Boxing
Canelo and Inoue breathed life into boxing
Published
7 months agoon
By
J. Humza“The sport is dying, man. There are no good fighters anymore and the best never fight the best like in the ancient days. Give yourself a pound every time you hear these words.
Apparently, boxing doesn’t do gigantic fights anymore. Everyone is busy marinating in jars in the kitchen (they avoid mentioning pots and pans like at last week’s Canelo vs. Oscar press conference – if you know, you know).
Flashback to July 2023. Remember when Inoue fought Fulton and Crawford and Spence the same week? Not wanting to bask in the glow of unifying an entire division (bantamweight), Inoue stepped up to challenge the undefeated double champion with natural skill.
Stephen Fulton held the WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles. The Philadelphian went straight into the trenches against Brandon Figueroa and came out the other side. He was at the peak of his career, buoyed by the momentum of the winner as the pair met in a summer sizzle at the Ariake Arena.
Sounds incredibly close to comparing best to best, right? As for Crawford and Spence, the uncontested welterweight clash spoke for itself. All four titles, each fighter at the end of a path leading to one inevitable ending. Nowhere else. There is nowhere else to turn. Drama outside the ring, promotional politics – all of it.
Crawford crushed Spence to crown the king of the generation, just days after Inoue defeated Fulton. A few months later, Inoue unified another weight class by defeating Marlon Tapales.
On May 4, 2024, Cinco de Mayo weekend, Canelo began the latest rapid rotation of boxers fighting over the course of several days.
The 168-pound ruler fell and passed undefeated Mexican Jaime Munguia. While it may not have been on the level of Crawford and Spence, undisputed status was at stake and there was a staunchly nationalist crowd in the arena to bear witness. The whole occasion seemed quite special.
Two days later, Inoue fought Luis Nery. It’s true that Munguia could have been Benavidez. Inoue may have made his 126-pound debut against a world champion, it’s fair to admit that. But still….
At T-Mobile Arena, Canelo’s expansive experience in gigantic fights made the difference. He’s been there, done that, and had this T-shirt created and sold all over Las Vegas by unscrupulous dealers. This is his domain and Munguia, potentially the next Mexican star, took a deep breath before stepping forward and daring to enter.
Despite prodding and prodding from the post-fight interviewer, Canelo downplayed his status with true humility, refusing to describe himself as the greatest Mexican boxer of all time.
Unfortunately, he also downplayed the credibility and legitimacy of David Benavidez, the man he really should have been fighting. All the things Canelo said during the build-up to validate Munguia (juvenile, hungry, undefeated, deserved his chance) were turned around and used as a reason entertain Benavidez.
Over time, he began to offer several different clues as to why a fight with Benavidez seemed unlikely. Putting it all down to money is a perilous game, given the sudden influx of funds into the fighting game. Seemingly unattainable amounts of money can suddenly be written down in your checkbook – and it’s either sink or swim time.
Against Munguia, Canelo’s engine took some time to hot up. The reactions seemed a bit slower and the punching power, while the highest of Golovkin’s second half, wasn’t as crazy as some of his contemporaries.
That was a problem with Dmitry Bivol, and it would be a problem with someone like Benavidez, who likes to throw challenging and often, soak up everything that comes his way and keep moving forward.
This is what makes the combat so intriguing, yet frustratingly unreachable. Yes, Canelo gave us the Erislandy Lara fight when it was suggested he would pull out. Yes, he fought Miguel Cotto. Yes, he fought Golovkin three times.
Floyd Mayweather? A free hit at the time. Invaluable in the long run. It taught him everything he needed to know about winning gigantic fights on the biggest stage, against the likes of Jaime Munguia. But not Benavidez yet. A fitting end to his career that we would all like to see.
Meanwhile, Naoya Inoue’s career is not over yet. At the moment, there is no must-see opponent waiting for us behind the scenes. No offense to Sam Goodman, who nervously climbed into the ring to face “The Monster” on Monday, but “Father Time,” higher weight classes and complacency pose a bigger threat than any one name right now. Inoue nodded curtly, shook his hand, and silently signaled that Sam had to leave the stage.
It’s possible that complacency helped write history in Inoue’s sixth-round beating of Luis Nery in Tokyo. In the first stanza, Inoue went down for the first time in his career.
While the seemingly unfazed stylist wasn’t really hurt, he looked shaken enough to count for a few seconds and dance the rest of the round.
Nery has always been able to hit. He is a pantomime villain who made even the notoriously reticent Japanese audience laugh. This was the same type of crowd that sat in tranquil serene when James “Buster” Douglas delivered one of the greatest sports surprises of all time to Mike Tyson in this same venue 34 years ago.
Nery’s beating was inflicted on behalf of a nation still seething over the ongoing treatment of Shinsuke Yamanaka back in 2017/2018. Inoue hasn’t forgotten either.
Perhaps too comfortable fighting at home, he woke up, delivered the buoyant Nery to his trademark left hook in the second round, and normal, violent activities resumed until the stunning finish.
It was the perfect end to a packed few days. That’s enough time to regroup, take a moment and get ready for the diminutive matter of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk.
The fight to determine the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Next was supposed to be Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol, before Beterbiev’s powerful frame creaked under the strain and Bivol was left without a dancing partner for a moment.
All that remains is a five-on-five undercard, headlined by Wilder vs. Zhang. Just a few weeks before Vergil Ortiz Jr vs. Tim Tszyu and a few weeks after Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia. A fight in which the weaker, seemingly dissolving in mental malaise, only became enraged.
Of course, there were harmful remnants of the failed drug test that marred the victory. However, at that time, as it turned out, there was a kind of magic that only boxing creates.
Canelo’s pushes and pushes before his fight with Oscar De La Hoya and Inoue’s shocking knockdown were reminders that boxing is a sport full of emotions and moments. Expecting to see one thing and suddenly you get a live curveball, destroying everything you previously believed in, leave you with unforgettable moments to savor.
From the opening bell it was suggested that Inoue would be too quick for Nery. His hands, head movement, footwork and punching power are all sublime. Two minutes later he timidly stands up from the canvas. This can’t happen. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This has become.
What’s App groups lightweight up as the action unfolds in real time. When I say, “I was there,” I live in person or at home. You saw him grow and you’ll still remember it years later.
A breathless weekend before a few breathless weeks. Imagine what boxing will be like when things are good again.
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Boxing
Brooklyn heavyweight Pryce Taylor is looking forward to 2025
Published
25 minutes agoon
December 18, 2024Fighting for the first time with the full support of his promoter, Salita Promotions, undefeated Brooklyn heavyweight Pryce Taylor later said he was confident and confident he could do well in boxing.
Taylor (5-0, 3 KO), 28, defeated KeShawn Jackson last Thursday night in Flint, Michigan, fighting in an exhibition put on by his promoter in which he recorded an impressive third-round stoppage to finish his 2024 campaign on a high. year note.
“It was good to fight on a bigger stage, in a compact arena, in a nice atmosphere,” Taylor said about his first fight with a promotional contract. “My manager, Keith Sullivan, supported me by agreeing to sign with Salita Promotions. He talked to several promoters, but we felt that Dimitri Salita would be the right candidate for me.
“I felt like I had succeeded; I felt essential, but that was just the beginning. It was the same on fight night, I felt respect and appreciation from the entire Salita promotional company. My goal is to be a more recognizable player and be recognized by the fans. I’m hungry to perform in the coming year.”
“Four knockdowns were counted. I really hurt him with a body shot and when he felt my power he was done. I threw a barrage of punches into the corner (ss photo below) and he tried to hit me with a windmill punch. Then I hit him with a check hook, which ended the fight. He (Jackson) didn’t want to get knocked out, so he tried to show he was still fighting.”
“Of course,” Sullivan commented, “I’m joyful with the victory. This was another developmental fight and Pryce is learning and developing as a fighter. We had a busy year with 8 fights scheduled and 5 that actually crossed the line, so it was a very good first year for him as a pro. Right after that, I talked to Dimitri to arrange the next fight. We hope to have it scheduled in the coming weeks.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Taylor wants his next fight to be a six-rounder scheduled for his next outing, then move up to eight to fight for the junior title.
“I will now train to play 10 rounds,” Taylor concluded, “so that I will be ready when it comes time to play 12 rounds.”
Boxing
AI referee ‘free from bias and human error’ during audit of Usyk vs. Fury 2 match
Published
17 hours agoon
December 17, 2024Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch with Tyson Fury on Saturday night will go down in history for several reasons, but now there are more of them than any other.
Turki Alalshikh has confirmed that the Usyk vs. Fury 2 fight will be supervised by an AI referee in a first-of-its-kind boxing event. Artificial intelligence statistics are nothing recent in sports and have been developed for years by companies such as JABBR, which claim that “technological progress eliminates elements of human error from sports.”
AI referee overseeing the Usyk vs Fury 2 fight
Riyad’s season leader, Alalshikh, has taken the first step to ensure the future of the sport where all boxers who deserve to win receive their reward. The fourth scorer will only be present this time to check the score, but if he proves successful, he may become a indefinite player in the sport.
Explaining his intentions, Alalshikh said: “For the first time in history, the fight will be monitored by an artificial intelligence referee. [The judge will be] Free from bias and human error, which The Ring offers you [his recently purchased magazine].
“This groundbreaking experiment, which will have no impact on official results, will debut during the biggest fight of the century, Usyk vs. Fury 2, on December 21. Don’t miss the history in the making,” he added.
The news came during the Grand Arrivals event, which featured a monumental clash that will see Usyk and Fury fight for a unified heavyweight crown at the Kingdom Arena. Usyk [20-0, 13 KOs] puts his WBC, WBA and WBO belts on the line against former two-time heavyweight champion Fury [33-1-1, 24 KOs]. The highly anticipated rematch will take place on Saturday, December 21, worldwide on DAZN PPV at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Usyk vs Fury card information updated
Former interim WBC 154-pound titleholder Serhii Bohachuk [24-2, 23 KOs] Now he will face British boxer Ishmael Davis [13-1, 6 KOs] in a 12-round super welterweight fight after Israil Madrimov was forced to withdraw due to illness.
Rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma [22-0, 10 KOs] and his opponent, Australian Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KO), are ready to fight. Undefeated Johnny Fisher [12-0, 11 KOs[ squares off against former Commonwealth title challenger Dave Allen [23-6, 18 KOs].
Meanwhile, former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Peter McGrail [10-1, 6 KOs] takes over from Rhys Edwards at the last minute [16-0, 4 KOs] in a super featherweight fight. Isaac Lowe is also on the bill [25-2-3, 8 KOs[ will face Lee McGregor [14-1-1, 11 KOs] in a featherweight fight.
Daniel Lapin completes the card [10-0, 4 KOs]in which he will face another undefeated lightweight champion prospect, Dylan Colin [14-0, 4 KOs]and heavyweight knockout artist Andrii Novytskyi [14-0, 10 KOs] will face Edgar Ramirez [10-1-1, 4 KOs].
As is the tradition of the season, Riyad will feature local talent as Mohammed Alakel looks for a 2-0 win over Joshua Ocampo [8-33-5, 6 KOs].
Boxing
Billy Dib wins the final battle after a successful battle with cancer
Published
2 days agoon
December 16, 2024Former two-time world champion and cancer survivor Billy Dib won an eight-round super lightweight farewell bout against Game, the brave but outclassed Atilla Kayabasi.
The Z’s, aka all-time greats Carlos Zarate and Alfonso Zamora, brought “Billy The Kid” to the ring accompanied by the sweet tones of Frank Sinatra singing My…what else? Adolescent Bridger Walker performed Round Card duties between rounds.
Billy gave us a virtuoso performance, making Atilla’s face turn red with every strike on the book. The gulf of experience and a cascade of blows would have defeated a weaker man, Atilla survived it. Billy raised his hand moments before the bell rang to end the eighth and final round.
By winning his last fight, the WBC Champion of Hope achieved the impossible. He and Atilla embraced, and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman entered the ring to say: “This is an extraordinary dream come true. Now we welcome Billy outside the ring.”
Dib said, “Alhamdulillah, I won and left on my own terms. There’s no better way to close this chapter. Thank you to Mauricio Sulaiman, my wife, my son Laith, my family and my amazing fans for all the love. I dedicate this victory to Israel Vázquez, every cancer warrior, and to my brother Vames.”
Billy brave. Billy the fearless one who fought against the darkest and most pressing adversities. Our tears of joy and admiration for the Hero who always smiles, even in the darkest hour, before the dawn.
The results of the glorious fight night organized at the 62nd World Boxing Council Convention at the Grand Elysee Hotel saw several hard-fought fights for the WBC championship from nuclear to heavyweight.
In the main fight of the evening, WBC super flyweight champion Asley González successfully defended her title against Mary Romero.
The more compact and harder-hitting Asley pursued a longer-armed, short-haired opponent who was constantly spinning in retreat.
There was some heated exchanges when they came together, but the lasting combinations came from Asley, who actually got caught with some tough, but single, solitary rights. Her level of work, more precise, concise beam punches and high-pressure fighting forcing Mary to constantly retreat won UD over.
Tough-hitting southpaw striker Mourad Aliev defended his WBC International Silver heavyweight title with a sixth-round KO victory over Davide Brito. Physically more imposing, Mourad made contact and often.
In the third round, David suffered a nosebleed and his mouthguard was broken, causing him to fall from one side of the ring to the other. He tried to fight back sporadically, but in round six he was trapped on the ropes and dropped by a massive right hand. Everything is over.
Serkay Comert won the WBC International silver title by defeating Yassin Hermi via UD. In the third round, it turned into an all-out war, which continued into the next round.
Serkay often struggled against the ropes and landed frequently. Yassin’s face swelled and in the sixth round a series of punches landed on him, and before the eighth round the ring doctor looked at him for a long time. He fought tough but got hit, especially down the stretch.
Ermal Hadribeaj won the MD title by defeating Eddy Colnenares to win the WBC International super welterweight belt. The lanky, much taller Eddy, who has the reach of an albatross, was shaky for the first three rounds. He then came to life and there was a lively exchange of words.
Southpaw Ermal was constantly jumping and weaving to avoid those long ramrod arms. He was more concerned with getting the win.
Benjamin Gavazi defeated Branimir Malencia in the tenth and final round to win the WBC international silver featherlight heavyweight title. Ben was catching Bran with right hands and various uppercuts. While Bran tried to crowd him and deal damage from head to toe. Two left-right headshot combinations in round ten convinced Bran to throw in the red towel at 1.41. So… TKO.
Esneidy Rodriguez defeated Sana Hazuki via UD for the WBC Silver Atomweight belt. The taller Suri tried to keep him at bay, but was relentlessly pursued by the more compact and powerful and grimly determined Esneidy, who landed several piercing combos and uppercuts. Suri had some success with long straight rights, but paid the price when Esneidy negated the range.
Brooklyn heavyweight Pryce Taylor is looking forward to 2025
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