Gassiev Makes Kadiru Submit In 6 In First World Heavyweight Championship Defense

The story going into recently crowned WBA World Heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev’s first title defense against late replacement Peter Kadiru on July 11th in Moscow, Russia at the VTB Arena was not as much about the fight itself as it was for what the encounter represented in the aftermath of former unified world champion Olekaandr Usyk’s decision to relinquish the world titles he held in the division as he nears retirement. Coincidentally, this fight was the first world championship bout in the division since that announcement, and thus, started as this observer stated in the days before the fight, the beginning of a new era for the Heavyweight division.

The aforementioned description is where the significance of this fight ended. From the opening bell, the champion  Gassiev put Kadiru on the defensive and constantly backed him up where Kadiru simply did not throw enough punches to turn the momentum in his favor.

A fight that frankly resembled a sparring session had an anti-climatic conclusion when  Gassiev was able to corner Kadiru in round six and, despite not being able to seemingly land a significant blow that would have hurt his opponent, Kadiru’s corner threw in a towel and stopped the fight.  Although Murat Gassiev was in some ways denied the highlight catching moment to signify the start of his reign at the top of the Heavyweight division as a world champion, ultimately, he did what he had to do and was able to retain his claim to the World Heavyweight championship. It was a workmanlike consistent performance and sometimes that is really all you can ask of a fighter. 

The question coming out of this fight is what does Gassiev do moving forward. Although this observer would feel safe in betting money that I do not have, in saying that most Boxing fans likely want a unification process to again take place in the post Olekaandr Usyk era of the division, and for that process to happen fairly quickly, the reality is that at minimum, it will probably take at least two to three years before the idea of unification of the World Heavyweight championship could begin again. Why such a long period will be necessary is, though frustrating, it will take time for championship vacancies to be filled, for new champions to be ordered to fight new mandatory challengers by the respective sanctioning organizations, and obviously for those fights to take place where the winners of those bouts will theoretically be free to pursue unification bouts. 

While this could be an introductory class in Boxing politics, protocols, and procedures that yours truly is vastly familiar, what it means for a fighter in Gassiev's position is he will have to continue defending his WBA world championship until such time as a unification bout, which would start the process of trying to fully unify the division again, can be signed. Perhaps a fight against top contender Tony Yoka, who was originally supposed to face  Gassiev in his first title defense can be made once Yoka recovers from the back injury that forced him to withdraw from the scheduled July 11th bout. Gassiev might also want to pursue a different opponent in the interim if a fight with Yoka is indeed the aim. What is crucial, however, is that Gassiev must remain active. Not only as a means of staying in fighting shape and in competition, but now also, to remain out in front of the public in trying to establish himself as an active world champion and thus over time build an argument for himself as the division’s next central figure. With a successful first title defense now behind him, the goal should be to try and get back in the ring at least once before the end of 2026. If he does and who his opponent would be is obviously to be determined, but the goal should be to stay active and give himself the best chance to make a strong argument as a world champion that many will regard as the champion of the division. With the Heavyweight division essentially wide open as Usyk has relinquished his championships and appears nearing retirement after one final fight against a yet to be named opponent, the more active Gassiev can be, and more importantly, if he can continue to win, the better it will be for him long-term.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.

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Gassiev-Kadiru: The Beginning Of A New Era For The Heavyweight Division

Recent times in Boxing’s Heavyweight division have seen the division inch closer and closer to a period of transition. Some might recall earlier this year when the World Boxing Organization (WBO) named its top contender Fabio Wardley world champion following the previous two-time Undisputed champion of the division Olekaandr Usyk, choosing to step into the ring with legendary World Heavyweight Kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven, rather than make a mandatory defense of the WBO title, which was due to be fulfilled. This led to a thrilling encounter where Wardley was stopped by former IBF World Heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, making Dubois a two-time World Heavyweight champion.

 As for Usuk, in a truly unique event, the still unified world champion of the Heavyweight division survived a significant scare in his bout against Verhoeven at the Pyramids in Egypt in rallying to stop the novice boxer in the final round of a surprising competitive fight given the experience disparity between the two in terms of Boxing experience. It was perhaps that fight in which Usyk, a fighter that has dominated both the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions in his career, did not look anything like a man who fully unified the Heavyweight division twice, that led to him choosing to relinquish his remaining world championships in the division, in this case, the WBC, WBA, IBF, and IBO world championships, saying he wanted the next generation of Heavyweights to vie for the crown while seeking one last fight before retirement against a yet unarmed opponent.

Thus, begins the period of transition fully in the Heavyweight division. While the various sanctioning organizations that Usuk vacated their respective versions of the World Heavyweight championship began naming their respective top contenders as world champion in accordance with each’s respective rules, the first world championship fight in the post-Oleksandr Usyk era will take place on July 11th in Moscow, Russia where recently named WBA world champion Murat Gassiev will make the first defense of his title against veteran contender Peter Kadiru at the VTB Arena in a scheduled twelve round world title bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. 

Often when a period of transition like this begins, fighters in Gassiev’s position are treated unfairly by both fans and commentators due to their being named champion rather than winning the title they now hold inside the ring. Although the circumstances that put fighters in such position tend to vary on a case by case basis, this puts the new champion in almost a no win situation, despite being the previous number one contender and being named champion when the previous champion was either stripped of their title or in this case chose to vacate as Usuk did because it brings about questions regarding the legitimacy of the title, particularly amongst fans who either do not know or simply turn a blind eye to each respective organization's policies that often calls for the current number one contender/Interim/Regular champion in the case of the WBA, to be named world champion in the event of a circumstance such as this.

If the prospect of being in a no win situation isn't stressful enough for a fighter, in Gassiev’s case, he also has to deal with a change in opponent for his first title defense after previously named opponent Tony Yoka withdrew from the fight due to a back injury. This opens the door for Peter Kadiru to step in on short notice to challenge for a world title for the first time in his career.

Although Peter Kadiru is currently unranked by the WBA in the Heavyweight division, he does have a respectable record of 24-1, with 13 Knockouts. The potential red flag here is Kadiru has not fought any noteworthy opposition that could be viewed as a world contender and is now tasked with taking a significant step up in class to challenge the former unified World Cruiserweight champion Gassiev in the champion's first title defense as a World Heavyweight champion. 

Murat Gassiev has a significant edge here in terms of overall experience as well as facing a higher caliber of competition including against Usyk when the two met as Cruiserweights in July 2018. As a Heavyweight, Gassiev has only been defeated once when he dropped a twelve round split decision to top contender Otto Wallin in September 2023. Since that setback,  Gassiev has won his previous three fights including defeating longtime Heavyweight contender and former multi-time world title challenger Kubrat Pulev in his last fight in December of last year.  Gassiev does have a near 80% career knockout percentage, having stopped twenty-six opponents inside the distance in his thirty-three career wins.

This would suggest that he might be looking to make a statement in his first title defense. A word of caution, however, not just for  Gassiev, but also for fans who may see this as a far gone conclusion, Peter Kadiru has won regional titles in both the WBA and IBF previously in his career, and despite not currently being ranked in the top fifteen by the WBA currently, sometimes a fighter only needs an opportunity and though he is frankly facing steep odds not only in facing someone of  Gassiev’s caliber, but doing so on a little more than a week’s notice, he should not be dismissed.

Regardless of what happens in this fight, the foreseeable future in the Heavyweight division will continue to have the recurring theme of transition and fighters both those who are now being moved into positions as world champion and contenders all looking to make their claim as the division's next central figure. Often the process of transition in Boxing tends to be messy regardless of division with no shortage of red tape and disgruntlements amongst fighters, promoters, and sanctioning organizations, and now the prospect of the upstart Zuffa Boxing promotion that appears intent on bringing the promotional based model of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to Boxing by refusing to work within the existing structure of working with existing sanctioning organizations and determining their own world champions, all of the above looking for legitimacy as recognized world champions and world championships. No matter the outcome in this fight, this is step one in a much wider picture that is for better or worse, part of an emerging era. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.

Gassiev vs. Kadiru takes place on Saturday, July 11th at the VTB Arena in Moscow, Russia. The fight can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN available to both base and ultimate subscribers beginning at 2:30PM ET/11:30AM PT.

(*North American Start Times Only.* *Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

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

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Zayas-Ennis Preview

 The month of June 2026 in the sport of Boxing will conclude with arguably one of the best fights that could be made in the sport in present day. This observer is referring to an encounter between two unbeaten world champions in Boxing’s 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division.undefeated unified WBO/WBA World Jr. Middleweight champion Xander Zayas will meet undefeated former IBF World Welterweight champion Jaron Ennis at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. A marquee bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription or as a standalone pay-per-view offering for non-Ultimate subscribers. 

A coincidence that is present for this fight is it will take place on a historical day in Boxing history. Those of us who are old enough to remember likely recall June 27. 1988 where at the legendary Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, the then undefeated Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson destroyed unbeaten two-division world champion Michael Spinks in ninety-one seconds in defense of his crown and solidifying his claim as at that point in time the one and only World Heavyweight champion as Spinks also had a claim on the title and was recognized by Ring Magazine as World Heavyweight Champion. While that fight was significantly promoted to degrees that we do not see in the sport of Boxing anymore, the actual fight ended up being a disappointment, but was an example of how devastating Mike Tyson was in his prime years. From a business perspective, the event of Tyson-Spinks between live gate attendance, closed circuit locations, and pay-per-view, which was still largely in its infancy at that time here in the United States generated over $70 million in revenue and drew a sell out crowd of 21,785 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Although no fight in present day should be compared to that event, particularly one that will be taking place at a lower weight than the Heavyweight division, the one similarity between the two is like Tyson and Spinks thirty-eight years ago, both Zayas and Ennis are undefeated world champions and much like back then, there is a reasonable amount of suspense as to what might happen when the two champions step into the ring to do battle. In this case, both champions are not only unbeaten, but have both scored knockouts of over half of their opponents. In that aspect, the challenger Ennis, who is the current WBA number one Jr. Middleweight contender/mandatory challenger has the advantage having scored knockouts of 88% of his opponents, scoring thirty-one knockouts in his thirty-five career wins compared to Zayas’ thirteen knockouts in twenty-three career wins.

If one were to view this strictly from those statistics, they would get the impression that this is an encounter between a champion in Zayas, who would be labeled as more of a boxer going against a former world champion in Ennis, who would be labeled as more of a “Knockout Artist.” While this would be accurate to a degree, much like Ennis, Zayas has shown an ability to be explosive and can end a fight suddenly if the opportunity presents itself. The question here is what are we likely to see as each fighter faces arguably the toughest opponent in their respective careers.

Both fighters are well aware of what the other can do and as such there might be a healthy respect for each other’s credentials in the early rounds. At some point, however, it will be interesting to see who will take the initiative to force the action and take the risk of opening up with their offense and thus risk getting caught by their opponent.  While most fans would relish the idea of two fighters simply choosing to stand and trade punches, shot for shot, it is logical to think that this will be approached tactically by both fighters rather than throwing caution to the wind. It should also be pointed out, despite his reputation as a “Knockout Artist,” Jaron Ennis has also shown that when he has to, he can box as well, so it will be interesting to see what each fighter’s approach will be. 

Although this fight should be viewed as a chapter in the careers of two potentially great fighters, often fights like this are thought of as landmarks in a fighters career. Whether that label is justified or not, it puts the fighter who does not get their hand raised in a position where pundits will put their career under a microscope and there will be a rebuilding process that said fighter will have to undertake in attempting to bounce back from such a setback. This observer will not partake in such “What If” scenarios because after all, no one knows what will happen when Zayas and Ennis face off in the ring and there is obviously more to take into the equation post-fight than the matter of a win or a loss. What Boxing fans can hope for, however, is that both fighters come with their best and that the intriguing Fight of the Year candidate this appears to be on paper, manifests itself inside the ring.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Zayas vs. Ennis takes place on Saturday, June 27th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. the fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as a standalone pay-per-view offering for $74.99 or included with a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The broadcast will begin at 4PM ET/1PM PT with free preliminary bouts with the subscription/standalone pay-per-view portion beginning at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT. 

(*North American Pricing and  Start Times Only.* (Card and Start Times Subject to Change.”

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, region specific pricing for your area, to subscribe to DAZN Ultimate or to order this pay-per-view event separately please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Ramirez-Richards Thoughts

In the aftermath of the return of unified World Light-Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, two of the top contenders in the division, Albert Ramirez and Lerrone Richards met on June 4th at Casino Montreal in Montreal, Canada in a fight that would determine Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA’s Light-Heavyweight ratings, a designation held by the unbeaten Ramirez. More importantly, however, was the opportunity to attempt to move into the short list of potential opponents for Bivol in the not too distant future. Even as the champion for all intents and purposes seems to be heading towards a third bout with former Undisputed World Light-Heavyweight champion Artur Betwebiev, an impressive performance by either Ramirez or Richards would obviously create buzz for the victor as a potential future opponent either for Bivol or Beterbiev, assuming that anticipated third encounter is indeed in the immediate plans.

While the latter potential third chapter in the rivalry between Bivol and Beterbiev will obviously continue to dominate the focus of the division until it either takes place or one or both fighters choose to move in different directions, this fight was nevertheless an interesting clash of styles between a fighter known for his punching power in Ramirez going against a pure boxer in Richards. A contrast that seemed to play itself out immediately as Richards established distance between himself and Ramirez. Boxing behind a consistent jab and approaching his opponent at angles, Richards set the tempo of combat. Ramirez would have success periodically landing lunging blows, he found a difficult puzzle to solve as Richards seemed to outwork him throughout most of the fight. 

Although this encounter did not have much in the way of highlights, the consistent, workmanlike approach of Richards along with his ability to avoid having the ring cut off from him and his consistently being first with his offense, this observer felt was the story of the fight. By all impressions both with what was occurring in the ring with each passing round, as well as the body language of the two fighters, I felt that I had viewed a contest that would be scored lopsidedly in favor of Richards at the conclusion of the scheduled twelve round bout. It really did seem to be formulaic and a disciplined performance by Richards, even if it may not have been the most entertaining fight to watch for some. 

As sometimes occurs in the sport of Boxing, however, visual impressions in regard to what one sees with their eyes as well as consensus opinion as to who won a fight can differ significantly from those who have the responsibility of scoring it, the three official judges. Despite the view of this observer of a fairly wide victory in favor of Richards, the outcome would prove to be controversial as it would be Albert Ramirez, who would emerge victorious via twelve round majority decision. This certainly will not rank in the history of Boxing as an all-time classic, nor will it likely go down as the most controversial of controversial decisions ever recorded.

It could, however, possibly be used as a case study in how even though a fighter known as a pure boxer can at times find themselves on the losing end of a decision that by all accounts they seemed to have dominated. Perhaps in this case, the judges scored in favor of Ramirez based on his coming forward consistently and thus leaving an impression of his being the aggressor. It can be difficult sometimes to distinguish between mere aggression and what is often referred to as “Effective Aggression” where the aggressor is the one dictating the fight. This can also create a scenario where a fighter who puts more emphasis on the elements of technique and accuracy, does not always get the nod of the judges who might prefer aggression in their criteria of scoring based on clean punching, effective aggression, ring generalship, and defense.

Unfortunately for Lerrone Richards, this decision went against him and though in the era we all live in where it often is too easy for one to call a decision corrupt, whether there is legitimate evidence to support such claims or not, the silver lining here for Richards is he will come out of this fight looking better in defeat than Ramirez will as the winner. Whether or not that will move Richards closer to an opportunity to fight for a world title on the perception of an impressive performance that he simply did not get credit for is something that obviously cannot be said at the present moment, but this observer has been around long enough and has covered the sport long enough over three decades to be in a position to say that I have seen stranger things happen and though the obvious approach for Richards will be to try and get a rematch with Ramirez, which he deserves, it would not surprise me if Richards finds himself catapulted into a potential shot at a world title down the line.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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UPDATE: Lara Now To Defend WBA World Middleweight Championship Against Gonzalez

In a follow-up to a previous story we have been following here on The Boxing Truth®, it has been announced per Ring Magazine that WBA World Middleweight champion Erislandy Lara will now defend his title against Johan Gonzalez.  As previously reported here on the website, Lara was to face unbeaten unified WBO/IBF World Middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly in a unification bout, but Alimkhanuly ha been pulled from the fight due to testing positive for a banned substance. As of this writing, it remains unclear as to Alimkhanuly’s status with regard to both the WBO and IBF as each respective organization’s current World Middleweight champion. 

Lara, (31-3-3, with 19 Knockouts) will now defend his title against Gonzalez, (36-4, with 34 Knockouts) who is stepping in in a little less than four days notice to challenge Lara, and who is not currently rated in the top ten in the World Boxing Association’s Middleweight ratings. Lara vs. Gonzalez will take place on the undercard of the Isaac Cruz-Lamont Roach bout that will be broadcast on Prime Video pay-per-view on Saturday, December 6th in San Antonio, TX. We will continue to update readers on developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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BREAKING: WBO Statement Regarding Janibek Alimkhanuly

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has released an official statement through its website and social media channels following it's World Middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly testing positive for a banned substance ahead of his scheduled unification bout with WBA World Middleweight champion Erislandy Lara on the undercard of the Isaac Cruz-Lamont Roach pay-per-view card scheduled for Saturday night in San Antonio, TX. As of this writing, the International Boxing Federation (IBF), whose World Middleweight championship Janibek Alimkhanuly also holds, has not released a statement regarding the situation. The WBO’s official statement can be read below.

Credit: WBO

As of this writing, the scheduled bout where the WBO, IBF, and WBA World Middleweight championships would be on the line, remains on as scheduled. We will keep readers updated on developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Mayer Adds To Future Hall of Fame Resume By Defeating Spencer For Unified Jr. Middleweight World Championship

The fight between Women's WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Mary Spencer and two-division world champion Mikaela Mayer on October 30th in Montreal,Canada, largely centered on Mayer attempting to add the Jr. Middleweight division to her resume of having won world championships after winning world titles in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight and 147lb. Welterweight divisions. It was also a fight void of personal animosity and was rooted in respect between the two world champions. This was simply about two champions putting their respective skills against one another.

Although as this observer stated in previewing this fight, this amounted to an away game for Mayer by traveling to Casino Montreal to face the Montreal native Spencer for her WBA world championship on her home turf, it did not appear as though that was a factor both in her approach in the lead up to the fight as well as how she approached the combat once the fighters were in the ring. A world champion moving up in weight to challenge another world champion in a different weight class in of itself is intriguing, the added wrinkle that emerged in the days prior to this encounter that the WBC and WBO, whose world titles in the Jr. Middleweight division was recently won and vacated by the newly retired future Hall of Famer Cecilia Braekhus, would also be on the line in addition to Spencer's WBA world championship, raised the stakes of the bout and the position of the winner in the division moving forward significantly.

Despite having established herself as a fighter who approaches her opposition at varying angles and throwing combinations where the opponent often has trouble finding a rhythm, Mayer's approach in this fight differed. From the outset, the challenger and current World Welterweight champion backed up the naturally bigger and theoretically stronger World Jr. Middleweight champion Spencer. What was also different from the norm for Mikaela Mayer was she appeared to be sitting on her punches more than is usually the case.

In that she seemed to be throwing and landing punches with the intention of scoring knockdowns and potentially a knockout, which is rare in Women’s Boxing due primarily to the two minute round length as compared to three minutes afforded to their male counterparts. A subject yours truly has frequently criticized and continues to advocate for female fighters to be allowed to compete in three minute rounds. Whether the change in approach can be attributed to now competing in a higher weight class or perhaps working with former Jr. Middleweight world title challenger and top contender Kofi Jantuah, who has joined her corner as a trainer, who in his fighting days, was known for deceptive punching power and an aggressive style. Much like her trainer, who is now a co-trainer along with Al Mitchell, who has been with Mayer her entire career, Mayer found an opening and frequently landed her left hook to the jaw of Spencer and at times even doubled up when she threw it.

This set up the consistent pattern of the fight. Mayer coming forward, pushing Spencer back, beating her to the punch consistently, and landing hard shots. Spencer, however, did find periodic success throughout, particularly when she was able to land her right hand, which did put Mayer's ability to take a punch from a Jr. Middleweight. A test that she was able to pass.

Despite those periodic moments for the champion, Mary Spencer was simply unable to break the pattern that Mayer had established. Unable to score knockdowns to narrow the deficit she was in on the scorecards, and ultimately lacking a knockout punch that would have obviously altered the ebb and flow significantly, she simply could not find the answer she needed on this night to retain and unify her world championship. A wide and convincing ten round unanimous decision for Mikaela Mayer was the ultimate outcome. 

Now, with a unified world champion in a third weight division, Mayer finds herself in a unique position that is not uncommon in Women’s Boxing as the sport is still growing.  Mayer still holds the WBO World Welterweight championship in addition to now being a unified world champion in the Jr. Middleweight division. This puts Mayer in a position where much like many other world champions on the Women’s side of the sport, she might determine her fight or fights based on what opportunity might be available and which fight will be more lucrative. For her part, Mayer stated after defeating Mary Spencer that she is interested in potentially going back and forth between the Welterweight and Jr. Middleweight divisions to maintain her world championships in both divisions and potentially try to become an undisputed world champion in both. 

While certainly not impossible given that world champions often move up or down in weight by fight in Women’s Boxing, the goal and possibility of pulling off what would be a significant achievement, will likely come down to whether Mayer can do it and maintain going up or down in weight physically. Much as is often the case for male fighters who are not natural Heavyweights, there often comes a point where fighters reach a ceiling where they either cannot go up any further in weight and compete effectively or down in weight without depleting themselves physically once they have moved up in their careers. Whether Mikaela Mayer will find such a ceiling in the near future is unknown, but after becoming a world champion in three separate divisions and being regarded as one of the top fighters in the sport of her era, she has already cemented a Hall of Fame resume,  now it is simply a matter of what additional achievements will serve as the icing on the cake of the career of a great fighter.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Ennis Destructive In Jr. Middleweight Debut

The storyline going into the encounter between undefeated former unified Welterweight world champion Jaron Ennis and IBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Uisma Lima on October 11th was that it represented the next chapter in the thus far unbeaten career of Ennis in his debut in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division. Before a hometown crowd at the recently renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena (Formerly the Wells Fargo Center) in Philadelphia, PA, Ennis would make a statement.

Despite going against a world champion, whose title was not on the line, little was known about Uisma Lima. In previewing this fight, this observer stated that Lima was, much like Ennis, a come forward fighter that applies pressure boxing out of the southpaw stance. Although Lima, who was fighting for the first time in the United States, began this fight coming forward behind a consistent jab and attempted to put Ennis on the defensive by backing him up, he was unable to control the distance as he had shown in previous fights.

This created the scenario that brought the fight to a sudden conclusion. Just as it appeared that a potential tactical fight was setting up in the first round, the two fighters exchanged left hands. It was in that exchange that Ennis was able to connect with his left before Lima could land his. The punch from Ennis connected and stunned Lima. Ennis quickly followed that with an uppercut that sent Lima down to the canvas. 

Lima got up in very unsteady legs, but Ennis pressed the issue immediately, dropping him for a second time with a follow-up barrage of blows. Showing his mettle, Lima was able to get up once more, but Ennis quickly went in for the kill and another follow-up flurry of punches forced Referee Shawn Clark to step in, as Lima’s corner was throwing the towel in to save their fighter from further punishment, and stop the fight at 1:58 of round one. 

As tempting as some might be to add elements of hype to this knockout, yours truly will not be one of them. There is simply not much you can say about a fight that lasts just under two minutes. Jaron Ennis simply saw his opening, was able to take advantage of it, and made quick work of his opponent in destructive fashion. Simply put, Uisma Lima did not know what hit him and Ennis did not take the chance of allowing him to recover, went in for the kill and took care of business. 

As for what's next for Ennis, quite frankly, this observer believes that the International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Jr. Middleweight championship, which Uisma Lima still holds, despite being knocked out in the first round of this fight, should have been on the line here. If nothing else, it would have provided a narrative that Ennis established himself as a two-division world champion with the knockout win. Instead, Ennis earned with his thirty-first knockout in thirty-five career wins, Interim/Regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings. In short, that designation is simply a number one ranking. 

A number one ranking that puts Ennis in line to face current WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Abass Baraou, a fighter who recently held that same designation, but was elevated to world champion following the decision by former WBA world champion Terence Crawford to vacate the title to move up two divisions to Super-Middleweight to challenge undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. A challenge that for Crawford was successful. Much like Uisma Lima had going into his fight with Ennis, Abass Baraou has a limited resume of a 14-1 record with 9 Knockouts and has not fought opposition that some would consider top caliber.

 The brief glimpse into the politics that be in the sport of Boxing aside, what his victory over Uisma Lima, should have accomplished for Jaron Ennis was establishing him as potentially a lucrative, albeit dangerous option for any top contender or world champion in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division. He also showed, at least in this fight, that his punching power has thus far carried with him up from the 147lb. Welterweight division. Whether or not Abass Baraou is indeed next for Ennis, which would be the logical assumption at least as far as the WBA is concerned, remains to be seen, but this observer believes Jaron Ennis could be back in the ring as soon as January or February of next year after a short night's work in knocking out Uisma Lima.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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The Gamble Pays Off For Itauma, Parker Next?

In May of this year, this observer penned a column here on The Boxing Truth®️ that asked a simple, yet complex question. Is Moses Itauma the future of the Heavyweight division? A question asked in the aftermath of his second round knockout of Mike Balogun in Glasgow, Scotland where the twenty year old “Knockout Artist" moved to 12-0, with 10 Knockouts in defense of regional championships, the WBO Intercontinental and WBA International Heavyweight titles. 

Although only twenty years old with a relatively short resume in the professional ranks, the fact that Itauma had already achieved success in winning regional titles, which is used not only as a theoretical measuring stick for experts to gage the potential of prospects turned contenders as potential world title hopefuls down the line, but more specifically, a caveat to elevating a fighter up the world rankings towards that goal, made the question seem appropriate. As experienced and knowledgeable as yours truly is, having spent most of my life covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, I obviously did not know at the time I wrote that column that Itauma and his promoter Hall of Famer Frank Warren were preparing to roll the dice.

Boxing by its very nature is a sport ideal for taking risks and in taking said risks, those doing so are gambling their standings and potential future positions in their division as well as the sport. The Heavyweight division, perhaps more than most, is one where risks need to be taken and done so regularly if one is serious about challenging for a world championship. In this case, Warren, who has been one of the top promoters in the sport for decades, opted to put his charge in with what was a significant step up in class in the form of former longtime number one Heavyweight contender and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte on August 16th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Such an encounter beyond the obvious angle of youth versus experience was indeed a gamble at this stage in the twenty year old Itauma’s career. Despite having previously faced former world title challenger Mariusz Wach, there was an argument to be made that Wach was not the fighter he had been when he was viewed as a top contender when Itauma fought him in July of last year in stopping him in two rounds. This, however, was a scenario where Whyte was more towards a point where he had challenged for a world title in 2022, and not more than a decade removed from challenging for world title as Wach had been.

The question for Whyte, who had only fought twice since 2022 was what he had left at this stage in his career after a seventh round stoppage of Ebenezer Tetteh in his last outing in December of last year. Although Whyte got the stoppage in that fight, it was a workmanlike performance rather than one that necessarily convinced fans and experts that Whyte was still a player in the division. 

As had been the case in his fight with Mike Balogun earlier this year, Itauma was surgical in both his approach of Whyte and in his temperament in that he was not awed by Whyte’s experience or what the former world title challenger brought to the table. He simply came forward out of the southpaw stance behind a consistent jab and patiently waited for an opportunity to strike. It would not take long. 

A short left hook to the head buckled the legs of Whyte and the follow-up barrage of blows led to a right hand that dropped Whyte in the first round. As he had done throughout his career in situations where he had been hurt or dropped, Whyte was very “Game" and got to his feet. He was on very unsteady legs and stumbled backwards forcing the fight to be stopped at 1:59 of round one. Despite the significant test and roll of the dice this fight appeared to be on paper, Moses Itauma passed it with flying colors. 

The eleventh knockout in thirteen fights for Itauma puts him in prime position for either a world title shot as the current WBO number one Heavyweight contender or potentially a fight against former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker, who currently holds interim championship status in the WBO’s Heavyweight ratings. While Parker is in line to face the recently recrowned Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, the possibility exists that Usyk, who recently asked for an extension from the WBO before being mandated to face Parker, that Itauma could be moved into a fight against Parker, particularly off of the strength of this latest performance. Whether or not that indeed happens remains to be seen, but even with a limited resume, the idea of giving Moses Itauma more time to gain experience before challenging for a world title has now passed and the reality is after taking what some saw as a gamble, which clearly paid off, the only fighter that might be standing in the way of a world title shot is Joseph Parker. If Usyk is not going to be in the immediate future for Parker, why not make that fight? It is a high risk scenario for both fighters, but Boxing is a sport of risk, but also reward.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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On The Brink Of Defeat: Wardley Finds KO Punch

The circumstances that led to the Heavyweight bout between unbeaten top Heavyweight contenders Fabio Wardley and Justis Huni on June 7th at the Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England was not ideal for either boxer. Due to the fact that it was made on short notice where Huni stepped in for the injured Jarrell Miller, neither man had the type of preparation that they would likely prefer going into a fight. 

When one throws into the equation rainy conditions outdoors, one may not have known what to expect. In terms of styles, this was an adjustment for Wardley, who had been preparing to face a power puncher like himself in Miller, now tasked with facing a more balanced boxer/puncher in Huni. While the perception when fights like this are made on short notice is the fighter stepping into a fight is at a disadvantage, this was a case where one could say it was truly unknown as to having an idea of what could happen with one fighter having the type of punching power that is sudden and devastating going against a fighter that could do a little of everything.

For a significant portion of this bout, it was Huni’s Boxing ability that was on full display. Consistently getting his punches off first, often throwing in combination, and backing the power puncher Wardley up, Huni dictated the combat and frequently landed flush right hands to the head. Gradually, it appeared that it was Huni that had the edge and if one were unaware of the circumstances, they might have assumed that it was Wardley, who stepped into the fight on short notice and not the other way around. 

With each passing round, Huni continued to dominate the action. After eight rounds, this observer, as I often do, shared how I was seeing things in real time on X (Formerly Twitter) and said that Huni had won the fight on my unofficial scorecard having won seven of eight rounds of the scheduled twelve round bout. In terms of points, Wardley was behind to a point that he would likely need a knockout to win the fight. Yours truly commented that  Wardley might have a punch in him to turn things around, but it also appeared that he was struggling due to both fatigue and the punishment that Huni had dished out and I questioned whether he would be able to go the distance.

If one were objective, there was little evidence that there would be a sudden change as Huni continued to bring the fight to Wardley in the ninth round. Having covered thousands of fights on every level of the sport over the last three decades and being a Boxing lifer long before I began my journey as a writer and began covering combat sports, I had learned long ago that you can never truly dismiss the possibility of a sudden turn, but with Huni dominating to the degree he was, it seemed unlikely that Wardley would be able to land that fight changing punch. 

What by all accounts looked to be certain victory for Huni would change in the type of fashion that should remind even the most jaded cynic what makes Boxing great. In an exchange of punches at the midway point in the tenth round, Wardley connected with an overhand right that came out of nowhere and seemed to be thrown in desperation, which landed flush and sent Huni down hard on the canvas. Huni struggled and was unable to beat the count. On the brink of what appeared to be certain defeat, Fabio Wardley found the knockout punch that gave him the most dramatic win of his career. 

The certainty that Wardley needed a knockout to remain unbeaten can be illustrated in the official scorecards in that he was down by six points on two official scorecards and on five on the third entering the tenth round. As dramatic a victory and an illustration of the type of power Wardley is blessed with, if one is objective, they would say that Wardley, his handlers, and supporters got a legitimate scare.

Although Wardley maintained his number one ranking in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings having retained Interim/Regular champion status as the contender currently in position as the World Boxing Association’s mandatory challenger with this victory, he was unable to make the type of statement that would give the impression that he is ready to fight for a world title. Yes, he did get a knockout in the purest sense of the word, however, one might argue that it is Justis Huni who comes out of this fight having made a convincing argument as a potential challenger down the line for either of the Heavyweight division’s two world champions Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.

 With Usyk and Dubois preparing for their rematch for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world on July 19th, and assuming that there might be a third fight between the two in the future per a rematch clause, Waedley may not get an opportunity to fight for the title in the near future. If Wardley is going to fight again before the end of 2025, an obvious option would be to give Justis Huni a rematch. As brutal as the knockout was, Huni has earned another opportunity and Wardley and his team will likely want to quell the questions that will likely be asked coming out of this fight and the best way to do that is by giving Huni a rematch.

“And That's The Boxing Truth," 

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Fisher-Allen II: Who Will Take The Next Step Forward?

In December of last year undefeated rising Heavyweight contender Johnny Fisher was given an opportunity that represented a step up in his career. Not only was the unbeaten “Knockout Artist" given a position on a major card headlined by the World Heavyweight championship rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the fight represented what was seen as a step up in competition for him in the form of longtime veteran Dave Allen.

For most of the early rounds, it appeared as though Fisher would pass this test with flying colors in picking up the World Boxing Association’s Intercontinental Heavyweight title, which while not a major milestone, carries with it the chance to move into the top ten rankings in a given division. As Fisher set a high pace and kept Allen mostly on the defensive, it had the appearance of a fight that was heading towards either a wide decision victory on the scorecards or potentially a late stoppage for a fighter in Fisher, who had knocked out eleven of his previous twelve opponents prior to this bout, then suddenly as tends to be the case in combat sports, just when it appears a fighter is dominating the action, a real test emerges.

In this case, it would come in the fifth round when Allen connected with a flush left hook to the jaw that sent Fisher down to the canvas for the first time in his career. Often, it is a situation that many look to when observing the rise of a rising prospect where they want to see how the fighter deals with adversity. Fisher got up from the knockdown and appeared legitimately hurt, but managed to gradually find his footing and begin returning offense. While the first four rounds saw Fisher build a decent lead for himself on the scorecards, from the point where the knockdown occurred through the remainder of the twelve round bout proved to be a grueling back and forth battle where Fisher was able to edge out a split decision victory.

Although some may have expected the outcome of a win for Fisher going into the fight, the perception of at least some coming out of it was either that Allen had done enough to win the fight or at minimum, the scoring was too close for comfort for a contender on the rise in Fisher. Ideal circumstances to warrant a rematch.

A rematch that will take place on Saturday, May 17th at the Copper Box Arena in London England, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. This should be viewed as a good thing for the sport because in all truth and honesty with the reader, return bouts like this do not always happen. It can after all be common to see a prospect after surviving a close call like the one Fisher had against Allen, to see the fighter’s handlers move the fighter in a different direction, not so much due to fear of the opponent, but to give their fighter time to rethink and try to figure out what adjustments need to be made moving forward. 

As refreshing as it is to see a veteran like Dave Allen, who was regarded as little more than an opponent when he fought Fisher, being given another chance without much time in between fights, there is also a risk attached for Fisher. Despite coming out on the losing end in their first encounter, Allen should have all the confidence in the world going into this rematch. He not only dropped a fighter who has built a reputation early in his career for scoring quick knockouts, but the result of it being a close split decision against him should provide the necessary motivation to come into the ring even more determined.

The risk here for Fisher beyond giving his opponent another chance and the obvious risk of his unbeaten record is the potential for the wrong type of exposure. This observer is reminded of another Heavyweight that had a similar rise as Fisher in the professional ranks, who I covered on that rise several years ago. I am referring to David Price, the 2008 Olympian, who turned pro in 2009 and carved out a reputation as a “Knockout Artist" similar to the one that Fisher has established for himself. 

After knocking out thirteen of his first fifteen opponents, the decision was made to match Price with a recent world title challenger in the form of longtime top contender Tony Thompson in an obvious strategy to catapult him towards a potential world title shot. The strategy proved to be disastrous. When the two met in February 2013, Thompson's experience proved to be too much for Price. A right hand to the temple sent Price down in the second round and almost in an instant, Price went from a fast-rising contender looking like a potential World Heavyweight champion, to a question mark as he was stopped by Thompson.

In a questionable move given that the knockout he suffered seemed severe, Price made the decision to rematch with Thompson in his very next fight only five months later. Despite dropping Thompson in the second round of the rematch, the result was the same, this time Thompson stopped Price in five rounds. Two fights ended up exposing Price’s vulnerability in a case where it was too much too soon and he was never the same fighter after that retiring in 2019 with a 25-7, with 20 Knockouts record. Though Price would show a lot of heart in fights he lost, he was unable to fulfill the potential and star quality that he appeared to have that had this observer touting him as a potential world champion for a period of time.

Although there is no similarity between Johnny Fisher and David Price at this point beyond the label of “Knockout Artist" in similar rises to the point where Fisher finds himself at this stage in his career, the possibility of Dave Allen potentially being able to improve on his performance last December and take advantage of any perceived flaws is very real and should not be dismissed. How does Fisher improve on his performance and remove a potential question mark that some may have placed before him? 

When he was able to keep Allen at distance with his longer reach, Fisher was dominating the action where Allen could not get his punches off consistently and only had sporadic success in throwing wide, looping hooks. It was only when Allen was able to close that distance and get in close that the tempo of the combat began to change.Fisher was also caught and dropped while the fight was being fought in close because he left himself open for the left hook.

While it is easier said than done, Fisher needs to have a disciplined Boxing approach here. This means look to keep Allen at the end of his punches and mix his offense to the body as well as the head, a strategy that worked well for him in the early rounds of the first fight. The key here will be whether he will be able to maintain that approach, if he implements it, if he has success including possibly knocking Allen down. Fisher must not be overly aggressive even if he finds success and might have an opportunity to stop Allen. The possibility of leaving himself open while attempting to finish an opponent definitely exists here so he needs to proceed with caution should it get to that point because it has already been established that Allen does have the punching power to drop him. 

If Allen manages to close the distance, Fisher should hold on the inside and not give Allen an opening to potentially catch him as he was able to do in the first fight. If he has trouble keeping his hands up or bringing his hands back up after throwing punches on the inside, a problem some fighters have that can only be corrected in the gym, Fisher will need to tie him up on the inside and force the referee to separate them to re-establish distance. Often such an approach may not be the most entertaining to watch, but it is effective when executed properly.

For Dave Allen, a veteran of thirty-two professional fights, he needs to find a way to get inside of Fisher’s longer arms and force the fight on the inside. He must tighten his punches and try to avoid throwing wide looping punches, particularly with hooks. Allen must find a way to get inside and avoid taking the type of punishment he had taken in the early rounds when Fisher was able to keep him on the end of his punches and land to the body and head. Attempting to utilize a jab as he comes forward and using head and upper body movement to try and deflect or at least minimize Fisher’s punches could be an effective approach to get in close. 

For Fisher, who is currently rated number thirteen in the WBA Heavyweight ratings, should he win this fight, he could be in a position to try to break into the top ten later this year. If Allen can get the win some feel free deserved in the first fight, this time around, it will obviously put him into a similar position as Fisher currently finds himself in. A high stakes confrontation in the Heavyweight division. We will see who will be able to take the next step forward in their careers.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

Fisher vs. Allen 2 takes place on Saturday, May 17th at Copper Box Arena in London, England. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 11:45 AM ET/8:45AM PT with Before the Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts, which will be followed by the main card that will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT. (*U.S. Times Only.*)

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

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

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Davis-Roach Pay-Per-View Card Now Available For Preorder On Prime Video

The March 1st  Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view card headlined by undefeated WBA World Lightweight champion Gervonta Davis defending his title against current WBA Jr. Lightweight world champion Lamont Roach is now available for preorder on Prime Video for $79.95. The fight, which will headline a night of Boxing from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY can be purchased by visiting the Prime Video app on your streaming device of choice or by the following link Davis vs. Roach.

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Wallace Stop Wellem In 8

The recent times in Boxing’s 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division have centered around Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, the two long-reigning world champions of the division, who finally met in October of this year to determine the Undisputed World Light-Heavyweight championship. In what was a highly competitive fight, it was Beterbiev who emerged victorious by a razor thin decision. Both due to the competitive nature of that fight as well as a rematch clause, Beterbiev and Bivol will continue to be the focus as they will meet again in February 2025.

Outside of the top of the division where the focus remains on Beterbiev and Bivol, however, there are prospects and contenders looking to position themselves for potential lucrative bouts against either later in 2025 and beyond. One such fighter is rising prospect Conor Wallace. Wallace, a native of Newry, Northern Ireland, now based in Queensland, Australia, has quickly emerged as a fighter to watch and could well find himself in the mix among the top contenders, or Beterbiev, or Bivol sooner rather than later.

After establishing a record of 14-1, with 10 Knockouts, Wallace concluded his 2024 on Wednesday night when he faced the unbeaten, but largely unknown Asemahle Wellem at the Fortitude Music Hall in Queensland Australia. Despite coming into the fight with an undefeated record of 7-0-1, with 3 Knockouts, Wellem, a native of South Africa, was a bit of a mystery in the sense that there was not  footage that this observer could access prior to this bout of his previous fights, and all one could really go on without the benefit of film study, was simply the statistical figures in his record as well as the knowledge per that record that Wellem came into this fight off of a draw in his last bout in March against a fellow undefeated fighter named Selemani Kidunda in a fight fought in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division.

Often when there is not much known about a fighter going into a bout, it can be difficult to get an idea as to what type of fight one could expect. Wellem would turn out to be a fighter who was quite awkward, but one that ended up providing Wallace with what turned out to be a significant test.

The early rounds saw both fighters looking to establish position, Wallace, a southpaw seeming to be the naturally bigger fighter and attempting to keep Wellem at distance with his longer reach. As tends to happen when a southpaw faces an orthodox fighter, there was no shortage of trips, unintentional, and perhaps intentional grappling between the two fighters throughout with Wallace often getting the worst of it in hitting the canvas and at times appearing to be thrown akin to what one would see in the sport of Judo. This was not aided by what appeared to be moisture on the canvas, which had both fighters having trouble periodically maintaining their footing.

Wellem did succeed for a time in being able to keep Wallace from finding a rhythm by frequently changing the levels of his attack from the head to the body as well as not over playing his hand in only taking opportunities as they came rather than being overly aggressive. As the fight progressed, Wallace managed to gradually apply tactical pressure, which opened up opportunities to land his left hand from the southpaw stance. This did not prevent him from getting caught in the fourth round and appearing to be hurt by a right hand by Wellem. Wallace would respond by landing a left hook to the body that forced Wellum to take a knee moments later. 

Perhaps because he had now felt the power of his opponent, Wellem would resort to a dirty tactic in the fifth round when while being separated by the referee, he hit Wallace in the back of the head, which caused an immediate point deduction for not only hitting on the break, but also hitting his opponent in the back of the head. The subject of potential scoring of the fight, however, would prove to be a moot point as Wallace continued to apply pressure and gradually land hard punches that affected Wellem.

In the eighth round Wallace would drop Wellem for the second time with a straight left hand. Although Wellem showed his mettle by getting up, he was clearly hurt, and Wallace sensing his opponent was in trouble, went for the finish. A follow-up combination sent Wellem down for a third and final time as the bout was promptly stopped. The fifthteeth victory in the career of Conor Wallace and his eighth straight win since suffering his only career setback in April 2021, earned him the WBA’s vacant Oceania Light-Heavyweight title, one of the regional championships used to elevate fighters into the world rankings who compete in the Asia-Pacific region of the world, not unlike fighters who win British titles in the United Kingdom or European championships throughout Europe, which all serve as a route for fighters to elevate themselves into the world rankings. 

More importantly, this win will serve Wallace well in terms of his development in the long-term. He did face an opponent here in Asemahle Wellem, who presented an awkward style that for a time proved difficult to combat. Furthermore, Wellem did test Wallace's ability to cope with being hurt and was not cooperative and kept fighting after being knocked down initially. While fights like this often serve better than a quick knockout in the long-term as far as a fighter’s development is concerned, the ability to cope with what some might view as an unexpected test and still accomplish the task of victory will also serve Wallace as he looks to progress against theoretically tougher competition with the goal of eventually challenging for a world championship.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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