The Resurgence Of Bareknuckle Boxing

Over the past five years, readers of The Boxing Truth® have seen a story chronicled from its debut until it’s last installment in August 2015. The story of an innovation in the sport of Boxing known by three simple letters “BKB.” A concept that was developed and nurtured by United States satellite television provider DirecTV that debuted in 2013 as a modernized form of Bareknuckle Boxing.

The concept involved the idea of bringing Boxing back to its origins, but included the introduction of knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves thus modernizing Bareknuckle Boxing from its original form. What was also innovative about the BKB concept was that bouts under the BKB format did not take place in a traditional Boxing ring, but instead were fought in an area known as the “BKB Pit.” A fighting area with no ring ropes that measures seventeen feet in diameter and 227 square feet. Fights under the BKB format were also fought with  two minute round limits and rounds were scheduled for five, seven, and ten rounds respectively.

The first two cards in the history of the BKB concept took place in the state of New Hampshire here in the United States and featured the use of the knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves. After BKB 2 in December 2013, the concept underwent a slight revamp. Gone were the use of the knuckle-exposed gloves and with that change the abbreviation BKB: Bare-Knuckle Boxing was also charged to Big-Knockout Boxing. The use of standard Boxing gloves, the same used in traditional Professional Boxing was introduced while the rest of the BKB format remained the same.

As some readers might remember in my coverage of BKB, I stated that the revamped concept while moving the concept closer to the traditional format of Professional Boxing was a necessary step as it allowed BKB to be regulated in more states and thus allowed a significant hurdle to be cleared in a quicker timeframe than that of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), which was originally introduced as a form of bare knuckle, full contact fighting that was essentially no holds barred with the exception of no biting and eye gouging among other rules. While MMA has always been a popular combat sport from its inception in the early 1990’s on through to present day, the original format of the sport incurred the ire of many politicians and as a result many MMA promoters including the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) faced an uphill battle for several years as far as licensing and regulation were concerned no doubt delaying the overall growth of the sport for several years.

As the sport of MMA gradually evolved over time and gained long overdue acceptance and recognition in the mainstream as a combat sport, so too did the innovative BKB concept with notable professional fighters competing in the BKB Pit and some such as Gabriel Rosado and Jullian Pollard winning BKB world championships. There has not been much announced by BKB or DirecTV however, since BKB’s last event in June 2015. While some may choose to speculate as to the reason or reasons for BKB’s inactivity, this observer will not refer to the BKB concept in past-tense simply because there has been no announcement made of it’s closure or its status as of this writing, but one thing BKB’s inactivity has caused beyond stalling what was growing momentum is it has also taken away potential opportunity for combat sports athletes, specifically those in Boxing and those who compete in several combat sports/martial arts disciplines.

While BKB remains inactive, a form of Professional Boxing has risen from the sport’s origins. A legal form of the original concept of Bareknuckle Boxing. As readers might recall in my initial coverage of BKB’s inception in 2013, I stated that when I had been asked over the years as to my thoughts of a potential return of Bareknuckle Boxing that I did not see it happening primarily due to the safety concerns, the issue of regulation and the dangers that exist in Boxing as it is, while also stating that safety standards in the sport have greatly improved over the years.

Ironically, it wasn’t long after writing and releasing that column covering BKB’s debut that I had an opportunity to view a bareknuckle event that was broadcast by the now defunct GFL Combat Sports network, but the question of whether or not the event, which ultimately was a one-off was in fact regulated by a state athletic commission was not answered.  During the month of June however, two separate bareknuckle events took place that were regulated by the state of Wyoming.

The first of these events took place on June 2nd at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, a debut of a promotion known as the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship or BKFC for short that was televised via traditional cable/satellite pay-per-view as well as digital pay-per-view via Fite.TV. In a similarity to the BKB format, bouts fought under BKFC rules were fought in a fighting area known as “The Squared Circle.”

No, this is not a reference to a term commonly used in professional wrestling to describe where matches normally take place, but rather a unique form of a Boxing ring with a circular fighting area surrounded by  four circled ropes.  The circled ring measures twenty-two feet and is incased on a twenty-eight foot square platform. This fighting area similar to bouts fought under the BKB format seems ideal for fighters who tend to be offensive-minded and the narrow length did ensure for bouts that were fan-friendly. While due to both the time between these events  and the release and length of this column I will not provide a standard recap of the events, I will offer the reader some of my impressions regarding what took place.

As was the case with the BKB format while fights were being fought with the knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves it was almost immediately noticeable as to the damage sustained by the fighters who competed due to no gloves being used. While this obviously would create concern for most people whether they be fans watching the event or those who are involved in the sport and/or cover it, there was not an instance where I felt a fight was allowed to go on longer than it should due to a fighter sustaining too much punishment and it seemed to be along the same guidelines as how Mixed Martial Arts fights are officiated in that bouts were stopped in an appropriate timeframe if a fighter had suffered too much punishment or was in a predicament where they suffered knockdowns where it was obvious that a fight should not continue.

Although many of the bouts on this card saw fighters sustain cuts and other injuries, it was clear that concern over fighters safety was a priority and I feel that while Bareknuckle Boxing may not be for everyone, appropriate steps were taken to ensure those competing on this card were safe as well as the card that followed the debut of BKFC later in the month of June. While fights on the first BKFC card were scheduled for five two-minute rounds and that ensured a quick pace for most of the bouts, it did not necessarily mean that elements that are required in traditional Professional Boxing would not be needed under the BKFC format such as timing, technique, and essential tools that are a part of most boxers respective arsenals.

Some of the notable fighters on this card included former UFC Heavyweight world champion Ricco Rodriguez, former world title challenger and undefeated bareknuckle legend Bobby Gunn, former UFC women’s Flyweight contender Bec Rawlings, and fellow MMA notables Joey Beltran and Tony Lopez just to name a few.  What I look for whenever a new variation of combat sports is introduced is to see how the fighters approach their respective fights. Whether there will be brawling or whether bouts will be fought more tactically.

Whenever something new or in this case something that has been updated from it’s original format takes place, I always find myself watching some of the early UFC events and other variations of MMA from many years ago and it is always interesting to see how much the sport of MMA evolved from it’s original tournament/bareknuckle full contact concept to what the sport is today. In this case, I went back and studied both some of the early UFC events as well as revisited some of the events that took place under the BKB format and I looked for things that might be similar between the BKB format and these two bareknuckle cards.

Beyond the obvious of BKB initially being introduced as a form of gloved-Bareknuckle Boxing, while these bareknuckle events were the definition of what one would think of the subject of Bareknuckle Boxing with fighters only having hand wraps slightly below their fists, I felt the combat that took place on the first BKFC event as well as the event that took place two weeks later on June 23rd titled Bareknuckle Fight Club 4, which took place at the Cam Plex Central Pavilion in Gillette, WY, which was also televised by Fite.TV were very similar to the BKB format. A mix of narrow fighting areas and fast-paced bouts created what most would call an ideal scenario for fans viewing the action as most of the bouts on both events were of the quick variety, which normally creates an exciting atmosphere.

A question some might ask is who will be next to regulate Bareknuckle Boxing? Although fighter safety was a priority at both of these events as should be the case with all combat sports events, regulation might be difficult to obtain in some states due largely to safety concerns. One needs to look no further than the progression of BKB to see the potential argument that the slight revamp of the concept and elimination of the knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves and change to standard Boxing gloves opened the door for BKB to be regulated in the state of Nevada as well as opened greater exposure as more media outlets covered BKB events following the revamp than had been the case as those of us who have  covered BKB from its debut in 2013.


While some may debate whether Bareknuckle Boxing will be able to gain more traction beyond these two events, this observer feels much like the BKB concept that as long as safety concerns continue to be addressed that it could provide another route for fighters who are looking for an opportunity to ply their trade. Even though BKB remains on hiatus, with more legalized Bareknuckle Boxing events scheduled to take place in the coming months, there will be opportunities for multi-combat sport athletes to compete in what could be the next growing form of Professional Boxing. A form that this observer looks forward to covering as it evolves.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

To order Bareknuckle Fighting Championship 1 and Bareknuckle Fight Club 4 visit www.Fite.TV for ordering information.

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Dela Torre Hits Malaysia For Showdown With Unbeaten Yang

Photo Credit: Sanman Promotions

Press Release: July 12, 2018 By Sanman Promotions – Armed with the needed preparation and tremendous will to win, Harmonito "Hammer" Dela Torre has arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for an all-important fight on Sunday. (Saturday, July 14^th in the United States) Dela Torre is accompanied in Kuala Lumpur by coaches Rodel Mayol and Marquil Salvana. Also, with the team to lend support are Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil and Sanman Promotions CFO Dexter Tan.

         

         

Dela Torre (19w-1L-0D, 12KOs) will be fighting unbeaten Chinese fighter Yongqiang Yang in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse duel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dela Torre assured he is in tip-top shape against Yang, who is unbeaten in 10 fights with seven knockout victories. "It's been a good camp. We have a good gameplan and I can't wait for the big day on Sunday," said Dela Torre.

  

         

         

Dela Torre is aware of the significance of the fight, hence, fight fans can expect him to go all out. "This could bring me back to title contention if I win," said Dela Torre, who is aspiring to bounce back after absorbing his first career-loss to Mongolian Tugstsogt Nyambayar last November 18, 2017 in Las Vegas, USA. It will be the second time in his career that Dela Torre will be fighting in a card headlining Pacquiao. Dela Torre fought in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Brandon Rios duel last November 2013 wherein the Sanman Boxing Gym stalwart pulled off  a third-round knockout win over Indonesia’s Jason Butar.

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission. For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Boxing Series please visit Sanman Promotions’ official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.

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

         

         

         

Happy 4th Of July 2018

We here at The Boxing Truth® would like to wish everyone a Happy and safe Fourth of July. We would also like to remind readers that new material discussing the recent revival of Bareknuckle Boxing will be released on Friday, July 13^th. Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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

Foley Inks With Dragon Fire Boxing

Kerry Foley Credit: Tony Tolj

Press Release: July 3, 2018 by Dragon Fire Boxing – Leading Australian Super Middleweight “Captain Kerry Foley” has signed a multi-year managerial agreement with prominent boxing managerial company Dragon Fire Boxing. Foley has joined the growing stable of fighters, World rated fighters Reagan Dessaix, Andrew Moloney and Jason Moloney who has just entered the prestigious World Boxing Super Series.

Kerry Foley returns September 7th in Melbourne to challenge World rated Jayde Mitchell for the interim WBA Oceania Super Middleweight Title in Melbourne on a Big Time Boxing event.

Foley discusses the transition from part-time to full-time boxer & the improvement training under Arnel “Peter” Barotillo.

“With the help of some very close people they have turned me into a full time fighter, which means I train all year round no matter what I have organised. Iv had the last year in fight prep. This is just an added 10 weeks with titles at the end of the rainbow. 

Best thing iv done in my life. Arnel’s style is perfect for me and I enjoy going to the gym every day with him. Learning so much and he has so much more to teach. I can also understand words that he has made up that no one else can 

“Dragon Fire Boxing have done everything that they said they could and would do. My job is a boxer so I train and fight and leave the rest in their capable hands and they are doing awesome. 1 fight with them and I’ve got Jayde Mitchell. Can’t ask for any more.

“You wanna see me knock people out, raise the flags. No Quarter given, Australia is gonna have a real world champion. One that hits harder then anyone in the division, is exciting and has an iq higher then his age. 

Excited is an understatement, I love my job I love being in there and I cannot wait to show Australia what Captain Kerry Foley does. I’m more then just rum” 

 – States Foley

 Material Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing/ Photo Courtesy of: Tony Tolj Used with permission.

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

Bareknuckle Boxing Feature Update

We would like to let our readers know that the previously announced feature discussing the recent revival of Bareknuckle Boxing scheduled for Friday, June 29th will now be released and kickoff our July 2018 schedule on Friday, July 13th. We apologize for the delay. Stay tuned. "And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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

DRAGON FIRE BOXING SIGNS PROSPECT REAGON DESSAIX

Reagon Dessaix Credit: Tony Toij

Press Release: June 25, 2018 by Dragon Fire Boxing - WBA Oceania, IBF International & IBF Pan Pacific Light Heavyweight Champion Reagan “The President” Dessaix has signed a multi-year managerial deal with the Dragon Fire Boxing stable.

“I feel very privileged to have such a good & experienced management team with Tony Tolj, Angelo Hyder at Dragon Fire Boxing managing my boxing career. They’ve put so much time & effort in the past couple of fights I have been with them, looking forward to seeing what the future holds from here on in. 

So far I’ve had 2 fights under Dragon fire & they have been my 2 biggest fights to date. I’ve won the WBA Oceania & both IBF International & Pan Pacific Titles. This is only the beginning & looking forward to some exciting times ahead & seeing what the future holds”

Without all my fans, sponsors & ongoing support I wouldn’t be in the position I am today if it wasn’t for them. I couldn’t thank them enough for all the ongoing support along my boxing journey so far! 

– States Dessaix  

“The Team at Dragon Fire Boxing are very excited for the future with Reagan Dessaix, 14 wins with the sole loss at picking up WBA & IBF Regional Title, the sky is the limit for the kid at 21 years of age. I always working together with just good people and Reagan and his father Clem are a class act.   He should be slipping into the World ratings very soon. Really looking forward to see the progression of “The President” Reagan Dessaix.

Material Courtesy of Dragon Fire Boxing/ Photo Courtesy of: Tony Tolj Used with permission.

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

Is Spence-Crawford The Next “Super Fight” In The Welterweight Division?

As the sport of Boxing enters the summer of 2018, the focus has started to develop on what major fights might be made for later in the year. Of course, most would say that “The Fight” of 2018 has already been made, the highly anticipated rematch between undefeated unified Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. While the circumstances of the first encounter between Golovkin and Alvarez as well as the saga that has led to the rematch being signed, cancelled and re-signed is an ongoing story that has been present here at The Boxing Truth® as well as throughout the entire sport, there are other possible encounters that could be made and if they are made frankly deserve as much attention as Golovkin-Alvarez.

The month of June has featured two world championship bouts taking place in Boxing’s 147lb. Welterweight division that produced what some might call logical outcomes, but in the process also developed a possibility of what could be the next “Super Fight” in a division rich in historic encounters that have carried such a label. The first of these two world championship fights took place on June 9th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Undefeated WBO Welterweight world champion Jeff Horn made the second defense of his crown against undefeated former two-division world champion Terence Crawford, who was attempting to win a world championship in a third weight class.

In previewing this fight, I expressed my view that the story of the fight would center on whether Horn would be able to effectively disrupt Crawford’s ability to get into a rhythm as he was able to do at points in his fight against Manny Pacquiao when he won the WBO Welterweight world championship in July of last year. From the outset of the fight it was evident that although the champion came out aggressively in attempting to bring the fight to Crawford as he had against Pacquiao, that it was the challenger Crawford who had an upper hand in catching Horn coming forward and had particular success when the two fighters would engage in exchanges of punches. While Horn was able to have periodic success in landing his right hand during the course of the bout, the difference in timing and Crawford’s hand speed, I felt became the story of the fight.

Horn simply could not find an answer to avoid Crawford’s quick hands, ability to counter punch, and overall effective offense. Crawford implemented a systematic approach that eventually took it’s toll on the champion. Crawford’s ability to vary his attack, use precision timing to both get his punches off first as well as counter the majority of Horn’s offense gradually broke the champion down as Crawford would ultimately score a knockdown of the always “Game” Horn in the ninth round and was able to get a stoppage with a follow-up barrage of punches to become the new WBO Welterweight world champion.

Following his victory when asked who he would want to fight next in the division, Crawford simply replied that he wanted the other world champions, that he wanted the “Big Fights” and told his promoter Bob Arum to “Make It Happen.” One such champion who also saw action recently was undefeated IBF Welterweight world champion Errol Spence, who defended his piece of the World Welterweight championship against undefeated IBF number three rated Welterweight contender Carlos Ocampo on June 16th at the Ford Center in Frisco, TX.

Spence, who was making the second defense of his IBF crown that he won in May of last year by stopping former champion Kell Brook, made short work of Ocampo, landing a flush left hook to the body that sent the challenger down for the count with one second left in the first round. While this title defense for Spence was short, he made just as loud of a statement as did Crawford in his victory over Jeff Horn.

An obvious conclusion coming out of these two fights is the potential of a Spence-Crawford showdown. A fight that would frankly bring back similarities to the classic “Super Fights” of the past. Two undefeated world champions both with significant followings, both with the ability to knock an opponent out, and each holding a claim to the World Welterweight championship. While it may appear simple to “Make It Happen” as Crawford told Bob Arum, there are other possibilities that could prevent an encounter between the two happening in the near future as has sometimes been the case with regard to major fights in the past.

The most obvious of potential obstacles is both Spence and Crawford are promoted by rival promoters and as such that in itself can be a difficult hurdle to clear. It is also important to remember that there is another world champion to keep in mind, former world champions who will soon be squaring off for a vacated world title, and a bout between a future Hall of Famer and a longtime top contender in the division all of whom may want to interject themselves into the discussion of potential opponents for either champion.

The vacated World Boxing Council (WBC) Welterweight world championship will be at stake when former world champions Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia meet in August at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The winner of that fight would be a viable option for both Spence or Crawford if a fight between the two is not in the immediate plans. Future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao will be getting back into the ring in July against current WBA number one rated contender Lucas Matthysse in a bout to determine interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Welterweight ratings currently held by Matthysse. The current WBA world champion Keith Thurman, who briefly unified the WBA and WBC crowns in the division by defeating Danny Garcia last year is currently inactive due to both recovering from elbow surgery as well as an injured left hand that forced him to pull out of a scheduled bout on May 19th and saw him relinquish the WBC crown. Thurman, like both Spence and Crawford, is an undefeated world champion who has an exciting style and when he does return to active competition will almost certainly be in the discussion as a potential opponent for either fighter.

For a division that has been known as being one of the most competitive in the entire sport as well as for many classic battles throughout Boxing history, we may be seeing what could be the beginning of the next golden era of the Welterweight division, with so many possibilities and fighters at the top or near the top of the division who could each make an argument as being the number one fighter in the weight class. If circumstances such as conflicts between promoters, mandatory title defense obligations, and other things that could prevent a major “Super Fight” from happening, this observer can think of no better way to kick off this era than an encounter between two undefeated world champions to further unify the division, Errol Spence vs. Terence Crawford.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Re-Energized Sanchez Battles Unbeaten Chuprakov On July 14th In Russia

Ernie Sanchez Credit: Sanman Promotions

Press Release: June 21,2018 by Sanman Promotions -  Ernie Sanchez feels like a renewed fighter. And come July 14, Sanchez looks to make a lot of noise in what he considers a fresh start as he battles undefeated Russian boxer Evgeny Chuprakov in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Sanchez and Chuprakov will lock horns in a 10-round duel for the WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight belt.

           

Sanchez is keen on putting up an impressive showing in just his second fight under the Sanman Promotions. “I am very excited to have another opportunity to fight abroad. This will be my second fight under Sanman Promotions and I feel like a brand new fighter. New environment, new trainer. I feel like I’m a different fighter now,” said Sanchez.

           

Sanchez said he realized that being part of Sanman Promotions takes a lot of hard work.

“It’s also my first time in a long while to have an eight-week camp and that makes me very confident for my upcoming fight,” said Sanchez, who debuted as a Sanman fighter last April 28 that saw him scoring a knockout win over Noel Adelmita. Sanchez faces an uphill battle against Chuprakov, who has yet to lose in 19 fights and has scored 10 knockout victories.

           

Sanchez has piled up 18 wins, nine by knockouts, and has 11 losses. He may possess a not so impressive record but Sanchez cannot be taken lightly, warned Jim Claude Manangquil, CEO of Sanman Promotions. “People might underestimate Sanchez because of his record but we know his ability especially if he is in good shape and in his real weight division of super featherweight, he will be a problem for anybody,” said Manangquil.

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission.

For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Boxing series please visit Sanman Promotions’ official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sanmanpromotions.

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

           

           

Update

We would like to let our readers know that two special features are in the works and will be released in the near future here on the website focusing on the current landscape of the 147lb. Welterweight division as well as the resurgence of Bareknuckle Boxing. The first of these features will be released on Saturday, June 23rd. This wiill be followed by the Bareknckle Boxing feature on Friday, July 13th. Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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

ANDREW “THE MONSTER” MOLONEY INKS MANAGERIAL DEAL WITH DRAGON FIRE BOXING

Tony Tolj L/Andrew Molony R Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing

Press Release: June 13, 2018 (Originally released June 11, 2018) by Dagon Fire Boxing - WBC #4, WBA #5, IBF #5, WBO #11 ranked Andrew Moloney (current WBA Oceania, Commonwealth & OPBF Super Flyweight Champion) has signed a multi-year managerial deal with Dragon Fire Boxing and the Ring Magazine #9 is knocking on the door for the World Title.

“Even though Boxing is an individual sport, you are only as good as the team you have around you and I couldn’t be happier with Dragon Fire Boxing (Tony Tolj & Angelo Hyder) and the way they have managed my career.  

I am now rated in the top 5 by the WBA, WBC, and IBF and knocking on the door of a World Title fight. 

The way Dragon Fire Boxing has guided my career has been absolutely perfect. 

Not only do they have me world rated across all sanctioning bodies they have also made sure that I have been tested along the way so when it comes time for me to fight for a World Title, I win the title and remain Champion for a long time. 

It’s easy for me to see why Dragon Fire have guided so many World Champions over the years and I look forward to being the next one” – States Moloney

“Andrew Moloney is a class act in and out of the ring. There was proven pedigree with Moloney in the amateur system winning the Gold Medal in Glasgow Commonwealth games. He has transitioned well in the pros, chalking up 17 wins from 17 starts. Along the way picking up the Victorian state, National & WBA Oceania titles all in his first 5 fights. Andrew has defended his WBA Oceania title 8 times now. Andrew now joins twin brother Jason in our stable and we couldn’t be more excited for the future.” – states Tony Tolj   

“This is such an exciting time in my career. I am now in a position where we could get the call up to fight for a World Titles at any time. 

I am extremely great full for the amazing support I have received so far in my career and with no Australians currently holding a World Title I really hope Australia can get behind me as I aim to change that and become Australia’s next World Champion”.  – Andrew “The Monster” Moloney

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

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

Bernaldez To Fight In U.S. On July 14th

Mark Bernaldez L/ Erick De Leon R Credit: Sanman Promotions

Press Release: June 9, 2018 by Sanman Promotions – Mark Bernaldez will be strutting his wares in the United States when he takes on unbeaten fighter Erick De Leon on July 14th at the Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana. The huge break came more than three months after Bernaldez signed up with the General Santos City-based Sanman Promotions.

           

            “I am very excited to fight for the first time in the USA,” said Bernaldez, who signed up with Sanman last March. Bernaldez (16W-1L-0D, 11KOs) and De Leon (17W-0L-1D, 10KOs) will square off in a 10-round super featherweight duel on a card promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank.

           

            “It is every boxer’s dream in the Philippines to fight in the USA especially in a big card with Top Rank. I will do everything to win this fight. I would like to thank Sanman boxing for this big opportunity and I will train very hard for this,” said Bernaldez, who fought for ALA Boxing Gym before joining Sanman. Bernaldez last saw action in April 28 that saw him knocking out JP Macadumpis in Glan Saranggani, Province.

           

            The impressive win marked the end of Bernaldez’s long hiatus as that was his first fight since losing to Tsuyoshi Tameda via technical knockout on August 5, 2018 in Japan. While his next fight is against an undefeated fighter, Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil is upbeat of Bernaldez’s chances. “I think this is a very winnable fight for Bernaldez. Erick De Leon is a great fighter but I think his style is suited for Mark,” said Manangquil.

Material and Photo courtesy of: Sanman Promotions Used with permission. For more information about Sanman Promotions and to watch the Sanman Live Boxing series please visit Sanman Promotions’ official Facebook page:www.facebook.com/SanmanPromotions.

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

            

Can Horn Continue To Answer His Critics By Pulling Off Another Upset?

One of the bigger stories of 2017 in the sport of Boxing was the emergence of undefeated Welterweight contender Jeff Horn, who scored what many felt was a shocking and controversial upset of future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao in July of last year in Horn’s hometown of Brisbane, Australia. Despite putting forth a “Game” effort in defeating Pacquiao via twelve round unanimous decision to win the WBO Welterweight world championship, Horn was not given the credit or the respect normally shown to a world champion following the fight. This was due largely to the opinion of some that he had benefited from a “Bad” or “Corrupt” decision.

In this observer’s coverage of that fight, I called the encounter known as “The Battle Of Brisbane” “A Great Fight With A Shadow Of Controversy.” While I believed Pacquiao had done enough to retain his world championship, it was a shame that such a grueling battle between two world-class fighters would be more known for the “Controversy” in regard to the scoring in the eyes of some instead of the great fight that took place. I also stated as I have done over the years when similar “Controversies” emerge that there is always a remedy “A Rematch.”

Although the outcome of Pacquaio-Horn seemed to create the ideal scenario that would warrant a second encounter, a rematch between the two did not materialize. The new champion would instead make the first defense of his crown in December of last year when he faced WBO number ten rated contender Gary Corcoran in Brisbane, Australia. Horn dominated the fight stopping the “Game” Corcoran in eleven rounds.

This victory for Horn, his eighteenth of nineteen bouts as a professional set up an opportunity to attempt to further answer his detractors by facing another elite fighter with “Superstar” status in the sport. The undefeated two-division world champion Terence Crawford.

Crawford, a native of Omaha, NE has won world championships in the 135lb. Lightweight and 140lb. Jr. Welterweight divisions, amassing a record of 32-0, with 23 Knockouts. In his last fight, Crawford successfully unified the Jr. Welterweight division to become the Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world champion by scoring an impressive third round knockout over previously unbeaten fellow unified Jr. Welterweight world champion Julius Indongo in Lincoln, NE. Crawford’s reign as the one and only Jr. Welterweight world champion was short as he soon vacated the WBC, WBO, IBF, and WBA crowns to set his sights on a third weight class, the 147lb. Welterweight division.

Crawford, per his being a world champion of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) at a lower weight prior to his decision to move up in weight, was named the number one mandatory challenger for Jeff Horn in a bout that was scheduled to take place in April of this year.  As many Boxing fans know, the bout was postponed due to a hand injury suffered in training by Crawford. The bout was rescheduled and will take place on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

Beyond this being an intriguing clash between undefeated world champions, this fight will all be one of the highlights of ESPN’s recently launched subscription streaming service ESPN+ in the United States. A digital network that has in it’s nearly two months of existence featured Boxing prominently.

A battle between two offensive-minded fighters that has the appearance on paper of being an entertaining fight. What will be of interest in this fight to this observer will be what approach the champion will take. Horn is a fighter that likes to come forward and apply consistent pressure on his opponent while looking to set up opportunities to land a focal point of his offense, his right hand. What can be overlooked about Horn’s offense however, is he can mix his offense up to the head and body by landing combinations and has also shown that he can keep a fighter at distance and unable to be effective throughout his career.

Horn does have the theoretical advantage of being the naturally bigger fighter, who is fighting at his natural weight against a fighter who will be competing as a Welterweight for the first time. Despite a one-inch height advantage over Crawford, the challenger has a two-inch reach advantage.

One thing that I believed was a contributing factor in Horn’s world championship victory over Manny Pacquiao was that although Pacquiao appeared to outwork him over the course of the fight, Horn did succeed in bringing the fight to Pacquiao and was able to back him up. Although one might expect Horn to use a similar approach in this fight, it is important to keep in mind that Terence Crawford is a world-class counter puncher who has a good mix of hand speed, punching power, and is effective in being able to switch stances to keep an opponent off-balance and unable to execute their offense effectively.

The story of this fight in my eyes will center on whether Horn will be able to effectively disrupt Crawford’s ability to get into a rhythm as he was able to do at points in his fight with Pacquiao and whether he can deal with Crawford’s hand speed and ability to adjust as the fight progresses. For Crawford the two-part question that will be asked of him in this fight is the same as all fighters who move up in weight. How will his body respond to fighting at a higher weight and how will he respond to being hit by naturally bigger fighter. It is also normal to ask whether his punches will be as effective or perhaps more effective at the higher weight than has been the case in lower weight classes.

Of course, Crawford was dominant in the Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight divisions and will come into this fight with a slightly higher career knockout percentage of 72% in thirty-two professional bouts as compared to Horn’s 69% in nineteen professional fights. A fair question to ask given the statistics of the two fighters is what effect will Crawford’s punches have on Horn when he lands.

Despite the “Controversy” surrounding his victory over Manny Pacquiao, Jeff Horn is after all an undefeated fighter who only has a technical draw that he earned in his fourth pro fight against Rivan Cesaire in 2013 as an official question mark on his record. Although Horn will be facing a fighter with considerable pedigree and more experience as was the case when he faced Pacquiao, the champion had scored wins over former world champions Randall Bailey and Ali Funeka prior to that fight so while Horn’s resume is shorter in comparison to fighters like Pacquiao and Crawford, he does have an impressive one. Some may question whether facing another fighter regarded as a superstar in the sport and wanting to answer those who have been critical of him because of the outcome of the Pacquiao fight, if Horn will be overly aggressive from the outset in looking to make a statement in what will be another career defining fight for him.

A fight with a storyline of an underdog world champion looking to further establish himself as a player in the sport against a fighter seeking his third world championship in as many weight classes. A storyline that has been present in fights throughout Boxing history in various weight classes that has produced encounters that many consider classics.  While Crawford is likely to be a heavy favorite in this fight, a fighter with something to prove, who might feel underestimated and overlooked should always be considered dangerous.

In our recent Twitter Reader Poll we asked readers as to whom they felt would win this fight. 71% of voters who took part in the poll believe that it will be the challenger Crawford who will emerge victorious while 29% of voters feel that the champion Horn will come out on top and retain his world championship in what will be his second title defense. Whether or not the poll and/or discussion regarding the outcome of this fight will serve as an accurate illustration of what takes place in the ring is something no one can answer right now.

What the results of the poll do demonstrate however, could be a perception of how fans view the combatants prior to the fight, as well as lend credibility to the stance of some both fan and expert alike that despite his victory over Manny Pacquiao, Horn remains an underdog who is still an unknown to some particularly those who are casual fans of the sport. While it is true that Crawford is more known and has been able to benefit from international television exposure and does have a stellar resume, if Horn can again defy the odds, it will be time for those who have been critical of him to give credit where it’s due. Something that regardless of how one feels about the scoring of Horn’s fight with Manny Pacquiao, is frankly overdue in the eyes of this observer.

We will see what happens on Saturday night.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Horn vs. Crawford takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, June 9^th) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as full undercard can be seen in the United States exclusively on ESPN’s new digital streaming service ESPN+. Undercard bouts will begin at 6:30PM EST/ 3:30PM PST. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app and is available on streaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. For more information about ESPN+ and to subscribe to ESPN+ online please visit: https://watch.espnplus.com.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the card can be seen on BoxNation beginning at 1:30AM (Sunday, June 10^th Local UK Time) For more information about BoxNation and availability in your area please visit: www.boxnation.com. Check your local listings internationally.

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