A look At The WBC World Middleweight Championship Situation

The World Boxing Council (WBC) recently announced the top four contenders that will take part in a tournament of sorts to determine the next mandatory challenger for current WBC Middleweight world champion Sergio Martinez.  By “Of Sorts” allow me to provide an explanation.  It was announced by the WBC that it has mandated current WBC number one rated Middleweight and longtime top Middleweight contender Marco Antonio Rubio to face former WBC Middleweight world champion and current WBC number two rated contender Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. in a rematch to determine interim status or “Interim champion.”

For the casual Boxing fan who may be a little confused, the term “Interim champion” basically means that whomever is the number one contender for a world championship is designated as having interim status. This means that if a world champion is unable to or refuses to meet the mandatory challenger, that challenger will often be named champion rather than being placed in an elimination bout between the top two contenders to determine a new champion for a vacant title.

While Rubio and Chavez will fight for interim status, current WBC number three rated contender Domenico Spada will face undefeated number four rated WBC contender Gilberto Ramirez with the winner to face the winner of the Rubio-Chavez rematch to determine a mandatory challenger for Sergio Martinez. 

The WBC has stated that it will not begin this process until the fighters involved complete bouts that they are already signed to. The sanctioning organization however has also stated that it will name another contender should one of the fighters lose in those bouts that are already signed. 

Chavez is tentatively scheduled to face WBC number five and World Boxing Organization (WBO) number one rated contender Brian Vera in a bout contracted to take place above the 160lb. Middleweight limit.  Vera, the current North American Boxing Organization (NABO) Middleweight champion will come into the fight should it happen having won four of his last five bouts, winning two by knockout. Although the Chavez-Vera bout is tentatively scheduled for sometime in September, there is always the possibility that Chavez could opt to compete in the WBC box off first before facing Vera. 

In February of last year Chavez, then the WBC world champion in the Middleweight division successfully defended his title with a convincing unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Rubio.  Although some may be tempted to question why a rematch between the two would be warranted it is worth noting that Rubio had won ten straight fights prior to his encounter with Chavez and despite the loss did give a good account of himself.  The difference in that bout was that although Rubio established and maintained a high work rate throughout the fight, he was unable to really hurt Chavez who consistently backed him up and landed the harder punches.   It will be interesting if a rematch between the two does take place whether Rubio, who has won four fights since his loss to Chavez, will be able to make any adjustments from the first fight. 

It will also be interesting no matter who Chavez elects to fight next to see he how fights.  In his last fight Chavez was thoroughly out boxed by Sergio Martinez over the course of twelve rounds. Although Chavez was able to make a comeback in the late rounds including nearly pulling out the fight in the memorable twelfth round, Chavez failed to keep Martinez under steady pressure and simply did not let his hands go enough throughout the fight to earn rounds on the official scorecards.  After losing his title in a convincing manner, an obvious question that will face Chavez upon his return to the ring will be whether Chavez can make the necessary adjustments to not only maintain a steady offensive output but also, the adjustments that may make a hoped for rematch with Sergio Martinez more competitive. Chavez however should not overlook anyone he faces while aiming for a potential rematch with Martinez.

What should also not be overlooked by fans and experts alike are the credentials of Domenico Spada and Gilberto Ramirez.  Although neither are probably well-known to American fans due to neither fighting before in the United States, both are solid world-class fighters. 

Spada, a veteran of forty-one professional fights has compiled a record of 37-4, with 19 Knockouts. One thing that some may say about Spada is that he has failed to successfully step up in quality of opposition.  Spada has lost twice to former world title challenger Sebastian Zbik and Darren Barker, both of whom are top contenders and who have faced some of the best fighters in the Middleweight division.  Looking at it from another point of view however Spada has never been stopped in his career and may look at this tournament as what could be his last chance on the top level of the division. 

The undefeated Gilberto Ramirez has compiled a record of 25-0, with 20 Knockouts.  Despite an impressive career knockout percentage of 80% an argument can be made that Ramirez has yet to be tested against world class opposition.  This box off is an opportunity to show that he belongs with the elite of the Middleweight division.

The reason for the WBC box off is due to Martinez being sidelined with injuries.  Martinez, who successfully defended his world title in April of this year with a unanimous decision over top contender Martin Murray, is not expected to return to action until sometime in 2014. For Sergio Martinez who is seemingly nearing the end of his career the current situation regarding the WBC title presents a couple of interesting possibilities. One possibility which should not be overlooked however is the potential of a would be unification bout between Martinez and undefeated WBA/IBO Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin. 

If Martinez is indeed eying retirement, fights with the likes of Golovkin and whomever should emerge as the mandatory challenger out of the WBC box off will only continue to give Martinez the acclaim that he has fought hard to obtain. No matter what the outcome of this puzzle, Sergio Martinez has earned his place as not only the best fighter in the Middleweight division but also one of the best fighters in the entire sport. 

Who will be next for Sergio Martinez?  Only time will tell...

“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

Too Soon And Too Fast For David Price

The outcome of the first fight between then undefeated Heavyweight prospect David Price and longtime Heavyweight contender and former world title challenger Tony Thompson could be best summed up as sudden and yet inconclusive.  There was no disputing that Tony Thompson won the fight by knockout. The way the fight ended however actually provided more questions than it answered.

Questions regarding just how good David Price who entered the fight with a record of 15-0, with 13 Knockouts was. Obvious questions of whether he was ready for a significant step up in quality of opposition at that stage of his career and, some even questioned Price’s ability to take a punch. 

The sudden one punch second round knockout did indeed turn heads and has been a topic of discussion in the Boxing World amongst fans, fighters, and, experts alike.  Although the first two questions were valid in this observer’s eyes regarding just how good was Price and whether or not he was ready to face a fighter in Thompson who had just fought for the Heavyweight championship of the world, I wondered why some were quick to question Price’s ability to take a punch or, more specifically his chin.

The basis of my curiosity lies in how the fight ended. Although it is clear that there was an appropriate stoppage of that fight by Referee Steve Gray and that a legitimate knockout did indeed take place, it is important to remember exactly where the punch that derailed Price actually landed.

The right hand that dropped Price did not land on the chin but rather landed just below the ear of Price. As this observer stated following the first fight in February of this year http://theboxingtruth.blogspot.com/2013/02/thompson-derails-price-whats-next-for_27.html?view=flipcard  a punch absorbed in this area can affect a fighter’s equilibrium and could certainly explain the awkward way Price went down and subsequent getting up from the knockdown on very unsteady legs. 

This fact called for what amounted to an immediate rematch on July 6^th once again in Price’s hometown of Liverpool, England. Although it was logical of most experts, this one included to question the possibility of a rematch between Thompson and Price following the first fight, this observer was a bit surprised to see the rematch come only five months later.

After all there was no controversy attached to the first encounter and it could be argued that in some ways circumstances did not warrant an immediate rematch. By the same token it was understandable seeing as more questions than answers emerged following the first fight that everyone involved the fighters, the promoters, the fans and, those of us who cover the sport in varying capacities would want to see those questions answered in a reasonable period of time. 

Even though this was in essence  in some ways a “Do Over” of the first fight there was one question that I had been pondering in the weeks leading up to the rematch. Would David Price be gun shy and reluctant to let his hands go once the fight got underway?  It was also worth questioning whether or not Thompson’s gamesmanship prior to the fight would somehow influence how Price would fight.

When the fight got underway Thompson seemed to start a bit more quickly than in recent fights in what was a typical feeling out first round where neither fighter did much to stand out from the other.  In round two Price nearly brought the fight to a sudden conclusion when he dropped Thompson with a flush right hand in the final seconds of the round. Thompson gamely made it to his feet by the count of nine and the fight moved into round three. 

In round three Price staggered Thompson again with a right hand knocking the forty-one year old into the ropes. Price continued to follow up landing shots to the head and the body throughout the round but one thing that was noticeable as this fight progressed was the absence of a consistent jab from Price. The lack of use of the jab by Price allowed Thompson to get on the inside and have success landing to the body and the head in his own right.

After three rounds the seeds of an entertaining slugfest were firmly planted. It became a question of attrition as to who would walk away victorious,  Although Price got the better of the action in rounds two and three, an argument could be made that after the knockdown of Thompson in round two that Price threw everything he had in those two rounds and neglected to establish a more deliberate pace. One may argue that the quicker pace actually benefited the forty-one year old Thompson who is eleven years Price’s senior. 

Thompson took control of the fight late in the fourth round throwing punches in combinations and landing uppercuts to the head and hooks to the body. Price seemed to back up slightly and may have been a little wary at the end of the round.   It seemed clear in the eyes of this observer that fatigue was becoming an issue for Price as the fight entered the fifth round.  

In round five Thompson stepped it up and continued to be the aggressor as Price seemed to be in retreat.  A barrage of punches sent an exhausted Price back along the ropes and eventually in Thompson’s corner. Price being unable to throw anything back forced Referee Marcus McDonnell to step in and issue a standing eight count.  McDonnell determined that Price was in no condition to continue stopping the fight at 1:55 of round five.

Although it is rare to see a standing eight count issued in Professional Boxing today this observer’s applauds Marcus McDonnell’s decision to issue a standing eight count and thus allowing himself to give an adequate examination of Price and his condition. Prior to McDonnell stepping in Price was almost defenseless and could not throw anything back. No one wants to see a boxer get hurt and like Steve Gray’s stoppage of the first fight in February, McDonnell’s stoppage of this fight was appropriate. 

Although there is likely to be some criticism of Price’s stamina coming out of this fight it should be noted that this fight was fought at a considerably high pace. Rather than focusing on the issue of stamina and endurance, I believe if there is to be any criticism it should be in how Price fought this fight.

Price does have a good jab but the neglect to use it I believe played a factor not only in the fight becoming a brawl but more specifically in how Price was unable to dictate or control the pace of the fight.  There was seemingly nothing preventing Thompson from coming in on the inside and landing uppercuts to the head, and hooks to the body.  In the opinion of this observer Price needed to box more from the outside and be methodical in his attack on Thompson.  These factors I believe all contributed to Price’s exhaustion and eventual demise in this fight.

Although some may write David Price off after this fight however, this observer will not be one of them.  In reference to my comments both before and following the first fight in February I stated that David Price could be one of the fighters if not the fighter who may take over the Heavyweight division in the post-Klitschko era.  I did however also state that I did question whether it was too much, too soon for David Price to be facing a legitimate top contender. One should remember Price did only have fifteen professional fights prior to these two encounters with Tony Thompson. 

It can truly be a delicate task in determining when a fighter should step up in quality of opposition. One example that I have been thinking of in the days since the rematch was how Mike Tyson was brought up thru the Heavyweight ranks prior to winning the Heavyweight championship in November 1986 by knocking out Trevor Berbick. Tyson who turned pro in March of 1985 compiled a record of 27-0, with 25 Knockouts. An argument could be made however that despite criticism of Tyson’s managers Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton in regard to how often Tyson was fighting, with twenty-seven fights over an eighteen month period, that it actually benefited Tyson in terms of actual experience. Tyson was able to gradually work his way up the Heavyweight division defeating fighters who ranged from overmatched, prospects, and, contenders. Although Tyson won the Heavyweight championship just a year a year and a half after turning professional, there was no doubt that when the time came to face the champions of the division he was ready.  Despite some criticism of Jacobs and Cayton their strategic management of Tyson was brilliant.

Although it is not my intention whatsoever to compare Price to Tyson, I believe that Price’s experiences against Tony Thompson could be called a misstep. Price tried to reach too far and too fast.  Despite suffering two losses to Tony Thompson, if he is given the proper time Price not only can rebound but could likely become one of the top fighters in the Heavyweight division. 

As for Tony Thompson he has now firmly reestablished himself as part of the Heavyweight championship mix by scoring two knockout victories over David Price.  Although it may not be viable for Thompson to seek a third fight with IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, Thompson could still position himself to face WBC Vitali Klitschko or could be in position to be part of some sort of elimination tournament to determine a new WBC world champion if and when Vitali Klitschko who has been nearing the end of his career decides to retire.

In the near future however the best option for Thompson may just be facing the winner of the recently signed clash between two-division world champion David Haye and undefeated contender Tyson Fury.  If a fight with the winner of that fight is not made then Thompson could opt to possibly fighting the other top contenders of the Heavyweight division. Contenders such as Bryant Jennings,  Bermane Stiverne, Tomasz Adamek, Fres Oquendo, and Chris Arreola all would pose an interesting fight for Thompson at this stage of his career and would keep him in the discussion of potential challengers should he continue to win.

One thing that is clear is that David Price was completely exhausted entering round five.  It is obvious that he needs more seasoning and training in stamina if he is to rise to the top of the Heavyweight division. 

Another comparison and similarity to David Price is current champion Wladimir Klitschko. Earlier in his career, Klitschko had problems with stamina as well did not make use of the jab to keep opponents at bay. The handlers of Price should take notes out of Emanuel Steward’s book. 

David Price is far from done as a fighter and he does have the talent to become a world champion in the future. It’s just time to go back to the drawing board.

“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

Gennady Golovkin's Path Of Destruction Continues

Undefeated unified WBA/IBO Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin’s emergence on Boxing’s center stage could be described in several ways.  By now many fans know that Golovkin a native of Kazakhstan burst on the American scene nearly one year ago scoring brutal knockout wins in title defenses over contenders Grzegorz Proksa and Gabriel Rosado.

 

Due to both his exciting pressure style and the devastating fashion in which Golovkin won those fights an argument could be made that he became an instant star here in the United States.  It would indeed be hard to dispute such an opinion because after all, the one thing in the sport of Boxing that will always garner significant attention of fans and experts alike is the ability to score knockouts.

Golovkin continued to turn heads when he scored a brutal one punch third round knockout over Japanese contender Nobuhiro Ishida in March of this year in Monte Carlo, Monaco.  Ishida who is best known to American fans for his first round upset knockout victory over a then undefeated rising prospect James Kirkland. Ishida was considered by some to be a step up for Golovkin due to his “Game” performances in losses to former Welterweight world champion Paul Williams and former WBO Middleweight world champion Dmitry Pirog. 

Ishida had also never been stopped prior to getting in the ring with Golovkin. Questions arose as to whether or not Ishida could extend the fight into the middle or late rounds against Golovkin who has a near 90% career knockout percentage and who had been stretched as far as ten rounds only once in his career. 

It was clear however once the fight began that Ishida not only had no way to nullify Golovkin’s power as he came forward but also could not avoid Golovkin’s offense.  The fight was immediately stopped after a beautifully timed overhand right landed flush on Ishida’s jaw knocking him out cold in what this observer considers to be the leading candidate for 2013 Knockout of the Year honors.

Off of yet another devastating performance, Golovkin would now make the eighth defense of his Middleweight world title against top contender and former world title challenger Matthew Macklin on June 29^th in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Much as the belief of many observers, this one included was before Golovkin’s fight with Nobuhiro Ishida in thinking that Ishida may have been capable of providing a significant test for Gennady Golovkin, Matthew Macklin was viewed as a step up in class of opposition for the champion.  

Macklin entered this bout having lost two of his last three fights however Macklin had endeared himself to fans and experts alike as someone who is very “Game” and who like Golovkin has an exciting come forward style. Macklin’s style gave Sergio Martinez, the man considered to be the number one fighter in the Middleweight division all he could handle for eleven rounds in their fight in March of last year.

Macklin retained his position as a top contender by rebounding from his loss to Martinez in scoring a first round knockout over former WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Joachim Alcine in September of last year. Prior to Golovkin’s fight with Nobuhiro Ishida, I wondered whether or not Macklin could take this fight into the middle or late rounds and whether he would be able to survive the storm that is Gennady Golovkin.  Although I had no doubt that Macklin would give it everything he had for how ever long the fight would last, questions of whether or not he could withstand Golovkin’s power were legitimate.

When the fight got underway Macklin was able to establish his jab from the outset but what was noticeable was how Gennady Golovkin’s pressure was disrupting Macklin from getting into a rhythm. Golovkin’s ability to systematically cut the ring off and to gradually let his hands go set the tempo for this fight.

The difference in power was apparent as Golovkin rocked Macklin back into the ropes in the final seconds of the first round with a left hook.  The champion continued to pressure Macklin who seemed to be in survival mode in the second round.  Although Macklin continued to throw punches he was not able to land anything to stop Golovkin as he continued to stalk forward.  Macklin however gamely tried to press the action early in the third round but was unable keep the champion off of him. 

Golovkin brought the fight to it’s conclusion landing a brutal left hook to Macklin’s body sending him down for the count at 1:22 of round three.  Golovkin’s domination of a legitimate top ten Middleweight contender in Matthew Macklin continues to indicate that we may be seeing the dawning of a new era in the Middleweight division. 

Off of this latest performance it is difficult to say what may next be in store for Gennady Golovkin.  The current landscape of the Middleweight division suggests that it may take some time for Golovkin to secure a potential big money bout which would hopefully bring further unification to the World Middleweight championship.

Current International Boxing Federation (IBF) Middleweight world champion Daniel Geale is scheduled to make the fifth defense of his title against top contender Darren Barker on August 17^th. Depending on what happens in that fight and the possibility of the winner of that fight being mandated to fight another top contender, it seems that a potential unification would be out of the question at least in the near future. 

There are also other elements which may prevent Golovkin from securing big money fights with the other world champions of the division.  Current WBC champion Sergio Martinez is sidelined with a hand injury.  The World Boxing Council (WBC) announced last week that they will stage a four boxer elimination tournament to determine interim status in it’s Middleweight ratings. 

Obviously once Martinez is medically cleared to compete one would assume that he would be mandated by the WBC to defend his title against whomever emerges from this would be elimination tournament as the mandatory challenger.  This could pose a roadblock for a potential clash between the two world champions. 

There is a possibility that Golovkin could potentially secure a fight with undefeated WBO Middleweight world champion Peter Quillin, if a fight between the winner of Daniel Geale and Darren Barker is not made.  What may be an obstacle in that fight being made however are elements of the “Business” of Boxing with respected promoters having agreements with rival television networks.

  It would however benefit both world champions if circumstances allow a fight to be made. Not only would potential further unification of the Middleweight championship be at stake but a fight between two undefeated world champions, both in their primes, both with exciting styles, would likely present significant financial incentives for both fighters if a fight between the two could be made.

With the Middleweight championship picture pretty much set at least in the near future what about the respected top contenders of the division who would likely welcome the opportunity to fight Golovkin for his unified world title?  As of this writing the WBC has not formally announced which four top contenders will take part in their elimination tournament to determine a mandatory challenger for Sergio Martinez. 

From a speculation standpoint one could assume that a fighter such as former WBC world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. would be likely to take part in such a tournament concept. Chavez not only is a former WBC champion in the Middleweight division but if he were to emerge with interim status out of an elimination tournament it would almost guarantee a rematch with Martinez, the man who beat Chavez for the WBC title in September of last year.

Although Chavez does not currently hold a world title there is no disputing Chavez’ economic value to potential opponents in or around the Middleweight division.  If Chavez were not involved in the WBC box off, it would present a potential big money opportunity for Golovkin to seek a fight with Chavez which would likely be a solid pay-per-view draw.

In the eyes of this observer however it would benefit Golovkin in the long term to continue to defend his title against all comers. Fighters such as Martin Murray, former longtime champion Felix Sturm, and Andy Lee are all potential options for Golovkin. 

All three are still very much in the mix and would each pose an interesting challenge for Golovkin. One would assume however that we will get a clearer picture as to what Gennady Golovkin’s potential options are once the Daniel Geale-Darren Barker fight takes place and furthermore once the WBC announces just who will participate in their box off.

The situation that Gennady Golovkin finds himself in sort of reminds the observer of the position the legendary former Middleweight champion of the world Marvelous Marvin Hagler once found himself in. An obvious similarity between the two champions is they both started their respected reigns at the top of the Middleweight division with devastating knockout streaks. 

After winning the Middleweight championship by knocking out Alan Minter in 1980, Hagler went on a tear through the Middleweight division scoring seven consecutive knockouts between 1981 and 1983. Only Roberto Duran was able to go the distance with Hagler in November 1983.  Hagler’s reign as Middleweight champion of the world became one of the more significant title reigns in the history of the Middleweight division compiling twelve successful title defenses  over the course of seven years between 1980-1987.

Currently Gennedy Golovkin has scored knockouts in his last fourteen fights with eight successful title defenses since beginning his reign in 2010. Perhaps one other similarity may exist between Hagler and Golovkin.  One could make a valid argument that Hagler literally had to destroy all comers in the Middleweight division before he was able to secure super fights with fellow superstars of his era, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard.

With the other champions of the current Middleweight division seemingly with other options one could say that Gennady Golovkin may be in the process of doing what Hagler was able to accomplish over three decades ago.  Will Gennady Golovkin’s reign atop the Middleweight division one day be compared to the reigns of Hagler, Carlos Monzon, and Bernard Hopkins?

Only time will tell but if Golovkin continues to run through the Middleweight division like a title wave it will become increasingly harder for fans and experts alike to not anoint Golovkin as the kingpin of the Middleweight division.  With the Middleweight division clearly heading toward a transitional period with Sergio Martinez possibly nearing the end of his career this observer believes that “The Gennady Golovkin Era” may indeed be quite near.

“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

Malignaggi vs. Broner: No Controversy

When former IBF World Jr. Welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi entered the ring to challenge previously undefeated WBA Welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko in April of last year Malignaggi did so as an underdog.  Malignaggi was after all fighting against an undefeated world champion and was fighting him in his home country, certainly not an easy task for any fighter to attempt to overcome. 

Malignaggi responded by dominating the Ukrainian fighter landing crisp, quick combinations throughout the fight, causing a severe cut and eventually closing the left eye of Senchenko in route to a ninth round stoppage. Malignaggi had triumphed over the naysayers to win his second world title in as many weight classes. 

In some ways Malignaggi’s performance against Senchenko was poetic justice for a fighter who despite not being known for having power has never backed down from a challenge and has always given everything he had every time he enters the ring.  When it was announced that Malignaggi would make the first defense of his world title against undefeated two-division world champion and current WBC Lightweight world champion Adrien Broner  I was somewhat surprised to hear many fans and some observers alike not giving Malignaggi much of a chance in the fight. 

Broner after all does have a career knockout percentage of over 80% and was entering the fight with Malignaggi having scored knockouts in six of his last his last seven fights.  It was understandable to an extent to see some base their predictions on those statistics.  This observer however has often said that I do not make predictions but try as best as I possibly can to offer a well-educated guess as to what may happen prior to a Boxing match. 

Although it was clear that Broner had the advantage in terms of punching power I was not one who believed that this would necessarily be an “Easy” fight for Adrien Broner.  Malignaggi has after all faced several high profile names throughout his career and it was an arguable point that he was the toughest fighter that Broner would have faced in his career in terms of Boxing ability.  Despite being stopped twice in his career by former world champions Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan, Paul Malignaggi was not someone to overlook or underestimate.

When the two fighters got in the ring at the Barclays Center in Malignaggi’s hometown of Brooklyn, New York on June 22^nd  it didn’t surprise me to see Malignaggi start the fight at a fast pace.  The key to success for Malignaggi in this fight in my mind was to establish a high work rate and to be elusive.  It would not have been to the champion’s advantage to be a somewhat stationary target for the heavy handed Broner.  Malignaggi had to set the pace from the outset.  In contrast I expected Broner to attempt to cut the ring off and neutralize Malignaggi’s movement.  As the fight progressed an argument should be made that both fighters did exactly what they wanted to do in this fight.  It was a closely fought, highly competitive contest where both fighters were able to execute their respected fight plans with effectiveness.

As I have often said over the years when it comes to close fights it will often boil down to what a judge prefers in their own individual criteria in how they score a fight that will ultimately determine the winner.  This can and often has led to some questionable final scores at the end of a fight between three judges. Sometimes you will see two judges produce similar scores which may fall in line with a consensus opinion of observers as to how a fight was fought. Meanwhile a third judge may share the same opinion with another judge as to who won a fight but will however turn in scores of a significantly wider margin than his or her respected counterparts. 

The criteria of which all bouts in Professional Boxing should be scored is Clean punching, Ring generalship, Effective aggression, and Defense. Despite these guidelines some judges have preferences as to what they look for when scoring a fight.  Some judges will score based on effective aggression and or ring generalship.  What often gets overlooked by some casual observers is how fighters can win rounds by being defensive and landing clean punches in spurts.  In bouts where there are no knockdowns scored or point deductions all of this criteria must be considered when scoring a Boxing match. What can also be overlooked is that Boxing is scored round by round and this along with the recognized criteria can produce varying scores at the end of a fight that goes to a decision. 

In regard to this fight all of the facets which are involved in scoring a Boxing match were visible and are likely to make this fight a topic of debates for years to come.  Paul Malignaggi started this fight working at a high pace throwing jabs and mixing in quick combinations to the body.  This was complimented by good lateral movement by the champion.  Although not landing everything he threw, Malignaggi’s greater activity carried the action for the first two rounds. Broner seemed to be studying his opponent in the early rounds and had success landing periodic right hands and a flush left hook to the jaw of Malignaggi early in round three. As well Broner was able to follow up by landing more solid left hooks toward the end of the round.. 

It became clear that this would be a question of the fighter throwing in greater volume or the fighter who was more economical with his offensive output but landing the harder punches.  At the end of three rounds I had Malignaggi ahead two rounds to one. Although Malignaggi was the more active of the two, Broner was able to deflect a lot of Malignaggi’s offense by staying in a tight defensive shell. 

As the fight progressed I wondered whether Malignaggi would get the benefit of the doubt on the official scorecards due to his effective work to Adrien Broner’s body.  Although he never really seemed to hurt Broner, the body punches were landing. It was clear however in the eyes of this observer that Malignaggi had to continue to use his lateral movement and not allow Broner to get into position to let his hands go for a significant period of time in order to maintain an edge in this fight. 

In round five Broner began to open up more offensively landing his right hand and mixing in flush left hooks. Broner’s gradual pressure and ability to land clean power punches seemed to turn the momentum in his favor at this point in the contest.  Malignaggi however never stopped throwing punches and this made the fight very difficult to score as there were many “Swing rounds” where you could make an argument for either fighter having won a round.  An extremely difficult task for anyone scoring the fight whether they be an unofficial or an official judge. 

Through nine rounds the tempo of the fight had switched to Broner. Although many of the middle rounds were extremely close and hard to score, Broner was able to win those rounds in my estimation due in large part to his ability to consistently find a home for his right hand, mixing in some good body punches and uppercuts on the inside. Malignaggi just didn’t seem to have an answer to avoid Broner’s right hand and Broner’s ability to land the right both as a lead punch and as a precision counter punch proved to be troublesome for the champion. 

Malignaggi appeared to get a bit of a second wind in round ten as he brought the fight to the challenger landing combinations to the body and attempting to land to the head.  As the fight entered the championship rounds,  Malignaggi continued to throw at a high volume and won rounds ten and eleven on my scorecard based on his ability to get his punches off first and ability to bring the fight to Broner.  Broner however was still the fighter dictating the pace and continued to put pressure on Malignaggi. 

Broner seemed to get the better of what was an extremely close twelfth and final round of what ended up being a very competitive fight.  At the end of the twelve round championship bout I had Adrien Broner winning eight rounds to four in rounds or 116-112 in points. 

The basis of my scoring was Malignaggi got off to a really good start and carried the tempo in the first four rounds. From rounds five through ten however although extremely difficult to score Broner landed the harder blows and that turned out to be crucial in the outcome of this fight.

The official result of a split decision was not surprising.  Frankly although I feel Broner controlled the tempo of the fight from the fifth round on, it was still a very close fight and a split decision either way or a draw would not have surprised me.  Judges Glenn Feldman and Tom Miller turned in scores of 115-113 or seven rounds to five splitting for each fighter while Judge Tom Schreck turned in a score of 117-111 or nine rounds to three for Adrien Broner making him the new Welterweight world champion.

In all truth and honesty although there is likely some anger directed at Tom Schreck for turning in a final score that differed from the other two official judges it again boils down to what a judge looks for in their criteria in how they score.  In this fight although it goes without saying that Paul Malignaggi was the more active of the two fighters landing 214 of 843 punches thrown to Broner’s 246 of 524 punches thrown according to CompuBox it isn’t always about who is the more active fighter that determines who wins a decision. 

Adrien Broner’s defense was outstanding in this fight coupled with his ability to be accurate when he did throw landing 47% of his total punches to Malignaggi’s 25% according to CompuBox statistics. What won this fight for Adrien Broner was his defense and accuracy when he did let his hands go. The difference in power and how Broner’s punches affected Malignaggi throughout is also something that can play a factor in the scoring. It is important to note however that the official judges do not have access to CompuBox statistics while they are scoring a fight. 

Sometimes statistics don’t tell the whole story of what goes on during the course of a Boxing match. In this case when you view the fight round by round you can see both sides of an argument as to who won this fight. 

For his part Paul Malignaggi expressed his anger toward Judge Tom Schreck’s scorecard after the fight in a post-fight interview with Jim Gray stating quote “ Tom Schreck is a New York Judge that is in Al Haymon’s (Broner’s Manager) pocket. 117-111 is a disgrace. I'm not saying it was fixed but the politically more-connected fighter always gets the close decision." 

Although I have a much respect for Paul Malignaggi both as a fighter and as a Boxing analyst I can not say that I personally feel that the element of politics played a role in Tom Schreck’s scoring.  Obviously no one other than Judge Tom Schreck can explain his scoring of the fight however there were a lot of “Swing rounds” in this fight and a difference in scoring and of opinion as to who won is not far fetched. 

Malignaggi’s anger however is certainly understandable.  He believes that one judge got it entirely wrong, however once he watches the fight he may see what many saw that there were numerous “Swing rounds.” For example; the fourth round  Malignaggi came out and I believe won the first two minutes of the round however Broner finished the round landing the heavier punches and although he did not land as many punches as Malignaggi, he landed at a higher percentage.  This round easily could have been scored either way including even.

Many have already criticized Adrien Broner for not meeting expectations of success that he has had in lower weight classes.  Let’s not forget this was Broner’s first fight in the Welterweight division and he fought not only a champion in Paul Malignaggi but a crafty, ring savvy, veteran.  One may argue that Malignaggi should be considered as this generation’s “Willie Pep”, and this observer agrees.  Nevertheless  Adrien Broner deserved this victory and has established himself as a Welterweight champion.  Broner is only twenty-three years old and has already won three world titles in three different weight classes and is still undefeated at 27-0. 

As far as Paul Malignaggi, he has nothing to be ashamed of and fought a competitive tough fight.  He outworked Broner and if he had been able to land more effectively, the results of the fight may have been different. 

What’s in store for Malignaggi and Broner? These days no one can foresee what’s in either fighter’s future especially when “The Business” of Boxing is involved.  In my book, split decisions are as good a reason as any for a rematch.  The fans enjoyed this one, those of us who covered it enjoyed it, so why not? What do you say guys?

“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

Stevenson KO’s Dawson: A Star Is Born

Three-time Light-Heavyweight World champion Chad Dawson has been one of the cornerstones of the Light-Heavyweight division for much of the last decade.  Having engaged in battles with the likes of future Hall of Famers Tomasz Adamek, Glen Johnson, Antonio Tarver, and most recently Bernard Hopkins, Dawson has emerged as one of the elite fighters of the division and one might argue a player in the sport’s mythical pound for pound ratings.

After a grueling and rough fight in his rematch with Bernard Hopkins, Dawson made what some would say was a curious choice by electing to drop down from the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division to the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division to challenge the undefeated Super-Middleweight champion and division kingpin Andre Ward for his title on September 8^th of last year. 

In that fight Ward dominated Dawson with crisp combinations, knocking the WBC Light-Heavyweight champion down three times in route to a tenth round technical knockout as Dawson informed Referee Steve Smoger that he did not want to continue.  Ward’s speed and skill were simply too much for Dawson on that evening. Some may speculate that Dawson’s performance in that fight could have been the result of over training and Dawson himself said that he struggled to make weight prior to the fight. This observer however believes that Dawson simply had a bad night at the office against a fighter in Andre Ward who was simply that good and too much for Dawson. 

Following nearly a year of inactivity Dawson returned to the ring on June 8^th to defend his WBC Light-Heavyweight world title against contender and knockout artist Adonis Stevenson. The fight took place in Stevenson’s hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Stevenson who was previously ranked number one in the world by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) in the Super-Middleweight division entered the fight with Dawson with an impressive record of 20-1, with 17 Knockouts having a career knockout percentage of over 80%.  Stevenson’s lone defeat as a professional came in 2010 when he was stopped by veteran contender Darnell Boone.  Since that loss Stevenson was able to score seven consecutive knockouts including avenging his loss to Boone in his last fight prior to meeting Dawson. 

This was an intriguing fight because you had the aggressive come forward pressure style of Stevenson against Dawson who has hand speed and the ability to be elusive. Dawson however had shown a willingness to stand and trade with his opponents, most notably in his first fight with Glen Johnson in 2008.  It was interesting to see how Dawson, coming off a knockout loss, the first of his career would take on a fighter who can end it with one punch at any given time.  Stevenson also had been extended to a twelve round distance only once in his career when he scored a twelfth round stoppage of Super-Middleweight contender Don George in October of last year.   Despite his impressive and intimidating career Knockout percentage Stevenson was stepping up not only in weight class but also, in quality of opposition in this fight against Dawson.  Questions of “Is it too much, too soon? “ or, “Can he handle the magnitude of the event?” were only natural that a fighter challenging for a world title for the first time in his career would have to answer.  It was also interesting in the eyes of this observer to see if Dawson could use his experience to nullify Stevenson’s pressure and punching power to extend the fight into the later rounds.

Stevenson however had other plans…  The fight came to a sudden and dramatic conclusion before it could really get started. Stevenson landed a beautiful left cross on the side of Dawson’s head sending him down to the canvas.  Dawson gamely made it to his feet however was very wobbly and incoherent prompting Referee Michael Griffin to stop the fight just seventy-six seconds into the first round. 

Some may question the stoppage and will likely say that Chad Dawson deserved the benefit of the doubt and should have been allowed to continue.  For those who question the stoppage of this fight allow me to present a little historical perspective and a quite similar scenario that may clear up any confusion as to why Griffin ended the contest.

On July 21, 1989 Mike Tyson then the undisputed, undefeated and perceived as invincible Heavyweight champion of the world defended his crown against longtime top contender Carl “The Truth” Williams in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Williams who had previously fought for a version of the Heavyweight title losing a highly disputed decision to Larry Holmes in 1985 was knocked down by Tyson with a perfectly timed counter left hook that landed flush on  the jaw midway through the first round. Williams arose from the knockdown on wobbly legs, incoherent and unable to respond to Referee Randy Neumann which forced Neumann to stop the contest just ninety-three seconds into the fight. Many questioned the decision of Referee Randy Neumann.  The basis of some of the criticism of the stoppage was that Williams had been knocked down seven times previously in his career before getting in the ring to challenge Mike Tyson. 

Williams was floored twice in his fight with James “Quick” Tillis in 1984, floored twice in his fight with Jesse Ferguson in 1986, and stopped after being knocked down three times by former Heavyweight champion Mike Weaver that same year.  Williams was able to recover in his fights with Tillis and Ferguson to win both bouts.  On this basis some including Williams himself believed that he should have been allowed to continue. 

Neumann however provided as legitimate an explanation as you could ask of a Referee following the stoppage. Neumann stated that Williams wasn’t standing upright and was leaning on the ropes, and he could not respond to Neumann when he asked Williams “How do you feel?” After getting up from the knockdown, Neumann also stated that Williams’ eyes were in his words “Blank.”  It was as good of an explanation and justification that anyone could ask for from one of the best referees in the sport. 

Twenty-four years later Dawson-Stevenson ended under near identical circumstances.  As Referee Randy Neumann provided a legitimate explanation twenty-four years ago, so too did Referee Michael Griffin after his stoppage of Dawson vs. Stevenson Griffin stated that he wanted to give Dawson every chance he could to continue but he did not respond and he did not have his legs.

Although some may be angry at the stoppage of this fight Michael Griffin’s explanation is really all you can ask for.  As I have said many times over the years, in Boxing anything can happen at any given time and that is what makes our sport so great. Simply put, one punch can end a fight at any time. 

With the win Adonis Stevenson has legitimately emerged as a new star in the sport of Boxing in winning the WBC World Light-Heavyweight championship in devastating fashion. Stevenson has several options on the table in both the Light-Heavyweight division and the Super-Middleweight division.  Stevenson for his part called out former Dawson opponents in  IBF Light-Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins and Super-Middleweight champion Andre Ward for potential fights.  In the immediate future however it may be more likely that Stevenson will make the first defense of his world title against current World Boxing Council (WBC) number one Light-Heavyweight contender Tony Bellew of England.

As for Dawson although there is likely anger from fans, Dawson, and his camp over the stoppage one might argue that by stopping the fight when he did Referee Michael Griffin in all likelihood saved Chad Dawson from being seriously hurt.   It is an old saying that this observer firmly believes in “It is better to come back and fight another day than potentially risk permanent damage.”  Although some may say that Dawson should retire after suffering back to back knockout losses, this observer believes that Dawson after a long tenure at or near the top of the Light-Heavyweight division, having fought the best fighters in the division, that he has earned the chance to have a long rest to allow his body to recuperate. It is possible that the drop down in weight to fight Andre Ward as well as going back up in weight to fight Adonis Stevenson may have taken a lot out of Dawson. Let’s not forget twelve years of wear and tear totaling thirty-six professional fights including two no contests would be a lot for any athlete to overcome. Dawson is still a force to be reckoned with in Professional Boxing and he deserves this time to fully evaluate his options before making any decisions.

Although criticism of the stoppage will probably continue for a time in some circles this observer would like to simply say to Referee Michael Griffin “Job well done.”

“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