We would like to let our readers know that new material is in the works and will be released on Friday, August 21st. Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
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Undefeated Middleweight Felix Cash successfully made the second defense of his Commonwealth Middleweight championship by scoring a fifth round stoppage of veteran Jason Welborn on Friday night at the residence of Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, dubbed Matchroom headquarters in Brentwood, England. In what was the main event of the third installment of Matchroom’s “Fight Camp” series, Cash used his longer reach and punching power to dictate the combat from the opening bell. Although the story of this fight became Cash’s ability to apply pressure on Welborn and back him up against the ropes, Welborn was able to have periodic success in landing counter hooks to the head of the champion. In round five, Cash was penalized a point for a low blow, however, that point deduction would prove to be academic as a barrage of punches seconds later highlighted by an overhand right to the head sent Welborn down. Welborn was able to get up, but could not withstand Cash’s follow-up attack and after being sent down for a second time in the round, his corner threw in the towel to prevent their fighter from further punishment. Official time of the stoppage was 2:48 of round five. Felix Cash advances to 13-0, with 9 Knockouts. Jason Welborn falls to 24-9, with 7 Knockouts.
Also on this card:
Jr. Lightweight Zelfa Barrett scored an eighth round stoppage of previously undefeated prospect Eric Donovan. There were several heated exchanges throughout the first six rounds of this bout where both fighters were able to have periods of effectiveness. During this stage of the fight, Donovan appeared to have a slight edge due to his generally getting his punches off first as well as his ability to use lateral movement to keep Barrett from being able to cut off the ring. This would change in round seven when while engaged in an exchange of punches, Barrett connected with a flush left hook to the jaw of Donovan sending him down to the canvas. Sensing his opponent was in trouble, Barrett pressed forward and was able to score a second knockdown later in the round. In round eight Barrett connected with another flush left hook to the head that sent Barrett down for the third and final time as Referee Howard Foster immediately stopped the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 1:35 of round seven. Zelfa Barrett advances to 24-1, with 15 Knockouts. Eric Donovan falls to 12-1, with 7 Knockouts.
Jr. Middleweight Kieron Conway scored a lopsided ten round unanimous decision over Navid Mansouri. Conway forced the action and gradually outworked Mansouri over the course of the ten round bout. Despite showing the effects of fatigue and looking as though he might not be able to go the distance due to the punishment that Conway was dishing out, Mansouri showed his mettle and made it to the final bell. Official scores were 99-91, and 98-92 (On two scorecards) in favor of Conway. Kieron Conway advances to 15-1-1, with 3 Knockouts. Navid Mansouri falls to 20-4-2, with 6 Knockouts.
Unbeaten Super-Middleweight prospect John Docherty scored a seventh round stoppage of veteran Anthony Fox. The southpaw Docherty consistently forced Fox back either against the ropes or in corners of the ring throughout the bout. Docherty worked frequently behind his right jab as well as mixing in straight left hands and hooks. The undefeated Scottish prospect was credited with a knockdown in round three from what appeared to be a slip. The constant pressure and harder blows from Docherty eventually wore Fox down. A barrage of punches late in round six hurt Fox, but he was able to survive the round. In round seven with Fox hurt, Docherty pressed forward and another barrage forced Fox to take a knee. The very “Game” Fox attempted to continue upon getting up from the second knockdown, but he had no answer to keep Docherty off of him and the fight was stopped at 1:02 of round seven. John Docherty advances to 9-0, with 7 Knockouts. Anthony Fox falls to 8-13-4, with 0 Knockouts.
In a women’s Featherweight bout former three-time world Kickboxing champion Rachel Ball scorered a hard-foughr eight round decision over previously undefeated Shannon Courtenay. An extremely competitive fight from start to finish that was very difficult to score due to frequent exchanges between the two fighters, the determining factor proved to be when Ball scored a knockdown of Courtenay in the first round with a short counter left hook to the head. This proved to be the difference on Referee Howard Foster’s scorecard as he scored the bout 77-75 in Ball’s favor. Rachel Ball advances to 6-1, with 0 Knockouts. Shannon Courtenay falls to 5-1, with 2 Knockouts.
As we have seen throughout the “Fight Camp “ series, there was a mix of prospects on the rise, competitive bouts, as well as fighters being tested inside the ring. While one would be justified in saying that if there were one segment of the sport that has been able to turn the horrible circumstances of COVID-19 into a positive for Boxing, it is the women who compete in the sport, who have taken part in several competitive fights since the sport has attempted to resume, prospects like Felix Cash also deserve credit for being able to turn in quality performances under the circumstances.
Although some here in the United States may not understand the structure of which Boxing championships on the British, Commonwealth, and European level are determined in terms of rankings, one of the benefits of digital streaming networks like DAZN, which has been broadcasting the “Fight Camp “ series in the markets around the world it is available including the United States has been the increased access to Boxing on an international scale. As such, increased access has brought Boxing fans exposure to fights including those on the British regional level that most may not have been able to access previously on traditional television. While the British regional Boxing scene is similar to championships fought on a regional level in North America and elsewhere, it is always interesting to see where fighters who hold Commonwealth championships progress, whether it be fighting for a British championship in a given weight class or whether or not an opportunity to fight for a version of the European championship might be available, which is usually the last stop before European fighters enter world championship contention.
In the eyes of this observer, Felix Cash just might be ready to challenge for either the British Middleweight championship or the European championship recognized by the European Boxing Union (EBU), the most widely recognized version of the European championship. As has been the case for many fighters who have been competing during the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, it may be a question of when Cash will be able to get that opportunity and whether or not such an opportunity will be held off until it is appropriate for spectators to resume going to sporting events for the business aspects of the sport as a fight for either a British or European championship is likely to generate significant interest as well as revenue in the United Kingdom.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
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Press Release By DAZN – TULSA (August 14, 2020) – This Saturday, live on DAZN, Cecilia Brækhus (36-0, 9 KOs) will look to cement her legacy as undisputed welterweight champion with an opportunity to break Joe Louis’s 72-year-old record for most consecutive world title defenses. In the way of making history is the former super lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill (8-2, 3 KOs) who will enter the ring on Saturday night looking to transform her ring story with a victory over Brækhus. Both main event fighters successfully made weight on Friday afternoon in Tulsa ahead of their highly-anticipated bout tomorrow night on DAZN (8 p.m. ET).
The undercard fighters also tipped the scales successfully ahead of Saturday’s event on DAZN. Super Welterweight Israil Madrimov (5-0 5 KOs) will meet former Contender finalist Eric Walker (20-2, 9 KOs) in a final eliminator for the WBA World title while Madrimov’s fellow countryman Shakhram Giyasov (9-0 7, KOs) looks to extend his pristine ring record against Wiston Campos (31-7-6, 19 KOs). Two of Matchroom’s standout prospects – Nikita Ababiy (8-0, 6 KOs), and Raymond Ford (5-0, 2 KOs) – will also take center stage on the streets of Tulsa.
Make sure to watch the Official Fight Trailer and the Fight Feature ahead of the stacked Matchroom Boxing USA card. Fight night coverage on DAZN will begin tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET.
Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA
10-Round Undisputed Welterweight Title Bout @ 147 lbs.
Cecilia Brækhus: 145 lbs.
Jessica McCaskill: 144.4 lbs.
10-Round WBA World Super Welterweight Title Bout @ 154 lbs.
Israil Madrimov: 153.6 lbs.
Eric Walker: 153.2 lbs.
10-Round Super Lightweight Bout @ 142 lbs. (catch-weight)
Shakhram Giyasov: 141.4 lbs.
Wiston Campos: 141.4 lbs.
6-Round Middleweight Bout @ 160 lbs.
Nikita Ababiy: 160.2 lbs.
Jarvis Williams:159.4 lbs.
6-Round Featherweight Bout @ 126 lbs.
Raymond Ford: 126.8 lbs
Eric Manriquez: 126.6 lbs.
About DAZN:
DAZN is the largest global sports streaming service. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded to nine countries across four continents with its app available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., the service features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, all for one affordable price, on any device – including smart TVs, smartphones, streaming sticks, tablets, games consoles and PCs.
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/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.
Press Release: By DAZN – NEW YORK, (Aug. 13, 2020) – DAZN has confirmed that the August 22 event headlined by the highly anticipated heavyweight fight between Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin will stream exclusively on DAZN in the United States, as well as Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland. The full card will begin at 2 p.m. ET.
Since coming up short in his first title attempt in 2015 against fellow Brit Anthony Joshua, Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) has amassed an impressive 11-fight winning streak in pursuit of his next crack at the world title. Meanwhile, Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs), who held a world heavyweight title for two years, has proven to be among the toughest in the division with his only two losses coming against Joshua and former heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko. The winner of this battle of Top 10 heavyweights becomes the mandatory challenger for the WBC world title strap held by Tyson Fury.
In the August 22 co-feature, undefeated and undisputed world lightweight champion Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) will meet Delfine Persoon (44-2, 18 KOs) in a rematch of their June 2019 all-action battle in New York City. Taylor retained her undisputed crown with a tight majority decision victory but many, from media ringside to fans across the world, thought Persoon won the hotly contested scrap. The rematch aims to settle the score.
“It is a great time for women’s boxing, with compelling fighters and excellent matchups. Last year, we saw Taylor and Persoon deliver an absolute thriller at MSG and we’re proud to feature this rematch of elite athletes live on DAZN,” said DAZN EVP Joseph Markowski. “Coupled with the biggest heavyweight fight on the boxing calendar – Whyte vs. Povetkin, Fight Camp from the Hearn’s family garden is a can’t-miss event.”
“This is by far the biggest night of boxing since the sport has emerged from lockdown and it’s a huge coup for DAZN,” said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport. “Fight Camp has been a colossal success and the Matchroom HQ will be the scene of a spectacular finale on August 22. In the chief support Katie Taylor rematches Delfine Persoon after their ‘Fight of the Year’ contender at MSG last June and in the main event World number one clashes with Former World champ, the dangerous Russian Alexander Povetkin. The WBC has already ordered Tyson Fury to face Whyte if he comes through Povetkin so the heat is on! Don’t miss it!”
Material Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.
For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.
The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
Lightweight Maxi Hughes scored a ten round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Jono Carroll on Wednesday night in the Production Park Studios in Kirkby, England. In what was a competitive fight from the outset, Hughes consistently landed the harder punches of the two fights. Despite Carroll appearing to outwork Hughes throughput most of the fight, Hughes’ more eye-catching punches and seeming to get the better of exchanges was enough to earn the nod from the three official judges, who scored the fight unanimously in his favor. Official scores were 96-95 (On two scorecards), and 97-93 for Maxi Hughes. Maxi Hughes advances to 21-5-2, with 5 Knockouts. Jono Carroll falls to 18-2-1, with 4 Knockouts.
Also on this card:
In the first of three Jr. Welterweight bouts on the card, rising prospect Pierce O’Leary scored a fourth round knockout over previously undefeated Jacob Quinn. A near relentless body attack from O’ Leary broke Quinn down over four mostly one-sided rounds. O’ Leary dropped Quinn with a left hook to the head before the fight was stopped. Official time of the stoppage was :21 of round four. Pierce O’Leary advances to 5-0, with 2 Knockouts. Jacob Quinn falls to 4-1, with 0 Knockouts.
Undefeated prospect Craig Macintyre scored a fifth round stoppage of Ishmael Ellis. Official time of the stoppage was 2:49 of round five. Craig Macintyre advances to 12-0-1, with 5 Knockouts. Ishmael Ellis falls to 11-3, with 0 Knockouts.
Finally, unbeaten prospect Sean McComb scored a workmanlike ten round unanimous decision over Siar Ozgul. McComb suffered a cut over the right eye as a result of an accidental clash of heads in round three, but he used his reach, lateral movement, and overall skill set to out box Ozgul over the course of the fight. Official scores were: 97-93 (On Two scorecards), and 99-92. Sean McComb advances to 11-0, with 5 Knockouts. Siar Ozgul falls to 15-5, with 3 Knockouts.
In a battle of undefeated Welterweights, Sahir Iqbal scored an eight round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Maredudd Thomas. Iqbal appeared to get the upper hand in several of the rounds in what was a competitive bout due to his elusive style. Iqbal had to withstand a late rally from Thomas in the latter rounds, but it was not enough to earn the nod of the three official judges. Official scores were 78-74, 78-75, and 77-76 all in favor of Iqbal. Sahir Iqbal advances to 8-0, with 1 Knockout. Maredudd Thomas falls to 11-1, with 2 Knockouts.
This card, which was the first for the MTK Global group of promoters since the global COVID-19 epidemic began earlier this year offered a similar look and approach to closed-door events that has been adopted by several promoters around the world. While COVID-19 remains a global crisis, it will be interesting to see if MTK Global attempts to stage a rematch between Hughes and Carroll in the near future providing the sport can continue to remain active under the circumstances of COVID-19.
“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
Press Release: August 10, 2020 By Dragon Fire Boxing and Buffalo Boxing Promotions - Former multi time World title challenger Francisco Fonseca moves to 26-3-2 after a brutal Round KO tonight (Saturday August 8th) in Nuevo, Nicararo Managua in his homeland of Nicaragua.
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| Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing/Buffalo Boxing Promotions |
Fonseca vs Eusebio Osejo headlined the Buffalo Boxing Promotions event and Fonseca sent a clear message to the Super Featherweight Division, with a highlight reel KO straight right to body, that sucked the soul out of Osejo.
Trainer, former legendary WBC and WBA World champion Rosendo Alavarez discussed Fonsecas performance;
"Fonseca has really put in the hard work in training for this fight, he really wanted to show what he's trained for in the main event of the Buffalo Boxing event.
Tonight we saw a new and rejuvenated Fonseca and the plan was always finishing the fight early and in style, we worked on the straight right to the body in the camp".
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| Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing/Buffalo Boxing Promotions |
Former World title Challenge Fonseca disucces fight preparations and future targets.
"I have trained day and night, It was really satisfying to get the round 1 KO. The punch was timed to perfection.
I'm very lucky to have such a good team around me with Buffalo Boxing, Ruth and Rosendo and my manager Dragon Fire Boxings Tony Tolj.
With my team, I'm ready for all the top contenders like Carl Frampton, Felix Verdejo and we will be ready for any of the World Champions, Berchelt, Diaz, Herring, Alvarado. I will discuss with Tony and we will plan."
Dragon Fire Boxing's manager Tony Tolj opened up about the plans for Fonseca going forward.
He said, "I'm very pleased with tonights performance of Fonseca. He gave his absolute commitment in the lead up and it really showed.
All Francisco wants is another World title shot, I know Frampton needs an opponent for his fight. Im happy to put Fonsecas name in the Frampton pool. It would be an honour to fight such a respected boxer.
I have a lot of belief in Francisco and the team and I believe the sky's the limit for Fonseca and another shot at one of the World Champions is coming."
Material and Photos Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing and Buffalo Boxing Promotions 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.
A history making night in British Women’s Boxing history where two British fighters faced off for a world championship for the first time saw undefeated unified WBC/IBO World Jr. Lightweight champion fight to a hard-fought ten round split decision draw with former 2012 British Olympian Natasha Jonas on Friday night at the headquarters of Matchroom Boxing in Brentwood, England. Most of the bout was fought in close and saw several fierce exchanges between the two fighters throughout. Although each fighter was able to hurt the other with solid hooks and combinations to the head throughout the fight, neither was able to stand out clearly from the other. The combination of the fight being fought at a high pace as well as the two minute round limits in which bouts in Women’s Boxing are fought under made this bout extremely difficult to score. The challenger Jonas was cut over the right eye in the second round as a result of an accidental clash of heads. This however, did not effect Jonas’ performance throughout the fight and the bout remained competitive from start to finish. Official scores were: 96-94 (Harper), 96-65 (Jonas), and 95-95 (Even) resulting in the split decision draw at the conclusion of the ten round world championship bout. Terri Harper advances to 10-0-1, with 5 Knockouts. Natasha Jonas advances to 9-1-1, with 7 Knockouts.
Also on this card:
In a battle for the Commonwealth Cruiserweight championship, Chris Billiam-Smith scored a second round knockout over a “Game”, but overmatched previously unbeaten Nathan Thorley to retain his title. Billiam-Smith immediately established he was the aggressor as he looked to push Thorley back from the opening bell. Billiam-Smith dropped Thorley with a series of short left hooks to the head while the fighters were in close in the closing seconds of round one. This would be followed by a second knockdown of a cornered Thorley in round two. Despite the knockdowns, Thorley continued to try and turn the momentum and caught Billiam-Smith with a right hand to the head, but it was a counter right hand to the head by Billiam-Smith that sent Thorley down for a third time. Although Thorley was able to get up as he had done following the two previous knockdowns, the fight was stopped at 2:05 of round two. Chris Billiam-Smith advances to 11-1, with 10 Knockouts. Nathan Thorley falls to 14-1, with 6 Knockouts.
Jr. Middleweight prospect Anthony Fowler scored a seventh round stoppage over a very “Game “ Adam Harper. Fowler appeared to be the stronger of the two from the outset consistently applying pressure on Harper and pushing him back. This was evident as Fowler’s harder punches gradually took a toll on Harper. Fowler was penalized a point in round two for a low blow. Despite the point deduction, Fowler remained in control. In round four Harper was dropped with a flush right hand to the jaw. The increasingly one-sided combat was halted in round seven when Harper was being battered against the ropes. Official time of the stoppage was 1:34 of round seven. Anthony Fowler advances to 13-1, with 10 Knockouts. Adam Harper falls to 9-2, with 0 Knockouts.
Undefeated Featherweight prospect Ivan Price scored a six round decision over veteran Jonny Phillips. For the duration of the bout, Price, known to his fans as “Hopey”, used his movement and timing to out box and out work Phillips to earn a convincing decision victory. Ivan Price advances to 3-0, with 1 Knockout. Jonny Phillips falls to 5-5, with 2 Knockouts.
The second card in Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn’s “Fight Camp” series being held at the Hearn family home has continued to provide a mix of prospects continuing their rise, to contenders trying to position themselves for an opportunity at a world championships, to now two main events in back to back weeks that not only might see rematches down the line, but also two fights that could be candidates for Fight of the year honors for what has been a very difficult 2020 for the world due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. With Eddie Hearn looking to continue his “Fight Camp” series as well as starting to resume Matchroom’s United States promotional branch with a card in Oklahoma next weekend, it will be interesting to see if the momentum as well as well-matched bouts can continue.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
Press Release: August 3, 2020 By Dragon Fire Boxing – Former multi time World title challenger Francisco Fonseca (25-3-2) returns August 8th in Nuevo, Nicararo Managua in his homeland of Nicaragua. He will face local rival Eusebio Osejo in an 8 round lightweight showdown.
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| Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing |
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.
Jr. Middleweight contender Ted Cheeseman scored a hard-fought twelve round unanimous decision over fellow contender Sam Eggington on Saturday night at the Matchroom Boxing headquarters compound in Brentwood, England. From the opening bell, Cheeseman and Eggington engaged each other in near non-stop combat. While it was difficult to distinguish who had the upper hand due to the fight being fought at such a high pace, Cheeseman was the one who consistently forced the action and initiated offense while Eggington was returning offense rather than throwing his punches first. The highlight of Cheeseman’s offense throughout was his overhead right, which he was able to land with increased regularity as the fight progressed. This along with periodically staggering Eggington proved to be the difference as Cheeseman would get the nod from the three official judges at the end of the grueling twelve round bout. Official scores were: 116-113 (On two scorecards), and 115-114 all in favor of Cheeseman. Ted Cheeseman advances to 16-2-1, with 9 Knockouts. Sam Eggington falls to 28-7, with 17 Knockouts.
Also on this card:
In a battle for the vacant British Lightweight championship, James Tennyson scored a sixth round stoppage of a very “Game” Gavin Gwynne. Gwynne was the more active of the two fighters throughout, but Tennyson’s harder punches eventually took their toll on him. A right hook to the head forced Gwynne to take a knee in round six. Tennyson followed up with a barrage of punches after Gwynne got up from the knockdown and was able to force a stoppage at 2:30 of the round. James Tennyson advances to 27-3, with 23 Knockouts. Gavin Gwynne falls to 12-2, with 2 Knockouts.
Featherweight contender Jordan Gill scored a ten unanimous round decision over Reece Belotti. The story of the fight was largely based on how Gill was able to control distance by keeping Belotti on the end of his jab and catching him with short combinations. Belotti was able to get on the inside and land to the body of Gill occasionally, but he was unable to really find his rhythm. Belotti also fought the last four rounds with a cut over his left eye that was opened by a left hook from Gill in round six. Official scores were 96-95, and 97-93 (On two scorecards) all in favor of Jordan Gill. Jordan Gill advances to 25-1, with 7 Knockouts. Reece Belotti falls to 14-4, with 12 Knockouts.
In a battle for the vacant English Heavyweight championship, unbeaten prospect of Fabio Wardley scored a third round stoppage of Simon Vallily. After two uneventful rounds, Wardley exploded in round three badly staggering Vallily and sending him across the ring and against the ropes. A brutal barrage of unanswered punches that followed forced Referee Howard Foster to step in and stop the fight at 1:01 of round three. Fabio Wardley advances to 9-0, with 8 Knockouts. Simon Vallily falls to 17-3-1, with 7 Knockouts.
Undefeated Lightweight Dalton Smith scored a devastating fifth round knockout over fellow prospect Nathan Bennett. Smith found success early landing his overhead right behind his jab. It was this combination that Smith frequently landed and in the fifth round an overhand right behind a jab landed on the temple of Bennett and sent him down and out on the canvas. Official time was 2:56 of round five. Dalton Smith advances to 6-0, with 5 Knockouts. Nathan Bennett falls to 9-2, with 2 Knockouts.
This card, which was the first for promoter Eddie Hearn under the circumstances of COVID-19 was well-matched and competitive. While it is groundbreaking to see a promoter stage a card on his family’s estate, which also serves as a headquarters for Matchroom Boxing and Matchroom Sport, in the current circumstances, these cards, which Hearn has dubbed “Fight Camp”, is an out of the box idea. Although most would probably say such an idea would not have come to fruition under normal circumstances where promoters can stage cards in arenas, stadiums, and other public venues, this idea, which has some similarities to what promoter Bob Arum has done with his recent events in Las Vegas, is a concept that can be built on and hopefully, one that in time will have the addition of spectators.
“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
In part one of this column, this observer discussed some of the notable bouts that took place in the latter stages of July in the sport of Boxing. While there is more in regard to what took place inside of the ring in both traditional and Bareknuckle Boxing that will be discussed here in part two, we begin the second half of this feature column by discussing a story that generated significant attention that frankly is comparable to when major fights between the sport’s biggest stars in terms of the buzz it has garnered. I am referring to the announced exhibition between hall of famers Mike Tyson and Roy Jones, which is scheduled for September 12th in Carson, CA.
Although some may think there is a little sarcasm in how I have described what will be a non-competitive exhibition, it is important to remember that we are talking about two fighters who in their respective primes were among the top fighters in the entire sport and in the case of Mike Tyson, a fighter who was front and center as Boxing’s top pay-per-view attraction for several years regardless of who his opposition was. Roy Jones meanwhile spent several years through the bulk of his prime regarded by many as the best pound for pound fighter in the sport.
While it should be kept in mind that this will be an exhibition between two men who are past their competitive peaks, we are still discussing two of the best fighters throughout the history of the sport. Despite the fact that Roy Jones spent the majority of his career fighting in the Middleweight, Super-Middleweight, and Light-Heavyweight divisions, the idea of a potential fight between himself and Mike Tyson was once not far fetched. Some may recall shortly after Jones moved up in weight from the Light-Heavyweight division to defeat John Ruiz for the WBA Heavyweight world championship in March 2003, there was talk amongst many within the sport of potential fights with both Tyson and Evander Holyfield if Jones opted to remain as a Heavyweight.
As most know, Jones eventually chose to move back down to the Light-Heavyweight division. Jones’ decision, which this observer has always held the opinion was a mistake, resulted in a decline of both his reflexes/skills and his standing in the sport as he would suffer some severe knockout losses during the latter years of his career. Even though we will never really know how things might have looked in a competitive scenario for Jones had he opted to stay at Heavyweight and squared off again either Tyson or Holyfield, the element of “What If” has remained a source of interest for many particularly those fans, experts, and historians who like to engage in fantasy fight debates.
The question of “What if” likely won’t be answered due to both fighters advanced age and the fact that this exhibition will take place under strict guidelines set forth by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), which has mandated that the scheduled eight round exhibition will be stopped if it becomes too violent or if either fighter suffers a cut. Nevertheless, the pairing of Tyson and Jones maintains interest. Some may ask the question of why that is the case.
Well, in taking some time to think about this exhibition, I thought of two scenarios that are somewhat similar including one that was Boxing-related that I covered many years ago, which I enjoyed. The first scenario comes from the world of baseball. Prior to the circumstances of COVID-19, one of the highlights on the New York Yankees season calendar is a game usually during the month of July, which is preceded by the annual Old Timer’s Day ceremony and exhibition game featuring Yankees alumni. Although no one who attends the day expects to see heated competition amongst those who participate in the exhibition game, it still provides a bit of nostalgia for baseball fans who get to see glimpses of some of the all-time greats who have worn the Yankee pinstripes in a friendly exhibition.
In Boxing terms, when scenarios like this come up, I always find myself thinking of a Boxing card I covered in June 1999, which was promoted as a pay-per-view attraction called “Legends of Boxing.” A Boxing card, which was an attempt to establish a division of sorts for advanced age fighters throughout the sport to compete against fighters of a similar age. The card, which took place in North Carolina, was headlined by two rematches of Heavyweight world championship fights from the 1980’s as co-main events.between Tim Witherspoon and Greg Page and Larry Holmes and James “Bonecrusher” Smith. The rematch between Holmes and Smith was labeled as being for the Legends of Boxing World Heavyweight Championship. Although the attempt to create what would be the equivalent of a seniors tour in the PGA for Boxing did not last, the concept, which was originally the idea of “Bonecrusher” Smith was ahead of its time and the card was competitive from top to bottom.
In the years since that card took place, I have periodically brought up the idea of the concept being reintroduced. Whether or not the Tyson-Jones exhibition could be an unofficial restarting point for the seniors tour of Boxing remains to be seen. What is a source of skepticism however, is the rumor that the exhibition event will be televised on a pay-per-view basis for a price point of $50. It is important to keep in mind that the pay-per-view model has been in steady decline as the sport of Boxing has moved more in the direction of adapting a subscription-based streaming model thanks largely to the success of networks like DAZN, ESPN+, and UFC Fight Pass among others.
Despite the name recognition value that both Tyson and Jones bring to the table, if the price point is indeed $50 or above, it is debatable as to how successful the event will be especially given that it has been mandated as a non-competitive exhibition as well as taking place in the midst of the global COVID-19 epidemic. For reference, the “Legends of Boxing “ card in 1999, which consisted of bouts that were official professional fights was only priced at $19.99. While that price point is more economical, it would make more sense in this observer’s eyes for the promoters of this exhibition to seek a broadcast deal with either DAZN or ESPN+ two top networks in the sport that are each looking for additional content for their respective subscribers due to COVID-19 bringing sports to a halt.
Although sports are slowly attempting to resume, a deal with either network for an exhibition like this will likely get more eyes on what the promoters are looking to present than going through an increasingly outdated and overpriced model of pay-per-view. Whether the suggestion of yours truly ends up being one the promoters choose to explore remains to be seen.
Similar questions might surround two scheduled pay-per-view cards that will be produced by United States premium cable network Showtime in September and October. While I intend on sharing more thoughts on both of those scheduled cards as we get closer to those events, assuming there are no COVID-19 related compilations, a major issue for those promoters and networks who insist on doing cards via pay-per-view will be to deliver those cards at reasonable price points that the public will support even during an ongoing epidemic and subsequent economic recession.
As for the networks that are central to the digital subscription streaming model, it was also announced late in July that the Bareknuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), one of the prominent promoters of Boxing in bareknuckle-form has signed a broadcast deal with DAZN, which will begin later in August. This was accompanied by the launch of the promotion’s own digital subscription streaming network BKTV. The announcements appear to indicate that the BKFC, much as has been the case for many prominent Boxing and MMA promoters, are moving away from the traditional pay-per-view model and adapting the subscription-streaming approach. Although some may say there is a danger of the digital streaming market becoming inflated with so many options available for both sports content and entertainment, I believe the important factor will be for these networks to offer economically reasonable and flexible options that will allow consumers to pick and choose, which options are best suited for them.
As more information about the BKFC’s deal with DAZN and their own BKFC digital network becomes available, I plan to share further thoughts in a subsequent column here on The Boxing Truth®️. For the moment however, I believe this is another important step in the right direction both for the BKFC as well as DAZN, which will only benefit both going forward.
While the majority of the second part of this special feature column has focused on events that have taken place outside of the Boxing ring, there were two notable bouts that took place during the second half of the final weekend of July 2020. The first featured Undefeated Heavyweight prospect Joe Joyce facing veteran contender Michael Wallisch of Germany in the studios of sports television network BT Sport in London, England. In an atmosphere that was quite similar to what we have seen done by promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc. cards that have taken place in Las Vegas, NV, Joyce dominated a “Game”, but overmatched Wallisch, scoring three knockdowns before ultimately getting a stoppage in round three of the scheduled ten round bout.
The tenth knockout in eleven career wins for Joyce will likely set up an encounter with fellow undefeated prospect Daniel Dubois providing that Dubois is successful in his scheduled August 29th bout against unbeaten prospect Erik Pfeifer in the same BT Sport studio.
Finally, to close out July, former IBF Jr. Middleweight world champion Carlos Molina returned to the ring and scored a convincing ten round unanimous decision over veteran Abraham Juarez in Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico. Molina, one of the few fighters who has been active more than once during the COVID-19 epidemic, scored a fifth round stoppage in his previous outing in June over Michi Munoz. Although Molina has been successful in his last four fights and has been able to establish himself as a promoter promoting his fights under the banner of King Carlos Promotions, it will be interesting to see if the former world champion will attempt to climb his way back to contention after two workmanlike victories against relatively unknown opposition.
In reality, much like it has been for other fighters who have opted to try and compete during the COVID-19 epidemic, Molina has to go with whatever options are available to him and unfortunately, under the circumstances that does not necessarily mean being able to secure fights against top contenders and former world champions. Nevertheless, now two months into Boxing’s attempt to resume under COVID-19, one can say that those who have been able to operate have been able to make progress, despite some setbacks. As August 2020 now begins, with the circumstances of COVID-19 continuing to worsen in many areas of the United States as well as globally, the question is whether Boxing can maintain that progress. Unfortunately, promoters and networks that are prominent in the sport will likely not be able to answer that question as state and local officials will likely be the ones who will determine whether things need to be halted again not just for Boxing, but all of sports.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
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