Stevenson Looks To Make Successful First Defense Of Lightweight Crown

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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

(*Card and Start Time Subject To Change*)

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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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Prograis-Haney: High Risk, High Reward

As the year 2023 begins to wind down, there are only a few dates left on the Boxing schedule in the month of December that should be of interest to many Boxing fans. One of those dates will take place on December 9th in San Francisco, CA as two-time Jr. Welterweight world champion Regis Prograis, current holder of the WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship, will make the second defense of his title against undefeated former Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney. An intriguing encounter between two dynamic fighters, which will take place at the Chase Center and can be seen in North America on DAZN Pay-Per-View and as part of a standard subscription to DAZN’s streaming network internationally.

Ironically, this fight cones as many believe both fighters lost their respective last fights against different opposition. As most know, in his last outing in what turned out to be his final defense of the Undisputed Lightweight world championship, Devin Haney scored a controversial decision victory over former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko in May of this year.

A fight that appeared to be controlled by Lomachenko from the outset, Haney was judged to be the winner of the fight by twelve round unanimous decision. Haney, who had difficulty in recent outings in making the 135lb. Lightweight limit, almost immediately after the victory over Lomachenko, controversial as it might be depending on one’s perspective, stated his intention to move up in weight to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to seek an opportunity to win another world championship. Although Haney still holds three recognized world championships in the Lightweight division as of this writing, his intention of testing the waters at 140lbs. resulted in his being stripped of the WBC Lightweight world championship, which was recently won by Shakur Stevenson. Regardless of the outcome of this fight on December 9th, it is widely expected that Haney will remain in the Jr. Welterweight division moving forward.

The champion who Haney will face in San Francisco, coincidentally is also coming off of a less than stellar outing in his last title defense. This observer is referring to the defense Regis Prograis had in June of this year in his hometown of New Orleans, LA where he was pushed to the limit by a very “Game" Danielito Zorrilla. Much like Haney’s victory over Lomachenko, there were some who were of the opinion that Zorrilla had done enough to earn the decision, but ended up on the losing end of a twelve round split decision.

With both world champions coming off performances that left more questions than answers, a question that some might have is were those fights each a case of two elite fighters showing that they are human and having an off night at the office, or more a case of coming up against high level competition that each may have underestimated. We are likely to get an answer by both fighters facing each other.

This fight presents a truly unique situation for both fighters. Not only are both coming off questionable outings, but by facing each other now, it has created a true high stakes encounter where there is a lot to gain, but also a lot to lose for both Prograis and Haney. Despite being a two-time world champion, Regis Prograis has yet to score a victory that many would call a career-defining win. In some ways, it can be for lack of a better term, unfair for a fighter no matter how many world championships they might win to be defined by a fight or a few fights as opposed to the overall accomplishments achieved throughout a career. Unfortunately, Boxing is a sport where often, single fights are  used as a measuring stick of defining a fighter's career. If Prograis were to lose this fight, the argument of some might be that his accomplishments could be questioned due to not being able to defeat a fighter that some consider to be an elite level boxer. 

Similarly, if Haney were to lose this fight, some could say that perhaps he benefited from what was believed by many to be a bad decision in his fight against Lomachenko and who’s only two world title fights prior to that outing came against the same fighter in George Kambosos, who himself has had his legitimacy unfairly questioned both prior to and after his two fights with Haney.

For better or worse, one must also factor in the element of dislike between Prograis and Haney. Although more often than not, such boasts of animosity are nothing more than an attempt to draw interest and promote a fight, something that should be left to the promoters in the sport, there are times when the dislike is legitimate. Whether or not that might result in both fighters being more willing to engage from the outset and potentially go punch for punch remains to be seen. There is no question that both champion and challenger possess Boxing skills on the highest level in the sport, but the highest class of skill does not always translate into a memorable fight, and given the perception of at least some Boxing fans that each have had to deal with since their last outings, it will be interesting to see if this is either a high level chess match between two world-class boxers that this could be on paper or if the combination of what happened in their respective last fights and what might be legitimate dislike between the two results in a memorable battle. The type of fight that is not only the subject of both discussion and debate years after it occurs, but often those fights that are thought of as elevating Boxing to a higher level.

As one who has been looking forward to covering this fight from the moment it was announced, having covered both Prograis and Haney throughout their respective careers, this observer can not wait to find out.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

Update: While this column was in development, it was announced on November 29th that Devin Haney had vacated the remaining world championships he held in the 135lb. Lightweight division and would be competing in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division going forward.

Prograis vs  Haney takes place on Saturday, December 9th at the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA. In the United States and Canada the fight can be seen on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $59.99 beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. Outside of North America, the fight will be available as part of a standard monthly or annual DAZN subscription.

To order this pay-per-view event in North America, visit www.DAZN.com and verify that pay-per-view access is required in your region. DAZN.com also provides information on how to subscribe, availability around the world, compatible streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs, as well as local start times in your area.

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May 20, 2023: Day Of Undisputed Thoughts

 

The Boxing world focused its attention on two undisputed world championship bouts that confidentially took place on May 20, 2023, making it "A Day Of Undisputed" in the sport. Women's Boxing was first to take the spotlight as undefeated Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron defended her crown against undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Katie Taylor in Taylor's hometown of Dublin, Ireland. 

Taylor, who was attempting to accomplish something rare in the sport, to become an undisputed world champion in two weight classes simultaneously, had the support of her hometown behind her in this bout against Cameron. Those who thought that Taylor would have an easy time of things in a fight billed as her Homecoming, were left disappointed. In what was a close fight from start to finish, it was Cameron's constant pressure and ability to back Taylor up against the ropes that seemed to be the subtle difference in the fight.

As is usually the case when it comes to Women's Boxing, what made this bout difficult to score in addition to the two minute round length, one minute less than men's bouts, was that Taylor was able to keep it close due to being able to respond to Cameron's offense by throwing short, blistering combinations of punches, despite being pushed backwards by Cameron throughout most of the scheduled ten round world championship fight. This created something else that is all too common in women's bouts. The definition of a nightmare in terms of determining which fighter was able to get the upper hand in rounds that could be scored either way depending on one's perspective based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense, the accepted criteria in which Boxing on every level is scored.

It was indisputable as the fight progressed that Taylor was able to get the upper hand in some rounds simply due to her having the quicker hands when she was able to let her hands go. Despite also being able to evade some of Cameron's offense with effective lateral and head movement, she was not able to break the pattern of the fight, which was being pressured and pushed back against the ropes by a naturally stronger opponent. Cameron's consistency in this area, ultimately resulted in her retaining her Undisputed Jr. Welterweight championship of the world via ten round majority decision. Earning the nod of two of the three official judges. Unofficially, this observer scored the bout also in Cameron's favor six rounds to four or 95-93 in points. In all honesty, I felt the fight could have gone either way and as I often say when it comes to close fights, it will often come down to what a judge prefers based on the aforementioned criteria. Something that is important for the reader to keep in mind because as fate would have it, the subject of how fights are scored and the criteria in which is used to do so would turn out to be just as relevant to the second undisputed world championship bout that took place on May 20th.

This observer is referring to the battle for the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world between undefeated undisputed world champion Devin Haney and former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. As expected, this was a tactical chess match from the outset, which similar to the Cameron-Taylor bout earlier that day presented a conundrum in terms of how the fight was scored and again, what a judge prefers based on the accepted criteria in how Boxing is scored.

In this case, it was Lomachenko, the naturally shorter fighter, generally bringing the fight to the younger and naturally bigger Haney. This included attacking in short, explosive spurts, using angles to vary the attack, and being physical on the inside with the champion when he needed to be. Unlike the approach of Chantelle Cameron, which was largely based on applying constant pressure on Katie Taylor, Devin Haney's approach had an emphasis on trying to get to Lomachenko's body, while trying to be elusive and maintain a distance where he could get his punches off first before Lomachenko could return offense.

While it is indisputable that Haney's consistent focus on Lomachenko's body did have an effect as this fight progressed, the conundrum for yours truly was trying to decide for myself as an observer whether or not the body attack would be enough for the champion to win rounds that were otherwise very close. As the twelve round world championship bout progressed, there was one thing that stood out that ultimately would influence how I scored this fight unofficially. It is important to keep in mind that this fight was not only on the highest level of the sport, but was being fought at a high competitive level from start to finish. The consistent thing that stood out however, was Lomachenko was the fighter generally forcing the action and dictating how the fight was fought. 

Although this by no means indicates that the fight was one-sided because it was anything but, at no point throughout this fight was Haney able to get into a rhythm such where he could control the pace without feeling resistance from the challenger. Despite this, I felt that Haney was able to win three of the last four rounds, which resulted in my scoring the fight seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points for Lomachenko. 

Much like my feelings on Cameron-Taylor, I thought one fighter won the fight clearly, but I also felt that it could have gone either way on the scorecards. At the risk of sounding repetitive to the reader, it truly does boil down to what a judge prefers based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. Why did I rewrite the criteria one more time? The answer is simple. Although Boxing is a sport known as “The Sweet Science,” the practice of scoring fights on every level of the sport ranging from amateur, to professional, to professional Bareknuckle, is far from a perfect science and is often very much open to interpretation. This is why you will often hear this observer talk about the idea of “Swing Rounds,” which can be defined as close rounds where the winner of those rounds is often determined based on moments in a round that can sway opinion as opposed to one fighter being able to control the action over the other for the direction of a round. 

In this case, there were indeed several rounds that could have been scored either way, but from my perspective, it was Lomachenko who carried the majority of the action, which is ultimately what I based my scoring on. The three official judges however, did not see this fight the way yours truly did in scoring the fight unanimously for the champion via margins of seven rounds to five on two scorecards, (115-113) and eight rounds to four (116-112) resulting in Haney retaining his undisputed championship. 

While I did not and do not agree with the decision having taken a couple of days to digest things and gather my thoughts, I will say that after a lifetime watching Boxing and almost three decades covering the sport and other combat sports, I could probably write a series of columns or perhaps even a book that would cover the series of decisions that I have seen on every imaginable level of the sport that I personally did not agree with and I felt/feel were worse decisions than this one turned out to be, which is too long of a list to cover in the context of one column. As I deliberately took a few days before releasing this column, it does nevertheless interest me to see, hear, and read the opinions of others who saw the same fight I did. After all, opinions will differ and the reasons behind those opinions will vary depending on who you ask. The consensus in the case of Haney-Lomachenko seems to be that this was a controversial decision. For those who feel that way, I do feel that the label “Controversial” is justified and I do agree with that.

Now, I will not spend too much time talking about how after virtually every fight there are accusations of corruption, calls for investigation, and even those who will call a fight fixed. While most of the time, such calls in my experience come from disgruntled fans who either because of a lack of understanding of how fights are scored, or simply because of bias in that the fighter they root for and support ended up on the wrong side of a bad decision or a controversial stoppage, I will not go down that road here simply because as I point out to those folks, in order to make an accusation as someone in media who covers the sport, you need indisputable evidence before saying anything as unlike a fan, if you cover the sport, your reputation is on the line, but what I will say is I think the three judges in this instance appointed by the Nevada State Athletic Commision (NSAC) got this one wrong. It is important however, to keep in mind that judges who are tasked with scoring high-profile world championship fights as the two undisputed championship bouts discussed in this column are the best of the best in the field, have decades of experience on every level of the sport, and are often asked to fly around the world to score world championship bouts based on their respective resumes and reputations. 

Despite those facts and the experience therein, a judge will not get it right 100% of the time and regardless of how a fan might feel, a judge will often see things differently from their position at ringside than what a fan will see either sitting in the crowd or watching on some form of television, whether it be via traditional mediums or streaming. While fans have also called out yours truly from time to time for how I have scored bouts unofficially even though I also have experience, it is just something that comes with the territory and unfortunately, one cannot please everyone.

While I will not join those calling for an investigation into this fight because I am smart enough to know that this was not the first controversial decision I have seen and it definitely will not be the last, what I will say is if fans are truly that passionate and want to see something done, the best way to do it is to not only voice your opinion, not only threaten not to support the sport going forward, but to realize that the only way to get your point across is not only to stick to your word, but also reach out to your respective governors, who in the case of the United States appoint the respective state athletic commissions, and maybe go as far as your state representatives if you truly feel that an injustice has taken place and want to see something done that would benefit the sport. I would caution however, that a process such as that will take time and progress more often than not is slow.

Ultimately, I would like to see rematches of both Cameron-Taylor and Haney-Lomachenko. In all honesty with the reader, I can sit all day and talk about changes that I would like to see in the sport including the need for regulatory overhaul on a global level, as well as judging, many of which I have written about frequently over the years, but I am realistic enough to know that it is far more likely that a rematch of a close or controversial fight will happen sooner than any regulatory intervention, especially if the public demands it. In this case, the Boxing world was treated to two highly competitive fights on the highest level the sport has to offer, each with an undisputed world championship on the line. Close or not, controversial or not, the best way to answer any questions or skeptics is to do it again, and to be frank, the sport as well as all four fighters deserve it. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth”

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

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May 20, 2023: A Day Of Undisputed In Boxing

The sport of Boxing in recent years has made significant progress on both the male and female ends of the sport where there has been a consistent effort to unify world titles in various weight classes with the goal of determining a single undisputed world champion per weight class. While it is a goal that this observer has said in the past is something for a variety of reasons is difficult to accomplish, a sign of that progress that has been made will be on full display on Saturday May 20th where two important undisputed world championship fights will take place in both Women's Boxing as well as Men's Boxing, which could have a significant impact on the sport moving forward.

The first fight scheduled for May 20 for an undisputed world championship was to have been a highly anticipated rematch of 2022's Fight of the Year for the Women's Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world between undefeated world champion Katie Taylor and current Featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano. When Serrano withdrew from the rematch due to an injury earlier this year, Taylor, wanting to keep the scheduled date in her home country of Ireland, opted to take a risk by moving up five pounds from the 135lb. Lightweight division to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division to challenge undefeated Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron in an attempt to accomplish a rarity in Boxing, to become a two-division undisputed world champion.

The fight, which will take place at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland  and will be broadcast globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, brings together something else that is rare. Two unbeaten fighters, each an undisputed champion in their respective weight classes choosing to face each other. Something that for a variety of reasons we do not see in the sport. While Taylor will come in with more experience having a record of 23-0, with 6 Knockouts, this is essentially an even fight as Cameron, who will enter with a record of 17-0, 8 Knockouts, much like Taylor is a compact boxer/puncher that throws in volume and looks to pile up points on scorecards.

Although this observer stands by his assessment that this bout at least in comparison of styles is even and could be a toss up, Taylor does have more experience and will likely be looking to use that to her advantage in this fight in front of what is likely to be a significant hometown crowd. The question however, might come down to how Taylor looks at the heavier weight, whether her hands are as quick and reaction time is there at the heavier weight as it has been at Lightweight. It is important to keep in mind that rounds in Women's Boxing are two minutes in duration, which could prove to be a very difficult task for the three judges scoring a fight when you are trying to decide who is getting the upper hand in a fight between two fighters with similar styles, which means this fight could end up in a close decision if it does go the distance.

In a strange way, the cancellation of the rematch with Serrano for Taylor has led to an unofficial four fighter box off as in addition to Taylor's challenge of Cameron, it was recently announced that Serrano will defend her Featherweight world championship in a rematch with former world champion Heather Hardy in August on the undercard of the Jake Paul-Nate Diaz bout in Dallas, TX. While there is nothing official at least as of this writing, if the circumstances end up where the winners of these two fights do end up facing each other later in the year or in 2024, it will obviously keep interest high and Women's Boxing will continue to benefit from that increased interest as the sport for women continues to grow overall.

The second undisputed world championship fight on May 20 will see undefeated Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney defend his crown for the second time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV against former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko. A fight that can be seen here in the United States on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View, is not only one of the most anticipated fights of 2023, but may be viewed as a superstar in the making in Haney facing one of the , most dominant fighters of the last decade in Lomachenko, who has acknowledged that this could be his last chance to win am undisputed world championship.

Many will recall that Lomachenko previously came up short in his unification bout against then undefeated IBF world champion Teofimo Lopez in the fight that fully unified the Lightweight division in October 2020. Although that is the only loss Lomachenko has had since his second pro bout nearly a decade ago in 2014, the Undisputed Lightweight championship has changed hands twice since that fight, first from Lopez to George Kambosos and then from Kambosos to Haney, who is coming off of his second consecutive twelve round unanimous decision victory over Kambosos.

While Haney has for the moment put a stop to the hot potato passing of the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world, he has also acknowledged that his time in the 135lb. Lightweight division may be near an end as he is likely to move up to the Jr. Welterweight division sooner than later. What this creates is a scenario where if Haney does retain the title in this fight and decides to move up, the undisputed championship in the Lightweight division will be broken up as all the world championships that make up the undisputed crown would obviously be vacated.

How likely is Haney to retain his crown against Lomachenko is a question that can be quite complicated depending on one's perspective. At his best, Vasyl Lomachenko is a fighter with impeccable foot work, hand speed, deceptive punching power, and has the ability to use angles, which with the lone exception of the fight with Teofimo Lopez, has proven to be a difficult puzzle for opponents to solve. The possibility of Lomachenko simply having a bad night against Lopez, who outworked him over twelve rounds is certainly possible.

Much like Lopez however, Devin Haney is a younger fighter than Lomachenko and some might argue is a more complete fighter than Lopez, who is primarily known for his punching power. The key to this fight in my eyes will be whether or not Lomachenko will be able to establish the tempo of the fight early. This may prove to be more difficult than against previous opponents because of Devin Haney's hand speed, so it will be crucial that Lomachenko use his legs and look to set angles. 

To date, the only fighter who has really been able to hurt the champion was former world champion Jorge Linares, who badly staggered Haney in the later rounds of their fight in May 2021. Perhaps a method of attack for Lomachenko might be to use his footwork to bait Haney into making a mistake by missing with his punches and looking to catch him in the midst of those punches as they are being thrown. A method otherwise known as catching an opponent between punches, which is very difficult to defend against simply because the opponent is in the midst of throwing and thus is theoretically not thinking about defense in the process. This in turn makes a tactic like that a vital asset for counter punchers who have the timing, lateral movement, and accuracy to be able to pull it off. Lomachenko must be consistent in this fight from start to finish if he wants to have success here. Despite his only having two losses as a professional and three overall as a fighter going back to his illustrious amateur career where he had three hundred ninety-five wins against a single loss, this is one of the rare occasions that Lomachenko is being viewed by some as an underdog.

While that might give an impression that Haney could dominate this bout, the champion must not approach this with a complacent mindset and should view Lomachenko as the dangerous tactician he has proven to be throughout his career. If for whatever reason Haney might be looking beyond this fight, perhaps with an eye towards moving up in weight, it could backfire on him if Lomachenko is prepared.

No matter who emerges victorious in these two undisputed world championship fights there are at least a few things that most Boxing fans and experts alike can probably universally agree on. The goal to determine an undisputed world champion in each individual weight class for both the men's and women's sides of the sport remains at best a work in progress, but it is a goal that at least with each passing day seems more reachable, especially when the fighters themselves are starting to express their desire to achieve that goal, which in theory should put the pressure needed for those on the business side of Boxing to make the goal of being undisputed more attainable, which will ultimately benefit the sport. What can also be agreed on is these two particular fights are two of the best on the 2023 schedule to date.

After some recent mishaps and controversies in the sport particularly with some fights that were treated as major events, perhaps what can also be in universal agreement is Boxing is due for a day where it is the topic of discussion for all the right reasons. Hopefully, May 20, 2023, a day of Undisputed in the sport will be that day.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Cameron vs. Taylor takes place on Saturday, May 20th at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 12PM ET/9AM PT with Before The Bell featuring preliminary bouts followed by the main card beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT.  (U.S. Times Only)

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. 

Haney vs. Lomachenko takes place on Saturday, May 20th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen in the United States on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with a portion of free preliminary bouts followed by the pay-per-view card beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT for $59.99. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices, and Smart TV's. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, to subscribe, and order Haney vs. Lomachenko please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com/PPV.  (U.S. Times Only) *Check your local start times internationally.*

(* Cards and start times subscribe to change.)

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

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A Masterclass In The Art And Execution Of The Body Attack Taught By William Zepeda

With the Boxing world still talking about the event that was Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia and unfortunately the circumstances, which led to a pay-per-view crash for many on April 22, the month of April coincidentally would end with a bout that took place around the same weight neighborhood as that heavily hyped, but disappointing night for the sport one week prior.bA fight in Boxing's 135lb. Lightweight division that featured undefeated power puncher William Zepeda defend a regional championship recognized by the World Boxing Association (WBA) against veteran Jaime Arboleda at the College Park Center in Arlington, TX.

Although the bout between Davis and Garcia was technically a Jr. Welterweight bout, having taken place slightly above the 135lb. Lightweight division under a catchweight stipulation, often whenever a marquee fight like that does occur, other fighters in and around that weight will look to make a statement in an effort to make a strong case for themselves as being the next potential opponent for whomever the victor was. While perhaps not intended to be a direct follow up to what occured on April 22, Zepeda would do exactly that by systematically destroying Arboleda.

Zepeda, who entered the fight unbeaten in twenty-seven professional fights with twenty-three knockouts, is a volume puncher that applies constant pressure out of the southpaw stance and looks to overwhelm opponents with both activity and power shots. From the opening bell of this fight, Zepeda quickly applied pressure backing up Arboleda with a consistent body attack as well as landing a solid left hook to the head in the first round that seemed to stun the veteran of twenty-one professional fights.

Despite being very "Game" and appearing to respond well to Zepeda's attack in the opening round, Arboleda simply had no answer to combat or defend against a relentless body attack that Zepeda quickly administered. The effects of both the pressure Zepeda applied from the opening bell and the body attack quickly spelled doom for Arboleda as a left hook to the body would drop him in the second round. Showing his mettle, Arboleda got up from the knockdown and attempted to fight on, but Zepeda sensing his opponent was compromised, pressed forward with relentless body shots that ultimately would send the "Game," but overmatched Arboleda down to the canvas two more times, the last one seeing him grimace in pain as he was counted out.

Simply put, there is not much that one can say about a fight that lasted not even a round and a half. While Zepeda was in the ring with an opponent that he outclassed, he did demonstrate one crucial element that all fighters should study.

The effectiveness of a consistent body attack from the outset of a fight. It is indeed true that a single body punch that lands in just the right spot can end a fight instantly once it connects. What should be pointed out however, is many fighters neglect to implement a body attack on a consistent basis. Among the benefits of going to an opponent's body is because the body is one of the most sensitive parts of the human anatomy, it can do damage quickly as we saw in this fight when it is executed properly. What body shots can also do for a fighter's offenses is if an opponent uses a lot of lateral movement and/or defends against punches to the head well, the body is one part of a fighter's anatomy that does not move and over time if a fighter is consistent with an attack down stairs on an opponent, it will gradually take the opponent's ability to move laterally away as a fight progresses.

In this case, while the fight was too quick to truly appreciate what William Zepeda was able to do against Jaime Arboleda, what Zepeda essentially did was hold a masterclass on the art of implementing/executing a body attack. More importantly in terms of what may be ahead in his future, Zepeda, who is rated number three in the world in the WBA's Lightweight ratings likely put the rest of the division including undefeated Undisputed world champion Devin Haney and former multi-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, who will meet for Haney's Lightweight crown on May 20 in Las Vegas, NV, on notice.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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Stevenson Adds His Name To Lightweight Mix

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

(*U.S.Times Only*) 

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

(*Check your local listings internationally.*)

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

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

October 15, 2022 Was A Memorable Day For Boxing

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

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