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Posted on 12/27/2016

Boxing Insider Notebook: Wilder, LaManna, Rabii, Spadafora, and more…
Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of December 20th to December 27th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Deontay Wilder’s Next Fight Set for February 25th

Deontay Wilder’s next fight has been reportedly set for February 25th against Andrzej Wawrzyk. The Tuscaloosa Times reported that this fight will take place in Birmingham, Alabama.
Wawrzyk lone loss on his record came at the hands of Alexander Povetkin three years ago, but he has since won six straight fights. Wilder is coming off a half a year layoff from multiple surgeries to repair his broken hand and torn biceps.

Read more at http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/sports/20161220/wilder-to-fight-next-bout-in-birmingham

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna Returns to Action on Saturday, January 28th

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will return to the ring in an eight-round junior middleweight bout on Saturday night, January 28th at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.

The bout will headline a card promoted by Rising Promotions.

LaManna of Millville, New Jersey has a record of 21-2 with nine knockouts.

The 25 year-old is coming off a defeat to undefeated Dusty Hernandez Harrison in a thrilling bout that took place on September 15th in Philadelphia.

In that bout, LaManna fought a good fight and had solid moments throughout the hotly contested bout that was for the USBA Welterweight title.

LaManna is moving back up to the 154 pound division where LaManna is undefeated (7-0 between 148-154 pounds) in the division for which he turned professional in 2011.

LaManna won his first 16 bouts, where enjoyed wins over Ashanti Gibbs and Jamaal Davis.

After suffering his first professional defeat to undefeated middleweight prospect Antoine Douglas, LaManna ripped off five consecutive victories that was highlighted by by a 4th round stoppage over Kendal Mena (20-3)

“I’m excited to be getting back in the ring at The Claridge! It’s like my adopted home in Atlantic City and the whole staff over there have been nothing but great to me and my Rising Star Promotions crew,” said LaManna. “My last fight with Dusty was a rough one for me, I feel I was robbed of a decision win or at least a draw. I took some time off, enjoyed time with family and friends but I’ve been training for the passed 2 months and camp has been going really well.”

“This is my second fight with new trainer Ray McCline and we expect to put on a show come January 28th.”

“I’m looking for big fights in 2017, possibly another title fight and TV exposure but my main focus is on January 28th.”

In the six-round-co feature, light heavyweight Chuck Mussachio (19-3-2, 5 KO’s) of Wildwood, New Jersey will fight Michael Mitchell (3-7-2, 1 KO) of Paterson, New Jersey.

Mitchell has faced terrific competition and has only been stopped once, and has fought four undefeated fighters.

Also scheduled to appear in a six-round bout will be:

Junior Welterweight John Bauza (5-0, 2 KO’s) of North Bergen, NJ & super middleweight Gabriel Pham (6-1, 2 KO’s) of Pleasantville, NJ.

In four-round bouts:

Ernesto Perez of Vineland, NJ will make his pro debut against Courtney McCleave (2-5, 1 KO) of Concord, North Carolina in a junior middleweight bout.

Jamil Simmons of Pleasantville, NJ will make his pro debut against Tomas Romain (0-1) of Brooklyn, NY in a lightweight bout.

Also scheduled to compete in four-round bouts will be heavyweight Quian Davis (4-0-2) of Mays Landing, NJ; junior welterweight Bryne Green (7-9-1, 3 KO’s) of Paulsboro, NJ; junior welterweight Dan Murray (1-0) of Lanoka, NJ; welterweight Yurik Mamedov (3-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, NY & bantamweight Dallas Holden (1-0) of Atlantic City.

Decorated Amateur Boxer Mohammed Rabii to Make Pro Debut February 18th

Moroccan amateur boxing sensation Mohammed Rabii will make his long anticipated professional debut February 18, fighting at home in Casablanca, at the Complexe de Sportif Mohammed V Arena.

The 23-year-old Rabii represented Morocco at this year’s Olympic Games in Brazil, where he captured a bronze medal in the welterweight division, losing a disputed decision (0-3) in the semifinals to Uzebek boxer Shakhram Giyasov, who then lost (0-3) in the championship final to Daniyar Yeleussinov. Rabii had defeated Yeleussinov, of Kazakhstan, in the gold-medal championship bout of the AIBA World Amateur Championships. An average of 6 million Moroccans viewed each of Rabbi’s Olympic matches, providing testimony to his celebrity status back home.

A gifted orthodox fighter, Rabii was the past World Series of Boxing Fighter of the Year, who signed an exclusive, multi-year managerial contract last October with Nowhere2Hyde Management, which is owned and operated by international manager Gary Hyde, of Cork, Ireland.

“We are delighted to have signed one of the best amateur boxers in the world,” Hyde said. “Mohammed has a great style with knockout power in both hands. He will kick-star his pro career in front of his adoring fans in Casablanca February 18th. He is a national hero, so, the plan is to take full advantage by building him up at home in Morocco.”

Two other boxers managed by Hyde, former World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight Simpiwe Vetyeka and middleweight Gevorg Khatchikian, will fight in the main event and co-feature, respectively, against opponents to be determined.

Vetyeka (29-3, 17 KOs), fighting out of South Africa, is currently ranked No. 4 by the WBA. The only two pro losses for Khatchikian (24-2, 12 KOs), a Netherlander, have been to present super middleweight world champions James Degale (IBF) and Gilberto Ramirez (WBO).

Tickets are now on sale for the Feb. 18 show in Casablanca, in which Rabii will be supported by three other Moroccan fighters.

Paul Spadafora in Trouble with the Law

Paul Spadafora is in jail for allegedly stabbing his brother in the thigh and then threatening officers who responded to the scene and hurling an object at them.

It is being reported that police had to respond with a stun gun and had to place a mask on his face in order to get Spadafora to stop spitting on them.

Spadafora was recently in trouble for allegedly attacking an older woman at a local bar and throwing her to the ground. Spadafora also served time in prison for shooting his girlfriend in 2003.

Read more at: http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/18331623/boxer-paul-spadafora-stabbed-brother-fought-cops-according-police

IBF Flyweight World Champion John Riel Casimero to Relinquish Title and Campaign at Super Flyweight

Former IBF World Light Flyweight and current IBF Flyweight World Champion John Riel “Quadro Alas” Casimero and his team have made the decision to relinquish his title and campaign in the super flyweight division.

Casimero (23-3, 15 KOs), who stopped Englishman Charlie Edwards in 10 rounds last September at the O2 Arena in London, will now go gunning for the 115-lb division’s top dogs including IBF World Champion Jerwin Acajas and Nicaragua’s Román “Chocolatito” González.

26-year-old Casimero, from Cebu City, Philippines, says he’s looking forward to the opportunity to join the greats of Philippines boxing.

“To win my third title would be a great honor for me and put my name in with some of the best fighters my country has ever produced,” said Casimero. “I will be immediately looking to make an impact and fight the big fights that allow me the opportunity.

Casimero’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, says Casimero is more than ready for the move.
“He’s so strong and he keeps growing,” said Lewkowicz. “It is time for John Riel to move up and secure his place in Philippines boxing history. It is our hope to quickly face Acajas and Chocolatito next year. That is what we will work to make happen.”

New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2017

The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF), sponsored by Ring 8, has announced its 15-member Class of 2017. The sixth annual NYSBHOF induction dinner will be held Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), April 30, at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

“Once again, “said NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy, “we’re honoring New York’s finest in our sport. This is all about recognizing great fighters, as well as others involved in boxing, from the state of New York. We’re expecting another knockout night.”

Living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF include Manhattan welterweight Gaspar “El Indio” Ortega (131-39-6, 69 KOs), Yonkers’ world heavyweight title challenger Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes (39-8-1, 22 KOs), Yonkers middleweight Doug “Cobra’ Dewitt (33-8-5, 19 KOs), and “The Bronx Bomber,” world middleweight title challenger Alex Ramos (39-10-2, 24 KOs)

Posthumous participants being inducted are Queens’ former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion Dick Tiger (60-19-3, 27 KOs), Brooklyn/Manhattan light heavyeight world champion Jose “Chegui” Torres (41-3-1, 29 KOs), and “The Nonpareil”, Williamsburg middleweight world champion Jack Dempsey (51-4-11, 23 KOs).

Non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are Queens’ International agent Don Majeski, Long Island matchmaker Ron Katz, Manhattan manager Stan Hoffman and past Ring 8 president/NYSAC judge Bobby Bartels.
Posthumous non-participant inductees are Brooklyn boxing historian Hank Kaplan, Long Island cut-man Al Gavin, Bronx referee Arthur Donovan and New York City columnist Dan Parker.

Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF.

The 2017 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair, Angelo Prospero and Neil Terens.

Posted on 12/18/2016

GGG-Jacobs Set For March 18th…On PPV
By: Sean Crose

First, the good news. Middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin will be facing middleweight powerhouse Daniel Jacobs next March 18th at Madison Square Garden in New York. This after negotiations which seemed to drag on forever. Indeed, the fight was originally supposed to occur this month, but – this being boxing – things moved at the pace of a snail going in reverse. To be sure, there were those who were starting to feel the match might not happen after all. Now, however, fans can breath a sigh of relief, for Golovkin is finally getting to face an opponent who could prove to be a challenge.

The flip side of this shiny coin, of course, is that the bout is going to take place on pay per view. That’s right, pay per view. Make no mistake about it, GGG-Jacobs is a big fight, it’s a legitimate one, too. That, however, does not make a bout pay per view worthy. At least it didn’t used to. Today, however, all bets seem to be off. HBO, under whose banner the fight will take place, once put on the Tyson-Holmes heavyweight title fight free for subscribers. Those days are long gone. Today we are told the network has budget issues. Needless to say, fans are paying for it.

Or not.

For fans are actually turning away from pay per view these days…and it’s doubtful GGG-Jacobs is going to break that trend. Indeed, Golovkin’s last fight – a huge affair against Britain’s Kell Brook – was on HBO. So was the Kovalev-Hopkins fight of just a few years back. Subscribers and boxing nuts are having a hard time accepting the fact that HBO is now the place for tuneups and low level matches. The fact that HBO hasn’t been too open about it’s recent boxing issues hasn’t exactly endeared it to fans, either. There have even been whispers that HBO is getting out of the boxing business – though it’s easy to see that assertion as being something of a stretch.

One fight that fans will indeed be willing to see on pay per view is a potential GGG fight with Canelo Alvarez. That particular pairing seems to be coming next fall, provided neither man loses in the interval. Canelo may fight Julio Caesar Chavez junior in what would surely prove to be a cash cow. By taking on Jacobs, however, GGG is arguably facing the more daunting challenge. To be sure, some might go so far as to say Jacobs may prove to be more of a challenge for Golovkin than Canelo might be.

Posted on 12/14/2016

Joseph Parker Brings World Title to New Zealand​
By: Eric Lunger

​Joseph Parker (22-0, 18 KO’s) made history last Saturday night, when he became the first heavyweight titlist from New Zealand, outpointing a tough and relentless Andy Ruiz Jr (29-1, 19 KO’s) to capture the vacant WBO belt. But there was more at stake than simply the title: this was Parker’s home fight, the culmination of a long campaign orchestrated by manager Kevin Barry and the Duco Events team. It was Parker’s debut on HBO and his first real introduction to an international audience. And it was Parker’s chance to make an emphatic statement to the rest of the division. Was the failure to score a dramatic stoppage a missed opportunity?

Maybe. Or, was Parker’s discipline and adherence to his game plan – his resistance to the temptation to trade recklessly in the center of the ring – itself a statement about his maturity and ring generalship?

​Obviously, Parker fans wanted a knockout, and that would have been a more persuasive argument that Joseph is ready to face the top names in the division. But there were two boxers in the ring at the Vector Arena in Auckland, and Andy Ruiz had his own statement to make. Ruiz came forward aggressively from the opening bell, keeping his guard high and trying to engage Parker from a midrange distance. Parker seemed uncomfortable at first, as though he couldn’t quite set himself to the distance that Ruiz was imposing. Parker likes to jab from a low left hand, but that requires his opponent staying at range. As the fight went on, Parker did establish his jab, but he never dominated Ruiz.

​Ruiz also presented a remarkably versatile defense, blocking a great number of punches with his hands and forearms. Forced to adapt, Parker employed a variety of offensive weapons, but he never lost his composure, never went for the risky gamble. Abel Sanchez, who trained Ruiz for this fight (and probably would have wanted a few more months in the gym), said in the lead up to the fight that these type of bouts often come down to the fighter who can impose his will on the other. In my view, neither fighter reached that point. Parker was able to fight offensively off his back foot, and he was able to adjust his jab. But it meant that it was a close and narrowly won bout, as the scores indicated (114-114, 115-113, 115-113).

​So, if Parker was not able to make the kind of statement he and his team might have wanted, the fans did see a competitive and compelling fight. To me it was more authentic than the bout in Manchester, UK, on the same night, where Anthony Joshua (18-0, 18 KO’s) blasted a listless Eric Molina (25-4, 19 KO’s) in three rounds, in what was essentially a stage-managed lead up to the Joshua vs Klitschko announcement. Presumably, Molina was allowed to dust himself off before Klitschko and Joshua took over the show in the ring. I mean no disrespect to Joshua, and I think the April bout between him and the elder statesman of the heavyweight division will be great for the sport. But let’s not pretend that the Joshua vs. Molina bout was anything more than theatre.

So where does that leave Parker? Well, he has the WBO belt, and that has to mean something. He is a world champion, but at age 24 with only 99 pro rounds, he has plenty of room for growth and development. Should he be in the ring with Deontay Wilder (the WBC champ) in April as part of the Joshua vs. Klitschko undercard? David Higgins of Duco Events has bandied that idea about in the local New Zealand press. I suspect that Joseph’s team will take their time with him, and not let one title belt cloud their judgment. New Zealand has its heavyweight world champion now, but there remain many steps on the journey for Joseph Parker.

Posted on 12/08/2016

HBO World Championship Boxing Preview: Parker vs. Ruiz, Beltran vs. Menard, Terence Crawford vs. John Molina
By: William Holmes

On Saturday night HBO and Top Rank Promotions will team up to televise three bouts from two different locations.

Terence Crawford will defend his WBO and WBC Junior Welterweight titles in the main event of the evening against John Molina live from Omaha, Nebraska. Additionally, lightweight contender Raymundo Beltran will compete against rising prospect Mason Menard as the co-main event of the Nebraska card.

It was also recently announced that Top Rank will promote Joseph Parker in the United States; and HBO has decided to show the WBO Heavyweight Title Bout between Parker and Ruiz on a same day tape delay from Auckland, New Zealand.

The following is a preview of all three televised bouts.

Joseph Parker (21-0) vs. Andy Ruiz (29-0); WBO Heavyweight Title

Joseph Parker will be fighting in his hometown of Auckland, New Zealand and will be the favorite coming into this bout.

He has already fought four times in 2016, and four of his past five fights have been by TKO/KO. He is twenty four years old and is three years younger than his opponent. He will also have a two inch height advantage and a two inch reach advantage on Ruiz. Ruiz has also been fairly active and has fought three times in 2016.

Joseph Parker has the heavier hands of the two boxers. He has stopped eighteen of his opponents, and four of his past five fights have ended by TKO/KO. Ruiz has stopped nineteen of his opponents, but only two of his past five opponents failed to go the distance.

They both have had moderate success as an amateur. Ruiz was a Mexican National Amateur Champion and Parker medaled in several international competitions as an amateur.

Parker has a slight edge in quality of opposition. He has defeated the likes of Alexander Dimitrenko, Carlos Takam, and Bowie Tupou. Ruiz has defeated the likes of an aged Ray Austin and Siarhei Liakhovich.

Ruiz is a good enough of a boxer to last all twelve rounds, but it will be extremely difficult for him to pull out a victory in Parker’s home country of New Zealand.

Raymundo Beltran (31-7-1) vs. Mason Menard (32-1); Lightweights

The opening bout of the night in Omaha, Nebraska will be between Ray Beltran and Mason Menard in the lightweight division.

Beltran is a former sparring partner of Manny Pacquiao and is a rugged, tough, durable opponent. He’s much better than his record suggests and is known for having excellent stamina.

However, Beltran is thirty five years old and will be seven years older than his opponent, Mason Menard. Beltran will have about a two inch height advantage and a one inch reach advantage.

Menard does have a slight edge in power. He has twenty four knockouts on his record while Beltran only has nineteen.

Menard became well known with some upset victories on national television, including wins over Bahodir Mamadjonov and Eudy Bernardo. But prior to those wins he faced mainly non-descript opponents and most of his bouts were in his home state of Louisiana.

Beltran has defeated the likes of Ivan Najera, Arash Usmanee, Ji-Hoon Kim, and Henry Lundy. He also has several losses, but most of them have come against good opposition. He has lost to the likes of Terence Crawford, Luis Ramos Jr., and Sharif Bogere.

Neither boxer was very active in the past two years. They both fought twice in 2016 and once in 2015. Neither boxer experienced a great deal of success on the international stage as an amateur.

Menard has surprised many with his two latest victories, but Beltran is a big step up in competition for him and isn’t past his prime yet. This should be a fight that Beltran wins through a hard fought decision.

Terence Crawford (29-0) vs. John Molina (29-6); WBO/WBC Junior Welterweight Titles

Terence Crawford is one of Top Rank Promotions’ biggest stars and has been a rumored opponent for Manny Pacquiao in the future.

Crawford regularly fights in Omaha and will have a nearly sold out venue cheering him on.

He’s twenty nine years old and is in the middle of his athletic prime. He’s four years younger than Molina, but will be giving up about two and a half inches in height as well as an inch in reach.

Crawford has been fairly active for a champion and fought twice in 2016 and twice in 2015. Molina has only fought once in 2016 and twice in 2015.

Crawford has twenty stoppage victories and three of his past five fights did not go the distance. Molina has twenty three stoppage wins, but has gone 3-3 in his past six fights.

Molina is always a dangerous fighter, and this was evident in his last upset victory over the hard hitting Provodnikov. He has also defeated the likes of Mickey Bey, Dannie Williams, and Henry Lundy. However, Molina also has an impressive list of opponents that he has lost to. These fighters include Antonio DeMarco, Andrey Klimov, Lucas Matthysse, Humberto Soto, and Adrien Broner.

Crawford has never been defeated and has been slowly increasing the level of competition that he faces in the ring. He has defeated the likes of Viktor Postol, Henry Lundy, Dierry Jean, Thomas Dulorme, Raymondo Beltran, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Ricky Burns, and Andre Klimov.

Crawford was also very successful as an amateur on the national level, and has even won a Police Athletic League Boxing Championship.

This is a fight that very few expect Crawford to lose. He’s a more technically skilled boxer than the last man that Molina beat and should be able to stop Molina.

Molina has been known for upsetting the apple cart from time to time, but Saturday is unlikely.

Posted on 11/06/2016

Jason Sosa – From a Diamond in the Rough to World Champion!
By: Ken Hissner

Several years ago this writer did an article on now WBA World Super Featherweight champion Jason “El Canito” Sosa, 19-1-4 (15), from Camden, NJ. He hasn’t lost a fight in 6 years and that was because he was ill advised though not at his best fighting weight to take on someone 2 weight classes higher than him.
On November 12th Sosa will defend his WBA super featherweight title against Stephon “Swifty” Smith, 24-2 (14), of Liverpool, UK, in Monte Carlo. Smith re-won the vacant WBC Silver title in his last fight after losing in an IBF World super featherweight the previous month. Sosa won the title in June in China stopping previously unbeaten Javier Fortuna in 11 rounds in Beijing, China. This will be his first title defense.

After his only loss Sosa won his next fight he fought a pair of draws with Philly’s Angel Ocasio, 6-0, in Philly at the National Guard Armory with both being majority draws. At Temple University’s McGonigle Hall he stopped Isaac Suarez, 7-1, and followed up in his next fight stopping CT’s own Joseph Perez, 10-1, at the Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, CT. He would return to his home state of New Jersey in Atlantic City at Bally’s Event Center and stop Georgian Georgi Kevlishvili, 12-5.

In April of 2014 Sosa scored a knockout over Michael Brooks, 10-1-1, at Bally’s. In March of 2015 he stopped Costa Rica’s Bergman Aguilar, 12-1-1, at Philly’s 2300 Arena. In 2015 he won 5 fights and fought a draw with former WBA Super World featherweight champion Nicholas Walters, 26-0, of Jamaica, at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY. In those 5 previous wins he made his third appearance in Puerto Rico knocking out Jerry Belmontes, 19-7, who in his previous 26 fights had never been stopped.

The draw with Walters earned Sosa a WBA World super featherweight title fight against Javier Fortuna, 29-0-1, in Beijing, China, where he was taking away the belt by stoppage. Sosa has surprised people in the boxing world but delighted his many fans. Take it from this writer that Sosa is one of the nicest young men you would want to meet. His trainer and manager is Raul “Chino” Rivas and they have recently signed with promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank who partners with J Russell Peltz of Peltz Boxing who is an IBHOF promoter who went with Sosa and Rivas to China to win the title.

One of the things remarkable about Sosa is he only had 3 amateur fights. He trained out of Berlin, NJ, and when the gym moved to Cherry Hill, NJ, he moved with them. He is never short of sparring partners. Also training in the gym is No. 6 WBC Philly contender Tevin “American Idol” Farmer, 23-4-1, from Philly who is the NABF champion and fighting for Peltz December 2nd. Another Philly boxer is lightweight Anthony Burgin, 10-2. In the past he sparred with both.

Sampson Lewkowicz has a 3 fight option due to having the former champion Fortuna. Sosa is currently on a 16 fight winning streak.

KEN HISSNER: You have come a long way since our last interview. Have the last two fights increased your confidence immensely?

JASON SOSA: I believe it did by you can’t be too confident. I still have to keep proving myself and we just have more to learn.

KEN HISSNER: You have had 3 fights in Puerto Rico. Did the fans make you feel at home there?

JASON SOSA: Yes Puerto Rico always welcomes me home with open arms. I love Puerto Rico and they love me.

KEN HISSNER: You seem to have a close relationship with your manager and trainer “Chino” Rivas. How long has he trained you?

JASON SOSA: Chino and I have been together for 5 years now and he has taught me so much not only in the boxing world but as a father figure. Our relationship is like father and son.

KEN HISSNER: Have you seen your next opponent Stephen Smith?

JASON SOSA: Just a little for I leave that to the team so they can get me ready for Smith. I don’t do the studying on fighters. What are they going to teach me?

KEN HISSNER: Would you say the Walters fight has been your toughest in your career?

JASON SOSA: On the books it says so but I believe every fight just because of my amateur experience (3 fights) which I didn’t have so many.

KEN HISSNER: How has your sparring been going?

JASON SOSA: My preparation for Smith has been going great. My sparring partners have been great for they push me to the limit. I work with Marcelo, Julian and are the main guys that have been helping me.

KEN HISSNER: You have always been very approachable. I believe this has only added to your popularity. How different has it been since winning a world title?
JASON SOSA: It’s been the same only fighters are now listening to me now and looking up to me as their motivation. If this guy with only 3 amateur fights could do it so can I.

KEN HISSNER: Thank you for taking the time to answer questions. Is there anything you want to say to your many fans?

JASON SOSA: Thank you Ken.

Posted on 10/15/2016

Boxing’s New Breed Of Fan Luxuriates In October Doldrums
By: Sean Crose

Math. That’s right, math. I saw a comment thread the other night where several people were actually figuring out how much Canelo Alvarez earned in his pay per view fight against Liam Smith by doing math for the benefit of readers. This, my friends, is what happens when there are no major fights coming up week after week. Boxing’s new breed of fan just runs wild. Indeed, this is a perfect month for the new breeds because there isn’t much actual boxing going on. New breeds, after all, seem to appreciate the business of boxing more than they do the sport itself.

Indeed, a new breed can go on indefinitely discussing how, say, Billy Joe Saunders can make respectable money without having to actually risk getting his clock cleaned. That’s just the sort of activity a new breed would be engaged in. While, for instance, a traditional boxing fan is excited about the upcoming Kovalev-Ward matchup, a new breed is excited about figuring out how much Adonis Stevenson can still make if he avoids the winner. Needless to say, this sort of nonsense sickens traditional fans to no end, but promoters (and advisers) undoubtedly love it.

After all, when there’s a significant fan base – and, make no mistake about it, the new breeds are numerous – willing to support Danny Garcia for taking on a person no one’s heard of, the money people are very happy indeed. Why? Because the fighters they cash in on can reap rewards without any real risk of losing. In other words, the cash keeps flowing and the new breeds remain happy. Here’s the thing, though – more and more people in America are turning away from the sweet science. It’s already marginalized, and now it’s becoming even more so.

And, really, who can blame people for turning their backs on boxing during times like this? While this author clearly believes boxing will eventually regain its health, not everyone is so patient. What’s more, there’s things like UFC for fans of combat sports to engage in. Even those who like boxing better than MMA are willing to watch people fight in an octagon if the best is facing the best. The problem here is that the new breeds are on their way to becoming one of boxing’s few remaining fan bases. And, after pushing everyone else away, there’s simply not enough of them to keep boxing lucrative.

The new breeds may be numerous, but they’re not that numerous. Just how many of these people are there? I think we’ll be able to get an idea this November, when Danny Garcia fights the obscure Samuel Vargas on Spike the same night UFC stars Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez meet in a major pay per view event. We’ll find out who tunes in to watch Garcia earn what should be an easy paycheck. The numbers should be interesting.

Posted on 10/13/2016

The Questionable Career Path of Danny Garcia
By: William Holmes

On September 14th, 2014 Danny Garcia scored one of the biggest wins of his career when he defeated the hard hitting Argentinean Lucas Matthysse by decision to retain his WBA and WBC Super Lightweight World Championship.

Garcia’s biggest win prior to this fight was a stunning knockout over a two loss Amir Khan. The sky was the limit for the Philadelphia prize fighter and many considered him to be the best boxer in the junior welterweight division and Philadelphia’s best world champion since Bernard Hopkins. His other big victories were over faded veterans such as Erik Morales and Zab Judah, but those types of fights were to be expected for a rising boxing superstar trying to establish a name for himself.

However, Garcia’s path to stardom has sputtered since that fight and the opportunities to grow his fan base have largely been ignored or have failed.

Garcia’s first fight after his win against Matthysse took place in Puerto Rico against Mauricio Herrera, an opponent with three losses that many felt Garcia should beat easily. It was thought that Garcia, a Philadelphia native with Puerto Rican decent, would gain more fans by fighting in Puerto Rico and winning impressively. Unfortunately for Garcia and his handlers, he looked lackluster in this bout and squeaked out a decision in a fight that many felt he lost. Herrera threw more punches, landed more punches, and landed them at a higher percentage than Garcia, but somehow still lost the decision.

Garcia failed to capitalize on the momentum from his major victory over Lucas Matthysse.

Five months after that bout Danny Garcia knocked out Rod Salka, a blown up lightweight that was one win removed from a loss against the unheralded Ricardo Alvarez, and who had two other losses to an aged Dorin Spivey and another unknown Guillermo Sanchez. Even though the knockout of Salka was highlight reel material, Garcia and his handlers are still mocked for selling that terrible mismatch to the public.

His next bout was against the always exciting Lamont Peterson in Brooklyn, New York. This was one of Garcia’s most exciting fights, but it was another fight that many felt he lost. Peterson came on strong at the end and looked like the fresher fighter, while Garcia’s face was badly bruised and swollen.

Garcia’s handlers had him fight in Brooklyn several times in order to build up his popularity with the Puerto Rican fan base that resided there, and he was beginning to develop a large following in Brooklyn. But Garcia heard a sound that was foreign to him in Brooklyn when the scorecards were read in his favor after his bout with Peterson…

Danny Garcia heard boos from the Brooklyn crowd.

Garcia had a plethora of good fights that could have been made in the junior welterweight division after his questionable win over Peterson. Adrien Broner also fought for Premier Boxing Champions and would have been a good choice as an opponent. Cross promotional foes such as Terence Crawford or even Timothy Bradley would have made fight fans salivate at thoughts of that matchup.

Even the legendary Manny Pacquiao was brought up by many in boxing circles as a possible future foe for Danny Garcia.

Instead, Garcia chose to fight a six loss Paulie Malignaggi, an excellent talker and great boxing commentator, but he was coming off of a devastating TKO loss to Shawn Porter. Garcia won that bout, but it did nothing to elevate his career.

Even though good options remained for Danny Garcia at the junior welterweight division, he bumped up in weight and took on Robert Guerrero, a man that previously held a featherweight title and had only won two of his previous four fights. One of those wins included a split decision victory over the unheralded Aaron Martinez in a bout that many thought he lost.

Garcia won the fight with Guerrero, but Guerrero went on to lose his next bout to David Peralta, a boxer who’s full time job was that of a cab driver in Argentina.

But despite all of these missteps and uninspiring victories by Danny Garcia, his biggest misstep was announced this week.

Danny Garcia, despite being a WBC Welterweight World Champion, will take part in a tune up fight against Samuel Vargas.

Who’s Samuel Vargas? That’s a good question, because he’s not well known. He played the role of punching bag to Errol Spence Jr. in April of 2015. The same Errol Spence that Danny Garcia said wasn’t ready for him, because Errol Spence had to prove himself to get big names in the ring.

Samuel Vargas’ other loss was to Pablo Munguia. Pablo Munguia has lost six of his past seven bouts, and has been stopped in over half of his eleven losses.

Samuel Vargas has done nothing to prove he belongs in the ring with Danny Garcia.

What’s even more outrageous about this fight is its timing. Boxing is struggling to find and grow new fans, and this is evident in the noticeable decrease in number of boxing gyms nationwide and the lack of boxing on US television in the month of October.

Danny Garcia is a Philadelphia fighter, and Philadelphia is a major player in the sport of boxing. Garcia has not fought in Philadelphia since 2010, and at first glance one would think that letting Garcia fight in front of his home town is a good idea.

Except for there’s another Philadelphia fighter fighting on November 12th, and he holds the UFC Lightweight Title. He’s also fighting the world’s most popular MMA fighter in Connor McGregor, for the first UFC card ever in the media capital of the world, New York City.

There’s no overlap of fans in boxing and MMA amongst the older generations, but you’d be foolish to think an overlap doesn’t exist in the coveted younger demographics. Fight fans under the age of thirty five that live in Philadelphia would pay attention to Danny Garcia fighting in their city on most nights, but not on a night that Eddie Alvarez is fighting McGregor.

You’d also be foolish to think the Philadelphia media won’t cover a local native like Eddie Alvarez taking on the biggest name in the UFC over a bout between Danny Garcia and an unknown in boxing like Samuel Vargas.

That fact alone, defeats the purpose of having Danny Garcia fight in his hometown.

I’m sure the promoters will stack the card with local fighters in an effort to get the local gyms to pack the Liacouras Center at Temple University to make it seem like it’s a triumphant homecoming for Danny Garcia.

But the majority of fight fans in Philadelphia will have their eyes on New York.

Win or lose, this fight for Danny Garcia is already a failure, and just another questionable decision in Danny Garcia’s career.

Posted on 09/30/2016

GGG-Jacobs? It May Just Happen This December
By: Sean Crose

“I understand my situation,” Gennady Golovkin told me some time ago, before his match with Daniel Geale. Since then, the man has become less patient, and with good reason. Still, it seems like now a big name middleweight will finally be willing to get in the ring with the feared GGG. For word is out that Golovkin may get it on with Brooklyn’s Daniel Jacobs, a hard hitting, exciting slugger who holds the WBA middleweight world title (Golovkin is WBAs super world middleweight champion, but let’s not get hung up on the silly details) this December.

The truth is that HBO, which would air the bout, is going through some money woes – at least as its boxing broadcasts are concerned – so it hasn’t been able to air as many fights as it usually does. The injury Canelo Alvarez received fighting Liam Smith recently, however, means Canelo won’t be fighting again this year on HBO as planned. Hence talk of this potential middleweight unification. Should the fight be made, it will likely go down December 10th at Madison Square Garden in New York. After what will be a slow October for boxing, the more good news there is for fight fans, the better.

Golovkin, as most fight followers know, is the most avoided man in boxing with the possible exception of Guillermo Rigondeaux. Sure enough, men like fellow middleweight titlist Billy Joe Saunders have openly admitted to being hesitant to face the Kazakh warrior. Boasting a record of 36-0 with 33 knockouts, Golovkin brings an impressive, patient skill set to go along with his furious punching power. Indeed, GGG can not only win a fight, he can beat an opponent severely. Case in point – welterweight champ Kell Brook, who went up in weight to fight GGG recently and had to have surgery as a result of his encounter with the man.

Jacobs, however, is no joke. Here is a fighter, after all, who has not only licked cancer, but who has earned himself a record of 32-1 with 29 knockouts. Sure enough, Jacobs is skilled as well as powerful. Peter Quilin, for instance, was dusted by Jacobs within one round and that was supposed to be a relatively evenly matched fight. Perhaps most importantly, though, Jacobs appears to be willing to fight Golovkin, a man even top fighters like Alvarez appear to be content avoiding.

That in an of itself is worthy of some kind of praise in this era of low risk/high reward.

Posted on 09/27/2016

PBC on Fox Sports 1 Results: Ugas Impresses with 4th Round Stoppage of Perrella, Karl and Valenzuela Victorious
By: William Holmes

Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) seems to have slowed down on the number of shows that they put on recently, but they put on a card from the Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino in Sante Fe, New Mexico.

Photo Credit: Jane Phillips/Premier Boxing Champions

The opening bout of the night was between Dennis Galarza (13-1)and Cesar Alan Valenzuela (12-4-1) in the Super Featherweight division. Galarza had the height advantage but Valenzuela had the reach advantage.

Valenzuela had Galarza caught near the corner in the first minute of the opening round and was able to land a good shot to the head and body of Galarza. There was a good exchange in the final seconds of the opening round, but Valenzuela was pressing the action.

Galarza took control of the center of the ring in the second round and used his jab to control the positioning of Valenzuela. There wasn’t a whole lot of action, but Galarza appeared to be the busier fighter.

Valenzuela was more effective in the third and fourth rounds and was able to land the cleaner and harder shots. Galarza was too passive and appeared to be heistant to throw more than one punch at a time.

Valenzuela landed some very good right hands in fourth and fifth rounds and looked like he was taking over the bout. Galarza tried to get in tight and impose his will in the sixth round, but he wasn’t able to get much of an offense going.

Galarza most likely won the seventh round as he had Valenzuela moving backwards most of the time, and both fighters looked exhausted by the final round. The fight was close and many rounds could have been scored either way, but the judges scored it 77-75 Valenzuela, 77-75 Galarza, 77-75 for Valenzuela giving him the split decision victory.

The next bout of the night was in the super lightweight division between Ryan Karl (13-0) and Jose Felix Quezada (11-0).

Ryan Karl has knocked out five straight opponents heading into this match.

Quezada and Karl came out firing in the opening round and Quezada was sharp with his check left hook early on. Karl was throwing more combinations than Quezada, and had him hurt with right uppercut to the chin that wobbled the knees of Quezada. Karl went for that uppercut several more times and was able to score a knockdown after cracking Quezada with a right cross. Quezada was able to get back to his feet as the round came to an end.

Karl landed several hard right crosses in the second round and took the best shots of Quezada well. Quezada had a better thid round and was able to land some check left hooks, but Karl dominated in the fourth round.

Karl landed several hard right crosses in a row near the end of the fourth and had Quezada’s face bleeding badly. Quezada finally went down from one final right cross and was on wobbly legs when he rose to his feet.

Quezada stumbled to his corner and the end of the round and the fight was stopped before he could come back out.

Ryan Karl wins by TKO at the end of the fourth round on the advice of the corner of Quezada.

The main event of the evening was between Bryant Perrella (14-0) and Yordenis Ugas (16-3) in the welterweight division.

Perrella had the height and reach advantage, but Ugas was by far the more experienced amateur.

That experience showed early on, as Ugas landed an early over the top right hand on Perrella that sent him to the canvas. Perrella was able to get back to his feet, but Ugas stalked Perrella the remainder of the round and was looking for that right hand bomb.

Ugas was touching the body with a jab in the second round and was sharp with his right hands to the head. Perrella looked outclassed, and the difference in amateur experience was becoming more apparent.

Perrella started off strong in the third round, but likely lost it when Ugas landed a thudding right hand that had Perrella hurt as the round came to an end.

Perrella scored another knockdown in the fourth round when he landed a perfect right hand that sent Perrella crashing to the mat. Perrella showed incredible heart and got back to his feet, but Ugas jumped on the still hurt Perrella and unleashed combinations on him by the corner and forced the referee to jump in and stop the bout.

Yordenis Ugas wins with an impressive TKO stoppage at 2:20 of the fourth round.

Posted on 09/16/2016

Dusty Hernandez-Harrison and Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna Rock the House at the Philly Arena!
By: Ken Hissner

This was a Peltz Boxing Promotion with GH-3 who has a good young group of boxers and on a Thursday night. CBS Sports Center will televise the show. The place was packed with standing room only. This one goes back to Ward and Gatti without the hoopla.

Photo Credit: Darryl Cobb Jr.

No. 4 Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna, 21-2 (9), of Millville, NJ, was defeated by No. 1 Dusty Hernandez-Harrison, 30-0-1 (16), of South East D.C. for the vacant USBA welterweight title. “I thought he won 6-4 not like the wide scores,” said Lamanna.

In the opening round Hernandez-Harrison moved around the ring countering well. Lamanna seemed to have problems with the speed of his opponent. In the second round Hernandez-Harrison landed a 3-punch combination. Lamanna is having a problem hitting the elusive Hernandez-Harrison.

In the third round Lamanna flurried having Hernandez-Harrison against the ropes only to have Hernandez-Harrison come back with 3 left hooks. Lamanna came out all fired up landing half a dozen punches without return. Things started heating up in the third round.

In the fourth round a lead right by Hernandez-Harrison rocked Lamanna who came back with a flurry of punches. In the fifth round Lamanna was doing well which seemed to anger Hernandez-Harrison who came back punching Lamanna around the ring. Lamanna has swelling around both eyes. In the sixth round Hernandez-Harrison is putting more behind his punches. Both boxers have plenty of fans in the crowd.

In the seventh round Lamanna landed a power right to the head of Hernandez-Harrison who was holding on. A half a round later it was all Hernandez-Harrison. In the eighth round both went back and forth controlling the round but Hernandez-Harrison’s hand and foot speed always keeps him one step ahead of Lamanna.

In the ninth round it’s more action from both but Hernandez-Harrison continues to batter Lamanna whose eyes are swelling while Hernandez-Harrison is unmarked. In the tenth and final round the fans are yelling “Dusty, Dusty”, as he is looking for a knockout to avoid a hometown decision. This was one of the best fights seen here in sometime with one from Millville and the other D.C.

Judges Bernard Bruni had it 98-92 while judges Tom Schreck and Dana DePaolo had it 97-93 while this writer had it 100-90.

In the co-feature former NFL player Ray “Cincinnati Kid” Edwards, 11-0-1 (7), out of Cinn., OH, won a 6 round decision over southpaw New Jersey champion Dan Pasciolla, 8-1-1 (0), out of Brick, NJ.

In the first two rounds it was the light punching Pasciolla who was taking good body shots from Edwards. The action was very slow. In the third round and fourth rounds Edwards was too strong for Pasciolla.

In the fifth and sixth rounds Pasciolla got his jab in but it wasn’t enough to offset Edwards.

Atlantic City’s Anthony “Juice” Young 14-2 (6) easily stopped Malik “The Freak” Jackson, 3-10-4 (2), of Newark, NJ, at the end of the fourth round stopped by ring physician.

In the opening round a hard right by Young to the head of Jackson dropped him. Referee Clark gave him the 8 count. Jackson did what he had to do to get through the round.

On paper it looked like a mismatch and this writer was surprised Boxing Director Greg Sirb approved it.

In the second round it was more of the same but Jackson staying on his feet. In the third round Jackson’s corner is yelling out instructions but one wonders how they put him in with Young. In the fourth round Young continued bombing Jackson who has little power to hold Young off. A left uppercut to the midsection by Young dropped Jackson At the bell a left hook by Young to the head had Jackson out on his fight.

His corner should have stopped it but it took the ring physician to do it. This was a total mismatch from the time they signed the contracts. Working the corner for Young was Chino Rivas assisted by Rashiem Jefferson.

The Hottest prospect in Philly since 1984 Olympic Gold medalist Meldrick Taylor is Philly’s Jaron “Boots” Ennis, 6-0 (5), from the Germantown section of the city who showed flashes of greatness and needed a fight like Eddie Diaz, 2-4-2 (0), of Compton, CA, gave him. “I should have done better,” said Ennis. You can’t knock everybody out!

In the opening round Ennis came out orthodox showing very fast hands and going to the body of Diaz. Diaz managed to get some punches to the chin of Ennis. In the second round Ennis continued looking terrific but anytime you are in with a fighter from Compton, CA, which is possibly the baddest city in the country you have to be aware he came to fight. Diaz had a small cut outside of his right eye.

In the third round Diaz would take 3 to land 1 which was usually a right to the head of Ennis. The round was won by Ennis but he got rocked at the bell with a Diaz right to the chin. In the fourth and final round Ennis could not hurt Diaz who was one tough fighter. So Ennis continue to throw combinations and uppercuts to the body of Diaz who never took a back step. Ennis needed a fight like this. “We aren’t taking anymore 143 fights. We will move up to 147,” said Bozy Ennis. The young Ennis had an ice pack on his left hand.

Two judges had it 40-36 and one 39-37. This writer had it 40-36.

In a rematch bantamweight Leroy “Luscious” Davila, 3-0 (1), out of New Brunswick, NJ, had Edgar Torres, 3-4 (0), of Vineland, NJ, on the canvas 3 times with the final one in the second round at 2:03.

Both southpaws scoring well while Davila was very conservative with his punches when all of a sudden out of nowhere he drops Cortes not once but twice. Referee Rosato gave him he the 8 count both times. In the second round Cortes walked right into a lead straight left from Davila putting Cortes on the canvas almost knocked out. Referee Rosato wisely halted it and in no time the ring physician was in the ring administering to Cortes.

Junior welterweight Kenneth “Bossman” Sims, Jr., 7-0 (2), out of Chicago, won a hard fought 6 round decision over Gilbert “Gordo” Venegas, 14-24-5 (8), of E. Moline, IL.

In the opening round Sims goes from orthodox to southpaw having his way with tough veteran Venegas. In the second and third rounds Simms continues to show his skills while Venegas lands an occasional overhand right to the head of Sims. Left hooks by Sims are rocking the iron jawed Venegas.

In the fourth round Sims lands a 3-punch combination and follows with a flurry of punches. In the fifth round Venegas has a small cut along the eyebrow of his left eye. In the sixth and final round Venegas lands his best punch of the fight an overhand right to the head of Simms. This is probably the best round of the fight as both fighters were still throwing leather at the bell!

Judges Gail Jasper, Tom Schreck and Dana Depaolo had it 60-54 as did this writer. Sims was very impressive.

Good looking lightweight Devin “The Dream” Haney, 10-0 (6), out of Las Vegas, defeated southpaw “Mighty” Mike Fowler, 5-3 (2), out of Milwaukees over 8 rounds.
In the opening round Fowler controlled the first half before Haney got his rhythm together and took the second half. In the second and third round Haney unloaded on Fowler who is doing very little in return.

In the fourth Haney is landing 3 punches at a time as the nose of Fowler is bleeding. In the fifth round Haney continued to rock Fowler until referee Rosato wisely halted the fight. ”I fought a good fight especially going to the body,” said Haney. He is one to watch!
In the opening bout a war broke out. Darryl “Dreamking” Bunting, 2-1-2 (1), of Asbury Park, NJ, was stopped by Darryl Gause, 2-0 (1), of Vineland, NJ, in a super middleweight match at 2:14 of the second.

In the opening round it was a slugfest with Bunting having the edge until a right hand from Gause had him out on his feet. It looked like referee Dali might stop it. He gave him a standing count at the bell. In the second round the slugfest continued until once again a Gause right hand drove Bunting across the ring into the ropes Gause jumped on him and referee Dali wisely halted the action.

Ring announcer was Mark Fratto.

Posted on 08/23/2016

Female Fighters Bring Some Much Needed Excitement To The Sport Of Boxing
By: Sean Crose

I had the pleasure of watching one of the best televised fights of the year this weekend. It went down at Coney Island and unfortunately was relegated to the NBC Sports Network. That’s too bad, because the brawl I witnessed between featherweights Heather Hardy and Shelly Vincent was an all-out war, comparable in action to the much applauded Conor McGregor – Nate Diaz UFC match a day earlier. Watching the tide perpetually change between Hardy and Vincent this weekend, I kept thinking how ridiculous it is for people to claim boxing is dead. For what went on at Coney Island was, for lack of a more academic term, terrific stuff.

Truth be told, I’m not even sure who I think really won – though the decision went to Hardy. Looks like I’ll have to watch it again. In the meantime, let me bring up another female fighter who deserves all kinds of praise now that the Rio Olympics have come and gone. For America’s Claressa Shields has now won not one, but two Olympic gold medals. What’s more, she’s the first American boxer, male or female, to ever do so. After being adorned with her second gold in Rio, Shields took the first gold medal she won out of her pocket (she got that one in London back in 2012) and placed it on her shoulders along with her newest hard earned prize.

There she was, an American boxer, standing on the podium with not one, but two gold medals around her neck. If that doesn’t tell fight fans something, I’m not sure what does. Truth be told, female boxers have essentially told us fans these past few days that things aren’t always as bad as they seem. While it appears that many – though certainly not all – male boxers have taken to playing it safe, their female counterparts appear to be daring to be great.

Back to Sunday evening. Engaging with “Boxing Twitter” while watching the Hardy-Vincent bout, I noticed fight followers doing something they aren’t generally apt to do – publicly show their appreciation for the combatants. The typical online snideness seemed to have vanished as Hardy and Vincent traded one shot after another. All that was left was a sense of “wow, this is a great match.” Someone even wondered in one hundred and forty characters why women fighters aren’t getting more exposure in the fight world right now.

It was a good question. The sport really needs competitors like Shields, Vincent and Hardy. After all, action, and gold medals, go a long way.

Posted on 08/19/2016

PBC on NBC Preview: Errol Spence Jr. vs. Leonard Bundu
By: William Holmes

On Sunday afternoon, at 5:00 PM EST, Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) will broadcast a daytime event live on NBC from the Ford Amphitheater at the Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn, New York.

Only one bout is scheduled to be televised on Sunday and it will be between former United States Olympian Errol Spence Jr. and Italian contender Leonard Bundu. They will be competing in an IBF Welterweight Title eliminator bout.

Prospects Claudio Marrero and Heather “The Heat” Hardy will be competing on the undercard will have a chance at fighting on the televised portion of the NBC card if the Spence bout is over quickly. Heather Hardy will have the toughest test of her career when she faces fellow undefeated boxer Shelly Vincent.

Spence, who is perhaps the most famous United States Olympian boxer from 2012, will be fighting before the start of the closing ceremonies for the 2016 Rio Olympics and on the same network that will be broadcasting it.

The following is a preview for the bout between Errol Spence Jr. and Leonard Bundu.

Errol Spence Jr. (20-0) vs. Leonard Bundu (33-1-2); IBF Welterweight Eliminator Bout

Many pundits consider Leonard Bundu to be the toughest opponent that Errol Spence Jr. has faced at this point of his career.

At first glance that may appear to be true. Bundu, like Spence, competed in the Olympics and was successful on the national and international stage in the amateurs. Bundu was born in Sierra Leone but represented Italy in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Spence represented the United States in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Both failed to medal.

However, the similarities end there.

The biggest difference between the two opponents is age. Bundu is fifteen years older than Spence and is past his prime at the age of forty one. Bundu will also be giving up about three inches in reach and three inches in height when he steps into the ring.

Bundu also has only competed once in 2015 and once in 2016, while Spence fought once in 2016 and four times in 2015. Spence has clearly been the more active fighter.

Spence has seventeen knockouts on his record for a high stoppage ratio of 85%. Bundu has only stopped twelve of his opponents, and has five less stoppage victories despite having sixteen more fights.

Spence has been in the ring with increasingly difficult opposition. He beat the brakes off of Chris Algieri and was able to stop him while Manny Pacquiao was unable to do so. He has also defeated the likes of Chris Van Heerden, the sparring opponent of UFC star Connor McGregor, Phil Lo Greco, Alejandro Barrera, and Ronald Cruz.

Bundu stepped up in competition to face the elite of the welterweight division when he faced Keith Thurman, but he lost to him by decision. He has defeated the likes of Frankie Gavin, Lee Purdy, and Daniele Petrucci.

Bundu is a good fight for Spence at this stage of his career and has a solid chin. He should be able to give Spence some rounds and an opportunity for Spence to showcase his skills in front of a nationally televised audience.

But, Bundu has little to no chance of defeating one of the most prized prospects in the United States on Sunday afternoon. Bundu can survive the whole bout, but will take a beating in the process.

Posted on 07/25/2016

Santa Cruz And Frampton Would Rather Punch Each Other’s Lights Out Than Face Rigo
By: Sean Crose

Sure, Saturday’s bout between Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz will probably be exciting. These are two fighters who can excite, after all. They’re both also quite popular and lucrative properties, to put it bluntly. Yet therein lies the problem to me. These guys are bringing in bucks and eyeballs while avoiding the biggest threat out there that either of them could face – Guillermo Rigondeaux. Sure, they could say that they’re in a different division than Rigo now, but everyone knows that’s crap. These two have been avoiding the slick Cuban for ages – so much so they’d rather punch each other’s lights out than be made to look foolish for twelve rounds.

Look, I understand that boxing is “prize fighting,” and that it may well have been first designed to be a part of the entertainment business as opposed to the sport’s world. That doesn’t mean it should stay that way, though. The truth is, boxing isn’t pro wrestling, it’s ultimately a sport (whether it was originally designed to be one or not), and competition should be first and foremost on everyone’s mind. Indeed, the reality is that the New York Yankees might bring a lot more eyeballs to the World Series than, say, the Tampa Bay Rays…but baseball fans would be outraged if the top division teams didn’t get to play in the big one at the end of the season. Where is that sense of fairness among those of us who love the sweet science?

Well, it’s there when we want it to be, it seems, but only when we want it to be. We call bullshit when Canelo calls GGG into the ring, then gives up his title rather than face the man. We make Stevenson a virtual nonentity for not getting it on with Kovalev. We do not, however, charge Santa Cruz and Frampton of ducking Rigo. We simply nod our heads, laugh, and say Rigo is too boring to watch anyway. Fair enough, but we then need to remember that boxing is the entity we ourselves allow it to be. We either wish it to be about who is the best or we don’t.

What we need to remember, however, is that there’s consequences to our choices. When we pick an entertainment business over true competition, we avoid having to watch Rigo potentially bore the hell out of us in a twelve round snoozer. Yet we also get the Canelo-GGG scenario, and Danny Garcia facing less than challenging opposition. It’s a tradeoff, plain and simple.

And, for all our griping, it appears to be one we fight fans are willing to accept.

Posted on 07/24/2016

More Than A Belt: Santa Cruz vs Frampton
By: Brandon Bernica

​Dreams come to life in the Big Apple. Lives constantly intersect. People from far-reaching locations around the globe converge in this concrete jungle in hopes of capturing the American dream. In New York, competition to the top is a little stiffer, but the opportunities are a little more grandiose.

​Saturday night will pit Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton against one another for the WBA Featherweight World Championship. The fight will happen in Brooklyn, New York amidst a crowd of city dwellers who are all too familiar with the struggles of proving oneself. Because, whether Santa Cruz or Frampton realize it or not, more than a belt is at stake in this fight. Just like New York’s inhabitants, they both fought to distinguish themselves from the crowd; now, they will attempt to carve legacies enduring far beyond the splendor of a singular win.
​See, fans sometimes look back on these types of fights with remorse, not having comprehended the significance of these matchups when they happened. Truthfully, the glow of this bout hides behind the circumstances around it. Take that the PBC consistently receives flack for showcasing non-intriguing one-sided fights. When a gem such as this one sparkles brightest amongst a lackluster schedule, it’s hard to determine just how compelling the fight really is. In addition, HBO aired a PPV this past Saturday featuring Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol. While experts probably would tout Santa Cruz vs. Frampton as the better choice, being on PPV can make fights appear greater than their actual value.

​Two undefeated fighters butting heads is a no-brainer win. But the fighters’ rich resumes and their individual fighting styles accentuate this bout as extraordinary. Both of their resume’s shine with exceptional wins. However, their only shared opponent is Kiko Martinez, a rugged veteran from Spain. Frampton demolished him with two knockouts in two blood-rushing fights, while Santa Cruz went toe-to-toe with Martinez en-route to a stoppage of his own. Martinez (a former champion himself) and his losses to these two men confirm just how far ahead of the pack both Santa Cruz and Frampton are heading into Saturday night’s clash.

​Style-wise, this matchup flourishes as a potential slugfest. Frampton excels on both the back foot and front foot, depending on the style he needs to win. He demonstrates power and grit, cycling between gears with ease. Santa Cruz, however, knows one gear: forward. He marches ahead and relentlessly bombards his foes with punches that never seem to seize. While nerves could freeze both fighters into more cautionary styles, something tells me that competing at such a high level will bring the best out of both men. Youth vs. youth. Length (Santa Cruz) vs. compact punching (Frampton). Who wants it more? Who can adapt better?
​To add flavor to the storylines surrounding the bout, both men hail from boxing-rich traditions. Frampton comes from the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland, to be exact) while Mexican blood courses through Santa Cruz’s veins. Fans from both Mexico and the United Kingdom share rabid passion for their brethren in the fighting ranks. With the rise of various world-ranked fighters from both nations, the potential for a boxing rivalry to form only grows stronger. You can bet the last dollar in your wallet that each side will cheer their lungs out for their man to come out on top.

In the end, country pride looms as a sliver of the backdrop to this pertinent matchup. Boxing’s current landscape opposes top-level fights in favor of money-making draws. Substance decays on the backburner in favor of sizzle. As fans, we wait years for ideal meetings of talent in the ring. Yet we’re so conditioned by the disappointment of boxing politics that it’s tempting to care less when we’re finally thrown a bone. Don’t fall into the trap. Hindsight is 20/20, and years from now, this bout could be known as the defining bout in both Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton’s careers.

Posted on 07/07/2016

PBC on ESPN Preview: Barrios vs. Boschiero, Ramirez vs. Roman
By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series will be televised live on ESPN from the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey.

UFC 200 is also being broadcast on Saturday, but the loss of Jon Jones may lead to more viewers for the free PBC card. It features two prospects with future world title aspirations. Mario Barrios will be competing against Devis Boschiero in an IBF Junior Lightweight eliminator and Eddie Ramirez will face Jessie Roman in the junior welterweight division.

Photo Credit: Jordan Hardy/Premier Boxing Champions

The following is a preview of both televised bouts.

Eddie Ramirez (13-0) vs. Jessie Roman (20-2); Junior Welterweights

Eddie Ramirez has been extremely busy and fought five times in 2015 and once already in 2016. He’s a former Chicago Golden Gloves Champion and was a runner up in the National Golden Gloves Tournament the same year.

His opponent, Jessie Roman, does not have the amateur accomplishments of Ramirez. He fought three times in 2015 and twice in 2014.

Ramirez, at the age of twenty four, is one year younger than Roman. He will also be giving up two inches in height and two inches in reach to his opponent. However, Ramirez has nine stoppage victories in only thirteen bouts while Roman has only nine stoppage victories in twenty two professional bouts.

Neither boxer has faced any serious contenders in their primes. Ramirez has defeated the likes of Osumanu Akaba, Bilal Mahasin, and former world title challenger Cristobal Cruz. Roman’s only notable victory was over Hector Serrano.

Roman does not have many notable wins on his resume, but he does have two glaring losses. His two losses were to Joaquin Chavez, who had a record of 8-13-3 at the time they fought, and to Carlos Mario Sanchez, who had a record of 20-10 at the time they fought.

This is a bout that Eddie Ramirez should win, easily. It will be noteworthy to see if Ramirez can stop Roman, who has never been stopped in his career.

Mario Barrios (15-0) vs. Devis Boschiero (29-4-1); IBF Junior Lightweight Eliminator

Mario Barrios has fought eight times since the start of 2015 and is one of Al Haymon’s most intriguing prospects.

His activity is almost unheard of. He’s a tall fighter for the junior lightweight division and will have a six and a half inch height advantage over Boschiero. He also has a 74” reach, which is large for his division, and will have a six inch reach advantage over Boschiero.

Barrios, at the age of twenty one, is also thirteen years younger than Boschiero.

Barrios has eight stoppage victories on his resume, but he will have to be careful of Boschiero’s power. Boschiero has stopped twenty one of his opponents and won his last two fights by stoppage.

Barrios, at this point in his career, has yet to be seriously tested. His biggest wins have come against the likes of Manuel Vides, Enrique Tinoco, and Eduardo Rivera. A lot of his wins have come against opponents with losing records.

Boschiero previously fought for a world title against Takahiro Ao and lost. His other losses were to Stephen Smith and Romain Jacob, twice. He has defeated the likes of Guillaume Frenois and Ermano Fegatilli. He’s also been very active and fought four times in 2015 and once in 2016.

It should be noted that Boschiero has only fought outside of Europe once, and he lost in that bout to Takahiro Ao. Boschiero has never fought in the United States.

Boschiero is a good, tough veteran for Barrios at this point in his career. Barrios seems to be aware that Boschiero represents a tough fight for him and stated, “All I know about Boschiero is that he’s got a lot of fights and he’s a top contender. I know he’s hungry so I’m not taking him lightly. I’ve seen some tape on him and I know he likes to come forward. Everyone can expect to see a lot of had punches being thrown by both of us. I’m expecting a war.”

However, Barrios’ skill level and his reach and height will be too great for Boschiero to overcome and pull off an upset victory. Barrios should get some rounds in and win a decision victory.