The Boxing Truth®

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Exclusive Interview George Groves

Press Release: May 11, 2023 By https://neueonlinecasinos.io / Liam Solomon - In an exclusive interview with Neue Online Casinos, former WBA super-middleweight champion George Groves gives his insight into Eubank Jr’s career and his thoughts on the Smith loss and upcoming rematch.

Groves also gives his exclusive opinion on the heavyweight division.

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Highlights from the interview:

Eubank JR might’ve had concussion going into the first Smith fight

Smith should be confident getting another win over Eubank JR

It’s a must win fight for Eubank JR

If Eubank JR wants to win he can’t fight like trainer Roy Jones

Prime Tyson Fury would beat prime David Haye

Full Transcript:

Question: With the Eubank Jr vs Smith rematch now set for June 17th, do you foresee a different outcome to the first fight?

George Groves: „I was there commentating on the first fight that night in Manchester and I thought Eubank was the favourite going into it and I picked him as the winner. I could see how a lot of people were making a case for Liam Smith, who’s a vastly experienced boxer and boxed at a high level as an amateur. He’s from a fighting family and had been in a pro gym for close to 10 years at the time. He’s a former world champion and always gave a really good account of himself and never been exposed.

I think the only time he’s been stopped was against Canelo actually. But I thought Eubank, who’s boxed up at super middleweight, he’s a very strong fighter with a high workrate and great punch output, punches correctly, decent punch power and great hand speed and up until that point a decent chin as well. He boxed me a super middleweight when I was No.1 in the world at that time. He boxed James DeGale, who was probably not firing on all cylinders but he’s been in there with Arthur Abraham and many others. But the first Smith fight was confusing. I definitely don’t think it was the best Eubank. Eubank didn’t look quite like himself. The resistance evaporated. He has to figure out why that happened, put his finger on it and make sure it doesn’t happen next time.

There’s an array of reasons why you can be flat on fight night and your punch resistance might not be there or your punch output or power aren’t right. He might have got camp wrong or picked up a slight virus in the build up, or misjudged the weight making. He might have got the weight down too early and been too lean. He might’ve taken a knock in sparring, which Smith was kind of hinting at in the press conference when they announced the second fight. Maybe he went into the fight with some sort of concussion, you always hope not of course. And you always hope trainers are always aware of that but there’s a lot on the line and fighters sometimes keep things under their hat or are maybe in a bit of denial of it.“

Q: Will the way Smith finished the first bout so comprehensively have left scars on the psyche of Eubank Jr?

GG: „Yes potentially. I thought Eubank would go in a different direction. I know he had the rematch and I know there would probably be a decent amount of money in it for him and it would’ve had to be on pay-per-view so it’s back on Sky Box Office so it has to get promoted right for that. The Conor Benn fight is a difficult one to make. It won’t be made in the UK so will have to be made abroad and is that the right fight for him? What weight could they do it at? Will there be a backlash from boxing fans because of it?

I don’t know how he evaluates Conor Benn and Liam Smith, but if those two boxed each other, you would say Smith would win comfortably. He’s naturally the bigger guy, more experienced and on a good run. Conor Benn is a lot less experienced and having a bit of a torrid time right now mentally. But Smith should be confident. What you see is what you get with him, he’s not going to reinvent the wheel at this stage. He can change and adapt subtly, but I’m not sure he’ll need to do too much differently.“

Q: Eubank recalled Roy Jones Jr to train him for the first bout, was that a mistake in hindsight?

GG: „I saw Eubank recently and he said he flying to Vegas and he said he was going to train out there so I don’t know if he’s bringing in Jones, who’s usually based in Florida or someone else who’s based in Vegas or whether he just wants to get out of the UK for this camp. Vegas is a tough place to live and train, but if you can put yourself in the hurt locker out there where it’s dog eat dog, then maybe that’s what he’s trying to get back to. But it’s an absolute must win fight for him regardless.“

Q: Is Eubank’s ego stopping him from realising his full potential or has he simply maxed out his talent?

GG: „He’s always been a tremendous athlete but that was almost at the expense of being a skillful fighter. He didn’t have a stellar amateur career, he didn’t have that pedigree so he brought in Roy Jones to teach him a thing or two and I think maybe Jones did make improvements but for Eubank I don’t think you want to get stuck in the middle of both. You don’t want to try and fight like Roy Jones Jr when essentially you just want to sit in the pocket and let your hands go.

If I’m working with Eubank now then I’d be saying ’sink your feet into the floor, sit in range don’t take any shots but don’t try to be clever and box off the back foot‘ because Liam Smith he is cool under pressure and fights with a high guard and has a go to chin. So you want to break him up downstairs with body shots and then impose your will on him in the second half of the fight. If Eubank is going to box off the back foot and try to play the jab game, then Smith could come up short because Eubank has got quite fast hands and a height and reach advantage.

It was weird how much the shots from Smith affected Eubank last time because they weren’t huge, mega shots and Smith’s not known for being a one punch knockout artist and coming up from light middleweight. So if his punch resistance is catching up with him as the years have gone on or something else has gone on, either way he needs to address it somehow.“

Q: It looks like Joshua vs Wilder is being lined up in December. As the saying goes, styles make fights so could you see that be a thriller?

GG: “I think that’s a great fight. Two big men who can punch hard and essentially that’s what the heavyweight division is about. When they both had the belts a few years back it might have been a bigger fight but it’s still going to get people intrigued now. The fighter who comes out on top is the one who doesn’t try to be too clever and just sticks with what they do and what they know. Both fighters have been guilty of that in the past when people have said to Wilder ‘you’re just a big puncher, you can’t box, there’s nothing else to you’ or they’ve said to Joshua ‘you’re too robotic, you’re too stiff, there’s so many elements missing from your game.’ They’ve both been dropped. They’ve both been off the floor to win at different times.

You’d think someone’s going to land some dynamite and then someone’s not going to get up. It’s a fight I’d love to see. Joshua punches very well but has that slight element of amateurish style where the flow isn’t quite there and I know that’s partly due to his size but spending some time out in the States with some American trainers now might make a difference and get the flow going a little bit better while also making him a harder target to punch and making him sharper and smoother in his shot selection.

Deontay Wilder is training with Malik Scott, who has a very philosophical approach to boxing and you can see that filtering through but we know Wider has a dynamite right hand. There’s been periods in fights where Wilder couldn’t let that shot go like against Luiz Ortiz where he was losing round after round and then right hand came out and it was game over. It’s a risky fight for both but it’s one we can all really sink our teeth into if it does get made.”

Q: Tony Bellew reckons peak David Haye would have beaten Tyson Fury. Do you agree?

GG: “I was in David Haye’s gym at the time when that fight was made. That fight was made several times but Haye had to pull out once with a cut in the week of the fight. And at that point, if Haye was on form I’d have picked him to win that fight. This was before Fury vs Klitschko. Fury was viewed very differently at that time to how he is now. Fury had been beaten by David Price in the ABAs and wasn’t selected to go to the Olympics, then turned pro with Mick Hennessey and fought on Channel 5. He really had to work hard to get noticed and this is before the rise of Anthony Joshua.

Now any sort of heavyweight with promise will have the spotlight shone on them. Back then, with Lennox Lewis retired it was Danny Williams leading from the front and it wasn’t exactly a golden era. Hayes would be giving away a lot of natural size but he’s got those lightning fast hands and could definitely whack. I wouldn’t pick a prime David Haye over a prime Tyson Fury purely because of the size difference and he would be too smart. But at that time I can see where Bellew is coming from yeah.”

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Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Nicola Adams Partners With FitXR To Launch Box Like A Pro

Press Release: May 11, 2023 By FitXR - NEW YORK--FitXR, the VR fitness app with the most robust suite of offerings in the metaverse, is continuing its expansion of virtual reality

fitness offerings with the launch of its instructor-guided training programs. The first program, Box Like a Pro, features two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Nicola Adams and is designed to help users kickstart their fitness goals through its series of dynamic and approachable workouts.

Credit: FitXR

“I am so excited to launch training programs on FitXR. Programs give our users structured and progressive workouts that keep them accountable and deliver real results”

The Box Like a Pro training program begins with the fundamentals of boxing – stances, punches, combinations and defense. The exclusive and gamified program will enable FitXR users at the beginner and intermediate levels to immerse themselves in a virtual world of boxing where they can build on the foundational and technical skills needed to increase their power and speed with confidence.

“This training program is a testament to our commitment to creating quality content for our subscribers,” said Lisa Raggiri, Chief Marketing Officer at FitXR. “Training programs can be intimidating and overwhelming, but together with Nicola, we were able to create a professional box training program that is achievable whether you are a beginner, new to the Box studio, or are more advanced and looking to improve your technique or speed.”

Jake Paul-Nate Diaz Launch Press Conference Quotes

Press Release: By DAZN And Most Valuable Promotions - DALLAS, Texas – May 9, 2023 – Today, international superstar Jake “The Problem Child” Paul and combat sports icon Nate Diaz came face to face for the first time since Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Real Fight Inc. (Real Fight), announced the fight. Presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drinks, Paul vs. Diaz is set for an eight-round bout live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX on August 5th, 2023. The event will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

Credit:Alexis Contreras and Noah Red

Amanda Serrano, one the greatest fighters of all time, will put all of her belts on the line and defend her undisputed title for the first time as she takes on Heather Hardy in the recently announced co-main event. Over 20,000 people have signed up for early access tickets which went on sale today, smashing the American Airlines Center presale record for tickets. All other tickets will go on sale Thursday, May 11th at 10am PT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET at https://www.ticketmaster.com/jake-paul-v-nate-diaz-dallas-06-08-2023/event/0C005EA581B12549

In the press conference hosted by renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani, Paul and Diaz had plenty to say about their legacies, each other, their upcoming fight, and what’s next for them after August 5th.

Here is what Paul and Diaz shared:

Jake Paul

Credit: Alexis Contreras and Noah Red

On why Nate Diaz: “Nate Diaz was always the plan after Tommy. That was what I said. Even in the build-up to Tommy, I was like it's Nate Diaz after Tommy Fury. So that was always the plan… This is a big fight. This is a fight that I've wanted for a long time. [Nate] got out of his UFC contract and this is probably the biggest fight of the year, only topping me versus Tommy. I want to make big events, big fights happen and strike while the iron's hot. He was a free agent. Let's run it. Make it happen. Settle the shit talk. I'm ready for war. I'm excited to be here. Thank you for having me out, Dallas. I love y'all and I'm going to do what Conor McGregor couldn't do, and I'm gonna knock this man out.”

On if it’s surreal to face Nate Diaz, and being called delusional to want to: “Look, that's what people have said my whole, entire career. So I'm used to it. I'm used to the non-believers, and I've always said exactly what I'm gonna do and then I've done it. And so, yeah, we're finally here. I predicted the future but it is surreal, you know, and I had to put in the work to get here. And I'm just excited to be here putting on massive events. This is just the start of what I'm going to accomplish. Everything else I've said still holds true as well. And this is proof of that.”

On impression of Nate Diaz: “I was sitting on the couch at my dad's house in Ohio [when] I was probably 14 years old, and we were watching the UFC event and his fight came on, and I saw Nate Diaz. I had a crush on Cameron Diaz at the time and I asked my dad if that was her brother and he said, no, but that's so the first Nate Diaz fight that I saw. Obviously, he's a legend in the game and I'm excited to be fighting him. Twelve years later, you know, from the couch in Ohio to here in Dallas, Texas.”

On the Fury vs. Paul result: “I'm filled with vengeance, ambition, hunger, and drive more than ever before. I have a lot to prove, two chips on each shoulder, and it's do-or-die for me. Truly, this fight is do-or-die. I have to leave it all on the line and I think it's the same for Nate Diaz. You know, he's leaving the UFC on a win. He wants to come into this game, make a bunch of money, knock out the YouTuber kid then go back and finish his legacy off. And that's why this is such an amazing fight. But I just lost, and if he beats me, then where does that leave me? So, it's two people who can't lose, who don't want to lose, who never back down, who keep on fighting. And that's why this is war and I'm ready for war.”

On coming back from a loss: “This is the only thing I'm focused on and I'm filled with that hunger, and I have more conviction now than ever of what I'm gonna do in this sport. And when you're doing a lot of fights, back-to-back-to-back, I'm knocking everyone out, putting them on their ass, making tens of millions of dollars, you can lose that hunger. That loss re-instilled that in me and I'm excited to come back. I said don't judge me by my wins, judge me by my losses. So, I'm gonna come back. I've been working in silence. I promise you that. I promise you I know what I'm capable of, and this is going to be the best version of Jake Paul that you're ever going to see in the ring.”

“[The loss] made me reevaluate everything. Look at myself, my coaches, the people around me, everything. And I think that's good to do in life. It was sort of this reset and this opportunity to look into the mirror, and I learned more about myself in the loss than I have in any of the wins. It's made me stronger – mentally, in life, and in everything that I'm doing – and it's almost like a relief in a sense, because I never wanted to lose. But now that it's out of the way, I can sort of be free and so in many ways it's very, very freeing. I think it'll help me fight being more calm and focused. I brought in a bunch of new people into the team, and I'm excited to show people my new skill set on August 5th.”

On people doubting him: “I like people to doubt me and I'm going to do what they couldn't do, quite literally.”

“It makes me feel sorry for them because they're not doing it, and it's easy to talk from the couch. It's easy to be a critic. It's easy to have an opinion when you've never gotten the ring. That's why I respect anyone who gets into the ring, win or lose, especially if you lose and then come back. That's how you know if they're a true, real fighter. So I welcome the critics. I love it. I let it fuel me. That's what has brought me here today. Quite literally it’s the hate and the people booing me and the people doubting me. I sat in front of you at these press conferences dozens of times now and said exactly what I'm going to do. I was laughed at since the very first fight in my career when I said I would be here on the biggest stages. I've just continued to prove people wrong, continued to put it on the line, continued to never back down. I put every single one of my opponents on the canvas. Win or lose, they've all gone down. I'm a real dog and I know what I'm capable of, and that's why when these corny people try to say shit, I just laugh at them. Look where I'm at, after three years. Are you kidding me? And not only that, I'm bringing people up with me, young prospects. We just launched Most Valuable Prospects – Amanda Serrano, Ashton Sylvie, all of these people. We have a new MVP signing, that when we announce it, y'all are going to shit your pants. So, I'm just getting warmed up in this game and I'm already, I'm already a statue in the game. I'm here forever. Even if I lose, guess what? Y'all are still going to come back in tune in.”

On taking on classically trained boxers and what’s ahead: “Nate’s classically trained in boxing. Like he just said, he's been in the gym since he was 15 years old. You know sparring guys like Andre Ward, Regis Prograis….. I want to throw big events. Yes. But at the same time, I'm taking on fights to challenge myself and doing things that people would do… taking on hard opponents. I'm not just taking on these guys who are Journeymen who have these terrible records. I'm going to fight the biggest names in the sport and the best competition, and I'm just getting started.”

“I'm getting more and more experience under my belt with each fight. This will be my eighth fight and I'm just getting better and better in the gym. I spar against world champions, you know, and train with world champions all the time. So plan on that, in the future 100%, but taking it one fight at a time.”

On Hall of Fame potential: “I've done more for the sport than any boxers in current history. What has Floyd Mayweather done for women's boxing? The list goes on. I've changed the whole entire game. Brought a new 70 million followers to the sport, put on bigger pay-per-views than some of these Hall of Fame guys.... So you want to talk about Hall of Famers, you want to talk about resume? Yeah, I'm building it up. I just got started in this game. This is my eighth fight and I'm fighting Nate Diaz, one of the biggest MMA fighters in history.”

On Training Camp changes: “I've switched up pretty much the whole entire team and brought in new people who are going to hold me accountable for my mistakes that I make even in the gym, even down to the nutrition, strength, and conditioning coaches. All that has been switched. I believe I learned a lot from the last fight, and I'm just implementing those things into my training camp and not going to make the same mistakes. I brought in Shane [Mosely] and Theo Chambers as well as J’Leon [Love] on the team and I was talking with [them] after the fight and they all identified the same little mistake that I was making in the boxing ring that needed to be fixed, which would allow the rest of my mistakes that I was making to be corrected. Once they were on the same page, Shane was free and willing to come in and do this full-time. So we assembled The Avengers team and things have been great now. I feel like a whole completely different fighter already in just a short amount of time. We still have 88 days until the fight, so I'm excited to keep on working. This is going to be my best performance yet.”

On why boxing: “I'm a fighter through and through and I love the routine, the discipline of the sport, being an athlete. I fell in love with it and I caught the boxing bug. I feel like this is what I was put on Earth to do, and the sport saved me in many ways, from where I was at. I was going down the wrong path, in Los Angeles, chasing the wrong things. Involving myself with the wrong people. Boxing gave me the opportunity to step back from that to learn who I was, as a man and to build and grow and to focus on something other than doing, you know, the stupid little YouTube shit that I was doing back in the day because that's not truly who I was.”

On if there is a belt on the line: “Most valuable belt for sure. Let's put it on the line.”

On Dallas hosting the fight: “I love Texas. Always loved Texas, and this is where I did my first fan Meetup ever when I was 16 years old. It was awesome to bring it back here and to really put on a show because Texas obviously has crazy fight fans.”

On who is the face of boxing currently: “I would say Canelo's probably the face, Gervonta is the tits, and I'm the ass.”

On what keeps him motivated: “Legacy. Testing myself and challenging myself to become a world champion. That's my ultimate life goal right now. Since everything else in my life is set, I could retire and focus on my investments, my sports betting, come with all these other things that I do; acting, working on a movie, all this stuff. So just that passion and still knowing that I haven't done what I'm capable of in the sport yet and that I'm going to continue to get better and better and better until I can become a world champion. That's my goal, and that's what drives me.”

Nate Diaz Quotes

Credit: Alexis Contreras and Noah Red

On Why Jake Paul: “Post UFC, my plan was always to fight the biggest names and the best fighters there are. I've been trying to get out of the UFC for a long time because I knew I knew that I would work. What fighters worked and what I should do. I have a long road but he was doing the biggest and the best things for fighting and in fighting and I was glad. I had a worthy opponent to make an attack on, as soon as I got out.”

On his opinion of Jake Paul: “He's doing a good job. He's been punished like he said. As far as the fighter, he's young, he's motivated. He's working hard. I can see that. I'm sure everybody can see that. That’s kind of motherfucker’s unstoppable. That’s why I wanted to fight Connor and the [reason] I took time off from my fights, when I was fighting was because I wanted top guy and they were trying to give me some fucking lame ass motherfucker. [I want to fight the] best of the best and I think you did a great job and [I want] motherfuckers know that I do a great job too.”

On his opinion of Paul fighting Fury: “No one won or lost. That's why I wanted to fight [Jake]. You know, I want to fight the guys who win but I don't think [either] lost the fight anyways. And I think that was a hard fight to take.”

On Real Fight Partnering with MVP: “I appreciate everything that I've done and had to go through, because [it] got me to the point where I understood and knew what I needed to do, what I wanted to happen, and what should happen. [...] I was watching, motivated the whole time, and it was just [a case of] time will tell, you know, [of] MVP [and] Real Fight coming together.”

On representing MMA vs. boxing: “I was being stereotyped as an MMA fighter. [...] I don't like being stereotyped as an MMA fighter. I'm a black belt in Jujitsu and I would have been a pro boxer when I was 18 years old, but a cage fight came up first. So I was stuck in a cage my whole career. And there were times when I got locked out and contracted right away, [...] so I was just locked in longer and longer. I've been going to boxing gyms since I was 15 years old. I'm a pro boxer and I don't think I've ever got my ass whupped in a boxing gym and not come back as the last guy to win when the round ends. So, I've always wanted to box and like I said, I’ve felt like a pro boxer the whole time. Every fight in MMA, I was training just like any boxer trains for a boxing match. [...] So yeah, I'm glad I get to come here and showcase my skills in boxing.”

On what’s next after Jake Paul: “I don’t plan on losing anybody, but no matter what happens, I'll be here, forever. I'll be fine. No, I'll be here. […] I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon […] I feel the same now as I did when I was 18, just with a lot of more experience and time under my belt, you know? And so the show for me is going on.”

On his professional fighting record: “I'm the best fighter ever, […] Everybody agrees with that. [Paul: You’ve got 15 losses.] But who did I fight? Top 10. I've been fighting top 10 guys the whole time. I probably fought five guys in my whole career that weren't top 10 when I wasn't top 10 either. […] What happened with Conor McGregor? How many rounds did I fight him? I fucking knocked his ass out in seven minutes. He got choked, because he was not trying to get hit no more, and he was smart and took the way out. That's the way to get out here. Take it the way he had to. Isn’t that the goal of the sport? Seven minutes.”

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @NateDiaz209, @MostVPromotions, @RealFightINC and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @NateDiaz209, @MostValuablePromotions, @realfightinc and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last four global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Fury match, which surpassed 800,000 Pay-per-view buys worldwide. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About Real Fight, Inc.

Founded by mixed martial arts legend Nate Diaz, in 2022, Real Fight Inc. promotes exactly what the name suggests — the fights people want to see, featuring the realest fighters from all over the world. Since his departure from the UFC, Diaz is extending his business empire with a true all-around combat experience that will focus on boxing, MMA, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The inaugural event under the Real Fight, Inc. banner is set to take place on August 5, 2023, when Diaz makes his long-awaited professional boxing debut against Jake Paul at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 

About Jake Paul

Paul (6-1, 4KO’s) will enter Paul v. Diaz having already collected an impressive amount of wins, including defeating one of the greatest combat sports athletes of all time in Anderson Silva, where Paul won ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year by dropping Silva in the 8th round. Paul began his pro career in January 2020 with a TKO win against British YouTube star AnEsonGib and followed it up with a stunning knockout of former NBA star Nate Robinson in November 2020. “The Problem Child” then shocked the industry with a first-round KO of former MMA champion and Freddie Roach-trained Ben Askren in April 2021, followed by two wins over MMA legend Tyron Woodley, including a vicious sixth-round knockout which won him ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of The Year. After a split-decision defeat against Fury, Paul is eager to get back in the ring and come out victorious with a seventh professional win against Diaz.

About Nate Diaz:

Throughout a career that spanned 16 years, no single fighter has captured the imagination of combat sports quite like Stockton, California’s finest Nate Diaz, nor has anybody embodied the spirit of what it means to be a fighter in the broader world. Diaz defines a generation with a raw blend of attitude, perseverance, conviction, and pure skill. His rivalry with Conor McGregor remains the biggest in MMA history, shattering box office and pay-per-view records across the board, while his fights with Anthony Pettis, Leon Edwards, and Jorge Masvidal transcended the cage. Nate scored 16 victories over the course of his career in the UFC, ending with a poetic finish of Tony Ferguson in his final fight in the promotion.

About DAZN:

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.  Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.  DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.  

About American Airlines Center:

Designed by architectural wizard David M. Schwarz and Dallas based HKS, Inc., American Airlines Center is considered one of the nation's top arenas. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Center has been setting the precedent for sporting and live entertainment events. Bringing in a wide variety of big name shows as well as being home of both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, American Airlines Center consistently displays its unique versatility. Billboard Magazine named American Airlines Center the 6th busiest arena in the world in 2022.

Material Courtesy of DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions/Photos Courtesy of Alexis Contreras and Noah Red 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.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Alvarez Sets The Stage For Rematch With Bivol

The story of Saul "Canelo" Alvarez' defense of his Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world against WBO number one mandatory challenger John Ryder was not about a fight between two of the best the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division has to offer, but about an event. An event of an undisputed world champion coming home to defend his crown before over 50,000 spectators in his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico at Akron Stadium.

In terms of the actual fight, despite being heavily favored due largely to his status as one of the superstars in the sport of Boxing, the last year was not entirely kind to Saul Alvarez. It was at this time last year when Alvarez had moved up in weight to challenge undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol. As most know, in a fight that went the distance, Alvarez was thoroughly out boxed and out worked by a master boxer in Bivol. Although losing one fight should not define a fighter's career, the twelve round unanimous decision loss to Bivol did knock some of the perceived luster off Alvarez in the sport's mythical pound for pound debates as being regarded as the best fighter in the world.

While this observer normally tries to avoid such debates because by it's very mature, the term "Pound For Pound" is subjective, open to interpretation, and seemingly changes month to month depending on who one asks, there is no doubt that when he met Bivol on one night in May 2022, Saul Alvarez did not emerge as the better fighter. The setback against Bivol was followed by a tougher than expected defense of his Super-Middleweight crown against longtime rival Gennady Golovkin in the third and one can assume final meeting between the two future Hall of Famers in September of last year.

Despite retaining his title via twelve round unanimous decision in that fight, Golovkin who's best days as a fighter, may well be behind him, was able to make the fight close over the second half of the bout and there may be an argument that had he fought all twelve rounds as aggressively as he did over the final six rounds, he may have pulled out a win over Alvarez. Alvarez was also dealing with an injured left hand going into that fight, so there was also the question of how he would perform following surgery after his second win over Golovkin that surrounded this fight against John Ryder.

In previewing this bout, this observer stated that the obvious approach for the challenger would be to establish the tempo of the combat from the outset and make it difficult for Alvarez to get into a rhythm. Despite the fight being fought in a small ring that was said to be eighteen feet, Ryder instead seemed content to box with Alvarez in the pocket. While the eighteen foot ring on the surface seemed tailor made for Alvarez, it would have also benefited a fighter like Ryder, who is typically a straight forward pressure fighter.

Although there were moments where Ryder was able to get Alvarez against the ropes throughout this fight, the challenger's approach was not one that suited him well as the fight progressed. A jab in round three appeared to break Ryder's nose as he began to bleed severely from both the nose and the mouth. Alvarez was able to follow thet by dropping Ryder with a perfectly timed one, two combination to the head in round five.

At this point in the fight, I frankly thought that it would be only a matter of time before it would be stopped. My thought process being not so much that Alvarez was dominating the bout to such a degree that Ryder was in danger, but more so due to what appeared to be Ryder dealing with a broken nose and subsequently looking as though he was having trouble breathing. Despite this and my natural instincts having seen and covered thousands of fights on every level of the sport in having what some might call a gut feeling as to when a fight is likely to be stopped due to an injury like this, Ryder as he has done for his entire career, remained determined, very "Game," and did what he could to remain in the fight with the champion.

It was likely such grit and determination that gave Ryder the benefit of doubt as the fight moved into the middle and late rounds, despite the circumstances he was facing. Perhaps one criticism that some might point to in regard to Alvarez as the fight progressed was even though he appeared to have an opportunity to get a stoppage at some points due to Ryder's condition, he did not force the issue too much to try and end the fight early.

While no one can take anything away from the heart John Ryder showed in this fight, which should endear him to Boxing fans as it was a display of courage that some fighters under similar circumstances might have chosen to bow out gracefully once the injury occured, and keeping in mind that this was the first fight for Alvarez coming off of a surgery, perhaps a reason why Alvarez did not try to force the issue here could be that he was showing respect to Ryder. In that, despite being in control of the fight, Alvarez in a gesture of sportsmanship allowed Ryder the chance to go as long as he could rather than trying to get him out of there quickly.

It is also worth reminding the reader and any potential critics that this was Alvarez' first fight in his native Mexico, and to be more specific, his hometown in over a decade. So in addition to likely developing respect for his opponent due to his valiant effort, the possibilty of Alvarez looking to extend the fight to allow himself and the fans in Akron Stadium to enjoy the moment, also exists. While this by no means is a suggestion on the part of yours truly that Alvarez did not put in a solid performance, did not do what he needed to do in order to retain his championship or for lack of a better term, carried his opponent to the final bell of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout, it is something to keep in mind because there will likely be those who will view this as a sign of decline in Alvarez simply because he did not press the issue to get a stoppage.

In some ways, it reminded me of the November 2010 bout between future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao and controversial former Welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. The fight, which took place in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX for a vacant Jr. Middleweight world championship saw Pacquiao batter Margarito for the majority of the twelve round bout. The effects of the punishment dished out by Pacquiao ultimately resulted in Margarito suffering a broken right eye socket as his face became grotesquely swollen as the fight progressed. Although I felt that fight should have been stopped by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation who oversaw and sanctioned the bout as it was clear that Margarito could not see out of his right eye, a point of view that I made clear in my coverage of that fight, now almost thirteen years ago at the time of this column's publication, Margarito deserved credit for the heart he showed that night and, despite his career being controversial and tainted due to a suspension for attempting to put plaster of paris on his hand wraps prior to his fight with Shane Mosley in 2009, which he served a suspension for by the California State Athletic Commission and because of that, his career accomplishments prior to that have to be questioned, in some way, his performance and bravery did earn him some of the respect he lost due to the controversy prior to his bout with Mosley.

In a similar way as Saul Alvarez would approach the remainder of his fight with John Ryder, Manny Pacquiao, a fighter known for a relentless swarming offensive style, particularly in his prime, did not press the issue and chose to out box Margarito to the final bell in seeming to give Margarito the chance to go for as long as he could or for as long as the officials who were overseeing the bout would allow him to. As Margarito was able to do that night in November 2010 in losing to Pacquiao, John Ryder would go the distance in this fight with Saul Alvarez.

The outcome of this fight ultimately would be academic as Alvarez would win a wide and convincing twelve round unanimous decision to retain his Undisputed Super-Middleweight chamipnship of the world. John Ryder however, was able to perform well down the stretch and should remain in the mix at 168lbs. once he has had the opportunity to heal from his injury.

As for the champion, this fight took care of one mandatory defense obligation amongst the four world championships that Alvarez holds that comprise the Undisputed Super-Middleweight chamipnship of the world. While there are three other challengers representing the WBC, WBA, and IBF that Alvarez is going to have to face in a reasonable time to keep the championship fully unified, he insisted after the successful defense over John Ryder that he wants to move back up to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division to seek a rematch with Dmitry Bivol in September.

If that fight does indeed take place, regardless of the outcome, Alvarez will likely have to make a decision regarding the undisputed championship he holds in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division by the end of this year. Logically, if Alvarez were to lose to Bivol a second time, there are two realistic options for him.

One would be to commit to the aforementioned sanctioning organizations that are waiting for their mandatories to be fulfilled for the current cycle, to fulfill those obligations throughout 2024 and possibly 2025 assuming he retains the championship in those bouts, or he might want to consider retirement. In his last two fights since his loss to Bivol, Alvarez has gotten the job done convincingly. Styles however, do make fights and based on what this observer saw and covered when he faced Bivol one year ago, Bivol might just be a fighter with a style that Alvarez will always have trouble with and may well be unable to solve Bivol's puzzle. Although Alvarez successfully moved up and won a world championship in the Light-Heavyweight division before relinquishing it to return to Super-Middleweight, he may be at the point where there is nothing left to prove at Super-Middleweight as he is atop the whole division and if he is unsuccessful against Bivol, it may be an indication as most fighters who move through multiple weight classes eventually find out, that they've hit a ceiling and for Alvarez, that puts him in situation where there could be nothing left for him to accomplish as a fighter, which is why retirement might be the only other option if he is unable to avenge his loss to Bivol.

For now, Alvarez has done his part to set up a potential rematch. The question is whether Bivol will want the rematch having dominated Alvarez before, the scenario is slightly different this time. Alvarez is still one of the biggest stars in the sport, but an argument could be made that after what happened last year, it is Alvarez who needs a fight with Bivol more than the WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion needs him.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

Friday, May 5, 2023

Alvarez-Ryder Weights

The official weigh-in for Saturday's DAZN Pay-Per-View main event (In the United States and Canada) at Akron Stadium Undisputed World Super-Middleweight chamipnship fight between defending champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and WBO number one Super-Middleweight contender John Ryder took place on Friday in Guadalajara, Mexico. Ryder, who will be making his second attempt at a world championship came in right at the Super-Middleweight limit of 168lbs.

Alvarez, who will be the overwhelming crowd favorite, as this fight has been promoted as a homecoming, came in looking lean at 167 1/2lbs. The bout is scheduled for twelve rounds and will have all four world championships, the WBO, WBC,WBA,IBF crowns which comprise the Undisputed Super-Middleweight chamipnship of the world will be on the line. Weights for the undercard bouts on the card are unavailable as of this writing.

Alvarez vs. Ryder takes place on Saturday, May 6th at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. In North America, the fight can be seen on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $54.99. Outside of the United States and Canada, the bout can be seen on DAZN internationally as part of a standard monthly or annual DAZN subscription and an on demand replay of the bout as well as it's full undercard will be made available following the event. The broadcast will begin at 6PM ET/3PM PT with The DAZN Boxing Show: Before the Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts. The pay-per-view broadcast will begin at 7PM ET/4PM PT. (* U.S. Times Only*)

For non-DAZN subscribers/users in North America, the card will also be available on traditional cable/satellite providers and PPV.com and the PPV.com app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs, for $79.99. Visit www.PPV.com to order and for instructions on where to download and access the PPV.com app or contact your cable/satellite provider for ordering information.

(*Card and start time subject to change, check DAZN.com for local start times internationally.)

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

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Undisputed Featherweight World Champion Amanda Serrano Gives Heather Hardy Chance for Redemption on Saturday, August 5th in Dallas, Texas

Press Release: By DAZN And Most Valuable Promotions - Serrano to put all her belts on the line against Hardy as co-main event alongside Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz at American Airlines Center in what promises to be another spectacular performance from the Puerto Rican legend

NEW YORK, NY – May 4, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Real Fight Inc. (Real Fight) announced the rematch between seven-weight boxing world champion and undisputed featherweight world champion Amanda “Real Deal” Serrano (44-2-1) and former WBO featherweight title holder Heather “The Heat” Hardy (24-2, 4 KOs). After earning the WBO featherweight from Hardy nearly four years ago, Serrano will put all her belts on the line and defend her undisputed title for the first time vs. Hardy in a co-main event alongside Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on August 5th. The event will be distributed globally on pay-per-view by DAZN, in addition to all major cable, satellite and local PPV providers. Pre-sale tickets for those that have signed up for early access will be available on May 9, while general on sale will begin on May 11. All tickets can be purchased on https://www.americanairlinescenter.com/events/detail/paul-v-diaz.

Serrano, the first Puerto Rican undisputed world champion, started her current title reign at featherweight by defeating Heather Hardy in a brutal 10-round fight in 2019 to win the WBO belt. On August 5th, Hardy, also a Brooklyn native, will attempt to avenge her loss and take all of Serrano's belts in a 10-round bout contested at 126 lbs. Serrano steps back into the ring after winning a blood-soaked war against WBA featherweight champion Erika Cruz in February, making her the undisputed featherweight champion but also left her with a hand injury that resulted in canceling her much anticipated rematch with Katie Taylor. Serrano’s decisive win against Cruz followed her previous win over Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England that added the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO, WBC, and IBO featherweight belts. Her resounding clash against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022 earned recognition as Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year and was further nominated for Event of the Year by Sports Business Journal.

"I am the undisputed featherweight champion today because Heather Hardy agreed to fight me in 2019 for her WBO title,” said Serrano. “That was the first step in my current run at featherweight. It’s only right that I give her the opportunity to earn it back. I’m excited to once again share the card with Jake and put on an exciting war. This will be the first time I get to fight in Texas, and I promise the fans that they will not be disappointed."

Hardy, the Brooklyn-born former World Boxing Organization featherweight champion who is promoted by Hall-of-Fame promoter Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment, will bring “The Heat” once again as she seeks to etch her name in boxing history and become the undisputed featherweight world champion. Following her professional debut in 2012, she claimed the vacant WBC international super bantamweight title in 2014, and in 2016 won the WBC international featherweight title and became one of the biggest draws in boxing. In 2018, Heather became world champion, winning the WBO featherweight title with a unanimous decision win over Shelly Vincent at Madison Square Garden. Heather put her title on the line in 2019 and lost in a unified title fight to WBC world champion Amanda Serrano in the first clash of the two boxing stars. Since then, she has battled back towards the top, recently defeating Brazil’s Taynna Cardoso in her last fight in February.

"I'm beyond grateful for this opportunity,” said Hardy. “In 2021, I came back to boxing with a renewed passion for the sport. My late trainer told me, the day before he died, that 2023 would be my year. Now, I have the opportunity to prove him right and become an undisputed champion. Thank you to Amanda and team for keeping their word on giving me the rematch, but come fight night, I only have winning on my mind and stealing the show from Jake Paul and Nate Diaz.”

Most Valuable Promotions, founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, and Real Fight, Inc., founded by Nate Diaz, are partnering to bring this event to global audiences as Paul and Diaz battle it out as the other co-main event at the American Airlines Center. The event will be distributed and co-produced globally by DAZN PPV and made available on all devices, platforms, cable, and satellite PPV providers around the world.

“Amanda is one of the most decorated and elite athletes ever and is on path to become the winningest female boxer of all time,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “After some much needed recovery time, Amanda is excited to return to the ring and remind fans why she is the most devasting puncher in women’s boxing. If Amanda prevails in the fight, the plan is to immediately pursue the rematch with Katie Taylor in Ireland. In front of her will be one of the most revered female boxers of the last twenty years in Heather Hardy, who has only improved from the fighter she was when she faced Amanda last. Heather is very much planning on walking away as the new undisputed featherweight champion. Paul-Diaz-Serrano-Hardy… what a night!”

For more information, follow on Twitter via @Serranosisters, @MostVPromotions, @HeatherHardyBox, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @serranosisters, @heathertheheat, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

About DAZN:

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.  

About American Airlines Center:

Material Courtesy of DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission.

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Can Ryder Upset Alvarez?

For some fighters, the path to a world championship fight is not as simple as it might seem. Some are able to get their opportunity off of the strength of an impressive win, which in turn serves as the catalyst to drum up support for said fighter to fight for a world title. While this may seem like the quickest path to one getting a shot, there are countless other fighters that must for lack of a better term rely on the structure that be in the sport, which means for a fighter to work their way to a mandatory position to force a shot at a world championship.

This is precisely the path that Super-Middleweight contender and former world title challenger John Ryder has taken, which has seen him fight his way to the number one contender's position in the World Boxing Organization's (WBO) Super-Middleweight ratings, which has now resulted in the native of London, England now being on the brink of the biggest fight of his career. A fight where he will challenge current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez for all the marbles in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Ryder's second opportunity to fight for a world championship will not just be for an undisputed championship, but will also come against one of the biggest stars in the sport when he faces Alvarez in Guadalajara, Mexico on May 6th, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and DAZN Pay-Per-View here in the United States and in Canada.

By now, this observer does not need to go into a long in-depth chronicle of the career of Saul Alvarez, a fighter known to his fans simply as "Canelo." Alvarez' status as a future Hall of Famer is cemented at this stage of his career. The current Undisputed Super-Middleweight King has however, hit a bump in the road recently when he was thoroughly out boxed when he moved up to Light-Heavyweight to challenge undefeated WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol in May of last year. Although Alvarez was able to bounce back from the twelve round unanimous decision loss to Bivol by decisioning Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin in their third meeting in September of last year, there are some who question whether Alvarez has truly recovered from the loss to Bivol from a psychological standpoint.

It may indeed be true that Alvarez was out boxed by a master boxer in Bivol, but this observer does not necessarily feel that, that loss or what proved to be a more difficult fight than some might have expected the third time around against a fighter in Gennady Golovkin, who is closer to the end of his career than he is the prime of his career, necessarily signals a decline in Alvarez, but there is no disputing that 2022 was not the best year for him. Now as Alvarez prepares to defend his crown for the first time in 2023, he will be fulfilling his mandatory defense obligations as far as the WBO is concerned when he faces Ryder in his hometown at the Akron Stadium. What has all the appearance of a "Homecoming Fight" for Alvarez and has even been marketed as such taking place during Cinco De Mayo weekend, this may turn out to be a more dangerous fight than some might expect.

Despite suffering five losses in his career up to this point, John Ryder has only been stopped once in his career and that stoppage came eight years ago at the hands of Nick Blackwell. Ryder has since proven to be quite durable and even in fights he has lost such as to former Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith, in his first attempt at a world championship, there is some argument as to Ryder having been on the bad end of some decisions that could have gone either way. Since his loss to Smith in November 2019, Ryder has won four straight fights that has served to build a wave of momentum including a twelve round split decision win over former IBF Middleweight world champion Daniel Jacobs in February of last year that secured him the number one ranking in the WBO ratings.

In addition to the momentum he has been able to build going into this fight, the challenger may have something else working in his favor. Although there is no disputing that Alvarez is one of the biggest stars in the sport, his position has also afforded him the opportunity to schedule his fights or at least his intention to fight well in advance of when he actually competes. In the current scenario, Alvarez has already stated that he would like a rematch with Dmitry Bivol in September. Therefore, the possibility exists that the champion could well be overlooking an opponent with an eye on avenging his defeat to Bivol.

While it is important to keep in mind that John Ryder will be walking into the equivalent of a lion's den by facing Alvarez in his hometown with a potential record crowd of supporters on his corner, Ryder literally has nothing to lose here and if Alvarez is not taking this fight seriously, it could play right into his hands. How can John Ryder pull off an upset on what will be hostile ground?

The most obvious approach will be for Ryder to establish the tempo of the combat immediately and make it difficult for Alvarez to get into a rhythm. This can prove to be easier said than done, however, Ryder does have a style where he does come forward and he can make fights difficult on opponents by grinding out rounds where he is able to outwork them in volume of punches, while also making it difficult for his opponent to get his punches off. While the approach is not necessarily the most entertaining to watch, it is effective when Ryder is able to execute it effectively.

What Ryder needs to keep in mind however, in his approach of how he tries to attack Alvarez, is that Alvarez has always been very compact with his offense and in particular is a very dangerous counter puncher in addition to having punching power. Although anything can happen once two fighters are in the midst of battle, there are likely some who feel that John Ryder will essentially have to fight a perfect fight here if he is going to have a chance to win this fight, particularly if the bout goes the distance as every advantage one could point to outside of the matching between the two fighters, also favors the champion from the home crowd advantage, to that advantage possibly being able to influence how a bout is scored, which could prove crucial if there are rounds throughout the fight that might seem close.

Although judges are not supposed to be influenced in any way when they score a fight beyond what is going on in the ring, the atmosphere of a massive and loud crowd does indeed play a role otherwise one is not human. This does not mean to suggest any possible corruption, but the point this observer is making is with what is likely to be a massive and loud crowd in attendance, the possibility that judges might have trouble maintaining focus due to noise is very real, which unfortunately can play a role in the outcome if the fight does indeed go all twelve rounds.

Despite the fact that everything seems to favor Alvarez and keeping in mind that this is a mandatory defense of one of the world championships that he holds that compromise the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world, a real question that should be asked as this fight approaches in addition to whether Alvarez is looking ahead towards a potential rematch with Dmitry Bivol, is just how long will Alvarez remain in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. At this stage of his career and keeping in mind that he did briefly hold a world championship in the Light-Heavyweight division, it is likely a fight by fight process for him as opposed to committing to trying to have as lengthy and successful reign as champion as possible. Whether John Ryder can surprise many and dethrone Alvarez in his "Homecoming" remains to be seen.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

(*Card and start time subject to change, check DAZN.com for local start times internationally.)

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

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

DAZN And Matchroom Boxing Announce Three Year Extension Of U.S. And Mexico Broadcast Deals

Press Release: May 2, 2023 By DAZN - Matchroom and DAZN are delighted to announce a three-year extension to their broadcast deals in the USA and Mexico – a deal further cements Matchroom as a true global leader in boxing while also confirming DAZN as THE home of global combat sports with the platform available in over 200 territories.

Credit: DAZN

Matchroom held their first event live on DAZN in October 2018 when Jessie Vargas took on Thomas Dulorme in Chicago, and since that night in the Windy City, President Eddie Hearn has teamed up with the global streaming giants to put on over 50 events in America and Mexico.

The first Mexico night took place in February 2019 when Humberto Soto defeated Brandon Rios in Tijuana, and Hearn has hosted seven more thrilling nights in the country and Matchroom’s latest event saw World-rated Lightweight Angel Fierro stop Eduardo Estela in Culiacan to move closer to World title action. Matchroom are in a strong position in Mexico after Mauricio Lara joined Juan Francisco Estrada and Julio Cesar Martinez as World champions from the boxing hotbed with his stunning KO win over Leigh Wood in Nottingham, England to become WBA Featherweight ruler, as they meet in a rematch in Manchester, England in May.

Matchroom kicked off 2023 in America in style with a double-header of Undisputed World title action in New York that saw Amanda Serrano and Alycia Baumgardner crowned the undisputed rulers at Featherweight and Super-Featherweight respectively and San Antonio had it’s first two-weight World champion in April, as future pound-for-pound star Jesse Rodriguez bravely boxed on with a broken jaw to add the WBO Flyweight crown to the Super-Flyweight strap he won and defended in style in 2022.

The blockbuster action continues in May as Canelo Alvarez defends his undisputed Super-Middleweight crown against and John Ryder in what promises to be a spectacular homecoming for the Mexican hero in Guadalajara on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The next action in America sees Hearn’s newest signing in action as Super-Middleweight star Edgar Berlanga faces Jason Quigley in New York in June, with the Brooklyn-based Puerto Rican KO artist the latest addition to a stacked Stateside stable along with young talents Criztec Bazaldua and Yankiel Rivera, with promoter Eddie Hearn ready to add more great nights and fighters to the already stacked schedule with this announcement.

“I am delighted to announce this extension to our deal with DAZN in the US and Mexico,” said Hearn. “DAZN’s schedule is without doubt the best in the sport, and our big nights in the States and all-action cards in Mexico are a massive part of that.

“This new deal means more Undisputed, Unified and World title blockbusters, more 50-50 wars with the top contenders and more showcasing the best rising talent in the region – and we’re ready to provide further thrilling action and value for the DAZN subscribers.”

“We are delighted to be extending our relationship with Matchroom Boxing in the US,” said Joseph Markowski, CEO North America, DAZN Group. “Since we entered the market five years ago, we have made significant strides to become the global home of boxing, consistently delivering the best schedule in market. 2023 will be no different, with the biggest names fighting on the biggest stages in the coming months. With our best-in-class broadcast, matched with Matchroom’s best-in-class promotion, we are incredibly excited about expanding our partnership in the years to come.”

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

Sunday, April 30, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

Friday, April 28, 2023

Is It Time For Federal Regulators To Step In Following Yet Another Pay-Per-View Crash?

Readers may recall in the summer of 2021, it had been my intention to cover the heavily hyped Mayweather-Paul exhibition bout. Unfortunately, I would be prevented from doing so, not because of a lack of trying on my part, not because of a lack of my paying a fee to legally access the event, as all who cover Boxing should do when they are unable to attend events in person if they want to cover events, as fans who otherwise want to watch the event should do as well, but because of an issue that caused the servers of United States premium cable network Showtime's streaming app to crash resulting in the event being unwatchable for most consumers and those of us who intended to cover the event, yours truly included.

Some may recall in the aftermath of what was a fiasco, I penned a column detailing my experience that evening. To be fair to Showtime, I did receive a refund and an apology from the network for my experience that evening, which I did appreciate despite being prevented from covering the event and no on demand access of the event being given, despite what I had been told by representatives of the network prior to the event. Fast forward nearly two years later and unfortunately for Boxing fans and those of us in the media who rely on technology to ply our trades were treated to a similar experience that was to be honest on a much more important scale for the sport and it's future. This observer is referring to the April 22 pay-per-view event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV that was hailed by some as one that would "Save Boxing." An event headlined by two of Boxing's unbeaten and highest rising stars Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia in a highly anticipated catchweight bout.

Unlike the Mayweather-Paul debacle, this event would involve the participation of another network in addition to Showtime. The digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, one that has been marketed as an alternative to the status quo in Boxing including the pay-per-view model, of which longtime readers know that I am a staunch critic of. The network as of last year however, in a controversial, but in some ways understandable move due in part to the economic effects of the global COVID-19 epidemic, as well as a way to bring fighters and promoters, who insist on the pay-per-view model to the table, began to implement the use of pay-per-view on what they insist will be a sporadic basis all the while raising their standard subscription prices to $224 per year or $24.99 per month.

Before I go any further, it is important for me to state for the record and for any possible critics that, despite the fact that I do not currently work for any other media outlet or network besides the outlet that this observer owns and operates here at The Boxing Truth®️, I have been vocal in my support of a subscription-based streaming model for the sport of Boxing that networks like DAZN and ESPN+ offer that are of better value to consumers for the price of either a monthly or annual subscription as compared to the overpriced and under valued model that pay-per-view has become, particularly here in the United States. Nevertheless, I have also been critical of both networks for using the pay-per-view model even on an occasional basis and to take it a step further and be a little more specific, doing so at the same price points that often begin at $70 per event that is not economically reasonable for consumers, much less offering value for existing subscribers. Something that will continue as long as the use of pay-per-view exists in the sport and to be more specific, offers little value to consumers in the process as price points continue to increase to let's be honest, asinine degrees with little or no explanation, much less accountability.

As for the Davis-Garcia card, I chose to access the event through DAZN in thinking that since I as a longtime subscriber, who has covered the vast majority of their Boxing events since their launch in September 2018 here in the United States, would at least have on demand access to the event afterwards if there were any issues with the live broadcast or if I simply wanted to watch the event again, as is standard for all DAZN programming. Unfortunately for yours truly, who wanted to cover the event and in particular the main event as well as many others who are either longtime subscribers to the network or subscribed simply to access the event through DAZN, my experience with DAZN that evening would resemble my experience with Mayweather-Paul nearly two years ago.

Despite the involvement of two networks for this event, the broadcast in North America was produced and handled by Showtime and merely simulcast on DAZN. While that was not a red flag as to what was to follow over the course of the evening, I feel it important to point out due to this not being an in-house DAZN production, which in my experience is normally top notch.

In fairness, the evening, much like virtually every event including the ones I have covered that have aired on DAZN seemed like it would be a smooth one as I was able to observe the opening bout of the card, featuring Middleweight Elijah Garcia scoring a ten round unanimous decision over Kevin Salgado to remain unbeaten. As the broadcast continued, the feed, would begin to become very glitchy and as was the case with Mayweather-Paul, resulting in app crashing making not just the broadcast inaccessible, but hard to even open the app on my streaming devices of choice, an Apple TV as well as Roku. In a scenario that mirrored my experience with Mayweather-Paul, once DAZN's app crashed on Apple TV, I attempted to switch over to Roku to see if I could get the app to open and subsequently restore my feed of the broadcast.

Unfortunately for yours truly, even when I did succeed in getting the app to open and clicking on the broadcast, the glitches including buffering, freezing, pixelation, and yes, app crashing continued for the remainder of the evening. Thus, making my task of covering the main event as well as other bouts on the card for subsequent material down the line for readers an impossible task, at least in terms of being able to do it live or so I thought.

Based on my previous experience with DAZN, which to be honest, is significant due to the volume of the network's schedule year over year as well as often week to week in a given month, I assumed that an on demand replay of the event, which is standard for all DAZN programming including their select pay-per-view events for seven days in terms of the full broadcast before individual fights of each card are made available in the network's deep Boxing archives, would be made available either overnight or early on Sunday morning as I have also had to take advantage of from time to time when for whatever reason I have not been able to cover an event live.

To my surprise and disappointment, no on demand replay was made available by the network after the event and as of this writing, six days after the event, is still unavailable as is any single bout on the card in the network's archives. In the interest of full disclosure with the reader, I like many of you who also ordered the card through DAZN, have spent the last several days attempting to reach out to the network to inquire about not only if/when an on demand replay would be made available, which frankly would appease yours truly, or if a replay would not be available, a refund of the pay-per-view price, which in the interest of honesty with the reader was $67.99 (Applicable taxes and fees included) as was offered to existing DAZN subscribers, which I have been one since prior to the network's U.S. launch in 2018.

As of this writing, my attempts to reach DAZN, despite my status of being in Boxing media and having an established communication with the network dating back prior to the 2018 launch, has been unsuccessful beyond getting a reply from their support team expressively apologizing and saying they were investigating the matter. This process, which I have documented on this observer's respective social media platforms, not as a means of shaming either DAZN or Showtime, but more so as a way of showing folks that there are those of us in the sport that contrary to the belief of some, that are in the same position as the average consumer in that there is no special treatment for media members who are unable to travel to events to cover them in person. The inadvertent advocacy of yours truly, as well as many fans and even some fellow media members have also taken to social media to share their experience and their desire to be refunded for an event they as well as I could not see, has had one simple message comprised in a hashtag. #DoRightByConsumers. A hashtag that I first used in the aftermath of Mayweather-Paul.

(*Update to the previous statement to follow at the conclusion of this column.)

Much like that event, the issue here seems to be the same. Showtime's servers being inadequate and unable to hold up to the demand from a technological standpoint resulting in glitches, app crashes, and the event becoming inaccessible. Now, the reader is probably asking one simple question "Beau, if the issue you experienced was through DAZN's app, why would Showtime's servers ultimately be to blame here?"

The simple answer though I am not an expert in tech engineering is that the event was merely simulcast on DAZN in the United States and Canada, meaning it was a standard production of a Showtime Pay-Per-View event as opposed to a joint production between two networks that we have seen from time to time in the past. The only thing resembling DAZN on this simulcast feed was the simple presence of DAZN's logo, which was positioned in the top left hand corner of the screen shortly after the broadcast began. When I began to have those all too familiar issues that I have experienced in covering some previous Showtime Pay-Per-View Boxing cards purchased through the Showtime streaming app, I began to suspect seeing as it was only a simulcast made available to DAZN users here in the United States and Canada, there was no mention of DAZN at all during periods where the feed was up, that somehow this was linked to Showtime's servers, meaning that the feed that DAZN was permitted to simulcast, was likely fed through a link to Showtime's servers as opposed to DAZN's in house engineering, which in my experience has been immaculate in the past. This in all likelihood created a scenario where once Showtime's servers started to experience problems and ultimately crash, due to the feed being linked to DAZN, it subsequently knocked the network offline in North America.

While some might think this is a conspiracy theory on the part of yours truly, akin to what one would see from various YouTubers and others who claim to be in Boxing media, it needs to be pointed out that outside of North America, DAZN was permitted to broadcast this same event in many countries in which it is available using a non-Showtime international feed as part of a standard DAZN subscription, which reported no issues with the broadcast and furthermore, on demand access to international subscribers to the network shortly after the event was made available. Although this should be viewed as a slap in the face to those of us in North America, it puts the blame more in the direction of Showtime as it is clear that their insistence that it be their production as opposed to truly working together with DAZN to not only bring this event, which saw two rival promoters the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters (PBC), who promote Gervonta Davis and who have a broadcast deal with Showtime and Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, who promote Ryan Garcia and who has a broadcast deal with DAZN come together to make the fight happen, not only accessible on both platforms as well as cable/satellite providers, but to ensure a smooth viewing experience for all.

It is indeed a sign of a network's selfishness in clearly putting their own interest above the interest of the sport and of the public/consumers who legally paid to access the event, even to their own detriment and that of its parent company Paramount Global. After another pay-per-view crash, the question is what now?

Well, despite the fact that I have yet to receive a refund from DAZN, I do believe that it is possible that a reason for lack of communication and resolution with customers and yes those of us who cover the sport, may be due to a potential legal battle that might be brewing between the two networks over the circumstances of what happened on April 22. Although this is purely speculation on my part at this point, just as an observer, I cannot see how a scenario of essentially "Forgive And Forget" could take place when potentially one network might be out millions of dollars due to the obvious server crash and said network clearly being prohibited from producing their own dedicated feed of the event at least in the North American market, despite a proven track record of reliability and dependability when it comes to streaming as compared to the network that insisted upon control. Even as there are some online touting that the event did between 1.2 and 1.4 million buys, which is unheard of in present day with regard to pay-per-view for all too obvious reasons, my question is what will those numbers look like once either refunds are issued or potential litigation due to lack of refunds is brought to both networks by consumers due to the crash of Showtime's servers, which has happened in the past.

(*Update to the previous statement to follow at the conclusion of this column.)

What can realistically be done moving forward? It is no secret and should not be to longtime readers that I as someone who truly cares about the sport and it's future in wanting to see it grow and become more accessible to all regardless of what one's economic standing might be, have been saying for years that the pay-per-view model either needs a significant revamp where it is made considerably more affordable for consumers, in addition to the frequency in which the model is used being reduced, or it needs to be done away with completely in favor of reasonably priced subscription-based options that put the consumer first. After this latest fiasco, perhaps the first line of action that a consumer might want to take at least as far as the United States is concerned would be to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission as well as to reach out to your respective state representatives both in Congress, as well as the United States Senate, who are the lawmakers and tell them not only of your experience with this event, but also to voice your wish to see lawmakers intervene via legislation that would hopefully address both the inadequate experience consumers have to incur when ordering these pay-per-view events as well as to address the issue of the ever increasing price points for these events in the United States, which more often than not, is considerably more expensive than what consumers are charged in other countries for pay-per-view access to the same events, if not offered as part of a subscription network like DAZN or for free in some cases internationally.

The bottom line is something needs to be done to not only benefit the sport of Boxing, but also and more importantly consumers, who do not resort to means of piracy, who do go about access to pay-per-view the right way, by legally paying for it, but unfortunately cannot be guaranteed a smooth experience for the price they paid, much less be given on demand access to these events, which given both the price that consumers continually are asked to shell out, as well as the technology in 2023 being available, should be standard with one's purchase of an event. At the end of the day, no matter what network executives might say in an attempt to spin things to suit their narratives, no matter what a promoter might say about criticizing price points of pay-per-view events, but at the same time not doing anything about it and charging those same price points for their events, no matter what fighters are led to believe that pay-per-view is the only way they can make additional money for their efforts in risking their lives every time they step into the ring, despite the increasing evidence that pay-per-view with only rare exceptions is a failing practice, something needs to change and perhaps the only way to drive that point home if you're in the position of a consumer will be to seek federal intervention by way of the respective lawmakers to force change.

Unfortunately, without intervention and oversight to force the issue, there will be no accountability for these networks and promoters and unfortunately, in the end both the Boxing fan/consumers as well as the sport will continue to suffer because there will be no incentive to change even as inadequate technology and frankly selfishness/stupidity of some networks take revenue out of their own pockets by failing to deliver what they advertised to consumers. Sadly, both for the sport and the fans that support Boxing in good times and bad, the issues that led to this latest pay-per-view crash was not the first time it has happened and without some form of intervention and accountability, nothing will change.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

(* UPDATE: As this column was being prepared for release, after several days of attempts to reach DAZN, communication between Beau Denison and DAZN did breakthrough on Thursday, April 27, 2023. In an email sent to Mr. Denison, he was informed that DAZN would be issuing refunds for the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia pay-per-view event, which will take up to seven business days to process. Mr. Denison was also advised that customers who purchased the event via the DAZN website can contact their support team at www.DAZN.com for more information about obtaining a refund.

If however, customers purchased the event via the DAZN app on mobile/tablet, or connected streaming devices and Smart TVs, those customers will need to contact the platform in which they made the purchase including Google Play, Apple iTunes /Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon /Fire TV, which the network listed as examples of who to contact. If you purchased the event through the DAZN app on a platform that is not listed here, contact DAZN Support for more information. DAZN also expressively apologized both to Mr. Denison as well as all customers and subscribers who experienced issues accessing the event.

There was no attempt by Mr. Denison to reach out to Showtime regarding the issues discussed in this column as he strictly dealt with DAZN in an attempt to cover the Davis-Garcia event. Customers who purchased the event through the Showtime app can contact the network at www.SHO.com for information obtaining refunds.

We here at The Boxing Truth®️ would like to again apologize to readers who were expecting post-fight coverage of Davis-Garcia as was originally planned as it was not in our control.)

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

The Boxing Truth®

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Friday, April 28, 2023

Is It Time For Federal Regulators To Step In Following Yet Another Pay-Per-View Crash?

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