Does “Celebrity Boxing” Hurt Or Benefit The Sport?

 

Since the latest influx of celebrity bouts began to find its way into the sport of Boxing a couple of years ago, one question that I have been asked more than once is do these bouts, which nowadays usually consist of social media influencers help Boxing overall or does it actually hurt the sport? Obviously, it is a question that can be viewed and answered in a variety of ways. 

 

The most obvious argument in favor of these bouts occurring on a regular basis is that it brings in a segment of the population that the sport of Boxing for whatever reason struggles to attract on an ongoing basis. This observer is referring to the casual fan. Normally when discussing the struggle Boxing faces in procuring the interest of a casual fan, yours truly will often use the term “Casual Sports fan.” A distinction of fan that can be defined as one with a general interest in sports, but not a thorough follower of any particular sport. In this case however, the term should be reduced slightly to “Casual fan” as a means of describing one who may be a fan of a certain celebrity or influencer, but may not watch sports on even a casual basis, much less Boxing.  

 

While one should not dismiss the viability of a casual fan as the aim for any sport should be to draw as many eyes as possible to it, do “Celebrity Boxing” bouts succeed in drawing the interest of those casual fans beyond the celebrity involvement? To be honest with the reader, I think the answer is a bit mixed and cannot be answered simply with a “Yes” or, a “No.” The reason for this is simply because the answer depends both on who you ask as well as the extent of the “Celebrity” involvement. 

 

To provide some context, let me take the reader back a few decades. In the early 2000’s the Fox television network here in the United States produced a series of specials titled “Fox Celebrity Boxing.” While the fights if you want to call them that, that occurred on these shows were not necessarily aimed at being taken seriously as a legitimate sporting endeavor, the bouts, which were held in front of a live studio audience did for a time generate interest amongst the public and as a result, the network did a handful of shows with the “Fox Celebrity Boxing” branding over a limited period of time. As someone who viewed these shows when they took place, but did not cover them, I understood that it was more than likely a ratings initiative by the network as the cards were held during the summer months, which usually was not the best time for a network to produce consistently good ratings outside of sports programming as many weekly scripted television programs were not in season during the summer months. I also understood not to take things too seriously as the way the show was presented was such that it was meant for entertainment rather than to be taken as necessarily legitimate Boxing contests. 

 

The reason why I cannot reminisce too much about the series is simple, it did not last long and it is questionable as to whether or not beyond mere curiosity that it had any impact whatsoever on the actual sport of Boxing whether it be positively or negatively. In more present times, the influx of “Celebrity Boxing” has been in the form of those who have achieved notoriety as either social media influencers or YouTube stars that have ventured into the sport. 

 

Readers may recall when this trend started, I stated that anyone who entered the sport from an outside realm would get a fair shake from me so long as the sport of Boxing was treated with respect and taken seriously as it should be for the reason being that it is a combat sport and as such those who participate in the sport are risking their lives each and every time they enter the ring. It is therefore important to me as someone who truly cares about the sport and wants to see it thrive, that it is not treated by those entering it from the outside as a joke, because reality is, it is anything but. 

 

In fairness, those like the Paul brothers and KSI (Real name Olajide Olatunji, who have had actual professional bouts on their respective Boxing resumes, at least on the surface appear to be treating the sport with some level of respect. The criticism that all three as well as others have faced, despite their pleas to be taken seriously as fighters is they have not yet competed against anyone with Boxing experience unless you count Logan Paul’s exhibition with Floyd Mayweather as a legitimate Boxing contest, which it was not, thus the exhibition distinction. 

 

While Logan Paul’s bother Jake, has tried twice thus far to get into a ring in a competitive Boxing match with a person with a Boxing background, as of yet, has been unsuccessful in getting a fight in the ring. Now, KSI following the withdrawal of scheduled opponent Alex Wassabi, who were scheduled to meet in a Boxing match that would headline a card broadcast on DAZN Pay-Per-View in some countries and part of a standard monthly or annual subscription on DAZN in others. With his desire to keep his scheduled August 27th date, KSI will now face two men on the card in the same night. 

 

While this is an obvious attempt by both KSI and the network to salvage the event, which will take place at the O2 Arena in London, England and be available through DAZN Pay-Per-View for an economically reasonable price of $9.99, and it does appear to be a gimmick by someone facing two opponents in the same evening, there is actually a precedent for such an event. Depending on one’s age, some may remember an event that took place in Toronto, CN in April 1975 where after losing the World Heavyweight championship to Muhammad Ali in October of 1974, George Foreman returned to the ring in an event classified as an exhibition where he faced five overmatched opponents in one night.  

 

Although such an event was designed as both a way for Foreman to get back into the ring following what would ultimately become the only knockout loss of his career, and as a publicity stunt in an attempt to re-establish Foreman’s scary aura as one of the sport’s feared “Knockout Artists,” the event was universally held in little regard due in part to the lack of quality opposition that Foreman faced on that evening.   

 

In this case, there is no such aura of intimidation or feared knockout power for KSI to establish, but competing in two exhibition bouts in one evening may appeal to some on the surface because it is something that is rarely done, even by seasoned professional boxers. Despite his limited professional Boxing experience, unlike his YouTube counterparts in the Paul brothers, KSI will facing at least one man with professional Boxing experience in facing a man by the name of Swarmz, who is known as a Rap artist. Swarmz, has never been in a Boxing ring before. KSI will however, begin the evening by facing Luis Pineda. 

 

 Both fights are not official professional bouts, but in regard to the Pineda bout, KSI will face a fighter with seven professional bouts, but one with a record of 2-5, with 0 Knockouts. It should also not be overlooked that Pineda, is a Jr. Middleweight, which has a weight limit of 154lbs. In his one professional bout in a rematch from an amateur bout against Logan Paul, KSI fought as a 190lb. Cruiserweight.  

 

While original opponent Alex Wassabi had to withdraw due to suffering a severe concussion while training for the bout with KSI, one should wonder just how successful this event will be both in terms of a live gate attraction and as well as an event for digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, who has vowed to only dip their toes into the pay-per-view realm on a sporadic basis. Even though the card featuring the two exhibition bouts is being sold in some countries including here in the United States and Canada at a more reasonable price of $9.99 compared to virtually all Boxing cards sold through pay-per-view, it is a fair question to ask how successful this event will be when all is said and done. 

 

What cannot be overlooked is networks like DAZN and the Paramount-owned Showtime have welcomed these social media influencers/ YouTube celebrities with open arms. While it cannot be discounted that there is a method to the networks madness in trying to get their network in front of demographics of fans that may not of otherwise given either much of a look, so far, the jury is still out as to whether or not it will have much long-term benefit to the sport of Boxing long-term, particularly in regard to Showtime who has willingly signed a multi-fight contract with Jake Paul to showcase him exclusively on the pay-per-view model, which thus far has produced mixed results. 

 

Although yours truly will be tuning into this exhibition event both for curiosity and as a Boxing scribe in the endless search for his next story/column, I feel it important both as a Boxing lifer, as someone with the best interest of the sport at heart, and as someone who listens to the criticism of the sport from everyone ranging from those involved in Boxing to those who are “Casual Sports fans” on a daily basis, to simply offer this caution to anyone watching this event. “No Expectations, No Disappointments.”  

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.” 

 

KSI vs. Swarmz /KSI vs. Pineda takes place on Saturday, August 27th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The event can be seen in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on DAZN Pay-Per-View beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT (*U.S. Times and Pricing.) The card will be available outside of those markets as part of a standard monthly or annual subscription to DAZN’s streaming network.  

 

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, how to access this event in your region, 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  

 

One Perspective On The Usyk-Joshua Rematch

Since my journey covering Boxing and combat sports began in the mid-1990’s and even before that time, this observer has seen countless fights that have ended in disputed decisions. More often than not, especially in the era of social media, such decisions stir heated debate regardless of whether such debate has a basis or not. If there is one thing I have learned over and over again through the years it is that not everyone will agree with a perspective on how one sees a fight that goes the distance.

The highly anticipated rematch between undefeated two-division world champion Oleksandr Usyk, current holder of the unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight championship and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua was one that had several questions. Could Joshua change his approach from the first fight where he was out boxed by a shorter, but extremely skilled opponent? Would he be more assertive as the naturally bigger fighter? Although the task that faced the champion in his first title defense was essentially attempting to repeat a near perfect performance when he defeated Joshua last September to win the championship, the rematch for Oleksandr Usyk took place amid the ongoing war in his native Ukraine. The circumstances of that war also played a factor in this rematch getting delayed from being scheduled as Usyk was on the front lines fighting with his countrymen in defense of Ukraine.

Although Usyk was eventually given permission by the Ukrainian government to resume his Boxing career and thus this rematch was finally able to take place, an obvious question going into the second fight with Joshua given the circumstances was how the ongoing conflict would effect Usyk. The rematch would take place at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A location and region of the world that is still fairly new to hosting sporting events, but one that provided an atmosphere that most would associate with a Heavyweight championship fight with an enthusiastic crowd on hand.

In previewing this bout, I stated that Joshua would need to be more aggressive than he was in the first fight, but would need to do so tactically. For a good portion of the rematch, it seemed that he was doing exactly that by putting more pressure on Usyk as well as going to the body of the champion more consistently than was the case the first time they fought. While this change was beneficial for the challenger as I felt he was able to land the harder punches through much of the first half of the fight, one aspect that I pointed out that may have benefited Joshua more that remained absent in the rematch was he did not cut off the ring and thus was not able to nullify Usyk’s movement for a sustained period of time. Despite this, one adjustment that the challenger also made was that he was able to change levels as well as be more defensive as compared to the first fight.

The view of yours truly notwithstanding that Joshua seemed to land the harder punches throughout the first half of the fight, as was the case in the first encounter, this was a tactical Boxing match and that did favor the champion. The combat was however, close round by round and when it comes to close fights often it is moments throughout the round or towards the end of a round that can leave an impression as to who got the upper hand and won a round.

Much like he was able to do when he won the championship, Usyk displayed quick hands and effective counter punching throughout the fight. What made this a difficult fight to score round by round was that it was an extremely tactical fight where many of the rounds seemed to be defined by moments rather than a fighter necessarily being able to control a round from beginning to end. Despite the improvement from the first fight in terms of a focus on Usyk’s body, something that I felt gave an edge to Joshua in some very close rounds, his inability to cut off the ring from Usyk is in part what made this difficult to score in addition to the champion’s hand speed, counter punches, and ability to pot shot Joshua with jabs and left hands from the southpaw stance. Having said this, I do feel that Joshua was able to get the upper hand in the early rounds in part because Usyk did not seem to be settled into a rhythm early on.

A misconception some fans might have both because of a potential bias as well as a possible lack of understanding of how Boxing is scored is even though several rounds may be close, fights are scored round by round. It is not unusual for one scoring a fight to end up having one fighter a few rounds ahead of the other in terms of scoring even though the deficit may not reflect how close and competitive the fight and the rounds in one might be. This is precisely the scenario I found myself in as the fight progressed as I felt Joshua was able to do more based largely on his body attack and seeming to land the harder punches of the two when he did let his hands go as I had him up four rounds to two at the conclusion of six rounds of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout. A 4-2 margin may give an appearance of a lopsided fight, but in this case, it was a circumstance where I felt one fighter was able to edge rounds in order to win those rounds. Quite frankly, there did not come a point in this fight until the second half of the bout where I felt one fighter was dominant in a round over the other.

There were portions over the second half of the fight where what worked so well for Joshua over the first six rounds seemed to decline slightly. This is due to Joshua seeming to fall into a slight lull, which allowed the champion to make up some ground, in my view. In round nine however, Joshua had his best round of the fight when the effects of the body work, he had been doing throughout the fight appeared to have effected Usyk. It was during this round where Joshua showed aggressiveness and seemed to be on the verge of taking control of the fight.

As is often the case when I cover fights such as this in the era we live in where social media is prominent, I shared my thoughts on Twitter over the course of the fight as to how I was seeing things. It was after the ninth round where I made the comment that one could make an argument that in terms of points scoring, the ninth round could have been scored 10-8 in favor of Joshua based on how hurt Usyk was by the body punches and what seemed to be an overall dominant round by the former champion. Despite this, I did not scored any 10-8 rounds throughout this fight and my comment was merely an observation based on years of experience covering Boxing and scoring fights in an unofficial capacity having seen some judges score similar rounds 10-8 without a fighter being knocked down or point deductions for illegal blows/tactics.

Despite appearing clearly hurt at the end of the ninth round, the champion responded in the tenth round by producing a similar round as Joshua was able to do in round nine, landing several right hands and combinations that had Joshua stunned. At the conclusion of ten rounds, I had Joshua leading six rounds to four, but I made a point of it to point out to whomever was following my insight during the course of the fight that this was an extremely close fight and went as far as to say at the conclusion of the eleventh round, after I scored the tenth and eleventh rounds in favor of Usyk, that the fight was on the table heading into the last round of the bout. I felt Joshua just did enough over the final round to win the round, resulting in a final scorecard of 7-5 in rounds or 115-113 in points in favor of Joshua on my scorecard.

After a lifetime covering the sport and longer watching it from a far prior to my covering Boxing beginning in the mid-1990's, I have seen countless fights on every level of the sport that ended up close in terms of the official scoring. Despite my statement shortly after the twelfth round of my final score and my stating that “Interesting scorecards” were likely, it did not stop the venom of some across social media from being critical and even throwing derogatory language in my direction.

Now, it is important for me to point out to the reader that if you have spent any time covering combat sports, such criticism and language being thrown in your direction is something that does come with the territory regardless of whether such criticism is warranted or not. I did, however, point out my credentials to those who did take issue with how I saw things in pointing out that I have spent most of my life covering the sport and simply stating that this was my point of view based on what I saw.

The reason I did this was to demonstrate that my point of view was one based on experience having covered every level of Boxing including amateur, traditional professional and Bareknuckle professional bouts, and not someone who was a novice/casual viewer of the sport. While some may have thought that I went a bit overboard in doing this, the reason for this was due to the litany of comments that tend to be said towards yours truly after almost every fight regardless of whether or not the issue of scoring is a part of the discussion. Although I can go on and on about how a fan can at times say things without thinking before they say it, my observation that this was a close fight and that there would be “Interesting scores” proved to be accurate as two official judges, Glenn Feldman and Steve Gray each scored the fight seven rounds to five resulting in the same 115-113 as yours truly did, but were split in who had won the fight. The third judge meanwhile, Viktor Fesechko scored the fight eight rounds to four or 116-112 in favor of Usyk making him the winner via split decision.

It goes without saying that not everyone is going to see the same fight 100% of the time, particularly among those of us who cover the sport. There are times where official scores will differ, at times significantly, from what appears to be a close fight and there are times when what seems to be a clear wide score, will end up being closer on the official scorecards. Although those who understand the sport know that scoring is a subjective practice, it is important to illustrate the backgrounds of the three judges involved.

Glenn Feldman, who has been a judge for over thirty years, had Joshua winning the fight by a 7-5 margin. While some fans may laugh at that scorecard, including the Usyk-Joshua rematch, Feldman has judged 1,246 professional fights including many world title bouts around the world. Feldman’s two colleagues, Viktor Fesechko, a veteran of fourteen years in the sport as both a referee and a judge, has judged 460 professional bouts, keep in mind, his scorecard of the Usyk-Joshua rematch was slightly wider than judges Feldman and Gray, an 8-4 margin or 116-112 for Usyk. Finally, judge Steve Gray, a veteran of seventeen years in the sport as both a judge and referee, scored the fight seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points for Oleksandr Usyk. Much like his two counterparts, Gray has a deep resume as a judge having served in that capacity in 415 professional fights including the Usyk-Joshua rematch.

The illustration of the backgrounds of these judges should indicate one thing to any objective observer that can be summed up in one word. “EXPERIENCE.” What some expressed to me as they were critical of my score was, they felt that a scorecard of an 8-4 margin was more appropriate in their view. While those who shared that view with me are certainly entitled to their view, what some fail to understand is if a judge who arrives at an 8-4 scorecard at the end of a twelve round fight scores a single round differently, they would arrive at the same 7-5 margin as judges Feldman, Gray did as well as yours truly regardless of who you feel won the fight.

Ultimately, those who have their own view, have their view and those of us who cover the sport have our view. It goes without saying, that regardless of one's background or credentials that not everyone is going to share the same opinion as to who won a fight every time. Same as three judges who are charged with the responsibility of scoring fights, opinions will vary where all you can do is agree to disagree. Speaking only for myself, I felt Joshua did enough to win the fight, but I acknowledge that the fight was close, and I am certainly not surprised based on how the rematch was fought that it ended up in a split decision. I will also go further by saying that it does not surprise me that some felt Oleksandr Usyk won the fight. It was close, open to interpretation, and ultimately comes down to one’s perspective in how they saw the fight.

“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

Usyk-Joshua II Weights From Saudi Arabia

 The official weigh-in for Saturday’s Heavyweight championship rematch between undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua took place earlier today in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The champion weighed in at 221 1/2lbs. Joshua meanwhile weighed in at 244lbs., which is four pounds heavier than what he weighed when the two met in their first encounter in London, England last September where Usyk scored a twelve round unanimous decision to win the unified world championship.  As was the case in the first bout between the two, the rematch is scheduled for twelve rounds.

 

*Weights for bouts on the undercard are unavailable as of this writing.  

 

Usyk vs. Joshua II takes place on Saturday, August 20th at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The fight can be seen globally in 190 countries including the United States and Canada 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 fight can be seen on SKY Box Office Pay-Per-View beginning at 7PM Local UK Time for £26.95. to order please visit: www.Sky.com/Boxoffice. 

  

In Ukraine, please visit: www.YouTube.com for more information. 

  

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

  

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

 

 

ESTRADA TOPS WORLD TITLE TRIPLE-HEADER IN MEXICO ON SEPT 3, LIVE WORLDWIDE ON DAZN

Credit: DAZN

Press Release: By DAZN –  August 18, 2022 – Juan Francisco Estrada makes his highly anticipated return to the ring defending his WBC Franchise and Ring Magazine World Super-Flyweight titles against Argi Cortes on Saturday, September 3, from Centro de Usos Multiples in Hermosillo, Mexico and broadcast live to all subscribers worldwide on DAZN – topping a World title triple-header as Erika Cruz vs. Jelena Mrdjenovich meet in a rematch for the WBA World Featherweight title rematch and Hector Flores vs. Sivenathi Nontshinga clash for the vacant IBF World Flyweight title.

Fans will be thrilled to see Estrada (42-3 28 KOs) make a welcome return to the ring, with the Mexican back through the ropes for the first time since edging out Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez in their epic rematch in Dallas in March 2021. ‘El Gallo’ welcomes Cortes to his hometown and the same arena he stopped Dewayne Beamon in August 2019, and the Hermosillo hero will want to put on another show for his fans. Cortes (23-2-2 10 KOs) lands the biggest fight of his career in his 28th pro outing, with the Mexico City man aiming upset his fellow countryman and become a household name overnight.

There are two more World title bouts on the bill, starting with the long-awaited rematch between Cruz and Mrdjenovich for the WBA World Featherweight title. Cruz (14-1 3 KOs) ripped the title from long-time champion Mrdjenovich (41-11-2 19 KOs) in April 2021, with the Mexican ending the five-year rule of the Canadian on the cards after an accidental headclash halted the contest after seven rounds. Cruz successfully defended the belt in Puerto Vallarta in November via split decision over Melissa Esquivel, while the former champion returns for the first time since the first battle.

The vacant IBF World Flyweight title is on the line between unbeaten pair Flores and Nontshinga. Both men taste their first World title action as Tijuana’s Flores (20-0-4 10 KOs) builds on his victory over Welsh World title challenger Jay Harris in Wales in November, while hard-punching Nontshinga (10-0 9 KOs) fights outside his native South Africa for the first time and comes into the bout on the back of his first points win in his tenth bout having beaten his previous nine foes inside the distance.

Also featuring on the card is Super-Featherweight dangerman Eduardo Hernandez, defending his WBC Silver International title against Jorge Mata. Hernandez (32-1 29 KOs) pulled off a stunning victory last time out, blitzing Jorge Castaneda inside a round in Guadalajara in June to land the title he defends against Mata (14-0-2 10 KOs), the unbeaten 21 year old Tijuana native who fights for his first pro title.

“It’s great to be back and I’m very excited that I’ll get to fight in front of all the Sonoran fans and in front of my growing family,” said Estrada. “Thanks to all those who helped make this happen. Whenever two Mexicans go at it you can always expect a war and this fight against Cortes will be another great Mexican battle in Hermosillo. We’re ready to put on another great show and get back in action to show the fans that El Gallo is one of the best in boxing.”

“I’m very excited for this great opportunity to fight Estrada,” said Cortes. “I will give everything I have for the victory; I will surprise the world. I have Mr. Nacho Beristain on my corner and we have a great game plan to defeat a legend like Estrada.”

“I am so excited to get back in the ring,” said Cruz. “I want to retire Jelena once it for all and go after the unification fight!”

“I’m really excited to get back into the ring again,” said Mrdjenovich. “We have been working hard to put this fight together for some time and I want to thank Eric Gomez for closing the deal finally. 

“Training has been fun and exciting again. I am looking forward to coming to Mexico to get my belt back in a big way.”

“This is the opportunity that I have always dreamed of, and I will make the most of it,” said Flores. “It gives me more motivation for to bring it to Mexico and with the aim of giving Mexico and Tijuana a new World champion.”

“Am looking forward to this contest,” said Nontshinga. “I have been training very hard for this and look forward to becoming World Champion in Mexico.”

“I'm in a very good place mentally, emotionally and physically,” said Hernandez. “My team has been keeping me active and that's all I wanted, God willing after this win I want to take on the biggest names in my division.”

“I’m currently at my best and this is a long-waited opportunity for me,” said Mata. “I have a lot of respect for Rocky Hernandez, but this is my time to show the world what I’m made of. I am ready to be at this level, I will win no matter how.”

“This is a brilliant line-up for what promises to be another explosive night of action in Mexico,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “It’s great to see Juan Francisco back in the ring at a time when the Super-Flyweight division is just stacked with great fights, and I expect him to lay down a marker as the top dog in Mexico.

“Erika and Jelena have been itching to get the rematch on and they will leave it all in the ring, there’s a golden opportunity for either Hector or Sivenathi to take a seat at the top table at 108lbs and ‘Rocky’ Hernandez always brings fireworks when he steps through the ropes. Our shows in Mexico have delivered must-see action from first bell to last, and I expect more of the same on September 3.”

“We are thrilled to have Estrada back fighting again on DAZN,” said Joseph Markowski EVP DAZN Group. “He will join some of the biggest names in the sport fighting on DAZN in 2022 with Usyk vs. AJ this Saturday, Canelo vs. GGG trilogy fight on Sept 17, and perhaps the biggest UK fight this decade in Eubank Jr vs. Benn in October. All these and more will be shown live this fall on DAZN.”

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission. 

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, 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.

United Boxing Promotions And DAZN Sign Exclusive Multi-Fight Domestic and International Broadcast Deal

 

 

Press Release: By DAZN –  TORONTO – August 18, 2022 – United Boxing Promotions (UBP) today announced it has reached an exclusive multi-fight domestic and international partnership agreement with global sports entertainment platform DAZN, which will make DAZN the exclusive broadcaster for UBP championship fights in Canada as well as 180+ markets around the world (excluding Caribbean countries and territories). 

Credit: DAZN

 

“We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with DAZN in coming years and take some of Canada’s biggest and brightest boxing stars to the next level by exposing them to the widest possible audiences in Canada as well as across the world with DAZN,” said Tyler Buxton, President of United Boxing Promotions. “This deal between DAZN and United Boxing Promotions is great news for boxing fans in Canada and we look forward to showcasing big events, some of Canada’s best fighters, and our sponsors to them as well as other audiences worldwide.”

 

Featuring UBP’s brightest up-and-coming male and female boxers, the first United Boxing Promotions event as part of the new agreement will be the highly anticipated doubleheader weekend on September 9th and 10th, live from the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario, and available both live and on demand for DAZN subscribers.

 

September 9th will be headlined by undefeated Canadian Welterweight Josh “The Boss” Wagner and includes highly decorated amateur Joshua Frazer, Canadian Super Lightweight Champion Mark Smither, Melinda Watpool, and more. September 10th will feature Canadian Middleweight Champion Sukhdeep Chakria Singh,former World Title Challenger Brandon “BadBoy” Cook, Jamaican Olympic Heavyweight Ricardo ”Big12” Brown, and more.

 

“The multi-year deal with United Boxing Promotions further solidifies DAZN as the home of boxing in Canada as well as the global home of boxing, and we look forward to adding an ongoing slate of local fight nights featuring impressive homegrown Canadian talent to our schedule for fans both domestic and abroad,” said Norm Lem, SVP, DAZN Canada. “The September 9th and 10th doubleheader will be a great start to this new partnership with United Boxing Promotions, with two events that will further bolster an exciting fall DAZN boxing schedule that also includes the thrilling trilogy showdown between Canelo and GGG on September 17 and blockbuster British battle Eubank Jr. vs. Benn on October 8.”

 

On-air personalities as well as more upcoming dates will be announced soon by United Boxing Promotions.

 

About United Boxing Promotions (UBP): An Ontario-based professional boxing promotions company, United Boxing Promotions was incorporated in 2009 with its primary goal of building pro boxing in the province of Ontario, Canada.  UBP has established itself as a premier promotional company worldwide.

 

About DAZN: DAZN is the world’s leading sports entertainment platform. The only global digital sports broadcaster, DAZN is live in over 200 countries and is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialise, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit: www.DAZN.com.

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, 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.

Usyk-Joshua II Preview

 

In September of last year, undefeated former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion turned top Heavyweight contender Oleksandr Usyk entered the ring to challenge two-time unified Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua for his IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO crown. Before a crowd of 66,267 spectators at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, Usyk masterfully outboxed the heavy favorite Joshua over twelve rounds to win the unified world championship and in the process score what was considered by many to be a major upset.

 

The basis of that obviously stems from the fact that Usyk became one of a handful of fighters to have successfully moved up from the Cruiserweight division to win a portion of the World Heavyweight championship. It also should not be ignored that he did so against a fighter in Joshua that had only been the distance twice in his career prior to that fight having scored knockouts in twenty-two of his twenty-four career wins.

 

As masterful as that performance was last September, it was not surprising to see Joshua invoke his rematch clause as most fighters who hold world championships are given. Of course, there has been one major obstacle to this rematch taking place. This observer is referring to the ongoing circumstances of war in Usyk’s home country of Ukraine, which did understandably postpone the scheduling of the rematch as Usyk was on the front lines with his countrymen in defending their country. With Usyk being granted permission by the Ukrainian government to resume his career, the long-awaited rematch with Joshua will take place on Saturday, August 20^th at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

 

The fight, which can be seen in the United States and Canada as well as 190 other countries on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and Sky Sports Box Office Pay-Per-View in the United Kingdom and Ireland, obviously has much intrigue perhaps more so than the first meeting between the two fighters. A reason for this is obviously in part curiosity of a world champion making their first title defense, but also because of Anthony Joshua’s status as a former two-time World Heavyweight champion, he now has an opportunity to make history if he should win by becoming part of a select group of fighters to have won a version of the World Heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. Much of the intrigue and questions that surround most rematches center on what could the fighter who was defeated, assuming there was a winner in the original encounter, do differently that might create a different outcome the second time around.

 

In their first fight, despite being the shorter man, it was Usyk who established the tempo of the fight and began the bout aggressively. This along with a very technical style from the southpaw stance with an emphasis on movement, angles, and using faints lulled Joshua into a tactical Boxing match where he never really seemed to be able to get into a rhythm. A major component of Usyk’s success was his ability to land straight left hands from the southpaw stance which Joshua seemed to have trouble being able to time. This along with Usyk’s hand speed gave him the edge and was able to win the fight for him.

 

The task that faces Joshua now as the challenger is to try to change his strategy from the first fight. An obvious adjustment is he needs to be more aggressive, but do so tactically. This observer believes that Joshua’s main tactical error in the first encounter was that he tried to box with a master boxer and that decision played right into Usyk’s strategy. One thing that Joshua has that is a theoretical advantage is he has punching power. Although Oleksandr Usyk has yet to really show he can stop Heavyweights, he did stun Joshua periodically in the first encounter. Despite Joshua’s theoretical advantage, he needs to be aware of Usyk’s hand speed and ability to counter punch, which led to him being stunned throughout that fight, as he approaches this rematch.

 

While Joshua did have success in landing his right hand throughout the first fight, which is part of the approach in how to fight a southpaw, there were a few aspects that were missing in his approach that I felt worked against him. The first aspect was the lack of a consistent jab that if nothing else could have been used as a way to close the distance between himself and Usyk. In addition to this, Joshua did not cut off the ring from Usyk and was content to stand at distance where Usyk was allowed to dictate the combat.

 

Some may wonder how Joshua can change his approach this time around. He must find a way to get his jab working early and remain consistent with that jab throughout this rematch. Joshua must also find a way to limit the champion’s movement. There are two ways to do this, which are certainly easier said than done. The first would be to apply smart pressure and try to cut off the ring from Usyk. A way to limit Usyk’s upper body movement in addition to narrowing the ring for the champion would be for the challenger to implement a consistent attack to Usyk’s body.

 

While it cannot be discounted that Anthony Joshua has the type of punching power that can both turn a fight as well as end one with one punch, he did not really focus his offense on Usyk’s body, which over the course of a twelve round fight would have limited his movement over time and may have led to opportunities later in the fight for Joshua. Simply put, if Joshua wants to be successful in this rematch, he needs to force Usyk into a fight, but must be smart in doing so as he has been caught before as was the case in June 2019 when his first reign as Heavyweight world champion ended when he was stopped by Andy Ruiz.

 

Joshua was able to show in the rematch later that year, coincidentally also in Saudi Arabia, that he was able to make the tactical adjustments necessary to regain his title. The difference between his second fight against Ruiz and this one against Usyk was Joshua was able to implement a strategy in his rematch with Ruiz with an emphasis on Boxing as opposed to looking to land power punches with the intention of scoring a knockout. This time, he needs to find a way to impose his will and power on Usyk, but must do so without getting caught as he was in the first fight against Ruiz when he knocked Ruiz down and rushed in recklessly for a stoppage, resulting in him being knocked down in a fight where he was ultimately stopped in the middle rounds. It will be interesting to see what Joshua’s new trainer Robert Garcia is able to bring into this fight in terms of tactics that may lead to a Joshua victory and whether or not he has been able to teach the former champion how to approach a hurt opponent tactically without being reckless should the opportunity arise in this fight where Joshua may be able to score a knockdown of Usyk.

 

The champion meanwhile is tasked with trying to duplicate what was a near perfect performance in the first fight. There are many who are picking Usyk to retain his title in the rematch not only based on his overall skillset, but also based on his performance in the first fight. It should not be overlooked however, that this rematch for Usyk does take place amid the ongoing circumstances in his native Ukraine and it would be naïve to think that those circumstances have not had some effect on his preparation for this fight. Boxers and other combat sports athletes are after all human like the rest of us and given the horrible circumstances that the people of Ukraine are going through as well as Usyk’s involvement in fighting with his countrymen before being given permission to prepare for this fight, it has to have had some impact on his focus.

 

A illustration however, of the champion’s priorities can be demonstrated by the fact that he has made sure that the people of Ukraine will be able to view this rematch free of charge via YouTube in the country. An example of not only good will, but also one that all in the sport should take notice of and follow as there are more important things than profit, which Usyk as the defending champion certainly could have enjoyed via a cut in revenue of the respective broadcast rights in his home country as well as elsewhere.

 

In terms of his strategy for this fight, Usyk must use his angles and be an elusive target for Joshua. The champion became the champion by out Boxing and out thinking his opponent in the first fight. Usyk must try to repeat the same approach because it has been established that Joshua’s best chance is not by trying to box with him. If a scenario were to emerge where he is able to stun Joshua as was the case in the first fight, Usyk must remember that he is not the naturally bigger fighter and must stick to the blueprint that led to his success in the first encounter.

 

This rematch has taken an even greater importance in terms of what happens in the Heavyweight division as the division as a whole may be headed toward a period of transition following the retirement, un-retirement, and re-retirement of undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. Fury, who still technically holds the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) version of the World Heavyweight championship was also regarded as world champion by the prestigious Ring Magazine. The publication has announced that they will recognize the winner of the Usyk-Joshua rematch as Heavyweight champion.

 

While it remains to be seen what will happen with regard to the WBC’s version of the World Heavyweight championship, the winner of this fight will almost certainly be in the driver’s seat in regard to any potential unification that would lead to an Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world being crowned, assuming of course that Tyson Fury’s recent announcements regarding his status prove to be legitimate and he is in fact retired. We will see what happens when Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua meet for the second time in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Usyk vs. Joshua II takes place on Saturday, August 20^th at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The fight can be seen globally in 190 countries including the United States and Canada 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 fight can be seen on SKY Box Office Pay-Per-View beginning at 7PM Local UK Time for £26.95. to order please visit: www.Sky.com/Boxoffice.

 

In Ukraine, please visit: www.YouTube.com for more information.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Thoughts On Lopez-Campa

 

After nine months out of the ring, former Undisputed World Lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez returned to the ring on August 13^th in Las Vegas, NV. Lopez’ return to the ring not only represented a new chapter in his career in coming back from the first loss of his career and loss of his Lightweight crown, it also represented change in that Lopez would now be competing one weight class above the 135lb. Lightweight division. The 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division.

Although this observer does not want to jump ahead too far for the purposes of this column, I certainly do not have to explain the history of the normally talent deep Jr. Welterweight division, nor the long list of names of great fighters who have ventured into the division over the course of their respective careers to most knowledgeable Boxing fans. It was nevertheless part of the story that Lopez, one of Boxing’s hottest stars was now the latest to test the Jr. Welterweight waters.

As I said in previewing this bout, the synopsis of this chapter of Lopez’ career was simple. How he would look now fighting at a higher weight and how would he respond to getting hit by a theoretically bigger and naturally stronger fighter. When you have two fighters of similar styles as was the case here with Lopez and his first opponent at 140lbs. Pedro Campa, who like to come forward and engage, it did not take long to find out how Lopez would respond under such conditions.

Although Campa was not particularly well-known prior to this bout, he did what you would expect a naturally bigger fighter to do against a fighter who was moving up in weight, he applied pressure on Lopez from the outset and was more than willing to engage in heated exchanges of offense. For a period of time during this fight it appeared to for lack of a better term, be two different types of fights in one. Campa appearing to get some of the better of the exchanges when he was able to back Lopez up against the ropes and land power shots with hooks to the head, Lopez getting the better of the action when he was able to stay off the ropes and catch Campa with punches as he was coming forward.

Gradually as the fight progressed, one thing that stood out was the lateral movement of Lopez, particularly with his upper body. In some ways it reminded me of his fight against Vasyl Lomachenko in October 2020 where he walked into the bout with the reputation of a power puncher with the ability to score quick and brutal knockouts, but over the course of that fight Lopez should he could back tactically and subsequently showed that there was more layers to his skillset than his punching power as he out boxed a master boxer in Lomachenko over twelve rounds to become the Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world. This time against Campa, he used his upper body to deflect much of his opponent’s offense and as the fight went on it became more and more noticeable. What also became noticeable was Campa would gradually fatigue as a result of this in addition to Lopez’ ability to use his hand speed, something else he is not known for, to outwork him resulting in Campa having a badly swollen left eye by the middle rounds of the scheduled ten round bout as well as fighting the effects of fatigue.

In round seven, just as it seemed that Lopez would be content with Boxing his way to a convincing unanimous decision victory, he dropped Campa with a short two punch right, left combination sent Campa down to the canvas. Campa showed his mettle by getting up from the knockdown, but he had no answer as Lopez pressed forward with a follow-up flurry of punches that forced Referee Tony Weeks to stop the fight.

If one views things objectively, you would have to be impressed by what you saw in this fight. Not only did Teofimo Lopez bounce back from his first career defeat and the loss of a world championship, he did so in impressive fashion and more importantly did it while being pushed by a “Game” opponent. Although some may argue that if Lopez wanted to he may have been able to end this fight earlier than the seventh round, a fight like this will benefit him more now as a Jr. Welterweight than a quick knockout against a fighter who was unable to provide much resistance would have.

Lopez was pushed by an opponent that came to fight, was not given much ground by Pedro Campa, showed he could take solid punches from a full fledged Jr. Welterweight. The boxes of the synopsis regarding how Lopez would look at the new weight and how he would respond to getting hit by a naturally bigger fighter have been successfully checked.

As the Jr. Welterweight chapter in the career of Teofimo Lopez continues, the question now becomes what’s next? While Lopez does have the name recognition value as a former undisputed world champion to be able to secure lucrative opportunities, this observer believes he likely needs two or three more fights at 140lbs. before he should go after his second world championship. There also exists a very real possibility that fighters who he may have faced as a Lightweight will themselves venture into the Jr. Welterweight division both for their physical health as well as potential opportunities. It is just a question of how soon Lopez will want to get back into the ring and whom his opponent will be that we will start to get a better idea of exactly where he stands in the division. For his first test in the Jr. Welterweight waters, Teofimo Lopez passed with flying colors.

“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

 

 

 

 

 

BREAKING: USYK-JOSHUA II TO BE BROADCAST BY DAZN IN 190 COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

 

Press Release: August 13, 2022 By DAZN – New York, August 14, 2022 – DAZN, the global sports entertainment platform, today confirms that it will broadcast the Oleksander Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua Heavyweight World Title rematch on Saturday, August 20 to subscribers live around the world in over 190 territories including the U.S., Canada, Spain, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Poland (excluding the UK, Ireland, MENA and Ukraine). The main event begins at approximately 9:00am PST / 12:00pm EST / 18:00 CET and will be available in both English as well as Polish commentary.

Credit: DAZN

 

 

One of the biggest heavyweight rematches in the history of the sport, the ‘Rage on the Red Sea’ will see Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) looking to avenge his defeat in September 2021 to Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs), who is putting his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts on the line in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in a career defining clash.

 

 

 

Usyk recently said: “I am working hard in my training camp to be in the best shape possible for the rematch. With the help of the Lord I will overcome the biggest challenges to make it happen. I want the crowd to be excited with the fight, I want them to remember it for a lifetime.” 

 

Joshua added: "August 20 is set to be an unbelievable night of Championship level boxing. For any sports fan this is not to be missed, it has all the ingredients to go down in boxing history."

 

 

 

Additionally, The DAZN Boxing Show – the only daily boxing show available to fight fans worldwide – will be live and exclusively covering the fight from the ground during fight week. Host Ade Oladipo will bring subscribers globally all the behind-the-scenes action, access, and real-time news in the lead-up to fight night.

 

 

 

As part of an ever-growing slate of blockbuster summer and fall fight nights on DAZN, this event further strengthens DAZN as a must-have destination for sports fans around the world, with a growing portfolio of live sports programming and original content including the world’s biggest leagues and competitions across championship boxing, world-class soccer, basketball, extreme sports, MMA, golf, esports, tennis, motorsports, and more.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.

 

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.con.

 

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

Hebert Conceição's Pro Debut To Stream Live And Free

Press Release: By Probellum –  LONDON, AUGUST 12 - Olympic hero Hebert Conceição makes his professional debut on Saturday – and you can watch it live and for free. 

Credit: Probellum 

The middleweight gold medallist from the Tokyo Games enters the paid ranks this weekend in Uzbekistan and this historic moment will be streamed at Probellum.com. 

Conceição faces Danny Mendoza over six rounds at the Humo Arena in Tashkent as part of a LIFT Promotions event, which also includes fellow Olympic champions Faziliddin Gaibnazarov and Shakhobidin Zoirov, who struck gold at Rio 2016. 

The live stream is also set to feature Cuba’s fast-rising super featherweight Jadier Herrera as well as Uzbek favourites, heavyweight Laziz Mullajonov and super bantamweight Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov. 

Saturday’s main card is due to start at 8:30pm local time. 

Conceição won his gold medal last summer when dramatically knocking out Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak in the final round but now he is focused on winning titles in the pro ranks. 

Watch Hebert Conceição’s pro debut LIVE and for FREE at Probellum.com on Saturday. 

To keep up to date with the latest news on Conceição, sign up to our newsletter or follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.     

You can also follow our official news, results, and information account, Probellum News, on Twitter.  

About Probellum   

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

Following the success of the opening two shows in December 2021, Probellum held back-to-back world championship nights in Dubai, as well as a packed card in Newcastle.

The world title action then headed to Liverpool last month where Paul Butler won the WBO bantamweight crown.

Probellum’s elite stable of fighters also includes Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Sunny Edwards, Eimantas Stanionis, Donnie Nietes and Dina Thorslund.

But the company has also recruited the next generation of stars with Peter McGrail, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack, Shabaz Masoud and Spencer Wilcox among the young talents under the Probellum umbrella.

Material and Photo Courtesy of Probellum Used with permission. 

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

OLYMPIC HERO HEBERT CONCEICAO MAKES PRO DEBUT ON UZBEK CARD

Press Release: August 11, 2022 By Probellum – LONDON, AUGUST 11 - Olympic gold medallist Hebert Conceição will be unleashed into the professional ranks this weekend. The Brazilian hero, who claimed gold in spectacular fashion in Tokyo last summer, makes his professional debut on Saturday night in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on a show staged by LIFT Promotions.   Credit: Probellum  Probellum fighter Conceicao dramatically knocked out Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak in the final round of their middleweight showdown at the Olympics and ever since that win, the 24-year-old has been working diligently behind closed doors to prepare for life as a pro. Conceição faces Nicaragua’s Danny Mendoza over six rounds at the Humo Arena, on a card that features two other Olympic champions. “My professional debut will come just over a year since I won my Olympic gold medal in that unforgettable final,” Conceição said. “I have spent the past year working hard in gyms around the world with my coach Luiz Dorea, to make sure I am ready to make a statement as a professional. “Give me 18 months and I believe I will be ready for big fights and titles and so August 13, in Uzbekistan, is the beginning of a beautiful journey that will culminate in me bringing world titles back to Brazil.” Conceição was due to make his pro bow in mid-June in Dubai but a last-minute withdrawal by his opponent, citing an injury, meant the Olympic star had to bide his time. But the wait is now over with Conceição joining Fazliddin Gaibnazarov and Shakhobidin Zoirov, gold medallists from Rio 2016, on the show. To keep up to date with the latest news on Conceicao’s pro debut sign up to our newsletter or follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.     You can also follow our official news, results, and information account, Probellum News, on Twitter.  About Probellum    Launched in September 2021, Probellum is a global boxing promoter, and the fastest-growing brand in the sport. Following the success of the opening two shows in December 2021, Probellum held back-to-back world championship nights in Dubai, as well as a packed card in Newcastle. The world title action then headed to Liverpool last month where Paul Butler won the WBO bantamweight crown. Probellum’s elite stable of fighters also includes Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Sunny Edwards, Eimantas Stanionis, Donnie Nietes and Dina Thorslund. But the company has also recruited the next generation of stars with Peter McGrail, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack, Shabaz Masoud and Spencer Wilcox among the young talents under the Probellum umbrella. Material and Photo Courtesy of: Probellum Used with permission. The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.