Fury-Usyk: Will The Wait Be Worth It?

In March 1999, Heavyweight champions Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis met in Madison Square Garden to unify three portions of the World Heavyweight championship. While there was the absence of the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) championship at the time, the bout was viewed as being for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world as the crowns of the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World Boxing Association (WBA), and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) the three oldest sanctioning organizations in the sport, and who were the only organizations in existence the last time the World Heavyweight championship had been fully unified in 1987, were on the line. The magnitude of the event, which was also heavily promoted, being in Madison Square Garden before a massive crowd was something that also made the occasion seem special.

It did signal, or at least seemed to signal what had been a decade of political mess in the Heavyweight division. A decade, which began with Mike Tyson at the helm as the undisputed champion before losing his crown to James “Buster" Douglas in February 1990, before Douglas himself was dethroned by Evander Holyfield in October of that year, which signaled what seemed to be the beginning of a new era for the division. Two years after winning the undisputed title however, Holyfield was beaten by Riddick Bowe in November of 1992 in the first fight of what became one of the most memorable trilogies in Heavyweight history. 

Some may recall shortly after Bowe beat Holyfield in 1992, the politics of the sport reared its head when the champion, who was contractually obligated to defend his title against Lennox Lewis, who at the time was an unbeaten number one contender recognized by the WBC, refused to honor his commitment and disgracefully threw the WBC championship in a trash can in public. There may be no one in Boxing who has more frequently and objectively pointed out the flaws of the various sanctioning organizations and the politics that be in the sport more than this observer over the many years I have covered the sport. Nevertheless, Bowe’s actions, disgraceful as it was in disrespecting both the label of “Heavyweight Champion Of The World," as well as the sport by doing that set in motion several years of several fighters holding claim to world titles, partial unification bouts, and yes more fighters being stripped of their titles for among other things refusing to honor their obligations in defending their titles against mandatory challengers.

In that sense, I really wanted to believe that Holyfield-Lewis would signal a return to normalcy in the division that hopefully would follow in the sport’s other divisions as well. Unfortunately, that night, March 13, 1999 will forever be remembered for a controversial decision in a fight that most, including this observer, felt that Lewis dominated, was shockingly declared a draw at the conclusion of the twelve round bout. As most know, there would be a rematch in November of that year, and despite the second encounter between the two being more competitive, Lewis would emerge victorious in successfully unifying three of four world titles in the division and gaining with it, undisputed status. 

Though it would have appeared that there was conclusion to the mess, almost immediately after defeating Holyfield in the second fight, Lewis was stripped of the WBA version of the World Heavyweight championship for refusing to fulfill his mandatory defense obligation in fighting then WBA number one contender John Ruiz, and though there have been several unification bouts in the years since where several fighters have been able to hold unified portions of the championship amongst Boxing's five world sanctioning organizations, there has not been a recognized undisputed world champion in the division in nearly twenty-five years. 

On May 18th, the Boxing world will focus on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where undefeated Heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will finally meet for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world. A bout that will truly be “Undisputed” as it will be the first time in history that all five world organizations’ respective world championships will be on the line and can be seen on DAZN Pay-Per-View.  As there always seems to be in Boxing, the road to this encounter has not been straightforward. For there was what turned out to be an ill-advised non-title bout between the WBC champion Fury and former UFC Heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou. A fight where despite the significant experience advantage of the boxer Fury over the MMA fighter Ngannou, Fury showed up to that fight, in the same location as this fight will take place, out of shape and treating the bout very lightly. The mentality nearly cost Fury his unbeaten record in a fight that proved to be more competitive where he was knocked down by Ngannou, Fury emerged with a ten round split decision victory in a fight that many observers, including this one, felt he lost. 

While it was tempting to say the decision in that fight may had been influenced by the fact that this fight had been signed for February of this year prior to Fury's bout with Ngannou, the two-time world champion Fury did a disservice both to himself and arguably the sport in the way he approached that fight. As for the scheduled February date for Fury-Usyk, obviously by virtue of the title of this column, it was postponed due to Fury suffering a deep gash over the right eye, which was a result of an accidental elbow during a sparring session in preparation for the bout. 

Although accidents like a fighter suffering a cut in sparring are not new in combat sports, one might question Fury's condition going into this fight now three months later from the original date. Furthermore, despite the significance of the bout and everything in the Heavyweight division being on the line, Fury did not leave the best impression coming out of a fight against a Boxing novice in Ngannou, which because of both his overall experience level and standing in the sport, he was expected to outclass Ngannou.

Fury will have a height advantage of nearly seven inches over the 6’3 Oleksandr Usyk and is the natural Heavyweight in facing the former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion. It is logical to think that Fury, who tends to have weight fluctuations between fights and weighed-in at nearly 278lbs. for his fight with Ngannou, will try to come in with a significant weight advantage over the unified WBO/IBF/IBO/WBA world champion Usyk and look to put that weight on the shorter fighter as the fight progresses. 

The interesting aspect about this fight that I personally cannot distinguish an edge between the two having covered both throughout their careers, beyond the natural height and size advantage Fury has is who will have the edge at least on paper in terms of the approach. Both fighters are known for their ability to be elusive, both are highly skilled boxers, can at times be awkward, and both can get an opponent out of there if given the opportunity. 

If Usyk, who has not had the easiest time dealing with some opponents since he became a Heavyweight in October 2019, can deal with the size disadvantages that he will have in front of him, he might have a slight edge when it comes to hand speed. Though it is logical to think he will try to target the right eye of Fury to in theory gain a further advantage, the answer as to who might win this fight might be determined by whether Usyk will be able to avoid Fury's weight being put on him and whether he will be able to take Fury's punching power. Despite the fact that Tyson Fury has been knocked down several times throughout his career, conventional wisdom suggests that Usyk's best chance to win this fight will be to try and out box Fury to win a decision. Of course, this is under the assumption that the right eye of Fury will not become a factor over the course of the fight. 

As historic as this fight is, the various political elements that be in the sport may also play a role in determining just how long there is one fully undisputed world champion in the Heavyweight division, assuming a winner is determined between Fury and Usyk and the fight is not declared a draw. This is due to there being an immediate rematch clause for this fight being in place and the International Boxing Federation already announcing that the winner of this fight must face it's number one contender in the unbeaten Filip Hrgovic following this fight or they will be stripped of the IBF crown, which would obviously break up the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world if that were to happen. 

While there is also the possibility that a rematch clause will not be exercised by the losing party in this fight, there will likely be much more to say and follow coming out of this regardless of the outcome. As this observer prepares to cover his third fight that will hopefully unify the Heavyweight division and the fourth time an Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world has been determined by way of unification in my lifetime, I sincerely hope it will not take another twenty-five years before there is one full undisputed champion in the division and the holder of that crown will be determined in the ring and not by contracts and/or failing to meet one's obligations to defend against mandatory challengers. At some point progress is only as good as long as it lasts long-term and Boxing is no exception to that principle. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Fury vs. Usyk for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world takes place on Saturday, May 18th at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on a pay-per-view basis globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View beginning at 10AM ET/ 7AM PT for $69.99. For more information on this pay-per-view event, including pricing in your country, local start times in your area, and to subscribe to DAZN please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

(*Price listed above United States and Canada Only.* *Card and Start Times Subject To Change.*)

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Lomachenko Is Back

Three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko has had a career most fighters can only dream of. A two-time Olympic Gold medalist representing Ukraine, who had nearly four hundred wins as an amateur with only one defeat, Lomachenko arguably achieved Hall of Famer status long before he turned professional. Since turning pro in October 2013, Lomachenko quickly ascended to become a world champion taking only three professional fights to accomplish a goal that for some fighters, takes an entire career, if at all.

Despite three setbacks as a pro, two of which are the subject of much debate, Lomachenko has remained one of the best fighters in the entire sport. It was the most recent setback, a controversial twelve round unanimous decision to then undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Devin Haney in May of last year, a fight that many, including this observer felt he won, put his career in doubt.

In doubt not because of eroding skills and/or the impacts/effects of injuries, which accumulate and come with the territory of a long career in the sport, but because of the effect the loss to Haney had on him emotionally. While it goes without saying any setback does have an effect on one, not only in regard to athletic competition, but in life, Lomachenko took the loss hard and let his emotions out after the fight in the dressing room. If nothing else, it should serve as a reminder to any would be critics, both of the armchair and of the online variety, fighters like the rest of us are human and everyone should be able to comprehend one taking a loss hadd, especially in regard to a bout where the consensus view tended to differ with the official judges.

Although no one disputes that it was a close, and competitive fight between Haney and Lomachenko though the outcome will likely remain a subject of debate for years to come, it would be understandable to wonder both if Lomachenko could rebound from such a disappointment as well as if he even wanted to after feeling like the victim of injustice in a decision that he felt should have gone his way. The one thing that Lomachenko could take solace in is the fact that he was by far not the first fighter to suffer a loss as a result of a disputed decision on the scorecards and he certainly will not be the last.

With Haney having moved out of the 135lb. Lightweight division and successfully winning a world championship in the Jr. Welterweight division in December of last year, the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world is no longer undisputed and the four world championships that Haney held became vacant. This opened up an opportunity for Lomachenko to return to the ring on May 11th as he faced two-time Lightweight world champion and fellow former Haney opponent George Kambosos at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

Along with Kambosos’ International Boxing Organization (IBO) Lightweight world championship being on the line in his first defense of that title, which was not involved in the consolidation of world championships that made up the last Undisputed Lightweight crown, the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) world championship was also on the line. Kambosos as some might recall briefly held the Undisputed Lightweight crown after defeating Teofimo Lopez in 2021 before losing the title to Devin Haney and failing to regain the title in an immediate rematch.

In his last fight, Kambosos scored a controversial twelve round majority decision over IBO world champion Maxi Hughes in July of last year. Kambosos, somewhat unfairly, has been labeled as a fighter who won a big fight, but has failed in subsequent opportunities at the elite level of the sport. What one cannot take away from him however, is his status as a two-time world champion and in some ways, his career is similar to several other fighters who had become world champion, but who’s reigns were short. Nevertheless, Kambosos is a world-class boxer and the question was whether or not he was either catching Lomachenko on the decline, if nothing else, emotionally, and if he could match up with Lomachenko’s skillset, which is regarded as among the best in the entire sport. 

In many ways this fight was a demonstration of one fighter’s skills and another's bravery. It could also be summed up as “Classic Lomachenko." 

From the opening bell, Lomachenko used his trademark lateral movement and ability to attack at varying angles to get the upper hand. While George Kambosos was able to have moments periodically throughout the fight, particularly when he was able to land punches to Lomachenko's body, he was simply a step slower than the challenger, who frequently beat him to the punch with three and four punch combinations.

It did not take long for the story of the fight to emerge. One fighter teaching what amounted to a masterclass in terms of technique and overall Boxing skill, the other gradually suffering the effects of a beating, but never stopping to try and find one punch that would turn the ebb and flow in his favor. Unfortunately for the champion, he did not have one punch with the kind of power behind it that could cause a sudden shift in momentum, nor was he able to mount a sustained attack on Lomachenko, which may have helped in slowing the flow of the fight down, if not also make a difference on the scorecards in terms of winning rounds.

Further troubling for Kambosos beyond facing a fighter with seemingly limitless energy, as well as having no way to slow the pace, by the middle rounds, the champion was also badly cut on his right eyelid, but it would be unclear as to whether the cut came from a punch or from an accidental clash of heads. At this point in the fight as I continued to watch Lomachenko put round after round in the bank, the only question in my mind was whether or not Kambosos would be able to go the distance.

Although no one can take anything away from what was a gutsy and very “Game" performance by Kambosos, there is no dispute that over the course of the fight, Lomachenko was administering a beating, and I have seen countless fights on every level of Boxing imaginable, stopped under circumstances less than what Kambosos was suffering in this fight. What was developing into gradual concern of yours truly in wondering if the fight would be stopped,would turn out to be academic.

It would be late in the eleventh round when Lomachenko would connect with what appeared to be a right hook to the body from the southpaw stance, which caused a momentary delayed reaction, and caused Kambosos to take a knee. Looking beaten, Kambosos showed his mettle by getting up from the knockdown only to be met with a follow up assault by Lomachenko sending him down for a second time as a towel thrown by Kambosos’ father George Kambosos Sr. was thrown in simultaneously to stop the fight.

The win for Lomachenko not only signifies his fourth world championship in three weight divisions as a professional, but also gives him status as a unified world champion in the Lightweight division and no doubt will offer a significant incentive to other world champions in the division to sign to fight him. One thing is clear, Vasyl Lomachenko has for the moment silenced doubters as to how much he has left in him at this stage of his career. He’s back and after this performance, may be viewed as even more dangerous than he was before as the road to Undisputed begins again in the Lightweight division.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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BREAKING: BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series Acquires UK-Based BKBTM

Press Release: May 8, 2024 By BYB Extreme Bareknuckle Fighting Series - -

The groundbreaking US bare knuckle organization based out of Miami, Florida has acquired the 

oldest, active bare knuckle company in the world, making BYB the largest company in terms of 

roster, library and global reach in the bare knuckle space. 

Miami, Florida – BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series Owner and President Mike Vazquez

announced today that the company has acquired London-based BKB, the world’s first professional bare 

knuckle boxing promotion, who has successfully promoted forty bare knuckle events which are broadcast 

in over thirty-five different countries with millions of fans and viewers worldwide.

As bare knuckle continues to grow in popularity, and sponsorship of live programming in sports remain at 

a premium, John Bryan, a pioneering leader with expertise in media distribution and with more than 20 

years working at MGM, Disney and Warner Brothers and who is leading BYB’s broadcast and streaming 

partnership efforts, notes: 

“The future is now. Major consumer brands and mainstream broadcasters and streaming 

services are quickly recognizing the untapped value of bare knuckle fighting and its 

inevitable impact on the market. BYB pioneered the sport and, having put together a 

sustainable roadmap for both the organization and the sport’s international growth, BYB 

has just accelerated this entire process by instantly increasing not only its live show output, 

but also its sponsored content library.” 

Formed in 2015 by Jim Freeman and Joe Smith-Brown, BKB regularly sells out the Liverpool Echo Arena 

and London’s Indigo at the O2, has hosted international fights in Phuket, Thailand, boasts a roster of over 

175 international fighters - including some of the best bare knuckle fighters in the world including Ireland’s 

Jimmy Sweeney, Croatia’s Marko Martinjak and Wales’ Barrie Jones and Dan Chapman, and was the 

first bare knuckle company in the world to professionalize the sport in the modern era.

Both Freeman and Smith-Brown will stay with BYB in an executive capacity, as Freeman will continue to 

handle day-to-day operations for BYB in Europe, and Smith-Brown will also stay on with BYB to oversee 

continued European expansion.

Material Courtesy of BYB Extreme Bareknuckle Fighting Series Used with permission.

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

Alvarez-Munguia Thoughts

Recent times in the sport of Boxing have been to some it up in a word, “Strange.” Strange in the sense that what has gone on prior to a scheduled bout outside the ring, has turned out to mean as much or more than the fights themselves when they finally take place inside the ring. By now, we are all familiar with the erratic behavior of one Ryan Garcia that occurred before and after his victory over Devin Haney on April 20th, which has taken yet another turn when it was revealed that the fighter, who had scored an impressive twelve round majority decision over Haney in Brooklyn, NY at the Barclays Center, tested positive for banned substances before and after the fight in tests conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Dopping Agency (VADA), which regularly oversees such procedures in combat sports. While the circumstances of Garcia will continue to play out for better or worse, which this observer stands by his previous comments before and after his bout with Haney, the Boxing world focused on what I personally believe to be one of the better fights that had been made thus far on the 2024 schedule when Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez made his sixth title defense against the dangerous undefeated top contender and former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia on May 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

As much as I would like to tell the reader, both those who are knowledgable of the sport and follow both the fights themselves as well as the coverage yours truly has provided for nearly three decades, that the story of this encounter was simply one between two of the top stars in the sport meeting for the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world as the latest attraction for the sport during Cinco de Mayo weekend, unfortunately there is more to the story, that took place in the days prior to the fight. In the interest of honesty with the reader, in light of recent events in the sport like the one mentioned above that had taken place previously, I would prefer to discuss what happened in the ring on May 4th before discussing what happened beforehand, which cast a shadow over what at least on paper had the makings of a Fight of the Year candidate.

Of course, it is not often that the sport is treated to an encounter between two of the top stars of the sport. One, who has been arguably the sport’s top economic draw for several years, the other arguably a rising star that may ultimately occupy that position one day. Two fighters with significant fan followings and both who more often than not, give a Boxing fan their money’s worth whenever they compete.  

What stood out to this observer, though at the same time was not surprising was Munguia started this fight aggressively and appeared to try to execute a fight plan with an emphasis of working of his jab and trying to attack Alvarez with volume punching, throwing combinations and keeping Alvarez on the defensive. For a time, the challenger’s tactics appeared to be working, there was even one exchange during the early rounds where Munguia appeared to pop the head of the champion back with a crisp, but fast triple jab. 

After three rounds, I felt that Munguia’s approach was enough to win two of those rounds. I did question however,  whether the high pace in which Munguia was fighting would ultimately turn against him as the fight progressed. One of the trademarks of Saul Alvarez as his career has gone on is his ability to adjust his fight plan as a fight goes on. While Munguia established himself early, Alvarez, a precision counter puncher among the best in the sport, bided his time and waited for his opportunity to strike. 

Such an opportunity would emerge in round four when in the midst of an exchange, the champion would connect with a perfectly timed right uppercut to the head that dropped Munguia. Despite being knocked down for the first time in his career by a shot he did not see, Munguia showed his mettle by getting up, showing an ability to recover, and doing so while under heavy offensive fire from Alvarez.

It was the moment in the fight however, which signaled a turning point in the bout. For it was from that knockdown in the fourth round onward that Alvarez seized control of the fight.  He did this by established, despite Munguia's attempts to maintain a high pace and keep punches coming at Alvarez to the body and head, when Alvarez threw his punches whether it was a short combination where he took the lead, single punches, or counter punches, his punches were harder, did more damage, and dictated the end and flow of the fight. 

Round after round the pattern remained the same. Munguia often trying to bring the fight to Alvarez, the champion doing his best to deflect the challenger's punches either with his gloves, or head movement, and making the most out of the openings Munguia left him to throw and land crisp combinations, power punches, and counter punches. Although Munguia have it everything he had and never stopped trying to land the proverbial “Fight Turning" blow till the final bell, the outcome was academic as Alvarez would retain his undisputed championship via a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

The sixth successful title defense for Alvarez was simply as dominant as he has been in his entire career, short of him getting a knockout victory. Although he was indeed forced to go the distance for the fifth consecutive time and this forced to box sixty rounds in the process over that stretch, the Undisputed Super-Middleweight champion of the world showed in this fight against a truly dangerous opponent that came to fight that he is far from done, despite some recent criticism that perhaps after sixty-four professional fights prior to this bout, that perhaps his inability to score knockouts in recent times may be a sign that there may be signs of decline in the thirty-three year old four-division world champion. For now, Alvarez has put a stop to those whispers. It would be nice if that were all that needed to be said. 

Unfortunately, the shadow that loomed over what should have been voted simply as two stars of the sport, both in their prime facing each other, must now be discussed. A sub-plot that emerged in the days before the fight centered around Oscar De La Hoya, the former world champion, Hall of Famer, who promotes Munguia and was the a longtime promoter of Alvarez, took his opportunity to fire back in response to Alvarez who had a highly publicized and ugly split with him in 2020. While Alvarez has made accusations in the years since his split from De La Hoya and his company Golden Boy Promotions, at a press conference days before the fight De La Hoya finally responded to his former client saying in essence that he feels Alvarez has forgotten who helped him reach the level he currently is at in the sport and saying his name should be spoken with respect. De La Hoya also addressed his struggles with alcoholism, something that Alvarez has to put it kindly, criticized him for publicly since their split . Alvarez in response got up from his position at a table on stage and proceeded to attempt to get to De La Hoya before being stopped by security that were in attendance.

While some will dismiss this as simply “Prefight Hype" and utter nonsense, much like the recent conduct of Ryan Garcia, also promoted by De La Hoya, and a former stablemate of Alvarez under trainer Eddy Reynoso, I have a simple question for the reader. Where is the responsibility and accountability to the sport.

The responsibility of those in the sport like Alvarez, Garcia, and De La Hoya to represent Boxing with conduct becoming of professionals, responsibility to not only represent the sport well and hopefully help in assisting to grow Boxing for future generations, and the accountability from those who oversee, sanction, and regulate the sport to ensure that not only Boxing as a sport is respected, but to hopefully ensure that failures to adhere to professional standards/conduct are met with disciplinary action.

In short, all three have failed to uphold such a standard recently. Although some may find humor in such conduct, it ultimately hurts a sport that already has too many flaws and things that can and should be criticized including, but not limited to an over use, abuse, and reliance on a dying model of pay-per-view. While the latter has been something yours truly has criticized frequently and will continue to do so as long as it continues to not benefit the sport or the fans who support it, if those who regulate, sanction, and oversee the seemingly have little interest in actually regulating and ensuring the sport is held in high regard, an approach that one often would not see in other organized sports, why bother regulating at all? Perhaps Boxing should now be viewed in the same vein as Professional Wrestling.

Although I as one who also spent several years covering that industry as well as Boxing and other combat sports am being sarcastic with the aforementioned statement, the bottom line is without adequate oversight to not only ensure rules and regulations are followed before, during, and after fights, and those in the sport conduct themselves as professionals as they are supposed to be, it mind as well be held in the same regard as an entertainment realm, which sadly, despite it's status as a form of live-action performance art and the physical risks performers take being well known, is still viewed by some as a joke.

Boxing deserves better. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Alvarez-Munguia: A Fight Of The Year Candidate?

Despite suffering a setback in May 2022 in losing a twelve round unanimous decision to Dmitry Bivol in a failed bid to become a two-time Light-Heavyweight world champion, the career of Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez has continued to go strong as he has remained a fully undisputed champion in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division since he completed the unification process in stopping Caleb Plant in November 2021. The fact that Alvarez has remained undisputed champion for nearly three years is an accomplishment few can lay a claim to. Not only because of the obvious hurdles that a champion encounters every time they enter the ring to defend their championship, but also and perhaps more specifically, the red tape that occurs with regard to the respective sanctioning organizations, all of whom have obligations that their portion of a world championship that is part of a unified or undisputed crown, must be defended against a mandatory challenger of their designation on an annual basis, which if a champion fails to do so or is not granted an extension, often results in the title being stripped from the champion.

The political elements of the sport aside, Alvarez as a Super-Middleweight has been nothing short of dominant in continuing to defend his crown against the best the division has to offer. In his last outing,  Alvarez dominated former Undisputed Jr. Middleweight world champion Jermell Charlo in September of last year. Frankly, it was a case of Alvarez’ natural strength and skill being too much for Charlo, who moved up two weight divisions to try and defeat Alvarez. A one-sided victory for Alvarez, a twelve round unanimous decision, marked his sixth successful title defense since first becoming a Super-Middleweight world champion in December 2020 with a unanimous decision over then WBO world champion Callum Smith and the third since he fully unified the division. 

While there remains no shortage of potential challengers in and around the Super-Middleweight division, most notably undefeated former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion David Benavidez, who is the current top contender for Alvarez in the World Boxing Council (WBC) Super-Middleweight ratings and is reportedly moving up to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division after not being able to secure an opportunity against Alvarez, the champion has opted to move forward.  Although if one were to make a list of current Super-Middleweight contenders, there would be many who would point to Benavidez as possibly the most dangerous among them, Alvarez has chosen what could very well be an opponent that is just as dangerous for what will be his seventh title defense. The undefeated top contender and former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia in a fight that will take place on May 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV and will be available on a pay-per-view basis through both Prime Video and DAZN.

This is not the first time that Alvarez and Munguia have been potential opponents. Some may recall in 2018 when Alvarez was between the first two fights of his trilogy with Gennady Golovkin, Munguia, who was then a world champion in the Jr. Middleweight division, was slated to move up to the 160lb. Middleweight division to face Alvarez. While there have been no shortage of similar scenarios throughout Boxing history where a world champion in a lower weight division has moved up in weight to seek among other things, more lucrative paydays, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) declined to sanction what was at that point a potential bout between the two due to what they deemed to be an experience disadvantage between the two. 

Since then, the two fighters have gone in different directions, with Munguia seemingly chasing Alvarez from a distance.  It is indeed true that, despite following Alvarez up in weight through the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions as well as remaining unbeaten in the years since he was denied an opportunity to fight Alvarez, Jaime Munguia has not fought for a world championship in the years since he relinquished his Jr. Middleweight crown. 

In some ways, one might view that as both an injustice as well as somewhat refreshing in the sense that because there are seventeen full weight divisions in the sport, with only one sanctioning organization recognizing a would-be eighteenth division, the Bridgerweight class, it is common to see world champions move up and down the weight scale depending on what opportunities might be available and get into position to fight for more world titles in very little time, even at times getting that opportunity as soon as they move up in weight.  While no circumstance is exactly the same, the fact that Munguia has had to fight his way through, including being tested along the way as any would-be contender even though his status as an unbeaten former world champion remains in tact, has allowed him to make a strong case for himself for the opportunity that is now here against Alvarez.

The question is, what are his chances? One must keep in mind that Munguia has thirty-four knockouts in his forty-three career wins and his punching power has remained as he has moved up in weight. After spending some time under the guidance of the former world champion and Hall of Famer Erik Morales, Munguia will now be led into the biggest fight of his career by another former fighter in the form of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. There is one similarity between Roach and Morales. As fighters, both were offensive-minded, and that mentality remains for both as trainers, with Roach a disciple of his former trainer the late great Eddie Futch, being regarded as one of the top trainers in the sport.

Munguia’s first outing with Roach in his corner was successful in January of this year when he scored a ninth round stoppage of former world title challenger John Ryder, sending the always “Game" fighter into retirement. Many will recall Ryder’s valiant effort when he challenged Alvarez for the Undisputed Super-Middleweight crown almost exactly one year ago. In a fight where Alvarez dished out a brutal beating and broke Ryder's nose, Ryder still fought on and made it to the final bell of that encounter.

While some might use the comparison of how Alvarez and Munguia each went on to victory over Ryder as a way to compare who might have an edge between the two as this fight approaches, there will likely also be some who will point out that by the time Munguia fought Ryder, Ryder was on the downside of a fine career and had been in several grueling battles before his twelve rounds with Alvarez. So, the fact that Munguia was able to stop Ryder, whereas Alvarez went on to  a decision victory to retain his championship, may not in any way serve as a reflection of what might happen in this fight. 

What will this fight look like once the champion and challenger are in the ring? The main objective for the challenger as has been the case for most of Alvarez’ previous opposition, will be to apply consistent pressure. The pressure applied however, must be done tactically and not recklessly. Alvarez’ two official losses came against fighters who were master boxers in Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol. While neither implemented a pressure approach against Alvarez and implemented a more tactical strategy where they did not allow Alvarez to get into a rhythm and dictated the fight from start to finish, the champion is not someone who fights well under pressure and there are many throughout the sport, this observer included who felt his first two fights against Gennady Golovkin, a fighter who similar to Munguia likes to come forward, apply pressure, and break his opponents down, could have gone in favor of Golovkin rather than a draw being rendered in the first fight followed by Alvarez winning the second fight, and ultimately winning the trilogy and seemingly sending Golovkin into retirement. 

Although I felt Golovkin won the first two fights, and simply started too late in the third bout, which allowed Alvarez to win the third bout more convincingly, the common element in the first two fights that could be viewed as a mistake Golovkin made, which Munguia must try to avoid here as he now faces Alvarez is in the middle and late rounds, Golovkin backed off from applying pressure just enough where it allowed Alvarez time to adapt. While I felt and still feel that Golovkin did enough to win both of those fights when the final bell rang, if Munguia has success early on in this fight, he must not get complacent and allow Alvarez any wiggle room to get back into the fight on the scorecards if this goes the distance. Simply put, he must leave no doubt as to who is the better fighter.

Of course, there is the possibility that this fight wil not go the distance. For his part, Alvarez has scored knockouts in thirty-nine of his sixty-four professional fights, so he also has the punching power to get an opponent out of there if the opportunity arises. The one thing we have never seen to this point in Alvarez’ career is what would hapen if he is hurt, knocked down, and legitimately in trouble in a fight. Even Gennady Golovkin, a fighter who was one of the most feared knockout artists in the sport with a career knockout percentage of nearly 89%, who had a percentage over 90% prior to his first encounter with Alvarez in September 2017 could not knock Alvarez off his feet, but was able to land several hard shots throughout his three bouts with him and Alvarez was able to stand up to what Golovkin had. If one is to go on evidence up to this point in Alvarez’ career, where he has shared the ring with several Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers, they would conclude that he has a granite chin. What will be interesting to see is not only if Munguia is able to test Alvarez’ chin as others have, but potentially focus a significant portion of his offensive approach to the body. An element Golovkin seemed to implement in parts of the first two fights against Alvarez, but did not sustain it. 

One tactical element that Munguia could use in this fight that Dmitry Bivol was able to do in his victory over Alvarez was he did not allow himself to be baited into traps. There were several instances throughout the fight where Bivol refused to press the action when Alvarez was on the ropes and inviting him to come forward and engage him on the inside. The styles of Bivol, a master boxer and Munguia, a power punching pressure fighter, are different, but what the challenger needs to try and avoid is being baited into traps, especially if it is evident that he is having success and the bait tactics attempted by the champion are an attempt to turn the ebb and flow in his favor, as was the case against Bivol, which did not succeed.

Although this fight might not amount to much more than simply the latest chapter in what will be a Hall of Fame career for the current Undisputed Super-Middleweight champion of the world, the fact that Alvarez not only fully unified the Super-Middleweight division, but has kept it that way in the years since is deserving of praise. Alvarez must keep in mind however, despite his status as now a long-reigning undisputed champion and as one of the biggest stars in the sport of Boxing, every challenger sees him as an opportunity not only for a big payday, not only as a chance to become an undisputed champion, but if they do indeed beat him, an opportunity to hit the proverbial jackpot. While some may feel other contenders might deserve the opportunity to fight Alvarez, Jaime Munguia is the fighter who has the opportunity now and he should be viewed with the respect normally given to a top contender and based on his resume, should be regarded as a dangerous opponent. 

Cinco de Mayo weekend in the sport of Boxing traditionally has been filled with historic battles in the past. Whether Alvarez-Munguia will be the latest to join that long list remains to be seen. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Alvarez vs. Munguia takes place on Saturday, May 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on both Prime Video and DAZN on a pay-per-view basis for $89.99 and will also be available through traditional cable/satellite providers. The card will begin at 6PM ET/3PM PT with preliminary bouts followed by the pay-per-view portion of the card beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

To order this pay-per-view event on Prime Video, download the Prime Video app on mobile, tablet, or connected streaming devices/Smart TVs or Click here. To order on DAZN, download the DAZN app on your device of choice or Click here.

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

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BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series Makes Its Louisiana Debut Saturday, July 13

Press Release: May 2, 2024 By BYB Extreme Bareknuckle Fighting Series - BYB 28 will be headlined by a massive heavyweight title matchup between undefeated champion “Hurricane” Ike Villanueva and undefeated #1 contender Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo. The co-main event will feature former BYB women’s lightweight champion Monica Medina against undefeated Helen Peralta.

Credit: BYB Extreme Bareknuckle Fighting Series 

New Orleans, LA – BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series CEO Gregory Bloom announced today that BYB will make its Louisiana debut Saturday, July 13 at the John A. Alario Event Center. Tickets are available now at bybextreme.com/tickets.

Undefeated BYB Heavyweight champion “Hurricane” Ike Villanueva (3-0, 3 KOs) makes his first title defense since winning the belt in February against DJ Linderman when he takes on arguably his toughest opponent yet, Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo. Trujillo is 5-0 in bare knuckle with 5 first-round knockouts.  

Trujillo sees the fight as an opportunity to cement his legacy in the sport:

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“Anytime you’re given the opportunity to fight for a world title, you’re given the chance to prove that you're the best in your division. This will be the first title of many to come, but really, it’s just another step to me claiming the most important title of all: When it’s all said and done I will be pound-for-pound the greatest bare knuckle fighter of my time.”

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In his typical businesslike manner, Villanueva noted:

 

“Simply put, this is perhaps the biggest and baddest bare knuckle fight ever. And all I have to say is, ‘Welcome to the South. It’s Hurricane Season.’”

 

In a co-main event, former BYB Lightweight Champion Monica Medina (2-2), whose only losses have come as part of her epic trilogy with current champion Paty Juarez, will face the woman she called out following her last fight, Helen Peralta (2-0-1NC). Peralta returns to the Trigon after drawing a no-contest as the result of a headbutt in her BYB debut.  

Medina made her feelings on Peralta clear:

 

“I’m excited for these big ass knuckles of mine to meet that big ass mouth of Helen’s. Welcome to MY HOUSE, Ms. Peralta.” 

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Peralta, who has been waiting for the opportunity to get in the Trigon with the former champ since signing with BYB, teased:  

 

‍“It’s about time! It only took her seven months to be ‘ready’ for this fight.” 

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BYB 28 will be broadcast live and free on Fuse, the Latino-owned, global entertainment company available through cable TV or satellite providers, as well as through Sling TV, Fubo TV and AT&T TV Now; on Fight Network, the world’s premier combat sports network, available on cable, satellite and telco systems across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, as well as Roku and Apple TV devices across North America; and on BeIN SPORTS XTRA and BeIN SPORTS XTRA en Espanol. 

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ABOUT BYB

Originating in South Florida with backyard legend Dada 5000, whose backyard fights gained worldwide popularity online, BYB was founded to harness the excitement of bare knuckle into a more structured product for a broader, more mainstream audience. Since 2015, BYB has worked diligently to grow the reach of bare knuckle on both a domestic and international level, hosting events in Wyoming, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, Colorado, London, and Dubai, and is continuing to work with athletic commissions throughout the United States globally to expand the fanbase growing sport of bare knuckle. 

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of BYB Extreme Bareknuckle Fighting Series Used with permission.

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

Alvarez-Munguia Pay-Per-View Now Available To Preorder Purchase On Prime Video, DAZN

The upcoming Undisputed Super-Middleweight world championship fight between reigning champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and undefeated former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Jaime Mungiia, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, is now available to purchase on Prime Video both through the Prime Video app available on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs as well as Amazon. The pay-per-view card, which is priced at $89.95, will also be simulcast on a pay-per-view basis on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN at the same price point. 

To order this pay-per-view event on Prime Video, download the Prime Video app on your device of choice or click here. To order on DAZN, download the DAZN app or click here. 

We will have a preview of Alvarez-Munguia here on The Boxing Truth®️ on Thursday, May 2nd. Stay tuned. 

"And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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YOENIS TELLEZ SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS WBA LATIN AMERICA CONTINENTAL TITLE IN HARD-FOUGHT UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER JOSEPH JACKSON AT MVP’S MOST VALUABLE PROSPECTS VI

Press Release: April 28, 2024 By  DAZN And Most Valuable Promotions- Benigno Aguilar settles the score against Alexander Rios with unanimous decision victory in highly-anticipated Most Valuable Prospects rematch

Credit: Ryan Lolo/Most Valuable Promotions

Puerto Rican amateur standout Jan Paul Rivera defeated David Perez and Cuban Olympian Danier “The Fear” Pero TKOs Jose Mario Tamez to round out main card 

Amanda Serrano’s newest signee Alexis Chaparro delivers first-round TKO win in pro debut, Natalie Dove, training partner to MVP’s Wanna Walton wins by UD against Alyssia Lopez, and DeMichael Harris who trains out of Puerto Rico with Team Jake Paul, continued his undefeated streak with a 5th-round TKO of Blas Ezequiel Caro

ORLANDO, FL – April 26, 2024 – In a stunning display of his championship potential, WBA’s #9 ranked super welterweight Yoenis Tellez (8-0, 6 KOs) brought the crowd to its feet with a spectacular unanimous decision (100-89 x3) victory against Joseph Jackson (19-1, 15 KOs) at MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects VI in his first defense of the WBA Latin America Continental Title. The second installment of the Most Valuable Prospects 2024 series took place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, globally on DAZN subscription with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. Most Valuable Prospects VI, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, featured thirteen undefeated rising stars and ten fights total in the most-decorated Most Valuable Prospects card to date and the card lived up to its hype. In the co-main event, Benigno “Tony” Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) settled the score once and for all against Alexander “La Mole” Rios (8-2, 3 KOs) in the local favorites’ highly-anticipated rematch of their previous Most Valuable Prospects battle, with Aguilar putting Rios’s expectations of a fifth-round bodyshot KO to rest as he won by unanimous decision (78-76, 79-73 x 2). Also on the main card, Cuban Olympian Danier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) flashed his potential with a devastating TKO win over Jose Mario Tamez (4-4, 1 KO) and Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs) remained undefeated with a win over previously unbeaten David Perez (9-1, 2 KOs). In a clean sweep for the MVP extended family, Amanda Serrano’s newest signee, Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (1-0, 1 KO) took home a first-round KO win over Daniel Augare (2-4, 2 KOs) in his pro debut, Natalie “No Love” Dove (2-0), training partner to MVP’s Wanna Walton, beat Alyssia Lopez (0-1) by unanimous decision (39-37, 40-36 x2), and DeMichael “Trigga Man” Harris (11-0-1, 10 KOs), who trains out of Puerto Rico with Team Jake Paul, beat Blas Ezequiel Caro (11-8, 5 KOs) by ferocious 5th round TKO.

In a thrilling main event, Yoenis “El Bandolero” Tellez (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. Joseph “Action” Jackson (19-1, 15 KOs) took center stage at the Caribe Royale Resort in a 10-round super welterweight headliner in defense of the WBA Continental Latin Americas title. Both fighters put their undefeated records on the line, coming out with intensity in a back and forth first round as each fighter tested the other. Tellez, fighting out of Orlando, FL by way of Santiago, Cuba and promoted by Boxlab Promotions and Warrior’s Boxing, dropped Jackson in the second round with a left hook, and as Jackson took his feet, Tellez moved in again delivering a devastating series of uppercuts, sending Jackson against the ropes. In the fourth round, Jackson landed an illegal punch to the groin just before the bell, sending Tellez to the mat. Tellez rebounded well and was in control the entire match, displaying the type of tools and control that make him one of the most promising prospects in the sport. Despite Jackson’s ability to make it to the final bell, Tellez successfully retained his WBA Latin America Continental Title with a decisive unanimous decision (100-89 x3) win.

After the bout, a joyful Tellez thanked MVP, Boxlab, and the fans of his new home in Orlando. He also expressed how meaningful it was for him to represent his native Cuba in the ring, and discussed how the new generation of Cuban fighters do not run, but rather stand and fight, and promised that there is a bright future ahead for Cuban boxing. Jackson thanked Tellez for a hard-won battle and promised he’d be back in the ring soon.

In the co-main event, local favorites Benigno “Tony” Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Alexander “La Mole” Rios (8-2, 3 KOs) took the ring for an 8-round lightweight fight. The pair came out swinging, with Rios eager to settle the score and avenge his disappointing split decision loss against Aguilar on Most Valuable Prospects III in October 2023. However, Crescent City, Florida’s Aguilar proved too tough, sending the raucous crowd screaming to its feet in support throughout the fight as he took the advantage in the early rounds with a series of powerful combos. Rios fought back, continuing to put the pressure on Aguilar and delivering his own series of devastating body shots, looking to wear down Aguilar and end the fight as he predicted it–with a fifth round body shot knockout–but was unable to deliver on the promise despite his impressive bombardment of body shots throughout the round. Rios battered Aguilar against the ropes throughout the sixth and seventh rounds, while Aguilar showed impressive resilience and energy with selective dodges and well-placed hits, knocking back Rios. Outlasting each other through the eighth round, the bloodsoaked fighters took their rivalry once again to the cards, earning Aguilar the unanimous decision (78-76, 79-73 x 2), determining the results of the pair’s rivalry once and for all. 

Following the fight, an emotional Aguilar told Sibley Scoles he was pissed off about the cut on his eye but admitted he knew he was still pretty. He gave love to his team and family for supporting him in quitting his job so that he could dedicate his career to boxing and continue growing in the ring. Rios also shared his thoughts with Scoles after the fight, thanking God for pushing him, saying he’s “just a fat kid from Puerto Rico that loves to eat,” and that he plans to keep going, giving respect to Aguilar for his sportsmanship and giving a good fight in the ring. 

Salinas, Puerto Rico featherweight Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs) faced off against fellow undefeated talent David Perez (9-1, 2 KOs) in a six round main card fight. Rivera, the 22-year-old prospect and Puerto Rican national boxing team standout, set out to establish dominance over Perez from the opening bell. Perez proved ready to rise to the challenge, however, continuing to come at Rivera and even smiling as he suffered a series of devastating combos from the Puerto Rican talent. The pair showed off their punching power, precision, and agile footwork, trading relentless blows and tensions ran high before the sixth and final round, as the fighters traded barbs after the bell. After going the distance Rivera earned a hard-fought unanimous decision (60-54 x3) over Perez. 

Following the fight, Rivera thanked MVP and Boxlab for the opportunity to fight on Most Valuable Prospects VI, with and shared his pride in fighting for the people of Salinas. Amanda Serrano and her trainer and manager Jordan Maldonado joined Rivera in the ring. Serrano shared that she would be working with Rivera in the gym in the future, calling his performance a perfect fight.

Opening the main card, Orlando, Florida’s Dainier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) made his return to Most Valuable Prospects in a 6-round heavyweight bout vs. Jose Mario Tamez (4-4, 1 KO) in a battle of Cuba vs. Mexico. Pero, the 24-year-old 6’5” Olympian promoted by Boxlab Promotions, was all business from the moment he stepped into the ring, proving his merit as a fighter on the fast track to heavyweight title contender. Pero came out strong from the first round bell, quickly bloodying Tamez with a series of face shots. The fight was called at 2:00 in the round as Pero relentlessly landed power combos against the overmatched Tamez with a TKO win to stay undefeated.

In a special walkout fight following the main card, Tampa, FL powerhouse Ariel “Golden Hulk” Perez (3-0, 2 KO) faced off with Bessemer, Alabama’s Steven “Big Mot” Motley (1-1, 1 KO) in an action-packed four round light heavyweight fight. Perez boasted a rowdy crowd of supporters in the back-and-forth fight, before surging to a thrilling third round barrage that brought Team Golden Hulk to its feet as Perez knocked down Motley at the bell before ending Motley for good with a TKO in the fourth round.

Headlining the preliminary card, Crescent City, FL’s David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) took on fellow undefeated fighter Henry Richard (4-1, 3 KOs) in a six round heavyweight battle. Garcia, the former Junior Olympics national champion, came out swinging from the start and the two powerful hitters battered each other with a thundering series of shots. Garcia sent Richard staggering into the ropes twice in the first round and kept up the momentum through the second round before successfully handing Richard his first professional loss by TKO at 1:41 in the second round. Following the fight, Garcia spoke with ringside reporter Sibley Scoles in-ring, thanking his fans, family, God, and Crescent City, expressing his hopes to return to Most Valuable Prospects VII on Friday, July 26 to continue testing his undefeated streak.

Also in the preliminary rounds, Amanda Serrano’s newest signee, Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (1-0, 1 KO) made his pro debut against Daniel Augare (2-4, 2 KOs). Chaparro proved why he was a 2x Olympic trials qualifier as he demonstrated star qualities against Augare from the opening bell, earning a swift first-round TKO win. DeMichael “Trigga Man” Harris (11-0-1, 10 KOs), who trains out of Puerto Rico with Team Jake Paul, continued his undefeated streak with an impressive 5th-round TKO of Rosario, Argentina fighter Blas Ezequiel Caro (11-8, 5 KOs). Four-time US national champion and 20-year-old Texas native Xavier “X-Man” Bocanegra (4-0, 2 KOs) won by unanimous decision (40-34 x3) against Carlos Andre Dos Santos Rocha (3-4, 2 KOs) of São Paulo, Brazil in a four-round featherweight fight. Opening the night, Natalie “No Love” Dove (2-0), the highly-talented 22-year-old prospect and training partner to MVP’s Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton, stayed true to her nickname as she brought the heat against Cleveland’s 3x Golden Gloves champion Alyssia Lopez (0-1) with a fiery barrage from the opening bell, ultimately resulting in a unanimous decision (39-37, 40-36 x2) victory for 15x national amateur champion Dove. 

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The sixth event in the series continued the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

About MVP

MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.  Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.  DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.  

Material Courtesy of: DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions/Photo Courtesy of: Ryan Lolo Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission 

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

Garcia Shows Legitimacy In The Ring, But Should Concern Remain?

Prior to the encounter between undefeated two-division world champion Devin Haney and top Jr. Welterweight contender Ryan Garcia on April 20th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, this observer expressed concern for Garcia's well-being due to his documented struggles with his mental health. A subject the fighter has been open about in the past, which I have praised him for, particularly during the times where, despite his success in the Boxing ring and his status as a celebrity in the social media age, he has put his health first as the main priority, even walking away from the sport for a time to address his struggles when he appeared to be on the brink of fighting for a world championship. 

My concern for Garcia was and is based on his erratic behavior, which has been shown to the world both in various press conferences to promote his bout with Devin Haney, but also in numerous posts that circulated online that were posted by the fighter himself that frankly should have raised concerns for anyone who views things objectively and with a level head. It was on this basis of simply observing things from a far that I spent the majority of a column released two days before the fight outright questioning whether it should take place and though I did briefly touch upon the fight itself, it should have been clear to the reader that I was thinking less about the fight and more about Garcia's long-term well-being.

This observer also went on to state for the record that I do not know Garcia and have never had an opportunity to meet him, despite covering many of his bouts in his career. My concern was and is merely based on what I had seen put out by the fighter himself and was not based on any background in mental health or in medicine, which yours truly does not have and am far from an expert on either subject. I did, however, state based on what I had seen in the lead up to the fight that perhaps Boxing should not be a priority currently for Garcia and those around him should voice their concern if they genuinely care for him and have his best interest at heart. Comments which I stand by.

Nevertheless, I would be lying to the reader if I said that in the days prior to this fight I felt excited or was filled with anticipation. Rather, I was hoping that what I had seen in the build up would not lead to yet another instance where the sport of Boxing would be subjected to ridicule and see calls for reform and accountability after another instance possibly occurring that could have been prevented. My concern seemed more justified on the day before the fight where Garcia showed up to the weigh-in drinking what appeared to be a bottle of beer while on the scale and subsequently weighed-in over the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight limit by three pounds resulting in Garcia no longer being eligible to win the WBC World Jr. Welterweight championship and paying Haney $1.5 Million in order to keep the fight on. 

Upon learning of this, I put out a statement on this observer’s respective social media platforms where I said in the midst of said statement “This will be a non-title bout now, but at the risk of sounding unprofessional should people really give a damn about a world championship not being on the line when the question should be whether this should be taking place at all. Not because a fighter missed weight, but because it's obvious to anyone with a level head, who is objective, that something is wrong here.” Comments, which I also stand by.

After a lifetime covering the sport, I have learned not to be surprised if a fight gets cancelled or postponed for any reason prior to two fighters actually getting in the ring. This has even at times included seeing scheduled main events of a card I was covering cancelled mere minutes before the two fighters were due to enter the ring. It certainly would not have surprised yours truly based on Garcia's behavior and also threatening the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) in the weeks prior due to them wanting Garcia to undergo a mental evaluation before licensing him to compete, to have been notified at some point during fight day that there had been a postponement, whether it be due to the commission mandating it or one of the fighters opting not to compete for whatever reason. In the interest of honesty with the reader, I will say for the record that I spent most of fight day, Saturday, April 20th keeping my phone nearby waiting for a potential text, which seems to be a preferred method of communication for many in present times or an email informing me of a change or cancellation of the bout. It would not have surprised me at all, especially in knowing that the NYSAC is regarded as one of the strictest athletic commissions in the United States.

Despite the previous statement, the fight would indeed move forward at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Although both Haney and Garcia are highly skilled world-class boxers, who split their previous meetings as amateurs, my main focus was simply on whether Garcia's behavior, which was dismissed by some as merely promotional hype, would manifest itself negatively during the fight. As sad as it is to admit, when you have covered more than a few bizarre incidents in nearly three decades covering the sport, there are times when unfortunately you almost expect something bad to happen.

To my pleasant surprise, I am grateful that Haney-Garcia did not result in such an incident. Instead, the Boxing world was treated to what any fan should want to see. A highly competitive fight with twists and turns that kept one interested throughout. What stood out immediately was García attempting to impose his will on Haney and landing his signature weapon, a left hook that landed flush on Haney's jaw and staggered him in the opening round. While some might attribute this to him not making weight, García was able to establish that he was the stronger fighter and his perceived advantage when it came to punching power was not theory, but a statement of fact. It seemed that whenever he was able to land punches cleanly, he hurt Haney. 

What should not be overlooked is there was also a lot of rough housing that occurred throughout this fight by both fighters, which made Referee Harvey Dock a central figure throughout the bout. Despite the success he was able to have early on, there were two things that came to mind as I watched this fight that I did wonder about Garcia. First, even though it became clear as the fight progressed that his punches were harder and doing more damage, would it be enough to earn the nod of the three official judges in rounds where Haney appeared busier and García was not able to land attention grabbing power punches to leave an impression that he was winning rounds that might otherwise be viewed as close where Haney might have had the upper hand.  

Secondly, while both fighters did their share of rough housing, I wondered aloud whether from Haney's point of view, he was trying to either make Garcia make a mistake that he could try to exploit, and/or whether he was trying to give Garcia a test, perhaps trying to instigate Garcia into allowing his struggles outside the ring to get the better of him in the fight. Although it would be dishonest of me to say that the holding and grappling that took place throughout the fight did not make it at times ugly, Garcia managed to keep his composure for the most part. In round seven, Garcia would drop Haney for the first time in his career with a left hook to the head. Haney was badly hurt upon getting up from the knockdown and immediately held Garcia seemingly in a death grip looking to survive. In response while Referee Harvey Dock was in the midst of trying to separate the fighters, Garcia threw and landed a punch on the break, resulting in him losing a point following the knockdown.

Some may contend that Dock acted too quickly in deducting a point from Garcia for the deliberate foul. While Dock is the only one who can say why he opted to take a point from Garcia at what turned out to be a crucial moment in the fight, one should keep in mind that there were a lot of roughhouse tactics being used by both fighters in several rounds prior to Garcia being able to score the knockdown. It is logical to guess that perhaps Dock, having admonished both fighters before the seventh round, opted to deduct the point as a means of both showing the fighters he was serious as well as a means of establishing control as the referee.

What was indisputable however, was once Haney was knocked down, it became a different fight in that he was hurt and as most fighters do when they are in that position, the instinct to go into what is often referred to throughout combat sports as “Survival Mode" seemed to kick in. While this is understandable given that he was hurt, in this case it seemed as though he not only had trouble recovering from the knockdown, despite getting out of the round, but also did not seem to have an answer to stop the momentum Garcia was building. Subsequent knockdowns in rounds ten and eleven for Garcia giving him a total of three knockdowns in the fight, based largely on his left hook and the power advantage he had over Haney, not only minimized the point deduction in round seven following the first knockdown, but seemed to seal a victory for him at the conclusion of the twelve round bout in what should have been fairly lopsided fashion due to three knockdowns being scored by one fighter throughout. The competitiveness of the first half of the fight made the scoring of it narrow, which was perhaps also due in part to the point deduction against Garcia following the first knockdown.

It would ultimately turn out to be a moot point as Garcia’s rally over the second half of the fight and knockdowns in rounds ten and eleven resulted in him winning the fight on two official judges' scorecards for a majority decision victory. At least in terms of what happens inside of the Boxing ring, if one is objective, they would have to say this was the biggest win of Garcia’s career, despite his behavior and what are obvious signs of a person struggling with their mental health.

Although the latter was dismissed by Garcia and many after the fight as him “Fooling Everyone," the bottom line here is even though he did what he had to do inside the ring, despite the fact that he failed to make weight and thus blew an opportunity to be a world champion, his behavior should be a concern to anyone who legitimately cares for him and who will be around him long after his career is over and not the hanger on types that will be more than happy to enable such conduct and take whatever they can from him while they can. If this will be dismissed as nothing more than hype tactics and using the tools available to all of us including social media to make people concerned, perhaps like a lot of others of this generation, who tend to find humor in such conduct, Garcia should be advised on maturity.

The bottom line is he is talented as a fighter and does have a following that could help grow the sport and perhaps set himself up for other opportunities in and outside of Boxing once his career as a fighter is over. Garcia's talent is all the hype he should need and he should understand that per his position as a rising star in the sport as well as a public figure, there are responsibilities that come with that. One other thing he should keep in mind, while he has been open in the past about his struggles with mental health, something this observer has commended him for, it is not a subject to be taken lightly and definitely not something that should be treated as a joke, a card to play, or used for promotional purposes unless the goal is not promoting a fight, but rather raising awareness with the intent to help people.

Millions of folks around the world struggle every day with various mental health issues. The last thing it should be treated as is a game or a tool for manipulation. Garcia and those around him may not want to hear this, but if his behavior is and has been nothing more than attention ploys and a means of attempting to gain publicity and his talking about mental health struggles is not now or ever was legitimate, it makes it that much harder for those who are legitimately struggling and suffering to take the necessary step to seek help because there is still a stigma attached to the subject of mental health and he is in a position to at minimum help encourage folks to take that step. This may sound harsh, but if that is the case and all of his claims of dealing with mental health struggles were never legitimate, Garcia and those around him should be ashamed of themselves.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Gloves Off: Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia Now Streaming On Prime Video

Press Release: April 25, 2024 By  Prime Video - The all-new edition of Gloves Off will chronicle the intriguing backstories of two Mexican-born fighters set to appear in the can’t-miss PBC on Prime Video Pay-Per-View showdown, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 4

Credit: Prime Video 

NEW YORK— April 24, 2024—Today, Prime Video announced the launch of an all-new, two-episode presentation of Gloves Off, the revealing series that brings fight fans compelling behind-the-scenes access in the lead-up to highly-anticipated PBC on Prime Video boxing events. Gloves Off: Canelo vs. Munguia, narrated by Barry Pepper, premieres on Prime Video today, and takes fans far beyond the ring. The series blends footage and stories of the two fighters’ lives, families, training camp team members, and training camp activity as the build-up increases to the highly-anticipated Cinco de Mayo weekend showdown in Las Vegas.

 

Squaring off in the May 4 blockbuster event will be Undisputed Super Middleweight World Champion and Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez placing his world title on the line versus rising Mexican star Jaime Munguia, an unbeaten former world champion. The episodes illustrate the personal stakes on the line and offers an intimate look at these prizefighters headlining the first four-belt undisputed title fight between Mexican combatants and harkens back to the great Mexico vs. Mexico matchups of the past.

Material and Photo Courtesy of Prime Video Used with permission.

For more information about Prime Video please visit: www.PrimeVideo.com. 

For more information about Premier Boxing Champions please visit: www. PrimierBoxingChampions. com

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

Haney-Garcia: Should It Go On?

It is often customary prior to what is viewed as a significant or “Major” fight on the Boxing calendar to fall into a seemingly endless cycle of hype surrounding what often becomes more of an event rather than simply an encounter between two world-class boxers. When it comes to the scheduled encounter between undefeated two-division world champion Devin Haney and top Jr. Welterweight contender Ryan García, who are to do battle for Haney's WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship on April 20th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, this observer has been asking himself one question for the previous two months. Should the fight go on as planned? 

Before anyone jumps to conclusions, when I question if the fight should go on, it is not another in my long-standing criticisms regarding the pay-per-view model,  in which this will be slated as a DAZN Pay-Per-View offering in North America,  nor is it a concern similar to those that yours truly was very vocal in expressing during the global COVID-19 epidemic where I outright questioned whether due to health concerns, whether it was in the best interest of Boxing to resume under what were at that time, never before seen circumstances. A view that I also expressed regarding other sports as well during that time. Rather, when I ask the question of if a fight should go on, it is in this case, out of concern for the well-being of one of the combatants. I am referring to Ryan García. 

Under most circumstances when someone in my position in covering the sport voices concern for a fighter's well-being, most would probably associate such concern with citing eroding skills that often come with a long career inside the ring. In this case, I would not be doing my job nor the reader any justice if I said that my concern for García was not in relation to his mental health,  a subject he has been open about throughout his career. A major focal point in the lead up to this encounter with Haney has not been on anything related to the styles of the two fighters or what each brings to the battle inside the ring, but rather what can be described as erratic conduct of Garcia at press conferences as well as numerous online videos posted by the fighter himself. Out of respect for the reader, I will not discuss each instance, but Garcia's conduct in which he has ranted, made accusations, and even threatened to sue  the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), to name a few, suggests to this observer, someone who has praised him before when he put his mental health first in taking time away from Boxing, that perhaps he might be struggling with something that might not be known to the public and it would then make one question whether Boxing should be a priority. 

At this point,  I feel it is important for me to state that I am not a mental health professional and I do not have a medical background, and there are surely folks who are more qualified than I on the subject of behavior and whether or not someone might be struggling with something that may be previously diagnosed that could likely share a more educated point of view than I could.  I am simply sharing my point of view having quietly observed the circumstances leading up to this fight. While some may dismiss Garcia's conduct as merely promotional tactics in an attempt to drum up interest in this fight, I simply do not see things with a similar view. As I have continued to observe things, I have kept repeating three words. I am concerned. 

Obviously,  I am not involved with Ryan Garcia's team and I will state for the record that I have never had an opportunity to meet Garcia, but in watching what has gone on, I wondered for a time whether the concern I have might be an overreaction in some way. As a noted historian, I decided to try to jog my memory to try and remember a circumstance where a fighter's struggles outside the ring were such a focal point prior to a bout that it ended up overshadowing the fight itself.  One such instance came to mind. On February 7, 1997 Heavyweight champions Lennox Lewis and Oliver McCall met for the vacant WBC world championship in the Heavyweight division. Both former champions at the time of what was a rematch of a world championship bout three years earlier where McCall scored a second round knockout of the then WBC champion Lewis to become a world champion in his own right.

Prior to the rematch, the main topic of discussion among many was not about the fight itself,  but centered around McCall, who was said to had prepared for the bout while undergoing drug rehabilitation treatment. This along with other troubles McCall was going through outside of the Boxing ring cast some uncertainty regarding what type of bout it would be, despite McCall's success in the first encounter as well as being an underrated fighter who was taken lightly prior to that first fight, despite having been in the ring with many of the top Heavyweights of the late 1980's and 1990's, where he held his own. 

Despite exiting his dressing room at the Las Vegas Hilton, jumping up the ring steps,  and appearing motivated, it was not long before McCall in the midst of the fight began to have what by all accounts seemed to be a breakdown where he refused to engage with Lewis and began crying. The bout would be halted in the fifth round when the late great Referee Mills Lane stopped the fight and the victory was awarded to Lewis beginning his second reign as a world champion. In response to what had occurred the Nevada State Athletic Commission withheld McCall's purse for the bout.

It was and remains one of the most bizarre events this observer has ever seen in his career covering the sport and to my knowledge, to this day, there has never been an explanation for what exactly happened that evening other than to say a man who was going through significant struggles in his life at the time had a breakdown. While as a society there is more known now about mental health as compared to when the Lewis-McCall rematch took place twenty-seven years ago, I will take it a step further by saying based on what I saw that night that there were likely signs that McCall should not have been in the ring and for whatever reason, they were likely ignored. 

With regard to Ryan García, I sincerely hope that those around him are not turning a blind eye to what may be occurring, despite the appearance that some including Oscar De La Hoya, his promoter, and a man who himself has had personal struggles,  have seemed to find humor in his fighter's conduct,  most notably at recent press conferences promoting this bout against champion Devin Haney. While it remains to be seen what the New York State Athletic Commission might do and whether they will license García, despite his threats towards the commission as well as his overall conduct,  this observer believes at least for García, Boxing might not be a priority right now and the last impression I have as this fight approaches is not one of a fighter who is prepared to fight for a world championship for the first time in his career. 

Assuming the fight is allowed to go on as scheduled,  what should one expect in terms of styles? While one should keep in mind the stance of yours truly that perhaps this fight should not go forward out of concern for Garcia's well-being, if we are to assume the fight will go on, this will be the first time that Haney and García will have met as professional boxers,  but they have faced each other three times as amateurs. In those bouts, which took place between 2014 and 2015, Haney emerged with two decision victories, while Garcia was victorious via decision in the second of those three bouts.

It goes without saying that there are differences between the amateur and professional ranks in Boxing and what happened in amateur bouts nearly a decade ago when two fighters were teenagers might not necessarily be an indication of what will happen ten years later as professionals. Both fighters have quick hands and while some might give an edge in power to Garcia based on his twenty knockouts in twenty-four professional victories compared to the champion's fifteen of thirty-one wins,  Haney is very crafty and has shown an ability to dominate world-class opposition by winning every round of a fight and of the two, it is the champion who has more accomplishments at the top level of the sport as a two-division world champion. 

The key will be, if the fight is allowed to go on, whether Garcia will be able to respond to not only the pressure of the event, but also a very crafty and slick opponent that will be in front of him. While the styles of the fighters and the circumstances were different,  the one time Garcia was involved in a fight similar to this in terms of atmosphere and hype,  García was knocked out by Gervonta Davis under circumstances where, despite being knocked down by a left hook to the body, there are some who felt that Garcia could have continued rather than allowing himself to be counted out while on one knee. Although Garcia himself is the only one who can say what happened in that fight, it might give an impression that he does not respond well to pressure and regardless of the view of this observer regarding this fight taking place given his well-being is being questioned, it is something to keep in mind if this fight does indeed happen. 

Usually, at the end of a column discussing an upcoming fight, readers are used to me giving a positive spin on things in hopes that Boxing will be benefited from what takes place rather than ridiculed. In this case,  I truly hope that all my concerns for one fighter's well-being turn out to be unfounded, despite how things would appear. It is also my hope that in the days that follow, we as a sport, and those of us who cover it are not talking about something that probably should have been prevented where the blame will fall squarely on those who were in positions to do something, but chose not to,  whether it be promoters, networks, family members,  or a state athletic commission,  who will be overseeing and sanctioning the bout. If a worse case scenario does indeed occur,  whatever that might be, it will be hard to defend all of the above and not say criticism, ridicule, mockery, and inevitable calls for reform and yes, accountability will not be deserved.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Haney vs. Garcia takes place on Saturday, April 20th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight can be seen in North America on DAZN Pay-Per-View beginning at 8PM ET/5?PM PT for $69.99 and will be available through the DAZN app as well as through traditional cable/satellite providers. For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, to subscribe and order this select pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Schedule Resumption Notice

We would like to let our readers know that we will resume our regular schedule on Thursday, April 18th with a preview of the upcoming WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship bout between undefeated champion Devin Haney and top contender Ryan Garcia. 

Additional content regarding events and subjects that have taken place while we have been between rounds are being planned for an upcoming feature that we hope to schedule in the coming weeks. We again want to apologize for any inconvenience our absence has caused and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. In the interim until we resume, any additional content that is sent to us by promoters, networks, and others involved in the sport of Boxing will be made available here on the website as normal. Stay tuned.

"And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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