March 11, 2023 Boxing Preview

The day of March 11, 2023 in the world of Boxing will feature two main events that will feature some interesting storylines. First , an encounter in the Heavyweight division that could best be described as a "Crossroads Fight" will take place at the Zenith De Paris in Paris, France. Longtime Heavyweight contender and former world title challenger Carlos Takam will face contender Tony Yoka in a bout scheduled for ten rounds that can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

Both Takam and Yoka will enter this fight coming off of losses and in Takam 's case, will be looking to get back in the win column after dropping his previous two fights. Yoka meanwhile will be looking to rebound from his first career loss. While there is that similarity between the two fighters, this is largely a youth versus experience scenario in that the forty-two year old Takam will have twelve years in age over the thirty year old Yoka, but will also have a significant edge in terms of both total fights in his career compared to his opponent, who will be competing in only his thirteenth professional fight.

Although that differs from Takam 's forty-seven career bouts, Takam also has the edge when it comes to having faced a higher caliber of opposition having been a top contender in the Heavyweight division for several years including challenging for a world championship in 2017 when he was stopped by then undefeated Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. What this fight will likely come down to however, will be how much Takam has left in him at forty-two years old and having dropped his last two fights among seven career losses overall. Takam has proven to be durable throughout his career and if Tony Yoka is under prepared and/or is taking Takam lightly, the veteran does have the skills to make it a difficult evening for his younger opponent and is likely looking at this as potentially his last chance to bounce back.

On the flip side of the equation, Yoka has scored nine knockouts in his eleven career wins, but has not fought a fighter both of the caliber and experience of Takam. In his only career loss, Yoka dropped a ten round majority decision to Martin Bakolie in May of last year. While that fight was close and could have gone either way, it is always interesting to see how a fighter will respond coming off of their first loss, particularly one that came as a result of a narrow decision. Will Yoka be more aggressive in this fight perhaps with the intention of trying to keep the judges from having to determine a winner? Although a loss for Yoka at this point in his career would not likely mean the end of the road for him, another loss for Takam would likely signal the end of a fine career. When there are both similarities as well as a scenario of two fighters heading possibly heading in different directions, the stakes are obviously high for both fighters.

The second main event that will be previewed in this column will be a Super-Middleweight encounter featuring undefeated rising prospect Diego Pacheco facing veteran Jack Cullen in a bout scheduled for ten rounds. Originally, this bout was to be on the undercard on a card that was to be hwadlined by former Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith facing Pawel Stepien in a Light-Heavyweight bout, but has now been moved to the main event due to Smith having to withdraw from his scheduled bout against Stepien after suffering an injury while in training.

While no one likes to hear of anyone suffering an injury, Smith's misfortune has benefited Pacheco in the sense that it now gives him the opportunity to main event a card. Although this will be taking place in Liverpool, England and that is likely not the ideal place for the American Pacheco to be headlining a card on a major network for the first time, the bout against Jack Cullen, which will be broadcast in the United States and globally by digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, also represents what might be a step up for the twenty-two year old prospect.

Pacheco will enter this fight unbeaten in seventeen professional fights, having scored knockouts in fourteen of those bouts. While those statistics are certainly impressive, Pacheco has yet to be tested in his brief career and, despite holding a regional title in the World Boxing Organization's (WBO) Super-Middleweight ratings, naturally there are questions that are asked of virtually all unbeaten prospects that eventually have to be answered. Whether or not questions about Pacheco's ability to take a punch amd what will happen when he is faced with adversity will be answered in this fight with Jack Cullen remains to be seen.

Cullen is a veteran of twenty-five professional bouts and has fought for both Commonwealth and European champipnships in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions in his career. What could be s red flag in terms of his ability to provide Pacheco with a test, despite having more experience is in Cullen's three career defeats, he was stopped inside the distance each time. Although Pacheco has only been a professional for over four years, he has demonstrated the ability to score sudden and devastating knockouts and it will be interesting to see if Cullen will be able to withstand his punching power if Pacheco can find a way to connect, particularly in the early rounds.

While both of these main events that will be taking place across Europe on March 11th have the similarity of prospects going against more experienced opponents, Anything can happen at any given time in Boxing, as this observer has often said through the years and it is far from a given that the two prospects/rising contenders Yoka and Pacheco, who will likely be favored in their respective bouts, will be victorious. It will be up to both Carlos Takam and Jack Cullen to upset any potential plans Yoka and Pacheco might have aa they continue their climb towards challenging for a world championship.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Takam vs. Yoka takes place on Saturday, March 11th at the Zenith De Paris in Paris, France. In the United States, the fight as well as it's undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 2:45PM ET/11:45AM PT. ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

Pacheco vs. Cullen takes place on Saturday, March 11th at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, England. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen in the United States and globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts beginning at 11:30AM ET/8:30AM PT. This will be followed by the main portion of the card, which will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

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

*U.S. Times Only.*

*Cards and Start Times Subject To Change.*

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

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

JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ PROMOTIONS LANDS IN SONORA, MEXICO - LIVE ON PROBOX TV

Press Release: March 8, 2023 By ProBox TV - Promoter and boxing legend Juan Manuel Marquez brings his promotional outfit back to Mexico this Wednesday live on Probox TV. After a successful show in Mexico City last month, Marquez heads to Sonora for the first time.  

Credit: ProBox TV 

A local battle between the undefeated Luis “Koreano” Torres (17-0, 10 KOs) will face Misael “Pinchon” Cabrera (14-1, 10 KOs) for the WBC Latino Lightweight Championship in the main event. Bragging rights at stake as both hail from Obregon, Sonora. 

Juan Manuel Marquez gave his take on his upcoming main event “It’s great to be in Sonora and bring this great fight to the fans. Torres Vs Cabrera promises to be a real war! If you are in the area, come down to the show, it is going to be great night with some great fights. We are delighted to be back on Probox Tv with another exciting event, should be very simple for fans to tune in. I really can’t emphasise it enough, boxing fans do not want to miss this fight.”

The undercard will feature one of the most exciting super featherweights in recent memory, Oscar Alvarez (8-0, 7KOs) takes on Diego Lopez (3-1-1, 2 KOs) of Mexico City in Alvarez’s hometown. Super featherweight Alex Fuentes (4-0, 1 KO) of Obregon, Sonora will face Mario Valenzuela (4-1, 2 KOs) and opening the card will be local a local battle between Pablo Servin (3-1) and Erick Hernandez (4-0, 4 KOs) at super featherweight.

Watch ProBox TV Events FOR FREE (NO SIGN-UP REQUIRED) live on Facebook/YouTube in English and Spanish. You can watch ProBoxTV ad free on ProBoxTV.com for only $1.99/Month.

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

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

Noongar Star Alex Winwood Stuns World Number 13 Tibo Monabesa

 Press Release: March 5, 2023 By Clinton Wolf / Dragon Fire Boxing - Australia has a potential new boxing superstar and his name is Alex Winwood.

Credit: Mike O'Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing

World renowned boxing trainer Angelo Hyder has been talking the young Noongar man up and saying pound for pound Winwood is the most powerful puncher he has ever trained; a huge statement given the hard-hitting fighters and world champions renowned for their power Hyder has trained over the years.

On Friday night in front of a packed and roaring crowd at Metro City in Perth Winwood demonstrated he had the kind of crushing power in both hands that can end a fight in one punch.

Winwood also has a God-given ability to measure distance, where he can avoid getting hit while at the same time dishing out vicious combinations of punches that destroyed his world class opponent, world no. 13 Tibo Monabesa.

This all culminated in one knockdown in round 3 and two knockdowns in round 4; the third knockdown being delivered with such power and precision that his opponent was unable to beat the referees count and the fight was mercifully called off.

After the fight, Winwood said he felt "absolutely fantastic".

"I can't wait to come back and go across the road to RAC Arena and fight for the world title, and become the fastest Australian to do so," he said.

Winwood, provided he maintains the discipline, desire and work ethic, could one day be categorised in the echelons of the greatest fighters Australia has ever produced - he is simply that good. If he does, he will be a wonderful role model for Indigenous Australia and Australia as a whole.

He has set himself a goal of being world champion and Australia should get right behind him on his journey to the top.

Material Courtesy of Clinton Wolf / Photo Courtesy of Mike O’Hara / Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

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

DAZN TEAMS UP FOR SPECIAL COLLABORATION WITH THE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FILM CREED III

Press Release: March 3, 2023 – By DAZN–  LONDON, 3rd March  - DAZN, the leading global sports streaming service, celebrates the upcoming feature film Creed III (released today) with a multi-faceted collaboration, which will be rolled out across the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Spain and Italy.

 

The knock out opportunity will see the new feature film promoted across DAZN’s top-tier boxing schedule with Creed III spots taking over the 3rd round in DAZN’s main upcoming boxing events.

 

Additionally, DAZN’s best-in-class fight production team is featured in the film as the official broadcast partner. Audiences will enjoy DAZN’s broadcast talent Chris Mannix, Todd Grisham and Jess McCaskill on comms during all in-ring fight sequences. Additional DAZN talent, including some the biggest names in boxing, are also featured in the film.

 

DAZN is the undisputed home of boxing and provides a global reach across all markets, unlike any other broadcaster

 

"DAZN is incredibly excited to team with MGM on their upcoming feature film Creed III,” said Mike Mobley, VP Media & partnerships. “The marriage of our best-in-class boxing, premium global rights, and creative capabilities, allowed us to collaborate in a way to make waves amongst generations of sports fans worldwide.”

 

ABOUT CREED III: In Theaters and IMAX March 3, 2023

After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian – a fighter who has nothing to lose.

Creed III is the third installment in the successful franchise and is Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut.

Directed by: Michael B. Jordan

Screenplay by: Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin

Story by: Ryan Coogler and Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin

Produced by: Irwin Winkler, p.g.a., Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Ryan Coogler, p.g.a., Michael B. Jordan, p.g.a., Elizabeth Raposo, p.g.a., Jonathan Glickman, Sylvester Stallone

Executive Producers: Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler, Nicolas Stern, Adam Rosenberg

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Mila Davis-Kent, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad

ABOUT DAZN 

 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.  Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League. With the most authentic voice in the sport, DAZN is the only brand that can reach across all markets and audiences cohesively in boxing, unlike any other broadcaster. DAZN is also a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.  DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.  

 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialise, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.  

 

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.  

 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and find the app on their iPhone, iPad, android and mobile.  

 

About Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network MGM+, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco and digital distributors.  In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms and interactive ventures and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com

CREED III © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. CREED is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.  All Rights Reserved

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, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

Paul-Fury: What We Learned

The question that this observer asked in the days prior to the scheduled Cruiserweight encounter between unbeaten hopefuls Jake Paul and Tommy Fury was whether the third attempt to get the two to face off in the ring would finally result in an actual fight between the two. While I did little to hide my cynicism in asking that question, it was fair to ask after two previous cancellations and a lot of grandstanding between the two and their respective teams that can be described in a single word. “Nonsense.” After those cancellations and endless verbal exchanges between the two, it finally culminated in two men, each very much trying to prove themselves as boxers meeting in a Boxing ring in Saudi Arabia.

Despite the skepticism and cynicism of yours truly prior to the scheduled bout on February 26th, what resulted when it was time for the two men to do battle turned out to be a pleasant surprise. What was surprising? After all the “Nonsense,” the Boxing world was actually treated to a competitive fight. Although if one is objective they would say that both Paul and Fury were at a similar stage in their respective forays in the sport in neither having faced a prospect going into the bout, the difference in experience was apparent from the opening bell in that Tommy Fury’s background in Boxing as a primary discipline showed itself almost immediately.

One thing that stood out that Fury was able to do that previous opponents Jake Paul had faced, who predominantly came from the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), was he used his jab as a primary weapon. Fury’s jab accomplished two things. The first was obviously being able to hit Paul with it as well as being able to use it to both control distance and set up other offensive opportunities and combinations. Secondly, Fury’s use of the jab allowed him to both set the tempo of the combat as well as to be first with his punches. The combination of these aspects did not allow Paul to get into a rhythm and also exposed inexperience in terms of knowing how to deal with a crafty boxer.

Although Paul had established punching power in his previous fights, particularly with his right hand, he appeared dependent on landing it in this fight, appeared to telegraph his punches, and did not appear to know how to set up his offense from a technical as well as tactical standpoint. An additional aspect that was missing from Paul’s approach that can be attributed to inexperience is he also did not seem to know how to try and cut the ring off from Fury, which may have limited Fury’s ability to move. Despite the bout being fought in an eighteen foot ring, smaller than a traditional 20x20 ring, which seemed to favor Paul as the power puncher, Fury did not seem bothered by the smaller ring and continued to get his punches off first. What also added to the difficulty for Paul from a defensive standpoint is he did not move his head as Fury threw his jabs and eventual combinations. This resulted in Paul being hit much more frequently than had been the case in his previous fights.

To Paul’s credit however, he took the punches Fury dished out and kept coming forward, which if one is objective you should respect it as he proved he can take a punch and that is something that all boxers regardless of how they enter the sport eventually have to prove. Despite his inexperience, Paul did hang in there and did manage to land power punches as the fight progressed even though he could not take control of the tempo of the combat. As Tommy Fury also had questions regarding his ability to take a punch, he was also able to show an ability to take punches when Paul was able to connect.

Although I felt that Fury was ahead as the fight progressed due largely to his ability to out box Paul, both fighters would be penalized a point for rough housing while in clinches and Paul was able to connect with a short jab at the beginning of the eighth and final round, which knocked Fury to the canvas. While this was the definition of what is often referred to in the sport as a  “Flash Knockdown” in that Fury was caught off balance and subsequently went down, despite not appearing to be hurt, his gloves nevertheless did touch the canvas and it was thus a clean knockdown.

The two point deductions, plus the knockdown against Fury in the final round did complicate things slightly in terms of the scoring of the fight at the conclusion of the eight round bout. Unofficially, I arrived at a score of 76-73 in favor of Fury having scored the eighth round 10-9 in favor of Paul. While rounds in which a knockdown is scored is usually scored 10-8 in favor of the fighter that scored the knockdown, there are instances where a round can be scored 10-9. This was such an instance where the knockdown of Fury occurred in the early seconds of the final round and he was able to get up and arguably win the remainder of the round, thus resulting in a 10-9 score from yours truly, but it is subjective and often boils down to a judge’s discretion. Coincidentally, my final score of 76-73 in favor of Fury ended up being the same as two of the three official judges, which resulted in Fury winning a split decision.

Although I am curious to know how the three judges scored that eighth round, which due to each fighter previously being penalized a point, turned out to be crucial in terms of the scoring of this fight, I felt Fury simply did too much over the course of the fight to not get the decision. Paul did seem to land the harder punches when he was able to land on Fury, and this in addition to the knockdown he was able to score is what likely resulted in one official judges giving him the nod by a single point 75-74. From my perspective, Paul was not able to do enough over the course of the fight and that is ultimately what led to how I saw the fight in terms of scoring.

As for what will come from this fight, Tommy Fury will supposedly earn a ranking in the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) Cruiserweight ratings. Where exactly Fury will be placed is not known, but there is also a possibility of a rematch between he and Paul as Paul does have a rematch clause. For Jake Paul, if he were to exercise that clause, he will need to go back and not only study this fight thoroughly, but he will also need to make adjustments particularly with regard to learning head movement and defense if he wants to be successful in a potential rematch.

Ultimately, what we learned from this fight is that both Jake Paul and Tommy Fury were indeed serious and it turned out to be a better fight than many had expected. What should also be learned here is if one truly wants to be a boxer, they will need experience against those who have backgrounds in the sport if they want to succeed and there is only so far one will go by choosing to face those who do not have backgrounds in Boxing. While what is now referred to as “Crossover Boxing,” or “Influencer Boxing” where those who come into the sport from other realms will face fellow celebrities and or other combat sports veterans with either limited or no Boxing experience will likely continue as long as it appeals to the casual fan, at the end of the day, the standard of the sport of Boxing needs to be respected as well as the obvious dangers the sport also poses to one’s health. It is not something that can be treated with kid gloves.

“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 

Thunderdome Boxing Series Returns on March 3 in Perth, Australia

 

Press Release: February 23, 2023 – By Dragon Fire Boxing–  March 3 will mark the date of the return of an Australian institution, The Thunderdome boxing series based out of Metro City in Perth, Western Australia.

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing

 

The name comes out of the Mad Max Thunderdome movie, as its the most unique venue in all of Australia boxing, their are 4 levels in an ampi theatre style modern day coliseum, all looking down at the ring. The ring itself is situated on a stage as the facility operates as a concert venue.

 

Thunderdome began back in 2003 and has amassed 33 events and is ingrained in the fabric of Australian boxing. World champions who have appeared on Thunderdome cards have been WBA champion of the decade Chris John, Vic Darchinyan, Jeff Horn, Daud Yordan, Simpiwe Vetyeka as well as regular appearances by Australian icon Danny Green. Several Western Australian boxers of the current generation have made their pro debuts at the Thunderdome

 

Dragon Fire Boxing promoter Tony Tolj discussed the upcoming card;

 

"I’m excited about this March 3rd card and our first for 2023. Alex Winwood is a tremendous talent and is ready to make a statement in his second fight taking on former World Champion and World rated Tibo Monabesa of Indonesia for the WBC International Light Flyweight Championship over 10 rounds.

 

We also have 2 great state titles with the Heavyweight State title putting Lewis Clarke and Alick Williams as well as the Womens Welterweight Champion with Sophia Davies- Morgan taking onJaki Toth. We will also see Steve Gago a former IBF & WBC Regional Champion, exciting prospects "The African Dream" Kazeem Soyoye & Ben Innes plus many more

 

One thing which has separated Thunderdome from everywhere else is the competition, its always as best of 50/50 fights as you can get and March 3 will be no different, 2 men enter 1 man leaves, This is the Thunderdome!.

 

Tickets available at megatix.com.au and the event will be live on FITE.TV

 

 

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

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

Paul-Fury: Will The Third Time Result In A Fight?

Originally, this observer intended to focus a column discussing what was to be two pay-per-view attractions back to back that was supposed to close out the month of February. As some know, the Adrien Broner-Mike Williams Jr. fight, which was to headline a BLK Prime pay-per-view card on February 25th, was cancelled last week when it was revealed that Williams had suffered a broken jaw while sparring in preparation for the bout. This cancellation not only put a halt at least in part to what was planned in the sport of Boxing for the final weekend of February 2023, but for yours truly, halted what I intended to cover at least in part. As for the other half/part of the equation, I will be honest with the reader, I had second thoughts as to whether I wanted to write a prelude for, simply because I have doubts as to whether or not the fight will actually take place. This observer is referring to the twice announced and twice cancelled pay-per-view meeting between YouTube star turned undefeated Cruiserweight Jake Paul and unbeaten Cruiserweight Tommy Fury, the brother of current WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury.

The on again, off again saga between the two is back on for a third attempt. This time on Sunday, February 26th in Saudi Arabia. Unlike the previous two attempts, which were to be broadcast on Showtime Pay-Per-View here in the United States, this will be broadcast on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View, if in fact it does take place. It should not be hard for any objective observer/reader to understand why a proud Boxing lifer as yours truly is, would openly be questioning whether or not a fight that has now been scheduled and announced for a third time will finally get in the ring. While I admit a bit of cynicism on my part, there is justification for such questioning.

For one, Tommy Fury was forced out of this potential fight twice, once because of injury and illness, and then his being unable to travel to the United States when the bout was rescheduled, which begs to question why the second attempt at rescheduling the bout was even announced when all parties knew of the unlikelihood of Fury being unable to travel to the U.S. due to what he said were Visa issues. While this is likely a reason why this bout is now at least scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, it has done little to quell my doubts as to whether or not this fight will finally be in the ring as opposed to the long-onging war of words between Paul and Fury.

Although such grandstanding, for better or worse, does generate buzz and draw interest, some might be justified to say that it’s been more hype than it has been about an actual fight between two Cruiserweight hopefuls. The term “Hopeful” should be used here because after all, we are talking about two fighters, who even though they are unbeaten are not at a stage where they could objectively be considered “Prospects,” let alone “Contenders.” 

Despite his bloodline, Tommy Fury has only fought eight professional fights, but only one of those opponents had a winning record. Paul meanwhile, has built his unbeaten record of six wins in as many fights by fighting a fellow YouTube star in his pro debut, a former NBA player in his second fight, followed by four fights against former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world champions, all of whom Boxing was not their primary discipline. In fairness to Paul, his last opponent future MMA Hall of Famer Anderson Silva, did have some professional Boxing experience as well, despite being many years removed from his athletic prime at the time Paul fought him in October of last year. Nevertheless, the fact remains that if this fight with Fury does indeed take place, it will be the first fight for Paul against someone with a primary background in Boxing and one might take it a step further by arguing that it would be his first true fight as a boxer rather than a curiosity based on that.

Only adding to the “Hype” surrounding this fight if it does indeed take place, is the World Boxing Council (WBC) proclaiming that the winner of the fight will receive a ranking in it’s Cruiserweight ratings. While clearly an attempt by the WBC to generate publicity and to possibly take advantage of Jake Paul’s fan base, which are not compromised of knowledgeable Boxing fans and for whom, the sport is either newly exposed to them or of only a casual interest, the fact that one of Boxing’s oldest and regarded both positively and negatively depending on one’s perspective, sanctioning organizations would make such a declaration based on the resumes of both Paul and Fury up to this point, is frankly a joke and disrespectful to other fighters not just in the Cruiserweight division, but in the entire sport because it sets a precedent that will only lead to more criticism and ridicule not just for the WBC, but Boxing overall.

As the reader can probably tell by now, I have done little to hide both my doubts as well as my cynicism regarding this scheduled event. As such, this is not the standard pre-fight column that many have come to expect from this observer. One can only hope however, that if the scheduled event does actually turn into a fight in the ring, it will not be a fiasco and we will finally see whether Jake Paul and Tommy Fury for that matter are truly intent on being legitimate boxers. Although ridicule will likely follow, in particular in regards to the WBC, it would be nice to see some standard of the sport respected.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Paul vs. Fury takes place on Sunday, February 26th in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. The fight can be seen in the United States on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View for $49.99 beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. For a list of compatible devices and to order please visit: www.ESPNPLUS.com. *Check your local listings internationally.*

*Card and Start Time Subject to Change.*

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

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

February 18, 2023 DAZN Boxing Marathon Thoughts

One of the first marathon days of Boxing in 2023 took place on February 18th as digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, presented three different cards taking place in three different countries taking place in one day. For the purposes of this column, the three respective main events will be discussed.

First, it was former two-division world champion Felix Sturm, who at age forty-four returned to the ring in Stuggart, Germany. The former Middleweight and Super-Middleweight world champion made his debut in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division.

Sturm’s opponent on this occasion was relative unknown  Sukru Altay. This can best be described as a fight that was fought in a phone booth. In that both men opted to stay in close and engage in a toe to toe battle for ten rounds.

While Sturm was not the fighter he was many years ago in terms of his movement, he still showed flashes of what made him one of the best fighters in the world during his prime.  This included a high defensive guard and disciplined approach in terms of his punch placement. One thing Sturm discovered as this fight progressed as many fighters have when they have moved up in weight is punches that led to knockdowns and knockouts in lower weight divisions does not necessarily have the same effect as one moves up in weight and faces fighters at a heavier weight for whom is that opponent’s natural weight.

Sturm was able to connect with several shots throughout this fight, particularly to Altay’s body that were hard and thudding punches that may have dropped fighters at Super-Middleweight and Middleweight. Altay, the naturally bigger fighter was able to withstand whatever Sturm was able to throw and continue firing offense of his own, including having Sturm hurt more than occasionally over the second half of the scheduled ten round bout. 

An extremely close fight in the eyes of any objective observer, Sturm was able to emerge victorious via ten round unanimous decision, winning the fight by one round, two rounds, and nine rounds to one on the official scorecards. While the 98-91 or nine rounds to one scorecard was not an accurate reflection of what took place in this fight, this observer felt the fight was even, but if one were to base opinion as to who had the upper hand on body language, it appeared as though Altay was the more confident of the two and may have had an edge at the conclusion of the bout.

At forty-four years old and having had a more difficult fight than some may have expected against Sukru Altay, it is difficult to assess where Felix Sturm might go as he moves forward with his career . He does have the benefit of name recognition, particularly throughout Europe, which can help him secure opportunities in whatever division he chooses to compete in. Although he was able to get the victory in this fight, the signs of decline is something both Sturm and his handlers need to keep in mind moving forward. He was in a grueling fight against a very determined opponent and one might say that could be a reason for the signs of decline that Sturm appeared to show. Given his age however, it may be the accumulation of many years and battles in the ring that are starting to show.

This brings us to the second main event that took place on February 18, which was the lone world championship fight to take place on this particular Boxing marathon. This observer is referring to the battle for the WBA Featherweight championship of the world between defending champion Leigh Wood and top contender Mauricio Lara. A bout that took place in the champion’s hometown of Nottingham, England at the Nottingham Arena. For the purposes of this column and it’s length, I will not rehash the various points yours truly made in previewing this fight as part of this marathon day of fisticuffs. What I will say however, is I was surprised in how this fight was fought. To be more specific, surprised in the strategy implemented by the champion.

For much of the fight, Wood was able to keep Lara on the outside due to both his reach and movement. While I felt the fighters split the first four rounds, the tempo of the combat was clearly dictated by Wood, and it also appeared that he was able to get the better of many of the exchanges as well. One thing that Wood did that would proof to be detrimental as the fight progressed is he left his chin up after he threw punches. Although this is a habit many fighters on every level of the sport tend to have, it is something that can only be corrected in the gym when one has time to polish and refine their skills both offensively and defensively. 

Despite this, as the fight progressed, Wood appeared to gradually be taking control of the action in addition to dictating how the fight was fought. As clear as this appeared, in Boxing and by extension all combat sports, anything can happen. In round seven, Lara connected suddenly with a flush left hook to the jaw as the two fighters simultaneously threw left hooks that sent Wood down on his back on the canvas. The champion was able to make it to his feet, despite being on unsteady legs. Just as it appeared that the fight would be allowed to continue, Wood’s trainer Ben Davison threw the towel in to stop the fight making Lara the winner and new WBA Featherweight world champion.

Following the fight, I commented on social media that I could see both sides of an argument though Wood as the champion deserved the chance to continue, a trainer knows what their fighter has and can see things that fans and those of us in the media cannot see. While the circumstances of the stoppage and loss of his world championship are heartbreaking for Leigh Wood and his fans, Ben Davison is one of the best trainers in the sport and a decision like that is not an easy one to make when it has to be made in a split second. While people will likely call the decision Davison made controversial, Wood was badly hurt and did not appear to know where he was in addition to not having control of his legs. On this basis, I feel Davison made the right call to stop this fight.

As heartbreaking as the loss of a world championship is for any fighter, it is better for a fighter to be protected from themselves in circumstances where they are clearly hurt and in a position where they are compromised. Although fans may not appreciate what Ben Davison did in this fight, he put his fighter ‘s well being above all else including a world championship and all the benefits that come with it including, but not limited to the financial incentives both for the fighters as well as the trainer. In doing so, Davison also ensured that his fighter will have the opportunity to come back after he takes some time to recover, as opposed to potentially dealing with a serious injury if not God forbid worse. It is often when trainers and referees do not recognize when a fight should be stopped that the risk for serious and potentially permanent injury to a fighter is increased. Thankfully for Leigh Wood, Ben Davison ensured that he can come back and the only question is whether or not he will invoke his rematch clause, as opposed to whether or not he will be able to return to the ring at all.

The finale of this particular Boxing marathon took place in Pomona, CA where Jr. Featherweights Luis Nery and Azat Hovhannisyan treated Boxing fans to a memorable give and take battle between two of the top contenders in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division. A grueling fight that saw nearly non-stop toe to toe action from the opening bell. This was a fight that followed one pattern. Nery being the fighter looking to use his movement and the length of the ring to his advantage, Hovhannisyan the fighters pressing forward constantly looking to corner his opponent and land power shots.

When fights are fought in such a pattern, it is the fighters that uses lateral movement that often tries to catch their opponent with offense as they come forward and then use that movement to evade and maintain a distance where they are able to connect and the opposition can not. For much of this fight, this was the way Nery fought Hovhannisyan and seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, despite Hovhannisyan being able to apply constant pressure. As the fight progressed, Hovhannisyan was able to close the distance slightly between himself and Nery. He did this by focusing a portion of his attack to Nery’s body.

Although the element of body punching is truly an underappreciated art in Boxing, it remains one of the best, if not the best way to try to limit an opponent’s movement. While Hovhannisyan ‘s body attack was sporadic, it did result in him being able to narrow the distance between himself and Nery, which in turn created some heated exchanges between the two fighters.

It would be Nery’s tactical approach however, that would ultimately wear Hovhannisyan down, Nery would score a knockdown of the always “Game” Hovhannisyan in the tenth round with a short left hook to the head and would force a stoppage in the eleventh round of the scheduled twelve round bout. Even though Hovhannisyan came out on the losing end of this fight, he showed a lot of heart and he does deserve credit for making this an exciting fight to watch. The lack of consistency in his body attack however, I felt worked against him and if he were more consistent, perhaps this fight would have ended differently as when he was able to land it was effective. It was simply a case where he was unable to break Nery’s rhythm and as a result, the pattern of the fight never changed, with Nery generally getting off his punches first and being able to move, which ultimately led to him being able to break Hovhannisyan down.

As for Luis Nery, he is currently rated number two in the world by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and will likely be in position to challenge the winner of the upcoming fight between WBC world champion Stephen Fulton and undefeated former Undisputed Bantamweight world champion  Naoya Inoue later this year. While Nery probably took more punishment in this fight with Azat Hovhannisyan than he or his handlers would have liked, it was still an impressive performance and one that will likely make him the logical opponent for the winner of that fight.

Ultimately, these three exciting main events stretched across three different Boxing cards in three different countries is as good an illustration as any to a consumer as to the value of a DAZN subscription. While that is something that the network strives for in an era where subscription-based streaming is becoming the dominant force in all of television including sports, it should not be overlooked that recently DAZN raised it’s monthly subscription option in the United States to $24.99 per month, while also raising it’s annual subscription option to $224.99 per year. A move that has angered some fans as the network also intends to offer occasional pay-per-view events, which would not be included with the increased subscription options.

Although this is likely due to the ongoing effects of the ongoing COVID-19 global epidemic from a standpoint of operational costs as well as the challenge of acquiring broadcast rights to various sports globally outside of Boxing in an increasingly expanding market as many sports and leagues look to transition away from traditional television to streaming, any network in DAZN’s position is constantly walking a tight rope in an effort to both make a profit and provide value for their subscribers. While the use of the outdated and overpriced model of pay-per-view is not a wise strategy even when used on an occasional basis for any network in 2023 as buys for such events continue to decline, if one is objective, it is hard to say that DAZN is not providing value for their subscribers. As walking the tight rope becomes increasingly more challenging however, there will likely come a point where the network will have to come to terms with fighters and promoters who continue to insist on the use of pay-per-view if they want to maintain and add value for an increased subscription price.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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ALEX WINWOOD READY BREAK INTO WORLD RANKINGS IN SECOND PRO FIGHT NEXT FRIDAY IN METRO CITY

Press Release: February 23, 2023 – By Dragon Fire Boxing–Australian standout Alex Winwood is looking to continue his fast track to a world title this Friday evening in Perth, as he challenges for the WBC International title in his second pro outing.

Credit: Mike O'Hara 

 

Winwood, who is backed up by a card full of 50/50 match ups, represented Australia in the Olympics & Commonwealth Games, and now looks to continue his transition into the pro ranks by gaining a world rating. This will be Winwoods second Main Event in both professional fights and is ready to prove why hes a main eventer.

 

Winwood discussed his WBC International title charge this weekend, "I'm so excited to get my first international belt, and thankful to the WBC for giving me this opportunity against a former world champion in just my second fight. Every kid dreams of winning WBC titles, so to win an international title is a dream in itself. and a massive step towards a world title.

 

"I have a real opponent in front of me in a former world champion Tibo Monabesa, and he knows this is a golden opportunity for him, so I have to be on point. If I'm not, it won't be good for me in the short or long term, that's why I've cut no corners." 

 

Winwood has prepared for his tilt at the world ratings alongside the heralded Moloney brothers, and the 25-year-old opened up about his experience with the twins.

 

He said, "Andrew and Jason are great. They're both brilliant fighters and great human beings, so learning off them as fighters and as people is a wonderful experience.

 

"Andrew has been world champion, Jason I believe will become world champion soon, so being able to be on a similar path is motivating. I'm trying to soak up as much as I can and ready to produce it next Friday night in Perth & let the World know “A Rock” is the real deal."

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

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

Chris Algieri Joins ProBox TV

Press Release: February 22, 2023 – By ProBox TV – ProBox TV have added another big name to their star-studded lineup, with one-time world super lightweight champion coming in alongside boxing legends Paulie Malignaggi and Juan Manuel Marquez on the newly launched apps broadcasts.

Credit: ProBox TV 

Algieri, who has featured prominently in an analyst role on numerous networks, gave his take on ProBox TV product.

The Long Island native said, "ProBox TV is exactly what boxing has been missing and desperately needs. Competitive fights between hungry and talented fighters. I grew up only seeing good competitive scraps on TV. Nowadays that is so rare the case that every decent fight is touted as “fight of the year candidate”. From what I’ve seen thus far ProBoxTV only has competitive fights. There ain't no easy touches here.

"That being said, I am extremely happy to be the newest member of the squad. Calling good, competitive fights with legit talent makes my job as an analyst and commentator that much easier…and fun."

The former foe of Manny Pacquiao, who rose through the ranks in New York, fighting 50/50 fights on his way up, now sits in the ProBox TV broadcast booth alongside Paulie Malignaggi, Juan Manuel Marquez and the long-time voice of UFC Mike Goldberg. 

The New Yorker opened up about featuring alongside the trio and discussed ProBox TV's next event this coming Wednesday evening.

Algieri stated, "I am extremely excited about this particular event as I have been a fan of ProBox TV long before I came to the team. I have watched the development of guys like Najee Lopez, Darrelle Valsaint and the Valle brothers and I'm excited to call them live. 

"The main event of Manuel Gallegos and Richard Vansiclen is a classic clash of styles. Gallegos is an all action Mexican power puncher versus Vansiclen the savvy, athletic southpaw is a recipe for a modern day classic.

"Aside from the history of great matchups showcasing up and coming talent, I was highly motivated to work alongside legends like Juan Manuel Marquez, Paulie Malignaggi and Mike Goldberg. There is no higher honor than to work amongst some of the best in the sport doing what I love to do."

Watch ProBox TV Events FOR FREE (NO SIGN-UP REQUIRED) live on Facebook/YouTube in English and Spanish. You can watch ProBoxTV ad free on ProBoxTV.com for only $1.99/Month.

Material and Photo Courtesy of ProBox TV Used with permission.

For more information about ProBox TV including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, full library of previous events and additional content, and to subscribe please visit: www.ProBoxTV.com. 

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