Happy 4th Of July

We would like to wish our readers a Happy and safe Fourth of July. We would also like to remind readers that we will resume our regular schedule by releasing new material on Thursday, July 11th during the evening hours with coverage of a tripleheader taking place in Rome, Italy featuring a battle for the vacant European Light-Heavyweight championship between Serhiy Demchenko and Hakim Zoulikha. 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

Upcoming Schedule

We would like to let our readers know that we are between rounds and will resume our regular schedule on Sunday, July 7th. Beginning on Tuesday, July 9th, the first of two belated features will be released. The second feature will be released on Thursday, July 11th. 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

PLANIA RETURNS WITH U.S. FIGHT ON JULY 29TH

Credit: Sanman Promotions

Press Release: June 29, 2019 By Sanman Promotions – Sanman rising super bantamweight protégé “Magic” Mike Plania (W20 KO11 L1 D0) will be back in action as he fights in the US on July 26 against a yet to be announced opponent. Plania was last seen knocking out Nicong Calamba in the second round and dominating Juan Antonio Lopez in eight rounds.

For Sanman CEO Jim Claude Manangquil, “a win for Plania would mean he is ripe enough for a world title shot. He needs to win this onein order to get closer to becoming a world champion. I believe in the kid’s potential. He works so hard in the gym is always focused. I am grateful to our partners in the Us especially to MR Promotions.”

For Plania, this is another golden opportunity not to be missed. “I am always thankful to my manager and promoters. My eyes are only focused on one goal and that is to add my name to the Filipino world champions. I am always grinding in the gym and will do everything to bring pride to my country and my team”, Plania stated.

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.

Andrade-Sulecki Weights

Press Release: By DAZN – PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, June 28, 2019 –  WBO Middleweight World Champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (27-0, 17 KOs) and dangerous challenger Maciej Sulecki (28-1, 11 KOs), along with all of the undercard fighters, successfully tipped the scales at Waterplace Park in Providence, Rhode Island, ahead of their highly-anticipated title fight tomorrow night, which will stream live exclusively on DAZN.

Andrade’s title defense against Sulecki is part of a blockbuster night of action as unbeaten Kal Yafai defends his WBA Super Flyweight title against mandatory challenger Norbelto Jimenez and former Heavyweight king Joseph Parker takes on Australian challenger Alex Leapai in a scheduled 12-round heavyweight fight. All three fights will be featured on the evening’s main card, which kicks off at 9 p.m. ET.

Undercard action begins at 7 p.m. ET on DAZN with three fights, highlighted by a 10-round scrap between Mark Deluca and Brandon Brewer.

WBO Middleweight World Title Fight – 12 Rounds

Demetrius Andrade: 159.9 lbs.

Maciej Sulecki: 159.5 lbs.

Heavyweight Fight – 12 Rounds

Joseph Parker: 241.5 lbs.

Alex Leapai: 254.2 lbs.

WBA Super Flyweight Title Fight – 12 Rounds

Kal Yafai: 114.5 lbs.

Norbelto Jimenez: 114.5 lbs.

Super Welterweight Fight (158 lb. catchweight) – 10 Rounds

Mark Deluca: 157.8 lbs.

Brandon Brewer: 157.4 lbs.

###

Download DAZN on your TV or connected devices and catch all DAZN live events, including this weekend’s middleweight title showdown in Rhode Island. You can create an account directly through the app or on your browser at www.DAZN.com. It’s quick and easy to sign up with your credit or debit card.

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN had expanded across four continents with the service available in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. DAZN guarantees no long-term contract, no bundles, just affordable access to all the service's sports on connected devices including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features more than 100 fight nights per year from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp.

Material Courtesy of: DAZN/ Photo Courtesy of: Ed Mulholland Matchroom Boxing USA Used with permission. 

For more information about DAZN, schedules, list of available streaming devices, availability around the world, and to subscribe, please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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

Scardina, Patera Victorious In Milan, Italy

Undefeated Super-Middleweight prospect Daniele Scardina scored a hard-fought ten round unanimous decision over Alessandro Goddi on Friday night at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy. In what was a competitive fight from start to finish, Scardina’s naturally bigger size and cleaner punches were able to secure the unanimous decision victory. Although Goddi, who was moving in the Super-Middleweight division for the second time after spending the majority of his career in the 160lb. Middleweight division, was able to have his share of moments throughout the fight, he was unable to land a significant punch to discourage the natural 168lb. Super-Middleweight Scardina as the Italian-born, Miami, FL based Scardina outworked him over the ten round fight. Daniele Scardina advances to 17-0, with 14 Knockouts. Alessandro Goddi falls to 35-5-1, with 17 Knockouts.

Also on this card:

European Lightweight champion Francesco Patera successfully made the second defense of his European championship by scoring an impressive sixth round stoppage of Paul Hyland, Jr. Hyland was extremely aggressive and applied pressure on Petera from the outset. Both fighters were cut in round one as a result of an accidental clash of heads. In the second round a counter right hand to the head from the champion forced Hyland’s gloves to touch the canvas resulting in a knockdown. Patera would be warned three times for accidental low blows throughout the bout as he attempted to work the challenger’s body. The champion’s body attack however, gradually broke Hyland down as he was sent to the canvas a second time late in round five. Patera sensing the end was near continued the body attack in round six, knocking Hyland down two more times resulting in a total of four knockdowns and a stoppage of the fight by Referee Jean Laine. Official time of the stoppage was 1:50 of round six.

Francesco Patera advances to 22-3, with 8 Knockouts. Paul Hyland, Jr. falls to 20-2, with 7 Knockouts.

In the Welterweight division unbeaten Dario Morello scored an underwhelming ten round unanimous decision over Ahmed El Hamwi. Morello appeared to be the only one forcing the action throughout the fight against the defensive-oriented El Hamwi. Although at times the bout frankly resembled a sparring session, Morello simply did what he needed to do to secure the win. Dario Morello advances to 15-0, with 2 Knockouts. Ahmed El Hamwi falls to 19-9-2, with 1 Knockout.

Also in the Welterweight division unbeaten prospect Maxim Prodan scored a workmanlike six round unanimous decision over Nika Nakashidze. Despite Nakashidze having a 7-7 record and having lost four of his last five bouts giving the impression that it might be a a short fight, he proved to be durable and hung in against Prodan over six rounds. Maxim Prodan advances to 17-0-1, with 14 Knockouts. Nika Nakashidze falls to 7-8-1, with 2 Knockouts.

Undefeated Super-Middleweight prospect Ivan Zucco scored a third round stoppage over a “Game”, but overmatched Borislav Zankov. Zucco battered Zankov over the three rounds with near non-stop offense before the bout was stopped at 1:16 of the third round. Ivan Zucco advances to 8-0, with 7 Knockouts. Borislav Zankov falls to 10-26-1, 4 Knockouts.

Also in the Welterweight division, undefeated prospect Nicholas Esposito scored a hard fought six round unanimous decision over Jonny Zeze-Sigheh. After some difficulty early on due to the aggression of Zeze-Sigheh, the unbeaten Italian’s sharper punches and combination punching were the difference in what should be viewed as a development fight for the twenty-five year old Esposito. Nicholas Esposito advances to 10-0, with 5 Knockouts. Jonny Zeze-Sigheh falls to 2-2, with 1 Knockout.

This card provided a look at fighters ranging from rising prospects, prospects, and those who may be approaching world title contention. Similar to various regional championships like the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) and the North American Boxing Association (NABA), two regional governing bodies with world sanctioning affiliation, Fighters in Europe who compete for and are able to win a European championship (EBU) are often approaching an opportunity to fight for a world championship in the near future.

With two successful title defenses of his European Lightweight championship, Francesco Patera appears to be the next European champion who could be fighting for a world championship in the next year or so. Patera is currently rated number ten in the world by the World Boxing Council (WBC). The WBC world championship in the 135lb. Lightweight division is currently vacant and it will be interesting to see if Patera will be able to work his way up those rankings before the end of 2019.

For Daniele Scardina, who currently holds the International championship in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division, which is a title meant to elevate a fighter’s ranking in the hope of challenging for a world championship, some might feel disappointed with his performance against Alessandro Goddi. Although a fighter with a career knockout percentage of over 85% might give the impression that they will be able to get most fighters out of there, that simply wasn’t the case in this fight. It should be said however, that a win is a win and for Scardina, this victory will likely benefit him more than a quick knockout might have. It was after all the second time in consecutive fights that Scardina has had to go a full ten round distance and being able to go deep into fights is a necessary attribute for any fighter that wants to compete on the world level of the sport.

While Scardina is not rated currently in the top fifteen in any of the respective world sanctioning organizations at 168lbs., if he can continue to win and gradually increase the level of his opposition it will only be a matter of time before he is viewed as a top contender. At twenty-seven years old and with much of the top of the Super-Middleweight division currently centered around the division’s currently world champions Callum Smith, Caleb Plant, Anthony Dirrell, and Billy Joe Saunders, there is time for Scardina to continue to develop and gradually move up the ladder. As one of the fighters that is being showcased as part of Matchroom Boxing’s Italian promotional branch, he has plenty of time and should not be rushed into a world title fight or a fight against a top contender at this point.

“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

DEMETRIUS ANDRADE VS. MACIEJ SULECKI FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA

Press Release: By DAZN – PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, June 27, 2019 – On Saturday night, WBO Middleweight World Champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (27-0, 17 KOs) will make his second middleweight title defense against dangerous challenger Maciej Sulecki (28-1, 11 KOs) at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, and live exclusively on DAZN. Two-division world champion Andrade, 31, will fight for the first time as a professional in his hometown of Providence where he is largely considered the top amateur in Rhode Island history. The winner of Saturday night’s scrap on DAZN could catapult themselves into consideration for a huge middleweight title unification fight. 

Andrade’s defense against Sulecki is part of a blockbuster night of action as unbeaten Briton Kal Yafai defends his WBA Super Flyweight title against mandatory challenger Norbelto Jimenez and former Heavyweight king Joseph Parker takes on Australian challenger Alex Leapai in a scheduled 12-round heavyweight fight.

Undercard action begins at 7 p.m. ET on DAZN with three fights, including bouts featuring two rising prospects, Otha Jones, Jr. and Alexis Espino. The evening’s main card kicks off at 9 p.m. ET.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s press conference:

Eddie Hearn

“It is a pleasure to be in Providence, Rhode Island. One thing that we have set out to do with Matchroom USA is to build fighters in their hometowns. I am still in disbelief that Demetrius has never fought in his hometown.

“Everyone keeps talking about Canelo-GGG for September. I understand that people are interested in seeing that fight again but what about Canelo against the winner of this fight for the undisputed status? That’s the biggest fight to make at middleweight.

“One thing that we have promised Andrade and his team is activity. This is his third fight in eight months, and I believe we will see a very special performance from him.  In Sulecki, he brings it every single time. He is in great fights. He has a chance to thrust himself into life changing, legacy fights with a win here. He will do everything he can to beat Demetrius on Saturday night because he understands those odds.

“We have a stacked undercard here in Providence. I want to thank DAZN for making an investment in the young, promising fighters of tomorrow. They have given a platform to these young stars to build them up the right way and get the best prospects exposure early in their careers. Without DAZN, none of this is possible. They are building stars and putting on the biggest events without PPV. Joshua vs. Ruiz, Canelo vs. Jacobs – those were two great PPV level events and they deliver that to fans everywhere for a low price and in a new way.”

Demetrius Andrade

“It’s me again. Tall, black and handsome. On Saturday, I am going to do what I have been doing. No disrespect to Sulecki, he’s been in there with my boy Danny Jacobs and other guys I have fought. I heard Sulecki went into the hotel and put a drawing of me and it shows my head knocked off. But the last guy that did something like that, he got his ass whooped and he will get his ass whooped, too. Best of luck to all of the great fighters on the card this weekend. DAZN continues to do a great job keeping me active and getting these kids shine.

“I had my first few weeks of training out in California with Victor Conte. That went great. But hey, it’s me again and this is my show. Good luck to Sulecki, I hope he puts on a good performance then gets his ass whooped.”

Maciej Sulecki

“Thanks to Matchroom, Eddie Hearn, DAZN, my team, my trainer. Everyone who made this opportunity possible. It was a very good training camp. Three weeks in Poland and then seven more weeks in New York. I am ready for a very tough fight with Andrade. Before I came to the U.S., I had great respect for Andrade. But when I came here, I lost all respect for him. He just talks too much. He thinks he is as good as the other great fighters like GGG but he is not. I know one thing about him, and it’s that he doesn’t respect anyone. He is disrespectful.”

Joseph Parker

“It’s great to be in Providence with my team. The last six weeks in Vegas were great, we had a great training camp. I stayed in great shape when I was back home. Usually I blow up between camps but this time I surprised my coach a bit when I showed up in shape. I have a lot to prove and a lot to show people in the heavyweight division. I know he will come out swinging so it should be a really fun fight. But I expect to come out on top in what will be a great fight on Saturday night.”

Alex Leapai

“Thank you to Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn and DAZN. I am from Australia. Joseph Parker is from New Zealand. But we are both from Samoa. That doesn’t happen every day, it doesn’t happen very often at all that two great fighters from where we are from meet in big-time fight. It will be great for us to get in the ring together. I am thrilled for this fight on Saturday night.”

Kal Yafai

“Thanks to everyone who made this possible. I had a great training camp, I am going to put my life on the line for this fight. He has never boxed anyone as quick, powerful and talented as me. He is in for a rude awakening on Saturday night.”

Norbelto Jimenez

“I want to thank Eddie Hearn, DAZN and Matchroom Boxing. This is a long overdue title shot for me. I am coming for the title on Saturday night. I owe the Dominican Republic a title, I am not going to be robbed this time like I was in my last title shot. I am going to make this one count.”

Otha Jones, Jr.

“This is a great opportunity. I fought last weekend in London and now I am back in Providence to put on another show. It is great to share this platform with two of my buddies from the amateurs, Ray Ford and Alexis Espino, and my idol, Demetrius Andrade. My dad used to make me do homework on ‘Boo Boo’ and now I am sharing a card with him. It’s crazy and I am humbled to be here. I am excited to put on a show on Saturday night.”

###

Download DAZN on your TV or connected devices and catch all DAZN live events, including this weekend’s middleweight title showdown in Rhode Island. You can create an account directly through the app or on your browser at www.DAZN.com. It’s quick and easy to sign up with your credit or debit card.

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN had expanded across four continents with the service available in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. DAZN guarantees no long-term contract, no bundles, just affordable access to all the service's sports on connected devices including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features more than 100 fight nights per year from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp.

Material Courtesy of: DAZN/ Photo Courtesy of: Ed Mulholland Matchroom Boxing USA Used with permission. 

For more information about DAZN, schedules, list of available streaming devices, availability around the world, and to subscribe, please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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

Schedule Update

We would like to let our readers know that we will be resuming our regular schedule on Friday, June 28th with coverage of a card from Milan, Italy featuring a bout for the European Lightweight championship between Francesco Patera and Paul Hyland. 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

Two Former World Champions To Test Bareknuckle Waters At BKFC 6

Over the last several years, there have been several attempts made and variations to bring Boxing back to its bareknuckled roots. These variations have included a modernized form of Bareknuckle Boxing including the implementation of knuckle-exposed Boxing gloves as we saw in the now inactive BKB format, which is owned by satellite television provider DirecTV and it’s current parent company AT&T. It did not take long for the format of DirecTV’s BKB to be reformatted. Gone were the knuckle-exposed gloves and eventually the format seemed similar to that of traditional Professional Boxing, with standard gloves. The area known as the “BKB Pit” where fights were contested that differed significantly from that of a traditional Boxing ring however, remained the same.

As readers may recall in this observer’s coverage of those BKB events now several years ago, I noted that a potential reason for the format change to what ultimately became known as BKB:Big-Knockout Boxing was likely to eliminate the potential hurdles with regard to licensing and regulation in several states here in the United States as well as internationally. With DirecTV’s BKB now inactive, there have been several bareknuckle promotions that have surfaced in their absence.

While I will save a more thorough run through of these respective promotions for a later time, one of the more notable groups has been the Bareknuckle Fighting Championship or BKFC for short. As is the case with other Bareknuckle Boxing promotions that have emerged in recent years, the BKFC is about as close to what one thinks of when they think of Boxing in a bareknuckle format as it can get with a modernized presentation. A format where fights are fought in a circular ring where rounds are under two minutes in duration ensures bouts are quick paced and more often than not fights tend to end inside a scheduled distance.

As the continued rebirth of Bareknuckle Boxing has continued, the question some fans have asked is will a fighter or fighters who have made their name competing under traditional Boxing rules be willing to compete under a bareknuckle format with no gloves. Those who have read this observer’s previous coverage of several bare knuckle cards will likely remember how I have said Bareknuckle Boxing does open a new avenue for fighters in all combat sports to compete outside of their primary discipline and also would provide an opportunity for fighters to stay active if there are not opportunities to compete in their primary combat sport.

In regard to traditional Boxing, I will be honest when I say that I have had my doubts as to whether or not boxers who are household names or the sport’s respective governing bodies would be open to competing in a bareknuckle fight and in the case of sanctioning organizations, willing to sanction world title bouts fought under a bareknuckle format. We will get at least part of those questions answered with BKFC’s sixth event BKFC 6 on Saturday night.

BKFC 6 will take place at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, FL, signaling the first time a Bareknuckle Boxing event will be sanctioned in the state of Florida. The card, which will be broadcast both on cable/satellite pay-per-view as was as digital streaming via Fite TV pay-per-view will feature several bouts, but will be highlighted by two fights where two former world champions in traditional Boxing will test the waters of fighting with no gloves.

In the main event former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi will return to the ring for the first time in over two years to face Artem Lobov. Malignaggi, who won world championships in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight and 147lb. Welterweight divisions in his forty-four professional fight career has established himself outside the ring as one of Boxing’s top analysts regularly serving as an expert commentator for Showtime Spots in the United States and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom.

What concerns me about Malignaggi attempting to compete in a slightly different form of Professional Boxing as compared to what he is used to is he has dealt with several hand injuries throughout his career. It is important to keep in mind that even though fights that are fought under a bareknuckle format are professional bouts, they are not currently regarded as professional fights by official Boxing record keeping sources such as BoxRec and FightFax. More importantly in regard to Malignaggi is perhaps due to the hand injuries he has had throughout his career, he has only scored seven knockouts in his thirty-six career wins under traditional professional Boxing rules.

We will likely find out early on how Malignaggi will respond to being hit bare fisted. At his best, Malignaggi was one of the most defensively sound and elusive fighters in the sport. It will be interesting to see how competing in a circular ring, which is about half the length of a traditional Boxing ring will effect Malignaggi’s ability to move and be elusive. The difference in his punches are also likely to show early on in this fight. Whether or not Malignaggi’s hands will hold up to the strain of fighting under bareknuckle rules remains to be seen.

Malignaggi will face a former UFC veteran in Artem Lobov. Although Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bouts are not necessarily comparable to Boxing in that more often than not, more disciplines are required for success in MMA, an argument can be made that Lobov is more experienced in a format similar to that of bareknuckle rules due to MMA gloves only requiring one ounce of padding, which essentially makes fists as close to bareknuckled without actually being bareknuckled as possible.

Lobov will enter this fight having lost his previous three MMA bouts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Lobov has scored knockouts in four of his fifteen career wins, but has only been stopped once in his career. Although Lobov’s MMA record of 15-14 may give the impression of a journeyman, the majority of his losses have come by decision. This suggests that if he can withstand Malignaggi’s punches that he will likely be in the fight for however long it lasts.

On the undercard of Malignaggi-Lobov, former two-division world champion Randall Bailey will return to the ring for the first time in three years to make his Bareknuckle Boxing debut. Bailey will face Daniel Santos. Like Paulie Malignaggi, Randall Bailey won world titles in the Jr. Welterweight and Welterweight divisions in his career. Bailey however, scored knockouts in thirty-nine of his forty-six career wins registering a career knockout percentage of 70%.

Similar to Malignaggi, Bailey will be competing under bareknuckle rules for the first time and will be coming off of a significant layoff. Though the same scenario exists for Bailey in it being interesting to see how he responds to being hit by a bare fist, Bailey has almost always been in an entertaining fight and at his best has the type of punching power that can end a fight with one punch. Under a bareknuckle format, one might assume that Bailey’s power will be even more dangerous than under traditional Boxing rules.

With Bareknuckle Boxing events having taken place in Wyoming, Mississippi, Mexico, and now entering Florida for the first time, the resurgence of Boxing in bareknuckle form is growing and does not appear to be facing some of the same struggle that numerous MMA promotions faced during the early stages of the sport of MMA in the early 1990’s here in the United States. For the BKFC, their sixth card will feature a total of nine bouts for its first event in the state of Florida.

We will see what happens and how the resurgence of Bareknuckle Boxing will continue to evolve on Saturday night.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

BKFC 6:Malignaggi vs. Lobov takes place on Saturday, June 22^nd at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, FL. The card can be seen on a pay-per-view basis across cable/satellite providers and digital streaming pay-per-view worldwide on Fite.TV for $39.99 beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT (U.S. Time). Contact your cable/satellite provider for ordering information. Fite TV is available on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices. To order BKFC 6 on Fite TV and for a list of compatible streaming devices please visit: www.Fite.TV.

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

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

Tyson Fury Maintains His Position In The Heavyweight Division

The recent history of Boxing's Heavyweight division has revolved around three fighters that were regarded as the best in the division. Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury. All three fighters undefeated and each holding a claim to the World Heavyweight championship. Coincidentally, all three had bouts scheduled to take place in a little more than a month's time against separate opposition. The two world champions of the division Wilder and Joshua were the first of this trio of top Heavyweights to compete and defend their respective portions of the World Heavyweight championship.

As most Boxing fans know, Wilder scored a first round knockout over Dominic Breazeale on May 18^th in Brooklyn, NY. Wilder simply made quick work of Breazeale in what was a statement making performance in defense of his WBC world championship. While some may have expected the outcome of Wilder scoring a knockout to retain his position atop the division, what would happen next was the definition of “Unexpected.”

This of course, is in reference to Anthony Joshua's defense of his unified IBF/WBA/IBO/WBO world championship on June 1^st at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY against top contender Andy Ruiz, who had taken the fight on short notice. Ruiz made Boxing history getting off the canvas in the third round to score four knockdowns of Joshua to become the first Mexican-born fighter to win a World Heavyweight championship.

While Ruiz' victory over Joshua was not expected by some, it did become one of the biggest stories in Boxing in 2019. With Ruiz and Joshua heading toward a rematch later this year and with Joshua no longer among the top three fighters in the division, it was time for the third fighter in the trio of Heavyweights to return to the ring. Tyson Fury would do that on June 15^th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV against undefeated German Heavyweight champion Tom Swarz.

Although Schwarz, who entered the fight unbeaten in twenty-four previous professional fights, the consensus was that the German Heavyweight champion was making a significant step up in caliber of opposition against the former World Heavyweight champion Fury. In previewing this fight,  I stated that it would come down to what Schwarz would bring to the table to combat the 6’9 Fury.

What can be overlooked due to his size is that Fury is a very skilled boxer who can be very elusive and difficult to hit cleanly. These traits would be on full display in this fight as Fury dictated the combat from the opening bell fighting behind a consistent jab and being able to make Schwarz be ineffective with the offense he did throw. This was demonstrated in the second round when Fury dropped his hands, but managed to slip and avoid four punches to the head that Schwarz attempted to land.

Moments later, Fury would knock Schwarz down with a combination to the head. Schwarz managed to beat the count, but had no answer for Fury’s follow-up barrage resulting in the fight being stopped. The fight could be summed up as Fury simply doing what he had to do against a “Game”, but ultimately overmatched opponent.

For Fury the twenty-eighth victory of his career allows him to maintain his position in this observer’s view as the best Heavyweight currently in the division that does not hold a recognized world championship. While some recognize Fury as a “Lineal” champion due to the fact that he won the unified portion of the World Heavyweight championship with his 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko and was not defeated for the championship, Fury relinquished his crown and walked away from the sport to deal with several personal issues. Although yours truly does not regard the term “Lineal” highly due to it’s subjective nature and how such labels are used more as a marketing tool, Fury remains the top fighter in the division not holding a world championship.

While a potential rematch for Fury with Deontay Wilder exists as a possibility for next year, this observer would like to see Fury face the winner of the upcoming rematch between Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua. In all truth and honesty, both fights are viable economically for Fury, I believe an encounter between him and the Ruiz-Joshua rematch winner might be the more viable of the two at the present time.

There are two primary reasons in my view. If Joshua were to regain the championship by beating Ruiz, both he and Fury are major stars in the UK Boxing scene and a fight between the two would likely fill one of England’s major stadiums. A win for Ruiz in the rematch against Joshua to retain his unified world championship would solidify his status as a world champion in the division and silence any and all skeptics who believe, despite Ruiz’ solid record and status as a top contender and former world title challenger prior to that fight, that he benefited from a world champion in Joshua having an off night. If Ruiz were to defeat Joshua a second time, that then opens a possibility for him to do something that has only been done once before in Boxing history. To stage a World Heavyweight championship fight in Mexico for only the second time following Sam Peter’s 2008 victory to win the WBC world championship over Oleg Maskaev.

A fight with Fury for Ruiz would further establish him as one of the stars in Boxing and if he were successful against Fury, it would then open the possibility for what the Boxing world has been waiting for. A fight to determine an Undisputed World Heavyweight champion.  Obviously, the two scenarios I have laid out in this column are for the time being hypothetical and not anything set in stone. If however, some of it were to come to fruition it would further cement the belief of many that the Heavyweight division is back at the forefront of the sport. There is a lot of intrigue in these potential fights and definitely a lot of money to be made.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Update

We would like to let our readers know that material discussing the recent Heavyweight fight between undefeated former Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and undefeated contender Tom Schwarz is in the works and will be released on Monday, June 17th during the evening hours. Stay tuned. "And That's The Boxing Truth."

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BoxingMania 6 Results From Australia

Former Bantamweight world title challenger Jason Moloney scored a one punch knockout over Goodluck Mrema to retain his WBA Oceania Bantamweight championship in the main event of Dragon Fire Boxing’s popular BoxingMania series on Saturday night at the Seagulls Ruby Club in New South Wales, Australia. In what was the sixth installment of the BoxingMania series, Moloney along with his twin brother Andrew were the featured attractions on the card.

After some difficulty in being able to land cleanly on the elusive Mrema early in the fight, Moloney brought the fight to a sudden conclusion landing a flush left hook to the jaw of Mrema sending him down on his knees. Mrema did attempt to beat the count, but was unable to get up before the court of ten concluded. Official time of the stoppage was 2:23 of round three.

Jason Moloney advances to 19-1, with 16 Knockouts. Goodluck Mrema falls to 23-5, with 13 Knockouts.

In a bout for the vacant Australian Light-Heavyweight championship Reagan Dessaix scored an impressive seventh round stoppage over Mitchell Whitelaw. Want was a workmanlike performance for Dessaix ended in the seventh round with a right hand to the head of Whiehead that sent him to the canvas forcing a referee stoppage at 2:34 of round seven.

Reagan Dessaix advances to 17-2, with 12 Knockouts. Mitchell Whitehead falls to 5-2-1, with 2 Knockouts.

Undefeated Jr. Bantamweight contender Andrew Moloney scored a second round stoppage of an overmatched Selemani Bangaiza. Moloney implemented a systematic approach with an emphasis on body punches. Bangaiza was sent to the canvas in round two by what was ruled to be a push.

Bangaiza raised his arm and spit out his mouthpiece moments later appearing to surrender. Official time of the stoppage was 1:57 of round two.

Andrew Moloney advances to 20-0, with 13 Knockouts. Selemani Bangaiza falls to 15-6, with 5 Knockouts.

In a bout for the OPBF Super-Middleweight championship Mose Auimatagi scored a sixth round knockout over Kerry Foley. Auimatagi scored a knockdown of Foley in the second round with a right hand that caused Foley’s glove to touch the canvas. Auimatagi’s ability to get his punches off first and land the harder punches throughout was the story of the fight. A right hand ti the body followed by a left hook to the head sent Foley down for the count in round six.

Official time of the stoppage was 1:23 of round six.  Mose Auimatagi advances to 13-1-2, with 9 Knockouts. Kerry Foley falls to 19-5-1, with 16 Knockouts.

Beyond this card featuring the Moloney brothers in separate bouts as they continue their respective climbs towards shots at world championships in their respective careers, this card also represented a significant step forward in the growth of the Australian Boxing scene as it was televised here in the  United States on ESPN’s digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

With the Moloney brothers recently signing with promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. and the Australian Boxing scene receiving more exposure here in America than ever before thanks to sports streaming platforms as well as the inception of digital networks ESPN+ and DAZN in the last year, the future for Australian Boxing is bright. After many years of Australian Boxing not receiving the type of international exposure that other countries including the United States have been able to benefit from, a good amount of credit should be given to the various promoters throughout Australia and New Zealand including Dragon Fire Boxing’s Tony Tolj, who have all continued to bang the drum to increase attention, exposure, and recognition for Australian Boxing.

There has never been a better time for boxers who fight out of the Australia and New Zealand region of the world on every level of the sport to be able to gain valuable international exposure. Something that has been long overdue that should be seen as progress for the overall global growth of Boxing.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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BoxingMania 6 Weights

The official weigh-in for Dragon Fire Boxing’s Boxing Mania 6 event took place earlier today in Australia. The weights for the card featuring brothers Jason and Andrew Moloney competing in separate bouts are as follows.

Main Event: WBA Oceania Bantamweight championship – 10Rds.

Jason Moloney (Champion) 117 3/4lbs. vs. Goodluck Mrema 117 1/4lbs.

Jr. Bantamweight – 10Rds.

Andrew Moloney 114 3/4lbs. vs. Selemani Bangaiza 113 1/2lbs.

Vacant Oriental Professional Boxing Federation (OPBF) Super-Middleweight championship – 12Rds.

Kerry Foley 168lbs. vs. Mose Auimatagi 167 1/2lbs.

Vacant Australian Light-Heavyweight championship – 10Rds.

Reagan Dessaix 175lbs. vs. Mitchell Whitelaw 174 1/2lbs.

Vacant New South Wales (NSW Australia) Super-Middleweight championship – 8Rds.

Adam Stowe 159 1/4lbs. vs. Maks Chylewski 158 1/4lbs.

*Vacant Australian Women’s Lightweight championship – 8Rds.

Rachel Loder 133 1/2lbs. vs. Rebekah Radley 134 1/4lbs.

(*Radley will be making her professional debut on this card.)

Cruiserweight – 4Rds.

Liam Callanan 186 3/4lbs. vs. Daniel White 198lbs.

Cruiserweight – 4Rds.

Joel Trotman 198 3/4lbs. vs. Dwayne Boyd 196lbs.

BoxingMania 6 takes place tomorrow (Saturday, June 15^th at Seagulls Ruby Club in New South Wales Australia. The card can be seen in the United States on digital sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 6AM ET/3AM PT. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, streaming players, and smart TVs for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. For more information, lists of available devices, and to subscribe please visit: plus.espn.com.

Outside of the United States, the card can be seen on Epicentre.TV for $14.95. To order, visit: www.epicentre.TV for more information.

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

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