Paul KO's August In 1, A New Beginning?

The fight between aspiring boxer/social media influencer, and celebrity Andre August had the element of the unknowns surrounding it. Although Paul had compiled professional Boxing experience, he had done so against a majority of fighters with little or no previous Boxing experience as most of Paul’s previous opponents came from the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). This fact, along with the fact that most of those fighters, despite being notable names and former world champions in MMA, were arguably past their respective athletic primes, the question of whether or not Paul should be taken seriously remained. Even after suffering a loss to professional boxer Tommy Fury earlier this year in a competitive and close fight, that question still surrounds Paul.

After bouncing back with a ten round unanimous decision over Nate Diaz over the summer, Paul returned to the ring against professional boxer and Texas State Light-Heavyweight champion Andre August on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL. The element of the unknown in this fight surrounded August as an opponent in that, despair an impressive record of 10-1-1, with 5 Knockouts going into the bout, he was not well-known even to seasoned Boxing scribes like yours truly.

Although as this observer pointed out in previewing this fight, the fact that August was unknown may have been seen as a red flag to some, the reality is most boxers do not begin their careers with fanfare or buzz and for most, the early portion of their careers consists of fighting against up and coming fighters on a local and regional level as they look to gradually progress towards being considered a prospect, then contender, and then attempting to become a world champion of they progress successfully. This is the conventional way that most fighters approach their careers.

Despite being unsuccessful in being able to find any footage of August prior to the fight, a rarity especially in the YouTube age for this Boxing historian, I viewed this fight as a possible step forward for Paul. In that this was the kind of fight that he would have been fighting had he taken a more conventional route to begin his career. It was also worth taking notice that unlike some of his previous outings, this fight was more about the fight itself as opposed to the event. The location, the Caribe Royale in Orlando, a venue that has quickly become a favorite on the Florida Boxing scene, was one of a more intimate setting compared to larger arenas where Paul's previous bouts have taken place. While that may be viewed by some as a step down, it is common for professional boxers to compete in venues like this on their way up by competing on cards promoted by promoters that have a local and regional reach. 

The difference here was Paul was also the promoter of this card under his Most Valuable Promotions promotional banner. Another aspect of this fight that differed from his other bouts was that Paul appeared to be more serious and that mindset would carry over into the fight as his aura was one of all business once he got in the ring.

While the onus was on August to show what he brought to the table in terms of opposition to Paul, Paul impressed me with his lateral movement, how he tried to give August angles, and how he mixed up his attack by throwing combinations to the body and head. Clearly, Paul had spent time in training refining the basics and fundamentals of Boxing, which is something that even seasoned fighters have difficulty sticking to in the midst of battle. What also stood out was whenever he threw a punch in this fight, it was always in combination and because he seemed aware of his footing, it made it difficult for August, who was seemingly immediately put on defense, to get his punches off.

August did however, manage to connect with a looping right hand that landed flush on the side of Paul's head midway through the first round. Although this was my first time seeing Andre August in action, one thing I noticed was he had a tendency to dip low and to the side whenever he would throw his punches, perhaps in anticipation of what might be coming back from his opponent.

It was this tendency however, which Paul was able to take advantage of that would end the night for August quickly. Moments after he barely missed with an uppercut, Paul threw a double jab, which August tried to dip low to avoid, but as he did, he moved into a perfectly timed and beautifully thrown right uppercut that hit him flush in the face sending him flat on his back on the canvas, the fight was over at 2:32 of the first round.

While there is not much one can say about a fight that lasts two and a half minutes, this was an impressive victory for Paul on scoring box eighth professional win, his first against someone with a Boxing background, and one that should have people talking. As impressive as this victory was, it was still only one fight and it will be interesting to see if Paul continues on this path of figuring professional boxers with his long stated goal of becoming a world champion one day not yet near.

The primary takeaway here is Paul is developing as a fighter and if he continues down this path in 2024 and beyond, continues to get more experience by facing boxers with various styles, and continues to win against those with a Boxing background and can work himself to prospect or fringe contender status within the next year or two, it might then be time to take him seriously. The most important thing for him and his team to keep in mind is A he needs to stay as active as possible, B needs to be facing boxers from here on, and C the novelty fights with either those who are fellows influencers/celebrities or those who have a background in a different combat sport, should now be in the past if he is truly serious about being a boxer. For now, this victory over Andre August should be viewed as a new beginning,i mpressive, and a step forward.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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The End For Showtime Boxing And Showtime Sports

Back in 2018, a major shift took place in the sport of Boxing with the introduction of both ESPN+ and DAZN here in the United States. Two digital subscription sports streaming networks that vowed to change the dynamic in how not just Boxing, but sports as a whole was viewed and consumed by introducing reasonably priced subscription-based options as opposed to pay-per-view. While initially met with criticism and mocking laughter from some in the Boxing establishment and even some fans that doubted the significance of such a model, it was not long after both networks launched that one of the longtime power players in the sport HBO announced they would cease broadcasting Boxing at the conclusion of that year. 

For some this was truly an unthinkable event that truly signaled the end of an era in not just Boxing, but in sports when HBO officially took its final bow in December 2018 bringing an end to forty-five years of broadcasting Boxing, but also for a significant period of time throughout the network’s history other sports as well including, the Wimbledon tennis tournament, bowling, MLB baseball, swimming, among others throughout its decades on the air. Though primarily known for its Boxing coverage, in the years since HBO bowed out of the sport, its sports division has continued to exist with magazine style programming such as Real Sports and talk shows including ones hosted by the legendary Bob Costas. Nevertheless, it was truly an end of an era and a significant acknowledgement as to where technology was heading. A subject that this observer has written extensively about over the last decade.

Still, despite that clear evidence as well as one of the major networks in Boxing choosing to exit the sport, plus the success the streaming networks like DAZN and ESPN+ were able to have in bringing Boxing to a subscription-based model along with other sports, there were still some players in the sport, promoters, fighters, and yes networks that fought against this change rather than embrace what might have been. One of those players was premium cable network Showtime, ironically, one of HBO’s main competitors both in the premium cable/satellite network space in regard to general entertainment, but for thirty-two years of HBO’s forty-five year run as the one time “Network of Champions," it's main competitor in Boxing as well.

Showtime first entered the Boxing ring in 1986, serving as the official rebroadcast network for then Undisputed Middleweight world champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s title defense against John “The Beast" Mugabi from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV, which was originally shown on closed circuit television and pay-per-view throughout the United States. Although its entry into the sport was in fact a taped replay using the same broadcast done by the legendary Tim Ryan and Gil Clancy, which was used for the closed circuit and pay-per-view broadcast, the March 1986 delayed broadcast served as the launching point for what became Showtime Sports.  

With Boxing as it's centerpiece not only did Showtime Boxing grow in the years that followed, but it's sports division grew to include PKA/ISKA Kickboxing, Toughman contests, and from the late 2000’s on the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) with various promotions staging events under Showtime’s banner. As far as Boxing, numerous stars of the sport from the 1980’s and 1990’s appeared on the network at one time or another including the aforementioned Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Terry Norris, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Evander Holyfield, and Mike Tyson among the near four decade list of greats that have competed under Showtime’s banner.

In an ironic way the 1990’s saw both HBO and Showtime parallel each other in terms of their Boxing coverage. 1991 was one such year where each network made the move from competing for rebroadcast rights to the select few events that were broadcast on pay-per-view at the time, in addition to what each network produced in terms of their Boxing programming, both would make the move to producing the live broadcasts of what remained at the time select and occasional pay-per-view events within a month of each other in March and April of that year. While I could spend countless hours talking about the differences, what was good, what was bad, and all in between not only about price points for those events back then and the era in general, the one thing that seemed consistent at least for several years after each ventured into pay-per-view, was that it was to be reserved only for the true special events and prices points also remained reasonable for consumers, all while the bulk of each network’s Boxing coverage remained on their respective networks and also featured star fighters competing in well matched bouts on a regular basis.

Over time however, the standard of putting the best product on for subscribers of each network in terms of consistently putting on competitive fights began to change and more and more, fights thought to be of significant interest were moved away from airing live on the networks to pay-per-view. Such a change in philosophy though it may have seemed as though would be beneficial for the networks over time became the catalyst for their demise. HBO was the first to fall as in 2018 as part of a significant corporate restructuring under it's then new owner AT&T, would bow out of Boxing, but not before the budget for Boxing programming in the years prior to that decision was significantly reduced and most of what was left was saved for, you guessed it, Pay-Per-View.

As HBO’s exit took place in December 2018, now in December 2023 almost exactly five years to the day of it's rival’s farewell to the sport, now Showtime prepares for its final bow with a three fight card at the Armory in Minneapolis, MN on December 16th. Much in the same way the two networks paralleled each other during their peak in the sport, Showtime’s exit from Boxing also is similar to that of HBO’s in that gradually over time the majority of Showtime's Boxing content was moved from the network to pay-per-view and even as those events under performed in the last several years with rare exceptions, there was a refusal to adapt by the executives at Showtime Sports, similar in some ways as how those executives at HBO for years tried to put on a spin that relying heavily on the pay-per-view model would have no serious repercussions for the network. Only adding to the similarity of how the two networks exited Boxing, Showtime's exit, comes as its parent company Paramount Global has undergone a major restructuring, no doubt in response to the decline of the cable/satellite industry. This has included folding Showtime’s streaming platform into Paramount’s flagship streaming network platform Paramount+, where much of the company's resources are being focused on moving forward.

In the interest of honesty with the reader, I would be lying if I were to say that I had not heard ramblings for the better part of a year, long before Paramount officially announced their intention to discontinue Boxing programming under the Showtime banner. I will also go a step further in saying that I have spent the last several years both in private conversations as well as in my coverage of the sport, suggesting that a way to move away from the pay-per-view model at least as far as Showtime/Paramount was concerned would have been to add Boxing under the Showtime name to Paramount+ along with numerous other exclusive sports that is available on the digital streaming network.

While it appears that we will never see live Boxing on Paramount+ under the Showtime Boxing on Paramount+ name and even though there is plenty of blame to go around, and justifiably so, for the respective network executives refusing to adapt to a changing technological landscape, choosing to try and minimize the growth of digital subscription-based streaming in the sport, refusing to hold promoters who insist on the pay-per-view model to a standard to ensure the network was not only making a profit on those events, but to such a degree, where the network’s parent company would be more willing to invest in the sport long-term and continuing to go down an outdated path in terms of using a model that has been increasingly rejected by consumers, I find myself feeling saddened to see this happening yet again in our sport.

Although I have earned a reputation over almost three decades as someone who is objective, will speak out in defense of the sport, call it like I see it, and bring attention to things, which I feel do more harm to Boxing then it benefits it, like the pay-per-view model, it is never good for any sport when a network walks away from it regardless of the reasoning. Especially networks like HBO and now Showtime that each had decades of success in the sport and were also considered the industry leaders.

The sport’s detractors will certainly paint a narrative to suit their purpose/agenda that Showtime’s exit is a sign of declining interest. In reality, it is more a reflection of bad business decisions as well as lack of accountability that has led to this point. It should also serve as a wakeup call to those networks, particularly in the streaming space where Boxing television, at least in the United States appears to be heading exclusively for in 2024, that you cannot attempt to serve two masters in trying to establish a sensible subscription-based model and still try to maintain a model that is overpriced and simply outdated such as pay-per-view.

Fortunately for me, but perhaps unfortunate for some who may want to forget out of convenience, I was fortunate to be around when pay-per-view was used sparingly and I am also unfortunately old enough to remember when networks like Showtime and HBO pledged to only use the model on a case by case basis. While that may have worked for a time, particularly in decades past where price points were more consumer-friendly, gradually a shift took place in the sport where pay-per-view became a requirement for some promoters and even fighters. 

When that happened it set a trap for both networks in that the emphasis became more on the pay-per-view model and increasingly less on what each network put out for their subscribers. With the pay-per-view model being used more and more and price points only continuing to increase, it should be logical to anyone who is objective as to why both networks eventually lost money on Boxing and also why the continued use and overuse of it turns consumers off. The truly sad thing is for both Showtime and HBO before them, it did not have to end the way that it did for one and will for the other.

Nevertheless, the final Boxing telecast on Showtime will feature undefeated Super-Middleweight contender David Morrell in the final fight in the history of Showtime Boxing and final production of Showtime Sports as well. While I mean no disrespect to Morrell or his opponent Sena Agbeko as their bout does appear as though it will be competitive on paper, with all due respect, their bout is overshadowed by the significance of a chapter in Boxing history coming to an end. While Showtime will forever have an illustrious legacy for providing the Boxing fan with numerous memories through the years as well as providing a much needed platform for up and coming fighters not only on its flagship Showtime Championship Boxing series, but also their critically acclaimed ShoBox:The New Generation series, in addition to the many world championship fights that have aired on Showtime over the last thirty-seven years.

Criticism aside, there is no disputing Showtime’s place in Boxing history, unfortunately there is no positive spin one can put on this. It's truly the end of an era, and one that makes one thing crystal clear,  Boxing and to be more specific “The Business of Boxing," needs to change.

" And That's The Boxing Truth. “

Showtime Boxing: The Finale takes place on Saturday, December 16th at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN. The card can be seen in the United States on the Showtime cable network on cable/satellite and streaming in the Showtime tab on digital subscription streaming network Paramount+ beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT. Check your local listings for time and channel in your area. For more information about Paramount+ and to subscribe please visit: www.ParamountPlus.com. 

(*Check your local listings internationally.*)

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Paul-August Preview

The career of aspiring Cruiserweight boxer and social media celebrity Jake Paul is set for one more chapter to close out 2023 as he will return to the ring on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort and Casino in Orlando, FL. Paul’s return to action, which will headline a card promoted by his own Most Valuable Promotions promotional company and be broadcast worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN will be his ninth fight as a professional boxer, but one might argue, could represent a legitimate step forward in that career. Paul’s previous outings in the Boxing ring have come against either fellow influencers/celebrities, one former NBA All-Star, retired MMA fighters with little or no Boxing experience, and one boxer in Tommy Fury, who was more known as the brother of current WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, and who was also known as a reality TV star in the United Kingdom. 

Despite that, Fury, who was unbeaten as a Cruiserweight boxer was able to hand Paul his first defeat as a pro boxer in defeating him via eight round split decision when they met in February of this year in Saudi Arabia. In his last fight in August of this year, Paul returned to what had been for better or worse, a successful formula when he faced MMA star Nate Diaz and scored a lopsided ten round unanimous decision over him in a fight where he was able to knock Diaz down and show evolving Boxing skills in the process. Beyond restoring his confidence after suffering the setback against Fury, this observer stated in his post-fight coverage of Paul’s victory over Diaz that there would come a point where those that have entered Boxing from a different background whether they be from YouTube or other forms of being an influencer, will have to realize that the standards of the sport will need to be respected. Meaning, that if those who have entered the sport from outside realms are truly serious about wanting to pursue a legitimate Boxing career inside the ring and challenging for world championships, as Paul has stated several times is one of his goals, they would need to fight those with a Boxing background and get the experience needed to get into a position to challenge for a world championship, which is no different than any other boxer who turns professional after competing in the amateurs and those who have turned professional with no previous amateur experience. 

Paul’s opponent on December 15th will come in the form of professional boxer Andre August. While this is a departure from Paul’s previous opponents in that August is not particularly known, even in Boxing circles up to this point, he is a fighter based out of Houston, TX and sports a record of 10-1,1, with 5 Knockouts in twelve professional fights. While August has not fought a notable opponent in those twelve bouts, he has won a Texas State championship in the Light-Heavyweight division in his young career, which began in May of 2013. Although a state championship in professional Boxing may not be seen as significant to some given the numerous regional and world championships and sanctioning organizations, which populate the sport, in actuality fighters that initially start out in professional Boxing do occasionally fight for a state title as they look to progress in their careers. In terms of what August brings to the table, that is the unknown that surrounds this fight as there is not much footage that could be found, by yours truly, who is a noted historian and one who has spent countless hours studying fight films for virtually my entire life. 

Despite the appearance of a possible red flag in that someone as seasoned as this observer could not find any footage of August prior composing this column, what I can say is that he has won his last five bouts, with one of those wins coming by knockout. August’s lone defeat came in September 2018 when he was stopped by a fighter named Eric Abraham in two rounds in Houston, TX. Even though there is not much to go on regarding Andre August going in, one possible advantage he might have is simply the fact that he has taken a more conventional route in his Boxing career, whereas Paul’s due to both his celebrity as well as the unconventional route he has taken, has been featured prominently in Boxing’s spotlight, though there might be some who feel that could be both a good and bad thing for the sport depending on one’s perspective. The advantage for him could be that some might view his resume as one that is somewhat under the radar and there is at least a possibility that Paul may not know much about the fighter he is facing, but August does have the opportunity to study every one of Paul’s previous bouts, which could at least in theory give him an edge going into the fight.

While there is simply not much to go on in terms of analyzing this bout, the reality is these are the types of fights any fighter needs to compete in as they look to progress from prospect, to contender, to potential world title challenger down the line. Although this is only one fight, it would seem that Jake Paul would appear to be showing that he is indeed serious and no matter what might happen in this fight, it will be interesting to see if he continues on this path, because after all, there is only so much one can truly learn by facing several fighters with little or no Boxing experience and those who while having combat sports experience in other disciplines, most notably in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), were towards the end of their competitive careers when Paul fought them. Even though those fights did draw significant attention and may be seen as a young kid getting his feet wet in a sport, it was an approach that was flawed, which was to a degree exposed when he fought someone with more than sporadic Boxing experience. At least this fight appears to be an initial step forward.

What Andre August brings to the table in this fight and how Jake Paul will be able to deal with that is something that remains to be seen.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Paul vs. August takes place on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort and Casino in Orlando, FL. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with preliminary bouts, which will be followed by the main card that will begin at 7:30PM ET/4:30PM PT. 

(*U.S. Times Only*)

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

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. 

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Andrew Moloney is back and the new WBO Global Super flyweight champion

Press Release: December 12, 2023 By Team Moloney-  Former world champion Andrew Moloney is officially back in the winning column after making an easy work against Filipino Judy Flores in their  World Boxing Organization (WBO) Global super flyweight title bout on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Pullman Hotel in Albert Park City, Australia.

 

Credit: Team Moloney 

Moloney finished the 10-round regional title bout with a unanimous decision victory. Two of the judges saw the bout 100-90, while one judge had it 97-93, all in favor of Moloney who is the new WBO Global super flyweight champion.

His recent victory also improved the record of the 32-year-old Moloney to 26 wins, 16 knockouts and three defeats which was a convincing comeback from his defeat against Japanese Junto Nakatani for the WBO World super flyweight title in Las Vegas, United States. 

 

Meanwhile, Flores of Sanman Boxing Gym, who was accompanied by Nonito Donaire Sr. as his trainer, suffered his second defeat with 13 wins and seven knockouts.

Moloney controlled the majority of their 10-rounder bout. He utilized his speed, timing, and stiff jabs to force Flores to shift to defensive mode. 

 

Instead of backing down, Flores showed some fight and pressed forward in the following round, pinning Moloney numerous times against the ropes, but he received a warning from the referee for a low blow.

In the third round, Moloney came alive and answered Flores’s aggressiveness with combinations and continued to execute this kind of action in the ensuing rounds. 

 

Despite being behind in the scorecards, Flores fought on, targeting Moloney with body shots, but the Aussie ex-world champion walked through all of it. 

 

Moloney went on to dominate the last remaining rounds, despite receiving a warning also from the referee from an apparent low blow. 

 

Moloney stated “Flores was a tough opponent and I wanted a challenge and I promise everyone I will do everything possible to join my brother as World Champion is 2024”

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Team Moloney Used with permission.

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FITE TO BE RENAMED TRILLER TV

Press Release: December 11, 2023 By Triller TV -  New York, NY (December 11, 2023): FITE is proud to announce its rebranding as TrillerTV, signaling the continuing addition of new sports categories and closer alignment with parent company Triller. The PPV platform, subscription channel, and FAST channel will all continue to deliver the same incredible action, with the same reputation for quality, reliability, and innovation. Now, the massive reach and resources of Triller will power FITE’s continued growth through acquisitions and major sports rights licensing deals.

“TrillerTV is everything you know and trust from FITE, but with doors open for even more sports,” said Michael Weber, Co-Founder and COO of TrillerTV. “Our original name served us well, as have our loyal customers, promoters, and athletes to whom we are super grateful. The time has come to give even more to expand the experience we’ve built from the ground up to celebrate the passion and precision that makes us all love sports.”

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

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Haney Dominates Prograis, What's Next?

The story of the WBC Jr. Welterweight world championship bout between two-time world champion Regis Prograis and undefeated former Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Devin Haney on December 9th in San Francisco, CA beyond what seemed to be legitimate bad blood between the two fighters was whether or not Haney, in his first fight in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division could defeat arguably the top fighter in the division, who because of his style a hybrid mix of hand speed and power, not all that unlike Haney’s, was also one of the more avoided fighters in and around the division.

A crowd of 16,000 spectators filed into the Chase Center for what was one of the more anticipated fights of 2023. What the crowd in attendance saw was a demonstration of a true master class with Haney giving a lecture. From the opening bell, Haney’s hand speed, lateral movement, angles, and timing were on full display. Such attributes kept Prograis at a distance where he simply could not get his punches off with consistency.

Haney’s accuracy was such that the question in this observer's mind became whether or not this fight would end inside the distance. A highlight came in the third round when Haney caught the champion with a perfectly timed right hand to the head that sent Prograis down to the canvas. To Prograis’ credit, he never quit trying to turn the fight in his favor, but to put things simply, he came up against an opponent, who was simply superior in every area, hand speed, defense, angles, timing, technique, and knowing what to do and when to do it.

Despite the tremendous heart that Regis Prograis showed in this fight in taking significant punishment, I did question as the fight entered the middle and late rounds, why it was being allowed to continue. While no one can take anything away from Regis Prograis, there does come a point as a fight progresses that if it becomes clear that one fighter has little more than a puncher’s chance, but said fighter is suffering a beating and is unable to land a fight turning punch, where a decision should be made regarding the long-term welfare of that fighter.

Although Referee Jack Reiss and Prograis' corner appeared to each br gradually moving towards stopping the fight, Prograis did make it to the final bell of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout. A fight that would be won by Haney in winning every round on all three official scorecards making him the new WBC Jr. Welterweight champion of the world and officially making him a two-division world champion as well.

The obvious question for Devin Haney is what will be next for him. It is too soon to say, but it is logical to think of a possibility excluding mandatory title defenses that Haney might attempt to become an undisputed world champion now as a Jr. Welterweight. A task that due to the political landscape in the sport is very difficult to accomplish in one weight division. It is even more rare when a fighter can duplicate that accomplishment in multiple divisions.

For now, Haney will likely spend the remainder of 2023 celebrating his latest career milestone before deciding on who his next opponent might be. As for Regis Prograis, he deserves all the credit in the world for the heart he displayed in this fight and for fighting on till the final bell. While criticism of why the fight was allowed to continue will probably continue for a time, no one can dispute that Prograis showed his mettle in defeat. The former two-time world champion needs time to recover from this setback and to potentially retool before he decides his next move.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Garcia Bounces Back With KO Win , But Do More Questions Remain?

The fight between Jr. Welterweight contender Ryan Garcia and contender Oscar Duarte on December 2nd should have represented a fresh start and the beginning of a new chapter in Garcia's career as he looked to bounce back from the first loss of his career earlier this year to Gervonta Davis. Instead, much of the attention prior to the bout, which took place at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX, did not center on the fight itself or what Duarte brought to the table as an opponent and possible threat to Garcia, but rather on what at best can be described as a contentious relationship between Garcia and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya and by extension his promotional company Golden Boy Promotions. 

It is true that this fight took place under a condition in which this observer cannot recall seeing before, or at least not in this form. In that the bout took place while the fighter Garcia, and the promoter De La Hoya, are engaged in a legal battle against each other in an effort by Garcia to break his existing contract with his promoter. The idea of a promoter and fighter being at odds however, is not a new concept. The idea that a fight promoted by a promoter currently battling the star attraction in said fight while litigation is ongoing is a bit different. 

At minimum, as this observer pointed out in previewing this fight, it had to create distractions for Garcia as well as a situation for De La Hoya, where the pressing question during fight week was not concerning the fight inside the Boxing ring, but concerned his feelings toward his fighter. The contention between the two going into fight week spilled over as both Garcia and De La Hoya traded verbal barbs during the pre-fight press conference and weigh-in.

Seeing the situation play out for the world to see, one would be logical to question why the fighter would agree to participate in a fight promoted by someone that he is trying to distance himself from and why the promoter would want to promote a fight with that fighter, while litigation is ongoing. Truly, something that could only happen in Boxing, or at least that's how it seems. One would also be justified in questioning why something like that would be done before a resolution has taken place between the parties as more than likely anything either fighter or promoter said prior to the bout actually taking place, would likely be used against each other or at least be attempted to in any upcoming legal proceedings.

While what I have described here dear reader, probably sounds more appropriate for a reality TV show, there was still the matter of actual battle inside the ring. The fight between Garcia and Durate took place before a capacity crowd. If nothing else, it demonstrated, despite Garcia's knockout loss to Davis and the very ugly saga between himself and De La Hoya, Garcia is still a rising star in the sport. 

As for the fight itself, under new trainer Derrick James, Garcia showed new elements of his skillset that has not been seen before. A more technical approach with an emphasis on using both his jab and lateral movement against the constant pressure of Duarte, who only knew one direction, forward. Perhaps in response to what happened to him when he was knocked out by Gervonta Davis, when forced to fight on the inside with Duarte where the possibility of being caught with a body shot, like the one that did him in against Davis, was increased, Garcia appeared to turn sideways, some may say partially turn his back. While such an approach borders on the line of legal and illegal, it was for better or worse an effective strategy. It did not, however, endear Garcia to the crowd in attendance, who frequently voiced their criticism via booing throughout the bout. Furthermore, it also created a scenario where Referee James Green frequently interjected himself throughout the fight to issue warnings, which were mostly pointed in the direction of Duarte for hitting Garcia in the back. 

Although I felt Garcia was doing enough to win most of the rounds as the fight progressed, the aggressiveness of Duarte was such that I felt it could sway opinion in his favor simply because of the perception that he was the fighter forcing the action. The question I was also pondering in my mind was whether the high pace in which the fight was fought would take a toll on Garcia later in the fight due not only to Duarte’s pressure and solid punches when he was able to connect, but more specifically the constant movement that he was having to do throughout. 

As the fight continued, I also felt that Duarte’s pressure was effective, but what was also noticeable was the lack of head movement as he came forward in that he was having to go through significant offense from Garcia before he could get on the inside, which he was unable to avoid. This flaw in Duarte’s defense would ultimately lead to his downfall in the eighth round when Garcia was able to catch him with a short left hook to the head, which wobbled his legs and subsequently led to a knockdown from a short flurry of blows. Although Duarte seemed to get up at the count of nine, he was in fact counted out by Referee James Green, giving Garcia an impressive and hard fought knockout win.

Ultimately, this fight did what it was designed to do if you were a member of both Garcia’s camp or his current promoter Golden Boy Promotions. Get Garcia back in the win column. The fact that Garcia was able to do so impressively is an added bonus. Inevitably, there will continue to be questions and criticism of Garcia. Questions such as is he truly recovered from the knockout at the hands of Davis, more so mentally than physically? Is Garcia listening to too many folks in terms of advising him on his career and is that influence at the root of his ongoing problems with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions? And finally, will he be able to stay on track both inside the ring as well as out of it to stay a viable contender with the hope of eventually fighting for a world championship?

These are all interesting questions that this observer cannot answer. Much as has been the case for numerous young fighters throughout the history of the sport however, there is no shortage of people who are more than willing to tell a fighter what they want to hear and will also offer no shortage of ideas that may not truly have the fighter’s best interest at heart. For the fighter, especially one who has been open as Garcia has regarding struggles with his mental health, it can be difficult to tell the difference between those willing to tell them what they want to hear and those telling them what they need to hear. Even if the latter is not always easy to hear.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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