A heavyweight fight was almost thrown off the road in the Team Boxing League. On Friday night, fans almost got more than they bargained for.
With so many fighters lined up at ringside throughout the event, the line-up always carried the risk of something spilling over. As the tension rose, it quickly became real.
The flashpoint came during the heavyweight bout between Patrick Mailata and Herich Ruiz, when tempers flared and fighters from both teams quickly engaged in the fight.
At one point there were about ten fighters in the ring at the same time wearing gloves and shorts and anything could have happened.
Flashpoint and Fallout
Despite the scenes, Mailata later decided to clarify the situation and downplay any personal animosity.
“I have no bad blood with Herich Ruiz. It was not personal,” Mailata said.
Instead, the Modern Zealand heavyweight pointed to frustration with officiating as the cause of the incident.
“The refereeing was really challenging all night long and I had the last fight. Ruiz happened to interrupt me out of frustration.”
Mailata, who is a regular in the league, made it clear that the incident was a product of the environment and not any targeted dispute.
“I enjoy fighting in the Team Boxing League, that’s why this is my third season. At the end of the day, I’m a fighter and I will fight, but if I’m fighting with both the fighter and the referee, it doesn’t leave me any room to show my talents.”
Team Boxing League
Pressure point on the ring side
The Team Boxing League has become a useful tool for emerging fighters like Pryce Taylor to gain experience without jeopardizing their professional records, while veterans like Luis Ortiz and Steve Cunningham continue to do what they love at 47 and 49 years of age.
The scenes highlighted a potential flaw in the format, which places multiple lively fighters in close proximity to each other throughout the night.
While the concept helped create prospects and extend the careers of veterans, Friday’s events showed how quickly things can escalate when emotions run high.
With so many warriors positioned within arm’s reach, it only took a moment of frustration to turn into a full-scale confrontation.
This time the situation was brought under control.
But photos and video from the evening showed how little it takes to raise tensions in a format where players are never far from the action.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Derek Chisora accused Dana White of operating like a “slave owner,” but Conor Benn’s lucrative move to Zuffa Boxing offers a substantial counterpoint to the heavyweight’s attack.
Chisora’s complaint centered on White turning fighters away from his platform. That hardly explains the comparison, especially with Benn reportedly collecting $15 million for his first Zuffa appearance alone.
“Dana White is not my cup of tea, to be honest with you,” Chisora said in an interview with Fight Hub TV following the Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua press conference. “Because the way he operates is just, he operates like a slave owner, man. You know, fighters want to fight on his platform. He tells them, ‘You’re not good enough for me, so go away.’ What is a fighter going to do? What is he going to do after that? That’s not right.”
Benn’s experience makes that accusation difficult to defend. His reported $15 million purse for facing Regis Prograis was followed by a world-title opportunity against Ryan Garcia. White’s platform has delivered both substantial money and a major fight for the British welterweight.
One boxer’s earnings cannot answer every question about a promoter’s treatment of fighters. But Chisora supplied no named example to support his accusation. Benn gives readers something concrete to weigh against it.
Chisora also argued that a fighter who performs poorly one night can improve the next time. Fair enough. Promoters still have to decide whom to sign, how many places they can offer, and which fights they want to stage. Wanting a contract does not create an entitlement to one.
His example concerns access to White’s platform, rather than restrictions imposed on someone already fighting there. Those are different issues, and Chisora never explained how rejection justified his language.
Asked about the dispute between Eddie Hearn and White, Chisora made his personal dislike clear. What he failed to provide was an argument strong enough to carry such a loaded accusation.
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Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.
The long-awaited, all-British heavyweight blockbuster between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is officially set for December 11 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Backed by Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, the defining clash will see both men pocket a career-high purse and settle the debate – to a degree – of this generation’s best UK heavyweight.
After more than a decade of false starts and fractured negotiations, the two former heavyweight champions will finally settle their rivalry in what promises to be the biggest commercial event in British boxing history. Broadcast rights have been secured by Netflix for a global audience and Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao may appear on the undercard, despite turning 49 one week after the event.
Crucially, Joshua’s camp held firm during negotiations to ensure the bout remained on domestic soil. Despite the potential for more lucrative offers overseas, ‘AJ’ refused to budge on the location, and the pair meet today in London to make it official.
Fans can watch live via the stream below, with the proceedings expected to kick off at 6 PM – though delays and gamesmanship may be a factor.
Filip Hrgovic questions how Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have earned a fight for the WBA “Super” heavyweight title, arguing that attaching the belt to their matchup damages boxing’s credibility.
The fight already has two recognizable names and a rivalry that can sell without a championship. Adding a world title invites a different question: what have either man’s recent performances done to justify that reward?
“They are both big superstars, but how are they fighting for a title?” Hrgovic told The Stomping Ground when asked about the proposed WBA title stakes. “Where did that come from? … These kinds of decisions, it’s killing the sport. It’s not good for the sport. And because of these funny decisions, people don’t consider boxing a serious sport.”
Fury and Joshua already have the recognition to sell their fight. Their rivalry is the attraction. Adding the WBA’s highest heavyweight title gives the event a sporting endorsement that requires more explanation than either man’s name can provide.
Gassiev’s position makes that harder to justify. With him holding the regular championship, the proposed title stakes would allow Fury and Joshua to fight for superior recognition within the same organization without going through its existing titleholder. What, then, is Gassiev’s belt supposed to mean?
That is the weakness of the WBA’s multiple-title structure. A fighter can hold its championship and still watch a more commercially attractive pairing receive the bigger prize. The distinction becomes difficult to defend if the organization cannot explain the sporting criteria behind it.
There is also a financial question worth asking. Sanctioning a major event can benefit the organization collecting the fees. That makes a clear explanation of eligibility especially necessary: what qualifies Fury and Joshua for this opportunity, and how does Gassiev fit into the decision?
Hrgovic has his own interests. He wants recognition as the division’s best champion and would benefit from undermining rival claims. But his objection still demands an answer.
Fans can enjoy Fury-Joshua as a major occasion without treating it as the fight that establishes heavyweight supremacy. The WBA risks blurring that distinction by attaching its highest title to a matchup whose appeal is already secure.
The rivalry gives the promotion something valuable to sell. The championship should represent something the fighters have earned.
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Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.