Boxing
Hearn Frigid v Canelo v Eubank Jr., pushes for Berlanga fight
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaMatchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is sceptical about the idea of Canelo Alvarez defending his undisputed super middleweight title against Chris Eubank Jr. in September.
Hearn’s Case for Berlanga
Hearn doesn’t like the fight for Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) and wants him to fight WBA 168-pound mandatory Edgar Berlanga, whom he promotes. He believes a fight between Canelo and Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) would sell well in the U.S. because of the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry.
Hearn fails to see the problem that Berlanga has fought only lower-level opponents throughout his career and is unknown outside of the die-hard fan community.
Many die-hard fans believe Berlanga is just an advertisement with no real substance, and Hearn’s careful selection of fighters for the Recent Yorker has not helped since signing him.
If Canelo fought Berlanga, he would be criticized in the States all the time and it wouldn’t be worth fighting him because it would never end. Hearn isn’t aware of that because he lives in the UK, but that’s the chilly, brutal reality.
When Hearn signed Berlanga, he should have paired him with these fighters to boost his popularity in the US:
-David Morrell
-Caleb Plant
-David Benavides
-Christian Mbilli
-Diego Pacheco
Instead of putting Berlanga in the fight with those fighters, Hearn gave him two effortless fights against British fighters Padraig McCrory and Jason Quigley, which did nothing to improve his popularity in the U.S.
Wrong assessment
“I don’t think it would be in the UK. It would be in the US, but I don’t know,” Eddie Hearn told Charlie Parsons Youtube channel, reacting to reports of a potential Canelo Alvarez vs. Chris Eubank Jr. fight in September.
“No, not really,” Hearn said when asked if he thought Canelo vs. Eubank Jr. would be a “substantial” fight in the U.S. “Eubank got stopped by Liam Smith. He came back. For me, Conor Benn, welterweight, vs. Chris Eubank Jr. is a 50-50 fight.”
Canelo needs an opponent to toasty up to for his next fight in September to prepare for his fight with Terence Crawford in early 2025. While Hearn thinks Berlanga is a great idea, he fights nothing like Crawford and looks like a airy heavyweight after rehydrating for his 168 fights.
The fight with Berlanga would be preparation for the fight with David Benavidez, but even in this case he would be a feeble opponent because he is average.
“Chris Eubank Jr. against 168-pound Canelo Alvarez is not. So I think I understand that, but no. I prefer Edgar Berlanga. He is [WBA 168-lb] mandatory challenger. He’s a substantial, robust 168-pounder who can really pack a punch Mexico vs. Puerto Rico. It’s a substantial fight that puts in substantial numbers,” Hearn said.
Canelo-Berlanga wouldn’t do much in the US, as Berlanga is known on the East Coast in Recent York, and even there he’s popular in parts, not the entire state. That’s not enough to make a fight between them a huge deal.
“Only with a hat,” Hearn said when asked where he was with Edgar Berlanga. “You’ve got [Jermall] Charlo. You’ve got Berlanga. You’ve got Eubank, if I understand correctly, so we’ll see. No, not really. He’s been inactive and not competitive. What’s the point?” Hearn said when asked if Jermall would be a good fight for Canelo.
A better path for Berlanga
Hearn should match Berlanga with David Morrell to improve his popularity. If Berlanga gets wiped out by Morrell, Hearn should end his contract with the Recent Yorker, return to match him with the low-level fighters he paired him with, and wash his hands of his experiment.
“Ultimately he’ll make a decision and it’ll be a decision based on money and who he wants to fight. I think he would enjoy the fight with Edgar Berlanga because Edgar Berlanga would get in front of him, trade with him and make it stimulating. So yeah, that would be the right choice,” Hearn said of who Canelo should fight in September.
Whoever Canelo fights in September will be criticized, unless he faces someone tough like Morrell or airy heavyweight David Benavidez. If he fights Benavidez, someone will have to meet his $200 million asking price, and he will have to strictly limit his hydration to 10 pounds.
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
1 day agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
2 days agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
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