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Mid-Year Boxing Awards: Best Knockout, Fighter, Fight and More

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After more than six months of boxing and a slew of fight cards around the world, it’s time to pick the best from the first half of 2024. From incredible individual performances in the heavyweight division, to unforgettable knockouts, upsets and all-action fights, the sport of boxing has set the bar high for the rest of the year.

For the first time since Lennox Lewis in 2000, we have an undisputed heavyweight champion, and for the first time in history, an undisputed strawweight champion has been crowned in women’s boxing. A champion made a huge impression with a stunning knockout, and another suffered a huge surprise on his way home.

Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson look back at memorable moments from the middle of the year.

Men’s player of the half-year: Oleksandr Usyk

Usyk achieved an incredible feat by winning a split decision over Tyson Fury in May, his second undisputed championship after winning all four cruiserweight belts.

Fury outweighed Usyk by nearly 40 pounds and had a significant height and reach advantage. The “Gypsy King” used all of that in the first half of the fight, outboxing Usyk from range.

However, the Olympic gold medalist managed to mobilize himself and showed incredible skills that allowed him to win the heavyweight title with two victories over Anthony Joshua.

Now Usyk is the undisputed heavyweight champion, the first since Lennox Lewis in 2000. The victory also vaulted him to the top of ESPN’s non-weight rankings. The 37-year-old Ukrainian should be able to secure the Fighter of the Year title with another victory over Fury in a rematch scheduled for December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.


Women’s player of the half-year: Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada

In March, Estrada was crowned undisputed strawweight/minimum champion by defeating her biggest rival, Costa Rican Yokasta Valle, solidifying her position among the best women’s boxers.

The lighter weight classes receive less attention in boxing, but Estrada deserves credit for becoming the first undisputed lightweight champion in women’s boxing history.

Estrada (26-0, 9 KOs), 32, of Los Angeles, came out on top in a thrilling fight with Valle, as her hand speed and counterpunching proved crucial in some rounds in a close fight. Estrada changed stances to stop Valle, and a rematch would be popular because of their rivalry. Sandy Ryan and Gabriela Fundora also picked up massive wins in 2024.


Men’s fight of the half-year: Usyk-Fury

It was a heavyweight boxing championship at the highest level, with two competitors, without division into weight categories, fighting for the most essential prize in the sport.

Usyk-Fury had almost everything you want in a fight of the year titles. There were a lot of lively changes, with Fury leading on the scorecards heading into the second half of the fight.

The drama was immense as Usyk landed 14 unanswered punches that nearly forced referee Mark Nelson to stop the fight, but it ultimately ended in a ninth-round knockdown as the ropes held Fury in. The fight was evenly matched, with Usyk defeating Fury on the cards via split decision.

Fury’s KO victory over Deontay Wilder was named ESPN’s Fight of the Year for 2021, and now Fury has a great chance to earn that honor for the second time in his Hall of Fame career.


Women’s Fight of the Half Year: Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer

Jonas sealed the best win of her career by defeating Mayer by split decision to defend her welterweight title in January. Jonas held on for a mighty finish against her American rival, who felt she should have been declared the winner.

But Jonas had the stronger start in the fight with fierce exchanges. Jonas (15-2-1, 9 KOs), 40, who turned pro in 2017 after competing as an amateur in the 2012 Olympics and having a daughter in 2015, had a great fifth round, but Mayer was better in the latter rounds and landed more power punches.

Mayer (19-2, 5 KOs), a 34-year-old Olympian, moved up in weight to face Jonas and has never been a frail contender in the welterweight division.

While the fight was stimulating, a rematch seems unlikely as Jonas is set to retire this year. Mayer has not yet announced her next opponent.


KO of the Half-Year: Gervonta “Tank” Davis defeated Frank Martin (KO in the eighth round)

While the above two picks were obvious, this fight was a huge risk, especially considering Joshua’s brutal second-round knockout against Francis Ngannou back in March.

But Davis, in his second boxing fight, faced a real lightweight title contender rather than an MMA fighter, and knocked out Martin with a perfect sequence of punches that knocked him out frosty.

Davis pinned Martin in the corner, staggered him with a left hook that froze him, and then floored the defenseless fighter with a powerful left cross. With the decisive victory, Davis retained his No. 1 ESPN lightweight ranking heading into November’s unification fight with Vasiliy Lomachenko.


Half-year surprise: Liam Paro defeated Subriel Matias (unanimous decision)

According to ESPN BET, Paro had odds of +640 for the fight against Matias, but when you consider the Puerto Rican’s crushing record and his growing reputation as a boxing terror, it’s an even bigger surprise than the odds indicated.

Australian Paro outboxed Matias and didn’t back down, landing combinations that stopped the usual pressure from the junior welterweight champion. Paro did it in Puerto Rico as well, making the victory all the more impressive because it spoiled Matias’ homecoming.

It was Paro’s second consecutive impressive performance, having knocked out Montana Love in the sixth round in December. The undefeated 28-year-old left-hander could rematch Matias later this year, this time in Australia.

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The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena

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Rocha vs Curiel

In 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.

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George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former 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.

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Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One 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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