Press Release: By Probellum –
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Material and Photo Courtesy of: Probellum Used with
permission.
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison
All Rights Reserved. |
Thursday, January 13, 2022
JADE BORNEA CONFIRMED AS PROBELLUM’S LATEST SIGNING
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Boxing Holiday Feature Update
Saturday, January 8, 2022
DAZN KICKS OFF 2022 IN STYLE WITH EIGHT BLOCKBUSTER FIGHTS
Press Release: By DAZN – World title stunners,
thrilling rematches and crossroad clashes highlight schedule so far for
the first three months alone Credit: DAZN
Even more fights and full undercard details to be announced
shortly
January 7, 2022: After 6 weekends of unrivalled boxing on the
platform brought 2021 to a spectacular close, DAZN, in partnership with
Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions, announces EIGHT premium fight
nights across the U.S. and UK to kick off a busy 2022 of global boxing on
DAZN.
- Saturday, February 05: Jessie
Vargas vs. Liam Smith
Headlining the event is former two-weight
world champion Jessie Vargas Vs. former WBO light-middleweight champion Liam
Smith with Rungvisai Vs. Cuadras fighting for the vacant WBC Super-Flyweight
title also on the card. The show will be live worldwide on DAZN (excluding
Thailand).
- Saturday, February 12: Daniel
Jacobs Vs. John Ryder
Super-middleweight John Ryder looks to step up
in 2022, taking on two-time middleweight world champion Daniel Jacobs in the
UK. The event will be live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and
Australia).
- Saturday, February 19: Jaime
Munguía vs. D'Mitrius Ballard
Mexican middleweight Jaime Munguía takes on
D'Mitrius Ballard in a rescheduled middleweight battle between the pair for the
WBO Inter-Continental middleweight title. The event will be live worldwide on
DAZN (excluding Mexico).
- Sunday, February
27: Lawrence Okolie vs. Michal Cieslak
WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Lawrence
Okolie will defend his belt for the second time at the end of February against
Poland's former World Title challenger Michal Cieslak. The event will be live
worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).
- Saturday, March 05: Estrada vs. Chocolatito III
Juan Francisco Estrada and Román ‘Chocolatito’
González run it back once more for a highly anticipated trilogy fight for the
WBA and The Ring Super Flyweight titles. The event will be live worldwide on
DAZN.
- Saturday, March 12: Leigh Wood vs. Michael Conlan
Leigh Wood defends his new WBA belt for the
first time after producing a 12th-round knockout against Xu Can at Fight Camp,
now facing WBA 'interim' featherweight champion Michael Conlan. The event will
be live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).
- Saturday, March 19: Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Michael McKinson
Knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr. looks to make
it 19-0, taking on flawless British prospect Michael McKinson in the first
defense his WBO International welterweight title. The event will be live
worldwide on DAZN.
- Saturday, March 26: Kiko
Martinez vs. Josh Warrington II
Spanish two-weight world champion Kiko
Martinez puts his newly acquired IBF featherweight belt on the line against old
foe Josh Warrington – who actually beat the champion back in 2017. The rematch
will be live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).
“After a stacked fall fight schedule on DAZN
to close out 2021, we’re committed as ever to maintain that pace with our
partners and thrilled to announce an unrivalled start to 2022 – a year that
will see new matchups constantly added as we continue to deliver nonstop
boxing action to subscribers and fight fans all around the world,” said Ed
Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN.
“In addition to the live boxing schedule, we
also look forward to ramping up our original content slate, featuring even more
of the most compelling storylines in and around boxing, daily drops of The
DAZN Boxing Show, and much more to be unveiled in the new year.”
“We ended 2021 with a bang and I can’t wait to
get started in 2022,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “It’s going to be such an
exciting year for Matchroom and DAZN with massive events all over the world,
and I’m delighted with the early schedule we’ve put together – unifications,
World title action and career-defining nights; there’s so much drama packed
into these nights, and we’ve got plenty more to add soon.”
“Golden Boy finished off 2021 with incredible,
action-packed fights on DAZN headlined by some of the biggest stars in the
sport, Vergil Ortiz, Jr., Jaime Munguia, and Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez. These
fighters are the future of boxing, and we are delighted to continue to work
with DAZN in 2022 on the upcoming events of these fighters,” said Oscar De La
Hoya, Chairman & CEO of Golden Boy.
“We are starting 2022 with the
announcement of Jaime Munguia vs. D’Mitrius Ballard on February
19 and Vergil Ortiz, Jr. vs. Michael McKinson on March 19. These
events are going to be full of non-stop action, featuring the fan-friendly
styles of Munguia, Ballard, and Ortiz, Jr.’s incredible knock-out power. 2022
will be an exciting year of boxing for all fight fans.”
Further fights and full undercard details to
be announced shortly.
Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.
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.
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau
Denison All Rights Reserved.
Friday, January 7, 2022
A Boxing Wishlist For 2022
The time has come once again where this observer shares
his “Boxing Wishlist” for the coming year. Unlike previous years where this
annual feature here on The Boxing Truth® has usually begins the schedule at the
beginning of a year, for 2022 that was not the case. This was due to the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC)
group of promoters staging cards on Christmas night and a pay-per-view card on
New Year’s Day. While this column has been written in advance of those cards
and will be released after both cards have taken place that will be the subject of a feature next week here on The Boxing Truth®, in a coincidence, it leads to the first item on
the 2022 “Boxing Wishlist.” To see
promoters that have relied on the pay-per-view model finally embrace the
benefits of the subscription-based streaming model that has gradually populated
much of the Boxing broadcast coverage throughout the sport over the last three
years thanks largely to the success of digital sports streaming networks DAZN and ESPN+.
It should be no secret to longtime readers that a
consistent theme of my coverage of the sport over the last several years has
been to point out the benefits of the subscription-streaming model as compared
to what is often an overpriced and undervalued model of pay-per-view where
consumers are charged fees that in the current landscape usually begin at the $60
or above price range on a per card basis. Unfortunately, as the ongoing global
COVID-19 epidemic has continued, there has seemingly been an increase in the
amount of pay-per-view cards that has only furthered the decline of the model.
This is due largely to multiple pay-per-view cards being scheduled within a
narrow timeframe, which in addition to the price points has resulted in the
returns of the majority of those pay-per-view events producing underwhelming numbers for the promoters who put the events on as well as for the networks that
produce and distribute the broadcasts via the pay-per-view medium. Although InDemand
(Formerly Viewer’s Choice), the longtime number one pay-per-view cable distributor
here in the United States has recently launched a pay-per-view-centric
streaming platform under the PPV.com branding,
which should be seen as the distributor’s attempt to transition to streaming in
response to more consumers opting for streaming television and leaving
traditional cable/satellite pay-TV providers behind, the mere amount of events
at the aforementioned price points could make the potential success of such a
service debatable.
Some reasons for that in addition to subscription-based
options offering more value to consumers for the price of a subscription, there
are other streaming-based pay-per-view providers such as FITE that have been established for several
years, which could make it a challenge for InDemand to succeed in the streaming
realm. Another aspect of the traditional pay-per-view model that will likely not
fare well if InDemand is simply looking to transition their existing distribution
model to streaming, that has proven beneficial for networks like FITE and those
networks that operate on a subscription model is the feature of on-demand
access being made available either with a PPV purchase or a subscription.
Traditional pay-per-view distributors do not offer such a feature and if they
are looking to transition to streaming as the cable/satellite model continues
phasing out, they will likely need to add the benefit of on-demand access for
those who purchase events live if they hope to compete effectively in the
space.
While I certainly have no expectation that the
pay-per-view model will disappear in 2022 as promoters and some networks that
have been resistant to adapt to subscription-based streaming, those that yours
truly often refers to as hold outs, despite mounting evidence that adaptation
is likely a better option, if pay-per-view is to remain, I would like to see
more value added for the price of a pay-per-view fee. The best way to add value
regardless of who might be at the top of a card, would be to see every bout on
a card broadcast on the pay-per-view feed. This is something that both DAZN and
ESPN+ do with most of their Boxing events. It is also worth noting that FITE has
done this before with many of the events they offer that are not also offered
through the cable/satellite model. Typically, pay-per-view cards that are
produced by networks such as Fox Sports and Showtime here in the United States only
broadcast the top three or four bouts on a card that could have anywhere from
eight to ten bouts. It should not take much explaining as to why such a model
lacks value, though Fox has aired a portion of preliminary bouts on either the
national Fox network or their cable sports networks, which depending on a
consumer’s pay-TV provider may not always be easy to access. Even though I remain firm on my stance that
the PPV model needs to be done away with or significantly revamped, putting
every bout on a card available on a pay-per-view channel for those purchasing
an event rather than simply the top three or four fights on a card would be a
step in the right direction simply by adding value for the price.
This brings me to the second item on this year’s list.
Reducing the pay-per-view price points to make it more economically reasonable
for consumers. The bottom line in addition to the other aforementioned flaws of
the pay-per-view model that has resulted in a consistent decline in
pay-per-view revenue on a regular basis, beyond the fact that there are
subscription-based alternatives on the market that offer generally better value
for the price is, the pay-per-view model has gotten to the point where it has
priced out many Boxing fans who can simply not afford a $60 or above price
point on a per card basis, that would likely be more willing to tune-in if
those price points were more reasonable.
Some personal perspective for the reader. I grew up in
the 1980’s and 1990’s during the boom period of cable/satellite television. I
can recall more or less pestering my parents whenever there was a Boxing or pro
wrestling pay-per-view event coming up during those days. Back then,
pay-per-view offerings were not every month or every few weeks, but were
reserved for the legitimate “Big Fights.” The type of fights that everyone even
those with only a casual interest in Boxing would be talking about in one form
or another. You would also see much more promotion for such bouts on television
via late night talk shows, advertisements, as well as radio interviews and
such, but the one thing that I remember perhaps more than most was that in many
cases, the price points for pay-per-view Boxing did not exceed a $35 price
point regardless of what the main event might have been. I do however, recall
instances where pay-per-view providers like InDemand, then known as Viewer’s
Choice would offer promotions in offering events at a slightly reduced cost if
ordered in advance while keeping the full retail price in place for those who
ordered an event on the day it took place.
I will not bother explaining which method my parents and I would use
when such a promotion was offered as it should be self-explanitory.
While obviously some events/cards will always do better
than others with regard to buys, I would be willing to say that those events at
a lower price point tend to do better in terms of overall buys as compared to
those that have a much higher price point.
In the current landscape, the only region in the world that offers
pay-per-view at a reasonable price point that is similar to my youth and even
my early days as a writer covering combat sports in the mid-1990’s is in Europe
and more specifically the United Kingdom where most pay-per-view cards do not
exceed a £25
price point. As much as I have
criticized the pay-per-view model and will continue to do so for the
aforementioned reasons as well as in many cases today, the model simply being
used as a source of potential revenue regardless of what might be on the card
as opposed to the legitimate “Big Fights,” if the price points were lower, the
model may be more successful even if those promoters and networks, the “Hold
Outs,” refuse to air every bout on a card as yours truly has suggested would
add more value for the price as well as allow those “Hold Outs” as stubborn as
they might be, to compete with subscription-based streaming alternatives.
Now, the reader may be wondering since I have spent the
majority of this column pointing out the flaws of the pay-per-view model as
well as offering suggestions as to what I think might at least make it more
viable, what else I could have in mind for this year’s “Boxing Wishlist.” Well,
the third item on this year’s list is something that frankly needs to happen
for the benefit of the sport. Promoters regardless of television network
affiliation need to work together on a regular basis to make fights that have
significant public interest occur in a more reasonable timeframe than is typically
the norm.
It is something that is as old as the sport itself that
has always been a source of frustration not just for me, but anyone involved in
Boxing that truly has the best interest of the sport at heart. How many times
throughout Boxing history has there been a scenario where two fighters in or
around the same weight class are able to garner significant followings and drum
up interest amongst both Boxing fans and experts alike in a potential fight
between the two, yet for one reason or another whether it be rival promoters
that do not want to work together for their own business interests if nothing
else, rival television networks that would rather take cheap shots at competitors
rather than offering the best bouts that could be made for their audience, or
simply the perception that one fighter, a fighter’s team, and/or a fighter’s
promoter ducking another fighter, for one reason or another it results in
fights at times taking several years to be made.
While some might say that such tactics end up drumming up
more interest and make fights even bigger in terms of making them an event,
more often than not, when two marquee fighters finally get into the ring, it can
and has left a bad taste in the Boxing fan’s mouth and thus leaves the sport
open to more criticism and ridicule than really should be the case. In recent times, despite the willingness of
networks like DAZN and ESPN to work together to make fights happen, the PBC
side of the equation does not always show such willingness and seems more
content to only make fights happen if it happens under their promotional banner
and on their broadcast platforms, even if it may be in the best interest of not
only the sport, but also the fighters that compete under the PBC platform to face
fighters that may not be attached to their platform. Unfortunately, this serves as a detriment to
the sport and benefits no one involved. Much like my thoughts on the
pay-per-view model, I don’t expect things to change in 2022, but I hope steps
in the right direction are taken, even if it came as a result of a promoter or
network trying to survive in the sport.
This brings us to the fourth item on this year’s “Boxing
Wishlist.” For Boxing’s respective sanctioning organizations to finally come up
with an alternative to “Interim/Regular Championship” designations. Those who
have followed this observer’s “Boxing Wishlist” for years probably know that
this particular item is something that is pretty much a mainstay on the list
every year. Although I spend much time during a calendar year pointing out that
such designations are not world championships, but are in actuality a number
one contender’s designation, the short answer here is though it is
well-intended by the sanctioning organizations as a way of ensuring that a top
contender gets an opportunity to fight for a world championship one way or
another, it is something that needs to be revamped or preferably done away with
outright. In 2021, the World Boxing Association (WBA) at least stated their
intent to eliminate such designations in their respective rankings per weight division.
It goes without saying to any knowledgeable observer that the WBA’s rankings
and “Interim/Regular” designations have created more confusion than it has
solved problems that more often than not are related to the business end of the
sport. Much like the other items on this year’s list, the elimination of “Interim/Regular”
designations is something that will not happen overnight and will take time. It
is my hope however, that the WBA sticks to their word and that other
organizations in the sport that use a similar structure in their rankings follow
their lead.
The final addition to this year’s “Boxing Wishlist” is
something that yours truly has long advocated for and if it were not for the
detriment of the pay-per-view model, would have been listed as the number one
item on this year’s list rather than the closer. To see Women’s Boxing finally
be moved to three minute rounds.
Anyone who is familiar with Women’s Boxing knows that the
sport for women is in a period of long overdue exposure and recognition.
Although thankfully, it is no longer uncommon to see a women’s bout headline a
Boxing card either here in the United States or internationally that also
features men’s bouts, one thing that continues to be a drawback is the fact
that rounds in Women’s Boxing are scheduled for two minutes in duration. While
the argument some have used is the two minute round length all but ensures an
entertaining fast-paced fight for women competing in the sport, it usually
results in fights that may not otherwise go the distance if it were fought
under three minute rounds, the same length as men competing in the sport, or
very closely scored bouts that could end in draws.
When one keeps in mind that the sport of Mixed Martial
Arts (MMA) allows the women that compete in it to fight for either a three five
minute round distance or a five, five minute round distance for world
championship fights, the same distance as male MMA fighters, the argument that
women boxers should not be allowed to fight for three minutes per round becomes
less credible. One should also consider that during the delayed 2020 Olympics,
which took place in the summer of 2021, women boxers were allowed to compete in
three minute rounds and I personally felt that while there were still bouts
that were very competitive and ended in close decisions, the women who competed
in those Olympics were able to prove that women boxers are more than capable of
Boxing for three minutes per round.
Those who read this observer’s coverage of those Olympics heard me state
that it was my hope that those on the professional end of the sport would
follow the lead of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Boxing taskforce
and move women’s bouts to three minute rounds. While I would also like to see
women allowed to progress to a twelve round distance for world championship
fights, the same as their male counterparts, if those who regulate the sport
from the respective athletic commissions around the world to the sanctioning
organizations would take the step to three minute rounds for female fighters
competing in the sport, it would be one more step in the right direction for Women’s
Boxing.
Unfortunately, all of the items on this year’s “Boxing
Wishlist” still comes under the midst of an ongoing global epidemic, which may or
may not bring Boxing and the rest of sports to a halt at any given moment due
to the several variants of the COVID-19 virus and the obvious uncertainties
that come with it. Obviously, I hope that there will be no such pause and that
the sport of Boxing will be able to have a full year of action in 2022 as was
the case throughout much of 2021. We will have to wait and see what happens,
but as a new year has now begun, yours truly is eager to see what is next for
the sport of Boxing and to cover the events that unfold throughout 2022.
“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, January 6, 2022
MIKAELIAN CONFIRMED TO COMPETE IN LATVIA NEXT MONTH
Press Release: By Probellum – January
6, 2022 - Noel Mikaelian will headline the LNK Boxing event in
Latvia on Saturday, February 12. Credit: Probellum
The Armenian-German cruiserweight (25-2, 11 knockouts) will face DR Congo’s
Youri Kayembre Kalenga (27-6, 20 knockouts) for the WBC Silver title in the
night’s main event.
Mikaelian, a former WBO international cruiserweight champion, will be
performing for the first time since joining Probellum’s ranks last month.
“I’m very much looking forward to returning to the ring and competing against
Youri Kayembre Kalenga, who is an experienced fighter,” said Mikaelian.
“After signing for Probellum in December, my immediate focus turned towards
ensuring I’m in the best possible shape for my next bout, and that will
certainly be the case.
“After a long time out of the ring, I’m eager to remind the boxing world of my
capabilities and I will be ready for the fight next month.”
“We’re delighted to confirm Noel will be headlining February’s LNK Boxing event
in Latvia,” added
Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum.
“Over the course of his career, Noel has proven his quality on numerous
occasions. He is a top-level fighter who is guaranteed to excite those fans in
attendance.
“Signing
Noel for Probellum was a big moment and we can now look forward to watching him
in action at what promises to be a fantastic event.”
The IBA Intercontinental title will also be up for grabs when Latvia’s Ralfs
Vilcans (12-0, 5 knockouts) faces Germany’s Timo Rost (12-1, 4 knockouts) in
front of a home crowd.
Among the other bouts already confirmed for the event, two more Latvian’s will
be in action, with Francis Rozentals (7-0, 2 knockouts) and Milans Volkovs
(6-2, 5 knockouts) taking on Russia’s Mikhail Kozletinov (2-2, 1 knockout) and
Spain’s Alberto Tapia (2-3, 1 knockout) respectively.
LNK Boxing is one of the many companies Probellum has secured co-promotional
agreements with since launching in September, along with the likes of Wasserman
Boxing, Universum in Germany, Groupe Yvon Michel in Canada, Maravillabox
Promotions in Spain, Kynoch Boxing in Scotland, Mitchell Sports Promotions in
England, Titov Boxing in Russia, Glozier Boxing in New Zealand, Cuadrilatero
Boxing in Colombia, PR Best Boxing in Puerto Rico, BXSTRS Promotions in Mexico,
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.
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, January 1, 2022
BREAKING: British Boxing Board of Control Suspends Boxing Events Throughout January Due TO COVID-19
It has been announced that due to COVID-19’s latest omicron variant
that has been spreading throughout the world that the British Boxing Board of
Control (BBBofC) has suspended all Boxing cards throughout the month of January
throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. What this does mean is the scheduled
January 29th card featuring a Women’s World Middleweight championship
bout between undefeated world champion Claressa Shields and Ema Kozin, as well
as a Middleweight bout between former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris
Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams that was one of the marquee events on the schedule
for January 2022, which was due to co-headline a pay-per-view event here in the
United States from Cardiff, Wales, that was already rescheduled from it’s original
December 11th date, has been postponed again. As of this writing,
there is no word on whether the card will be attempted to be rescheduled beyond
the BBBofC’s January pause.
This however, does
not have any impacts on tonight’s scheduled pay-per-view card here in the
United States, which will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
in Hollywood, FL, which will be headlined by a Heavyweight bout between former
IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin and former multi-time world title
challenger Luis Ortiz. There has been one replacement opponent on the undercard
of the Heavyweight-themed pay-per-view, that will see veteran Christian Hammer
step in on short notice to replace Carlos Negron, in a bout against undefeated
prospect Frank Sanchez. Negron, was forced to withdraw from the fight earlier
in the week due to testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. As of this writing,
the card, which can be seen in the United States on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View and
FITE, will take place as scheduled.
We will however, keep readers updated on any COVID-19 related
postponements/cancellations throughout the world as we learn of them. 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
Happy 2022/Schedule Reminder
We would like to wish our readers a very happy and safe 2022. A reminder regarding when our 2022 schedule will begin, we will begin our 2022 schedule with our annual “Boxing Wishlist” feature, which traditionally begins the schedule at the beginning of a new year that will be released on Friday, January 7th. In the interim, any content that is sent in for release by promoters and networks will be made available for readers as they are sent in. We here at The Boxing Truth® look forward to continuing to provide readers with features, weigh-in results, special previews, fight card recaps, and other content also being released as events approach throughout the sport of Boxing. As we continue to be in the midst of the global COVID-19 epidemic, we will also be doing as best as possible to keep readers updated on any potential changes to the Boxing schedule due to COVID-19. The Boxing Truth® welcomes the opportunity to continue to provide our readers with accurate information, in-depth analysis, and objective opinions regarding the sport of Boxing as well as the participants and issues that surround it. We thank all our readers for your continued support and we look forward to hearing from you throughout 2022. Happy New Year.
“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
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Light Heavyweight James “The Equalizer” Ballard Looks To Make Waves In 2022
Press Release: December 28, 2021 By Brandon Countee – (Detroit, Michigan) Light Heavyweight and
Detroit Michigan native James Ballard looks to get his career back on track in
2022. After 3 straight losses, the fighter felt that 2022 needed to be his
crossroad year in boxing. “To be honest I was not prepared like I needed to be
in my last 2 fights, and you could see it. I was not focused like I should have
been, and I promised myself 2022 would be much better. To be honest my record
of 10 and 4 is more a reflection of not being dedicated fully more than my actual
potential limits. I am more focused and dedicated, got a new trainer and
everything.” Ballard states. He is now aligned with former boxer and trainer
Ray Darden who looks to help bring out the best in Ballard. Credit: Brandon Countee
“James has talent, and
it is a shame that he got unfocused because that can really mess up a fighter's
career. My plan is really getting him back on track and to get some quality
wins for 2022 and going forward.” states his new trainer, Ray Darden.
Ballard looks to get
opportunities to upset the apple cart for contenders at 175. “Boxing is the one
sport where one fight can make a star and save a career.”
Material and Photo Courtesy of: Brandon Countee Used with
permission.
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau
Denison All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Happy Holidays/Schedule Update
We would like to wish all of all readers a very Happy and
safe Holiday season. We here at The Boxing Truth® are between rounds for the
Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Our 2022 schedule will begin on Wednesday with our annual
“Boxing Wishlist” feature that will be released on Friday, January 7th.
In the interim, any content that has been sent in for release will be made
available for readers as they come in as normal.
Happy Holidays.
“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
Tuesday, December 21, 2021
December 17th-18th, 2021 Weekend Thoughts
As the world nears the Christmas holidays, the Boxing world will not be taking much of a hiatus as was the case in previous years. With the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters staging two cards on Christmas night and New Year’s Day on Fox and Fox Sports Pay-Per-View here in the United States and will be largely alone in doing so, the weekend of December 17th and 18th of 2021 saw a focus on the Light-Heavyweight division, a world title elimination bout, and two rematches that depending on one’s perspective were anticipated for different reasons. While one of those rematches as well as it’s full undercard have already been covered by this observer here on The Boxing Truth®, the final weekend before Christmas saw other action throughout the sport that also deserves attention.
The first of these bouts took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan,
where an elimination bout took place to determine the next mandatory challenger
in the World Boxing Association (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings between top
contenders Israil Madrimov and Michel Soro. Although this observer did not have an
opportunity to preview this bout in the days leading up to it, this fight as
much as any should serve as a reminder particularly to the sport’s detractors
as to just how global Boxing is as well as the benefits that yours truly has
frequently pointed out in recent years with regard to digital streaming
networks that have increased access on a global scale to much of what goes on
throughout the sport that would otherwise not be broadcast by traditional
networks as this bout was a late addition to the schedule of digital
subscription sports streaming network DAZN, that also broadcast the previously
covered Parker-Chisora rematch. As for
the fight itself, it was fought at a very tactical pace where both fighters
were able to execute their offense in spots. It was this pace that resulted in
several of the first eight rounds of this bout being very close and very
difficult to score.
While Soro tended to be more accurate with his offense,
it was Madrimov who seemed to land the harder punches, particularly when the
two fighters engaged in exchanges. Although the element of who lands the harder
blows is what some would consider as the determining factor in who ultimately
gains the upper hand in terms of the scoring of a fight, it is not necessarily
the case. When two fighters are able to essentially match each other punch for
punch as was the case in this bout, it creates a very challenging conundrum
where it will as I have said numerous times over the years, come down to what a
judge prefers in their own criteria in how they see a fight based on clean
punching, effective aggression, ring generalship, and defense. In this case,
after eight rounds I felt the fight was even as usually when one fighter seemed
as though they were starting to gain a slight advantage over the other, the
opposition would return offense to such degree where it left the impression
that this was an even fight.
In round nine however, all questions regarding the
potential scoring of the bout would come to an end, but an element of
controversy would emerge that left more questions than answers. As was the case
for the previous eight rounds, the two fighters continued to exchange and match
each other’s offense. It was in the closing seconds of the ninth round where
Madrimov would break through with a combination of hooks to the head of Soro
that appeared to have Soro legitimately stunned and backed against the ropes.
The controversy that emerged came when Madrimov pressed forward with his
opponent against the ropes and continued throwing punches, the bell appeared to
ring several times with no movement from Referee Salvador Salva, who perhaps
did not hear the bell due to the roar of the crowd in attendance, seconds later
he did jump in and signaled a stoppage of the fight ruling Madrimov the winner
by technical knockout.
Although it was clear that Soro was hurt in my eyes at
this stage in the bout, the fact that the bell rang several times before the
referee stepped in opens the question of whether or not the ruling of Salva of
a TKO in favor of Madrimov could possibly be challenged in an attempt to have
the result changed to a no contest simply because once the bell rang, the
action should have been halted and the blows Madrimov was able to land after
that were thus after the bell and would be considered illegal. While normally I tend to side with the referee
in instances like this as they are the closest person to the action and a
referee’s discretion could be the difference between a fight ending
appropriately or one that ends up having tragic circumstances, I do believe
that there might be some sort of challenge regarding the result of this fight
with both the WBA and the Federation of Professional Boxing of Uzbekistan who
regulated the bout. In the interest of full disclosure with the reader, it
needs to be noted that Salva only had twenty-one professional bouts under his
officiating record at the time this bout took place in a career as a referee
that began in 2016. Perhaps what will be difficult to argue in any potential
protest, despite the issue of the bell ringing and an apparent miscommunication
between the timekeeper and the referee is that Soro was not answering back with
punches when the fight was stopped and did have his hands down when Salva
stepped in and stopped the fight.
Even though some might point to Salva’s not hearing the
bell to end the round as well as only having twenty-one bouts officiated in five
years as a professional referee as inexperience particularly for a fight
between two top contenders to determine who gets an opportunity to fight for a
world title, Salva’s argument will like be that he saw a fighter in a
compromised state in taking punches with his hands down, who was also clearly
hurt when he decided to step in and stop the fight. Although it is a heartbreaking way to lose a
fight if you are in Soro’s position, if Salva does in fact have to give an
explanation for his stoppage of this bout and provides a similar one to the
example this observer has laid out, a protest by Soro and his team will not
likely succeed. The best case scenario for Soro, under the circumstances would
not be to protest the result of the fight, but rather to petition the WBA for a
rematch. particularly since both Jermell Charlo the WBC/WBA/IBF Jr.
Middleweight world champion and Brian Castano the WBO world champion appear to
be headed towards a rematch of their unification bout, which ended in a draw
earlier this year, in 2022. Whether or not the WBA would order an immediate
rematch remains to be seen.
The final weekend before Christmas 2021 was also
highlighted in part by two Light-Heavyweight bouts including a title defense by
undefeated unified WBC/IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev, who made the fifth
defense of his title at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada against longtime
top contender Marcus Browne. Although much of the focus of the
Light-Heavyweight division in recent times has centered around two central
figures in Beterbiev and undefeated WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol, Browne did
pose a serious test for Beterbiev as a former mandatory challenger in the WBA's
Light-Heavyweight ratings. In previewing this bout, I stated that the key to
the fight was whether or not Browne would be able to survive Beterbiev’s
pressure and be able to extend him into the middle and late rounds of the fight
in saying that at this stage we did not know how Beterbiev would respond to
being in such a situation as being taken into the deep waters of a fight and
whether or not he would be able to adapt.
An argument can be made that Browne was not only able to
answer that question, but also was able to get an additional question answered
of the champion who had scored knockouts in every one of his previous sixteen
bouts in his professional career. How would Beterbiev respond to adversity? As expected,
the champion began the fight by applying pressure on Browne and trying to walk
him down. Although the pressure was clear, Browne did for a time manage you use
his movement and combination punching to offset the tactics of Beterbiev. In
the fourth round, both fighters suffered cuts as a result of an accidental clash
of heads, but it was Beterbiev’s cut, a deep gash on the forehead that appeared
as though might be the cause of the fight being stopped due to the blood going
into the champion’s eyes and the bleeding of the wound being difficult for his
corner to control.
Despite being under circumstances where some fighters do
not respond well, Beterbiev became more aggressive and made it very difficult
for Browne to use his movement to gain space between himself and the champion.
In round seven, Beterbiev would score his first knockdown of the fight by
dropping Brown with a left hook to the body that appeared to cause a delayed reaction.
In the ninth round, the champion would bring an end to the fight by dropping
Browne for a second time with another left hook to the body that forced Browne
to take a knee and the ten count resulting in another knockout victory for
Beterbiev in what was an impressive performance under what had to be trying circumstances
due to the gash on his forehead. Even though the gash Beterbiev suffered was
frankly enough justification to stop the fight, due to the fact that it was
caused by an accidental head clash, if the fight had been stopped, the outcome
would have been determined by going to the scorecards for a technical decision.
Although no one should discredit the heart Marcus Browne
showed in this fight, his effectiveness gradually declined as the bout
progressed and if the bout had gone to the scorecards, it is likely that
Beterbiev would have retained his title with a decision win. While Beterbiev
and Bivol appear to be on a collision course, there is another potential
opponent that both champions should keep an eye on. This observer is referring
to undefeated former WBO Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez,
who returned to the ring on December 18th against Yuneski Gonzalez at
the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.
With so much of the recent times of the Light-Heavyweight
division focused on Bivol, Beterbiev, and the fact that both have been angling
for a potential fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the sport’s biggest star that
has been seeking the most lucrative fights possible in his career, or a potential
fight with each other, Ramirez has quietly emerged as a potential wild card
opponent for either of the three if the opportunity were available to him. In Yuneski
Gonzalez, Ramirez faced a solid boxer/puncher who showed immediately upon the
fight beginning that he was not a mere opponent for Ramirez to simply get some
work in before more lucrative fights in 2022. Gonzalez was more than willing to
engage in exchanges of punches with Ramirez from the outset and from my
perspective had particular success in landing his right hand as well as being
able to periodically back Ramirez against the ropes.
It did not take long before this fight evolved from a
Boxing match to an all-out brawl with both fighters standing and going toe to
toe, and punch for punch. While there were moments where Ramirez was able to
hurt Gonzalez and had him appearing as though he might be able to get a stoppage
early, Gonzalez kept fighting on and kept answering whatever Ramirez threw at
him. When it comes to fights that are fought like this, the primary question
that comes to mind beyond the subject of potential scoring of a bout is which
fighter will have enough left in them to go the distance if required to do
so. This was a case where as I watched
this fight, the idea of scoring did not come to mind simply due to the way the fight
was being fought and the high pace of the combat with both fighters throwing
seemingly every punch with fight ending intentions.
As the bout went on however, it did appear that Ramirez
was gradually getting the better of the exchanges and the question that formed
in my mind was whether or not Gonzalez would be able to go the distance. The
war of attrition continued on until the tenth round when Ramirez connected with
a barrage of punches on a fatigued Gonzalez along the ropes, which forced the
fight to be stopped.
Although Gilberto Ramirez had more difficulty than some
may have expected going into this fight, he did what he had to do in outlasting
a very “Game” Yuneski Gonzalez in what was a very grueling fight that might be
considered one of the best bouts of 2021 depending on one’s perspective. While Ramirez
remains a live opponent for either Bivol or Beterbiev going into 2022, he has
earned the opportunity to rest, despite his stating that he would like a bout
with Bivol in his next fight shortly after his victory over Gonzalez.
The final bout that took place on December 18th
featured YouTube star turned boxer Jake Paul in a rematch against former UFC World
Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in a rematch of a bout the two had earlier
this year in Cleveland, OH. This rematch, which was fought at the Amalie Arena
in Tampa, FL, came out of necessity for Paul and United States cable network
Showtime to keep the pay-per-view date after original opponent Tommy Fury,
withdrew with what was described as a chest infection and a broken rib that he
suffered in training.
Even though this rematch came not necessarily out of
public demand as it did out of necessity in terms of the business aspects of
the sport, Paul’s status as a celebrity did succeed in selling out the near
20,000 seat arena, which were no doubt full of both his sizable YouTube
following as well as those who remain curious as to Paul’s legitimacy as a
boxer. It is a fact that Paul has yet to face someone with a legitimate Boxing
background and that fact alone has fueled much criticism in addition to his
being pushed as a pay-per-view headliner with only four professional bouts to
his credit going into what turned out to be an immediate rematch with Woodley.
The first encounter, which was won by Paul via eight round split decision had
the consensus that, despite Woodley being able to stun Paul in the fourth round
of that fight, he simply was not active enough over the course of the fight to
garner favor of the judges scoring the bout. Woodley did claim in the lead up
to this rematch that he would be more active this time around and for a period
of time, he did seem intent on keeping his word as he did try to pressure Paul
early. Unfortunately for those in
attendance at Amalie Arena and those watching via pay-per-view, this rematch
did not have much in the way of action throughout much of the first five rounds
of the bout as both fighters tried to engage each other, but more often than
not ended up in clinches, which did not produce much in the way of action.
This can be attributed to inexperience of both fighters
in terms of Boxing, but it should also be noted that many of the clinches seemed
to be initiated by Woodley. While clinching is not allowed in Boxing and is
normally separated by a referee officiating a bout, in the sport of Mixed
Martial Arts (MMA), where Woodley has primarily competed for most of his combat
sports career, fighters are allowed to fight while in a clinch. Perhaps Woodley
out of instinct tried to gain an advantage over Paul by way of clinching, and
thus forgetting that this bout was being fought under Boxing rules. This would
prove to be a moot point as Paul would bring a sudden end to the fight in round
six when he connected with a flush right hook to the jaw that knocked Woodley
out cold face first on the canvas.
Although Paul moved his record to 5-0, with 4 Knockouts
with his second victory over Tyron Woodley, criticism will likely remain again
based on the fact that he has not faced someone with a legitimate Boxing
background and the decision of Showtime to push him as a pay-per-view
attraction having not faced a legitimate boxer.
While the issue of the business of the sport and it’s flaws is a subject
to be discussed at a later time, it will be interesting if in 2022 those at
Showtime, who have struggled to draw consistently high buy rates for their
pay-per-view cards amid the consumer trend shifting more towards subscription-based
streaming, will insist that Paul fight against people with legitimate Boxing
backgrounds going forward if he is truly serious about wanting to be taken
seriously as a boxer. It will also be
interesting to see if Showtime’s parent company ViacomCBS chooses to use the
growth of it’s subscription streaming network Paramount+ as a pay-per-view
alternative in perhaps using Paul as a way to drive subscribers as many of his
followers are likely casual Boxing fans and would likely be more inclined to
subscribe to Paramount+ for the entertainment options the network has to offer
in addition to seeing Paul featured as part of the streaming platform’s sports
programming as opposed to paying inflated pay-per-view fees. For now, Paul has succeeded in scoring
another knockout and maintaining the curiosity that has followed he and his
brother Logan’s respective entries into the sport. It will be up to him to
prove that this is a legitimate Boxing career and not a novelty act that will eventually
wear off.
While this is usually where this observer shares some
closing thoughts on what has been an extremely active year, despite the
continued impacts of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. As much as I would
like to close this column reflecting on some of the events that have taken
place, the Boxing calendar now turns to what the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC)
group of promoters will have to offer on Christmas night and a pay-per-view card
to take place on New Year’s Day in Hollywood, FL.
Although the choice to do Boxing cards over the holidays
is a curious one that will have debatable returns, it is important to keep in
mind that as of now, both cards are scheduled to take place as planned, but
with the impacts of the COVID-19’s latest variant Omicron beginning to lead to
cancellations in the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League
(NHL) and has already led to at least one Boxing-related postponement in the
scheduled Middleweight championship unification bout between world champions
Gennady Golovkin and Ryota Murata, which was scheduled to take place on December
29th in Tokyo, Japan being postponed due to COVID-19 related travel
restrictions in the country, the possibility of those two cards being
potentially impacted is at least that a possibility. While this observer takes
a pause for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the reader can rest assured
that I will be keeping an eye on the developments of these two cards and if
they do indeed take place as scheduled, those events will be covered when our
schedule resumes in January 2022.
Happy Holidays.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau
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