Paul-Diaz Thoughts

The question this observer asked prior to social media celebrity turned aspiring boxer Jake Paul's fight against MMA veteran Nate Diaz was whether it was more of an event rather than a fight. A question rooted in curiosity in that Paul, who was coning off of his first loss as a boxer against Tommy Fury earlier this year, a fighter with a Boxing background, was returning to what had been a successful formula in facing someone with combat sports experience, but someone who had never boxed professionally. For better or worse, it has been a formula that has shown Paul to be a successful promoter in routinely drawing massive crowds whenever he fights.

This occasion would be no different as a massive crowd turned out to see Paul box Diaz at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. What was particularly impressive about that accomplishment was that the arena was filled almost from the first bout of the evening, several hours before Paul and Diaz entered the ring. This differs from many normal Boxing events in that the crowd generally builds over time where the venue is at or close to capacity by the time the main event enters the ring. In that aspect even though many in the sport, including yours truly have been lukewarm and critical of the influx of social media influencers that have entered the sport, if one is objective, you should tip your hat to that as the ability to fill an arena for most, if not all of an event, which includes the undercard as well as the main event is not an easy thing to pull off.

As for the fight itself, I was not expecting much as it seemed to be a bout if nothing else, designed to allow Paul to get his confidence back after the experience of being out boxed by someone with a Boxing background in his previous fight. What we saw was Paul showcasing his continued development against a fighter in Diaz with what could best be described as an awkward Boxing style that did not see him throw many punches unless he were in close striking range to Paul as well as awkward movements throughout the scheduled ten round Cruiserweight bout.

One thing that stood out about Diaz' approach was he did let his hands go while in close and to his credit, did manage to pressure Paul and land effectively in spots as the fight progressed. Like many seasoned Mixed Martial Arts fighters who try their hand in the sport of Boxing, Diaz did not seem to turn many of his punches in. In that, many of the punches he landed were not turned in where the knuckle portion of the glove could land solidly. This gave an appearance as though many of his punches looked more like slaps simply because he could not get the leverage on the punches he was able to land, with the exception of when he was able to catch Paul with uppercuts on the inside.

In contrast, Paul displayed a calm tempo throughout this fight in using lateral movement, angles, and timing to throw and land short combinations many of which appeared to stun Diaz. The one thing that this observer pointed to as a potential red flag going into this fight, despite not being able to offer much analysis due to the obvious differences between the sports of Boxing and MMA and Diaz' lack of Boxing experience, was that he had shown decent hand speed and punching power in several of his MMA fights, but had also shown a tendency to be caught and knocked down by right hands.

Paul meanwhile had shown in almost all of his previous fights in the Boxing ring that his primary weapon was his right hand. A weapon that had ended several of his fights. In an example of his continued development as a fighter, Paul would drop Diaz hard in the fifth round of this fight, but it would be a short counter left hook to the temple that would drop Diaz. To Diaz credit, despite being hurt and for a time struggling to get up, he was able to beat the count, and showed the ability to recover. 

As the fight progressed, Diaz did step up his pressure and it seemed to create a competitive difference as compared to the first half of the fight. Whether it was because of his inexperience as a boxer or a strategic choice, Diaz' limited offense early in this fight proved to work against him as Paul was able to box his way to a significant lead and that in addition to the knockdown against him in the fifth round, ultimately led to Paul winning a convincing ten round unanimous decision, despite the rally that Diaz was able to build in rounds six thru ten.

While this victory for Jake Paul will not do much in terms of moving him towards being considered a contender, he did succeed in getting a confidence boost and to be fair, he is continuing to develop his skills as a fighter. Although influencers like Paul will continue to draw attention regardless of who they fight and continue to draw interest in the form of ticket sales and viewership, these type of "Curiosity Fights" as I call them, which in reality is one of the aspects of the sport of MMA that made it appealing in its early days in that the concept was largely based on fighters from different backgrounds/disciplines facing each other, when it comes to Boxing there is only so much one can learn in terms of developing one's skills when one chooses to box against opposition that do not have a background in the sport.

There will come a point where those that have entered Boxing from a different background whether they be from YouTube or other forms of being an influencer, will have to realize that the standards of the sport will need to be respected. This means if you are an influencer that truly wants to box and fight for world titles as Paul has said is one of his goals, you need to fight those with a Boxing background and get the experience needed to get into a position to fight for a world title, which is no different than any other boxer who turns professional after competing as an amateur or those who have no amateur background and go directly into the professional side of the sport.

Getting the opportunity to fight for a world championship is not something that can be achieved by facing those who may have combat sports experience, but do not have Boxing experience or by facing other influencers or YouTubers. At some point, the structure of the sport needs to be respected. For now, at least one influencer Jake Paul is showing improvement both in his skillet as well as showing he could go ten rounds for the first time as a boxer, whether he will silence his critics by facing boxers exclusively that will only continue to help him in his development remains to be seen. The jury however, is still out as to whether or not the influencer influx in the sport of Boxing is something that will serve to the sport's benefit in the long run and should be taken seriously, or if the "Influencer Boxing" concept is merely a new term for "Celebrity Boxing" and as such should be viewed as being for entertainment purposes only and not as a legitimate part of the sport of Boxing.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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BREAKING: Helenius Steps In To Face Joshua, Card To Go On As Scheduled

It has been announced that longtime Heavyweight contender and former European Heavyweight champion Robert Helenius will step in on a little more than four days notice to face former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua on Saturday, August 12th at the O2 Arena in London, England. Helenius steps in after the originally scheduled rematch between Joshua and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte was cancelled by promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing following Whyte testing positive for a yet to be named banned substance, which was described by Matchroom as quote "An adverse finding" in a test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) in which both Joshua and Whyte are enrolled.

Although Helenius is stepping in on less than a week's notice, he is coming off of a third round knockout win on August 5th against a previously unbeaten fighter named Mika Mielonen in his native Finland. It was Helenius' first fight since suffering a one punch first round knockout loss to former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder in October of last year. Coincidentally, if Joshua is successful in this fight, he might face Wilder later this year in a fight rumored to take place in Saudi Arabia.

Helenius stepping in has saved the scheduled card from complete cancellation, which will be broadcast globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. In light of the cancellation of the Joshua-Whyte rematch, which was to be available through DAZN Pay-Per-View in select international markets outside of the United States, it has been announced that the Joshua-Helenius card will be made available as part of a standard DAZN monthly or annual subscription plan without any additional fee.

We will have coverage of Joshua-Helenius over the coming days here on the website and will keep readers updated on any additional developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Jordan Laruccia Ready For "War" Against Fano Kori

Press Release August 8, 2023 By Michael Clifton and Dragon Fire Boxing - Undefeated Australian Super Welterweight Jordan Laruccia returns to the ring on September 1 at Thunderdome 43.

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

It took Jordan Laruccia less than a minute to dispatch an outgunned Jack Dolu at Thunderdome 42 on June 16. The Australian super welterweight barely had time to break a sweat before getting his hand raised in front of a packed Metro City.

The Perth-based fighter's short and sweet performance has earned him both a step up in competition and status, with Laruccia set for his first main event bout when he takes on Fano Kori at Thunderdome 43 on September 1 at Perth's Metro City. The eight-round contest will have an extra sweetener on top with the vacant Australian National Boxing Federations Australasian Super Welterweight Championship on the line.

Kori, an experienced veteran, will offer a far sterner test of Laruccia's skillset than Dolu did, which is what the 24-year-old is after at this point in his career, as he seeks to establish himself as a force in the competitive Australian super welterweight scene.

Trained by former Cuban Olympic Coach Ruben Sanchez, Kori is no stranger to the main stage, having headlined previous Thunderdome shows. He has shared the ring with Wes Capper and Nathan Watson, and a win over Kori would set up Laruccia for even bigger fights further down the line.

"I was over the moon. It was a name that was floating around for a little while. It was just about picking the right moment and picking the right time when I would be ready," Laruccia explains.

"I've got the utmost respect for him, to be honest with you. But come September 1, it's going to be a fantastic fight. He's going to come for war. I'm going to come hard and come for war as well. So I'm excited to see what this fight has in store."

Laruccia's outing against Dolu was his first following a knee injury. He may not have got in as many rounds as he would have liked, but the 13-week fight camp leading up to Thunderdome 42 helped get Laruccia back into the shape needed to compete professionally.

He and his team at Big Rig's Gym will now look to build on the solid foundations they laid in the lead-up to the Dolu fight as they prepare for Kori.

"I feel fantastic. My body feels good," Laruccia explains.

"Although, you know, the [Dolu] fight was quick. It set me on a trajectory to keep building off that camp, getting fitter, and getting the rounds in and working on some small things and like a game plan as well for this next fight. So yeah, I feel fantastic physically at the moment."

While his focus is squarely on winning on September 1, Laruccia and his team are also preparing for the next chapter of his career. There are several potential matchups waiting for him should he get past Kori, and in Tony Tolj, Laruccia has one of the sharpest managers in the game by his side.

"We are at a point now that really probably Fano's one of the last guys in Perth that we can fight," Laruccia says

"We'll probably be branching out over East and start working our way through the super welterweight division in Australia. There's a lot of top fighters in that weight division,

Laruccia's boxing journey only began five years ago, and he is now in a position many up-and-coming fighters only dream of. However, from here on out, while the rewards will get bigger, the stakes will be higher and the fights tougher. It is an exciting time for Laruccia, who relishes the daily grind required of any boxer looking to make their name in the sport.

"I'm enjoying every moment of it, you know, fantastic memories to be made for myself later in life. So, I'm loving it at the moment."

You can follow all the action from Thunderdome 43 on FITE.

Material Courtesy of: Michael Clifton/Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

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

BREAKING: Joshua-Whyte Rematch Cancelled

It has been announced that the scheduled August 12th rematch between former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte has been cancelled. The bout, which was to take place at the O2 Arena in London, England was cancelled earlier today by promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing after Whyte had what was being described as a quote "Adverse Finding" in random pre-fight testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) of which both fighters are enrolled according to a statement released on the promotional company's respective social media platforms. 

As of this writing, there is no word on whether there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout, which was to headline a Boxing card broadcast by digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and DAZN Pay-Per-View in select countries. Matchroom Boxing has gone onto say that in addition to the cancellation, a full investigation will be forthcoming. As to whom will be conducting the investigation is not known at this time, but it may be likely that the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) who were sanctioning the bout as it was to take place under their jurisdiction will be the regulatory body conducting the investigation and possibly handing down disciplinary actions depending on what the findings of the investigation might be.

We will keep readers updated on wny developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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ShoBox August 4, 2023 Results

Three rising prospects faced what some considered the toughest tests of their respective careers as they headlined a tripleheader edition of Showtime Sports’ popular ShoBox: The New Generation series on Friday night at the Wind Creek Events Center in Bethlehem, PA. First up it was a battle between unbeaten Jr. Featherweights as Julian Gonzalez faced Johnny Spell in a fight scheduled for eight rounds. A fight for the Pennsylvania state Jr. Featherweight championship.

Gonzalez began the fight by coming forward and was able to establish early that he was the fighter with the heavier punches. A focal point was the right hand for Gonzalez early, including  staggering Spell in the fourth round. Although it appeared as though Gonzalez was perhaps on the verge of scoring a stoppage, Spell was able to recover and to his credit, slowed the pace of the combat over the second half of the fight. Despite having some effective rounds where he seemed to outwork Gonzalez, Spell did not have the punching power to stop Gonzalez from coming forward and it would be Gonzalez who would go on to win an eight round unanimous decision. Official scores were: 78-74 (On two scorecards) and, 79-73 all in favor of Gonzalez. Julian Gonzalez advances to 11-0-1, with 9 Knockouts. Johnny Spell falls to 8-1, with 4 Knockouts.

In a Super-Middleweight bout, unbeaten Paul Kroll fought to a hotly contested eight round majority draw with Guido Schramm. A give and take battle from the opening bell Schramm’s pressure and harder punches seemed to carry most of the first five rounds of the fight including badly staggering Kroll with a right uppercut, left hook combination to the head in the third round. As the fight progressed however, Kroll gradually found his footing and while he was never really able to turn the ebb and flow completely in his favor as Schramm kept coming forward with pressure and throwing punches with knockout intent with every blow, Kroll’s Boxing pedigree was able to make the fight close at the conclusion of the eight round bout. Ultimately it would be too close for two official judges as they arrived with identical deadlocked scores resulting in a majority draw. Official scores were: 77-75 (Kroll), and 76-76 (On two scorecards) making it a majority draw. Pau Kroll advances to 10-0-2, with 6 Knockouts. Guido Schramm advances to 16-1-2, with 9 Knockouts. 

The main event of this edition of ShoBox: The New Generation saw a return to the Jr. Lightweight division as undefeated Eridson Garcia faced highly touted prospect Jordan White. What was shaping up to look like an even fight between two prospects at similar stages of their careers ended just as suddenly as one could use the term “Sudden” when White connected with a perfectly time short counter left hook that sent Garcia flat on his back on the canvas. Garcia was essentially out cold as his eyes were wide open as he laid on the canvas, but he was not responding and the count was immediately waved off and the fight stopped giving White a thrilling first round knockout over a previously unbeaten prospect. Official time of the stoppage was 1:57 of round one. Jordan White advances to 15-1, with 11 Knockouts. Eridson Garcia falls to 17-1, with 11 Knockouts. Garcia was up sitting on a stool and was able to leave the ring under his own power.

While the theme of this card, much like most of the Boxing events held under the ShoBox banner in the series twenty-two year history centered around prospects on the rise being matched against their toughest competition to this point, and though I was prepared to talk about how crucial these fights are in terms of the overall development for fighters as they look to progress towards contention and ultimately the goal of fighting for world championships, which it is indeed crucial, I find myself missing what I was going to close this column and my coverage of this card with. It is not too often that a seasoned Boxing Lifer, such as this observer, who has seen just about everything one could on every possible level and variation the sport has to offer, is left “Speechless.” “Speechless” by the sudden and destructive nature of a knockout that seemingly came out of nowhere. 

Jordan White may not be quite ready to fight for a world championship, but scoring a devastating knockout like he did against Eridson Garcia, was not only a statement-making performance, not only a probable candidate for Knockout of the Year honors at the conclusion of 2023, but it was the type of knockout that will generate buzz and likely lead him to an opportunity to move up the ladder a bit more quickly. The sudden nature of how he was able to end the night as well as the fact that it was presented on a national level here in the United Sates on television will likely assist White in garnering a following and now he has emerged as a fighter to watch in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Paul-Diaz: More Event Than Fight?

 

In February of this year, social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul traveled to Saudi Arabia where the third time proved to be the charm in that Paul's on again, off again scheduled bout with undefeated Cruiserweight boxer Tommy Fury finally took place. Fury’s identification as s boxer is significant in that despite boasting an unbeaten record of 6-0, with 4 Knockouts going into the fight, Paul had built that record off facing folks who did not have a Boxing background or had very little Boxing training prior to those fights. In what was a close, but nondescript fight that did not have much in the way of highlights, Fury emerged victorious by scoring an eight round split decision over Paul and thus handed him his first loss as a professional. 

 

While this observer has been fair, but also critical of the craze that has emerged in the sport of Boxing in recent years of those with the label of “Influencer” entering the sport as I feel it does draw interest from potential demographics that otherwise would likely have little to no interest in the sport, but who’s involvement in it still to be determined as to whether or not it is truly to Boxing’s benefit or if the “Influencer” craze is simply a revamped version of “Celebrity Boxing” under a different label, Jake Paul has shown himself to be a good promoter, who in fairness is trying to bring attention to several issues within the sport that yours truly has written about regularly over the many years that I have covered Boxing and by extension combat sports including fighter pay, healthcare, and his support of Women’s Boxing in assisting in its long overdue growth is something that cannot be ignored. Despite losing to Tommy Fury, Paul did hold his own in what could be called his first legitimate fight as a boxer. 

 

Although Paul had boasted about fighting some of the top fighters in the sport and challenging for world titles, the takeaway from his loss to Fury was that although such boasts do serve a purpose in generating publicity, you can only go so far by facing people in a sport where they do not have a background in it. While Paul deserves credit for holding his own against Fury, his next fight will attempt to draw upon what had worked previously for him as he will face MMA veteran Nate Diaz in a scheduled ten round Cruiserweight bout at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. A fight that will headline a DAZN Pay-Per-View card. Much like most of Paul's previous opponents, Diaz will be making his professional Boxing debut after spending much of his career in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) where he won the promotion’s Ultimate Fighter reality competition in its fifth season. 

Frankly, the story going into this fight is what Diaz, who is the third MMA fighter that Paul will be fighting in a Boxing ring, will bring to the table. Although Boxing is a martial art, a discipline, which is a part of the sport of MMA, there is only so much analysis one can provide because the fact is that Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts are two different sports and what you might see work well in terms of striking with hands in a fight fought under MMA rules in an MMA format might not work in a Boxing ring with Boxing gloves on, or at the very least, may not work as well because in MMA, fighters wear gloves that have only one ounce of padding and the gloves also allow the fighter’s hands to be open to engage in grappling. It is also worth noting that fighters in MMA also over the last twenty-five or so years as the sport has gotten more organized since its inception in promotions adopting a universal standard of rules, also fight barefoot, which depending on the situation can have a difference in a fighter’s ability to plant their feet and throw punches with both power and leverage. Diaz has shown decent hand speed and punching power in fights fought under MMA rules so, whether those skills will transition to the Boxing ring is something that remains to be seen. 

 

One thing that could be a red flag that some might point to is there have been times throughout his MMA career where Diaz has been susceptible to being caught and knocked down by right hands. The questions regarding the credibility and legitimacy of Jake Paul's Boxing career aside, there is one primary weapon he has used in most of his fights that have ended many of them, his right hand. It will be interesting to see if Paul will look to land what has proven to be his power punch in previous fights this time around. 

 

Although Paul is going back to what is familiar for him in facing a notable name from a different sport under conditions that do not favor that opponent, it has nevertheless succeeded in generating buzz. This is also perhaps a fight designed to restore his confidence after suffering his first loss. If Paul is looking to this fight to silence the critics questioning his validity as a boxer, this observer believes that a victory over Nate Diaz will likely not accomplish that. A victory, however, would likely restore his confidence. There will however, come a point where the realization that in order to fight the best fighters in the sport of Boxing and challenge for world championships, one needs to gain experience against fighters with a Boxing background and beat them to get that opportunity will come into the equation. One simply cannot gain such experience facing folks with little to no background in a sport where the fight will be occurring. While Paul may not get the experience he needs to continue developing if he indeed is serious about hoping to compete at or near the top level of the sport in this fight, he has succeeded in creating another event, which will draw interest from a wide range of demographics. It would be nice, however, if a competitive fight that some might not expect broke out as well. 

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.” 

 

Paul vs. Diaz takes place on Saturday, August 5th at the American Airlines Center in Dallas TX. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on a pay-per-view basis globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View with preliminary bouts beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with the pay-per-view portion beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT for $59.99. 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, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view card please visit: www.DAZN.com.  

(* U.S. Start times and pricing only. *) (*Check DAZN.com for time and pricing in your region of the world. *) 

 

(*Card and Start times Subject to Change. *) 

 

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Cameron-Taylor II Set For November 25th In Dublin, Ireland On DAZN

Press Release August 2, 2023 By DAZN - Chantelle Cameron returns to the Lion’s Den to put her undisputed Super-Lightweight World Titles on the line for a second time against Irish legend Katie Taylor at the 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday November 25, live worldwide on DAZN.

 

Credit: DAZN 

Northampton’s Cameron (18-0, 8 KOs) handed undisputed Lightweight World Champion Taylor the first defeat of her career to remain undisputed ruler at 140lbs when they met on an historic night at the sold-out 3Arena in Dublin back in May.

 

Despite coming into the fight defending her belts, Cameron was seen as a major underdog for Taylor’s first fight in Ireland in her seven-year professional career – but the 32-year-old Brit stunned the home crowd by scoring a majority decision win over their hero.

 

The bout lived up to the huge expectation as both fighters left everything in the ring in front of a deafening partisan crowd, but after ten close rounds, Cameron was a worthy winner and cemented her place as one of the best female fighters on the planet.

 

“Last time out I pulled off one of the best ever away wins against the best female fighter on the planet,” said Cameron. “To go over to Ireland for her homecoming with my belts on the line and beat her was a brilliant experience, but beating her on November 25 will surpass that as I know what to expect now.

 

“I’ve boxed at that high level with a huge amount of pressure on me and the crowd against me. Going into November 25 I’m more than prepared this time. I know what it feels like now and I’m going to go in there with more aggression and energy and I’m confident of getting the job done in better fashion.

 

“I’m going to be a lot better in the rematch. In the gym we’re correcting mistakes that I’ve made. There were little things that I was doing during the first fight that led to me being headbutted a lot – that’s why my face was very bruised up at the end of the fight.

 

“Going back to Ireland to beat Katie Taylor twice in a row will show that it wasn’t just a lucky night for me and an off night for Katie. I said it last time – I think I’m all wrong for Katie. I’m too big, I’m too strong and my will to win is too strong. I’m going to be there all night long. Katie picked the wrong fighter to fight.”

 

“I'm delighted the rematch has been made and really can't wait for another huge night in November,” said Taylor. “I relish challenges like this and these are the occasions I live for.”

 

“Strap yourselves in for another electric night at the 3Arena in Dublin as Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor run it back for Super-Lightweight supremacy on Saturday November 25,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “The atmosphere inside that arena was one of the loudest and most special that I’ve ever experienced in all my years in this sport and I expect November 25 to be even better.

"Last time out Chantelle Cameron proved that she in one of the very best female fighters on the planet by handing Katie Taylor her first loss in the professional ranks. Katie will be desperate to avenge that loss but Chantelle is determined to prove that it wasn’t a one off. Don’t miss this one, live and exclusive around the world on DAZN.”

"Another massive fight to add to our ever growing autumn schedule”, said Alfie Sharman, VP, DAZN. “There is nothing more dangerous than a motivated Katie Taylor and after being defeated for the very first time in her pro career to a modern day great in Chantelle Cameron I am expecting fireworks. Tune in November 25 to watch live and exclusive only on DAZN.”

 

Ticket details will be announced in due course.

 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. 

 

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OTAR ERANOSYAN LOCKS HORNS WITH ROGER GUTIERREZ IN WBA ELIMINATOR, AUGUST 9

Press Release August 2, 2023 By ProBox TV- ProBox TV’s Wednesday Night Fights is back again next week hot off the heels from the barnburner we saw between Orlando Gonzalez and Ramiro Cesena in Kissimmee, Florida. 

Credit: ProBox TV 

The popular midweek boxing series heads back to Plant City, Florida with Otar Eranosyan and Roger Gutierrez colliding in a WBA super featherweight world title eliminator in the evening’s 12 round main event. 

Eranosyan (13-0, 6 KOs) comes off back-to-back victories on the network defeating Cesar Juarez and, most recently, Edy Valencia Mercado leading to the Georgian’s lofty position in the WBA rankings.

Gutierrez (27-4-1, 21 KOs) comes off a knockout win over Henry Delgado in his native Venezuela in March having previously lost his WBA super featherweight world title to now champion, Hector Luis Garcia. He ripped the title from Rene Alvarado in a unanimous decision victory over two years ago. He would go on to achieve the same result in the rematch seven months later.

“Our last event in Kissimmee was a great example of what ProBox TV plans to bring to boxing fans.” ProBox TV Executive Director Chris Glover said. “Obviously we have missed the target a little over the last few months in terms of what we believe Wednesday Night Fights is really capable of, but we made some adjustments and we are in a good place to deliver for our viewers. Hats off to Orlando and Ramiro, they really gave it everything. I actually thought Cesena did enough to win, but it was a great fight. 

“We have Otar back on the channel next week in a WBA world title eliminator against a former world champion. The winner has a chance to fight for a world title where the champion is beatable. It puts a lot on the line for both fighters which should produce another great fight for the network.”

The night’s chief support will see Venezuela’s Cristian Baez (19-2, 17 KOs) take on Armenia’s Petros Ananyan (17-3-2, 8 KOs) in a 10 round contest at super lightweight.

You can watch Wednesday Night Fights for free on YouTube and FaceBook in both English and Spanish. 

You can sign up AD-FREE for just $1.99 per month at ProBoxTV.com

 Material and Photo Courtesy of: ProBox TV Used with permission.

For more information about ProBox TV including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, full event archives and additional programming, and to subscribe please visit: www.ProBoxTV.com. 

 

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

Crawford Cements Hall of Fame Legacy By Battering And Stopping Spence

The fight between undefeated Welterweight world champions Errol Spence and Terence Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight championship of the world on July 29th in Las Vegas, NV was in some ways a throwback moment to when the best fighters fought the best where the politics that be in the sport rarely stood in the way of what could be viewed as progress. While such a return to the era where the best fought the best has become an elusive concept as decades have gone on due to a variety of issues related to the business of the sport of Boxing, Spence-Crawford served as an example of what the sport could be providing fans on a regular basis.

It is after all where two fighters who understand their respective positions in the sport opt to in large part make a fight that they want to have, happen between themselves and not be restrained by promoters or television/streaming network's own respective interests and agendas. In that aspect, both Spence and Crawford showed fellow boxers that ultimately it is the fighters who do the fighting and it is the promoters that are supposed to work in the best interest of the fighters, not the other way around.

Despite the positives that this fight brought to the table, the action that occurred inside the ring was probably a let down to sone Boxing fans. The reason for this was it did not take long before it became clear that this would not be the competitive fight that it appeared it would be on paper. What would happen instead would serve as another example of one fighter's generational talent and one fighter's courage in the face of being on that night at the T-Mobile Arena, the lesser fighter. In previewing this fight, this observer stated that the issue of activity might be something this fight would come down to, specifically the fact that due largely to injuries, Errol Spence had only fought once in the last three years prior to this encounter for all the marbles in the 147lb. Welterweight division as well as the current state of the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, that Spence has fought under the banner of for most of his career, in that many fighters who are aligned with the PBC have seen lengthy stretches of inactivity in recent years as the PBC has been struggling including apparently losing their broadcast deal with Fox Sports, which up until this year had been one of two network partners for the PBC here in the United States along with the Paramount owned Showtime, which has been recently rebranded to Paramount+ with Showtime in integrating the struggling cable network with it's parent company's flagship global streaming network.

While most of the above should not be directly tied to a fighter's inactivity, the fact remains that the biggest detriment to a fighter's career is inactivity. Something that by all accounts seemed to be exposed in this fight. After a relatively uneventful first round, Crawford stunned many by dropping Spence with a perfectly timed counter jab in the second round. Although this appeared to be a "Flash Knockdown" in that Spence did not appear hurt in being knocked down for the first time in his career, what was clear was Crawford has already figured out how to break Spence down and had his timing down to almost surgical precision. 

Over the course of the rounds that followed, this observer felt it was only a matter of time before the fight would be stopped. The reason for this was not only the systematic approach that Crawford was executing, but also that his hand speed and punching power was too much for Spence to combat. What was also evident was Spence, at least on this night, lacked the punching power to discourage Crawford from pressing forward, much less being able to gain control of the combat.

Round after round Crawford was administering a beating. Although Spence showed his mettle and was extremely "Game" in this fight, after six rounds, I felt that his corner needed to start thinking about their fighter's well being. Translation, I felt that the time had come where it was time to consider stopping the fight as it was so decisive in Crawford's favor, there did not seem to be much sense in allowing it to continue as gradually Spence was being busted up and there appeared to be no sign of the ebb and flow turning in his favor. 

My feelings that Spence had taken enough punishment seemed to be confirmed in the seventh round when Crawford scored his second and third knockdowns of Spence. At this point, I was shocked that even though Spence continued to show the heart of a warrior and survived the round, common sense and concern for his welfare did not come into the equation and the fight was allowed to continue.

As the punishment also continued being dished out by Crawford and Spence was increasingly unable to return much offense, Referee Harvey Dock mercifully stepped in and stopped the fight in the ninth round making Terence Crawford the first Undisputed Welterweight champion of the world in nearly thirty-eight years and the first undisputed champion in the division since the inception of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) in 1989. It also made Crawford the first male boxer in history to have successfully fully unified two weight divisions after previously becoming undisputed champion as a 140lb. Jr. Welterweight.

Although that accomplishment is astounding given all the political roadblocks and other things that occur in the sport that more often than not prevent such accomplishments, frankly my first thought at the conclusion of this fight was not so much about the historical significance of what I had just witnessed, as much as it was about wondering out loud why it took Harvey Dock, a competent world-class referee to use common sense in stopping this fight when the opportunity for Spence's corner to use good judgment was apparently ignored. Obviously, I cannot answer as to why his corner did not stop the fight, but what I will say is, I have seen plenty of fighters suffer similar beatings as Errol Spence did at the hands of Terence Crawford and while no one should ever take away from a fighter's heart and the courage they show in such circumstances, there comes a point where the corner, who's first responsibility should be to look out for the health and long-term well-being of their fighter, need to protect that fighter from themselves because more often than not, a fighter will keep going for as long as they are allowed to and unfortunately, that can also lead to fighters being seriously hurt. In any case, now the question for Errol Spence will be whether or not he will be the same fighter after suffering such a beating and the first loss of his career. It is a question that cannot be answered right now, but the possibility of this fight in addition to the injuries he has suffered might take something out of him going forward.

As for Terence Crawford, he would appear to be in an ideal position as a promotional free agent and now a two-time undisputed champion. While there is a rematch clause that would entitle Spence to a rematch, it does not appear as though that would be an advisable move based on what occurred in the ring and the likely need for time to recover. Whether or not Spence actually takes time to re-evaluate things may come down to whether those around him truly have his best interest.

 It may be more likely to see Crawford start fulfilling his mandatory title defense obligations from the respective organizations that now comprise the Undisputed Welterweight championship, as is standard after a championship is unified. Who he fights, on which network/platform, and under which promoter remains to be seen. Whatever Crawford does going forward, his future place in any Boxing Hall of Fame is cemented. 

For other fighters throughout the sport however, there is an obvious lesson to take from this. Not only do fighters have more power than they truly realize to make fights happen, but fighters also do not and should not be limited to fighting only fighters under the same promotional banner and if a promoter cannot secure consistent fights for a fighter that will allow that fighter to not only earn income consistently, but to also remain active where they will at least have a chance to be at their competitive best, it is the fighters responsibility to force the issue, even if doing so means taking their talents elsewhere. Ultimately a promoter is supposed to work in the best interest of the fighter, not the other way around.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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