Zhilei Zhang Shoes Why Anything Can Happen In Boxing

It is a mantra that has come out of this observer's mouth perhaps more often than others. "Anything Can Happen In The Sport Of Boxing, And That Is What Makes The Sport Great." It is a mantra that is rooted in the fact that regardless of all the statistics that are available, odds that might be placed on a fight, and, despite all the analysis that those who cover the sport, like yours truly, can off, ultimately the appeal of Boxing is not knowing what will really happen when two fighters enter a ring to do battle. While it is something that was instilled in me from an early age dating back to the time before I began my writing journey covering Boxing and other combat sports, it does at times still surprise me how some are surprised when something unexpected happens inside the ring.

The Heavyweight encounter between undefeated WBO number one Heavyweight contender Joe Joyce and Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang on April 15th in London, England serves as the latest example. Despite Zhang only having one loss in his career, he was viewed by some as a significant underdog against Joyce, who had earned his number one ranking in the World Boxing Organization's (WBO) rankings off of a string of impressive knockouts including in his last fight in being the first to stop former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker last September.

With Joyce unfortunately not being close to getting his title shot, which was covered by yours truly in previewing this bout, it facilitated the need for him to fight to maintain his number one ranking. Although Joyce had an arena full of supporters at London's Copper Box Arena, it would become clear rather quickly that this fight would not be a mere "Tune Up" while he was waiting for his shot at the WBO title currently held by undefeated WBO/IBF/WBA/IBO world champion Oleksandr Usyk. While Joyce's path to a world title had stalled through no fault of his own, Zhilei Zhang only saw opportunity.

From the opening bell the southpaw Zhang found a home for his punches working behind his right jab and following it up with flush right hands to the face of Joyce. Although Joyce had also earned a reputation prior to this fight for his ability to take a punch, otherwise referred to as having a solid or "Granite Chin,"' his defensive liabilities emerged in this fight. Most notably his inability to move his head as Zhang was able to land frequently to his head and at times, through his defensive guard. This in addition to peroidic effective work Zhang was also ablecto do to Joyce's body made it clear that the unbeaten Heavyweight was facing an uphill battle.

Despite doing his best to return offense, which did work sporadically, it was not long before the effects of accumulated punishment began to show as Zhang's steady flow of solid left hands resulted in Joyce's right eye rapidly closing. By round six, Joyce's right eye was swollen shut and with no way to defend against the offense of Zhang, appearing as though he could not see out of his right eye, Referee Howard Foster consulted with a ringside physician two times both prior to the start of round six and after halting the action during the round before they collectively made the decision to stop the fight.

For Zhilei Zhang, his win in getting a stoppage over the previously unbeaten former Olympic Gold medalist Joe Joyce not only now catapults him into a mandatory position as far as being a mandatory challenger in the WBO Heavyweight ratings, not only serves as the biggest win of his career, but also in some way likely seems like redemption for him after he suffered a controversial loss in the eyes of some in losing s twelve round split decision to undefeated contender Filip Hrgovic in his last fight prior to facing Joyce where he lost the fight and with it his undefeated record. A lesson that can be learned here for fighters is that a loss does not signal the end of one's career, but those setbacks that in all honesty most fighters suffer at some point throughout their careers can be used as motivation for a fighter to bounce back as Zhang has done here. 

As many fighters have done before him, Joe Joyce must first recover from the beating that was administered at the hands of Zhilei Zhang. Once he has recovered, the process of resuming his career can begin. One defeat does not signal the end of a fighter's career, but it is how that fighter deals with defeat that often shows the mark of a great fighter as those who are able to bounce back and go on to win world titles and gain greater recognition in the process are often referred to when their careers are over. The loss to Zhilei Zhang is the end of a chapter in the story of the career of Joe Joyce, it is not the end of the story itself.

The primary lesson to take from this fight if you are a fan is never approach any fight with the mentality that what you are about to watch is a forgone conclusion. As we have seen time and time again, decade after decade, "Anything Can Happen At Any Given Time In The Sport Of Boxing, And That Is What Makes The Sport So Great."

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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Can Joyce Or Zhang Make A Statement To Earn A Shot At A World Heavyweight Championship?

There is little doubt that one of the biggest stories occurring outside the ring in the world of Boxing in 2023 has been the on again, off again, back on again,  and finally stalled negotiations for a fight for what would be the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the world between undefeated world champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. While that subject will certainly remain a topic of discussion, the longer both champions are idle also creates a ripple effect for others in the Heavyweight division that are all looking to get into position to challenge either champion. Such is the case with undefeated WBO number one contender Joe Joyce. 

Joyce,  a former Olympic Gold medalist, has boxed his way to an undefeated record of 15-0, with 14 Knockouts and has successfully moved into the mandatory position in the World Boxing Organization's (WBO) Heavyweight ratings, which in theory puts him next in line to face the unified IBF/WBA/IBO/WBO world champion Oleksandr Usyk. Despite this and an impressive knockout win of former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker in his last fight in September of last year in becoming the first fighter to stop Parker, Joyce is unfortunately no closer as Mid-April 2023 now comes to facing Usyk. While unfortunately that is likely the result of the stalled negotiations between Usyk and Fury, which if that fight had happened, Joyce would theoretically be in line to face the winner, it now creates a scenario where Joyce needs to fight both as a means of staying active, but also to try and maintain his number one ranking.

Although it has to be frustrating for a fighter in Joyce's position in the politics that be in the sport more or less for the time being maneuvering him out of the equation for a shot at the title, there is a way that this could turn out to be a positive for him. A brief dive into Boxing history by this observer for the reader provides some precedent as to how. 

Many of us of a certain age who have followed the sport for most of, if not all of our lives likely remember the circumstances that the legendary Evander Holyfield found himself in during his initial rise as a Heavyweight contender in the 1980"s after an unbeaten run where he successfully unified the Cruiserweight division. As a Heavyweight contender,  Holyfield fought his way to a number one ranking in the WBC,WBA, and IBF during the period where those were the three recognized world sanctioning organizations in the days that predated the inception of both the WBO and the International Boxing Organization (IBO). The Undisputed Heavyweight champion in those days was a young and unbeaten Mike Tyson,  who in addition to getting into troubles outside of the ring, was facing other opposition in the ring and for circumstances that can be explained simply as the politics of the sport,  Holyfield was denied his opportunity to face Tyson. 

Holyfield responded to those circumstances by fighting more frequently than the champion, facing both top contenders and former world champions in the process. By doing so, it not only kept him active against the best available competition at the time, but it also kept Holyfield in the public eye. This served to his benefit as he built public support in the process and eventually used that to secure a fight with James "Buster" Douglas, who had defeated Tyson in February 1990, to fight for the undisputed championship in October of that year. Holyfield made quick work of Douglas knocking out the champion in three rounds to win the championship and in the process, ushered in a new era of the division, which was largely dominated by him as its central figure. 

While obviously Holyfield had to wait longer than he should have to get his shot, his patience and persistence paid off in the long run and today he is a Hall of Famer and regarded as one of the all-time great Heavyweights. The point of this brief background into a fighter that found himself in similar circumstances as Joyce is now in is simple. Though it has to be frustrating,  it can work for him by turning a negative into a positive.

The next step in the career of Joe Joyce will take place on April at the Copper Box Arena in London, England when the unbeaten "Knockout Artist" will face number thirteen ranked WBO Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang in a fight that can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. Zhang is the first Heavyweight that this observer can remember to hail from China and will enter this fight with a 24-1-1, with 19 Knockouts. 

Zhang will also come into this fight however,  coming off of his first loss in his career in dropping a twelve round unanimous decision to undefeated Heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic in August of last year.  While Zang, much like Joyce, has punching power and has shown the ability to score quick knockouts in his career, an argument could be made that the two times he has stepped up his caliber of opposition up to this point, it resulted in a draw with veteran Jerry Forrest and the loss against Hrgovic.

With this in mind, Zhang might be looking to not only win this fight, but do so by making a statement against clearly another opponent that is a step up for him. What this could mean is potentially a short, but explosive fight where it may simply come down to which fighter is able to land flush on the other. In terms of each fighter's ability to take a punch, Joyce took the best of what Joseph Parker threw at him including several flush punches that would have likely dropped most Heavyweights and he kept coming forward. The question is how will Zhang respond to Joyce's power if the unbeaten contender lands flush.

Although much of the attention on the current state of the Heavyweight division has centered on the Usyk-Fury saga as well as the recent return of former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, who scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin at the beginning of April, it is now time for Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang to take center stage to see if either can maneuver their way into a possible opportunity to fight for a world championship, which unfortunately due to the business and political elements of the sport,could prove to be an easier fight to make for either Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury, than a fight between each other for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world appears to be.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Joyce vs. Zhang takes place on Saturday, April 15th at Copper Box Arena in London, England. The fight can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+  beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices and Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

*Card and start times subject to change.

"Check your local listings internationally.*

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

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

Stevenson Adds His Name To Lightweight Mix

The Lightweight debut of undefeated former two-division world champion Shakur Stevenson on April 8th was one that in some ways felt more like a formality than what one would consider a legitimate test for a fighter who has proven to be a difficult puzzle for opponents to solve. Perhaps adding to that feeling of formality was that Stevenson per his being a former unified world champion in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division, was moved immediately into an elimination bout to determine the next mandatory challenger in the World Boxing Council's (WBC) Lightweight ratings, which theoretically would put him in line to challenge the winner of the upcoming world championship bout between undefeated Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney and former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, which will take place on May 20th in Las Vegas, NV.

 Formalities and what seemed designed to be a clear prelude to Stevenson challenging for a world championship in now a third weight class, was also not without its share of criticism. This was due to Stevenson's opponent, the unbeaten, but largely unknown former Japanese and Oriental Professional Boxing Federation (OPBF) Lightweight champion Shuichiro Yoshino being rated number four in the world by the WBC, despite not having faced a world rated contender prior to the bout. The OPBF's affiliation with the WBC did nevertheless, provide Yoshino an opportunity to show what he could do on a significant stage against one of the top stars in the sport.

Stevenson's hometown of Newark, NJ and the Prudential Center would be the site for the bout. In previewing this bout, this observer stated that Yoshino was a fighter that liked to come forward and throw punches in bursts. Yoshino proved to be true to form because that would be the approach he would attempt against Stevenson from the outset by coming forward and trying to apply pressure on him, while also trying to back the former world champion up and go to his body.

While Yoshino succeeded in showing that he came to fight, it would not be long before Stevenson would turn the outcome of this fight into, you guessed it dear reader, "A Formality." After taking a round to study his opponent, Stevenson began to open up with offense. As I also stated prior to this fight, Yoshino did tend to throw looping punches, and as it would turn out, the technical flaw that Yoshino had shown in previous bouts, was something that a slick boxer like Shakur Stevenson was able to recognize and exploit.

In the second round, Stevenson would score the first of what became two knockdowns when he connected with a flush counter left hook to the head. This would be followed in round four when Stevenson dropped Yoshino for a second time with a left hook to the body. Although Stevenson is not known for his punching power, the only thought that I had as I watched this fight as it became clear that Stevenson on this night was against a fighter that though very "Game," was overmatched, and likely too brave for his own good, was simply how long the fight would be allowed to go on.

To be honest with the reader, I felt that if Stevenson wanted to press the issue a bit more than he did, the fight probably could have been stopped in the fourth round. After taking a consistent beating for five rounds, Yoshino would be protected from himself as the fight was mercifully stopped in round six.

Although it did not take long for this fight to become a competitive mismatch, no one can take anything away from the bravery that Shuichiro Yoshino showed in what was his first fight in the United States. Unfortunately for Yoshino, he was simply against a superior fighter and he should hold his hand high for the valiant effort he put forth in defeat. Yoshino gave it everything he had and at the end of the day, win or lose that is really all you can ask of a fighter.

As for Shakur Stevenson, it is logical to assume with this fight now in his rearview, what was the twentieth win of his career, likely secured him a ringside seat to witness the highly anticipated Haney-Lomachenko world championship bout in Las Vegas on May 20th and there is no doubt in my mind that if indeed Stevenson does attend the bout between Haney and Lomachenko, that he will likely call out the winner shortly after the fight concludes. The question coming out of his victory over Yoshino however, should be whether or not this was a glimpse of a Shakur Stevenson that now as a 135lb. Lightweight will try to sit on his punches more and attempt to score more knockouts as he was able to do here, which has not always been the case in either the 126lb. Featherweight or 130lb. Jr. Lightweight divisions. For a fighter that has been labeled as one to avoid by some, if Stevenson has decided to try to score more knockouts into an already immaculate skillset, he may have just become even more dangerous.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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

DiBella Entertainment 's Broadway Boxing To Debut On DAZN April 27th From New York City

Press Release: By  DAZN - New York, NY, April 12, 2023 - - BoxingInsider returns for its fourth promotion in six months with Broadway Boxing, a card full of local and international talent to be streamed globally on DAZN. 

BoxingInsider is thrilled to once again work with Hall of Fame promoter Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment to promote the latest installment of Broadway Boxing. Brooklyn’s Brian Ceballo (13-1, 7 KOs), a five-time New York Golden Gloves champion, will headline against Dominican Edward Ulloa Diaz in an eight-round super welterweight contest. In December 2020, Ceballo captured the WBO Inter-Continental welterweight belt. Ceballo will be looking to rebound from his lone defeat in his last fight on October 26, 2022.

The stacked undercard will feature Mongolian Olympian Tsendbaatar “Chinggis Khaan” Erdenebat, former women’s world champion Miyo Yoshida facing Indeya Smith, local boxers Sydney Maccow, Christian Otero, Ireland’s Larry Fryers, and David Lopez. They will all lace ‘em up on Thursday, April 27, at Sony Hall, in the heart of Times Square, Manhattan.

The April 27 event is promoted by BoxingInsider Promotions and DiBella Entertainment.

“In the fall, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the famed Broadway Boxing brand in New York City,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I’m thrilled that the April 27 Broadway Boxing event will stream live on DAZN, a subscription service that has proven its international commitment to the sport of boxing. I’m happy to be co-promoting again with BoxingInsider; Larry Goldberg shares a commitment to grassroots boxing that is worthy of Broadway Boxing.”

“It’s crazy to think that this is our fourth show since October 2022 in Manhattan,” said BoxingInsider’s Larry Goldberg. “My goal from day one has been simple - to put on the best fights with local and international talent and to expose those to the largest possible audience; I’m thrilled that the DAZN subscribers will get to watch this terrific show.”

Two-time Mongolian Olympian and 2018 Asian Games gold medalist Tsendbaatar “Chinggis Khaan” Erdenebat (5-0, 3 KOs) will compete in an eight-round super featherweight bout against Edy Valencia Mercado (20-9-6, 7 KOs). Tsendbaatar returns to Sony Hall following a third-round TKO win at the venue on February 23.

Former WBO Super Flyweight World Champion Miyo “Miyo Musashi” Yoshida (15-3) was born in Kagoshima, Japan, and now resides in New York, NY. Prior to becoming world champion in 2019, Miyo won the Japan Boxing Commission and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight titles. As world champion, Miyo made one successful defense, then lost the title by technical decision (stoppage due to gash over eye). She regained the belt in a rematch six months later. In her last fight, she lost the WBO title via split decision. 

Indeya Smith (6-6, 1 KO), from Dallas, TX, via New Orleans, LA, made her BoxingInsider Promotions debut on December 21, 2022, with an upset win versus Sulem Urbina, dominating the bout from the opening bell.

Sydney “The Jackal” Maccow (8-8, 3 KOs), born in Sint Maarten, Netherlands, now residing in Brooklyn, NY, is coming off of a five-fight streak of four wins sandwiched around a no contest. Christian “Veneno” Otero (4-3, 2 KOs), from New York, NY, made his pro debut on October 31, 2020, and his career began with four straight victories.

In one of the most exciting matches a club show could make, this bout features a real-life New York City grudge match between Church St. Boxing Gym trainer and boxer Maccow and fellow New Yorker Otero. The dislike here is real and born in the gym, as these two went to war in sparring. Edited footage showing a Maccow beatdown soon hit social media, which started a dispute that must be solved in the professional prize ring.

Joshua David “Pretty Boy” Rivera (8-2, 3 KOs), from La Mesa, CA, made his pro debut in 2018 and his first nine fights took place in Tijuana. His last bout, at Madison Square Garden on the Amanda Serrano-Erika Cruz undercard on February 4, was a unanimous decision loss against an undefeated Aaron Aponte.

Larry “Lethal” Fryers (11-6, 4 KOs) was born in Clones, Ireland, and now resides in Yonkers, NY. Fryers won 11 of his first 12 fights after making his pro debut in 2016. As an amateur, he was an Ireland Nationals U21 finalist and a U23 semi-finalist. “Lethal” has a large Irish following and is eyeing another chance at glory.

“Dynamite” David Lopez (2-0, 2 KOs), the 19-year-old super lightweight phenom from Las Vegas, NV, will compete in a four-rounder. In his last fight, Lopez needed just 87 seconds to stop Paul Walters Jr. on February 17 in Topeka, KS. Coming from a family of fighters, Lopez, who is of Black and Filipino heritage, is trained by his father and former boxer Kris Lopez.

ABOUT BOXING INSIDER

Established in 1997 as a premier boxing news and information destination, Boxing Insider has recently transitioned into the promotional business.  This will be Boxing Insider’s fourth professional boxing promotion.  It has promoted one amateur boxing event and three professional events, on October 13, December 21, and February 22, all at Sony Hall, Times Square, New York, NY.

ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT

In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing. Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters, such as Sergio Martinez, Bernard Hopkins, Jermaine Taylor, Micky Ward, Deontay Wilder, and George Kambosos, among others. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised "Broadway Boxing" series in November 2003. Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports. While at HBO, DiBella created and established the highly successful “Boxing After Dark” series, which featured some of the sport’s greatest fights. He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film "Love Ranch", as an Associate Producer on "The Fighter", and making his acting debut in "Rocky Balboa". He also produced or executive produced numerous documentaries, such as Viva Baseball!, Magic Man, Maravilla, Larry Flynt for President, and Tapia. The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants. In 2017, DiBella also became the CEO and Managing Owner of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. DiBella was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020 and inducted in June 2022, as well as the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.

About DAZN Group: 

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

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

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

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

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

Material Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

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, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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

Teraji Maintains His Position Atop The Jr. Flyweight Division

One of the Boxing events that was to be a focal point in the sport was to be the highly anticipated unification bout for the WBC/WBA Jr. Flyweight world champion Kenshiro Teraji and WBO world champion Jonathan Gonzalez, which would have unified three of five recognized world championships in the 108lb. Jr. Flyweight division. As some may recall however, Gonzalez was forced to withdraw from the bout, which was to take place at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, in late March due to becoming ill with pneumonia.

Although in decades past it was not uncommon for fights of significance such as world championship unification bouts to see a postponements in the event that a fighter suffers an injury or illness, if nothing else to persevere the financial interests that are involved in a fight, there are times where a fighter who is not injured or ill will try to keep the scheduled date where the original bout was to occur. This is precisely the situation that Kenshiro Teraji found himself in.

While sometimes there are other circumstances that emerge that makes an attempt by both a fighter and promoter to keep a scheduled bout on, what sometimes can get overlooked is the inherent risk that a fighter takes by choosing to fight on rather than trying to wait for a postponed bout to be rescheduled. There is after all a risk not only to a fighter's record in the potential that they could lose, but if they do lose, the risk to their standing in a given division as well as the previous financial incentives that were in place prior to a scheduled bout 's postponement is also potentially impacted.

In this case, Teraji had a little more than two weeks from the postponement of his bout with Gonzalez to find an opponent to step in on short notice so he could defend his unified portion of the World Jr. Flyweight championship. The replacement would be found in the form of Anthony Olascuaga. Olascuaga was given what amounted to an opportunity of a lifetime, albeit one that came on short notice. The opportunity to fight for a world championship, let alone a unified world championship is one that many fighters strive for their entire careers to earn. For Olascuaga, the opportunity came after he had gone unbeaten in five professional fights.

While that statistic might be open to criticism as obviously Olascuaga had not fought anyone near the level of Teraji, it is important to keep in mind that this fight was put together with the primary intention of ensuring that Teraji was able to keep the April 8th date, and was done so on short notice where there is a possibility that Olascuaga may have been the only opponent available and willing to take the fight under the circumstances.

One might question given those circumstances however, the wisdom of both the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Council (WBC) in sanctioning this fight as a world title bout given the challenger's limited resume and opposition. Although this is something that is not really done in the modern era of the sport of Boxing, perhaps it would have been wise given both the circumstances of the postponement of the unification bout with Gonzalez as well as both Olascuaga taking the fight on short notice and his limited experience, if this were made into a non-title fight as world champions fought routinely in decades past in between title defenses in an effort to stay as active as possible. If nothing else, a decision like that would have at least limited the criticism of some given the circumstances.

Despite the odds being significantly in his favor, there was nevertheless an element of danger for the champion Teraji from the standpoint of both having to prepare for a change of opponent with less than two weeks to do so as well as an element of the unknown in that Olascuaga was unbeaten, but also untested up to this point. To Teraji's credit, he was able to adapt accordingly. Despite the long odds against him, Olascuaga immediately brought the fight to the champion and was clearly intent on showing that he was not merely interested in sharing the ring with one of the best fighters in the sport. He not only traveled to Japan to fight, but he did so with the intention of winning the unified Jr. Flyweight championship of the world.

As is usually the norm in fights fought in Boxing's lower weight divisions, this fight was fought at an extremely high pace with both fighters throwing punches with knockout intent. The challenger's strength appeared to be his ability to catch Teraji with short combinations as the champion was throwing his punches. A tactic that is also referred to as catching an opponent in between punches in exchanges. The highlight of Olascuaga's offense was whenever he would catch Teraji with right hands to the head.

Frankly, both fighters landed hard, thudding punches throughout most of the fight, but gradually as the bout progressed the experience and skillset of Teraji began to show itself. While Olascuaga was able to land power shots periodically, it was Teraji who took over the tempo of the fight and became the one throwing first and initiating the combat. The champion connected with a short right hand that landed on the neck of Olascuaga forcing his gloves to touch the canvas, resulting in a knockdown being called in round three. To the challenger's credit, he was able to shake it off and the fight continued.

With each passing round, both champion and challenger continued fighting at an exhaustive pace. Teraji's greater volume, accuracy and overall skillset however, eventually broke Olascuaga down.

A brutal combination of punches to the head of the challenger in the ninth round would send Olascuaga through the ropes and force a referee's stoppage of the fight. In all honesty, this turned out to be a much more competitive fight than anyone could have realistically expected under the circumstances in which it came about. Anthony Olascuaga certainly was very "Game" and proved his mettle in defeat. His performance in this fight should lead to another opportunity down the line at another world title, but given that his first opportunity came in fight number six of his career, even in defeat he gained valuable experience that will only benefit him in the long-term.

Ultimately, despite for the moment missing out on an opportunity to further unify the World Jr. Flyweight championship, Kenshiro Teraji got what he wanted. He got to stay active, got to successfully defend his WBC and WBA crowns in the process, and got an impressive victory. The obvious question however, will be whether or not once Jonathan Gonzalez is well enough to resume competition, if an attempt will be made to reschedule the unification bout. As tempting as it might be to say it should be rescheduled as soon as possible, Teraji has certainly earned the chance to get some rest after what was a grueling and tougher than expected title defense.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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

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

Undisputed Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields Rematches Four-Division Champion Hanna Gabriels in First Boxing Event at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit & Streaming Live on DAZN

Credit: DAZN

Press Release: April 11, 2023 By  DAZN - DETROIT – April 11, 2023 – Undisputed Middleweight World Champion and Michigan’s own Claressa “GWOAT” Shields will make a homecoming return as she headlines the first boxing event in the history of Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, June 3 taking on four-division champion Hanna Gabriels in a rematch that will stream live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada. 

 

Shields and Gabriels will go face-to-face to preview the exciting event at a press conference being planned for Tuesday, April 18 in Detroit. Additional press conference details will be announced.

 

Tickets for the live event go on sale Tuesday, April 18 and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

 

The only two-division undisputed champion in boxing history, Shields will continue to make history as she brings big-time boxing to the home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. The Flint, Michigan-native first faced Gabriels in Shields’ sixth pro fight back in 2018, with Gabriels putting Shields on the canvas in round one with a vicious right uppercut-left hook combination. It remains the only time Shields has ever been knocked down as a professional or amateur and although she recovered to win an exciting unanimous decision, she will look for an emphatic ending to their rivalry on June 3.

 

“The ‘GWOAT’ is bringing championship boxing back to Detroit!” said Shields. “After my historic victory over Savannah Marshall in the U.K., I wanted a true homecoming fight in the U.S.  I’m really excited to headline the first fight ever at Little Caesars Arena. Hanna Gabriels knocked me down in round one in our first fight and I’ve wanted the rematch ever since to settle that score. She’s a four-time world champ but she’s fighting the GWOAT, who’s a thirteen-time world champion and three-time undisputed champion. This is a big, important fight for me and will be another great fight for women’s boxing. I’m ready to defend my titles and win in dramatic fashion in Detroit!” 

 

“I know that Claressa is looking for the right adversary to put on a Fight of the Year-type fight that Taylor vs. Serrano was, so I’ve done my homework since our last encounter five years ago and I’m a much more improved and dangerous fighter now,” said Gabriels. “Claressa and boxing fans can expect to see the best version of Hanna Gabriels come fight night. I knocked Claressa down in our first fight and I intend to do the same in our rematch. Only this time, she’ll stay down.”

 

“Claressa Shields is making history again by opening up professional boxing at the brand new world class Little Caesars Arena in the heart of Detroit,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “This is going to be a ‘HERstoric’ event in resurrecting the tradition of big-time championship events in Detroit, in an electric rematch against current light heavyweight and heavyweight world champion Hanna Gabriels. Tommy Hearns won his first world title at Joe Louis Arena in 1980 and now in 2023 Claressa will electrify fans watching the fight at the arena and live on DAZN in USA and Canada.”

 

“As Detroit’s premier live entertainment company, 313 Presents is excited to bring boxing to Little Caesars Arena in partnership with Salita Promotions,” said Howard Handler, President of 313 Presents. “Detroit’s boxing scene has a rich history that has produced and embraced numerous champions, from Joe Louis to Sugar Ray Robinson to Tommy Hearns to Hilmer Kenty and now Claressa Shields. June 3 will be a historic night for us and we’re thrilled to provide an action-packed night of boxing back in Detroit.”

 

“We are thrilled to have Claressa back on DAZN,” said Joe Markowski, CEO North America DAZN. “This homecoming fight for Claressa is highly anticipated by DAZN subscribers in the US and Canada. We can’t wait to have another massive women’s fight on the platform after making history with Taylor vs. Serrano last year. Tune in live to DAZN June 3rd for this very special event.”

 

A two-time Olympic gold medalist throughout her storied amateur career, the 28-year-old Shields (13-0, 2 KOs) avenged her only amateur defeat last October when she traveled to the U.K. to win the WBO Middleweight Title from Savannah Marshall via unanimous decision. Shields’ last fight in her home state of Michigan came in March 2021 as she bested Marie Eve Dicaire to become undisputed super welterweight world champion, her second undisputed distinction after originally unifying all the middleweight titles with a 2019 victory over then unbeaten Christina Hammer.

 

Representing her native Alajuela, Costa Rica, and promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Gabriels (21-2-1, 12 KOs) first became a world champion at welterweight in 2009, before capturing the super welterweight championship in 2010. She would go on to unify  154-pound titles with a TKO over Katia Alvarino in 2016 and followed up her 2018 loss to Shields with two successful 154-pound title defenses in 2019. Most recently, Gabriels captured both the WBA Light Heavyweight and WBC Heavyweight world championships with a second-round stoppage of Martha Lara Gaytan in April 2021.

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About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing's best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

 

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

 

About DAZN Group 

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

 

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

  

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

 

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

  

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

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.

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, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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

Boxing Buddy The Next Innovation In Boxing Training

The task of training a boxer either for fitness or for competition is something that has evolved as time has gone on. Of course, many are familiar with the standard equipment such as jump rope, speed bag, head gear for the purposes of sparring, as well as several methods that are used to help train the fighter in the defense of moving his head, which obviously will vary depending on both the trainer and the fighter.

Credit: Boxing Buddy, Inc.

While some ot the examples this observer has pointed out have been the status quo for many decades and it continues to this day, there have been methods as technology has improved that have gone from never seen or thought of before in the training of a fighter to now widely regarded methods of training as both technology and access to it has improved with time. One of the earliest examples that this observer for the purposes of historical context can remember seeing came during Evander Holyfield's first reign as World Heavyweight champion in the early 1990's.

Some may recall prior to his first title defense against George Foreman in April 1991, the then undefeated champion provided a one of a kind look into his training regimen that one might call revolutionary. Among the innovations that Holyfield along with his longtime strength and conditioning coach Tim Hallmark used were devices that helped the champion utilize his movement including tactics such as jumping over placed blocks that varied in height, as well as one device that sticks out in my memory where the champion was hooked into position by cables while wearing a specially designed vest that was used for the purposes of monitoring his heart rate and punch intensity as he shadow boxed. I can also recall at the time that in some ways these innovations were compared in sort of a tongue and cheek manner to the methods that were used by the character Ivan Drago portrayed by Dolph Lundgren in the 1985 film Rocky IV.

One of the things that Hallmark and Holyfield used in their training sessions however, that sticks out in my mind more than any other even over thirty-two years later was at the time a new twist on the use of another piece of standard Boxing equipment used through generations, the heavy bag that I had not seen before and shockingly have not seen used by any fighter since. An innovation where Holyfield would bend down and throw punches while Hallmark positioned behind the device and slightly above the bag, would move a bar up and down as Holyfield would move in a side to side motion. The device that was used I cannot recall by name three decades later, but it's use went beyond one seen in a standard heavy bag as it clearly was used to simulate a fighter fighting in close on the inside not only offensively, but also due to the bar being pressed was to train the fighter in the habit of moving his head side to side while fighting in close.

While I feel that the training methods that were used by Holyfield and Hallmark three decades ago could have benefited many fighters had the technology been more universally available.  It was however, truly revolutionary for it's time and Holyfield was in many aspects a pioneer for being the first notable fighter to use such methods and innovations in his training in what became a Hall of Fame career. 

It was those innovations that I saw as a fan all those years ago in the years before I began writing about and covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, that immediately came to mind when I was approached about a new innovation on the heavy bag. Boxing Buddy. Boxing Buddy, a product marketed and developed by Boxing Buddy, Inc. is the first of its kind Smart training system and device specifically designed for Boxing. It features soft adjustable arms that can fit around any existing Heavy bag or other round objects that simulate a fighting experience, which allows trainees to work not only on their offense, but it has an emphasis on teaching and honing defensive skills as well.

The Boxing Buddy device offers three modes that work in conjunction with the Boxing Buddy companion app including three modes with four difficulty levels including modes that define the speed of punches thrown by the trainee, Random sparring mode, which simulates a sparring session as well as custom mode and coach mode offing the first of it's kind Boxing training experience without going to a Boxing gym and all of the device functions can be controlled and tracked with the Bluetooth-enabled Boxing Buddy companion app. 

Having seen clips of the device in action, this observer believes that much like what Tim Hallmark and Evander Holyfield were able to demonstrate in 1991 by incorporating then state of the art technology into Holyfield's training regimen, Boxing Buddy appears to be the next evolution in Boxing training that is portable and simple to use. 

The Boxing world has definitely come a long way in the past three decades and as Holyfield's longtime trainer, manager, advisor, former fighter, and Hall of Famer in his own right, the late great Lou Duva said when questioned about the training being implemented by his fighter prior to facing George Foreman that technology was in his words "Here To Stay" and, despite coming up through the old school of Boxing, that he was only interested in what would work best for his fighters. There is no doubt that Holyfield's training methods in the 1980's and 1990's, which along with God given talent saw him win five world championships in the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions, was truly groundbreaking and ahead of its time. Now, with the further innovation that is being brought to Boxing by Boxing Buddy, it has taken Holyfield's pioneering approach to training and conditioning one step further.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Photo included in this column Courtesy of Boxing Buddy, Inc. Used with permission.

To learn more about Boxing Buddy and to watch a video presentation of Boxing Buddy in action please visit Boxing Buddy, Inc. on Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/boxing-buddy-your-punching-bag-now-strikes-back--3?utm_campaign=boxing+buddy&utm_medium=pr&utm_source=pr 

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

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