Owen Corrigan returns November 28th – Thunderdome 52

Credit: Mike O'Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: October 21, 2025 By Dragon Fire Boxing - Friday November 28th, Metro City Night Club sees the return of Dragonfire Promotions for their final event of the year.

 

One of the featured contests is rematch pitting undefeated Owen “Bomber” Corrigan 3-0 as he runs it back with Chinas leading Light Heavyweight Liam Wang.

 

When catching up with the fighting pride of Ireland he stated that he was fit and ready to go, having started his camp straight after his previous outing.

 

“2025 has been successful 3 fights in a calendar year, I’m looking at more from last November 4 fights in 12 months I think is very good, each had different styles and characteristics, definitely the hardest been Laing so November 28 is gonna show the improvements been made over the year and how I’ve adapted to boxing professionally”.

 

Owen opens up on his thoughts regarding the rematch:

“Yeah I’ve wanted the rematch since we fought, i believe I’m a lot better than the last time we fought. I had a bad night in the office but still showed my levels to dig out a win, when I’m at my best I think I bring a lot of trouble to Laing and deal with him comprehensively

 

“Everything falling into place I’ve made the mistake in the past certainly the case last time we fight of going to had to early and peaking at the wrong time, been hitting numbers and ticking boxes from next week really I’m going to be lifting the lid on it, very confident in my mindset at the moment”

 

“Bring your best, because I’m not rematching you for fun!”

 

“Yeah another good crowd so far, unbelievably greatful to have these people coming down to support me, let’s hear ya roar, get down early get a few drinks in ya and lift the roof off the place let’s @#!% hear ya!!!

 

Promoter Tony Tolj discusses the match

“Owen is a great talent in the early stages of his career, the first fight was a cracker and Owen won every rounds. He has levels and I know hes been putting the work in and Friday November 28th we will see the new and improved “Bomber”. Ireland vs China in Australia this has an international incident written all over, this is going to be a war and fans will love it for sure.”

Material Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing/ Photo Courtesy of: Mike O'Hara Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

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

Parker And Wardley Emerge In High Stakes Pay-Per-View Showdown

Originally, this column was intended and scheduled to preview two separate pay-per-view main events scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 25th. As some Boxing fans know, what was intended has obviously had to change due to the cancellation of the scheduled WBC World Jr. Middleweight championship bout between champion Sebastian Fundora and former World Welterweight champion Keith Thurman, which was due to headline a pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and streamed through digital streaming entertainment and subscription platform Prime Video, being cancelled due to a hand contusion suffered by Fundora while in training for the bout. While as of this writing, the plan appears for that bout to be rescheduled as soon as possible, there remains one pay-per-view main event to take place on October 25th that will now be the sole subject of this writing, which could and should have ramifications the the Heavyweight division moving into 2026.

This observer is referring to the bout between former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and the undefeated Fabio Wardley in a scheduled twelve round fight that will headline a pay-per-view card at the O2 Arena in London, England and can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. What makes this encounter interesting beyond it being a battle between two of the top Heavyweights in the division, which alone often is enough to draw interest is this fight presents a rarity as well that primarily due to the politics that be in the sport of Boxing and multiple sanctioning organizations, you rarely see. Two fighters, each with a number one mandatory ranking with an interim championship designation, putting their respective standings on the line. In this case in order to attempt to secure a fight with the undefeated two-time Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Parker, who has been at or near the top of the Heavyweight division for most of the last decade is a one time WBO World Heavyweight champion, and after some ups and downs over the years, has worked his way back to the number one contender position in the same organization. A testament to perseverance that cannot be dismissed. Although seemingly on a career high minus the ultimate goal of regaining a world title, Parker, who has had to contend with his fair share of power punching sharks in the waters of the Heavyweight division will be tasked with facing one more in his hopes to secure another world title opportunity in the form of unbeaten “Knockout Artist” Fabio Wardley.

Wardley, who will come into this fight with a near 95% career knockout percentage, will enter as the WBA’s top contender. With a record of 19-0-1, with 18 Knockouts, few have been able to withstand the punching power Wardley has in either hand. This presents the classic scenario of a fighter noted for his ability to end fights quickly, going against a more seasoned and more experienced opponent at this level of competition.

It is not a scenario that the former world champion Parker, who will enter the bout with a record of 36-3, with 24 Knockouts, is unfamiliar. Some may recall his fights against Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce, and Zhilei Zhang, three noted “Knockout Artists,” in which Parker suffered two losses out of those three fights. What is revealing, however, is Parker has only been stopped once in his three defeats and that was at the hands of Joe Joyce in September 2022. Parker was competitive in all three of his losses and was ahead on all three scorecards when Joyce was able to catch up to him in the eleventh round of that fight.

In thinking of how this fight might be fought from Parker’s perspective, I thought of two fights that might be similar, that he was successful and dominant in winning. Two opponents that stylistically are similar to Wardley in being “Knockout Artists” that come forward and can knock an opponent out with either hand. Yours truly is referring to his bouts with the aforementioned Zhilei Zhang and before that encounter, his bout against former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. Two fights that took place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2023 and 2024 respectfully.

In both fights, Parker used effective lateral movement, footwork, and timing to consistently beat both fights to the punch, often by landing variations of two, three, and four punch combinations and then using his movement to evade before either fighter could return offense consistently. Two performances by Parker, who was viewed as an underdog going into both fights that frankly should be viewed as a masterclass in effective execution by a boxer/puncher. It is an approach that Parker must implement once again in this fight.

Much like Wilder and Zhang, Fabio Wardley is not known for his quickness, but has shown more than once thus far in his career that he can end a fight with one punch if given an opening. One need look no further than Wardley’s last fight in June of this year against previously unbeaten contender Justis Huni. A fight held in rainy conditions in Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England, that was dominated by Huni from the outset, frequently out throwing and outlanding Wardley in seemingly every round and often landing in combination. Huni had particular success in landing flush right hands on Wardley, which is also coincidentally one of Parker's best offensive weapons.

The accumulation of punishment along with the fact that Huni had stepped in and took the fight on short notice along with the bout being held outdoors in rainy conditions seemed to have Wardley at times seemingly on the verge of being stopped due primarily to fatigue. Just as it appeared Huni was about to make a significant shake up in the Heavyweight division, the two fighters exchanged punches midway through the tenth round. Seemingly out of nowhere, Wardley connected with an overhand right that turned certain defeat as he had lost the fight on the scorecards by that point in the bout, into a thrilling come from behind knockout victory.

As great as that knockout was and as accurate a demonstration of the power Wardley has that one can find, if one is objective they would say that Justis Huni put a significant scare into both Wardley and his promoter the Hall of Famer Frank Warren, who is also the promoter of this bout with Parker. To expand a bit further, if one were honest they would say that even though Huni up to the point where he got caught put in a career high performance in that fight, he has limited experience and Joseph Parker is both more experienced, particularly at this level of competition at or near the top of the sport, and is also lighter on his feet than Huni.

The element of danger, however, is very real and Parker must keep in mind here that he can be winning every second of every round and one lapse in focus, leaving even the slightest opening, can end up costing him the fight. Though the circumstances are/were different, Parker found himself in a similar situation as Huni when he fought Joe Joyce in September 2022 in that like Wardley, Joyce, at the time was an unbeaten “Knockout Artist” that Parker hit repeatedly throughout that fight with the type of flush right hands that would end the night for most fighters, let alone Heavyweights and like Huni, Parker seemed to have the fight well under control and winning on points when Joyce was able to catch him and knock him out. A possibility certainly exists here that a similar scenario could happen where by all accounts and without a question of doubt, Parker could find himself in control and winning every aspect of the combat. Parker knows what happened to him against Joyce and he needs to be aware not to get overly aggressive where he might be vulnerable again to being caught. Even if a scenario presents itself where he might be able to score a knockdown, he must be tactical at all times and until the final bell or a potential stoppage, approach Wardley with caution.

The approach for Fabio Wardley is both simple and complex. He needs to try and cut the ring off from Parker and try to limit his ability to move and use angles, but must also pace himself in doing so. A problem that fighters, as I have often said over the last thirty years I have covered Boxing and by extension other combat sports, that are known for their punching power is they can fall into a false sense of security in thinking that their power will be enough to get the job done every time they enter the ring and as a result, neglect developing other facets of their game in terms of tactics, strategy, the ability to pace themselves, and develop an overall well-rounded skillset, which more often than not tends to have negative effects long-term on their careers. Wardley did succeed in saving himself from defeat in his last fight, but he may not be as fortunate if he finds himself in a similar hole on the scorecards in this fight.

Whether or not the winner of this fight gets a title shot against Oleksandr Usyk, or due to the unique circumstances of this encounter, ends up potentially emerging as a unified world champion depending on what Usyk decides to do, remains to be seen. These are the types of fights, however, that I tend to look forward to more than most not only from a stylistic standpoint, but when you also throw into the equation that anything can happen, which is especially true when it comes to Heavyweights, it sparks interest. We will see if it's Parker or Wardley that comes out on top. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Parker vs. Wardley takes place on Saturday, October 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight as well as it's undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View at 1:30PM ET/10:30AM PT for $59.99. (*North American times and pricing 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 and pricing in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Juarez Retains Women's WBC World Flyweight Championship With Decision Over Nery Plata

Credit: Harry Aaron/Most Valuable Promotions 

Press Release: October 19, 2025 By Most Valuable Promotions - SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX – October 18, 2025 – In a thrilling and tightly contested ten-round world championship bout, Mexico’s WBC light flyweight world champion Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez (39-4, 5 KOs) successfully retained her title, earning a majority decision victory over MVP’s Yesica Nery Plata (30-3, 3 KOs)—the division’s #1 WBA contender and former unified champion—at Most Valuable Prospects 16 Championship Double Header from the South Padre Island Convention Center in Texas, streamed globally on DAZN. From the opening bell, the action was razor-close, with both champions trading sharp, clean combinations in a technical chess match. Juarez was briefly shoved in round seven but remained composed, matching Plata’s precision and pace through every exchange. After ten high-level rounds, the judges scored the bout 95-95, 96-94x2 in favor of Juarez, who retained her WBC light flyweight world title. Speaking with Sibley Scoles post-fight, Juarez thanked her supporters and praised Plata’s strength and performance in what was one of the night’s most competitive showdowns.

 

In the co-main event, Brownsville, Texas native Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez (20-2, 7 KOs) showcased his superior skill and ring IQ against Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Omar “The New Era” Rosario (14-3, 4 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight clash at 140 lbs. The opening rounds were competitive, with both men trading crisp combinations, but Juarez quickly established himself as the sharper, more composed fighter. As the bout wore on, Juarez’s precision and timing broke down Rosario’s defense, and a late point deduction against Rosario further cemented Juarez’s control. After ten rounds, the judges unanimously scored it for Juarez (99-89x2, 97-91), marking a dominant and decisive victory.

On the main card, MVP’s Australian unified world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson (11-3, 4 KOs) lived up to her nickname, obliterating South Carolina’s Logan Holler (11-4-1, 4 KOs) to successfully defend her unified IBF and WBO middleweight world titles. Making her promotional debut with MVP, Robinson wasted no time asserting her dominance—unleashing a barrage of heavy combinations in the second round that shattered Holler’s defense and left her unable to continue. The referee stopped the contest at 1:08 of the 2nd round, declaring Robinson the winner by TKO and still the unified IBF and WBO middleweight world champion. The clinical display from the reigning champion earned Robinson the MVP Performance of the Night bonus presented by Caribe Royale.

Opening the main card, Boxlab Promotions’ rising 21-year-old Cuban standout Ronny Alvarez (5-0, 4 KOs) faced 26-year-old San Antonio prospect Bruno Pola (10-4-1, 9 KOs). Pola found early success with powerful combinations, but Alvarez adjusted and began to take control as the fight progressed, leveraging his explosive power to break down Pola. The referee stopped the contest at 2:28 in the fifth round, awarding Alvarez the victory by TKO. 

In a contentious preliminary card headliner, MVP and Dallas, Texas’s Shurretta “Chiccn” Metcalf (15-5-1, 2 KOs) battled MVP’s Puerto Rican sensation Krystal Rosado (7-1, 2 KOs) in an 8-round bout at 118lbs. The former world champion Metcalf leveraged her longer reach to keep Rosado at distance in the early rounds, outlanding Rosado in power punches, while Rosado impressed with sharp, clean counters. After eight hard-fought rounds, the judges rendered a unanimous decision in favor of Metcalf (77-75, 78-74x2). 

Also on the preliminary card, MVP’s three-time U.S. National Champion and high-fashion model Alex “Chop Chop” Chaparro (6-0, 6 KOs) impressed once again, stopping Mexico’s David “El Verdugo” Gutierrez (4-1, 2 KOs) by TKO. Chaparro dictated the pace from the opening bell against the unorthodox Gutierrez, brushing off an illegal shot to the back of the head in round two before nearly scoring a knockout in the fifth. He closed the fight in emphatic fashion, overwhelming Gutierrez with a brutal combination, finishing with a ferocious uppercut at 0:25 of round six that sent Gutierrez to the mat for good. In an eight-round super lightweight showdown, Houston’s Miranda “La Alacrana” Reyes (8-3-1, 3 KOs) delivered a statement win over MVP’s Yolanda Vega (10-2, 1 KO). Reyes established her dominance with crisp combinations to outperform Vega, who suffered a dislocated shoulder early in the bout, and earn a unanimous decision win (79-73, 80-72x2).

In one of the night’s most explosive bouts, Boxlab Promotions’ and Brownsville, Texas’s undefeated Sebastian Juarez (10-0, 8 KOs) put on a blistering display against Ft. Worth, Texas’s Demarcus Layton (10-8-1, 7 KOs). Despite an early knockdown from Layton and two point deductions for holding, Juarez rebounded to knock down Layton twice with devastating power before the referee halted the action at 2:59 of the first round, awarding Juarez the TKO win. Also on the preliminary card, Boxlab Promotions’ 21-year-old Cuban prospect Pedro Veitia (6-0-1, 6 KOs) and 19-year-old Mexican prospect Xavier Zuniga (4-0-1, 3 KOs) battled through six competitive rounds in a 154 lbs super welterweight bout, ending in a hard-fought split draw (60-54, 58-56, 57-57). Kicking off the night, Mission, Texas’s Edgar “Rocky” Rosales (6-0, 2 KOs) extended his undefeated streak with an impressive unanimous decision win (40-36, 39-37x2) over Harlingen, Texas’s Reggie Ray Martinez (6-1-1, 1 KO) in a 4-round lightweight bout at 135 lbs. 

Most Valuable Prospects 16 is promoted by MVP and distributed globally by DAZN. The 16th event in the series, in partnership with Boxlab Promotions, continued the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drinks, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, TORKLAW, Caribe Royale Resort, and Event Tickets Center also joined on to sponsor Most Valuable Prospects 16.

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

About MVP

MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize returns for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last six global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Perry match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano, in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head-to-head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, earning a nomination for Event of the Year by Sports Business Journal. MVP made history again in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. MVP’s Paul vs. Tyson streamed live globally on Netflix and shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of Paul vs. Tyson and the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). We are building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet, and on one app.

For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com. 

Material Courtesy of: Most Valuable Promotions/ Photo Courtesy of: Harry Aaron/Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission 

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

Joel "Lethal" Lewis Returns On November 28th At Thunderdome 52

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: October 16, 2025 By Dragon Fire Boxing - Rising Australian welterweight prospect Joel “Lethal” Lewis returns to the ring on November 28th at Metro City in Perth in his quest to prove he is Australias best Welterweight in a featured Thunderdome 51 contest.

 

Lewis is finishing 2025 with his 3rd fight against Chinas Yong Shuai Luan and has moved camps to train with Angelo Hyder, current trainer of former World Champions Andrew and Jason Moloney.

 

Lewis states ”I have come from the lowest of lows and now ready to sacrifice everything and leave no stone unturned to give everything I can in my professional career.

 

I'm blessed to be training at the Dragon Fire Boxing gym with Angelo, the experience and time Angelo has given me I believe has taken me to a new level and I’m loving my boxing and looking forward to showcase my skills and show the hardwork we have been putting in.

 

My last fight was a statement win and I know my next opponent is going to be tougher again and next year I will be stepping up more and more.

 

Im excited November 28th Thunderdome 52 Lethal is coming!

 

Promoter Tony Tolj discusses the upcoming clash & Thunderdome 52

“This is a massive show and we will be finishing off the year with a BANG! 14 Fights. This is another step up clash for Joel (lewis), under Angelo, Joel has gone to another level and I’m predicting 2026 to be a break out year for Joel, Lethal by name and Lethal by nature!

You can follow all the action from Thunderdome 52 on Livecombatsports.com.au 

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

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

Ennis Destructive In Jr. Middleweight Debut

The storyline going into the encounter between undefeated former unified Welterweight world champion Jaron Ennis and IBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Uisma Lima on October 11th was that it represented the next chapter in the thus far unbeaten career of Ennis in his debut in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division. Before a hometown crowd at the recently renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena (Formerly the Wells Fargo Center) in Philadelphia, PA, Ennis would make a statement.

Despite going against a world champion, whose title was not on the line, little was known about Uisma Lima. In previewing this fight, this observer stated that Lima was, much like Ennis, a come forward fighter that applies pressure boxing out of the southpaw stance. Although Lima, who was fighting for the first time in the United States, began this fight coming forward behind a consistent jab and attempted to put Ennis on the defensive by backing him up, he was unable to control the distance as he had shown in previous fights.

This created the scenario that brought the fight to a sudden conclusion. Just as it appeared that a potential tactical fight was setting up in the first round, the two fighters exchanged left hands. It was in that exchange that Ennis was able to connect with his left before Lima could land his. The punch from Ennis connected and stunned Lima. Ennis quickly followed that with an uppercut that sent Lima down to the canvas. 

Lima got up in very unsteady legs, but Ennis pressed the issue immediately, dropping him for a second time with a follow-up barrage of blows. Showing his mettle, Lima was able to get up once more, but Ennis quickly went in for the kill and another follow-up flurry of punches forced Referee Shawn Clark to step in, as Lima’s corner was throwing the towel in to save their fighter from further punishment, and stop the fight at 1:58 of round one. 

As tempting as some might be to add elements of hype to this knockout, yours truly will not be one of them. There is simply not much you can say about a fight that lasts just under two minutes. Jaron Ennis simply saw his opening, was able to take advantage of it, and made quick work of his opponent in destructive fashion. Simply put, Uisma Lima did not know what hit him and Ennis did not take the chance of allowing him to recover, went in for the kill and took care of business. 

As for what's next for Ennis, quite frankly, this observer believes that the International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Jr. Middleweight championship, which Uisma Lima still holds, despite being knocked out in the first round of this fight, should have been on the line here. If nothing else, it would have provided a narrative that Ennis established himself as a two-division world champion with the knockout win. Instead, Ennis earned with his thirty-first knockout in thirty-five career wins, Interim/Regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings. In short, that designation is simply a number one ranking. 

A number one ranking that puts Ennis in line to face current WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Abass Baraou, a fighter who recently held that same designation, but was elevated to world champion following the decision by former WBA world champion Terence Crawford to vacate the title to move up two divisions to Super-Middleweight to challenge undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. A challenge that for Crawford was successful. Much like Uisma Lima had going into his fight with Ennis, Abass Baraou has a limited resume of a 14-1 record with 9 Knockouts and has not fought opposition that some would consider top caliber.

 The brief glimpse into the politics that be in the sport of Boxing aside, what his victory over Uisma Lima, should have accomplished for Jaron Ennis was establishing him as potentially a lucrative, albeit dangerous option for any top contender or world champion in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division. He also showed, at least in this fight, that his punching power has thus far carried with him up from the 147lb. Welterweight division. Whether or not Abass Baraou is indeed next for Ennis, which would be the logical assumption at least as far as the WBA is concerned, remains to be seen, but this observer believes Jaron Ennis could be back in the ring as soon as January or February of next year after a short night's work in knocking out Uisma Lima.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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BREAKING: Fundora-Thurman Postponed

It has been announced that the October 25th pay-per-view card headlined by a bout between WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Sebastian Fundora defending his title against former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman, which was scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV and streamed on Prime Video has been postponed due to a hand injury suffered by the champion. It has also been reported by noted Boxing journalist Mike Coppinger, currently of Ring Magazine that the scheduled co-main event, a WBC World Jr. Lightweight championship bout between between champion O'Shaquie Foster and former Jr. Featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton, will also be rescheduled.

The Fundora-Thurman card was one of two scheduled pay-per-view cards to take place on October 25th. As of this writing, the other event headlined by former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker facing top contender Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London England, which will be streamed on digital sports streaming network DAZN as a pay-per-view add-on separate from it's subscription-based model, remains on as scheduled. 

We will keep readers updated on when the Fundora-Thurman card will be rescheduled as those details become available.

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Ennis Takes On IBO World Champion Lima In Jr. Middleweight Debut

It goes almost without saying nowadays that unless a fighter is a natural Heavyweight, most fighters that make it to the world championship level and achieve that goal, tend to set their sights on multiple weight classes in search of more world championship gold as well as and perhaps more specifically, bigger paydays. In the case of Jaron Ennis, an undefeated World Welterweight champion, who seemed poised to take over the 147lb. Welterweight division in the era immediately following the exit of Terence Crawford, the division’s last undisputed world champion, he has made the decision to move up in weight rather than trying to complete the unification process at Welterweight after successfully unifying the IBF and WBA world titles with a sixth round stoppage of previously unbeaten WBA world champion Eimantas Stanionis in April of this year. Despite the potential to add his name next to Crawford and other notable legends like Sugar Ray Leonard and Donald Curry as fighters who went on to claim status as an undisputed world champion during their time atop the Welterweight division, Ennis has instead opted to move up in weight to the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division where he will face current International Boxing Organization (IBO) Jr. Middleweight world champion Uisma Lima on Saturday, October 11th in Ennis' hometown of Philadelphia, PA at the Wells Fargo Center in a scheduled twelve round bout that can be seen worldwide on digital sports subscription streaming network DAZN. Lima, who holds the distinction as the first fighter from Angola to ever hold a world championship, will enter this fight with a record of 14-1, with 10 Knockouts.

Despite holding a world championship that he won in December of last year and has successfully defended it once since then, Lima is largely unknown and basically comes into this encounter with Ennis as a world champion that is under the radar. Lima has scored knockouts of over 70% of his opposition, so the question that looms over this fight will be how Lima, a boxer/puncher will perform against the significantly more experienced and higher profile Ennis, who will come into this bout unbeaten with a record of 34-0, with 30 Knockouts having knocked out 88% of his previous opponents entering this fight.

What is also unknown as this fight approaches is whether the IBO world championship in the Jr. Middleweight division, which Lima currently holds, will be on the line or if this will be a non-title bout scheduled for the world championship distance of twelve rounds. The IBO, which was founded in the late 1980’s and incorporated in the early 1990’s, and is based here in the United States, has struggled for consistent recognition, particularly in this country as a world sanctioning organization, the fifth major world sanctioning organization in the sport. It is an organization, however, that in addition to having many notable fighters and Hall of Famers, male and female hold its world championship in various weight divisions throughout the entire sport, is held in higher regard internationally, which in addition to its computerized-based approach to rankings, can on occasion create a scenario like this where a world champion, who is well-traveled as Lima has been in competing in multiple countries throughout his career, but a fighter who will be competing in the United States for the first time, is regarded as an unknown entity. This observer has been unable to confirm as is this writing as to whether or not the world title Lima holds will indeed be on the line in this bout.

While some who particularly take a more cynical view of sanctioning organizations and choose not to view them as the legitimate entities that they for better or worse are, no matter what happens in this fight, it will have no impact on the IBO’s standing. If, Lima can produce a solid performance, however, it will provide further evidence that just because a fighter may not be what is sometimes referred to as a “Household Name" does not mean they should be taken lightly both by their opponent who might be more well known and by fans, even though in an era increasingly dominated by worldwide streaming, it is becoming harder for fighters to be completely under the radar.

As for what type of fight one can expect when Ennis and Lima square off? Like Jaron Ennis, Uisma Lima is a come forward pressure fighter. What will make this potentially interesting is Lima is a southpaw that is tall, rangy, knows how to control distance well, and often comes forward throwing punches with both hands. The question here might be whether Lima’s physical advantages and offensive approach will be enough against a fighter in Ennis that while he might be moving up in weight, has shown the ability to end a fight with either hand in often brutal fashion. If the power he displayed as a Welterweight is able to carry with him as he moves up in weight, Ennis will be no less dangerous and any opponent will have to approach with caution. We will see what Uisma Lima can do on Saturday, October 11th.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Update: Shortly after completion of this column, it was able to be confirmed that the IBO Jr. Middleweight world championship currently held by Uisma Lima will not be at stake, but the bout is being billed as a final elimination bout in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings where the winner will be given Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA rankings. As of this writing, win or lose Lima will still be IBO world champion.

Ennis vs. Lima takes place on Saturday, October 11th at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 5:15 PM ET/2:15 PM with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts followed by the main card that will begin at 8PM ET/5PM PT. 

(*North American 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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