OTAR ERANOSYAN DISPATCHES OF ROGER GUTIERREZ TO CLAIM WBA MANDATORY POSITION

Press Release August 9, 2023 By ProBox TV- Wednesday Night Fights returned to Plant City, Florida last night with a super featherweight contest between slick Georgian Otar Eranosyan and former Venezuelan world champion Roger Gutierrez. 

Credit: ProBox TV 

The pair collided in a WBA world title eliminator on ProBox TV’s 12 round main event. The winner would move themselves in line for champion Hector Luis Garcia, who Gutierrez lost his title to last year. 

The midweek action did not disappoint with both men hitting the canvas in an all action encounter. Eranosyan started the 1st round with his typical good footwork and varying combinations giving Gutierrez a lot to consider. 

Gutierrez changed course quickly, returning at the beginning of the 2nd round with a renewed vigour. He came out swinging in the opening seconds of the round, catching Eransoyan with a right hand that sent him to the canvass. The Georgian was up on his feet immediately, but heavy pressure from Gutierrez nearly spelled an early night for his opponent. The Venezuelan came forward with long hard right hands and big left hooks that caught Eranosyan flush on many occasions. Eransoyan recovered after a minute slowing the pace, managing to arguably steal the rest of the round after a difficult opening 60 seconds, nonetheless the round went 10-8 to Gutierrez.

The slip up from Eransoyan proved to be a turning point in the fight, the decorated Georgian amateur took control from the 3rd round onwards despite some moments of danger from Gutierrez. Eransoyan got on the front foot not giving his taller rangier opponent a chance to plant himself when coming forward with the big shots that proved near fatal in the 2nd. Eransoyan’s pressure was relentless landing jabs, uppercuts and left hooks. However, he was caught with a dangerous right hand midway through the round. 

By the 7th Gutierrez was looking evermore fatigued as Eranosyan’s pitbull style saw him land two big body shots in the opening minute of the round. The pair traded, with Eransoyan, again, coming out the better landing two shots to the head, a thudding left jab followed. Eranosyan could smell the end was near, exhibiting Roy Jones Jr. inspired tricks as he went after his depleting adversary. 

Gutierrez was deducted a point for holding midway through the 8th. As the round closed out Eranosyan had his man pinned to the ropes and let loose a gluttony of shots to the head and body sending the Venezuelan to the canvass with 18 seconds to spare. Up on the 9 count, Eranosyan was back on him, landing more big shots. As the round ended there was some confusion as it appeared Gutierrez’s team were about to throw in the towel. After far too long a look from the doctor, the fight was declared over in-between rounds with Gutierrez in no state to continue. 

Eranosyan improves to 14-0 (7 KOs) finding himself in the mandatory position for the WBA super featherweight world title, Gutierrez moves to 27-5-1 (21 KOs). 

In the evening’s chief support saw Petros Ananyan come back from behind, down on the scorecards to knockout Cristian Baez (19-3, 17 KOs) in the 7th round of their super lightweight bout.

 

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

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Country Box 8/8/2023 Results From Nashville, TN

Undefeated Heavyweight Erick Arellano scored a workmanlike four round unanimous decision over veteran Javier Frazier in the main event of promoter Jimmy Adams Country Box 6 card on Tuesday night at the Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville, TN. A rematch of a fight that occurred one month ago, that was made two days before this fight took place as Frazier agreed to step in on short notice as a replacement opponent, Arellano simply worked through his paces outworking Frazier, whom he defeated via four round unanimous decision in their first encounter, this time around. The highlight of the fight came in the third round when  Arellano dropped Frazier with a right hand. Official scores were: 40-35 (On all three scorecards) in favor of Arellano. Erick Arellano advances to 6-0, with 4 Knockouts. Javier Frazier falls to 8-27-1, with 4 Knockouts.

Also on this card:

Featherweights Victor Hernandez and Weusi Johnson squared off in a scheduled six round bout. An ugly fight that saw no shortage of roughhouse tactics and grappling between the two fighters, it was difficult to distinguish which fighter had the upper hand, or at least where an argument could be made for one fighter over the other. In a truly bizarre occurrence, after being shoved down to the canvas by Hernandez in the third round, Johnson walked around the ring for several seconds before appearing to throw up in a bucket at ringside. Under circumstances where a fighter appears to get sick during the course of a bout, the fight is usually halted and the fighter that suffers the illness loses the fight by what is termed as a "Medical TKO." For reasons unbeknownst to this observer, the fight was allowed to continue, despite Johnson appearing to clearly get sick after being pushed down by Hernandez. 

In round six, Hernandez was able to score a legal knockdown of Johnson with a right hand to the head. Ultimately, Hernandez was able to score a unanimous decision to remain unbeaten in his young career. Official scores were: 59-53, and 60-53 (On two scorecards) all in favor of Hernandez. Victor Hernandez advances to 6-0, with 5 Knockouts. Weusi Johnson falls to 3-30-1, with 0 Knockouts.

In a Middleweight bout, unbeaten prospect Da'Velle Smith scored a third round knockout of veteran Dedrick Bell. Standing at 6'2 and fighting out of the legendary Kronk gym in Detroit, MI, Smith immediately brought up memories for this observer of the legendary Thomas Hearns, who is one of the most notable in a generations-long list of legendary fighters to have come out of the Kronk gym founded by the late great Emmanuel Steward. Smith had looks that were clearly reminiscent of Hearns who was a tall lanky fighter, but in this fight, Smith showed a surprising commitment to attacking his opponent's body, particularly doubling up on left hooks to the midsection of Bell. 

Although it is not often when talking about a tall and long fighter with a 6'2 frame being disciplined in an attack to an opponent's body, Smith would show the benefits of executing a consistent body attack. After punishing Bell with left hooks to the body for the majority of round one, Smith would drop Bell with two right hands to the head in round two. As the attack to Bell's body continued after he got up from the knockdown, it would lead to further openings to the head in round three as Bell would be dropped hard for a second time courtesy of right hands from Smith. Smith would finish Bell off with a left hook to the head that sent him down for a third time, this time for the full ten count. Official time of the stoppage was 2:59 of round three. Da'Velle Smith advances to 7-0, with 6 Knockouts. Dedrick Bell falls to 31-37-1, with 16 Knockouts.

Welterweights began the evening as Henry Hewig successfully made his professional debut by scoring a devastating one punch third round knockout of the also debuting Yoelys Molina. The first two rounds were largely controlled by Molina due to his ability to apply pressure and back Hewig up against the ropes. Molina also was able to showcase a good mix of punching power and hand speed during this period as he was able to keep Hewig largely on the defense.

Just as it appeared as though Molina might have been on the verge of either a decision win or being able to break Hewig down, Hewig caught an aggressive Molina in round three with a perfectly timed left hook to the jaw that knocked Molina down on his back on the canvas. Molina struggled significantly to get to his feet, but, despite being able to do so, he was on very unsteady legs and he was unable to continue resulting in the fight being stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 1:58 of round three Henry Hewig advances to 1-0, with 1 Knockout. Yoelys Molina falls to 0-1, with 0 Knockouts.

This was my first opportunity to cover a Country Box card. The series, which launched earlier this year has the slogan "Where Country Music Meets Boxing." What I observed was one of the more unique events that yours truly can remember with music from the Southern Outlaws band in a live concert atmosphere, a mariachi band performing prior to the main event, and even a stand-up comedy set between fights. We also saw a few prospects in the early stages of their careers. With the next Country Box event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 5th once again at the Texas Troubadour Theatre, I am looking forward to seeing how the series evolves.

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LOGAN PAUL TO FACE DILLON DANIS AT X SERIES SPECTACULAR IN MANCHESTER LIVE ON DAZN

Press Release August 9, 2023 By DAZN-

 

Paul vs Danis joins KSI vs Tommy Fury at the top of the bill

 

Tickets for historic X Series event go on General Sale on August 22 – Sign-up for ticket alerts here

Credit: DAZN 

 

Logan Paul and Dillon Danis will meet head-on as part of the double main event at an extra special X Series event in Manchester, live and exclusive on DAZN.

 

 

The AO Arena plays host to a colossal night of crossover boxing on Saturday, October 14 with confirmation of KSI’s monstrous clash with Tommy Fury creating a frenzy among fight fans.

 

But the headline-grabbing news that Paul is to fight Danis, on the other side of the double main event, will take the excitement levels to new heights.

 

Worldwide superstar Paul, who fought Floyd Mayweather in 2021, has made a huge impact in WWE but will return to the boxing ring this autumn to take on MMA bad boy Danis on The Prime Card in Manchester.

 

There is no love lost between the warring rivals and so the build-up promises to be tense, and the fight is guaranteed to deliver drama by the bucket load.

 

Logan Paul said: “Almost two years after fighting the greatest boxer of all time, I am so pumped to return to the boxing ring on October 14, for this monster Misfits show.

 

"Manchester, I hope you are ready for a night you will never forget, because The Prime Card is delivering in a big way, with KSI and I on either side of a double main event.

 

"The world has seen the energy, athleticism and showmanship I've brought to WWE, but this October I plan on reminding everyone that I can bring it to boxing too."

 

Dillon Danis said: "I couldn't care less what Logan Paul has done in the WWE, because when he is in the boxing ring, he is in a completely different world.  It's a world of pain, a world where he doesn't have control and it's my world, not his.  On October 14, in Manchester, Logan Paul is getting beat down.”

 

Mams Taylor, Co-President of Misfits Boxing said: “After we announced that KSI would be taking on the toughest challenge in crossover boxing, by facing Tommy Fury, I told you to watch this space – and now you know why!  The Prime Card is bringing you, the fans, a double main event the likes of which has never been seen before.  Having KSI against Fury, and Logan Paul against Dillon Danis, on the same card is truly incredible, it’s history in the making and I cannot wait until October 14.”

 

Kalle Sauerland, Co-President of Misfits Boxing said: “What was already the biggest night ever in crossover boxing, has just got even bigger with this announcement!  If KSI against Tommy Fury wasn’t huge enough, then the X Series is also bringing you a massive showdown between Logan Paul and Dillon Dannis – all on the same sensational evening in Manchester.  This is going to be a night that makes history.”

 

“We are delighted to have KSI and Logan Paul fighting again on the same card-four years on from their historic fight live on DAZN,” said Joe Markowski, CEO of DAZN North America. “What a night this promises be for cross-over boxing fans worldwide with four huge names in the space creating history. Do not miss this night of toe-to-toe action. Watch it live worldwide on DAZN and DAZN PPV."

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of:  DAZN Used with permission.

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Paul-Diaz Thoughts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Jordan Laruccia Ready For "War" Against Fano Kori

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

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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BREAKING: Joshua-Whyte Rematch Cancelled

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

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

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

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ShoBox August 4, 2023 Results

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Paul-Diaz: More Event Than Fight?

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.” 

 

Paul vs. Diaz takes place on Saturday, August 5th at the American Airlines Center in Dallas TX. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on a pay-per-view basis globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View with preliminary bouts beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with the pay-per-view portion beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT for $59.99. For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, Availability around the world, local start times in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view card please visit: www.DAZN.com.  

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

 

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

 

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