MATCHROOM FIGHT CAMP LAUNCHES ON AUGUST 1

Press Release: By DAZN and Matchroom Boxing – June 26, 2020 - Eddie Hearn and Matchroom are delighted to announce the full schedule for Fight Camp – an unrivalled summer of elite boxing based at the Matchroom HQ in Brentwood, Essex with the first three weeks shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US – and the final week shown live on Sky Sports Box Office. 

Credit:DAZN/Matchroom Boxing 

 

The unique and ground-breaking outdoor setting overlooking the city of London will play host to huge World Title clashes, British and Commonwealth Title showdowns, Heavyweight wars and countless other Title fights as Matchroom bring top tier boxing back to the screens of fights fans across the UK and US. 

 

Matchroom’s summer of boxing launches with a bang on Saturday August 1 as Sam Eggington (28-6, 17 KOs) puts his IBF International Super-Welterweight title on the line against Ted Cheeseman (15-2-1, 9 KOs) in a guaranteed barnburner, Belfast’s big-hitting James Tennyson (26-3, 22 KOs) takes on Cardiff’s Gavin Gwynne (12-1, 2 KOs) for the vacant British Lightweight title, Chatteris talent Jordan Gill (24-1, 7 KOs) meets Watford’s Reece Bellotti (14-3, 12 KOs) in an electric Featherweight battle, fast-rising Ipswich Heavyweight Fabio Wardley (8-0, 7 KOs) steps up to take on Middlesbrough’s Simon Vallily (17-2-1, 7 KOs) for the vacant English belt and gifted Sheffield Super-Lightweight Dalton Smith (5-0, 4 KOs) squares off with Liverpool’s Nathan Bennett (9-1, 2 KOs). 

 

Terri Harper’s (10-0, 5 KOs) defence of her WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Titles against British rival Natasha Jonas (9-1, 7 KOs) headlines week 2 on Friday August 7supported by Bournemouth’s Chris Billam-Smith (10-1, 9 KOs) defending his Commonwealth Title against undefeated Cardiff man Nathan Thorley (14-0, 6 KOs), Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler (12-1, 9 KOs) gets his second outing of the year against Adam Harper (9-1), Oldham Lightweight prospect Aqib Fiaz (5-0) steps up against Birmingham’s former Midlands Area Champion Kane Baker (13-6) and Leeds Featherweight prospect Hopey Price (2-0) fights on UK soil again following his win on the huge Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua 2 show in Saudi Arabia. 

 

Felix Cash (12-0, 8 KOs) puts his Commonwealth Middleweight Title on the line for the second time against former World Title challenger Jason Welborn (24-8, 7 KOs) at top of week 3’s bill on Friday August 14, recent Matchroom signing Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) meets Ireland’s undefeated Eric Donovan (12-0, 7 KOs) over ten rounds, Northampton Super-Welterweight Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs) takes on Rotherham's Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs), Watford Super-Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (5-0, 2 KOs) faces the toughest opponent of her career in Rachel Ball (5-1) and hard-hitting Super-Middleweight menace John Docherty (8-0, 6 KOs) looks for his second win of the year. 

 

Fight Camp concludes with an unmissable night of blockbuster action on Saturday August 22, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office, as Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) defends his WBC Interim Heavyweight World Title against Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs) and Irish legend Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) defends her Undisputed Lightweight World Titles. There’s more Heavyweight action on offer as Martin Bakole (15-1, 12 KOs) returns to the ring against Russia’s Sergey Kuzmin (15-1, 11 KOs) and Luther Clay (13-1, 5 KOs) defends his WBO Global Welterweight Title against Chris Kongo (11-0, 6 KOs). 

 

Adam Smith, Sky Sports Head of Boxing Development, said: "Eddie Hearn has supplied a sizzling summer schedule in August, starting with three Sky Sports shows packed with British talent. Sam Eggington against Ted Cheeseman should be a classic clash, while the exciting trio of Jordan Gill, Fabio Wardley and Dalton Smith will be eager to impress.

 

"Terri Harper has already endeared herself to fight fans with her remarkable success story, but Natasha Jonas is a genuine threat as we return to Matchroom HQ with a high-class World Title fight. Anthony Fowler and Chris Billam-Smith have big ambitions and cannot afford slip-ups on the same bill. 

 

“Felix Cash defends his Commonwealth belt against the dangerous Jason Welborn on our third action-packed show. We’ll get another chance to see Shannon Courtenay in action – she is a rising talent with an entertaining style - and it’s a perfect platform for Kieron Conway and Zelfa Barrett to showcase their skills.

 

"Fight Camp ends with fireworks as Dillian Whyte risks his World Title ambitions against the big-hitting Alexander Povetkin, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Katie Taylor can cement her status as one of the sport's finest fighters when she returns to action on another fantastic bill. We're back with a red-hot line-up of live boxing!"

 

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN and Matchroom Boxing Used with permission.

 

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

 

For more information about Matchroom Boxing please visit: www.matchroomboxing.com

 

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

Moloney Stops Baez In 7

Top Bantamweight contender and former world title challenger Jason Moloney scored a dominant seventh round stoppage of veteran Leonardo Baez on Thursday night at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Moloney forced the taller Baez into an inside fight from the outset. This allowed the 5’5 Moloney to have the advantage over the 5’9 Baez. Moloney implemented a systematic body attack on Baez that as the the fight progressed took its toll. The combination punching with offense to the body of Baez was the story of this fight. Although Baez was very “Game “ and managed to hold his own in spots throughout the fight, he simply could not find a way to keep Moloney on the outside where the physics of the fight would have theoretically been more to his advantage. After seven rounds of mostly one way punishment, Baez’ corner stopped the fight to prevent their fighter from further punishment and appeared to indicate that he was having difficulty breathing. Jason Moloney advances to 21-1, with 18 Knockouts. Leonardo Baez falls to 18-3, with 9 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Undefeated Lightweight Abraham Nova scored a ten round unanimous decision over Avery Sparrow. Sparrow’s lateral movement and consistent activity offensively seemed to carry the action for most of the fight, but Nova’s harder punches in spots was enough for him to get the nod from the three official judges who scored the fight unanimously in his favor. Official scores were: 99-91, 97-93, and 96-94 all for Nova. Abraham Nova advances to 19-0, with 14 Knockouts. Avery Sparrow falls to 10-2, with 3 Knockouts.

 

 

In a Heavyweight rematch of an October 2019 encounter, Kingsley Ibeh avenged his only pro loss by scoring a fourth round knockout over Waldo Cortes. A barrage of left uppercuts to the head of Cortes led to a knockdown in round four. Cortes barely beat the count, but the bout was stopped by Referee Jay Nady at 1:41 of the round. Kingsley Ibeh advances to 4-1, with 4 Knockouts. Waldo Cortes falls to 5-3, with 2 Knockouts.

 

 

Undefeated Featherweight prospect Orlando Gonzalez pounded out a workmanlike eight round unanimous decision over Luis Porozo. Gonzalez generally got the better of the action throughout the fight. The bout was highlighted by two knockdowns Gonzalez was able to score. A left hook to the head dropped Porozzo in round two. This would be followed by a left uppercut to the body of Porozo that allowed Gonzalez to seal a unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 76-74, and 77-73 (On two scorecards) in favor of Gonzalez. Orlando Gonzalez advances to 15-0, with 10 Knockouts. Luis Porozo falls to 15-3, with 8 Knockouts.

 

 

 

In the first of two Welterweight bouts on the card, Reymond Yanong scored a hard fought six round split decision over Clay Burns. After having some difficulty getting into a rhythm due to the unorthodox style of Burns, Yanong was able to step up his offense and land the more effective punches over the last four rounds to earn the split decision on two official scorecards by scores of 59-55 and 58-56, while the third official judge scored the fight in Burns’ favor 58-56. Reymond Yanong advances to 11-5-1, with 9 Knockouts. Clay Burns falls to 9-8-2, with 4 Knockouts.

 

 

This was followed by rising Welterweight prospect Vlad Panin, who scored a six round majority decision over Benjamin Whitaker. Panin used his reach to control the action throughout much of the fight, but had to contend with a late rally by Whitaker over the last two rounds. Despite the rally, Whitaker could not overcome Panin’s lead on the scorecards as two official judges scored the fight 58-56 in Panin’s favor giving him the majority decision win while the third judge scored the fight even 57-57. Vlad Panin advances to 8-1, with 4 Knockouts. Benjamin Whitaker falls to 13-4, with 3 Knockouts.

 

The week of Boxing cards at the MGM Grand Convention Center provided both a setback and a win for brothers Andrew and Jason Moloney in each’s respective U.S. debut. While Andrew Moloney suffered a narrow decision loss, the first of his career on June 23^rd to Joshua Franco, the loss was in some ways not unlike the loss his brother Jason suffered in his world title shot against Emanuel Rodriguez in October 2018. Two fights that frankly could have gone either way. 

 

While both brothers remain in the hunt in the 115lb. Jr. Bantamweight and 118lb. Bantamweight divisions respectively, the questions that will likely be asked coming out of this week in Las Vegas for the Moloney brothers are whether or not a rematch can be made between Andrew Moloney and Joshua Franco as well as whether after compiling four victories since his lone career defeat, if Jason Moloney will be in line for another opportunity at a world championship after scoring four consecutive wins by stoppage. It may only be a matter of time before both of those questions are answered.

 

“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

 

 

 

 

Franco Defeats Moloney In Las Vegas

Jr. Bantamweight contender Joshua Franco upset previously undefeated rising star Andrew Moloney by scoring a twelve round unanimous decision on Tuesday night at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. The fight, which was for Interim/Regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Jr. Bantamweight ratings, a designation held by Moloney going into the bout, was largely dictated by the unbeaten Australian early on. What was particularly effective was the way Moloney was able to execute his left hook to the body. The bout however, was closely fought from start to finish and as the fight progressed it appeared Franco was landing the heavier blows in spots. What proved to be the difference in the fight came in round eleven when Franco was able to score a knockdown of Moloney with a three punch combination to the head. It was this knockdown that allowed Franco to narrowly pull ahead on two of three official scorecards while winning the fight on the third scorecard by three points giving Joshua Franco a close and hard fought unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 115-112, and 114-113 (On Two scorecards) in favor of Joshua Franco. Joshua Franco advances to 17-1-2, with 8 Knockouts. Andrew Moloney falls to 21-1, with 14 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Former Featherweight world title challenger Christopher Diaz scored a lopsided ten round unanimous decision over Jason Sanchez. Diaz’ quicker hands and overall Boxing skills were the story of this fight as he convincingly out boxed Sanchez over the duration of the fight to earn the decision victory. Official scores were: 98-92, (On two scorecards) and 97-93 all in favor of Diaz.Christopher Diaz advances to 26-2, with 16 Knockouts. Jason Sanchez falls to 15-2, with 8 Knockouts.

 

In a battle of undefeated Jr. Welterweights, Miguel Contreras scored a hard-fought six round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Rolando Vargas. A fight that saw plenty of exchanges between the two fighters, Contreras’ greater activity and consistency in getting his punches off first proved to be the difference in the bout. Despite suffering a bad cut over the right eye as a result of an accidental clash of heads, Vargas remained very “Game”, but ultimately could not equal Contreras’ work rate or land something significant to turn things in his favor as all three judges scored the fight 58-56 in favor of Contreras. Miguel Contreras advances to 11-0, with 6 Knockouts. Rolando Vargas falls to 5-1, with 5 Knockouts.

 

 

Heavyweight Helaman Olguin scored a six round majority decision over previously unbeaten Adam Stewart. In what was a largely uneventful bout, Olguin had periodic success in landing his right hand to the head of Stewart throughout and that was likely what led to him getting the nod on two judges scorecards by identical scores of 58-56, while the third judge scored the fight even 58-58. Helaman Olguin advances to 8-3, with 3 Knockouts. Adam Stewart falls to 8-1-1, with 5 Knockouts.

 

 

A scheduled eight round Lightweight bout between unbeaten prospect Joseph Adorno

and veteran Alexis del Bosque was cancelled earlier in the day due to an  illness suffered by Adorno reported to be severe dehydration by United States Sports network ESPN . Although the illness is also reported to be unrelated to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, there is no word as of this writing as to whether it will be attempted to reschedule the bout at a later date. We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

 

The long anticipated U.S. debut for the Moloney brothers Andrew and Jason Moloney did not begin with a favorable outcome for the brothers. The former world title challenger Jason Moloney will be next to enter the ring at the MGM Grand Convention Center when the top Bantamweight contender faces veteran Leonardo Baez on Thursday, June 25^th. 

 

As for Andrew Moloney, in all honesty he has nothing to be ashamed of as he showed his mettle in defeat in a fight that could have gone either way. Although the structure of designations as recognized by the WBA can at times present confusion particularly among casual fans of the sport, both Joshua Franco and Andrew Moloney are right in the mix in the 115lb. Jr. Bantamweight division. Obviously, what each fighter does next will likely be determined by the ongoing circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 epidemic, but if circumstances make it possible, it certainly would not be a bad option for either fighter to consider a rematch. It was after all, a very competitive fight that despite the circumstances under which it took place, should be regarded as one of the best fights of 2020.

 

“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

 

FITE Extends its Reach in the UK and Ireland with Netgem TV Launch

Press Release: New York, USA + London, UK, 22 June 2020: FITE,  the premium global platform for sports and entertainment, announced today their launch on Netgem TV, the TV service designed for modern and savvy viewers in the UK and Ireland. The popular global app, which specializes in live combat sports and special events will be available immediately via Netgem TV’s growing network of ISP operators and enabled Netgem TV devices. 

 

Televised news and entertainment have achieved a heightened role in this worldwide COVID environment, and providing live sports have been challenging for many content providers in this sector. FITE, which cites the UK as its second largest market, has worked hard to provide its viewers and fans with premium PPV events from the likes of AEW, Top Rank, WWE, and Impact Wrestling in the last few months and recently have ventured into motorsports, movies, and music. 

 

“We’ve been acquiring some amazing exclusive PPV events for our fans,” said Kim Hurwitz, CMO of FITE. “We’ll be expanding our slate even further in July when other popular leagues are ready to return, plus adding brand new sports to the mix. Stay tuned, as they’ll be on Netgem TV.”

 

Also launching on Netgem TV from the brand is a free linear channel called FITE 24/7 which broadcasts a variety of combat events and specials, interviews and more – always on, always free – with new additions added each week.

 

“We are very excited to welcome FITE into our catalogue,” said Sylvain Thevenot, Managing Director at Netgem TV. “This new addition, along with previous efforts to provide a diversified content offering for everyone, comes as great news for sports fans, who can find in Netgem TV a wide selection of sports at a very competitive price.” 

 

About FITE

FITE is the premium global platform for sports and entertainment. FITE is available worldwide through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU, Amazon Fire TV. In addition, FITE supports Netgem TV, Vizio SmartCast™, Chromecast, PS4, Xbox, Netrange, Vidaa/Hisense, Vewd, Xfinity 1 and Xfinity Flex as well as 7,000 models of Smart TVs. Available online at www.FITE.tv. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.  If it Happens, it’s on FITE.

 

About Netgem TV

Netgem TV is the service designed for modern and savvy viewers in the UK and Ireland. The platform offers the best of free TV, inclusive of premium content and the most popular streaming services. 

 

Netgem TV is powered by Netgem, which has over 20 years of experience innovating in Internet-connected solutions for Operators. Netgem is a leading service provider for the next-gen Fibre homes, with an evolving range of connected home products and services.

 

Netgem creates a unique and unified experience across TV and mobile, offering access to the best digital TV, music and video streaming services across the biggest names in local and global content.  

Material and Graphic Courtesy of FITE Used with permission.

For more information about FITE TV including schedules and list of compatible streaming devices around the world please visit: www.FIte.TV

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

Thoughts On Navarrete-Lopez

As the sport of Boxing looks to continue trying to resume under the circumstances of the COVID-19 epidemic, some might ask when we might see fights that had significant public interest prior to the epidemic and under what conditions would such bouts take place. A conundrum that many world champions and top contenders throughout the sport will have to deal with as the epidemic continues is whether or not they want to compete. A decision that many athletes throughout all of sports are contemplating. For fighters throughout combat sports there is both a question of potential risk to their health due to the potential exposure to the virus as well as the risk every fighter takes each time they compete. There is also a second question that is asked. Whether competing under such circumstances is more of a risk in terms of a fighter’s position in the sport as well as financially than there is a reward by competing.

 

After all, it is logical for a fan, those who cover the sport like yours truly, and others to question how many top level fights can be made under circumstances such as an epidemic where numbers have not yet indicated a legitimate decline. What is underestimated however, is the opportunity this can present fighters. It cannot be overlooked that the COVID-19 crisis has had a severe impact on just about every aspect of everyday life. For many fighters who are not fortunate enough to command multi-million dollar paydays each time they compete, the crisis has also resulted in potential opportunities being taken away simply because the sport has not been active. With the sport attempting to resume behind closed doors, it does open up opportunities for several fighters to not only earn income, but also potentially move themselves into position for more lucrative paydays down the line depending on when life including spectators going to sporting events may return to something akin to normal.

 

What this crisis has also done is present an opportunity of a different sort for world champions who are looking to stay active. While it might not be realistic to expect many fighters who are considered to be the top stars in the sport to resume active competition when they may not be able to earn as much money from both purses as well as from live gate revenue seeing as everything for the foreseeable future will be closed to the public, a problem many top fighters and world champions will have will be by being inactive it might have an effect on a fighter’s skills over time. Two world champions have however, shown that there are benefits to staying active even if it comes under circumstances such as COVID-19. I am referring of course to WBO Featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson, who competed on June 9th as part of the first Boxing card to take place in the United States since March in defeating Felix Caraballo in a non-title bout held in the Jr. Lightweight division.

 

Current WBO Jr. Featherweight world champion Emanuel Navarrete took a similar approach as he returned to the ring on June 20th to face a veteran Uriel Lopez in a non-title bout in Mexico City, Mexico. The bout, which like all the bouts we have seen that have taken place in Las Vegas and in Mexico, took place behind closed doors without spectators. Much like Stevenson’s bout against Caraballo, Navarrette moved up one weight class to the Featherweight division for this fight.

 

Although one should never go into a fight with a preconceived idea of what will take place as anything can happen at any time, this was a fight for Navarrette to test the waters of a new weight class against a “Game”, but ultimately over matched opponent. For six rounds, Navarrette used his complete skill set to dictate how the fight was fought and dominate the action.

 

What was particularly impressive about Navarrette’s approach was how he balanced his attack to the head and body of Lopez, as well as showing his patience in taking his time. In the fifth round, Navarrette dropped Lopez with a left hook to the body. Although Lopez, who entered the fight with an even record of 13-13-1, with 6 Knockouts, had all the appearance of a fighter who was thought to be a mere opponent, he did get up and did attempt to fight on. A second knockdown from another left hook to the body of Lopez in round six however, would end matters.

 

While there may be some criticism of this fight based on the record Lopez compared to Navarrette, who entered with a record of 31-1, with 27 Knockouts, it is important to remember that it was not uncommon for many years to see world champions take fights in between title defenses as a method to both stay busy as well as test the waters of a new division against fighters who are thought to be below their level. For many reasons the least of which being economic, this has been something that world champions have gone away from in recent years.

 

The COVID-19 epidemic however, has made such fights a necessity for those fighters both world champions and contenders, who want to stay active under the current conditions. As things remain uncertain both in terms of the crisis and Boxing’s ability to operate both efficiently and effectively under the circumstances, no one can really say with a degree of certainty as to what the future plans for any fighter might be until the circumstances of the COVID-19 virus can be something that can be controlled. In the meantime, for fighters like Emanuel Navarrete, the goal should be to stay busy as opportunities present itself.

 

“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

Flores Dominates Ruiz

Undefeated Lightweight prospect Gabriel Flores Jr. scored a dominant ten round unanimous decision over veteran Josec Ruiz on Thursday night at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Flores’ quicker hands, lateral movement, and combination punching were the story of this fight as he controlled the tempo of the combat from the opening bell. The highlight of this fight beyond Flores’ overall performance came in round two when he landed a flush left hook to the jaw followed by a right hand that sent Ruiz down. Ruiz remained “Game “ throughout the entire fight, but could not land anything significant to turn the ebb and flow in his favor as he consistently followed Flores around and sustained punishment as he came forward. At the conclusion of this bout all three judges turned in identical scores giving Flores every round 100-89. Gabriel Flores Jr. advances to 18-0, with 6 Knockouts. Josec Ruiz falls to 21-3-3, with 14 Knockouts 

 

Also on this card:

 

Super-Middleweight Clay Collard pounded out a six round split decision over previously undefeated David Kaminsky. Collard forced the fight in close from the opening bell and cut Kaminsky over the left eye as a result of a punch in round one. Collard’s non-stop aggression and out landing Kaminsky was enough to earn a hard fought split decision with all three judges turning in identical scores of 58-56, but two of the scorecards were scored in Collard’s favor. Clay Collard advances to 7-2-3, with 2 Knockouts. David Kaminsky falls to 6-1, with 3 Knockouts.

 

 

In a battle of undefeated Bantamweights Robert Rodriguez scored a second round stoppage of previously unbeaten Adrian Servin. After an uneventful first round Rodriguez stepped up the pressure and dropped Servin with a body shot followed by a hook to the head. Although Servin, who was moving up two weight classes was able to get up, he had no answer for the follow up barrage by Rodriguez and the fight was stopped at 2:48 of round two. Robert Rodriguez advances to 8-0-1, with 4 Knockouts. Adrian Servin falls to 9-1-1, with 3 Knockouts.

 

Unbeaten Jr. Welterweight Victor Rodriguez scored a workmanlike four round unanimous decision over Justin Horsley. All three judges scored every round in favor of Rodriguez 40-36. Victor Rodriguez advances to 3-0, with 1 Knockout. Justin Horsley falls to 0-3, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Jr. Lightweight Frevian Gonzalez scored a four round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jose Martinez. Despite the fight being closely fought from start to finish where neither fighter was able to stand out clearly, the three official judges felt Gonzalez had done enough to win a unanimous decision. Official scores were 39-37 (On two scorecards) and 40-36 in favor of Gonzalez. Frevian Gonzalez advances to 3-0, with 1 Knockout. Jose Martinez falls to 2-1, with 1 Knockout.

 

The original main event that was scheduled for this card between former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre was postponed on the morning of the fight when it was revealed that a member of LesPierre’s camp had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. In accordance with strict protocols laid out by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) the bout was postponed and members of LesPierre’s team were moved into quarantine according to ESPN. Although promoter Bob Arum, his promotional company Top Rank, Inc., and ESPN have stated that they hope to stage the fight on a rescheduled date in July at the MGM Grand Conference Center, there has not been an official announcement made as to when that might happen as of this writing. We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

 

“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 Upsets Greer In Las Vegas

Bantamweight Mike Plania scored an impressive ten round majority decision over WBO number one Bantamweight contender Joshua Greer on Tuesday night at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. A bout where Greer was favored was drastically changed in the first round when Plania dropped Greer with a flush counter left hook to the jaw. From this point in the fight, Plania used his range and elusiveness to dictate the combat. In round six, Plania scored a second knockdown of Greer with a short left hook to the head. From rounds eight through ten, Greer sensing that he was behind on the scorecards began to step up his aggression and appeared to outwork Plania down the stretch. This momentum shift was apparently enough to convince one official judge that the fight was a draw at the end of the ten round fight scoring the bout 95-95. This was overruled by the two remaining judges who turned in scores of 96-92 and 97-91 giving Mike Plania a convincing victory that should be viewed as an upset. Mike Plania advances to 24-1, with 12 Knockouts. Joshua Greer falls to 22-2-1, with 12 Knockouts.

Also on this card:

 

Unbeaten Welterweight prospect Bobirzhan Mominov scored a six round unanimous decision over Cameron Krael to remain undefeated. Mominov consistently forced the action and backed Krael up with several right hands throughout the fight. Krael had his best moments in the last two rounds of the bout using lateral movement and combination punching to get the better of the action. The late rally as well as a point deduction against Mominov in the sixth and final round for rabbit punching, was not enough for Krael to pull the fight out on the scorecards as all three judges scored the fight in favor of Mominov. Official scores were 58-55 (On two scorecards), and 57-56. Bobirzhan Mominov advances to 11-0, with 8 Knockouts. Cameron Krael falls to 17-16-3, with 4 Knockouts.

 

 

Undefeated Middleweight prospect Nikoloz Sekhniashvili scored a workmanlike six round unanimous decision over Isiah Jones. Sekhniashvili simply pressed the action over the course of the fight and outworked Jones, who could not get into a consistent rhythm. Official scores were 60-54, and 59-55 (On two scorecards) in favor of Sekhniashvili. Nikoloz Sekhniashvili advances to 6-0, with 4 Knockouts. Isiah Jones falls to 8-2, with 3 Knockouts.

 

Heavyweight Hector Perez outworked Juan Torres over six relatively uneventful rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory. Hector Perez advances to 7-2, with 3 Knockouts. Juan Torres falls to 5-3-1, with 2 Knockouts.

 

In the opening bout of the evening in the Welterweight division, undefeated prospect Giovani  Santillan scored a hard fought ten round majority decision over former WBC Lightweight world champion Antonio DeMarco. A competitive fight from the outset, the two fighters spent the majority of the early rounds fighting in case and neither fighter was able to clearly stand out from the other. As the fight progressed however, it appeared DeMarco was able to edge ahead by applying gradual pressure and landing offense to the body and head of Santillan. At the conclusion of ten rounds two of three official judges felt that Santillan had done enough to win the fight in turning in identical scores of 96-94 giving him the majority decision victory, while the third judge scored the fight 95-95 even. Giovani Santillan advances to 26-0, with 15 Knockouts. Antonio DeMarco falls to 33-9-1, with 24 Knockouts.

 

Although some portions of this card were formulaic and did not offer much in the way of analysis, two bouts that were featured, the Bantamweight bout between Mike Plania and Joshua Greer as well as the Welterweight bout between Giovani Santillan and Antonio DeMarco could well see rematches at some point. Even in unprecedented circumstances and times of much concern for the world, Boxing shows us once again that it is truly the theater of the unexpected.

 

“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

FITE Enters VIZIO’s SmartCast™ TV Arena in New Distribution Deal

Press Release: By FITE- New York, June 16, 2020 - FITE, the premium global platform for sports and entertainment, announced today that they have completed a multi-year deal with VIZIO,  Inc., the #1 American-based Smart TV brand[1], for distribution of the FITE app throughout the United States and Canada. FITE will be added as an app on VIZIO SmartCast® , the center of the smart home. This is the first major domestic Smart TV deal for FITE, which offers premiere special events on a Pay Per View, SVOD and free basis.

 

“We’re excited to be available on VIZIO’s platform,” said Kim Hurwitz, CMO, FITE. “For fans seeking a variety of sports and other marquee special events on the big screen, they will have a tremendous array of new options with the FITE app.”   

 

FITE is known for offering live sports programming from around the globe. They specialize in  offerings from the leading combat sports providers such as PBC, Matchroom Boxing, AEW, BKFC, WWE, Top Rank, NWA, Rizin, and NJPW. As of this Spring, FITE has been expanding their event slate by offering platform-exclusive events in the motorsports world as well as movie premieres, BBQ competitions and even, jousting.  FITE will continue to expand with more sports and variety, with future offerings to include events like the South American World Cup Qualifiers and live concert events.

 

Michael Weber, COO of FITE stated, “I really admire the technology that is part of the VIZIO TV product. The fan in me is excited to deliver a front row seat to our FITE events on such a fantastic screen at a great value.”

 

FITE is now available on the VIZIO SmartCast™ line-up, just in time to experience the return of live GCW Wrestling on June 20^th and July 4^th, and the Monster Truck series debuting on June 29^th.

 

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About FITE:

FITE is the premium global platform for sports and entertainment. FITE is available worldwide through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU, Amazon Fire TV. In addition, FITE supports Vizio SmartCast™, Chromecast, PS4, Xbox, Netrange, Vidaa/Hisense, Xfinity 1 and Xfinity Flex as well as 7,000 models of TVs. Available online at www.FITE.tv. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook. If it Happens, it’s on FITE.

 

About VIZIO:

VIZIO, the #1 American-based TV brand and #1 Sound Bar Brand in America, delivers innovative entertainment solutions and value for millions of connected consumers. Formed in 2002 and quickly established as a daring leader, VIZIO has built a portfolio of industry-leading products that provide brilliant, awe-inspiring experiences while incorporating seamlessly with the smart home. The collection of televisions, sound bars, and the SmartCast smart TV platform are designed with the consumer's desires in mind, and have been rated America's Fastest Growing TV Brand with Quantum Dot and America's Fastest Growing Sound Bar Brand with Dolby Atmos. VIZIO product leadership is consistently highlighted by industry reviews and awards, which include 2019 Editor's Choice awards and inclusion on "Best of" lists from top review outlets including CNET, USA Today's Reviewed.com, Digital Trends  IGN, Wirecutter and Tom's Guide.

 

Material and Graphic Courtesy of FITE Used with permission. 

 

For more information about FITE please visit: www.FITE.TV

 

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

FBHOF 2020 Induction Ceremony Postponed Until 2021

It has been announced that the annual Florida Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend that was originally scheduled to take place this month in Tampa, FL and then rescheduled for late August, will be postponed until the weekend of June 18-20th, 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic.

We will keep readers updated on any developments regarding the rescheduled weekend as they become available. 

For more information about the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame please visit: www.floridaboxinghalloffame.com 

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

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

Top Rank/ESPN 6/16/2020 Weights From Las Vegas

The official weigh-in for Tuesday’s closed door Boxing card presented by Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc took place earlier today in Las Vegas, NV. The weights for the entire card at the MGM Grand Convention Center, which will be televised in the United States on ESPN and are subject to change are as follows 

Main Event: Jr. Featherweight - 10Rds.

Josh Greer Jr. 120 1/4 lbs. vs. Mike Plania 119 1/2lbs.

Welterweight - 8Rds.

Cameron Krael 147 1/4lbs. vs. Bobirzhan Mominov 152lbs.

Welterweight - 10Rds.

Giovani Santillan 148lbs. vs. Antonio DeMarco 147lbs.

Heavyweight - 6Rds.

Hector Perez 221lbs. vs. Juan Torres 250lbs.

Middleweight - 6Rds. 

Nikoloz Sekhniashvili 159 1/4lbs. vs. Isiah Jones 158 1/4

*All bouts are closed to the public 

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN and ESPN+:  Greer vs.  Plania takes place tomorrow (Tuesday, June 16th) at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. The card can be seen in the United States on ESPN as well through the ESPN app featuring ESPN+ on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices. Check your local listings internationally.

For more information about Top Rank Boxing on ESPN, ESPN, and to subscribe to ESPN+ please visit:

www.toprank.com www.ESPN.com plus.espn.com

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

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Wach-Johnson: An Under The Radar Heavyweight Encounter

An interesting Heavyweight bout took place on Friday, June 12th. Unlike recent events that have taken place since the sport of Boxing began the initial steps of trying to resume in the midst of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic however, this fight did not receive much attention, despite it being a bout between two former world title challengers. This observer is referring to the battle between longtime contenders Mariusz Wach and Kevin Johnson.

Perhaps one reason why this fight was not given as much attention as compared to recent events that yours truly has covered was due to the limited access to this fight in terms of being able to view it live as it took place. Yours truly had originally intended to try to cover this bout along with my previous coverage of closed door Boxing cards, but I also could not gain live access. In an ever evolving technological world however, access can come on a delayed basis as is the case with this fight, which allows me to now provide the reader of this column some thoughts and analysis.

The bout between the two longtime contenders took place under similar circumstances as did the recent cards in Mexico and Las Vegas. A closed door atmosphere in Konary, Poland at the Palac w Konarach hotel. As was the case with the previous events, the atmosphere was one that was small, intimate, and without fanfare. What will remain a focal point for most fights that will take place under the circumstances of COVID-19 will be the condition of the fighters in having to prepare to compete under scenarios that are not the norm.

Unlike my previous coverage of two cards that have taken place in Las Vegas, I was unable to observe much as to what protocols were followed due to COVID-19 as I was only able to access footage of this bout, which was the main event of a seven bout card. From what I did see, it appeared as though similar protocols to what has been put in place in Las Vegas and Mexico were being followed.

As for the fight itself, if it were fought under circumstances, which the sport was operating in its normal state, the storyline would be what does either fighter have left in them. While that does certainly still apply, it was logical to at least wonder how the circumstances of the ongoing epidemic would impact this fight. What did work in both fighters favor was that both are seasoned veterans of the sport and are used to competing at a world-class level and each have been in world title contention at one time or another in their careers.

Both men however, came into this fight off of losses and in the case of Kevin Johnson, had lost four of his last five bouts. Based on this and also taking into consideration that both fighters are forty years old, it was also logical to question what type of fight this would be. Although both fighters had their share of moments throughout this ten round bout, the fight was largely dictated by Mariusz Wach by consistently coming forward and using his 6’7 height and eighty-two inch reach to keep Johnson from being able to get his punches off first and being forced to play the role of counter puncher. While this is a role that Johnson has played throughout his career, inconsistency in terms of his ability to be aggressive has worked against him in many fights having lost sixteen of his fifty-one career bouts prior to this fight where several opponents were able to outwork Johnson over the course of a fight.

In this fight, Johnson to his credit did come forward more in spots, but he was not consistent throughout. While he was also able to counter Wach’s offense periodically throughout the bout, he was unable to get the ebb and flow to go in his favor. In contrast to Johnson, Wach was consistent in throwing offense and landed several right hands to the head behind his jab throughout. It was this as well as his overall activity that allowed Wach to earn s convincing unanimous decision at the end of the ten round bout.

Even though this fight did not offer much in the way of highlights, it should serve as an illustration of how basic fundamentals sometimes can be enough to win a fight convincingly. As has been the case throughout much of his career, Kevin Johnson’s inability to get his punches off first as well as general inconsistency proved to be his detriment in this fight. While anything can happen in the sport of Boxing, it is difficult to say whether either of these fighters will be able to re-emerge in the discussion of Heavyweight contenders.

For Mariusz Wach, the victory over Johnson should at minimum open an opportunity against someone rated in the top twenty in a sanctioning organization’s Heavyweight ratings. When and against whom that fight might take place will likely be dictated by the circumstances of the COVID-19 epidemic. 

Although some might say that Kevin Johnson should consider retirement after suffering his seventeenth loss and being years removed from where he was considered s player in the Heavyweight division and challenging for a world championship, he is still a seasoned fighter that has competed against many of the top Heavyweights of the last fifteen years. If Johnson is going to continue to compete, he must find a way to be consistent offensively. With the COVID-19 epidemic remaining a factor for sports as well as everyday life for the foreseeable future, fighters with Johnson’s resume and reliability in being willing to take fights on short notice and face anyone could be in position to take advantage of the circumstances the sport of Boxing finds itself in. It goes without saying however, unless you are a fighter blessed with punching power that can end a fight at any moment, a fighter needs to be offensive if they want to win on the scorecards. Something that Kevin Johnson should keep in mind if he intends to go forward with his career.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Boxing Behind Closed Doors: What To Take Away So Far

By now, readers of The Boxing Truth®️ as well as those who have followed this observer’s work both online and in print for many years know that I have been vocal about my feeling uneasy about not just the resumption of Boxing, but also normal everyday life in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. A point of view that I have shared not only through my writings, but also through various social media platforms in which I am active. Although frankly there hasn’t been much to ease my concerns, the sport of Boxing did get the process of resuming underway one week ago with three events that took place in Mexico and Las Vegas, NV.

While coverage of those events are available in the archives here on The Boxing Truth®️, I felt it appropriate with week one now in the books, to share some of my impressions or take aways for lack of a better term on what I observed overall. First, it is important to note that even though Boxing, much like the rest of the world is not in it’s normal active state with various events taking place daily around the world, what we have seen is a more centralized concept in resuming competition. By this, I mean Boxing cards taking place in a set schedule format from one location. I am referring to the events that have taken place at the MGM Grand Convention Center that has been referred to recently as “The Bubble.”

Not only are bouts staged in a closed door environment without the addition of spectators/fans, but the surrounding area of the hotel that has been closed off from general use also serves as a place to house fighters that are scheduled to compete. The area also houses a training facility as well rather than simply a ring in the hotel’s convention center where competitive fights take place. Although I approached this first week of Boxing’s resumption with an open mind as well as being uneasy, in all honesty, I was impressed with the set up of the convention center as well as what was documented by cable network ESPN regarding the area known as “The Bubble.” While some may be critical for criticism sake, if one is objective it is hard to say that the collaboration between promoter Bob Arum, his company Top Rank, Inc., the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), and finally ESPN was not well thought out and executed.

In terms of the set up inside of the convention center, I was also impressed by the precautions that have been put in place. Such precautions include a fighter’s camp wearing face masks, ring introductions taking place on a platform outside the ring at distance away from the fighters, where post-fight interviews are also conducted in observance of social distancing guidelines, as well as the ring bring vacuumed and sanitized after each bout. This underscores that everyone involved appear to be taking the COVID-19 virus seriously and that was evident to yours truly as I covered the events from my home office.

Among the precautions that were/are being followed for upcoming events, which are said to be scheduled weekly for the duration of the summer, is a set testing protocol for fighters, their camps, referees, officials and others that are allowed into the closed area of the MGM Grand hotel. It was these protocols that resulted however, in two positive tests of fighters who were scheduled to compete on cards scheduled for the month of June.

The first of these tests involved undefeated Jr. Lightweight and former U.S. Olympian Mikaela Mayer, who was removed from her scheduled bout on June 9th with fellow contender Helen Joseph. This was followed by unbeaten Featherweight Chris Zavala, who was scheduled to compete this coming Tuesday (June 16th) in Las Vegas in a bout against Edward Vazquez, seeing his fight cancelled due to testing positive for the virus as well Jr. Flyweight Silvia Torres who was pulled from her scheduled bout on June 20th in Mexico City, Mexico against Edith De Jesus after also testing positive. While two of the three tests directly impacted cards that Bob Arum was/is putting on in Las Vegas, the three positive test results that have bern released thus far do show that while the sport is trying to resume, COVID-19 remains a very serious threat and will likely continue to impact any planned cards for not only Arum’s Top Rank, but for other promoters throughout the sport globally as they also look to resume their respective schedule of events.

Bob Arum, the NSAC, and ESPN have however, succeeded in providing a blueprint for other promoters, state athletic commissions/international regulatory boards, and other television/streaming networks to follow going forward. While what we have seen so far out of Las Vegas for the resumption of Boxing has been encouraging and has given yours truly a few ideas on how such a model could be used in the sport in the long-term even after the COVID-19 epidemic that I want to share at a more appropriate time, I feel for now though progress has been made, it is best for everyone involved, promoters, fighters, networks, regulatory commissions, and even those of us who cover the sport to proceed with caution as unfortunately, activity in the sport and the world in general will continue to be dictated by COVID-19 and as such, circumstances including what may be scheduled could change at any moment.

“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