Golovkin And Derevyanchenko Prepare To Meet For Vacant Unified Middleweight World Championship

One of the central stories that dominated much of the Boxing spotlight from late 2018 until earlier this year was on which broadcast platform would former unified Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin sign with following cable network Home Box Office’s (HBO) decision to exit broadcasting Boxing after forty-five years. A primary reason why this was of such interest in this was not only because Golovkin had been one of a handful of fighters that were under contract to HBO, but more specifically the desire of both fans and experts to see a third encounter between Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

As most Boxing fans know, Golovkin and Alvarez engaged in two hotly disputed fights that resulted in a draw in the first fight and a victory for Alvarez in the second encounter. Many fans and experts, this one included, felt that Golovkin had done enough to win both bouts. This along with the competitive nature of those fights in addition to what some feel was a controversial outcome in the second fight appeared to set up an ideal scenario for a third encounter between the two.

The question of where Gennady Golovkin’s broadcast home would be in the post-HBO era was answered as he signed a lucrative multi-fight contract with digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN earlier this year before returning to the ring to face undefeated Middleweight Steve Rolls in June at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY. Despite DAZN’s signing of Golovkin appearing to follow the scenario for a third fight with Saul Alvarez in addition to public demand as Alvarez almost immediately signed with DAZN last year following HBO’s formal announcement that it would be exiting the sport, a third fight between the two has yet to materialize.

Despite this, the politics of Boxing, which more often than not leaves itself open to criticism from the sport’s detractors, may in a round about way actually serve as a benefit for the fans who support the sport tirelessly. First, the element of politics that most would likely see as a negative. Following his victory over IBF Middleweight world champion Daniel Jacobs earlier this year in a unification bout, Saul Alvarez would be stripped of the IBF championship for not coming to terms for a would be a mandatory title defense against number one contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

While the circumstances are somewhat controversial due to Alvarez claiming that he was unaware of a deadline set by the IBF to reach an agreement with Derevyanchenko or be stripped of the championship, this may have a silver lining for both the fighters involved as well as the public. It was recently announced that Alvarez will move up two weight classes to challenge WBO Light-Heavyweight championship Sergey Kovalev on November 3^rd. The situation regarding the IBF championship in the 160lb. Middleweight division will be resolved when Derevyanchenko meets Gennady Golovkin on October 5^th for the vacant crown at Madison Square Garden.

The fight, which which will be broadcast in the United States by DAZN, will also have the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) world championship in the Middleweight division on the line in addition to the vacant IBF crown. This will give the winner of the bout status as a unified world champion just as Alvarez, who holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) championships currently enjoys.

While some may believe that this fight is a step towards an eventual third fight between Alvarez and Golovkin, it is important to state that Sergiy Derevyanchenko is a former world title challenger and one of the top fighters in the Middleweight division. Some may recall Derevyanchenko’s previous opportunity at a world championship when he lost a close twelve round split decision to Daniel Jacobs in October of last year. Derevyanchenko was able to get back in the win column in his last fight by scoring a twelve round unanimous decision over Jack Culcay in April of this year.

Derevyanchenko gave Daniel Jacobs all he could handle and there are some who believe he had done enough to win the fight on the scorecards. Despite that fight being his only defeat, it is indisputable that Derevyanchenko will be an experience disadvantage compared to Golovkin in terms of both overall professional experience as well as experience at the top echelon of the sport.

What makes this fight intriguing in my eyes is like Golovkin, Derevyanchenko is a “Knockout Artist”, who has scored knockouts in ten of his thirteen career wins registering a career knockout percentage of nearly 72%. The key to the fight in my eyes for Derevyanchenko will be for him to get the respect of Golovkin early on. This, of course, has proven to be a difficult task for previous Golovkin opponents due to both Golovkin’s constant pressure style and his punching power. It is nevertheless crucial that Derevyanchenko get Golovkin’s respect if he hopes to have any success in this fight.

Although much of the focus that has surrounded the recent history of Gennady Golovkin has centered around whether or not a third fight between himself and Saul Alvarez will take place, it goes without saying that Golovkin must remain focused on the opponent that will be standing across the ring from him on fight night. In his last fight against Steve Rolls in June, Golovkin did have some difficulty against the previously undefeated fighter early on and did take some punishment before eventually knocking Rolls out in the fourth round.

It should not be overlooked that while Rolls was largely unknown prior to that fight, it was also Golovkin’s first fight under new trainer Jonathon Banks, who replaced longtime trainer Abel Sanchez and one of the stories that surrounded that fight revolved around what was a nasty split between Golovkin and Sanchez. Despite what could have been viewed as a distraction, Golovkin did take care of business against Steve Rolls and it will be interesting to see what changes if any Banks has been able to make to Golovkin’s style after having more time to work with his new charge.

In terms of what one should expect in this fight, it is difficult to say. Both fighters have shown an ability to box and both have the ability to score quick knockouts with either hand. Even though it can be at times a cliché to say, this fight may come down to who is able to take the initiative and execute their fight plan compared to their opponent.

It is indisputable that a story that will be hanging over this fight and any fight that involves Gennady Golovkin or Saul Alvarez will be whether or not the Boxing world will eventually get to see a third encounter between the two. While the possibility certainly exists that should Golovkin be successful in this fight and become a unified Middleweight world champion again that a third encounter would make even more sense as it would serve as a way to further unify the division, Golovkin much like Alvarez must focus on the opposition each has in their immediate futures. As we have seen in the recent history of the sport, all a fighter needs is one opportunity to upset the whole apple card and if a fighter is overlooked by an opponent that has their mind focused on what could potentially be ahead, any and all plans can change in an instant.

Throughout his illustrious history, Madison Square Garden has played host to many memorable nights and moments in the sport of Boxing. It remains to be seen whether or not those of us who cover the sport and fans will ultimately remember October 5, 2019, the day Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko squared off as the moment when a future Hall of Famer became a world champion once again or when a top contender was able to make the most out of his second chance at a world championship. It does have the makings of another memorable night in Madison Square Garden.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Golovkin vs. Derevyanchenko takes place on Saturday, October 5^th at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States and several international countries on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT (U. S. Time.) For more information about DAZN including schedules, compatible streaming devices/platforms/smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the card can be seen on Sky Sports Main Event (formerly Sky Sports 1) beginning at 2 AM (Sunday, October 6^th Local UK Time.) For more information about Sky Sports and availability in your area please visit: www.SkySports.com. Check your local listings internationally.

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

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Golovkin-Derevyanchenko Final Presser Quotes

Credit: Amanda Westcott/DAZN 

Press Release: By DAZN – NEW YORK, October 2, 2019 – Boxing’s pound-for-pound superstar attraction Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) from Karaganda, Kazakhstan and Brooklyn-based Ukrainian challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10 KOs) gathered for the final press conference before their much-anticipated battle for the vacant IBF/IBO World Middleweight titles on Saturday, Oct. 5, live from Madison Square Garden in New York and streamed exclusively on DAZN. Golovkin, who has worn a world championship belt every year since 2010, is trying to extend that streak into 2019. It is one of several highlights this fight season on DAZN – an entire fall featuring boxing’s biggest matchups in one of the best schedules in boxing history.

Quotes from today’s press conference are below.

Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin

“I’m so happy. I’m happy because my opponent is so great, so strong, everybody is ready. Everything is ready. I want to say thanks to people who support boxing, who support my team, who support this show, and support DAZN. This is a great time for me and a great time for boxing right now. I’m ready. I’m so excited.”

“We had more time this camp than previously. We have a lot of understanding of each other, we tried a lot of different things. Of course we always need more time than we’re allowed, the more time we have, the more we can try, the better we’ll be. Lots has been done. We’ve come a long way. And we’ve accomplished a lot. We will demonstrate whatever we achieved this Saturday.”

“Let’s be honest. At this level, every contender is serious. Sergiy has a lot of experience. We’re talking about two belts here and he has been a contender before. We are approaching this as serious as we can.”

How likely is a fight vs. Ryota Murata and would you go to Japan for it? “Of course that would be very interesting. Murata is an Olympic champion, a world champion, and the platform we are on – DAZN – is developing at a fast pace in Japan currently. I think this is something that would be very interesting. Of course I’ll be willing to go to Japan. Look at what Eddie’s doing right now as an example, with the Ruiz vs. Joshua rematch organized in Saudi Arabia. This is an example for the development of boxing. Of course, the same level needs to be maintained, it should be adequate support and if all the requirements are met, we’ll be open to going to Japan.”

“If you want me to move to 168, make it interesting. And, that would be a temporary move up because I’m a natural middleweight. So going to 168 would be going outside of my comfort zone. I feel very comfortable at 160.”

Thoughts on Canelo vs. Kovalev: “I think that was his only option. Of all the offers he had, the only option was for him to take the fight with Kovalev. I don’t know if he’s going to win, but I know that Kovalev is gaining more from that fight than Canelo.”

Johnathon Banks – Trainer to Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin

“Any camp with GGG is special. The only difference between this camp and the last camp is we had a longer amount of time but the goal is always the same. The longer we’re together, the better things can be.”

“I don’t think it should always be my way or the highway, since the fighter is the one who’s closest to the action. For me, I like to talk to the solider who’s going into battle because he sees things that the general up high on the horse may not see, and I also might see things that he doesn’t see. That’s why it’s a team and a great collaboration.”

“[Camp] felt like a year, no offense, it was long but time flies when you have fun. For me, it’s a great pleasure to be in the gym with GGG because he loves to be in the gym. He loves what he does and I love what I do, so it’s a pleasure to be there working with a like-minded individual and to perfect the craft.”

“Everybody says every training camp is a good training camp. This one was like all the rest, it was a good camp. GGG and I are looking forward to this fight on Saturday night. I think it’s going to be a very competitive fight. I think it’s going to be a tooth and nail type of fight. For me, way before this fight was announced, I was always looking at Derevyanchenko and always thought he was a good fighter. I just think this is going to be one of those fights where everyone keeps standing up, sitting down, and it’s going to be another 4^th of July. Just looking at the style of the two individuals, it makes a good fight. Gatti and Ward are two guys tailor made for each other and I believe that this fight is going to be that tooth and nail type of fight too.”

Eddie Hearn – President of Matchroom Boxing USA

“Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves at how far DAZN has come over this 12 month period. When you look at the roster of fighters, when you look at the full schedule of DAZN right now – unquestionably, it’s the #1 schedule in the sport of boxing. There’ve been some great fights made on other networks but most of the time you have to pay $80 for a single one. DAZN is changing that - $99.99 for the year. Their schedule is completely head and shoulders above every other platform in the business right now. We’re passionate about what we do and it’s only just getting started. Things are only just getting warm, they haven’t even heated up yet. These guys are invested in the sport.”

“The plan is Saturday night and Gennadiy becoming a two time world middleweight champion. We already have plans beyond that in my head but for the fighter it’s Saturday night only. The key is to stay active and stay in control and build your destiny globally. There are so many options in terms of 160 and 168 and I think it’s so exciting, and we as a team are very excited about 2020, but also as a team understand that first things first – Saturday night. We have multiple options worldwide for Gennadiy to box around the world, but this Saturday night is so important for the career and future of Gennadiy.”

“Integrity and respect are two things we don’t see too much of these days in boxing, but this is something this man carries at all times. I prefer – role model and ambassador. Someone we can really pin the sport of boxing to, and watch how he carries himself to inspire a younger generation to promote this sport how it should be promoted.”

“Don’t waste your breath with the question, who will you fight next? The answer is absolutely anyone. That’s why Gennadiy Golovkin is such a throwback fighter. Anybody. We know what he gave in this obligation, what he committed to, there is no one in the sport of boxing that Gennadiy Golovkin won’t fight. But the only thing that matters right now is Saturday night and a chance for this young man to make history.”

Tom Loeffler – GGG Promotions

“This will be GGG’s 7^th time here at MSG. Most fighters dream of fighting here but to do this for the 7^th time, I believe he is the active fighter with the most fights here at the Mecca of Boxing. We’re proud of that, we’re proud to have built him here. Regardless of who he fights, what style, he always makes it exciting. Even if the fighter is very defensive, Gennadiy finds a way to knock him out.”

“A fight like this wouldn’t be possible without the support of DAZN. DAZN signed GGG to a multi-fight deal. The schedule that DAZN has come up with this fall, when you have the top names in boxing fighting on the same streaming service, it’s a big statement to how far they’ve come.”

“This fight is between two guys that actually want to fight. [GGG] doesn’t back away from anyone. Anyone you put in front of him, he’s never wavered, he always wants to fight the best, he considers Sergiy Derevyanchenko one of the best right now. For Andre Rozier, this is the third time he’s taking a bite of the GGG apple, some people say third time’s the charm, but I think Johnathon Banks would definitely disagree with that.”

Sergiy Derevyanchenko

“I have to work on my jab, I have to stay focused on my jab. I also can’t stay in one place so he doesn’t get comfortable. If I work and punch the angles, that’s going to be my shot. I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself, I also have confidence in my team. When we get into the ring, we’ll do everything to win that fight. We’ve had a phenomenal camp leading up to this fight and I’m extremely motivated. Saturday night, I’m ready to rock and roll. There was a void the last two camps not having Andre there. This camp, the whole team is together and I feel a tangible difference. If I fight with Andre in my corner, it’s an advantage. I not only listen to him, I actually execute on the game plan that Andre has. They see things that I don’t see, and they bring it to me. I think the experience that Andre has against him is going to help me. Andre knows his strengths and weaknesses and he’s shown me a game plan for it.”

“I’m not betting on the fact that Golovkin is getting older, he’s still a very dangerous fighter. Golovkin is still very motivated.”

“This just means my career is progressing the way it should progress, I should fight in small venues and graduate to bigger venues. It means that my team is doing the right things for me. The thing that’s left is the world championship title. I want to fight everyone in the middleweight division and the goal is to beat everybody. To be a true star in boxing you have to fight the best people, and this is the next step. Everyone always wants to talk about how many belts you have, who you beat, all the names that you beat. So, this is what you need to do to get to that next level.”

Andre Rozier – Trainer to Sergiy Derevyanchenko

“We are a team. This was a fantastic training camp and you often hear people say – that was the best training camp ever. This was THE best, and I repeat THE best training camp ever. Why? Because this young man is the best athlete anyone can ever work with. We’re fortunate enough to have him in our family. He knows that, he doesn’t say a lot, it’s either yes or no, and sometimes it’s just a shake of the head, but his work ethic is dedication to the sport and his diligence is why he’s going to rise to the top and be victorious on Saturday.”

“[GGG] is a fantastic young man, he’s always been a consummate professional when I’ve had the chance to face him, and this I assume is going to be the same thing. He’s going to come ready to rock and roll and be that special individual but we have a major, major force he will be facing on Saturday. This time, it’s going to be a truly difficult task for him to overcome.”

Keith Connolly – Manager to Sergiy Derevyanchenko

“If he wins this fight, he’s an eight-figure fighter. He won’t step into the ring unless he makes at least $10 million regardless of who he fights next. He actually wanted to fight Canelo more than he wanted to fight GGG, thought it was a better fight stylistically. So he’d welcome a Canelo fight. They’d have to step up to the plate and pay top dollar. But first he has to win Saturday night, and then he’ll be in a life-changing position.”

“I can legitimately say the kid is not nervous. He’s cool as a cucumber and he’s ready for the 5^th. You don’t have 410 amateur fights and win 390 of them and not have a chance to win the fight against Gennadiy on Saturday. He definitely has a chance to pull it out.”

Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment

“This stretch that DAZN is about to have is a stretch that is good for the sport of boxing. Unlike some people, I never screamed pay-per-view is dead but you do have to look at value. To be able to see what you’re about to see on DAZN with GGG and Derevyanchenko, and back-to-back-to-back major events like Canelo vs. Kovalev, Andy Ruiz and Joshua, those would absolutely be pay-per-view events. And it’s less than $9 a month. If you subscribe now for a year, it’s less than $27 – that’s a third of a pay-per-view. And there are three fights coming up that would all be pay-per-view, not to mention everything around it. If you’re a boxing fan, you have to acknowledge the value that is DAZN and subscribe now. Just $27 between now and the end of the year is one of the great bargains in boxing.”

“As great as I think [GGG] is, and I think he’s one of the greatest of all time, walking into the hall of fame on the 5^th anniversary of the day he stops fighting, one of the greatest fighters to come out of his country, one of the greatest fighters to come out of Eastern Europe, all good things must end. We’re not bringing Sergiy to just compete – he’s showing up to win. GGG has always fought the best fights available to him, and he’s always been that much better. But, Sergiy belongs in there with him. And on Saturday night, Sergiy is going to upset the applecart and shock the world.”

Joseph Markowski, EVP of DAZN North America

“We are one year into our love affair with boxing, and we’re very excited to be back here in the Garden. Many of you saw our fall advertising campaign premier during last weekend’s Sunday Night Football matchup, which had the biggest ever audience over the last four or five years. The reason why we’re so confident about buying that advertising real estate is because we believe we have the strongest schedule in the history of boxing. Fight season on DAZN will be serving up the biggest events this fall, including the rematch of biggest heavyweight upset in decades: Ruiz vs. Joshua II on Dec. 7, and before that, Canelo against Kovalev on Nov. 2, and a fantastic crossover bout to bring a whole new audience into boxing with KSI vs. Logan II on Nov. 9. But it all kicks off this Saturday with Gennadiy Golovkin back in title action. We’re tremendously excited about that. Sergiy – welcome to DAZN. Gennadiy – you’ve been a great partner, this is a huge test for you to get through and we’re excited to broadcast that live and exclusively on DAZN.”

Joel Fisher, EVP of Marquee Events and Operations at Madison Square Garden

“As always, we’re extremely excited to host another great night of championship boxing here at the Garden, at the Mecca of Boxing. There’s no better place to see a boxing match than MSG. I want to welcome the Big Drama Show back to the Garden. We have a tremendous and great relationship with Gennadiy, this will be his 7^th fight here, and there’s nothing like the great fans of New York, his great fans. Saturday night he’s going to face a really tough opponent. We’ve seen him fight here before, his fight against Daniel Jacobs was just an incredible fight so he’s going to put up an incredible match. He’s really hungry. I think this has got all the ingredients for a great, great fight.”

Promoted by GGG Promotions and Matchroom Boxing USA in association with DiBella Entertainment, remaining tickets to the latest action-packed episode of the Big Drama Show may be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.msg.com.

For more information, fans can follow DAZN’s U.S. social channels: @DAZNUSA on Facebook, @DAZN_USA for Twitter, and DAZN_USA for Instagram.

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded across four continents with the app currently available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device - including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp. The much-anticipated daily program The Pat McAfee Show launched in September.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, compatible streaming devices/platforms/smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

Material Courtesy of: DAZN/Photo Courtesy of: Amanda Westcott/DAZN Used with permission.

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

Spence-Porter: The Fight Of 2019?

In an era where there are multiple sanctioning organizations that each hold a claim to having world championships, there is a special anticipation that accompanies a unification bout. The very term “Unification” alone indicates that there is something more at stake than a world champion defending their crown against a top contender. While there are certain circumstances where multiple vacated world titles are put on the line in one fight, in the traditional sense, “Unification” usually means two world champions putting their respective claims to a world championship in a given weight class against each other to determine who is the best.

Such an occasion took place on September 28^th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA as Welterweight world champions Errol Spence and Shawn Porter put their portions of the World Welterweight championship on the line against each other. This fight appeared to be evenly matched and it was of interest to this observer as to who would be able to stand out from the other. What stood out for me initially was the movement of Porter early in the fight. Porter is normally known for being a pressure fighter, but in this fight, he used significant footwork and this tactical adjustment from his usual norm appeared to give Spence difficulty in being able to get into a consistent rhythm early. It did not however, prevent some heated exchanges of offense between the two early on in what was a fight fought at a high pace.

While this was definitely not the easiest fight to score both due to the pace of which the fight was fought and both fighters having periods of success, I felt that Porter had a narrow edge in terms of landing the seemingly harder punches, but it was also clear that Spence was the more active fighter in terms of activity. More on the statistical breakdown of this fight later in this column.

At the conclusion of six rounds, I had Shawn Porter ahead by a margin of four rounds to two.  As is often the case when it comes to close fights however, there can be plenty of interpretation as to who has the upper hand and as yours truly has often said over the many years he has covered the sport, it will often come down to what a judge prefers in their own individual criteria based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense that will ultimately determine how they score a fight.

The fight was very much up for grabs going into the second half. What made this bout so difficult to score was even though Spence was more active overall, it seemed like any time one fighter would land something significant, whether a combination of blows or a flush punch that more often than not were attention-grabbing, the other would almost immediately return offense. It was a task made even more challenging when one considers that both fighters displayed a full arsenal in terms of offense and threw every kind of punch that they could.

Through nine rounds, I had the fight even on my scorecard and this appeared to have all the makings of a decision that would be debated among both experts and fans, no matter what the final verdict would be from the three official judges. A true give and take battle that this observer frankly did not have a gut feeling as to which way it would go on the official scorecards.

A short left hook to the chin of Porter sent the WBC Welterweight world champion down in the eleventh round. Even though this could be described as what is often referred to as a “Flash Knockdown” because it was sudden, came out of nowhere, and did not appear to hurt Porter who got up immediately and told the IBF world champion Spence “Let’s Go!”, it proved to be a deciding factor as to who would win this “Fire Fight “ between two great champions.

At the end of the twelve round battle, I arrived with a scorecard of 115-112 in favor of Errol Spence with the knockdown in round eleven turning what may have ultimately been a scorecard of 114-114, a draw into a narrow win for Spence. As is the norm when it comes to close fights, it was not surprising to see a split decision rendered with two official judges turning in scorecards of 116-111 for Spence making him the unified IBF/WBC world champion.

Credit: BoxStat

A statistical analysis provided by BoxStat gives an indication of just how active both fighters were and the conundrum that it can represent in terms of scoring.  As illustrated in the graphic below, While Spence had an edge of fifty-six total punches landed out landing Shawn Porter by a total of 214 to 158. While this may indicate to some that this statistic was in fact the reasoning behind Spence ultimately getting the nod from the two of three official judges, the total punches thrown between the two fighters provide an illustration of how difficult it can be to differentiate when one factors in overall activity.

Credit: BoxStat

In terms of total punches thrown, Shawn Porter narrowed the gap between himself and Spence throwing 745 total punches to Spence’s 760. Neither fighter was overwhelmingly accurate as the reader can see, but like the other statistics, Spence did have a slight edge over Porter by a total percentage of 28% to Porter’s 21%. Although the three official judges did not have access to these statistics, what they do indicate is just how much action there was in this fight and how opinion can differ as to who got the upper hand based on what one saw with their own eyes. 

Credit: BoxStat

A clear Fight of the Year candidate that this observer feels will be hard to make an argument against. As is the case with most close fights and more specifically, those that are deemed to be in the running for Fight of the Year honors, the obvious question one can and should ask is when will there be a rematch?

It is difficult to say because both Errol Spence and Shawn Porter are a significant part of what is a talent deep Welterweight division and as tempting as it is to say that negotiations for an immediate rematch should take place as soon as possible, there are other opposition for both fighters that can all be viable options before a potential second encounter takes place. For now, both men deserve the opportunity to recuperate from what was a grueling and exciting battle. A battle that is deserving of being mentioned in the same conversations as numerous memorable unification bouts throughout Boxing history.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Punch stat graphics and information provided by www.BoxStat.co Used with permission.

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

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

GENNADIY “GGG” GOLOVKIN VS. SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO OPEN WORKOUT

Credit: Amanda Westcott/DAZN

Credit:Tom Hogan-Hogan Photos/GGG Promotions

Press Release: NEW YORK, October 1, 2019 – Boxing’s pound-for-pound superstar attraction Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) from Karaganda, Kazakhstan and Brooklyn-based Ukrainian challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10 KOs) gave the public a sneak peek at their grueling preparations in an open workout ahead of their clash for the vacant IBF/IBO World Middleweight titles on Saturday, Oct. 5, live from Madison Square Garden in New York and streamed exclusively on DAZN. Golovkin, back in world title contention, is one of several highlights this fight season on DAZN – an entire fall featuring boxing’s biggest matchups in one of the best schedules in boxing history.

Undefeated super middleweight contender Ali Akhmedov (15-0, 11 KOs), from Almaty, Kazakhstan, undefeated super welterweight contender Israil Madrimov (3-0, 3 KOs) from Khiva, Uzbekistan, super middleweight Brooklyn brawler Nikita Ababiy (6-0, 5 KOs), and amateur standout Joe Ward – hailing from Athlone, Ireland and making his pro debut this Saturday in the Mecca of Boxing – also got into the ring and gave the spectators a preview ahead of their respective battles.

Promoted by GGG Promotions and Matchroom Boxing USA in association with DiBella Entertainment, remaining tickets to the latest action-packed episode of the Big Drama Show may be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.msg.com.

For more information, fans can follow DAZN’s U.S. social channels: @DAZNUSA on Facebook, @DAZN_USA for Twitter, and DAZN_USA for Instagram.

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded across four continents with the app currently available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device - including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp. The much-anticipated daily program The Pat McAfee Show launched in September.

Material Courtesy of DAZN/Photos Courtesy of: Amanda Westcott DAZN and Tom Hogan-Hogan Photos/GGG Promotions Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, compatible streaming devices/platforms/smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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

Spence-Porter Weights

The official weigh-in for Saturday’s World Welterweight championship unification bout between undefeated International Boxing Federation (IBF) world champion Errol Spence and World Boxing Council (WBC) world champion Shawn Porter took place earlier today in Los Angeles, CA. The official weights for the card, which will be televised by Fox Sports Pay-Per-View in the United States are as follows.

Main Event: IBF/WBC Welterweight World Championship Unification Bout - 12Rds.

Errol Spence (IBF champion) 147lbs. vs. Shawn Porter (WBC champion) 147lbs.

WBC Super-Middleweight World Championship - 12Rds.

Anthony Dirrell (Champion) 167 1/2lbs. vs. David Benavidez 167 1/2lbs.

Jr. Welterweight - 12Rds.*

Mario Barrios 140lbs. vs. Batyr Akhmedov 139 1/4lbs.

(*Fight will determine an interim/regular champion designation in the World Boxing Association Jr. Welterweight ratings.)

Welterweight- 10Rds.

Josesito Lopez 146 1/2lbs. vs. John Molina 146 1/4lbs.

Welterweight- 10Rds.

Robert Guerrero 146 3/4lbs. vs. Gerald Thomas 147 1/2lbs

Spence vs. Porter takes place tomorrow night (Saturday, September 28th) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The card can be seen in the United States on cable and satellite providers on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View for $74.99 and can also be viewed on the Fox Sports app on mobile, tablet and connected streaming devices. Contact your cable satellite provider or to stream the card on the Fox Sports app please visit: www.FoxSports.com/PPV to order. The pay-per-view broadcast will begin at 9PM ET/6PM PT. A portion of undercard bouts will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 on cable/satellite as well as the Fox Sports app beginning at 7:30PM ET/4:30PM PT. (U.S. Time) Check your local listings internationally.

For more information about the card please visit: www.premierboxingchampions.com.

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

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

DAZN UNVEILS FALL CAMPAIGN – IT’S FIGHT SEASON ON DAZN

Credit: DAZN

Press Release: By DAZN – NEW YORK I September 26, 2019: DAZN’s fall campaign in the U.S. – It’s Fight Season on DAZN – has landed. Further differentiating itself from others in the sport of boxing, the sports streaming platform’s new campaign pivots from the more traditional, one-off event promotion to instead highlight DAZN’s entire fall fight season that will feature boxing’s biggest matchups. As the only place to watch Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin back in title contention on Oct. 5, Canelo Alvarez jump up two weight classes in a championship clash on Nov. 2, and the highly-anticipated rematch between Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua on Dec. 7, DAZN has amassed one of the best schedules in boxing history.

DAZN’s new campaign features highlight reels of each of these four superstars juxtaposed against an evocative track titled “The Impossible Dream,” eliciting the wide range of emotions and piercing intensity that fighters experience throughout their journey by bringing viewers closer to the rawness of the sport – the training, the anticipation, the fans, the drama, and ultimately, the culmination of it all inside the ring. Dentsu Aegis Network’s 360i created the ads.

The 60-second spot will debut on NBC during the Dallas Cowboys vs. New Orleans Saints Sunday Night Football game on September 29. From there, the full campaign, which will include 30-second, 15-second and six-second video ads, will run on linear and digital platforms including Notre Dame Football and English Premier League on NBC, CBS, Turner, Comedy Central, Adult Swim, the History Channel, A&E, Telemundo, Univision, Bleacher Report, Complex, as well as targeted addressable media with select cable and satellite providers, and more. Notably, the 30-second spot will continue to run on Sunday Night Football every week through the Nov. 2 Canelo vs. Kovalev title fight. A campaign extension in the form of a local Hispanic grassroots campaign is also planned for all of October in Los Angeles, including experiential pop-up events centered around Canelo.

“Premiering our new campaign during Sunday Night Football is fitting given the parallels between the two sports,” said Robert Stecklow, SVP of Marketing for DAZN North America. “Just as fans are used to football delivering an entire season of star athletes, big moments, major rivalries, and huge upsets, DAZN has introduced the concept of an entire fight season that is loaded week after week with incredible talent and can’t-miss action.”

Other major matchups this fight season on DAZN include Oleksandr Usyk's long-awaited heavyweight debut, World Boxing Super Series final clashes Regis Prograis vs. Josh Taylor and Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire Jr., Bellator MMA’s Featherweight World Grand Prix opening rounds and their Welterweight World Grand Prix’s final million dollar title clash between Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima, YouTube sensations KSI and Logan Paul going pro for their much buzzed about rematch, and more.

DAZN offers an annual pass for $99.99 and a monthly option at $19.99 for those customers who prefer more flexibility.

 

Credit: DAZN

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded across four continents with the app currently available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device - including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp. The much-anticipated daily program The Pat McAfee Show launched in September.

Material and Photos Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, availability around the world, compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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