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.

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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 

Lara-Warrington 2 Ends In Technical Draw In Leeds, England

 

Featherweights Mauricio Lara and former IBF Featherweight world champion Josh Warrington fought to a two round technical draw on Saturday night at Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England. A rematch of a ninth round stoppage from February of this year that was won by Lara, the rematch began with Lara and Warrington being willing to engage. In the second round Lara was cut over the left eye due to an accidental clash of heads. The resulting deep gash was examined by a ringside physician before round three could begin and it was determined that the gash was too deep to allow Lara to continue. As the bout had not progressed beyond four completed rounds, the bout was ruled a technical draw under the rules. Mauricio Lara advances to 23-2-2, with 16 Knockouts. Josh Warrington advances to 30-1-1, with 7 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

Undefeated Undisputed Women’s Lightweight world champion Katie Taylor scored a ten round unanimous decision over former IBF Featherweight world champion Jennifer Han. A very tactical bout throughout, Taylor generally got her punches off first, but did have trouble for a period of time landing cleaning on an elusive Han. In round eight, Taylor was credited with a knockdown after she landed a right hand, left hook combination to the head of the challenger, but it appeared those punches landed as Han had lost her footing. The question of the knockdown notwithstanding, the champion’s greater activity and ring generalship ultimately led her to win the fight by winning all ten rounds on all three official scorecards as the three judges scored the bout 100-89 in Taylor’s favor. Katie Taylor advances to 19-0, with 6 Knockouts. Jennifer Han falls to 18-4-1, with 1 Knockout.

Undefeated Welterweight contender Conor Benn scored a ten round unanimous decision over Adrian Granados. A fight that was originally scheduled for late July, but was postponed due to Benn testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, saw Benn show no adverse effects from his bout with the virus as he systematically stalked Granados over the course of ten rounds. Benn’s harder punches and Granados’ unwillingness to engage for the majority of the bout made it a simple fight to describe as Benn boxed his way to a convincing unanimous decision victory. Conor Benn advances to 19-0, with 12 Knockouts. Adrian Granados falls to 21-9-3, with 15 Knockouts.

Maxi Hughes scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision over IBO Lightweight world champion Jovanni Straffon to win the championship. From the opening bell, Hughes used angles and timing to get under the long-armed Straffon and outwork the champion. In round five Hughes landed a flush left hook to the jaw that had Straffon badly hurt, but miraculously, he managed to stay on his feat, despite the affects of a brutal barrage of punches. Hughes continued to land the left hook throughout and continued to make the champion miss on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Official scores were 120-107 (On two scorecards), and 119-109 in favor of Hughes. Maxi Hughes advances to 24-5-2, with 5 Knockouts. Jovanni Straffon falls to 24-4-1, with 17 Knockouts.  

Women’s Bantamweight Ebanie Bridges scored a hard-fought eight round decision over Mailys Gangloff. A fight that saw several heated exchanges of punches between the two fighters, the bout was very competitive all the way through to its conclusion. Despite suffering an apparent injury to her right hand over the course of the fight, Bridges’ greater aggression and generally harder punches were enough to earn a close decision victory. As all non-title bouts that are fought 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 bout, Referee Steve Gray scored the fight 77-76 in favor of Bridges. Ebanie Bridges advances to 7-1, with 3 Knockouts. Mailys Gangloff falls to 5-3, with 2 Knockouts.

Unbeaten Jr. Featherweight Ivan Hopey Price scored an impressive second round stoppage of Zahid Hussain. Price nearly ended the fight right at the bell to end the first round when he dropped Hussain with a short, but flush right hook to the head that sent Hussain down and badly hurt. Hussain was able to get up on unsteady legs and seemed to not know where he was. In the second round, Price pressed forward and following a second knockdown from a barrage of punches, it was a follow up that convinced Referee Howard Foster to stop the fight at 2:33 of round two. Ivan Hopey Price advances to 5-0, with 2 Knockouts. Zahid Hussain falls to 16-2, with 2 Knockouts.

Undefeated Jr. Featherweight Jack Bateson overcame a knockdown in round two to score a hard-fought six round decision over Felix Garcia. Bateson seemed to be in control until he was dropped with a right hand in the closing seconds of the second round by Garcia. Garcia tried to put the pressure on in round three, but eventually Bateson was able to find his rhythm and scored the decision victory. Referee Mark Lyson scored the bout 58-56 in his favor. Jack Bateson advances to 14-0, with 3 Knockouts. Felix Garcia falls to 7-3-1, with 3 Knockouts.  

Unbeaten Jr. Middleweight Brandon Stansfield scored a workmanlike four round decision over MJ Hall. From the start Stansfield kept Hall on the defensive and mixed his shots up well to the body and head. Referee Steve Gray scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Stansfield. Brandon Stansfield advances to 2-0, with 0 Knockouts MJ Hall falls to 2-63-2, with 0 Knockouts/

Light-Heavyweight Mali Wright began the evening by successfully making his professional debut with a second round stoppage of Antony Woolery. Wright quickly found a home for his right hand on Woolery and frequently landed it over the course of the two rounds while mixing in some effective body shots. At the conclusion of the second round Woolery’s corner seeing their fighter taking mostly one way punishment stopped the fight. Mali Wright advances to 1-0, with 1 Knockout. Antony Woolery falls to 2-7, with 0 Knockouts.

This card, which was promoted by promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing had a highly enthusiastic crowd of over 20,000 spectators on hand at Headingley Stadium. The first such mass gathering on this scale since the circumstances of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic began. Those in attendance were there to support their hometown favorite Josh Warrington, who was looking for vengeance after suffering his first career loss and having previously relinquished his world championship prior to that setback. What was unfortunately an inclusive ending in the main event will inevitably lead to a third encounter between the two as the reality is much was not resolved on this evening in Leeds, England.

The atmosphere that this nine-bout card was staged is something that cannot be ignored. Hopefully, it is an encouraging sign that a return to normalcy is closer than it might appear even as we remain in the midst of an ongoing global crisis. Boxing certainly benefits more when there is an enthusiastic crowd on hand to witness the battles in the ring. Outside of the inclusive outcome in the main event of this card, the night of Boxing should be viewed as an overall success.

“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

Lara-Warrington 2: Can Lara Do It Again?

 

In February of this year, Josh Warrington, the recent former IBF Featherweight world champion, who had relinquished his crown due to elements surrounding the politics of the sport of Boxing climbed into the ring with veteran Mauricio Lara at the Wembley Arena in London, England in what was thought by some to be a means for Warrington to simply re-enter competition after being sidelined like much of the world by the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. Although some thought of Mauricio Lara as a mere opponent, he did enter the fight with a respectable record of 22-2, with 15 Knockouts compared to Warrington’s 30-0, with 7 Knockouts.

It became clear rather quickly once the fight began that, despite not having the resume comparable to the former world champion, Lara was not interested in being a mere opponent for a fighter in Warrington that frankly had bigger things looming ahead of him.  As some may recall when the two fighters met on February 13^th of this year, Lara proved to be the stronger of the two fighters as he frequently landed hard thudding punches on Warrington. This included Lara dropping the former world champion hard in the fourth round with a flush left hook to the head.

Although Warrington showed tremendous heart in this fight, he simply could not find a way to keep Lara off of him and it was in the ninth round that Lara brought the fight to an end by knocking Warrington down with another left hook leading to the fight being stopped.  This now leads to the rematch on Saturday, September 4^th at the Headingley Stadium in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England. The bout will headline a nine-bout card broadcast globally by digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

There is no dispute that Lara’s knockout of Warrington was an upset, but it was also the type of performance and knockout that some might ask how Warrington will look in this immediate rematch. Some may also question the wisdom in Warrington choosing to take the rematch over six months after the first bout. To be specific, taking the rematch in a relatively short time after suffering a beating at the hands of Lara.

In this observer’s eyes, the focus going into this rematch is squarely on Josh Warrington. Warrington is a former world champion and does have experience at the top level of the sport. What is usually questioned after a fighter sustains the kind of punishment he did against Lara is what effect will it have on the fighter in the long-term? While every fighter and every knockout is different, it is a fair question to ask.

Warrington is a world-class boxer that is capable of Boxing his way to convincing decision victories. What worked against him in the first fight in my eyes was he was more willing to engage with Lara than had been the case against previous opponents. Perhaps this was due to not being familiar with Lara’s style or possibly taking Lara, who was not well-known going into that bout a little lightly with an eye toward more lucrative fights ahead. Whatever the case might be, Warrington’s decision to be more stationary and not use lateral movement to the level he has previously in his career played into Lara’s hands as he gradually broke Warrington down.

An old saying that yours truly believes in with regard to not just the sport of Boxing, but all combat sports is styles make fights. It may be a case that Lara might have a style that is just too difficult for a fighter with Warrington’s style to combat. While this remains to be seen, it will be interesting to see if Lara tries to implement the same pressure/power punching style that worked to his advantage in February. A question that some might ask is whether or not it will be the same approach or if Lara will implement slight changes in order to deflect any adjustments that Warrington might make this time around. If Lara is able to repeat his performance in the rematch, it will be hard not to say that he would not be in line for a world championship opportunity in the 126lb. Featherweight division in the near future.  While a second loss to Mauricio Lara would not necessarily put his career in doubt, a second loss would almost certainly drop Josh Warrington out of the picture of potential world championship fights and other lucrative opportunities for a period of time.

The Lara-Warrington rematch card will also feature two bouts that have significant interest. First, undefeated Undisputed Women’s Lightweight world champion Katie Taylor will defend her crown against former IBF Featherweight world champion Jennifer Han in a bout scheduled for ten rounds. For Taylor, who is the top fighter in the 135lb. Lightweight division, the question is how long will she remain at Lightweight. As an undisputed world champion, Taylor has no shortage of opportunities going forward that could see her challenge Undisputed Welterweight world champion Jessica McCaskill, who Taylor defeated in December 2017 in her first title defense of what was then the WBA Lightweight world championship that she eventually fully unified with the WBC, IBF, and WBO world championships, or even a fight with seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano, who is coming off of a successful defense of her unified IBF/WBO/IBO Featherweight world championship over Yamileth Mercado on the undercard of Jake Paul’s victory over former MMA world champion Tyron Woodley.

While there is no shortage of potentially lucrative fights ahead for Taylor, in Jennifer Han, Taylor will face a former Featherweight world champion who has not lost a bout in seven years, but is coming off a bit of a layoff due to having a child and is moving up in weight to challenge Taylor. Han, who is the current number one contender in the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) Women’s Lightweight ratings is a veteran of twenty-five bouts and will enter the bout with a record of 18-3-1, with 1 Knockout compared to the champion who will enter with a record of 18-0, with 6 Knockouts.

Although Taylor’s toughest test to date was in her first fight with former Lightweight world champion Delfine Persoon in June 2019, the question that I usually have prior to one of her bouts is whether or not an opponent will be able to deal with her hand speed and overall ring generalship. The first bout with Persoon, which Taylor won by ten round majority decision, was the only time that one could make an argument that the decision could have gone the other way. Since that outing including her rematch with Persoon in August of last year, Taylor has been dominant and has not lost many rounds. 

Like Taylor, Jennifer Han is a world-class boxer who knows how to go the distance and win rounds, but the question I have is whether or not as the fighter moving up in weight, if she will be able to deal with the champion’s hand speed and overall Boxing ability. It may also be fair to ask whether or not she will be able to take a punch as a Lightweight as well as she has as at Featherweight. What Han does have in her favor is she has not been stopped in her three career losses and like the champion is firmly established as a distance fighter. Whether Han will be able to outwork Taylor over the course of ten rounds in a fight where a knockout may not be likely remains to be seen.

The third featured bout on this card will be the rescheduled Welterweight bout between undefeated contender Conor Benn and Adrian Granados. As some may recall, this bout was originally scheduled to headline the first week of promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing Fight Camp 2021 season back in July, but was postponed two days before the fight when it was revealed that Benn had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus subsequently postponing the fight. As readers may recall in previewing that fight prior to the postponement, this figures to be a stern test for Benn against Granados who has a lot of experience coming into this fight. Although due to the length of this column as well as the fact that yours truly already previewed this fight prior to its original postponement, the story now has a wrinkle in that the question will inevitably be asked whether or not Benn is completely recovered from his bout with COVID-19.

Although since the COVID-19 epidemic began and since the sport of Boxing resumed activity in the summer of last year there have been fighters who have dealt with COVID-19 infections and did not show any adverse effects after being cleared to resume their careers, there have also been those who have appeared to have obvious lingering effects after their bouts with this virus such as longtime Heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin, who looked extremely sluggish, very fatigued, and had obvious trouble with his equilibrium in his rematch with Dillian Whyte in March of this year. A fight that Whyte stopped him in four rounds.  Obviously, every situation regarding one’s exposure to and recovery from COVID-19 is going to differ, but it is fair to question not just in regard to Conor Benn, but all athletes combat or otherwise as to potential lingering/long-term effects that may or may not show prior to fights. Something that may be even more justifiable given the current state of the ongoing global crisis.

With over 20,000 spectators expected at Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England, this card has three interesting storylines to keep an eye on both in regard to the fights themselves as well as the effects some fighters might have experienced either due to a knockout loss or due to exposure to COVID-19. While the fact that stadiums around the world are gradually being secured to stage Boxing cards such as this one and other sporting and concert events is an encouraging sign that maybe, just maybe things are approaching getting back to normal, we need to keep in mind that the COVID-19 virus and it’s variants are still very much a factor. Although talk of the virus, it’s effects, and the various impacts of it remain dominant in news on television, radio, in print, and online around the world, hopefully, at least for a little while a Boxing card like this will be able to provide a needed diversion from the negative that seems to overshadow most things in this ongoing epidemic. If the action inside the ring turns out to be as compelling as it appears it might be on paper, this night of Boxing will likely be remembered fondly even though it takes place under still challenging circumstances.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Lara vs. Warrington 2 takes place on Saturday, September 4^th at Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England. The entire card can be seen exclusively globally on digital subscription-based streaming network DAZN. The Lara-Warrington 2 slate of programming will begin with the DAZN Boxing Show beginning at 10:30AM ET/7:30 AM PT. This will be followed by the Before The Bell pre-fight show that will feature three of the nine total scheduled bouts on the card that will begin at 11:50AM ET/8:50AM PT. The main card featuring the remaining six bouts will follow beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT. (ALL U.S. Times.)

 

*Card Subject To Change

 

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, local start times in your area, 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.

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

 

LARA AND WARRINGTON COLLIDE IN HUGE REMATCH, TAYLOR FACES HAN AT EMERALD HEADINGLEY STADIUM ON SEPTEMBER 4 ON DAZN

 Press Release: July 14, 2021 By DAZN – London, July 14 2021 – Mauricio Lara and Josh Warrington will rematch in an epic showdown at Emerald Headingley Stadium on Saturday September 4, live worldwide on DAZN. The co-main event will also feature undisputed Lightweight World Champion Katie Taylor, who puts all her belts on the line against IBF Mandatory Challenger Jennifer Han. 

Credit:DAZN 

‘The Leeds Warrior’ (30-1, 7 KOs) was floored and ruthlessly finished by Mexico’s Lara (22-2, 15 KOs) in a sensational knockout loss at The SSE Arena, Wembley in February that put a massive dent in the former IBF Featherweight World Champion’s unification plans. 

 

Warrington endured a stunning upset defeat as he was dropped and nearly stopped in the fourth round before ‘Bronco’ sent him crashing to the canvas again in the ninth to end the 30-year-old’s unbeaten record. 

 

The upset-of-the-year contender sent shockwaves through the 126lbs division and now Warrington will look to exact revenge in front of a capacity crowd at the home of the Leeds Rhinos in the biggest fight of his career.  Undisputed Lightweight ruler Taylor (18-0, 6 KOs) defends her WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine crowns against her latest Mandatory Challenger Han (18-3-1, 1 KOs) in the co-main event, another huge stage for the best in women’s boxing.

 

The Irish star was forced to dig deep as she retained her World Titles via a unanimous decision victory after another memorable meeting with Natasha Jonas last time out at Manchester Arena in May – nine years on from their London 2012 Olympic Games bout.

 

Han, a six-time national amateur champion fighting out of El Paso, Texas, won the vacant IBF Featherweight World Title against Helen Joseph in September 2015 and went on to make four defences of her Title – most recently against Lizbeth Crespo in February 2018.

 

 “I’ve never been much of a talker, I’d rather do my talking in the ring," said Lara. "I'm going for a repeat performance on September 4. Hit once, hit twice. Warrington should know that I am coming for him. This is all about pride. This is for Mexico!"

 

“It’s been an up and down period, time for reflection and to reassess myself, said Warrington. "I’ve watched the first fight a dozen times, I’m mentally and physically prepared for Mauricio. It won’t be the same result, I want revenge. It’s going to be a huge event in Leeds, I can’t wait to get back in there and rewrite the script. It’s nothing personal, just business. September 4th we get back on track to the top.”

 

"I'm really excited to defend my Titles in front of a live crowd again and especially in Leeds,” said Taylor. “I grew up as a Leeds United fan so it's fantastic to see them back in the Premier League and doing so well again. 

 

“My last few fights have effectively been behind closed door and it's definitely a strange experience so I think to have crowds back again and outdoors in Leeds will make for a very special atmosphere. I'm back in the US in training camp, working hard and focused on putting in another big performance against a tough and experienced opponent on September 4."

 

"I want to thank Katie for this opportunity,” said Han. “Enjoy your belts while you still have them. I will see you in September."

 

Fresh from his devastating first round demolition job on James Tennyson, Mexico’s Jovanni Straffon (24-3-1, 17 KOs) will make the first defence of his IBO Lightweight World Title against the in-form Maxi Hughes (23-5-2, 5 KOs).

 

‘Impacto’ dropped and stopped Belfast’s Tennyson in a powerful performance at Manchester Arena in May to become the latest Mexican to spring an upset against British opposition in the UK. 

 

‘Maximus’ is relishing his new lease of life after picking up incredible wins over former World Title challenger Jono Carroll, previously undefeated Kazakh talent Viktor Kotochigov and Paul Hyland Jr to earn the British Lightweight Title in March. 

 

The full supporting undercard will be announced shortly.

 

“What better way to celebrate the return to normality for boxing than 20,000 passionate Leeds fans at Headingley Stadium. This is the biggest fight of Josh Warrington’s career and this time he has his city behind him in a must win fight that can only be a thriller," said Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman. "The greatest female fighter of all time Katie Taylor faces Mandatory Challenger Jennifer Han in another great fight. Katie is a lifelong Leeds United fan and I know how excited she is to fight in the city. Another Mexican upsetter Jovanni Straffon tries to derail the fairy tale story of Yorkshire’s Maxi Hughes who looks to take a giant leap in the World Lightweight landscape. There’s plenty more additions to be announced shortly in what will be a huge night of boxing live on DAZN.”

 

“Our game-changing global partnership with Matchroom has kicked off with an epic line-up, starting with Fight Camp - an unmissable summer of boxing based at the stunning Matchroom HQ in Brentwood, and leading into this huge double-header event. With many surprises still to come for the months ahead, this cements DAZN as the global home of boxing," said Joseph Markowski, EVP at DAZN Group.

 

Tickets are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150 and £300 VIP and are available via StubHub to Fight Pass members on Thursday July 15 and on General Sale on Friday July 16 (both at Midday)

 

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.