Jabs And Observations: February 2022

 A new feature here on The Boxing Truth® Jabs And Observations that was introduced in the month of January that will hopefully become a regular fixture of the rotation of content offered to readers as well as in an effort to cover more ground by this observer in regard to the events and happenings in the world of Boxing. Following the feature’s first installment last month, the time has come for the February 2022 edition. While there has been plenty that has gone on outside of the Boxing ring over the last several weeks that will be touched upon later in this month's Jabs And Observations, the February installment should begin with what has happened inside the ring. To be more specific, some of the events that took place over February 18th and 19th around the Boxing world.

 

Obviously, one that is knowledgeable in regard to the sport of Boxing knows that it is a sport that truly operates twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred sixty-five days a year both in and out of the ring. As such, it can be a difficult task to keep track of and watch everything that goes on even as advances in technology in the streaming realm have greatly improved access to the sport. In honesty with the reader, it is one reason why features such as this have become necessary for yours truly to pen as even though my commitment to covering the sport is a true 24/7 passion for me, I am after all only one person and, despite my dedication, even I will not be able to cover all the fights and events that take place throughout the sport as they occur. Such was the case over this two day period as while I was covering a six bout Boxing card that was promoted by Thompson Boxing Promotions that took place on February 18th in Ontario, CA, other events were occurring throughout the sport.

 

First among those Boxing cards that will be covered as part of this month's edition of Jabs And Observations took place in Orlando, FL on February 18th where premium cable network Showtime presented its latest installment of its popular ShoBox: The New Generation series. A series that has long been a platform for rising prospects to take steps towards world title contention, the most recent edition of the series was no exception.

 

The main event saw undefeated rising Lightweight prospect Jamaine Ortiz score a dominant ten round unanimous decision over Nahir Albright. In what was Ortiz’ sixteenth bout as a professional, he displayed hand speed, timing, elusiveness, and solid counter punching to out work Albright over ten rounds to earn the unanimous decision victory and along with it, the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Lightweight championship.

 

The 135lb. Lightweight division has historically been one of the most competitive in the entire sport due simply to the depth of talent that consistently occupies the division. As most Boxing fans know, the division recently saw a shake up in undefeated George Kambosos upsetting previously undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Tiofimo Lopez late last year to win the title. Since then, there has certainly been no shortage of potential opponents for the champion's first title defense that is expected to occur sometime in 2022. Although Jamaine Ortiz may not be quite at the point where buzz begins to stir of him being a potential opponent for Kambosos or whomever the champion might be down the road, he has certainly put himself out there as a fighter to watch and his having won an NABF title will likely help him progress forward towards a potential world title shot down the line given its affiliation with the World Boxing Council (WBC), who have similar affiliations with other regional sanctioning organizations both here in the United States as well as around the world.

 

The co-main event of this edition of ShoBox saw what was in my estimation an equally dominant performance, but a bout that ended up being overshadowed by controversial scoring. Yours truly is referring to the encounter between Welterweight prospects Marquis Taylor and Paul Kroll. An eight round bout that was the first time in my recollection that I had seen either fighter compete. A fight that can beat be described as one fighter showcasing what turned out to be a superior skillset mixing hand speed and punching power simply besting the other who seemed a step behind, Taylor effectively out boxed a very “Game” Kroll over the course of the eight round bout in what had all the appearance of a clear decision victory in Taylor’s favor.

 

In Boxing however, sometimes things are not always as they appear. Despite the appearance of Taylor earning a victory that should have put him on the radar, only one official judge scored the bout widely in his favor, while a second judge scored the bout by two points in favor of Kroll, which led to the third and deciding judge to render an even scorecard resulting in the bout being declared a majority draw.

 

One does not have to dive too deep into history to know that controversial scoring is unfortunately something that at times comes with the territory not just in Boxing, but all of combat sports. While over the many years I have covered Boxing as well as other combat sports on occasion, I have become used to providing readers with an analysis of how fights are scored and the criteria that is used as part of that process, more recently as was the case with the recent Super-Middleweight encounter between Daniel Jacobs and John Ryder, such analysis is not necessarily warranted beyond sharing my point of view that I simply disagreed with the official decision. The silver lining is that both Taylor and Kroll are relatively young in their respective careers and it is probably beneficial for both that this decision did not occur on a bigger stage and/or one where there was more at stake in terms of financially as well as in the Welterweight division's rankings. As such, it is also not hard to envision that these two fighters could meet again down the line.

 

February 19th was a day in the sport where there was one premise that could arguably apply to three notable bouts that took place across the globe. Former world champions looking to provide a strong argument for themselves towards another world title shot. First to enter the ring that day was former three-division world champion Jorge Linares, who faced rising Lightweight contender Zaur Abdullaev in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

 

Despite having a significant experience advantage over Abdullaev both in terms of world championship experience as well as overall experience inside the ring, the thirty-six year old Linares was coming into this fight off of a loss to undefeated top Lightweight contender Devin Haney in May of last year. Although Linares became the first fighter to legitimately hurt Haney in the tenth round of a competitive fight, he appeared to be on the decline of a fine career going into this fight against a fighter in Abdullaev, who appears to be on the rise. While the story of an aging former champion stepping in against a rising contender is one that is as old as the sport itself, the key going into this fight in my eyes was what Linares would have left at this stage of his career as he no doubt looked to this encounter as a way to springboard himself back into the world championship picture in the extremely talent deep 135lb. Lightweight division.

 

In contrast to Linares, twenty-seven year old Abdullaev was competing in his sixteenth professional bout compared to Linares’ fifty-fourth. As such, it was logical to ask what effect, if any would the difference in experience have on Abdullaev, even though he had the advantage in terms of youth and as well as fighting in his hometown were in his favor.

 

A significant portion of this fight was controlled by Linares’ ability to keep Abdullaev at distance with his jab. While the two fighters were in relatively close proximity to engage with each other on a consistent basis, Linares being able to keep Abdullaev on the end of his jab as well as regularly throwing left hooks to the body as part of combinations he threw off of his jab was the story of the fight for a lengthy period of time. Although Abdullaev had success attacking in spurts, he was not successful in being able to apply pressure on Linares and back him up against the ropes consistently. When Abdullaev connected with punches however, the difference in power was to his advantage.

 

Over the course of the second half of the scheduled twelve round bout, Abdullaev’s punching power began to gradually close the gap between himself and Linares. This was particularly evident in rounds eight and nine when combinations to the head as well as some effective work to Linares’ body appeared to hurt the former three-division world champion. While this could have also been attributed in part to fatigue as the fight was fought at a relatively quick pace, the momentum started to shift to Abdullaev at this stage in the fight.

 

As Abdullaev was able to increase his pressure of Linares in the latter stages of the bout and what worked well for Linares throughout most of the fight began to decrease, I started to wonder whether or not what appeared to be a significant lead that Linares was able to build would be enough to get him over the finish line if the fight were to go its full twelve round distance. After all, it was only two weeks ago that John Ryder was able to pull off what many would consider an upset over former IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs in a fight that was not unlike this one in terms of how it was fought. Any questions that I might have had developing in my mind about what the potential scoring of the bout might have been at the conclusion of the bout, did not need to be asked. For it was in the twelfth and final round that Abdullaev would catch up with Linares, dropping the former world champion with a left hook to the jaw that sent him down to the canvas. Abdullaev would follow that knockdown by scoring a second knockdown moments later with another left hook to the jaw. A clearly hurt Linares got up for a second time showing his mettle, but he had no answer to keep Abdullaev off of him and after a follow-up barrage with Linares up against the ropes, the fight was promptly stopped.

 

Although the way Zaur Abdullaev was able to break Jorge Linares down to score a stoppage late in the fight was impressive and will likely move him into the discussion of potential world title challengers for current Undisputed Lightweight world champion George Kambosos, the obvious question coming out of this fight is what does the future look like for Jorge Linares? It should not be overlooked or dismissed that by all accounts Jorge Linares was in this fight right until the moment where Abdullaev was able to catch him and put him away.

 

While it was a highly competitive fight fought at a quick pace and the aspect of fatigue should also not be dismissed, what should also not be overlooked is Jorge Linares has been through several grueling fights over the course of his eighteen year professional career. With six of his seven losses in fifty-four career fights having come via stoppage, some may say that at this point Linares should consider retirement. Ultimately, that is a decision that he and he alone will have to make, but for now perhaps a rest and some time to reflect is what Linares needs before deciding what he wants to do next.

 

Two fighters who were idle for lengthy periods of time due in part to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic that have circled each other for years for a potential showdown in the Boxing hotbed of the United Kingdom are former world champions Kell Brook and Amir Khan. A potential showdown between the two often discussed, much anticipated, but ultimately one that many people felt was past it’s due date by the time the two fighters met at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England to finally settle what had turned into a bitter rivalry between the two former world champions.

 

Much as was the case with Jorge Linares, both Brook and Khan had the ultimate goal of getting back into position to challenge for a world championship. Quite frankly, even as seasoned as yours truly is in regard to covering the sport and having seen just about everything one can see take place inside of a Boxing ring, at least until the next unforeseen occurrence, I did not know what to expect from this fight as I like a lot of people within the sport questioned if it was too little, too late to make this fight a reality.

 

Of course, the concept of letting a fight sit on a backburner for lengthy periods of time is one that promoters throughout Boxing history have used to their advantage, which unfortunately leads to underwhelming returns when a fight like this happens and almost always is not a fight that benefits the sport. As such, I decided to take a “Wait And See” approach to this fight as both Brook and Khan have suffered severe knockouts in their careers and, despite the credentials each man brought into the ring, I wondered what we were likely to see between two fighters, whose best years may indeed be behind them.

 

To my surprise, the bout turned out to be more exciting than I had anticipated with both fighters seemingly being willing to stand and go toe to toe from the opening bell. While this was competitive for a brief time, it did not take long before the harder punches of Brook began to take effect as the bout quickly evolved from a toe to toe battle to frankly a one-sided beating as the taller and stronger Brook stalked Khan and administered significant punishment that as the fight progressed. This resulted in Khan gradually throwing less and less punches and being in what is often referred to throughout all combat sports as “Survival Mode.” As the punishment continued with little to nothing coming back from Khan, the fight was stopped in the sixth round. Although Khan was not knocked off his feet, the stoppage of this fight was the appropriate call to make as it could have developed into a serious situation from one fighter being allowed to take punishment that they should not be allowed to take. While some of the tragedies that have occurred throughout the sport’s history are accidental, more often than not, tragedies occur when fights are allowed to continue past when they should be stopped.

 

Fortunately for Amir Khan, good judgment was implemented by Referee Victor Loughlin and Khan was able to leave the ring before possibly suffering a serious injury. Even though some may be tempted to say that Kell Brook is right back in the mix off of this victory, I feel it is appropriate to say that he simply did what he needed to do and will wait to see what he decides to do coming out of this fight before I offer a further comment because frankly, there is not much one can say about a fight that evolved within a round into a one-sided beating. There is not much analysis one can offer nor is there much that can be said to speculate about the victor’s future plans. The one thing that can be said however, is perhaps Amir Khan should consider retirement with all of his faculties intact before he gets seriously hurt.

 

 

This leads us to the final fight that will be covered in this month’s edition of Jabs and Observations that featured a former world champion that is perhaps most likely to fight for a world championship than the aforementioned previous three former world champions. I am speaking of undefeated former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia, who returned to the ring also on February 19^th to face fellow undefeated contender D'Mitrius Ballard in a Middleweight bout in Munguia’s hometown of Tijuana, MX. This was a fight that was actually scheduled to take place twice over the last year, but was changed due to Ballard suffering injuries while training for the bout. This resulted in Munguia scoring victories over Kamil Szeremeta and Gabriel Rosado respectively even though Ballard did return to action in scoring a ten round decision over Paul Valenzuela on the undercard of Munguia’s fight with Rosado last November.

 

In what was Munguia’s fifth bout as a 160lb. Middleweight, the third time proved to be the charm as Ballard finally got his chance against one of Boxing’s hottest rising stars. Unfortunately for Ballard, a native of Temple Hills, MD, his first chance on a marquee stage in the sport did not go well. Although Ballard started off well in the first two rounds of the fight and was able to hold his own as well as have moments of success occasionally, Munguia, a fighter known for his punching power made that power known beginning in the second round when he was able to land a left hook that appeared to land on the temple of Ballard and momentarily stunned him. In round three, the two fighters engaged in some heated exchanges of offense with Munguia getting the better of the action. It would be midway through the round when Munguia would catch Ballard with a lunging, but flush left hook to the chin that set off a barrage of punches and sent Ballard down on his stomach on the canvas.

 

Ballard was very “Game” in being able to beat the count, but appeared as though he was disoriented and seemed to look to his corner. As Ballard was able to beat the count and allowed to continue, Munguia pressed forward with a barrage of unanswered punches that forced the fight to be stopped. After what ended up being a tougher fight than some had expected against Gabriel Rosado last November, Munguia showed in this fight that he does still have the punching power at 160lbs. to end fights quickly if the opportunity arises as he had done as a 154lb. Jr. Middleweight.

 

As for what is next for Jaime Munguia, it should be noted that he looked as if he struggled to make the 160lb. Middleweight limit for this fight against D'Mitrius Ballard. Munguia is currently rated number one in the world by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) in the Middleweight division. The current WBO champion, Demetrius Andrade, appears to be eying a move up to the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division to hopefully entice a potential showdown against current Undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. In perhaps an unintentional segue on this observer’s part, much of the big story that has occurred outside of the ring in recent weeks has centered squarely on Alvarez and a possible two-bout agreement with promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, Andrade’s current promoter, which would see Alvarez return to digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN for two fights against undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol in a temporary return to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division where he held the WBO world champion in 2019, and if he were successful, a long awaited third encounter between Alvarez and two-time Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin, who would subsequently move up eight pounds to challenge Alvarez for his Undisputed Super-Middleweight world championship.

 

While nothing has been announced as of this writing, it does not come as a surprise to yours truly that Alvarez would return to a broadcast platform in DAZN that has broadcast most of his bouts dating back to an initial $365 million agreement between the network, himself, and his then promoter Oscar De La Hoya. Although the business relationship between Alvarez and De La Hoya eventually soured and led to a lawsuit between Alvarez, the promoter, and the network, which resulted in the dissolving of that agreement, Alvarez remained with the network on a fight by fight basis for three more bouts before venturing to the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner for his completion of the unification process for his bout with then IBF Super-Middleweight world champion Caleb Plant last year.  While that bout, which was broadcast on Showtime Pay-Per-View here in the United States did better compared to what several other pay-per-view events before or since have done in terms of buys, and that can be attributed directly to Alvarez’ status as the top marquee draw in the sport, it is not surprising to see that he would return to a platform in DAZN where he is likely to make more money on a guaranteed basis compared to the pay-per-view model, as well as renewing a relationship with Hearn, who he developed a solid working relationship with in the aftermath of his split from De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions. It is also worth noting that the well-publicized lawsuit between Alvarez, De La Hoya, and DAZN, likely had it’s roots between tensions between Alvarez and De La Hoya rather than with Alvarez and the network.

 

What this could all mean for a fighter in Munguia’s position being promoted by De La Hoya, who also recently extended his broadcast agreement with DAZN could be two potential opportunities. The first would be the possibility of fighting for the vacated WBO Middleweight world championship should Demetrius Andrade vacate and move up to 168lbs. to chase a fight with Alvarez. Option two, would be if he cannot make the 160lb. Middleweight limit any longer, that Munguia himself would move up to 168lbs. where a potential fight with Alvarez or perhaps Gennady Golovkin if he chooses to stay at Super-Middleweight, assuming the third fight against Alvarez comes to fruition, would be a significant draw and would each probably sell out a soccer stadium in Mexico. In short, there are no shortage of opportunities for Alvarez against fighters currently aligned with either Eddie Hearn, Oscar De La Hoya, and DAZN and if Alvarez were to remain with the network beyond the rumored two-fight deal, there would also be no shortage of opportunity for those fighters who are looking to secure a fight with Alvarez and might lead to a mass exodus of top contenders and world champions in the 160lb. Middleweight division as there are always fighters who regardless of promotional ties, or network affiliation, are always looking for greener pastures.

 

It may simply or perhaps not so simply depending on one’s perspective, come down to whether or not Alvarez and De La Hoya are willing to put their differences aside if a potential fight is available for Munguia and whether fighters who are competing under the PBC promotional banner and on different networks will seek bouts with Alvarez. Even if it means doing so outside of their promotional banner, which unfortunately, rival promoters have shown in the past to put their interests ahead of the fighters they represent. The bottom line folks is the circumstances of what Saul Alvarez does next will continue to dominate the Boxing landscape and news cycle at least until something is formally announced and fighters in three weight divisions from Middleweight to Light-Heavyweight are all waiting to see what he will do. Although it is a cliché, the only advice this observer can offer to his readers is “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

 

 

PROBELLUM AND LOU DIBELLA ANNOUNCE LANDMARK DEAL

 

Press Release: By Probellum – LOS ANGELES, FEBRUARY 22 – Probellum is thrilled to announce a major strategic partnership with Boxing Hall of Fame promoter Lou DiBella and his company DiBella Entertainment. 

Credit: Probellum

 

The strategic partnership will see Probellum, a global promotion and media company that launched last year, and the legendary DiBella collaborate on a number of fronts in a bid to further their shared vision of advancing the sport of boxing.

 

This will include co-promotional activities around key fighters in the DiBella Entertainment stable, support for grassroots boxing in the United States, and the continued growth of Probellum’s international network of co-promotional partners.

 

“Today is a landmark day for Probellum. I am delighted to be able to formally announce our strategic partnership deal with the great Lou DiBella,” said Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum.

 

“Lou and I have known and worked together for many years and his influence and reputation in boxing needs little explanation.

 

“He has led great change in the past and alongside the excellent team we are building at Probellum, I have every confidence that we will be able to create a new era for our sport.”

 

“Boxing has to change. For too long, self-interest and politics have got in the way of what the fighters and the fans really want – the best against the best, in locations all around the world,” added Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

 

“I have been very vocal about the need to transform our sport and I am so pleased to have found people who share that vision and are taking significant steps to make it a reality.

 

“Probellum is the only business in the market with the vision and strategy to disrupt boxing’s status quo on a truly global scale and I didn’t hesitate to begin collaborating when they called. Change is coming and we’re ready to go.”

 

DiBella was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020 after decades of being one of the most influential figures in boxing, including being the driving force of HBO’s boxing coverage for 11 years as the network’s Senior Vice President in Charge of Programming.

 

In the role, DiBella was the man behind the widely acclaimed Boxing After Dark series before going on to launch DiBella Entertainment and becoming one of boxing’s most important promoters, guiding the careers of a hugely impressive list of world champions, which includes Bernard Hopkins, Sergio Martinez and Jermain Taylor.

 

Probellum was founded in September 2021 and has become the fastest-growing brand in the sport, making its intentions clear with a raft of top-level fighter signings including  Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely and Donnie Nietes and multiple co-promotional deals across the globe.

 

“Since launch, we have surpassed even our most ambitious expectations in relation to the quality and breadth of the fighters and international co-promotional deals we’ve signed, but today is a game-changing moment for Probellum and the wider boxing industry,” added Harrison Whitman, Chief Strategy and Legal Office at Probellum.

 

“Forming this strategic relationship with Lou is going to help bring about important change to the sport and provide fans and fighters with more opportunities for great fights.”

 

For ticket news, live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

 

About Probellum

 

Launched in September 2021, Probellum is a global boxing promotion and media company, and the fastest-growing brand in the sport.

 

Probellum’s elite stable includes Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Lee McGregor, Donnie Nietes, Troy Williamson, Dina Thorslund, Muhammad Waseem, O’Shaquie Foster, Will Cawley, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack. 

 

Since launching, Probellum has signed co-promotional partnerships with some of the biggest promoters globally, including Wasserman (Germany), Universum (Germany), GYM (Canada), Maravilla Box (Spain), Team Ellis (Australia), Titov Boxing Promotions (Russia), Volcano Boxing (El Salvador), BXSTRS Promotions (Mexico), PR Best (Puerto Rico) Glozier Boxing (New Zealand), Box Office Sports (Ghana) and LNK Boxing (Latvia).

 

Probellum hosted its inaugural event at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena in December 2021 and returns to Middle East in March for a double-header.

 

Probellum Evolution takes place at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on March 18 and 19, with both shows topped by world title fights. 

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission.

 

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

 

 

Jackson England Ready For Step Up Clash With Paul Fleming On Inaugural Stan Sports PPV

Press Release: February 22, 2022 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Highly touted Western Australian Jackson England is set for the biggest night of his career, as he steps up in class against Australian standout Paul Fleming. 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing

 

England has been mostly punch-perfect as a professional, with his recent contests resulting in him winning silverware and gaining ratings in the WBC and IBO respectively.

 

The Perth native now takes a career step up against Fleming over 10 rounds, and the likable all-action featherweight opened up on his clash with Fleming.

 

England said, "This is what dreams are made of. The first PPV event on Stan Sports at the ICC Arena in Sydney and sharing a card with the likes of Sonny Bill Williams. This is what I got into boxing for.

 

"I have to say a massive thank you to my manager Tony Tolj and Green Machine Promotions for putting me on in such a great fight with Paul Fleming. Fleming is a great fighter and all the respect to him for giving me this opportunity.

 

"Paul has been around forever, this is a real test for me, but I think my youth and my athletism give me the edge in this fight. As the fight goes on I know I'll get stronger and this will be the key."

 

England is guided by Australian boxing mastermind Tony Tolj, and the Dragon Fire Boxing chief weighed in on his charge's chances against the experienced Fleming.

 

Tolj said, "This is a great fight for Australian boxing fans, and thank you to Green Machine Promotions for putting this fight on this great event.

 

"Jackson has looked great in his last few fights and is ready for a step up, and I think this is a better chance than ever to get rated in the WBA IBF, WBC & WBO, so why not.

 

"Boxing is all about taking calculated risks and this is what this is. Fleming is a class act and I have nothing but respect for him, I just think this could be Jackson's time to shine."

 

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

 

For more information about Dragon Fire Boxing please visit Dragon Fire Boxing’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DragonFireBoxing.

 

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

Torres KO’s Mino In 6

 

Undefeated Lightweight prospect Ruben Torres scored an impressive sixth round knockout over veteran Cristian Mino on Friday night at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA. Torres simply took his time in a fight that had the appearance as though it would go the distance. By utilizing his reach to keep the shorter Mino at distance, Torres was able to pick his shots. As the fight progressed, the punches Torres was able to land were gradually having an effect on Mino. In round six a beautiful left hook to the body followed by a right hand to the head sent Mino down. Mino showed his mettle by getting up from the knockdown, but moments later, a left hook to the solar plexus sent Mino down in significant pain. The bout was immediately stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 1:37 of round six. Ruben Torres advances to 18-0, with 15 Knockouts.  Cristian Mino falls to 20-5-2, with 15 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

In a Featherweight rematch from a fight in 2018, Horacio Garcia avenged his split decision loss to Isaac Zarate, by scoring a convincing eight round majority decision in the second encounter. What was Garcia’s first fight since that loss to Zarate nearly four years ago, the rematch followed one pattern. Garcia using his taller 5’8 frame to systematically walk the 5’5 Zarate down and out work him with offense to the body and head. While there was nothing that changed the pattern of this bout and Garcia appeared to be clearly dominant in the fight even cutting Zarate over the right eye in the final round, one of the three official judges scored the fight even, where the remaining two judges scored the fight widely in Garcia’s favor. Official scores were: 80-72, 79-73, and 76-76 (Even) giving Garcia the split decision victory. Horacio Garcia advances to 35-5-1, with 25 Knockouts. Isaac Zarate falls to 16-6-4, with 2 Knockouts.

 

 An entertaining Welterweight bout saw Luis Lopez survive a stern test in scoring a six round majority decision over Cristian Dominguez. Dominguez almost immediately showed he came to fight as a short right hook buckled the legs of Lopez in the opening round followed by a flush left hook to the head that sent Lopez down. Lopez was able to get up from the knockdown, but late in the first round, Dominguez would drop him hard for a second time, this time with a wide right hook to the head. Lopez was able to survive the round. Round two saw Lopez willing to engage in a toe to toe war with Dominguez and as the fight progressed, he was able to gradually implement an attack to Dominguez’ body. It was this approach and consistent attack that allowed Lopez to work his way back into the fight and ultimately pound out a hard fought majority decision victory. Official scores were: 57-55, (On two scorecards) and 56-56 (Even) resulting in Lopez getting the win. Luis Lopez advances to 10-1-1, with 4 Knockouts. Cristian Dominguez falls to 11-4, with 6 Knockouts.

 

Undefeated Featherweight Japhethlee Llamido scored a six round unanimous decision over Erick Benitez. A fight where both fighters seemed to have trouble finding their rhythm, Llamido got the better of the action in most of the rounds. In round five, Llamido scored a knockdown of Benitez with a short right hand and went on to earn the decision victory. Official scores were: 59-54, (On two scorecards) and 58-55 in favor of Llamido. Japhethlee Llamido advances to 6-0, with 2 Knockouts. Erick Benitez falls to 2-3, with 1 Knockout.

 

 A battle of unbeaten Jr. Featherweights saw Sean Brewer scored a first round knockout over previously undefeated Ivan Zarate. Brewer stunned Zarate with a right hook and had him cornered. Zarate tried to move his head and did manage to avoid some of Brewer’s follow up barrage, but it would be a combination of right hooks to the jaw that sent Zarate down on the canvas. The bout was stopped immediately. Zarate remained on his back for a few minutes following the stoppage, but did leave the ring under his own power. Official time of the stoppage was 2:50 of round one. Sean Brewer advances to 2-0, with 1 Knockout. Ivan Zarate falls to 3-1, with 1 Knockout.

 

Unbeaten Heavyweight Oscar Torrez began the evening by scoring a four round unanimous decision over veteran Daniel Najera. In what was the first fight for Torrez in nearly three years, he simply went through the motions against a very “Game” Najera. A highlight came in the fourth and final round when Torrez staggered Najera with a left hook that sent him on the defensive against the ropes. Despite appearing as though Torrez was on the verge of a stoppage, Najera was able to hang in there and go the distance. All three official judges scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Torrez giving him the decision victory. Oscar Torrez advances to 8-0, with 4 Knockouts. Daniel Najera falls to 9-7-1, with 4 Knockouts.

 

The eighteenth victory in the career of Ruben Torres, one of promoter Ken Thompson of Thompson Boxing’s hottest prospects, earned him the United States Boxing Council (USBC) Lightweight championship. While the USBC is a regional championship, it’s affiliation with the World Boxing Council (WBC) will likely mean that Torres will see himself positioned in the top twenty-five world rated contenders when the WBC next updates it’s Lightweight rankings.

 

Following a lengthy stretch where Thompson Boxing staged shows in fanless environments due to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic, this card took place in an atmosphere that many promoters around the world should truly now appreciate as the epidemic unfortunately continues, an atmosphere featuring an enthusiastic crowd.  As Thompson Boxing continues to develop prospects, the future will hopefully be bright both for the promoter as well as the fighters they represent. For Ruben Torres, 2022 just may be the year where he can progress from highly touted prospect to contender with the aim of challenging for a world championship. While anything can happen in the sport of Boxing, it is certainly not hard to see why many in the sport are looking at Torres as potentially the next world champion to box under the Thompson Boxing promotional banner. We will see what the future holds for this fighter on the rise as 2022 progresses.

 

“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

Jacobs-Ryder: Controversy Or Appropriate Decision?

 

Anyone who covers the sport of Boxing and to be more specific those who specialize in penning columns on a variety of subjects including previews and post-fight analysis can likely relate to the uniqueness of one's creative process. For yours truly, there are times when a basic concept will start to form in my mind of what I will be writing in a forthcoming column at several times. Times which can be the practice of me sitting at my desk and staring at the dreaded blank page waiting for inspiration to strike, or in the context of current technology, being able to pick up my cell phone or a tablet at any time when an idea/concept comes to mind. There are even times when I will start forming an idea in my mind as I cover a fight thinking with each passing round that the forming concept will indeed be what I end up going with when all is said and done.

 

In some instances however, a concept that forms in the mind that seems by all accounts to be supported by what one is seeing with their eyes as a bout occurs, can take a surprising and one might say drastic turn that results in a general concept being completely done away with. Such an instance occurred for this observer during the February 12^th Super-Middleweight bout between former IBF Middleweight world champion Daniel Jacobs and former world title challenger and longtime Middleweight and Super-Middleweight contender John Ryder, which took place at the Alexandria Palace in London, England.

 

A bout that had the premise of two fighters, one a former world champion, the other a longtime contender that were each at a “Crossroads.” An obvious storyline that accompanied this encounter at least in the eyes of some was that it could well have been a scenario where the fighter who did not emerge victorious could see their career come to an end.

 

As those who read the preview column penned by yours truly, which was released here on The Boxing Truth® on the eve of the fight, I did not necessarily share the point of view that a loss for either fighter in this fight would necessarily mean the end of the road for them. This was due largely to the current landscape of the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division being in a state of flux as current undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez plots his next move, which may see him move up in weight and potentially open up significant opportunities for contenders if he were to vacate the respective world championships that currently comprise the Undisputed Super-Middleweight world championship.

 

There was however, one wrinkle in the equation that I briefly made reference to prior to this bout that could not and was not overlooked by yours truly. The fact that for the first time as a professional, Daniel Jacobs, a native of Brooklyn, NY would be fighting in an atmosphere that is not the easiest to prepare for. An atmosphere truly unique throughout all combat sports. For the first time, Jacobs would be fighting in front of a British Boxing crowd.

 

Those who are familiar with the Boxing and by extension the combat sports scene throughout the United Kingdom will likely agree with this observer that there truly is nothing like the atmosphere that fans throughout the United Kingdom provides. From true enthusiasm to extremely vocal support, which often includes elements of chanting and singing both before and during the course of a fight, more than a few fighters who had traveled to the U.K. have found it difficult to adjust to such an atmosphere, even someone as experienced as Jacobs.

 

Why was this of such interest? For the simple reason that Jacobs would be fighting a boxer in Ryder, who is from London. This essentially meant that Jacobs would be walking into what for all intents and purposes, was the Boxing equivalent of a lion’s den. To his credit however, the former world champion did not appear awed by the circumstances and for much of the first six rounds of this fight was able to do something that many fighters who have traveled to the United Kingdom to compete have found difficult to accomplish. Jacobs was able to implement an approach and strategy that seemingly brought an enthusiastic crowd down to relative calm. By implementing a measured offensive approach, which had an emphasis on movement, using his jab, and counter punching, Jacobs seemed to clearly win the first half of the scheduled twelve round bout where the consensus was that the pace he set forth was allowing him to control the combat and generally get the better of the action during periodic exchanges where John Ryder simply had trouble getting into a rhythm and getting his punches off consistently. While not necessarily the most crowd pleasing fight to watch during this stage of the bout, Jacobs did what he needed to do and was clearly ahead on my scorecard as the fight moved into the seventh round.

 

As that round began, the start of the second half of the fight, I felt that the material that I would be writing post-fight would center on Jacobs putting forth a workmanlike performance in a bout that barring something dramatic, had all the appearance of a fight that would likely be scored wide in favor of Jacobs if it went the distance. What did happen may not have been dramatic, but it did certainly create a debate. It was over the remaining six rounds that John Ryder was able to put together a rally and, in the process, bring the crowd back into the fight. In contrast to how the first six rounds were fought with Jacobs being able to largely keep Ryder at distance with his jab and being able to use movement to maintain that distance, from round seven on, Ryder was able to force the combat on the inside and once in close, he was very effective in being able to land to the body and head of Jacobs.

 

Part of the reason why Ryder was able to be as successful as he was during this stage of the fight was Jacobs got away from throwing his jab as consistently as he had done in the first six rounds of the fight. This along with also not using his legs to establish distance between himself and his opponent, created the opportunity that Ryder needed to get himself into the fight. It was also at this point in the bout that There’s combinations to the body and head appeared more effective than what offense Jacobs was able to put forth.

 

Clearly at this point, any idea that was forming of penning a column centering on a workmanlike performance by Jacobs had left my mind and a simple yet complex question depending on one’s perspective came to mind in the latter stages of the twelve round bout. Would the rally that Ryder was able to put together in winning several of the remaining six rounds be enough to pull out a victory?

 

 

It was indisputable that the momentum had shifted to Ryder in the second half of the fight. From my perspective however, Ryder was not able to do enough over the first six rounds to sway how I scored the fight. At the conclusion of the bout, I arrived with a score of eight rounds to four or 116-112 in points in favor of Jacobs. This was based largely on what he was able to do over the first six rounds of the fight in being able to control the tempo of the combat and quietly build a lead. I also felt that Jacobs was able to eek out two of the final three rounds as he was able to get his jab working again and gain slight separation between himself and Ryder in what were close rounds to score. While I felt Ryder still had the momentum in his favor due to the pressure he was able to apply and the work he was able to do on the inside, he needed to score a knockdown or two to have been able to change the result of my scorecard.

 

The view of this observer not withstanding, I was not surprised to see a split decision rendered at the end of this fight. When one views a fight round by round as is how Boxing on every level of the sport is supposed to be viewed and in this case, views the fight in a first half/second half context, it was not hard to understand that the potential for a close fight was there where opinions could vary. Although ultimately John Ryder would be declared the winner on two official scorecards resulting in the biggest victory of his career, I simply felt he did not do enough to win the fight and to be more specific, he ran out of time in terms of rounds without being able to score knockdowns to have been able to change how I scored the bout.

 

While this is simply one Boxing journalist’s/historian’s perspective, in the days since the bout took place, there have been a mix of opinions ranging from those who felt Ryder was able to do enough to win it, to those who accused the judges of bias in calling it a “Hometown Decision.” While it is not uncommon to see such opinions and accusations expressed in an era where social media provides all a platform to share their views, whether those views have credibility or not, I can only speak for myself. As someone who has spent most of his life writing about and covering Boxing and by extension combat sports and is proud to call himself a Boxing lifer, I have seen countless decisions on every level the sport has to offer, amateur, professional, traditional, and bareknuckle that I did not agree with. Does that necessarily mean that a decision that I personally felt should have gone the other way means that there is something unethical or a potential conspiracy having taken place? Obviously, the answer is a matter of opinion and will vary from person to person and fight by fight.

 

In this case, I do not see John Ryder’s victory over Daniel Jacobs as controversial in nature nor based on the fact that I scored the fight unofficially for Jacobs do I feel the decision rendered was appropriate. At the end of the day, judges like the rest of us are all human and as such, it comes down to one’s perspective and a matter of opinion as to who wins a fight that goes the distance. A rematch however, would be appropriate.

 

“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

 

 

 

 

 

Peter McGrail To Make Probellum Debut At Probellum Evolution On March 19th

 Press Release: By Probellum –  DUBAI, FEBRUARY 15 - Top prospect Peter McGrail will make his eagerly awaited Probellum debut next month after becoming the latest high-profile name added to Probellum Evolution, which takes place on consecutive nights in Dubai. 

Credit: Probellum

 

McGrail (2-0, 1 knockout), 25, recently signed to Probellum alongside his younger brother, 19-year-old Joe, and the skilful featherweight will be in action for the first time since late last year, when he competes on the second night of Probellum’s upcoming Dubai double-header, on Saturday, March 19.

 

Estelle Mossely will create history the night before when she headlines the Middle East’s first ever female world title fight before Sunny Edwards puts his IBF world flyweight title on the line a day later, as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium hosts a back-to-back boxing bonanza.

 

One of British boxing’s brightest young talents, Liverpool-born McGrail has enjoyed a strong start to his career in the professional ranks, beating compatriot Ed Harrison on his debut last October before defeating Nicaragua’s Engel Gomez in style, courtesy of a second-round knockout in December.

 

Prior to turning professional, his career at amateur level was hugely successful, with McGrail representing Team GB at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as well as winning gold medals at both the 2017 European Championships and 2018 Commonwealth Games. McGrail also took home bronze medals from the World Amateur Championships in 2017 and 2019, and is a seven-time national champion.

 

The Everton Football Club fan is widely considered the stand-out fighter of his generation to hail from the boxing hotbed of Liverpool and is being backed to follow in the footsteps of the city’s celebrated list of former world champions.

 

McGrail has already boxed to huge support and acclaim in this opening two pro bouts – which were both in his hometown – but is now determined to display his dazzling skills in Dubai next month.

 

“I’m really looking forward to competing as a Probellum fighter for the first time in Dubai,” said McGrail, who trains at the highly regarded Everton Red Triangle Boxing Club.

 

“This is Probellum’s first event of the year, featuring some brilliant fighters, and I’m absolutely delighted to be added to the card. I’ve never fought in the Middle East so it will be a great experience for me.

 

“The fight is just over a month away and my training camp has been going very well so far. I’m fully focused on being in the best possible condition to show what I can do when the event comes around and I hope the Brits in Dubai will come out to support me on the night.”

 

“We are very excited about Peter’s Probellum debut and we have full confidence he will produce a great performance,” added Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum.

 

“Peter is a fantastic talent, which is why we were so pleased to sign him. Performing at events such as Probellum Evolution will give him a platform to show his qualities on a global scale.

 

“He is the latest addition to what was already a brilliant card, and I would urge fight fans to secure their tickets as soon as possible in order to avoid disappointment. Probellum Evolution is going to be a massive, memorable occasion.”

 

 

Tickets for Probellum Evolution can be purchased HERE.

 

For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

 

About Probellum

Launched in September 2021, Probellum is a global boxing promotion and media company, and the fastest-growing brand in the sport.

 

Probellum’s elite stable includes Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Lee McGregor, Donnie Nietes, Troy Williamson, Dina Thorslund, Muhammad Waseem, O’Shaquie Foster, Will Cawley, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack.

 

Since launching, Probellum has signed co-promotional partnerships with some of the biggest promoters globally, including Wasserman (Germany), Universum (Germany), GYM (Canada), Maravilla Box (Spain), Team Ellis (Australia), Titov Boxing Promotions (Russia), Volcano Boxing (El Salvador), BXSTRS Promotions (Mexico), PR Best (Puerto Rico) Glozier Boxing (New Zealand), Box Office Sports (Ghana) and LNK Boxing (Latvia).

 

 Probellum hosted its inaugural event at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena in December 2021.

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission.

 

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

UNBEATEN CHAMPION DIGNUM SIGNS FOR PROBELLUM

 Press Release: By Probellum – LONDON, FEBRUARY 15 - Probellum is proud to announce the signing of WBO European Middleweight champion Danny Dignum. 

Credit: Probellum

 

The Essex-born southpaw (14-0-1, 8 knockouts), who retained his title by beating compatriot Grant Dennis on Friday (March 11) at York Hall, London turned professional in 2016 and is yet to suffer defeat.

 

Dignum, 29, originally won the vacant WBO European middleweight title in 2019 when he beat Conrad Cummings via knockout, and his reputation continues to grow as he builds towards a world title challenge.

 

A former Great Britain amateur, Dignum is rated highly by the WBO, sitting at No5 in the standings.

 

His most recent performance against Dennis was particularly impressive as Dignum dominated following an early clash of heads, eventually securing victory courtesy of a sixth-round knockout to extend his unbeaten run.

 

“Probellum is making a big impact in the boxing world, and I’m delighted to join their fantastic stable of fighters,” said Dignum.

 

“I’m unbeaten as a professional and my ambition in the long-term is to fight for a world title. I have total confidence Probellum will help me achieve that goal and build on the success I have already achieved.”

 

“Danny is a fantastic fighter and we are delighted to sign him,” added Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum.

 

“He is undefeated in 14 fights, which speaks volumes, and his performance on Saturday showcased his undoubted quality to fight fans around the world.

 

“He has a very big future in the sport and it’s our job, at Probellum, to ensure he is given the best possible opportunities to achieve his ambitions and fulfil his impressive potential.”

 

Other fighters to have signed for Probellum in recent weeks include IBF flyweight world champion Sunny Edwards, Liverpool-born brothers Peter (2-0, 1 knockout) and Joe McGrail (1-0, 1 knockout), unbeaten Shabaz Masoud (9-0, 2 knockouts), heavyweight prospect Ivan Dychko (11-0, 11 knockouts) and seven-time Irish national champion Steven Cairns (2-0, 1 knockout).

 

 

For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

 

About Probellum

Launched in September 2021, Probellum is a global boxing promotion and media company, and the fastest-growing brand in the sport.

 

Probellum’s elite stable includes Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Lee McGregor, Donnie Nietes, Troy Williamson, Dina Thorslund, Muhammad Waseem, O’Shaquie Foster, Will Cawley, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack.

 

Since launching, Probellum has signed co-promotional partnerships with some of the biggest promoters globally, including Wasserman (Germany), Universum (Germany), GYM (Canada), Maravilla Box (Spain), Team Ellis (Australia), Titov Boxing Promotions (Russia), Volcano Boxing (El Salvador), BXSTRS Promotions (Mexico), PR Best (Puerto Rico) Glozier Boxing (New Zealand), Box Office Sports (Ghana) and LNK Boxing (Latvia).

 

 Probellum hosted its inaugural event at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena in December 2021.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission.

 

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

Jacobs-Ryder Preview

 

With much of the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division currently waiting to see what current undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will do next, whether it be in the division or a potential move up to the Cruiserweight division, an interesting encounter will take place on Saturday, February 12^th in London, England between two fighters who likely have intentions of facing Alvarez down the road. This observer is speaking of the Super-Middleweight encounter between former IBF Middleweight world champion Daniel Jacobs and top Super-Middleweight contender John Ryder.

 

Jacobs, is unbeaten since moving to the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division and he looks to go for his third victory in the division in this fight against Ryder. Some may recall that the last person to beat Jacobs in the ring was Saul Alvarez, who defeated him in a unification bout when the two met as Middleweights in 2019. Obviously, both due to the position Alvarez holds as the current undisputed champion of the Super-Middleweight division as well as the financial incentives involved, Jacobs would likely welcome a potential rematch with Alvarez with open arms if the opportunity were to become available to him.

 

In his last fight in November 2020, Jacobs scored a close twelve round split decision victory over former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a fight where some felt Rosado did enough to earn the victory. With no fights in 2021, Jacobs now looks to resume his push towards another world title shot against John Ryder.

 

Much like Jacobs, Ryder, a longtime contender and former world title challenger, is coming into this fight off of two consecutive victories since his last loss, which was a challenge of then WBA Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith in November 2019. In his last bout in November of last year, Ryder scored a fifth round stoppage of Jozef Jurko.

 

While it has become cliché of this observer to say in recent times, the bout between Jacobs and Ryder is a “Crossroads Fight.” Although some might argue that a loss for either fighter at this stage in their respective careers might be what leads to possible retirement from the sport, yours truly does not necessarily see things in that context.

 

A reason for this is even though for the moment the ultimate end goal for just about anyone in either the 160lb. Middleweight and 168lb. Super-Middleweight divisions is to secure an opportunity to challenge Saul Alvarez for what is now an undisputed world championship in the Super-Middleweight division, which would obviously entice several top Middleweights to move up if such an opportunity is available, the Super-Middleweight division could very well be heading for a period of transition. It is indeed true that Alvarez accomplished what is for a variety of reasons very difficult to achieve in becoming an undisputed world champion and did so in an unthinkable short period of time, winning a world championship, fulfilling his mandatory title defense obligations, and going on to successfully complete the process of unifying the division in the span of one year. Having accomplished that goal however, Alvarez could well be looking to what might be his next challenge, which could take him out of the division as he might move up to perhaps attempt to duplicate his accomplishment at 168lbs. in a higher weight class.

 

If this does indeed prove to be what will happen, obviously, there will be plenty of room to maneuver in the Super-Middleweight division as the four world championships that comprise the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world in it’s current form will all become vacated, which will obviously open up opportunities for fighters that are in similar positions as Jacobs and Ryder. There is also the one world championship of the International Boxing Organization (IBO) that was not involved in Alvarez’ unification process, which remains active in the division so there could very well be an opportunity for Jacobs, Ryder, or several other contenders to secure an opportunity to fight for the IBO world championship as well.

 

In simple terms, a loss for either Jacobs or Ryder does not necessarily mean their career might be over with a plethora of opportunities most likely opening up in the near future in the division. As for what might occur when Jacobs and Ryder get in the ring to do battle, it is an interesting clash of styles.

 

Some may recall many years ago when he began his career that Daniel Jacobs began with a string of quick knockouts, which obviously made everyone from the Boxing fan to those like myself who cover the sport take notice. While Jacobs does still have the punching power that is capable of ending a fight at any time, as his career has evolved, he has proven to be a fighter that can do a bit of everything and should not be known strictly for his punching power. Jacobs did not necessarily look his best in his last bout against Gabriel Rosado and it will be interesting to see whether a lengthy absence from competition will lead to a better performance in this fight as he will enter this bout with a record of 37-3, with 30 Knockouts having registered a 75% career knockout percentage. 

 

Meanwhile, John Ryder is a pressure fighter who has scored seventeen knockouts in his thirty career wins and will enter with a record of 30-5, with 17 Knockouts with a career knockout percentage just shy of 49% in his career. Although Ryder has endeared himself to many fans for always putting forth a determined effort, some might say that he has failed each time he has tried to step up against the top fighters in either the Middleweight or Super-Middleweight divisions. With another opportunity against a notable opponent in a former world champion in Jacobs, this is another chance to show that he belongs among the top Super-Middleweights in the world.

 

The fight plan for Ryder appears on paper to be a simple one, try to pressure Jacobs from the outset and look to implement elements of what Gabriel Rosado was able to do in Jacobs’ last fight. Obviously, this could prove to be easier said than done, but the goal for Ryder should be to prevent Jacobs from being able to find a consistent rhythm in this fight. Although Jacobs does have an edge both in terms of punching power and overall experience at or near the top of the sport, if Ryder can disrupt Jacobs’ rhythm, he could find success if he is able to extend the fight into the middle and late rounds.

 

It is crucial that Ryder be defensively responsible at all times in this fight as Jacobs is a skilled boxer and excellent counter puncher and if he approaches him in either an overly aggressive or reckless manner, Jacobs is the type of fighter who can and will take advantage of whatever openings are presented to him. With their being debate as to the outcome of Jacobs’ last fight at least in the eyes of some, Ryder should also be prepared for a fighter who could be looking to make a statement early and if Jacobs enters this bout with the intention of scoring a knockout, we could be in for a short, but potentially explosive fight.

 

Although Daniel Jacobs is likely going to be a betting favorite going into this bout, an element in which he will not have an advantage is where this bout will be taking place. London, England, where Ryder has a significant following and will likely have the crowd support come fight time as Jacobs has traveled to the United Kingdom to face Ryder on essentially his home turf. One should keep in mind that Jacobs has fought outside of the United States before, but this will be his first time fighting in front of a British Boxing crowd and the atmosphere that the Boxing fans throughout the United Kingdom provide at virtually every Boxing event that takes place in the UK is unlike anything that is seen anywhere else in the world in the sport. While Jacobs is as experienced as they come, it will nevertheless be interesting to see how fighting in front of what will likely be a partisan crowd that is most likely something that he has not been exposed to before.

 

Although John Ryder will obviously need more than crowd support to be successful in this fight, it can provide a boost in what is one of the more significant fights in his career. As is usually the case when it comes to bouts that are deemed “Crossroads Fights,” obviously both fighters have a lot to prove to themselves and both have the focus of pursuing bigger and better things after this encounter. While a loss for either man does not necessarily mean the end of their career, a victory will obviously open up the possibility of fighting for another world championship sooner than later. We will see what happens when Jacobs and Ryder meet on Saturday, February 12^th.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Jacobs vs. Ryder takes place tomorrow (Saturday, February 12^th at the Alexandra Palace in London, England.  The entire card can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with a Before the Bell portion of preliminary bouts beginning at 12:15PM ET/9:15AM PT (U.S. Times). 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.

 

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

February 5th Pay-Per-View Doubleheader Thoughts

 

Following the month of January, which was one that was largely quiet in terms of beginning 2022 inside the Boxing ring, the month of February began with two well-publicized pay-per-view cards that each took place on the same day. This observer is referring to the two events that occurred on February 5^th in Cardiff, Wales and Las Vegas, NV respectively.

 

First was the event in Cardiff, Wales, which was co-headlined by two Middleweight bouts featuring both the women and men of the sport. First up was undefeated unified WBC/WBA/IBF Women’s World Middleweight champion Claressa Shields, who scored a dominant ten round unanimous decision over a very “Game” previously unbeaten World Boxing Federation (WBF) world champion Ema Kozin. In previewing this bout, this observer stated that I felt that the key to the fight would be whether or not Kozin would be able to get the respect of Shields early.

 

As has been the case in virtually every fight that Claressa Shields has had in her professional career, she brought the fight to her opponent from the opening bell. Applying consistent pressure and mixing hand speed and punching power, which kept Kozin on the defensive, Shields implemented an offensive approach that for a time appeared as though would break Kozin down in the middle and late rounds. Despite suffering significant punishment over the course of the scheduled ten round world championship bout, Kozin showed a lot of heart and was able to go the distance against a fighter in Shields, who is regarded as one of the top fighters in the entire sport.

 

A bigger story emerged following Shields victory over Kozin however, as during a post-fight interview, Shields engaged in a heated argument with undefeated WBO world champion Savannah Marshall, who is the only person to have scored a victory over Shields when the two met several years ago as amateurs. While it is not uncommon to see such arguments occur in the middle of a post-fight interview as it is unfortunately something that is used as a promotional tool by promoters and networks, whether they are willing to admit it or not, it is not a good look not just for women in the sport, but the sport of Boxing as a whole when such arguments occur on television that give an appearance as though it comes from “Reality” television. The view of yours truly on that subject notwithstanding, obviously, the wheels are in motion for a Shields-Marshall unification bout later in 2022. Although it may be true that these two fighters do not like each other, hopefully, those around both of them will remind both that outside of whatever dislike they might have towards each other, they are also representing Boxing and in any promotion for the bout, representing the sport in the best way possible should be a focus.

 

This brings us the second Middleweight bout that took place in Cardiff, Wales as former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. squared off against former world title challenger Liam Williams in a twelve round bout. Frankly, this bout turned out to be one between a good fighter in Eubank, who proved to be just a little too quick for a good fighter in Williams, who was very “Game,” but arguably should not have been able to go the distance as he did.

 

Why am I being as direct as I am in saying that? Due to Eubank scoring four knockdowns throughout the bout in rounds one, two, four, and eleven. While two of these knockdowns came as a result of jabs and were the definition of what is referred to as a “Flash Knockdown” where Williams was off balance, knocked off his feet by jabs, and was not visibly hurt, it is rare to see a fight being allowed to go on beyond three knockdowns against one fighter. The lone exception would be under circumstances where both fighters are knocked down during the course of a fight.

 

Despite the clear advantage that Eubank had as the fight progressed in a dominant performance in winning a clear unanimous decision, if there is one criticism that one could point to beyond the fact that Eubank failed to finish Williams and to be more specific failed to force the issue after four knockdowns to get a stoppage, it is that he chose to mock Williams and for lack of a better term play around during the middle and late rounds rather than try to end the fight. Although this could perhaps be attributed to the bad blood between the two fighters prior to the fight, an argument can be made that at times it is just as important in how you win as it is simply getting a win.

 

For a fighter in Eubank, who has a lineage through the accomplishments of his father former multi-division world champion Chris Eubank Sr., who has also gone on to hold a world championship in his own right in his career, if Eubank Jr. wants to secure another opportunity at a world title he needs to win and do so impressively in order to drum up interest and demand for him to challenge one of the current champions in the 160lb. Middleweight division. In this case, though he was impressive and keeping in mind that Williams deserves all the credit for being able to go the distance, the fact that Eubank did not force the issue and chose to mock his opponent rather than trying to finish the fight, is something that will likely turn off some fans and may be viewed by promoters who currently represent one of the world champions in the division as a tough sale. While keeping in mind that Eubank’s approach could have indeed been influenced by whatever issues that may have been between he and Williams going into the fight, he will likely have to explain why he chose not to force the issue and seemed content with going the distance when the possibility of a stoppage was clearly there for him.

 

Whether or not Eubank will be fighting for a world championship at some point later in the year remains to be seen. One should not discount the possibility of his name recognition as a former world champion being enough to at least enter the discussion for a possible challenge. The public being supportive of such a challenge at this point however, might be debatable. For now, Chris Eubank Jr. did do what he had to do in scoring a convincing and wide decision victory.

 

This leads us to the second pay-per-view Boxing event that took place on February 5^th in Las Vegas, NV. A card that featured two former world champions returning to the ring looking to bounce back from losses in separate bouts. First to return to the ring was multi-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz, who returned to action for the first time since Halloween night of 2020 to face Jr. Lightweight contender Keenan Carbajal in a ten round bout.

 

Despite suffering a bad cut over the right eye as a result of an accidental clash of heads in round two, Santa Cruz did not show any ill effects from his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis or more than a year of inactivity. When a fighter suffers the type of knockout that Santa Cruz suffered at the hands of Davis, the primary question whenever that fighter returns to action is not only what effect did the knockout have on them, but also how would that experience influence how they fight going forward.

 

Santa Cruz was able to show early on in this fight that the loss to Davis would not change his approach as he was more than willing to engage with Carbajal from the outset. What stood out in my eyes was not only that Santa Cruz willingness to engage, but more specifically how he established a balanced attack to the body and head of Carbajal. Although Santa Cruz would deal with periodic accidental head clashes throughout the bout, the cut he suffered over the right eye did not seem to slow him down as he outworked Carbajal over the ten rounds to earn a convincing unanimous decision.

 

For Keenan Carbajal, this was his first taste of fighting on a significant stage and to his credit, he held his own throughout and seemed to deal with an injured left arm in the latter stages of the fight. Despite the loss to Santa Cruz, Carbajal was able to make a solid showing in defeat and he will likely get another opportunity against a notable opponent down the line. This was simply a case of one fighter being about to outwork the other and Carbajal being unable to slow Santa Cruz’ offensive output in that whenever Santa Cruz threw punches, they were in combination and when a fighter is able to do that, it become very challenging for the opposing fighter to combat. Nevertheless, for what was a significant step up in class for Carbajal, he did perform well and did try his best to match Santa Cruz offensively.

 

As for Leo Santa Cruz, the question becomes what will he do coming out of this fight. Santa Cruz does still hold recognition as the WBA Featherweight world champion in the 126lb. Featherweight division, despite not defending that title since winning it in November 2019. Whether or not he chooses to stay in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division remains to be seen. What this fight did accomplish for Santa Cruz was it should boost his confidence after suffering a setback. He was able to produce a convincing performance where he showed the skills that has made him a future Hall of Famer.

 

The main event of the pay-per-view card in Las Vegas saw former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman return to the ring for the first time in over two years to face Jr. Welterweight contender Mario Barrios in a twelve round Welterweight bout. In what can be described as a tactical Boxing match, Thurman, who was competing for the first time since losing his WBA championship to Manny Pacquiao in July 2019, displayed a measured approach as he often was the fighter that dictated how the combat was fought. He did this by controlling distance and using lateral movement to keep Barrios from being able to plant his feet and throw offense in situations where it may have been favorable for him.

 

There were several exchanges of offense between the two fighters however, and Barrios, who was moving up from the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division for this fight in the 147lb. Welterweight division, was able to take the punches Thurman landed well, despite suffering a bad cut over the left eye in the middle rounds of the bout. The difference in punching power was nevertheless evident as Thurman seemed to have more behind his shots. What was also noticeable in addition to Thurman’s ability to dictate the combat as well as the aforementioned attributes including timing, was in most instances he was the fighter throwing first, which while Barrios was able to have his share of moments, generally left the impression that Thurman was getting the better of the action.

 

Barrios’ best moment of the bout came late in the eight round when he connected with a right hand to Thurman’s body that forced the former world champion to retreat and catch his breath. While Barrios had sporadic success whenever he went to the body of Thurman, he simply was not consistent enough in focusing his attack to the body, which may have been able to limit Thurman’s movement as the fight progressed. Despite putting forth a very “Game” effort in his Welterweight debut, Barrios was unable to turn the ebb and flow of the combat in his favor, which allowed Keith Thurman to box his way to a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, while there may be some who will choose to be critical of Thurman for perhaps not pressing the issue more especially after he was able to cut Barrios in the middle rounds where he may have been able to get a stoppage, after two and a half years out of action, this was the type of performance that Thurman needed. Not only to shake off what is known as “Ring Rust” from inactivity, but also much like Leo Santa Cruz, as a confidence booster after losing his world championship in his previous fight.

 

As for where Thurman will go coming out of this victory over Mario Barrios, the World Boxing Council (WBC) had the Thurman-Barrios bout as an elimination bout in it’s Welterweight rankings. This could mean that Thurman might be in line to face the winner of the recently announced upcoming unification bout between undefeated IBF/WBC Welterweight world champion Errol Spence and WBA world champion Yordenis Ugas, which will take place at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX in the month of April in what will likely be another pay-per-view offering. While it is indisputable that Keith Thurman is still one of the best fighters that the Welterweight division has to offer, this observer feels that it might be best if he takes another fight before potentially challenging the winner of Spence-Ugas.

 

Although these two pay-per-view cards did provide a lot of action and a full day of Boxing for those who opted to purchase both events, obviously how successful both ultimately prove to be is unknown as of this writing. It is my hope however, as someone who has been critical of the pay-per-view model due to among other things inflated price points and the fact that more often than not, not every bout on a Boxing card that is sold as a pay-per-view is made available to the buying consumer with purchase resulting in either some fights being blacked out or, portions of the undercard being sprinkled between either streaming or traditional television platforms, that those promoters who continue to insist on such a model, will at least make the price points economically reasonable for the consumer. While this may be easier said than done for a variety of reasons, the success of digital subscription streaming is something that should not be ignored and if the pay-per-view model is to continue, despite obvious evidence of needing to adapt, those “Hold Outs” as I often refer to them, need to come up with concepts of comparable value for the consumer if they want their events to be successful on a consistent basis.

 

As always, it is important for me to point out that my criticism of the pay-per-view model and those promoters that continue to insist on such a model is not, nor has ever been aimed at any of the fighters involved as I have always had the view long before I began covering the sport that boxers should be able to make as much money as they can while they can due to the obvious dangers of the sport, the fact that fighters risk their lives every time they compete, and that a career can end just as quickly as one begins. With the pay-per-view model however, no longer being the revenue generator that it once was for networks, promoters, and the fighters, who are promised percentages of such revenue, the fighters should be asking themselves how much money could be left on the table by not adapting, could revenues that promoters look to pay-per-view for, be replaced by advertising sponsorships and other forms of revenue, which would allow the Boxing fan to be able to access the sport regardless of whether they may or may not be able to afford prices that more often than not begin above $60, as well as the obvious opportunity that comes from exposing the sport to new eyes.

 

While it remains to be seen how successful these particular events were in terms of pay-per-view buys, it was an interesting and at times entertaining day of Boxing and for those who truly love the sport and have its best interests at heart, this is something that should not go unnoticed. Even as the need for the sport as a whole to embrace adapting in the subscription-based streaming era becomes more apparent.

 

“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

 

HIGHLY RATED HEAVYWEIGHT DYCHKO JOINS PROBELLUM

 

Press Release: By Probellum – LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 7, 2022 - Global boxing promoter Probellum, in association with Bulldog Boxing Promotions, is delighted to announce the co-promotional signing of top heavyweight prospect Ivan Dychko. 

Credit: Probellum

 

Dychko (11-0, 11 knockouts), from Kazakhstan, has caught the eye with a host of impressive performances following his professional debut in 2017, most recently against Russia’s Aleksandr Ustinov in December. He is yet to experience defeat.

 

His form in the professional ranks will come as no surprise to those who followed Dychko’s amateur career, during which time he won bronze medals at the Olympic Games in both 2012 and 2016, while also going up against a number of fighters who have gone on to become big names in the sport, including Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce and recent Probellum signing, Bakhodir Jalolov. 

 

Speaking about his signing, Dychko said: "I’m delighted to be working together with Bulldog Boxing and Probellum. I am 100% sure that they will help me become world champion. 

 

“I am grateful in their trust of me and together we will make history.”

 

“We are obviously very pleased to announce the co-promotional signing of Ivan Dychko, a very talented boxer with a bright future ahead of him,” added Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum. 

 

“The fact Ivan is undefeated since turning professional, winning all 11 of his fights via knockout, speaks volumes about the skills and attributes he possesses. 

 

“This is yet another big signing for Probellum and we now look forward to watching Ivan develop and flourish under our guidance.” 

 

Gino Limeri, Bulldog Boxing Promotions, President, added: 

 

“I am beyond excited that we were able to sign Ivan in partnership with Probellum. His combination of size, power, boxing IQ and amateur pedigree as a two-time Olympic medalist will undoubtedly result in Ivan becoming a household name in the very near future. 

 

"Partnering with Probellum gives us the opportunity to take his great talents across the world and we can’t wait to get started.”

 

Dychko becomes the latest addition to a high-quality stable which boasts a combination of exciting young stars and experienced fighters, including Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Lee McGregor, Donnie Nietes, Troy Williamson, Dina Thorslund, Muhammad Waseem, O’Shaquie Foster, Will Cawley, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack.  

 

Probellum will hold its first event of 2022 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium over two consecutive nights, on March 18 and 19, with a host of brilliant boxers already confirmed to compete, including Sunny Edwards, Muhammad Waseem, Regis Prograis, Tyrone McKenna, Jono Carroll and Estelle Mossely. More names will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

A week later, on March 25, Probellum heads to Newcastle’s Utilita Arena for a show featuring some of British boxing’s most talented stars such as Troy Williamson, Lewis Ritson, Thomas Patrick Ward, Pat McCormack and Ben Rees.

 

For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

 

About Probellum

Launched in September 2021, Probellum is a global boxing promotion and media company, and the fastest-growing brand in the sport.

 

Probellum’s elite stable includes Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Lee McGregor, Donnie Nietes, Troy Williamson, Dina Thorslund, Muhammad Waseem, O’Shaquie Foster, Will Cawley, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack.

 

Since launching, Probellum has signed co-promotional partnerships with some of the biggest promoters globally, including Wasserman (Germany), Universum (Germany), GYM (Canada), Maravilla Box (Spain), Team Ellis (Australia), Titov Boxing Promotions (Russia), Volcano Boxing (El Salvador), BXSTRS Promotions (Mexico), PR Best (Puerto Rico) Glozier Boxing (New Zealand), Box Office Sports (Ghana) and LNK Boxing (Latvia).

 

Probellum hosted its inaugural event at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena in December 2021.

 

Material and Photo courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission.

 

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

Ballard Changes Lifestyle in Preparation for Ring Return

Press Release: February 6. 2022 By Brandon Countee – In preparation for his return to the ring in 2022, light heavyweight boxer James Ballard has embraced a vegan lifestyle to better maintain weight and improve his health. Ballard whose weight in between fights tops 195 pounds feels that he needs to adjust his total lifestyle in order to perform at his best.

Credit: Brandon Countee

 

"It's the right thing to do for my body. Eating all this pre-processed stuff is just abusing my body. I've seen how Floyd Mayweather, AJ, and a few other guys have really changed what they eat to maintain their performance. If it works it's worth it." Ballard says. "I want my body to be right and 100% if I want to compete at my highest level."

 

Ballard's intent is to return to the ring in March or April to showcase his new style and physical conditioning with hopes to get his career back on track with a big fight. "James, his trainer, and I talked about what needs to be done for 2022 and we agreed that he has to be at his physical and mental best." Says Brandon Countee, Ballards Manager. "We decided to work together in 2022, but it would only work if he was in his best place mentally and physically. When he told me he was going vegan I commended him on being true to trying to be in his best physical place."

 

Ballard admits that he is only embracing a vegan lifestyle to improve his boxing performance and that the door is still open to eating meat again. "I love my steak, chicken, and hamburgers. I definitely will eat those things again. Maybe I'll feel so good ill just go to the impossible meats I don't know. I know I just have to do the best I can for 2022."

 

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of Brandon Countee Used with permission

 

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