Tag Archives: horn

Posted on 01/19/2018

By: Sean Crose

Although nothing has been made official yet, indications point to WBO world welterweight champion Jeff Horn facing his mandatory challenger, Terence Crawford, at the historic Madison Square Garden in the spring. What’s more, Manny Pacquiao may be making his ring return (it will be his first fight since losing to Horn via controversial decision last summer) on the same card. Fox Sports Australia reports that “Horn’s welterweight world title defense against unbeaten American Crawford is likely to be officially confirmed soon, but it won’t happen in Las Vegas as first planned.” What’s more, Fox claims “Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has revealed he’s looking to book Pacquiao’s much-anticipated return to the ring on the same card.”

Horn (18-0-1) stunned the world when judges awarded him a surprise decision win against Pacquiao in July. Although many – perhaps even most – felt Pacquiao won the fight, the judges’ decision, rendered in Horn’s hometown of Brisbane, made the now 29 year old Australian a world champion. Pacquiao afterwards returned to Filipino politics, where the iconic fighter works as a sitting senator. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s Crawford (32-0) unified the junior welterweight division by destroying the 22-0 Julian Indongo in August before announcing that he’d be moving a division up, to welterweight.

There had been word that Horn would face fellow Australian 48-8 Anthony Mundine in a homeland superbout, but a match with the more challenging Crawford clearly took precedent. Having won a single defense against 17-1 Gary Cochoran since besting Pacquiao, Horn will be fighting in the United States for the first time, if and when the bout with Crawford (and it’s New York City location) becomes official. Should the planned MSG fight become a reality, it will be Crawford’s third match in the Big Apple. As for Pacquiao, it’s unknown who his opponent would be.

There have been rumors that the fighter known as PacMan was willing to go down in weight to fight wunderkind Vasyl Lomachenko, or even cash in on a novelty bout with UFC star Conor McGregor. Neither of those possibilities (if they even were true possibilities) appear to have led anywhere, however, so it’s a bit up in the air as to who the legendary 59-7-2 multi-titlist will face next. With Crawford favored to best Horn, however, there is a belief that Arum, who promotes both Pacquiao and Crawford, might arrange for the two men to eventually clash.

The Madison Square Garden Horn-Crawford-Pacquiao card is expected to go down on April 14th.

Posted on 12/13/2017

By: Ken Hissner

WBO Welterweight champion Jeff “The Hornet” Horn, of Brisbane, Australia made his first title defense at the Convention & Exhibition Centre, in Brisbane, Australiaagainst No. 10 contender the British and WBO Inter-Continental champion Gary “Hellraiser” Corcoran,of London, UK.

Photo Credit: Top Rank Boxing

WBO Welterweight champion Jeff “Hornet” Horn, 18-0-1 (12), of Brisbane, Australia, stopped British & WBO Inter-Continental champion Gary “Hellraiser” Corcoran, 17-2 (7), of London, UK, in a blood filled battle on both sides at 1:35 of the eleventh round.

In the first round Horn used the jab from the start. It took close to half a minute for Corcoran to throw a punch. Horn lands the first combination to the head of Corcoran. A Horn jab knocked Corcoran off balance. In the second round a Horn right to the chin of Corcoran stunned Corcoran. Horn did it again seconds later. Corcoran landed his best punch so far a short right to the chin of Horn. Corcoran warned by referee Benjy Esteves, Jr. as Horn got spun around Corcoran hit him from behind. In the third round Horn landed a 3-punch combination on Corcoran. Corcoran spun Horn around landing a left hook to the head. Horn landed a good right to the head of Corcoran who countered with a left hook to the chin. Both fighters warned for dirty tactics by referee Esteves, Jr.

In the fourth round Corcoran landed a good lead right to the head of Horn. Inside Horn landed a left hook to the head of Corcoran as the fight started to heat up. Corcoran back Horn up with separate left then a right to the head. Horn landed a good right to the head of Corcoran within ten seconds of the end of the round with Corcoran getting the final punch in a left hook to the head of Horn. In the fifth round Corcoran landed lead rights to the head of Horn. Horn landed a pair of uppercuts to the chin of Corcoran. A Corcoran left hook to the right ear of Horn got his attention. Horn warned for holding. Corcoran landed a hard overhand right to the head of Horn. In the sixth round Corcoran landed a solid left hook to the head of Horn after some thirty seconds of action. Corcoran cut on the outside of his left eye. It seemed to urge Corcoran to throw more punches as the blood flowed down the side of his face. Horn was cut by the left eye.

In the seventh round with the fight looking even at the halfway point with Horn taking the first three and Corcoran the last three rounds. Horn landed a good combination to the head of Corcoran. Horn landed a lead right knocking the head of Corcoran back. A Corcoran right to the head of Horn knocked him off balance. Corcoran warned for landing a right to the head of Horn after the bell. In the eighth round Horn was cut on the right eye but he came back with a solid combination. Corcoran warned for holding and then Horn for the same. In the ninth round Corcoran backed up Horn with a 3-punch combination. Blood coming down the eyes of both fighters as it gets rough inside. Horn landed a good right uppercut to the chin of Corcoran.

In the tenth round Horn almost put Corcoran through the ropes with a flurry of punches. Corcoran came back with a combination and showing a smile. Corcoran’s left eye bleeding from Horn’s left hooks. Between rounds the ring physician checked the left eye of Corcoran. In the eleventh round a Horn combination knocked Corcoran off balance. Horn in control of the fight as referee Benjy Esteves, Jr. who did a good job throughout had seen enough of the badly cut left eye of Corcoran stopping the fight to in favor of Horn to the disgust of Corcoran for the fight to be stopped by the urging of his corner.

After Horn took the first three and Corcoran the next three Horn took over taking the last four going into the eleventh round. The talk in the ring after the fight was Horn meeting four division super lightweight champion Terence Crawford moving up to welterweight. It would be a giant of a mountain for Horn winning that one. It also leaves former champion Manny Pacquiao out of the picture hoping for a deserving rematch with Horn.

Super middleweight Rohan Murdock, 21-1 (15), Queensland, Australia, defeated Apti “Tiger” Ustarkhanov, 15-3-3 (5), of Kurchaloi, Russia, for the vacant WBO Oriental title.

IBF Pan Pacific Featherweight Champion Nathaniel “Cheeky” May 19-1 (10), Bunbury, Australia, defeated Aelio “Biro” Mesquita, 16-1 (14), San Paulo, Brazil, for the Asia Pacific Title.

Super featherweight southpaw Paul “Showtime” Fleming, 25-0 (16), of Sydney, Australia, defeated Vergil “Strong Man” Putton, 17-9 (8), of Manila, Philippines.

Posted on 12/12/2017

By: Ken Hissner

The new WBO Welterweight champion Jeff “The Hornet” Horn, 17-0-1 (11), makes his first title defense Wednesday at the Convention & Exhibition Centre, in Brisbane, Australia. He will feel at home living in Brisbane as he defends his title against his No. 10 contender the British and WBO Inter-Continental champion Gary “Hellraiser” Corcoran, 17-1 (7), of London, UK.

Horn won the title in his last fight in July over former WBC World Flyweight, IBF Super bantamweight, IBF World Featherweight, WBC Super Featherweight, WBC World Lightweight and WBO World Welterweight Champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, 59-6-2, by scores of 117-111, 115-113 twice, at the Suncorp Stadium, in Bribane in July of 2017. The fight was close enough that Pacquiao has demanded a rematch in April in the Philippines when as a Senator of that country he is on break. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one!
The 29 year-old Horn has a win over former IBF World Welterweight Champion Randall “Knock Out-King” Bailey, 46-9 and the WBO African Champion Ali Funeka, 39-6-3. Corcoran’s trainer Frank Greaves has complained that Horn has a reputation for coming forward and using a head butt. The allegation is strongly refuted by the Horn camp.

The 27 year-old Corcoran has defeated other unbeaten boxers such as Rick Skelton, 13-0, Rick Goddine, 21-0-1, Liam Williams, 14-0-1, and in July in his last fight over Larry Ekundayo, 12-0.

The Horn camp may be looking past Corcoran having their eyes on Terence Crawford who holds all the four super lightweight title and recently announced he is moving up to welterweight. He is also targeting IBF Champion Errol Spence and WBA & WBC Champion Keith Thurman according to trainer Glenn Rushton. “Jeff has trained for a 12 round bout but I want him to score the knockout. I want this to be a big statement to the rest of the welterweight division,” said Rushton. Horn’s only non-win was against Rivan Cesaire in 2013 but stopped Cesaire in 2014. Horn has never fought out of Australia.

It’s already been announced that American Benjy Esteves, Jr., will be the referee. This writer considers him one of the world’s best having seen him on numerous occasions.

The championship fight will be broadcasted over ESPN 6:30AM EST.

Posted on 10/10/2017

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of October 3rd to October 10th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

HBO Sports Extends Agreement with Veteran Broadcaster Jim Lampley

HBO Sports has entered into a new multi-year agreement with acclaimed broadcaster Jim Lampley, who serves as the primary voice for its HBO Boxing franchise. Lampley will continue to serve on multiple HBO Boxing platforms, including the host and blow-by-blow voice for “World Championship Boxing®,” “HBO Boxing After Dark®” and HBO Pay-Per-View.® He also will continue to host the boxing studio program “The Fight Game With Jim Lampley.” The agreement was announced today by Peter Nelson, executive vice president, HBO Sports.

“For nearly three decades, Jim has been the most prominent television voice in boxing,” said Nelson. “His work is universally recognized as the standard in the sport and we are thrilled to know he will continue in this high visibility role for years to come. Jim’s high journalistic standards, historical knowledge of the sport and enthusiasm for sharing the backstories of the fighters who enter the ring enriches the broadcast experience for the HBO audience.”

A four-time Sports Emmy® Award winner, Lampley was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY on June 14, 2015.

Starting with his first HBO presentation, the “World Championship Boxing” fight between Mike Tyson and Tony Tubbs from Tokyo on March 20, 1988, Lampley has been at the helm for many of the most dramatic moments in HBO Boxing history.

“I’m very lucky to have spent nearly three decades working in HBO’s unique culture, and grateful for the chance to keep doing it,” said Lampley. “It’s always been my natural home.”

Lampley returns to HBO on Saturday, Oct. 21 when he calls the “HBO Boxing After Dark” tripleheader from Verona, NY at 10:05 p.m. (ET/PT). The next edition of “The Fight Game With Jim Lampley” premieres Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT).

Pacquiao’s Possible Retirement has Arum’s Support

Top Rank’s Bob Arum recently spoke to Steve Kim of the Undisputed Boxing Network and stated that he will one hundred percent support Pacquiao’s plan to retire.

Pacquiao was last seen in the ring when he lost a shocking defeat to Australia’s Jeff Horn in July. Pacquiao hasn’t made an official decision to retire yet, but Horn already has a title fight lined up and Pacquiao’s political duties make it difficult to schedule a fight inside the ring.

Arum also stated he would be happy if Pacquiao decided to retire. He mentioned Andre Ward’s recent retirement when he stated, “So I think Andre did a really smart thing in retiring and, if Manny decides to retire- which I don’t kow- but if he does, I’ll be applauding it.

Tevin Farmer to Receive Two Briscoe Awards Sunday

Streaking junior lightweight Tevin Farmer, 25-4-1, 5 KOs, will go home with two awards at Sunday’s 10th Annual Briscoe Awards on Sunday, October 15, 2017. The annual event will be held at Xfinity Live! in Philadelphia.

Farmer, currently riding an 18-bout winning streak, is looking toward a December crack at the vacant IBF 130-pound world title. However, before that milestone comes, he will stop by the Briscoe Awards on Sunday, to receive recognition for the “2016 Performance of the Year” and as the “2016 Prospect of the Year”.

Farmer was brilliant in his fight with Ivan Redkach last year, and his virtuoso performance will be honored as the best among all other Philly fighters for 2016. This is the second straight year that Farmer has won the award.

Overall, Farmer posted four victories in 2016, pushing himself up the rankings and in position for his upcoming title opportunity. That four-fight run earned him the nod as Philly’s best prospect. If he can wrest the title in December, he’ll surely be in the running for the “2017 Philly Fighter of the Year Award”.

ABOUT THE BRISCOE AWARDS ON OCTOBER 15 FROM 1-4 PM

The Briscoe Awards are named in honor of legendary Philly middleweight Bennie Briscoe and the trophies given away – the Briscoe Statue and the Briscoe Medal – all bear the deceased icon’s likeness. The event brings together the local boxing community, including the award winners, their families, past and present boxers, fight fans, other boxing people, and general sports fans.

This is the tenth year for the Briscoe Awards, which are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s great boxing legacy. Past winners at the Briscoe Awards include Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham, and many others.

The event returns to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, the central hub of Philly’s sports stadiums, located at 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased at BriscoeAwards.com or by calling 609-377-6413. Everyone is welcome.

Jeff Horn to Face Gary Corcoran in December

Australian Jeff “The Hornet” Horn (17-0-1) is expected to take on Londoner Gary “Hellraiser” Corcoran (17-1) in the maiden defence of his WBO world welterweight title.

Promoter Bob Arum, who co-promotes Horn, has suggested that the WBO world title fight will take place at the SunCorp Stadium in Brisbane on Friday 15th December, televised live on ESPN.

Brisbane’s Horn, 29, won the WBO belt last July with a highly controversial decision against eight-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao.

“Pac Man” was expected to agree to a November rematch but pulled out due to his Senatorial duties in the Philippines taking priority.

Top Rank founder, Arum, is already looking ahead to that potentially lucrative return, “If Horn beats this kid, we could do the Pacquiao rematch in the first part of 2018 or go right to a fight with [Terence] Crawford. Pacquiao might not fight again. Who knows?”

Corcoran, 26, has been described as a fringe contender, whose biggest fight came in July 2016, when he suffered his only career defeat in a British super-welterweight title showdown with bitter rival Liam Williams.

Managed by Frank Warren and trained by Frank Greaves at the Peacock Gym in London, he dropped down a division after that sole loss and recently edged past unbeaten Prizefighter winner Larry Ekundayo by split decision on July 8 to claim the vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight strap.

Winning that belt placed him at no.10 in the WBO world rankings, seven spots below stable-mate Bradley Skeete, also signed with Warren, who many anticipated winning the shot at the world title.

Horn’s selection for his first defence has been criticised by some, but his pick of a top-10 ranked opponent with the same number of wins should make for a good contest, even though “The Hornet” has one eye on a bigger fight in 2018 with either Crawford or Pacquiao.

Corcoran beat off WBO #3 Bradley Skeete, #8 Luciano Veron and #10 Ray Robinson to land the world title shot down under.

Arum favoured Corcoran’s style over other possible contenders, “Corcoran at least will bring the fight to Horn,” he said.

“We are clearing a location in Brisbane and then we can go ahead with the fight, which will now take place in December instead of November, which is what we were originally planning,” Arum said the fight probably will take place on Friday 15th December in Brisbane.

“We are waiting for the guys in Australia to finalise the plans for the stadium in the next day or two. They’re finishing that up and then we’ll send out the contracts, but everything is done with (Corcoran promoter) Frank (Warren) for the fight,” said Arum, adding that the Queensland government is heavily involved in bankrolling the fight, as it was when Horn faced Pacquiao in one of the biggest bouts in Australian history.

Horn won a debatable decision against Pacquiao on July 2 before a crowd of 51,000 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in the first main event of Top Rank’s deal with ESPN.

Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, nearly knocked out the 29-year-old home fighter in the ninth-round but couldn’t put him away.

Most spectators thought Pacquiao, who had been bloodied by multiple cuts from accidental head-butts, was the clear winner, but he ended up losing his 147-pound world title by a unanimous decision on scores of 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113.

Pacquiao had the right to an immediate rematch and said he planned to fight Horn again in November, but changed his mind because of a busy schedule with his day job in the Philippine Senate.

He may return for the rematch in 2018 providing that “The Hornet” gets past the “Hellraiser” first.

Lara, Hurd, Gausha, Charlo, Lubin, and Trout Share their Thoughts on Fighting in New York

Six of the top 154-pound world champions and contenders will look to put on a show for the fans in New York as they prepare to enter the ring for a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader Saturday, October 14 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING®.

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defending against undefeated Terrell Gausha. Coverage on SHOWTIME begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting unbeaten champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo taking on top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and “Swift” Jarrett Hurd making his first title defense against tough former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout.

The undefeated 2012 U.S. Olympian Gausha is the only fighter on the card who will be making his Barclays Center debut. However, the Cleveland-native has fought once in New York before and looks forward to a return, this time on its’ biggest stage.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to fight at Barclays Center and add my name to the list of great fighters who have competed there,” said Gausha. “There’s something special about fighting in New York. The energy from the fans is really unique. I think I’m the perfect guy to come in and handle that pressure and have it elevate my game.”

Gausha faces WBA Champion Erislandy Lara, who won a decision against Austin Trout in their 2013 title showdown at Barclays Center. This time, Lara looks forward to taking advantage of his elevated role as the main event of this show.

“My memories of fighting at Barclays Center were incredible,” said Lara. “I put on one of my best performances against a great champion in Austin Trout and I’m looking to be even better on October 14. To be headlining in New York is incredibly special and important to me. There’s no better time to be at my very best than in front of these fans.”

Both WBC Champion Jermell Charlo and WBC No. 1 contender Erickson Lubin delivered sensational knockouts to make their Barclays Center debuts in 2017. Charlo made his first world title defense in April by stopping Charles Hatley and wants nothing else but to take care of business when he returns to the squared circle at Barclays Center.

“I’m honored to be fighting in Brooklyn,” said Charlo. “This is another exciting fight card like the last time I was here. I did what I had to do in April. I let my opponent run his mouth and then I took care of him. I’m going to let that happen again. I can’t wait for another opportunity to grow my fan base here in New York.”

Lubin has the strongest connection to the city of the six fighters, as he has made his training camp in nearby Hackensack, N.J., and is frequently able to visit his mother, who is living in Queens. He delivered a one-punch knockout of Jorge Cota at Barclays Center in March on CBS to earn this title opportunity on October 14.

“My last fight was my first ever in New York as a pro or amateur, and it was a memorable one,” said Lubin. “I left the crowd satisfied and entertained them with my squat and hit him with an overhand to knock him out. New York is like my second home and I love it here.

“I love visiting my mom in Queens and eating all the Haitian food she cooks, but I have to wait until after the fight to enjoy it. I’ve really embraced training up here though. We didn’t want to break camp at all. So we came up here for the press conference and were able to get in a workout that day. I’ll be a thousand percent ready once fight week rolls around.”

For IBF Champion Jarrett Hurd and former champion Austin Trout, New York has been a place for career-defining moments. For Hurd, his March 2016 stoppage of Mexican Olympian Carlos Molina at Barclays Center buoyed him towards his world title shot and eventually championship triumph.

“When I beat an Olympian like Carlos Molina, that was definitely when I first thought that I was a fighter who could win a world title and it proved I could compete against anybody,” said Hurd. “I think I picked up some fans in New York between that and beating the ‘Brooklyn Rocky’ Frank Galarza. New York always shows me love, so I feel it’s my duty to give them something to cheer about.

“I’m excited to be in New York because it’s very close to my home in Maryland too. I’m organizing buses for my fans to come up and watch me so I’m expecting another great atmosphere on fight night.”

Already a world champion, Trout had the opportunity to face future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto in 2012 in New York, and he was able to rise to the occasion that the stage demanded. He dominated Cotto over 12 rounds in his first start in New York and although he faltered in his return to New York against Lara, he remains fond of fighting in The Big Apple.

“New York is always a great place to be,” said Trout. “I had the biggest moment of my career in New York, but I want to make up for my last fight at Barclays Center, so fans can definitely expect fireworks on October 14. I’m coming to fight.

“My mother was born and raised in New York so I always look forward to the opportunity to compete here. My favorite thing to do is go to a Chinese restaurant on Avenue X after the fight with my family and I’m hoping to do that as a two-time world champion after this fight.”

Tickets to the event are on sale now and start at $50 (not including applicable fees). Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Posted on 09/01/2017

By: Sean Crose

In what has proven to be a stellar year for the sport of boxing, many fans of the sweet science were hoping Manny Pacquiao would help wrap things up in style via a November rematch with Jeff Horn, who bested Pacquiao by extremely controversial decision last summer. That, however, doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. The highly anticipated fall throwdown is a no-go due to the fact that Pacquiao, a Filipino senator, will be unable to push his governmental duties aside long enough to get the fight in. Rather than fighting Horn on November 12th, the planned rematch date, Pacquiao will be among other Filipino delegates visiting China.

Horn was a widely unknown, yet undefeated, Aussie welterweight when he met Pacquiao in his homeland early last July. Surprising many with his performance, the gritty – some would say dirty – Horn, stunned the world by winning Pacquiao’s WBO world welterweight title with what many believe was a hometown decision. Pacquiao, however, is at the point in his career where another controversial loss (he was stunned by the judges in his first go round with Tim Bradley back in 2012) won’t much impact his reputation or monetary potential.

Still, the lack of a rematch smacks of unfinished business. Pacquiao, however, is said to wish to rematch Horn next year. Whether a second battle between the two men is feasible or not remains to be seen. It would most certainly be lucrative, however, if it took place in Australia, as the first fight did. For Pacquiao-Horn went down in front of 50,000 fans in Brisbane and was a big ratings hit for ESPN, which broadcast the event live on Fourth of July weekend. Pacquiao, who is no longer the pay per view star he once was, couldn’t have asked for more (except, of course, a win).

In the meantime, however, Horn may face a foe far less popular than Pacquiao. Indeed, word is out that the new champion may make his first defense against former Pacquiao victim Jessie Vargas, who Pacquiao easily bested last year.

Although Horn-Vargas might prove to be an interesting fight, it doesn’t have the built in appeal that a rematch with Pacquiao would. The Filipino legend is an international celebrity, after all. And, as last week’s Mayweather-McGregor fight proved, name value alone can greatly elevate a fight in the public consciousness. Pacquiao, however, is obviously on the downside of his illustrious career. He didn’t look particularly impressive against Horn, no matter how one felt about the decision, and it seems time is assuring his days in the ring are winding down. The clock may be ticking.

Posted on 08/07/2017

By: Sean Crose

Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez – arch foils of the great Manny Pacquiao – have announced their retirements. Good for both men. They’ve earned their keep in the sport. Sure enough, both fighters deserve Hall of Fame status upon becoming eligible for induction. As for Pacquiao (59-6-2), word is out that he aims to keep fighting – and that he plans to rematch Jeff Horn (17-0-1), which he is contractually permitted to do. Horn, for those with short memories, bested Pacquiao in highly controversial hometown fashion this past Fourth of July Weekend in Australia.

The problem for Pacquiao now may be the fact that it looks like he’ll be fighting Horn in Australia yet again. This, of course, means that the Filipino legend will probably once more find himself at the mercy of the judges. To say Pacquiao should simply knock his man out is to arguably divorce oneself from reality at this point. Pacquiao hasn’t had a knockout or stoppage in ages and he certainly didn’t seem his old self when he battled Horn this past summer. In all likelihood, a rematch will go to the scorecards, much as the first fight did. And that might not be good news for Pacquiao.

The bout will be for the WBO welterweight title which Horn lifted from Pacquiao, but it’s really for Pacquiao’s legacy, Horn’s future and for lots of money. Pacquiao isn’t the pay per view draw he used to be. Indeed, he’s not a pay per view fighter at all anymore. What the man remains, however, is a hugely popular, internationally known athlete. ESPN was rewarded for broadcasting the first Pacquiao-Horn fight with millions of viewers. No doubt the rematch, which may go down in November, will bring in some good ratings, as well.

Many believe Pacquiao has been on the downslide for years, and it’s hard to argue against that line of thought after seeing the man’s ring performance last month. The buzzing, dominating, angle maestro who threw punches in bunches with piston-like speed was nowhere to be found. Having said that, it certainly seemed like Pacquiao had done enough to win the fight after the final bell rang. Horn was tough, determined and more skilled than perhaps most people thought before the fight, but defying expectations doth not a winner make. Not in a fair world, at least. Life, however, isn’t always fair.

That’s something that’s painfully evident in the sport of boxing.

As for Pacquiao’s former foes, both Marquez and Bradley have opted to remove themselves from such ugliness. Both have earned a ton over the course of their careers. Marquez leaves the ring a legend. Bradley seems poised to perhaps become a legend as time moves on. He’s one of those fighters who looks to grow in stature as the years pass by. There are analysts who feel Pacquiao is at the point in his career where he too should hang up his gloves. A brilliant performance against Horn might change a lot of opinions, but does the man have another brilliant performance left in him?

Posted on 07/08/2017

The Troubles with CompuBox
By: Matt O’Brien

Boxing is a notoriously difficult sport to score. Although the brief a fighter must follow is simple enough – hit and hurt your opponent more than he does you – deciding who completes this task more successfully can be a complicated affair.

Witness the myriad of disputed decisions that litter boxing history as evidence of the above. In the wake of Manny Pacquiao’s defeat to unfavoured Australian Jeff Horn last weekend, another contentious result can be added to that list.

Much was made in the controversy that followed the Filipino’s defeat of his apparent dominance according to the CompuBox punch statistics. Despite being unanimously declared the winner on the three judges’ cards, Horn allegedly landed just 92 punches of 625 thrown (15%) compared to 182 of 573 (32%) for the Pacman. While these stats seem to provide objective support for the idea that the judges’ scores did not accurately reflect the action in the ring, there are several reasons why we should handle the punch data with extreme caution.

First of all, while the name “CompuBox” might evoke images of a supercomputer programmed for the specific purpose of calculating the winner of boxing matches, the truth is somewhat more prosaic. In reality, CompuBox means two guys sitting at ringside with a laptop, each with the job of watching one boxer and four keys to press that record the punches that boxer attempts. The four buttons correspond to jabs thrown, jabs landed, power punches thrown and power punches landed. At the end of each round the numbers collected on the laptop are compared, and hey-presto – there’s your CompuBox punch stats.

So while the name sounds technical enough, we have to remember that there is a considerable amount of room for human error. For instance, recording when a single punch lands or misses sounds fairly straight forward, but telling if a blow grazed the gloves or connected with the side of the face can often be tricky even with the benefit of slow motion replays. In real-time as the action unfolds, it is far from an easy task. Consider also a body shot thrown on the blind side of the CompuBox operator: it could have been blocked by an elbow or it could have been a fight-changing rib-cruncher and they may be none the wiser.

The potential for human error only increases when we take into account combination punching. One-two-three-four – rat-a-tat-tat! – fired in a flurry of blurring gloves and grunts in less than a split second. Could you be sure that you’d accurately gauge, in real-time and without revision, exactly how many landed cleanly? Of course, a focused CompuBox operator would no doubt perform the task much better than the average viewer, but over the course of a twelve-round fight that would still leave a significant margin for error.

Even supposing, generously, that such errors could be reduced through careful training to a fairly negligible amount, the types of punches recorded are still liable to present a misleading picture of how a fight is unfolding. That’s because, as noted, CompuBox operators are faced with a choice of only two types of punches: “jabs” and “power punches”. The problem with this description is that the actual power behind a particular punch has no bearing on it being categorized as such. A jab is simply a straight punch thrown with the fighter’s lead hand; everything else is considered a “power” shot, by CompuBox definition.

In the words of one the co-founders of CompuBox, Bob Canobbio, “We call a non-jab a power punch for lack of a better description… we call it power punch because it sounds better than non-jab.” While this might be a great recipe for a catchy, TV-friendly sound bite, it’s a terrible method for recording which fighter is actually landing the most damaging blows.

Ignoring these practical limitations for a moment though, a more fundamental problem exists: the difference between tallying punches and scoring rounds. For while it’s a convenient formula to regard the fighter who lands the most as the winner (as the old amateur, Olympic-style scoring system used to do), professional boxing depends on much more than this.

Specifically, the four scoring criteria are: (1) accurate punching; (2) effective aggression; (3) defence; and (4) ring generalship. What CompuBox seeks to provide is an objective measure of the first criteria. What it does not provide is an accurate reflection of all of the criteria judges are adhering to. In this sense, it can be a dangerously flawed tool in assessing who won a professional boxing match, even assuming the punch stats are 100% accurate.

Of course, it’s easy to dismiss the importance of “effectiveness”, “defence” and “ring generalship” as wordy and intangible. On the contrary, they are in fact very real and concrete: they are the difference between a shot crashing into an arm, or it being rolled over a shoulder; they are the difference between a fighter pushing his opponent back into a corner, or being lulled into a trap; they are the reason why Willie Pep and Pernell Whitaker star in the Boxing Hall of Fame, and Eric Esch (aka “Butterbean”) starred in Jackass: The Movie.

Consider, for example, the following exchange: Fighter A throws a fast series of looping punches as Fighter B backs into a corner. Let’s imagine that three punches out of a six punch combination land – but none of the blows does damage, and are either lacking in force or partially deflected by Fighter B. Then – boom! – Fighter B unloads with a well-timed, accurate jab-shot that rocks the head back of Fighter A, before nimbly skipping off to the other side of the ring with his opponent ambling after him.

Now, according to a CompuBox reading, in the above exchange Fighter A out-landed Fighter B by 3 power punches compared to 1 jab – an impressive statistic. He also showed more “aggression”, throwing 6 punches to his opponent’s 1. Any astute ringside observer would know to discard the significance of the punch stats in this instance though. Not only did Fighter B render the incoming attack ineffective with his superior defensive skills, he also controlled the flow of the action by enticing his opponent to throw punches only to achieve the goal of countering him, which he did accurately and effectively with a more damaging blow (that was not recorded as such), before lulling his foe towards another trap.

This is called ring generalship: making your opponent fight your fight and dictating the pace, range and terms at which the action takes place. Too often, punch data simply does not pay heed to these nuances. Multiply the above exchange by a few times per round over the course of a twelve-round fight, and you start to get a very good idea of just how skewed any reading of a fight based purely on CompuBox stats could become.

One final problem is that the final punch statistics for any given fight are never revised. That means however many punches are recorded on the night, in real-time, remains the “go-to” data for that match forever more. This is a real shame. While it is obviously useful during the live airing of a fight to provide viewers with a measurable guide to the action unfolding in front of them, there’s no reason why these figures could not be scrutinized and corrected utilizing available technology in the weeks that follow.

Consider how much more meaningful these numbers would be if a panel of observers reviewed fights and re-tallied the punch stats using slow motion and different camera angles to assess them more precisely. It would then be possible, for example, to extend the number of categories of punches to provide a fairer reflection of who is the more effective aggressor (i.e. who was actually landing the “power punches”). As a starting suggestion, “Damaging Blows” could be added to include those that land with greater visible effect or force, snapping the head back, producing a noticeable facial reaction or clearly hurting the opponent. This kind of revision might not be practical for every single fight, of course, but it would certainly be a welcome addition for replays of the biggest PPV contests.

All in all then, considering the potential impact of human error on the numbers recorded, the somewhat spurious categorization of the kinds of punches thrown, and the notoriously subjective nature of boxing’s four-point scoring criteria, what we are left with is a system containing significant flaws. The wider point here though is not that CompuBox is a completely useless tool or that it should be abandoned. The point is rather a cautionary one: while CompuBox stats can provide valuable insight into the activity unfolding in the ring and a fascinating guide to understanding the ebbs and flows of a particular contest, we should remember that it is ultimately just that – a guide.

As the CompuBox website itself clearly states: “CompuBox stats in no way, shape or form, determine a winner of a fight. The stats are used to enhance a telecast, show the estimated barometer of activity by both fighters and paint a picture of the activity on a round-by-round basis.”

We would do well to remind ourselves of these words more often in the aftermath of a controversial decision. The troubles with CompuBox only arise when the numbers are cited as incontrovertible “proof” that a fighter was dominant or used to justify cries of “robbery” – without putting them in context of the wider judging criteria, or considering that they could just be plain wrong.

Posted on 07/06/2017

Deception from Down Under; A Conspiracy Theorist’s Guide
By: Kirk Jackson

Here we go again…

Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao 59-7-2 (38 KO’s) apparently attracts controversy; this time in the form of losing another disputed decision – to relatively unknown, teacher/boxer Jeff “The Hornet” Horn 17-0-1 (11 KO’s).

To be fair, Pacquiao has his share of debatablevictories as well. How about we ask Juan Manuel Marquez about the decisions regarding three of their four fights?

This recent uproar certainly created waves within the world of sports. Reactions from fellow boxers like former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, other athletes such as Kobe Bryant, boxing analysts and experts such at ESPN’s
Teddy Atlas, the collective sentiment is shock.

Wow! PAC loses by UD? One judge had it 117-111? ? Wasn't the fight that I saw!

— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) July 2, 2017

What do the Boxing Gods have against Pacquiao?

Perhaps the Boxing Gods still hold Pacquiao in good favor and the outcome resulted from the return of the puppet master, ensuring his key piece lacks leverage and remains at his mercy.

The puppet master is none other than the president of Top Rank Promotions Bob Arum. Dating back a decade now, Pacquiao served as his key marionette.

The main money generator of Top Rank in wake of the departures of Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao featured and excelled in Top Rank’s biggest events, generating millions in the process.

Serving as Arum’s puppet is not without perks however. Large pay purses, favorable marketing from Time Warner, HBO, ESPN and other media outlets due to Arum’s long-standing influences.

Everything comes with a price however. For Pacquiao, it’s the lack of liberty and control.

Remember the last time Pacquiao was in a position to re-up his contract as his current deal was coming to an end?

During this phase of time, he was scheduled to duel Timothy Bradley for their first of what would be three fights beginning in 2012.

Leading up into their first encounter, there was a question if Pacquiao would resign with Arum and Top Rank, if he would test the waters elsewhere, or if he would retire.

Many observers believed Pacquiao won the fight against Bradley, however Bradley was awarded the decision.

From a conspiracy theorist’s perspective, this may have been a power move from Arum, to keep Pacquiao in check and to let him know who holds the power.

The fight against Horn was the last fight due on his current five fight deal with Top Rank.

Do you think we’ve seen the last of Pacquiao vs. Horn? We’re going to see the pairing two more times.

Four fights were squeezed out of Pacquiao and Marquez, while three fights were squeezed out of Pacquiao and Bradley in recent years.

Undoubtedly Pacquiao will resign with Top Rank – to exact revenge against Horn, continue his farewell “World Tour,” and to carry on fighting at someone else’s leisure.

He will continue to fight till they no longer have use for him.

Rumors of Pacquiao in financial debt, some of the issues VisionQwest uncovered many years ago did not go away. The root of the problem always remained; financial instability, mismanagement of funds, along with wolves seizing advantage of opportunities.

“Boxing is my main source of income. I can’t rely on my salary as a public official,” explained Pacquiao after announcing his return to boxing last year.

“I’m helping the family of my wife and my own family, as well. Many people also come to me to ask for help and I just couldn’t ignore them.”

With the capacity to earn money, comes great responsibility and a legion of persons seeking to take advantage of the benefactor.

People take advantage of Pacquiao’s generosity and it placed him in an unfortunate predicament. A position in which he must continue to fight to earn a living despite previous accomplishments and prize money earned in the past.

It’s truly unfortunate to see fighters forced to fight when it’s obvious their best years are far in the rearview.

In the past, Pacquiao hired the firm of VisionQwest Resource Group, Inc. and VisionQwest Accountancy Group out of Los Angeles, California, to handle all accounting, personal tax, business tax, audits and examinations, as well as all contract reviews.

Turns out tax business operator Michael Cabuhat was arrested in 2015 for defrauding customers through VisionQwest.

Under an alleged scheme that Cabuhat ran from 2010 through 2015, he allegedly stole over a million dollars in refunds that should have gone to clients.

Charges include fraud, aggravated identity theft and structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. Pacquiao unfortunately, was one of Cabuhat’s victims.

Pacquiao hired a company to fix an issue and it turns out the company he hired further exploited the problem.

Financial woes, familiarity and reassurance led to a firm grasp of control from Arum. Control enables power moves.
Arum publicly talked down on Pacquiao in recent years and not always displayed public verbal support in light of a few controversial issues

Dating back to the beginning of the decade, Arum exerted his control over Pacquiao and most of the boxing landscape.

The eight-division champion was pitted against Top Rank stable mates; Bradley, Marquez, Joshua Clottey, ShaneMosley (temporary Top Rank fighter), Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Brandon Rios and Chris Algieri.

Not only were the match-ups controlled but so was the money flow – being as these were all Top Rank fights. It’s partially the reason why we never saw some of the other matches many fans hoped for.

It’s why we didn’t see Pacquiao vs. Mayweather until it was past the expiration date.

It’s why Pacquiao vs. Paul Williams never occurred, or Pacquiao vs. Amir Khan, Humberto Soto, Joan Guzman, Juan Diaz, etc.

The same is occurring yet again. Do you think we’ll see Pacquiao against the other top welterweights during his “World Tour?”

WBA and WBC unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman, IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence, are managed by Al Haymon and under different promotional companies.

Terence Crawford is a name teased for years regarding a potential pairing with the ‘Pac-Man.’ Even though Crawford is a fellow Top Rank stable mate, it seems unlikely we’ll see the two in the ring.

Just like we probably won’t see Pacquiao vs. Thurman, Spence or Danny Garcia. It will be Jeff Horn a few more times. We’ll see what ever makes sense for Top Rank.

It’s important to point out, there isn’t necessarily a mandate for Pacquiao to fight anyone; his legacy is already cemented and there isn’t much that can change it.

But the observation of note is he does not have a choice on whom and when he fights.

From a conspiracy theorist’s lenses, the recent decision in the Pacquiao vs. Horn verdict was an extension of control and to ensure regulation of the type of match-ups that are made. Strings pulled.

Posted on 07/05/2017

Boxing Insider Notebook: Pacquiao, Horn, Eubank, Abraham, Joe Smith Jr., and more…
Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of June 28th to July 5th covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

ESPN’s Telecast of Battle of Brisbane Between Jeff Horn and Manny Pacquiao Highest Rated Boxing Telecast Since 1995

ESPN’s live telecast Saturday, July 1, of the “Battle of Brisbane” (10 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET) averaged a total live audience (television and streaming) of 3.1 million viewers across the ESPN and ESPN Deportes networks, according to Fast National ratings from Nielsen. It was the highest-rated and most-watched boxing telecast on cable television since 2006 and ESPN’s highest-rated boxing telecast since 1995.

The WBO World Welterweight Championship main event between Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs), the Filipino legend and boxing’s only eight-division world champion, against undefeated No. 1 contender and Brisbane’s favorite son Jeff “The Hornet” Horn (17-0-1, 11 KOs) (12 midnight to 1 a.m. ET) peaked during the final half hour of their fight with 4.4 million viewers across both networks. Horn defeated Pacquiao by a controversial unanimous decision.

ESPN

On ESPN, the telecast averaged a 1.6 household rating and 2,812,000 viewers, making it the highest-rated and most-watched boxing telecast on cable TV since 2006. Carlos Baldomir vs. Arturo Gatti on HBO on July 22, 2006, earned a 1.6 household rating.

“The Battle of Brisbane” was also the highest-rated boxing telecast on ESPN’s networks since 1995. Danell Nicholson vs. Darren Hayden on ESPN, on December 21, 1995 earned a 1.7 household rating.
Highest Ratings for Boxing Telecasts on Cable in Last 10 Years

DATE NETWORK MAIN FIGHT US HH Rating
7/01/2017 ESPN Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn 1.6
9/26/2009 HBO Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Arreola 1.4
4/19/2008 HBO Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Calzaghe 1.3
5/03/2008 HBO Oscar De La Hoya vs. Steve Forbes 1.3
5/09/2015 HBO Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland 1.3

ESPN Deportes
“The Battle of Brisbane” on ESPN Deportes averaged 206,000 viewers, including 308,000 viewers in the final half hour of the event, making it the most-watched fight on ESPN Deportes since Leo Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares on August 29, 2015, which had an average minute viewing audience of 355,00

Streaming
ESPN’s telecast had a streaming average minute audience of 78,000, with 392,000 unique viewers, and 14.4 million total minutes streamed. Based on all three measures, the fight was the most-streamed boxing event on record on ESPN’s networks. On ESPN Deportes, the telecast had a streaming average minute audience of 1,400, with 7,800 unique viewers, and 253,000 total minutes streamed. Based on all three measures, the fight was the most-streamed boxing event on record on ESPN Deportes. Streaming provided a combined additional 2.6% lift on top of the television audience for both networks.

“The Battle of Brisbane” is available to stream now on the ESPN app.

Chris Eubank Jr. vs. King Arthur Abraham to Air on PPV in the United States

One of boxing’s most polarizing and exciting young fighters faces a dangerous three-time, two-division world champion, as Chris Eubank Jr. defends his International Boxing Organization (IBO) Super Middleweight Championship against “King” Arthur Abraham on Saturday, July 15, available to watch on Pay Per View in the United States, starting at 2:30 pm ET / 11:30 am PT, live from SES Arena, Wembley in London, England.

“Eubank Jr. vs. Abraham”, promoted by Poxon Sports in association with Team Sauerland, is presented in the United States by Integrated Sports Media and Protocol Sports Marketing, Ltd.

Integrated Sports Media will distribute “Eubank Jr. vs. Abraham” live in the United States on cable and satellite PPV via iN Demand, Vubiquity, and DISH for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. In Canada, the event will be available on television to fight fans that subscribe to premium pay television network Super Channel.

Outside of North America, “Eubank Jr. vs. Abraham” is being distributed to broadcasters worldwide by leading boxing television rights distribution firm, Protocol Sports Marketing Ltd.

Only 27 years old, the British-born Eubank Jr. (24-1, 19 KOs) enters the contest with less experience than Abraham but with power, a mean streak, and meaningful boxing pedigree. Eubank Jr. has won 16 of his last 17 fights by stoppage.

His father, Chris Eubank Sr. (45-5-2, 23 KOs), is a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight and middleweight world champion. Eubank Sr. co-trains and manages his son, in addition to being an idiosyncratic presence in and around his son’s fights, and the British fight scene.

A former Interim World Boxing Association (WBA) Middleweight World Champion, Eubank Jr. captured the IBO title this past February, stopping Renold Quinlan (11-1, 7 KOs) in the 10th round. His July 15th fight versus Abraham will mark the confident young champion’s first IBO title defense.

“Abraham is a strong, come forward fighter,” Eubank Jr. said, “but he’s one-dimensional. He’s very good in that one dimension, but a one-dimensional fighter cannot beat me. I see a lot of holes in his game and I’m going to exploit those holes ruthlessly.”

The IBO No. 1 rated Abraham (46-5, 30 KOs) fights out of Berlin, Germany. “King” Arthur is a two-time WBO super middleweight world champion, as well as a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) middleweight world champion. The powerful Armenian has a sensational 18-4 (9 KOs) record in world championships, 7-4 (4 KOs) against former or current world champions. Noted victims during his 17-year professional career reads like a Who’s Who of Boxing in the 160- and 168-pound divisions, including world champions Raul Marquez, Hector Javier Velazco, Jermain Taylor, Robert Stieglitz thrice, and Giovanni De Carolis. Abraham has also defeated world-class opponents such as Martin Murray, Paul Smith twice, Lajuan Simon, Edison Miranda twice, Khoren Gevor, Sebastian Demers, Kofi Jantuah, Kingsley Ikeke, Robin Krasniqi and Howard Eastman.

Four of Abraham’s five career losses have been to world champions Carl Froch, Andre Ward, Stieglitz and Gilberto Ramirez. Stieglitz is the only opponent to stop Abraham, who has won 10 of his last 11 fights, the most recent a 12-round unanimous decision win over Krasniqi (46-4, 17 KOs) this past April in Germany.

“I will make sure that I’m in top shape and ready to secure a great victory,” Abraham remarked. “I know Chris Eubank, Jr. is a good fighter, like his dad. I’m expecting a tough fight, but I am confident I will beat him.”

Also airing live is the 12-round International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight World Championship match as popular Welshman “Lightning” Lee Selby (24-1, 9 KOs) makes his third defense of the title he captured May 30, 2015, when he won an eighth-round technical decision over previously unbeaten Evgeny Gradovich (19-0-1, 9 KOs).

Selby will be challenged by former WBA Featherweight World Champion Jonathan Victor “Yoni” Barros (41-4-1, 22 KOs), of Argentina, who is the IBF No. 1 contender.

Additional PPV fights will soon be announced.

Taras Shelestyuk and Ruben Villa Defend Unbeaten Records on Saturday Night

In the “Locked n’ Loaded” main event, welterweight Taras “Real Deal” Shelestyuk (16-0, 10 KOs) made quick work of Jesus Alvarez Rodriguez (15-3, 11 KOs) by knocking him out in the third round Saturday night from Omega Products International in Sacramento, Calif.

Shelestyuk, who is ranked No. 5 by the WBO, predicted a knockout win in his prefight interview with the Olympic bronze medalist (London 2012) saying he planned to be aggressive from the start.

“I didn’t want this fight going the distance,” said Shelestyuk, who attributes the aggressiveness to new trainer Joel Diaz. “Joel and I worked on increasing our punch output and it showed in this fight.”

Shelestyuk, who is from the Ukraine but now makes his home in Los Angeles, rocked Rodriguez in the first round. He connected on a two-punch combination that sent the Mexican to the canvas. In the third round, Shelestyuk struck early and often, earning the knockout win at the 2:05 mark.

Top featherweight prospect Ruben Villa (7-0, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif. delivered a beating to overmatched veteran Jonathan Alcantara (7-16-2, 1 KO) of El Salvador. Villa, who swept all three scorecards (40-36), looked equally comfortable fighting on the outside or in the pocket.

“I think this fight showed how versatile I am,” Villa said. “I boxed him well and mixed it up inside without taking any hits. It was a solid performance.”

Villa, indeed, looked the part of an elite prospect. He was aggressive the entire fight, yet was extremely disciplined on the defensive end.

“There’s no doubt I frustrated him,” Villa continued. “I could tell he was having a hard time. I never let him relax.”

Shelestyuk and Villa are co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing

Joe Smith Jr.-The Light Heavyweight Division is Back

Following his recent knockout of boxing legend BERNARD HOPKINS, Long Island fan favorite JOE SMITH JR. moved right into the mix in the light heavyweight division, boxing’s deepest and most exciting.

Working full-time as a union laborer in the New York City area, Smith (23-1-0, 19 KO’s) will take a short break from wielding the sledgehammer as he finalizes training for his upcoming 10-round showdown with fellow highly ranked contender SULLIVAN BARRERA, (19-1-0, 14 KO’s), on Saturday, July 15 from The Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles and telecast live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark (9:50 p.m. ET/PT).

Most recently a new #1 Pound-for-Pound in boxing from the light heavyweight division was heralded as ANDRE WARD defeated SERGEY KOVALEV for the second time on June 17, defending the WBA/IBF/WBO Light Heavyweight Titles. On June 3, longtime WBC Light Heavyweight Champion ADONIS STEVENSON stopped highly ranked contender ANDRZEJ FONFARA.

In addition to those two champions the division is filled with world class fighters and highly regarded contenders including ARTUR BETERBIEV, DMITRY BIVOL, OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK and ELEIDER ALVAREZ .

“It’s true the division is truly heating up and I’m honored to be a part of it,” said the 27-year-old Smith Jr. “The winner of my upcoming fight moves right into the top of the mix in the division.”

“With my last two knockouts I have the full confidence that the sky is the limit for me in this division, I want to achieve my dream of becoming a world champion.”

Smith Jr. is promoted by JOE DEGUARDIA’S STAR BOXING who has developed the heavy handed Long Island native over the last few years into a world ranked contender and holder of the WBC International Light Heavyweight Title.

“Timing is always very important when bringing along a fighter to a higher level,” said DeGuardia. “We started working together a few years ago and our plan was to continue developing Joe’s talents and present him with the right opportunities for success. This is a formula we’ve used many times in the past in building fighters the right way.”

“When the opportunity came to fight Andrzej Fonfara we believed as a team that Joe was ready and he was spectacular in the first round knockout victory. The same with fighting Bernard Hopkins, it was a great opportunity and Joe put on another star making performance.”

“With the Sullivan Barrera fight the stakes are even higher but we feel this is another great opportunity for Joe, back on HBO which has built many stars over the last forty years.”

Oscar Negrete Overpowers Sergio Frias to Take Home NABF Bantamweight Championship

In one of his best performances yet, the still undefeated and newly crowned NABF Bantamweight Champion Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (17-0, 7 KOs) overpowered the rugged and resilient Sergio “Frio” Frias (18-7-2, 9 KOs) with a technical knockout victory in the main event on Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN live from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

“I want Caballero next,” said Negrete, calling out Randy “El Matador” Caballero who was scheduled to fight in the main event originally. “Tonight with Sergio Frias, I knew I was winning the fight; it was more of waiting for either the knock out to come about or get the unanimous decision. I felt like my jabs were the most effective, because after watching his fight against Archinean, our team noticed that he didn’t move his head a lot. There’s a couple more of these belts that I need to add to my career.”
“El Jaguar” was focused and in control of the fight, catching Frias on the ropes in several stand and deliver exchanges attacking the body consistently. In the last couple of rounds, Frias attempted to claw his way back, nailing Negrete with a couple of uppercuts that stunned “El Jaguar”. It was a heavy exchange in the eighth round that cause Frias to become unstable, and before the ninth round could commence, Frias’s corner called the fight, awarding the technical knockout win to Negrete.

A slew of VIPs attended the card, which marked the 50th show that Golden Boy Promotions has put on at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino including former IBF and WBO Featherweight Champion, Mexican actor and circus performer Jorge “El Maromero” Paez, NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr., Antonio “Relentless” Orozco, Jesus “El Renuente” Soto Karass, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera, and Vyacheslav “Lion Heart” Shabranskyy.

In the co-main event, super lightweight contender Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (19-0, 11 KOs) of Chattanooga, Tennessee participated in a 10-round slugfest against Marcos “El Tigre” Jimenez (22-8, 15 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The two fighters went toe-to-toe with each other, however Martin managed to outclass his opponent.

“He was a tough, very defensive fighter,” said Ryan Martin. “It was hard for me to get him to open up because he would only throw a shot once he knew he could land it clean. This was my first time going the full 10 rounds, and by the eight, I was like ‘darn, he’s still standing?!’ Overall, I felt that I could be more consistent with my style, and I wish I would have listened to my coaches more while I was in the ring, but I am satisfied with my performance and despite not getting the knock out, I’m glad that I got the win.”

Heavy-handed Genaro “El Conde” Gamez (5-0, 4 KOs) from San Diego, Calif. demolished Devon Jones (2-5, 1 KO) of Fairfield, Calif. in a scheduled four-round match-up of lightweights that only made it to the 1:04 mark of the first round. “El Conde” handled his business with two knockdowns: the first with a left hook, the second a finishing blow of an overhand right.

“We were the swing bout, so I tried to send everyone home as early as I could,” said Genaro Gamez. “Of course I’m so excited for this win, I’m trying to keep my knock out streak alive.”

Retaining his unblemished record and champion title, WBC Youth Super Featherweight Champion Lamont Roach, Jr. (14-0, 5 KOs) dazzled the crowd with his skills in the ring against Sonora, Mexico’s Jesus “Chuito” Valdez (20-3-1, 9 KOs) for their 10-round super featherweight bout. Valdez landed impressive uppercuts that sent the crowd gushing for more, however Roach, Jr. went straight to the body, and worked-in his swift power combinations. In the last round, Roach gave a beating to Valdez, chipping away at him with consecutive blows to the head, leaving the resilient Mexican unbalanced. The judges scored the bout unanimously in favor of Roach, Jr. with scores of 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93.

“The icing on the cake would have been if I could have knocked him out, so I feel like this was an okay performance,” said Lamont Roach, Jr. “He was a tough opponent, and he was able to catch me a couple of times.”

Welterweight KeAndre “The Truth” Gibson (17-1-1, 7 KOs) made a comeback from the first loss of his career taking on Zurich, Switzerland’s Dennis “Dennis the Menace” Dauti (14-3, 7 KOs) in eight-rounds of non-stop action. The hungry fighters both pressed on aggressively, engaging in heavy exchanges, however “The Truth” was always a step ahead, utilizing his height and reach to his advantage. Dauti was unable to properly adjust to Gibson’s style, but nevertheless, was able to step into moments of dangerous exchanges. The judges scored the bout at 80-72, 79-73, 77-75, awarding the unanimous decision to Gibson.

“This fight gives me a confidence boost,” said KeAndre Gibson. “Most fighters who come from overseas are pretty awkward in their styles, and he was no exception – he had strange head and shoulder movements that could have become accidental head-butts. I just want to be able to get those tough fights, so I think this puts me back in there.”

Hot off his professional debut, Luis Feliciano (2-0) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga impressed the crowd with his easy conquest over Baltazar Ramirez (3-3, 3 KOs) of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In the six-round super lightweight bout, Feliciano displayed his growing ring generalship, preventing Ramirez from landing any significant punches with his effective counter punching. All three judges scored the bout accordingly with scores of 60-54.

“I feel like we came in and we executed the game plan just how we had trained,” said Luis Feliciano. “I wasn’t sure what type of fighter we were getting, and once you’re in the ring styles change. He was a tough guy, and he took a lot of my punches.”

Opening up the card, Philadelphia’s Damon “No Smilin” Allen (12-0-1, 5 KOs) battled ring veteran Gamaliel “El Platanito” Diaz (40-17-3, 19 KOs) in a scheduled eight-round super lightweight match that made it to the sixth round. Allen showed growth from his previous fights, forcing Diaz to taste the mat various times throughout the bout. The doctors called the fight during the sixth round, due to an accidental head-butt, forcing the judges to go to the cards. The scores were 57-56 for Diaz, 58-55 for Allen, and 57-56 for Allen, awarding “No Smilin” the split decision victory.

“I don’t know if it was actually a head butt that he got from me, I just remember going off on him and unleashing my punches,” said Damon Allen. “It doesn’t matter if it was a split decision or if it would have ended unanimously – I was going to win regardless. I love taking on veteran fighters for this reason. I feel that I learn a lot about my skills and how to improve for the better.”

Posted on 07/04/2017

So Much For Boxing Being Dead: Pacquiao-Horn A Ratings Hit
By: Sean Crose

What’s in a name? If that name is Manny Pacquiao, almost four and a half million sets of eyeballs. ESPNs broadcast of the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn welterweight title fight in Australia peaked at 4.4 million viewers on Saturday (with an average viewership of 3.1 million) making this past weekend’s stunning upset an impressive debut for Top Rank’s partnership with the beleaguered sports network. Reports of boxing’s demise, which have been going on since, oh, 1892, have once again proven to be greatly exaggerated.

The four fight card, which ran quite late on the east coast, was highlighted by the biggest upset the sport has seen in years. To make matters even more bombastic, the decision, which favored Horn over the legendary Filipino warrior, was highly controversial. This might have, on the surface of things, appeared bad for Top Rank and ESPN, but it electrified Twitter and casual sports fans who rarely tune in to boxing cards. Network notables like Teddy Atlas and Stephen A Smith were vocally horrified while stars like Kobe Bryant and Samuel L Jackson tweeted their displeasure. Rather than a boring debut, the card became “a thing.”

ESPN and Top Rank are preparing to give fans a lot more high level boxing in the future. Ukrainian wunderkind Vasyl Lomachenko will be headlining a card in August while dominant junior welterweight titlist Bud Crawford will find himself in a title eliminator a few weeks later. Throw in a possible Pacquiao-Horn rematch and what might be the ring return of Tim Bradley (who was part of Saturday’s broadcast team) and it’s clear big names are headed to basic cable.

Top Rank chief Arum parted ways with long standing partner HBO recently when it became clear that Arum could no longer air the fights he wanted the way he wanted to on the network. With that in mind, he took his business away from pay cable and over to ESPN, which has been having troubles of it’s own lately, with a decrease in subscriptions and a diminished reputation. Arum needed a network. ESPN needed something fresh. The rest is history – or at least the beginning of a partnership which will hopefully prove fruitful to all involved – especially the fans.

As long as Arum and ESPN continue to give the public what it likes, all should go well. Remember that this is boxing, however, and judges’ cards aren’t the only things that often get screwed up before our very eyes.

Posted on 07/03/2017

Manny Pacquiao Reached for Cherries and was Poked by a Horn
By: Kirk Jackson

Shockwaves were sent throughout the boxing world once again when Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao 59-7-2 (38 KO’s) lost a stunning, controversial decision to relatively unknown challenger Jeff “The Hornet” Horn 17-0-1 (11 KO’s) last weekend.

Many viewers, including the commentary team of ESPN headed by Teddy Atlas, Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley and Stephen A. Smith were baffled upon the announcement of Horn’s victory and openly questioned the validity of the decision.

A few other celebrities chimed in as well.

#PacquiaoHorn pic.twitter.com/i1oqnD74Q2

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) July 2, 2017

While the decision remains controversial, what’s more shocking is how the actual fight manifested.

The score of 117-111 in favor of Horn is repulsive, even a unanimous decision for either fighter is questionable.

The tally of that score would not be reflective of the performance from either fighter to be frank. However, the score of 115-113 can be considered accurate and indicative of the battle in Brisbane.

Despite the one-sided commentary and erroneous if not questionable CompuBox numbers, Horn made the fight ugly and highly competitive.

As commentator Tim Bradley pointed out, if the fight is close, the score may benefit the hometown fighter.

Some viewers may argue the CompuBox numbers were so one-sided, there’s no way a decision could be scored for Horn.

CompuBox is the name of a computerized scoring system run by two operators.

CompuBox is used in professional boxing matches across the world and serves as a statistical aid for observers at home watching the fights.

Concerns revolving around the accuracy of CompuBox numbers are another issue. What they claim to do (precisely tally punches thrown and landed from each fighter) is nearly impossible in real time.

CompuBox is essentially two guys hitting a button when they think a punch landed and hitting a button when they think a punch was thrown.

That itself is inaccurate with so many variations of punches that can be thrown. Does CompuBox tell the distinction between jabs for example?

Jabs can be utilized as a pitty-pat distraction or be used to set up a follow up power punch, or can be used as a power jab.

There are some punch counts that can’t be defended in any way when you analyze the actual round and it should not be utilized when scoring a round.

If the accuracy stats were computed after the fight, with the possibility to slow down and replay exchanges, then it might work. But during the fight there’s no way you can identify and track landed shots consistently.

Many Pacquiao supporters complained of CompuBox’s inaccuracy in the aftermath of Pacquiao’s fight against Floyd Mayweather in 2015.

Regarding the Pacquiao vs. Horn fight, it was indeed foul-infested; numerous incidental head-butts and head-clashing, holding and hitting from Horn, head-locks and other WWE inspired holds, elbows, anything Horn could muster.

And for his part, Pacquiao played right into his hands.

There was one constant issue Atlas failed to mention throughout the telecast. The managing of real estate, or for better terms – the controlling of distance.

Pacquiao couldn’t maintain the space he needed to effectively get his shots off and he was outworked and out-hustled by the younger Horn.

As the well-seasoned veteran with over 60 fights, Pacquiao failed to capitalize on the obvious and constant mistakes from Horn, the challenger with less than 20 fights.

Horn reliably lunged in and leaned in with his head and upper-body whenever he attacked; therefore telegraphing most of his punches. It’s mind boggling how someone with such superior speed, mobility and experience (Pacquiao) could not capitalize on these recognizable errors.

Pacquiao is capable of landing right-check hooks; he landed one of those punches on Floyd Mayweather a few years back in their fight. Where was the pivoting and stepping to the side from Pacquiao?

As far as punch accuracy, Pacquiao consistently hit air. Pacquiao certainly had his moments; in the fourth round, sprinkling clean shots here and there throughout the course of the bout and the ninth round was as dominant a round we’ve witnessed in years from the Pac-man.

It took Pacquiao a few rounds to get warmed up, as he really didn’t start finding his mark until the fourth round or so and with the exception of round nine, Pacquiao looked gassed towards the end of the fight.

We can attribute the inaccuracy and conditioning issues to old age, as Pacquiao is set to turn 39 later this year, or we can attribute this performance Horn’s awkwardness and ruggedness, or Pacquiao’s cold.

Apparently the Filipino congressmen battled a cold leading up to the fight. I believe he also battled a cold, along with experiencing the trauma of blood testing in his first encounter with Erik Morales which also resulted in a loss.

Colds, cramps, blood-testing and injured shoulders always appear to derail Pacquiao at some point it seems.

No matter how we dissect the fight and the results of the fight, controversy and everything that surrounds it, this is a classic example of cherry-picking gone wrong.

Leading up to the fight, measuring each fighter’s performances, Pacquiao possessed the clear edge on paper.

Hand-speed, foot-speed, punching power, mobility, punch accuracy, experience, chin, the only metrics and intangibles that were debatable were stamina and heart.

And Pacquiao bested two world champions (Bradley, Jessie Vargas) last year.

Pacquiao’s only blemish in recent years is against Mayweather – who is regarded as the best fighter of his generation.

For a moment, lets ignore the actual result of the contest between Pacquiao and Horn. The fight itself should not have been close or competitive, yet it was.

I personally saw #Manny win the fight. However #Horn deserved nothing but praise. They were hoping for a ? and got a Lion!

— Guillermo Rigondeaux (@RigoElChacal305) July 2, 2017

Apologies to Horn but Pacquiao had no business sharing the ring with a school teacher. Although it appears Professor Horn educated Pacquiao and the viewers with a display of tenacity, true-grit and undying will.

The results set-up a lucrative rematch for Horn and Pacquiao along with a probable change in venue. This also changes the landscape of the welterweight division and pound-for-pound rankings.

Obviously the pound-for-pound rankings vary, but we have to honor the results of the contest and even if there is a dispute regarding the results, the performance from Pacquiao was not pound-for-pound caliber.

Serious question, can anyone envision the newly crowned WBO welterweight champion Horn competing with the likes of current welterweight contenders Bradley or Vargas?

How about former champions – still contenders such as Danny Garcia and Kell Brook?
By: Kirk Jackson

Would Horn stand a chance against current unified WBA and WBC welterweight champion Keith Thurman or current IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence?

Can you picture Horn defeating Terence Crawford or even Adrien Broner?

Heck, Horn may even continue his legends tour and face Mayweather if he can defeat Conor McGregor (sounds weird typing that).

The point is despite his monumental victory, it’d be hard-fetched to find anyone outside of Australia favoring Horn’s chances against any of the aforementioned names.

There’s another legendary fighter from the same era with a fight approaching next month, who may want to take heed to this example.

What’s the moral of the story? Be careful of the cherries you pick.

Posted on 07/03/2017

Five Post Fight Thoughts from Pacquiao vs. Horn
By: William Holmes

A legend in the sport of boxing lost to a man that nobody thought he would lose to on Saturday in Brisbane, Australia.

Manny Pacquiao is a sure fire first ballot hall of famer and is an eight division world champion. Since 2005 almost all of his fights were made available exclusively on Pay Per View. However, many were stunned to see Jeff Horn be named the victor and were left in disbelief. Many, including the announcers on ESPN, strongly felt that Manny was robbed and clearly won the fight.

Is this the end of Pacquiao’s career? What does this mean going forward?

Here are five post fight thoughts from the Pacquiao vs. Horn fight.

1. Pacquiao Was Not Robbed

This may come as a shock to some, but Pacquiao was not robbed. I’m not saying he didn’t win the fight, but you can’t argue with the judges who felt Horn won the fight. Pacquiao didn’t dominate any round with the exception of the ninth, and many, many, rounds were “swing” rounds and could have been scored either way.

Fans have to remember that crowd reaction affects judges and this fight took place in Horn’s home country. Most of the fans in attendance were rooting for their fellow Australian and were reacting positively to every punch that Jeff Horn threw. Yes, judges are supposed to be able to block out the sound and view a fight objectively, but that’s easier said than done and no judge is completely immune to the vocal support that surrounds him.

Fans also have to realize that viewing a fight live is much different than viewing a fight on TV. When you’re watching a fight on TV you can be swayed by the commentary of the announce team and you have a much better view/angle on the action inside the ring than those who are watching the fight in person. Ring side judges do not have the advantage of wide camera angle and often their views are obstructed by the ropes, ring, competitors, and the referee.

Additionally, Jeff Horn pressed the action and was able to dominate the exchanges when they were in tight or when Pacquiao’s back was against the rope. Ring Generalship and effective aggression are two criteria that judges use to judge a fight, and it was clear that Horn was dictating the pace to Pacquiao and never stopped coming forward.

Again, I’m not saying Pacquiao didn’t win the fight, I’m merely stating he wasn’t robbed.

2. CompuBox Stats Are Overrated

Many upset boxing fans point to the CompuBox statistics as evidence that Pacquiao was robbed. They note that Horn only landed 15% of his punches and that Pacquiao landed almost 100 more punches.

However, fight fans have to understand that CompuBox punch totals are done by a person sitting ringside keeping a manual tally. There is nothing scientific or reliable about CompuBox, at best it is an estimation. CompuBox also doesn’t take into consideration the visible effects of the punches landed.

As a general rule punches are more noticeable when a bigger man lands against a smaller man, and Jeff Horn was clearly the bigger man. When his punches landed they visibly moved Pacquiao and many of Pacquiao’s punches were not noticeable to the untrained eye.

3. More Big Fights Need to Happen Outside of Las Vegas

As a fight city, Las Vegas is overrated.

Yes, it’s the gambling capital of the world and very few locations can compete with the purse sizes that Las Vegas provides. But, if you’ve ever gone to a fight in Las Vegas you’d know that most of the fans who attend a big fight in Las Vegas are more concerned with the glitz, glam and celebrity that Las Vegas provides instead of the action in the ring.

I’ve been to Vegas several times for big fights, and a good 95% of the fans in attendance do not show up until a few minutes before the main event starts. Most of the fans at a Las Vegas fight do not know the difference between a jab and a cross and are more concerned with looking good at a big event.

The Pacquiao Horn fight was held in an outdoor stadium in Australia and came across great on television. 50,000+ fans were in attendance, a number that currently can not be reached in Las Vegas. The excitement and anticipation of a fight comes off much better in a big stadium when compared to Las Vegas, and makes it more attractive to the casual sports fan.

The Klitschko vs. Joshua fight was held at Wembley Stadium and was one of the best fights of the year. The crowd was unbelievable and that fight also looked great on television.

The most entertaining fight that this writer ever attended live was when Pacquiao fought Margarito at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium. The venue was a big reason as to why that fight was so entertaining.

Granted, there will still be fight fans who only show up for the main event if a good boxing card were to be held outside of Las Vegas, but the overall experience is much better when it’s held in a stadium.

4. Pacquiao Needs to Drop Down in Weight

Ever since Pacquiao made the jump to the junior welterweight division and higher he has been the smaller man inside the ring. His walk around weight is near the welterweight limit and he often has to fight someone who has cut 10-20 pounds to make the welterweight limit.

When Pacquiao was in his prime his movement and endurance was good enough to run circles around his opponent so that they couldn’t catch him. He’s no longer in his prime and Jeff Horn was able to capitalize on his size advantage and trap Manny on the ropes with effective body work. If Jeff Horn was able to trap Pacquiao imagine what some of the other top welterweights could do to him.

Keith Thurman, Errol Spence Jr., Kell Brook, Shawn Porter, and even Lucas Matthysse are all opponents that are bigger than Pacquiao and would probably inflict more damage on him than what Horn did on Saturday.

Even though the current version of Pacquiao would still be competitive with most of the welterweights ranked in the top ten, he is risking serious damage to his body and health if he continues to campaign against bigger and stronger opponents when he is pushing 40.

5. An Aged Version of Pacquiao is Still Entertaining

Should Pacquiao retire? That’s a tough question but at the very least it should be discussed amongst him and his team.

But one thing that we learned on Saturday night is that even the faded and aged version of Manny Pacquiao is still exciting in the ring. His fight with Jeff Horn dominated social media and ESPN and has been the talk of the sports world for the past two days.

Fight fans were on the edge of their seat the entire fight and the ninth round was one of the most thrilling rounds of the year.

The ratings support the entertainment value of Pacquiao. ESPN recently released a press release indicating that the fight delivered a 2.4 overnight rating and was the highest rated fight for a cable network this decade. The release also indicated that the Battle of Brisbane was likely to be the highest-rated fight on ESPN’s networks since the mid 1990s.

The current version of Manny Pacquiao may have difficulty reclaiming a world title in the welterweight division, but he still draws eyes to the TV.

Posted on 07/02/2017

Boxing Thoughts on an Eventful Summer
By Adam J. Pollack

Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn. It is sad that all of the outrage about the alleged robbery actually robs Horn of the accolades that he rightfully deserves. That was a close fight, not a robbery, and Horn fought the perfect fight. Overall, he dictated and was more in control of matters than Pacquiao. Horn had awkward head movement, in-and-out side-to-side footwork, altering the tempos and rhythms of the fight, attacking ferociously, mauling and outworking Pac on the inside, pulling his head down (which Referee Mark Nelson allowed), occasionally butting, then moving and ducking again, showing his versatility. Horn fought the better fight, and had the superior generalship and energy in the contest. Except for the 9th round, Pac never could time or get a read on him, and his range was off. His energy levels overall were fairly low, and lower than they needed to be when he most needed energy late in the fight, when most thought Horn would fade from all of his work. But Horn was in great, superior shape, and Pac was not. All three judges had it for Horn unanimously.

Pacquiao did almost no fighting on the inside, but that is where he needed to work, because he was the shorter fighter with shorter arms, and often was falling short or missing from the outside owing to Horn’s footwork, head movement, and superior height and reach. But Pac was getting manhandled by Horn’s strength, particularly since Pac mostly tried to hold on the inside, rarely worked while there, rarely countered when close, and used a passive defense, which only encouraged Horn.

Let’s face it. Pac has gone up a lot of weight divisions over his lifetime. He looked like a blown-up lightweight fighting a thickly built middleweight in there. The size disparity was quite obvious. Horn’s height, reach, size and strength were big factors in the fight.

Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev. First of all, due credit must be given to Ward for being one of the most courageous champions in the sport. He always has been willing to fight the best out there, and he has proven it consistently, against guys still at the top of their games, which is more than one can say for a lot of so-called champions in this sport. That alone places him at the top or near the top of the pound-for-pound list. His resume features the who’s who of his division’s elites, from Kessler, Abraham, Froch, Dawson, and now Kovalev, not once, but twice. Even some of the lesser-known guys he has fought, like Edwin Rodriguez and Sullivan Barrera, have been real fighters who would be tough outs for anyone but Ward.

As for the Kovalev rematch, before the fight I said that if Kovalev thinks he can just go in there and overpower Ward, and not engage in some real honest reflection about some of his mistakes in the first fight, he was doomed to lose again. Andre Ward is a very smart fighter. Regardless of his poor start in the first fight, he was the one who made the adjustments to make that fight close, whereas after Ward adjusted, Kovalev did not. It likely would be the case that Ward, having learned a great deal from the first fight, would come into the second with a better game plan. I said that if Kovalev did not work on his inside game, footwork, relaxation, punch volume and gears, he was going to lose by an even wider margin this time, though I believed it would be via decision.

In the rematch, after the first few rounds, Kovalev looked lethargic, listless, and confused. He had even less energy than in the first fight. He made no adjustments, mentally was not all there, and seemed more fatigued than the relatively slow pace would have made one think he would be. Now some of his fatigue might have been owing to the occasional low blow, which oddly enough, Referee Tony Weeks either failed to see or failed to warn Ward about. Getting hit low tends to wear you down. But we all know that if the referee does not help you, you need to help yourself. But Kovalev did very little to help himself in any way.

Conversely, Ward’s defense was near perfect, he landed the cleaner crisper blows, particularly to the body, but also several solid jabs and lead rights to the chin. Kovalev clearly was hurt by the body blows, and he was affected by some solid blows to the chin. Like the first fight, after a competitive first 3 rounds, as of the 4th round, one could tell that Ward had adjusted and slightly taken over, and felt more comfortable, whereas Kovalev seemed more confused. By the middle of the fight, it certainly appeared that Ward was en route to another victory.

All that said, it doesn’t change the fact that Ward landed several low blows in the 7th and 8th rounds, and the final blow which doubled over Kovalev and led referee Tony Weeks to stop the contest, was low. True, Kovalev had been hurt by a right to the chin, but he was finished with a low blow. It should not have been stopped at that point. Kovalev should have been given a recovery period and the action allowed to resume, per the unified rules. The referee deprived Kovalev the opportunity to recover from the foul blow, Ward the opportunity to win cleanly and without controversy, and the fans the benefit of their bargain.

Kovalev subsequently has issued a statement that making weight has affected his endurance, and it might be time to move up to cruiserweight. We shall see.

Perhaps the more controversial fight was on the undercard: Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Moises Flores. Rigondeaux should have been disqualified. He clearly and flagrantly held and hit, which set up the knockout blow, which was thrown and landed after the bell rang. How in the world anyone could watch that and say Rigondeaux deserves to win by knockout is beyond me. It is a reflection of the utter lack of integrity in this sport. Sure they changed it days later to a no contest, but one has to wonder how they got it so wrong on fight night. The result that night was absolutely wrong. If you don’t want to be disqualified, don’t commit flagrant harm fouls. The reluctance to disqualify a name fighter for egregious breaches of the rules is in part why boxing does not have the same level of respect as a sport.

The July 15 fight card at the Forum in Los Angeles might not have the biggest names in boxing, but there are some really good match-ups that should prove entertaining.

Miguel Berchelt vs. Takashi Miura. Both guys come to fight. Junior lightweight Miura is a bit more of the unpolished tough brawler, and Berchelt a bit more of the boxer, but Berchelt also has the power to hurt as well, having scored 28 knockouts in his 31 victories. Berchelt hasn’t lost a fight in over three years, his only defeat, and is coming off a KO11 victory over then undefeated Francisco Vargas. Southpaw Miura, 31-3-2, has 24 knockout victories to his credit, and is coming off a KO12 over 56-11 Miguel Roman. He has a common opponent with Berchelt, having been stopped in 9 rounds by Francisco Vargas in a fight in which both fighters were down. Naturally Berchelt is the clear favorite, but Miura is no easy out.

Joe Smith, Jr., 23-1, 19 KOs, vs. Sullivan Barrera, 19-1, 14 KOs. This might well be the best and most intriguing match-up on the card. This will be a true test for Smith. There still are a lot of question-marks surrounding him. Right or wrong, folks can find ways to explain away his recent big victories – Fonfara got caught cold, Hopkins was 50 years old, had been beaten up by Kovalev, and hadn’t fought in two years. There is no doubt that Smith is a very heavy-handed puncher who probably can hurt anyone he hits. But does he have the power, skill, and condition needed to beat Barrera, a guy who went a competitive 12 rounds with Andre Ward in his only loss, and who has knockout victories over sturdy guys like Karo Murat and Vyacheslav Shabransky? That question makes this fight very intriguing. There definitely is a real aura of danger for Smith in this one.

Terence Crawford, 31-0, 22 KOs, might well be the actual best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now, and he’s fighting to become the first undisputed and undefeated champion in his weight division in quite a long time. On August 19, he will be taking on undefeated southpaw Julius Indongo, 22-0, 11 KOs, who is awkward, tall, long, and strong, and should not be underestimated. This should be a worthwhile junior welterweight matchup. Watching Crawford is like watching poetry in motion. But Indongo is the type of guy who will do whatever it takes to muck it all up and make it ugly, if he can.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr., 49-0, 26 KOs, vs. Connor McGregor, pro boxing debut, on August 26. You know, it makes me laugh and roll my eyes a little just to write that a guy with 49 pro boxing fights is fighting a guy making his pro boxing debut. It reminds me of when Floyd Patterson defended his world heavyweight championship against then pro debuting Pete Rademacher. But you know, as ridiculous as that fight was in its inception, at least Rademacher had actual boxing experience, and had won an Olympic gold medal, in boxing.

To the best of my knowledge, Connor McGregor is an MMA fighter. Sure, stand-up boxing is an element of MMA, but it isn’t what the sport is. Thinking this is a real fight is like taking the best ping pong player in the world and matching him in a tennis match with Roger Federer, or vice versa. Or taking the best bicyclist and putting him on a track to run against the world’s best 10,000 meter runner. At first blush, some might say ‘Maybe, they are similar,’ but anyone who understands the real differences between the sports understands it is more like apples and oranges than one might think. McGregor has no more chance to defeat Floyd in boxing than Floyd has to defeat McGregor in MMA.

Sure, McGregor will last some rounds, owing to the fact that Floyd is extremely careful, cautious, defensive-minded, and minimalist offensively. But don’t let that fool you or give you the wrong impression about McGregor’s performance. Floyd’s caution is all the more reason why McGregor has almost zero chance – Floyd won’t give him the opportunity to land even a lucky punch. He’s going to methodically pick him apart and bust him up.

The fight is non-competitive in its inception. If folks want to buy that, and there is a market for that, then so be it. If you purchase and pay for it, all you are doing is encouraging more ridiculous fights like this to occur. Floyd is a businessman who wants to make the most money for the least risk, so if the fight earns him a lot of money, from a business perspective, one cannot fault him. It certainly is the least risk possible. It will be the easiest money he has earned in a long time, perhaps ever. But from a sporting perspective, he deserves excoriation.

Mayweather is banking on the fact that there is a market for the freak show, the side show, the curiosity. This isn’t boxing as much as it is show business. This is like a circus, with promotion which will be akin to wrestlemania, and like the ringleader and circus master P.T. Barnum once said, “There is a sucker born every minute.” Back in 1910, when Jack Johnson defeated James J. Jeffries, who had been the betting favorite despite not having fought in six years, one observer wrote, “We fool ourselves every day more than other people fool us.” This fight is a fight to fool fools who will help fool themselves.

Perhaps some MMA folks will watch to see how well an MMA fighter can do with an elite boxer, and some boxing folks will watch to see the boxer pummel the MMA fighter. Some might liken it to Rocky. Some folks will be hoping that McGregor, like Rocky, shocks the world with his performance. But we all know what happens in real life.

Japan’s world superflyweight champion Naoya Inoue, 13-0, 11 KOs, is one of the best, most talented pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but amongst the least known top fighters. He will be fighting Antonio Nieves, 17-2-2 on September 9 in California. Check him out. You are in for a real treat.

Posted on 07/02/2017

Why It’s No Longer Crazy To Think Incompetent Judging Can Impact Mayweather-McGregor
By: Sean Crose

Picture, if you will, Las Vegas abuzz with screaming Irish fans and intense American fan boy love. The subject of all this wild admiration? One Conor McGregor. Now picture, if you will, McGregor doing more than anyone expected him to do against Floyd Mayweather. The Irishman is aggressive beyond aggressive for twelve straight rounds, displaying great heart and better than expected endurance. Sure, Mayweather clearly gets the better him, but McGregor impresses by virtue of not being humiliated.

Now imagine the judges being taken away by the wave of that aforementioned ecstatic Irish and American fan boy love. Imagine them giving the decision win to McGregor…even though it’s clear for those who know boxing that Mayweather carried the night. Sound impossible? After this past weekend, I respectfully disagree. I find it to be entirely possible. Why? Because there’s a lot of incompetent judging out there these days. If it’s not at epidemic level, it’s clearly alarming. For one thing, crowds matter, and the T-Mobile arena will be a temple of McGregor worship on August 26th.

Also, perhaps equally alarming, many judges appear to no longer understand that aggression is not the same as effective aggression. In other words, a good percentage of judges rule unprofessionally, if not all the time, then often enough. Keep in mind that Mayweather-McGregor is a pop culture event. When people ask me about it on the street, I find I’m at a loss for words. I’m a boxing writer, not a member of the staff of a big entertainment site. Those who are intrigued by Mayweather-McGregor are apt not to know much about how boxing is scored. Therefore, they’re apt to think McGregor wins if he performs like a poor man’s Marcos’ Maidana. And, again, they’re apt to influence the judges – who may, for who knows what reason, have one again forgotten what effective aggression is to begin with.

So, will everyone be in an uproar on August 27th, the day after the Mayweather-McGregor Pop Culture Event Of The Summer? I wouldn’t have written this after Pacquiao-Horn and the Bounce TV brouhaha the night before, but now I wouldn’t be too surprised if incompetent judging proved to be McGregor’s secret weapon. Think it’s unlikely? You’re probably right. But I don’t think it’s as unlikely as you believe. Remember this – all McGregor has to do is stay on his feet and defy expectations and all bets might be off after the final bell. In other words, all the Irishman may have to do to win is look good. That won’t be easy, but it’s a lot easier than winning fairly.

Of course, I’ll be watching Cotto-Kamegai on the 26th of August. It’s a far better matchup than Floyd-Conor. And besides, bad judging isn’t as painful when it doesn’t become an international incident.

Posted on 07/02/2017

Pacman Robbed Down Under
By: Ken Hissner

WBO welterweight champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquaio, 60-6-2 (38), of the PH, lost a disputed decision to Jeff “The Hornet” Horn, 17-0-1 (11), of Australia in Brisbane, Australia, over 12 rounds.

In the first round Horn seemed to hold an edge. In the second round it was close with Pacquaio. In the third round Pacquaio continues getting the best of Horn who uses all the dirty tactics the referee allows him to get away with. In the fourth round Pacquaio lands many power punches.

In the fifth round Horn caused a clash of heads caused a cut along Pacquaio’s hairline. In the sixth round Pacquaio continues to fight both Horn and the American referee Mark Nelson. The much larger looking Nelson landed a good punch along side of the head of Pacquaio. In the seventh round Horn tries to bull his way in but Pacquaio counters him well. In the eighth round Horn was cut over the right eye.

In the ninth round Pacquaio had a big round but Horn came back in the tenth. In the eleventh round referee Nelson finally warns Horn for using his forearm into the throat of Pacquaio but not for all the headlocks he gets away with. In the twelfth and final round both let it all hang out with the blood flowing. Pacquaio’s hand speed has been his biggest asset.

Judge 117-111, 115-113 twice for Horn and this writer 117-111 for Pacquaio. Another black eye for boxing with a horrible decision by the “three blind mice” and the actions of referee Mark Nelson.

Middleweight “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Jr., 10-2 (7), of Pamona, CA, lost by split decision to southpaw David Toussaint, 10-0 (8), of Australia, over 8 rounds.

In the first round it was a feeling out round on both parts. Toussaint suffered a small cut over his eye. In the second round Toussaint landed a hard straight left to the head of Mosley. In the third and fourth rounds Mosley out boxed Toussaint.

In the fifth and sixth rounds Toussaint got in his share of punches but Mosley still was in control. In the seventh round Mosley went to the body as instructed by his trainer. In the eighth and final round it ended up the best round of the fight.

Judges 77-75 Mosley, 77-76 Toussaint, 77-76 Toussaint. This writer had it 77-75 Mosley.