boxing fans know, the division recently saw a shake up in undefeated George Kambosos upsetting previously undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Tiofimo Lopez late last year to win the title. Since then, there has certainly been no shortage of potential opponents for the champion's first title defense that is expected to occur sometime in 2022. Although Jamaine Ortiz may not be quite at the point where buzz begins to stir of him being a potential opponent for Kambosos or whomever the champion might be down the road, he has certainly put himself out there as a fighter to watch and his having won an NABF title will likely help him progress forward towards a potential world title shot down the line given its affiliation with the World Boxing Council (WBC), who have similar affiliations with other regional sanctioning organizations both here in the United States as well as around the world.

 

The co-main event of this edition of ShoBox saw what was in my estimation an equally dominant performance, but a bout that ended up being overshadowed by controversial scoring. Yours truly is referring to the encounter between Welterweight prospects Marquis Taylor and Paul Kroll. An eight round bout that was the first time in my recollection that I had seen either fighter compete. A fight that can beat be described as one fighter showcasing what turned out to be a superior skillset mixing hand speed and punching power simply besting the other who seemed a step behind, Taylor effectively out boxed a very “Game” Kroll over the course of the eight round bout in what had all the appearance of a clear decision victory in Taylor’s favor.

 

In Boxing however, sometimes things are not always as they appear. Despite the appearance of Taylor earning a victory that should have put him on the radar, only one official judge scored the bout widely in his favor, while a second judge scored the bout by two points in favor of Kroll, which led to the third and deciding judge to render an even scorecard resulting in the bout being declared a majority draw.

 

One does not have to dive too deep into history to know that controversial scoring is unfortunately something that at times comes with the territory not just in Boxing, but all of combat sports. While over the many years I have covered Boxing as well as other combat sports on occasion, I have become used to providing readers with an analysis of how fights are scored and the criteria that is used as part of that process, more recently as was the case with the recent Super-Middleweight encounter between Daniel Jacobs and John Ryder, such analysis is not necessarily warranted beyond sharing my point of view that I simply disagreed with the official decision. The silver lining is that both Taylor and Kroll are relatively young in their respective careers and it is probably beneficial for both that this decision did not occur on a bigger stage and/or one where there was more at stake in terms of financially as well as in the Welterweight division's rankings. As such, it is also not hard to envision that these two fighters could meet again down the line.

 

February 19th was a day in the sport where there was one premise that could arguably apply to three notable bouts that took place across the globe. Former world champions looking to provide a strong argument for themselves towards another world title shot. First to enter the ring that day was former three-division world champion Jorge Linares, who faced rising Lightweight contender Zaur Abdullaev in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

 

Despite having a significant experience advantage over Abdullaev both in terms of world championship experience as well as overall experience inside the ring, the thirty-six year old Linares was coming into this fight off of a loss to undefeated top Lightweight contender Devin Haney in May of last year. Although Linares became the first fighter to legitimately hurt Haney in the tenth round of a competitive fight, he appeared to be on the decline of a fine career going into this fight against a fighter in Abdullaev, who appears to be on the rise. While the story of an aging former champion stepping in against a rising contender is one that is as old as the sport itself, the key going into this fight in my eyes was what Linares would have left at this stage of his career as he no doubt looked to this encounter as a way to springboard himself back into the world championship picture in the extremely talent deep 135lb. Lightweight division.

 

In contrast to Linares, twenty-seven year old Abdullaev was competing in his sixteenth professional bout compared to Linares’ fifty-fourth. As such, it was logical to ask what effect, if any would the difference in experience have on Abdullaev, even though he had the advantage in terms of youth and as well as fighting in his hometown were in his favor.

 

A significant portion of this fight was controlled by Linares’ ability to keep Abdullaev at distance with his jab. While the two fighters were in relatively close proximity to engage with each other on a consistent basis, Linares being able to keep Abdullaev on the end of his jab as well as regularly throwing left hooks to the body as part of combinations he threw off of his jab was the story of the fight for a lengthy period of time. Although Abdullaev had success attacking in spurts, he was not successful in being able to apply pressure on Linares and back him up against the ropes consistently. When Abdullaev connected with punches however, the difference in power was to his advantage.

 

Over the course of the second half of the scheduled twelve round bout, Abdullaev’s punching power began to gradually close the gap between himself and Linares. This was particularly evident in rounds eight and nine when combinations to the head as well as some effective work to Linares’ body appeared to hurt the former three-division world champion. While this could have also been attributed in part to fatigue as the fight was fought at a relatively quick pace, the momentum started to shift to Abdullaev at this stage in the fight.

 

As Abdullaev was able to increase his pressure of Linares in the latter stages of the bout and what worked well for Linares throughout most of the fight began to decrease, I started to wonder whether or not what appeared to be a significant lead that Linares was able to build would be enough to get him over the finish line if the fight were to go its full twelve round distance. After all, it was only two weeks ago that John Ryder was able to pull off what many would consider an upset over former IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs in a fight that was not unlike this one in terms of how it was fought. Any questions that I might have had developing in my mind about what the potential scoring of the bout might have been at the conclusion of the bout, did not need to be asked. For it was in the twelfth and final round that Abdullaev would catch up with Linares, dropping the former world champion with a left hook to the jaw that sent him down to the canvas. Abdullaev would follow that knockdown by scoring a second knockdown moments later with another left hook to the jaw. A clearly hurt Linares got up for a second time showing his mettle, but he had no answer to keep Abdullaev off of him and after a follow-up barrage with Linares up against the ropes, the fight was promptly stopped.

 

Although the way Zaur Abdullaev was able to break Jorge Linares down to score a stoppage late in the fight was impressive and will likely move him into the discussion of potential world title challengers for current Undisputed Lightweight world champion George Kambosos, the obvious question coming out of this fight is what does the future look like for Jorge Linares? It should not be overlooked or dismissed that by all accounts Jorge Linares was in this fight right until the moment where Abdullaev was able to catch him and put him away.

 

While it was a highly competitive fight fought at a quick pace and the aspect of fatigue should also not be dismissed, what should also not be overlooked is Jorge Linares has been through several grueling fights over the course of his eighteen year professional career. With six of his seven losses in fifty-four career fights having come via stoppage, some may say that at this point Linares should consider retirement. Ultimately, that is a decision that he and he alone will have to make, but for now perhaps a rest and some time to reflect is what Linares needs before deciding what he wants to do next.

 

Two fighters who were idle for lengthy periods of time due in part to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic that have circled each other for years for a potential showdown in the Boxing hotbed of the United Kingdom are former world champions Kell Brook and Amir Khan. A potential showdown between the two often discussed, much anticipated, but ultimately one that many people felt was past it’s due date by the time the two fighters met at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England to finally settle what had turned into a bitter rivalry between the two former world champions.

 

Much as was the case with Jorge Linares, both Brook and Khan had the ultimate goal of getting back into position to challenge for a world championship. Quite frankly, even as seasoned as yours truly is in regard to covering the sport and having seen just about everything one can see take place inside of a Boxing ring, at least until the next unforeseen occurrence, I did not know what to expect from this fight as I like a lot of people within the sport questioned if it was too little, too late to make this fight a reality.

 

Of course, the concept of letting a fight sit on a backburner for lengthy periods of time is one that promoters throughout Boxing history have used to their advantage, which unfortunately leads to underwhelming returns when a fight like this happens and almost always is not a fight that benefits the sport. As such, I decided to take a “Wait And See” approach to this fight as both Brook and Khan have suffered severe knockouts in their careers and, despite the credentials each man brought into the ring, I wondered what we were likely to see between two fighters, whose best years may indeed be behind them.

 

To my surprise, the bout turned out to be more exciting than I had anticipated with both fighters seemingly being willing to stand and go toe to toe from the opening bell. While this was competitive for a brief time, it did not take long before the harder punches of Brook began to take effect as the bout quickly evolved from a toe to toe battle to frankly a one-sided beating as the taller and stronger Brook stalked Khan and administered significant punishment that as the fight progressed. This resulted in Khan gradually throwing less and less punches and being in what is often referred to throughout all combat sports as “Survival Mode.” As the punishment continued with little to nothing coming back from Khan, the fight was stopped in the sixth round. Although Khan was not knocked off his feet, the stoppage of this fight was the appropriate call to make as it could have developed into a serious situation from one fighter being allowed to take punishment that they should not be allowed to take. While some of the tragedies that have occurred throughout the sport’s history are accidental, more often than not, tragedies occur when fights are allowed to continue past when they should be stopped.

 

Fortunately for Amir Khan, good judgment was implemented by Referee Victor Loughlin and Khan was able to leave the ring before possibly suffering a serious injury. Even though some may be tempted to say that Kell Brook is right back in the mix off of this victory, I feel it is appropriate to say that he simply did what he needed to do and will wait to see what he decides to do coming out of this fight before I offer a further comment because frankly, there is not much one can say about a fight that evolved within a round into a one-sided beating. There is not much analysis one can offer nor is there much that can be said to speculate about the victor’s future plans. The one thing that can be said however, is perhaps Amir Khan should consider retirement with all of his faculties intact before he gets seriously hurt.

 

 

This leads us to the final fight that will be covered in this month’s edition of Jabs and Observations that featured a former world champion that is perhaps most likely to fight for a world championship than the aforementioned previous three former world champions. I am speaking of undefeated former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia, who returned to the ring also on February 19^th to face fellow undefeated contender D'Mitrius Ballard in a Middleweight bout in Munguia’s hometown of Tijuana, MX. This was a fight that was actually scheduled to take place twice over the last year, but was changed due to Ballard suffering injuries while training for the bout. This resulted in Munguia scoring victories over Kamil Szeremeta and Gabriel Rosado respectively even though Ballard did return to action in scoring a ten round decision over Paul Valenzuela on the undercard of Munguia’s fight with Rosado last November.

 

In what was Munguia’s fifth bout as a 160lb. Middleweight, the third time proved to be the charm as Ballard finally got his chance against one of Boxing’s hottest rising stars. Unfortunately for Ballard, a native of Temple Hills, MD, his first chance on a marquee stage in the sport did not go well. Although Ballard started off well in the first two rounds of the fight and was able to hold his own as well as have moments of success occasionally, Munguia, a fighter known for his punching power made that power known beginning in the second round when he was able to land a left hook that appeared to land on the temple of Ballard and momentarily stunned him. In round three, the two fighters engaged in some heated exchanges of offense with Munguia getting the better of the action. It would be midway through the round when Munguia would catch Ballard with a lunging, but flush left hook to the chin that set off a barrage of punches and sent Ballard down on his stomach on the canvas.

 

Ballard was very “Game” in being able to beat the count, but appeared as though he was disoriented and seemed to look to his corner. As Ballard was able to beat the count and allowed to continue, Munguia pressed forward with a barrage of unanswered punches that forced the fight to be stopped. After what ended up being a tougher fight than some had expected against Gabriel Rosado last November, Munguia showed in this fight that he does still have the punching power at 160lbs. to end fights quickly if the opportunity arises as he had done as a 154lb. Jr. Middleweight.

 

As for what is next for Jaime Munguia, it should be noted that he looked as if he struggled to make the 160lb. Middleweight limit for this fight against D'Mitrius Ballard. Munguia is currently rated number one in the world by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) in the Middleweight division. The current WBO champion, Demetrius Andrade, appears to be eying a move up to the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division to hopefully entice a potential showdown against current Undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. In perhaps an unintentional segue on this observer’s part, much of the big story that has occurred outside of the ring in recent weeks has centered squarely on Alvarez and a possible two-bout agreement with promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, Andrade’s current promoter, which would see Alvarez return to digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN for two fights against undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol in a temporary return to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division where he held the WBO world champion in 2019, and if he were successful, a long awaited third encounter between Alvarez and two-time Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin, who would subsequently move up eight pounds to challenge Alvarez for his Undisputed Super-Middleweight world championship.

 

While nothing has been announced as of this writing, it does not come as a surprise to yours truly that Alvarez would return to a broadcast platform in DAZN that has broadcast most of his bouts dating back to an initial $365 million agreement between the network, himself, and his then promoter Oscar De La Hoya. Although the business relationship between Alvarez and De La Hoya eventually soured and led to a lawsuit between Alvarez, the promoter, and the network, which resulted in the dissolving of that agreement, Alvarez remained with the network on a fight by fight basis for three more bouts before venturing to the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner for his completion of the unification process for his bout with then IBF Super-Middleweight world champion Caleb Plant last year.  While that bout, which was broadcast on Showtime Pay-Per-View here in the United States did better compared to what several other pay-per-view events before or since have done in terms of buys, and that can be attributed directly to Alvarez’ status as the top marquee draw in the sport, it is not surprising to see that he would return to a platform in DAZN where he is likely to make more money on a guaranteed basis compared to the pay-per-view model, as well as renewing a relationship with Hearn, who he developed a solid working relationship with in the aftermath of his split from De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions. It is also worth noting that the well-publicized lawsuit between Alvarez, De La Hoya, and DAZN, likely had it’s roots between tensions between Alvarez and De La Hoya rather than with Alvarez and the network.

 

What this could all mean for a fighter in Munguia’s position being promoted by De La Hoya, who also recently extended his broadcast agreement with DAZN could be two potential opportunities. The first would be the possibility of fighting for the vacated WBO Middleweight world championship should Demetrius Andrade vacate and move up to 168lbs. to chase a fight with Alvarez. Option two, would be if he cannot make the 160lb. Middleweight limit any longer, that Munguia himself would move up to 168lbs. where a potential fight with Alvarez or perhaps Gennady Golovkin if he chooses to stay at Super-Middleweight, assuming the third fight against Alvarez comes to fruition, would be a significant draw and would each probably sell out a soccer stadium in Mexico. In short, there are no shortage of opportunities for Alvarez against fighters currently aligned with either Eddie Hearn, Oscar De La Hoya, and DAZN and if Alvarez were to remain with the network beyond the rumored two-fight deal, there would also be no shortage of opportunity for those fighters who are looking to secure a fight with Alvarez and might lead to a mass exodus of top contenders and world champions in the 160lb. Middleweight division as there are always fighters who regardless of promotional ties, or network affiliation, are always looking for greener pastures.

 

It may simply or perhaps not so simply depending on one’s perspective, come down to whether or not Alvarez and De La Hoya are willing to put their differences aside if a potential fight is available for Munguia and whether fighters who are competing under the PBC promotional banner and on different networks will seek bouts with Alvarez. Even if it means doing so outside of their promotional banner, which unfortunately, rival promoters have shown in the past to put their interests ahead of the fighters they represent. The bottom line folks is the circumstances of what Saul Alvarez does next will continue to dominate the Boxing landscape and news cycle at least until something is formally announced and fighters in three weight divisions from Middleweight to Light-Heavyweight are all waiting to see what he will do. Although it is a cliché, the only advice this observer can offer to his readers is “Stay Tuned.”

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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

 

 

Jabs And Observations: January 2022

 

A new feature for 2022 here on The Boxing Truth®, which this observer hopes will become a semi-regular addition amongst the variety of content offered to readers where yours truly will attempt as best as he can to cover several topics in a condensed manner that may or may not be worthy of a standalone feature column.

 

As some Boxing fans know, the month of January has been a relatively slow one for the sport of Boxing. This is due in part to several scheduled international Boxing cards being cancelled and/or rescheduled due to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic and travel restrictions internationally as several countries look to limit exposure to the COVID-19 virus.  There was however, one notable bout that took place on January 15^th in Verona, NY. I am referring to WBO Light-Heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr., who defended his title against late substitute Steve Geffrard. Much like several other bouts to have taken place over the last two years throughout the entire sport, this Light-Heavyweight world championship bout saw Geffrard step in on a little more than a week’s notice when original opponent Callum Johnson had to withdraw from challenging Smith due to contracting COVID-19.

 

Something that this observer has said too often particularly since the COVID-19 crisis began is when it comes to fights that are made on short-notice, it is as difficult for a fighter who had a change in opponent to prepare as it is for the fighter that is stepping into a bout with limited notice. While the practice of fighters stepping in on short-notice is certainly not a new one and did not become common because of the ongoing epidemic, the fact that there is a crisis going on, on a global scale certainly has to be an additional stress for fighters that find themselves in this scenario.

 

For his part, Geffrard did enter the bout having won his last eighteen bouts after beginning his career with losses in his first two bouts. Geffrard was however, taking a significant step up in class of opposition having been relatively unknown prior to this fight. Geffrard did manage to have some success periodically throughout this fight in landing sporadic counter punches from a high defensive guard. The challenger was unable to take the initiative and be the one throwing punches first throughout the bout. This was due to the consistent pressure that Smith was able to put on him as well as the champion’s consistent offensive output throughout. It was Smith’s pressure that eventually further limited Geffrard’s offense and ultimately an accumulation of punishment resulted in Smith dropping the “Game” challenger in round nine where Geffrard was unable to beat the count.

 

What was the first defense of the world championship that Smith won in April of last year was the definition of workmanlike in that he simply went through the motions and took care of business under circumstances, which had to of been stressful. As for what this will mean for Joe Smith in the big picture, he still maintains his position atop the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division along with fellow world champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Although yours truly strongly wishes for all world championships throughout Boxing’s seventeen weight classes to eventually be unified to determine one world champion per weight division, something that has been a regular addition to this observer’s annual “Boxing Wishlist” over the years, it would appear that in regard to the Light-Heavyweight division, all three current world champion, the WBC/IBF world champion Beterbiev, the WBA world champion Bivol, and the WBO world champion Smith may not be focused on each other, but rather trying to secure a lucrative fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the sport’s biggest star and the man currently recognized as Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion, one weight class below the Light-Heavyweight division.

 

Alvarez as some may remember, also briefly held the WBO Light-Heavyweight world championship, but opted to move back down in weight where at the time he held a mandatory challenger position in the WBA’s Super-Middleweight ratings that eventually saw him win the WBA title and go on to unify the championship with the WBC, IBF, and WBO crowns to earn undisputed champion status. Recently, there has been talk of Alvarez testing the waters in the normally obscure Cruiserweight division, which is one weight class above Light-Heavyweight. The reason why the division is obscure is it is not thought to be the most lucrative option for most fighters as a possible steppingstone to competing at Heavyweight.

 

What this could mean for the Light-Heavyweight world champions is simply waiting to see what Alvarez will do before possibly turning their attention to each other to possibly unify the division. Obviously, if either Smith, Bivol, or Beterbiev can secure an opportunity to face Alvarez, that will likely take priority over any potential unification bouts simply due to economic interests if nothing else.  As for Steve Geffrard, he did his best under circumstances, which are not ideal for a fighter challenging for a world championship for the first time. Hopefully, this will not be the last time Geffrard will see action in or around the top of the Light-Heavyweight division because it is frankly hard to form an opinion as to how viable a fighter may or may not be when they are tasked with taking fights on such a limited notice. Perhaps, under different circumstances where he is able to prepare for a fight that does not come as a result of short notice/unforeseen circumstances, he may be able to show more than he was able to against Smith, but he should be given credit for the effort he did put forth. With the discussion of Smith-Geffrard, the Light-Heavyweight division, it’s champions, and the possibility of Saul Alvarez interjecting himself into the equation now complete, it is time to focus on the second and last topic for this edition of Jabs And Observations.

 

As many readers know, particularly those who have followed the work of this observer over the years, one subject that continuously comes up more than most is my continued criticism of the pay-per-view model as well as the benefits of the digital subscription-based streaming model as it relates to not only the fans who support Boxing in good times and bad, but the benefit it also has for the sport itself in providing a more economically reasonable option for consumers to view Boxing and not be forced to pay often steep prices on a per card basis via pay-per-view. Despite the pay-per-view model continuing to dwindle due largely to price points, which more often than not begin at a $60 or above price point here in the United States, which has consequently resulted in most pay-per-view offerings producing underwhelming returns in terms of buys, there remains some promoters who continue to rely on such a model rather than adapt.

 

In the coming weeks, there are three pay-per-view Boxing cards on the schedule that occur within a week of each other, with two taking place on the same day. The first of these cards will take place on January 29^th in Warren, OH as Hall of Fame promoter Don King will present a seven fight card headlined by WBC Cruiserweight world champion Ilunga Makabu, who will defend his title for the second time against top contender Thabiso Mchunu. While neither fighter is particularly well-known here I’m the United States, Makabu has generated interest as a potential opponent for Saul Alvarez should he test the waters at Cruiserweight. While the Makabu-Mchunu card will be priced at $49.99, a price point that is lower than many pay-per-view cards in present day, there may be questions as to how successful the event might be due simply to the fact that Makabu and Mchunu are not what one could consider household names. A further detriment to the potential success of that card is the fact that two pay-per-view events will take place on February 5^th, one week later. First will be the rescheduled event headlined by Women’s Boxing superstar and multi-division  world champion Claressa Shields, who will defend her Undisputed Middleweight world championship against Ema Kozin in a bout scheduled for ten rounds in Cardiff, Wales. Some may recall that this fight and its undercard, which will feature a Super-Middleweight bout between former IBO world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams, was postponed from its original January 29^th date due to the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) suspending all combat sports events throughout January in the United Kingdom due to COVID-19 concerns. If the suspension of events is not extended, this card will cost Boxing fans $29.99, a much lower and arguably reasonable price point than the norm. It is an event that will face some competition for buys as later that night former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman will return to the ring after a new two year layoff to face Mario Barrios in a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View main event promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters for a price point of $74.95.

 

It is important for me to state, despite my ongoing criticism of the pay-per-view model, that my criticism is not aimed at any of the fighters involved, but rather the promoters who for whatever reason refuse to see the need to adapt. Although it  should not be viewed as the sole reason for the need to adapt, by those that I often refer to as “Hold Outs,” we are still in the midst of an ongoing epidemic and as such there remains uncertainty as to whether whatever is on the schedule whether those events are pay-per-view offerings or not, will go on as planned under the current circumstances. Here is a scenario where the Boxing fan will be asked to pay $154.93 for three separate Boxing cards. When one considers the amount of Boxing content that is offered on digital subscription-based sports streaming networks such as DAZN and ESPN+ where each offers an annual subscription plan where the total combined cost for a year’s subscription to both networks is just shy of $169 per year and keeping in mind that in the case of ESPN+ they have done pay-per-view Boxing events on an occasional basis with underwhelming returns, it is not hard to see where the value is for the consumer.

 

One should also keep in mind that promoters, much like the rest of the world have had to deal with circumstances created by the COVID-19 crisis and while it is also not hard to understand that promoters want to/need to make a profit, if nothing else to pay whatever guarantees are made to the fighters that are competing, the circumstances, as well as the generally better value of the subscription model should be all the more reason to adapt. Further evidence of the pay-per-view model being less viable and needing to change can be seen in two recent pay-per-view offerings, the Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley rematch, which was produced by Showtime Pay-Per-View on December 18, which at a $60 price point produced just over 65,000 buys. The most recent pay-per-view offering, the Luis Ortiz-Charles Martin Heavyweight themed card, done by Fox Sports Pay-Per-View, with the marketing tag of it being a bargain for Boxing fans at $39.99 produced under 25,000 buys according to some estimates.

 

At the risk of being repetitive, I ask the promoters who continue to fight against adapting a simple question. How much evidence does one need? Perhaps instead of pay-per-view, the revenue that is hoped for from pay-per-view buys can be achieved by seeking out advertising sponsors and/or investing in marketing where a network across digital or traditional platforms may be able to see the viability of paying for rights to stage these cards. 

 

A brief observation in closing that might give a bit of insight for the reader as to why I feel as strongly as I do. First it is not merely a matter of saving money for me personally or consumers as a whole. The fact is, despite the progress networks like DAZN and ESPN+ have been able to make by proving that there is a new source of revenue for not just Boxing, but all of sports, which may be even more beneficial to promoters than the pay-per-view model was in time, Boxing remains one of the few sports that remains behind a paywall for many consumers.  In comparison, as some readers know, I am a sports enthusiast and try to watch as much as I can of the sports I do not cover. Simply put, I’m a sports fan.  This past weekend, I was, like many glued to the National Football League’s (NFL) Wildcard weekend, which over three days Saturday through Monday consisted of six games. All six games were scheduled where they would not overlap each other allowing viewers to consume as much of the games as they wished. I personally watched all six. Each network involved, advertised the other games that they would not be carrying on their platform and in general, speaking only for myself, I did not miss anything from any of the games, though in the interest of honesty with the reader, I did fall asleep during the Sunday night game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, but thanks to the benefits of a DVR, I was able to go back and watch what I missed. My point is, no such paywall structure is used for major team sports and even though all the networks, which carried these games and will continue to carry games throughout the remainder of the NFL Playoffs, though in one way or another are in competition with each other, all promoted each other’s games. It also goes without saying that the NFL as well as their television partners make significant revenue from advertising and sponsorships, which makes the idea of a paywall structure less viable. More importantly, it allows the sports fan the opportunity to watch the sport they love regardless of whether they may or may not be able to afford a premium price.

 

Now, obviously I’m not naïve and I know that the cross-promotion these networks did in promoting each other’s games likely had to do with agreements with the NFL more than a gesture of helping each other, though I would like to believe in the way things are currently, that a gesture of good will also played a role in things. It is hard for me to understand however, why Boxing promoters cannot or will not see the potential for revenue streams that will replace pay-per-view revenue, but also allow the sport to be seen by as many eyes as possible regardless of whether a Boxing fan can afford to pay an often inflated price.  Some may suggest that one solution, which may reduce pay-per-view price points might be to reduce the purses that fighters are paid. 

 

While it is indeed true that most fighters on the top level of the sport earn millions of dollars each time they enter the ring to compete, I am against the idea that the solution is to reduce how much a fighter can make. The reality is Boxing is a combat sport and whether some want to believe it or not, fighters risk their lives each and every time they compete. It is not something to be taken lightly or treated as a joke. As such, I am and will always be in favor of a fighter being able to make as much money as they can while they can because you never know how long a fighter’s career might be.  What I am advocating for beyond wanting to see the paywall structure the sport has operated under for decades changed or outright done away with in order to have Boxing seen by as many viewers/eyes as possible is for the promoters that be in the sport to see the potential revenue that is being left by not adapting and that there is a way to ensure fighters can make the most they can, while at the same time making the sport and it’s biggest events accessible to all. Am I overly optimistic? To be fair, I have been accused of such over the years, but at the end of the day, I am really someone who bases his views on facts and evidence, and it is becoming more clear with each passing day that Boxing and more specifically, the “Hold Outs” need to adapt for the sport to grow and in order for those “Hold Outs” to not be left behind.

 

“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