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Tuesday, November 9, 2021
PROBELLUM: REVOLUTION – PROBELLUM TO STAGE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE-HEADER IN ITS INAUGURAL EVENT
Friday, November 5, 2021
Signani Successfully Defends European Middleweight Championship Over Diaz In Rome
Forty-two year old European Middleweight champion Matteo
Signani scored a workmanlike twelve round unanimous decision over forty-one
year old former European Middleweight champion Ruben Diaz on Friday night at
the Palazzetto
Dello Sport in Rome, Italy. In what was Signani’s second title
defense in his second reign of the championship he won for the second time back
in October 2019, Signani’s greater activity proved to be the difference in a
fight that was fought at a methodical pace. Diaz was able to have moments
periodically throughout the twelve round championship bout, but was simply out
worked as the fight progressed in a fight that while not necessarily the most
entertaining, was a solid performance by two fighters over the age of forty.
Official scores were: 117-111, 116-112, and 115-113 all in favor of Signani. Matteo
Signani advances to 31-5-3, with 11 Knockouts. Ruben Diaz falls to 26-3-2, with
17 Knockouts.
Also on this card:
A battle for the European Featherweight championship saw
champion Mauro Forte and challenger Francesco Grandelli fought to a twelve round
split decision draw. An extremely close and competitive fight from the outset
saw both fighters attack in short spurts and seemingly match each other punch
for punch. This resulted in many of the rounds being very close and neither
fighter really being able to stand out from the other. Official scores were
116-113, (Forte) 115-113, (Grandelli) and 114-114 (Even) resulting in the split
decision draw.
Jr. Middleweight Tony Dixon scored a scary one punch
first round knockout of Francesco Russo. Russo began the fight aggressive and
pushed Dixon against the ropes. Dixon however, landed a flush right hand to the
top of Russo’s head that sent him down shaking on the canvas. The bout was
immediately stopped without a count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:03 of
round one. Tony Dixon advances to 12-3, with 4 Knockouts. Francesco Russo falls
to 10-2, with 8 Knockouts. Russo was able to get to his feet after a few
minutes and did leave the ring under his own power.
Undefeaed Italian Women’s Jr. Featherweight champion Maria
Cecchi scored an eight round unanimous decision over “Game” veteran Bec
Connolly. Cecchi’s greater polish, accuracy with her offense and consistent
success landing left hands throughout led to Cecchi earning the convincing
unanimous decision. Official scores were 80-72, (On two scorecards) and 79-73
in favor of Cecchi. Maria Cecchi advances to 6-0, with 1 Knockout. Bec Connolly
falls to 3-11, with 0 Knockouts.
Jr. Welterweight Armando Casamonica moved to 4-0 in his career
by scoring a hard fought six round majority decision over Mauro Loli. A
competitive fight throughout where both fighters had their say, Casamonica’s
quicker hands and cleaner offense were ultimately able to earn the nod on two
official judges to earn the majority decision victory. Official scores were 57-57,
(Even) and 58-56 (On two scorecards in favor of Casamonica. Armando Casamonica
advances to 4-0, with 0 Knockouts. Mauro Loli falls to 5-3, with 2 Knockouts.
Undefeated Light-Heavyweight prospect Hrvoje Sep pounded
out a convincing six round unanimous decision over former two-time European
Light-Heavyweight champion Serhiy Demchenko. From the opening bell, Sep implemented
an attack to the body and head of his opponent and had particular success in
landing his right hand throughout. Demchenko hung in there for all six rounds,
but he simply could not land anything to keep Sep off of him. All three
official judges scored the fight 60-54 in favor of Sep. Hrvoje Sep advances to 11-0, with 8 Knockouts.
Serhiy Demchenko falls to 23-16-1, with 15 Knockouts.
Light-Heavyweight Voldy Toutin began the evening by
successfully making his professional debut with a six round unanimous decision
over Jovan Smilic. Voldy Toutin advances to 1-0, with 0 Knockouts. Jovan Smilic
falls to 0-6, with 0 Knockouts.
This card, which was promoted by promoter Eddie Hearn’s
Matchroom Boxing’s Italian promotional branch in association with Italian
promoter Christian Cherchi’s OPI Since 82 provided a look at one fighter who
could very well be challenging for a European championship in her near future
in Maria Cecchi, one European champion in Matteo Signani, who at age forty-two
is still competing at a high level in the sport, and quite possibly a “Knockout
of the Year” candidate in Tony Dixon’s one punch knockout of Francesco Russo.
While all three fighters are at different stages, as 2022 nears, all three
should be in the view of Boxing fans as fighters to watch.
“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
Thursday, November 4, 2021
Alvarez-Plant: The Battle For Super-Middleweight Supremacy
The recent career of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has been
marked by a very public split from his longtime promoter Oscar De La Hoya
outside of the ring as well as his becoming essentially a free agent while
continuing to maintain a relationship with global digital subscription sports
streaming network DAZN. Inside the ring
however, the last year of Alvarez’ career has seen more frequent activity as
well as establishing a working relationship with promoter Eddie Hearn of
Matchroom Boxing. A relationship that has seen Alvarez fight three times in
under a year in the process winning and successfully unifying three of five
Super-Middleweight world championships.
While some may not see a fighter fighting three times in one year as
being overly significant, it is extremely rare both due to a fighter like
Alvarez’ position as an elite level boxer, but also due to the financial
incentives that a fighter like Alvarez can earn on a per fight basis to see a
fighter in his position compete so frequently.
Although the public business divorce between Alvarez, De
La Hoya, and for a brief period DAZN did not do any of the three any benefit,
an argument can be made that perhaps Alvarez being essentially a promotional
free agent has allowed him to be as active as he wants to be, which may or may
not have been what someone in De La Hoya’s position have wanted. Three dominant
victories over Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim, and Billy Joe Saunders over the
last year have now led to Alvarez attempting to make history as he will meet
undefeated IBF Super-Middleweight champion Caleb Plant on November 6th
to unify the 168lb. division and determine the first undisputed world champion
in Super-Middleweight history.
Unlike Alvarez’ bouts since December 2018 however, this
fight will not be broadcast by DAZN around the world, but rather will be
broadcast on a medium that Alvarez left when he originally signed with DAZN,
pay-per-view as this bout will be broadcast in the United States by Showtime
Pay-Per-View and in the United Kingdom on BT Sport Box Office Pay-Per-View. The
reason for this whether it is something that will be admitted publicly or not
has to do with Caleb Plant’s association with the Premier Boxing Champions
(PBC) group of promoters and more specifically his advisor Al Haymon who has an
exclusive deal with Showtime and Fox Sports in the United States and BT Sport
in the United Kingdom.
Some may recall that negotiations for this bout broke
down for a period of time due to what was reported as Alvarez’ refusing to sign
a multi-fight agreement to fight under the PBC banner. While this was a
temporary break down in negotiation, it did show Alvarez’ desire to make
history by choosing to fight on a different platform and for the time being
return to an overpriced and outdated model of pay-per-view, despite being in a
position where he had more leverage as the marquee attraction, the “A-Side
Fighter” for lack of a better term. While this is no disrespect to the
undefeated Plant, who will enter this fight having successfully defended his
IBF crown three times since winning the title in January 2019, some may
question the motives of the PBC or perhaps Haymon by insisting this fight take
place on their platform rather than looking out for the best interest of Plant,
who one might argue could have made more money by facing Alvarez under the DAZN
platform.
Nevertheless, Plant will be making an estimated $10
million for this fight, which is still by far a career high for him. The
business elements of the sport, which often does not serve to Boxing’s benefit
notwithstanding, Plant does pose an interesting challenge for Alvarez, despite
going into this fight as a significant underdog.
Why is the undefeated Plant an underdog? The reason
primarily is because, despite being unbeaten in twenty-one professional bouts,
he has not fought opposition that is comparable to that of Saul Alvarez. Even
though it is indeed true that all a fighter can do is face the opposition that
is placed before them, an argument can be made that it is a flaw of the PBC
model in that there are times where fighters such as Plant either world
champions or top contenders struggle to get the type of marquee fights they
deserve due to the PBC’s seeming unwillingness to work with promoters from
outside their banner on a regular basis. Their insistence that this fight take
place under their banner is perhaps a reflection of that argument.
Caleb Plant however, is an unbeaten fighter who is a
boxer/puncher that likes to gradually break his opponents down over the course
of a fight. He has also shown the ability to out work his opponents throughout
a fight to win convincing decisions. It is indisputable however, that the story
of this fight will be whether or not Plant will be able to do either against a
fighter of Alvarez’ caliber in what is a significant step up in class of
opposition.
What makes Saul Alvarez so dangerous is that he is very
compact with his offense, has the ability to hurt an opponent with either hand,
and is a world-class counter puncher. Plant does have twelve knockouts in his
twenty-one career wins, but is at a significant disadvantage when it comes to
overall experience and also experience competing at this level of the sport
against Alvarez, who is a veteran of fifty-nine professional bouts and who’s
only official loss came against Floyd Mayweather when he was competing as a
154lb. Jr. Middleweight.
Although Plant is the naturally bigger man compared to
Alvarez, Alvarez has shown since moving to 168lbs. that he is not only capable
of fighting men who are taller, longer, and theoretically stronger than
himself, but thus far he has been dominant. A reason for this beyond his
aforementioned attributes is he continues to evolve and with each fight has
proven to be an increasingly difficult puzzle for opponents to solve. How can Caleb
Plant be one of the few fighters to have success against Alvarez and possibly
defeat him?
It is crucial that Plant find a way to get Alvarez’
respect early. Despite facing opposition that seemingly have an edge over him
physically in several of his recent fights, Saul Alvarez has almost been like a
stalker in the sense that he implements a systematic approach in being able to
gradually walk his opponents down and being able to at times quickly negate an
opponent’s physical advantages. One aspect that can be overshadowed by how well
Alvarez is able to execute his offense is he is also very sound in regard to
defense in particular his use of head movement. Plant must find a way to
nullify Alvarez’ ability to gain control of the tempo of a fight early on. If
he does not and allows Alvarez to get into a rhythm, it may prove to be a
difficult task for Plant to win a decision particularly because he is not known
as a power puncher and even opponents that arguably have a higher profile have
found it difficult to win rounds against Alvarez.
Unlike many high-profile unification bouts throughout the
sport's history, this fight seems to have more of the business elements that
surrounded this fight being made in the minds of many Boxing fans and even some
who have painted this as a blow that DAZN will find it hard to come back from.
Despite this being for an undisputed world championship and my feeling that the
fight should be the focus, I would be lying to the reader if I said I was not
curious as to how this fight will do in terms of pay-per-view buys compared to
some of Saul Alvarez’ recent fights on a global subscription-based model that
is generally of better value to Boxing fans. Even with the likelihood that
Alvarez will return to DAZN after this fight due to the financial incentives
that are available to him, one would be justified to wonder whether or not
there will be some backlash from fans who may not be as eager to shell out
$79.99 in the United States for one card when a yearly subscription to DAZN
costs the consumer $99 with no pay-per-view add-ons. While the latter has been
the subject of much speculation recently, it is revealing that Showtime who has
seen the ratings of several of their Boxing broadcasts under perform and has
seen several of their pay-per-view events struggle to exceed 200,000 buys at
price points similar to this fight that the network currently is planning three
pay-per-view events in a 30-day period with Alvarez-Plant being the first of
those events.
Of course, if you are competing with a network)/platform
that is changing the model and that model seems to be more consumer-friendly
than what you’re company is offering, the obvious response would be to attempt
to downplay and/or outright insult the competitor if you are in Showtime’s
position, which has been the case periodically from those running Showtime
Sports with regard to the progress DAZN has made. Obviously, DAZN much like
other entities have also seen their share of struggles over the last year due
largely to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. This observer will always be
honest with his readers and in all truth and honesty, I fail to see how three
pay-per-view cards at inflated price points in a 30-day period serves in the
interest of the fans that support the sport especially as the COVID-19 crisis
remains ongoing. Yours truly has no doubt however, that those at Showtime and
perhaps even its parent company ViacomCBS will attempt a public relations spin to
make it appear like such practices are beneficial both to the sport itself as
well as the fans that support it in good times and bad. If recent history has
taught us anything it is that the consumer generally wants more value for their
money.
As we have seen, most pay-per-view Boxing cards including
the recent third bout between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, which tapped out
at around 600,000 buys at the same price point as the Alvarez-Plant bout and well
short of the one million buys promoters had predicted in order for the event to
be profitable, sometimes it does not matter who is on a card or how great a fight might be as Fury-Wilder3 was,
if the majority of the public does not see value for their money and more
importantly, feels priced out, events like this will ultimately not be
successful. It would also be a shame if Alvarez-Plant turns out to be a great
fight that only a fraction of a potential audience chooses to tune in to see. No
matter what spin a network’s brass or a promoter might attempt, it can simply
be described by two words “Bad Business.” For all involved, the network, the
promoters, the fans who feel cheated by being asked to pay such expensive fees,
but also the fighters who are often lured by the promise of more money via
potential pay-per-view revenue that more often than not does not live up to let
alone exceed expectations. “Bad Business“ indeed.
In terms of what to expect when Alvarez and Plant meet to
fully unify the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division on Saturday night, hopefully
we will see a fight that exceeds expectations inside the ring. Despite the
business elements of the sport that seem to continue to prove that it refuses to get
out of Boxing’s way and present the sport in such a manner that it serves
Boxing’s best interest as well as the fans who support it, and not necessarily those who rule on the business end of
the sport.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
Alvarez vs. Plant takes place on Saturday, November 6th
at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. The bout as well as a three-fight undercard
can be seen in the United States on Showtime
Pay-Per-View for $79.99. The pay-per-view broadcast will begin at 9PM
ET/6PM PT and will be available across cable/satellite telco providers in the
United States and Canada as well as through the Showtime app on mobile, tablet,
connected streaming devices and Smart TV’s. For more information on how to
order via the Showtime app please visit: www.sho.com/PPV.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the bout can be seen on
BT Sport Box Office Pay-Per-View
beginning at Midnight (Sunday, November 7th) for £19.99.
For more information and to order please visit: https://www.bt.com/sport/box-office/
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau
Denison All Rights Reserved.
Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
The Conclusion Of October 2021 In Boxing
While the month of October 2021 will likely go down in memory of most Boxing fans and experts alike as being the month where the classic third encounter between undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, the month in the sport concluded with three Boxing cards that will certainly have the Boxing world talking moving forward. Readers likely recall the coverage provided by this observer of a card that took place on October 30th, one of three events that will be highlighted in this column, in London, England, which was headlined by a unification bout in the Women’s 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division between WBC world champion Chantelle Cameron, who scored a ten round unanimous decision over IBF world champion Mary McGee.
A bout that Cameron won convincingly, but one
that saw plenty of back and forth action that elevated both fighters as well as
showed the continuing significant progress that has been made for women
in the sport. What was not touched upon in the coverage of that card, but has
been seen in other content that is available in the archives here on The Boxing
Truth® is that the bout between Cameron and McGee was the start of a tournament
to fully unify the Women’s Jr. Welterweight division and Cameron will face the
winner of the November 19th clash between WBA/IBO Jr. Welterweight
champion Kali Reis and Jessica Camara where the vacant WBO crown will also be
at stake, in 2022 to determine an undisputed champion in the division. While
this will also mark the first time in this observer’s memory where all five
major sanctioning organizations, the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World
Boxing Association (WBA), The International Boxing Federation (IBF), the World
Boxing Organization (WBO), and the International Boxing Organization (IBO) will
be involved to determine an undisputed world champion in either men’s or
women’s Boxing, the unification of this weight class seems to be more significant
in terms of a shift in the entire sport as unification processes are taking
place for both men and women competing in Boxing. Further thoughts on this
particular subject later in this column.
The Cameron-McGee card also saw two quick knockouts in
Boxing’s Heavyweight division. First, it was unbeaten prospect Johnny Fisher
who scored three knockdowns in the second round of veteran Alvaro Terrero.
While there was not much to say about this fight as Fisher is still in the
early stages of his development against a fighter in Terrero, who frankly has
been on the losing end of most of his fights, Fisher has been gradually
developing and now with a record of 4-0, with 4 Knockouts, the question is what
will he do next in his progress. Similarly, unbeaten Heavyweight Alen Babic,
who followed Fisher’s bout with Terrero with a first round second round
knockout of former two-time world title challenger Eric Molina, one might argue
is at a similar stage as Fisher. A primary similarity between the two is both men
have scored knockouts in every one of their bouts. Although Babic has more
experience in scoring his ninth victory in his career over Molina, the
possibility of the two potentially meeting in the future is certainly there.
As for Babic’s bout with Molina, it is not often that you
see a fighter with under ten bouts in their career facing a fighter with
Molina’s resume in being a longtime contender and former multi-time world title
challenger. On this basis, I felt that Molina may be able to give Babic a test
that he may not have been ready for. Babic of course, put a quick end to that
possibility as he quickly dropped Molina with a short, but flush right hand to
the jaw that sent him down. This was followed by two subsequent knockdowns that
frankly gave an impression that Molina potentially was looking for a way out of
the bout. While disappointing on one hand because of Molina’s experience,
perhaps it was also an indication of Babic’s punching power that it discouraged
a normally “Game” and veteran fighter from continuing on in the fight.
Nevertheless, much like Johnny Fisher, the question for Alen Babic remains the
same and unfortunately, his victory over Eric Molina left more questions than provided
answers simply due to Molina’s performance or lack thereof. It is therefore difficult to surmise where
Babic is in his development simply because Molina did not provide much
resistance in this bout.
While the questions surrounding these two Heavyweight
prospects remain unanswered for the moment, a bout that took place in Madison
Square Garden’s Theater in the Men’s Jr. Welterweight division may have
indicated a potential challenger for current undefeated Undisputed Jr.
Welterweight world champion Josh Taylor. Yours truly, is referring to the clash
between former world title challenger Jose Zepeda and rising contender Josue
Vargas.
This was a classic scenario of youth versus experience in
Zepeda a former world title challenger and current top contender facing a
fighter in Vargas who is nine years younger and who seemingly was on the way up
towards a potential world title shot. Often fights like this are viewed as a necessity
of young fighters as they look to position themselves to challenge for a world
championship. Although sometimes there are fighters who emerge at that level in
being in position to challenge a world champion without facing a top contender
or two beforehand due to the politics that be in the sport, more often than
not, a fight like this is what can at times be a final step before getting that
opportunity.
Despite being in a scenario where he was facing a young
fighter in Vargas, who also had a significant portion of crowd support being based
in the Bronx and with the fight taking place in Madison Square Garden, Zepeda
showed his experience as he was able to quickly land a flush right hand to the
jaw of the twenty-three year old Vargas that sent him down on the canvas almost
as quickly as the fight began. Due to the way Vargas went down from this punch,
I believed that the fight should have been stopped even though Vargas showed
his mettle by being able to get up on very unsteady legs. Simply put, the type
of punch Vargas was hit with in addition to the way he went down to the canvas
was such that it is extremely rare to see a fighter be able to come back from.
While not necessarily something that can be viewed as comparable due to the
obvious differences between the two combat sports, more often than not when a fighter
in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) goes down after being hit in the way
Vargas was, the fight is almost always stopped immediately.
This would not be the case in this fight as Vargas was given
the benefit of the doubt and allowed to attempt to continue, but it would be
seconds later that Zepeda would corner his opponent and unleash a barrage of unanswered
blows that would force a stoppage of the fight in just under two minutes of the
first round. It was a statement making performance by the thirty-two year old
Zepeda who has now won five straight fights. Zepeda, who challenged then WBC
Jr. Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez unsuccessfully in 2019 now figures
to be a likely candidate to challenge Josh Taylor for the Undisputed world
championship at 140lbs. at some point in 2022. As for Josue Vargas, a loss like
this will likely require some time for him to digest. Even though he did not
take a long, drawn out beating in this fight, it was still the type of loss
that can impact a fighter mentally and it is important to keep in mind that he
is only twenty-three years old and while this should not be viewed as a career-threatening
loss, it is something that he will need time to come back from. Vargas simply
just got caught by a perfectly timed right hand and unfortunately for him, he was
not able to recover, much less realize what was happening before the fight was
over.
The final stop on the journey this column has taken us on
as far as the Boxing action that closed out the month of October takes us to
the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV, where two fights in Boxing’s 147lb.
Welterweight division took place. In the first of the two bouts, undefeated top
contender Jaron Ennis faced former world title challenger and longtime
contender Thomas Dulorme. Much like the bout that took place in Madison Square Garden’s
theater between Jose Zepeda and Josue Vargas, this was another scenario of
youth versus experience.
Although the thirty-one year old Dulorme appeared to be
on the downside of his career that had seen thirty-one professional bouts going
into this fight, he still had the experience that I felt would be a good test
for the twenty-four year old Ennis, who had scored knockouts in twenty-five of
his twenty-seven career wins registering a career knockout percentage of over 89%.
Unlike Zepeda-Vargas however, where experience won out over youth, this would
be the reverse scenario, but ironically would end almost as quickly as Ennis
would drop Dulorme with an overhand right that seemed to land behind the ear. Dulorme
was able to get up, but in this observer’s view, made the wrong decision by attempting
to trade punches with Ennis under circumstances where he probably should have
held on to give himself a chance to clear his head and regain his legs. Dulorme’s
decision would prove costly as, despite landing a punch of his own in an exchange
following the knockdown, Ennis would send him down for the second and final
time with a straight left hand leaving Dulorme struggling and ultimately unable
to get up from the canvas. The fight was over in 1:49 of the first round.
For Ennis who is rated in the top five in the WBA, IBF,
and WBO Welterweight ratings, this was a star-making performance and should
put him in line to face the winner of the November 20th bout between
undefeated multi-division world champion Terence Crawford, current holder of
the WBO Welterweight world championship and former two-time Welterweight world
champion Shawn Porter. With undefeated current IBF/WBC world champion Errol
Spence sidelined due to an eye injury, and the WBA Welterweight world championship
in the midst of the organization’s initiative to eliminate interim/regular
championship designations, and to determine one WBA world champion per weight
class, something that yours truly has been screaming for, for several years as
part of his annual Boxing Wishlist that usually begins a new year here on The
Boxing Truth®, it would make all the sense in the world for Ennis to face the
winner of Crawford-Porter if the politics that be in the sport do not get in
the way. With a record of 28-0, with 26 Knockouts, it is hard to come up with an
argument as to why Ennis should not be in line.
As for the situation involving the WBA Welterweight world
championship, coincidentally that is the final stop in terms of the coverage of
cards in this column as the bout that followed Ennis’ knockout of Dulorme was
to determine at least one slot in the WBA’s “Tournament” of sorts to determine
one “world champion” in the division. While the need for such a concept was
something that was the result of the World Boxing Association’s flawed policies
and Yordenis Ugas is currently the WBA world champion, I will move on. This
bout featured top contender Jamal James and undefeated contender Radzhab Butaev.
James, who held interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s rankings prior to
this fight seemed to have more experience than the unbeaten Butaev, who entered
the bout rated number four in the WBA Welterweight ratings compared to James,
who was the mandatory challenger for Ugas going into the fight per his
designation. Beyond the rankings, Butaev only had thirteen pro fights coming
into this encounter compared to James’ twenty-eight pro bouts so on the surface,
you would think James would have the edge going in. In what was a competitive
fight, Butaev would show he was the stronger of the two fighters and ultimately
would score a somewhat controversial stoppage of James in the ninth round to become
the mandatory challenger for Ugas. The reason the stoppage of the fight was
somewhat controversial was James did not appear as though he was in dire trouble,
but was on the receiving end of a barrage of punches that caused the referee to
step in and stop the fight.
As is normally the case when it comes to the stoppage of
fights that appear as though might have been stopped prematurely, this observer
will always give the referee, in this case Referee Celistino Ruiz the benefit
of the doubt because the referee is the closest person to the action and no
matter how great technology continues to be as it is ever evolving, no matter
how big one’s television screen, tablet
screen, or phone screen might be, or how good one’s view might be from a
ringside seat or in a venue where a fight is taking place, the referee will
always have an opportunity to see something that a fan, a television
commentator/broadcaster, or those of us who cover the sport may not see simply
due to the vantage point they have as being in the ring with the fighters. Although
perhaps this fight could have gone a little longer, Ruiz should be given the
benefit of the doubt in his call.
As for where this leaves things in the “WBA Mess”, Butaev
will now be slated to face the winner of a proposed bout between WBA champion
Yordenis Ugas and top contender Eiamtas Stanionis. Ugas however, fresh off of his first title
defense over Manny Pacquiao, a fight in which for the moment appears to be
Pacquiao’s last as a fighter, has expressed his desire for a unification bout
with Errol Spence once Spence is able to return to the ring. Unfortunately, we
will have to wait and see where that goes before a bout with Stanionis, or a
resolution of the “WBA Mess” as I call it will come to pass.
Although I could end this column by leaving the negative
impression created by the WBA, it should not go unnoticed that the month of
November begin with another unification bout for Women’s Boxing. This time, in
the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division as undefeated WBO world champion Mikaela
Mayer will face IBF world champion Maiva Hamadouche on Friday, November 5th
at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. While the battle for the Undisputed Men’s
Super-Middleweight world championship between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Caleb
Plant, which will also take place in Las Vegas on November 6th will receive
more attention, it should not be overlooked that the women in the sport of
Boxing seem to be moving towards unification of all weight divisions at a more
consistent pace than their male counterparts. Hopefully, the steady and increased
progress for women in the sport will ultimately continue to spill over to the
men’s side of the equation where the politics of the sport does not interfere.
If it does, Boxing will finally be defined by one word for both men and women
that compete in the sport. “Progress.”
“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
PROBELLUM JOINS FORCES WITH PUERTO RICO'S PR BEST BOXING PROMOTIONS
Press Release: By Probellum – Los Angeles, CA – November 3, 2021 - Probellum is pleased to announce its latest co-promotional agreement with leading Puerto Rican outfit PR Best Boxing Promotions.
Under
the guidance of Ivan and Peter Rivera, PR Best Boxing Promotions has become the
biggest force in Puerto Rico since its formation 20 years ago, staging a number
of memorable events over the past two decades.
The
organization has worked with the best boxers that Puerto Rico has produced,
including former world champions and boxing legends like Miguel Cotto, Ivan
Calderón, Roman "Rocky" Martinez, Eric Morel and Juan Manuel López.
PR
Best Boxing Promotions are also known for their innovative strategies which has
seen them create a number of historic moments, including staging the first
event broadcast live on ESPN from Puerto Rico, and holding the first ever
sporting event at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico.
The
new partnership between Probellum and PR Best Boxing Promotions will now allow
for even more huge events in Puerto Rico, helping to grow the sport at both
grassroots and professional level in the country.
It
is Probellum’s latest co-promotional agreement bringing together some of
biggest promoters around the world, including Wasserman Boxing, Universum in
Germany, Groupe Yvon Michel in Canada, Maravillabox Promotions in Spain, LNK
Boxing in Latvia, Glozier Boxing in New Zealand, Shuan Boxing Promotions in the
Dominican Republic, Bufalo Boxing in Nicaragua, Team Ellis Boxing in Australia,
Armin Tan Promotions in Indonesia, and Box Office Sports in Ghana.
"We are extremely happy to be able to make this alliance
with Probellum," said
Ivan Rivera, President of PR Best Boxing.
"During the past twenty years we have been able to develop
a number of great world champions on our island, and this new alliance will
allow us to help new generations to achieve the great dream of all boxer what
is to be world champion."
"The island of Puerto Rico has always been classified as
the cradle of champions," said Peter Rivera, Vice-President of PR
Best Boxing.
"We are the third best country with the most champions in
the past 50 years, and therefore without a doubt one of the most important
territories in world boxing.
"With this new alliance with Probellum we will continue
with this mission that Puerto Rico continues to be one of the favorite places
in world boxing.
"We will have the opportunity to develop new figures and
ambassadors for our island."
"We've already partnered with a lot of the best promoters
around the world and we're very happy to secure another by signing this
co-promotional agreement with PR Best Boxing Promotions," said Richard Schaefer,
President of Probellum.
"Puerto Rico has been home to the best fighters in the
world for decades, and the likes of Amanda Serrano, Jose Pedraza, and Subriel
Matias are some of the current boxers flying the flag for the country, so we're
excited to enter the region and help to unearth even more stars of the
future."
For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Material Courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission.
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau
Denison All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
UNDEFEATED JACK BOWEN SIGNS WITH PROBELLUM
Press Release: By Probellum – Los Angeles, CA –
2 November, 2021 - Probellum is delighted to announce the promotional
signing of hard-hitting Australian star Jack Bowen. 
Credit: Probellum
Unbeaten
Bowen (3-0, 3 knockouts) has made the perfect start to his professional career,
winning all three of his fights since his debut back in February 2020.
His
massive power has been evident in each fight, with the 25-year-old winning them
all inside the distance, the most recent of which coming in June when he
knocked out experienced Sivan Hermez in the very first round.
Bowen
had an illustrious amateur career too, representing his country at the World
Championships, whilst also winning the Australian title, the Arafura Games,
five state crowns, an Australasian Golden Gloves and the Queensland Elite Boxer
of the Year award.
He
is the latest Australian star to sign with Probellum, following on from
highly-rated Jason Mallia earlier this week. It means the duo have joined the
elite stable of fighters that Probellum has assembled, which currently includes
Regis Prograis, Nonito Donaire, Badou Jack, Donnie Nietes, Eimantas Stanionis,
Arthur Biyarslanov, Taras Shelestyuk, Ricky Burns, Paul Butler, Lewis Ritson,
Hovhannes Bachkov, Darius Fulghum, Eduardo Hernandez, Mark Dickinson and
Brandon Moore.
Probellum's
has also secured co-promotional agreements with Wasserman Boxing, Universum in
Germany, Groupe Yvon Michel in Canada, Maravillabox Promotions in Spain, Kynoch
Boxing in Scotland, Mitchell Sports Promotions in England, LNK Boxing in
Latvia, Titov Boxing in Russia, Glozier Boxing in New Zealand, Cuadrilatero
Boxing in Colombia, Shuan Boxing Promotions in the Dominican Republic, Bufalo
Boxing in Nicaragua, Team Ellis Boxing in Australia, Moron Boxing in Venezuela,
Volcano Boxing in El Salvador, Armin Tan Promotions in Indonesia, and Box
Office Sports in Ghana.
"I am excited to be a part of the Probellum stable amongst
elite international talent," said
Bowen. "Probellum’s
vision for boxing all over the globe has me excited to bring big fights to
Australian shores."
"Jack Bowen has already shown massive potential in his
career so far, and we're excited that he'll now be continuing that journey with
Probellum," said Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum.
"Australia is a key market for us, as we've seen with the
co-promotional agreement with Team Ellis Boxing, and the signing of Jason
Mallia, so having Jack Bowen on board is a fantastic move for all involved. We
can't wait to see how it all unfolds."
News
on when Bowen will have his first bout as a Probellum fighter will be announced
in the near future.
For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Material and Photo Courtesy of: Probellum Used with
permission.
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau
Denison All Rights Reserved.
Saturday, October 30, 2021
Cameron Defeats McGee To Unify Women’s WBC/IBF Jr. Welterweight World Championship In London
Undefeated Women’s WBC Jr. Welterweight world champion Chantelle
Cameron scored a hard fought ten round decision over IBF Jr. Welterweight world
champion Mary McGee to successfully unify the two crowns on Saturday night at
the O2 Arena in London, England. In what was a very entertaining bout from
start to finish, Cameron used her greater hand speed, timing, and counter
punching to dictate how the fight was fought.
There were several furious exchanges of offense
throughout as the two world champions had no issue trading blows in close where
either fighter could have landed a fight ending blow. It was during these exchanges however, where
Cameron was generally the fighter coming forward and pressing McGee against the
ropes. A highlight came in round three where an exchange of offense at the end
of the round resulted in Cameron shoving McGee down. Although this was a clear
foul, there was no point deduction against her. The two fighters continued to
engage in a battle right until the final bell. Official scores were: 100-90,
99-91, and 99-92 all in favor of Cameron. Chantelle Cameron advances to 15-0,
with 8 Knockouts. Mary McGee falls to 27-4, with 15 Knockouts.
Also on this card:
Undefeated Heavyweight “Knockout Artist” Alen Babic scored
a second round stoppage in destroying former Heavyweight world title challenger
Eric Molina. Babic dropped Molina in the opening seconds of the fight with a
short right hand to the head. Although Molina was seemingly in trouble from the
outset, for a time he was able to hold his own in exchanging wide hooks with
the free swinging Babic for the remainder of the first round. In round two,
Babic scored his second knockdown of
Molina with a right hand that Molina contended hit him behind the head. This
would be followed by a third knockdown with a short left hand that sent Molina
down. The final knockdown came with a right hand that even though Molina was
able to beat the count for the fourth time, the fight was stopped as Molina
seemingly resigned to the fact that it was not his night. Official time of the
stoppage was 1:30 of round two. Alen Babic advances to 9-0, with 9 Knockouts.
Eric Molina falls to 28-8, with 20 Knockouts.
Also in the Heavyweight division, unbeaten Johnny Fisher
scored a second round stoppage of veteran Alvaro Terrero. Fisher dropped
Terrero with a left hook in the second round and followed that up with two more
knockdowns to get the stoppage. Official time of the stoppage was 2:06 of round
two. Johnny Fisher advances to 4-0, with 4 Knockouts. Alvaro Terrero falls to 5-14-2,
with 3 Knockouts.
Former Light-Heavyweight world title challenger Craig
Richards scored a sixth round stoppage of Marek Matyja. Richards seemed to control
this fight with his jab and by being able to keep Matyia at distance. Matyia
was able to have sporadic success with his offense, but in round six, Richards
unleashed a brutal left uppercut to the head that badly stunned Matyia. Matyia
tried to hold on, but Richards was able to get enough distance between himself
and his opponent and set off a barrage of unanswered punches that forced the stoppage
of the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 2:34 of round six. Craig
Richards advances to 17-2-1, with 10 Knockouts. Marek Matyja falls to 20-3-2,
with 9 Knockouts.
Jr. Lightweight Jorge Castaneda scored a hard fought ten
round majority decision over previously undefeated Youssef Khoumari. A very tactical fight that was
fought at a high pace from the outset, both fighters traded the ebb and flow of
momentum throughout and both had moments where they were able to stun the other
in some fierce exchanges of hooks to the head throughout. What was a very close
fight in the eyes of any objective observer was ultimately decided by Castaneda’s
consistent jabbing, changing levels between the body and head, as well as
seeming to get the better of the action in the later rounds. Official scores were
95-95 (Even), and 97-94, 96-94 in favor of Castaneda. Jorge Castaneda
advances to 15-1, with 11 Knockouts. Youssef Khoumari falls to 13-1-1, with 5 Knockouts. With the win, Castaneda
earned a ranking in the World Boxing Council (WBC) Jr. Lightweight ratings.
Women’s Jr. Featherweight Ellie Scotney moved to 3-0 in her
career by scoring an eight round decision over Eva Cantos. Scotney dictated the
pace of the combat from the opening bell and landed the hard, cleaner, and more
consistent punches throughout. As all non-title bouts held in the United
Kingdom that do not impact regional or world rankings are scored solely by the
referee officiating a bout, Referee John Latham scored the bout, Referee John
Latham scored the bout 79-73 in Scotney’s favor. Ellie Scotney advances to 3-0
with 0 Knockouts. Eva Cantos falls to 2-2, with 0 Knockouts.
Undefeated Cruiserweight Jordan Thompson scored a first
round knockout of Piotr Podlucki. A flush right hand behind a jab to the jaw of
Podlucki sent him down and unable to beat the ten count. Official time of the
stoppage was 2:52 of round one. Jordan Thompson advances to 11-0, with 9
Knockouts. Piotr Podlucki falls to 6-6, with 2 Knockouts.
Light-Heavyweight John Hedges improved to 4-0 in his
career by pounding out a lopsided six round unanimous decision over late substitute
Ben Thomas. Referee John Latham scored the bout 60-54 in Hedges’ favor. John
Hedges advances to 4-0, with 0 Knockouts. Ben Thomas falls to 2-8-3, with 1 Knockout.
Heavyweight Thomas Carty moved to 2-0 in his career to
start the evening by scoring a third round knockout over Igors Vasiljevs. The
first two rounds saw a lot of wrestling on the inside between the two fighters.
Carty changed things dramatically in round three when he connected with a
straight left hand that badly staggered Vasiljevs. Vasiljevs tried everything
he could to hold on, but ultimately Carty beat him down with a series of left
hands that sent Vasiljevs down along the ropes. He did not get up and took the
ten count. Official time was 2:49 of round three. Thomas Carty advances to 2-0,
with 1 Knockout. Igors Vasiljevs falls to 4-2, with 3 Knockouts.
We will have further coverage of this card including what
is next for Chantelle Cameron and Mary McGee as part of a feature column looking at the final
weekend in Boxing of October 2021 that will be released here on the website
next week. Stay tuned.
“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
ANDRES CAMPOS RETURNS TO ACTION IN CHILE, DEC 4, AIMS TO SET UP WORLD TITLE FIGHT IN 2022
Press Release:
October 30, 2021 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Chilean standout
Andres Campos is geared up for his ring return, as the highly touted 112
pounder looks to set himself up for a world title clash in 2022. 
Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing
Campos sits high in the world ratings, as he currently holds
regional titles with both the WBO and WBA, placing in prime positions to
challenge of the champions, with Japan’s Junto Nakatani being one of Campos’
targets.
The Chilean Crocodile, who is guided by Australian boxing
monocrat Tony Tolj, discussed his ring return on December 4.
Campos said, “I am so happy to be back in the ring. The COVID
period has not been easy for professional boxers, but my team have made a big
effort to keep me busy, including traveling to the United States of America to
spar Andrew and Jason Moloney. That was a fantastic experience.
“Now I get back in the ring and I look to show everybody that I
am ready to challenge for a world title. I have to continue to show that I am
improving and that I can genuinely challenge fighters like Nakatani and get
into the ring knowing I can win.”
Campos has held numerous titles as a professional whilst gaining
multinational experience due to his affiliation with Tony Tolj’s Dragon Fire
Boxing.
The Chilean opened up about his plans to go international.
“I’ve travelled a lot as a professional already for camps, so
going overseas doesn’t concern me when it comes to fighting. I always go into
fights looking for the knockout, so I don’t think about overseas judging. I
just come to win in style in every fight I have.
“I would love to go to Japan to challenge Nakatani. He is a
great champion. However, right now my focus in on December 4, and putting on a
show for my supporters here in Chile. I am very blessed to have great support
in Chile so I need to give them a show they will remember. After December, I am
happy to go to Japan, America or wherever to become champions.
Material and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used
with permission.
For more information about Dragon Fire Boxing please
visit Dragon Fire Boxing’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DragonFireBoxing.
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau
Denison All Rights Reserved.
Friday, October 29, 2021
Thunderdome 37 Set For December 3rd In Metro City
Press Release: October 29, 2021 By
Dragon Fire Boxing – December 3rd will mark the final date of 2021 of an Australian
institution, The THUNDERDOME boxing series based out of Metro City in Perth, Western
Australia.
Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing
The name comes out of the Mad Max Thunderdome Movie, as it’s the
most unique venue in all of Australia boxing, there are 4 levels in an
amphitheater style modern-day colosseum, all looking down at the ring. The ring
itself is situated on a stage as the venue operates as a concert venue.
Thunderdome began back in 2003 and has amassed 33 events & is
ingrained in the fabric of Australian boxing. World Champions who have appeared
on Thunderdome cards have been WBA Champion of the decade Chris John, Vic
Darchinyan, Jeff Horn, Daud Yornan, Simpiwe Vetyeka as well as regular
appearances by Australian icon Danny Green. The current generation of Western
Australian boxers have all made their pro debuts at the Thunderdome
Dragon Fire Boxing Promoter Tony Tolj discusses the pandemic and
the upcoming card;
“I’m so glad we got to
re-establish Western Australian boxing in 2021, it was almost a 12 month layoff
in February before our first event in WA since the pandemic began and I know
the fighters have been over the moon with excitement about getting their
careers on track. We are still bound by border issues as currently we can only
have Western and South Australian boxers due to strict border controls due to
Covid 19. 
Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing
One thing which has separated
Thunderdome from everywhere else is the competition, its always as best of 50/50
fights as you can get and March is shaping up to be another stellar night of
action featuring ANBF Light Flyweight title contest putting
Sarah Higginson and Bec Moss. Also will be two state titles as Matt Floyd takes
on Lui Guivalu and Joe McCoy takes on Fano Kori, the exciting debut of Simon
Gerbat.
There are many more exciting fights to be announced
along with some pro debuts, one thing is for certain, 2 men enter, 1 man
leaves, Welcome back the Thunderdome!”
Material and Photos Courtesy of: Dragon Fire
Boxing Used with permission.
For more information about Dragon Fire Boxing please
visit Dragon Fire Boxing’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DragonFireBoxing.
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of
Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Shakur Stevenson: A Star-Making Performance
It can sometimes be defined as common in a combat sport
that has seventeen weight classes and for the moment, a sanctioning
organization with intentions of establishing an eighteenth division, to see
fighters outside of those born Heavyweights to compete in several weight
classes throughout their careers. For many fighters at the top of the sport of
Boxing, the goal is attempt to win world championships in multiple weight
divisions over the course of a career. While such a feat is extremely
difficult, the fact that some fighters are blessed with the ability to accomplish
that goal in w relatively short period of time gives the impression that it is
commonplace, despite the difficulty such a task entails.
When a fighter is able to accomplish such a goal however,
such an achievement can be defined by calling it a “Star-Making” performance.
For undefeated former WBO Featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson, such an
occasion occurred when he entered the ring on October 23rd at the
State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA to challenge WBO Jr. Lightweight world champion
Jamel Herring for his crown. Under most
circumstances, the question that is asked of a fighter that is moving up in
weight is whether or not they will be able to deal with opponents that are
theoretically bigger and stronger. While this question on the surface does not
take into the equation a fighter's style and overall skillset, this fight was
no exception as on the surface the champion had natural size and what seemed to
be a strength advantage over Stevenson.
It did not take long for Stevenson to dispel the
theoretical disadvantage that some may have felt he had going into the fight as
from the opening bell, he proved to simply be too quick and too strong for the
naturally bigger champion. Although Shakur Stevenson is not known necessarily
for his punching power, his hand speed quickly became the story of this fight
as he frequently beat Herring to the punch. If one were to ask me to describe
Shakur Stevenson's style, he is a slick
boxer that can fight either orthodox or southpaw, but what makes him even more
dangerous to combat is he approaches his offense with the mentality of a sniper.
Such a systematic, yet pinpoint approach that is q very difficult puzzle to
solve because in addition to his hand speed, he is also very elusive and can attack
his opponents from various angles.
What made Stevenson's performance more impressive as the
fight progressed was his ability to mix things up. Not strictly from the
standpoint of mixing his attacks on Herring to the body and head, but also his
knowing when to step up his aggression and knowing when not to be overly
aggressive to where it may have created an opportunity for Herring to turn the
ebb and flow of the fight in his favor.
Although no one can take anything away from Jamel Herring
in showing a true heart of a champion, despite the increasing effects of
punishment dished out by Stevenson, which was frankly a gradual beating, it
simply was not his night as he would eventually be cut over the left eye before
ultimately being stopped in the tenth round. While the simple term was to say
that Herring had a bad night, stylistically he was outgunned by Stevenson. The
former champion however, showed class in defeat by saying that Stevenson was
the better man. A show of sportsmanship that frankly yours truly would like to
see more of throughout combat sports.
While there was not much to say about this fight beyond
it being the type of dominant performance that the turns heads by Stevenson, the
obvious question is what will come next coming out of this fight. There are a few
things that need to be kept in mind. First Shakur Stevenson has become a two-division world champion in only seventeen professional
fights. While it is certainly possible that Stevenson may look to unify the Jr.
Lightweight division by seeking a bout with WBC world champion Oscar Valdez and
such an encounter may be theoretically easy to come to fruition seeing as both are
promoted by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, this observer believes it will be more
likely in the long-term that Stevenson will look to venture into the 135lb. Lightweight
division where there is certainly no shortage of potential lucrative opponents and
obviously a lot of money to be made. The downside however for a fighter of Shakur
Stevenson’s skillset is such a start making performance can unfortunately for a
time have the opposite effect in making some of those lucrative opponents view
a potential fight with someone like Stevenson as a high risk/low reward scenario
for them.
Although not necessarily a good position to find yourself
in if you’re in Stevenson's shoes, this unfortunately is something that comes with
the territory in the sport of Boxing. While often it does not work to the sport's
best interest, the flip side is that it allows anticipation to build for those marquee
fights. It may be a question of whether or not Stevenson will be able to put enough
pressure on Arum outside of the ring in order to get those lucrative opportunities
while continuing to make as strong an argument for himself with the public whenever
he is inside the ring to fuel demand amongst Boxing fans for those fights to take
place.
“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