Is Unification Next For Teraji And Gonzalez?

One of the bigger fights that was in the proverbial pipeline for 2023 was to have been a showdown in the 108lb. Light-Flyweight division between unified WBC/WBA world champion Kenshiro Teraji and WBO world champion Jonathan Gonzalez. A unification bout that was set to take place in April of this year. As most Boxing fans however know, Gonzalez was forced to withdraw due to an illness. Rather than waiting on the sidelines for the fight to be put back together, Teraji has shown that the best preparation for a unification bout more often than not, is to remain active.

Despite the cancellation of the fight with Gonzalez, the WBC/WBA champion kept the scheduled date in April and successfully retained his crown with a ninth round stoppage of a very "Game" Anthony Olascuaga. With the showdown with Gonzalez no closer to being made a reality, Teraji returned to the ring on September 18th at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan to defend his unified world championship against former two-division world champion Hekkie Budler, who entered the fight as the WBC's number one contender and the number four contender in the WBA's Light-Flyweight ratings. 

As tends to be the norm in bouts fought in Boxing's lowest weight divisions, the pace of the fight was a fast one fought at a high rate. When this occurs, it usually creates a scenario where both fighters are able to execute their offense well. It also creates a conundrum in terms of scoring as rounds tend to be close. This was a fight that followed that pattern as both fighters had success in landing short, compact combinations on each other. 

As the fight progressed into the middle rounds, Teraji's harder punches and consistent body attack began to become the dominant factor in the contest. Although Budler remained competitive and still attempted to give as much as he took in punishment, the end of the bout culminated with Teraji landing a barrage of unanswered punches that resulted in the fight being stopped late in the ninth round. 

While this accounted to a "Stay Busy" outing for Kenshiro Teraji, he did fulfill his mandatory defense obligations as far as the WBC is concerned and will continue to benefit from being active if a fight against Jonathan Gonzalez does not come to fruition in the near future. Of course, the question coming out of this fight, much as was the case following Teraji's victory over Anthony Olascuaga in April, is will a fight with Gonzalez be next?

Obviously, this observer cannot answer that question, but it should be pointed out that the fight was signed and scheduled to take place before Gonzalez had to withdraw because of an illness. This would seem to suggest that there would not be the usual hurdles that occur in the sport such as promotional issues and the involvement of rival networks to name a few. Whether a unification bout between the two will happen will obviously depend on Gonzalez' health as well as whether or not the three sanctioning organizations involved will have mandated title defenses of their respective world championships due to the time that has passed between when the fight was supposed to take place and where things stand currently as world champions are obligated to fulfill mandatory defenses on an annual basis. 

Whatever the case may be, Boxing's lowest weight divisions will likely continue to benefit from increased exposure thanks to the advent of digital streaming that has allowed weight classes that normally do not get showcased regularly here in the United States to be shown more frequently. With the level of competition consistently high, it should be a benefit to many fighters throughout the lower weight divisions to try and take advantage of the increased exposure. While that is a "Big Picture" perspective, if a fight between Teraji and Gonzalez cannot be made, there should be no shortage of interesting and competitive fights that could be made.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Lopez-Gonzalez Thoughts

 Mexican Independence Day weekend has traditionally been one of the marquee dates on the Boxing calendar ever year routinely featuring some of the biggest fights in the history of the sport. The 2023 Mexican Independence Day weekend featured a bout for the IBF Featherweight championship of the world between defending champion Luis Lopez and two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez, who was getting his third opportunity to win a world championship. A fight that took place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX on September 15th. While many of the previous battles that have taken place during Mexican Independence Day weekend have featured fighters regarded as the marquee attractions in the sport facing off against each other, this fight may not have been regarded as being in that category by some, but it was a solid encounter between two world-class fighters and featured a world champion in Lopez, who’s star has been on the rise.

It was also a fight that featured a sub-plot of whether Joet Gonzalez, a solid top contender could finally get across the finish line to become a world champion after falling short in his previous two attempts. Although some may be critical of the structure in the sport that seemingly makes the path to a world championship easier in the eyes of some, it is still a task that can prove easier said than done, and for some fighters proves to be an ever elusive goal. One thing that Gonzalez did have going for him entering this fight was that he gave a good account of himself in fights against Shakur Stevenson and Emanuel Navvarrete. He had also never been stopped in his career. This would prove to be a test for a world champion in Lopez, who by all accounts seemed to be riding high after scoring a majority decision over Josh Warrington in December of last year to win the IBF world championship and then scoring an impressive knockout win of top contender Michael Conlan earlier this year. Two fights where Lopez fought both men in each’s backyard of the United Kingdom. 

In his second title defense it was interesting to see if Lopez could continue to build on his momentum. What occurred when the two fighters got into the ring could best be described as a tactical Boxing match between two fighters who could do a bit of everything with each fighter having their share of moments in many of the same rounds throughout the twelve round world championship fight. Such a scenario presents a difficult task for those scoring a fight to determine which fighter got the upper hand. 

What stood out to this observer early on was the pressure that Gonzalez put on Lopez in trying to force him back against the ropes. While a consistent pressure attack when executed right can often lead to success for the fighter applying said pressure as a fight progresses, this was a fight where even though Gonzalez was successful in applying the pressure, he had trouble maintaining the champion on the ropes due to Lopez’ ability to move, throw punches at odd angles, and be elusive. Despite having sixteen knockouts in his twenty-eight career wins prior to this fight, Lopez has never struck me as the type of fighter that can end a fight with one punch, but rather one that because of his ability to throw and land punches at varying angles, could stop opponents either by catching them with punches they do not see as they press forward or by gradually administering what would be defined as an accumulation of punishment that eventually breaks his opponents down. In some ways, Lopez’ unorthodox style reminds yours truly of another great Featherweight champion Prince Naseem Hamed, who had one of the most awkward styles I had ever seen, but one that proved to be extremely effective throughout his career. While I would argue that Hamed had more punching power than Lopez, the similarities between the two styles is hard to ignore and much like Hamed, Lopez’ style works well for him. So well that in this fight, there were periods where, despite being pressured constantly by Gonzalez, Lopez would find ways to evade, land combinations, and then try to tie Gonzalez up when he was able to get close.

As the fight progressed into the second half however, it seemed that it was Gonzalez landing the harder punches of the two, despite his face gradually becoming cut and busted up over the course of the bout as a result of punishment dished out by Lopez. Although the fight remained close in my eyes, it was the pressure as well as the hard shots Gonzalez was able to land, particularly with his right hand and also his left hook, that seemed to push him ahead slightly as the fight entered the championship rounds. Entering rounds eleven and twelve, I felt the fight could go either way and I also felt that a decision would be closely scored due again to both fighters having periods of success in the same rounds as well as nether fighter being able to score knockdowns throughout. 

Much as had been the case throughout the entire fight, the last two rounds were closely fought and it become a question of what does one prefer in how they score a fight to determine who would ultimately get the nod. Would it be the consistent pressure and hard punches of Gonzalez over the second half of the fight, or would it be the elusiveness and ability to catch Gonzalez as he came forward, as well as periodically being able to make him miss that Lopez was able to accomplish that would determine who would win the fight?

After a lifetime watching the sport and almost as long covering it, I can say in all truth and honesty that there is not much that surprises me anymore when it comes to scoring of a fight on any level of the sport because, a judge’s criteria in how they score is truly unique based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. It is also worth noting that even though a decision may prove to be unanimous in favor of one fighter, each judge has their own viewpoint/criteria based on the aforementioned standard in which Boxing is scored. What I can say is that at the conclusion of twelve rounds, I felt that Joet Gonzalez had done enough to win the fight seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points. While I do stand by my scoring in feeling that Gonzalez’ pressure and harder punches were enough to eek out a decision over the second half of the fight, I also felt that, despite my view, Gonzalez probably would not get the nod from the three official judges, based on how effective Lopez was able to execute his fight plan over the first six rounds. Whether one would call it a “Gut Feeling” or the intuition of a seasoned Boxing scribe, the instinct that even though I felt Gonzalez had done enough to win the fight, but would not get the decision, proved to be accurate as all three judges scored the fight in favor of Lopez giving the champion a successful second defense of his IBF world championship. 

A point of contention that some will perhaps point to however, is that the three judges scored the fight by wide margins in favor of Lopez. 118-110, (Ten rounds to two) 117-111, (Nine rounds to three) and 116-112. (Eight rounds to four) While these scores do not reflect the close action that occurred in the ring between Lopez and Gonzalez, it does boil down to what a judge prefers in their own criteria as well as where they are positioned at ringside that can play a role in how a fight is scored. A;though I felt Gonzalez won this fight by a close margin, I do not feel that the outcome of this bout was controverisal because Lopez did have moments throughout the fight and a fighter’s ability to defend and evade punches is something that also should be taken into consideration in how a fight is ultimately scored. What I will say however, is the stock of Joet Gonzalez in the 126lb. Featherweight division has risen and even though Luis Lopez successfully retained his world championship, there will be some who might feel that it is Gonzaelz who comes out of this fight looking better than the champion. What the outcome of this fight and perhaps the perception of some fans leads to going forward for both fighters remains to be seen. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Jukembayev collides with Roldan, Martinez faces Thompson & Waterman battles Hackett for WBA regional title

Press Release September 9, 2023 By ProBox TV - ProBox TV’s popular Wednesday Night Fights series returns next week on September 20. An international four fight card hits the free-to-air platform from Plant City, Florida. 

Credit: ProBox TV 

The evening’s main event will see Kazakhstan’s Batyrzhan Jukembayev (20-1, 16 KOs) collide with Argentina’s Hugo Alberto Roldan (22-1-1, 7 KOs) in the super lightweight division over 10 rounds. Canadian based southpaw, Jukembayev comes off two consecutive knockout victories following a lone career defeat to Subriel Matias. Roldan was last in action against Jose Hugo Acevedo in February winning a WBA regional title by unanimous-decision. 

The chief support sees the return of Guatemalan superstar Lester Martinez (16-0, 14 KOs) in a 10 round duel at super middleweight with the Las Vegas based Lionell Thompson (22-5, 12 KOs). Martinez dispatched of Lucas de Abreu on ProBox TV just two months ago. Thompson’s last fight saw him pick up a points victory over former world title challenger Jose Uzcategui, but has seen a large part of inactivity in his career since. 

The WBA Inter-Continental light heavyweight title will be on the line when Australia’s Clay Waterman (11-0, 8 KOs) clashes with Canada’s Kareem Hackett (11-0, 6 KOs). Someone’s 0 will have to go in the 10 round title fight. Queensland’s Waterman comes off a victorious American debut against the undefeated Kenmon Evans three months ago in Verona. Toronto’s Hackett knocked out Christian Thomas in Los Angeles this past May. 

Ismael Villarreal (12-1, 8 KOs) locks horns with John David Martinez (19-2, 16 KOs) at super welterweight, the bout scheduled for 8 rounds. Villarreal suffered a career lone defeat in his last outing against Ardreal Holmes Jr in Topeka this past February. Martinez is undefeated in eight fights and four years. He comes off a points victory over Francisco Fuentes two months ago. 

The event will be available FREE-TO-AIR worldwide on ProBoxTV.com and on ProBox TV's YouTube.

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 archive and additional programming, and to subscribe please visit: www.ProBoxTV.com. 

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Bellew Says Danis ‘Wouldn’t Make It To The Ring’ If He Insulted His Wife In The Same Way He Is Attacking Agdal

Press Release September 9, 2023 By Liam Solomon/ Bettingsites.co.uk - Logan Paul’s fiancé Nina Agdal is suing Dillon Danis and filing for a restraining order over the abusive trolling Danis is subjecting the Danish model to over social media. Bellew, who is no stranger to trash talk in the build up to a big fight, has condemned Danis for the below-the-belt content the MMA fighter is publishing on social media;

Tony Bellew: “He’s taken it way too far. I’m not going to lie, if someone insults my wife it’s not going to make it to the boxing ring. It would get dealt with literally immediately. It doesn’t matter how many security guards he has with him either, you can’t have someone insulting your wife or fiance. It’s a step too far. I don’t know what prompted him to do that, I have no idea.”

Material Courtesy of; Liam Solomon/ Bettingsites.co.uk Used with permission.

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RADIVOJE KALAJDZIC: REGRETS ‘SLOPPY’ PERFORMANCES AGAINST BETERBIEV AND BROWNE AHEAD OF TRIP TO PLANT CITY

Press Release September 6, 2023 By ProBox TV - 

‘Hot Rod’ Radivoje Kalajdzic (27-2 19 KOs) makes his debut on this week’s edition of Wednesday Night Fights in Plant City, his first appearance of the year as he faces Englishman Mickey Ellison (14-4 5 KOs) over 10 rounds. The two will meet at Light heavyweight as the headline of the evening.

Born in old Yugoslavia, Kalajdzic came to the U.S. when he was 7 years old due to the Bosnian War, settling in St. Petersburg, Florida where he found his love for the sport. “I went to the gym and I fell in love with it” ‘Hot Rod’ declared in an exclusive interview with Probox TV when asked about the influence of boxing in his youth. “My Dad loved watching Mike Tyson, he’s one of my favourite fighters. I grew up watching him.”

Now with over 12 years experience as a professional and high knockout ratio, ‘Hot Rod’ is acquainted with being in the spotlight, fighting on big events over the course of his career. From receiving a controversial split decision against Marcus Browne, to challenging Artur Beterbiev for the IBF World Title, Kalajdzic has earned his stripes and respect as a serious contender through his ascendance in the division.

Despite reaching world level competition, Kalajdzic critiqued himself on his past performances ahead of his showdown this week. “I’m not the same fighter that fought Marcus Browne and [Artur] Beterbiev” affirmed ‘Hot Rod’ “Those fights were sloppy, I was just swinging, you’ll see a whole new ‘Rod', picking my shots, staying calm, and not being wild”

Giving his prediction ahead of time, Kalajdzic concisely confirmed for his Florida fans “Knockout. He comes forward. I come forward. It’s a 10 round fight, a long fight. Someone’s getting knocked out”.

His opponent responded in a similar manner when asked what we should expect ahead of his bout with ‘Hot Rod’; “Blistering” Ellison added “Coming away from home, it gives you that bit of extra spite. I’m not coming to play around, I’m coming here to win”

As the date approaches for the midweek action, one can only expect fireworks as two hungry fighters clash for recognition and ascendancy.

Material 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 archive and additional programming, and to subscribe please visit: www.ProBoxTV.com. 

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

AUSSIE PROSPECT JORDAN LARUCCIA CAPTURES GOLD AT THUNDERDOME 43

Press Release September 5, 2023 By Dragon Fire Boxing - This past Friday as part of the Main Event of Thunderdome 43 at Metro Ciyt in Perth, Western Australia Jordan Larrucia defeated Fano Kori by unanimous decision for the ANBF (Australian Boxing Federation) Australasian Super Welterweight Championship. 

Credit: Mike O'Hara 

The fight was a back-and-forth war with Larrucia cementing himself as one of the rising prospects of the Australian boxing scene.

Jordan Laruccia opened up about the fight;

“I would like to thank so many people, my coach Big Rig (Dayle Phillips), Tony (Tolj), Greeny (Danny Green) in my corner. I really have the best team in the world and I’m always striving to be better.

I had a great camp with Pops (Dayle Phillips) and want to thank all my team mates Jude Grant who won the W.A State Super Welterweight Title, Ryan Daye who had a 28 second KO, Wes Capper and Millad Farzad.

I learnt a lot in there, It was an honour to share the ring with Fano who has so much experience and I will keep training hard and keep improving and be the best I can be.

Promoter Tony Tolj gave his take on the fight;

“The fight was an absolute war of attrition at times, both Jordan and Fano left everything they physically had in that ring. Fano has plenty to give and Jordan has proven he belongs in the elite of the Super Welterweight division in Australia. What’s more remarkable is the fact Jordan hadn’t had 1 amateur boxing fight. He began as a gym cleaner and was asked one day to be a sparring partner because of the guys didn’t show up. Australia is in a boom period now and looking forward to seeing Jordan Laruccia right there in the mix at 24 years old.”

Replays can be seen on Fite.TV (Thunderdome 43)

Material Courtesy of Dragon Fire Boxing/ Photo Courtesy of Mike O'Hara Used with permission.

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Belated August 26, 2023 Heavyweight Saturday Thoughts

Introduction: The following column was originally scheduled for release on August 28, 2023. Due to circumstances beyond our control, which necessitated evacuating due to Hurricane Idalia, the release was delayed until Monday, September 4, 2023. Coverage up to this point, which has yet to be made up to this point will be aimed for an upcoming edition of the feature Jabs And Observations. We thank our readers for their continued patience and we hope you enjoy the column below. 

The spotlight of the sport of Boxing focused on the Heavyweight division on Saturday, August 26, 2023 as one might argue it provided a look at both the present in terms of the top of the division as well as what could be the future of it. First, undefeated unified WBA/WBO/IBF/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk defended his crown against WBA number one Heavyweight contender and “Knockout Artist” Daniel Dubois at  Wroclaw Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland. While this title defense was not the defense that many Boxing fans wanted to see Usyk make, in that the wish of many was to see an encounter with undefeated WBC world champion Tyson Fury, for what would be the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world, a mandatory defense for Usyk provided some intrigue by facing one of the division’s feared power punchers, who had only one of his victories that had gone the distance.

Despite coming into the fight with only one loss and his position as the WBA’s top contender, Dubois was treated by many as a significant underdog. This observer believes that was due in part to Usyk having a significantly higher quality in terms of his career resume as well as the stylistic difference between the two fighters as the champion has provided a puzzle that many fighters ranging from the amateurs, to the pro ranks in both the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions, have found difficult to solve. The one wrinkle that had followed Usyk as a Heavyweight was however, despite his domination since moving up in weight from the Cruiserweight division and becoming a two-division world champion, he had not shown the ability to hurt or stop a Heavyweight inside the distance.

Before a crowd of over 40,000 spectators, Usyk and Dubois engaged in a surprisingly tactical fight that did not reflect the significant odds that were against the challenger. An addition that was also not expected to the equation of this fight was that mother nature also played a role in that the bout took place during significant rainfall, which found its way onto the ring canvas. Several of the rounds were a battle of jabs between the two fighters, but the pace at which the fight was being fought was tailor made for the champion, who likes to fight at a measured pace where he can dictate the ebb and flow of the combat.

Although the weather conditions created a great visual for those watching the bout, it did not seem to create much of a problem for the fighters beyond an occasional slip of footing. While the rain would seem to create an ideal scenario for potential controversy, it would be a ruled low blow against the challenger that would create controversy. It would be an uppercut that appearer to land on the beltline of Usyk that sent the champion crumbling down to the canvas in pain. Despite what appeared to be a legal shot to the body, Referee Luis Pabon ruled it a low blow. Adding to what appeared to be a blown call by a world class referee, Pabon also appeared to instruct Usyk who appeared ready to resume the combat to take the full five minutes that are allowed to a fighter who suffers a foul to recover.

At minimum, the call and the apparent instruction by Pabon was a strange occurrence if not a possible instance of a language barrier between the two after Pabon ruled the punch a foul where Pabon may not have understood clearly that Usyk was indicating he was ready to continue. From my perspective, I felt that the punch was right on the beltline and should have been called a knockdown. Based on how Usyk went down, it is debatable as to if Usyk would have been able to beat a ten count if it had been ruled a knockdown. What is indisputable is that the call by Pabon created a controversy that will be the subject of debate for some time.

Despite what appeared to give him a clear advantage moving forward, Dubois was only able to throw single punches to the body after action resumed. Although things remained competitive, Usyk was able to recover and the champion's timing as well as his ability to counter punch eventually turned the ebb and flow in his favor. Usyk dropped Dubois with a two punch combination that landed on the temple and dropped the challenger in round eight. This was followed by the champion being able to drop the challenger for a second time in the ninth round to score a knockout victory as Dubois was unable to beat the count.

At the end of the day, this fight answered one question for Usyk, but also asked a question of the champion coming out of it. Oleksandr Usyk does have the ability to knockout a Heavyweight, but did Usyk benefit from human error of a referee resulting in a blown call, which allowed him to recover when if the call of Referee Luis Pabon had been different, would it have changed the outcome of this Heavyweight championship fight?

Shortly after Usyk retained his championship, the focus shifted to Tulsa, OK where fast rising Heavyweight contender Jered Anderson returned to the ring just one month after scoring a ten round unanimous decision over former IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin to face veteran Andrii Rudenko at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. While it is rare in present times to see a fighter approaching top contender status to be competing as often as Anderson got back in the ring, it does have more benefits than sitting out in terms of sharpening a fighter's skills and timing. This was a fight where Anderson showed those benefits as he systematically broke Rudenko down with a consistent body attack. Not just by throwing single punches to the body frequently, but throwing them in combination.

Anderson's commitment to going to Rudenko's body ultimately led to a referee's stoppage in the fifth round. Despite Rudenko's reputation as being durable, the stoppage was an appropriate one as he was taking the type of beating that could have long lasting effects. Although there was not much to this fight for Anderson other than the consistency he showed in breaking down a "Game" opponent that was simply out gunned, the fact that he is trying to stay as active as he can will have benefits for him in the long-term, which is something that many top contenders and world champions do not always take advantage of due to the economics of the sport among other factors. There may be a  risk for fighters being more active in terms of both economics as well as a fighter's standing in rankings or as a world champion, the benefits of staying active is something that should not be ignored and that is something that Anderson is showing with each fight.

Perhaps the takeaway from this Heavyweight Saturday should be both the benefits of staying active, but also potentially the groundwork for a potential rematch depending on one's perspective of the low blow ruling in the Usyk-Dubois bout. Nevertheless, these two fights did succeed in keeping the Heavyweight division as a focal point for many Boxing fans and experts alike. The Boxing world will simply wait to see what's to follow in the weeks and months ahead.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Schedule Resumption Notice: Hurricane Idalia

We would like to let our readers know that we will be resuming our regular schedule on Monday, September 3rd after pausing due to Hurricane Idalia with a feature discussing the Heavyweight action that took place on Saturday, August 26th. We sincerely apologize for the interruption to the schedule as it was out of our control and we thank our readers for their continued patience. Stay tuned.

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Hurricane Idalia Notice

We would like to let our readers know that due to the uncertainty of what is projected to become Hurricane Idalia, we will be pausing out regular schedule until further notice. When we are able to resume, a feature discussing the Heavyweight action that took place on Saturday, August 26th will be released. We do apologize for any inconvenience this might cause and we will update the websites once we know we can resume. Stay safe anx stay turned.

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Slaveski Wins World Welterweight Championship At BKFC 49

Undefeated Welterweight Gorjan Slaveski successfully went from contender to world champion by scoring a hard fought five round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Jake Lindsey to win the vacant Bareknuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) Welterweight world championship on Friday night at the Miami-Dade Fairgrounds in Miami, FL. The main event of BKFC 49 turned out to be an ugly, grueling, and great fight all in one. 

A fight that began almost exclusively with both fighters trying to tee off on each other on the inside including trying to fight and grapple in the clinch, similar to what you would see in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), but not something that is legal in Boxing including Bareknuckle Boxing. As the bout went on however, both fighters had their share of moments in what became a seesaw battle in terms of momentum as both fighters landed hard, thudding punches to the head that frankly would have dropped many of fighters. Despite suffering an injury to his right hand as the fight was entering the latter rounds where his knuckles were bleeding heavily, Lindsey managed to seemingly keep the fight close, but it was the harder punches of Slaveski that ultimately prevailed in a grueling back and forth contest as he would win the fight and the world championship via unanimous decision.Official scores were: 49-46, and 48-47 (On two scorecards)  in favor of Slaveski.

Gorjan Slaveski advances to 6-0, with 4 Knockouts. Jake Lindsey falls to 4-1, with 4 Knockouts. 

Also on this card:

Unbeaten Lightweight Bryce Henry scored a first round knockout of  Tom Shoaff. A right hook followed by a barrage of punches put Shoaff down. Shoaff signaled to Referee Sam Burgos as he was counting that he did not want to continue. Official time of the stoppage was 1:29 of round one. Bryce Henry advances to 3-0, with 3 KO’s. Tom Shoaff falls to 4-5, with 4 Knockouts.

Undefeated Featherweight Bryan Duran scored a first round knockout of Dakota Highpine. A fight where both fighters threw punches with knockout intentions, a perfectly timed counter right hook that landed on the forehead of Highpine sent him down and out on the canvas. Official time of the stoppage was :48 of round one. Bryan Duran advances to 5-0, with 5 Knockouts. Dakota Highpine falls to 1-2, with 0 Knockouts.  

In a battle of unbeaten Bantamweights, Justin Sanchez scored a five round unanimous decision over Quinton Foye. A closely fought bout from the opening bell, Sanchez landed more punches, particularly to the body of Foye down the stretch to earn a unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 48-47, 49-46, and 48-47 in favor of Sanchez. Justin Sancez advances to 2-0, with 0 Knockouts. Quinton Foye falls to 1-1, with 0 Knockouts.

Also in the Bantamweight division, unbeaten Alberto Rodriguez scored a first round knockout of a debuting Jaoa Guerra. A right hand, left hook combination quickly dropped Guerra. Rodriguez closed the show with a follow up combination, which sent Guerra down for a second time. Although Guerra got up, he took his mouthpiece out and shook his head as the ten count was reached. Official time of the stoppage was :51 of round one. Alberto Rodriguez advances to 3-0, with 3 Knockouts. Jaoa Guerra falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockout.

Featherweight Howard Davis scored a first round knockout of Jeff Chiffens. Davis opened a gash on the left side of Chiffens’ head with a right hook immediately upon the fight starting. A right uppercut to the face sent Chiffens down. As Chiffens was being counted out, he was shaking his head, which resulted in the bout being stopped before the count was completed.  Official time of the stoppage was 1:12 of round one. Howard Davis advances to 6-1-1, with 5 Knockouts. Jeff Chiffens falls to 4-6, with 1 Knockout.

Lightweight Joshua Alvarez scored a first round knockout of a debuting Aaron Sutterfield. A left uppercut to the head sent Sutterfield down on his hands and knees in the middle of the ring. Sutterfield was very “Game” and tried to get up, but was unable to beat the count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:29 of round one. Joshua Alvarez advances to 4-3, with 3 Knockouts. Aaron Sutterfield falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts. 

Women’s Strawweight Laddy Mejia pounded out a five round split decision over Sarah Click to successfully make her professional Bareknuckle Boxing debut. A competitive fight that was fought at a surprising tactical pace for a Bareknuckle fight, Mejia was able to land the harder punches over the final three rounds to earn the decision victory.  Official scores were: 48-47 (Click), and 49-46, 48-47 for Laddy Mejia. Laddy Meija advances to 1-0, with 0 Knockouts. Sarah Click falls to 0-3, with 0 Knockouts. 

Undefeated Bantamweight Matthew Russo scored a first round knockout of a debuting  Jaymes Hyder. An overhand right to the head staggered Hyder, which Russo followed by a right hook to the jaw that sent Hyder down on his back for the ten count. Official time of the stoppage was 1:16 of round one. Matthew Russo advances to 2-0, with 2 Knockouts Jaymes Hyder falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts. 

In a Featherweight rematch from April of this year, Freddy Masabo avenged his only loss by scoring a five round unanimous decision over Bovar Khanakov. The story of this fight was the movement and combination punching of Masabo as he frequently beat Khanakov to the punch. Khanakov suffered two severe cuts over his right eye and on the bridge of his nose in the first round and he was unable to get the ebb and flow of the combat to shift in his favor.  Official scores were: 48-47 (On all three scorecards) in favor of Masabo. Freddy Masabo advances to 3-1, with 2 Knockouts. Bovar Khanakov falls to 3-2, with 0 Knockouts.

Cruiserweight action began the evening as John Escoboza scored a hard fought five round majority decision over previously undefeated Esteban Rodriguez. A high pace slugfest from the opening bell, Escoboza’s cleaner punches, particularly in landing his right hand to the head of Rodriguez, which opened a bad cut over his left eye in the first round ultimately gave him the edge. Escoboza scored a knockdown of Rodriguez with a right hand that appeared to land on the side of the head in the second round. Official scores were: 47-47, (Even) 48-46 (On two scorecards) in favor of Escoboza. John Escoboza advances to 8-1, with 4 Knockouts. Esteban Rodriguez falls to 2-1, with 2 Knockouts.

BKFC 49 brought to a close two nights of Bareknuckle Boxing cards promoted by the Bareknuckle Fighting Championship and its founder David Feldman. A modernized form of Bareknuckle Boxing that is still growing, as the promotion prepares for its fiftieth numbered card next month, a successful debut of its prospects series on August 24th, and continued international expansion including in Bulgaria later this year, the BKFC has laid out what this observer believes is a successful blueprint for other Bareknuckle promoters to try and follow including, but not limited to the adaption of a universal rules standard as approved by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC). 

In many ways, the rate at which the Bareknuckle portion of the sport of Boxing has been able to grow has in some ways not faced as much opposition and resistance as the sport of MMA did for many years after it's inception here in the United States in organized form in the early 1990's. It is something that should be seen as a positive in a sport that is always the subject of ridicule for its negatives. Especially, if not only safety standards continue to be followed and improve, but also if it continues to provide more options to fighters across all combat sports. 

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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BKFC Prospects 1 Results From Miami, FL

Women’s Flyweight Rosalinda Rodriguez successfully made her Bareknuckle Boxing debut by scoring a lopsided five round unanimous decision over MMA veteran Christina Crist in the main event of Bareknuckle Fighting Championship’s (BKFC) inaugural BKFC Prospects event on Thursday night at the Miami-Dade Fairgrounds in Miami, FL. Rodriguez, who is 13-0, in traditional professional Boxing and is the current North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Bantamweight champion, dictated the fight from the start by using effective lateral movement, and her jab to control the distance over Crist, who was also making her professional Bareknuckle Boxing debut after a successful career in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The consistent pattern of the fight consisted of Rodriguez throwing the jab, moving inside, landing short combinations, and moving back out before Crist could land anything really effective. As the fight went on, Crist began swinging wildly in an attempt to land something that would turn the ebb and flow in her favor, but it simply was not to be as Rodriguez boxed her way to a convincing unanimous decision victory.  Official scores were: 50-44, 49-45, and 50-45 all in favor of Rodriguez. Rosalinda Rodriguez advances to 1-0, with 0 Knockouts. Christina Crist falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts. 

Also on this card:

 

In a battle of undefeated Heavyweights, Leonardo Perdomo scored a first round knockout of  Ryan Shough. Perdomo quickly dropped Shough with a right hand seconds into the opening round. He then closed the show dropping Shough with a brutal combination to the head that resulted in the fight being immediately stopped. Official time of the stoppage was :59 of round one. Leonardo Perdomo advances to 2-0, with 2 Knockouts. Ryan Shough falls to 1-1, with 1 Knockout.

 Light-Heavyweight Drew Nolan scored the first win of his Bareknuckle Boxing career by scoring a second round stoppage of Markus Suarez. Nolan was dropped by a short right hook to the head in round one, but a cut that Nolan was able to open over the right eye of Suarez began to bleed heavily and resulted in a second round stoppage when the ringside physician ruled that Suarez could not continue. Official time of the stoppage was 1:22 of round two. Drew Nolan advances to 1-1, with 1 Knockout. Markus Suarez falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts.

A Light-Heavyweight bout between Fred Pierce and a debuting Sean Hotusing ended in a second round disqualification in favor of Pierce. A competitive fight from the beginning, Pierce’s awkward counterpunching style appeared to give Hotusing problems for a time. The end came when Pierce was sent down bent over with his hands touching the canvas via a slip. Hotusing however, landed two shots on Pierce while he was ruled on the canvas resulting in Pierce being declared the winner via disqualification when he was unable to continue. Official time of the stoppage was 1:38 of round two. Fred Pierce advances to 2-4, with 1 Knockout. Sean Hotusing falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts. 

Bantamweight Dameko Labon needed only twenty-one seconds to knockout Justin Watson. Labon landed a stiff jab at the opening bell followed by a right hook that sent Watson down to the canvas. Watson got up from the knockdown, but walked into a flush left hook to the jaw that sent him down for a second time and the fight was immediately stopped. Official time of the stoppage was :21 of round one. Dameko Labon advances to 1-0, with 1 Knockout. Justin Watson falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts. 

In a Welterweight bout that began the evening between two fighters making their professional Bareknuckle Boxing debuts, Leandro Torres scored a third round stoppage of Harry Cruz to successfully make his professional Bareknuckle Boxing debut. A back and forth fight that saw both men cut early and several heated exchanges of offense in close, it was Torres' combination punching over Cruz’ ability to attack at awkward angles. The end came midway through the third round when Cruz was ruled unable to continue due to heavy bleeding from a cut on the outside of his right eye. Official time of the stoppage was 1:29 of round three. Leandro Torres advances to 1-0, with 1 Knockout. Harry Cruz falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts. 

Over the last decade, the sport of Bareknuckle Boxing has through various variations grown and expanded at an exceptional rate since the sport was reintroduced in modernized form. The Bareknuckle Fighting Championship has become one of the Bareknuckle promotions led by promoter David Feldman that is now leading the way in the growth and expansion of the sport. A sign of such growth came in the days prior to this card when the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) adapted a universal standard of rules for Bareknuckle bouts. The first edition of the BKFC prospects series, which will be a monthly series to go along with the promotion’s marquee and fight night events certainly did not disappoint as fighters participating in the series have the goal to earn a contract to fight under the BKFC banner in a way similar to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) series in which it’s president Dana White awards contracts to non-signed MMA fighters under the Dana White’s Contender Series banner. 

With fighters from traditional pro Boxing, MMA, and other combat sports disciplines all now venturing into professional Barekuckle bouts, the future of the Bareknuckle portion of the sport of Boxing certainly looks bright. The next event on the BKFC schedule, BKFC 49, which will take place on Friday, August 25th also in Miami, has a tough act to follow.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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August 26, 2023: A Big Day For The Heavyweight Division

August 2023 in the sport of Boxing will come to a close on Saturday, August 26th with the spotlight firmly focused on the Heavyweight division. In some ways, this day will look at both the present and what could well be the future, which can all be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

The marquee attraction of the day will take place in Wroclaw, Poland as undefeated unified WBO/IBF/IBO/WBA Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk will make the second defense of his crown against WBA number one Heavyweight contender Daniel Dubois in Wrocław Stadium. This fight is the first for Usyk following two decision wins over Anthony Joshua in 2021 and 2022 where he won and then successfully retained the unified Heavyweight crown. While many had expected that Usyk's next fight following his rematch against Joshua in August of last year would be a unification bout with undefeated WBC world champion Tyson Fury for what would be the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world, unfortunately due to elements involving the business of Boxing, that fight did not materialize.

Instead, Usyk will be turning his attention to fulfilling one of his mandatory defense obligations of one of the four world championships he currently holds by facing the WBA's mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois. Although some may dismiss this fight as a mere mandatory, in that sometimes those who earn opportunities to fight for a world championship by being mandated by a sanctioning organization as it's top contender in a given weight class, does not always have significant public interest, this could be a dangerous fight for the undefeated champion.

It was not long ago when Daniel Dubois was considered one of the sport's feared rising "Knockout Artists." Dubois carried a record of 15-0, with 14 Knockouts into what was a highly anticipated clash with then fellow undefeated "Knockout Artist" and former Olympic Silver medalist Joe Joyce in November of 2020. Dubois would suffer the lone defeat of his career by being knocked out by Joyce in the tenth round in a fight where he suffered a broken left eye socket. Since that setback, Dubois has won four straight fights, all by knockout including a fourth round knockout of previously unbeaten Trevor Bryan in June of last year where he earned Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA's Heavyweight ratings, which in short made him the number one contender.

The question going into this fight will be whether Dubois will be able to deal with the angles and overall skill of Usyk. While Oleksandr Usyk is the favorite going into this title defense, he has had some difficulty in some bouts since moving to Heavyweight after becoming undisputed champion as a Cruiserweight. Usyk's fight with longtime Heavyweight contender Dereck Chisora in October 2020 can serve as an example of Usyk having trouble against a Heavyweight that was able to apply consistent pressure on him, which is something that Anthony Joshua was not able to do in two fights and given Dubois' punching power, it will be interesting to see if he has studied Usyk's fight against Chisora that he could try to implement a similar strategy. It is also important to keep in mind that Usyk has not scored a knockout since moving to Heavyweight and, despite remaining unbeaten and becoming unified world champion in the division, questions do remain in regard to his punching power as a Heavyweight.

With a possible unification bout to become Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world still no closer to becoming a reality, Usyk must remain focused on the task at hand even if some are dismissing this fight as a mere mandatory or "Stay Busy" fight. If he is not focused, Daniel Dubois does have the power to pull off what would be considered an upset, despite being the natural Heavyweight and bigger fighter.

As Usyk-Dubois will focus on the current landscape of the Heavyweight division in terms of the world championship picture, August 26th will also provide a look at a Heavyweight contender that could well be the future of the division. This observer is referring to the undefeated "Knockout Artist" Jared Anderson.

Anderson, who is coming off of the first decision win in his career in July where he was forced to go ten full rounds in his fifthteenth professional fight against former IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin, who had taken the fight on short notice. A fight that ended Anderson's fourteen fight knockout streak, which began his career, he was still impressive in scoring a convincing ten round unanimous decision in his hometown of Toledo, OH.

Now, a little more than one month after that fight, Anderson is getting back in the ring to face veteran Andrii Rudenko in a scheduled ten round bout at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, OK. Although some may view a fighter competing so soon after a fight in which they had to go ten competitive rounds as too soon to be back in the ring, in actuality, it is a method that many fighters used to do on a regular basis from rising contenders as Anderson is to even world champions in decades past. 

The biggest detriment to any fighter in any combat sport on any level is inactivity and while a fighter will obviously risk their standing every other they compete, there is an old adage that yours truly believes in that the more active a fighter is, the more theoretically they will be prepared and in condition when all significant fight such as one for a world championship does come along. In this case, Anderson is trying to continue his progression as well as stay active. 

Currently rated number seven in the world in the World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight ratings, Anderson while now risking a top ten ranking with each subsequent time that he competes, in addition to being active, it will also increase his name recognition value towards a potential world championship bout should he continue to win.  In Andrii Rudenko, Anderson will face a veteran of forty-two professional fights, who has a respectable record of 35-6, with 21 Knockouts. A possible red flag that some might point to however, is all of Rudenko's six defeats came when he has stepped up in the caliber of his competition having lost to several top contenders in his career, most notably among them, former world title challenger Alexander Povetkin in July of 2017.

The one bright spot for Rudenko is he has only been stopped once in his career and it will obviously be interesting to see if he will be able to stand up to the power of Anderson. Although this has the appearance of a "Stay Busy" fight for Anderson, his position in the WBC ratings likely means that he potentially could be on a short list of possible contenders who might get an opportunity to either fight in a world championship elimination bout, if not potentially an opportunity to face Tyson Fury sometime within the next year. Thus, it is an important fight for the young undefeated American contender as he continues his rise up the ranks.

While this day spotlighting the Heavyweight division offers a look at two different levels of the division, one should not dismiss the possibility of Anderson potentially being in line to face the winner of Usyk-Dubois down the line as well, especially if no further progress is made towards further unification of the division going into 2024. Stranger things have happened in the sport before and if Anderson beats Rudenko, the idea of him facing either Usyk or Dubois is something to discuss. We will see who emerges victorious in these two Heavyweight bouts on Saturday, August 26th.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Usyk vs Dubois takes place on Saturday, August 26 at Wrocław Stadium in Wrocław, Poland. The fight can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 5PM ET/2PM PT.

Anderson vs. Rudenko takes place on Saturday, August 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, OK. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 6:45PM ET/3:45PM PT.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

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

(*Check your local listings internationally.*)

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