DEVIN HANEY VS. ZAUR ABDULLAEV FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA

Press Release: By DAZN – NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2019 – To kick off back-to-back fight nights on DAZN, the media gathered at Dream Downtown for the final press conference ahead of the stacked Matchroom Boxing USA card on Friday, Sept. 13 at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

After an electrifying debut on DAZN in May, lightweight superstar Devin Haney (22-0, 14 KOs) will headline the night against Zaur Abdullaev (11-0, 7 KOs) for the interim WBC World Lightweight Title. In the co-main event, record-breaking seven-weight World Champion Amanda Serrano (36-1-1, 27 KOs) challenges WBO World Female Featherweight Titlist Heather Hardy (22-0, 4 KOs), and Michael Hunter (17-1, 12 KOs) will take on undefeated Sergey Kuzmin (15-0, 11 KOs) in a heavyweight bout.

DAZN coverage of the preliminary bouts will begin at 7 p.m. ET, with the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET.

Devin Haney:

“This is a huge opportunity. I’m happy to be here. Friday night I look to put on a great performance. I’m a totally different fighter, totally different thing. This will put me one step closer to where I want to be. Egis, I’m going to show you a little sample of what I’ll do to Lomachenko after I beat Abdullaev. I know Zaur will put up a great fight, but I’m ready. I had a great training camp, and come Friday night I’ll show the world who Devin Haney is, and I’m ready for the top dog.”

Zaur Abdullaev:

“We had a very good preparation for this fight. We had two months to train very hard. We’re ready to go. Many people are underestimating me, but come Friday we will show what we got.”

Eddie Hearn, Managing Director, Matchroom Boxing USA:

“Madison Square Garden, what a place, whether in the big arena or the theater, this place puts chills down your spine. Devin Haney is one of the most talked about young fighters in the world right now. He was saying he’s no longer a prospect, and I think he’s right, it’s impossible to say he’s one of the best prospects in boxing because he’s about to fight for the interim world title in a very tough fight against undefeated Russian fighter in Zaur Abdullaev with the winner being the mandatory challenger for Vasyl Lomachenko. The card from top to bottom is fantastic. The women’s co-feature is probably the biggest fight in women’s boxing. The co-main event on this card, the battle of Brooklyn, Heather Hardy vs. Amanda Serrano is a thrilling fight that will light up the Hulu Theater at MSG. And for me one of the top heavyweight fights of the year Michael Hunter vs. Sergey Kuzmin will be a brilliant fight. It’s great to see two young prospects taking each other on instead of waiting for a shot at one of the very big boys.”

Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP, North America:

“We’re about to embark on a tremendous four-month period for DAZN here in the United States. The schedule we’re about to put together, and we have not yet fully announced our schedule, is already one of the strongest in the history of the sport of boxing. It would be very easy to stand here today and look past this weekend and look at some of the names, fighters, and matchups to come in the next few weeks and months. The likes of GGG, the likes of Ruiz vs. AJ, and very shortly we will make an announcement on Canelo Alvarez’s next fight. Huge fights, huge names, and a packed schedule starting this weekend. We don’t want to look past this weekend, for us it’s the start of the season of fight sports. Much is made about the kick off of the NFL in the United States, and boxing is not seen historically as a season of great fights. We’re putting that season together and it begins this weekend at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.”

Amanda Serrano:

“I’m so happy to be here. I love to fight. As WBO champion, I have the privilege of challenging any of the champions, and when we looked at all the champions we didn’t want to fight for a vacant title, like all these girls do, so we chose Heather Hardy. No disrespect, Heather Hardy is as tough as they come so we knew she wouldn’t back down from the fight. This fight will be 20 minutes,10 rounds of non-stop action. Friday night will be a treat, and if you can’t make it out, download DAZN. We will show we deserve to be here. It’s going to be a hell of a fight. It will be a great night of boxing.”

Heather Hardy:

“I’ve become known as the girl talking about the pay and equality. I just want to say it’s never a reflection of how grateful I am to be here. Crying to pictures over at MSG with my mom, thinking we made it. I’m thankful for Amanda choosing me, she’s the best boxer in the world right now. I’m ready, I’m the toughest girl in boxing.”

Sergey Kuzmin:

“I have had a great training camp. I’m looking forward to this show. Happy to be at MSG. It’s a dream come true. Some of the best events in boxing are organized by Matchroom. I want to thank my opponent and I look forward to the fight.”

Michael Hunter:

“This is going to be a very big step up for me being in the heavyweight division. He has a lot more experience than I do. I took this fight knowing this, but I want to prove myself. I try to challenge myself to the highest degree. He has over 200 amateur fights. I’m very prepared and can’t wait for the night to come.”

DAZN

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded across four continents with the app currently available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device - including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp. The much-anticipated daily program The Pat McAfee Show launched in September.

Material Courtesy of DAZN/Photo Courtesy of: Ed Mulholland Matchroom Boxing USA Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms and Smart TVs, Availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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

WBA #14 Michael Kaplan contests the Australia Light Flyweight title for first time in 23 years

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: September 7, 2019 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Western Australia's Michael Kaplan will contest the Australian light flyweight title for the first time in 23 on October 4 in Metro City as he looks to continue to progress up the world ratings. 

Kaplan recently broke into the WBA top 15 and now looks to add his first professional title to what has been a break out year in the professional ranks for the Tony Tolj guided fighter. Kaplan discussed how his 2019 has played out.

He said, "2019 has been fantastic and I have to thank my manager Tony Tolj and my training team for helping me reach some of my goals in the professional ranks. I am really grateful for all of their help and their guidance which has taken me into the world ratings.

"Breaking into the world ratings was a dream come true in itself. I want to continue to learn my craft and work my way up the world rankings and see how far I can go in the professional ranks."

Kaplan returns on October 10 on Dragon Fire's Thunderdome promotion which has been a mainstay of Australian boxing for over two decades led by Australian boxing tycoon Tony Tolj. 'Bullet' Kaplan weighed in on his upcoming contest for the Australian light flyweight title in a contest that will be the first for that title in 23 years.

Bullet said, "To contest the light flyweight title of Australia, a title that hasn't been contested in 23 years is a really special moment for me and I am very grateful for this opportunity. 

"I have trained really hard for this fight and I know it isn't going to be easy, but I am fully confident that I will emerge victoriously and then continue to work my way up the world ratings and to my eventual goal of fighting for the world title." 

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

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

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

ANDY RUIZ AND ANTHONY JOSHUA COMPLETE THREE-CONTINENT PRESS TOUR AHEAD OF DEC. 7 REMATCH ON DAZN

Credit: Amanda Westcott/DAZN 

Press Release: By DAZN – NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2019 – Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz, Jr. and Anthony Joshua OBE concluded their three-continent press tour today in London, following stops in the fight’s host city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, and New York on Thursday. The rematch between Ruiz and Joshua will stream exclusively on DAZN in the United States on Saturday, Dec. 7. 

Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) shocked the sports world in June when he toppled then-undefeated heavyweight world champion Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) at Madison Square Garden, spoiling the former titlist’s U.S. debut. Following the biggest heavyweight upset in decades, Joshua triggered an immediate rematch and the two now prepare to meet at a neutral site for this historic fight, which has been dubbed the “Clash on the Dunes.”

Joshua, 29, was scheduled to face Jarrell Miller on June 1 in his U.S. debut, but when Miller failed multiple drug tests ahead of the bout, Ruiz, 29, was brought in as a replacement one month before the fight. Despite handicappers pegging Ruiz as a double-digit underdog, he scored boxing’s most consequential upset in years, which catapulted him as an overnight celebrity. As the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent, he will look to defend his titles against Joshua and prove that his victory was not a fluke, while Joshua looks to regain his status as the heavyweight division’s kingpin.

QUOTES FROM THURSDAY’S NEW YORK CITY PRESS CONFERENCE

Andy Ruiz Jr.

“I know AJ, I know he wants his belts back, I know he does, I know how it feels to lose. I lost against Joseph Parker, when I thought I won the fight. And he could bounce back. But my job is for him not to win. For him not to get these belts back.

“I’ve been through so many roller coasters in my life, so many doubters in my life telling me I wasn’t gonna do nothing just because of my appearance, the way I look. But at least I think I’m proof – where people can say man, if he did it, I can do it. And they could. Long as you train hard, you dedicate yourself, and you believe what you want to do.

“What I believe on December 7 is that the same results are gonna happen. I’m gonna train my ass off, God’s on my side, and we’re gonna win.”

Anthony Joshua

“There’s times I’ve faced defeat, as an amateur in my third fight. And imagine I would have stopped then? There’d be no now. I lost in the European Quarter Finals. Imagine I would have stopped then? There’d be no now. I lost in the World Championship Finals. Imagine I would have stopped then? There’d be no now. I feel like stopping isn’t in my DNA.

“As long as I have breath in me, I’ll keep on fighting for the passion of boxing, more so to carry the sport, as an ambassador of the sport, and for an ambassador of championship level fighting, I feel like that’s where I belong.

“I was born with a fighting spirit. I know how to fight. And the blessing is that people reflect it as you lost the titles, you lost your titles. And I always say that to lose something is to never get it back. But I believe, and I’m certain, that I am going to have a second chance on December 7.

“We didn’t have no warm-up fight, I’m not gun shy. I’m looking forward to getting back in there December 7 and reclaiming my belts.”

Joseph Markowski, EVP DAZN, North America

“After a lot of chatter and bluster over the summer, two things are very clear to me right now: Ruiz-Joshua II is the most-anticipated fight of the year and we’re building towards the best year-end schedule that the sport has seen in some time. It will be a full season of premium-quality matchups. Fight season on DAZN.

“We launched in the U.S. last September and in the course of one year, we have reshaped the boxing landscape by focusing on our mission statement – to bring the best schedule of fights to fans at an affordable price point. 

“The DAZN year-end calendar has it all: Bright young stars like Devin Haney, Jaime Munguia and Ryan Garcia; Champion vs. champion unification matchups like Prograis vs. Taylor and Inoue vs. Donaire; and the world’s biggest fighters in championship bouts. Gennady Golovkin is back in title contention. And of course, Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz.”

Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport

“Well, what have we got here? The biggest fight of the year. The rematch: Andy Ruiz against Anthony Joshua, for the unified world heavyweight title. Who would have thought it, who would have seen it? Saudi Arabia, December 7th, live and exclusive on DAZN across America, live and exclusive on SkySport Box Office in the UK, and of course with all our broadcasters all over the world.

“On December 7, you will witness an event that you will never forget. Major heavyweight fights in the past where the venues have took people by surprise, the ‘Rumble in the Jungle,’ the ‘Thrilla of Manila,’ trust me when I say that this event is of the same guild.

“On June 1, we brought a sold out Madison Square Garden to their feet with these two warriors. One of the best fights of the year, one of the great upsets of heavyweight boxing. Perhaps this man [points to Ruiz] didn’t believe it was an upset. But now the whole world is watching for the rematch. And it will be truly epic.”

Since its launch in the U.S. one year ago, DAZN has quickly reshaped the boxing landscape by putting together the best schedule in the sport and making premium fights more affordable for fans. The 2019 “Fight Season” on DAZN is quickly coming together, featuring some of the biggest names and matchups in the sweet science, including:

·         Sept. 13 – Devin Haney vs. Zaur Abdullaev & Amanda Serrano vs. Heather Hardy

·         Sept. 14 – Jaime Munguia vs. Patrick Allotey & Ryan Garcia vs. Avery Sparrow

·         Oct. 5 – Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko

·         Oct. 12 – Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyrone Spong

·         Oct. 26 – Regis Prograis vs. Josh Taylor (WBSS Junior Welterweight Final)

·         Nov. 7 – Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire (WBSS Bantamweight Final)

·         Nov. 9 – KSI vs. Logan Paul II

·         Dec. 7 – Ruiz vs. Joshua II

Download DAZN on your TV or connected device to catch all DAZN live events, including the Ruiz vs. Joshua rematch on Dec. 7. Fans can keep up with the busy “Fight Season” schedule on DAZN’s social media channels, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and can sign up now at www.DAZN.com.

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded across four continents with the app currently available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device - including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp. In September, the much-anticipated daily program The Pat McAfee Show debuts on the platform.

Material Courtesy of: DAZN/Photo Courtesy of: Amanda Westcott/DAZN Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, availability around the world, list of compatible streaming devices/smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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

Hovhannisyan KO’s Manzanilla in 4

In a battle between two former world title challengers WBC number six and WBA number eight rated Jr. Featherweight contender Azat Hovhannisyan scored an impressive fourth round knockout over WBA number fourteen rated contender Franklin Manzanilla on Thursday night at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, CA. There was not much of a feeling out process early on as both fights came out willing to engage from the opening bell and both had their moments landing effective power punches early. The constant back and forth between the two began to shift slightly in Hovhannisyan’s favor in the second round as he connected with several hard hooks to the head of Manzanilla as well as right hands. A brutal barrage of punches from Hovhannisyan with Manzanilla essentially pinned against the ropes that lasted well over a minute finally broke Manzanilla down as an accumulation of blows sent him down for the count in the closing seconds of round four. Official time of the stoppage was: 2:58 of round four. Azat Hovhannisyan advances to 18-3, with 15 Knockouts. Franklin Manzanilla falls to 18-6, with 17 Knockouts.

Also on this card, in the Middleweight division, undefeated prospect Chris Ousley scored a six round unanimous decision over Even Torres. This was at times a gritty battle due to both fighters willingness to exchange on the inside. Ousley did have some success in being able to keep Torres at distance with his jab, but Torres was also effective in spots when he was able to go to the body on the inside. Ousley was warned in the second round when what appeared to be a short uppercut on the inside landed below the belt forcing Torres to take a knee. Neither fighter was really able to stand out from the other, but Ousley was the fighter who initiated the combat throughout and that was enough for him to earn the unanimous decision victory. Official scores were: 60-54, and 59-55 (On two scorecards) in favor of Ousley. Chris Ousley advances to 12-0, with 9 Knockouts. Even Torres falls to 7-9, with 5 Knockouts.

Jr. Lightweight James Wilkins scored a six round unanimous decision over former North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Flyweight and Bantamweight champion Luis May. Wilkins dominated this fight with his ability to give May angles, throwing combinations, and changing his level of attack to the body and head. Wilkins scored a knockdown of May in the third round with a flush straight right hand to the head. Although May appeared to be hurt and overall tactically out gunned in this fight, he remained “Game” and hung in there for the full six round distance. Official scores were: 60-53, and 59-54 (On two scorecards in favor of Wilkins. James Wilkins advances to 8-1, with 6 Knockouts. Luis May falls to 21-16-1, with 8 Knockouts.

Also in the Jr. Lightweight division, undefeated prospect Edwin Valentin scored an eight round unanimous decision over Deivi Bassa. The story of this fight was Valentin’s constant pressure attack of Bassa and harder punches. Although Bassa was quite cagey, and never stopped throwing punches, he was not able to land something that would discourage Valentin from coming forward. Official scores were:79-73 (On all three scorecards) in favor of Valentin. Edwin Valentin advances to 9-0, with 8 Knockouts. Deivi Bassa falls to 21-9, with 13 Knockouts.

In the opening bout of the evening in the Welterweight division Herbert Acevedo scored an eight round unanimous decision over veteran Martin Martinez. Acevedo forced the action throughout the fight and was able to land some attention-grabbing left hooks over the course of the fight. Official scores were: 78-74, 79-73 (On two scorecards) in favor of Acevedo. Herbert Acevedo advances to 16-2-1, with 4 Knockouts. Martin Martinez falls to 19-18-1, with 12 Knockouts..

The win over Manzanilla in was was billed as an elimination bout in the World Boxing Association (WBA) ratings in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division puts Hovhannisyan back in position to challenge for a world championship. Whether or not that fight comes against current WBA world champion Daniel Roman or top contender Ronny Rios, who currently holds interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s ratings remains to be seen. Having now scored wins in his last four fights and all of those wins coming by way of knockout, Hovhannisyan appears ready for another opportunity at a world championship. In his previous title shot, Hovhannisyan lost a hard-fought twelve round unanimous decision to current WBC champion Rey Vargas in May of last year.

In a somewhat ironic twist that can happen in Boxing at times, Hovhannisyan has now worked his way back into world title contention by knocking out a man in Franklin Manzanilla, who coincidentally lost to Vargas in his last fight prior to facing Hovhannisyan. An illustration of not only how deep weight classes can be, but also an example of how talented the contenders, who are all vying for an opportunity at a world championship tend to be. The Jr. Featherweight division, like several other weight classes has emerged as one where any of the top contenders can be put into a world championship bout and give whomever the champion might be a difficult fight. It makes for very competitive fights and more often than not creates the type of excitement that Boxing fans crave.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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Tureano Johnson Looks To Help His Native Bahamas In The Wake Of Hurricane Dorian

Press Release: September 5, 2019 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Tureano Johnson recently dispatched of Jason Quigley in impressive fashion, smashing his way back into the world top 10 with most of the governing bodies. 

The Bahamian was set to re-enter camp in Atlanta before heading to Team Havoc's headquarters in Brooklyn, New York ahead of a potential world title eliminator in the latter end of 2019. These plans are still in place, however, Johnson looks to help with the aid efforts in his native Bahamas which has left the country devastated.

Johnson opened up about the effects of experiencing Hurricane Dorian first hand, "What his hurricane has done to the Bahamas is heartbreaking. At this moment my focus is helping use my influence to rebuild our beautiful country and I really hope the boxing community around the world can donate in whatever way they can to helping the relief effort in the Bahamas.

"I have seen my friends lose their homes, their business, their pets and even their lives due to this. I am devastated. I am grateful that I still have my family at this point. The damage on our house can be fixed fortunately but my concern is helping the Bahamas rebuild in any way I can."

Johnson is due back in the ring at the latter end of the year against a top 10 opponent as he seeks out a shot at WBA champion Ryota Murata in 2020. Johnson continues to train for this fight in spight of challenges faced by the devastation of Hurricane Dorian. The 2008 Olympian is currently spending his time between the gymnasium and helping with relief efforts in his native Bahamas. Johnson described his current situation at home in the Bahamas.

He said, "Initially I was due to head out for camp in Georgia this week then up to New York after that as I normally do. However, the hurricane hasn't allowed me to do that but I am still training hard in the Bahamas despite the circumstances and I will still be ready for whatever challenges face me in and out of the ring. 

"My team's initial plan is still to fight at the end of the year and look to force a fight with Murata in 2020 and I fully believe I will beat him. My reality now is to help the relief effort in the Bahamas and continue to train hard here. 

"I love my country and helping my fellow Bahamian people is my priority alongside my career in the ring and I plead with the boxing community and people the world over to join in the efforts to help the Bahamas rebuild itself." 

Material Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

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

Lomachenko Does His Part Towards Full Unification Of The Lightweight Division

Readers who have followed the work of this observer over the last two decades know that I tend to have themes that I routinely revisit from time to time in both online and print medium. One of those themes that has also been a regular fixture on my “Boxing Wishlist” that I publish at the start of a new year is the wish to see all of the sport's seventeen weight classes fully unified to determine one undisputed world champion per division.

By its very nature as I have said frequently when discussing this topic here at The Boxing Truth®, the process to determine one undisputed world champion in a single weight class can be a long, drawn out process that involves significant commitment from fighters, promoters, and the respective sanctioning organizations involved. It is also a process that unfortunately involves significant red tape. So, the idea that this process could occur in seventeen weight divisions in a relatively short period of time is frankly “Wishful Thinking.”

There are however, times where the pieces of a unification puzzle seem to fall in place in a simple way for even those with an at best casual interest in the sport can understand and become interested. Such a puzzle has begun to form in Boxing’s 135lb. Lightweight division. Three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko has been a focal point of this puzzle so far due largely to his accomplishments as a multi-division world champion, despite having a relatively short professional career in terms of fights.

While the story of Lomachenko has been told by many writers/journalists, and historians including this observer, this is due largely to his immaculate record as an amateur of winning nearly four hundred fights against a single loss. Lomachenko’s record as a professional a single loss, a disputed loss to former world champion Orlando Salido in a bout for a vacant WBO Featherweight world championship in March 2014. The fight, which was a split decision win for Salido was one that many including yours truly felt Lomachenko had won. It is also worth noting that this was in Lomachenko’s second professional fight.

Since that loss, Lomachenko has been dominating through the Featherweight, Jr. Lightweight, and now Lightweight divisions continuing to compete in world championship fights in every fight since the loss to Salido. Lomachenko defended his Lightweight world championship, a crown he initially won from WBA champion Jorge Linares and added the WBO world championship with a victory over Jose Pedraza in December of last year, against top Lightweight contender Luke Campbell on August 31^st at the O2 Arena in London, England.

In addition to the world championships Lomachenko held, the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) world championship that was vacated by Mikey Garcia was also on the line making it a fight where three major world championships were on the line. A question I ask almost every time I see Lomachenko compete is when will he reach his ceiling? What I mean by that is when will this historic run through multiple weight classes eventually reach a point where he cannot continue going up in weight to challenge fighters who are often bigger than him. This is essentially the same question that has been asked throughout the illustrious career of Manny Pacquiao, who started his career as a 105lb Strawweight, the lowest weight class in Boxing, but ultimately competed as far as the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division winning world championships along the way.

Although Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion should be considered a rarity, he seems to have settled in the 147lb. Welterweight division where he has spent the bulk of his career over the last decade. While I am in no way attempting to compare Pacquiao with Lomachenko in any way, it is important to keep in mind that Lomachenko in his own way is a rarity. After all, not many fighters can say they have competed at a world championship level as a professional from their second pro fight onward.

The question of when/if Lomachenko will settle into one weight class is a fair one to ask. Lomachenko himself has stated that he feels that his best fighting weight is as a 130lb. Jr. Lightweight. As has been the case throughout the history of the sport however, fighters tend to move up in weight both out of physical necessity as well as for more lucrative opportunities. At least for now, in Lomachenko’s case it appears to be the latter. The appeal of fighting for and potential becoming an undisputed world champion in a weight class surely has lucrative dollars attached to it.

In this fight against Luke Campbell, Lomachenko faced a fighter who like himself was an Olympic Gold Medalist as an amateur. In a case of irony, Campbell also fell to a split decision loss in his only previous shot at a world championship when he faced Jorge Linares in September 2017.

Where the similarities between the two end was Campbell is two inches taller than Lomachenko and had a near seven inch reach advantage over the champion. When the two fighters faced off on the day before the fight, it appeared to yours truly that Campbell might end up fighting as a Jr. Welterweight or even Welterweight at some point in his career based on the size difference between the two.

Even though the physics appeared to be in Campbell’s favor, stylistically, one of the main aspects that tends to befuddle most of Lomachenko’s opponents is his footwork. His ability to control the tempo of the combat and attack his opponents in short, compact spurts. This would be the main obstacles that the challenger would have to combat in my eyes.

To his credit, Campbell was able to have his moments throughout the fight, but like many opponents before him on both the amateur and professional levels, Lomachenko's style, footwork, and ability to attack in compact spurts proved to be too difficult for the challenger to solve. What was noticeable was even when Campbell was able to have success in landing offense on Lomachenko, the champion would almost immediately return with offense of his own. Although Campbell did have success throughout, he was unable to impose his will on Lomachenko in a way that could discourage the champion from being offensive-minded and from generally controlling the tempo of the fight.

A knockdown of the challenger in the eleventh round sealed a convincing twelve round unanimous decision for Lomachenko to add the vacant WBC crown to his unified Lightweight world championship. As for what this means in the overall picture, there is a strong possibility that there could be a fight for the undisputed Lightweight world championship in the not too distant future.

Why would yours truly describe the possibility of the Lightweight division heading towards a fight for the undisputed world championship as “Strong?” It primarily has to do with the current landscape of the sport from a business standpoint. While there are several aspects that can and do go into the business of the sport, there is one way to explain it, which in this case that is relatively simple to describe.

As most knowledgeable Boxing fans know, the sport now has three major players in terms of how the sport is broadcast to the public here in the United States that extends internationally. I speak of course, of networks like DAZN, ESPN, as well as networks who have partnered with the Premier Boxing Champions brand, which involves several promoters. Along with this, each network has exclusive deals with promoters to supply content to said networks by showcasing a respective promoter’s stable of fighters.

With lucrative contracts for the promoters and world champions being signed to promoters, it creates an interesting dynamic where due to networks wanting a level of exclusivity, it in turn creates a scenario where a majority of world championships are held by fighters who by being contracted to a promoter, who has an exclusive contract with a network, it essentially means a division’s world championships can only be seen on one platform for a period of time. We have seen this occur in the 160lb. Middleweight division where all world championships in the division are currently held by fighters that compete on DAZN. This however, does not include those fighters who hold interim/regular championship designations.

A similar structure has taken shape in the Lightweight division with current world champions Vasyl Lomachenko and Richard Commey currently signed with promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc, who in turn has an exclusive deal with ESPN to provide content to ESPN’s linear cable/satellite networks as well as the network’s direct to consumer streaming network ESPN+. With Lomachenko having done his part and now holding three of five world championships in the division, it leaves the champion of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Commey as the only other world champion in the division. This is due to the International Boxing Organization (IBO) currently not having a world champion in the Lightweight division.

Before a fight for the Undisputed Lightweight world championship can be signed however, Commey will defend his IBF crown against undefeated number one contender Teofimo Lopez on a date to be determined. Lopez, a fighter also promoted by Bob Arum ensures the winner of that fight, which could take place before the end of 2019, will likely face Lomachenko to fully unify the Lightweight division in 2020. While the IBO is currently not in play in the Lightweight division, the possibility also exists that the organization could wait until an undisputed championship fight is signed to also recognize it as a fight for the vacant IBO crown.

What this amounts to is a very lucrative scenario for the fighters involved and something that should be seen as a major win for ESPN if things play out the way it appears it could. While it does not always happen, sometimes circumstances allow the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place at the right time. The right time for the fighters, the right time for the fans that support the sport, and most importantly for Boxing itself. It appears such a time is on the horizon for the Lightweight division.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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

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ANDY RUIZ VS. ANTHONY JOSHUA II TO STREAM EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN IN THE UNITED STATES

Press Release: By DAZN- NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 2019–The rematch between Andy Ruiz, Jr. and Anthony Joshua OBE will stream exclusively on DAZN in the United States on Saturday, Dec. 7.The three-continent press tour kicks off today in the fight’s host city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, followed by stops in New York on Thursday and London on Friday.

Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) shocked the sports world in June when he toppled then-undefeated heavyweight world champion Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) at Madison Square Garden, spoiling the former titlist’s U.S. debut. Following the biggest heavyweight upset in decades, Joshua triggered an immediate rematch and the two now prepare to meet at a neutral site for this historic fight, which has been dubbed the “Clash on the Dunes.”

“Their first fight captured the world’s attention and once again illustrated that you never know what will happen when two heavyweight boxers enter a ring,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP, North America. “Ruiz vs. Joshua II is by far the most-anticipated rematch in recent memory and adds to DAZN’s year-end schedule, which will be the best stretch of boxing that fans have seen in years.”

Joshua, 29, was scheduled to face Jarrell Miller on June 1in his U.S. debut, but when Miller failed multiple drug tests ahead of the bout, Ruiz, 29, was brought in as a replacement one month before the fight. Despite handicappers pegging Ruiz as a double-digit underdog, he scored boxing’s most consequential upset in years, which catapulted him as an overnight celebrity. As the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent, he will look to defend his titles against Joshua and prove that his victory was not a fluke, while Joshua looks to regain his status as the heavyweight division’s kingpin.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said: “June 1, 2019 was a day that will be forever etched in boxing history. Andy Ruiz caused one of the great boxing upsets of all time when him and Anthony Joshua engaged in an epic battle in front of a sold-out MSG. The noise about the rematch has been deafening: Will it happen? Where will it be? Who will win? Step up the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who will now host one of the biggest and most iconic boxing events of our generation. Held at a 16,000-person purpose built stadium that will stand within the UNESCO heritage site in Diriyah, ‘Clash on the Dunes’ will follow in the footsteps of the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ and ‘Thrilla in Manila.’ The whole world will stop to watch this fight and sports fans across America will get the chance to watch it all unfold live on DAZN.”

Since its launch in the U.S. one year ago, DAZN has quickly reshaped the boxing landscape by putting together the best schedule in the sport and making premium fights more affordable for fans. The 2019 “Fight Season” on DAZN is quickly coming together, featuring some of the biggest names and matchups in the sweet science, including:

• Sept. 13– Devin Haney vs. Zaur Abdullaev & Amanda Serrano vs. Heather Hardy
• Sept. 14– Jaime Munguia vs. Patrick Allotey & Ryan Garcia vs. Avery Sparrow
• Oct. 5– Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko
• Oct. 12– Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyrone Spong
• Oct. 26– Regis Prograis vs. Josh Taylor (WBSS Junior Welterweight Final)
• Nov. 7– Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire (WBSS Bantamweight Final)
• Nov. 9– KSI vs. Logan Paul II
• Dec. 7– Ruiz vs. Joshua II

Download DAZN on your TV or connected device to catch all DAZN live events, including the Ruiz vs. Joshua rematch on Dec. 7.Fans can keep up with the busy “Fight Season” schedule on DAZN’s social media channels, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebookand YouTube, and can sign up now at www.DAZN.com.

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded across four continents with the app currently available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device - including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp. In September, the much-anticipated daily program The Pat McAfee Show debuts on the platform.

Material Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.

For more information about DAZN including schedules, availability around the world, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com 

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

CHILEAN PRODIGY ANDRES CAMPOS RETURNS SEPT 7TH

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: September 2, 2019 By Dragon Fire Boxing – 22 year old Chilean Flyweight sensation Andres Campos returns September 7^th to take on Ramón Velásquez the current Chilean National Flyweight Champion for the title over 10 rounds at the Gimnasio Club Mexico in Santiago Chile.

Velásquez (28 years old) the long time champion since 2017 from Quellon island in the south of Chile and has vowed to stop the prodigy Campos and stake his claim as Chiles dominant Flyweight.

Campos opened up about the challenge for his first Championship attempt.

“ Ramón is very strong, brawler and It’s very difficult to land accurate the punches on him because he bend down his head a lot during the fight. 4 years ago we fought in amateur and I won easy, in the same weight. I think this is my best preparation in my life. I’m working with CEF (centro entrenamiento funcional) they are giving me all what I need in my train. Physiology, chiropractic, osteopath, physic preparation, nutrition and of course support in everything what I need. I’m feeling stronger than ever in my life.  I’m very focus on that tittle”

Campos Australian based manger Tony Tolj discusses his fighters upcoming fight.

“Campos is taking a step up fight and that’s what I do with all my fighters, you want to be the best take on the best. Step by Step and when the time comes for the world title we will be ready and Chile will have their next world champion.

Andres has final word for his fans.

“To all the fans who will watch the fight will see a very good fight, I’m ready for 10th hard rounds and I will not rest until I get the belt. The title is mine and I will be the champion of Chile and then head to Australia for 3 months of sparring with World rated fighters Andrew and Jason Moloney, Billel Dib and Bruno Tarimo.”

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

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