Boxing
Eddie Hearn defends Canelo’s choice of Berlanga, dismisses claims of simple matchup
Published
4 months agoon
By
J. HumzaEddie Hearn insists Canelo Alvarez is not the favourite as he picks Edgar Berlanga to defend his title on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Matchroom promoter Hearn points out that Berlanga is similar to Canelo’s previous opponent, Jaime Munguia, and he considered it a “fairly close fight” back in May. He says Berlanga is Canelo’s WBA mandatory and is the best available option.
Berlanga: Mandatory challenger, not a cushioned touch
Berlanga was David Morrell’s mandatory for his WBA “regular” super middleweight title, but he didn’t want to fight him for obvious reasons. Morrell would probably beat Berlanga fairly easily. Canelo inherited Berlanga as the WBA mandatory after Morrell moved up to 175, but he didn’t have to fight him if he didn’t want to.
If Canelo didn’t want to fight Berlanga, he could have ignored him, as he did with David Benavidez, the WBC mandatory title challenger, and William Scull, the IBF mandatory title challenger.
Hearn has promoted Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs), so it wouldn’t make sense for him to admit that Canelo deliberately picked an simple opponent for the Sept. 14 fight. You wouldn’t expect Hearn to say outright that Canelo picked a terrible fighter with a terrible record who doesn’t deserve a title shot.
Hearn’s View: Canelo Never Shuns a Challenge
“I don’t think so. Right before the Golovkin fight he fought Dmitry Bivol and he got his ass kicked,” said Eddie Hearn Boxing Newsreacting to the news that some fans believe Canelo Alvarez will be competing against beatable opponents.
When Canelo chose Bivol to fight in 2022, Bivol had recently fought Craig Richards and looked awful in that fight. Bivol won, but it was close and he looked timid. It is believed that Canelo chose Bivol because of how he looked against Richards. If not for that, Canelo would have stayed away from him and avoided defeat.
“He fought before [40-year-old] Gennady Golovkin in a trilogy,” Hearn said of Canelo. Even Jermell Charlo, everything is very good after the fact, but when the fight is set and the undisputed 154-pounder moves up to 168, suddenly he [Canelo] wins easily and it’s a mismatch.”
Fans on social media were very critical of Canelo for choosing to fight Jermel Charlo last year instead of defending against David Benavidez. They did not praise the choice, and few thought Jermell could win. Fans saw it as selective, and that is exactly what it was.
This was another example of Canelo fighting an opponent two divisions below him, as he did so against Amir Khan in 2016. Next year, Canelo will likely face another fighter who will come in two divisions when he fights Terence Crawford. Many believe a fight between Canelo and Crawford is in the works next year if they win their next fights.
“Jaime Munguia was in great shape” [when he fought Canelo]”, said Hearn. “He stopped John Ryder. I don’t see too many differences between Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga. It’s a pretty even fight, but Edgar Berlanga is [WBA] obligatory [for Canelo].”
Munguia has been a fighter who has faced average opponents throughout his 11-year career. The best two opponents Munguia had faced before the Canelo fight last May were 38-year-old Sergiy Derevyanchenko and 35-year-old John Ryder. They were B-level fighters at best when Munguia fought them. If he had faced either of them in 2016, he would have lost.
Some fans believe that Munguia’s entire career was based on fighting fringe opponents just to get a fight with Canelo. Munguia has been linked to Alvarez’s name from the very beginning as a potential future opponent.
Restricted options for Canelo
“William Scull is [IBF] mandatory. It’s a much better fight than William Scull,” Hearn said about Berlanga being a better option than Scull. “It’s Mexico vs. Puerto Rico [for the Berlanga fight].”
Obviously, Berlanga is a better choice than Scull for Canelo because he’s from Novel York, has a following in the city, and has been shown on ESPN and DAZN to American audiences. Scull is a fighter who the IBF rates highly based on wins over little-known opponents, and he lives in Germany. Berlanga is still not a good choice for Canelo, but he’s better than Scull.
“Who else could Canelo Alvarez fight now, other than David Benavidez?” Hearn said. “For some reason, he moved up to airy heavyweight, so it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”
Hearn forgets about David Morrell. Canelo could have fought him but didn’t want to. Canelo chose Berlanga instead and it’s simple to see why.
“So I think Edgar Berlanga is a good choice. I think he’ll give him a good fight and it’ll be a good event. But I don’t see many other options for Canelo Alvarez, to be forthright. One thing I can say about Canelo Alvarez is that he’ll never run away from a challenge. There’s no one he’s afraid of,” Hearn said.
Berlanga is a terrible choice for Canelo, and his popularity has taken a hit because he chose to fight him. Hearn is not going to criticize Canelo for choosing Berlanga because he promotes the Novel Yorker and the fight will bring in money. There will be nothing more for Berlanga because Canelo will wipe him off the face of the earth.
After Berlanga’s loss, Hearn can let him go because he’s done his job. Berlanga won’t be fighting substantial fights anymore and he won’t be worth keeping on Matchroom’s payroll. After losing to Canelo, Berlanga can only hope for a fight with Caleb Plant, which he’ll probably lose.
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
16 hours 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
1 day 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.
‘MIKE TYSON WON’T FIGHT EVER AGAIN!’ – Gareth A Davies
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