New Year! New Champion? New Controversy!

The year 2013 provided much excitement and intrigue for the sport of Boxing and there is no doubt that as we enter 2014 that the sport has significant momentum to build on. Of course many fans have questioned what may transpire in the sport in the new year in regard to potential fights that might take place, prospects, and contenders who may rise to a higher level. Following what was a stellar year for the sport this observer has a very optimistic outlook for 2014 and was very much looking forward to the first world championship fight of the year between IBF Jr. Lightweight world champion Argenis Mendez and undefeated number one contender Rances Barthelemy which took place on January 3rd at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Barthelemy, who went into the fight with Mendez unbeaten in nineteen professional fights winning twelve of those bouts by knockout was a prospect turned contender who was looking to advance to the next level of the sport. Barthelemy began 2013 with a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision over top contender Arash Usmanee in a fight that some observers felt should have gone the other way. Barthelemy followed that victory with a second round knockout over contender Fahsai Sakkreerin to become the number one contender in the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) Jr. Lightweight ratings.

A question that all fighters eventually have to answer is how they will perform as they step up in caliber of opposition. For Barthelemy that question would be answered when he stepped in the ring to challenge champion Argenis Mendez. Mendez, who won the title in March of last year scoring a fourth round knockout in his second fight against Juan Carlos Salgado entered into his fight with Barthelemy following a majority draw in his first title defense in his last fight against Arash Usmanee last August.

When the fight got underway Barthelemy used his physical strength to get the upper hand on Mendez as he was able to back the champion up by using his jab to set off combinations in the early going. Barthelemy would drop Mendez in the second round with a barrage of punches highlighted by a left hook. It was what happened after Mendez arose from the knockdown however, that would leave this fight marred in controversy. Mendez was knocked down with a little more than fifteen seconds remaining in the round, after getting up from the knockdown and subsequently being allowed to continue by Referee Pete Podgorski the champion would be knocked down for a second time as a result of a combination from Barthelemy as the bell rang to end the round.

Mendez hit his head hard on the canvas and was subsequently counted out by Podgorski.  What makes the ending of this fight controversial is the fact that the bell rang twice each with a single ding about a second apart from each other. The element of controversy is that the champion was not going down until after the bell rang for a second time. This now raises the question of whether or not Barthelemy’s knockout of Mendez was in fact legal.

Although some may be tempted to point the finger of blame in the direction of Rances Barthelemy for landing punches after the bell that subsequently knocked his opponent out, Barthelemy was after all in the process of throwing a combination prior to the bell ringing for the first time. A fighter should not be blamed for something that was not done in malice or deliberately after the bell had rung as Barthelemy was already in motion. I believe had Barthelemy thrown the knockout punch deliberately after the bell, he likely would have been disqualified.  It is the job of the referee to step in and break the action when a round ends. Referee Pete Podgorski was out of position at the time that the bell rang as he was behind Barthelemy and in no position to step in before the subsequent blows that knocked Mendez out landed. The question here at least in this observer’s eyes is whether or not the knockout was in fact legal?

A few things to consider here are whether or not Podgorski was aware of how much time was remaining in the round and whether or not he heard the bell ring either time? The official time of the stoppage was 2:59 of round two one second before the round was to conclude. The bell however, rang singularly twice within a second of each other. Is it possible that the timekeeper rang the bell early? Should the bell have been rung more than singularly and louder in order to ensure that the referee and both fighters heard it ring? These are all relevant questions and could certainly play a factor in the near future as it is likely that the camp of Argenis Mendez will file an official protest of the official knockout loss and that of his world championship with both the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the Minnesota Boxing Commission.

When I saw the knockout and the circumstances of the stoppage of this fight take place thoughts immediately came to mind of another world championship fight that ended under similar controversial circumstances. Many historians likely remember the WBA Welterweight world championship fight between champion Marlon Starling and number one contender Tomas Molinares which took place on July 29, 1988 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

In a fight that the champion Starling was ahead on the scorecards Molinares brought the fight to a sudden and dramatic conclusion when he landed a right hand after the bell ending round six that knocked Starling down. Referee Joe Cortez much like Referee Pete Podgorski counted Starling out and later contended in a post-fight interview that it was his view that Molinares was in the process of throwing the punch as the bell rang as his explanation as to why he counted the knockdown as legal.

Despite the opinion of Cortez, the result of the bout an official knockout win for Tomas Molinares was changed to a no contest by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) nearly two weeks following the fight.  Despite the ruling by the NJSACB, the World Boxing Association (WBA) chose to recognize Molinares as it’s Welterweight world champion, although Molinares would abandon the title later that year having never defended it. No rematch between Molinares and Starling ever took place. Starling would regain a portion of the World Welterweight title when he stopped WBC champion Lloyd Honeyghan in February of 1989. Molinares would fight only twice following his fight with Starling, losing both fights by knockout in 1989 each to lesser known opposition before ultimately retiring.

If one were to look at the Starling-Molinares controversy as something of historical precedent in relation to the ending of the Mendez-Barthelemy fight other than for the similarity in how both fights ended, you can also conclude that even the best referees can make mistakes. Joe Cortez was rightfully regarded as one of the best referees in the sport during his career that spanned thirty-five years. In this instance videotape replays clearly showed that the right hand by Molinares that knocked Starling down landed after the bell. Quite frankly although Cortez made a mistake, the punch landed at most two seconds after the bell had rung and it is understandable how a mistake can be made. It is important to remember that referees and timekeepers are human and mistakes can happen.

Although some fans may be of the opinion that Rances Barthelemy was on his way to a convincing victory over Argenis Mendez anyway and may believe that this controversy is all academic, it is up to both the International Boxing Federation and the Minnesota Boxing Commission to review this fight and make a decision based on rules and regulations and not assumptions as to what may or may not have happened had this fight continued with no controversy. Although Barthelemy was clearly in control of this fight at the time of the stoppage, Argenis Mendez does deserve to have his protest, should one be filed heard.

Even though there may be fans who are split in their opinion as to what they think should happen here, this observer believes that the fairest recourse for all involved would be for the IBF to mandate an immediate rematch between the two. If the IBF and the Minnesota Boxing Commission both render this bout a no contest after a review; Argenis Mendez one could assume would be reinstated as IBF Jr. Lightweight world champion. Should this ultimately be the case, Barthelemy should maintain his position as number one contender. 

The sport of Boxing has indeed benefited from the previous year and I am sure that will continue now that 2014 has begun. One might also argue that the sport has also benefited from the element of controversy throughout it’s history. Although controversy can indeed create interest and generate discussion, too much of anything is no good and controversy is no different. It is up to those who regulate the sport to ensure that those who compete in it receive a fair shake at all times and to see that any controversial outcomes that may arise are addressed in a timely manner. Does the sport overall need improvement? Absolutely… For now however, it is my hope that this latest controversy will be resolved as quickly as possible.

“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 

A Look At The Heavyweight Division Heading Into 2014

As the end of 2013 draws near, a question that many fans and experts alike will have going into 2014 is what may happen to the Heavyweight division? The  question has gained more prominence due in large part to the recent announcement that WBC Heavyweight world champion Vitali Klitschko has relinquished his portion of the World Heavyweight Championship and has been named champion emeritus by the World Boxing Council (WBC). Most probably saw this as a formality as it has been common knowledge to many fans that Vitali Klitschko has had his sights set on running for the presidency of Ukraine for some time.

In short, Klitschko’s “Emeritus” status basically gives him the right to challenge the WBC world champion in the Heavyweight division if at some point in the future he opts to resume what has been a stellar career. Klitschko’s decision to relinquish his title however, has for the time being, broken at least in part the dominance of what this observer has often called “The Two-Headed Heavyweight Championship Monster” known as the Klitschko brothers.

For the first time since Vitali regained the WBC championship in 2008 by stopping Sam Peter, the World Heavyweight Championship will not be exclusively controlled by the Klitschko brothers. An interesting question however, will be who will step in and fill the vacancy of the WBC championship. The WBC has announced that it has ordered immediate open negotiations for a rematch to take place between it’s two top contenders Bermane Stiverne and Chris Arreola to determine a new WBC champion in the Heavyweight division.  When Stiverne and Arreola met in April of this year, it was Stiverne who outworked Arreola in route to winning a twelve round unanimous decision.

Some might argue that Stiverne defeated Arreola in convincing fashion and would question why a rematch would be warranted. For purposes of the subject of the WBC championship, Stiverne and Arreola are ranked number one and two respectfully in the WBC’s Heavyweight ratings. Although the purpose of the encounter between the two earlier this year was to determine a mandatory challenger for Vitali Klitschko, despite what some may feel was a convincing win for Stiverne, circumstances have now changed.

It is also important to remember that despite the loss to Stiverne, Chris Arreola is still a legitimate contender and has been a top contender in the Heavyweight division for several years. Arreola rebounded from the loss in September by scoring a first round knockout over Seth Mitchell in devastating fashion. Arreola deserves an opportunity to not only see if he can avenge his loss to Stiverne, but also fight for the WBC world championship for the second time in his career after previously coming up short against Vitali Klitschko in September of 2009.

At least in the short-term this would seem to answer the question of who will be in position to fill the vacancy of the WBC Heavyweight world championship. On a wider scale however, a more compelling question might be what will happen in the long-term future of the Heavyweight division? It is logical for one to assume that whomever should emerge as WBC champion that it will set in motion an inevitable collision course with unified IBF/WBO/WBA/IBO world champion Wladimir Klitschko, the man who now should be viewed as the number one fighter in the division now that his brother has for the moment put his Boxing career on hold.

Although there are many who do not fully appreciate the magnitude of both brothers’ skills and dominance in their era atop the division, the statistics don’t lie. Both have had multiple reigns as Heavyweight champion, both have had reigns that stretched out over significant periods of time. In their most recent reigns, Vitali was able to successfully defend his title nine times while Wladimir has thus far made fifteen successful defenses of his title. In regard to Wladimir he is approaching joining an exclusive group. Only two men have had more successful defenses in their respective reigns as Heavyweight champion, Larry Holmes who had twenty successful title defenses and Joe Louis who had twenty-five successful defenses. As Wladimir continues to defend his title it is only natural that his name will be brought up more and more in association with both Holmes and Louis.

It goes without saying however, that the Klitschko era of the Heavyweight division will conclude one day. Most are probably of the opinion that like Vitali, Wladimir will likely retire on top as champion. Although it is hard to argue against such an opinion based on each of their dominance as champions, there is the possibility that someone might come along who may be able to dethrone Wladimir. Wladimir is thirty-seven years old and Vitali is forty-two years old.

One thing all boxers must face at some point regardless of how successful and dominant they might be in addition to facing opponents standing across the ring from them is facing an opponent that most have not been able to beat, father time. There have been exceptions that have beaten the odds, examples being George Foreman who regained the Heavyweight championship at age forty-five and current IBF Light-Heavyweight world champion Bernard Hopkins who is still at the top of his game as he nears his forty-ninth birthday. Wladimir Klitschko could well be another exception. Despite some early setbacks in his career, he has established himself along with his brother as an all-time great and since regaining a portion of the World Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and successfully unifying it no one has come close to defeating him.

Although it is logical to assume an eventual showdown between Wladimir and whomever should emerge as WBC champion to determine an “Undisputed” World Heavyweight champion, there are other fighters waiting in the wings. In terms of the immediate future, Wladimir has two mandatory defenses of his unified title in his sights of his IBF and WBO crowns against undefeated IBF number one contender Kubrat Pulev, with the winner of that fight to presumably face WBO number one contender Alex Leapai. As of this writing there is no scheduled date for a fight between Klitschko and Pulev, nor is there a mandatory challenger in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings after Klitschko successfully defeated longtime WBA mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin in October.

Along with Pulev and Leapai there are other contenders who will likely look to challenge the winner of the WBC championship fight between Stiverne and Arreola in hopes of eventually facing Klitschko. A fighter such as the undefeated Deontay Wilder would likely be considered a front-runner to challenge the winner in their first title defense. There are also fighters such as Bryant Jennings, Tyson Fury, Dereck Chisora, Tomasz Adamek, and Mike Perez just to name a few who are also very much in the mix and could find themselves in position to fight either the WBC champion or Wladimir Klitschko at some point.

Whether or not 2014 will be known as the year that one “Undisputed” champion with all world titles available in the Heavyweight division finally emerges remains to be seen. This observer however, believes it is more likely considering the potential for injuries, postponements, and the political elements of the sport that 2014 might be the year that lays the groundwork toward an “Undisputed” champion.

For a division that has been labeled by many to be “boring” in recent years, the Heavyweight division just might be approaching it’s reemergence as a major focal point of the sport. Is that day near? We will have to wait and see, but one thing is certain, it will surely be interesting to see how the current landscape of the division plays out.

“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  

 

Lopez-Arnaoutis Should There Be A Rematch?

One of the things that makes the sport of Boxing unique and great is that a fighter can become a star of the sport in a couple of different ways. Of course the most notable way to most would be for a fighter to win and win impressively. There are however, fighters who have endeared themselves to Boxing fans by the courage they have shown in battle. Sometimes it is not wins and losses that can make a fighter star, but rather how they fight. A fighter who has endeared himself to Boxing fans for the courage he has shown win or lose is Welterweight contender Josesito Lopez.

One might argue that Lopez became a star after defeating former Welterweight world champion Victor Ortiz last year in a grueling back and forth fight where Lopez broke Ortiz’ jaw in route to a ninth round stoppage when Ortiz could not continue. Lopez, who had entered the fight as a substitute opponent, in his first fight in the Welterweight division showed his courage by going toe to toe with Ortiz. In a fight where most felt Ortiz would win, Lopez wound up pulling off a come from behind victory as he was trailing on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

The win over Ortiz not only put Lopez on the map, but off his performance in that fight he was able to secure a title shot against former Jr. Middleweight world champion Saul Alvarez in September of last year. Although Lopez was not a natural Jr. Middleweight, who had never fought in the 147lb. Welterweight division prior to taking on Ortiz, Lopez took on the naturally bigger Alvarez, again with the odds against him. In that fight Alvarez knocked Lopez down in rounds two, three, and four before the bout was stopped in round five. Lopez suffered a beating in that fight, but was quite “Game” and gave a valiant effort in defeat.

In June of this year Lopez engaged in a slugfest against Marcos Maidana in a fight where both fighters had their moments, but ultimately it was Maidana who got the better of Lopez, stopping him in six rounds. Despite having lost two of his last three fights Lopez had clearly established himself as a force to be reckoned with.

When the twenty-nine year old Lopez entered the ring on December 13th for his fight against Mike Arnaoutis in Indio, California, one of the questions that this observer had in mind was what affect if any did Lopez’ previous three fights have on him? It is important to remember that Lopez had engaged in three grueling fights in a short period of time. The physical toll of those battles in such a short span of time can definitely have an affect on a fighter. An argument could have been made however, that Lopez, who entered the fight with a record of 30-6, with 18 Knockouts was not facing a fighter with the type of punching power or, aggressive style as his previous three opponents in Mike Arnaoutis.

Arnaoutis, a long time contender in both the Jr. Welterweight and Welterweight divisions came into his fight with Lopez with a record of 24-9-2, with 11 Knockouts having lost five of his last seven fights. Although having the ability to outbox his opponents having only scored eleven knockouts in his twenty-four wins, some may have been of the opinion that Arnaoutis was now on the downside of his career. For the thirty-four-year-old Arnaoutis however, this fight presented an opportunity to revitalize his career.

It was somewhat surprising to see this fight being fought at a tactical pace in the early going where both fighters were able to be effective. The first two rounds were what could be described as “Swing Rounds” where an argument could easily be made for either fighter having won those rounds. The momentum turned in the closing seconds of round three when Arnaoutis scored a knockdown of Lopez as a result of a jab that caught Lopez off balance where his glove touched the canvas.

Lopez was not hurt by the knockdown, and began round four by stepping up his aggression, but Arnaoutis was also effective in throwing short crisp punches. Despite coming into the fight having lost five of his last seven bouts Arnaoutis is after all a world-class boxer who twice challenged for a world title in his own right. It was clear that Arnaoutis came to fight and was looking to make the most of this opportunity. The round was difficult to score and when it comes to rounds that are “Swing Rounds” it will often boil down to what a judge prefers in their criteria based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense.

From my perspective I had this fight even in rounds at the end of four rounds. Because of the knockdown in round three however, Arnaoutis had a slight edge in points in my opinion. There easily could be a difference of opinion as to who had the edge based on how the early rounds were fought. It was a very competitive fight.

Although Lopez continued to step up his aggression, it was Arnaoutis who as the fight progressed seemed to grow in confidence as he used his jab to set up and throw combinations and held his own in exchanges with Lopez. Even with the knockdown against Lopez in round three, this fight was extremely close.

The momentum appeared to slightly shift in Lopez’ favor in the seventh round as he was able to back Arnaoutis up and land punches to the body and head. Lopez however, did have trouble cutting the ring off from Arnaoutis who was able to use his lateral movement to avoid being trapped on the ropes for long periods of time.

An accidental clash of heads opened a bad cut over the left eye of Arnaoutis midway through round eight, which would ultimately bring this ten round bout to an early ending as following the eighth round Arnaoutis told a ringside physician that he could not see out of his left eye causing the bout to be stopped and the fight would go to the scorecards for a technical decision after eight rounds.

All three judges Fritz Warner, Max DeLuca, and Tom Taylor had Lopez ahead at the time of the stoppage making him the winner by a unanimous technical decision. Although this was a very close fight and was not easy to score, I had Arnaoutis ahead 76-75 at the end of the eighth round. It is certainly understandable however, given how this fight was fought how the three judges could have it the other way and in the case of judges Fritz Warner and Max DeLuca had Lopez ahead 77-74 on their scorecards, in contrast judge Tom Taylor had a scorecard similar to mine, only with a difference of opinion as to who was ahead. It was definitely not the easiest assignment for these judges and they should be given credit for turning in reasonable scorecards.

What’s next for Lopez and Arnaoutis? Well, in this observer’s eyes this fight was very competitive and frankly had a somewhat inconclusive outcome. An outcome that would theoretically leave the door open for a rematch down the line. Whether or not a rematch is in the immediate future is unknown. There are opportunities that could be open to both Lopez and Arnaoutis in a crowded Welterweight division where there are several interesting fights that could be made and certainly a lot of money on the table.

If a rematch is not in the immediate cards for Josesito Lopez, it would be logical in the eyes of this observer to see Lopez potentially face the winner of the upcoming fight between former Welterweight world champions Victor Ortiz and Luis Collazo that is scheduled to take place on January 30, 2014. Either a rematch with Ortiz or a fight with Luis Collazo could prove to be very entertaining.

If however, it is possible for a rematch between Lopez and Arnaoutis to be made this observer believes it should be considered. If nothing else Arnaoutis showed despite appearing that he may be on the downside of his career that he has more fight left in him and gave a good account himself against Lopez. Should there be a rematch? Why not?

“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

  

BKB 2: “Action Packed!”

When the modernized concept of BKB: Bare-Knuckle Boxing was introduced in July by United States satellite television provider DirecTV, this observer had obvious concerns with regard to the fighters safety, but was at the same time intrigued and curious to see what this concept would look like in practice. A concept that involved the use of knuckle exposed Boxing gloves and a circular fighting area known simply as the “BKB pit.”

The BKB pit certainly stands apart from a traditional Boxing ring in that it measures seventeen feet in diameter and 227 square feet making it just over half the size of a traditional 20 x 20 Boxing ring with no ropes or corners. Colored lift gates that signify each fighter’s corner are used to lift and lock the fighters in the pit at the start of each round. The first BKB card provided much excitement and showed that this unique concept had potential to grow.

The second BKB card premiered on December 7th and like the first card was available via pay-per-view exclusively to subscribers of DirecTV. Following what was a successful first card of BKB Boxing, this observer was interested to see if those who promote BKB could capitalize on the momentum of the first card.

The second card which took place at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire featured a total of eight bouts with three championship fights each scheduled for seven two minute rounds in the Lightweight, Welterweight, and Middleweight divisions. The non-championship bouts on this card were each scheduled for five two minute rounds and ranged from the Lightweight division to the Heavyweight division.

As I stated following the first BKB card, the format of BKB specifically the two minute rounds, seems to ensure a quick pace. Due to the size of the BKB pit this type of format does not necessarily favor fighters who like to use a lot of movement in the fighting style. The pit however, is tailor-made for fighters who like to fight on the inside. Because of the two minute rounds fighters tend to let their hands go more quickly from the outset rather than a traditional three minute round where there can be a feeling out process early on. There is also an open scoring format in BKB where official scores are done on the traditional ten-point must system with the scores being announced to the fighters and audience in attendance after each round. From a fan’s perspective this format can be and has thus far proven to be entertaining.

As was the case in the first BKB card the effects of the punches landed was immediately noticeable due to the difference between the BKB knuckle exposed gloves as compared to a traditional Boxing glove. The BKB glove weighing between eight and ten ounces depending on the weight class in which a fight is being fought. This was a slight change from the first BKB card where gloves weighed between five and seven ounces depending on weight class. The questions and concerns that I had prior to the first BKB card with regard to the safety of the fighters were adequately answered by the New Hampshire Boxing and Wrestling Commission. In the opening bout of the second BKB card. a Lightweight bout between Raul Tovar Jr. and Augustine Mauras was stopped after three completed rounds due to cuts suffered by both fighters due to an accidental clash of heads in the first round. In addition to the damage caused by the head butt, both fighters were able to inflict damage on each other thus worsening the cuts. In what was an exciting battle Tovar earned a close technical majority decision after three rounds, essentially defeating Mauras by one point on the deciding scorecard. 

It should not be overlooked especially in light of recent tragedies that have affected the sport of Boxing that although this particular fight was exciting to watch where both fighters had their moments, when the fight should have been stopped, “it was.” All credit to the New Hampshire Commission and Referee Steve Smoger for taking appropriate action and thus ensuring that neither fighter suffered further damage.

Despite the format of BKB giving the appearance to some of a form of Boxing where the sole objective is to stand and trade, resembling more of a fight than actual Boxing, this observer respectfully disagrees. Even though the difference in length of rounds fought in BKB does seem to ensure a quick pace, this does not mean that there is not skill and intelligence involved.

Although the BKB pit seems favorable to an inside fighter’s game, a skilled Boxer can find ways to be effective. This was demonstrated at BKB 2 in a Light-Heavyweight bout between Lekan Byfield and Jason Naugler. Byfield was able to consistently beat Naugler to the punch by consistently using his jab to set off combinations and being able to use lateral movement to turn Naugler in route to a convincing five round unanimous decision. It should be noted that this fight was announced as being a Welterweight contest however, the weights of the fighters 165lbs. and 162lbs. respectfully seem more in line with Naugler’s memorable bout in the first BKB card against Teneal Goyco where the two fighters weighed in at 168lbs. and 169lbs. respectfully. 

 

It is unclear as of this writing whether or not there was a change in how weight classes in BKB are structured, but this observer believes that this was merely an error that went unnoticed. As this observer said following the first BKB card, it goes without saying that whenever there is a new concept or would be new sport put into practice that there is likely to be some confusion early on. This is not necessarily limited to strictly the first event where a new concept/sport is put into practice. In the case of BKB this observer believes that there will be further clarification on not only weight classes, but also the overall structure of the format and rules of BKB on subsequent cards. Simply put the more cards that take place, the more likely there is to be clarification and less confusion. In any event, Byfield’s performance against Naugler should be considered one of the best Boxing performances in the short history of BKB.

Byfield’s performance however, was not the only noteworthy performance that demonstrated Boxing skill at the second installment of BKB. In a fight that one might use the old adage was “fought in a phone booth”, Middleweight Don Mouton was able outwork Jesse Orta over five extremely close rounds fought almost entirely in close. What makes this particularly noteworthy is that Mouton was deducted a point at the completion of the fourth round for a low blow thrown after the bell. Despite the point deduction Mouton’s steady body attack along with scoring a knockdown of Orta in round five, earned a hard fought majority decision.

 Another good example of Boxing skill being implemented in this format was demonstrated by Welterweight Javier Garcia, who scored an impressive second round knockout over Allen Litzau to win the BKB Welterweight championship. Garcia was measured in his attack in this fight and tactically took a seemingly overmatched Litzau out.  

There was no doubt however, that the fight of the night was the bout for the BKB Middleweight championship between Eddie Caminero and longtime Welterweight and Jr. Middleweight contender David Estrada. For seven rounds Caminero and Estrada went toe to toe in an exciting battle which saw plenty of give and take between the two with Caminero earning a hard fought unanimous decision.  

An element of controversy however, would emerge in the main event of this card for the BKB Lightweight championship between Eric Fowler and Bryan Abraham. In the final minute of round three, Fowler dropped Abraham with a right hand. Seconds after Abraham arose from the knockdown Fowler closed the show by landing a vicious right hand which caused Abraham to turn his back causing Referee Dave Greenwood to stop the fight. The stoppage was met with a round of boos from the crowd in attendance. Greenwood’s stoppage however, was appropriate in that Abraham was clearly hurt and had turned his back on his way down. The fighter’s safety should always be the primary concern.

Overall I came away from this card feeling that this concept is growing and has the potential to continue to grow. Although BKB has been advertised as a would be new sport it is another form of Boxing and specifically a more modernized version of the original form of the sport. Some questions that observers may ask is whether or not bouts fought in BKB will eventually be recognized by Boxing record keepers as official professional fights or if BKB is attempting to establish itself as a league of the sport that is a separate entity, although professional fighters such as Javier Garcia, David Estrada, and Jason Gavern have all now competed in bouts under the BKB format and rules? This again will likely be answered in time as further BKB cards take place. This observer however, does wonder whether BKB will eventually be offered universally to multiple cable and satellite providers or if it will remain exclusive to DirecTV.

Following the first BKB card I commented on the position that BKB might be in and how it was not all unlike the position that the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) found itself  in the early 1990’s when it surfaced here in the United States. Unlike Mixed Martial Arts, BKB may not face as much of a struggle for acceptance in the mainstream. Although BKB is clearly still in it’s formative stages the concept does indeed have potential and I can see it growing in time. The only real questions other than whether or not BKB will eventually be recognized as a form of professional Boxing, are is there a plan going forward to stage a certain number of BKB cards per year and whether or not BKB will be able to expand its audience.

For now, the concept of BKB is making progress and this observer is intrigued to see what happens in the future. Although the concept may not be universally known and even though there may be some who do not enjoy the format or see it’s potential, it can grow. After all, the sport of Mixed Martial Arts was not universally accepted when it debuted in the United States. It simply takes time.

“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