Ryan Garcia Makes A Statement In First Defense Of WBC World Welterweight Championship

 The fight between WBC Welterweight world champion Ryan Garcia and WBC mandatory challenger Conor Benn had the ingredients to be one of the marquee events of the year. Not only would it take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV on September 12th, but it would also take place during one of the bigger dates on the Boxing calendar every year. Mexican Independence Day Weekend. 

It also had no shortage of hype tactics leading up to it that often become tiresome with the fighters pledging to do whatever came out of their mouths to achieve victory on fight night. There was also no lacking of elements involving the business side of the sport where the World Boxing Council (WBC), who's world championship would be on the line per Garcia holding the championship, not being acknowledged by the promoter of the bout Zuffa Boxing, who are intent on creating their own championships and do not seem interested in working within the existing structure of the sport of Boxing.

All the prefight rhetoric and elements of the business of Boxing aside, what this ultimately came down to was a world champion meeting his number one contender before a capacity crowd. Under circumstances where some champions have froze during their first title defenses or at minimum, failed to impress in their initial defense as a world champion, Garcia would make a statement in his.

From the opening bell, Benn aggressively pursued Garcia trying to back him up and cut off the ring to minimize the champion’s movement. While this is a strategy that Benn had used before and one that has a resemblance to that of his father the legendary former two-division world champion Nigel Benn in how he would often pursue and attack his opponents, it did leave Benn vulnerable to punches as he was coming forward. It would be late in the first round when Garcia clipped Benn with his trademark weapon, a left hook to the head that knocked Benn off balance briefly as he came forward.

In round two a similar sequence would occur, only this time as Benn came forward, he walked into a perfectly timed right hand that sent Benn down on his stomach on the canvas. To the challenger’s credit, he was able to get up, but Garcia, sensing he had his opponent in trouble, pressed forward for the finish, unleashing a barrage of blows that Benn did not answer and this gave Referee Thomas Taylor the justification to step in and stop the fight at 1:25 of round two. 

Although some may question the stoppage in that not every punch Garcia threw during the ending barrage connected cleanly, Benn was unable to throw any offense back to stop Garcia's assault and a competent referee, which Thomas Taylor has proven to be as one of the top referees in the entire sport, who is frequently sought to travel worldwide to officiate bouts as a referee, will not let a fight go on if the opponent, in this case Conor Benn, is not throwing punches back. 

Ultimately, there is not much one can say about this encounter other than Ryan Garcia lived up to the standards that are often expected of a champion. He set his opponent up, executed on the opening, and then knowing his opponent was compromised, went in for the finish and did not allow Conor Benn to recover. There simply is not much more one can say or analysis one can offer about what took place inside the ring on this Saturday night in Las Vegas.

As readers may recall, however, a few short weeks ago on August 22nd in the same venue, the T-Mobile Arena, another world title fight took place in the same 147lb. Welterweight division where Teofimo Lopez became a three-division world champion by cleverly out Boxing WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero, who won the vacant title in Times Square in New York City with a twelve round unanimous decision over Garcia in May 2025, by a wide unanimous decision.

Prior to that fight, this observer speculated that the Romero-Lopez bout would be the start of an unofficial four boxer box-off where the winner would face the winner of Garcia-Benn in pointing out the coincidence both in the venue in which the two fights would take place as well as the relatively narrow timeframe that the bouts had been scheduled.

As one who has spent most of his life writing about and covering combat sports with Boxing as my primary, I was not surprised to see in the immediate aftermath of Garcia's knockout of Benn, the WBC world champion address Lopez, who was at ringside, during a post-fight interview saying he wants unification and invited Lopez to enter the ring, while the newly crowned WBA world champion was restrained by security at ringside.

Although clearly in the view of yours truly, this was nothing more than a blatant promotional tactic to drum up interest and out of respect both for the sport that I have covered for over three decades as well as my readers, who I do value immensely, I will not repeat some of the “ Colorful Language" for lack of a better term that was exchanged between the two champions during this promotional practice that I feel is not needed in the sport.

Nevertheless, Garcia's statement-making performance as well as Lopez not only being in attendance, but literally steps from the ring, all but confirmed my theory that the two bouts were indeed the beginning of an unofficial box-off with the goal of further unifying the Welterweight division. Now the focus will shift back to those in the realm of the business side of the sport, Garcia’s longtime promoter Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, who is speculated to be nearing the end of its relationship with Garcia, perhaps Zuffa Boxing, under the umbrella of TKO Group that appear hell bent to not do business with other promoters and to spearhead legislation that would essentially give promoters the power to create their own champions, rankings, and changes to fighter pay, which may or may not be of benefit to fighters, the sport, or other promoters, Turki Al-Sheikh, the head of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, and current owner of Ring Magazine, who has invested heavily into the sport and is a primary financial backer in Zuffa Boxing, and finally the various global streaming networks that are all in play, in this case DAZN, who has a long-standing relationship with De La Hoya, Garcia, and who recently signed Lopez to a multi-fight contract without a promoter being involved, Paramount+ that streamed the Garcia-Benn card in the United States, leaving the international broadcast of the event to DAZN, and maybe even Netflix, who has also become a significant player in Boxing, streaming several events including two promoted by Turki Al-Sheikh and Ring Magazine, and who is interested in bringing marquee Boxing events to it's network for subscribers. 

Although I would love to tell the reader that this will result in a Garcia-Lopez bout being made quickly, and will subsequently lead to more marquee bouts, more involvement and collaboration between the sport’s promoters as opposed to the adversarial nature the sport often runs on, the involvement of Boxing’s sanctioning organizations with the goal of unification not just in the Welterweight division, but the entire sport, and the various streaming networks that are all involved, and all of the above will benefit the sport and not require further expense by consumers either in the form of a standalone fee or a tiered subscription where fights thought to be “Pay-Per-View Level” will be included. Unfortunately, I cannot say that with a degree of certainty at this moment. 

What I can say, however, is with the introduction of a DAZN Ultimate subscription plan, which has given consumers an alternative to paying inflated pay-per-view fees at a reasonable price, the fact that for those who were outside of the United States, Garcia-Benn was available as part of said subscription, how Paramount+ also recognized the need to make this event available for its subscribers as part of a Paramount+ subscription at no additional cost, and the fact that Netflix has also recognized that going with a pay-per-view approach is not a viable strategy, along with most of the sport’s major promoters now being aligned with DAZN, there is at least hope that Boxing’s power brokers understand the needs and trends of consumers and know that the days of inflated pay-per-view fees are now in the past. If nothing else, because consumers have shown worldwide that they will not continue to support the sport in significant numbers by being asked to pay inflated fees on an all too frequent basis. The long-term future of the sport will depend greatly on collaboration, promoters willingness to work within the existing structure of the sport rather than to try and radicalize it for their own agenda, and putting the Boxing fan/consumer as a priority. We will have to simply wait and see how the next round, fought in the business realm of the sport, plays itself out.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Garcia-Benn Preview

 On August 22nd, Teofimo Lopez emerged victorious in becoming a three-division world champion when he scored a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. It was that fight that this observer speculated prior to it taking place, could have been the unofficial start of a four-boxer box-off as there was another world title fight that would take place in the same venue a few short weeks after Lopez ultimately defeated Romero. The second bout will be for the WBC World Welterweight championship as champion Ryan Garcia looks to make the first defense of his world title for the first time against top Welterweight contender Conor Benn in a twelve round bout that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription general entertainment network Paramount+ and internationally on digital subscription sports streaming DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

What makes this fight interesting beyond it being the first title defense for Garcia, a fighter who has had some setbacks along the way in his career, but one who has evolved into one of the top stars in the sport of Boxing, is in this case he’s going against a fighter in Benn that not only has the lineage being the son of the legendary two-division world champion Nigel Benn, but Conor Benn has spent his recent fights fighting well above the 147lb. Welterweight division, having competed in two fights against Chris Eubank Jr., the son of his father’s rival Chris Eubank Sr. with those bouts taking place in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Prior to those bouts, in which Benn went 1-1 against Eubank Jr., he was a career Welterweight and was on the verge of challenging for a world title before Garcia got his opportunities. The question here is after having gone up three weight classes for his last two fights, what condition will he be in after coming back down in weight for this world title opportunity.

There have been times throughout history where fighters either after having won world titles at higher weights or looking for an opportunity to challenge for a world title after competing at higher weights, have come back down in weight with not so successful results. Two notable examples this observer has thought of in recent days as I prepared to pen this column was first in February 1991, the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard  after winning world titles from the 147lb. Welterweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division, moved down in weight after last competing in December 1989 in defense of his WBC Super-Middleweight world championship in his third fight against his longtime rival Roberto Duran, chose to take on WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Terry Norris inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. From the opening bell, Norris administered a beating to Leonard, dropping him twice throughout the twelve round world championship bout and earning a wide unanimous decision victory to retain his title. After the fight right in the ring after the decision was announced, Leonard announced to the crowd in attendance that this would be his final fight and retired for six years before making another ill-fated combat in March 1997 when at age forty, he suffered the first knockout of his career when he was stopped in five rounds by the late great Hector “Macho” Camacho in five rounds inside the legendary Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Leonard, as he had done after the loss to Norris, retired following being stopped by Camacho, never to fight again.

A second example came in March 2003 where Roy Jones, a fighter who won world titles from the 160lb. Middleweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division moved up to challenge WBA World Heavyweight champion John Ruiz for his world title and scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision to become a Heavyweight world champion and in doing so, became the first former Middleweight champion to successfully move up to Heavyweight and win a world title since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897. As historic as that accomplish was and remains, following that fight, despite Jones not really having anything else to prove and being in a position where he could have retired with an unmatched legacy, he was still a unified Light-Heavyweight world champion at the time he beat Ruiz and opted to move back down in weight to defend his title against Antonio Tarver later in 2003. Jones looked very sluggish and struggled to retain his title in a controversial decision in November 2003. The decision, that many felt should have gone Tarver’s way, fueled demand for an immediate rematch in May 2004. In that rematch, Tarver scored a second round one punch knockout of Jones, and from that point until Jones retired, having competed in his last official fight in 2023, was never the same fighter and his reflexes, punch resistance, and reaction time were clearly compromised after that knockout loss. Whether that was due to moving back down in weight after defeating Ruiz, or the effect of the knockout at the hands of Tarver in the second fight of what became a trilogy is a subject that will be debated by Boxing fans and historians such as yours truly. If one were to ask my opinion on the subject with regard to Jones, I believe it was a combination of both the drop back down in weight as well as the first of what became five knockouts Jones would go on to suffer throughout the remainder of his career that contributed to his decline.

In this case, we are talking about a fighter in Conor Benn that is a lot closer to his physical prime than either Leonard or Jones were when they opted to move back down in weight. Whether or not it will have negative physical effects in this fight or moving beyond this fight remains to be seen. The loss of mass that one puts on as they are preparing to move up in weight is something to consider as this fight approaches, though the fact that Benn is closer to his prime might be to his benefit in that his body might be able to respond better than both Leonard and Jones were as in addition to age and moving up in weight throughout their careers, both had been through their share of grueling battles, which no doubt contributed to their decline.

In terms of the fight itself, both Garcia and Benn have shown that they can do a little of everything and each have the type of explosive punching power that if they connect, they can end a fight with either hand. What this fight will come down to in my eyes is who will be able to take the initiative and whether they will be able to maintain that pace for however long the fight lasts. 

Whether or not this fight does indeed lead to a showdown later this year with the recently crowned WBA Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez also remains to be seen. With Lopez having put on a stellar performance a few short weeks ago, however, it will be up to Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn to take the attention off of Lopez and put it on themselves. If that translates into a great fight, even better for Boxing as a whole. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Garcia vs. Benn takes place on Saturday, September 12th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States on general entertainment subscription streaming network Paramount+ beginning at 4PM ET/1PM PT and will be included with a Paramount+ subscription.

For more information about Paramount+ including schedules, list of compatible devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ParamountPlus.com. 

Internationally, the card can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. For more information about DAZN including schedules,list of compatible streaming devices, platforms,Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times and region specific pricing in your area, to subscribe or purchase this event as a standalone offering please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Belated: Lopez Out Maneuvers Romero

The fight between WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero and former two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez served as sort of an unofficial start of what could be a four boxer box-off in an effort to partially unify the 147lb. Welterweight division. Coincidentally, two bouts for portions of the World Welterweight championship being scheduled a few weeks apart from each other, each being held in the same venue, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. While WBC World Welterweight champion Ryan Garcia has business to tend to against top contender Conor Benn on September 12th, it was on August 22nd that Romero and Lopez took center stage. Beyond this being an intriguing encounter between two boxer/punchers, what was of interest to this observer was whether Romero or Lopez would be able to make a strong argument for a potential unification bout with the winner of Garcia-Benn.

What happened inside the ring between champion and challenger can be best described as a tactical chess match, which featured some entertaining moments, but one that probably would not be considered the most entertaining fight to watch, at least in the eyes of some.Lopez served as the consistent aggressor throughout the fight from the start, but what made this fight competitive through the first seven rounds was that when Romero chose to let his hands go, he generally landed the cleaner punches. 

The problem for Romero, however, despite appearing to legitimately stun Lopez in the fourth round with a short left hook, those periods of success when he would land clean punches were void of follow-ups. In that when Romero landed, for whatever reason, he did not press the issue. Perhaps the reason for that was the documented friendship between the two fighters prior to the fight, or simply a respect for Lopez’ punching power, which though he had not scored a knockout in over four years, is not something one should dismiss. Whatever the case might be, this consistent pattern turned what appeared to be a close fight over the first seven rounds into a lopsided one where Lopez pulled away largely because he was busier than the champion. 

Despite Lopez seemingly being able to pull ahead over the second half of the fight convincingly, the official decision would be a majority vote in his favor rather than a unanimous one that he seemed to have earned. While this was not a particularly close fight when all was said and done, the only guess this observer could make as to the narrow scorecards in a fight that I ended up with an eight rounds to four margin or 116-112 in points for Lopez, is that it might logically be explained by how the first seven rounds were scored, which to be honest, there really was not much to separate the fighters round by round, but the rounds Lopez was able to win during that stretch were a result of his consistent aggression. Had Rolondo Romero opted for a bit more aggression of his own rather than tactical sharp shooting that while effective when he was able to execute it, was simply not consistent enough. Simply put, Romero let this fight get away from him and unfortunately for him, it cost him his world title. 

Although the fight was to be honest underwhelming and that is one reason why there is not much analysis yours truly can offer beyond what amounts to a summation, it might have been a case of a bad meshing of styles. As for what this will mean for the overall picture in the Welterweight division, Teofimo Lopez’ stock has obviously gone up as now a three-division world champion. Whether or not he will indeed be next for the winner of Garcia-Benn is to be determined. For Rolando Romero, losing his world title in this fight is by no means a career-ender, but he needs to go back and watch this fight and see where he could have turned it in his favor. He just was not busy over the second half and if one were honest, did not feel comfortable coming out of his shell. If he were a bit more offensive-minded and were able to find a balance between tactical sharp shooting in looking to counter, take advantage of openings, and being offensive where it is harder to deny him the nod in what otherwise might be viewed as close competitive rounds. Regardless of the outcome, Romero is still likely to remain a player in the 147lb. Welterweight division and could easily find himself back in the world title picture in the not too distant future.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Mini Preview: Romero-Lopez

On Saturday, August 22nd, WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero will make the first defense of his world title against former two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez at the T-Mobile Arenas in Las Vegas, NV. A twelve round world championship bout that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

This is a fight that in some ways may be the unofficial start or a two fight box off as it will occur only weeks before WBC World Welterweight champion Ryan Garcia defends his portion of the World Welterweight championship for the first time against top Welterweight contender Conor Benn at the same arena. Ironically, Romero defeated Garcia in Times Square in New York City in May of last year for what became the vacant WBA world championship in the Welterweight division. Now over a year later, both fighters are atop the Welterweight division and the possibility of a rematch where the stakes would be higher is obviously there. For Romero, first he must contend with Teofimo Lopez.

Lopez is coming off losing a twelve round unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson in January in which he lost the WBO World Jr. Welterweight championship. Now eight months later, Lopez attempts to move up in weight as a former Undisputed Lightweight and former Jr. Welterweight world champion in attempting to become a world champion in a third weight division. 

What this fight will come down to in my eyes will center around which fighter will be able to set and dictate the tempo of combat. This is an encounter between two boxer/punchers who have shown the ability to do a little of everything inside the ring. There was a time, however, where Lopez, as a Lightweight, carved a reputation for being able to score quick, and often devastating knockouts. Coming off of a fight where he was bested by a master boxer in Shakur Stevenson, it will be interesting to see if Lopez takes a more aggressive approach here as Romero is also a crafty boxer that likes to give angles and most would say was able to have his way against Garcia last year by implementing such an approach where Garcia was dropped in the second round and simply could not find his rhythm throughout the fight.

As skilled as Romero has proven to be, in his two career defeats against Gervonta Davis and Issac Cruz, he has also shown vulnerability in that both Davis and Cruz were able to catch him and he was not able to stand up to either fighter’s punching power. Although Lopez has not scored a knockout/stoppage in over four years at the time this fight will take place, some will likely give the edge in terms of punching power to him and it is logical to assume that priority number one for the challenger will be to try and cut the ring off from Romero and not allow him an opportunity to be as elusive or establish a rhythm, which Garcia was unable to do when he fought the champion, but clearly worked for both Davis and Cruz when each fought him. 

What is also clear here regardless of the outcome of this fight is the Welterweight division is starting to heat up again with several intriguing bouts both that have been made and could be made in the near future. With many focusing on the fight to come in September between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, both Romero as champion and Lopez as challenger are likely looking to make a statement with their performance that could make a showdown with the winner of Garcia-Benn enticing for whomever that might be in addition to the lucrative side of the equation that will likely be substantial for all involved. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Romero vs. Lopez takes place on Saturday, August 22nd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as either a standalone pay-per-view offering for $79.99 or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The card will also be available at the aforementioned standalone price on DAZN on Prime Video. The card will begin at 6PM ET with free preliminary bouts followed by the main card beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Start 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, to order this event or subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

To learn more about how to order this event or subscribe to DAZN through Prime Video channels please visit: www.PrimeVideo.com.  (*DAZN Ultimate Subscription not available through Prime Video at this time.*)

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Hitchins Makes A Statement With KO of Kambosos

On June 14th Brooklyn-born undefeated IBF Jr. Welterweight world champion Richardson Hitchins returned to New York City for his first title defense as the headliner of a card at The Theater inside of Madison Square Garden. For a fighter in Hitchens, who won the IBF world championship in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division with a twelve round split decision over Liam Paro in December of last year, to make his first title defense inside of Madison Square Garden alone was a motivator. To be in the headline position, however, a solid performance in the theater inside of Madison Square Garden, which in itself is a historic Boxing venue, would be an obvious step towards eventually headlining in the Garden’s main arena.

Hitchins’ opponent also offered a dynamic of youth versus experience in the form of former two-time Lightweight world champion George Kambosos, who was no stranger to Madison Square Garden's theater having become Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world by decisioning Teofimo Lopez in the same ring in which this fight would take place in November 2021. Despite having a brief reign as undisputed Lightweight champion and then winning the IBO Lightweight world championship down the road in his career, much as was the case leading up to the Lopez bout, Kambosos was viewed as a significant underdog going against a young and unbeaten world champion.

Unlike Kambosos’ major accomplishment in dethroning Lopez, there would be no dramatic moments that would tip the scales in the challenger’s favor. For the champion Richardson Hitchins put on a performance that can be summed up in one word, “Dominant." 

From the opening bell, the champion used his height, reach, ability to use angles, and hand speed to keep Kambosos from being able to have any sustainable success beyond landing an occasional single punch. As the fight went on, the effects of the punishment dished out by the champion began to show on the former two-time world champion who gradually had all the visual signs of a fighter that though determined, had no answers and was taking a beating to the body and head. 

It would be Hitchins’ ability to change levels and make the body a focal point for his offense that would ultimately bring an end to this fight as a flush left hook to the body forced Kambosos to crumble to the canvas in the eighth round. The always “Game" Kambosos showed his mettle by trying to get up and to his credit, did seem to beat the count at the count of nine, but was in no condition to continue and the fight was promptly stopped.

If you were to draw up an ideal scenario for Richardson Hitchins in his first title defense and his first time as a main event in Madison Square Garden, you would be hard pressed to find one that would be better or one that was executed as perfectly as this performance was for the champion. In simple terms, Hitchins simply took his time and broke down a very " Game” opponent in George Kambosos. What might the future hold for this 27 year old champion who might just be entering his athletic prime? It is at times too easy to anoint a fighter as the next superstar in the sport after a performance like this where there were no flaws and a fight plan was carried out perfectly with almost surgical precision, but Hitchins does have star quality both in his skillset and the way he conducts himself and if he continues to produce these types of performances going forward, the label of "Superstar” will indeed be appropriate.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Cinco De Mayo Weekend Boxing Marathon 2025 Thoughts

One of the biggest events on the Boxing calendar year to year is Cinco De Mayo weekend. Traditionally, this period is reserved for a marquee event in the sport as a launching point of sorts into the second half of a calendar year. 2025, however, saw three marquee events spread over three straight days as opposed to one major event that usually occurs over the weekend. 

The 2025 edition of Cinco De Mayo weekend in Boxing kicked off on Friday, May 2nd with a tripleheader featuring three of the sport’s biggest stars in New York City, NY. Normally when a marquee event takes place in New York City, it is a given that the venue will be the legendary Madison Square Garden. This time, however, the sport broke new ground as this event was held outdoors in the middle of Times Square, known worldwide as the epicenter of the city. As a born and bred New Yorker, this observer was looking forward to this event. Not only because of the history attached to it in being the first sporting event to ever be held in Times Square, not only because the event saw the long awaited return of Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley after an eight year absence following HBO’s exit from the sport in 2018, but the fights themselves looked intriguing on paper.

With such a unique atmosphere in something that had never been attempted before in place and offering spectacular visuals, the first encounter of this tripleheader, which was seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View saw two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez defend his WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship against undefeated WBO number one rated contender Arnold Barboza. Despite looking as though it would be the most competitive and potentially entertaining fight of the entire card, Lopez showed his intelligence in Boxing his way to a wide twelve round unanimous decision to retain his world title in a fight that did not have much in the way of highlights.

In similar fashion, two-division world champion Devin Haney scored a forgettable twelve round unanimous decision over former unified Jr. Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez in a Welterweight bout. This led to the main event of the first sporting event ever to be staged in Times Square as Ryan Garcia met Rolando Romero in a fight also scheduled for twelve rounds and also in the Welterweight division. 

This fight started out looking as though it would be competitive, but following the one highlight of the bout, Romero scoring a knockdown of Garcia with a counter double left hook to the head in the second round, the bout resembled the previous two bouts on the card. A formulaic type of experience void of highlights and competitive drama, as Garcia seemed unwilling to engage following getting up from the knockdown, as Romero outworked and out maneuvered him the rest of the way to an easy twelve round unanimous decision victory.

Ultimately, what looked as an intriguing set of bouts on paper, did not live up to the occasion and atmosphere of such a unique event. Whether it was a case of the atmosphere somehow getting to the fighters or not being used to competing outdoors in New York City,  the feeling coming out of this event was one that was underwhelming,  but having seen Boxing successfully staged in Times Square,  I openly wonder when the next event will be and who might participate next time around. 

The second event of the weekend brought the Boxing spotlight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 3rd where Super-Middleweight world champions Saul “Canelo“ Alvarez and William Scull met to determine the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world.  An attraction, which was also shown globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View, offered Alvarez, the division's previous undisputed champion an opportunity to reclaim that status following being stripped of the IBF world championship when a conflict saw Alvarez choose to face the WBO's number one contender Edgar Berlanga than the IBF's mandatory challenger Scull, which then saw the unbeaten Scull win the vacant IBF crown. 

While Scull's victory over Vladimir Shishkin in October of last year,  made this fight with Alvarez more interesting in the sense of reunifying the division than had Alvarez faced Scull as a mandatory challenger, it is a reflection of the flaws of the politics that be in the sport in full display in that Alvarez was not allowed to defend against Berlanga and Scull in succession without losing one of the championships that made up the undisputed championship.  Whether it was a case of bad timing or perhaps a more cynical approach by the IBF to build more interest in the fight between Alvarez and Scull is something the reader can decide for themselves. 

What cannot be debated, however,  is in a scenario quite similar to what had taken place on the other side of the world in New York City the previous evening,  the unification bout between Alvarez and Scull was one that was formulaic. It was also a contest that saw one consistent pattern from start to finish. Alvarez coming forward, trying to bring the fight to Scull, landing body punches, Scull a technical boxer constantly looking to evade Alvarez with his lateral movement and landing sporadic counter punches.

While Scull, a Germany-based boxer is originally from Cuba and was raised in the sport with the Cuban amateur style, which at times has more emphasis on technique and defense rather than consistent offense,  there are times where that style, as effective and dominant as it has proven to be in amateur competition, does not always translate to consistent success in the professional ranks, nor is it the most entertaining style to watch.

In this case, though he clearly succeeded in frustrating Alvarez and did manage to win rounds by limiting Alvarez’ activity,  he was not aggressive and that choice to not let his hands go ultimately proved to be his demise as Alvarez became a two-time Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion by convincing twelve round unanimous decision. Although not the most exciting performance,  Alvarez simply did what he needed to do and this victory will ultimately lead to a much anticipated encounter between Alvarez and current WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion and a former two-division undisputed world champion Terence Crawford in September in Las Vegas. 

While much like the previous evening,  Alvarez-Scull left an underwhelming feeling for this observer, it would be the traditional Cinco De Mayo location of Las Vegas where the 2025 edition would come to a close with another undisputed world championship bout.  This observer is referring to the Undisputed Jr. Featherweight world championship bout between undefeated champion Naoya Inoue and WBA number one contender Ramon Cardenas, which took place on May 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

On the surface, this fight, which was broadcast by digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ here in the United States, represented little more than the Japanese superstar Inoue's return to the United States for the first time in nearly five years when the then unified Bantamweight world champion scored a seventh round knockout of Jason Moloney behind closed doors in the convention center of the MGM Grand during the global COVID-19 epidemic where fans were not permitted to attend. 

As the years have gone on Inoue has evolved into one of the biggest stars in the sport albeit away from the United States where his fights thanks to ESPN+ have been made accessible here stateside, but have taken place in the early morning hours as he has opted to compete in his native Japan, where he not only routinely draws massive crowds, but can also get top dollar whenever he competes. While this fight represented a return to America, few gave it more thought than an appearance by one of the biggest stars in the sport, who has consistently been at or near the top of Boxing's mythical pound for pound debates as he has continued going through divisions and becoming a multi-division undisputed world champion in the process. 

Despite entering the fight with a 26-1, with 14 Knockouts record and being ranked number one by the World Boxing Association, not much was known about Roman Cardenas and even though he had been unbeaten since 2017 as well as never being stopped his career, few regarded him as a legitimate threat to Inoue. This perception would prove to be an example of why an opponent should never be underestimated.  

In the second round, Cardenas made himself known by suddenly dropping the champion with a flush counter left hook to the jaw that sent Inoue down to the canvas for only the second time in his career. A scenario that looked eerily similar to the one Inoue found himself in against Luis Nery in May of last year where also in the second round,  he was dropped by a counter left hook after he had thrown a punch and dropped his arm leaving an opening for the left,  this time the fighter known as “The Monster” appeared legitimately stunned. 

To his credit, Cardenas proceeded with caution and did not recklessly approach Inoue, a fighter who had twenty-six knockouts in twenty-nine professional fights coming into this title defense, but nevertheless stood his ground by continuing to apply pressure, continuing to land hard shots when given the opportunity and appearing to hurt the champion whenever he landed punches to the body. Although after four rounds the momentum appeared to clearly be in favor of the challenger, Inoue would show once again why he is regarded as not only one of the best fighters in the entire sport, but a future Hall of Famer. 

In showing the ability to adapt under fire from his opposition, Inoue gradually worked his way back into the fight and by round six had started to turn the ebb and flow his way as his own power punches began to affect Cardenas. The accumulation of blows from Inoue eventually broke the challenger down in scoring a knockdown of Cardenas late in the round. While this knockdown was from the accumulation of punches Inoue was dishing out, the pace of the fight also seemed to show on the challenger, who despite getting up from the knockdown and surviving the round, looked utterly exhausted. 

Sensing that the tide had turned and his opponent was compromised, Inoue forced the issue in round eight pressing forward and unleashing a barrage of unanswered punches with Cardenas pressed up against the ropes to force the fight to be stopped. While the result was what many had expected in Inoue getting a victory to retain his undisputed crown in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division,  few expected this to be the thrilling back and forth battle that it turned out to be.  It turned out to not only be a great fight,  but from an entertainment standpoint,  it also turned out that the fight that was treated with little regard amongst all the marquee bouts that were staged over Cinco De Mayo weekend, ended up being both the most competitive and entertaining of them all and arguably turned what had been an underwhelming stretch of events to a memorable night that will be remembered along with many other great fights that have taken place during Cinco De Mayo throughout Boxing history. 

While the 2025 edition of Cinco De Mayo weekend in Boxing was a mixed variety,  overall it should be viewed as successful for all the promoters who took part in it and the two networks who broadcast all the events. With the possibility of more Boxing being staged in Times Square as well as continuing to be staged in Boxing hotbeds of Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas,  this observer openly wonders what's next?  It would not be a bad idea if a rematch between Naoya Inoue and Ramon Cardenas were part of those future plans.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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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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