Joshua And Navarrete Triumph On A Memorable Day In Boxing

Following a week where his bout required a substitution, former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua returned to the ring to face longtime Heavyweight contender Robert Helenius at the O2 Arena in London, England. The main story of this fight was that because Helenius took the bout on a little more than four days notice, what type of fight would occur inside the ring when he faced Joshua on August 12th. This was a question that proved to be warranted because Joshua after all did lose his first world championship in June 2019 to Andy Ruiz, a fighter who took that fight on limited notice. The commonality between the two bouts unfortunately was that each came as a result of Joshua’s original opponent testing positive for banned substances. 

Although it is hard to ignore that coincidence, that would prove to be the only similarity between the two bouts. While in his first encounter with Ruiz, Joshua was reckless when he was able to score a knockdown of Ruiz in a memorable third round, which resulted in him getting caught, knocked down, and ultimately losing his title via stoppage, this time around the primary takeaway was Joshua’s patience. In that he was able to implement a tactical strategy where the primary weapon was his jab. An approach that was nearly identical to the one Joshua used in his bout with Heavyweight contender Jermaine Franklin in April of this year. 

A fighter implementing a tactical strategy is something that does not always lend itself to the appreciation of Boxing fans, especially when the fighter who is executing such a strategy is known for scoring quick knockouts as Joshua is. It is an approach however, that more often than not, proves to be successful. This fight would prove to be no different as Joshua frequently landed his jab and was able to control the tempo of the fight simply based on being able to land it frequently. While not always entertaining, it does a few things that some fans might overlook, one, it can limit an opponent’s ability to throw punches simply because it is a weapon that can make an opponent reluctant to throw punches because of the possibility of getting countered. The second thing a consistent jab can do beyond winning rounds and limiting an opponent’s offense is, it can gradually bust an opponent up and cause among other things swelling and bleeding. 

This set up a scenario where much like Joshua's performance against Jermaine Franklin earlier this year, it was a workmanlike performance where Joshua simply bided his time and took his time gradually mixing in hooks and right hands behind his jab. It would be a right hand in the seventh round that landed high on the head of Helenius that sent the longtime contender down hard and out on the canvas, the fight was over.

While some might be critical of Joshua's performance as was the case after his victory over Franklin, I felt that he was consistent and with this fight being his second under new trainer Derrick James, he is gradually showing improvement while also showing new wrinkles to his Boxing style. It is something that is not always appreciated, but it does show that a boxer's skillset never stops evolving as long as the fighter is committed to learning new things among the polishing and refinement process that takes place as a fighter prepares for competition. This fight should also prove that the biggest benefit to a fighter is being active regardless of what level you might be at in the sport.

With two wins in 2023, Joshua appears to be heading towards a showdown with former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. While this is a fight that has been a wish for many Boxing fans for years and would have been bigger than what it would be now if it had taken place while both Joshua and Wilder were world champions as it would have led to an undisputed champion being crowned in the division, it is still one of the bigger fights that could be made currently and the only question might be whether that fight would be next or if Joshua might be able to get one more fight in before facing Wilder.

The key for Joshua will be to stay active because being active will allow him the best opportunity for success when fights that are more lucrative come along. Despite the economics that be in the sport that do not always promote the idea of consistent activity for fighters at or near the top level of the sport, we have seen time and time again the flaws of inactivity when a fighter or more specifically their promoters and management teams only want marquee fights where either the fighter underperforms or outright loses to an opponent that prior to that fight was more active and in competition on a regular basis.

Anthony Joshua's comeback continuing was not, however, the only bout that took place on August 12th of significant interest to the Boxing public. Following Joshua's win over Helenius, the Boxing world focused its attention on the Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ for a fight that many observers, including yours truly, felt that a Fight of the Year candidate would take place. The battle for the WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship between champion Emanuel Navarrete and former WBC Jr. Lightweight world champion Oscar Valdez did not disappoint.

In previewing this fight, I started that both Navarrete and Valdez had similar styles and with each being a fighter that likes to come forward, it ultimately proved to be worth the anticipation that preceded it. From the opening bell, the two fighters engaged in a battle that was fought at a high pace with each having his share of moments throughout. 

What stood out to me however was the difference in size between the two fighters. Although both men made the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight limit, Navarrete looked like the much bigger fighter to the extent that he looked like perhaps a full 135lb. Lightweight or maybe even a 140lb. Jr. Welterweight compared to Valdez, who looked smaller in comparison. There were a few additional things that would ultimately prove to be crucial in this fight. First, despite the near non-stop pace in which this bout was fought, Navarrete was able to control a significant portion of the combat with his jab and this in addition to seeming to land the harder punches of the two in a toe to toe battle gave him the edge, despite Valdez having several moments throughout the fight where he appears to stun Navarrete. 

The courage both men displayed in this fight is something that can also not go unnoticed as by the late rounds of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout, Valdez was figuring with his right eye shown shut as a result of the jab and power punches of Navarrete. Despite fighting with an apparent injury to his right hand, Navarrete was able to kerp what was an ungodly pace in throwing 1,038 total punches and landing 216 according to CompuBox compared to Valdez' 436 total punches thrown and landing 140. While Valdez was ultimately the more accurate of the two, which made the fight competitive and close in landing nearly 33% of his total punches to Navarrete's near 21%, it was the greater activity of the champion that led to him retaining his title via twelve round unanimous decision. Unofficially, I had Navarrete winning this fight eight rounds to four or 116-112 in points.

While I felt Navarrete won this fight clearly, I also felt that it was highly competitive and have a strong feeling as someone who has covered several notable series of fights over the years including many trilogies that this might be the conclusion of chapter one in the story of Emanuel Navarrete versus Oscar Valdez. Boxing is a sport, but part of it is the constant desire of promoters and networks to want to put on the most competitive and most entertaining fights for their respective audience. Although this desire does not always happen on a consistent basis for several reasons related to the business of the sport, which more often than not does not serve in Boxing's best interest, this is a case where two fighters are willing to face each other and both said following the fight that if the fans wanted to see a rematch, they would be open to it. Style wise, the competition level and intensity will likely be the same no matter how many times Navarrete and Valdez fight. 

Ultimately, August 12, 2023 was a memorable day in the sport of Boxing. Not only did the Boxing fans get to see the next chapter in the comeback story of a former Heavyweight champion of the world that almost didn not happen, which resulted in what could be a candidate for Knockout of the Year, but what followed later in the day was a fight that lived up to every bit of hype as the potential Fight of the year for 2023. The real winners were the Boxing fans.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Mini Preview: Joshua-Helenius / Navarrete-Valdez

 The day of August 12, 2023 will be an interesting one highlighted by two fights in Boxing’s Heavyweight and Jr. Lightweight divisions. While this observer was intending to provide readers of a thorough preview of the Heavyweight bout in the days leading up to August 12th, as most know those plans changed one week prior to the scheduled bout, which also necessitated a change in the plans of yours truly. The bout that yours truly is referring to is the scheduled rematch between former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte. A fight that seemingly had a lot on the table for both fighters, but more specifically for Joshua, who has a potential lucrative fight against former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder later this year or perhaps in January 2024. The rematch however, will not take places it was revealed that Whyte Had tested positive for what was described as a quote “Adverse Finding” in tests conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) resulting in the fight being canceled.

While Joshua would have been fully within his rights to not fight on and instead go straight to the potential fight with Wilder, he chose to fight on in wanting to stay as active as he can. On a little more than four days notice, A substitute opponent was found in the form of longtime Heavyweight contender and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius. A fight that can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

Quite frankly, the story of this fight is one that is simple. Will Joshua be able to adapt to a different opponent on such short notice after having trained to fight Dillian Whyte. Although due in part to the circumstances this fight cannot be analyzed too much given the time constraints, Joshua has been in this position before, and the last time it did not turn out successful for him. 

Many likely remember Joshua's first reign as a Heavyweight world champion coming to an end in June 2019 when Andy Ruiz stepped in on short notice under circumstances similar to this where he replaced Jarrell Miller, who had tested positive for performance-enhancing substances, and despite the limited time to prepare, he knocked Joshua out and became Heavyweight champion of the world in the process. This time around, Joshua is facing a light place dangerous opponent in Helenius, but one that was caught cold in October of last year when he suffered a one punch knockout loss in the first round to Deontay Wilder. Coincidentally, Helenius fought last week in his native Finland and scored a third round knockout of a inexperienced opponent, so while he is stepping in on short notice, one might argue he might have an edge simply because he fought seven days prior to this bout taking place and did not take any damage during that bout.

It should not have to be explained that when two big Heavyweights get into a ring, each with knockout power in either hand, anything can happen and this is a scenario where Helenius has nothing to lose, but everything to gain and Joshua has everything to lose including the possibility to take one step closer to fighting for a world title once again. While Joshua-Helenius will be taking place at the O2 Arena in London, England, the second bout that will be taking place on August 12th might have the potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate. A battle for the WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship between champion Emanuel Navarrete and former WBC Jr. Lightweight world champion Oscar Valdez A fight that will take place at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ that can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. 

A battle between two boxer/punchers who have come forward pressure styles that can do a little of everything. This fight on the surface seems like it will be a better stylistic match up for Valdez who lost his WBC championship in April of last year in a unification bout with Shakur Stevenson. Valdez was outboxed that night by a superior boxer, but a boxer who did not engage with him and did not go toe to toe with him. While that fight, which was the first loss of Valdez’ career can be described as a bad style match up and one where he just could nullify Stevenson’s movement, this fight seems to be more in Valdez' wheelhouse simply because both he and Navarrete have similar styles. It is based on the styles of Navarrete and Valdez that some are calling this potentially the Fight of the Year in 2023.

This observer will not hype things too much because it is not needed when discussing two fighters that like to come forward and engage. Given what could be seen as an inevitable collision based on the styles of the two fighters and the fact that much like Joshua and Helenius, both have knockout power in either hand, it certainly would not surprise me to see this fight heat up very quickly and both fighters being more than willing to engage each other. Such a scenario may simply come down to who is able to land flush first, but with each fighter knowing what the other could do, may present an opportunity for one of them to take a more tactical approach at least in the early rounds. It will be interesting to see which fighter will take that approach, if either do, or if this could be what amounts to a shootout from the opening bell.

While the week that preceded these two fights began with one being made in the shadow of one of the negative flaws in the sport of the issue of performance enhancing substances, leading once more to a fight being canceled, one can only hope that the week will end on a bright note for the sport. Two competitive fights would certainly help to make that happen. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Joshua vs. Helenius takes place on Saturday, August 12th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight as well as it’s full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with Before the Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts that will begin at 12:30 PM ET/9:30 AM PT. This will be followed by the main portion of the card that will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT. 

For more 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. 

Navarrete vs. Valdez takes place on Saturday, August 12th at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ. The full card can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 7:55PM ET/4:55PM PT. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

(*Cards and Start times Subject to change.*)

(*Check your local listings internationally.*)

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BREAKING: Helenius Steps In To Face Joshua, Card To Go On As Scheduled

It has been announced that longtime Heavyweight contender and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius will step in on a little more than four days notice to face former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua on Saturday, August 12th at the O2 Arena in London, England. Helenius steps in after the originally scheduled rematch between Joshua and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte was cancelled by promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing following Whyte testing positive for a yet to be named banned substance, which was described by Matchroom as quote "An adverse finding" in a test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) in which both Joshua and Whyte are enrolled.

Although Helenius is stepping in on less than a week's notice, he is coming off of a third round knockout win on August 5th against a previously unbeaten fighter named Mika Mielonen in his native Finland. It was Helenius' first fight since suffering a one punch first round knockout loss to former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder in October of last year. Coincidentally, if Joshua is successful in this fight, he might face Wilder later this year in a fight rumored to take place in Saudi Arabia.

Helenius stepping in has saved the scheduled card from complete cancellation, which will be broadcast globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. In light of the cancellation of the Joshua-Whyte rematch, which was to be available through DAZN Pay-Per-View in select international markets outside of the United States, it has been announced that the Joshua-Helenius card will be made available as part of a standard DAZN monthly or annual subscription plan without any additional fee.

We will have coverage of Joshua-Helenius over the coming days here on the website and will keep readers updated on any additional developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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October 15, 2022 Was A Memorable Day For Boxing

 

Saturday, October 15, 2022 turned out to be one of the most anticipated days on the Boxing calendar in the latter months of the year. What was largely to be highlighted by the return of former longtime WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, the day turned out to offer a little of everything for any Boxing fan. This was due to the postponement of the highly anticipated Women’s world championship unification doubleheader which featured undefeated world champions Claressa Shields and Savanah Marshall meeting for the Undisputed Middleweight championship of the world and an intriguing Jr. Lightweight unification bout between Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner putting their respective world championships on the line in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division as the co-main event being moved to October 15^th due to the original date of the card September 10^th being moved one month following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8^th.

 

While some Boxing fans particularly on social media voiced we’ll call it displeasure at the postponement, likely both out of anticipation of the two world championship bouts, as well as not understanding the significance of the circumstances throughout the United Kingdom following the queen’s passing, and also for the fighters created a question of what impact would the postponement have on them as the card was postponed a mere day before it was to occur at London’s O2 Arena, both bouts lived up to every possible expectation and one might argue were quite similar in how each fight was fought in terms of how competitive they were. In the first of the two bouts, Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner engaged in a ten round give and take battle.

 

The general ebb and flow of the fight consisted of Baumgardner seeming to land the cleaner, more effective punches, particularly power punches in the early rounds. A weapon in her arsenal that turned out to be noteworthy throughout the fight that I felt gave her an edge was how she was able to land overhand rights. Mayer however, was able to change the way the combat was being fought in the middle rounds. She was able to do this largely by using her jab to control distance and create opportunities to throw and land hooks and combinations behind the jab.

 

While the two minute round length in which fights in Women's Boxing are fought often serve more as a detriment than an asset particularly in regard to the task of scoring, what this created was the ideal scenario of a close fight that could be scored either way and as I often have said through the years, will often come down to what a judge prefers in their own criteria based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. This was a car where I felt that Baumgardner landed the harder punches and did just enough to fend off the rally that Mayer was able to put together in the middle and late rounds to get the decision. At the end of the ten round world championship bout, I had arrived with a scorecard of six rounds to four or 96-94 in points for Baumgardner. It was not surprising to see scorecards resulting in a split decision in favor of Baumgardner with two official judges scoring a 96-95 scorecard in favor of each fighter with the third judge scoring seven rounds to three or 97-93 in favor of Baumgardner making her the winner and new unified world champion in the 130lb. Jr Lightweight division.

 

Often times on a full card of Boxing, a fight like this which was exciting and highly competitive is enough to satisfy even the most jaded of Boxing fans. The fans in attendance at the O2 Arena would be treated to another great fight as Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall took to the ring to determine the Undisputed Middleweight championship of the world.

 

For ten rounds, the two world champions engaged in a toe to toe battle that frankly could have been fought in a phone booth as there was little to no separating between the fighters and that made it very difficult to tell who had the upper hand. This was due to the moon-stop pace that the combat was fought. As exhausting as it had to be for the fighters, it was also an exhausting fight to watch.

 

Although it was difficult to determine who had the upper hand, there was one subtle difference that proved to be the difference. Shields threw every punch in combination and, despite getting tagged with some heavy shots from Marshall throughout and seeming to allow Marshall to take control in sports where she chose to sit against the ropes, the sheer volume of offense by Shields proved to be too much for Marshall on this evening as Shields would earn a convincing ten round unanimous decision to become the Undisputed Middleweight champion of the world.

 

With the win, Shields put herself in a class by herself as being the only fighter in history male or female to successfully become Undisputed world champion in three separate weight divisions having previously fully unified the Super-Middleweight and Jr. Middleweight divisions prior to this fight. Although I would certainly like to see a rematch between Shields and Marshall, I wonder if Shields will attempt to go up to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division next. As is often the case for fighters that are able to move up and down the weight scale and compete at the highest levels of the sport, the question for Claressa Shields will likely be when and where she will find her ceiling in terms of how far she can move up or down in weight and at which weight she feels most comfortable. For someone who has also embarked on a career in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), it’s clear that she is a generational fighter and no matter what she does going forward in either sport, we are seeing something that has not been done before and will likely see Shields become a first ballot Hall of Famer when her career is over.

 

Following the Women’s world championship unification doubleheader, the focus shifted to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY where two former world champions looked to bounce back from setbacks. First, it was former IBF Super-Middleweight world champion Caleb Plant in his first fight since losing to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in a unification bout last November facing former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Anthony Dirrell.

 

What was an at times ugly fight to watch due to several instances of holding and clinching throughout the fight, Plant showcased his movement and hand speed in spots throughout and generally seemed to get the better of the action in this observer’s view. Plant however, would surprise everyone by producing what may be viewed as a candidate for Knockout of the Year at the end of 2022. Despite not being known for his punching power, Plant produced a devastating knockout of Dirrell with a left hook to the body followed by a left hook to the head combination that sent Dirrell down and out on the canvas. Although Plant was stopped by Alvarez last year, many would say that he accounted himself well in defeat and coming off of what was the first loss of his career, he needed a statement-making performance to show that he remains a player in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Something that he was able to accomplish in such a fashion that it could well lead to a rematch with Alvarez down the line.

 

While under most circumstances a knockout like the one Plant produced would be the center of discussion in the days following, the Plant-Dirrell bout served as the co-main event for the return of former longtime WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, who was returning to the ring following his second knockout loss to Tyson Fury in October of last year as he faced former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius.

 

Although the premise of this fight centered squarely on what version of Deontay Wilder would be entering the ring following two knockout losses to Fury and to be more specific, what effects those two fights had on him, frankly we did not get an answer to those questions, at least not in this fight. Helenius began the bout willing to engage with Wilder and trying to apply pressure on him. Wilder suddenly brought an end to the fight by throwing a perfectly timed counter right hand that caught Helenius on the button as he was coming forward sending the former European champion down on his back. The fight was immediately stopped.

 

Simply put, there is not much you can say about a fight that ends with one punch, but for the near completed round that Wilder and Helenius shared the ring together, there appeared to be no ill effects for Wilder. For his part, Helenius did appear to have a good fight plan and was holding his own before simply getting caught in the closing seconds of the first round.  

 

While there are still questions that should be asked in regard Deontay Wilder, the win of Helenius puts him in position to fight former unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz in what would be a final elimination bout to determine a new mandatory challenger for the world championship currently held by Tyson Fury. Ruiz put himself into position to fight for the mandatory spot by scoring a twelve round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Luis Ortiz in September. Although the unofficial four-man WBC tournament to determine a mandatory challenger was not made official, it seems like a bout between the former world champions Wilder and Ruiz makes the most sense for both seeing as both are aligned with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and on the surface that fact would give the appearance that it is an easy fight to make.

 

Fury meanwhile has spent the last several months following his successful fifth round knockout of Dillian Whyte in April, retiring, then un-retiring, then retiring again, and un-retiring again, all the while negotiating with fighters for potential fights. Fury has since signed to face former world title challenger Dereck Chisora in his next title defense on December 3^rd. Although Fury has defeated Chisora twice before, one may question whether Fury’s heart is truly on continuing his career or on other ventures. Chisora meanwhile, is enjoying a bit of a resurgence and will be getting his second opportunity at a world championship should the planned third bout between the two come off as planned.

 

For both Wilder and Ruiz, the focus should be on getting their own fight finalized for early 2023 and for the winner of that fight trying to force a bout with the winner of the planned Fury-Chisora III bout. For now, stay tuned for the continuation of the Heavyweight division.

 

Finally, the day of action on October 15^th concluded with the second encounter between undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Devin Haney and former Undisputed Lightweight champion George Kambosos in Melbourne, Australia. A rematch that was contractually stipulated prior to Haney defeating Kambosos for the championship back in May of this year.

 

In that fight, Haney out boxed Kambosos over twelve rounds to earn a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to win the championship. The question going into this rematch was a simple one. Could Kambosos approach this fight differently in such a way that it might change the outcome this time around? For part of the second encounter, Kambosos did try to force the fight on Haney rather than trying to box him as he did in the first fight. This included the former champion periodically being able to catch Haney with flush hooks to the head throughout.

 

As the fight progressed however, Haney as he was able to do in the first fight, was able to find his rhythm and proved to be too slick and too quick for Kambosos, ultimately Boxing his way to a twelve round unanimous decision to retain his championship in his first title defense. While much of this fight seemed to be formulaic as it progressed, I feel that this was a case of the old adage of “Styles Make Fights” as opposed to the performance of George Kambosos.

 

From a stylistic standpoint, Devin Haney may simply have a style that for a fighter with George Kambosos’ style proves to be a difficult puzzle that he struggles to solve. Although Kambosos has now lost two fights to Devin Haney, he is still a player in the 135lb. Lightweight division and could well find himself challenging for a world championship five pounds up the scale in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division down the line.

 

As for Devin Haney, his future could also be in the Jr. Welterweight division in the near future, but it is likely that Haney may be looking for a potential title defense against former unified three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko. Lomachenko will return to the ring on October 29^th when he faces unbeaten contender Jermaine Ortiz in Madison Square Garden. Even though Lomachenko is a significant favorite going into that fight, it is likely that Haney will wait until the outcome of that bout before entering potential negotiations with Lomachenko for a potential bout in 2023.

 

While such days such as October 15, 2022 prove to be of great value to Boxing fans due to the amount of bouts spread over multiple cards offered, some may say that it is both a blessing and a curse from the standpoint of the fan needing to decide what they will watch first, what they might watch on delay, or what they are not interested in watching. Although in the current age we live in where thanks to digital streaming, the option to watch any sporting event on one’s own schedule has never been easier and will likely only improve with time, a challenge for promoters and networks will continue to be trying to get as many eyes on whatever bouts they are presenting as possible in terms of live viewing. When you also factor in that two of these cards, the Wilder-Helenius and Haney-Kambosos II cards competed head to head against each other, with one on pay-per-view and the other on ESPN+ and the main ESPN network here in the United States, in addition to the plethora of other sporting events taking place including, but not limited to the MLB playoffs, the beginning of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, and finally College Football among others, you can see the dilemma such scheduling can present for some Boxing fans who are likely fans of other sports as well.

 

While yours truly personally loves marathon Boxing days like the one we saw on October 15^th, and even though it might be unrealistic to expect networks and promoters to try and schedule around other sports, the reality is, it will continue to be an issue for some fans and ultimately, make effect both viewership and buy numbers for the sport. It is therefore something that even as technology improves and provides the fan/consumer with more options that networks and promoters will have to combat if they want their events to be successful.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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October 15, 2022 To Be A Full Day For Boxing Fans

 

In addition to the Heavyweight bout between former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius, a bout that was previously covered here in preview on The Boxing Truth®, Saturday, October 15, 2022 will feature much more for Boxing fans. Firstly, on the undercard of the Wilder-Helenius bout at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY that can be seen here in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View as well as on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE, will be a bout in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division between former world champions Caleb Plant and Anthony Dirrell.

 

Some may call this a “Crossroads Fight” for both men. As some may recall, Plant was last in the ring in  November of last year when he lost his unbeaten record and IBF Super-Middleweight world championship in a unification bout with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for the Undisputed world championship in the division. Although Plant would be stopped by Alvarez in eleven rounds, he did make a solid account of himself in defeat. Much like Deontay Wilder, Plant now looks to rebuild and the first step in that process will come in the form of former WBC world champion Anthony Dirrell. Dirrell, a veteran of thirty-eight professional fights, has also been looking to get back into position to fight for a world title and will come into this bout unbeaten in his last two fights having a draw and a win to his ledger in those bouts since suffering a knockout loss at the hands of David Benavidez in September 2019.

 

Although the story at least going into this fight will be one fighter looking to bounce back from the first loss of his career going against a fighter looking to continue building momentum, what this will come down to in the eyes of this observer could be who will be able to dictate the combat. What we have here is an encounter between two fighters who can do a little bit of everything. Two boxer/punchers that are capable of scoring a knockout should an opportunity arise and are also capable of Boxing to a decision victory.

 

While it may be logical to expect that Plant may want to make a statement in his first fight back, it may be wise to implement a tactical approach here as Dirrell has sixteen more bouts in his career compared to him and has scored knockouts in twenty-five of those bouts compared to Plant’s twelve knockouts in his twenty-one career wins. While this will likely be viewed as an advantage by some in Dirrell’s favor, one aspect that normally works in Plant’s favor is his lateral movement and ability to use angles.

 

 In his fight against Saul Alvarez, his movement and ability to attack Alvarez from various angles did for a time particularly early in the fight bring Plant success. As they bout went on however, Alvarez was able to put consistent pressure on Plant and gradually broke him down with body punches in addition to what he was able to land to his head.

 

Dirrell likely saw that fight and will likely be looking to implement a similar approach in his own way. What he needs to keep in mind is that Alvarez himself had trouble with Plant throughout that fight and it was largely his consistency in how he approached Plant that led to his success in the middle and late rounds and ultimately to his victory over him. Dirrell must also keep in mind that Plant does have quick hands and the ability to attack in spurts. If he is able to find success against him early, he must not get complacent and allow Plant any openings. Plant is the type of fighter that can take advantage of lulls throughout a fight and Dirrell needs to be aware of that.

 

As is the case for pretty much any fighter in the Super-Middleweight and 175lb. Light-Heavyweight divisions, the end goal for both fighters is likely an encounter with Saul Alvarez. With Alvarez maintaining his position as Undisputed world champion in the division, despite being shelved with an injury to his left hand following his third bout with Gennady Golovkin, this bout will likely amount to an audition among the potential opponents for Alvarez once he heals and is able to return to competition.

 

The Plant-Dirrell bout is not however, the only bout outside of Wilder-Helenius that will likely draw the interest of Boxing fans throughout the day on October 15^th. Two events will be taking place outside of the United States that also have intrigue. First, at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England the highly anticipated Women’s world championship unification doubleheader featuring Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall meeting for the Undisputed Women's Middleweight championship of the world and a Jr. Lightweight unification bout between undefeated WBO/IBF world champion Mikaela Mayer and WBC/IBO world champion  Alycia Baumgardner, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

 

The card, which was scheduled to take place on September 10th, was delayed due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8^th as the United Kingdom entered a period of mourning, which suspended many activities including sports.

 

While all four fighters were in Manchester and participating in fight week activities including the pre-fight press conference prior to the Queen’s passing, an obvious question as these bouts near taking place is what affect if any will the one month delay have on the fighters.

 

The Shields-Marshall unification bout is one of the most anticipated fights throughout the entire sport. Two undefeated world champions putting their respective portions of a world championship on the line to unify and determine one champion alone is enough to draw interest even amongst casual fans, but this fight also has bad blood between the champions attached to it.

 

This stems from the meeting the two had as amateurs in May 2012 where Marshall scored a four round decision over Shields, in what was the only defeat Shields has suffered in a Boxing ring in a career that has seen her win two Olympic Gold medals as an amateur and win world titles in three weight divisions as a professional including briefly becoming the Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion.

 

Obviously, the bad feelings between the two has simmered in the decade since that bout including a heated exchange between the two in a post-fight interview following Shields victory in February of this year over Ema Kozin. While some may view such an exchange “Pull Apart” as a means of promotion, this observer was vocal in saying that it was a negative for the women of the sport to see such an incident particularly when the sport is taking advantage of unprecedented exposure and long overdue recognition for the female fighters in the sport.

 

The view of yours truly notwithstanding, the fight between the two, this time as professionals appears to be an even fight. Shields has been splitting time between Boxing and competing in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) where she has a 1-1 record currently.

 

 Although one should not compare Boxing with the sport of MMA as it is two different sports and require different attributes, it is nevertheless interesting that someone of Shields’ caliber would be willing to venture into a different sport while still at the top of her game as a boxer. Given the demands and tone each sport requires to compete at a high level, a question done might ask is how will this impact her preparation for this fight particularly because it comes against not only the only boxer to defeat her as an amateur or professorial, but also someone that has proven to be very dangerous as a professional. Marshall has scored knockouts in ten of her twelve pro fights and will enter into this fight having scored eight consecutive knockouts.

 

At her best, Claressa Shields is a compact combination puncher that often overwhelms and out works her opponents with activity. While Shields only has two knockouts in her twelve career wins as a professional, she has on occasion shown punching power in her own right. Wisdom would suggest that she look to out box Marshall over the course of the scheduled ten round bout. Even though you can never dismiss the possibility of a knockout for either fighter and keeping in mind that Claressa Shields has yet to really be in danger in a fight to this point, sure must be wary of Marshall’s power because she has shown the ability to end a fight with one punch before. Despite the bad blood between the two, Shields must be tactical and not allow her emotion to dictate how she approaches this fight.

 

For Marshall, her fight plan should be looking for a way to limit Shields’ offense over the course of the fight. While one could make an argument based on statistics that she might have the edge in terms of power, Marshall must not head hunt and should be tactical as well, but try not to leave Shields openings. Marshall must dictate how the fight is to be fought in other to be successful.

 

Although the winner of Shields-Marshall will have status as Undisputed world champion in the Middleweight division, the co-main event could lead to an undisputed championship fight for the winner in 2023 in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division.

 

The fight between world champions Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner presents an interesting clash of styles. Mayer is a solid boxer/puncher that uses lateral movement and hand speed to get the upper hand on her opponents. Unbeaten in seventeen pro bouts with five knockouts, Mayer has gradually been working her way towards unifying the division by successfully adding the IBF crown to the WBO championship she won in October 2020 with a ten round unanimous decision over Ewa Brodnicka. In the fight where she added the IBF championship, Mayer scored a ten round unanimous decision over Maiva Hamadouche in November of last year. While Mayer has not faced much resistance on her path towards an undisputed championship bout, her opponent Alycia Baumgardner could prove to be a dangerous obstacle in that path. Baumgardner won her portions of the World Jr. Lightweight championship by scoring a one punch knockout over previously undefeated world champion Terri Harper in November of last year a knockout where Harper appeared to be out cold on her feet. Since that victory, which some called an upset, Baumgardner successfully defended her crown in April by scoring a ten round unanimous decision over Edith Mattysee.

 

Despite her rise to the top of the division coming quickly and as a surprise to some, Baumgardner has shown obviously that she does have the punching power and credentials that should be taken seriously by fans and more importantly her opponents. This could potentially be a close fight depending on who is able to dictate how the fight is fought. Mayer must rely on what has gotten her in this position and box Baumgardner by being a tactician. Baumgardner meanwhile needs to find a way to cut the ring off and limit Mayer’s ability to move.

 

Although Mayer likely has an edge in regard to hand speed, she has not been put in a position thus far in her career where her ability to take a punch from a fighter with significant punching power has been tested. If Baumgardner is able to dictate the tempo of the combat, Mayer may well be tested in what has the appearance of a close and competitive bout at least on paper.

 

Following the Women’s world championship unification doubleheader, ESPN+ continues their Boxing programming of the day by presenting the rematch for the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world between undefeated world champion Devin Haney and the former champion George Kambosos. A contractually mandated rematch that will take place in the country  as their first encounter Melbourne, Australia.

 

In their first bout in June of this year, Haney thoroughly out boxed the previously unbeaten Kambosos over twelve rounds to win the Undisputed championship in what was a pro-Kambosos environment before the champion’s home country.

 

Although this rematch was pre-ordained per contractual terms for the original bout and there remains a possibility that there could be a third bout between the two per the same contractual terms should Kambosos regain the championship, done questioned the wisdom of the former champion for exercising his rematch clause.

 

This is due to how the first fight was fought where Haney was simply too quick and too elusive for Kambosos. While some may say that it was a matter of the adage of “Styles Make Fights,”  the onus is on the former champion to show that he had a bad night at the office and this fight will be different.

 

How can Kambosos accomplish this? It is certainly easier said than done, but he needs to bring the fight to Haney from the outset and apply pressure on him. The difference in hand speed in the first fight was clear and some might be wondering how Kambosos can combat that speed this time around.

 

This observer is a firm believer that one of the best ways to try to negate a fighter’s hand speed is through timing. Although keeping in mind that it is easier said than done, Kambosos has to find a way as he is applying pressure on Haney to make the champion miss and counter his offense. This was accomplished by former world champion Jorge Linares, who was able to badly stun Haney in the closing seconds of the tenth round of their fight in May 2021. To date, this was the only time Haney has been hurt in his career. While he was able to recover and go on to win a convincing unanimous decision, it did show how an opponent needs to approach Haney.

 

Kambosos must find the balance of applying pressure, being more aggressive, but doing so tactically and trying to bait Haney into creating openings for him to exploit if he wants to be successful in this fight. Simply put, he cannot try to box with someone who might prove to be a master boxer by the time his career is over. He must force Haney into his role of fight.

 

The task for the champion going into his first title defense is to try and repeat a near-perfect performance that he was able to produce in the first fight. Haney must however, not be complacent and must be prepared for any adjustments that Kambosos might make this time around. While both fighters are likely going to be moving up to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division in the not too distant future, there remains unfinished business and we will see if Kambosos can find a way to force a chapter three in this rivalry.

 

As tends to be the case especially as the sport of Boxing moves more in the direction of digital streaming on terms of how it is broadcast to the public, this day of Boxing truly offers a little something for every type of Boxing fan. How October 15, 2022 will be remembered in the history book of Boxing however, remains to be seen.

 

“And That's The Boxing Truth. “

 

Wilder vs. Helenius (Featuring Plant vs. Dirrell) takes place on Saturday, October 15th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight can be seen in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT for $74.99. In addition to being streamed on the Fox Sports app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, the event will also be streamed in the United States and globally on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE in addition to also being available via traditional cable/satellite pay-per-view throughout the United States and Canada.

 

To order and stream on the Fox Sports app download the Fox Sports app on your preferred device and follow the ordering instructions or visit www.FoxSports.com/PPV for ordering information.

 

To order and stream on the FITE app, download the FITE app on mobile, tablet or connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, or Click the following link to order and for instructions on how and where to download the FITE app: https://www.fite.tv/watch/wilder-vs-helenius/2pbyb/

 

Shields vs. Marshall /Mayer vs. Baumgardner takes place Saturday, October 15^th at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The full card can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 2:30PM ET/11:30AM PT. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, to subscribe, and where and how to access the ESPN app please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

 

Haney vs. Kambosos 2 takes places Saturday, October 15^th at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The card can also be seen in the United States on ESPN+ beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. The main event will also be simulcast on the main ESPN cable network across cable and satellite providers with a scheduled start time of 10:30PM ET/7:30PM PT.

 

*Fights and Cards Subject To Change 

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wilder-Helenius: The Comeback Begins

For many fighters that go on to become world champions throughout their careers, there comes a point where they enter a stage known simply as “The Comeback.” While it is a period that a fighter can find his or herself in for several reasons/circumstances, more often than not, “The Comeback” represents the start of a rebuilding process following a setback. In the case of former longtime WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, the recent past has seen him suffer two notable setbacks.

This observer is referring to his two losses in his second and third fights against Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Although the third encounter between the two was regarded as one of the best and dramatic Heavyweight championship fights in several years, Wilder did suffer two beatings in those fights and it was fair to question whether the former champion, who reigned as WBC king from 2015 until his first loss to Fury in 2020, would fight again. It was after all a fair question to ask after the punishment he sustained in those two bouts.

While that certainly can not be ignored as Boxing is a combat sport and fighters do risk their lives every time they compete, it may be easy for some to forget that prior to those setbacks, Deontay Wilder was firmly established as one of the sport’s feared “Knockout Artists,” having compiled forty-one knockouts in his forty-two career wins registering a career knockout percentage of over 91%. It can also be easy for some to overlook that in addition to his lengthy title reign in terms of time, Wilder also had one of the most active reigns as champion in terms of title defenses in the modern era of the sport in the five years as champion as he successfully defended his title ten times.

The loss of his crown in 2020, the legal hurdles he had to clear to get his contractually stipulated return bout in what was the third bout with Fury last year also likely took a toll on him in addition to what happened to him in those fights. After a year out of competition, Wilder now prepares to return to the ring as he will face longtime Heavyweight contender and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius on October 15th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View, has one central question that surrounds it. What kind of Deontay Wilder will we see inside the ring?

At his best, Wilder is a devastating puncher that is more than capable of ending a fight quickly should the opportunity arise. It is important to keep in mind however, that Wilder is attempting now to bounce back from two brutal knockout losses. Beyond the obvious question regarding what did those two fights take out of him physically, it is equally important to question what effect those bouts had on him mentally.

Although this observer is a firm believer in the saying that the biggest enemy of a fighter is inactivity, the year Wilder has spent out of the ring probably did him more good than harm. Beyond giving him time to reflect and decide whether he wanted to continue with his career, the year off also provided time for him to heal physically. What those two fights did to him psychologically however, will be as compelling as the question of what those fights took out of him from a physical standpoint.

While Wilder has never been regarded for his Boxing ability or technique, one possible change we could see is how he approaches his opposition. In the third fight with Tyson Fury, Wilder nearly brought an end to the fight by dropping Fury twice in round four. Although frankly I was surprised that Fury was able to survive the attack Wilder was able to dish out in that round as many fighters under similar circumstances would likely not have been able to survive, Wilder was not able to build on what he was able to do in that round. This in addition to suffering punishment himself in being dropped three times throughout the fight in what was a very grueling battle, ultimately worked against Wilder leading to his second defeat to Fury.

One could suggest that a tactical mistake that Wilder made was that he did not pace himself and perhaps thought he would be able to rely on his punching power after what he was able to do to Fury in the fourth round of that fight. It will be interesting to see if Wilder will be more tactical and more aware of pacing himself going forward if a situation occurs where an opponent is able to survive multiple knockdowns where he does not burn himself out over the course of a fight and if he will take more of a boxer’s approach rather than relying solely on his punching power.

Wilder’s opponent for his first step on the comeback trail may prove to be a sturdy test in the form of former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius. At one point during the era of the division that was dominated by Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Helenius was viewed as one of the potential fighters that could have succeeded them as a potential central figure of the Heavyweight division.

Despite entering into this fight with an impressive record of 31-3, with 20 Knockouts as well as his status as a former European Heavyweight champion, some might say that Helenius has not fulfilled his potential. Much like Wilder, Helenius has gone through some setbacks in his career, but in recent times has gone through a resurgence including two knockout wins over highly touted rising prospect Adam Kowacki, who was unbeaten at the time Helenius fought him the first time in March 2020.

Although Robert Helenius has credentials and is not someone to take lightly, there are some who feel based on the fact that Wilder and Helenius were at one time sparring partners that this fight is designed to be a soft touch for Wilder in his first fight back after two losses to Tyson Fury. While you will never be able to convince some folks that their opinion may not be accurate, the sport of Boxing and by extension all combat sports are filled with stories of fighters who initially crossed paths as sparring partners and eventually met down the line in competition.

One thing that should be advised to any fan who watches a fight between fighters who have experience sparring with each other is there is a significant difference between sparring in a gym/training camp and facing each other in a competitive fight. A reason for this is a sparring partner’s responsibility is to mirror a style that their partner will be facing in their upcoming bout and as such, there is the obvious possibility that what a fighter sees in a sparring scenario may not necessarily be the same as in competition. It will nevertheless be interesting to see if Helenius either saw something in his sparring sessions with Wilder or in Wilder’s three bouts with Tyson Fury that he might look to exploit in this fight.

As was the case with his two bouts against Adam Kowacki, Helenius is being viewed by many as the opponent for Wilder as opposed to a competitive threat to the former world champion. In terms of how he should approach this fight, Helenius needs to get the respect of Wilder early, but must be cautious in doing so. Wilder does have the type of punching power that can end a fight suddenly and even though there is possibility that Wilder may not be as willing to let his hands go as freely as he was prior to those two losses to Fury, a fighter’s power is something to always respect.

The challenge for Helenius will be to find the balance between putting Wilder under pressure and doing so with caution. Helenius is also a fighter that is not known for his Boxing ability, but he must be the one to dictate the combat here in this fight.

While this fight has the tagline of being the first step for Deontay Wilder, this will be a good gage to evaluate just how much the two losses to Tyson Fury took out of him and this fight may also serve as an indicator as to how much Wilder has left to give as a fighter. We will see if we will get those answers when Wilder meets Helenius on Saturday, October 15th

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Wilder vs. Helenius takes place on Saturday, October 15th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight can be seen in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT for $74.99. In addition to being streamed on the Fox Sports app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, the event will also be streamed in the United States and globally on digital combat sports streaming network and pay-per-view platform FITE in addition to also being available via traditional cable/satellite pay-per-view throughout the United States and Canada.

To order and stream on the Fox Sports app download the Fox Sports app on your preferred device and follow the ordering instructions or visit www.FoxSports.com/PPV for ordering information.

To order and stream on the FITE app, download the FITE app on mobile, tablet or connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, or Click the following link to order and for instructions on how and where to download the FITE app: https://www.fite.tv/watch/wilder-vs-helenius/2pbyb/

*Fight and Card Subject To Change 

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

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter:

www.twitter. com/Beau_Denison

Schedule Resumption Update Following Hurricane Ian

We would like to let our readers know following a pause in the normal schedule due to having to evacuate due to Hurricane Ian, our regular schedule will resume on Wednesday, October 12th. While material will cover the upcoming Heavyweight bout between former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder and longtime Heavyweight contender Robert Helenius, we would also like to inform readers that content originally planned for the final week of September and the first two weeks of October will be covered as part of a special feature that will close out the month of October.

In the interim, any content that is sent in for release between now and October 12th from promoters, networks, and others involved in the sport of Boxing will be made available as normal. We want to thank readers for both their patience and understanding during what was frankly a scary time and subsequently led to an unplanned and unwanted pause in our normal schedule and we do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Stay tuned. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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

Ruiz-Ortiz: Post-Thoughts And Analysis

In the weeks following undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk’s second victory over former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua, the man he took the title from last year, the dominant question has been what is next? Almost immediately after Usyk scored his second unanimous decision over Joshua, talk began of a potential fight with the on again, off again, retired, and un-retired undefeated WBC world champion Tyson Fury for a potential showdown between the two champions that would finally lead to one Undisputed World Heavyweight champion. 

While it remains uncertain whether that will indeed become a reality, the first significant Heavyweight bout to take place in the aftermath of Usyk’s rematch with Joshua occurred on September 4th at the legendary venue formerly known as the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, now known as Crypto.com Arena. Even though names of arenas and stadiums in modern times seem to change as quickly as those venues are built, the building has long been a hot spot for the sport of Boxing where many memorable battles have taken place over its two-decade history. On this occasion, the arena was filled with a sizable crowd to see former unified Heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz, the first man to defeat Anthony Joshua and former holder of the unified crown that Oleksandr Usyk now holds, and longtime top contender and former two-time world title challenger Luis Ortiz meet in a bout billed as an elimination bout for the World Boxing Council’s version of the World Heavyweight championship, currently held by Tyson Fury.

Although neither seemed to be in a position to garner a fight against either Fury or Usyk in the immediate future regardless of the outcome of this fight, as this observer said in previewing the bout, in some ways the bout between the two could amount to an audition to for lack of a better term, attempt to swoop into a world title fight if the potential unification bout between the two champions does not occur in the near future. It was a fight however, where both boxers had questions that surrounded them.

For the former world champion Andy Ruiz, the issue with him stemmed from inactivity having fought only once since his losing the unified Heavyweight crown back to Joshua in their December 2019 rematch. There also was the issue of Ruiz having put in a so, so performance against longtime contender and former world title challenger Chris Arreola, who was able to score a knockdown of Ruiz before losing a twelve round unanimous decision in March of last year. This was similar to Luis Ortiz, who came into this bout off of an impressive knockout win over former IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin in January of this year, but appeared to show signs of possible decline as he was dropped twice by Martin before catching him in the fifth round and scoring the knockout victory. Although Ortiz ultimately did what he had to do in that fight, the question that surrounded him coming into this encounter was whether or not at forty-three years of age and having shown signs of having trouble keeping his balance in his fight with Martin was just how much did he have left in him to give as a fighter.

Given the styles of the two fighters that have an emphasis on offense, I did suspect that we would find out the answers to how much Ruiz’ inactivity would affect him as well as whether the wear and tear that tends to come along with a long career inside the Boxing ring as well as age would be an issue for Ortiz, rather quickly. As it would turn out, both men would bring elements of their best skills into this fight. Even though I felt that Ortiz would have the edge in terms of punching power, I did wonder how he would respond in the midst of exchanges of offense with Ruiz, who despite coming into the fight at nearly 270bs., and who has been heavy for most of his career, has exceptionally quick hands for a fighter his size. At minimum, I felt that the difference in hand speed between the two would appear early in the fight and test Ortiz’ balance that gave him trouble against Martin earlier this year. Initially, it was Ortiz’ power that became evident first as he rocked Ruiz with a solid straight left hand from the southpaw stance in the closing seconds of round one. 

Prior to that point, it was a bit surprising to see both fighters willing to stand in close range and willing to engage so early and to the eye of an objective observer, it seemed like Ruiz was getting the upper hand by a slight margin before he was tagged by the left hand of Ortiz. As he has done throughout his career, Ruiz showed the ability to take a punch and would respond in round two by dropping Ortiz in the second round with a flush counter right hook to the head.

In some ways, this reminded me of what happened to Ortiz early on in his fight against Charles Martin from the standpoint of the sudden nature of the way he was knocked down. Although the veteran did his best to milk the referee’s ten count before getting up at the count of nine, Ortiz was hurt and moments later would be knocked down for a second time by a follow-up barrage of punches by Ruiz. It was not clear, at least to this observer’s eyes, whether the second knockdown was a result of Ortiz being hurt by the punches that Ruiz was throwing, but I immediately began to wonder aloud whether this was more evidence of Ortiz potentially being a compromised fighter at this stage in his career. I also wondered if Ortiz was on the verge of being stopped.

To his credit, Ortiz used his veteran instincts and was able to survive the round and did manage to tag Ruiz with a few solid shots of his own in the process. Nevertheless, I did not think based on what I was seeing and based on what I had seen in covering Ortiz’ fight against Martin that the fight would last far beyond the second round. This was based on the balance issues Ortiz seemed to have as well as possible issues with his ability to take a punch, though in fairness to Luis Ortiz, the counter right hand that first sent him down was a case of a fighter in Ruiz using his hand speed and pinpoint timing to his advantage.

A testament to Luis Ortiz’ skillset and instincts were seen in rounds three through six where he was able to both slow the pace down and get himself into a rhythm. It was at this stage where the tempo of the combat was being controlled by the former world title challenger and this in addition to his ability to use angles to keep Ruiz on the outside and a solid jab appeared to get him right back into the fight, despite having two knockdowns against him. As is often the case in Boxing, just as it appears that the ebb and flow is shifting directions, something can happen to change the course of things. This would occur late in the seventh round when Ruiz would stun Ortiz with a right hand to the head and follow up with a right hook to the head that dropped Ortiz for the third time in the fight.

In the context of scoring, it is rare to think that a fighter who suffers three knockdowns over the course of a twelve round fight and probably lost a few rounds in between depending on one’s perspective, would still have a chance to win the fight on the scorecards. At this point in the fight, I felt Ortiz as usual, made a good account of himself, but because of the knockdowns, would need to either reverse roles and score a knockdown or two of Ruiz or outright knock him out to win the fight.

Unfortunately for Ortiz, that would not be the case. Despite being able to win rounds eight, ten, and the twelfth and final round on the official scorecards based largely on his ability to keep Ruiz at distance and seeming to out box him in those rounds, the three knockdowns proved to be the difference as Ruiz would earn a twelve round unanimous decision by a three point margin on two scorecards and a single point on the third.

Although the decision in this fight was the right one in my view and there was no controversy in terms of scoring, the narrow scores at the end of the bout are a reflection of both fighters skills and how both were able to have periods of success throughout the fight even though Luis Ortiz had three knockdowns working against him. The primary difference in my view in addition to the knockdowns came down to the advantage Andy Ruiz had in hand speed. It is indispensable however, that Luis Ortiz did have success and was able to win several rounds throughout the fight.

As for what comes next, this bout was billed as an elimination bout in the WBC’s Heavyweight ratings, but what this fight represented in reality was the first in an unofficial four-man tournament to determine the next mandatory challenger for the WBC crown currently held by Tyson Fury. This is because on October 15th former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder will face longtime Heavyweight contender and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius in a second WBC Heavyweight elimination bout.

While nothing is really set in stone in the sport of Boxing, this will likely set up Ruiz to face the winner of that fight in early 2023 at the earliest to then determine the next WBC mandatory challenger. Although this scenario is for the moment unofficial, given all four fighters, Ruiz, Ortiz, Wilder, and Helenius are aligned with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, the final elimination bout should be an easy one to make should this unofficial tournament play out as it appears to be drawn up.

With Luis Ortiz now back to the drawing board, Andy Ruiz now awaits the outcome of the Wilder-Helenius bout to see in all likelihood who will be his next opponent following his victory over Ortiz.

“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