The Boxing Truth®

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 decisionin...

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 e...

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...

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 S...

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 ...

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 a...

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. Offi...

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 ...

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 wor...

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 t...

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...

  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...