Producer and Visionary of “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance” Nigel Lythgoe Joins Forces with Triller Fight Club to Launch New Series “So You Think You Can Fight”

 Press Release: By FITE – Los Angeles (May 13, 2021) ---- Nigel Lythgoe, the television mega-producer and creative forcebehind the powerhouse global television franchises “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” is joining forces with the disruptive technology platform Triller Fight Club to create a new series, “So You Think You Can Fight,” it was announced today. The weekly, hour-long series is part of a new overall relationship between Triller Fight Club and Lythgoe, who also becomes Creative Partner, Visionary and an Executive Producer of Triller Fight Club and will bring his celebrated skills as a television producer and entertainment impresario to Triller Fight Club events. The announcement wasmade jointly by Lythgoe and Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of TrillerNet, which is parent company toTriller Fight Club and the global AI-powered short video and music discovery app Triller. 

Credit: FITE 

 

“So You Think You Can Fight” will follow in a similar format to “So You Think You Can Dance,” but with a unique twist. The series will pair a celebrity action star with a pro fighter, each who will select an amateur boxer through a global talent search and competition, along with audience voting and participation. The selected contestants will each go through rigorous mental and physical training, squaring off against each other with one winner for each category, lightweight, heavyweight and MMA. Each winner will go on to a pro bout on a Triller Fight Club main event that will launch their pro boxing career.

 

As the new creative partner and executive producer of Triller Fight Club events, Nigel will be responsible for blending the intense competition of world-class boxing with edge-of-your-seat entertainment by global music stars and celebrities to create the four-quadrant entertainment experience that defines Triller Fight Club.

 

Lythgoe is already at work on the Triller Fight Club’s upcoming June 19 event at Miami’s loanDepotpark, which will be themed “The Greatest Showman” in recognition of boxing’s current showman, undefeated Teófimo López, who is putting his five championship belts on the line in the headline fight against the undefeated George Kambosos Jr. for the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. The June 19 event will make history by having men’s and women’s undisputed title fights on the same card for the first time ever, with Franchon Crews-Dezurn taking on Elin Cederroos in a four-belt title bout on the main card.

 

The June 19 event will be followed by Triller Fight Club’s August event, in which one of the world’s most respected and accomplished athletes, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, the only person ever to win the World Heavyweight Title four times, will return to the ring to fight Kevin McBride in a six-round fight. The veteran McBride (35-10-1) is best known for ending the career of Mike Tyson in June of 2005 when Tyson retired in the sixth round in Washington, DC. The action will continue in September, when Triller Fight Club hosts the highly anticipated comeback of the Golden Boy himself, Oscar De La Hoya, in a match-up to be announced this summer.

 

“Nigel Lythgoe is a giant among giants, and his new role at Triller is a total game changer for us,” said Ryan Kavanaugh. “Nigel has changed the face of competition-based television around the world, and there is no one better to help us bring the excitement of Triller Fight Club to our global audiences, both through our exciting new streaming series and by adding his visionary storytelling abilities to our Fight Club events. We could not be more excited to welcome Nigel to the Triller team.”

 

Snoop Dogg, partner in Triller Fight Club, noted, “Boxing and dancing share the same movements and the same rhythm, and who better to take Fight Club to the next level that the person who brought the world ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ the iconic talent discovery platforms where music, competition, movement and showmanship all count towards the victory, which in our case is hopefully by a knockout.”

 

Nigel Lythgoe commented, “Triller has built something extraordinary, and they truly have their finger on the pulse of where live event entertainment is headed. As a lifelong fan of music and boxing, I am thrilled to be getting into the ring with Ryan, Snoop and the whole Triller team to join their disruptive and innovative journey. Everyone is fighting for something in this world, and I’m excited to tell the many fascinating stories behind the raised gloves.” 

 

Nigel Lythgoe is the co-creator, executive producer and head judge of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” which launched in 2005. Lythgoe produced “Pop Idol” in the UK and its U.S. edition, “American Idol,” which helped change the face of American reality television. Nigel began his career as a dancer and later as a choreographer, eventually choreographing over 500 TV shows. He segued into producing television as Head of Entertainment and Comedy at London Weekend Television, where he commissioned and produced legendary TV shows including “Gladiators” (produced as “American Gladiators” in the US) and “Blind Date.”

“So You Think You Can Fight” is expected to launch later this year on Triller’s new live streaming platform Triller Verzuz TV, which was formed through TrillerNet’s recent acquisitions of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s ground-breaking live-streaming channel Verzuz and premier global live-event streaming platform FITE (FITE.tv). 

 

The new series is inspired by the growing popularity of boxing among Millennials and Gen Z and by Triller’s successful expansion into boxing, which began with the now-legendary Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr fight and music spectacle that shattered records for digital Pay Per Views in November 2020.Formalized as Triller Fight Club in partnership with Snoop Dogg, the next event was the April 17 Jake Paul vs Ben Askren PPV fight, which became one of the most talked-about, most bet-on and most-pirated sporting events of 2021. The PPV featured nine additional fights as well as performances by music superstars Justin Bieber, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Diplo, Major Lazer and commentators including “SNL”’s Pete Davidson and internet stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio.

 

About Triller Fight Club:

Triller Fight Club is built around a new approach to four quadrant entertainment; bringing fans of music and boxing together for an unprecedented entertainment experience. Launched in 2020 with the Tyson vs. Jones PPV fight, which shattered all digital fight PPV records and became the 8th most successful Fight PPV in history, Triller Fight Club has continued to evolve into the vision of founders Ryan Kavanaugh and Snoop Dog. Triller Fight Club is redefining the sport of boxing as a media property by pairing some of the world’s hottest music and entertainment talent with a growing roster of elite, telegenic and eclectic athletes, including legends of their discipline and rising stars from around the world.

 

About TrillerNet:

Triller Fight Club is owned by TrillerNet, a first-of-its-kind company consolidating technology and content platforms to lead the move to Internet 3.0. TrillerNet pairs the culture of music with sports, fashion, entertainment and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology. TrillerNet—which owns the globally popular Triller app used by musicians, celebrities, athletes, and overall culture setters—has more than 300 million users worldwide. The Triller app—unlike other popular short-video apps it is often compared to, encourages its users to post the content created on the app across other social media platforms and websites. The app uses proprietary AI and Machine Learning technology which is uniquely tied to the content rather than the user. By tracking the content, Triller empowers its tastemakers and users to push their content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks reaching hundreds of millions of additional users. Data and insights gleaned from the Triller network, its creators, artists and users (from the app and off network) are used to program longer-form content, connect users across the web with the content, and provide unprecedented opportunities for engagement and monetization. TrillerNet has developed highly successful campaigns that begin with the app and continue throughout the entire content and technology ecosystem with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Pepsi, McDonalds, Weedmaps, DraftKings, L’Oreal, and many others. TrillerNet offers brands a unique content and technology solution, including direct deals with the influencers and celebrities. This branded content journey starts with short-form video and can easily expand into valuable long-form content distributed through the Triller Network, such as live-event boxing and music PPVs, fashion shows, and episodic reality content on TrillerTV. Some of the more than 65 original half-hour TrillerTV shows include The D’Amelios Family’s “Ask a DAM Question,” Jennifer Lopez In The Morning, Jake Paul: Staying On Top, 2 Chainz Let’s Do It, DJ Khaled’s Spreading Love, Hype House's Thomas Petrou's Coffee Talks, Josh Richards’ Josh Pong, Ur Lov’d: the Noah Beck Show, Fat Joe’s Masterclass, The Perez Hilton Show, and Violet Benson’s Too Tired To Be Crazy, among others. TrillerNet additionally owns Verzuz, the massive live-stream music platform launched by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, and Triller Fight Club (www.TrillerFightClub.com), which launched last year with the highly successful Tyson-Jones Fight which shattered digital PPV records. Other holdings include leading AI-powered customer engagement platform Amplify.ai, and FITE, the premier live event and PPV, AVOD, SVOD streaming platform.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of FITE Used with permission.

 

For more information about FITE including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, and for information on how to download the FITE app please visit: www.FITE.TV.

 

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

Triller Fight Club To Make History On June 19 At Miami’s loanDepot Park With First-Ever Men’s and Women’s Undisputed Title Bouts Featured On The Same Card

 Press Release: Triller Fight Club To Make History On June 19 At Miami’s loanDepot Park With First-Ever Men’s and Women’s Undisputed Title Bouts Featured On The Same Card

PPV Onsale Starts For Undisputed Four-Belt IBF/WBA/WBO/WBC Clash Between Undefeated Teófimo López and George Kambosos Jr, and WBC/WBO titlist Franchon Crews-Dezurn vs. WBA & IBF Belt Holder Elin Cederroos 

Credit: FITE 

 

LOS ANGELES AND MIAMI (May 11, 2021) – Triller Fight Club today announced that they will again make history by having men’s and women’s undisputed title fights on the same card for the first time ever, with an elite boxing Pay-Per-View card co-headlined by the title fight between ‘The Takeover’ Teófimo López and ‘Ferocious’ George Kambosos Jr., which has four belts on the line—IBF, WBA, WBO, WBC and the prestigious Ring belt, and a four-belt title bout between Franchon ‘The Heavy-Hitting Diva’ Crews-Dezurn and Elin Cederroos. The PPV event will be the first-ever boxing event held at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, home of the Miami Marlins. PPV pre-sales are now underway. 

“This is truly a historic moment having both the male and female undisputed title fights on the same card,” said Peter Kahn, Chief Boxing Officer, Triller Fight Club. “We are excited to have Franchon and Elin join a night of boxing thatalready has one of the most anticipated fights of the year, López and Kambosos, along with a strong undercard that will appeal to true boxing fans.”  

”We’re excited to bring boxing’s biggest event of the year to loanDepot park,” said Adam Jones, Miami Marlins Chief Revenue Officer. “This will be another milestone event for South Florida’s jewel venue, as we host one of the most exciting and unique experiences for boxing fans.”

Tickets to attend the event will go on sale Thursday, May 20. More info at TrillerFightClub.com.

The four-hour show, which will kick off at 8:00pm EDT with the live PPV main card starting at 9pm EDT, will also feature a WBA World Title Heavyweight Eliminator bout between Michael Hunter (19-1-1, 13 KOs) and Mike Wilson (21-1, 10 KOs), as well as the WBC International Super Featherweight Silver Championship matchup between Andy Vences (23-2-1, 12 KOs) and Ireland’s Jono Carroll (19-2-1, 5 KOs). Additional fights will be announced in the coming weeks.

López, 23, (16-0, 12 KOs) is the current undisputed lightweight world champion, having held the IBF title since 2019 and the WBA, WBO, WBC and Ring magazine titles since defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020. López is considered to be one of, if not the, best active boxers, pound for pound, by ESPN and Boxing Writers Association of America, and The Ring. He is also ranked as the world's best active lightweight by BoxRec, ESPN and the TBRB. The Australian Kambosos has held the IBF Pan Pacific lightweight title since 2017. Kambosos (19-0, 10 KOs) became the IBF mandatory challenger after defeating Lee Selby by split decision in October.

The co-main bout will feature a four-belt undisputed super middleweight championship between WBC/WBO titlist Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Elin Cederroos, who holds the WBA and IBF belts. The winner will become a true women’sundisputed champion in the sport.

In a heavyweight clash, Las Vegas, NV resident Michael ‘The Bounty’ Hunter II will battle Michael ‘White Delight’ Wilson, of Medford, OR in a ten-round WBA Heavyweight World Title Eliminator. 

Competing for the WBC International Super Featherweight Silver Championship, Andy ‘El Tiburon’ Vences of San Jose, CA meets Jono ‘King Kong’ Carroll of Dublin, Ireland in a scheduled 10-rounder.

FITE, the world’s premier streaming PPV platform for sports and entertainment recently acquired by TrillerNet, will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online for the June 19 event, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.

iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the Lopez vs. Kambosos fight. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite, and telco PPV providers across the U.S. and Canada.

This marks the third time that FITE, iNDemand and Triller will have partnered to bring value-packed, world-class PPV events to boxing, music, and entertainment fans. iNDemand also served as the cable, satellite, and telco PPV distributor for Triller Fight Club’s November 2020 Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. event (which landed as the 8th best PPV event of all time), as well as the April 17, 2021 Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren event.FITE handled global digital sales for both events and powered the TysononTriller and TrillerFightClub sites.

Mark Boccardi, iNDemand’s SVP Programming & Marketing, said, “Pay Per View remains the king for monetizing premier fighting events. PPV is in the DNA of fight sports, and our alliance with Triller allows us to reach the widest possible audience by incorporating music and entertainment stars into the mix, along with top-notch boxing talent."  

The PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada)plus processing fee. Fans outside North America can check the FITE link at https://www.fite.tv/watch/teofimo-lopez-vs-george-kambosos/2p97b/ for international pricing.

**HOW TO WATCH THE June 19, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**

TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV, AT&T TV, Dish, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, and Sasktel (Canada).

Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.

In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller's first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.

About FITE:

FITE is the premier global platform for live sports and entertainment offering many of the industry's marquee PPV events and SVOD packages with over 4.4MM registered users. FITE is available worldwide through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU, Amazon Fire TV and Huawei apps. In addition, FITE supports Samsung, LG, Cox Contour, Vizio SmartCast™, Foxxum, Chromecast, PS4, XBOX, ZEASN, Netrange, Vidaa/Hisense, VEWD, Netgem TV, Virgin Media, Comcast's Xfinity 1 and Xfinity Flex as well as 7,000 models of Smart TVs. Available online at www.FITE.tv. Follow FITE on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. If it Happens, it’s on FITE.

 

About iNDemand:

iNDemand is an innovative partnership between three of the leading cable companies in the U.S.—Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, and Cox Communications. iNDemand is a company of trusted content aggregators and licensing experts, with unparalleled technical expertise and long-standing relationships with MVPDs, major sports leagues, Hollywood studios, and other entertainment and sports companies across North America. iNDemand delivers great content to more than 80 million homes and has distribution deals with more than 150 companies. For more information, go to indemand.com.

 

About loanDepot park:

loanDepot park is a state-of-the-art retractable roof ballpark located in the heart of Miami. Built in 2012 and located fewer than two miles from downtown Miami, loanDepot park’s uniqueness and attractiveness, including unobstructed views of Miami’s skyline made possible by six operable glass panels, have made the venue a go-to destination for world-class entertainment, hosting a variety of sporting events as well as many business and entertainment events.

 

About TrillerNet:

FITE and Triller Fight Club are owned by TrillerNet, a first-of-its-kind company consolidating technology and content platforms to lead the move to Internet 3.0. TrillerNet pairs the culture of music with sports, fashion, entertainment and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology. TrillerNet—which owns the globally popular Triller app used by musicians, celebrities, athletes, and overall culture setters—has more than 300 million users worldwide. The Triller app—unlike other popular short-video apps it is often compared to, encourages its users to post the content created on the app across other social media platforms and websites. The app uses proprietary AI and Machine Learning technology which is uniquely tied to the content rather than the user. By tracking the content, Triller empowers its tastemakers and users to push their content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks reaching hundreds of millions of additional users. Data and insights gleaned from the Triller network, its creators, artists and users (from the app and off network) are used to program longer-form content, connect users across the web with the content, and provide unprecedented opportunities for engagement and monetization. TrillerNet has developed highly successful campaigns that begin with the app and continue throughout the entire content and technology ecosystem with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Pepsi, McDonalds, Weedmaps, DraftKings, L’Oreal, and many others. TrillerNet offers brands a unique content and technology solution, including direct deals with the influencers and celebrities. This branded content journey starts with short-form video and can easily expand into valuable long-form content distributed through the Triller Network, such as live-event boxing and music PPVs, fashion shows, and episodic reality content on TrillerTV. Some of the more than 65 original half-hour TrillerTV shows include The D’Amelios Family’s “Ask a DAM Question,” Jennifer Lopez In The Morning, Jake Paul: Staying On Top, 2 Chainz Let’s Do It, DJ Khaled’s Spreading Love, Hype House's Thomas Petrou's Coffee Talks, Josh Richards’ Josh Pong, Ur Lov’d: the Noah Beck Show, Fat Joe’s Masterclass, The Perez Hilton Show, and Violet Benson’s Too Tired To Be Crazy, among others. TrillerNet additionally owns Verzuz, the massive live-stream music platform launched by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, and Triller Fight Club (www.TrillerFightClub.com), which launched last year with the highly successful Tyson-Jones Fight which shattered digital PPV records. Other holdings include leading AI-powered customer engagement platform Amplify.ai, and FITE, the premier live event and PPV, AVOD, SVOD streaming platform.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: FITE Used with permission.

 

For more information about FITE including schedules, list of compatible streaming device/platforms/Smart TVs, and for information on how to download the FITE app please visit: www.FITE.TV. 

 

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

Alvarez Sets Stage For An Undisputed Coronation?

 

The recent history of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has been as eventful outside the ring as his accomplishments inside the ring. While these recent times have been well-chronicled by virtually everyone in Boxing media including this observer, what began last year as a highly publicized dispute between Alvarez and his former promoter Oscar De La Hoya, and for a time also with digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, resulting in his release from not only his promotional agreement with De La Hoya, but also his initial landmark $365 Million eleven fight agreement with his broadcaster, quickly evolved into one of the more active schedules of a fighter regarded as the top boxer in the entire sport in recent memory.

 

After aligning himself with promoter Eddie Hearn and returning to DAZN’s platform almost as quickly as he left, Alvarez has competed in three bouts in under six months. This began in December of last year when he scored a twelve round unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated Callum Smith to win Smith’s WBA Super-Middleweight world championship as well as the vacant WBC world championship in the same weight class. What followed in his first defense of his unified crown was what amounted to both a bout to stay busy as well as fulfill his mandatory obligation by scoring a third round stoppage of WBC mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim in February of this year,

 

The two wins in a short time frame for a fighter on the elite level of the sport by today’s standards provided the ideal preparation for Alvarez’ bout on May 8^th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. A bout where he attempted to further unify the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division by facing undefeated two-division world champion Billy Joe Saunders, holder of the WBO world championship in the division. 

 

With the world still dealing with the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic, this fight also provided something we have not seen in what is unfortunately the COVID-19 era. A full stadium of rabid fans where there were no visible restrictions due to the COVID-19 virus. A crowd of over 73,000 spectators, setting an indoor record for the largest crowd to ever see a Boxing event in the United States were on hand for this showdown.

 

While such a mass gathering is a subject that will likely be debated due to the ongoing global crisis in terms of safety under the circumstances, the atmosphere did bring back fond memories of what Boxing can be at its best. An event as well as an exciting and competitive fight. In previewing this bout, this observer stated that one could argue from a stylistic standpoint that Saunders presented the most difficult challenge for Alvarez since his September 2013 bout against Floyd Mayweather, a fight that remains the only official loss of Alvarez’ career.

 

This was based on Saunders having an awkward Boxing style that in addition to fighting out of a southpaw stance, also incorporates consistent lateral movement, angles,  and combination punching. No opponent in Saunders’ thirty previous professional fights had been able to solve his puzzle, much less win rounds against him on a consistent basis. While there was no dispute as to where the crowd support would be in an event that headlined Cico De Mayo weekend, the stylistic challenge Saunders posed to Alvarez alone made this fight intriguing.

 

While this fight was one that was simple to describe in a pure boxer in Saunders trying to offset the boxer/puncher who can do a little of everything in Alvarez, it was an encounter where subtle things ended up being the difference. Saunders true to form attempted to establish himself as an elusive target from the outset by utilizing movement, trying to approach Alvarez with angles, while also trying to limit Alvarez’ opportunities to get his punches off.

 

This was the approach that this observer felt would be to Saunders’ advantage if he could execute it. Although he had periods of success throughout the fight, he could not keep Alvarez at a distance where he could have the advantage. What was also a tactical mistake in my eyes was Saunders’ willingness to stay in the pocket in spots where he could exchange offense with Alvarez. For those who may be unfamiliar with the term “In the pocket,”  it means that rather than using his legs to evade Alvarez, there were times where Saunders would stand in one spot and engage in exchanges of offense. While some fighters including Floyd Mayweather were able to use such tactics to their advantage throughout their careers, in this case, it worked against Saunders.

 

It worked against Saunders not only from the standpoint of allowing Alvarez opportunities to get his punches off, which more often than not were the harder punches being thrown, but also it created a scenario where Alvarez might have been able to sway opinion as to who was getting the upper hand, despite Saunders appearing to be the more active of the two fighters. What also worked against Saunders throughout this fight was his inability to avoid being backed up periodically by Alvarez against the ropes, which allowed Alvarez opportunities to land body punches. 

 

Although there was a period of time throughout this bout that I felt Saunders may have been ahead on the scorecards not only in my view, but on the three official judges scorecards based on his overall activity as well as his ability to somewhat limit Alvarez’ output in addition to making him miss with a portion of his offense, the subtlety of Alvarez being able to make the most out of the opportunities his did have to land offense made this a close fight in my view.

 

As the fight entered the eighth round, I felt Saunders was ahead based on the success he gradually was able to build in limiting Alvarez’ offense and being able to make him miss. While Saunders at no point was able to land a punch that visibly seemed to hurt Alvarez and, despite his combination punching throughout being sporadic, perhaps out of respect for Alvarez’ counter punching ability, it appeared as though Saunders was finding a rhythm that while not necessarily crowd pleasing, did make the fight competitive. 

 

Just as it seemed as though Saunders was building momentum, Alvarez responded in round eight with what was his best round of the fight as he was able to stun Saunders with an uppercut to the head. This set off a sequence where Alvarez was able to land several power shots. While Saunders did not get knocked down, he was in trouble for the first time in his career. To his credit, he was able to survive the round. Unfortunately, for Saunders, this is where his night would end in terms of competition as the bout was stopped after the eighth round by his trainer Mark Tibbs. 

 

Although the ending of this bout initially confused yours truly and it gave an initial impression that perhaps, Saunders having felt Alvarez’ power and being put in danger for the first time in his career simply did not want to continue, which subsequently led to both criticism and ridicule by Boxing fans throughout social media, it did not take long for the reason why the fight was stopped to become clear. During the course of the eighth round, the uppercut that Alvarez was able to land to Saunders’ head that stunned him landed in the area around Saunders’ right eye, which resulted in rapid swelling around the area and the eye appeared to be nearly swollen shut by the time Saunders was able to get back to his corner at the conclusion of the eighth round.

 

Mark Tibbs would later explain in post-fight interviews including on Boxing media outlet’s Seconds Out YouTube channel that Saunders has told him that he could not see and it was his call and not Saunders to stop the fight. It was later revealed that Saunders, who left the ring under his own power, but was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital soon afterward, had suffered what was believed to be a broken eye socket. Promoter Eddie Hearn via Twitter would confirm the day following the fight that Saunders had suffered multiple fractures to the orbital area around his right eye, which required surgery that Hearn said would occur later in the day.

 

While obviously in the era of social media there is never a shortage of opinions amongst Boxing fans that range from the well thought perspective to the frankly ill-advised in the way one might express their view, the reality here is while Saunders wanted to continue, an injury such as one to the eye socket and orbital area around the eye is extremely serious and potentially career threatening. Although some fans may not want to hear this and all too often allow their fandom to not view things objectively, the decision of trainer Mark Tibbs to stop the fight, putting his fighter’s long-term health as the priority over the opportunity to emerge from this fight as a unified world champion in what was to date the biggest fight in Saunders’ career both from a financial standpoint as well as from a marquee event perspective, was the right call to make.

 

Even though the Boxing fan no matter their view is entitled to just that, their view, Boxing is still a combat sport and much like how a fight can end at any given time, so too can a fighter’s career or life. Fortunately, once it became apparent that Saunders had suffered a serious injury, his trainer made the correct decision to not send his fighter out for what possibly might have resulted in permanent damage. Obviously, it remains to be seen what the future will be for Billy Joe Saunders, but in this observer’s view, he has nothing to be ashamed of and made a good account of himself in defeat.

 

As for Saul Alvarez, for a fighter who had more battles and disputes outside the ring last year than unfortunately he did in the ring, he now is on the brink of doing something no other fighter has been able to do in the history of the sport, fully unify the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. The lone obstacle is undefeated IBF Super-Middleweight world champion Caleb Plant.

 

Although from a business perspective there is also an obstacle that could be present as Plant is aligned with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, who’s current broadcast agreements with networks Fox Sports and Showtime in the United States, put them as rivals to DAZN, who have been able to retain their relationship with Alvarez and Eddie Hearn, who Alvarez has also formed a partnership with, the reality is Alvarez is in the driver’s seat. In the driver’s seat both in terms of being able to command lucrative paydays as well as the ability even as the world continues to deal with COVID-19, to draw massive crowds and attention whenever he fights.

 

With DAZN continuing to expand their global reach and maintaining their relationship with Alvarez, it is up to Caleb Plant to decide whether he will want to fight Alvarez on DAZN’s network or if he will insist on the bout taking place under the PBC banner. Although the PBC has also done good for the sport since it launched in 2015, it has also seen its share of struggles particularly due to its reluctance to embrace digital subscription based streaming as an option for its marquee cards, choosing instead to rely on the overpriced and undervalued model of pay-per-view, something that has not proved to be successful and which differs significantly from it’s initial concept of bringing “Big Time Boxing” back to free over the air (OTA) television here in the United States.

 

While DAZN in recent months has used the pay-per-view medium, one that they market as an alternative to, as a way to reach non-subscribers on a selective basis, their position is growing stronger. What this means for a fighter in Caleb Plant’s position is not only the possibility to face Alvarez for all the gold in the Super-Middleweight division, but to also do so on a platform that could offer him the opportunity to make more money for one fight than he has had before in his career. Even though Saul Alvarez is chasing history in wanting to secure his legacy as an all-time great fighter and Plant much like Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders would walk into an encounter with Alvarez unbeaten, in terms of the business of the sport, Plant is in the position where he needs a fight with Alvarez more than Alvarez needs a fight with him. Something he should consider when the time comes negotiate.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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

 

 

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'Can't Wait To Be Out There': Action Jackson's Return To The Ring In Sight

 

Press Release: May 9, 2021 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Mandurah boxing sensation "Action" Jackson England is eager to rank as number 30 in the world when he takes to the ring at Thunderdome this month. 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Squaring off against New Zealand fighter Shiva Mishra on May 28, England will be hoping to power his way to victory in his first bout in over a year.

The pandemic hit hard for England, who went from having at least four fights a year to none in the blink of an eye.

"It's been very frustrating not having someone to fight in over a year," he said.

"I've been training non-stop all year around but the biggest factor is that you can do as much hard work as you want but if you have no goal to look forward to you get quite agitated.

"There's nothing to put your hard work towards and now that I actually have a fight I can't wait to be out there again."

Now the Mandurah-based fighter is set to contest the WBC Asian Boxing Council and IBO Oceania Orient Championships, which would see England hit the top 30 in the world if he wins.

"In March last year I won the WBC Asia Super Featherweight Title, which put me at 40 in the world," England said.

"These next two belts are guaranteed top 30 in the world so they put me down 10 more spaces in the world ranking.

"I'm excited, happy and grateful for this fight."

England said he had been covering all his bases to prepare for his return to the ring.

"I've been doing all my work up at my coach's house because due to COVID-19 he had to close his gym doors," he said.

"He moved everything to his place up in the mountains. The altitude up there is quite high and it's thin air so all of the training is a hell of a lot harder."

Other than getting ready for his fight against Shiva Mishra there has been something even bigger England has been preparing for. A baby.

"I've got a baby on the way so I want to get this fight out the way so I can be there for my partner," England said.

"By the end of the year I'm hoping to have more fights.

"I want to fight some bigger names but a lot of them don't want to fight until it's in their favour, however, if I win these two fights they will have to fight me there is no where to hide."

England's bout will be held at Metro City in Perth on Friday, May 28.

 

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

 

For more information about Dragon Fire Boxing please visit Dragon Fire Boxing’s official Facebook page:www.facebook.com/DragonFireBoxing.

 

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

 

 

Alvarez-Saunders: The Road To Super-Middleweight Supremacy Continues

 

On Saturday, May 8^th the Boxing world will focus on AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX for one of the most anticipated fights of 2021. The Super-Middleweight unification clash between WBA/WBC Super-Middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and undefeated two-division world champion Billy Joe Saunders, the current WBO Super-Middleweight world champion. A unification bout, which will be broadcast globally by digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, that frankly represents a dangerous style match up for Alvarez, the fighter regarded as the top star in the entire sport in the eyes of many.

 

For the fighter known to fans simply as “Canelo”, this fight will be his third bout in six months after defeating previously undefeated WBA world champion Callum Smith last December in a bout where the vacant WBC world championship in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Although it is rare to see a fighter of Alvarez’ level compete as often as this recent stretch in the present day of the sport of Boxing, from an old-school standpoint, the more active a fighter is regardless of their standing in the sport, theoretically the better they are conditioned and prepared for marquee fights such as this.

 

In his last bout in what was his first title defense of his unified portion of the Super-Middleweight world championship, Alvarez scored a third round stoppage of WBC number one mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL. A bout where frankly Alvarez did not face much resistance and one where he knocked Yildirim down before Yildirim quit on his stool at the conclusion of the third round. Although many Boxing fans criticized Alvarez for taking the bout against Yildirim based on an obvious skill difference between the two, fights such as that one served the purpose as both one that allows a star of the sport to stay busy in between marquee bouts as well as fulfill mandatory defense obligations of the sanctioning organizations, whose world championships Alvarez holds, which have to be fulfilled on an annual basis.

 

While Alvarez’ victory over Yildirim did not amount to much more than the aforementioned criteria, it also served as an unofficial “Tune-up” for the next marquee fight to come in the form of undefeated two-division world champion Billy Joe Saunders. Saunders, who will enter the fight unbeaten with a record of 30-0, with 14 Knockouts compared to Alvarez’ record of 55-1-2, with 37 Knockouts, has won world championships in the 160lb. Middleweight division as well as the WBO Super-Middleweight crown he currently holds.

 

A southpaw with an awkward and elusive style that has an emphasis on both lateral movement and hand speed, several of the marquee fighters in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions have opted against fighting against Saunders. The reason for this has seemed to be that from a business perspective, Saunders has been a high risk/low reward option based on his having a style that is not always crowd-pleasing, but more specifically having a style that has presented a puzzle that opponents have yet to solve. 

 

Although Saunders has victories over notable opponents including Willie Monroe Jr, his last bout against longtime contender Martin Murray in December of last year, and former two-time IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr., perhaps the most notable of his thirty career wins came against former WBO Middleweight world champion David Lemieux in December 2017. A bout that took place in Lemieux’ home country of Canada. Despite being at a disadvantage in terms of crowd support and in a scenario where one might have assumed that he might not have gotten a fair shake in terms of scoring, Saunders dominated a fighter in Lemieux, who is a “Knockout Artist” that was also a potential opponent for Saul Alvarez for a time, in earning a wide twelve round unanimous decision over him.

 

In some ways, the scenario the British-born and based Saunders found himself in for that bout against Lemieux may turn out to be the ideal preparation as he now prepares for the biggest fight of his career against the Mexican-born Alvarez, who will have sizable crowd support in AT&T Stadium from his rabid fanbase. The style match up between the two also provides some intrigue.

 

One could argue that stylistically this bout could be the most difficult bout for Alvarez since his September 2013 bout against Floyd Mayweather, a bout that to date remains the lone career defeat in Alvarez’ career. This is based on both Mayweather and Saunders being fighters with elusive styles that mixes defense with deceptive hand speed and power that many opponents have not been able to have consistent success in landing offense. While one could also argue that Alvarez has used that loss to Mayweather as not only motivation, but also as a way to improve on what Mayweather was able to take advantage of as well as his overall skillset, Saunders though having a different type of elusive style than Mayweather, appears to be the type of fighter that could give Alvarez similar problems.

 

The key to this fight in this observer’s eyes is whether Saunders can keep Alvarez from being able to get into a consistent rhythm. Even though both Alvarez and Saunders are boxer/punchers, Alvarez could have an advantage in terms of punching power. An asset that Saunders has here at least going into this fight has been his ability to hit and not be hit. Another aspect of Saunders’ style that has been frustrating for opponents is he can also switch between his base southpaw stance and an orthodox stance, which can make it even more challenging for an opponent to find their rhythm.

 

Saunders must be elusive from the outset and tactical. In simple terms, he needs to set the tempo of the combat, look to set traps, and take advantage of what openings Alvarez might leave him. While this is an approach that Saunders has shown that he can execute well throughout his career, a danger that might be present in this fight is the potential for Saunders to become complacent. In that if he is able to have success in this fight and find himself in a position where he is ahead by a reasonable margin or though it might seem on the scorecards, it will be interesting to see what might happen if after seeing success, if Saunders will choose to stand and trade punches with Alvarez. A decision some previous opponents have made that have proven to be a big mistake.

 

While Saunders, who stands 5’11 and has a seventy-one inch reach will have a three inch height advantage and a one inch reach advantage over Alvarez, Alvarez has shown particularly in his bouts against Rocky Fielding and Callum Smith the ability to neutralize an opponent’s height and reach. Although it is a task that can be easier said than done, Alvarez must find a way to neutralize Saunders’ ability to use lateral movement, must cut the ring off, and get on the inside of Saunders. When Alvarez has been able to get on the inside of his opponents, he has shown that he can execute a consistent body attack that has at times been devastating.

 

In terms of what the odds for this fight are, it is also interesting. According to the latest odds analysis from SportsBettingDime.com, Alvarez is favored by a wide margin. That said, there is some variation in the betting market. Canelo is as short as -800 and as long as -675. Saunders ranges from +425 to +550. His most optimistic odds (i.e. +425) give him a 19% chance to win, while his longest odds only allow the Briton a 15.4% chance.

 

The odds are both an indication of Alvarez’ overall popularity as well as standing in the sport. Whether or not the odds will match up with the style matchup between the two and indeed favors Alvarez remains to be seen.

 

Cinco De Mayo weekend in the sport of Boxing has traditionally produced some of the sport’s most memorable battles. If the intriguing battle Alvarez-Saunders appears to be on paper manifests into a great fight inside the ring, it will be the latest among memorable Boxing events to take place on Cinco De Mayo weekend. We will see who emerges victorious on Saturday night.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

 

Alvarez vs. Saunders takes place on Saturday, May 8^th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The entire card can be seen globally (Excluding Mexico) on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT (U.S. Time). For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

 

In Mexico, the bout can be seen on TV Azteca. Please visit www.TVAzteca.com for channel and start time in your area,

 

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

 

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Campos Cracks WBO Top 6 Targets Nakatani

 

Press Release: May 6, 2021 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Chilean Superstar flyweight Andres Campos (10-0) is looking to make a push for championship honours in 2021. 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Campos has now moved to number 6 in the WBO and 13 in the WBAs World Flyweight ratings 

Chiles favorite son is targeting Japanese WBO champion Junto Nakatani and WBA champion Artem Dalakian. 

Due to the ongoing pandemic, Campos had not seen any action for nearly a year,  most recently on the 12th of March, fighting in his homeland of Santiago, Chile - with "The Crocodile" soundly defeating Ramon Velasquez (7-4). 

Despite the global upheaval Campos has not stopped honing his craft having taken part in training camps in the United States with the Australian Moloney twins, Andrew and Jason. 

"I'm ready for any fight my team puts in front of me. I have full faith in my promoter Nico (Nicholas Martinez) Dragon Fire Boxing Latino and my manager, the big bossman Tony (Tolj). Its tough here in Chile with COVID, I haven't fought since March and I can't wait to get back in the ring. I would like the WBO champion Nakatani or the WBA champion Artem Dalakian. I'm 25-years-old so I have some time and I will be patient," said Campos regarding his plans for the upcoming year. 

His manager, Tolj, went on to discuss the strategy for the Chilean flyweight ahead of 2021. 

"I have personally been on the ground floor since Andres’ third fight, he just gets better and better. He is a genuine rockstar in Chile and I'm proud he has remained very humble, especially during these difficult times with the pandemic. He hasn't fought for a little while, but he has probably done a couple of hundred rounds with Andrew and Jason (Moloney) in the states for their respective training camps," Tolj said.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

 

For more information about Dragon Fire Boxing please visit Dragon Fire Boxing’s official Facebook page:wwe.facebook.com/DragonFireBoxing.

 

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