Was Warrington Fight A Featherweight Finale For Wood?

The showdown between two-time Featherweight world champion Leigh Wood and former two-time Featherweight world champion Josh Warrington was one which was highly anticipated in the United Kingdom as it was an encounter that brought together two of the top fighters in the sport and two of the top draws in the United Kingdom as well. It was also a clash between two boxer/punchers that stylistically appeared as though it could be a fight of the year candidate.

Before an enthusiastic sellout crowd in the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England on October 7th, Boxing fans were treated to a memorable battle. Before the battle occurred however, there were questions regarding the condition of the WBA world champion Wood, who had struggled on the day before the fight to make the 126lb. Featherweight limit. This fueled speculation that no matter the outcome, Wood, who was making the first defense of his second reign as WBA world champion, would be moving up in weight after this fight. 

For a significant portion of the bout, Wood looked like a fighter that showed all the signs of someone who struggled to make weight and perhaps was overtrained. Although Wood attempted to keep Warrington at distance by Boxing out of the southpaw stance and trying to work behind his jab, the dynamic of the fight quickly became one where it was Warrington dictating the combat and forcing the fight on the inside.

Warrington did this by fighting out of a high defensive guard as well as crouching down underneath Wood's punches. This allowed the former IBF world champion to do two things. First it limited the ability of Wood to inflict damage, and secondly it created a scenario where Warrington could not only close the distance and get in close, but it also allowed him to vary his attack by mixing offense to the body and head of the champion. Gradually as the rounds progressed, Warrington began administering a beating on Wood by landing hard, thudding hooks to the head and body, as well as being able to push Wood back and make it a rough fight on the inside. Wood would also suffer a cut over the right eye in round four from a left hook by Warrington.

It appeared as though both because of the beating that was being dished out by Warrington as well as the apparent difficulty he had in making weight that this may not have been Wood's night as he continued to take punishment, did not use head movement, and thus could not avoid the hooks that the challenger was able to land with both hands. At the midway point of the fight, I felt Warrington had won five of the first six rounds due primarily to his effective aggression and landing the harder punches of the two fighters. While he was able to stagger Wood frequently throughout the bout, the champion showed his mettle and continued to engage. Having said this, after six rounds of mostly one way action and having seen the effects of the punishment at the hands of Warrington, this observer did question in his mind whether or not a time would approach where either the referee or Wood's corner would stop the fight.

Round seven began as many of the previous rounds had with Warrington coming forward and initiating the combat. Warrington's ability to rough up the champion on the inside worked against him however, as he would be penalized a point midway through the round for rabbit punching. As the closing seconds of the round occured, suddenly without warning, Wood exploded with a vicious right hand that badly staggered Warrington followed by a brutal right hook, left hook combination to the head that sent Warrington flat on his back down on the canvas at the bell to end the round. Although Warrington in showing mettle of his own was able to get to his feet, he got up on very unsteady legs and staggered to his corner turning his back to Referee Michael Alexander as he was attempting to determine whether Warrington could continue, resulting in the fight being stopped giving Wood a come from behind knockout victory in a successful first title defense of his second reign as world champion.

In a scene that resembled Wood's knockout win over Michael Conlan in his first reign as champion, Wood did not celebrate enthusiastically as most fighters would, especially after scoring a knockout in such brutal and thrilling fashion. Instead Wood immediately approached Warrington who sat in his corner dejected and emotional after the fight was stopped and embraced his opponent, consoling him and ensuring he was okay before celebrating his victory with his corner and the crowd in attendance. An example of "Class" and "Respect" that all fighters on every level of the sport should learn from.

The resemblance of his victory over Conlan in March of last year also had one other similarity as it relates to this fight. Wood was behind on the scorecards and like the Conlan fight, was approaching the point where he needed a knockout to retain his world championship.

An obvious question is what comes next? Perhaps this victory will be the finale of Leigh Wood's time as a Featherweight. Whether or not potential unification bouts in the Featherweight division are available, will ultimately factor into his decision on whether to move up in weight remains to be seen. As thrilling as this knockout victory was and as endearing as Wood has become to some fans for engaging in memorable battles, he will need to work on his defense if he hopes for continued success regardless of where on the weight scale his next fight will take place. While it can be an asset in having the ability to take a punch and sustain significant punishment, it can also be a curse and that does not necessarily revolve strictly around the remainder of a fighter's career, but more importantly, what a fighter's life might involve when their career is over. Looking to improve on the defensive elements of the sport should be a top priority not just for Wood, but for all fighters regardless of what stage they might be in their careers.

"And That's The Boxing Truth.

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Wood-Warrington Preview

One of the bigger bouts remaining on the Boxing calendar for 2023 will kick off the month of October as two-time Featherweight world champion Leigh Wood will begin his second reign as WBA world champion as he makes his first defense since regaining the title in May of this year, against former two-time Featherweight world champion Josh Warrington on Saturday, October 7th. The showdown in the 126lb. Featherweight division, which will take place at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England and will be broadcast globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, has the possibility to be a sleeper candidate for Fight of the Year.

Not only does this encounter bring together two of the biggest stars that the United Kingdom currently has to offer, each with significant followings, but also two of the best the Featherweight division has to offer. Leigh Wood's recent career could probably be best described as a rollercoaster. Many likely remember his thrilling and brutal knockout of top contender Michael Conlan in March of last year. In many ways, this was a career definer for Wood, who had become world champion via the route of earning interim/regular champion status in the WBA's Featherweight ratings, but when then champion Leo Santa Cruz opted to vacate the title, it elevated Wood to world champion. Oftentimes, fighters who become champion in this way though through no fault of their own, are not given the same recognition as a fighter who wins a world championship by defeating the previous champion. Wood's victory over Conlan served as both a statement-making as well as a star-making performance for him.

As can happen in Boxing and by extension all combat sports however, there are also times where a fighter's stock can fall almost as quickly as it goes up. Wood experienced such a scenario when he was knocked out by the very dangerous Mauricio Lara in February of this year. The loss also resulted in the loss of the WBA world championship. While the loss to Lara was a case of Wood simply getting caught and subsequently stopped in a fight that he was ahead on the scorecards up to that point, it also gave him something to prove as he quickly opted for an immediate rematch in May. Although some questioned that wisdom, Wood produced a superb performance the second time around in Boxing his way to a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to regain the championship.

Now with his stock on the rise once again, Wood prepares to defend his crown against Josh Warrington. Similar to Wood, Warrington has also experienced the highs and lows that often come during a career. The former IBF world champion also has Mauricio Lara in common with Wood, as Warrington also fought two fights against him in suffering a loss and a technical draw in the rematch when the fight was stopped due to an accidental clash of heads resulting in a bad cut where Lara could not continue. Much like Wood, Warrington is a highly skilled boxer/puncher that has a full arsenal of skills.

Warrington however, will be coming into this fight off of a loss in losing the IBF Featherweight world championship in losing a twelve round majority decision in December of last year to Luis Lopez. While it is logical to suggest that this fight could be a tactical Boxing match given each fighter's skillset, one could argue that Wood does have an edge in power having scored knockouts in sixteen of his twenty-seven career wins compared to eight knockouts in thirty-one career wins. Both fighters have suffered knockout losses to the same fighter in Lara and both came as a result of being caught in fights that they were leading.

Given that both fighters have been vulnerable before, it would not surprise me to see each of them attempt to catch the other off guard by trying to land counter punches, but the possibility certainly exists that at some point this could turn into a fight where there are heated exchanges of offense. If the latter does indeed occur, it may come down to which fighter is able to land their power punches flush, that might determine who will win this battle.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Wood vs. Warrington takes place on Saturday, October 7th at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States and globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 11:45AM ET/8:45AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts followed by the main portion of the card, which will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(*U. S. Times Only*) (*Card and Start Times Subject To Change.*

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

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Discipline Over Brawn: Wood Regains World Featherweight Championship

The rematch between Mauricio Lara and Leigh Wood for the WBA Featherweight championship of the world seemed to be a relatively straightforward process. Despite criticism for invoking his rematch clause a little over three months after losing his title via knockout to Lara where his trainer Ben Davison was also criticized for his decision to throw the towel in to prevent him from further punishment, Leigh Wood was strong in his belief that he could improve in a rematch.

After all, in their first encounter in February of this year, Wood was out Boxing Lara convincingly before he got caught by a left hook to the head that led to the stoppage in the seventh round. While that fight could best be described as a sudden ending where a fighter who was in control simply got caught, it was nevertheless questionable of Wood though commendable that he would want a rematch so soon in theory not giving himself time to recover from the knockout from both a physical as well as a psychological standpoint.

As straightforward as the manifestation of this rematch seemed in how quickly it was made, there was a speed bump on the day prior to the fight when the new champion Mauricio Lara weighed in nearly four pounds over the 126lb. Featherweight limit, which for a time cast some doubt as to whether the rematch would take place. When circumstances like this occur in the sport where a world champion comes in overweight for a scheduled title defense, they automatically lose the championship in what is often referred to as "Losing The Title On The Scale." 

Under such a scenario, the fight still proceeds as scheduled, but the world championship is only in the line for the challenger. This also creates the possibility that if the fighter who was champion is able to win the fight, the world championship would then become vacant. While Lara's failure to make weight brought about such a scenario, the possibility that the fight would not take place would prove to be short-lived as the source of the issue was likely Wood's camp wanting some compensation from Lara financially due to the now former champion failing to make weight.

Although there is no confirmation that such a compensation did occur, the rematch did nevertheless take place on May 27th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England with the WBA Featherweight world championship only being on the line for Wood. In previewing this bout, this observer stated that Wood needed to be defensively aware and responsible at all times if he wanted to be successful.

While his lack of head movement was something that stood out in the first fight, the lack of head movement was also an issue for Wood in the rematch. Despite this tactical/defensive flaw, Wood would produce one of the best performances of his career in a fight where he was considered an underdog with some even going as far as to say his career might have been on the line.

Wood did this by using his legs to move laterally to maintain distance between himself and Lara. This in addition to a consistent jab, mixing in combinations, and varying his attack from the head to the body throughout produced a dominant performance from start to finish. A highlight occured in the second round when he knocked Lara down with a short uppercut to the head. Although Wood did not use head movement in this fight, he was still defensively responsible in not only managing distance with use of lateral movement, but also putting his hands up to defend against often wide, looping hooks that Lara threw.

Whether what became a lackluster performance by Lara was due to the apparent struggle he had to make weight prior to this fight, it became clear as this rematch progressed that he only had one strategy, to try and get Wood in an exchange similar to the first fight and try to catch him with a hook that led to him taking the title from Wood in February. Unlike the first encounter however, Wood did not take the bait.

While this was not the prettiest of fights to watch, particularly if you are one that prefers to see a lot of back and forth action, Leigh Wood proved one thing in this rematch. Discipline and consistency will often always prevail over the brawn of a fighter that wants to go toe to toe. It may not be something that is appreciated by some, but a fighter should always have an approach where the objective is to do what they need to do within the rules in order to win. 

Under circumstances like this where a fight may not be the most entertaining to watch, but one where one fighter is clearly dominating the other, this observer often thinks of the words of Alton Merkerson, longtime trainer of Hall of Famer Roy Jones, who often dealt with criticism for being so dominant in his prime that often the only question was whether Jones would stop his opponent or win every round on the scorecards, often doing so by not engaging with his opponents and using his athleticism and overall Boxing skills to dominant his opposition. Merkerson in an interview when asked about the opinion of some that Jones was unwilling to go toe to toe in fights said simply "You Don't Make A Fight Hard, If It's Not Hard." To sum it up differently, you should not put yourself at risk when there is no reason to do so.

Merkerson's quote has become one of my personal favorites to describe an approach such where a fighter can dominate a fight, but do so without having to put themselves in danger. A quote from one of the most underrated trainers in the sport, but one that all trainers should instill in their fighters. Although I obviously cannot say for certain whether Leigh Wood is familiar with that philosophy, he proved it's merit in this fight as he refused to stand and trade punches with a dangerous, but one dimensional Lara and boxed his way to a wide and convincing twelve round unanimous decision to regain his world championship. 

After such a convincing victory in the rematch under circumstances where some did not expect him to win, the question now is what now for Leigh Wood. There are certainly no shortage of options that he might take including a possible third fight with Lara. For now after the seesaw way 2023 has been for him, Wood has earned the opportunity to get a little rest now as a two-time Featherweight champion of the world before deciding his next move. If however, a third fight with Mauricio Lara is in the near future, the onus will be on Lara to not only show he can make whatever weight the fight might take place at, but also that his lackluster performance in the second fight was not a sign of a one dimensional fighter that just happened to be in the right place at the right time to become world champion. Only time will tell if this is chapter two of a rivalry or if both Wood and Lara will now move in different directions going forward.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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Has Wood Miscalculated In Invoking Immediate Rematch Against Lara?

In February of this year, one of the rising stars of the 126lb. Featherweight division, Leigh Wood entered the ring to defend his WBA Featherweight world championship against top contender Mauricio Lara in Nottingham, England. By all accounts, it was a fight that was viewed as a next step in the rise of Wood that would theoretically potentially lead to him looking to unify the Featherweight division down the line.

For a significant period of time for the champion, it appeared that he would box his way to a convincing victory over the dangerous Lara as he applied a smooth Boxing approach that not only served to out box the challenger, but more specifically build a lead on the scorecards over the first six rounds of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout. As can sometimes be the case in Boxing however, the fight would suddenly turn in the favor of Lara. Equally as sudden would be how the fight would end.

In an exchange of left hooks in the seventh round, Lara's left hook would connect and drop Wood hard on the canvas on his back. Although Wood showed a champion's heart by getting up from the knockdown, his trainer Ben Davison threw the towel in to stop the fight before it could continue making Lara the new WBA champion.

While the decision of Davison to stop the fight was seen as controversial by some, Wood did go down hard and it is understandable that he put the welfare of his fighter over the world title that Wood held. Nevertheless, three months removed from that fight in Wood's hometown, the now former champion per his exercising his immediate rematch clause, prepares to face Lara again on Saturday, May 27th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, which can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

The obvious question that this observer has going into this rematch is, is this rematch coming too soon for Wood? In previous eras in Boxing history, it was not uncommon for fighters at the top level of the sport to fight frequently, in some cases, once per month if not more depending on the situation. Perhaps the issue here is not so much the idea that it is too soon for Wood to get back in the ring, but more specifically, the decision to involve the rematch clause.

Rematch clauses are certainly not a new concept in the sport and are a normal part of negotiation, particularly in regard to world championship bouts. Unfortunately, the answer to the question of whether or not Wood invoking his rematch clause will ultimately be a bad decision cannot be answered without the rematch taking place.

How can Wood avenge his loss at the hands of Lara? It is important to keep in mind that Wood was ahead on the scorecards and for the most part, was having his way throughout most of the fight up to the moment where he got caught. Leigh Wood is certainly not the first fighter to have been in such a scenario and he will not be the last. There were however, subtle things that did lead to Wood being caught and subsequently stopped in the first fight. The most notable that stood out to this observer was the lack of head movement by Wood. 

Although Wood had the advantage in terms of hand speed and put it to use throughout the fight, whenever he let his hands go,  he would not move his head to try and avoid anything that Lara threw back at him. This in addition to leaving his chin up, which Lara was able to take advantage of periodically in landing some shots, particularly with his right hand before the exchange of left hooks that ended the fight occurred. While it is easier said than done, Wood must be aware at all times to be defensively responsible in this fight even if it becomes a scenario where he is having his way and is able to build a lead on the scorecards. Mauricio Lara was able to prove that indeed sometimes all a fighter needs is one punch and if Wood has the same defensive flaws, which can be hard to correct, in this rematch as he did in the first fight, the possibility of the same type of scenario as what ended fight 1 between these two fighters exists.

As for the champion in his first title defense the strategy is simple in theory, but may also be easier said than done. Lara must find a way to cut off the ring and try to limit Wood's ability to use lateral movement. While he did show one punch power the first time around, Lara needs to find a way to combat the hand speed of Wood, but must be consistent and not rely on one punch to get the job done here. It has often been said that the way to negate speed is by timing. The question here is whether the champion can use that timing, but also be busy offensively if the fight goes into the middle and late rounds in case he might be behind on the scorecards in order to win a decision if needed to retain his title.

It is logical to assume that if Wood manages to regain his championship in this rematch that a third fight between the two would not be too far in the future. Whether this is merely chapter 2 of a longer rivalry between Lara and Wood remains to be seen. For a division like the Featherweights that historically is no stranger to such rivalries that turn into trilogies and even beyond, it would not surprise yours truly to see Lara-Wood become the latest in the long list of historic rivalries in the Featherweight division.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Lara vs Wood 2 takes place on Saturday, May 27th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 12:15PM ET/9:15AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts. The main portion of the card will follow at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(*U.S. Times Only*) (*Card and Start times Subject to change.*)

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

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

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

February 18, 2023 DAZN Boxing Marathon Thoughts

One of the first marathon days of Boxing in 2023 took place on February 18th as digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, presented three different cards taking place in three different countries taking place in one day. For the purposes of this column, the three respective main events will be discussed.

First, it was former two-division world champion Felix Sturm, who at age forty-four returned to the ring in Stuggart, Germany. The former Middleweight and Super-Middleweight world champion made his debut in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division.

Sturm’s opponent on this occasion was relative unknown  Sukru Altay. This can best be described as a fight that was fought in a phone booth. In that both men opted to stay in close and engage in a toe to toe battle for ten rounds.

While Sturm was not the fighter he was many years ago in terms of his movement, he still showed flashes of what made him one of the best fighters in the world during his prime.  This included a high defensive guard and disciplined approach in terms of his punch placement. One thing Sturm discovered as this fight progressed as many fighters have when they have moved up in weight is punches that led to knockdowns and knockouts in lower weight divisions does not necessarily have the same effect as one moves up in weight and faces fighters at a heavier weight for whom is that opponent’s natural weight.

Sturm was able to connect with several shots throughout this fight, particularly to Altay’s body that were hard and thudding punches that may have dropped fighters at Super-Middleweight and Middleweight. Altay, the naturally bigger fighter was able to withstand whatever Sturm was able to throw and continue firing offense of his own, including having Sturm hurt more than occasionally over the second half of the scheduled ten round bout. 

An extremely close fight in the eyes of any objective observer, Sturm was able to emerge victorious via ten round unanimous decision, winning the fight by one round, two rounds, and nine rounds to one on the official scorecards. While the 98-91 or nine rounds to one scorecard was not an accurate reflection of what took place in this fight, this observer felt the fight was even, but if one were to base opinion as to who had the upper hand on body language, it appeared as though Altay was the more confident of the two and may have had an edge at the conclusion of the bout.

At forty-four years old and having had a more difficult fight than some may have expected against Sukru Altay, it is difficult to assess where Felix Sturm might go as he moves forward with his career . He does have the benefit of name recognition, particularly throughout Europe, which can help him secure opportunities in whatever division he chooses to compete in. Although he was able to get the victory in this fight, the signs of decline is something both Sturm and his handlers need to keep in mind moving forward. He was in a grueling fight against a very determined opponent and one might say that could be a reason for the signs of decline that Sturm appeared to show. Given his age however, it may be the accumulation of many years and battles in the ring that are starting to show.

This brings us to the second main event that took place on February 18, which was the lone world championship fight to take place on this particular Boxing marathon. This observer is referring to the battle for the WBA Featherweight championship of the world between defending champion Leigh Wood and top contender Mauricio Lara. A bout that took place in the champion’s hometown of Nottingham, England at the Nottingham Arena. For the purposes of this column and it’s length, I will not rehash the various points yours truly made in previewing this fight as part of this marathon day of fisticuffs. What I will say however, is I was surprised in how this fight was fought. To be more specific, surprised in the strategy implemented by the champion.

For much of the fight, Wood was able to keep Lara on the outside due to both his reach and movement. While I felt the fighters split the first four rounds, the tempo of the combat was clearly dictated by Wood, and it also appeared that he was able to get the better of many of the exchanges as well. One thing that Wood did that would proof to be detrimental as the fight progressed is he left his chin up after he threw punches. Although this is a habit many fighters on every level of the sport tend to have, it is something that can only be corrected in the gym when one has time to polish and refine their skills both offensively and defensively. 

Despite this, as the fight progressed, Wood appeared to gradually be taking control of the action in addition to dictating how the fight was fought. As clear as this appeared, in Boxing and by extension all combat sports, anything can happen. In round seven, Lara connected suddenly with a flush left hook to the jaw as the two fighters simultaneously threw left hooks that sent Wood down on his back on the canvas. The champion was able to make it to his feet, despite being on unsteady legs. Just as it appeared that the fight would be allowed to continue, Wood’s trainer Ben Davison threw the towel in to stop the fight making Lara the winner and new WBA Featherweight world champion.

Following the fight, I commented on social media that I could see both sides of an argument though Wood as the champion deserved the chance to continue, a trainer knows what their fighter has and can see things that fans and those of us in the media cannot see. While the circumstances of the stoppage and loss of his world championship are heartbreaking for Leigh Wood and his fans, Ben Davison is one of the best trainers in the sport and a decision like that is not an easy one to make when it has to be made in a split second. While people will likely call the decision Davison made controversial, Wood was badly hurt and did not appear to know where he was in addition to not having control of his legs. On this basis, I feel Davison made the right call to stop this fight.

As heartbreaking as the loss of a world championship is for any fighter, it is better for a fighter to be protected from themselves in circumstances where they are clearly hurt and in a position where they are compromised. Although fans may not appreciate what Ben Davison did in this fight, he put his fighter ‘s well being above all else including a world championship and all the benefits that come with it including, but not limited to the financial incentives both for the fighters as well as the trainer. In doing so, Davison also ensured that his fighter will have the opportunity to come back after he takes some time to recover, as opposed to potentially dealing with a serious injury if not God forbid worse. It is often when trainers and referees do not recognize when a fight should be stopped that the risk for serious and potentially permanent injury to a fighter is increased. Thankfully for Leigh Wood, Ben Davison ensured that he can come back and the only question is whether or not he will invoke his rematch clause, as opposed to whether or not he will be able to return to the ring at all.

The finale of this particular Boxing marathon took place in Pomona, CA where Jr. Featherweights Luis Nery and Azat Hovhannisyan treated Boxing fans to a memorable give and take battle between two of the top contenders in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division. A grueling fight that saw nearly non-stop toe to toe action from the opening bell. This was a fight that followed one pattern. Nery being the fighter looking to use his movement and the length of the ring to his advantage, Hovhannisyan the fighters pressing forward constantly looking to corner his opponent and land power shots.

When fights are fought in such a pattern, it is the fighters that uses lateral movement that often tries to catch their opponent with offense as they come forward and then use that movement to evade and maintain a distance where they are able to connect and the opposition can not. For much of this fight, this was the way Nery fought Hovhannisyan and seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, despite Hovhannisyan being able to apply constant pressure. As the fight progressed, Hovhannisyan was able to close the distance slightly between himself and Nery. He did this by focusing a portion of his attack to Nery’s body.

Although the element of body punching is truly an underappreciated art in Boxing, it remains one of the best, if not the best way to try to limit an opponent’s movement. While Hovhannisyan ‘s body attack was sporadic, it did result in him being able to narrow the distance between himself and Nery, which in turn created some heated exchanges between the two fighters.

It would be Nery’s tactical approach however, that would ultimately wear Hovhannisyan down, Nery would score a knockdown of the always “Game” Hovhannisyan in the tenth round with a short left hook to the head and would force a stoppage in the eleventh round of the scheduled twelve round bout. Even though Hovhannisyan came out on the losing end of this fight, he showed a lot of heart and he does deserve credit for making this an exciting fight to watch. The lack of consistency in his body attack however, I felt worked against him and if he were more consistent, perhaps this fight would have ended differently as when he was able to land it was effective. It was simply a case where he was unable to break Nery’s rhythm and as a result, the pattern of the fight never changed, with Nery generally getting off his punches first and being able to move, which ultimately led to him being able to break Hovhannisyan down.

As for Luis Nery, he is currently rated number two in the world by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and will likely be in position to challenge the winner of the upcoming fight between WBC world champion Stephen Fulton and undefeated former Undisputed Bantamweight world champion  Naoya Inoue later this year. While Nery probably took more punishment in this fight with Azat Hovhannisyan than he or his handlers would have liked, it was still an impressive performance and one that will likely make him the logical opponent for the winner of that fight.

Ultimately, these three exciting main events stretched across three different Boxing cards in three different countries is as good an illustration as any to a consumer as to the value of a DAZN subscription. While that is something that the network strives for in an era where subscription-based streaming is becoming the dominant force in all of television including sports, it should not be overlooked that recently DAZN raised it’s monthly subscription option in the United States to $24.99 per month, while also raising it’s annual subscription option to $224.99 per year. A move that has angered some fans as the network also intends to offer occasional pay-per-view events, which would not be included with the increased subscription options.

Although this is likely due to the ongoing effects of the ongoing COVID-19 global epidemic from a standpoint of operational costs as well as the challenge of acquiring broadcast rights to various sports globally outside of Boxing in an increasingly expanding market as many sports and leagues look to transition away from traditional television to streaming, any network in DAZN’s position is constantly walking a tight rope in an effort to both make a profit and provide value for their subscribers. While the use of the outdated and overpriced model of pay-per-view is not a wise strategy even when used on an occasional basis for any network in 2023 as buys for such events continue to decline, if one is objective, it is hard to say that DAZN is not providing value for their subscribers. As walking the tight rope becomes increasingly more challenging however, there will likely come a point where the network will have to come to terms with fighters and promoters who continue to insist on the use of pay-per-view if they want to maintain and add value for an increased subscription price.

“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

A Boxing Marathon Set To Air On DAZN On February 18th

A consistent theme of this observer’s work particularly here on The Boxing Truth® over the last several years has been the gradual shift of the sport of Boxing away from traditional television platforms and pay-per-view and towards digital subscription-based streaming networks and platforms. While the pay-per-view model unfortunately still exists in 2023 and has even creeped into the subscription-based streaming model, one of the benefits to subscription-based streaming as it relates to Boxing is generally offering more value to consumers as compared to traditional television platforms, including, but not limited to, offering a subscriber the opportunity to see every bout on a card as well as offering multiple events on one platform in a single day.

On February 18th, digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN will offer a full day of Boxing from three different countries that will feature a former world champion continuing his comeback, a fight for a version of the World Featherweight championship, and an encounter between two top Jr. Featherweight contenders looking to take another step towards a world title shot.

First up will be former two-division world champion Felix Sturm, who will return to the ring to face veteran Sukru Altay in Stuttgart, Germany in a ten round Light-Heavyweight bout. Although Sturm is a former world champion in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions, he is perhaps best known, particularly to American Boxing fans, for his first professional loss, when he lost a controversial twelve round unanimous decision and his WBO World Middleweight championship to Oscar De La Hoya in June 2004. A fight that many, including yours truly, who covered it, felt that Sturm deserved the decision. Nearly nineteen years later and many fights and ups and downs outside the ring, Sturm, now forty-four years old looks to continue a comeback that began in 2020, but one where he is coming off of a loss.

In that fight one year ago, Sturm dropped a twelve round majority decision to Super-Middleweight Istvan Szili. Now looking to bounce back from what was the sixth loss of his career, Sturm will set his sights on a third weight class, the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. For his Light-Heavyweight debut, Sturm will face relative unknown Sukru Altay. Quite frankly, this fight can be described as one where the theme is “The Unknown.”

What exactly is “Unknown” the reader might ask? Well in simple terms, both fighters have questions to answer in this fight. It is unknown just how much Felix Sturm has left at age forty-four and being several years removed from both his physical prime as well as when he was a world champion. Although he is coming into this fight off of a loss, the big question at least in my eyes is whether or not his sporadic activity since his return in 2020 has done more harm than good. While some of the issue of his activity could perhaps be blamed on the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic, Sturm has only fought once per year since his return from a four year hiatus in 2020. The biggest enemy for any fighter throughout combat sports is inactivity, especially for a fighter at an advanced age as Sturm now is. This in addition to the obvious question of how he will look as a Light-Heavyweight is the “Unknown” that surrounds him. At his best, Sturm was a solid combination puncher with a tight defensive guard and consistent jab, in which the rest of his offense flowed off of. It will be interesting to see both what the former champion has left as well as what he will bring to the fight.

Similarly, it will also be interesting to see what Sturm’s opponent Sukru Altay will bring into this encounter. The perhaps bigger “Unknown” beyond the questions that surround Sturm is just who is Sukru Altay? Altay will enter this fight with a record of 15-2, with 14 Knockouts. Despite being at a significant experience disadvantage compared to Sturm who will be entering the ring for the fifty-third time in his professional career, Altay does have an 83% career knockout percentage. The potential flaw to that however, is that he has not fought anywhere near the level of competition as Sturm has and that is the big “Unknown” that surrounds him going into this fight. Whether Altay’s record is a case of a fighter lacking opportunity and simply beating whatever opposition that has been put in front of him while waiting for an opportunity to face a notable opponent, or if his record is a product of clever matchmaking is something that remains to be seen.

This brings us to the second main event that will be featured as part of this marathon of Boxing on February 18th.  A highly anticipated encounter for the WBA Featherweight championship of the world between champion Leigh Wood and challenger and WBA number ten rated Featherweight contender Mauricio Lara, which will headline a Boxing card at the Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England. Wood, who was recently named full WBA world champion in the Featherweight division after previously holding Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA’s rankings will be making his second title defense in his reign, which is now recognized by the WBA following former champion Leo Santa Cruz vacating the championship to compete full-time in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division. In his last fight in March of last year, Wood scored a scary twelfth round knockout over previously undefeated Michael Conlan in what was a close and competitive fight where Wood knocked his opponent out of the ring and out of the fight in the final round.

As scary as that knockout was, Conlan was okay after spending time in a near by hospital and has resumed his career with two victories since that loss and would appear to be nearing a potential rematch with Wood. Before what would be a lucrative second bout between the two, Wood must get past a very dangerous opponent in Mauricio Lara.

Lara will enter this fight having won six of his last seven bouts with the only blemish coming in his rematch with Josh Warrington, who was between reigns as IBF Featherweight world champion at the time of his two encounters with Lara. As most know, Lara knocked Warrington out in their first encounter, but the rematch between the two ended in a technical draw due to Lara suffering a bad cut in the second round as a result of an accidental head butt.

Since that rematch in September 2021, Warrington has gone on to regain the IBF world championship in the division and would likely welcome a third bout with Lara if Lara can win the WBA world championship in this fight against Leigh Wood as it would raise the stakes of a third bout to also be a unification bout. This will be Lara’s first attempt at a world championship in this fight against Wood and stylistically, this could be a fight similar to Wood’s bout with Michael Conlan as both fighters can do a little of everything and both have shown punching power in previous bouts.

Lara has likely seen Wood’s bout with Conlan where the champion was dropped in the first round and was behind on all three official scorecards prior to Wood being able to catch Conlan in the final round. While if Conlan, who was knocked down in the eleventh round in that fight had been able to continue after being knocked out of the ring in the twelfth round, the bout might have ended in a draw, Lara likely knows if he is able to get out to a lead early in the fight as Conlan had done, he will need to pace himself as Wood tends to come on as a fight progresses and seems to get stronger as a fight moves into the middle and late rounds. With much at stake for both fighters, a world championship on the line, and potentially more lucrative paydays ahead for the winner, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top of a fight that appears to be evenly matched on paper. 

Finally, the day of Boxing on DAZN will conclude with an intriguing Jr. Featherweight encounter between two former world title challengers who are each looking to position themselves for another opportunity at a world title. This observer is referring to the bout between Luis Nery and Azat Hovhannisyan, which will be taking place in Pomona, CA.

The bout, which is scheduled for twelve rounds, brings together two of the top contenders in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division. Although both fighters each have career knockout percentages above 70%, this is a clash of styles between a boxer in Nery against a puncher in Hovhannisyan. The similarity between the two fighters however, is that both men have been unbeaten since losing their respective challenges for world titles. Both fighters are likely more than aware of what the other can do and it will be interesting to see how they approach each other in this crucial fight in their respective careers. While a loss for either man would not likely signal the end of the road in terms of their career, another setback at this stage would likely move them back further from potential contention and it will take some time to try and rebound from it.

A tripleheader of Boxing events that offers a little bit of everything for any Boxing fan. Whether this will be the start of what could become a regular occurrence for DAZN and other streaming networks remains to be seen. What a day of Boxing such as this does demonstrate however, is not only the benefit of a subscription-based model, but more specifically the value for the subscription price. Even the harshest critics of the sport should view that as a step forward even in an era where there are those who continue to embrace other models that cost more to the consumer and do not offer value for what they are asked to pay.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.

Sturm vs. Altay takes place on Saturday, February 18th at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany. The fight as well as it’s undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 10:50AM ET/7:50AM PT.

Wood vs. Lara takes place on Saturday, February 18th at the Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England. The card can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with Before the Bell, which will also feature preliminary bouts beginning at 10:30AM ET/7:30AM PT. This will be followed by the main card, which is scheduled to begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

Nery vs. Hovhannisyan takes place on Saturday, February 18th at the Fox Theater in Pomona, CA. The bout as well as it’s full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT.

*All events will be available on demand.*

*U. S. Start Times Only*

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

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

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

End Of March 2022 Thoughts

 Originally, this column was intended to focus strictly on the landscape of the 126lb. Featherweight division that took a significant spotlight during the month of March in the sport of Boxing. Due to circumstances beyond this observer's control however, this column will be expanded to include some of the other events that took place during the last full week of March. This is due in part to technical issues that yours truly experienced during what was expected to be coverage of the RJJ Boxing card, which took place on Thursday, March 24^th in Nayarit, Mexico. Unfortunately, due to those technical problems, coverage of that card will be limited to the following results.

 

In the opening bout of the card, which took place at the Palenque de la Expo, Lightweight Marco Moreno scored a four round unanimous decision over Jonathan Zuniga. Featherweight Hector Cruz scored a six round unanimous decision over Miguel Hernandez. Jr Lightweight Armando Almanza scored an eight round decision over Edgar Vargas. The lone stoppage on the card came when Light-Heavyweight Lester Martinez scored a fifth round stoppage of Jaime Lopez. Jr. Welterweight prospect Salvatore Tapia closed out the evening by earning an eight round split decision over Emiliano Cruz.

 

While not the usual type of coverage that the reader can expect here on The Boxing Truth® in a full Boxing card being summarized in one paragraph, hopefully such coverage will only be reserved for when circumstances unfortunately warrant it, which was the circumstances this time around. With the brief summary of the events that took place in Mexico on March 24^th concluded, it is now time to discuss three specific bouts that took place on Saturday, March 26^th. While the Featherweight landscape, the original intent of this column will instead serve as the conclusion, three other bouts took place on this particular evening that will be discussed, two of which, had a similar storyline that coincidentally took place on the same card.

 

This observer is referring to the card that took place at the new Resorts World Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV where two bouts that can be described as “Crossroads Fights” took place. First it was rising Jr. Welterweight prospect Josue Vargas, who was returning to the ring for the first time since suffering a first round stoppage loss in October of last year at the hands of top contender and former world title challenger Jose Zepeda.

 

For Vargas’ first bout back since that loss he faced Nicolas Demario in a scheduled eight round bout. Although this had all the appearance of a “Comeback Fight” in the sense that it was meant to be a way for a fighter in Vargas’ position to step back in after suffering a knockout loss, without being tested too much, the largely unknown Demario proved to be a more difficult opponent than some may have anticipated. For a large portion of this fight, Vargas was able to out work Demario, but Demario’s ability to catch Vargas with hard counter punches proved to provide a difficult test for a fighter coming off of a knockout loss.

 

It was Demario’s counter punching ability that led to a knockdown of Vargas in round five. There were also moments where Vargas ended up on the canvas that were not ruled knockdowns throughout the bout. This one knockdown as well as Demario having periodic moments throughout, did give an impression that he was competitive and in the fight in terms of having the potential to win it. It was later in the fifth round however, where Demario would do something that arguably should have resulted in a disqualification loss against him in biting Vargas on his shoulder resulting in a point deduction and subsequently nullified the potential advantage he would have had on the official scorecards.

 

While Vargas would be able to secure a victory in this bout via an eight round unanimous decision, the story that comes out of this fight is obviously biting incident in the fifth round. Although biting incidents in Boxing do not happen often, they have happened periodically throughout the sport’s history most notably in the mid-1990’s in two separate incidents that occurred in Boxing’s Heavyweight division. First the May 1995 encounter between Andrew Golota and Samson Po’uha where Golota bit Po’uha on the neck in the fourth round, which did not result in a point deduction or even a warning by Referee Eddie Cotton, who was out of position and did not see the foul occur, despite Po’uha telling the referee that he was bit. Video replays would confirm this, but Golota would ultimately stop Po’uha in the fifth round. Perhaps the most notable biting incident not just in that time period, but in the history of the sport occurred in June 1997 when in a highly anticipated rematch Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield on one of his ears. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson in the third round of that fight when he bit Holyfield. It would be moments after the deduction when Tyson seemingly looking for a way out of the fight, would bite Holyfield a second time on the same ear resulting in immediate disqualification.

 

Although the Tyson-ear bite incident is still talked about and ridiculed to this day, it is the event that is almost automatically thought of whenever there is an instance where one fighter bites another during the course of a fight. Should Demario been disqualified for his biting foul? As someone who is as old school as they come, I believe the point deduction was appropriate only because rules and regulations as they stand dictate such protocols. Perhaps the various state athletic commissions, international regulatory boards, as well as the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) should revisit the issue of protocols when biting occurs and maybe indicate that biting, which was not even allowed in the early incarnation of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) where fights were fought essentially under a no holds barred format, should be grounds for automatic disqualification. As of now, a point deduction for a first offense of biting is the appropriate call under the rules, but obviously, the decision of how many points will be deducted will be the decision of the referee at the time a biting foul occurs until such time as the rules are changed. Both due to the biting incident in this fight as well as the difficulty Demario gave Vargas throughout, it was not the type of performance Vargas was likely looking for in his first fight coming off of a knockout loss, but he did what he had to do and got the victory.

 

The second bout that occurred at the Resorts World Hotel and Casino also featured a fighter looking to bounce back from a knockout loss.  In February of last year, Miguel Berchelt defended his WBC Jr. Lightweight world championship against Oscar Valdez in what was one of the more anticipated fights of the year. A fight in which Berchelt, a fighter known as one of the sport’s “Knockout Artists” suffered a brutal knockout loss at the hands of Valdez and the loss of his world championship. While it was known that Berchelt had recently recovered from a bout with the COVID-19 virus prior to that bout, he handled the defeat to Valdez with class and did not use that bout with COVID-19 as an arguing point for a performance in that fight in which he was not himself and Valdez simply took advantage of the opportunity and knocked him out in the tenth round after dropping Berchelt in rounds and nine before landing the blow that would immediately end the fight and send Berchelt to the hospital in the tenth round.

 

Although there is still much that is unknown about the COVID-19 virus and the long-term effects it could have on those who contract it, it was clear to me as I watched that bout that Berchelt was not the aggressive seek and destroy pressure fighter that he had built his reputation on. Whether that was due in part to his bout with the virus prior to that fight or simply it not being his night when he faced Valdez is something that no matter what Berchelt might say, will likely be debated amongst Boxing fans. As Berchelt prepared to make his comeback from that loss, he would do so in a new weight division in moving up five pounds from the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division to the 135lb. Lightweight division to face Jeremia Nakathila.  Nakathila was taking a step up in class by fighting a fighter of Berchelt’s caliber in being a former world champion, but like Berchelt, Nakathila had established a reputation for being able to score quick knockouts in scoring knockouts of over 75% of his opponents in his twenty-two wins going into the bout. Nakathila had previously failed in attempting to step up in class when he lost to current WBO Jr. Lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson via twelve round unanimous decision in June of last year as a Jr. Lightweight

 

The obvious question that I had in mind going into this fight was how would Miguel Berchelt look. To be more specific, the type of knockout he had suffered at the hands of Oscar Valdez was such that it could ruin a fighter both in terms of how that fighter approaches a fight and in terms of that fighter’s ability to take a punch going forward. Despite Berchelt having been stopped twice before prior to facing Valdez, it was a severe knockout and even though Berchelt had scored knockouts in thirty-four of his thirty-eight career wins registering a career knockout percentage of 82%, the severity of what had happened to him the last time he stepped into a ring to compete was something I personally could not ignore.

 

From the opening bell, Berchelt looked what is sometimes referred to within the sport as “Gun Shy.” In that he hesitated to throw punches. While I thought for a brief moment that perhaps he as a normally offense-first fighter was being more cautious in hesitating to let his hands go, it did not take long for that brief thought to be replace with concern for Berchelt’s well-being. To be frank, what I saw in this bout can be summed up in two words “Target Practice.” Nakathila established the distance in which the fight would be fought and quickly found at home for his right hand. Seemingly whenever he threw his right hand whether it was to the body or head, it connected. Nakathila also mixed in combinations, which kept Berchelt preoccupied with trying to defend rather than throwing punches. A knockdown would be scored by Nakathila in round three as a result of a double jab to the head of Berchelt.

 

Although the jab is the most elementary of punches, it is perhaps the most effective weapon in a fighter’s arsenal when executed properly. Despite doing his best and for a time holding up to the punishment he was sustaining, Berchelt had increasing difficulty maintaining his balance and his legs would shake even when he would miss a punch. With the fight increasingly going one way, Berchelt had what amounted to a last gasp in the fifth round when he momentarily stunned Nakathila with a left hook and finally opened up with an offensive burst.

 

In round six, Nakathila had regained control and after knocking Berchelt’s mouthpiece out and across the ring with a right hand, Referee Russell Mora took Berchelt to his corner to have the mouthpiece put back in, but did tell both the fighter and his corner that Berchelt needed to show him something. Three words that usually when uttered by a referee is an indication that the referee is close to stopping the fight. Although Berchelt would make it out of the sixth round, Mora would do exactly that after the round was over putting an end to six rounds of a mostly one-sided beating that Berchelt had suffered.

 

Even though no one can take anything away from Jeremia Nakathila’s performance in what was the biggest win of his career, as someone who always is concerned for a fighter’s long-term welfare, I was not thinking that I had just seen what could be a star-making performance by Jeremia Nakathila. I was instead thinking I could be seeing what should probably be the end of a fighter’s career.

 

It has become a habit of this observer to state on a regular basis that I have spent most of my life covering Boxing and by extension combat sports. While this has exposed me to just about everything that the sport of Boxing has to offer and can be seen, both good and bad, I often hesitate when making a statement on when a fighter should retire because I have never been in the ring and thus I understand how someone can question how I could say something like a fighter should retire because obviously, I have never been in a boxer’s position. As someone who has seen and covered fights on every level imaginable in the sport, a proud Boxing Lifer as I often say, I saw signs in this fight that have me concerned for Miguel Berchelt going forward.

 

Signs such as his ability to take a punch, also known as punch resistance, being significantly diminished in addition to obvious problems in being able to maintain his balance. Although I would very much like to dismiss what I saw by saying that a fighter had what I often refer to as a bad night at the office, I cannot. It is also important for me to state that I am not a medical doctor and I do not have a background in the medical field. Having said this and keeping in mind that Miguel Berchelt had to have passed all medical screenings required by the state of Nevada in order to be granted a license to compete against Jeremia Nakathila, I believe based on what I saw not only in this fight, but also his previous bout against Oscar Valdez that perhaps more testing might be required before Berchelt is allowed to box again. As for what type of testing, I will leave that to those who have a background far more than yours truly to analyze, but I believe Berchelt would be risking long-term damage if he were allowed to continue his career without further extensive medical testing based on what I observed in his previous two fights.

 

This is not a criticism of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) or the current medical screening protocols, which are in place. For a sport that has already had enough tragedies throughout it’s history however, I would much rather see one prevented than seeing more extensive medical screenings/testing implemented in response to a tragedy that could be prevented.

 

Now, we come back to the subject that was originally intended for this column. The Featherweight landscape. Not so coincidentally in regard to that subject, March 26th featured a rematch for the IBF Featherweight world championship between two-division world champion Kiko Martinez and former IBF Featherweight world champion Josh Warrington. This was a role reversal from their first fight in May 2017 where Warrington, then an undefeated WBC regional champion defeated Martinez via twelve round split decision.

 

In the roller coaster world of Boxing, a lot can change in five years. Warrington went from an undefeated world champion to relinquishing his crown due to the various politics that surround the sport, to suffering his first defeat by a stoppage at the hands of Mauricio Lara, to having an inconclusive outcome in their rematch in September of last year. Martinez meanwhile, had become the definition of a grizzled veteran, who some might refer to as a gatekeeper, a term that this observer does not necessarily view as respectful, but more or less a fighter that was not expected by some to become a world champion again in his career.

 

Martinez proved those that had given him such a label wrong when he knocked out Kid Galahad in November of last year to win the IBF crown. Sometimes when a rematch takes place several years removed from the first encounter, you do not necessarily know what type of fight might occur when two fighters enter the ring to renew competition. The first fight between these two was very close and competitive where Warrington was able to edge Martinez out for the decision victory. Given the skillset and overall experience of both fighters, I felt, despite the near five years between the first fight and the rematch that we could see a tactical battle.

 

What we ended up seeing however, was a grueling battle where one fighter showed tremendous courage, while the other showed not only that, but also determination. It appeared as though this might have been a short rematch as Warrington dropped the champion hard in the first round with a hook to the head. To his credit, Martinez was able to get up and survive the round. As the fight progressed and Warrington continued to dish out punishment, Martinez would suffer three cuts over the course of about including two around his eyes and a gash on his forehand. The champion was able to weather the storm and was also able to find periodic success as the bout progressed including what was revealed in the days following the fight, breaking Warrington’s jaw during the fight. Despite the “Game” effort by Martinez, it would not be enough as Warrington would be able to stop him in the seventh round to regain his world championship.

 

As for what this will do for the landscape of the 126lb. Featherweight division, there are several possibilities that could await Warrington in his next bout. One possibility could be a third fight with Mauricio Lara after an accidental clash of heads led to a no contest in the rematch last September, a possible third fight with Martinez, or a potential encounter with Leigh Wood who is coming off a thrilling come from behind stoppage of previously undefeated Michael Conlan earlier this month. Wood currently holds an interim/regular championship designation in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Featherweight ratings. Current WBA world champion Leo Santa Cruz has not competed in the division in recent times, so there is an obvious possibility that Wood might be named WBA champion in the near future, which would open the possibility of a potential showdown with Warrington to be a unification bout.

 

 There is also the possibility that Wood, who came from behind in a fight he was losing on the scorecards to stop Conlan in the final round, could see a potential rematch with him before a possible showdown with Warrington. The fight, which ended in scary fashion with Conlan being knocked out of the ring and for a time out cold, was a very competitive and exciting fight and there should be interest in seeing a potential rematch between the two. Despite the knockout loss, Conlan, who was hospitalized for a time after the fight in a true fighter’s mentality expressed interest in a rematch the day after the fight took place.

 

For a division that has historically been one of Boxing’s most storied and most competitive weight classes, it appears some interesting times are ahead for the Featherweights, Who will emerge out of the pack to be considered the number one fighter in the division, which also includes WBC world champion Mark Magsayo, and WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete as the current world champions in the division, remains to be seen.

 

“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

 

 

The Featherweight Puzzle

 

Over the last few weeks, the sport of Boxing at least in regard to the professional side of the sport has seen a focus of sorts on the 126lb. Featherweight division. Of course, readers here on The Boxing Truth®️ have seen the coverage that this observer has provided over the last two weeks of Matchroom Boxing’s second season of its Fight Camp series at the estate of promoter Eddie Hearn and the Hearn family known in Boxing circles as Matchroom Headquarters. Coincidentally, the first two weeks of the season have been headlined by two Featherweight bouts that may have an impact on the upper echelon of the division going forward. 

 

First, it was Leigh Wood, who scored a dominant twelfth round stoppage of top contender Xu Can on July 31^st that earned him an interim/regular championship designation in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Featherweight ratings. This was followed by longtime contender Kid Galahad, who scored an eleventh round stoppage this past weekend (August 7^th) in his rematch with James Dickens to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight world championship. On August 6^th however, an additional Featherweight bout took place at Falls Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where undefeated contender Michael Conlan met former IBF Jr. Featherweight world champion TJ Doheny in a twelve round bout. A fight that took place before a crowd of over six thousand spectators in a purpose filled setting.

 

While it was not long ago in the days predating the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic to see a loud and enthusiastic crowd of spectators attending fights on a regular basis, especially in the Boxing hotbed of the United Kingdom and Ireland, perhaps it was the circumstance that this was the first Boxing event to take place in Ireland with spectators in attendance that made the atmosphere special, though perhaps also a bit uneasy depending on one’s perspective given the circumstances of the ongoing crisis. As for the fight itself, it was a largely tactical bout that was in many was dictated by Conlan’s ability to control distance, pick his shots, defense due to outstanding upper body movement, ability to give angles, and finally attack in spurts.

 

The highlights of the fight came first in the closing seconds of round four when Conlan connected with a flush right hook that stunned Doheny to form him backward, in round five, Conlan followed up with an attack to Doheny’s body, which would force him to take a knee. From that point on, Conlan continued to mix his attack well and, despite Doheny being able to have success sporadically throughout the bout, it would be Conlan who would box his way to a convincing twelve round unanimous decision victory. Although this was an extremely technical performance by Conlan and one might argue that the potential for a stoppage victory was there for him if he had opted to be more aggressive during those periods where he let his hands go, it was nevertheless, a dominant performance for a fighter that is also rated number one in the world by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division.

 

The victory for Conlan however, also adds his name to what is becoming an increasingly complicated puzzle in the 126lb. Featherweight division. Now, the reader might be asking “Just what makes the situation in the Featherweight division a complicated puzzle Beau?” I will do my best to explain and hopefully, do so in such a way that it does not give the reader a migraine headache.

 

First, there are five recognized world sanctioning organizations that on their own can create confusion simply because of the number of organizations that regulate and sanction world championship bouts in Boxing’s seventeen weight classes. For the purposes of the current Featherweight landscape, the International Boxing Organization (IBO) does not currently have a world champion in the Featherweight division. There remains the World Boxing Council (WBC) as well as the previously three mentioned organizations, the WBA, WBO, and IBF.

 

In regard to the WBA, the structure of their rankings process is one that I have criticized frequently over the years simply because there is one world champion that is deemed “Super” champion, followed by two fighters that each hold an interim or regular designation in the WBA ratings in a given weight class. While frankly I could pen a column or perhaps several on the fallacies of such a structure, as I have also pointed out frequently over the years in discussing the WBA, it is something that on the surface is well-intentioned as a way of ensuring contenders get an opportunity to fight for a world championship if in the event that due to injuries or other circumstances the world champion does not fulfill their obligations to defend their championship against mandatory challengers, which are annually mandated.

 

The current picture of the WBA Featherweight ratings sees Leo Santa Cruz recognize as world champion, while Leigh Wood holds one Interim/Regular champion designation. Until their meeting on August 6^th, both Michael Conlan and TJ Doheny were rated number four and five respectively in the same ratings. Now, with Conlan earning the second Interim/Regular designation, the question becomes what’s next? In a perfect world, Leigh Wood would be next in line to challenge Leo Santa Cruz as the next mandatory challenger, which is essentially what an Interim/Regular championship designation is, is a mandatory challenger position.

 

For several reasons including, but not limited to different promoters having respective interests involved, competing television networks across both the traditional and streaming realms, the fact that those promoters and networks do not always see the benefit of working together both for their interests as well as the fighters involved, and finally the sanctioning organizations involved, the idea that a fighter that earns a mandatory title shot, getting that opportunity in a reasonable timeframe is never a certainty.

 

In this case, despite his status as the WBA world champion in the Featherweight division, Leo Santa Cruz has not defended the WBA Featherweight world championship in over two years. Instead, moving up to the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division before meeting Gervonta Davis in October of last year in a fight where WBA designations in multiple weight classes, but only one world championship, Santa Cruz’ WBA Jr. Featherweight world championship was on the line, a championship he lost to Davis by knockout, was on the line.  As much as that is a reflection of the fallacy of the WBA’s ratings structure, and keeping in mind that a good portion of Santa Cruz’ inactivity at Featherweight may have been caused by the circumstances of COVID-19, the fact is, the WBA championship has been inactive at 126lbs. with the exception of of the top contenders that have been vying for interim/regular championship designations.

 

Of course, the WBA could mandate Santa Cruz to defend his Featherweight championship against Leigh Wood. The problem will then become whether or not the respective promoters involved, the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, where Santa Cruz has primarily fought and Matchroom Boxing, Woods’ promoter will be willing to sit down and make the fight. While this does not factor in the competing networks involved Showtime/Fox Sports, who primarily carry PBC events and DAZN, who is firmly alight with Matchroom Boxing , but has also shown a willingness to work with all promoters, that would likely each make offers for the potential fight to air on their respective platforms, the fact that rival promoters rarely see beyond their own interests often in of itself, leads to an impasse, which unfortunately means bouts of significant interest do not get made.

 

The other possibility is the WBA may strip Santa Cruz of their Featherweight world championship and then elevate Wood from holding an interim/regular champion designation to full WBA champion, thus eliminating the need to sanction a fight for a vacant world championship, if that were to happen, which in theory is why interim/regular designations exists beyond ensuring top contenders get their opportunity to fight for a world championship, the question will be whether the organization will then mandate Wood to face Michael Conlan in his first title defense.

 

Although the same conundrum exists in that scenario with Matchroom/DAZN on one end of the table, but different with promoter Bob Arum, his promotional entity Top Rank, Inc, and ESPN on the other side of the negotiating table representing Conlan, the good news is Matchroom and Top Rank have worked together in the past to make fights and the broadcasters involved here also showed a willingness to work together so there at least is a possibility of a Wood-Conlan bout for the WBA championship coming to fruition. Out of respect for the reader, I will not dwell into this possible unification scenarios that would involve the WBC, IBF, and WBO in addition to the WBA. 

 

The scenarios this observer has laid out though I have done my best to explain it simply, can be confusing enough in the context of one column. Although this “Featherweight Puzzle “ will not be solved in short order, The first step towards solving the puzzle and hopefully unification of the Featherweight division in the process will depend largely on whether there can be clarity in regard to the WBA’s end in the equation. I think yours truly is safe in saying the Boxing world hopes clarity comes sooner than later. At least we can hope.

 

“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

 

 

 

 

Wood Stops Can In 12 At Matchroom Fight Camp

 

In an upset,British Featherweight champion Leigh Wood scored a twelfth round stoppage of top Featherweight contender Xu Can in the main event of week 1 of Season 2 of Matchroom Fight Camp on Saturday night at Matchroom Headquarters in Brentwood, England. From the opening bell, Wood used angles and his reach to keep the normal volume puncher Can on the defensive and only getting his punches off sporadically. This along with consistent combination punching firmly established the momentum in Wood’s favor. As the fight progressed, Can, who entered the fight holding interim/regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Featherweight ratings, started to pick up his pace, but was unable to turn the ebb and flow of the combat in his favor, perhaps affected by ring rust after being inactive for nearly twenty-two months due largely to the ongoing COVID-19 global epidemic. 

 

The story of the fight became Wood’s ability to remain disciplined. With momentum seemingly on his side, Wood made a statement in the late stages of the twelfth and final round by dropping Can with a perfectly timed counter right hook to the head. Can was able to get to his feet, but Wood sensing his opponent was in trouble was not content to box the remaining seconds to what appeared to be a clear decision victory. He proceeded to press forward and with a follow-up barrage was able to get a stoppage with fifteen seconds remaining in the fight. Leigh Wood advances to 25-2, with 14 Knockouts. Xu Can falls to 18-3, with 3 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Commonwealth Cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith scored a hard fought twelve round split decision over European Cruiserweight champion Tommy McCarthy to win the European Cruiserweight championship and vacant British Cruiserweight championship. An extremely difficult fight to score and at times ugly to watch due to the fighters grappling on the inside, Smith was stunned by an overhand right to the head in the first round. He was able to recoup and managed to hold his own against the awkwardness of McCarthy. As the two fighters traded the ebb and flow in seemingly every round, McCarthy suffered a bad cut over the right eye in the sixth round as a result of an accidental clash of heads. McCarthy continued however, to hold his own and staggered Smith with another overhand right in the eleventh round. An extremely close fight with neither fighter standing out definitively was illustrated as two of three official judges scored the fight 115-114, but were split between the two fighters. The third and deciding judge however, turned in a score of 116-112 in favor of Smith giving him the victory and the trifecta of British, Commonwealth, and European Cruiserweight championships. Chris Billam-Smith advances to 13-1, with 10 Knockouts. Tommy McCarthy falls to 18-3, with 9 Knockouts.

 

Unbeaten Jr. Welterweight  Campbell Hatton, the son of former two-division world champion Ricky Hatton, improved to 3-0 in his young career by scoring a four round decision over Jakub Laskowski. Hatton forced the action from the outset and, despite a consistent attack to Laskowski’s body Laskowski did manage to make it to the final bell. As all non-title bouts held in the United Kingdom and Ireland that do not have an impact on regional or world rankings are scored solely by the referee officiating a fight, Referee Mark Bates scored the fight 40-36 in favor of Hatton. Campbell Hatton advances to 3-0, with 0 Knockouts. Jakub Laskowski falls to 4-5-1, with 2 Knockouts.

 

Jr. Middleweight contender Anthony Fowler scored an impressive eighth round stoppage of late substitute Rico Mueller. Fowler was able to keep Mueller, who took the fight on short notice when original opponent Roberto Garcia withdrew with an injury suffered in training, on the end of his punches with his longer reach from the opening bell. This resulted in Mueller having to fight behind a high defensive guard where he simply was not able to get his punches off consistently. As Fowler gradually kept his offense coming and started breaking through Mueller’s guard, the punishment gradually accumulated. In round eight, Fowler connected with a solid one, two to the head that staggered Mueller. Fowler responded with a near non-stop barrage of punches that was broken briefly when Mueller landed a single hook to the head, but that punch was not enough to keep Fowler off of him and with the assault continuing, the fight was mercifully stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 2:12 of round eight. Anthony Fowler advances to 16-1, with 12 Knockouts. Rico Mueller falls to 28-4-1, with 19 Knockouts.

 

 

Super-Middleweight Jack Cullen scored the biggest win of his career by scoring a dominant ten round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Avni Yildirim. Cullen used his longer reach to keep Yildirim at distance. Working behind a consistent jab and using lateral movement, Cullen was able to out box and withstand Yildirim’s pressure as the fight progressed to earn a convincing unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93 all in favor of Cullen. Jack Cullen advances to 20-2-1, with 9 Knockouts. Avni Yildirim falls to 21-4, with 12 Knockouts.

 

In the opening bout of the evening Women’s Jr. Welterweight Sandy Ryan began her professional career by scoring a six round decision over Kirstie Bavington.  Bavington began this fight by trying to impose her will on the debuting Ryan by trying to be aggressive and push her back against the ropes. Despite her aggression, Ryan landed the cleaner punches of the two fighters and by the middle rounds was using her lateral movement and timing to more or less pick her shots as Bavington came forward. It appeared in the latter stages of the fight that Ryan’s combination punching and ability to time Bavington almost at will may have been enough to get a late stoppage, but Bavington remained very “Game” and made it to the final bell. Referee Mark Bates scored the bout 60-54 in favor of Ryan.  Sandy Ryan advances to 1-0, with 0 Knockouts. Kirstie Bavington falls to 3-2-2, with 2 Knockouts.

 

Originally, this card was to be headlined by undefeated Welterweight contender Conor Benn facing Adrian Granados in a scheduled ten round bout. The fight however, was postponed two days before the card due to Benn contracting the COVID-19 virus. As of this writing, no rescheduled date has been announced. We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

 

The theme of Matchroom Fight Camp is a simple sales pitch “No Easy Fights.” While that is a simple sales hook, the first season in 2020 occurred under circumstances of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic and the concept was born basically out of necessity as promoters attempted to resume activity under very trying circumstances. As we saw last year, the bouts being promoted by Matchroom Boxing and the chairman of Matchroom Sport Eddie Hearn are not throwaways. The type of fights where there is a consensus amongst both fans and experts as to the outcomes. Instead, the fights during the first season were very competitive and produced more than a few unexpected results.

 

This time around with the addition of nearly three-hundred spectators as well as Matchroom deepening its relationship with global digital sports streaming network DAZN to cover the United Kingdom and Ireland market as well as its existing deal to broadcast Matchroom events around the world, the first week of season two saw a somewhat unexpected result in Leigh Wood catapulting himself from British Featherweight champion to being one step away from a world championship bout with a knockout of Xu Can, a fighter known for the ability to produce extremely high punch outputs and one that had never been stopped before.

 

As I said in previewing this card, while the Matchroom Fight Camp concept was one born out of necessity due to an ongoing global crisis, a crisis that reared itself a mere forty-eight hours before this card took place necessitating the postponement of the originally advertised main event, Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport have stumbled upon something that is likely to now become an annual part of the Matchroom promotional calendar every year. If the bouts can remain well-matched, fans can remain attending these cards, and if it also serves to strengthen the relationship between Matchroom and DAZN as both continue to expand globally and continue to show the Boxing world the benefits of a subscription-based model as compared to the pay-per-view model, and in doing so convince both promoters and networks that have resisted adapting to a more sensible and consumer-friendly model, it should be a win for the sport on a true global scale.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

We will have a preview of Matchroom Fight Camp Season 2 week 2 here on The Boxing Truth®️ on Thursday, August 5^th. Stay tuned.

 

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

 

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