Golovkin-Szeremeta Preview

 

Perhaps one of, if not the most talked about fight that Boxing fans have been clamoring for both before and during the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic is a potential third encounter between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. The first two encounters a disputed draw and a narrow decision victory for Alvarez in the second encounter has left many feeling unsatisfied and the fact that a clear winner between the two is yet to be determined in the eyes of many has left a feeling that the rivalry between the two future Hall of Famers is unresolved.

 

Of course for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to the impacts of COVID-19, which could have delayed a third fight from happening in 2020, as well as a well-publicized legal dispute between Alvarez, his now former promoter Oscar De La Hoya, and digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, it appeared as though a potential third encounter between the two was no longer a possibility. As many now know, Alvarez appears to be back on good terms with DAZN and will return to the ring in an attempt to win a world championship in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division when he faces undefeated WBA world champion Callum Smith on December 19^th in San Antonio, TX in a bout that DAZN will broadcast as part of its ongoing global launch.

 

On December 18^th however, DAZN will also feature the return of Gennady Golovkin, now a two-time Middleweight world champion as he will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) world championship against undefeated current IBF number one Middleweight contender Kamil Szeremeta at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel And Casino in Hollywood, FL. Obviously, the sub-plot/narrative going into this fight for some will be that should both Golovkin and Alvarez be successful in these bouts that it could likely re-establish the collision course that the two have been on ever since Alvarez was able to score a narrow victory in their rematch in September 2018, which would obviously be a significant event not only for the sport of Boxing , but also for DAZN who now appears to be re-establishing its relationship with Alvarez following that well-publicized dispute that may ultimately be a bump in the road.

 

While a victory in Boxing and by extension all combat sports should never be viewed as a given because after all, anything can happen and with the Smith-Alvarez bout to be discussed in more detail in the coming days by yours truly here on The Boxing Truth®️, what type of challenge does Gennady Golovkin face in what will be his first title defense since regaining two portions of the World Middleweight championship?

 

In Kamil Szeremeta, Golovkin will face a former European Middleweight champion, who will enter the fight unbeaten in twenty-one professional bouts. Although Szeremeta is not known for his punching power having scored knockouts in only five of those twenty-one wins, he does have a come forward pressure style, which on the surface is not unlike the style that Golovkin used to carve his reputation as a “Knockout Artist.” The obvious difference is that Golovkin does have punching power and has shown the ability to knock an opponent out with either hand.

 

Despite his briefly holding the European Middleweight championship, Szeremeta has not fought fighters that are particularly well-known to the general public. What Szeremeta does have however, is a rather compact style in which he throws punches and particularly, does like to balance his offense to the body and head of his opponents by often throwing punches in short combinations. While the challenge for the challenger will be much like many previous Golovkin opponents in whether he will be able to avoid the champion’s power for the entire duration of the scheduled twelve round world champion bout, in Golovkin’s last fight in October of last year where he regained his standing as a World Middleweight champion, Sergiy Derevyanchenko consistently focused a portion of his attack on Golovkin’s body and appeared to have some success in being able to hurt him throughout the fight.

 

Although Golovkin was said to not be feeling well in the days prior to that fight, one could argue that Derevyanchenko was able to have more success against Gennady Golovkin than any previous opponent including Saul Alvarez. Whether or not Szeremeta will be able to implement elements of Derevyanchenko’s strategy into his own approach remains to be seen.

 

Given the difficulty that Golovkin had against Derevyanchenko and the feeling of some that at thirty-eight years old, he might be starting to decline as a fighter, it is logical to assume that the champion with much still at stake beyond his unified world championship will be looking to make a statement in his first title defense following what was a grueling battle against Derevyanchenko. Although many Boxing fans scoff at the concept of mandatory title defenses because there are times where mandatory challengers emerge as largely unknown figures as Szeremeta has, the old cliché of a fighter that has nothing to lose and everything to gain certainty applies to this encounter.

 

While Kamil Szeremeta may have nothing to lose by challenging a future Hall of Famer for his world championship, Golovkin has much to lose in this fight. Not only his unified world championship, but as the odd man out in the ongoing situation involving the career of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, with the relationship between Alvarez and DAZN appearing to be on a new chapter, it is crucial for Golovkin to not only retain his world championship, but also do so in such a way to fuel demand for the long anticipated third encounter between himself and Alvarez. While it remains to be seen whether Golovkin will be able to do this, there may be no better opportunity than to provide a strong argument for himself one evening before Alvarez himself enters the ring to challenge Callum Smith for his Super-Middleweight crown.

 

This observer for one cannot wait to see how this will play out.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Golovkin vs. Szeremeta takes place on Friday, December 18^th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL. The fight as well as its full undefeated can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 5PM ET/2PM PT (U.S. Time.) 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.

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

HARRY KANE PARTNERS WITH DAZN FOR 40 DAYS: CANELO VS. SMITH

Press Release: By DAZN – LONDON, Dec. 14, 2020 – DAZN, the leading global sports destination, has teamed up with international football icon, Harry Kane, to produce ‘40 DAYS: CANELO VS. SMITH’. The three-part docuseries debuts on DAZN’s Global platform today and spotlights the Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez as he returns to the super middleweight division to face undefeated champion Callum Smith on Dec.19. 

 Credit:DAZN 

 

This latest edition of 40 DAYS explores what it truly takes to be recognised as number one in the world. Canelo Alvarez is looking to cement his pound-for-pound status by taking on the world number one in yet another weight division, while Callum Smith is out to prove himself and stake his claim against a global superstar. We hear from the fighters themselves and those closest to them during intimate, exclusive interviews with Canelo’s trainer Eddy Reynoso and Smith’s trainer Joe Gallagher, as well as Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn. ‘40 DAYS: CANELO VS SMITH’ is produced in association with Evolve Studios.

 

“I know what it’s like to prepare for a big match– the sweat and blood that goes into making sure you’re the best athlete you can be, and 40 DAYS captures that like no other series”, said Harry Kane. “I’m excited to team up with DAZN on this latest edition and look forward to watching my fellow countryman take on a pound-for-pound champion of Canelo’s calibre in what is set to be a world-class night of boxing.”

 

“We are lucky to have unique access to elite fighters training under exceptional circumstances,” said Deirdre Fenton, DAZN Director, Content. “This edition of 40 DAYS details the different approaches of the two fighters and what makes this championship match-up so interesting. Harry is another athlete currently performing at the top of his game in these conditions, making him a fantastic collaborator on this series.”

  

Episode one of ‘40 DAYS: CANELO VS. SMITH’ will debut today, Dec. 14, exclusively on DAZN’s Global platform across 200+ countries and territories. Episode two will follow on Wednesday, Dec 16, with the third and final episode unveiled on Friday, Dec. 18, the day before the super middleweight title clash in San Antonio, Texas. 

 

‘40 DAYS: CANELO VS. SMITH’ follows hugely successful editions of the series, previously produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s UNINTERRUPTED, Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, and Roc Nation.

 

Canelo Alvarez's much-anticipated return to the ring against Callum Smith takes place on DAZN on Saturday, Dec. 19 . Alvarez is back in action for the first time since knocking out Sergey Kovalev in November 2019 in Las Vegas to win the WBO light heavyweight title.

 

He will face tough opposition in the undefeated WBA super middleweight champion in Smith, who has defended the titles twice – stopping Hassan N’Dam in New York in June 2019 and then beating John Ryder in his Liverpool hometown five months later.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN 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.

 

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

Joshua Knocks Out Pulev In Nine To Retain Unified Heavyweight World Championship

 

Unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua successfully made the first defense since regaining his world championship in his rematch with Andy Ruiz in December of last year, by scoring a dominant ninth round knockout over IBF number one Heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev on Saturday night at the Wembley Arena in London, England. After a somewhat tentative start where neither fighter was really able to execute much offense, Joshua suddenly burst with offense in round three when he opened up with a barrage of punches that began with a right hand to the head that put Pulev on the defensive. Although Pulev attempted to goad that he wasn’t hurt, moments later another barrage of offense from the champion highlighted by an uppercut to the head caused Pulev to turn his back in a neutral corner, while this usual is an indication of surrender and would be grounds for stopping a fight, Referee Deon Dwarte ruled a knockdown against the challenger, despite Pulev not physically going down and standing eight counts being rare in Professional Boxing.

 

As the fight continued, Joshua remained disciplined fighting behind a steady jab and looking for openings. Frankly, it seemed that Joshua did not miss with his jab over the course of the fight and this was due to Pulev’s defensive guard being high, but not tight in that Joshua could throw straight punches like the jab up the middle and right through Pulev’s guard. The challenger would be sent down legitimately seconds later with an uppercut for the second official knockdown of the fight seconds after what amounted to the standing eight count. Pulev showing his mettle got up from the canvas and the fight continued.

 

The uppercut became a weapon that Joshua would throw with increased regularity from this point in the fight on. An example of this came in round seven when the champion landed four consecutive uppercuts to the head of Pulev while the fighters were in close range before finishing the combination with a right hand to the head. It would be another uppercut to the head that would send Pulev down for the third official time midway through round nine. Although by this point the challenger appeared to be fighting fatigue, he once again got up and the fight continued. Seconds later however, Joshua would floor the challenger for the fourth and final time with an overhand right to the head that sent Pulev down on his back on the canvas. Pulev continued to be “Game” and tried to get to his feet, but this time he would be counted out. Official time of the stoppage was 2:58 of round nine. Anthony Joshua advances to 24-1, with 22 Knockouts. Kubrat Pulev falls to 28-2, with 14 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Undefeated former European Cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie scored a second round knockout over previously undefeated Polish Cruiserweight champion Nikodem Jezewski. Okolie dropped Jezewski with a right hand  to the body in round one. Jezewski was able to get up from the knockdown, but was badly staggered by a right hand to the temple moments later. Despite appearing to be compromised Jezewski was able to survive the round. Jezewski however, had no answer for Okolie’s right hand and after being dropped for the third time in round two by another right hand to the head the bout was promptly stopped even though Jezewski was able to get to his feet. Official time of the stoppage was 1:45 of round two. Lawrence Okolie advances to 15-0, with 12 Knockouts. Nikodem Jezewski falls to 19-1-1, with 9 Knockouts.

 

 

Heavyweight contender Hughie Fury outworked former Heavyweight world title challenger Mariusz Wach to earn a ten round unanimous decision. Despite suffering a severe cut over his left eye in round four that came from an accidental clash of heads, Fury, the cousin of undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, used effective lateral movement, combination punching and ring generalship to get the better of Wach in most of the rounds and this was what allowed him to earn the unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 100-90 (On two scorecards), and 99-91 in favor of Fury. Hughie Fury advances to 25-3, with 14 Knockouts. Mariusz Wach falls to 36-7, with 19 Knockouts.

 

 

Also in the Heavyweight division in a bout for higher positioning in the WBC Heavyweight ratings, Martin Bakole scored a ten round unanimous decision over Sergey Kuzmin. The early rounds saw several heavy exchanges of offense between the two fighters with Bakole generally getting the better of the action. As the fight progressed and the pace of the bout slowed Kuzmin did some effective work on the inside due largely to Bakole neglecting his jab and allowing Kuzmin to come in close. Although when the pace slowed Kuzmin appeared to be more effective, Bakole’s cleaner shots as well as his success in the early part of the fight was enough to secure a hard-fought decision victory. Official scores were: 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94 all in favor of Bakole. Martin Bakole advances to 16-1, with 12 Knockouts. Sergey Kuzmin falls to 15-2, with 11 Knockouts.

 

WBA number fifteen rated Middleweight contender Kieron Conway scored a ten round unanimous decision over a “Game “ Macaulay McGowan. Conway consistently picked his shots throughout, landed combinations and scored a knockdown with a left hook to the head of McGowan in round eight to earn the unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 100-90, and 100-89 (On two scorecards) in favor of Conway. Kieron Conway advances to 16-1-1, with 6 Knockouts. Macaulay McGowan falls to 14-2-1, with 3 Knockouts.

 

 

A clash between unbeaten Welterweights saw Florian Marku and Jamie Stewart fight to a controversial eight round draw. Marku was extremely aggressive throughout and frequently gave Stewart problems by switching between an orthodox and southpaw stance and implementing a consistent body attack. It was a left hook to the body in the second round by Marku that scored a knockdown of Stewart. Despite Marku maintaining his pace, landing the harder blows, and maintaining aggression throughout, as well as Stewart remaining “Game” and trying to fight back with limited success,  with all non-title fights that do not impact world rankings or British championship level bouts in the UK are scored solely by the referee, Referee Marcus McDonnell scored the fight even 76-76. Florian Marku advances to 7-0-1, with 5 Knockouts. Jamie Stewart advances to 2-0-1, with 0 Knockouts.

 

 

In a Jr. Featherweight bout that began the evening, Qais Ashfaq scored two knockdowns of Ashley Lane, once in the first round and once in round three before stopping him in the fourth round. Official time of the stoppage was :20 of round four. Qais Ashfaq advances to 9-1, with 4 Knockouts. Ashley Lane falls to 14-10-2, with 1 Knockout.

 

This proved to be a statement making performance for two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua as he successfully began his second reign as champion with what was a dominant showing against a longtime contender in Kubrat Pulev. While Joshua will still have to deal with criticism for a time due to his upset loss to Andy Ruiz in their first encounter in June of last year, what was impressive in this observer’s view about his performance in this fight was how he maintained the disciplined approach that allowed him to regain the title in December of last year while at the same time still displaying the punching power and instinct of a “Knockout Artist” that he built his reputation on prior to that lone career defeat against Ruiz. In some ways, Joshua’s performance here against a very “Game” Kubrat Pulev reminded yours truly of Lennox Lewis, another longtime Heavyweight world champion at his peak in terms of the disciplined chess player like approach he displayed in this title defense.

 

In terms of what may be ahead for Joshua, there are realistically only two immediate options. The first option of course would be a potential encounter with undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, currently holder of the WBC world championship in the Heavyweight division for what would be the Undisputed World Heavyweight championship and likely one of the biggest fights in British Boxing history as never before have two British fighters met to fully unify the Heavyweight championship of the world. While both Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn and Fury’s promoter Bob Arum, who also coincidentally promotes Kubrat Pulev appear egger to get the fight made and have shown a willingness to work together to make fights happen, despite separate broadcast agreements with DAZN and ESPN in the United States, and Sky Sports and BT Sport respectively in the United Kingdom respectively.

 

Perhaps potential hurdles that will likely stand in the way of that fight happening in the immediate future are undefeated former WBO Cruiserweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk is the current WBO number one Heavyweight contender and is due for his mandatory challengers of Joshua’s unified portion of the World Heavyweight championship per the rotation of mandatory challengers that a unified or undisputed world champion must face annually in order to keep their championship. While the possibility exists that Usyk might step aside to allow an undisputed world championship fight to take place under the stipulation that he would be mandated to face the winner, that is far from a certainty.

 

On the other side of the equation, Tyson Fury has a potential legal hurdle to clear in the form of former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder, who is attempting to force a third fight between himself and Fury after losing his world championship to Fury in their second encounter in February of this year. Finally, on the business side of the equation, you have four networks who will be involved in the process of whether or not a fight between Joshua and Fury will take place sooner than later. Although digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN recently increased its global reach by launching into two hundred different countries internationally including the United Kingdom, in addition to the nine countries that they were already available including the United States and would appear to have the resources to potentially outbid Sky Sports and BT Sport in the United Kingdom for the rights to broadcast the potential Joshua-Fury Unification clash on their platform, which would also keep such a fight off of pay-per-view in the United Kingdom as would hopefully, also be the case here in the United States if DAZN would be willing to work with ESPN and potentially also make the fight available on ESPN’s streaming network ESPN+ for existing subscribers if not also be in a position to bid for exclusive rights if it were to come to that point, existing contracts will likely be as much a hurdle as potential legal battles between champions and former champions and mandatory title defense obligations.

 

Although most Boxing fans would likely say “Oh, just make the fight already!”, the reality is Boxing is also a business and for better or worse, things like contractual obligations, mandatory title defense obligations, and legal disputes cannot simply be ignored or dismissed even from a fan’s perspective it might be in the best interest of the sport. As we have seen in recent years with the advent of digital streaming networks and more reasonable subscription-based models that have demonstrated to be of better value both in terms of price and amount of content offered to consumers, what is of benefit to the sport does have a way of occurring even if it takes time for it to come to fruition.

 

With both Eddie Hearn and Bob Arum speaking out against the inflated, overpriced, and undervalued pay-per-view model here  in the United States, DAZN increasing its global reach and soon to be in position to challenge similar models across the globe, one can only hope that the other pieces of the puzzle that need to fall in place for a fight like Joshua-Fury to happen occur sooner rather than later even if both world champions have to fulfill their obligations before turning their attention to each other. While the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic will likely also play a role in how soon a fight like that can occur with hopefully an opportunity for a sizable crowd to attend, with one thousand fans that were allowed to attend Joshua’s defense against Pulev while following COVID-19 restrictions, one can only hope that this is the first step towards both normalcy and continued progress for Boxing and sports overall.

 

“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

 

 

WORLD TITLE BATTLES HIGHLIGHT GOLOVKIN-SZEREMETA WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP UNDERCARD

 

Press Release By DAZN – HOLLYWOOD, FL (Dec. 11, 2020) -- Two world title fights will be featured on the undercard of the historic Gennadiy "GGG" Golovkin - Kamil Szeremeta IBF/IBO World Middleweight Championship.  Undefeated super middleweight contenders Ali Akhmedov (16-0, 12 KOs), from Almaty, Kazakhstan and Carlos Góngora (18-0, 13 KOs), from Esmeraldas, Ecuador, will rumble for the vacant IBO super middleweight world title and unbeaten WBA super featherweight world champion Hyun Mi Choi (17-0-1, 4 KOs), from Seoul, South Korea, will be looking to extend her 12-year title reign against Calista Silgado (19-11-3 14 KOs) from Tolu, Colombia.  

 

Presented by GGG Promotions and Matchroom Boxing with Warriors Boxing, the Golovkin - Szeremeta world championship event will take place Friday, Dec. 18, behind closed doors at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. It will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN beginning at 5pm ET in over 200 countries and territories.

 

"Title fights have always been my goal, and together with the team we became one step closer to the world title.  I am confident in myself, my strength, and can’t wait to step into the ring.  The training camp was held at the highest level as always, and I am ready for the fight," Akhmedov said.

 

"We have been training together for several years and I have seen his progress with every fight and training camp.  He is ready to fight for the world title and I am glad that Ali represents GGGP at the turning point of his career.  I am sure he will succeed," Golovkin said.  

 

"I know I will be in tough with Akhmedov and I am ready for anything he wants to offer.  We will see if he can do the same against me.  Boston is about to see the start of its newest championship dynasty -- mine," Góngora said.                   

 

Akhmedov, who has won 75% of his fights by stoppage, returns to the ring having won five of his last six bout by knockout.  He captured the WBC International Silver super middleweight title on June 8, 2019 by knocking out undefeated Marcus McDaniel in the third round.  He followed that up with his first title defense, a first-round stoppage of Andrew Hernandez, Oct. 5, 2019.  Promoted by GGG Promotions, he has been in the same training camp of his mentor Gennadiy Golovkin for several years.    

 

Góngora, who represented Ecuador in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals in the 2008 summer games, has been training out of the Boston area throughout his professional career.  The Ecuadorian bomber's skill set as a boxer puncher and his victory by knockout ratio of 72% has made him one of the most avoided fighters.  Now, in his first opportunity to fight on the international stage, he has vowed to make the most of this opportunity.   

 

Choi’s 19^th pro outing is her 18^th World title fight, and on her American debut, the two-weight World ruler will look to make a big statement to her star-studded rivals at Super-Featherweight, while Calista is looking to break her curse in World title outings, having challenged for elite belts on six previous fights.

 

“From the time I started boxing, it was my dream to fight in the United States,” said Choi. “Now, it’s time to realize that dream. I am ready to show everyone a great boxing match. Through this match I hope to gain respect and support from the world. I’m looking forward to my first match in the United States.”

 

Also added to the card is British Super-Middleweight World title contender John Ryder (28-5 16 KOs) who takes on Michael Guy (12-5-1 5 KOs) over ten rounds. Ryder is back in action for the first time since taking on Callum Smith for the WBA and WBC Diamond titles, running the champion close on his Liverpool home turf. The Londoner will be looking to shake the rust off as he prepares for a big fight in the first quarter of 2021.

 

Reshat Mati (8-0 6 KOs) has been an exciting addition to the paid ranks, and the Albanian Bear fights for the ninth time as a pro and unbeaten Californian 18 year old Jalan Walker (6-0 6 KOs) fights on US soil for the first time against Rafael Reyes (18-11 14 KO's) having boxed in Mexico six times since his debut in November 2019. 

 

Material Courtesy of: DAZN 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. 

 

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

 

Dominguez Narrowly Defeats Lara: Night 2 Of RJJ Boxing From San Carlos, MX

 

Undefeated Welterweight contender Santiago Dominguez scored a hard-fought ten round split decision over veteran Ricardo Lara on Thursday night at the Marina Terra Hotel and Spa in San Carlos, MX. In what was a competitive and tactical bout, the unbeaten Dominguez had difficulty with Lara throughout as the veteran seemed to be the one dictating the pace, landing short combinations as Dominguez came forward, and made it difficult for him to get into an offensive rhythm. 

 

As the fight progressed, the ebb and flow shifted back and forth between the two fighters in what became a difficult fight to score. In round eight, Lara had what may have been his best round of the fight when he hurt Dominguez with a left hook to the body late in the round that allowed him to back Dominguez up in a corner and unleash a flurry of punches. Although he was clearly hurt by the initial left hook to the body, Dominguez was able to survive the round. Although it appeared as though that rally late in the eighth round seemed to give Lara the edge, the fight remained competitive until the final bell and it was Dominguez who got the nod of two of three official judges to give him the split decision victory. Official scores were 96-95 (On two scorecards for Dominguez), and 96-94 for Lara. Santiago Dominguez advances to 24-0, with 18 Knockouts. Ricardo Lara falls to 22-9, with 10 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

In the co-main event, unbeaten eighteen year old Lightweight prospect Luis Torres scored a devastating third round knockout over Juan Marcos Rodriguez. What was developing into an entertaining scrap between two fighters that did not seem to have an issue standing and exchanging with each other in close, saw Torres generally get his punches off first including catching Rodriguez with a flush left hook to the head at the conclusion of the second round. In round three, Torres would bring the fight to a sudden conclusion when he connected with two flush left hooks to the head of Rodriguez that sent him down and out on the canvas. The bout was stopped immediately with no count. Rodriguez remained down on the canvas for several minutes, but was eventually able to leave the ring under his own power. Official time of the stoppage was 1:48 of round three. Luis Torres advances to 10-0, with 7 Knockouts. Juan Marcos Rodriguez falls to 9-3, with 7 Knockouts.

 

In a clash of undefeated Featherweight prospects, Jailer Lopez scored a four round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Armando Ramirez to remain unbeaten. Despite seeming to get the better of the action throughout the four round bout, Lopez did have a flaw in that several of his body punches would hit Ramirez below the belt. While these low blows all appeared unintentional, Lopez was penalized a point in round three for low blows. Although he had the point deduction working against him, Lopez still was the fighter who forced the action, was able to out work Ramirez throughout, and this was enough for him to earn the unanimous decision victory. Official scores were 39-36 (On two scorecards), and 38-37 all in favor of Lopez. Jailer Lopez advances to 4-0, with 2 Knockouts. Armando Ramirez falls to 3-1, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Heavyweight twenty-three year old Geovany Bruzon scored a first round knockout over forty year old late substitute Hugo Lomeli. Bruzon used his 6’2 height to dictate the combat over the 5’9 Lomeli, who appeared underprepared for an assignment on short notice. A left hook to the body seemed to signal the beginning of the end of this fight as Lomeli offered no resistance and went down on the canvas on his knees in what appeared to be a delayed reaction to the initial hook to the body. The bout was immediately stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 1:55 of round one. Geovany Bruzon advances to 5-0, with 5 Knockouts. Hugo Lomeli falls to 21-16-1, with 15 Knockouts. 

 

In a Jr. Middleweight bout that began the evening, unbeaten Yoelvis Gomez moved to 3-0 in his young career by scoring a third round stoppage of veteran David Rangel. Gomez came out swinging and seemed to be putting everything he had into every punch he threw right from the opening bell. This resulted in him landing several hard and thudding punches, many of which were to the body of Rangel that obviously kept him on the defensive. The consistent pressure along with the thudding blows eventually took their toll on Rangel and after sustaining a body shot early in round three, indicated that he did not want to continue resulting in the fight being stopped. Official time of the stoppage was :31 of round three. Yoelvis Gomez advances to 3-0, with 3 Knockouts. David Rangel falls to 13-8, with 9 Knockouts.

 

All and all, the two Boxing cards on back to back nights promoted by future Hall of Famer Roy Jones’ RJJ Boxing provided a look at various prospects at varying stages of their respective development in their careers as well as a close call for rising contender Santiago Dominguez in what will probably be regarded as his toughest test thus far in his career. While some of the bouts over the two nights of action, which also featured unbeaten Super-Middleweight Lester Martinez in the main event of night one, were not necessarily competitive, it is important to remember that Boxing as is the case with most sports is in the midst of trying to operate during a still ongoing global epidemic known as COVID-19 and even though some might argue that some of these bouts did little for some of these prospects, perhaps the more important thing is simply being able to get these fighters in position where they can stay active as timed remain uncertain. 

 

If one is to assume that circumstances surrounding COVID-19 will significantly improve at some point in 2021 however, it will be interesting to see which of these prospects and contenders will be able to step up in their next bouts.

 

“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

 

 

Martinez KO’s Gonzalez In 1: Night 1 Of RJJ Boxing From San Carlos, MX

 

Undefeated Super-Middleweight prospect Lester Martinez remained unbeaten by scoring a first round knockout over veteran Uriel Gonzalez on Wednesday night at the Marina Terra Hotel and Spa in San Carlos, MX. Martinez immediately showed he had an advantage over Gonzalez in terms of punching power as every time he was able to connect with offense, Gonzalez appeared bothered. A combination of hooks to the body followed by glancing blows to the head sent Gonzalez down late in round one. Gonzalez was able to beat the count. Although he appeared to be slightly wobbled, it did not appear as though he was incapable of continuing. Despite this, the referee opted to stop the fight at the exact end of the round out of concern for Gonzalez’ safety. Official time of the stoppage was 3:00. Lester Martinez advances to 7-0, with 7 Knockouts. Uriel Gonzalez falls to 20-7-1, with 16 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

In the first of two Featherweight bouts on the card, undefeated prospect Alan Solis scored a seventh round stoppage of Abelardo Sanchez. Sanchez was able to rock Solis with a flush right hook to the head in round two, but Solis’ overall lateral movement, timing and combination punching gradually broke Sanchez down. The accumulation of punishment, which was highlighted by a consistent body attack ultimately led to a stoppage late in the seventh round as Sanchez could not keep Solis off of him. Official time of the stoppage was 2:47 of round seven. Alan Solis advances to 12-0-1, with 7 Knockouts. Abelardo Sanchez falls to 7-2-2, with 4 Knockouts.

 

This was followed by the co-main event, which saw Eddy Valencia score an eight round unanimous decision over Pablo Cruz. What was a tactical bout, Valencia out work Cruz over the course of the bout to earn the decision win. Official scores were: 79-73, 78-74, and 77-75 in favor of Valencia. Eddy Valencia advances to 16-5, with 5 Knockouts. Pablo Cruz falls to 20-3, with 6 Knockouts.

 

In an entertaining Jr. Featherweight bout that began the evening, undefeated Ariel Perez De La Torre scored a sixth round stoppage over a very “Game” Isaac Buitimea. This was all action from the opening bell with both fighters engaging in furious exchanges of hooks at a high pace. Over time De La Torre’s harder shots eventually wore Buitimea down. A left hook to the head, left hook to the body combination sent Buitimea down late in round five. Although he was able to get up and finish the round, he did not answer the bell for the sixth and final round resulting in the fight being stopped. Official time of the stoppage was :13 of round six. Ariel Perez De La Torre advances to 4-0, with 4 Knockouts. Isaac Buitimea falls to 9-7, with 4 Knockouts.

 

This card, which was promoted by Future Hall of Famer Roy Jones’ RJJ Boxing was the first of two consecutive nights of Boxing at the Marina Terra Hotel and Spa. We will have continuing coverage of this two night doubleheader of cards with night two taking place later this evening (Thursday, December 10^th.) in addition to coverage of the second card, Beau Denison will offer some of his impressions on the two nights of action in San Carlos, MX and coverage regarding night two will be released here on The Boxing Truth®️ on Friday, December 11^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

 

 

 

 

DAZN UNVEILS STAR-STUDDED ORIGINAL CONTENT SLATE FOR ITS GLOBAL PLATFORM

 

Press Release: By DAZN – London | New York, Dec. 09, 2020 ― DAZN, the leading global sports destination, has unveiled an exciting slate of original programming that will be available on its Global platform, featuring global sporting icons Cristiano Ronaldo, Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin. DAZN’s Global platform is now live in 200+ countries and territories.  

Credit: DAZN 

 

The content will be rolled out on the platform throughout December and January to amplify DAZN’s packed line up of world championship boxing. The availability of original content on DAZN’s Global platform will vary per market. 

 

“We want to give people a reason to return to DAZN again and again, and not just for the biggest sporting events,” said Ed McCarthy, DAZN Chief Operating Officer. “Sports fans want more than just live action and this latest slate of exciting original content is a perfect complement to our stacked fight schedule this December.”

 

The full slate is as follows: 

 

‘Parallel Worlds’ is the latest docu-series from DAZN that connects global sporting icons from different disciplines to discover what they share in common. The first episode listens in on an intimate conversation between global superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin as they explore training techniques. Executive produced by Grant Best (The Making Of, Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad) with Toby Burnett as Executive Creative Director (The Making Of), in association with Stink Films. 

 

‘The Making Of’ marks the return of DAZN’s immersive documentary series which relives the key moments that helped create and define the biggest global sporting icons. The latest two instalments focus on three fights that have defined Anthony Joshua and Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin’s boxing careers, along with trainers, promoters, journalists and fans, revisiting each fight and breaking down what it was like to be part of that sporting occasion. ‘The Making Of’ is a DAZN Originals production in association with Archer’s Mark. It is executive produced by Grant Best with Toby Burnett as Executive Creative Director.   

 

Another fan favourite returns with ‘40 Days: Canelo vs. Smith’, an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at how world-class fighters prepare and train for significant fights. This new, 3-part series explores the buildup as the pound-for-pound superstar champion Canelo Alvarez returns to the super middleweight division to face undefeated champion Callum Smith. Produced in association with Evolve Studios. 

 

‘Off the Cuff’ is a new raw, stripped back interview series with major stars. It debuts with Anthony Joshua, interviewed by award-winning sport journalist, Gareth A Davies, discussing Joshua’s aspirations to be the undisputed heavy weight champion in the lead up to his highly anticipated fight against Kubrat Pulev.  

 

‘Best 10 Seconds’ retells the pinnacle moment in the careers of world-class athletes as you’ve never seen it before. This animated series depicts the best 10 seconds in the careers of Sergio Mora, Anthony Joshua and Ryan Garcia, narrated by the athletes themselves and featuring animation by Blinkink. 

 

‘Always’ is a weekly short-form entertainment show that invites fans into the world of superstar athletes. Incorporating social media content, the first series will debut on DAZN’s social media channels and feature episodes dedicated to Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez and Ryan

 

Additionally, DAZN’s global platform will see the service’s trademark commentary and entertainment shows, ‘Boxing with Chris Mannix’, ‘JABS with Mannix and Mora’ and ‘The Ak & Barak Show’ go global with regular interviews and behind-the-scenes access to the biggest fights and world-class athletes. 

 

Download the DAZN app now on internet-connected devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs, and living room devices such as smart TVs, streaming sticks and game consoles. For more information, visit www.DAZN.com. 

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN 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. 

 

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

Joshua-Pulev Preview

 

The year 2020 began with Boxing’s Heavyweight division being front and center on the sport’s big stage. In many ways, picking up from where 2019 concluded with Anthony Joshua regaining his unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world championship in his rematch with Andy Ruiz, 2020 saw the rematch between WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder and undefeated former Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. An encounter that saw Fury become a two-time world champion by stopping Wilder in seven rounds. From there, 2020 was supposed to see a third encounter between Fury and Wilder with the winner ultimately facing Joshua to determine the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world.

 

As sometimes tends to happen however, life as well as unforeseen circumstances can have plans of its own and while 2020 was supposed to be a year of progress for the Heavyweight division as well as for the sport as a whole to be able to capitalize on significant momentum, the year will unfortunately be remembered for unprecedented and tragic circumstances. This observer of course is referring to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic that brought sports as well as everyday life for many to a standstill for much of the year. Along with shut downs across the globe and a significant stoppage for the sport of Boxing that has never been seen before, so too was the plans and hopes of being able to determine one World Heavyweight champion during the calendar year.

 

While Tyson Fury remains inactive with a potential third fight with Deontay Wilder still looming, Anthony Joshua has returned his attention to fulfilling his obligations as a unified world champion as he will face longtime Heavyweight contender and current IBF number one rated challenger Kubrat Pulev on December 12^th at the Wembley Arena in London, England.

 

This fight not only represents Joshua’s first title defense since regaining his unified world championship one year ago, but it also will be the first World Heavyweight championship bout to take place since the COVID-19 epidemic spread globally. As such, the obvious question that will surround this fight as has been the case for virtually every world championship fight that has taken place throughout the sport since activity began to resume behind closed doors in June is what effect will the circumstances of the ongoing crisis have on the fighters.

 

For Joshua there will also obviously be the question that will surround him at least for a period of time regarding whether or not his knockout loss to Andy Ruiz in June of last year was merely a bad night at the office or a sign of flaws that had before then been unnoticed. Of course, when it comes to Boxing at the highest level, it is not unusual to see even the best of the best fighters lose a fight from time to time. While it may ultimately prove to be unfair for Joshua to be labeled as having a suspect chin or for questions to surround him regarding his ability to recover from being hurt and/or knocked down, the reality is skepticism will at least be present until he can answer those would be critics.

 

There is also the obvious stresses that are related to the ongoing epidemic that both fighters will contend with. Although obviously no one outside of the fighters and their respective camps know how their preparation has been in the lead up to this fight, we will likely find out very early on if ring rust perhaps due to a lack of sparring that would normally be available under circumstances when the sport is in its normal active state, as well as general inactivity caused by the epidemic will be a factor in this fight.

 

While some may dismiss this title defense as only a mandatory defense for 

Joshua with the thinking that mandatory challengers do not always pose a threat, in Kubrat Pulev, Joshua will face a fighter who’s only loss came in his previous opportunity at a world championship against Wladimir Klitschko in November 2014. Since that loss where he was knocked out in five rounds by Klitschko, Pulev has been unbeaten in winning eight straight bouts. 

 

Despite Pulev’s winning streak, stylistically, this fight figures to favor the champion Joshua. Although Joshua has a well established reputation as a “Knockout Artist “, in his rematch with Andy Ruiz, Joshua showed a willingness to adapt and showed a new wrinkle to his arsenal in showing he could box tactically and the end result proved to be a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision to regain his world championship.

 

In this fight, I believe we might see the champion attempt to implement a similar strategy. While Andy Ruiz had deceptive hand speed and that proved to be Joshua’s downfall in their first encounter, Kubrat Pulev does not have that type of hand speed and some might say that Pulev is slower than Ruiz in terms of lateral movement, what Pulev does have is the type of punching power that can do damage if one chooses to stand and exchange offense with him. Joshua will have a two inch height advantage and near three inch reach advantage over Pulev who stands 6’4 with a 79 ½ inch reach compared to Joshua’s 6’6 and 82 inch reach.

 

Based on this and how well Joshua was able to execute the adjustments he was able to make in his rematch with Ruiz, it is crucial that the champion continue to evolve his Boxing arsenal in this fight, in this observer’s eyes. Although the physics appear to favor Joshua, if the champion is not on his game, Pulev is certainly capable of pulling an upset if the opportunity presents itself.

 

In some ways, the circumstances in the lead up to this fight is similar to the lead up to Joshua’s first fight with Andy Ruiz. The obvious difference was Ruiz stepped into the fight on limited notice when Joshua’s originally opponent Jarrell Miller was removed from the fight after testing positive for a banned substance. Where there are similarities is like the first Ruiz fight, there are extenuating circumstances occurring outside of the ring, this time created by an ongoing global epidemic, which whether a fighter or his team will admit to it, can have an effect on a fighter’s preparation. Perhaps the most telling similarity however, is that like the first encounter with Ruiz, Joshua has a potential lucrative unification bout for what would be the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world should he get by Pulev. If Joshua is not focused in what cannot be an easy environment to prepare to defend his championship, it could have a similar outcome to his first fight with Ruiz because much like Ruiz, Kubrat Pulev has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Joshua vs. Pulev takes place on Saturday, December 12^th at the Wembley Arena in London, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States and globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 1PM ET/10AM PT (U.S. Time). 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.

 

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the card can be seen on a pay-per-view basis on Sky Box Office beginning at 7PM (Local UK time) for £24.95. For more information about Sky Sports, availability in your area, and to order please visit: https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/joshua-pulev.

 

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

 

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