A Look At The Chisora/Fury Heavyweight Twinbill

When Heavyweights Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury met in July of 2011 for the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight championships both were unbeaten as professionals, yet also untested on the world level of the sport. In what was an entertaining fight it was Fury who outworked Chisora who faded down the stretch in route to a twelve round unanimous decision. An argument could be made that the fight between the two British Heavyweights established both as players in the division.

In the near three years since that encounter both fighters have gone on to establish themselves as top contenders. Dereck Chisora went on to challenge Vitali Klitschko for the WBC world championship and frankly gave the champion a much more difficult fight than some had expected in defeat. Chisora would then go on to suffer a knockout loss at the hands of two division world champion David Haye in July of 2012.

Following three straight losses including a controversial decision loss to undefeated contender Robert Helenius, a fight that many, this observer included, felt he had won prior to his title shot against Klitschko, one could well have had the opinion that there was some doubt as to Chisora’s future as a top contender in the Heavyweight division. It is after all not an easy task to bounce back following a string of losses.

One thing that Chisora did do in his losses to Helenius, Klitschko, and Haye was earn the respect of Boxing fans for the “Game” effort he put forth in each of those fights. Questions however, regarding whether Chisora could bounce back from those defeats were warranted.

Chisora began his comeback in April of last year scoring a ninth round knockout of journeyman contender Hector Avila. This would set the stage for a fight that would end in somewhat controversial fashion when Chisora stopped top contender Malik Scott three months later as Scott was counted out while on one knee on the canvas in the sixth round and seemed to get up right as Referee Phil Edwards had concluded his count. Although the bout ended controversially it was a competitive fight all the way through and put Chisora right back in the mix. Chisora would go on to score two more victories to close out 2013 including winning the vacant European Heavyweight championship against Edmund Gerber and moving up into the top ten in both the WBC and IBF Heavyweight ratings.

Tyson Fury meanwhile one might argue has not been given the opportunity to show what he can do against the best that the division has to offer since he defeated Chisora nearly three years ago. Despite remaining undefeated since his fight with Chisora, Fury has found it difficult to secure marquee fights. Fury however, was tested in his last fight against former IBF Cruiserweight world champion Steve Cunningham in April of last year. The 6’3 Cunningham dropped the 6’9 Fury for the first time in his career in the second round before ultimately falling to Fury in the seventh round.

Since the Cunningham fight Fury has been inactive due to a potential clash with David Haye falling through not once, but twice. For both Chisora and Fury 2014 could represent the year that both could find themselves in position to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship. Ironically it would appear that the path to a title shot for both could lead to each other once again. When these two fought in 2011, both were seeking a position in the world rankings and each were looking to establish themselves as legitimate contenders. A rematch between the two could well lead to one either getting his second opportunity at a world title or the other getting his first.

Before a potential rematch can be discussed however, both Chisora and Fury will co-headline a card this weekend at the Copper Box Arena in London, England. Chisora will face fellow former world title challenger Kevin Johnson in a fight scheduled for twelve rounds with Chisora’s WBA and WBO International Heavyweight titles at stake.

Although the international titles that will be on the line in this fight might not seem to be of much value to some, what is really at stake here is higher positioning in the Heavyweight ratings and such titles can be used as a catalyst to elevate a fighter toward a potential world title shot. The 6’1 Chisora will face a fighter in Johnson who can box and has good lateral movement.

One might argue however, that this fight could represent Johnson’s last chance to reemerge as a contender in the Heavyweight division. Johnson comes into this fight having lost three of his last six fights including a lopsided decision loss to Tyson Fury in December of 2012.

Johnson does however, have Boxing skills and will no doubt be looking to make full use of his eighty-two inch reach to keep Chisora on the outside. One could expect that Chisora’s fight plan as it has been in previous fights will be to simply attempt to walk his opponent down applying pressure and looking to get on the inside where he can be effective. It is unlikely with an eight inch disadvantage in reach working against him that Chisora could win this fight on the outside.

Johnson has also never been stopped in thirty-four professional fights and it will be interesting to see should Chisora be able to get inside Johnson’s reach if he can do what four previous opponents who have scored victories, including Vitali Klitschko could not do and stop Kevin Johnson. In the co-main event Tyson Fury will take on late replacement and one time contender Joey Abell in a fight scheduled for ten rounds.

                                                                                       

Out of these two fights, there could be an opinion of some fans and experts alike that this is a mismatch and that Joey Abell is a considerable underdog heading into this fight. This opinion would likely be based on Abell’s having suffered three knockout losses in his last five fights including losses to top contenders Chris Arreola and Kubrat Purlev.

Even though this fight would appear to have all the signs of a fighter being brought in as an opponent for a top contender in a would be “Tune-up” for Fury with a potential big money rematch looming down the road, there could be a reason for caution. Last Friday Fury suffered a cut over his left eye while sparring with former world title challenger Eddie Chambers.

Under circumstances when a fighter suffers a cut in training, one would be likely to assume that the fight would at minimum be postponed in order to allow that fighter’s cut adequate time to heal. Fury however, has insisted that he will go through with the fight as scheduled and as of this writing there is no indication that the fight will not take place.

In some ways the cut suffered by Fury going into this fight has reminded me of circumstances Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. found himself in prior to his first fight with Oscar De La Hoya in June of 1996. Chavez suffered a cut over his left eye just days before the fight with De La Hoya, which subsequently led to his downfall. The cut reopened leaving Chavez a bloody mess before the fight was stopped in the fourth round, subsequently costing Chavez his Jr. Welterweight world title.

It goes without saying that there is always a danger for a fighter to get cut in any fight. Although I can certainly understand Tyson Fury’s eagerness to get back in the ring after spending nearly a year on the sidelines, it is a risk that could prove to be costly. Although Joey Abell is considered by some to be a stepping stone for Fury in this fight, he could quite frankly end up benefiting from questionable judgment by Fury to go ahead with the fight. Whether or not the cut will become a factor in this fight remains to be seen.

As was the case when Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury met nearly three years ago, this card has generated attention outside the United Kingdom and will be televised in Canada on the Fight Network. It can also be viewed via pay-per-view throughout the United States through both cable and satellite providers as well as being offered on a pay-per-view basis across the Internet worldwide on Go Fight Live Network (WWW.GFL.TV).

As the Heavyweight division could be heading toward a period of transition of sorts, the Boxing world continues to look for the next dominant Heavyweight force who might take over the division in the post-Klitschko era. With the recent retirement of Vitali Klitschko, there is, but only one Klitschko left standing atop the Heavyweight division… Wladimir Klitschko the IBF/WBO/WBA/IBO unified world champion. At nearly thirty-eight years old however, one does have to wonder how much longer Wladimir intends to keep fighting.

It is certainly possible that whomever should emerge victorious this weekend and whomever could emerge out of a potential Chisora-Fury rematch could be likely opponents for Klitschko down the line. How much further down the line is a subject for debate. 

This card however, should serve as another reminder that Boxing is truly a global sport and that there is a demand from fight fans worldwide to have access to the best of what the sport has to offer no matter where it is taking place. No matter what should transpire this weekend, it is my hope that the trend of the sport of Boxing being presented on a global scale to all who seek it, is a trend that continues.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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

African American Promoter Hopes To Bring Boxing Back To Jack Johnson’s Island

Chauncey Pope Owner of Pope Promotions
Photo Credit: Pope Promotions

Press Release: February 11, 2014 By Majestic Raven Entertainment And Pope Promotions- Chauncey Pope, Owner of Pope Promotions in Galveston, Texas has long been a fan of combat sports. "My father was a fan of boxing and I watched it with him since as long as I could remember. Even in Galveston back in the 80s there were plenty of shows. But it was around 2002, that I really learned more about the sport". In 2002, Pope who has practiced various forms of martial arts met Felix Cora Sr(Father and manager of former NABF cruiser-weight champion Felix Cora Jr.) who he credits as a big influence for him in boxing.

"He (Felix, Sr.) taught me a lot about boxing from the ground up. Everything from how to fix cuts, build confidence and "bringing a guy back". He taught me stuff that you don't' learn watching TV and reading news articles. It was a huge game changer for me."

Pope hopes to have Pope Promotions as a difference maker and starting point for many of the talented boxers in the Houston- Metro area. "This place (Galveston, Texas) is the birthplace of the first black heavyweight champion of the entire world! Think about it. Mohammed, Lennox, Iron Mike, even Joe Luis were all preceded by Jack Johnson. He paved the way and he was from Galveston. Galveston is a great place to spend your time in the spring and summer with plenty of activities.  We plan on being a part of it."

Even though he is not new to boxing and understands the difficulty that many in the sport face, Chauncey is very optimistic about the potential of his boxing entertainment career.  "I would be lying if I didn't say that I knew of the problems that boxing faces. If you look at any of the high profile African American promoters or managers, they get less than a positive review most of the time. I will admit there are many flaws in the sport and I want my company to not be involved but to solve the problems that fighters face in their career. Just because you pay the fighters don't mean you own them or their career.  My goals and my job are to put on action packed and entertaining events for people period. There are a lot of talented fighters in this area and I want to help them build their career to title shots."

Material Courtesy of: Majestic Raven Entertainment and Pope Promotions Used with permission.

Follow Pope Promotions on Twitter: www.twitter.com/popepromotions

For more information about Majestic Raven Entertainment Please visit: www.majesticraven.com 

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

Should Golovkin Face The Winner Of Potential Martinez-Cotto Clash?

Undefeated unified WBA/IBO Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin clearly has established himself as one of Boxing’s hottest rising stars. Coming off an extremely active 2013 where Golovkin scored four impressive knockout victories in title defenses over Gabriel Rosado, Nobuhiro Ishida, Matthew Macklin, and Curtis Stevens there was little doubt that anticipation of a unification showdown with WBC world champion Sergio Martinez who is widely considered the number one fighter in the Middleweight division would gradually begin to stir.

It is not hard to understand why there would be an anticipatory feeling among Boxing experts and fans alike of what would surely be a potential big money pay-per-view attraction. From a promotional standpoint the idea of Martinez, who has been at or near the top of the division since defeating Kelly Pavlik for his first Middleweight world championship in 2010 facing a fighter with a near 90% career knockout percentage and a 100% knockout percentage in Middleweight championship fights, is certainly an intriguing sales hook. Could Martinez do what no fighter has been able to do in nearly six years, survive the come forward, constant pressure seek and destroy style of Gennady Golovkin?

Following Golovkin’s knockout win over a very “Game” Curtis Stevens in his ninth title defense last November, this observer said that it is likely that many would assume that a potential fight between Golovkin and Martinez would take place sometime in 2014. As Golovkin began his 2014 campaign when he faced contender Osumanu Adama on February 1st in Monte Carlo, Monaco the champion picked up from where he left off at the end of 2013, applying consistent pressure and gradually breaking his opponent down in scoring three knockdowns in route to a seventh round stoppage.

 Adama was quite “Game”, but was overmatched against the champion who scored his sixteenth consecutive knockout victory in his tenth successful title defense. There was nothing to suggest that an inevitable collision between Golovkin and Martinez is not in the cards at some point in the future. It would appear however, that Martinez will next face former multi-division world champion Miguel Cotto in June.

There is no doubt that a fight between Martinez and Cotto in it’s own right presents a big money pay-per-view draw that will no doubt garner considerable attention. No matter the result of that fight should it take place, one might argue that it does present what could be viewed as a win/win for Golovkin.

Both are stars in the sport and each fighter presents a lucrative opportunity for a fighter in Golovkin’s position. There is little doubt that Golovkin could be viewed by some as the man who will take over the number one position in the Middleweight division as Sergio Martinez could be nearing retirement in the not too distant future. Although it is clear in this observer’s mind that Golovkin would be the logical option for the potential Martinez-Cotto winner there are certainly more options on the table.

Golovkin has clearly established himself as not just a star of the sport, but also one of the most active world champions in the sport having fought seven fights in the last two years including his knockout win over Adama last weekend. For a fighter who is on the top level of the sport to be so active is rare in the modern era. Of course one would likely say that Golovkin’s frequent activity can easily be attributed to the fact that he has not been forced to go a full twelve rounds thus far in his career and thus he has not sustained much punishment which would allow him to fight more frequently. It is indeed true that Golovkin has not had to go deep into fights in fights that have been scheduled for a twelve round distance. The only fighter to extend the champion as far as ten rounds was former Jr. Middleweight world champion Kassim Ouma who was stopped in ten by Golovkin in 2011.

In the past I have commented that the scenario that Golovkin finds himself in has reminded me of Marvelous Marvin Hagler who found himself in the same position  after winning the World Middleweight Championship from Alan Minter in 1980. Along with the similarity of both Golovkin’s and Hagler’s knockout streaks, Hagler was also a very active champion successfully defending his title eleven times between 1981 and 1987. As I have said in the past Hagler was also in a position one might argue that he had to literally destroy his division before he was able to secure big money fights against fellow top stars of his era, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and finally Sugar Ray Leonard.

Currently Golovkin has been able to successfully defend his title ten times in almost four years and has partially unified the title. It is only a matter of time in this observer’s eyes before Golovkin will get those marquee fights against top stars. 

As for what the other options are while waiting for the potential winner of the Martinez-Cotto showdown? It has widely been reported that Golovkin would like to fight in April at Madison Square Garden in New York. Although names such as former IBF Middleweight world champion Daniel Geale, and top contender and former world title challenger Andy Lee have been mentioned as possible opponents, a fight that does present some intrigue could be a unification bout with three-time Middleweight world champion Felix Sturm. Sturm recently won the IBF crown by scoring a second round knockout over champion Darren Barker in December.

Sturm has been one of the top stars of the German Boxing scene for much of the last decade and a cornerstone of the Middleweight division. Most will remember Sturm’s only appearance in the United States when he lost his WBO world championship in a disputed decision to Oscar De La Hoya nearly ten years ago. A fight that many observers, this one included felt Sturm had won. One could speculate that the reason Felix Sturm has not fought in the United States since that fight in June of 2004 could well be that he felt that he had gotten robbed in that fight and potentially did not want to risk coming back to the United States possibly for fear of not getting a fair shake from judges who score the fights.

Whether or not that is the case is only a question that Felix Sturm can answer. Sturm however, has rightfully earned his place as a top Middleweight of his era and I believe should be given an opportunity to unify his title. It would also do Sturm well if he were to fight Golovkin outside of Germany, potentially in the United States. Although it is certainly understandable how a questionable decision could leave a bad taste in a fighter’s mouth, I believe Felix Sturm should be given another opportunity to show American Boxing fans what he can do by fighting in the United States.

Whether or not there has been any consideration of Sturm as a potential opponent for Golovkin is speculation, but a fight between the two does seem attractive at least in my eyes. Even though it is my opinion that Golovkin would be the logical opponent for the winner of the potential Martinez-Cotto clash, it will be interesting to see whomever Golovkin should face next whether or not that fighter can throw a monkey wrench into any plans Golovkin could have for potential big money fights down the road. If there is a Middleweight out there that can truly test Golovkin, it still remains to be seen.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Collazo Revitalizes Career With Stunning Knockout Over Ortiz

Adversity be damned.  Both Luis Collazo and Victor Ortiz have had their fair share of disappointments in their careers. In this fight both would face adversity down seeking to regain their standing in the sport of Boxing.

Collazo, the former WBA Welterweight champion has been one of the cornerstones of the division for several years, despite being highly skilled and a former world champion one might argue that Collazo might be more known as a fighter who has had decisions go against him in notable fights with both Ricky Hatton and Andre Berto. Following his loss to Berto in a fight that he lost by one point on two judges scorecards, Collazo has not been seen on the sport’s marquee stage.

Collazo however, despite the setbacks has always been a fighter who will give anyone in the Welterweight division a difficult fight. Luis Collazo is still a world-class boxer and definitely a threat to anyone who might oppose him. Since his most recent loss, a ten round unanimous decision to Freddy Hernandez in 2011, Collazo was able to build momentum winning three straight fights which would lead to his next opportunity on the marquee level of the sport. Collazo’s opponent? Victor Ortiz…

An argument should be made that one fighter that has been one of Boxing’s hottest rising stars in the last several years has been Victor Ortiz. Most will remember Ortiz’ thrilling knockdown, drag out war against Andre Berto in April of 2011. A fight that was voted fight of the year by many was Ortiz’ crowning achievement as he defeated Berto for the WBC Welterweight world title that night. Off a great fight as that fight was it was not hard to understand that Ortiz would be a front runner for a potential fight with Floyd Mayweather, the man widely considered the best fighter pound for pound in the world.

Ortiz did get his opportunity to prove that he belonged in the discussion of the sport’s pound for pound debates when he defended his world title against Mayweather later that year. A fight that will forever be remembered for it’s somewhat controversial outcome. Ortiz was penalized a point for an intentional head butt in round four. While the referee Joe Cortez appeared to have his attention diverted from the action Mayweather knocked Ortiz out with two legal punches while Ortiz seemed to be waiting for Cortez to restart the action. Cortez subsequently counted Ortiz out upon seeing him on the canvas after being knocked down.

After the somewhat controversial way that fight ended, Ortiz was then slated to face Berto in what was a highly anticipated rematch. Unfortunately for Ortiz, the rematch would not come to be as Berto would first suffer an injury causing postponement to the bout and eventually a cancellation of the fight after Berto tested positive for a banned substance during randomized testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). 

A replacement for Berto would be found in then Jr. Welterweight contender Josesito Lopez who agreed to move up to the Welterweight division to face Ortiz. The fight which took place in June of 2012 was a give and take battle where both fighters had their moments. The exciting fight was halted at the end of the ninth round when Ortiz had to retire from the fight after suffering a broken jaw. To many, Ortiz’ loss to Lopez was unexpected and for some would raise questions as to Ortiz’ future. Much like Collazo, Ortiz has had more than his share of obstacles.

When this fight was announced I was somewhat surprised that Victor Ortiz would come back after suffering two straight losses against such a difficult opponent in Luis Collazo. It was however, an interesting fight that would garner attention. One could make a valid argument that this fight could well have represented a make it, or break it scenario for either fighter each with something to prove.

Could Ortiz bounce back after suffering back-to-back knockout losses and after being out of action for over a year? Could Luis Collazo finally get that marquee win against a recognized star the sport and thus catapult himself back into the world title picture?

The answers to those questions could be viewed as both simple and complex. The two former world champions squared off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday night with Collazo’s WBA International Welterweight championship at stake.  

The fight began with both fighters willing to engage each other in close quarters with both being able to have periods of effectiveness and more or less match each other punch for punch. The first round was extremely close, but I felt that Collazo had a little more sting to his punches and had a slight edge in my opinion while Ortiz seemed to be tight. Although Ortiz was not tentative or sluggish and came out aggressively to start the fight, Collazo seemed to be a little more warmed up and was able to make Ortiz miss with solid defense.

The second round began much like the first round had ended with both fighters continuing to engage each other. A slight difference could be attributed to Collazo who continued to make Ortiz miss periodically and land punches effectively in combination. Even though he was still aggressive Ortiz seemed to have trouble finding his distance which smothered some of his offense and as well he seemed to have trouble finding his rhythm.

The end of the fight came when Collazo connected with a perfectly timed counter right hook after Ortiz had missed with a wide left hook that landed flush on the chin and sent Ortiz down on his knees to the canvas in the final seconds of round two. A clearly stunned Ortiz was unable to respond as Referee Benjy Esteves counted him out with just one second remaining in the round.

Following the fight I commented on Twitter that the ending of this fight took me a bit by surprise, but sometimes all it takes is one punch. One of this observer’s favorite and famous lines “Anything can happen at any given time in the sport of Boxing and that is what makes the sport so great” again holds true in regard to this fight. Why did the ending of this fight take me by surprise?

Even though anything can happen it is important to remember that Luis Collazo is after all a slick boxer who is not particularly known for his punching power having registered a career knockout percentage of 45% during his career. Of course there will be some who will likely say that Victor Ortiz was damaged goods and that Collazo’s knockout should not be viewed as a surprise or maybe even noteworthy. I respectfully disagree.

Boxing is after all the sweet science and when a world-class, highly skilled boxer like Luis Collazo brings a fight to an end by landing such a beautifully timed counter punch it deserves respect. Regardless of what one’s opinion might be as to the state of Victor Ortiz as a fighter prior to this fight, this knockout by Collazo is one that has turned heads and will stir some attention and rightfully so.

Was Victor Ortiz a beaten fighter before he got in the ring? It is hard to say what affect Ortiz’ previous three fights have had on him and to be more specific his fight with Josesito Lopez where he suffered a broken jaw. Some may speculate that although Ortiz appeared to be recovered from the injury that his ability to take a punch may have been diminished. There could be indeed speculation about Ortiz’ ability to take a punch, but prior to suffering a knockout blow he was aggressive and had taken some solid punches from Collazo that landed flush. This may be simply a case of a perfectly timed counter punch landing flush that Ortiz simply did not see coming.

As for what this could mean for the career of Victor Ortiz, it is important to remember that Victor Ortiz has engaged in several memorable fights and grueling fights as well. It goes without saying that each fight can have an effect and can take a toll on a fighter. Whether or not this happened to the twenty-seven year old Ortiz is only a question that he can answer.

For Luis Collazo, this win clearly reestablishes him as a legitimate contender. Collazo who is currently ranked third in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Welterweight ratings could easily find himself in position to face the winner of a potential rematch between current WBA champion Marcos Maidana and Adrien Broner, or be a potential challenger for recently crowned undefeated IBF champion Shawn Porter.

Although Collazo very boldly called out Floyd Mayweather immediately after this fight for potential fight in New York, this observer believes it could be more likely that we will see Collazo in against either Maidana, Broner, Porter, possibly either former two-division world champion Paul Malignaggi, or the undefeated Keith Thurman who are rated above Collazo in the WBA rankings.

If there is something to take away from this fight that may be inspiring is that perseverance can indeed pay off. For a fighter in Luis Collazo who has had some bad breaks in his career, he could now find himself in position to attempt to regain a world title and should he be successful, it would be a storybook ending for a fighter who has had to overcome adversity. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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