Joshua-Usyk: Is The Stage Set For An Upset?

 

If there is one thing that almost anyone with an interest in Boxing, the sport known as the sweet science can agree on, it is that one of the things that make it so appealing is the element of the unknown. The element that not only can a fight end at any given moment, but also the anticipation of a fight where there is a legitimate sense of not knowing what the outcome is likely to be amongst both fans and experts alike.  One such meeting will take place on Saturday, September 25^th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England where two-time unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua will make the second defense of his second reign as champion against undefeated former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion and current WBO number one Heavyweight contender Oleksandr Usyk in a bout scheduled for twelve rounds that can be seen globally on digital subscription-based sports streaming network DAZN and on Sky Sports Box Office Pay-Per-View in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The element of the unknown is something that the champion Joshua knows well. After all, it was not long ago that he as a then unbeaten world champion entered the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY in his United States debut in June 2019  in defending his title against Andy Ruiz, a fight that Ruiz took on short notice and ended up shocking many by getting up off the canvas to drop the champion a total of three times before stopping him in the seventh round to emerge as the new world champion. Although Joshua was able to produce a near flawless Boxing performance in their immediate rematch in December of that year to regain his unified crown, he did learn the lesson that indeed anything can happen and sometimes it is the element of the unknown that can upset any potential future plans.

Following a ninth round knockout in his first title defense after regaining the championship against IBF number one contender Kubrat Pulev in December of last year, Joshua now prepares to make a second mandatory title defense. This time, in the form of former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk, who is the number one contender in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Heavyweight ratings. Before we go further, it is appropriate to note that this fight came to fruition following the collapse of a hoped-for Undisputed world championship bout between Joshua and undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, current holder of the World Boxing Council (WBC) crown when Fury was ordered legally to defend his title against former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder in a contractually obligated third encounter between the two.

In some ways, this is a situation that is not unlike the one that Joshua found himself in prior to his first encounter with Andy Ruiz in the sense that there was a more lucrative fight in the future for him if he were able to get by Ruiz as at the time, the anticipation for an encounter between he and the then undefeated WBC world champion Wilder was extremely high and one might argue was one of the best fights that could have been made in the sport at that time. Of course, where the situation differs is that Ruiz had stepped into a fight on short notice when Joshua’s original opponent Jarrell Miller was suspended for testing positive for a banned substance as part of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency’s (VADA) randomized testing protocols.

While there are some similarities in the sense that Joshua could have a lucrative fight for the Undisputed World Heavyweight championship in his near future and in fact believed a deal was in place with Fury prior to the court ruling that led to the still upcoming Fury-Wilder III bout, the unified world champion has had considerably more time to prepare for Usyk than he did the first time he fought Ruiz.

As for Oleksandr Usyk, the former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion has remained unbeaten in two bouts since moving up to the Heavyweight division. In those two outings, Usyk scored decision wins over longtime contender Chazz Witherspoon and former world title challenger Dereck Chisora in his last fight on Halloween night of last year. Despite being undefeated in eighteen professional fights, Usyk does have questions surrounding him in regard to not only his punching power, but also just how successful he might be overall as a Heavyweight. Questions that are not all that unlike those that have been asked of previous top Cruiserweight fighters that have ventured into the Heavyweight division seeking lucrative paydays and world championships.

Much like Joshua, Usyk is a former Olympic Gold medalist having won Gold as a Heavyweight in the 2012 London Olympics. The same Olympics that saw Joshua win Gold as a Super-Heavyweight. Though the distinction of the two weight classes on the amateur level of the sport is one that this observer has criticized as I feel it is not necessary, it does make one wonder why Usyk would choose to begin his professional career as a Cruiserweight. In his two Heavyweight bouts, Usyk was able to score those two wins over Witherspoon and Chisora, but one could make the argument that he was not able to hurt either fighter and in the case of Chisora, was given a much more difficult fight than some had anticipated. There are also some who feel that Chisora, who was able to put consistent pressure on Usyk throughout may have deserved the nod from the three official judges in what was a unanimous decision for Usyk.

While I felt Usyk did enough to win that fight, it is indisputable that it was not a dominant performance by the former Cruiserweight world champion and it created more questions than answers regarding how Usyk will fare at the elite level of the Heavyweight division. What he does have as an asset is he is a southpaw going against an orthodox fighter in Joshua. It is crucial however, that Usyk find a way to get the champion's respect early in this fight.  Although Joshua looked like the “Knockout Artist” of old against Kubrat Pulev in his last fight, Usyk is highly skilled and crafty. Despite Joshua’s reputation for often scoring quick knockouts that he earned prior to his loss to Andy Ruiz in their first fight, there might be some who still question whether he is fully recovered from that loss even though he out boxed Ruiz convincingly in their rematch.

Although it may be logical to think that as the theoretically bigger man of the two that Joshua will look to impose his will on Usyk early, it will be interesting to see if he takes a more tactical approach. Usyk is a very skilled counter puncher and even though his style differs from that of Andy Ruiz, one should remember that Joshua was able to score a knockdown of Ruiz in the third round of their first fight, but as he went in to try to finish Ruiz after Ruiz had gotten up, he was overly aggressive and did not anticipate Ruiz’ hand speed and ability to counter punch. This resulted in Joshua getting caught and suffering his own knockdown in what ended up being one of the best rounds of Heavyweight Boxing in recent memory. While one might say that Ruiz has more punching power than Oleksandr Usyk, a skilled counter puncher still has the ability to catch an opponent with something that the opponent may not see coming if the counter attack is timed properly. So, even though much of the focus here will be on whether Usyk will be able to deal with someone of Joshua’s punching power, the possibility of Joshua getting caught due to being overly aggressive certainly exists. Another aspect that one should keep in mind as this fight approaches is Usyk has the ability to outwork his opponents as a fight progresses and part of the challenge he will present to the champion if the Joshua is not able to hurt him early is whether or not Joshua will be able to maintain a consistent offensive rhythm for all twelve rounds.

With much of the focus over the next few days and weeks within the sport not only focused on this fight, but also focused on the scheduled third encounter between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, which is scheduled for October 9^th in Las Vegas, NV, there is a lot at stake for all four fighters as the five portions that make up the World Heavyweight championship are up for grabs in these two fights. If Anthony Joshua is looking beyond Oleksandr Usyk it could lead to disaster much in the same way it did against Andy Ruiz, when Ruiz was thrust into challenging him and not given much regard by some fans and experts. The difference here is, Oleksandr Usyk is not stepping in on short notice, but if he can deal with the champion’s power, does have the skillset to create problems for Joshua and if Joshua is not at his best, the ingredients for an upset are here.

There is nothing quite like the anticipation of a World Heavyweight championship fight as the questions and debates amongst fans and experts often intensify in the lead up to the two fighters entering the ring to do battle. While there is still time for such discussion, all that is left is for Anothy Joshua to try and defend his crown against a highly skilled and determined challenger looking to become a two-division world champion. We will see what happens when Joshua and Usyk square off on Saturday night.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Joshua vs. Usyk takes place on Saturday, September 25^th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. The fight as well as it’s full undercard can be seen 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, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the card can be seen on Sky Box Office Pay-Per-View for £24.95 beginning at 7PM (Local UK Time) For more information about Sky Box Office and to order please click the following link: www.sky.com/boxoffice/joshua-usyk.

*If there is any additional broadcast information, it will be made available here on The Boxing Truth® on Friday, September 24^th when the official weigh-in report for this card is released.

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

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

 

 

 

 

JASON MOLONEY LOOKS TO MAKE IT THIRD TIME LUCKY IN WORLD TITLE TILT

 

Press Release: September 20, 2021 By Team Moloney – Australian Mayhem, Jason Moloney has his sights set on making it third time lucky on the world title front, worth the Top Rank standout sitting high in both the WBC and IBO world ratings.  

Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Boxing

 
 

Moloney impressed once again last time out, as he returned from a valiant effort against pound for pound star Naoya Inoue to dominate highly rated Josh Greer, winning the WBC world silver bantamweight title in the process.  

 
 

Moloney reflected on his last outing, where he traveled to the USA once more to challenge for the WBC strap.  

 
 

The Australian said, “I was happy with my performance against Greer. He is a tough fighter and came to win. We both had everything to lose in this fight, and I thought we both showed that in our performances. I felt the fans got a great fight and at the end of the day that’s what it’s about.  

 
 

“I thought I showed what level I’m at in my last fight, and that’s a level that’s good enough to become world champion. I’m highly ranked in the world now with the WBC and IBO, so I’m going to leave it to my manager Tony Tolj and Top Rank to make the next move for me, but I’m waiting to make it third time lucky in my world title shot.”  

 
 

Moloney sits in a lofty position with multiple sanctioning bodies, and the all action brother of former world champion Andrew Moloney discussed what he wants next.  

 
 

Jason said, “I’m not going to turn down any world title fight that comes my way, but I know how things currently are I may have to wait my turn. I’m good with that, I just want to be in entertaining fights and keep showing people that I have all the ability to be a world champion.  

 
 

“Obviously a fight with the current WBC Champion Nonito Donaire would be the dream, he’s a legend at the end of the day. He looks to be on a collision course with Casimero, but if that doesn’t happen I’d fight Donaire in a heartbeat. It would be an honor to share the ring with one of the best ever.” 

 

Material Courtesy of: Team Moloney/ Photo Courtesy of: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Boxing Used with permission. 

 

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

Holyfield-Belfort: What's Wrong With Boxing?

It would not be appropriate for this observer not to begin this column without being honest with the reader when I say that I took several days to write this column. Not in the sense that I have been grinding away in the writing process, a process that all writers regardless of genre truly appreciate whether all of us will admit it or not, but in the sense that I needed time to compose myself mentally due to feeling something I have not felt in the two and a half decades that I have been writing about and covering Boxing in addition to other combat sports. The feeling of absolute utter disgust and embarrassment for the sport that I have loved since I was a little kid. A feeling that hit me when I watched the recent pay-per-view event promoted by Triller headlined by an eight round Heavyweight bout between two-division world champion and Boxing Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield and former UFC world champion Vitor Belfort. An event and bout that left not only the feelings I have described, but also made me sick to my stomach.

Why is that? Out of respect for the reader, I won’t rehash the circumstances that led to the Holyfield-Belfort bout as I already covered that in a preview that was released here on The Boxing Truth® leading up to the September 11^th event. In short, the event consisted of Holyfield, a man whose health and well-being have been of significant concern for yours truly over the years that had been cited frequently in my various writings through the years, now a month away from his fifty-ninth birthday, stepping into a fight on a little more than one week’s notice and having not competed professionally in well over a decade to face Belfort. A fight that was rejected by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) both due to Holyfield’s age as well as the physical punishment that he had sustained over a long career.  This resulted in Triller moving the event headlined by this bout from Los Angeles, which was to be the original location to Hollywood, FL. While I will not do a full rehash, readers who read the preview for this bout saw me speculate in reference that the move to Florida was licensing motivated.

Although at the time I was merely making a suggestion, it turns out I was very close to being spot on. In the days leading up to the event, I deliberately made the decision to stay away from aspects of a promotion that is normally a fixture for any significant Boxing event during what is often referred to as “Fight Week.” While such things as fighter workouts, press conferences, and weigh-ins are aspects that have frankly become easier to observe for those of us who cover the sport, but cannot travel to events to cover Boxing cards in person, I really had no interest in observing much of this particular card’s “Fight Week” events. Perhaps it was a premonition, but I knew it would likely be better for me as someone who truly cares for the sport and the fighters that risk their lives every single time they get in the ring, to provide the coverage that I did as well as the normal weigh-in report that came the day before the event and to stay away from the aspects that I just did not have a good feeling about. I will not go into the various aspects of the event that surrounded politics as I avoided that as well, but the primary reason I avoided watching things like fighter workouts and press conferences was being I felt if I had watched them, it would have prevented me from doing my duty in covering the bout because those concerns for Holyfield’s well-being that I had written extensively on during the latter stages of his career would surface and I probably would not have been able to cover the bout with a clear mind.

Of course, I would be lying if I said that even with my decision to avoid “Fight Week” events that it removed all concern. Obviously, it was still in the back of my mind, but at least by making that decision, I was able to keep a somewhat “Wait and See” approach as I have made reference to in regard to other fights, I have covered that were subject to criticism and ridicule.  It was not surprising to me however, to see and hear the day before the fight as well as prior to the event on the day of, increased concern for Holyfield. While my concern never ceased, I did feel encouraged that at least I was not the only one who felt this way in hearing various people throughout the sport echo the same sentiment that I had. Perhaps the most telling among them came from various reports from various media outlets including noted Boxing journalist Dan Rafael that Jim Lampley, longtime former lead announcer for HBO’s Boxing broadcasts for decades prior to the network’s decision in 2018 to exit Boxing after forty-five years, who had recently signed with Triller to return to broadcasting Boxing, reportedly opted out of calling this event after seeing Holyfield participate in a workout. While only Lampley himself can say why he chose to opt out of what had been an anticipated debut for him on Triller’s platform, much like myself, I feel he likely did not want to see Holyfield get hurt and did not want to be a party to what might have been a tragedy.

Further adding to my concern prior to the event was learning that the Florida State Athletic Commission (FSAC) did not require a CT scan or any other neurological screening for fighters prior to granting licensing. Something that is normally standard in most states that regularly stage and regulate Boxing and other combat sports events. As much as I wanted to give this the benefit of doubt and have that “Wait and See” mentality, as the event neared, I became increasingly angry. More so, because of the appearance that this gave that this was something that was financially driven as opposed to ensuring the safety of not just Holyfield, but all fighters that compete. Despite the anger and uneasy feelings I had, I did what I normally do and prepared to cover the bout.

When the time finally came for Holyfield and Belfort to get in the ring at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, I will be honest in saying that at least visually before the fight started Holyfield appeared to be in great condition especially given his age and the toll a long career in the sport of Boxing takes on one’s body. Obviously, I know that the way a fighter’s body might appear rarely if ever means anything once punches are being thrown, but giving credit where it is due, Holyfield did look like he had been in training. As the bell rang to begin the fight however, my concerns quickly proved to be valid as Holyfield immediately showed an inability to maintain his balance and after being dropped with the first punch he was struck with in the first round, I immediately wanted to see the fight stopped. Evander Holyfield will always be remembered for being a true warrior in the sport. Someone who no matter what always gave it everything he had and never quit. Unfortunately, that mentality that boxers and other combat athletes have can lead to dangerous situations. I was not surprised to see Holyfield get up from the knockdown, but my concern was that I was about to see something tragic. Referee Sam Burgos allowed Holyfield to continue, but as Belfort unleashed a barrage of unanswered punches as Holyfield tried desperately to cover up and block the punches with no balance, Burgos stepped in and stopped the fight.

In the interest of honesty with the reader, I was relieved when the fight was stopped. What had all the appearance of an event that was strictly financially driven and subsequently greenlit by what by all accounts seems to be an inept state athletic commission that appeared to turn a blind eye to not only the preventive actions of the CSAC in refusing to sanction Holyfield, but also a deaf ear to those voicing their concerns throughout the sport, at least Referee Sam Burgos did what the Florida State Athletic Commission wouldn’t. Protect Holyfield against himself and make sure that at least Holyfield could leave the ring under his own power from a fight that should not have been allowed to begin with.

If this point of view appears harsh, I sincerely apologize to anyone who may feel that way including, but not limited to those who work for the Florida State Athletic Commission who may be reading this column. As I have said before, this observer has no agenda beyond giving the reader an honest and objective point of view. As much as Holyfield has meant to the sport, as much as I enjoyed covering his fights from the mid-1990’s through till his retirement in 2011, as much as I was a fan of his prior to my covering Boxing, the man had no business getting in a ring to compete at fifty-nine years of age and there is no bigger picture that one whether they be fans, Triller, or even the state athletic commission could use as a viable argument as justification for what happened here.

Some will make the argument that “Well, it was Holyfield’s choice and he knows the risks.” This may be true however, state regulation of combat sports exists for a reason and it is a state’s athletic commission’s responsibility to ensure not only that rules and regulations are followed, but also that the safety of those who compete is always the first priority even if staging an event might have some economic incentives for a given state. In this case, the state of Florida failed and if it were not for Sam Burgos, this event may have had a more tragic outcome.

As often happens when things like this are allowed to occur, there is always repercussions that occur either through the public, within the sport, or with state athletic commissions that do not want the bad publicity that comes with bad decisions that are made. While as of this writing the FSAC has not issued any statements regarding what frankly is an embarrassment both for the state and the sport of Boxing, I knew despite sharing my own thoughts in the immediate aftermath through my social media platforms that this was the first time in my career covering the sport that I felt utterly embarrassed for the sport I have loved my whole life, I also knew that there would be more that would come out of this in terms of fallout, which was one reason in addition to wanting to give myself time to digest things, I knew in the back of my mind that there would be some fallout from the event.

Earlier this week, an email was sent to yours truly from Denise White who is the CEO of EAG Sports Management, who during the week prior to the event had sent out promotional material on behalf of Triller related to the Holyfield-Belfort event. The subject of this email read simply “ EAG Sports Management is NO LONGER Working with Triller Fight Club or Triller EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!” Upon seeing this in my inbox, I opened the email to read a one sentence statement Quote “ Feel free to print that!” After reading this email I reached out and asked for a statement further clarifying why EAG Sports Management was no longer involved with Triller. In response, Mrs. White responded to this observer’s request for a statement by answering simply Quote “We had a difference of professional opinion.”

Although this could be wider in scope as simply the fallout of an event that got people talking for all the wrong reasons, the timing of such communication does give the appearance that it does have something to do with the Holyfield-Belfort fallout. This was followed by news earlier this week that Peter Khan, a longtime Boxing manager and advisor among other roles he has had through the years, who was Triller’s Chief Boxing Officer was stepping down from his role. While this was reported by several Boxing media outlets outside of this one including Boxing Scene and NY Fights as citing the reason for Khan’s departure from Triller as wanting to focus on non-Boxing related projects, the timing of it does seem at minimum to be curious if not outright coincidence.

Perhaps not surprisingly, news has also circulated through various outlets including Fight Sports that the Holyfield-Belfort pay-per-view attraction did not perform well in terms of pay-per-view buys. While this observer does not have a solid figure to share with the reader, the reported figure could be anywhere from 100,000 to 150,000 total buys. It should be noted that this event like all Boxing events that are staged on the pay-per-view medium in the year 2021 comes at a time where the sport is in a period of transition from the pay-per-view/ pay-per-event model to the digital subscription based model where events are offered as part of a full slate of content through networks like ESPN+ and DAZN, this in addition to price points that unfortunately have become a standard of between $70-$80 in the United States for most pay-per-view Boxing cards has resulted in a consistent decline in overall buys for those events that are not offered as part of a subscription model.

Although Triller offers it’s pay-per-view Boxing cards at a $50 price point, the price is likely too much for some Boxing fans in addition to what has thus far been a general lack of competitive bouts offered by the promotional banner. In fairness, Triller’s involvement in the sport has only been under one year in existence and it does take time to build the type of quality Boxing cards that will draw eyes to your events. This is perhaps one reason why the promoter has relied on a mix of former fighters competing in either exhibitions or bouts that could be deemed semi-professional, celebrity bouts, and mixing musical performances into each card it has offered since it’s inception. The package however, does not appear to be resonating with Boxing fans who frankly may expect more competitive Boxing for the price they are asked to pay than what has been offered by Triller thus far.

It is also worth noting that Triller does offer subscription-based options for those that do not want to pay on a per-event basis TrillerPass, which is offered either as a $29.99 monthly subscription or $299 yearly subscription and Trillerverz, which is the recently launched monthly Boxing series from the promoter for $2.99 monthly or $29.99 per year. Both subscription options are offered through Triller’s website as well as their recently acquired FITE TV digital combat sports network and pay-per-view platform.  While this is solely the view of yours truly, I believe that if Triller wants to get more traction they should first focus on putting on competitive bouts, but also to focus on one subscription option that is for lack of a better term an all-in-one offering, but it needs to be reasonably priced in order to succeed and they need to be able to stage cards regularly.  Of course, the latter is easier said than done in present day due to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic, which has caused problems for many promoters through the entire sport and some of the struggles Triller has faced should not be viewed as exclusive to them under the circumstances of the ongoing crisis.

The truth unfortunately for Triller and other promoters that continue to insist on the overpriced and outdated pay-per-view model is that consumers will tend to want more for what they are paying and unfortunately for Triller, staging cards such as Holyfield-Belfort with the hope that it will attract curiosity is not a successful strategy, especially when it is painfully obvious to all that one fighter should have never been allowed to compete. Even though being a promoter in the sport of Boxing is far from an easy task, sometimes common sense is a better approach instead of staging an event that shows everything that is wrong with the sport from inept state athletic commission regulation, to what frankly is an unprofessional presentation in terms of commentary including the use of explicit language from those on the broadcast team, to non-competitive almost novelty bouts to finally the harsh reality that fighters sometimes are forced back into the ring long after their competitive primes if for nothing else, financial reasons, despite the serious risk to their health.

In the days following this event, and quite frankly since the Holyfield-Belfort fight was stopped. I began thinking of one fight in Boxing’s past that could describe what I was feeling in terms of the embarrassment for the sport I love and disgust over what I saw. I thought of the November 1982 WBC World Heavyweight championship bout between Larry Holmes and Randall “Tex” Cobb. Holmes, who was in the midst of a dominant reign as Heavyweight world champion was simply too skilled and overmatched the always “Game” brawler Cobb over fifteen one-sided rounds to retain his crown via unanimous decision. Although this fight was slightly before my time, as a Boxing historian, I have seen the fight more than once via tape and the technology that is available to all of us today. One thing about the utter mismatch that stood out to me was the legendary Howard Cosell, who broadcast this fight as well as many others for many years for ABC Sports here in the United States. Cosell at times rubbed some the wrong way due to his frankness, perceived arrogance, and among other things his vocabulary.

Cosell was however, a man of principle and if one takes the time to go back and listen to his broadcast of that fight, as it went on and as Cobb continued to take an increasingly horrible beating, Cosell became increasingly disgusted so much to the point that when the fight was over, he announced quote “There will be no interviews, not for this fight.” Cosell would never broadcast a professional bout again for the remainder of his career, despite still broadcasting the amateur side of Boxing from time to time.

 

Quite frankly, I felt and still feel as disgusted as Cosell was that night in 1982 after watching the Holyfield-Belfort bout. My disgust, however, will not result in me stepping away from covering Boxing because in one sense where I disagree with Cosell, who I am proud to cite as one of my many influences is you cannot really effect change in a sport if you step away. While I will always have the utmost respect for Cosell, his integrity, his willingness to stand up for what he believed in regardless of whether it was popular or not, including, but not limited to his frequent calls for Boxing reform in the remaining years of his life before he passed away in 1995, I will continue to bang the drum as loud as I can and much like Cosell, bring to public attention that of which I feel does not benefit the sport of Boxing, the fans that support it, and most importantly, the fighters that risk their lives every time they enter the ring to compete. While it remains to be seen what the future will hold for Triller as a promotional entity in the sport, I hope they are able to adapt and use this experience as a learning one that will help them in the long-term.

 

For The Good of Boxing, Something Needs To Change.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

UPDATE: As this column was being prepared for release, it was reported that the Florida State Athletic Commission ruled on Thursday, September 16, 2021, that it has medically suspended Evander Holyfield for a period of 30-days. If further action from the commission surrounding this fight is taken, we will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

 

 

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

 

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

 

DAZN AND MATCHROOM ANNOUNCE MORE GLOBAL ADDITIONS TO GROWING FALL FIGHT SCHEDULE

 

Credit: DAZN

 

Mikey Garcia vs. Sandor Martin on Saturday, October 16

 

Dillian Whyte vs. Otto Wallin on Saturday, October 30

 

Joseph Parker vs. Derek Chisora II on Saturday, December 18

 

 

Press Release: By DAZN – September 16, 2021: DAZN and Matchroom have announced three premium fights nights to add to an ever-increasing fall fight schedule, live and worldwide on DAZN:

 

• October 16: Former four-weight World ruler Mikey Garcia returns to action against European Super-Lightweight champion Sandor Martin at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, CA.

 

• October 30: WBC interim champ Dillian Whyte faces Swedish fighter Otto Wallin, live from The O2 in London and worldwide on DAZN.

 

• December 18: Heavyweights Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora rematch in another epic clash, live worldwide on DAZN (except New Zealand and Samoa).

 

First, four-weight king Mikey Garcia is back in action on Saturday October 16 at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, CA and tackles European Super-Lightweight champion Sandor Martin. Garcia steps through the ropes for the first time since defeating Jessie Vargas in Frisco, TX in February 2020 and the California man welcomes Spaniard Martin to his home state, with Martin coming into the fight on the back of two successful defenses of his European 140lbs strap. Garcia-Martin will be live worldwide on DAZN and tops a stacked card featuring World title action and hot prospects to be announced shortly.

 

Two weeks later, ‘The Body Snatcher’ Dillian Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) returns to the ring on Saturday, October 30, at The 02 in London, facing off against Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin (21-1-0-1, 14 KOs). The Brixton native avenged his previous defeat with a statement round 4 TKO against veteran Alexander Povetkin and reclaimed the WBC interim heavyweight title. Wallin continues his good form coming into the fight, having beaten Dominic Breazeale and Travis Kauffman after a unanimous decision loss against two-time world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. The event will be live worldwide on DAZN.

 

Credit: DAZN

And, on Saturday, December 18, Joseph Parker (29-2, 21 KOs) faces off against the mercurial Brit Derek Chisora (32-11, 23 KOs) in a rematch of their 12-round war in May 2021. Parker, the former WBO heavyweight champion, has tallied five straight wins since losing against Dillian Whyte for the WBO International heavyweight title. Derek ‘War’ Chisora is looking to bounce back after losing by split decision against the Parker and by unanimous decision against Oleksandr Usyk by unanimous decision in October 2020. The event will be live worldwide on DAZN (with the exception of New Zealand and Samoa).

 

Credit: DAZN

Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN, said: “These three excellent fights are a testament to the great partnership that continues to flourish with Matchroom globally. Our schedule for the rest of the year is shaping up nicely and filled with world champions, grizzled veterans, and exciting up-and-coming talent. We look forward to continuing to unveil more blockbuster fight nights as part of our ongoing commitment to deliver value to boxing fans worldwide.”

 

Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn said: "Matchroom and DAZN's stacked upcoming schedule just got even better with these three blockbuster additions. First up on October 16 four-weight king Mikey Garcia returns to action in a difficult assignment against Barcelona's European Super-Lightweight Champion Sandor Martin in Fresno, CA. 'The Body Snatcher' Dillian Whyte returns home to The O2 on October 30 to put his Interim WBC Heavyweight World Title against Otto Wallin - the man that came so close to inflicting a loss on Tyson Fury. Then on December 18 Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora go to war again at Manchester Arena. Catch it all live and exclusively around the world on DAZN."

 

Full card details will be released soon. 

 

Other major matchups this fall on DAZN include the heavyweight clash of the year between unified champion Anthony Joshua, who will be putting his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO World Titles on the line against former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in in London on September 25. Meanwhile, live boxing makes its return to Italy on October 1 as local star Daniele Scardina continues his hunt for a world title fight when he takes on Juergen Doberstein for the WBO Intercontinental super middleweight title in Milan. And, on October 9, the south of Liverpool takes on the north as Liam Smith faces off against fellow Liverpudlian Anthony Fowler in a hugely competitive domestic fight, live from the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool.

 

Material and Photos 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, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

 

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

Update

 We would like to let our readers know that we will be resuming the normal schedule on Friday, September 17^th with a column discussing the recent controversial event that took place in Hollywood, FL, which was headlined by a Heavyweight bout between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort. 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