Jabs And Observations July-August 2025

The time has come once again for this observer to pull out the periodic feature here on The Boxing Truth®️ Jabs And Observations. A feature column that was originally thought up as a bi-monthly addition as an attempt by yours truly to cover even more ground than what is typically found during a standard calendar year in covering the sport of Boxing. In more recent times, however, the concept of what I refer to as J&O in referencing upcoming features on social media has been used when pauses in the usual schedule have been unwanted, but necessary.

While the month of July necessitated such a pause that was not intended by yours truly, it certainly did not mean that the sport was inactive. In fact, it was quite the opposite. When one will look back at the month that was July 2025 down the line, it will likely be summed up in two words: “Marquee Events." A description that due largely to the fourth of July holiday, the fact that it is in the middle of the summer here in the United States and for many, that means vacations and traveling, as well as other sporting events typically scheduled for this time of year, one usually does not think of the month of July as a target for Boxing’s major events. This time around, however, there were four significant events throughout the month that for their own reasons, fit the description.

Of course, arguably the biggest among those events took place on July 11th inside Madison Square Garden in New York City as future Hall of Famers and world champions Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano met for the third time with Taylor's Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world championship on the line. Back at the location of their legendary first encounter in April 2022 where they became the first women's Boxing match to main event in the main arena of Madison Square Garden, the third encounter was even more significant as it would not only serve as a main event once more, but this time, would top the first ever all-women’s Boxing card in the history of Madison Square Garden. 

Seen by over six million live viewers on Netflix as the general entertainment subscription-based streaming network’s second foray into Boxing after serving as the broadcaster of the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson event last November, in which the second encounter between Taylor and Serrano stole the show, the third battle between the two best female fighters of their era, like the previous two, was a closely fought and competitive fight from start to finish. Unlike the first two bouts, however, which were all-action grueling wars that some feel Taylor just barely did enough to win those fights, fight three was more of a tactical battle where each woman had periods of success in showcasing her skillset.

A fight fought at a more measured pace favored Taylor more than the grueling back and forth wars of the first two fights in that she was able to use her movement and angles to set up her offense, consistently get her punches off first, and not get into the heated exchanges that highlighted the previous bouts between the two. While perhaps disappointing to some, when two fighters face each other multiple times, not every fight is going to be exactly like the one or ones that preceded it. This is due primarily to the fighters being able to familiarize themselves with each other's styles and tendencies and make adjustments to their respective approach. In this case, though she also got the upper hand in the first two fights, Taylor was able to keep the pace slightly slower in the third bout and not get into a toe to toe battle with Serrano.

Although Serrano had periods of success throughout the third fight, this time the measured pace that was established by Taylor allowed the Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion to outwork her over ten rounds to earn a decision victory to retain her crown. Similar to the previous two fights, however, a split decision in the first and a unanimous one point decision in the second, fight three saw Taylor earn the nod of two official judges, while the third judge scored the fight even giving her a majority decision.

While this observer will likely revisit the Taylor-Serrano trilogy again in long-form down the line as the historic series and its significance deserves its own column, what will likely be the final encounter between the two legends before each takes their rightful place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame and a well-earned retirement, Taylor-Serrano 3 is not the only topic that will be discussed in this edition of Jabs and Observations.

The very next evening on July 12th, the first of three pay-per-view events during the month of July, a doubleheader took place at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, NY broadcast by DAZN as part of an event titled simply as Ring III, which in short was the third card promoted under the Ring Magazine banner. The highlight of this card was two separate bouts in the Lightweight and Super-Middleweight divisions. In the first encounter, undefeated three-division world champion Shakur Stevenson defended his WBC World Lightweight championship against number one WBC contender William Zepeda. Despite being one of the top stars in the sport, Stevenson had somewhat unfairly gained a reputation in recent years for being a dominant, yet not necessarily the most crowd pleasing world champion. This is due largely to Stevenson's superior Boxing ability in being able to out box his opposition, often earning decision victories rather than highlight reel knockouts or putting himself at unnecessary risk.

It was because of this reputation that not much was expected by many fans and experts, including yours truly. Although William Zepeda had earned his number one ranking legitimately and deserved the opportunity, having covered several of Stevenson's fights, I felt stylistically, unless Zepeda were to catch the champion with something significant early, this would be another performance highlighted by Stevenson's combination punching, hand speed, and ability to be elusive in a likely wide victory on the scorecards. 

While the champion's skillset ultimately would be the story of this fight, it would not necessarily be for the aforementioned attributes, or at least not in the form they had been showcased up to the point of this bout. In a strategy that was perhaps a response to pressure both from fans and the promoters of this event, Stevenson chose to be more engaging in the sense of being willing to stand in the line of fire, rather than using his legs to evade offense from his opponent. 

From a pure entertainment standpoint, the change in approach seemed to make things more interesting for those who do not necessarily consider themselves to be Boxing purest. Despite staying in the pocket and putting himself at risk, Stevenson's ability to use upper body movement, timing, and counter punching as well as his hand speed carried the action as he outworked Zepeda to retain his world championship via a wide and convincing twelve round unanimous decision. 

While more entertaining in the sense that he did not use his legs to evade offense as much as compared to previous fights, Shakur Stevenson showed why he is among the elite fighters in the world with this latest performance and did so against a dangerous opponent. As for what's next for Stevenson, it would not surprise yours truly to see him try to pursue a unification bout before the end of this year or early 2026.

The second half of this doubleheader in Queens saw former world title challenger and top Super-Middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga facing undefeated top contender Hamzah Sheeraz in a WBA world title elimination bout. After three rounds of tactical positioning where neither fighter really stood out clearly from the other while each was looking for an opening, a combination to the head highlighted by a left hook by Sheeraz sent Berlanga down hard on the canvas late in the fourth round. This would be followed by a second knockdown of Berlanga with a follow up barrage of punches in the closing seconds of the round. 

At this point Berlanga showed the appearance of a fighter that was overwhelmed and knowing he had his opponent compromised, Sheeraz closed the show in the fifth round with a flurry of unanswered blows, which forced a stoppage of the fight. The victory for Hamzah Sheeraz was the type of statement-making performance that most would like to see of a contender looking for an opportunity at a world championship.

Whether or not Sheeraz gets that opportunity as now the WBA’s top contender in the Super-Middleweight division will likely be dependent on what happens when current undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez faces undefeated multi-division world champion Terence Crawford in September as depending on the outcome of that fight, there may be a contractual rematch clause that would obviously force Sheeraz to wait longer than would probably be the case for his opportunity. Sheeraz can say, however, that unlike Alvarez, who dropped Berlanga early in their fight in 2024, he was able to do what the champion could not do, score a knockout win over a fighter in Berlanga, who until he lost to Alvarez was considered a knockout artist in his own right. If nothing else, it provides an effective sales hook for whomever the promoter of a fight between Alvarez and Sheeraz would be, assuming of course, that the champion is able to get by Terence Crawford.

This brings us to two marquee events that took place on July 19th. First, in Wembley Stadium in London, England, the highly anticipated rematch to reunify the Heavyweight division as world champions Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois met for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world also broadcast by DAZN.

By now the narrative of the first encounter between the two in August 2023 is well known. Dubois, then a mandatory challenger going against a then unified, but not yet undisputed champion in Usyk, landing a body shot that sent the champion down in pain on the canvas. Had it been called a knockdown, which it appeared to be, Dubois would have emerged victorious as Usyk did not appear that he would have been able to beat a ten count in order to continue. While the punch appeared to land on the beltline of Usyk, it was ruled a low blow, allowing the champion time to recover and effectively taking what appeared to be a potential knockout and a world championship away from Dubois.

As most know, Usyk was able to recover and went on to knock out Dubois in the ninth round. Following that fight Usyk went on to become undisputed champion in his first fight with Tyson Fury later that year, only to be stripped of the IBF Heavyweight world championship for having to go through a contractually mandated rematch with Fury rather than face its mandatory challenger, which was coincidentally due, which happened to be Dubois, who had worked himself back into contention and was subsequently named world champion by the IBF. While that synopsis is only a brief glimpse into the political landscape of the sport of Boxing, the controversy of the first encounter on its own was enough to warrant a rematch. The addition of reunifying the Heavyweight division and the historical significance of such an occasion of an Undisputed World Heavyweight champion being determined for the first time in British soil made it a bigger event than the storyline of whether or not Usyk had benefited from what some deemed a bad call by a referee in the first fight.

Although Dubois began this fight like a fighter on a mission in immediately pressing the action from the opening bell, he ran into Usyk’s jab and counter punches. Despite being physical and trying to use his strength, Dubois, as was the case in the first fight, had trouble adjusting to Usyk’s ability to use angles and found himself getting caught in exchanges. As has often been the case throughout Usyk’s career, he was able to make his opponent fight his fight and use that opponent's aggression against them. 

The systematic approach by Usyk would culminate in the fifth round, knocking Dubois down with a right hand that seemed to land on the ear, which can affect the equilibrium. Although Dubois was able to get up, Usyk would drop him a second time, this time hard and for the count with a perfectly timed counter left hook to the jaw. Oleksandr Usyk had made a statement in emphatic fashion.

Not only did Usyk become the first fighter in Boxing history to fully unify the Heavyweight division twice, but his victory in this fight also earned him his third undisputed world championship after previously accomplishing the feat as a Cruiserweight. Simply put, when one looks up the definition of Hall of Fame Resume or All-time great, a picture of Oleksandr Usyk should be next to it.

While it would be wonderful to see the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world remain fully unified and see Usyk attempt to somehow add to his cemented legacy, the reality is, much like Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, two fighters who have carried Women's Boxing to unprecedented heights, Oleksandr Usyk having dominated the amateur ranks where he was an Olympic Gold medalist and having completely dominated both the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions as a professional seemingly has nothing left to prove and this victory by unifying the Heavyweight championship of the world for a second time, something that based on past history and the politics that be in the sport, seems unlikely to happen again, it would appear this would be the ideal scenario to end his career even though it would force the Heavyweight division into a reset period as has been the case when world champions and unified champions have retired throughout the sport’s history.

When one thinks of fighters with legacies long having been cemented in history with nothing more to prove, Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao would be on that list. In August 2021, Pacquiao lost a decision to Yordenis Ugas in an attempt to regain a World Welterweight championship. A fight that Pacquiao seemed to show decline and after a long and illustrious career, the legend and Boxing’s first eight-division world champion and politician in his native Philippines, retired from the ring. 

While Pacquiao would return in December 2022 in picking up a victory in an exhibition bout against martial artist DK Yoo in a bout held in Korea, many assumed Pacquiao's career as an active fighter was concluded with his defeat to Ugas. At age forty-six and one month after his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, however, Pacquiao would return to the ring on July 19th to challenge WBC World Welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

Although Boxing history is full of stories regarding legendary fighters and former world champions attempting to make a comeback after a lengthy absence from active competition, this was a case where the curiosity was squarely centered on Pacquiao and given what had happened in his last fight four years earlier, there were some who were concerned for him in getting back in the ring. It did not take long for fears to dissipate as Pacquiao showed that though he was older, he could still compete and do so effectively.

While obviously not the blistering, swarming, attacking fighter he had been in his prime, Pacquiao consistently beat the younger Barrios to the punch, frequently landing two and three punch combinations and seeming to outwork the champion, who for whatever reason chose not to press the issue when he had opportunities to gain an advantage. Whether it was a hesitancy to take a risk knowing Pacquiao’s reputation for being a precision counter puncher, or simply being awed by the event in sharing the ring with a legend of the sport, gradually it appeared that Barrios had let the fight get away from him as he opted to throw single punches rather than combinations. Though effective in spots, he did not do enough in this observer’s view to retain his championship as at the conclusion of the twelve round world championship bout, I had Pacquiao winning by a margin of nine rounds to three or 117-111 in points.

Despite the view of yours truly as well as several fellow media members and fans of a clear victory for Pacquiao, the result would be a majority draw, the second consecutive draw for Barrios in his reign as champion following a lackluster performance in his previous title defense before this outing against Pacquiao against Abel Ramos on the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson event. While that does not necessarily paint Barrios in a light that makes him considered a dominant champion after back to back close calls in fights that many felt could have gone against him, the opinion of yours truly aside that Pacquiao did enough to win this fight, the fact is Mario Barrios did retain the title via a draw. 

The obvious question is what happens now? An interesting development surfaced in the days following the fight in that the WBC named Pacquiao its number one contender, which appears to set up a rematch between him and Barrios. Whether or not that happens, however, will depend on both what Pacquiao decides to do next as well as whether there will be sufficient public demand for a return encounter. It should also not be overlooked that it remains unknown as of this writing how the bout, which was promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and broadcast on pay-per-view via digital subscription general entertainment network Prime Video did in terms of buys as those numbers have not been made public. 

While one should not make assumptions based on that fact, it should also not be dismissed that the pay-per-view model has been in steady decline for years as consumers have demonstrated not only a dissatisfaction with being asked to pay the same inflated prices that led many to cut the cord of traditional cable and satellite Pay-TV service and the same pay-per-view prices, which ultimately led to networks like HBO and what is now known as Paramount+ with Showtime to exit broadcasting Boxing altogether, but also a willingness to pay for more reasonably priced subscription-based streaming options that are budget-friendly. Although this trend in consumer choice is certainly not exclusive to the PBC group of promoters or one specific network or streaming platform, it will be interesting to see what will follow as DAZN recently announced that they will soon discontinue it's selective pay-per-view approach for Boxing events and return to the subscription-based approach the streaming network implemented successfully from its entry into the United States in 2018, and now the most recent news that the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, a longtime stalwart of pay-per-view, will be leaving the model behind in favor of a seven-year $7.7 Billion broadcast deal with subscription-based digital streaming entertainment network Paramount+ to broadcast all of the promotion’s events including numbered (Previously pay-per-view) UFC events to subscribers at no additional cost while also maintaining their UFC Fight Pass combat sports digital streaming network, which houses the full UFC library plus other combat sports including Boxing. With Netflix also continuing to throw its hat in the Boxing ring not only with the recent successful Taylor-Serrano 3 card, but also preparing to serve as the global broadcaster for the upcoming Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship fight between Saul “Canelo" Alvarez and Terence Crawford on September 13th, arguably the biggest event on the Boxing calendar in 2025 to Netflix subscribers at no additional cost, it remains to be seen what appetite, if any, remains for pay-per-view and that is certainly not exclusive to a potential rematch between Barrios and Pacquiao, but across the combat sports genre as a whole. One can only hope that hold outs like the PBC, who have relied heavily on the pay-per-view model, despite losing numerous broadcast partners along the way and continuing mounting evidence that the pay-per-view model is no longer viable or preferred by consumers, will finally adapt their strategy to a more consumer-friendly approach while also looking to different sources of revenue that can effectively achieve what is hoped for, but rarely accomplished via pay-per-view. The reality is Boxing will be much better off by such change and the sport will only grow because of it.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Was Victory Over Harutyunyan Stevenson's Swan Song With Top Rank?

The story leading up to undefeated three-division world champion Shakur Stevenson's bout against Artem Harutyunyan on July 6th was his first title defense as the WBC World Lightweight champion.  Before a hometown crowd, Stevenson put forth a dominant performance, skillfully out Boxing Harutyunyan over twelve rounds to retain his world title. 

While this observer summed up what occurred at the Prudential Center in Stevenson's hometown of Newark, NJ,  there is more to the story, which was omitted from the preview penned by yours truly last week, but was not done so as a means of ignoring on my part. It was simply something that I chose to hold off discussing until after the fight. Just what am I referring to? The fact that this fight and what turned out to be the latest successful, lopsided outing for Stevenson, was the final bout under his current promotional agreement with Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum's Top Rank Inc. Normally, I do my best to try and avoid discussing these types of issues involving what could be a parting of ways between a fighter and a promoter. The reason for this is certainly not out of fear to discuss such subjects, but frankly such situations, which are firmly in the realm of the business end of the sport, tend to often resemble conflicts that one would see play out on a “Reality TV” program, only thanks in part to the age we are living in, such disputes/differences of opinion tend to now play out across social media platforms as well as others methods of communication. 

Although this may be entertaining for some, I personally have a hard time, despite my best efforts,  following it all, much less being able to discern what is fact, fiction, or simply folks blowing off steam. In this case, while there may not be much in the way of public spats between fighter and promoter, there is a true conundrum that may not be easily answered. 

Shakur Stevenson is a truly gifted fighter that may ultimately go on to be regarded as a generational talent. The problem for him and anyone who promotes him is he may be in a rare category where he might be too good, for his own good. What do I mean by that dear reader? Stevenson just might be one of those fighters that fighters in and around his weight class, and to be more specific, those who handle those fighters from a managerial and promotional standpoint as a high risk, low reward scenario. In that the risk of defeat against someone with the elusive, crafty type of style that Stevenson has is obviously high because he has proven to be a difficult puzzle to solve thus far. Furthermore, where the low reward aspect enters the equation is Stevenson, though extremely talented and highly skilled, has not been the type of fighter to put himself at risk for the entertainment of a crowd attending his fights or those who tune in to watch his fight through streaming or traditional platforms, nor should he for the mere sake of entertainment value. The main objective in the sport of Boxing and why it is known as “The Sweet Science" is after all, to hit and not be hit. Something that Stevenson has been nearly flawless executed so far in his unbeaten career.

What might be most troublesome for Stevenson in terms of his negotiating position both in trying to secure more lucrative paydays as well as in securing a long-term agreement with a promoter like Bob Arum and a selling point to the public, despite his domination, is he has seemed more content to box his way to victories via the judges scorecards than looking for a victory inside the distance via knockout or stoppage. The most recent example of this was his fight against Artem Harutyunyan where, despite his confidence before the fight as well as indicating to his corner in the middle of the fight that he would stop Harutyunyan, he seemed for lack of a better term, to take his foot off the gas as the fight progressed even as there were points throughout where it seemed like if he pressed the issue more, he may have been able to stop Harutyunyan. While part of this should be attributed to the “Game" effort of Harutyunyan, who never stopped trying to turn things in his favor, it is not a positive for any fighter competing in a world championship bout as the main event attraction in their hometown to hear what should be an enthusiastic crowd, voicing their dissatisfaction with what they are seeing by booing the fighter they paid to see, despite a dominant, one-sided performance that has become a Stevenson trademark. 

Whether or not the now promotional free agent and WBC World Lightweight champion decides to stay with Arum, the promoter he has been aligned with since the beginning of his professional career, remains to be seen, but the need to showcase all his God given attributes, and do so in a way that will drum up support for him from the public, increase ratings,where both he and his promoter will make top dollar, and most importantly, to convince other star fighters in and around the same weight division to take the risk in fighting him. Without finding what is a delicate balance between showcasing his skills and doing so where it maximizes his value, the conundrum Stevenson now finds himself in will continue to follow him. It is  a shame because Shakur Stevenson should be appreciated for the outstanding fighter he is turning out to be.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Stevenson Looks To Make Successful First Defense Of Lightweight Crown

 

With the departure of former Undisputed Lightweight world champion Devin Haney, the period of transition in the 135lb. Lightweight division continues with several world champions in the division looking to make their claim as being the best Lightweight in the world. In recent times both Vasyl Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis have made their respective arguments. Lomachenko emerged as a unified world champion in the division on May 12th with an eleventh round stoppage of IBO world champion George Kambosos in Kambosos’ home country of Australia. Along with the IBO world championship, Lomachenko also gained the vacant IBF crown, emerging as a unified world champion, and in many ways, by default, because he became a unified world champion, became the fighter that all top contenders, other world champions, and would be prospects look to target for a potential fight. The vacant WBO world championship would be decided on May 18th when undefeated top contender Denys Berinchyk scored what many felt was an upset in scoring a twelve round split decision over the heavily favored former three-division world champion Emanuel Navarrete in San Diego, CA.

This was followed by Gervonta Davis, who was recently elevated to world champion in the WBA Lightweight ratings, making a successful first defense of his piece of the World Lightweight championship with a brutal eighth round knockout of previously unbeaten top contender Frank Martin in Las Vegas, NV on June 15th. A fight and Davis appeared to be losing, only for the champion to graciously walk his opponent down and end matters with a brutal right uppercut, left him combination. As much of a statement as that knockout was by Davis, there is one more world champion in the Lightweight division that is awaiting his chance to make his claim as being the best Lightweight in the world. 

Yours truly is referring to undefeated three-division world champion Shakur Stevenson, who is the current holder of the WBC World Lightweight championship. Stevenson won the then vacant WBC crown with a twelve round unanimous decision over Edwin De Los Santos in November of last year. While Stevenson did what he had to do in that fight to win a world championship in his third weight class, it was not a crowd-pleasing performance by Stevenson who tends to be underappreciated by some for his overall skillset and his ability to box rather than engaging in a more toe to toe battle with his opponents.

Following the success of Lomachenko, Berinchyk, and Davis, Stevenson will now look to make the first defense of his WBC crown on July 6th as he will face current WBC number seven Lightweight contender Artem Harutyunyan at the Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, NJ. A world championship bout that can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

While this fight has all the appearance of a homecoming for the champion in a venue that he has fought three times previously in his career, what does the challenger bring with him into this fight? Artem Harutyunyan has had thirteen professional fights and has only one defeat. Some might argue that the setback for the Armenian-born, German-based Harutyunyan came in his only opportunity to date to step up in the caliber of opposition in terms of world level. The defeat came in losing a twelve round unanimous decision to Frank Martin in July of last year, which was coincidentally Harutyunyan’s last fight. 

The effort he showed in that fight however, in what was a close and competitive contest, along with his having won titles on the regional level of the sport including titles affiliated with the World Boxing Council (WBC), earned him the number seven ranking in their Lightweight ratings. While Harutyunyan does have a limited resume in terms of facing world-rated opposition, he has scored knockouts in seven of his twelve victories, albeit against largely unknown opposition.

Nevertheless, the challenger faces a significant uphill battle against Stevenson. The onus is on Harutyunyan to show what he can do and show that this is a more serious fight than some are anticipating. 

The old adage of styles make fights almost always applies to just about any fight, but the adage that this observer is often quoted as saying should also apply. “Boxing Is A Sport Of Opportunity." While just about every attribute one could measure seems to be in favor of the champion Stevenson, from overall experience on the world championship level to style in being elusive, to hand speed, sometimes all a fighter wants is an opportunity. There is always the possibility for a challenger, a significant underdog, to pull off a surprise, despite what logic and statistics might suggest. Whether Artem Harutyunyan can do that remains to be seen as does whether Stevenson can make a convincing argument for himself as the number one fighter amidst the latest refresh of the Lightweight division. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Stevenson vs. Harutyunyan takes place on Saturday, July 6th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The fight and its full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

(*Card and Start Time Subject To Change*)

(*Check your local listings Internationally*)

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Stevenson Wins Third World Championship, Fails To Make A Statement

The fight between undefeated former two-division world champion Shakur Stevenson and WBC number six rated Lightweight contender Edwin De Los Santos was not only for the vacant WBC Lightweight championship of the world, but some felt it could signal the beginning of what might be a new era in the 135lb. Lightweight division. A new era that seemingly has started with the former Undisputed Lightweight world champion Devin Haney choosing to roll the dice and move up in weight to challenge WBC Jr. Welterweight world champion Regis Prograis in a fight that will take place on December 9th in San Francisco, CA. 

While Haney still holds three portions of the World Lightweight championship as of this writing, it is expected by many whether or not he wins that fight against Prograis that he will remain as a 140lb. Jr. Welterweight going forward, due largely to struggles he has had in making the 135lb. Lightweight limit in recent fights. Although there was little to say prior to Stevenson’s bout with De Los Santos beyond it being for a vacant world championship and thus an opportunity for Stevenson to become a three-division world champion, Haney by all accounts choosing to move on to a different chapter in his career also created an opportunity for Stevenson to make an argument for himself as being a fighter that could be viewed as the division’s new central figure.

A capacity crowd filled the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV on November 16th to see if Stevenson could make his claim for such a role. Whether it was because of a bad clash of styles between two southpaws or if Stevenson simply had an off night, what took place inside the ring was anything, but a fighter making a clear statement as emerging as the number one fighter in a division heading towards a period of transition. 

For twelve rounds, Stevenson and Dos Santos engaged in a tactical battle where neither fighter seemed to take the initiative as an aggressor. Despite being a tutorial in some ways on the benefits of defense in a fighter's arsenal as both fighters were able to make each other miss with punches frequently, it was not the most entertaining bout to watch. Some might go as far as to describe the action or lack thereof as dull. While this observer will not go as far, as I believe in the old adage of ”Styles Make Fights” and will also point out the rarity of two southpaws being pitted against each other, some fights will simply be more entertaining than others.

An illustration of the lack of action in this fight can be seen in the CompuBox statistics for the twelve round world championship bout in that for the first time in history in the over four decades in which fights have been tracked statistically by CompuBox, neither fighter was able to land ten punches in a single round of the fight. From my perspective, I have seen worse fights on every level of the sport in my almost three decades covering Boxing and other combat sports, but this was one instance where I truly could not form an opinion as to who I believed may have had the upper hand.

This was due not only to the lack of action, but also neither fighter being able to hurt the other with the punches that did land or being able to score knockdowns. In all honesty, this was an instance where at the conclusion of twelve rounds, I could not see how a winner could be determined or at least determined clearly. Despite the view of yours truly, a decision was reached and it was unanimous with Stevenson winning the fight by margins of seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points, and eight rounds to four on two official scorecards or 116-112 in points making him the new WBC Lightweight champion of the world.

While sometimes a win is still indeed a win and ultimately it was mission accomplished for Stevenson in becoming a three-division world champion, he has had better performances throughout his career. Although he may not have had the statement-making performance that he was probably looking for as the last kingpin of the Lightweight division appears to be moving on and up the weight scale, it should be noted that Stevenson did say in a post-fight interview with ESPN immediately following his victory over De Los Santos that he “Didn't Feel Good," which has fueled some speculation that he may have entered the fight either dealing with an illness or an injury and that may have played a role in his performance.

Whatever the case might be, it is important to remember that fighters like all of us are human and are going to have an underwhelming performance from time to time. Whether or not Stevenson was dealing with an illness, injury, or both is something that only he can answer. It will be what he does in his next fight however, whomever that bout might be against, that will probably determine if he will indeed be the new central figure of the Lightweight division. For now, the jury is still deliberating.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Stevenson-De Los Santos Preview

The career of undefeated former two-division world champion Shakur Stevenson thus far has been one of dominance. After winning world championships in both the 126lb. Featherweight and 130lb. Jr. Lightweight divisions, Stevenson in part because of difficulty making the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight limit prior to his last scheduled title defense of the unified WBO/WBC world championship against Robson Conceicao In September of last year, losing the championship on the scale prior to scoring a twelve round unanimous decision, Stevenson set his sights on the 135lb. Lightweight division where in his debut as a Lightweight, he scored a knockout of a “Game,” but overmatched previously undefeated Shuichiro Yoshino in an elimination bout to determine the number one contender for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Lightweight championship of the world.

As most Boxing fans know, the WBC world championship had been fully unified as part of the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world held by Devin Haney. While it appeared as though Haney and Stevenson were on a collision course for what would be a highly anticipated showdown between two master boxers, Haney will be moving up to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to challenge WBC world champion Regis Prograis on December 9th in San Francisco, CA. Although Haney is still recognized as the Lightweight champion of the world by the WBA, IBF, and WBO as of this writing, the WBC opted to strip Haney of its world championship, which not only broke the undisputed championship at 135lbs., but also created an opportunity for Stevenson to fight for a vacant world championship.

An opportunity that will come on Thursday, November 16th as Stevenson will face WBC number six rated contender Edwin De Los Santos at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. A fight that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. 

It is hard to ignore the perception of at least some that this fight may amount to little more than Stevenson, a potential all-time great fighter, being able to add another world championship to his resume against a relatively unknown opponent at least in some circles. This fight also comes as a result of the politics that be in the sport in that we have an undefeated former two-division world champion, who is the number one contender, facing the number six rated contender for a vacant world championship.

While this does in some ways put a spotlight on some of the flaws that come with the politics in the sport of Boxing in that number two rated contender Frank Martin is not in this fight, nor are contenders three, four, or five, Boxing is nevertheless as this observer has pointed out numerous times over almost three decades, a sport of opportunity. One has clearly presented itself for De Los Santos.

Who is Edwin De Los Santos one might ask? He is in fairness a top contender, who is the current WBC Continental Americas Lightweight champion, one of the regional championships in the WBC, which more often than not, serves as both an elevator for a fighter climbing the rankings, and a precursor for the fighter holding it to eventually challenge for a world championship. De Los Santos will enter this fight with a record of 16-1, with 14 Knockouts \, having scored knockouts in his last three fights. With a career knockout percentage of over 87%, De Los Santos should be viewed as a dangerous fighter with nothing to lose and everything to gain here.

The question going into this fight is whether De Los Santos will be able to solve the puzzle that is Shakur Stevenson's Boxing style. Stevenson is a crafty and slick boxer who has a good mix of hand speed and punching power. What has made him so dominant is to this point in his career, no opponent has been able to make him uncomfortable, much less hurt him or be able to win rounds during a fight. Although Stevenson has only ten knockouts in his twenty career wins, he is capable of scoring a knockout if the opportunity is there, though some might argue that there have been a few instances where Stevenson might have opted for decision victories rather than pressing to try and get knockouts in some of his previous fights.

Perhaps one wrinkle that some might point to as this fight approaches is this is a rare instance where two southpaws will be facing each other for a world championship. This, at least in theory, removes the theoretical advantages that a southpaw has when they face a fighter that boxes out of an orthodox stance. Nevertheless, the fight plan for De Los Santos comes down to one thing. Pressure, Pressure, Pressure… De Los Santos must find a way to cut the ring off from Stevenson to try and nullify his ability to move and apply pressure on him to set up opportunities to land his power punches. Simply put, if De Los Santos allows Stevenson to be in a position where he can dictate the pace of the fight and find his rhythm early, this may end up as most of Stevenson's previous bouts have, where the only question might be whether he will box his way to a convincing unanimous decision victory or if he might be able to get a stoppage in the middle or late rounds if he presses the issue.

Even though this fight might indeed signal a period of transition for the Lightweight division as one former undisputed world champion might exit the division depending on what happens as he tests the Jr. Welterweight waters in a few weeks by challenging for another world championship, Shakur Stevenson should keep in mind, despite being the heavy favorite and appearing to at least be in a position to become the central figure of the Lightweight division, if he is in any way overlooking Edwin De Los Santos, it could prove costly because unlike his opponent, Stevenson may indeed have everything to lose both in terms of his standing in the sport as well as some potential lucrative fights that could be in store for him in the always talent-deep Lightweight division.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Stevenson vs. De Los Santos takes place on Thursday, November 16th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 5:40PM ET/2:40PM PT.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

(*Check your local listings internationally.*)

(*Card and Start Time Subject to Change.* )

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Lopez-Gonzalez Thoughts

 Mexican Independence Day weekend has traditionally been one of the marquee dates on the Boxing calendar ever year routinely featuring some of the biggest fights in the history of the sport. The 2023 Mexican Independence Day weekend featured a bout for the IBF Featherweight championship of the world between defending champion Luis Lopez and two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez, who was getting his third opportunity to win a world championship. A fight that took place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX on September 15th. While many of the previous battles that have taken place during Mexican Independence Day weekend have featured fighters regarded as the marquee attractions in the sport facing off against each other, this fight may not have been regarded as being in that category by some, but it was a solid encounter between two world-class fighters and featured a world champion in Lopez, who’s star has been on the rise.

It was also a fight that featured a sub-plot of whether Joet Gonzalez, a solid top contender could finally get across the finish line to become a world champion after falling short in his previous two attempts. Although some may be critical of the structure in the sport that seemingly makes the path to a world championship easier in the eyes of some, it is still a task that can prove easier said than done, and for some fighters proves to be an ever elusive goal. One thing that Gonzalez did have going for him entering this fight was that he gave a good account of himself in fights against Shakur Stevenson and Emanuel Navvarrete. He had also never been stopped in his career. This would prove to be a test for a world champion in Lopez, who by all accounts seemed to be riding high after scoring a majority decision over Josh Warrington in December of last year to win the IBF world championship and then scoring an impressive knockout win of top contender Michael Conlan earlier this year. Two fights where Lopez fought both men in each’s backyard of the United Kingdom. 

In his second title defense it was interesting to see if Lopez could continue to build on his momentum. What occurred when the two fighters got into the ring could best be described as a tactical Boxing match between two fighters who could do a bit of everything with each fighter having their share of moments in many of the same rounds throughout the twelve round world championship fight. Such a scenario presents a difficult task for those scoring a fight to determine which fighter got the upper hand. 

What stood out to this observer early on was the pressure that Gonzalez put on Lopez in trying to force him back against the ropes. While a consistent pressure attack when executed right can often lead to success for the fighter applying said pressure as a fight progresses, this was a fight where even though Gonzalez was successful in applying the pressure, he had trouble maintaining the champion on the ropes due to Lopez’ ability to move, throw punches at odd angles, and be elusive. Despite having sixteen knockouts in his twenty-eight career wins prior to this fight, Lopez has never struck me as the type of fighter that can end a fight with one punch, but rather one that because of his ability to throw and land punches at varying angles, could stop opponents either by catching them with punches they do not see as they press forward or by gradually administering what would be defined as an accumulation of punishment that eventually breaks his opponents down. In some ways, Lopez’ unorthodox style reminds yours truly of another great Featherweight champion Prince Naseem Hamed, who had one of the most awkward styles I had ever seen, but one that proved to be extremely effective throughout his career. While I would argue that Hamed had more punching power than Lopez, the similarities between the two styles is hard to ignore and much like Hamed, Lopez’ style works well for him. So well that in this fight, there were periods where, despite being pressured constantly by Gonzalez, Lopez would find ways to evade, land combinations, and then try to tie Gonzalez up when he was able to get close.

As the fight progressed into the second half however, it seemed that it was Gonzalez landing the harder punches of the two, despite his face gradually becoming cut and busted up over the course of the bout as a result of punishment dished out by Lopez. Although the fight remained close in my eyes, it was the pressure as well as the hard shots Gonzalez was able to land, particularly with his right hand and also his left hook, that seemed to push him ahead slightly as the fight entered the championship rounds. Entering rounds eleven and twelve, I felt the fight could go either way and I also felt that a decision would be closely scored due again to both fighters having periods of success in the same rounds as well as nether fighter being able to score knockdowns throughout. 

Much as had been the case throughout the entire fight, the last two rounds were closely fought and it become a question of what does one prefer in how they score a fight to determine who would ultimately get the nod. Would it be the consistent pressure and hard punches of Gonzalez over the second half of the fight, or would it be the elusiveness and ability to catch Gonzalez as he came forward, as well as periodically being able to make him miss that Lopez was able to accomplish that would determine who would win the fight?

After a lifetime watching the sport and almost as long covering it, I can say in all truth and honesty that there is not much that surprises me anymore when it comes to scoring of a fight on any level of the sport because, a judge’s criteria in how they score is truly unique based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. It is also worth noting that even though a decision may prove to be unanimous in favor of one fighter, each judge has their own viewpoint/criteria based on the aforementioned standard in which Boxing is scored. What I can say is that at the conclusion of twelve rounds, I felt that Joet Gonzalez had done enough to win the fight seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points. While I do stand by my scoring in feeling that Gonzalez’ pressure and harder punches were enough to eek out a decision over the second half of the fight, I also felt that, despite my view, Gonzalez probably would not get the nod from the three official judges, based on how effective Lopez was able to execute his fight plan over the first six rounds. Whether one would call it a “Gut Feeling” or the intuition of a seasoned Boxing scribe, the instinct that even though I felt Gonzalez had done enough to win the fight, but would not get the decision, proved to be accurate as all three judges scored the fight in favor of Lopez giving the champion a successful second defense of his IBF world championship. 

A point of contention that some will perhaps point to however, is that the three judges scored the fight by wide margins in favor of Lopez. 118-110, (Ten rounds to two) 117-111, (Nine rounds to three) and 116-112. (Eight rounds to four) While these scores do not reflect the close action that occurred in the ring between Lopez and Gonzalez, it does boil down to what a judge prefers in their own criteria as well as where they are positioned at ringside that can play a role in how a fight is scored. A;though I felt Gonzalez won this fight by a close margin, I do not feel that the outcome of this bout was controverisal because Lopez did have moments throughout the fight and a fighter’s ability to defend and evade punches is something that also should be taken into consideration in how a fight is ultimately scored. What I will say however, is the stock of Joet Gonzalez in the 126lb. Featherweight division has risen and even though Luis Lopez successfully retained his world championship, there will be some who might feel that it is Gonzaelz who comes out of this fight looking better than the champion. What the outcome of this fight and perhaps the perception of some fans leads to going forward for both fighters remains to be seen. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Stevenson Adds His Name To Lightweight Mix

The Lightweight debut of undefeated former two-division world champion Shakur Stevenson on April 8th was one that in some ways felt more like a formality than what one would consider a legitimate test for a fighter who has proven to be a difficult puzzle for opponents to solve. Perhaps adding to that feeling of formality was that Stevenson per his being a former unified world champion in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division, was moved immediately into an elimination bout to determine the next mandatory challenger in the World Boxing Council's (WBC) Lightweight ratings, which theoretically would put him in line to challenge the winner of the upcoming world championship bout between undefeated Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney and former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, which will take place on May 20th in Las Vegas, NV.

 Formalities and what seemed designed to be a clear prelude to Stevenson challenging for a world championship in now a third weight class, was also not without its share of criticism. This was due to Stevenson's opponent, the unbeaten, but largely unknown former Japanese and Oriental Professional Boxing Federation (OPBF) Lightweight champion Shuichiro Yoshino being rated number four in the world by the WBC, despite not having faced a world rated contender prior to the bout. The OPBF's affiliation with the WBC did nevertheless, provide Yoshino an opportunity to show what he could do on a significant stage against one of the top stars in the sport.

Stevenson's hometown of Newark, NJ and the Prudential Center would be the site for the bout. In previewing this bout, this observer stated that Yoshino was a fighter that liked to come forward and throw punches in bursts. Yoshino proved to be true to form because that would be the approach he would attempt against Stevenson from the outset by coming forward and trying to apply pressure on him, while also trying to back the former world champion up and go to his body.

While Yoshino succeeded in showing that he came to fight, it would not be long before Stevenson would turn the outcome of this fight into, you guessed it dear reader, "A Formality." After taking a round to study his opponent, Stevenson began to open up with offense. As I also stated prior to this fight, Yoshino did tend to throw looping punches, and as it would turn out, the technical flaw that Yoshino had shown in previous bouts, was something that a slick boxer like Shakur Stevenson was able to recognize and exploit.

In the second round, Stevenson would score the first of what became two knockdowns when he connected with a flush counter left hook to the head. This would be followed in round four when Stevenson dropped Yoshino for a second time with a left hook to the body. Although Stevenson is not known for his punching power, the only thought that I had as I watched this fight as it became clear that Stevenson on this night was against a fighter that though very "Game," was overmatched, and likely too brave for his own good, was simply how long the fight would be allowed to go on.

To be honest with the reader, I felt that if Stevenson wanted to press the issue a bit more than he did, the fight probably could have been stopped in the fourth round. After taking a consistent beating for five rounds, Yoshino would be protected from himself as the fight was mercifully stopped in round six.

Although it did not take long for this fight to become a competitive mismatch, no one can take anything away from the bravery that Shuichiro Yoshino showed in what was his first fight in the United States. Unfortunately for Yoshino, he was simply against a superior fighter and he should hold his hand high for the valiant effort he put forth in defeat. Yoshino gave it everything he had and at the end of the day, win or lose that is really all you can ask of a fighter.

As for Shakur Stevenson, it is logical to assume with this fight now in his rearview, what was the twentieth win of his career, likely secured him a ringside seat to witness the highly anticipated Haney-Lomachenko world championship bout in Las Vegas on May 20th and there is no doubt in my mind that if indeed Stevenson does attend the bout between Haney and Lomachenko, that he will likely call out the winner shortly after the fight concludes. The question coming out of his victory over Yoshino however, should be whether or not this was a glimpse of a Shakur Stevenson that now as a 135lb. Lightweight will try to sit on his punches more and attempt to score more knockouts as he was able to do here, which has not always been the case in either the 126lb. Featherweight or 130lb. Jr. Lightweight divisions. For a fighter that has been labeled as one to avoid by some, if Stevenson has decided to try to score more knockouts into an already immaculate skillset, he may have just become even more dangerous.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Is Shakur Stevenson One Fight Away From Challenging For A Third World Title In Three Weight Divisions?

Boxing is truly a sport that seems to breed stars almost as quickly as fighters tend to be positioned in the sport's mythical "Pound For Pound" debates. While often there is not much criteria for the latter as the entire concept is based almost exclusively on opinion and by its very nature is very subjective, the emergence of a star in the sport is often easier to see because it is something that one can see develop from the very early stages of a fighter's career.

One such star that has emerged is undefeated former two-division world champion Shakur Stevenson. Stevenson, unbeaten in nineteen professional fights after winning a Silver medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics, was able to win world titles in both the 126lb. Featherweight and 130lb. Jr. Featherweight divisions, despite not having twenty pro bouts as of yet and in the process, has been a star on the rise for the past several years. Although Stevenson is at a point in his career where many fighters at similar stages are either just flirting with contention for a world title or are awaiting an opportunity to try to move into that position, Stevenson's talent as a slick and elusive boxer is indisputable and thus far, has proven to be a fighter with a style that no one has yet been able to solve.

Prior to his last fight, which was to be a title defense of what was the unified WBO/WBC Jr. Lightweight world championship against Robson Conceicao in September of last year, Stevenson was stripped of the title for failing to make the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight limit. Despite the setback for him, the fight went on and Stevenson dominated Conceicao over twelve rounds. This victory not only opened a vacancy of two world championships in the Jr. Lightweight division, but also closed the chapter of Stevenson's time at 130lbs. as the need to move up in weight became apparent.

A move up in weight to the 135lb. Lightweight division, which will officially take place on Saturday, April 8th in Stevenson's hometown of Newark, NJ. In his Lightweight debut, Stevenson will face undefeated WBC number eight rated Lightweight contender Shuichiro Yoshino in what is being billed as an elimination bout in the WBC rankings, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. Although not likely known to a portion of American Boxing fans, Yoshino is himself unbeaten in sixteen professional bouts and has scored knockouts in twelve of those fights. Among his career accomplishments up to this point, Yoshino has won regional Lightweight championships recognized by both the WBO and the Oriental Professional Boxing Federation (OPBF).

Yoshino is coming off a sixth round knockout in his last fight in November of last year of Masayoshi Nakatani in his native Japan. While Yoshino is undefeated and has more knockouts than Stevenson, who has nine knockouts in his nineteen career wins, in his career, this fight will not only represent Yoshino's first fight in the United States and his first fight outside of Japan, but also a significant step up in caliber of opposition having fought almost exclusively in the Japanese and Asia-Pacific regional rankings. Per the OPBF's affiliation with the World Boxing Council (WBC) however, Yoshino has been designated as a top ten contender in the Lightweight division.

Obviously, questions regarding how legitimate that number eight ranking is will be asked, particularly because Yoshino is in a bout that is billed as a world title eliminator, despite not facing an opponent ranked in the world rankings. As flawed and open to criticism as any world sanctioning organization might be, the silver-lining is we are likely to get an answer regarding Yoshino's ranking early on in this fight as Stevenson's skillset is such that he can get an opponent out of there if the opportunity presents itself with a blend of hand speed and deceptive power in both hands.

What does Yoshino bring to the table? He is a come forward pressure fighter, which is theoretically an approach that one would attempt to use against a fighter such as Stevenson who has good lateral movement and tends to use the ring in his fights. Yoshino also tends to throw punches in bursts of flurries that seems to swarm his opponents. A highlight of his offense is a devastating left hook, which if he can find a way to land it in this fight, and more specifically, can do so while getting leverage on the punch, it could well do damage. One should keep in mind, despite the unknown surrounding Yoshino in regard to how he will fare against world level opposition, he is the natural Lightweight here and if one were to point to a potential advantage he might have over Stevenson, at least in theory, it is that theoretically, he is the bigger fighter naturally against someone who has competed in two lower weight divisions prior to this encounter.

What does concern this observer however, is there are times when Yoshino tends to loop with his punches. While none of his previous opponents were able to exploit that, Shakur Stevenson is a high-caliber boxer, who in addition to his aforementioned attributes, is also a skilled counter puncher. 

With this in mind, the obvious approach for Yoshino will be to try to cut off the ring from Stevenson to attempt to limit his ability to move. Yoshino must however, be tactical, make sure his punches are compact and tight, and be responsible defensively because Stevenson will likely take advantage of any opening that is left for him. Stevenson meanwhile, must not approach this fight with a complacent mindset and must take this fight seriously.

In terms of what will be ahead for the winner of this fight at least as far as the WBC is concerned, could be a mandatory challenge of the winner of the May 20th clash between undefeated Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney and former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, which will take place in in Las Vegas. While Haney, Lomachenko, and Stevenson are all promoted by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum's Top Rank, Inc. and this in theory creates an ideal scenario for Stevenson to move into position to challenge the winner of that fight, Stevenson does have business to tend to first and if he is not on his game, he might not be as close to challenging for a world championship in a third division as it might appear. Despite how it might look at least in terms of the set up, I as a proud Boxing lifer, who has spent most of his life covering the sport, certainly do not have to remind any knowledgeable Boxing fan that sometimes things are not as they might seem and there are times dear reader where strange things happen in a fight, the least of which are upsets.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Stevenson vs.Yoshino takes place on Saturday, April 8th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The entire card can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 6:55PM ET/3:55PM PT. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

(*U.S.Times Only*) 

(*Card and start time subject to change.*)

(*Check your local listings internationally.*)

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

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Jabs And Observations September-November 2022

 

While it was originally intended as a monthly to bi-monthly feature that was introduced earlier this year by this observer here on The Boxing Truth® as a means to frankly cover as much ground as possible in covering the sport of Boxing beyond the short-form card coverage and individual features that cover specific fights and subjects throughout the calendar year, Jabs And Observations has been absent since March. Although this was not intended as such, I felt coverage provided throughout 2022 had been smooth where the feature would be used on an occasional basis for the remainder of the year when circumstances warranted, with the aim of returning it as a bi-monthly feature column in 2023. As tends to be the case from the months of September through the remainder of a year, yours truly began the month of September in the midst of what I consider to be my norm, covering what usually tends to be a very active Boxing schedule during the latter months of the year.

Even though most of September ran smoothly in this regard, unfortunately plans changed in the last week and a half of the month. This was due to the unfortunate disaster known as Hurricane Ian, which necessitated my family and I to evacuate to seek higher ground. Although I am as have said in the weeks and months since the storm across social media, extremely grateful that the storm did not directly impact my area as was originally forecasted in the days prior to it making landfall in Florida and have no illusions as to how lucky we were upon seeing the effects of the storm in other areas as it could have been much worse, unfortunately having to evacuate as well as the Boxing schedule continuing as normal resulted in material that was in development for the final week of September as well as the first few weeks of October being sidelined, thus necessitating the return of Jabs and Observations.

 

While I will not put the reader through the several pages of material that was written across two features if memory serves me as I write this, I do want to spend a little time discussing some of the events that took place prior to the storm that I did cover as well as some things that have happened since as I have eased back into the schedule following what frankly was a scary and stressful time. Something that unfortunately we had a subtle reminder of recently with hurricane Nicole as well.

 

With the subject now thankfully turning to Boxing, the last week of September 2022 featured two bouts that were of particular interest to yours truly. First, was the September 23^rd bout, which featured undefeated two-division world champion  Shakur Stevenson in what turned out to be his final bout in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division. This was because not only his setting his sights on the 135lb. Lightweight division where there are some interesting fights that could be ahead for him as well as more lucrative paydays, but also because he failed to make weight for his scheduled title defense against top contender Robson Conceicio resulting in his losing the unified WBC/WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship on the weight scale. Stevenson’s struggle to make the 130lb. limit did not have an adverse effect on him as he soundly out boxed Conceicio over twelve rounds to earn a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

 

While some were critical of Stevenson for not making the weight prior to this fight, it is important to keep in mind that the human body can be a mystery at times and what may work for one fighter in terms of cutting and maintaining weight may not necessarily work for another fighter under similar circumstances. There are also times where no matter what a fighter does, the issue of making weight remains difficult especially for fighters who are naturally bigger than where they compete in terms of fighting weight, thus a move up in weight to a heavier weight class is often a necessity for fighters that are not natural Heavyweights as their careers progress. With his focus now turning to the Lightweight division, I do not necessarily see Stevenson remaining in the division for long.

 

This is due to several notable fighters that could be lucrative opportunities for him either having already moved up to the 140lb. Lightweight division or will soon be doing so. Along with Stevenson’s comfort level at that weight, which is yet to be determined, it will likely mean that his time as a Lightweight could be brief depending on what may be available to him as a Jr. Welterweight down the line.

 

On September 24^th, an important Heavyweight bout took place in London, England that featured former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and undefeated top contender Joe Joyce in what was billed as a world title elimination bout. Although Joyce had ended every bout, but one he has fought as a professional inside the distance, the question remained as to whether or not he would face a sufficient test before getting a shot at a world championship. Parker proved to provide that test as the former world champion was able to land flush right hands on Joyce throughout the fight. Despite Parker’s success, as the fight progressed, Joyce gradually wore and broke him down before knocking Parker out in the eleventh round. The first knockout loss of Parker’s career.

 

Two important questions of Joyce were answered in this fight. The first was how he would react to being hit flush by a fighter that has some punching power. Despite being hit with right hands that may have dropped some Heavyweights, Joyce was able to take the best that Parker had to offer and press forward. The second question was would being hit flush change his approach? Joyce was able to show that he could keep his mind on the task at hand and ended up producing one of the best performances of his fifteen fight professional career. With the win, Joyce became the WBO’s number one Heavyweight contender for undefeated current IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. It may be unlikely based on Usyk’s desire to meet undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury in a bout for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world in the near future that Joyce will get his opportunity at least in the immediate months ahead. If however, Joyce can remain active against other top contenders in the meantime and continue to maintain his position as the WBO’s top contender, he will likely be the first fighter in line once the issue regarding a potential undisputed championship fight is settled.

 

While yours truly spent the last week of September and the first weeks of October evacuating due to hurricane Ian and subsequently taking a little time to recharge and refocus after a difficult time, the month of October was dominated by one topic. The collapse of the scheduled bout between undefeated Welterweight contender Conor Benn and former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. By now most know that the bout, which was to take place in London, England on October 8^th ended up being cancelled by the British Boxing Board of Control in the days prior to the bout taking place, while the fighters were in the midst of the normal “Fight Week” festivities and obligations. The reason for the abrupt cancellation was due to Benn testing positive for a banned substance in the weeks prior.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, my mind was frankly on other things at the time this occurred, but as I observed the fallout, which as of this writing is still not settled, one question continuously ran through my mind. Why would the British Boxing Board of Control wait until mere days before what was a highly anticipated event, particularly throughout the United Kingdom, if the board were aware of a positive test well before fight week festivities began? It is important for me to point out that I ask this question not as an expert in the field of drug testing, but merely as an observer who covers the sport. This situation has not been resolved as of this writing, but I will say that at minimum, the protocols of not only the British Boxing Board of Control and any other reputable state or international regulatory boards should be reviewed in order to ensure if there is indeed a circumstance of a positive test that a situation like this can be avoided in the future.

 

Now as we approach Thanksgiving here in the United States, I would like to share a few brief thoughts about what has gone on in recent weeks. First, as the reader can probably tell, I have jumped around a bit here and if there is anything omitted from this edition of Jabs And Observations it is merely a circumstance of the constraints of what can fit into a single column. Originally, I intended to conclude this edition with the Benn-Eubank Jr. controversy. I would however, be doing readers and the sport a disservice if I did not share my view on the recent fights between undefeated Super-Middleweight contender David Morrell and Aids Yerbossynuly. A fight that took place in the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN on November 5^th. Quite frankly, the fight was a mismatch from very early in the bout as Morrell administered what can be described as a beating on a very “Game,” but overmatched Yerbossynuly. Despite the one-sided nature of the bout, somehow the fight was allowed to go into the twelfth and final round, where after sustaining significant punishment throughout the contest, Morrell was able to drop Yerbossynuly and led to a long overdue stoppage.

 

Most who are familiar with this fight know that Yerbossynuly suffered a severe brain injury, had to be helped back to his corner by Morrell and Referee Tony Weeks. Following the bout, Yerbossynuly was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery to reduce swelling on his brain and was for a time put in a medically induced coma. Although Yerbossynuly remains hospitalized as of this writing, he is said to be improving, which is news that  all who are involved in the sport should welcome.

 

This observer however, has struggled to find the words to describe my feelings on what I saw in this bout. After a lifetime covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, there is not much that I have not seen. This unfortunately includes several bouts that were allowed to go on well past the point where they should have been stopped resulting in traumatic brain injury and death. While I will admit that the topic of when a fight should be stopped is one that can be it’s own column and perhaps several if I am honest with the reader, I do wonder when does common sense enter the equation?

 

As in when it is clear that a fight is one-sided as this one was, at what point is it the responsibility of a fighter’s corner, the referee, and the athletic commission overseeing a fight to exercise common sense and prevent an injury or God forbid worse before it occurs. No one can take anything away from the heart Aidos Yerbossynuly showed in this fight, but his corner, the Minnesota Boxing commission, and Referee Tony Weeks should review the fight, which was subsequently pulled from reairings by United States premium cable network Showtime and see where they could have stopped the fight sooner. While Aidos Yerbossynuly is recovering, the reality is missing the signs of when a fight should be stopped may result in a more tragic outcome next time. Everyone involved in the sport, especially commissions/regulatory boards and referees should consider if protocols need to be changed. This observer believes at minimum a dialogue should take place in order to hopefully, try and prevent something like this from happening in the future.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

 

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