Barboza-Catterall Thoughts

On February 15th a world title elimination bout took place in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to determine a number one contender in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Jr. Welterweight world championship currently held by Teofimo Lopez. The bout, which took place in Manchester, England, pitted Arnold Barboza and Jack Catterall the WBO’s number one and two contenders respectively.

What was refreshing about this particular encounter beyond it being one between the legitimate top two contenders meeting to determine who will be next to challenge for a world title, but it was simply a bout between two of the top fighters in the Jr. Welterweight division, which did not see any grandstanding or pre-fight hype tactics that all too often crosses the line from simply trying to draw interest in a fight to legitimately personal attacks. This was simply two of the best fighters meeting to test their skills against each other.

What resulted was a tactical battle where both fighters seemed to struggle to establish the ebb and flow for several rounds. Perhaps this was due to a healthy respect between the two fighters and each fighter’s skillset in that neither was eager to take the initiative in being clearly aggressive. This presented a scenario where the two fighters, though willing to engage, did so with some distance between the two of them, likely trying to bait the other into making a mistake where the opposing fighter would have the opportunity to counter punch. 

While not the most exciting contest if one is looking for an all-action type of fight, seeing two world-class boxers demonstrating their skill level and trading rounds where each seemed to have their moments throughout was interesting to watch for those who enjoy Boxing in its purest, technical form. Although entertaining for those of us who appreciate tacticians plying their trade, it was no surprise at the conclusion of twelve rounds to see a split decision rendered with Barboza gett the nod of two of three official judges by a margin of seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points, while the third judge had the same score, but for Catterall.

Simply put, this was two world-class boxers putting forth their best. Although there was not much in the way of highlights, no controversial calls that would require more analysis from this observer, it was still two of the best Jr. Welterweights in the world showing why they are regarded as two of the best. For Barbosa, he has now earned his shot at Teofimo Lopez’ world championship, which according to the WBO, must take place within 180 days.

While this performance for Barboza was not the highlight reel type that one would expect in order to drum up interest in a potential world title challenge, he simply did what he had to do against a highly skilled opponent in Jack Catterall in a fight that could have gone either way. Sometimes two fighters' respective styles will not mesh in such a way that it will produce a knock down, drag out, Fight of the Year candidate. Given how close this fight was, however, it would not surprise me if Barboza and Catterall were to meet again down the line. This may also happen if Lopez, who recently signed a three-fight agreement with Riyadh Season, the Saudi Arabian entertainment group who has staged several major Boxing events both in Saudi Arabia as well as around the world, along with Lopez’ longtime promoter Bob Arum, chooses to go in a different direction and potentially vacate his title, which would make Barboza per winning this elimination bout, the new world champion per his now being the number one mandatory challenger. Were such a scenario to play itself out, it would make all the sense in the world for Barboza to face Catterall again. If that indeed happens, the question will be whether chapter two between Barboza and Catterall would be different in terms of how the fight is fought or if stylistically, it will always be a closely fought contest where it is not easy to determine a winner.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Lopez Grinds Out Decision Over Claggett To Retain WBO Jr. Welterweight Crown

It seems the recent story surrounding both the 135lb. Lightweight and 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division can be summed up in a single word “Transition." In that both weight classes are seeking their next central figures or dominant champions, who are often viewed as being fighters that will carry the division for a significant period of time. One such fighter, who is likely viewed by at least some as the top Jr. Welterweight for the moment is WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez.

A fighter who once briefly resigned as the Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world, Lopez is in the midst of what should be viewed as chapter two of his professional career following losing the Lightweight crown to George Kambosos in November 2021. The ongoing chapter that saw a relatively quick turnaround that saw him rebuild in the Jr. Welterweight division to become a world champion once again in 2023 and saw him make his first successful title defense in February against Edwin De Los Santos. This setup Lopez’ second defense of the WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship against veteran and top contender Steve Claggett on June 29th at the James L. Knight Center in Miami FL.

Despite not being well known to casual Boxing fans, Claggett came into what was his first world championship bout in a sixteen year professional career and had twenty-six more fights than the champion in his career. Nevertheless, there is always an element of the unknown when a veteran like Claggett, who has fought so long for an opportunity and has done so without the benefit of mainstream exposure, finally gets that chance against a fighter who is considerably more known and has more experience on the world championship level as Lopez. The combination of excitement, anxiety, anticipation, and yes, stress have been known to make fighters freeze when fighting for a world championship for the first time along with the atmosphere of the event. 

Claggett would not freeze and showed immediately that he intended to make the most of his opportunity as he applied pressure on Lopez from the opening bell, backed the champion up against the ropes and tried to stay planted on Lopez’ chest. Thus, the story of the fight quickly emerged. Round after round, the challenger pressed the champion backward like a football player and forced Lopez to fight at a higher pace than is typically his norm. Despite that, Lopez not only withstood the pressure and what Claggett had to dish out, he also showed he was comfortable fighting against the ropes and it was not long before the champion was the fighter getting his punches off first, particularly with left hooks and uppercuts. Although the ebb and flow never changed throughout the fight as Claggett continued coming forward and showing a granite chin in withstanding what Lopez threw at him, which would have dropped many fighters, gradually Lopez was able to gain some separation between himself and the challenger in the latter rounds of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout.

At this stage, Lopez displayed his hand speed in firing combinations to the body and head, which also appeared to stun Claggett periodically, to put the finishing touches on what was a wide and convincing unanimous decision to retain his world championship. Ultimately, this was a workmanlike performance by Lopez in fending off a determined challenger, who gave his best in his first opportunity at a world championship. 

With two successful title defenses of his WBO crown, Lopez immediately suggested after the fight that he was leaning towards moving up to the 147lb. Welterweight division in saying that he feels that he cannot make the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight limit any longer. What makes this interesting is the conundrum of what may be better for the fighter physically versus what may have financial incentives by staying in a weight division that the fighter has indicated he is having trouble making weight. Under most circumstances, I side with the fighter because unless you are a fighter in the Heavyweight division, the struggle of making weight in a given weight division is real, and if a fighter decides to stay in a division that they physically struggle to maintain weight strictly for financial reasons, and/or world championship/unification bouts, eventually it will have negative effects physically on the fighter, which will manifest inside the ring. 

Of course, the issue for all fighters that gradually climb up the weight scale is always will they be as effective at a higher weight as they were at lower weights. One does not have to look too far in the past to remember that as a 135lb. Lightweight, Teofimo Lopez was a devastating puncher, who routinely scored highlight reel knockouts that turned heads. Since becoming Undisputed Lightweight champion with a victory over Vasyl Lomachenko in October 2020, Lopez has primarily shown his skills as a boxer and since moving up to Jr. Welterweight, his power and ability to score knockouts has not been there in the same way it was as a Lightweight. The question that will be asked if indeed he does move up seven pounds to the Welterweight division is whether it will be any different. While some would suggest the answer to that question would be “No,” if a fighter has been struggling to make weight for a significant time, perhaps moving up only one division was more of a detriment than a benefit in allowing the fighter’s body to adjust naturally as they get older. Any move up in weight will come with risks, as will moving down in weight, which fighters have done before as well for various reasons. The only way the question will be answered will be for Lopez to test the waters at Welterweight. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”  

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Can Claggett Upset Lopez?

The career of two-division world champion Teofimo Lopex has been one marked by highlight reel knockouts and an expedited rise up that saw him go from rising star, to a world champion, to an undisputed world champion rather quickly. As most know, his reign as an undisputed world champion was short in losing the title in his first defense following successfully unifying the crown with a decision victory over Vasyl Lomachenko in October 2020, to then unbeaten top contender George Kambosos in November 2021. As the rise up of Lopez was quick, so too would be the rebuild process.

A rebuild process, which began in August 2022 and saw him move up in weight to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division, to win two bouts before defeating the previously unbeaten Josh Taylor in June of last year to win the WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship. Lopez’ second reign as a world champion began with his first title defense of the WBO crown earlier this year when he scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Jermaine Ortiz. Unfortunately for Lopez, the victory over Ortiz was not one that could be considered as a crowd pleaser. This was due to Ortiz simply not being willing to engage with Lopez and thus the result was a dreadful fight to watch where the champion simply did what he had to do. 

Now with that victory over Ortiz in February behind him, Lopez prepares to return to the ring on June 29th against current WBO number ten rated contender Steve Claggett at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, FL, which can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. Claggett, who will enter the bout unbeaten since 2021, is a former Canadian Welterweight champion, a veteran of forty-seven professional fights, and will come into what will be his first shot at a world title riding a nine fight winning streak.

Despite having more experience than the twenty-one fight veteran Lopez, Claggett, who has won thirty-eight of his forty-seven fights, is likely viewed as a significant underdog going into this fight. In addition to being a former Canadian Welterweight champion, Claggett, a native of Calgary, Alberta, has won several regional titles in the Jr. Welterweight division including the North American Boxing Association (NABA) and WBO international titles in his career, Although these titles are not given much of a platform or credibility by some, the really is those titles do serve as a means of elevating a fighter into the world rankings amongst Boxing’s respective world sanctioning organizations and could lead to an opportunity like the one that Clagget has now. 

The main hurdle at least on paper for the challenger is he has not had the opportunity to show what he can do against fighters that would be deemed on world level and as such, this is viewed as a significant step up in caliber of opposition again Lopez, who despite being at a disadvantage in terms of overall experience, does have a significant edge in terms of experience at the top level of the sport. While Claggett does have seven defeats and two draws coming into this fight, he has only been stopped once in his career and that could prove to be an asset against a fighter known for his punching power such as Lopez.

How can Claggett find success and potentially score an upset in this fight? Claggett is a well-balanced boxer/puncher that has shown the ability to do a little of everything in his fights. Though the challenger has scored twenty-six knockouts in his career, the best strategy in this fight might be to implement a tactical strategy with an emphasis on counter punching. This was something that George Kambosos was able to do against Lopez and was able to score a knockdown of Lopez in the first round of that fight on the way to scoring a split decision over him. 

Claggett must keep in mind even if he is able to have some success and potentially win some rounds early in the fight that Lopez does have the power that can turn and end a fight suddenly. Simply put, he needs to be both cautious and tactical from start to finish and should also try and avoid trading punches with Lopez given the champion’s power. Something the challenger should also keep in mind is though he is not known for his Boxing ability, Lopez has also shown the ability to be a very skilled boxer on occasion, such as in his bouts against Vasyl Lomachenko and Josh Taylor. Neither Lomachenko nor Taylor were prepared for Lopez to implement a tactical Boxing strategy and were unable to make adjustments in the midst of battle. With Lopez’ ability to also box having been displayed more than once, Claggett needs to be prepared for that approach in addition to being leary of the champion’s power. 

While some may view this as a “Stay Busy" fight for the champion and may not give Claggett much chance in the fight given that he has yet to progress beyond a regional championship level, one should keep in mind that Boxing is and has always been a sport of opportunity. It is indisputable that Claggett is taking a step up here, but it may simply be a case of a fighter not getting the benefit of getting an opportunity against notable fighters, more so than a perceived difference in skill level that may show itself in this fight. One thing Lopez should keep in mind as this fight approaches is, despite the fact that George Kambosos was unbeaten at the time he fought him, there were some who did not take him seriously even though he was a mandatory challenger at the time. 

Like Claggett, Kambosos had succeeded on the regional level of the sport prior to getting his opportunity. Kambosos was able to take advantage of his opportunity and has since become a two-time world champion in his career, with his first coming by beating Lopez. Lopez should remember what happened to him the last time he faced a fighter, who was not given much chance or regard by some fans and others in the sport. Whether Steve Claggett can have a similar outcome as Kambosos remains to be seen.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Lopez vs. Claggett takes place on Saturday, June 29th at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, FL. The fight as well as it’s full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 5:45PM ET/2:45PM PT. 

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

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Lomachenko Is Back

Three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko has had a career most fighters can only dream of. A two-time Olympic Gold medalist representing Ukraine, who had nearly four hundred wins as an amateur with only one defeat, Lomachenko arguably achieved Hall of Famer status long before he turned professional. Since turning pro in October 2013, Lomachenko quickly ascended to become a world champion taking only three professional fights to accomplish a goal that for some fighters, takes an entire career, if at all.

Despite three setbacks as a pro, two of which are the subject of much debate, Lomachenko has remained one of the best fighters in the entire sport. It was the most recent setback, a controversial twelve round unanimous decision to then undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Devin Haney in May of last year, a fight that many, including this observer felt he won, put his career in doubt.

In doubt not because of eroding skills and/or the impacts/effects of injuries, which accumulate and come with the territory of a long career in the sport, but because of the effect the loss to Haney had on him emotionally. While it goes without saying any setback does have an effect on one, not only in regard to athletic competition, but in life, Lomachenko took the loss hard and let his emotions out after the fight in the dressing room. If nothing else, it should serve as a reminder to any would be critics, both of the armchair and of the online variety, fighters like the rest of us are human and everyone should be able to comprehend one taking a loss hadd, especially in regard to a bout where the consensus view tended to differ with the official judges.

Although no one disputes that it was a close, and competitive fight between Haney and Lomachenko though the outcome will likely remain a subject of debate for years to come, it would be understandable to wonder both if Lomachenko could rebound from such a disappointment as well as if he even wanted to after feeling like the victim of injustice in a decision that he felt should have gone his way. The one thing that Lomachenko could take solace in is the fact that he was by far not the first fighter to suffer a loss as a result of a disputed decision on the scorecards and he certainly will not be the last.

With Haney having moved out of the 135lb. Lightweight division and successfully winning a world championship in the Jr. Welterweight division in December of last year, the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world is no longer undisputed and the four world championships that Haney held became vacant. This opened up an opportunity for Lomachenko to return to the ring on May 11th as he faced two-time Lightweight world champion and fellow former Haney opponent George Kambosos at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

Along with Kambosos’ International Boxing Organization (IBO) Lightweight world championship being on the line in his first defense of that title, which was not involved in the consolidation of world championships that made up the last Undisputed Lightweight crown, the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) world championship was also on the line. Kambosos as some might recall briefly held the Undisputed Lightweight crown after defeating Teofimo Lopez in 2021 before losing the title to Devin Haney and failing to regain the title in an immediate rematch.

In his last fight, Kambosos scored a controversial twelve round majority decision over IBO world champion Maxi Hughes in July of last year. Kambosos, somewhat unfairly, has been labeled as a fighter who won a big fight, but has failed in subsequent opportunities at the elite level of the sport. What one cannot take away from him however, is his status as a two-time world champion and in some ways, his career is similar to several other fighters who had become world champion, but who’s reigns were short. Nevertheless, Kambosos is a world-class boxer and the question was whether or not he was either catching Lomachenko on the decline, if nothing else, emotionally, and if he could match up with Lomachenko’s skillset, which is regarded as among the best in the entire sport. 

In many ways this fight was a demonstration of one fighter’s skills and another's bravery. It could also be summed up as “Classic Lomachenko." 

From the opening bell, Lomachenko used his trademark lateral movement and ability to attack at varying angles to get the upper hand. While George Kambosos was able to have moments periodically throughout the fight, particularly when he was able to land punches to Lomachenko's body, he was simply a step slower than the challenger, who frequently beat him to the punch with three and four punch combinations.

It did not take long for the story of the fight to emerge. One fighter teaching what amounted to a masterclass in terms of technique and overall Boxing skill, the other gradually suffering the effects of a beating, but never stopping to try and find one punch that would turn the ebb and flow in his favor. Unfortunately for the champion, he did not have one punch with the kind of power behind it that could cause a sudden shift in momentum, nor was he able to mount a sustained attack on Lomachenko, which may have helped in slowing the flow of the fight down, if not also make a difference on the scorecards in terms of winning rounds.

Further troubling for Kambosos beyond facing a fighter with seemingly limitless energy, as well as having no way to slow the pace, by the middle rounds, the champion was also badly cut on his right eyelid, but it would be unclear as to whether the cut came from a punch or from an accidental clash of heads. At this point in the fight as I continued to watch Lomachenko put round after round in the bank, the only question in my mind was whether or not Kambosos would be able to go the distance.

Although no one can take anything away from what was a gutsy and very “Game" performance by Kambosos, there is no dispute that over the course of the fight, Lomachenko was administering a beating, and I have seen countless fights on every level of Boxing imaginable, stopped under circumstances less than what Kambosos was suffering in this fight. What was developing into gradual concern of yours truly in wondering if the fight would be stopped,would turn out to be academic.

It would be late in the eleventh round when Lomachenko would connect with what appeared to be a right hook to the body from the southpaw stance, which caused a momentary delayed reaction, and caused Kambosos to take a knee. Looking beaten, Kambosos showed his mettle by getting up from the knockdown only to be met with a follow up assault by Lomachenko sending him down for a second time as a towel thrown by Kambosos’ father George Kambosos Sr. was thrown in simultaneously to stop the fight.

The win for Lomachenko not only signifies his fourth world championship in three weight divisions as a professional, but also gives him status as a unified world champion in the Lightweight division and no doubt will offer a significant incentive to other world champions in the division to sign to fight him. One thing is clear, Vasyl Lomachenko has for the moment silenced doubters as to how much he has left in him at this stage of his career. He’s back and after this performance, may be viewed as even more dangerous than he was before as the road to Undisputed begins again in the Lightweight division.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Lopez Defeats Ortiz To Retain WBO Jr. Welterweight World Championship

WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez scored a lackluster twelve round unanimous decision over WBO number ten rated Jr. Welterweight contender Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. From the opening bell, Ortiz figuring out of a southpaw stance made the fight a tactical chess match by making the champion come after him with the strategy of trying to catch him as he came forward. 

The elusive approach, while not crowd pleasing seemed effective as it managed to quell the normal offensive rhythm of Lopez. With both fighters landing in single digits in most of the rounds in the twelve round world championship bout, the lone highlight came in seven when an accidental clash of heads opened a cut above the right eye. Despite the abysmal performance where Lopez openly expressed his frustration during the fight, Lopez' aggression was enough to earn the nod of the three official judges in earning a twelve round unanimous decision. Official scores were: 117-111, and 115-113 (On two scorecards)in favor of Lopez. 

Teofimo Lopez advances to 20-1, with 13 Knockouts. Jamaine Ortiz falls to 17-2-1, with 8 Knockouts. 

Also on this card:

Undefeated Lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis scored a sixth round stoppage of former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza. Pedraza, who was coming off of a lengthy layoff and was competing at the 135lb. Lightweight limit for the first time in a number of years, was clearly compromised by having to drop weight for the bout as his punches did not have much steam on them. Pedraza also had no answer for the full offensive arsenal that Davis put forth by constantly throwing and landing combinations. Gradually, the effects of an accumulation of punishment took their toll on the former world champion. 

In round six, a right hand that appeared to land high on the head sent Pedraza staggering across the ring. Davis proceeded to unleash a barrage of unanswered punches that forced a stoppage of the bout. Official time of the stoppage was 1:09 of round six. Keyshawn Davis advances to10-0, with 7 Knockouts. Jose Pedraza falls to 29-6-1, with 14 Knockouts 

Also in the Lightweight division, Rene Giron outworked George Acosta over eight rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory. Official scores were 78-73, 76-75, and 78-72

Undefeated Middleweight Javier Martinez pounded out a hard fought eight round unanimous decision over Raul Salomon. An at times ugly fight where both fighters were warned for low blows and rough house tactics that was fought almost exclusively in close, Martinez’ harder body shots, particularly over the second half of the fight, was ultimately enough for him to get the nod of the three official judges. Official scores were: 79-73, and 78-74 (On two scorecards) in favor of Martinez. Javier Martinez advances to 10-0-1, with 3 Knockouts. Raul Salomon falls to 12-3, with 10 Knockouts. 

In a battle of unbeaten Lightweights, Abdullah Mason scored a brutal second round knockout of previously undefeated Benjamin Gurment. A barrage of flush left hooks to the head sent Gurment down when he was sent into the corner and grabbed the ropes to prevent himself from going down. Following the knockdown, Referee Harvey Dock told Gurment that he was giving him a short leash to continue, but he needed to show something. Before Gurment to get a chance, Mason stepped in and decked him with a flush right hook to the head, the fight was immediately stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 1:29 of round two. Abdullah Mason advances to 12-0, with 10 Knockouts. Benjamin Gurment falls to 8-0-3, with 5 Knockouts. 

Lightweight Charlie Sheehy scored a workmanlike eight round unanimous decision over Abdel Sauceda to move to 9-0 in his young career. From the opening bell, Sheehy used angles, movement, a consistent jab, and mixed in short combinations to out box Sauceda, who never stopped coming forward and had some periodic success in the latter rounds, but was not able to take control of the combat.  Official scores were: 80-72 (On all three scorecards) for Sheehy. Charlie Sheehy advances to 9-0, with 5 Knockouts. Abdel Sauceda falls to 12-4, with 8 Knockouts,

Undefeated Lightweight Alan Garcia scored a first round knockout of Tomas Ornelas. Garcia quickly dropped Ornelas with a left hook to the head in the opening seconds. Ornelas got up on unsteady legs and Garcia was able to close the show with a left hook to the ribcage, which sent Ornealas down for a second time, the fight was stopped. Official time of the stoppage was :51 of round one. Alan Garcia advances to 11-0 with 9 Knockouts. Tomas Ornelas falls to 7-4, with 5 Knockouts. 

Heavyweight Lemir Isom Riley scored a third round stoppage of Antonio Zepeda. Riley put pressure on the taller and longer Zepeda from the outset, staying close and not letting Zepeda have an opportunity to get his punches off with consistency by smothering the taller fighter. After a dismal showing in the second round, Zepeda was visited by a ringside physician before the third round, but was allowed to continue. In the third round, the pressure from Riley continued resulting in Zepeda going down twice via taking a knee without being hit by a punch. After the second knockdown Zepeda’s corner got on the ring apron and asked that the fight be stopped as Referee Thomas Taylor was in the middle of his count. Official time of the stoppage was  1:28 of round three. Lemir Isom Riley advances to 4-2, with 2 Knockouts. Antonio Zepeda falls to 6-2, with 6 Knockouts. 

Unbeaten eighteen year old Jr. Welterweight Art Barrera Jr. scored a first round knockout of Michael Portales to begin the evening. Barrera ended the fight with a left hook to the head thatr caught Portales as he was coming forward, which sent him down and the bout was stopped midway through the ten count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:41 of round one. Art Barrera Jr. advances to 3-0, with 3 Knockouts. Michael Portales falls to 3-3-1, with 0 Knockouts.

Coming out of this fight, this observer feels that perhaps Teofimo Lopez benefited from a bad decision. While the old adage is in order to take a championship, a challenger needs to take it from the champion, could be applied here, Jamaine Ortiz simply did not get the credit for a crafty and disciplined fight plan that he put forth in the ring. As for the champion, this win will keep him in his position atop the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. While his frustration in having to contend with an opponent that did not cooperate with what he might have wanted to do, Lopez as a champion and thus representative of the sport did not win any supporters in a post-fight interview with ESPN, proceeded to go on a vulgar-filled rant where he was all over the place and was not well received by the crowd in attendance.

Out of respect for the reader, this observer will not post quotes because frankly, I had trouble understanding what Lopez was trying to say. What I will say however, is sometimes a win is a win and even though Lopez may not be pleased with his performance and was obviously emotional, he did himself nor the sport any favors by going on an explicit filled rant. Perhaps once he has had a chance to cool down, maybe an apology would be appropriate.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Benn-Dobson Thoughts/Lopez-Ortiz Preview

A week that began seemingly with an announcement that digital sports streaming network DAZN would be the official global broadcaster for the upcoming Undisputed Heavyweight championship bout between undefeated world champions Tyson Fury and Olekaandr Usyk, saw a twist emerge almost as quickly as that announcement in Fury suffering a deep gash over his right eye as a result of an accidental elbow in one of his final sparring sessions in preparation for the scheduled February 17th bout, resulting in a postponement, gave way to a fighter beginning the month of February and his first bout of 2024, looking to continue his comeback following a suspension and legal battle between himself and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) in an effort to get reinstated. The fighter this observer is referring to is undefeated Welterweight contender Connor Benn.

As most know, Benn was to have met two-time IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr., in a highly anticipated battle in 2022 and a renewal of one of Boxing's best rivalries with the sons of Hall of Famers picking up where their fathers left off over three decades ago, was derailed only days before the fight when it was revealed that Benn had tested positive for a banned substance. Benn, who has never admitted to such use has continued to plead his case and was ultimately granted the option to fight by the Association of Boxing Commissions, which has resulted in him being able to continue his career outside of the United Kingdom where his fight to regain his Boxing license remains ongoing.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas served as the setting for Benn’s second fight in the United States since those issues with the BBBofC began, on February 3rd when he took on Pete Dobson in a bout scheduled for twelve rounds. In some ways, the setting as well as the fact that it took place on a Saturday afternoon here in the United States reminded yours truly of many weekends in my youth of watching Boxing cards on free television, sometimes on both Saturdays and Sundays, most notably on ABC, NBC, or CBS, which were held in numerous locations including Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and in the United Kingdom. While this bout was broadcast globally on DAZN, it did nevertheless bring back memories of many years ago, where one might also argue that the sport as a whole was more accessible and thus in better shape than it is in present day.

Outside of the memories of this observer, the story of this fight was simple, could Benn continue his winning ways against a relatively unknown opponent, who had a respectable record of 16-0, with 9 Knockouts coming into the bout, but none of those previous sixteen opponents having been household names. The pattern of this fight consisted of Benn immediately coming forward and pressuring Dobson, looking to land power punches and clearly intent on trying to end the fight early.

It was this approach, which forced Dobson into a defensive shell for several rounds as he appeared reluctant to let his hands go. Although this did not necessarily equate to an entertaining fight to watch for several rounds, perhaps Dobson's reluctance was in part strategic as the intention seemed to be to get through the early rounds, hope for Benn to fatigue, and gradually step up his output, which is essentially what he was able to do periodically throughout. While Dobson's notable successes throughout this fight came largely when he was able to land right hands on Benn, and his output made things seem more competitive in the later rounds of the fight, the consistent pattern of the fight never changed with Benn initiating the fight and forcing the action, which ultimately led him to winning a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision.

Ultimately, this could be described as a workmanlike performance for Benn where he simply did what he needed to do and got another victory, the twenty-third of his career and his first time going a twelve round distance, there will be some criticism coming out of this fight. The primary criticism will be that he could not stop Dobson within the distance. Although some may feel that the criticism is warranted, despite being unknown, Pete Dobson proved to be a more difficult opponent than some might have expected and while the wide scorecards do not reflect Dobson's effort over the second half of the fight, some may argue, it may have been closer in terms of scoring if Dobson were able to be more active over the first half of the fight where he was mostly on defense.

While the Boxing world waits to see what's next for Connor Benn and where he will be in the ring next, the focus remains in Las Vegas where  WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez will make the first defense of his title on Thursday, February 8th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center against current WBO number ten rated contender Jermaine Ortiz. A twelve round world championship fight that can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

The epicenter of the sports world for the first full week of February is focused on Las Vegas as the week will continue on February 11th when the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers meet in the NFL’s SuperBowl 58 at nearby Allegiant Stadium, which is one reason why this fight is taking place on a Thursday evening as opposed to the Friday or Saturday night that many Boxing fans at least over the last several decades have become accustomed to seeing fights like this held. 

This will be Lopez’ first defense of the title he won in June of last year with a twelve round unanimous decision over Josh Taylor. What followed was an announcement of retirement, which was always met with skepticism and questioned for it's legitimacy. In the interest of both time and not wanting to go further into detail about the history of what often turns out to be false retirements, which at least in the context of this column does not fit well into the equation, what I will say is Lopez was not the first and will not be the last fighter to claim a retirement only to fight on.

Moving on, Lopez with a record of 19-1, with 13 Knockouts is already a two-division world champion having previously unified the Lightweight division, and at twenty-six years of age, still has plenty of lucrative fights ahead of him. The question that the champion will have to answer is whether he will be committed to his career going forward if he wants to secure those paydays, assuming of course he's able to continue winning and hold onto his Jr. Welterweight crown.

In Jermaine Ortiz, Lopez will face a fighter with experience and a similar record of 17-1-1, with 8 Knockouts. The one loss on Ortiz’ record came against Vasyl Lomachenko, the man who Lopez defeated via unanimous decision in October 2020 to unify the Lightweight division. Ortiz dropped a twelve round unanimous decision to Lomachenko when they fought in October of last year, but was competitive throughout the fight.

What this fight is, is an encounter between two boxer/punchers that can do a little of everything. Lopez for a time in his career established himself for an ability to score sudden and often brutal knockouts. As time has gone on however, he has shown an evolving skillset that has proven to provide a difficult puzzle for recent opponents to solve, with the one exception of George Kambosos, who took the Lightweight championship from him in November 2021 in a fight where Lopez was dropped twice in losing a twelve round unanimous decision. 

Ortiz is not known for his punching power, but what those knockdowns Kambosos scored against Lopez came as a result of was not necessarily punching power, but rather timing in being able to catch Lopez either coming in with a counter punch or catching him off balance. Perhaps Ortiz will attempt to implement a similar approach in this fight. It is crucial, despite Lopez not showing his attribute of power in recent fights, for the challenger to remember that he does indeed have power and Ortiz must be aware at all times even if it might appear he is having success and may be ahead on the official judges scorecards. Given the new wrinkles the champion has shown in his skills recently, it is also important for Ortiz to try and keep Lopez from being able to find his rhythm as the fight progresses.

While recent times have had some questioning the long-term future as it relates to the in ring career of Teofimo Lopez, if he can win this fight there may be several options for him to either try to fully unify the Jr. Welterweight division or potentially move up to the 147lb. Welterweight division. First comes the business of defending his world championship against a fighter who has a golden opportunity. Whether Jermaine Ortiz can take advantage of it remains to be seen.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Lopez vs. Ortiz takes place on Thursday, February 8th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center 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 6:25PM ET/3:25PM PT.

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

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

(Check your local listings Internationally.)

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Kambosos To Challenge Hughes Meet For IBO World Championship

The recent history of Boxing's 135lb. Lightweight division has been dominated by current undisputed world champion Devin Haney. Haney as most know emerged as the Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world by scoring a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over previously undefeated undisputed champion George Kambosos in June 2022 and then repeated the victory in his first title defense against Kambosos in a rematch in October of last year. While Haney has remained undisputed champion, most recently scoring a decision win over Vasyl Lomachenko in May, Haney's future appears to be heading above and beyond the Lightweight division.  Although as of this writing Haney remains regarded as the undisputed champion of the division, if he should choose to move up in weight to possibly challenge WBC Jr. Welterweight world champion Regis Prograis, it will open up an opportunity for contenders and former world champions in the Lightweight division to maneuver towards fighting for a world championship.

One such fighter is George Kambosos, who will meet top Lightweight world champion Maxi Hughes on Saturday, July 22nd at the Firelake Arena in Shawnee, OK. The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+, will be for a  world championship in the Lightweight division. It just so happens that the world championship that will be on the line will be the one world championship that has not been part of Devin Haney's undisputed crown. The world championship of the International Boxing Organization (IBO)

Although some in the sport do not recognize the IBO as a legitimate sanctioning organization, the world championship is a legitimate one. It just happens to be the case where the organization is on the outside, looking in with regard to the current undisputed championship in the Lightweight division. While it is certainly not the first time that an organization has been on the outside of a unified world championship or even an undisputed world championship due to among other things, the politics that be in the sport, it does not make a world championship any less legitimate nor does it minimize the opportunity for the fighters involved in a world championship bout. The subject of legitimacy of world titles will be a subject that will for better or worse, always be one to discuss and debate throughout the entire sport. It is a subject that with regard to the Lightweight division may indeed prove to be moot as if Haney does move up in weight, the four world championships that currently comprise the undisputed championship at 135lbs. the championships of the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO will all become vacant.

Nevertheless, the politics that be in Boxing aside, it does not diminish what will likely be an interesting fight between two of the best the Lightweight division currently has to offer. In what will be his first fight since his losses to Haney, the story going into this fight for Kambosos is obvious. Was Kambosos winning the Undisputed Lightweight world championship over then champion Teofimo Lopez a case of a fighter simply being in the right place at the right time to be able to take advantage and win the championship, or was his two losses to Kambosos a case of him simply being bested by a superiorly skilled fighter and not an accurate assessment of Kambosos' own skill level or standing in the sport?

Obviously that is a question that this observer cannot answer outright because by its very structure it is one that the answer will depend on one's perspective as opposed to a clear cut definitive yes or no. What should be said is prior to winning the championship by defeating Lopez, Kambosos was unbeaten and worked his way to a mandatory challenger position to challenge Lopez. What can be said for Kambosos is he has handled those setbacks to Haney with the utmost grace and he was not disgraced in either of those two fights. 

While it remains to be seen what effect, if any, those losses to Haney have had on Kambosos in terms of his approach to a fight, as a Boxing lifer who has spent most of his life covering the sport in addition to other combat sports, I tend to feel that no matter how great a fighter might be, there are times that for whatever reason they will come across someone that is a bad match up in terms of style and that can at times lead to defeat. While I can personally spend all day and night going through various examples of such scenarios, I will simply say that from a style standpoint, Devin Haney might just have the perfect mix of both style and skillset that will always give George Kambosos, a world-class boxer in his own right, with his own impressive skillset, difficulty no matter how many times they might compete against each other. 

The task ahead going into this fight against Maxi Hughes for the former world champion is to remove the setbacks against Haney from his mind, but at the same time, use the experience he gained in those two encounters to improve. There is indeed a mental aspect to the sport of Boxing that means as much, if not more than the physical aspects of it and in order to bounce back, Kambosos will have to put those losses behind him to the best of his ability. 

In Maxi Hughes, Kambosos will face a veteran of thirty-three professional fights, who has won his last seven fights and will be making the third defense of the IBO crown he won in September 2021 with a twelve round unanimous decision over Jovanni Straffon. While recent history has put Kambosos in the position of having the bigger name recognition of the two fighters, particularly here in the United States, the champion Hughes does have all of the momentum in his favor going into this fight. There are however, similarities between the two that make this a difficult fight for both men. Both Hughes and Kambosos are boxer/punchers with each having a good mix of hand speed, deceptive power, and counter punching ability.

What this fight may come down to could depend on which fighter is able to establish the tempo of combat and whether or not they can maintain control of the ebb and flow for however long it lasts. Although the possibility of a knockout can never be dismissed, both Hughes and Kambosos are distance fighters in that they are used to going deep into fights and neither of them had many knockouts in their career with Hughes registering five knockout wins in his twenty-six career wins and Kambosos having ten knockout wins in his twenty career victories.

Perhaps what might be more important than the world championship that Maxi Hughes holds in terms of the overall picture might be which of these two fighters might be able to make a statement as the Lightweight division appears to be heading towards a period of transition with many of the fighters who have served as focal points in the division for the last several years now moving up the weight scale. While this fight will likely not determine the next number one Lightweight in the world, it will certainly at the very least indicate which fighter is likely to be included in the discussion as the subject of who the top Lightweight in the world might be in the post-Devin Haney era will be debated if those debates have not already begun.

"And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Hughes vs. Kambosos takes place on Saturday, July 22nd at the Firelake Arena in Shawnee, OK. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 5:40PM ET/2:40PM 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.*

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

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Prograis Retains Title, But Was Zorrilla Victimized By Scoring?

With the landscape of the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division in the process of transition as well as recently crowned WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez inexplicably retiring in the days following his championship winning victory over longtime champion Josh Taylor, subsequently relinquishing the title, the storyline for Regis Prograis' defense of the WBC world championship on June 17th at the Smoothie King Center in his native New Orleans, LA against  Danielito Zorrilla represented not only a homecoming for the two-time world champion, but in light of the recent events in the division, a chance for Prograis to make a case for himself as being the top Jr. Welterweight in the world.  If the opening of this column seems like a long-winded run-on, it is, but in fairness, it may be the best way to describe the current state of the Jr. Welterweight division that frankly has seemed like a ride on a rollercoaster in recent weeks.

The tongue and cheek attempt at humor of this observer aside, the recent events, did nevertheless make a title defense for Prograis, the first defense of his second reign as a world champion, more interesting. One could surmise that if Teofimo Lopez had not retired, something which will probably be debated as to whether it is legitimate, the storyline of this defense for Prograis might have been whether he could be headed towards a unification bout with Lopez, and as a result, this fight likely would have been viewed at least by some as an afterthought. Although this appeared to be an ideal scenario for a homecoming title defense for Programs, the actual fight itself turned out to be both competitive and anything but an ideal scenario or afterthought.

Zorrilla was able to establish himself earlier in appearing to drop the champion with a right hand in the first round where Prograis grabbed on to Zorrilla as he was falling in an attempt to hold on. Despite the appearance of a clear knockdown, confirmed via video replays, this would be incorrectly ruled a slip by Referee Ray Corona. While some cynics might try to argue that the missed call of a knockdown against Prograis was in some way influenced by where the fight was talking place, I believe Corona, who has officiated over 733 bouts as a referee and nearly 400 as a judge, many of which were world championship bouts in both capacities, simply missed the call. It does happen and it is important to keep in mind that referees and judges, like the rest of us, are all human and are as prone to human error as anyone.

The call of a slip in the first round notwithstanding, Zorrilla was nevertheless able to show that he was there to fight and not to partake in what may have been intended to be a showcase for the champion. In round three however, Prograis would respond by dropping the challenger with a flush overhand left that nearly resulted in Zorrilla flipping backward as he went down to the canvas. This was a hard knockdown that this observer briefly wondered whether Zorrilla would be able to continue upon getting to his feet. To the challenger's credit, he was able to get himself together and the fight went on.

It was from round four on where frankly the pace of the fight while still competitive slowed and neither fighter seemed able to clearly take the initiative or land many punches. This can be attributed to Zorrilla being more tactical than had been the case in some of his previous fights and looking to play the role of a strict counter puncher and Prograis not being able to land consistently. When such a scenario occurs it does not produce the most entertaining of fights from a fan's perspective, but more importantly, creates what more often than not can prove to be a conundrum for judges in terms of scoring because it will often be based on particular moments during a particular round as opposed to which fighter is able to dictate how the fight is fought. Without the benefit of potential knockdowns during rounds that are fought in this way, it can indeed be difficult to determine who is ahead.

An illustration of this from this observer's point of view was that after ten rounds, I had the champion Prograis only slightly ahead on my unofficial scorecard due largely to the official knockdown in round three. If it had not been for that knockdown, my scorecard likely would have been even. It was simply the kind of fight where plenty of punches were thrown between two fighters, but not many landed. 

At the conclusion of the twelve round world championship bout, I felt it could go either way based on what I observed and it was certainly no surprise to hear a split decision rendered. What was surprising however, was to hear the disparity in the scoring. Judge Craig Metcalf turned in the closest score of the three official judges in having Zorrilla up by a single point 114-113. This is what I felt was an accurate scorecard simply based on how close the fight appeared to be. The difference in my unofficial scorecard and that of Metcalf's is I had the same one point difference, but I ended up with Prograis as the victor on my card. Despite Craig Metcalf and I appearing to see a similar fight, though ending up split in the outcome, judges Robert Tapper and Josef Mason turned in significantly wider scorecards of ten rounds to two (118-110) and nine rounds to three (117-110) in favor of Prograis giving him the split decision victory to retain his title. Before diving into a possible explanation of why the two deciding scorecards were wide, I will point out for clarification purposes for readers who might be curious that the scorecard of judge Josef Mason 117-110, is one point wider than a standard nine rounds to three scorecard of 117-111. Mason's score being slightly wider is a direct result of the knockdown against Zorrilla in round three, which was scored 10-8 in points on all three official scorecards.

As for why the scores were wider than what appeared to be the consensus of a close fight that could go either way, only the judges themselves can say what they saw and what they based their scoring on. Although not many punches were landed between the two fighters throughout the twelve round bout, which turned out to be just 84 between Prograis and Zorrilla, setting the record for the fewest punches landed in the historical of CompuBpx, which has tracked punching statistics for thousands of fights on every level of the sport since the 1980's, an educated guess from yours truly would be that Prograis was the fighter generally coming forward and trying to force the action throughout much of the fight. While both fighters obviously did a great job in making each other miss with the vast majority of their offense, Prograis appearing to press the action more than Zorrilla could perhaps be the basis of what judges Tapper and Mason based their scoring on, but this is only an observation on my part based on decades of experience covering the sport and scoring countless fights unofficially as well as one that has a clear understanding of how Boxing on all levels of the sport, amateur, professional, and professional Bareknuckle is scored based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. Though clearly the element of defense proved to be a focal point in this fight, evidently Zorrilla did not do enough in the eyes of Tapper and Mason.

Ultimately, this proved not to be the type of homecoming that Regis Prograis or his supporters were likely looking for, nor was he able to produce the type of performance in this fight that will likely put him as the top fighter in the Jr. Welterweight division. Sometimes however, styles do make fights and a win is a win. Even though I felt that Prograis did just enough to retain his title here, I do feel that Danielito Zorrilla fought well and that it was a closer fight than two official judges saw it. While this does not mean that Zorrilla was in some way victimized by how this fight was scored, nor does it means that a possible corruption took place, though some fans may point in that direction given the circumstances of the fight being held in Prograis' hometown. Perhaps Zorrilla upon getting the chance to watch the fight will be able to see what he may have been able to do more of, which may have turned many of those close rounds his way. If nothing else, Danielito Zorrilla has established himself as a player in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. A division that as we near the end of June 2023 remains one in transition with no clear consensus as to who is the top Jr. Welterweight in the world.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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Can Prograis Shine In Homecoming Title Defense?

The 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division remains in the spotlight in the month of June as two-time Jr. Welterweight world champion Regis Prograis will begin his second reign as world champion in the division when he puts his WBC world title on the line against Danielito Zorrilla on Saturday, June 17th in the champion's hometown of New Orleans, LA.

The fight, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN from the Smoothie King Center represents not only the beginning of Prograis' second reign atop the Jr. Welterweight division after previously holding the World Boxing Association (WBA) crown, but also his first fight under his new promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing. Prograis became a two-time world champion in November of last year when he scored an eleventh round stoppage of Jose Zepeda to win the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) crown. In what was an exciting back and forth fight, Prograis had his ability to take a punch tested before ultimately breaking Zepeda down and stopping him.

As Prograis' second reign begins, the Jr. Welterweight division might be heading towards a period of transition. At the time of this writing, it was only days ago when the former undisputed world champion of the division Jodh Taylor, the only man to defeat Prograis, suffered the first loss of his career in losing his WBO world championship to Teofimo Lopez. Two days after the fight however, Lopez announced his retirement from the sport. While that announcement should be taken with a grain of salt given Lopez' ongoing personal problems outside the ring as well as his well-publicized disgruntlement with his promoter Bob Arum, it has nevertheless not only kept interest in the division high, but also created a scenario where it now gives Prograis the opportunity to try and make a statement as to being the number one fighter in the division. 

What will the WBC champion be facing in his first title defense? In Danielito Zorrilla, Prograis will face a fighter who like himself, has only been defeated once in his career, and one that has scored thirteen knockouts in his seventeen career wins. Much like the champion, Zorrilla does have punching power, but perhaps a red flag that some might see is that the challenger will enter this fight rated number twenty in the world in the WBC's Jr. Welterweight ratings. While it is appropriate to ask why a fighter who is rated in the top twenty has been given thr opportunity to fight for a world championship, we obviously will not know if Zorrilla's ranking is misleading and perhaps a case of at best, questionable ranking practices by the sanctioning organization until the fight is underway.

Regis Prograis is a fighter with a Boxing style that this observer would liken to a sniper. In that he has hand speed, punching power, the ability to attack at varying angles, and finally the ability to set traps that thus far many fighters, including Josh Taylor, who got the nod over him by a razor thin decison in October 2019, have had difficulty trying to combat. The story of this fight in terms of what happens in the ring all centers on whether Zorrilla has a way to solve Prograis' puzzle. Zorrilla must find a way to cut the ring off from Prograis early to attempt to limit the champion's ability to move and set angles. He must however, be defensively aware at all times because Prograis is a precision counter puncher if given the opportunity and it is possible that Zorrilla could walk into punches he does not see if he is not strategic in applying pressure and is overly aggressive.

As for Prograis, this fight in some ways is an ideal set up for him. Defending his title in his hometown with what will likely be an enthusiastic crowd of supporters on hand. It is a scenario however, where other fighters have felt added pressure to perform above expectations as well as the added obligations that often come with fighting in your hometown. If Prograis is somehow not on his fight game with an eye towards potential bigger fights that might be ahead of him, the possibility of an upset does exist.

The bottom line is Prograis must get through this fight before any discussion xan be had regarding more lucrative paydays. If he can however, produce a solid performance and retain his world championship convincingly, he might provide a strong argument as being the top fighter the Jr. Welterweight division has to offer.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Prograis vs Zorrilla takes place on Saturday, June 17th at the Smoothie King Center in Nee Orleans, LA. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6:05PM ET/3:05PM PT with Before the Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts with the main card beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. ("U.S. Times Only.*)

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

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

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

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

Taylor-Lopez Thoughts

 The fight between Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez, while being an encounter between two recent undisputed world champions in the sport for Taylor's WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship at the Theater in Madison Square Garden on June 10th, was one that was overshadowed by comments made in the days that preceded the fight as both fighters made references to the possibility of inflicting serious injury on the other. Although this observer made his feelings clear in previewing this fight as to such comments and conduct, which I stand by, it unfortunately did overshadow what was a compelling bout between two of the sport's top stars and one that was regarded as one of the most anticipated encounters of 2023.

Despite my feelings regarding the conduct that preceded this fight, it was one that I was nevertheless looking forward to because of both the interesting clash of styles between the two fighters as well as the respective scenarios that each fighter found himself in, in coming into this bout off of performances in their respective last outings that the consensus was that both fighters had lost. As it would turn out, this would be another example of Teofimo Lopez' ability to go against the type of strategy that one would expect of a fighter known for his punching power and using a surprising tactical Boxing style and approach that proved to be effective. An approach similar in execution to the one that Lopez used in his unification bout with Vasyl Lomachenko in October 2020 where he fully unified the Lightweight division.

By using faints, lateral movement, and attacking in spurts at varying angles, Lopez was able to dictate how the fight was fought by keeping the champion Taylor off balance and unable to find a consistent rhythm. While the early rounds of this twelve round world championship bout were competitive and Taylor did have success periodically, Lopez' ability to time his attacks, be elusive, often attack in short combinations that Taylor had trouble defending against, and overall ring generalship was the story of this fight. Although likely not the most entertaining of bouts of you were one expecting Lopez to be throwing punches with knockout intention, Teofimo Lopez once again was able to show in this fight that he has more wrinkles to his Boxing strategies than only merely relying on the punching power he has demonstrated throughout his career.

A subplot going into this fight was the fact that this was Josh Taylor's first fight in over sixteen months as he had dealt with both injuries as well as elements of the politics that be in the sport, which ultimately led to him vacating three portions of what was the Undisputed Jr. Welterweight championship of the world before fulfilling his obligation to the World Boxing Organization (WBO) by facing Lopez, who came into this fight as the WBO's mandatory challenger in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. It is hard to say whether any of the aforementioned factors, specifically the issue of inactivity ended up working against Taylor in this fight, but from this observer's view, he seemed lethargic and a few steps behind Lopez throughout the entire fight. This does not take away anything from the performance that Teofimo Lopez put forth here in ultimately winning a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to win the title and hand Taylor the first loss of his career, but perhaps the possibility of Taylor being overtrained and possibly struggling to get down to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight limit might explain why there just seemed to be something off about Taylor's performance here. The possibility of him being unprepared for the approach that Lopez implemented is something to also consider.

Lopez now as a two-division world champion has thrown the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division a curveball as some considered him an underdog to dethrone Taylor. While Lopez does deserve credit not only for his performance, but also his apologizing to Taylor after the fight for the remarks he made in wanting to kill him, it is hard to say where he goes from here. Lopez is going through some issues related to his personal life outside of the ring and even though this observer will not comment on those issues, it will likely take some of the focus and time away from potential fights that could be made including a potential unification bout with current WBC world champion Regis Prograis, who coincidentally has a title defense on June 17th in his hometown of New Orleans against Danielito Zorrilla, or a potential rematch with Taylor. 

Although Lopez did apologize for his remarks prior to the fight and Taylor accepted the apology calling it ‘Fun and Games,” this observer does not feel that way in that those comments do not belong in any sport, even one as flawed as Boxing tends to be at times. Going forward regardless of what might be going on outside of the ring in a fighter’s life, Lopez, Taylor and any fighter on every level of the sport needs to understand that the sport needs to be respected at all times including the obvious dangers that are associated with it. It is the responsibility of the fighters, especially those who are in the position as being fortunate to be at the top level of the sport, to represent it with the dignity and class that it deserves. While emotions tend to be high prior to any fight and no one knows what a fighter might be dealing with in their private lives outside of Boxing, it might be a good idea for those around fighters to advise them on conduct, what to say, and how to say it. Thankfully, there were no tragedies inside of Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2023, but when you look at the long list of tragedies that have occured on every level of the sport, it is far from “Fun and Games,” and the sport needs to be treated with the respect it deserves.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Taylor-Lopez Preview

 

On Saturday, June 10th, one of the biggest fights of 2023 will take place in the Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY as undefeated WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Josh Taylor will defend his title against former Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Teofimo Lopez. While this fight, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ is for the WBO version of the Jr. Welterweight championship of the world, the interesting sub-plot is this is an encounter between two former undisputed world champions. One, Lopez having lost his title in the ring in the same venue where this fight coincidentally will take place, the other having relinquished portions of the undisputed championship in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division both due to injuries as well as the politics that be in the sport. 

While Lopez has been unbeaten since moving up from Lightweight following losing the Lightweight championship to George Kambosos in November 2021, there are questions regarding how effective a fighter he is now as a Jr. Welterweight. In his last fight, Lopez earned a controversial ten round split decision over top contender Sandor Martin in December of last year. An irony that is also a coincidence is the champion Taylor is coming off a controversial split decision victory in defense of what was then the Undisputed Jr. Welterweight championship of the world against Jack Catterall in February of last year. The commonality between the two fights, many believe that both Taylor and Lopez lost those bouts.

While this observer will save any debates for those who will partake in them regarding those fights, it does nevertheless create a unique situation where two fighters are meeting each other for a world championship with the opinion of some fans and experts alike being that each are coming off fights they might have lost. Opinion and debates aside, what those two fights did do for both Taylor and Lopez is create a scenario where both fighters likely feel that they have something to prove. The fight itself also provides an interesting clash of styles. 

 

Both fighters have shown in recent fights that they can do a little of everything. Most would likely say however, that this will be more of a classic scenario of a boxer in Taylor against a power puncher in Lopez. Teofimo Lopez is a fighter with knockout power in both hands that has throughout his career scored several highlight reel knockouts that seemed to come suddenly. Although the possibility of Lopez being able to do that should not be dismissed, we have yet to see that type of explosive power from him at 140lbs. Obviously, something else to keep in mind is Taylor is at the top of the division and this will likely be a significant test for Lopez in his third fight as a Jr. Welterweight. 

Taylor meanwhile is a solid boxer/puncher, but can take a few rounds to find his rhythm. If Lopez begins this fight by looking to apply pressure on the champion, Taylor will not be able to dictate how the fight is fought. While it is logical to think that this will be the approach Lopez will try to implement early on, Taylor will need to find a way to be active with his offense, but try to be elusive at the same time.

Unfortunately, a part of the story of this fight has also involved some less than sportsman-like comments between the two fighters with each alluding to the possibility of wanting to inflict serious injury upon the other. Although some may dismiss this as hype tactics to draw interest in the bout, this observer should not have to remind either the fighters themselves, or the readers of this column as to the dangers that exist in Boxing and by extension all combat sports.

 It may be the view of some that yours truly is possibly reading too much into comments prior to a fight and possibly taking it too seriously. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I will always defend the sport of Boxing and in an already dangerous sport, comments alluding to wanting to seriously injure an opponent if not God forbid worse, hype tactic or not, should not be viewed as acceptable in any way, shape, or form. Whether fighters know it or not, they do represent the sport both in and out of the ring and comments like that not only do not belong, but more importantly give the wrong impression to those who are new to the sport and far too much credibility to Boxing's detractors.

When one has covered the sport for as long as I have, things like seeing serious injuries and, yes, even death occur is something that unfortunately comes with the territory. If any fighter however, thinks that using the possibility of something like that happening in an attempt to hype interest in their bout is acceptable, I suggest reaching out to the people who have been affected by one of the sport's numerous tragedies and ask them if they feel such rhetoric is acceptable. I would feel safe betting money I do not have that the fighters or anyone else for that matter that think such conduct is acceptable will have a change of heart once they hear what those who have been impacted by a tragedy that occurred due to injuries suffered in a Boxing ring, have to say. Bottom line, it is not something that should be used as a hype tactic, is not something to make light of, and is not something to joke about. The fighters who have given their lives to the sport and their families deserve better and so does Boxing.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Taylor vs. Lopez takes place on Saturday, June 10th at The Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 6:10PM ET/3:10PM 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. 

(*Card and Start time subject to change *)

(*Check your local listings internationally.)

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Did Martin Gain More In Defeat To Lopez?

One of the marquee attractions of December 10th saw former Undisputed Lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez looking to continue his rebuilding process following the loss of his crown in November 2021 to George Kambosos. The second fight in the comeback of Lopez and also the second bout in the Jr. Welterweight division for the former champion would come against slick boxer Sandor Martin at a venue quite familiar to Lopez. Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY. A place where he has fought several times throughout his career, but also coincidentally, the same venue where he lost the Undisputed Lightweight crown to Kambosos in the Garden’s adjacent theater.

Lopez’ return to the building forever known in combat sports lure as simply “The Garden” would not come in the theater, but would instead come in the main arena. Before a largely favorable crowd, the Brooklyn-born Lopez appeared to be in the ideal scenario for a fighter looking to build momentum. An iconic venue where he won his first world championship, a hometown crowd of enthusiastic supporters, and an opponent with light regard, at least to those who are casual fans of the sport. Sandor Martin however, had earned his reputation as a spoiler prior to this bout. 

To put it simply, those who were expecting a highlight reel, statement-making performance by Lopez, did not get the memo as to how difficult of a fight this would turn out to be for the former champion. This was due to the very technical and disciplined approach of Martin, who from the outset established lateral movement, an ability to pick his spots, and combination punching, which showed clearly that if Lopez wanted a knockout in this fight, he would have to find a way to halt Martin’s movement and try to break him down. A task that proved to be easier said than done.

In round two, Martin would score a knockdown of Lopez by catching him off balance with a short right hook to the head as he pressed forward. While this was a “Flash Knockdown” in that Lopez was simply caught off balance, a knockdown is still a knockdown and it seemingly gave Martin the advantage in this observer’s eyes.

Martin also succeeded in doing something that is very difficult to accomplish, with his approach and technical Boxing style clearly dictating the combat, with each round the enthusiasm of the crowd in attendance become very quiet and, despite Lopez being able to have occasional moments and seeming to land the harder punches when he was able to connect, the fight did not appear close to yours truly.

What appeared to be a formulaic outcome in favor of Martin, who had shown the ability to play the role of spoiler before with being put in the role of an opponent for a star fighter however, would turn into a bit of controversy at the conclusion of the scheduled ten round bout as two of three official judges turned in scores of 96-93 and 97-92 in favor of Lopez making him the winner via split decision.

After a lifetime covering Boxing and bt extension combat sports, I have certainly seen plenty of controversial decisions that I felt should have gone the other way, and plenty that were deemed controversial that I felt were not as much controversial as it may have been a case of judges having a bad night at the office for lack of a better term. In this case, I think Martin won the fight, but will concede that when Lopez was able to land, though sporadic, he did land the harder punches between the two. While I had Martin winning this fight seven rounds to three or 96-93 in points, sometimes it can boil down to a judge’s perception as well as what they prefer in their own criteria based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense.

Speaking only for myself, Teofimo Lopez in this fight was not effective in his aggression and though he was able to have success sporadically, it was too sporadic in my view to earn him a victory in this bout. Perhaps from a standpoint of one’s perception, an argument could be made that Martin did not get credit from two official judges for his elusiveness and technical Boxing style. He also did not seem to have the punching power to hurt Lopez, despite him being able to drop him in the second round.

While Martin’s style is not necessarily crowd pleasing, I felt that he did enough to win this fight. Whether this decision was controversial or a case of judges having a bad night is something that can be debated, but I believe it falls somewhere in the middle.

Coming out of this fight, I feel if anyone will benefit from it, it will be Sandor Martin. He may not have gotten the credit for his performance from two official judges perhaps based on the perception that Lopez was more aggressive and landed the harder punches of the two when he was able to land, but there is also a perception coming out of a fight and it is hard to argue that Lopez looked better in victory than Martin did in defeat. Although Boxing is far from a fair and solidly structured sport, hopefully Martin will get another opportunity against a top contender or former world champion in the near future. After defeating Mikey Garcia earlier this year and nearly defeating Teofimo Lopez in this fight, his stock has gone up significantly. 

“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