Update:

We here at The Boxing Truth ® would like to let our readers know that a preview of the Deontay Wilder- Johann Duhaupas WBC World Heavyweight championship fight is currently in the works and will be released on Tuesday, September 22nd.  Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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Thoughts On The Mayweather-Berto PPV Fallout

Much of the discussion regarding the sport of Boxing this week has centered on topics concerning Floyd Mayweather. The first topic of course has been about Floyd Mayweather’s dominant victory in his bout against former two-time world champion Andre Berto on September 12th. A fight, which Mayweather insists was his last.

The second topic has centered on the estimates of how many pay-per-view buys the Mayweather-Berto bout generated. According to several media outlets including Yahoo Sports the pay-per-view broadcast, which was priced at $75 for the high definition broadcast and $65 for the standard definition feed only generated between 400,000-550,000 total buys.

Some readers may recall when the Mayweather-Berto fight was officially announced in August that although this observer was not surprised that the fight would be broadcast on pay-per-view, I was somewhat critical of the decision due in large part to the success and increasing popularity of the Premier Boxing Champions series. I stated that it was my opinion an opportunity was missed by CBS/Showtime to give the American public a chance to see the best pound for pound fighter in the world without a pay-per-view price tag as well as what would likely be a guaranteed ratings winner for CBS by putting the bout and its undercard on pay-per-view as opposed to CBS as was rumored in the weeks prior to the fight being officially announced.

What seemed to be overshadowed by both the Mayweather-Berto fight itself as well as the criticism surrounding the decision to put the fight on pay-per-view was an undercard that was quite frankly very solid. The broadcast featured three well-matched competitive bouts including two world championship fights.  A Jr. Lightweight bout between former Featherweight world champion Jhonny Gonzalez and top Featherweight contender Jonathan Oquendo set the tone for what would end up being an undercard of close battles.

After trading knockdowns in the first two rounds, Gonzalez and Oquendo engaged in a hard-fought battle where Oquendo ultimately would earn a ten round split decision in a fight that this observer unofficially scored a draw. A lot of the rounds in this fight were very close and as the bout progressed, I felt Oquendo seemed to outwork Gonzalez. Gonzalez however, seemed to get a second wind in the later rounds and was able to make the fight close when it appeared that Oquendo was starting to build a lead on the scorecards. It was an entertaining battle that one might argue could see a rematch between the two in the future.

The same can easily be said about the other two fights that took place before Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto entered the ring. In a clash for the WBC Super-Middleweight world championship champion Badou Jack in his first title defense scored a hard-fought twelve round split decision over multi-time world title challenger George Groves. Groves was able to survive a knockdown in the first round and to his credit made the fight close due to his ability to work behind a consistent jab and his being the busier of the two fighters. Jack however, was able to win this fight in the eyes of this observer based on his effective body punching down the stretch as I unofficially scored in 8-4 in rounds or 116-112 in his favor.

As was the case in the Gonzalez-Oquendo fight, there was some difference of opinion as to who won this fight as one judge felt Groves had done enough to win the fight by only one point. The two other official judges felt that Jack had won the fight by margins of three points and five points on their respective scorecards giving Jack the victory.

The co-main event on the Mayweather-Berto card featured a rematch for the WBO world Jr. Lightweight championship between world champion Roman Martinez and former champion Orlando Salido. The fight was a rematch from a competitive battle earlier this year where Martinez scored a unanimous decision to win the title from Salido. The second encounter between the two did not disappoint.

It was a battle of Martinez’ ability to use lateral movement and quick hands versus Saldio’s constant pressure and body punching. The two fighters traded knockdowns in the third round and traded momentum right up until the final bell in a fight that this observer felt Salido deserved the decision based on how effective he was in getting to the body of Martinez as I unofficially scored the fight 9-3 in rounds or 117-111 in points.

Although my unofficial score may give the appearance of the fight being lopsided in favor of Salido, in reality if one watches the fight round by round as fights are scored on a round by round basis, this fight was very close where I simply felt Salido was able to be more effective than Martinez. It was no surprise to see this fight end in a split decision draw, which theoretically could set up a third encounter between the two. The first two battles between Martinez and Salido will likely be in the running for 2015 fight of the year honors and if a third encounter between the two does take place in the future, I believe it would be a fight that would be welcomed by Boxing fans and experts alike.

Unfortunately, it appears based on the estimates of official pay-per-view buys for this card that what ultimately was an exceptional undercard of what appeared to be well-matched battles prior to the card, was not enough to convince consumers to spend their money on this card. Whether the reason for that has to do with consumers feeling dissatisfied following Floyd Mayweather’s fight against Manny Pacquiao earlier this year, a fight that many felt they did not get their money’s worth, or the trend of the sport beginning to be featured more prominently across broadcast and cable television as part of the Premier Boxing Champions series is a subject for debate. Whether or not an official figure will be released regarding how many pay-per-view buys this card generated will be released remains to be seen.

In the eyes of this observer however, I believe that what will likely be viewed as a financial failure for CBS/Showtime by putting this fight card on pay-per-view would have been more positively received and a ratings winner for CBS had this card taken place under the Premier Boxing Champions banner. As much as I felt it would be a shame as I stated when Mayweather-Berto was officially announced if what could be Mayweather’s swansong and the end to a great career was largely rejected by Boxing fans, which ultimately proved to be the case, it is perhaps a bigger shame that Boxing fans, who did not buy the card on pay-per-view missed out on a very entertaining undercard that in this observer’s view gave those who purchased the card  their money’s worth, regardless of how one might feel about the main event.

“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

Premier Boxing Champions 9/15/2015 Results

Undefeated Welterweight prospect Sammy Vasquez scored an impressive fifth round stoppage over veteran contender Jose Lopez on Tuesday night at the California University of Pennsylvania Convocation Center in California, PA. This fight was controlled from the outset by Vasquez’ ability to use a consistent jab from the southpaw stance to set up opportunities to land short combinations. Vasquez’ use of angles and lateral movement were also key components to his success in this fight.

Lopez seemed unable to find an answer that would nullify Vasquez’ rhythm as this fight progressed. Although Vasquez stood at a distance where he was willing to engage, Lopez simply could not land consistently with his offense and periodically walked into counter punches. As the fight progressed Vasquez continued to have success in landing punches with both hands often in combination.

It was a combination from Vasquez that would knock Lopez down to the canvas early in round five. Vasquez appeared to believe that the fight was over as he began celebrating when in fact Lopez had gotten up from the knockdown at the count of nine. After being told by Referee Gary Rosato that the fight was continuing, Vasquez dropped Lopez for the second time with another combination prompting Rosato to stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 1:08 of round five.

Sammy Vasquez advances to 20-0, with 14 Knockouts. Jose Lopez falls to 25-4-1, with 15 Knockouts.

In a Jr. Lightweight bout undefeated contender Omar Douglas scored a one-sided ten round unanimous decision over Braulio Santos. Douglas was able to score knockdowns of Santos in rounds one and two and won almost every round on the official scorecards. Official scores were 96-90, 99-87, and 97-89 all in favor of Douglas. Omar Douglas advances to 15-0, with 11 Knockouts. Braulio Santos falls to 12-2, with 10 Knockouts.

In other bouts:

In the Jr. Welterweight division undefeated prospect Milton Santiago (12-0, 2 with Knockouts) scored a six round unanimous decision over Alvaro Ortiz (40-18-3, with 24 Knockouts.) Official scores were 60-54 (on all three scorecards) in favor of Santiago.

Also in the Jr. Welterweight division, longtime Jr. Lightweight and Lightweight contender Monty Meza-Clay (37-5, with 22 Knockouts) scored a six round unanimous decision over Jesus Angulo (5-8, with 4 Knockouts) in his debut in the Jr. Welterweight division. Official scores for this bout are not available as of this writing.

In the Heavyweight division Stephen Shaw (5-0, with 4 Knockouts) scored a first round knockout over Randy Easton (3-8-1, with 3 Knockouts.) Official time of the stoppage was : 39 of round one.

Also in the Heavyweight division, veteran Jason Bergman (25-11-2, with 16 Knockouts) scored a six round unanimous decision over Jerry Butler (9-12-1, with 9 Knockouts). Official scores were 60-54 (on all three scorecards) in favor of Bergman.

In the Jr. Middleweight division Amonte Eberhart (3-0, with 1 Knockout) scored a four round unanimous decision over Erik Spring (6-1, with 1 Knockout). Official scores for this bout are not available as of this writing.

A scheduled Super-Middleweight bout between Immanuwel Aleem (13-0, with 9 Knockouts) and Oscar Riojas (9-2, with 3 Knockouts) as well as a scheduled Jr. Featherweight fight between Stephen Fulton (6-0, with 3 Knockouts) and Sam Rodriguez (3-0, with 3 Knockouts) did not take place. All four fighters officially weighed in for their respective bouts on Monday, but there is no word as of this writing as to why those fights were scratched.

This edition of the Premier Boxing Champions series did future two rising prospects in Sammy Vasquez and Omar Douglas who are at similar stages in their careers. Both fighters looked very impressive in their respective bouts on this card against two “Game”, but over matched opponents.

In regard to Vasquez, who is currently rated number fourteen in the world by the World Boxing Council (WBC), it will be interesting to see how he will figure in to what is an extremely deep Welterweight division that is heading toward a period of transition following the retirement of Floyd Mayweather. Vasquez, in this observer’s opinion does have the style and skills that could make him a player in the division for years to come. It will be interesting to see who he is matched up against in his next fight.

As for Omar Douglas, he may be nearing an opportunity at a world title at some point in the near future. Douglas, who is rated number ten in the world by the World Boxing Association (WBA) in its Jr. Lightweight ratings, could be in position to challenge either WBA world champion Takashi Uchiyama or Javier Fortuna, who holds interim/regular champion status in the WBA ratings down the road.  As has been the case over the years, anyone ranked in the top ten by the WBA in any division could be one fight a way from either challenging a world champion or a fighter who holds interim/regular status in a given weight class. It may simply boil down to when the opportunity may be available for Douglas.

It is clear however, that both Vasquez and Douglas have established themselves as fighters to watch in the future. As both fighters continue their rise up the ranks, it would not surprise this observer to see both continue to be featured as part of the Premier Boxing Champions series.

“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

 

Will Mayweather Fight Again?

The fight between undefeated multi-division world champion Floyd Mayweather and former two-division world champion Andre Berto on September 12th did not have one may argue the feeling or anticipation of a “Big Fight.” There were many who chose to criticize and/or outright ridicule Mayweather for choosing to defend his unified WBC/WBA Welterweight world championship against a fighter in Berto, who had gone 2-2 in his previous four fights prior to this encounter.

Mayweather-Berto however, did have one intriguing storyline. The potential of the fight being the final time that Floyd Mayweather would enter the ring as a fighter. For a fighter that has been so dominant throughout his career, this was perhaps one of the best performances of Mayweather’s career.

For twelve rounds, Floyd Mayweather simply put on a Boxing clinic. Mayweather consistently beat Berto to the punch, picked his shots, and dictated how the fight was fought from start to finish. Every facet of what has made Floyd Mayweather a dominant fighter and one, whose style has befuddled almost every opponent he has faced was on full display in this fight. Mayweather’s hand speed, accurate punching, and solid defense was the story of the bout. An example of Mayweather’s dominance in this fight was demonstrated in the total punch stats at the end of the bout. 

Mayweather is one of the most accurate offensive fighters in the sport and usually lands close to or exactly half of his total punches in his fights. This fight was no exception as Mayweather landed 232 of 410 punches thrown for a total connect percentage of 56%. As impressive as that statistic is, Mayweather complements his accurate offense with superb defense and in this fight his defense was equally as impressive as his offensive output. Andre Berto was the more active of the two fighters out throwing Mayweather by eighty-five punches, but was only able to land 83 out of 495 punches thrown for a total connect percentage of 16%. Berto simply had the same problem that most Mayweather opponents have had. He simply could not find a way to land on an elusive fighter for extended periods of time.

It was a fight that did not have any drama or any questions as to who won the fight at the bout’s conclusion. As has been the case throughout his entire career, Mayweather used his Boxing IQ and attributes to box his way to a convincing twelve round unanimous decision. Although this fight ultimately ended up being a virtual exhibition, it was an example of a master of the “Science” that is Boxing putting on quite frankly a “Flawless” performance.

Immediately following the fight Mayweather announced his retirement saying that he simply had nothing left to prove. The win over Berto advanced Mayweather’s record to 49-0, with 26 Knockouts. The question is will Floyd Mayweather stay retired? Mayweather certainly still possesses his skills and it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could change his mind at some point in the future. After all, many fighters have retired only to make a comeback. Mayweather himself has retired once before.

Some may remember following his victory over Ricky Hatton in December 2007, Mayweather announced his retirement in June 2008. Mayweather would not stay retired long and made a comeback in September 2009 scoring a twelve round unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez.

Despite a near two-year layoff, Mayweather’s skills did not diminish and it was not long before he reclaimed his standing as the fighter most consider the best pound for pound in the world. Although this observer agrees with Mayweather that after winning world titles from the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division up to the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division that he does not have to continue to prove his standing as a great fighter, as I said prior to his fight with Andre Berto, I am not too sure that the Boxing world has seen the last of Floyd Mayweather as a fighter.

As I said prior to the fight Mayweather makes millions of dollars each time he enters the ring and there may be some who might say that as long as Mayweather can fight without suffering the wear and tear that comes with a long career as a fighter, why not continue? As Mayweather said following his victory over Berto however, “You’ve got to know when to hang it up.” It is certainly understandable at thirty-eight years old being seemingly financially secure and with other ventures in the sport as a promoter that Mayweather would rather go out on top as opposed to possibly contending with an opponent that few fighters and athletes in general have been able to dodge “Father Time.”

It is understandable that a fighter who has secured his future outside the ring after achieving virtually every goal he set out for himself as a fighter would want to leave the sport with all of his faculties intact. The history of the sport of Boxing is unfortunately full of stories of great fighters who either stayed in the sport for too long as active fighters and/or were forced out of retirement for various reasons who no longer possessed the skills that made them great at their peak by the end of their careers. At this point Floyd Mayweather is not in a position where he would be forced out of retirement and clearly does not want to stay active as a fighter even though he is still at the top of his game.

Regardless of what one’s opinion might be of Floyd Mayweather if he does stick to his word and does not return to the ring in the future it is something that should be applauded. After all, many fighters do not have the option to leave the sport on their own terms and if Mayweather does stick to his word it may set an example for younger fighters as to how to make sure they are secure financially and otherwise and how to take a strategic approach in how they want to end their careers.

If this is indeed the end for Floyd Mayweather it will be interesting to see where he will rank among the all-time greats of the sport. Although Mayweather’s style is one that is not always crowd-pleasing as this observer has frequently said over the years, as a fighter he is as good and as skilled as they come. The objective of the sport after all is to hit and not get hit. Mayweather has mastered this objective and it is hard to argue his standing as an all-time great of the sport after winning world championships in five different weight classes and going undefeated in forty-nine professional fights.

 The true test will be whether or not Mayweather will stay retired. Although there is nothing left for him to prove in this observer’s eyes, there is always a possibility of what would be a third chapter in the career of Floyd Mayweather at some point in the future.

The decision of whether to fight again will ultimately be made by Mayweather himself. If this is the end of the road for a great fighter and champion, this observer would like to simply say… Congratulations on a great career Floyd.

“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