Premier Boxing Champions 1/19/2016 Recap

Undefeated Welterweight prospect Jamal James scored the nineteenth victory of his career by winning a ten round unanimous decision over Javier Molina on Tuesday night at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, CA. In what was a competitive bout, James used an effective jab to establish distance and was able to use a mix of combination punching off of the jab along with lateral movement to dictate how the fight was fought. Molina was able to have periodic success landing short combinations to the body and head of James throughout.

As the fight progressed however, James’ ability to control distance and generally get his punches off first became the difference in the fight. Although Molina was able to have his moments throughout the fight including snapping James’ head back with a flush right hand in the sixth round, he was ineffective in being able to land combinations consistently on James. This can be attributed to not only James’ ability to control distance, but also his ability to slip and evade much of Molina’s offense when Molina was able to get close.

Even though there were rounds in this fight that were close due to the combat being fought at a measured pace, James was simply able to outwork Molina and his ability to be the busier and more effective of the two fighters allowed him to win rounds and earn a convincing unanimous decision. Official scores were 99-91, 98-92, and 97-93 all in favor of Jamal James.

Unofficially, I scored this fight 98-92 in favor of James. Molina had periods during this fight where he was the more aggressive of the two fighters, but was simply not effective in his aggression. Despite having sporadic success throughout this fight in being able to land offense on James, Molina was unable to change the tempo of the fight and could not discourage James from doing what he wanted to do and that along with James’ effective fight plan is what won the fight for James in this observer’s eyes.

Jamal James advances to 19-0, with 9 Knockouts. Javier Molina falls to 17-2, with 8 Knockouts.

Also on this card, undefeated Super-Middleweight prospect and knockout artist David Benavidez scored a second round stoppage over Kevin Cobbs. Benavidez was in command from the opening bell as he used a well-balanced attack to the body and head of Cobbs in the first round. In round two Benavidez landed a double left hook that staggered Cobbs along the ropes. Cobbs briefly held on, but did not have an answer for Benavidez’ follow-up barrage, which caused Referee Raul Caiz Jr. to step in and stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 1:08 of round two.

David Benavidez advances to 12-0, with 11 Knockouts. Kevin Cobbs falls to 10-2, with 4 Knockouts.

In the Middleweight division rising prospect Malcolm McCallister scored a third round stoppage of Tyrone Selders. McCallister scored a knockdown of Selders in the first round when a right/left combination stunned Selders causing one of his gloves to touch the canvas giving McCallister credit for a knockdown. Despite suffering a cut over right eye later in the round as a result of an accidental clash of heads, McCallister systematically broke Selders down and the one-sided bout was stopped in round three. Official time of the stoppage was 2:39 of round three.

Malcolm McCallister advances to 7-0, with 6 Knockouts. Tyrone Selders falls to 9-7-1, with 6 Knockouts.

In other bouts:

Middleweight Caleb Plant (12-0, 9 Knockouts) TKO6 over Adatar Rodriguez (11-5-2, with 7 Knockouts). Official time: 2:37 of round six.

Featherweight Thomas Velasquez (4-0, 3 with 3 Knockouts) TKO over James De Herrera (3-3, with 2 Knockouts). Official time: 2:08 of round four.

Featherweight Aaron Alameda (12-0, with 8 Knockouts) KO6 over Andre Wilson (14-11-1, with 12 Knockouts). Official time: 1:38 of round six.

Welterweight Sanjarbek Rankmanov (4-0 with 3 Knockouts) TKO4 over Jose Castro (5-7, with 3 Knockouts). Official time: 1:27 of round four.

Light-Heavyweight Ronald Mixon (6-0, with 5 Knockouts) TKO2 over Christian Solorzano (3-7, with 2 Knockouts). Official time: 1:49 of round two.

Heavyweight Con Sheehan (Pro Debut/1-0, with 0 Knockouts) UD4 over Jonathan Rice (2-1-1, with 2 Knockouts). Official scores: 40-36 (on two scorecards), and 39-37 in favor of Sheehan.

On a card that featured a good mix of rising prospects to fighters who are approaching contender status fighters such as Jamal James, David Benavidez, and Malcolm McCallister should all be regarded as fighters to watch in 2016. How quickly these fighters move up the ladder of contention in their respective weight classes remains to be seen, but all three succeeded in producing impressive victories on this card. Whomever either of them face in their next bouts, if they continue to progress it may not be hard to envision either of the three facing a fighter who is considered a contender before the end of the year.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Brief Update:

We would like to let our readers know that new material will be released on Wednesday, January 20th. Stay tuned. “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

2016: A Year Of Further Progress And Success For Boxing?

At the beginning of 2015 readers of The Boxing Truth® read what this observer believed might have been beneficial to the sport of Boxing during the year. The year 2015 could be described as one that was successful for the sport.

Of course, some will automatically say it was successful due in large part to the fact that the long-awaited battle between superstars Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally took place. It is indeed true that in terms of economics the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight proved to be the most successful event in Boxing history. The actual fight however, failed to live up to the hype that led up to it and left many Boxing fans feeling unsatisfied.

Although it is understandable to an extent that some would want to base their opinion on the overall success of that event for what turned out to be a successful year for the sport, it is important to remember that there were more stories in Boxing outside of Mayweather-Pacquiao. One of the biggest stories of 2015 was the launch of the Premier Boxing Champions series, a series that spans across several different networks on both broadcast and cable television.  In its first year, the series succeeded in bringing the sport exposure that it had been lacking for years, primarily across networks such as NBC and CBS, who had sporadic involvement in the sport for several years before the Premier Boxing Champions series began. As 2016 begins the Premier Boxing Champions series will soon expand its coverage to include Fox as it will bring Boxing in prime time back to the national Fox network for the first time in nearly twenty years beginning on January 23rd with a card headlined by a Welterweight bout between former world champions Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero.

For a series that has provided competitive fights, a platform for rising prospects, and has succeeded in bringing increased exposure for the sport, the future does look bright for the Premier Boxing Champions series and this observer has no doubt that the series will continue to progress in 2016. As much as the Premier Boxing Champions series should be applauded for its contributions to the sport, an interesting question that some might ask is what other areas in the sport could improve in 2016?

Readers may recall at the beginning of 2015 I discussed topics that I felt could have long-term benefits for the sport. One of those topics centered on the heads of Boxing’s respective sanctioning organizations including the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World Boxing Association (WBA), and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) establishing an ongoing dialogue to discuss various issues that surround the sport.

This observer remains firm in my stance that an ongoing dialogue between the sport’s respective sanctioning organizations should be viewed as a positive and encouraged particularly if such dialogue leads to things that can improve the sport overall including as I suggested last year unification of Boxing’s seventeen weight classes in order to establish one undisputed world champion per division. Although such a suggestion may appear to be wishful thinking, it should not be dismissed.

In regard to the subject of championships, readers may also recall my comments concerning my belief that the concept of interim/regular/emeritus “champions” needing to be rethought and simplified. It is my hope that not only the dialogue between Boxing’s various sanctioning organizations continues and expands to include organizations that have not been involved in such discussions, but more importantly that such dialogue will lead to a more simplified system a designating mandatory challengers for world champions.

Even though not much has changed in the past year with regard to fighters holding interim/regular champion status in a sanctioning organization’s respective ratings across several weight classes, I believe there is still much that could be done to both ensure that fighters who earn opportunities to fight for a world title get their opportunity in a timely manner and to clear up confusion among the general public as to rankings, designations, and number one contenders. As I stated last year, the concept interim/regular “champions” as well as other designated titles although well-intentioned has created more confusion than it has created solutions.

It is my hope that the dialogue between the sport’s various sanctioning organizations will lead to progress in revamping the concept of interim/regular “champions” in 2016. As much as I believe that the continued growth of the Premier Boxing Champions series as well as an ongoing dialogue between Boxing’s governing bodies will be beneficial in the long-term for the sport, one of the most important things that will continue the progress of the sport in 2016 will be if the best fighters face the best competition available to them.

As successful as 2015 was for Boxing there are still rivalries not only between fighters, but between promoters and networks that could and has prevented fights that most would consider “Big” or “Major” from happening in the past. After all, the Boxing world waited almost a decade for Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao to become a reality. Once the fight finally happened however, it left many feeling disappointed. Whether or not it would have made any difference as to how the fight was fought had Mayweather and Pacquiao fought each other earlier in their careers is a subject to debate.

In this observer’s eyes one of the biggest detriments to the sport is when Boxing fans are asked to wait a significant period of time before a fight that has significant demand finally takes place. If there is a commitment however, from promoters, television networks, and Boxing’s sanctioning organizations to seeing the best fighters square off against one another the progression and long-term success of the sport will continue well beyond 2016. This observer looks forward to seeing what is in store for Boxing in the year ahead.

“And That’s the Boxing Truth.”

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

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Happy 2016

As Boxing prepares for what should be an exciting 2016, we here at The Boxing Truth® look forward to continuing to provide our readers with accurate information, in-depth analysis, and objective opinions regarding the sport of Boxing as well as the participants and issues that surround it.   We would like to let our readers know that we are between rounds and will kick off our 2016 schedule on Wednesday, January 13th. We thank all our readers for your continued support and we wish you all a very Happy 2016.

“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

Premier Boxing Champions 12/29/2015 Results

Undefeated rising Lightweight prospect Omar Douglas scored a hard-fought ten round majority decision over veteran Frank De Alba on Tuesday night at The Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA. In what was an extremely competitive contest from start to finish it was a battle of Douglas’ aggression and looking to get on the inside of De Alba versus De Alba’s counter punching ability and attempting to catch Douglas with offense as he came forward while using lateral movement in an attempt to be an elusive target.

Both fighters were able to have periods of effectiveness in several of the rounds in this bout and there was simply not much to separate the two combatants. At the end of ten close rounds two of three official judges scored the bout in favor of Douglas giving him the victory via majority decision. Official scores were 95-95 (Even) 97-93, and 96-94 in favor of Douglas. Unofficially, I scored this bout a draw 95-95.  Douglas was clearly the more aggressive of the two fighters throughout much of this fight and was able to dictate how the fight was fought by being able to stay close to De Alba and keeping him on the defensive. De Alba however, was most effective when he was able to either get his punches off first or catch Douglas with counter punches as he looked to get on the inside. In many ways, it was a bout that was essentially what the definition of a close fight should be. Both fighters being able to execute their offense in spots in almost every round and neither fighter being able to clearly stand out from the other.

Omar Douglas advances to 16-0, with 11 Knockouts. Frank De Alba falls to 17-2-2, with 6 Knockouts.

Also on this card, in a Welterweight bout undefeated prospect/knockout artist Miguel Cruz scored a seventh round stoppage of Virgil Green. Cruz sent Green to the canvas with a combination in the seventh round. Although Green was able to beat the count, Cruz did not let him off the hook as a follow- up barrage convinced Referee Benjy Esteves to step in and stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 1:36 of round seven.

Miguel Cruz advances to 12-0, with 11 Knockouts. Virgil Green falls to 11-4, with 4 Knockouts.

In a Light-Heavyweight bout Christopher Brooker scored a dominant eight round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Leo Hall. Brooker was very aggressive throughout the fight and was able to win virtually every round based on being the busier of the two and bringing the fight to his opponent. Official scores were 79-73 (On two scorecards), and 80-72 All in favor of Brooker.

Christopher Brooker advances to 7-1, with 5 Knockouts. Leo Hall falls to 8-1, with 7 Knockouts.

In other bouts:

Welterweight Jerome Conquest (4-1, with 1 Knockout) DQ2 over Christian Molina 4-2, with 3 Knockouts). Molina picked Conquest up and dropped him on the canvas in the second round. Conquest was unable to get up and thus unable to continue resulting in Molina being disqualified. Conquest was carried from the ring on a stretcher. There is no update as of this writing as to Conquest’s condition. We will keep you updated if details become available.

Light Heavyweight Earl Newman (8-0, 6 Knockouts) UD4 over Victor Kpadenou (10-9, with 5 Knockouts). Official scores 40-36 (on all three scorecards) all in favor of Newman.

Super-Middleweight Denis Douglin (20-4, with 12 Knockouts) TKO8 over Marcus Upshaw (18-16-4, with 9 Knockouts). Official time 1:53 of round eight.

Welterweight Milton Santiago (13-0, with 2 Knockouts) MD8 over Angel Hernandez (9-6-1, with 5 Knockouts). Official scores 76-76, 77-75, and 78-74 giving Santiago the victory.

Featherweight Chris Colbert (4-0, with 2 Knockouts) UD6 over Derrick Bivins (2-4-2, with 1 Knockout). Official scores 59-55, and 60-54 (on two scorecards) all in favor of Colbert.

Jr. Middleweight Junior Castillo (9-0, 9 Knockouts) TKO5 over Eduardo Flores (23-19-3, with 15 Knockouts). Fight stopped at the conclusion of round five.

Featherweight Stephen Fulton (8-0, with 3 Knockouts) MD4 over Joshua Greer Jr. (3-1-1, with 2 Knockouts). Official scores 38-38, 40-36, and 39-37 giving Fulton the victory.

This card capped off what has been an extremely successful first year of the Premier Boxing Champions series. With several networks across broadcast and cable television taking part in the series and with Fox Sports set to expand its involvement in the series by televising Premier Boxing Champions cards on the national Fox network, bringing the sport back to the network for the first time in nearly twenty years beginning on January 23, 2016, the future certainly looks bright for the Premier Boxing Champions series. This observer very much looks forward to seeing the series continue to grow in 2016.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Premier Boxing Champions 12/29/2015 Weigh-In Results

The official weigh-in for the final Premier Boxing Champions card of 2015 took place on Monday in Bethlehem, PA. The official weights for the card are as follows.

Main Event: Jr. Lightweight – 10Rds.

Omar Douglas 128lbs.     vs.          Frank De Alba 129lbs.

Welterweight – 8Rds.

Miguel Cruz 146lbs.         vs.          Virgil Green 144lbs.

Middleweight – 8Rds.

Kyrone Davis 159lbs.       vs. Andrew Hernandez 160lbs.

Light-Heavyweight – 8Rds.

Leo Hall 177lbs.                 vs.          Christopher Brooker 174lbs.

Super-Middleweight – 8Rds.

Denis Douglin 166lbs.     vs.          Marcus Upshaw 165lbs.

Jr. Middleweight – 6Rds.

Eduardo Flores 153lbs.   vs.          Junior Castillo 154lbs.

Light-Heavyweight – 6Rds.

Earl Newman 178lbs.      vs.          Victor Kpadenou 173lbs.

Featherweight – 6Rds.

Chris Colbert 126lbs        vs.          Derrick Bivins 124lbs.

Welterweight – 8Rds.

Milton Santiago 140lbs   vs.          Angel Hernandez*

(*Official weight for Hernandez unavailable as of this writing. Fight to go on as scheduled as of this writing.)

Jr. Welterweight – 6Rds.

Jerome Conquest 140lbs.             vs.          Christian Molina 137lbs.

Jr. Featherweight – 6Rds.

Stephen Fulton 122lbs.                  vs.          Joshua Greer Jr. 122lbs.

Premier Boxing Champions: Douglas vs. De Alba takes place tonight (Tuesday, December 29th) at The Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA. In the United States the card will be televised by Fox Sports 1 at 9PMET/6PMPT. Check your Cable/Satellite provider for channel listings. Check your listings internationally for broadcast information.

For more information about the Premier Boxing Champions series please visit: www.premierboxingchampions.com.

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

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

The Potential Options For Rances Barthelemy At 135lbs.

Over the last year undefeated world champion Rances Barthelemy has quickly established himself as one of Boxing’s rising stars. Barthelemy emerged on the scene in January 2014 with a title shot against IBF Jr. Lightweight world champion Argenis Mendez in Minneapolis, MN. A fight that was originally ruled a second round knockout in favor of Barthelemy, was changed to a no contest due to the combination thrown by Barthelemy, which ultimately knocked Mendez out landing after the bell had rung to end the round.

Despite the bout ending in controversial fashion and Mendez retaining his world championship by way of the fight being ruled a no contest, Barthelemy would convincingly put any and all controversy to rest in their rematch in July 2014. Barthelemy would walk out of his second encounter with Mendez having been declared the new champion for the second time. Unlike the first fight between the two however, this time the result would stand as Barthelemy scored a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to win the first world championship of his career.

Following the rematch with Mendez Barthelemy’s star continued to rise as he successfully defended his title in October 2014 with a twelve round unanimous decision over Fernando Saucedo. Barthelemy’s reign as the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) Jr. Lightweight world champion would not last long as he quickly set his sights on the 135lb. Lightweight division.

In his Lightweight debut Barthelemy scored a second round knockout of veteran Angino Perez in March of this year. This would lead to his encounter against former WBC Lightweight world champion Antonio DeMarco three months later. As has been the case since his first bout against Argenis Mendez, Barthelemy dominated the action and scored a convincing ten round unanimous decision over the always “Game” DeMarco.

With two successful victories in the Lightweight division under his belt, Barthelemy fought for the vacant IBF Lightweight world championship on December 18th against IBF number one contender Denis Shafikov in Las Vegas, NV. In what was a competitive fight from start to finish, Barthelemy overcame an aggressive Shafikov to earn a hard-fought twelve round unanimous decision to claim his second world title in as many weight classes.

It is clear that in nearly two years since emerging on the scene that Rances Barthelemy has established himself as a fighter to watch having now claimed world titles in two different divisions. An interesting question that some might ask as 2016 approaches however, just might be what potential options may be available to Barthelemy in the 135lb. Lightweight division?

Having won all twenty-four of his fights as a professional, having scored knockouts in thirteen of those bouts, and having stopped over half of his opponents inside the distance, Barthelemy should be considered a legitimate threat to any top contender or fellow world champion in the division. Stylistically, Barthelemy has a good mix of hand speed, punching power, and lateral movement which could present an interesting challenge for either of the division’s other four world champions, the WBC world champion Jorge Linares, the WBA world champion Anthony Crolla, the IBO world champion Xolisani Ndongeni, or the WBO world champion Terry Flanagan.

Although the prospect of Barthelemy attempting to unify the Lightweight division is something that should be considered, there is always the possibility that Barthelemy and his handlers may elect to face a top contender for his first title defense rather than seeking unification right away. If that is indeed the case, it is unlikely that Barthelemy would be mandated to face the IBF’s next mandatory contender due to a number one contender not being determined as of this writing.

As has become the norm in the sport particularly whenever a bout for a vacant world championship takes place, the new champion is often entitled to an elective defense against a contender of his choosing while a new mandatory challenger is being determined most likely by way of an elimination bout between a sanctioning organization’s next two highest-rated contenders. If Barthelemy is entitled to an elective defense against a top contender, he certainly has some interesting options to choose from in what has historically been a talent deep Lightweight division.

Potential bouts against the likes of contenders such as the unbeaten Felix Verdejo, Petr Petrov, former Lightweight world champion Miguel Vasquez, and Ivan Redkach just to name a few could all be looked at as potential future opponents for Barthelemy. No matter who Barthelemy will fight next, this observer believes that he remains a fighter to watch as 2016 nears.

Given how quickly Barthelemy has become a world champion in two weight divisions however, this observer also believes that a possibility may also exist that Barthelemy may set his sights on conquering a third weight division which might be the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. Whether or not Barthelemy will first focus on possibly unifying the Lightweight division remains to be seen, but it is clear that some interesting storylines may lie ahead for the undefeated two-division world champion in 2016.

“And That’s the Boxing Truth.”

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

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Happy Holidays

We would like to wish all of our readers a very Happy Holiday season. We here at The Boxing Truth® are between rounds and will resume our regular schedule on Monday, December 28th. Stay tuned. “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

What’s Next For Luis Ortiz And Bryant Jennings?

One of the bigger stories in Boxing in recent weeks has been Tyson Fury’s victory over longtime unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko. It was a victory that some might argue is the beginning of a new era for the division. Before Fury got his opportunity to face Klitschko however, another top contender produced an impressive showing against the longtime division king in April of this year. The fighter standing across the ring from Klitschko was Bryant Jennings.

Jennings, who was undefeated at the time he fought Klitschko provided the then unified world champion with what many felt was his most significant test in several years in losing a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Although Jennings came out on the losing end of that fight, he was clearly not disgraced as he clearly established himself as a legitimate contender.

It is natural when a fighter suffers their first loss to wonder how that fighter will respond in their first fight coming off of that loss. Jennings would choose to face a fighter who like himself is a top contender in the division coming off of his loss to Klitschko. The opponent was the undefeated Luis Ortiz. Ortiz, who was an amateur standout with a record of 343-19, has become one of the division’s rising stars since turning pro in 2010.

In nearly six years as a professional Ortiz scored twenty knockouts in twenty-three career victories and also earned a position as one of two fighters who hold interim/regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) ratings prior to his bout with Jennings on December 19th at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. What interested me heading into this fight was to see how not only Jennings would look coming off of his first career loss, but also how Ortiz would do against arguably the toughest opponent in his professional career.

In what was an entertaining battle, both fighters were willing to engage from the outset. Jennings looking to nullify Ortiz’ punching power by getting on the inside and the knockout artist Ortiz looking to land the blow that would bring the fight to its conclusion.

Although both fighters were able to have periods of effectiveness throughout this fight, it was clear from the early going that Ortiz had an edge in terms of punching power as compared to Jennings. This however, did not deter Jennings from not only being willing to engage, but generally bringing the fight to Ortiz by looking to apply consistent pressure and fight on the inside.

When he was able to get on the inside and let his hands go Jennings was able to be very effective particularly by landing combinations to the body and head. In contrast, Ortiz was most successful when he was able to control distance and catch Jennings with punches as Jennings came forward. Even though this was a very competitive fight one question that ran through my mind as it progressed was whether or not the difference would ultimately be the overall effectiveness of Ortiz’ power punches versus the volume of Jennings offense if the fight went the distance.

As the fight progressed the two fighters continued to engage in what could be described as a toe to toe battle with neither fighter wanting to take a backward step. Although Jennings was able to respond when rocked by Ortiz periodically throughout this fight, he was not able to land a blow or series of blows that would discourage Ortiz. Ortiz would catch up with the very “Game” Jennings in round seven knocking the former world title challenger down with a left uppercut and then getting a stoppage of the bout with a follow-up barrage. It was an impressive performance by an undefeated contender in Ortiz who one might argue could potentially fight for a Heavyweight world championship within the next two years should he continue to win.

Although Ortiz is currently one of two fighters who holds interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings, it is important to remember the landscape of the WBA’s ratings system in cases where there is a unified world champion in a division where two fighters are designated as having interim/regular champion status underneath a fighter who is a unified champion. This can result in fighters who hold interim/regular champion status having to wait a significant period of time before getting their championship opportunity. In terms of the Heavyweight division, the WBA/WBO/IBO unified world championship will next be defended when Tyson Fury meets former champion Wladimir Klitschko in a contracted mandatory rematch. The IBF meanwhile chose to strip Fury of its portion of the Heavyweight world championship for failing to meet the IBF’s current number one contender Vyacheslav Glazkov.

It was recently announced that Glazkov will face IBF number four rated contender Charles Martin on January 16th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY to determine a new IBF world champion. Although readers over the years are accustomed to hearing this observer discuss the various political elements that surround Boxing including when circumstances arise regarding a world championship becoming vacant, I believe seeing as the rematch between Fury and Klitschko was contractually obligated in the event that Klitschko lost his unified world championship and chose to invoke his rematch clause, all the championships that were on the line in the original bout should be at stake in the rematch. This would include the IBF world championship in the Heavyweight division. The opinion of this observer notwithstanding, it is my hope that the fighters themselves will not be looked down upon by Boxing fans due to the circumstances that have led to them fighting for a world championship.

Perhaps the winner the fight between Glazkov and Martin may be put into a position to face the winner of the Fury-Klitschko rematch in a would be unification bout. An interesting possibility that could exist for the winner of Glazkov-Martin might be either a bout against the winner of the upcoming WBC world championship fight between champion Deontay Wilder and Artur Szpilka, which will take place on the same card or perhaps a bout against Luis Ortiz.

In regard to the WBA, Ortiz and former WBA Heavyweight world champion Ruslan Chagaev each currently hold interim/regular champion status. With the status of the unified Heavyweight world championship, which includes the WBA world championship currently to be decided between Fury and Klitschko sometime in 2016 and with Chagaev currently scheduled to face undefeated contender Lucas Browne on March 5th in Russia, it seems logical that Ortiz and his promoter Golden Boy Promotions may want to pursue a world championship opportunity against one of the other two champions in the division outside of Fury-Klitschko should the opportunity present itself. A bout against either the winner of Glazkov-Martin or Wilder-Szpilka could be appealing to an undefeated fighter and knockout artist currently playing the waiting game as one of two fighters holding interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s ratings.

What will also be interesting in addition to what’s next for Luis Ortiz is what may be in store for Bryant Jennings coming off of his second consecutive loss and the first knockout loss of his career. Although some might say that a fighter losing twice back to back and perhaps more importantly losing one of those fights by stoppage could drop that fighter from world title contention, this observer is not so sure.

After all, Bryant Jennings put up one hell of a fight earlier this year against Wladimir Klitschko and put up an equally determined effort in this fight against Luis Ortiz. Although Jennings has suffered two setbacks in 2015, it is important to remember that the Heavyweight division is one that is wide-open and if Jennings can find a way to bounce back from the losses he has suffered this year, it may not be long before he is back in the discussion for a potential world title shot. For now, Jennings should take some time to regroup. If Jennings can bounce back, the setbacks he has suffered this year may ultimately be viewed as bumps in the road for someone who may one day be considered a great fighter.

“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

Update:

We would like to let our readers know that new material will be released on Monday, December 21st Stay tuned. “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