Wardley Rescues Himself From The Brink Again, But Was Stoppage The Right Call?

The Heavyweight encounter between former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and undefeated top contender Fabio Wardley on June 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England was one that could and frankly should have repercussions for the talent-deep Heavyweight division going into 2026. Not only was it a rarity in that two number one contenders in two separate world sanctioning organizations,  chose to risk their respective standings against each other rather than sit and wait for a title shot to come to them, but stylistically, it provided the dynamic of a boxer/puncher in Parker, who has been at or near the top of the division for more than a decade going against a “Knockout Artist” in Wardley. 

It was also a fight that came following a significant scare for Wardley in his previous outing against previously unbeaten Justis Huni earlier this year in a fight where Wardley was trailing on all three scorecards before dropping Huni late in the tenth round to score a dramatic come from behind knockout, saving his undefeated record and his standing as the WBA's top Heavyweight contender in the process. As thrilling as that knockout was, however, it did present a question for at least some regarding whether it might be too much, too soon for him in terms of competing at the top level of the Heavyweight division. In particular, by opting to roll the dice against a former world champion in Parker, who not only had more experience than both he and Huni, but also a more well-rounded skillset than Huni. 

The old adage of “Styles Make Fights” was almost immediately appropriate from the opening bell. Parker throwing and landing punches consistently behind a quick jab and seeming to get the better of the action when he used his hand speed, Wardley not outworking Parker, but landing hard thudding blows seemingly every time he connected. It did not take long before the dynamics in terms of the styles of the two fighters provided an entertaining bout.

It was a bout that though Parker seemed to be in control for a significant portion of it, there were plenty of back and forth heated exchanges that kept one on the edge of their seats. Both fighters had periods throughout the fight where they were able to stun the other, but after round four where this observer felt the two fighters split the first four rounds, Parker was able to gradually build a lead on points. This was due primarily to both his ability to throw and land crisp combinations, but also doing so with accuracy. In the seventh round one such heated exchange of offense between the two fighters was won by Parker. The exchange, however, triggered a response from yours truly as I observed the bout on X (formerly Twitter) that while Parker had pulled ahead by a five rounds to two margin on my scorecard, he was playing with fire by being willing to stand and trade with Wardley. As Justis Huni learned earlier this year in his own bout with Wardley, you can be winning every minute of every round without a question of doubt and still get caught. 

While I do not claim any psychic abilities, the one thing I do have as a proud Boxing lifer and one who has dedicated his life to covering the sport over the last thirty years, is experience in having covered thousands of fights on every level of Boxing and thus having an instinct based on that experience as to what might happen based on what I can see. This was a case where at that point in the fight, I felt all Parker needed to do was use his lateral movement to evade Wardley as he came forward and continue out boxing him by throwing short, but compact combinations. Although after eight rounds I felt the fight was still on the table for both in terms of being able to win a decision, and keeping in mind that up to that point, Parker had withstood Wardley’s hardest punches, particularly his right hand, I felt that the wise approach was for Parker to be elusive and not give the noted “Knockout Artist” an opportunity to take advantage of an opening.

Rounds nine and ten followed a similar pattern as the majority of rounds throughout the fight, Parker seeming to control the majority of those rounds, beating Wardley to the punch, and at times looking as though he might be able to get a stoppage as Wardley seemed to be wilting periodically due to both the high pace the fight was being fought at as well as likely the accumulation of Parker's combinations throughout. Wardley did manage to stun Parker late in the tenth round, but it was at that point that I made another observation in real time on X that we had reached the point in the contest where Wardley needed a knockout to win this fight and that scoring knockdowns would not be enough to get the job done on points. 

As often happens in combat sports, one should always keep a mentality that anything can happen at any time and until you hear a final bell, one should not dismiss the possibility of something unexpected and dramatic happening. The eleventh round can be summed up in three words.”Sudden,” “Dramatic,” and “Controversial.”

The statement made by this observer just prior to round eleven would prove to provide the exact scenario that Wardley needed to turn things in his favor to bring the fight to a sudden, dramatic, and controversial conclusion. At the midway point of the round, Wardley connected with a flush right hand that staggered Parker badly. A scenario that had played out periodically throughout the fight whenever Wardley had been able to land solidly, but up to this point, Parker was able to withstand those blows. 

This appeared as though it would be similar as, despite being badly stunned and largely on the defensive, Parker’s eyes appeared clear and he was trying to weather the storm of offense that Wardley was throwing relentlessly with urgency, clearly sensing both that he was at a point where he was going to lose this fight on the scorecards and that this was his opportunity to change that narrative. While not landing with every shot he threw in the seemingly endless barrage, he did succeed in keeping Parker on the defensive where it appeared to yours truly that he was only able to get off one or two punches in response to what Wardley was throwing at him. It was at this point where Parker was attempting to evade punches and deflect what he could with his gloves that Referee Howard Foster stepped in and stopped the fight at 1:54 of round eleven without a knockdown occurring or Parker seemingly getting hit with a blow that would force the referee’s hand to step in and stop it.

Reacting in real time, I commented on X following the stoppage that Foster would be criticized for stepping in. Before I go deeper in that assessment, first some context is appropriate for what will follow. 

Referee Howard Foster, who is based in the United Kingdom has been a referee on the professional level of the sport of Boxing for twenty-eight years having officiated over 1,500 professional fights including many world championship bouts, European, and British/Commonwealth championship bouts. While Foster also has served in the capacity as a judge scoring fights for over twenty-five years, which includes nearly 700 bouts, including many non-title bouts on the British/Commonwealth level where the referee is the sole judge scoring those bouts, nearly 2,220 bouts of combined service as a referee and judge indicates that Foster is extremely experienced and frequently called upon to serve in either capacity by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) and other athletic commissions and regulatory boards throughout the world where he has been called upon to either referee or serve as a judge.

Referees like the rest of us are human beings and along with experience they bring with them into the ring are as prone to human error as the rest of us. The aspect of one's experience, while serving as an indication that the individual has paid their dues and is trusted to be in the position they are in regardless of what field they are in, the human aspect and the potential for errors to be made is always there. Despite Foster’s extensive resume, he is no stranger to controversy and has developed a reputation over the years in some circles as one who is at times quick in stopping fights.

Anyone who has followed the career of this observer over the last three decades either knows or should know that more often than not, when it comes to fights being stopped, I will side with the referee, doctor, or corner of a fighter who ultimately makes that often difficult decision. More often than not, such decisions are judgement calls that are ultimately motivated by the sole intention of protecting the fighter from further punishment and the potential of serious injury or God forbid worse.

Anyone who has spent any significant time in and around combat sports knows that often these types of judgement calls boil down to split second calls. It is far from an easy task to know what the right call might be in the heat of the moment. No one, however, wants to live with what can happen if a fight that should be stopped is allowed to go on where it results in either permanent injury to a fighter or unfortunately death.

This was a case where Joseph Parker did not appear to be in danger of possible serious/permanent injury or possibly having his life in danger. It is indisputable, however, that he was badly stunned and was not returning offense at a rate that would have convinced Foster that he was capable of continuing. On the other side of the equation, several of Wardley’s shots during this final barrage were not landing cleanly and it is certainly possible that Parker though under heavy fire, was trying to both compose himself and look for an opening to return offense or get off the ropes.

Having viewed the stoppage more than once, I believe Howard Foster was a bit early in stepping in for the sole reason that Parker's eyes appeared to be clear and he was able to avoid some of what Wardley was dishing out. We could be talking about a span of between 10-15 seconds that may have provided some clarity one way or another as to whether Parker may have been able to survive or whether Foster was justified in stepping in. 

If Foster had given Parker that benefit of doubt, there are a few scenarios that could have occurred. One and perhaps the most obvious is that Wardley could have landed another solid blow that may have either resulted in a knockdown of Parker or would have served as the trigger for Foster to step in where the justification would not be questioned. Scenario two, and the most logical if you are a fighter in Parker's position would be to attempt to clinch and buy yourself some seconds to get your legs and faculties back while waiting for the referee to initiate a break and thus allow you a chance to get off the ropes. Possibility three, Parker may have found an opening and landed something that would have stopped the barrage of punches Wardley was throwing, and finally scenario four, the exhausting pace of the fight, which was significant by Heavyweight standards, combined with Wardley putting everything he had behind this final barrage of offense could have resulted in him punching himself out, which in turn could have provided Parker with an opportunity to at minimum evade and get through the round.

All of this is hypothetical, of course, because the fight was stopped. Although the winner of this fight was supposed to be theoretically next in line to challenge undefeated Undisputed Heavyweight championship Oleksandr Usyk, the fact that there is that element of controversy regarding whether the fight should have been stopped coupled with the fact that Fabio Wardley was indeed trailing on all three official scorecards at the time of the stoppage, would appear to create the ideal conditions for an immediate rematch. When one factors in that Usyk, who recently became the only man in Boxing history to fully unify the World Heavyweight championship twice, has yet to indicate what he wants to do next and may be heading towards retirement, it seems all the more logical that there be a rematch between Wardley and Parker. One should also take into consideration that it was also one of the more entertaining Heavyweight fights in recent memory. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison      

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1     

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1    

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1 

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social  

Parker And Wardley Emerge In High Stakes Pay-Per-View Showdown

Originally, this column was intended and scheduled to preview two separate pay-per-view main events scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 25th. As some Boxing fans know, what was intended has obviously had to change due to the cancellation of the scheduled WBC World Jr. Middleweight championship bout between champion Sebastian Fundora and former World Welterweight champion Keith Thurman, which was due to headline a pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and streamed through digital streaming entertainment and subscription platform Prime Video, being cancelled due to a hand contusion suffered by Fundora while in training for the bout. While as of this writing, the plan appears for that bout to be rescheduled as soon as possible, there remains one pay-per-view main event to take place on October 25th that will now be the sole subject of this writing, which could and should have ramifications the the Heavyweight division moving into 2026.

This observer is referring to the bout between former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and the undefeated Fabio Wardley in a scheduled twelve round fight that will headline a pay-per-view card at the O2 Arena in London, England and can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. What makes this encounter interesting beyond it being a battle between two of the top Heavyweights in the division, which alone often is enough to draw interest is this fight presents a rarity as well that primarily due to the politics that be in the sport of Boxing and multiple sanctioning organizations, you rarely see. Two fighters, each with a number one mandatory ranking with an interim championship designation, putting their respective standings on the line. In this case in order to attempt to secure a fight with the undefeated two-time Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Parker, who has been at or near the top of the Heavyweight division for most of the last decade is a one time WBO World Heavyweight champion, and after some ups and downs over the years, has worked his way back to the number one contender position in the same organization. A testament to perseverance that cannot be dismissed. Although seemingly on a career high minus the ultimate goal of regaining a world title, Parker, who has had to contend with his fair share of power punching sharks in the waters of the Heavyweight division will be tasked with facing one more in his hopes to secure another world title opportunity in the form of unbeaten “Knockout Artist” Fabio Wardley.

Wardley, who will come into this fight with a near 95% career knockout percentage, will enter as the WBA’s top contender. With a record of 19-0-1, with 18 Knockouts, few have been able to withstand the punching power Wardley has in either hand. This presents the classic scenario of a fighter noted for his ability to end fights quickly, going against a more seasoned and more experienced opponent at this level of competition.

It is not a scenario that the former world champion Parker, who will enter the bout with a record of 36-3, with 24 Knockouts, is unfamiliar. Some may recall his fights against Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce, and Zhilei Zhang, three noted “Knockout Artists,” in which Parker suffered two losses out of those three fights. What is revealing, however, is Parker has only been stopped once in his three defeats and that was at the hands of Joe Joyce in September 2022. Parker was competitive in all three of his losses and was ahead on all three scorecards when Joyce was able to catch up to him in the eleventh round of that fight.

In thinking of how this fight might be fought from Parker’s perspective, I thought of two fights that might be similar, that he was successful and dominant in winning. Two opponents that stylistically are similar to Wardley in being “Knockout Artists” that come forward and can knock an opponent out with either hand. Yours truly is referring to his bouts with the aforementioned Zhilei Zhang and before that encounter, his bout against former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. Two fights that took place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2023 and 2024 respectfully.

In both fights, Parker used effective lateral movement, footwork, and timing to consistently beat both fights to the punch, often by landing variations of two, three, and four punch combinations and then using his movement to evade before either fighter could return offense consistently. Two performances by Parker, who was viewed as an underdog going into both fights that frankly should be viewed as a masterclass in effective execution by a boxer/puncher. It is an approach that Parker must implement once again in this fight.

Much like Wilder and Zhang, Fabio Wardley is not known for his quickness, but has shown more than once thus far in his career that he can end a fight with one punch if given an opening. One need look no further than Wardley’s last fight in June of this year against previously unbeaten contender Justis Huni. A fight held in rainy conditions in Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England, that was dominated by Huni from the outset, frequently out throwing and outlanding Wardley in seemingly every round and often landing in combination. Huni had particular success in landing flush right hands on Wardley, which is also coincidentally one of Parker's best offensive weapons.

The accumulation of punishment along with the fact that Huni had stepped in and took the fight on short notice along with the bout being held outdoors in rainy conditions seemed to have Wardley at times seemingly on the verge of being stopped due primarily to fatigue. Just as it appeared Huni was about to make a significant shake up in the Heavyweight division, the two fighters exchanged punches midway through the tenth round. Seemingly out of nowhere, Wardley connected with an overhand right that turned certain defeat as he had lost the fight on the scorecards by that point in the bout, into a thrilling come from behind knockout victory.

As great as that knockout was and as accurate a demonstration of the power Wardley has that one can find, if one is objective they would say that Justis Huni put a significant scare into both Wardley and his promoter the Hall of Famer Frank Warren, who is also the promoter of this bout with Parker. To expand a bit further, if one were honest they would say that even though Huni up to the point where he got caught put in a career high performance in that fight, he has limited experience and Joseph Parker is both more experienced, particularly at this level of competition at or near the top of the sport, and is also lighter on his feet than Huni.

The element of danger, however, is very real and Parker must keep in mind here that he can be winning every second of every round and one lapse in focus, leaving even the slightest opening, can end up costing him the fight. Though the circumstances are/were different, Parker found himself in a similar situation as Huni when he fought Joe Joyce in September 2022 in that like Wardley, Joyce, at the time was an unbeaten “Knockout Artist” that Parker hit repeatedly throughout that fight with the type of flush right hands that would end the night for most fighters, let alone Heavyweights and like Huni, Parker seemed to have the fight well under control and winning on points when Joyce was able to catch him and knock him out. A possibility certainly exists here that a similar scenario could happen where by all accounts and without a question of doubt, Parker could find himself in control and winning every aspect of the combat. Parker knows what happened to him against Joyce and he needs to be aware not to get overly aggressive where he might be vulnerable again to being caught. Even if a scenario presents itself where he might be able to score a knockdown, he must be tactical at all times and until the final bell or a potential stoppage, approach Wardley with caution.

The approach for Fabio Wardley is both simple and complex. He needs to try and cut the ring off from Parker and try to limit his ability to move and use angles, but must also pace himself in doing so. A problem that fighters, as I have often said over the last thirty years I have covered Boxing and by extension other combat sports, that are known for their punching power is they can fall into a false sense of security in thinking that their power will be enough to get the job done every time they enter the ring and as a result, neglect developing other facets of their game in terms of tactics, strategy, the ability to pace themselves, and develop an overall well-rounded skillset, which more often than not tends to have negative effects long-term on their careers. Wardley did succeed in saving himself from defeat in his last fight, but he may not be as fortunate if he finds himself in a similar hole on the scorecards in this fight.

Whether or not the winner of this fight gets a title shot against Oleksandr Usyk, or due to the unique circumstances of this encounter, ends up potentially emerging as a unified world champion depending on what Usyk decides to do, remains to be seen. These are the types of fights, however, that I tend to look forward to more than most not only from a stylistic standpoint, but when you also throw into the equation that anything can happen, which is especially true when it comes to Heavyweights, it sparks interest. We will see if it's Parker or Wardley that comes out on top. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Parker vs. Wardley takes place on Saturday, October 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight as well as it's undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View at 1:30PM ET/10:30AM PT for $59.99. (*North American times and pricing 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 and pricing in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison      

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1     

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1   

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social 

BREAKING: Fundora-Thurman Postponed

It has been announced that the October 25th pay-per-view card headlined by a bout between WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Sebastian Fundora defending his title against former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman, which was scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV and streamed on Prime Video has been postponed due to a hand injury suffered by the champion. It has also been reported by noted Boxing journalist Mike Coppinger, currently of Ring Magazine that the scheduled co-main event, a WBC World Jr. Lightweight championship bout between between champion O'Shaquie Foster and former Jr. Featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton, will also be rescheduled.

The Fundora-Thurman card was one of two scheduled pay-per-view cards to take place on October 25th. As of this writing, the other event headlined by former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker facing top contender Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London England, which will be streamed on digital sports streaming network DAZN as a pay-per-view add-on separate from it's subscription-based model, remains on as scheduled. 

We will keep readers updated on when the Fundora-Thurman card will be rescheduled as those details become available.

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison      

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1      

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1   

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1 

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social 

The Gamble Pays Off For Itauma, Parker Next?

In May of this year, this observer penned a column here on The Boxing Truth®️ that asked a simple, yet complex question. Is Moses Itauma the future of the Heavyweight division? A question asked in the aftermath of his second round knockout of Mike Balogun in Glasgow, Scotland where the twenty year old “Knockout Artist" moved to 12-0, with 10 Knockouts in defense of regional championships, the WBO Intercontinental and WBA International Heavyweight titles. 

Although only twenty years old with a relatively short resume in the professional ranks, the fact that Itauma had already achieved success in winning regional titles, which is used not only as a theoretical measuring stick for experts to gage the potential of prospects turned contenders as potential world title hopefuls down the line, but more specifically, a caveat to elevating a fighter up the world rankings towards that goal, made the question seem appropriate. As experienced and knowledgeable as yours truly is, having spent most of my life covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, I obviously did not know at the time I wrote that column that Itauma and his promoter Hall of Famer Frank Warren were preparing to roll the dice.

Boxing by its very nature is a sport ideal for taking risks and in taking said risks, those doing so are gambling their standings and potential future positions in their division as well as the sport. The Heavyweight division, perhaps more than most, is one where risks need to be taken and done so regularly if one is serious about challenging for a world championship. In this case, Warren, who has been one of the top promoters in the sport for decades, opted to put his charge in with what was a significant step up in class in the form of former longtime number one Heavyweight contender and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte on August 16th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Such an encounter beyond the obvious angle of youth versus experience was indeed a gamble at this stage in the twenty year old Itauma’s career. Despite having previously faced former world title challenger Mariusz Wach, there was an argument to be made that Wach was not the fighter he had been when he was viewed as a top contender when Itauma fought him in July of last year in stopping him in two rounds. This, however, was a scenario where Whyte was more towards a point where he had challenged for a world title in 2022, and not more than a decade removed from challenging for world title as Wach had been.

The question for Whyte, who had only fought twice since 2022 was what he had left at this stage in his career after a seventh round stoppage of Ebenezer Tetteh in his last outing in December of last year. Although Whyte got the stoppage in that fight, it was a workmanlike performance rather than one that necessarily convinced fans and experts that Whyte was still a player in the division. 

As had been the case in his fight with Mike Balogun earlier this year, Itauma was surgical in both his approach of Whyte and in his temperament in that he was not awed by Whyte’s experience or what the former world title challenger brought to the table. He simply came forward out of the southpaw stance behind a consistent jab and patiently waited for an opportunity to strike. It would not take long. 

A short left hook to the head buckled the legs of Whyte and the follow-up barrage of blows led to a right hand that dropped Whyte in the first round. As he had done throughout his career in situations where he had been hurt or dropped, Whyte was very “Game" and got to his feet. He was on very unsteady legs and stumbled backwards forcing the fight to be stopped at 1:59 of round one. Despite the significant test and roll of the dice this fight appeared to be on paper, Moses Itauma passed it with flying colors. 

The eleventh knockout in thirteen fights for Itauma puts him in prime position for either a world title shot as the current WBO number one Heavyweight contender or potentially a fight against former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker, who currently holds interim championship status in the WBO’s Heavyweight ratings. While Parker is in line to face the recently recrowned Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, the possibility exists that Usyk, who recently asked for an extension from the WBO before being mandated to face Parker, that Itauma could be moved into a fight against Parker, particularly off of the strength of this latest performance. Whether or not that indeed happens remains to be seen, but even with a limited resume, the idea of giving Moses Itauma more time to gain experience before challenging for a world title has now passed and the reality is after taking what some saw as a gamble, which clearly paid off, the only fighter that might be standing in the way of a world title shot is Joseph Parker. If Usyk is not going to be in the immediate future for Parker, why not make that fight? It is a high risk scenario for both fighters, but Boxing is a sport of risk, but also reward.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison      

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1      

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1    

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1 

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beaudenison1.bsky.social 

DAZN TO BROADCAST HISTORIC “THE LAST CRESCENDO” BOXING EVENT LIVE WORLDWIDE

Press Release: January 30, 2025 By DAZN- 

Light Heavyweight Rematch Between

Beterbiev and Bivol Headlines an Unmissable Night on Saturday, 22 February 2025 

 

LONDON – January 29, 2025 – DAZN, the global home of boxing, can announce that

 it will broadcast The Last Crescendo, 

the fight card of the century, live on Saturday, 22 February 2025 worldwide. The PPV is available for purchase now

 from DAZN.com/boxing

 

 

This monumental event, part of Riyadh Season, will take place at the ANB Arena in Saudi Arabia and features a stellar line-up of championship bouts, headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight World Championship. 

 

Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs), the reigning champion and one of boxing’s most impressive fights, is set to defend his perfect record in a rematch against Bivol (21-1, 11 KOs), who is determined to avenge his 2024 loss in what was one of the greatest bouts of the modern era. This headline fight promises to be another unforgettable chapter in boxing history. 

 

Also on the card, IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois will defend his title against former WBO champion Joseph Parker, in what many expect to be an equally exciting clash. Dubois,

 who shocked the boxing world with a stunning knockout victory over Anthony Joshua last September, looks to continue his meteoric rise. Meanwhile, Parker aims to reclaim championship glory. 

 

The night will feature an exciting slate of

additional bouts, including: 

 

·        

A WBC middleweight title showdown between

Carlos Adames and Hamzah Sheeraz, with

Sheeraz coming off a standout 2024. 

·        

Zhilei Zhang

 facing Agit Kabayel for the WBC interim heavyweight title after Zhang’s emphatic knockout of Deontay Wilder last year. 

·        

A super welterweight interim title clash between

Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Israil

Madrimov. 

·        

Shakur Stevenson defending his lightweight title against

Floyd Schofield. 

·        

British stars

Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith battling for the interim WBO light heavyweight title. 

 

The card also highlights local talent with Saudi fighters Ziyad

Almaayouf and Mohammed Alaqel, whose opponents will be announced soon. 

 

“This is a night that truly encapsulates the spirit of boxing – the best fighting the best on a global stage,” said Pete Oliver, CEO of Growth Markets at DAZN. “We are proud to bring

 this extraordinary event to fight fans worldwide, as Riyadh once again proves itself as the premier destination for world-class sports and entertainment. From the blockbuster

Beterbiev-Bivol rematch to Dubois defending his crown,

The Last Crescendo promises to be a spectacle unlike any other. Fans will be able to watch every moment of the action on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing”. 

Material 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, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event and for specific pricing in your region of the world please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Has Deontay Wilder Competed For The Last Time?

There are many stages in a boxer’s career. The rise through the initial beginning of one's career, one would often call the development or prospect stage, which if the fighter succeeds often leads to the chance to become a contender, which then if there is continued success might lead to an opportunity to fight for a world championship. For most fighters that achieve the ultimate goal of becoming a world champion, there will come a point where there is the stage known as “The Comeback." Under most circumstances, but not all, it is a stage that comes following the loss of a world championship for a fighter.

For former longtime WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, his title reign of nearly five years and ten defenses came to an end when he was stopped in his second fight with Tyson Fury in 2020 shortly before the global COVID-19 epidemic. Following that loss, Wilder claimed that his setback was attributed to some attire that he had worn to the ring on the evening of the rematch as well as severed ties with his longtime trainer and former world champion Mark Breland, who had thrown in the towel to save him from further punishment in that rematch. A decision that many trainers as tasked with at one time or another in a fighter’s career, but one that Wilder nevertheless disagreed with.

Following a year between fights two and three of his trilogy with Fury, due at least in part to the circumstances of COVID-19 as well as a legal battle that Wilder fought to get an opportunity to regain his title, the third and arguably most competitive fight in the trilogy took place in October 2021. Although Wilder came within inches of being able to stop Fury in the fourth round after dropping him twice, the result of fight three was the same as the second encounter, Fury scoring a knockout win, only this time it was a referee who stopped the fight after Wilder had been dropped for his third knockdown in the bout in the eleventh round.

While the third fight between Fury and Wilder was one of the best Heavyweight fights this observer has covered in his career, which after nearly three decades covers an awful lot of ground, what cannot be underestimated is the physical toll fights like that take on both the victor as well as the fighter that does not get their hand raised. It may indeed be viewed as a cliche by some, but fighters do leave something in the ring after every fight and both fighters, Wilder and Fury took significant punishment in those three battles.

For Wilder, obviously the toll he paid in those fights physically is viewed by many as more significant and severe. It was something that initially did not seem as though would be the case as Wilder returned to the ring in October 2022 and scored a devastating one punch knockout of Robert Helenius, which frankly resembled what he was at his best. A fighter with frightening punching power, among the most devastating in the history of the sport, capable of ending a fight in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately for the former world champion, like several fighters who had long been aligned with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, inactivity and the inability to get back in the ring ultimately proved to be detrimental. 

When Wilder climbed back into the ring in December of last year after breaking away from the PBC to face former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia, he displayed all the signs of what is known throughout combat sports as “Ring Rust." In that he was sluggish, did not have his timing, and was behind Parker in terms of pace from the opening bell. The end result, Parker scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision.

This led to Wilder’s encounter with top Heavyweight contender  Zhilei Zhang on June 1st in the same venue as his encounter with Parker, the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The positive for Wilder was that this bout was a relatively quick turnaround for him in fighting nearly six months after the loss to Parker. Unfortunately for him, this is where the positive aspect ended.

From the opening bell, Wilder looked lethargic and hesitant to let his hands go. What resulted was Zhang gradually walking Wilder down and landing the harder punches of the two fighters. A stark contrast to how Wilder would typically be in that position and normally have success in the days that preceded his trilogy with Tyson Fury. As many Wilder opponents found out, a scenario like that usually ends one way, with the stalker eventually getting the better of its prey. This too would have a similar conclusion. In the fifth round, Zhang caught Wilder with a counter left hook that appeared to land on the nose, which badly staggered the former world champion into turning his back. Zhang quickly went for the kill as Wilder had done many times to previous opponents and landed another left hook to the head before Wilder could get an opportunity to steady himself, much less prepare for what was coming at him, and knocked Wilder down on his back hard on the canvas. Wilder’s mettle showed itself as he struggled to get to his feet, but he did get up from the knockdown. In no condition to continue on very unsteady legs, the fight was promptly stopped.

Before continuing on with the obvious question of whether this knockout loss will or should signal the end of Wilder's great career, a brief historical note of context that the reader might not know and could find insightful. In the days since Zhang’s knockout of Wilder, I have been asked whether the fact that Zhang rushed forward and hit Wilder with the second left hook was in any way a possible illegal move seeing as Wilder had his back turned and was in no way aware or prepared to try and defend himself as Zhang threw what ultimately proved to be the knockout blow. The simple answer is it was perfectly legal and Zhang did what he was supposed to do in that position.

As a noted Boxing historian with a lifetime of watching fight films having been spent, which began long before this observer entered the sport as one who covers Boxing and by extension all combat sports in the mid-1990’s, a practice I continue to this day, the way this fight ended immediately brought back memories of a fight I studied extensively in my youth, which took place slightly before my time.

On June 20, 1980 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada on the undercard of the first fight of what became a trilogy between Boxing Hall of Famers Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran, former WBA Heavyweight world champion John Tate was knocked out brutally by then Canadian Heavyweight champion and rising contender Trevor Berbick in the ninth round of a world title elimination bout.

Where the circumstances between Tate-Berbick and Zhang-Wilder differ is that at the conclusion of eight rounds in a grueling fight, Tate, who had lost his world title to Mike Weaver earlier that year, was badly fatigued and probably should not have been sent out for the ninth round. Shortly after the bell to begin round nine, Berbick hit tate with an overhand right that had Tate turn his back, literally running across the ring trying to get his bearings. In response, Berbick chased after him throwing a barrage of punches as Tate still had his back turned knocking him face down and out cold on the canvas. 

While Zhilei Zhang’s knockout of Wilder was also brutal in how it came about, at least Wilder was able to get up and did not take the type of punishment that Tate did nearly forty-four years ago. Like Zhang however, Berbick, who would go on to lose to Larry Holmes in his first attempt at becoming a world champion in 1981 before becoming a world champion in 1986, did what he was supposed to do, despite the brutality of the knockout that followed when an opponent turns their back to you in the midst of combat. Although the one exception to such a scenario would be if a referee steps in when a fighter turns their back, until the referee makes what is a judgment call to either step in, possibly rule a knockdown, or stop the fight, the fighter in the position of facing an opponent that has turned their back following a legal punch also has to make a decision. Whether to wait and see if the opponent is going to turn back around and resume battle, or to press forward and force the issue. Under the rules, unless the referee steps in, the fighter in the position that both Berbick and Zhang were in, is supposed to keep fighting.

With the brief explanation aided by historical context now concluded, has Deontay Wilder competed for the last time? I am not in the business of telling a fighter what they should do as my responsibility is to objectively cover the sport. Having stated the obvious, there are a few things to consider before any armchair critics form their opinion. One, Deontay Wilder has taken part in some grueling battles, most notably among them the three fights with Fury and two fights with former top contender Luis Ortiz, who challenged Wilder twice for his world title. Each fight, whether a win or a loss, takes something out of a fighter, which often starts in preparation for those fights in training. 

Secondly, like many fighters previously aligned with the struggling PBC group of promoters, inactivity also plays a major factor in a fighter’s decline. Wilder has not been an exception to that generally accepted rule of inactivity being a silent killer of a fighter's skills and ultimately their career. Part of the problem in addition to a struggling promotional entity, which is in a way understandable given the economics of the sport, is fighters in Wilder's position as being one of the top fighters in his division for most of the last decade do not want to compete regularly without significant financial incentives attached, which in this case, means multi-million dollar paydays per fight. Though the struggles of a promoter or promotional entity is the main culprit if said entity cannot provide fights to fighters under their banner on a consistent basis, the fighter must also come to the realization that while the goal of any fighter should be to try and earn as much money as they can, while they can, and hopefully, be wise with their earnings for life after Boxing, by refusing to stay active, insisting on an outdated model of pay-per-view each time they compete, if nothing else, as a means of trying to earn more money than a fighter’s given purse for a bout, they are trading their athletic prime in the process by not fighting regularly.

In contrast, fighters in previous eras in the sport including many Hall of Famers fought regularly in between marquee fights as a means of staying active and staying in ring shape. Often, this ranged from every couple of weeks, to months as opposed to fighting once or twice in a given year. This thus gave those fighters the best opportunities possible to try and succeed when those fights of significant interest came along.

While the above scenario is not aimed at Deontay Wilder directly, fighters who stay active, even if it comes against perceived lesser caliber of opposition in between “Big" or “Marquee" fights will always have better odds of success than one that insists on top dollar, an outdated model, and does not hold their promoter, who is supposed to represent them, to a standard to make sure they have the opportunity to be active on a regular basis. This is an old school philosophy, but one that continues to prove itself as more beneficial as time goes on and more and more fighters fall into a similar pattern.

Third and perhaps most crucial of things one should consider before forming an opinion is, Wilder, who has been under the guidance of former opponent Malik Scott following his first loss to Tyson Fury in 2020, has not been the same fighter. Although there was a glimmer of the Wilder of old both in his third fight with Fury as well as in his knockout of Robert Helenius, something has been missing.

Whether the reluctance to let his hands go on a consistent basis is and has been a result of both inactivity as well as possible lingering effects from the two losses to Fury, both knockouts, Wilder has not been the devastating fighter that he once was. Although it might be tempting to point the finger of blame in the direction of Malik Scott, the bottom line is these are questions and scenarios that not only one should consider before forming an opinion, but also for Wilder himself to ponder before he decides what he wants to do.

Whatever the decisions Wilder makes moving forward, if he wants to continue his career, he needs to realize that not only does he need to find what has been missing, but he also needs to stay active if he wants to succeed. The bottom line is there is no way around it and no loophole that will lead to success beyond a true old school approach. No matter who is in his corner if he decides to fight on, without that realization and approach, Wilder's best days will continue to be behind him. Only Wilder can make the decision whether to fight on or bow out after a great career as one of this generation’s great Heavyweight champions and hardest hitters.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1 

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1 

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1   

Previewing Boxing's Day Of Reckoning

As 2023 winds down and most of the world is preparing for the end of year holidays as this column has been composed by this observer in advance, the Boxing world is truly a sport that never stops even for the holidays. This year, Boxing is preparing for a truly unique event known as the “Day Of Reckoning," which will take place in the unique location of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, forty eight hours before Christmas that can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View. 

What makes this event unique is not only the location in which it will take place, but the fact that it is truly a stacked card that has a little something for every Boxing fan. Co-headlining the event is two Heavyweight bouts featuring former world champions in separate bouts. First, it will be an encounter between two former world champions as former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder who will return to the ring for the first time in over a year to meet former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker in a fight scheduled for twelve rounds.

The story of this fight centers on Wilder and his return to the ring. In his last bout in December of last year, Wilder scored a one punch first round knockout of Robert Helenius. While there was simply not much to say about that fight other than the description of a one punch knockout, what came from that was a well publicized split between Wilder and the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters, which seems to be a more frequent occurrence with several fighters looking to part ways with the PBC due to its uncertain future, despite signing a new broadcast agreement with Amazon Prime Video in a move to seemingly move upcoming PBC events to streaming exclusively. As has been the case with other fighters that have been aligned with the PBC, the question that will face Wilder will be whether inactivity will impact him going into this fight. Although at least in theory Wilder will now be able to be more active going forward, inactivity is nonetheless a detriment to any fighter and even for one with the type of one punch power that Wilder has, the older a fighter becomes and the less active they are as time moves on could become an increasing issue.

I'm Joseph Parker, Wilder faces a man, who like himself, is a former world champion and has faced many of the top Heavyweights of his era. The story for Parker however, differs in that there are some who feel that he now might be on the decline of what has been a fine career. It is an opinion that might be largely based on Parker's last loss, which coincidentally was the first knockout loss of his career at the hands of Joe Joyce in September 2022. One aspect that might work in Parker's favor is, despite that loss, he has remained active in winning his last three fights and scoring knockouts in two of those three victories.

At his best, Parker has a well-balanced style with a good mix of hand speed, punching power, in addition to being able to approach his opponents at varying angles. The question here for Parker is whether he will be able to use that technique and be able to do so for however long this fight lasts. Deontay Wilder has never been known as the most technically skilled boxer, but he can be losing a fight by being out boxed over several rounds and turn things around in an instant because of his punching power. While Parker himself has punching power of his own, conventional wisdom would suggest that this is a scenario where he might have to be close to perfect especially from a defensive standpoint for the entire fight if he is to have a realistic chance in this fight.

Also on this card, undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol will defend his title against top contenderLyndon Arthur. While this card is heavily focused on the Heavyweight division, this fight could have ramifications for the Light-Heavyweight division in terms of possible unification in 2024.

 To date, Dmitry Bivol has proven to be a difficult puzzle for opponents to solve, most notably, Saul “Canelo" Alvarez, whom Bivol scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision over in May of last year. Despite a convincing victory over arguably the top draw in the sport from a fan recognition standpoint, Bivol has not been able to take advantage of that victory in part because of on again, off again negotiations with Alvarez for a rematch that Alvarez insists he wants. As has been the case for some fighters who are dominant in their respective division, but do not get the recognition or respect that are due, even after defeating one of the biggest stars in the sport, Bivol is in a position where he seemingly won the lottery, but has yet to cash the ticket.

Although as it has been for other fighters that have been in a similar position in that it has to be a source of frustration for Bivol, the task at hand is to try and maintain his position while waiting for another lucrative opportunity. In Lyndon Arthur, Bivol will face a twenty-four fight veteran, who is on a four fight winning streak with all four of those wins coming by knockout. What this will come down to in my eyes is whether Arthur will be able to deal with the highly technical Boxing style of Bivol, which has an emphasis on technique in addition to other attributes that Bivol has in his arsenal like punching power. While all the boxes seem to favor Bivol in comparison to Arthur, the one thing that could work against him is the fact that he may have some lucrative fights ahead for him if he should defeat Arthur. Not only the potential rematch with Alvarez, which would likely be another career-high payday for him, but also a potential encounter with the winner of the upcoming championship fight between undefeated WBC/IBF/WBO world champion Artur Beterbiev and former WBO Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith in January 2024. 

No matter how focused a fighter might be or might claim to be, the knowledge of what might be ahead at minimum has to be on their mind. Whether or not Lyndon Arthur, who is in the position of having nothing to lose, and everything to gain will be able to take advantage of that, if Bivol is off his game, is something that remains to be seen.

Although this observer would like to go through each fight on this card to provide detailed analysis, as it is truly one of the more stacked cards in recent memory, due to the constraints of one column, the focus will return to the Heavyweight division for the second task of the two main events as former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua will attempt to finish 2023 by going 3-0 when he faces top contender Otto Wallin in a fight scheduled for twelve rounds. Joshua, who has spent his last two fights under the guidance of Derrick James has scored two victories including a one punch knockout of Robert Helenius over the summer. Now with a relatively quick turnaround between fights for a top-level fighter and in particular, one of Joshua’s star power by facing a dangerous opponent in Otto Wallin.

Some may recall Wallin for his twelve round battle with Tyson Fury during the period when Fury was between his two reigns as a World Heavyweight champion in September 2019. To date, the unanimous decision loss to Fury is Wallin’s only loss, but he did succeed in opening a deep gash over Fury’s right eye, which required forty-seven stitches after the bout. Wallin also succeeded in giving Fury a tougher than expected fight where he did not get full credit in terms of the scoring from the official judges. Since that fight, Wallin has been unbeaten winning six straight fights including a split decision over Murat Gassiev in his last fight in September. 

Wallin is a southpaw and has shown he can be a crafty boxer throughout his career. What makes this noteworthy is two of Joshua’s three losses came against Oleksandr Usyk, a master southpaw boxer, who ended Joshua’s second reign as a world champion and defeated him in a rematch. Joshua’s last two fights have been what can be described as a work in progress as he has shown a more technical approach and patience. While he showed against Robert Helenius in August that he still has one punch power. The question going into this fight will be whether or not Joshua has learned how to combat a skilled southpaw or if facing fighters that box out of a southpaw stance is something that would amount to a flaw in his skillset. Wallin does have fourteen knockouts in his twenty-six wins and though logic would suggest that he will try to out box Joshua, he does have deceptive power and Joshua has been caught before, most notably in his first fight against Andy Ruiz in June 2019. 

Although the spotlight of this card is firmly on both Joshua and Deontay Wilder, with the aim of a potential showdown between the two in 2024, likely also in Saudi Arabia, three other Heavyweight bouts on the card featuring recent world title challenger Daniel Dubois facing undefeated former top contender Jarrell Miller, current undefeated top contender Fillip Hrgovic facing Mark De Mori, and finally undefeated contender Frank Sanchez facing Junior Fa, puts the spotlight firmly on the Heavyweight division as a whole and obviously every one of these fighters including Joseph Parker and Otto Wallin, are viewing this as an opportunity to upset any potential plans for Joshua and Wilder, either through facing them directly or by producing a performance in their respective bouts that makes it very difficult to ignore them as potential opponents in 2024 and beyond.

While the decision of the various promoters and digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN to make this card, as well matched as it is, a pay-per-view offering so close to Christmas, especially in light of the recent event headlined by the WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship fight between Regis Prograis and Devin Haney, also a DAZN Pay-Per-VIew offering on December 9th only generating 50,000 buys, will be a subject of criticism, this card is indeed stacked and in addition to all the Heavyweight bouts not only has Dmitry Bivol defending his Light-Heavyweight championship, but also features undefeated former IBF Cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia squaring off against undefeated contender Ellis Zorro, one can at least say that everyone involved have made the best effort they can to put forth a full card of action, which should produce a full day of Boxing here in the United States with a late morning start. Whether it ultimately proves successful in terms of buys however, is something that remains to be seen.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

“Day Of Reckoning” takes place on Saturday, December 23rd at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card can be seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $39.99 beginning at 11AM ET/8AM PT. (*U.S. times and North American Price Only.*) For more information on how to order this pay-per-view event and to subscribe to DAZN as well as additional information such as schedules, local start times in your area and prices in your region of the world, please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1  

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1 

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1  

DAZN Named Official Broadcaster For Day Of Reckoning Pay-Per-View Boxing Card December 23rd In Saudi Arabia

Press Release: November 1, 2023 By DAZN - LONDON AND RIYADH – 24 November 2023: Riyadh Season and DAZN, the sports entertainment platform, today announce that "Day of Reckoning" will be available globally on DAZN.

 

On 23 December, Boxing’s greatest champions will come head-to-head in what promises to be an action-filled night of entertainment. “Day of Reckoning” will be available on DAZN as a pay-per-view event* in the UK, US and over 200 markets worldwide. Fans will be able to watch live and on-demand from smart TVs, tablets, mobiles and games consoles.

 

In addition, this historic fight night will be made available on a range of domestic broadcasters in key markets, which are yet to be announced.

 

In an unprecedented card, former two-time Unified World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua goes up against Otto Wallin in the Co-Main Event as the pair close in on challenging for world title honours.

In the other Co-main Event, former WBO World Champion Joseph Parker takes on the Bronze Bomber and former WBC world title holder Deontay Wilder.

Recent world title challenger Daniel Dubois will bid to put his name back up in lights when he enters into a battle of the giants against Big Baby Jarrell Miller and IBF No.1 contender Filip Hrgovic fighting Mark De Mori in another heavyweight shootout.

WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol will make an 11th defence of his title against Lyndon Arthur and IBF World cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia will take on Unbeaten British Cruiserweight Ellis Zorro.

 

Back with the heavyweights, the fearsome Arslanbek Makhmudov will face the European champion Agit Kabayel. and top heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez will close in on a world title shot if he can overcome Junior Fa in Riyadh.

 

His Excellency Advisor Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, highlighted the significance of the partnership with DAZN platform. He emphasised that the company's extensive expertise in sports streaming services, coupled with their professionalism and exceptional capabilities, make them an ideal partner for handling such significant events. This agreement also fulfils the long-standing demand of boxing enthusiasts to witness "The Day of Reckoning" with the highest quality and international standards.

 

Shay Segev, DAZN Group CEO, said “With over 100 fights this year, DAZN is the undisputed global home of boxing. We work tirelessly with our partners to deliver a great schedule of boxing entertainment and to grow the sport.

 

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Riyadh Season is a valued partner of DAZN. Their incredible ability and determination to deliver top sporting events for fans in Saudi and around the world is unparalleled. It is nothing short of an honour to have been chosen as their global broadcast partner for this historic fight night. Putting the fan and their desire for quality entertainment above all else unites us. DAZN’s unmatched ability to stream content in over 200 markets made us the obvious choice for their ambitions.”

 

The "Day of Reckoning" comes after the "Battle of the Baddest", which was held on October 28 and saw record numbers of fans from around the world tune into DAZN to watch Tyson Fury defeat Francis Ngannou in a spectacle for the ages.

 

ABOUT RIYADH SEASON

 

Saudi Arabia's capital embraces one of the world's biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of the Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events.

 

 

 

ABOUT DAZN

 

DAZN is a global leading sports streaming service with domestic strong presence in Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Portugal, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, the US and UK. Its wide range of content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LALIGA, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC. DAZN is the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match outside North America.    

 

DAZN is building the ultimate sports entertainment business where fans from across the globe can watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.    

 

For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com. 

 

 

*The 23 December fight night will be charged as an additional pay-per-view (PPV) in certain key markets and included as part of a DAZN subscription in others.

US + Canada: 39.99 USD

UK: 19.99 GBP

Rest of the world: 21.99 USD in local currency

 

Prices include all tax (if applicable).

 

Full details of PPV markets will be provided on DAZN.com

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, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com 

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

Audley Harrison Interview Part 2

Press Release: June 6, 2023  

By Liam Solomon/Bettingsites.co.uk -  Liam Solomon recently sat down for an interview with former Olympic Gold medalist and former world title challenger Audley Harrison.  In part two of the interview Harrison continues to share his thoughts on the Heavyweight division and how he feels in his prime he would go through any Heavyweight today as well as thoughts on his own career.

AH: “Even though you saw me coming back it was never the same, but a prime Audley Harrison, I would have gone through anybody. It would have gone through anybody because I was there. I was licking my lips at the opportunity of fighting Wladimir Klitschko. That was my goal because I looked at his style. He lost to Corrie Sanders early on in the fight and he was a southpaw, a South African southpaw. I was like, oh my God, he's going to be so perfect for me in 2006 - it was all geared for me. But my thing was I wanted to do it on my own. A-Force promotions under my banner. And that's why it capitulated. But the stuff that I was doing, looking at me now, this is why I get very frustrated looking at the fights now, because of my tutelage training. I had Thell Torrence with me. Thell Torrence and Eddie Futch were together 40 years, and their tutelage was another 100 years. So it's like the history of boxing, the science of boxing, especially heavyweights. And from Thell Torrence I went to Buddy McGirt.”

Wilder would beat Joshua 

AH: “Deontay Wilder has got a dangerous right hand, he’s very explosive and mentally, even though he’s lost to Fury, he seems like he’s got a rejuvenation fire. We’re not seeing that in Joshua in terms of his spirit, and sometimes that’s what you need in a fight. That confidence that he had, that swagger that he had, in terms of momentum right now, you’d have to go with Wilder. Deontay is trying to find himself. Malik Scott is in a good place with Deontay and they clearly have something good they’re building on.

“Joshua tried Robert Garcia, now he’s changed trainers again, obviously with a great trainer (Derrick James), but it will take time to gel and for the trainer to implement the stuff that he’s been working on. I think right now if they fight it would be a very exciting fight, but I’d probably go with Wilder. You can’t count AJ out, he’s always in great shape. Style wise if Joshua is coming forward in this fight and he doesn’t back up as much, but obviously you have a guy throwing big right hands, so it’s a tough assignment for Joshua but it’s definitely one that if he could find that fire, have a great training camp, he’d definitely be in the fight. You can’t rule him out. But right now I’d say Wilder would start as the favourite. He would start as the favourite in that fight.”

Wilder should fight Parker or Whyte, if Joshua doesn’t happen

AH: “The Joshua fight is the fight that we want to see. That’s the one. Outside of that, Joseph Parker just had a good win, names like that. I know he [Wilder] isn’t going to go lower than that. Even Dillian Whyte could be someone to consider because he needs a mark-in-time fight. Even Usyk, try and get the Usyk fight! He’s [Wilder] had his one warm-up fight so he’s ready to go back into the big stages. Obviously it doesn’t really make sense for him to fight Fury again, so really Joshua, Joe Parker, Dillain Whyte - that kind of level. There are some up and coming guys in America but that doesn’t really make sense for Wilder. He needs a big name to come back to. I would say a Parker or Whyte fight would make sense for him.”

Biggest regret not winning a major world title / I could’ve beaten Wladimir Klitschko

AH: “Ultimately, I would have loved to have won a world title, a legitimate version of a world title. I won the WBF, a legitimate version of a world title, under my own auspices, A-Force. It's a regret that I didn't get that done. But when I look back on my career, I know in the end I did it my way. I fought the system, which I always wanted to do, and the system didn't let me go through the way I wanted to go through, and it was okay. So I kind of got rejected, being my own promoter coming up, like, doing it on my own. And that kind of hurts me when I think about it. But it's for the right reasons. Unfortunately, I left the country as a result. I live in America now. 2004, when I lost that BBC deal, I left the country. I couldn't be here. Mentally I couldn't deal with it. But all good. When I look back now, all good. I feel like I could have dominated, I could have beaten Wladimir Klitschko, but not to be.”

Chris Eubank Sr helped me get back to ‘Prime Harrison’

AH: "When I lost to Danny Williams in my first fight, Chris Eubank Sr came and found me. I was in a fancy hotel in the West End. He came and found me, got my number. I didn't even know Chris Eubank Sr personally, but he got my number. He said, ‘oh, they want to talk to you because the Danny Williams loss was so bad’. That fight was so bad for me. He just wanted to come and fight me, beat me and just find out, ‘Audley, what the hell happened there?’ And he was like ‘I know you like you’re living in silk pyjamas now so it's hard for you to be motivated, so you earn money and you're living a good life, but where is that guy? He talked about his warrior code and it was just a great conversation. I'll never forget that talk. He came out of his own way and reached out to me and gave me some tips. And I took that into my rematch with Danny Williams. I went to Big Bear and you saw what happened in the rematch, almost destroyed him. I primed that version, so you talk about a prime Audley, Danny Williams 2, that night, I would have beaten anybody. Didn't matter who I was facing that night. That night, you saw the best of Audley Harrison, and I would have destroyed anybody on that night."

Frank Warren destroyed my career

AH: “But that fight there, I signed the contract because now I'm tied to Frank Warren and he has me for my whole career. And it's kind of bittersweet because now I've just won that fight and I have just given up control, signed to the man that I didn't want to sign with. So now it was a climax and an anticlimax. He's tough on me mentally, but that's the way it went. I was never able to reach those heights again and kind of just went into no man's land. Got injured, had a bad car crash in 2007. I kind of was just off in the wilderness till I bumped into Eddie [Hearn] in Vegas at a poker tournament. Yeah. And Eddie said, ‘hey, Audley, what are you doing? Come back!’. Then we did the Prize Fighter.”

Fury needs to be professional & fight Parker if he has to

AH: “In boxing, it’s always hard to fight people you know, people that you're connected with. It's very hard to get mad about them, but you have to be professional and do the job. But I had it with Julius Francis in my 16th fight. When I came back to England and the BBC wanted to start controlling my opponents. I had a guy who was unbeaten from Europe and they said, ‘no, nobody knows him. We don't want to box him. At least Julius Francis we know.’ I'm like, ‘Julius? He's going to be a stinking fight. He's going to be horrible because I know him, I've partied with him, I boxed him in the amateurs’. Those are the only saving graces. Ok, I can beat him in a rematch and avenge my loss to him from the amateur days. But it's a pointless fight because we know each other and can't get up for the fight. So we boxed him, we've done twelve rounds and it was horrible in terms of a spectacle. Okay, I got twelve rounds out of it, boxing. But it was very hard to get motivated, fired up, for somebody that you've been out with.”

“So I understand what Tyson Fury is saying, but ultimately you still got to go in and do the job. Ultimately, you'll fight your guy, but it's just hard to get motivated for that fight.”

Material Courtesy of Liam Solomon/ Bettingsites.co.uk  Used with permission.

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

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