The Boxing Truth®

Boxing’s Cruiserweight division , positioned between the Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions on the weight scale, is often one that one does not associate with marquee fights that become dates on the calendar that the entire sport marks down and looks forward to. The reason for that is that the division is not viewed as a career destination for most fighters. Either fighters start as a Cruiserweights with a keen eye towards becoming Heavyweights, Light-Heavyweights move into the division with the same eventual goal of becoming Heavyweights, or the Cruiserweight division ends up being a fallback option for those who have tested the Heavyweight waters and feel they can compete more effectively in the division just below the Heavyweights. Although this observer has periodically chronicled the division, most notably referencing the 1986 WBA World Cruiserweight championship fight between the late Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Evander Holyfield , an encounter between two eventual Hall o...

There inevitably will come a point in most fighters careers throughout combat sports where the line will be thrown out that they or their career is “At a Crossroads.” In most cases, the line is used when fighters are attempting to rebuild after a setback and/or a long stretch of inactivity. The month of April 2026 will begin with two fights featuring three fighters who that line is more than appropriate. Firstly, Boxing’s Heavyweight division will take centerstage when former longtime WBC World Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will square off with longtime contender, current IBF mandatory challenger, and former multi-time world title challenger Derek Chisora at the O2 Arena in London, England in a bout that can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as part of an Ultimate subscription or as a standalone pay-per-view offering. Of course, when discussing Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder, if one is objective, they would say that we are talking about two of the be...

  Credit: Prime Video In March of 2024, the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters embarked on a new era following the end of its long-standing broadcast deal with United States premium cable network Showtime , which also coincided with the network not only exiting Boxing, but also shuttering its entire sports division as part of a broader corporate restructuring of its parent company Paramount . This led the PBC to its new home of Prime Video. The first event under their new deal was to feature then WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Tim Tszyu defending his title against former Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman .  An encounter that would not take place as Thurman pulled out of the bout days before it was to take place due to tearing his bicep in training. Rather than canceling the event, the PBC opted to bring in top Jr. Middleweight contender  as a replacement for the injured former Welterweight cornerstone. In a grueling and bloody fight, Fundora,...

Press Release: February 28, 2026 By Prime Video -   The eighth installment of Gloves Off explores the compelling, high-stakes world championship showdown between one of the sport’s hottest new stars and a crafty former champion as they headline an action-packed PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video on Saturday, March 28 Credit: Prime Video  NEW YORK—February 27, 2026— Today, Prime Video announced Gloves Off: Fundora vs Thurman . the latest installment of its compelling, all-access docuseries. Debuting Saturday, Feb. 28 on Prime Video, this edition explores the journey both WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Sebastian Fundora and his formidable challenger Keith Thurman have taken in preparation for this high-stakes 154-pound world championship showdown. The PBC Pay-Per-View on Prime Video event is set to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.   Few boxers have had a more satisfying two-year run than California native Sebastian Fundora (23-1-1, 15 ...

WBC World Cruiserweight champion Badou Jack and former WBC World Cruiserweight champion Norair Mikaeljan weighed in on Friday at an identical 199 ¾ lbs. for their rematch tonight (Saturday, December 13th) at Ace Mission Studios in Los Angeles, CA. The twelve round bout, which can be seen later tonight on pay-per-view,  is a rematch of a highly controversial bout in May of this year in which Jack became a two-time WBC Cruiserweight world champion by defeating Mikaeljan via twelve round majority decision.  As was the case in the first fight, the WBC World Cruiserweight championship, will be on the line in the second encounter that was mandated by the World Boxing Council .  We are planning to have a post-fight column here on The Boxing Truth® during the week following the bout and will update readers on when it will be released once scheduled.. Stay tuned.  “And That's The Boxing Truth.” Jack vs. Mikaeljan takes place on Saturday, December 13th at Ace Mission Studi...

In a follow-up to a previous story we have been following here on The Boxing Truth ®, it has been announced per Ring Magazine that WBA World Middleweight champion Erislandy Lara will now defend his title against Johan Gonzalez .  As previously reported here on the website , Lara was to face unbeaten unified WBO/IBF World Middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly in a unification bout, but Alimkhanuly ha been pulled from the fight due to testing positive for a banned substance. As of this writing, it remains unclear as to Alimkhanuly’s status with regard to both the WBO and IBF as each respective organization’s current World Middleweight champion.  Lara, (31-3-3, with 19 Knockouts) will now defend his title against Gonzalez, (36-4, with 34 Knockouts) who is stepping in in a little less than four days notice to challenge Lara, and who is not currently rated in the top ten in the World Boxing Association’s Middleweight ratings. Lara vs. Gonzalez will take place on the under...

The December 6th Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) pay-per-view card headlined by a a twelve round Jr. Welterweight bout between WBC Interim contender Isaac Cruz and Lamont Roach with Cruz’ Interim status in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division will be at stake, is now available for pre-order on Prime Video for $79.95. To order this pay-per-view event download the Prime Video app on mobile, tablet or your streaming device or Smart TV of choice or click the following link. PBC: Cruz vs. Roach . We will have a preview of Cruz-Roach available here on The Boxing Truth® later this evening. Stay tuned. “And That's The Boxing Truth.” The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved. Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms: X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison      Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1     Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1      Instagram: www.Instagram.com...

Credit: Prime Video   Press Release: November 22, 2025 By Prime Video - NEW YORK—November 21, 2025— Today, Prime Video announced Gloves Off: Pitbull vs Roach , the latest installment of its compelling, all-access docuseries. Debuting Saturday, November 22 on Prime Video, this edition explores the journey of two warriors whose willingness to accept major challenges have earned them worldwide respect in The Fight Game . Former 140-pound champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and reigning WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Lamont Roach go toe-to-toe for the Interim WBC Super Lightweight Title on Saturday, December 6, headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video from Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX .   As the 2025 boxing season enters its final month, this fight is pivotal for both men. Mexico City native "Pitbull" Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs) became world champion in March 2024, claiming the WBA Super Lightweight title . Recently, Cruz rebounded from a loss to Jo...

Originally, this column was intended and scheduled to preview two separate pay-per-view main events scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 25th. As some Boxing fans know, what was intended has obviously had to change due to the cancellation of the scheduled WBC World Jr. Middleweight championship bout between champion Sebastian Fundora and former World Welterweight champion Keith Thurman , which was due to headline a pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and streamed through digital streaming entertainment and subscription platform Prime Video , being cancelled due to a hand contusion suffered by Fundora while in training for the bout. While as of this writing, the plan appears for that bout to be rescheduled as soon as possible, there remains one pay-per-view main event to take place on October 25th that will now be the sole subject of this writing, which could and should have ramifications the the Heavyweight division moving into 2...

It has been announced that the October 25th pay-per-view card headlined by a bout between WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Sebastian Fundora defending his title against former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman , which was scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV and streamed on Prime Video has been postponed due to a hand injury suffered by the champion. It has also been reported by noted Boxing journalist Mike Coppinger , currently of Ring Magazine that the scheduled co-main event, a WBC World Jr. Lightweight championship bout between between champion O'Shaquie Foster and former Jr. Featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton , will also be rescheduled. The Fundora-Thurman card was one of two scheduled pay-per-view cards to take place on October 25th. As of this writing, the other event headlined by former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker facing top contender Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London England, which wil...

Two Boxing pay-per-view events scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19th are now available for preorder for those looking to purchase either event individually or to purchase both events. WBC Welterweight world champion Mario Barrios will defend his title against recent inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame  and former eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, who will be attempting a comeback at age forty-six . Barrios vs. Pacquiao, which will headline a pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV is now available for purchase on Prime Video for $79.95 and can be purchased either through the Prime Video app on mobile, tablet ,connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, or by clicking the following link: Barrios vs. Pacquiao . (*North American Price Only* Consult Prime Video for local pricing information local start times, and availability around the world.) The latest edition of ...

The month of May 2025 began with Saul “Canelo" Alvarez reclaiming the IBF Super-Middleweight crown and in doing so, also reclaimed his status as the undisputed king of the Super-Middleweight division by scoring a twelve round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten IBF world champion William Scull in Saudi Arabia. While that fight ultimately proved to be formulaic for Alvarez and serve as a set up for a highly anticipated encounter between the champion and the undefeated multi-division world champion Terence Crawford in September, an obvious question that will be asked is what will be in store for the winner of that fight down the line?  On May 31st a doubleheader will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV featuring two former world champions, who are being positioned to potentially face off later this year, with that winner then potentially in line to possibly face the winner of Alvarez-Crawford. The two bouts, which will co-headline a Boxing card pro...

One of the themes that this observer has become known for over the many years I have covered Boxing has been my long-standing criticism regarding the pay-per-view model, both here on The Boxing Truth® ️ as well as numerous outlets both online and in print through the years. The primary reason behind the criticism is in two aspects, the overuse of the model in that cards that in years gone by that would have been featured on a sports centric network or as a Friday or Saturday night attraction on a premium cable network like HBO or Showtime, have instead been reserved for pay-per-view, rather than bouts of significant public interest that were heavily promoted and treated and viewed amongst Boxing fans as special events or occasions, which leads to the second aspect. The price points, which regardless of the perceived quality of a card or the main events have only gone up as time has gone on, which has led to declining buy numbers for most pay-per-view attractions.  This in addition ...