Boxing
Fighting Words: Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach isn’t perfect, but neither are her circumstances
Published
1 month agoon
We want steak, but it looks like we’ll have to settle for fish.
It’s not the main course we were hoping for, but it shouldn’t leave an unpleasant aftertaste in our mouths. At least not considering the circumstances. And it’s certainly better than going hungry.
That’s the situation with Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ next fight, which could end up pitting the WBA lightweight champion against WBA junior lightweight champion Lamont Roach Jr. Nothing is official yet, but boxing reporter Dan Rafael recently said it was possible for the December 21 pay-per-view, while ESPN’s Mike Coppinger told Roach is the favorite to start the fight.
It’s normal to be disappointed by this news.
It’s fair to want better opponents for Davis.
It’s unfair to blame Davis – at least not this time.
Davis (30-0, 28 KO) has become one of boxing’s biggest stars thanks to his obvious talent and thrilling performances that showcase his skill, ring sense and fight-changing power. Video of Davis’ eighth-round victory over Frank Martin on June 15, posted by Premier Boxing Champions on July 15: it has amassed 5.8 million views on YouTube.
Martin was undefeated and was ranked in the top 10 in the lightweight division prior to this fight. Davis has faced other respectable opponents over the past few years, and some of them look even better in hindsight, such as Tank’s 11th-round technical knockout of Mario Barrios in June 2021 and the unanimous decision over Isaac “Pitbull” . Cruz in December 2021
Barrios, then a junior welterweight, moved up to 147 pounds and defeated Yordenis Ugas to win the world title. Cruz moved up to 140 pounds and dethroned Rolando Romero, another Davis victim, for the WBA belt. Cruz recently lost that title to Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela. (More on Valenzuela a little later in this column.)
However, boxing fans wanted Davis to move beyond the second division at 135 pounds and test his talent against other top fighters. There were many reasons why these fights didn’t happen over the years.
This time they just weren’t available.
The other world champion titles are held by Vasily Lomachenko (IBF), Shakur Stevenson (WBC) and Denis Berinchyk (WBO). Negotiations between Davis and Lomachenko are over, Lomachenko’s team said he didn’t want to return to the ring for the rest of the yearthat he doesn’t feel motivated to fight and prefers to spend time with his family.
The news was disappointing, though not entirely surprising, given Lomachenko’s long career, dating back to his long time in the amateurs, as well as what we had heard from him and how little we had seen of him.
Lomachenko fought just once in 2022, winning a decision over Jamain Ortiz. He fought just once in 2023, challenging Devin Haney for the undisputed lightweight title and dropping a close decision that some thought could have gone Lomachenko’s way. He will end 2024 after just one fight, defeating George Kambosos Jr. in May. in the fight for the vacant IBF belt.
In the post-fight interview, Lomachenko dedicated the victory to his father, who played such a significant role in his career.
“It’s a title for him because after Haney I want to end my boxing career.” – said Lomachenko. “After that fight with Haney, I proved that I am in this sport and I don’t need to continue. But my father sends me messages every day and every time he sends me my latest fights, my highlights, and I feel like he wants to continue, he wants to win the title again. And he told me, “Hey, we have to do this again.” We have to fight for the title again.” It was a hard decision for me because I’m tired. But I love my family. I love my father. I respect my father. My father built me in boxing and in life. And that’s the title. This is my father’s victory.”
Stevenson, a free agent after leaving Top Rank, eventually signed with Matchroom and announced a fight with former junior lightweight title champion Joe Cordina on October 12 undercard Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitriy Bivol. Stevenson then suffered an injury in training and had to withdraw from the fight against Cordina. It is expected to return in 2025.
Berinchyk doesn’t have name value nor does he seem to have the attributes that Lomachenko and Stevenson have.
William Zepeda, who is the No. 1 contender for all four major world titles, initially turned down a fight with Stevenson, apparently because his wife was about to give birth. However, Zepeda has signed a contract for a November fight with former junior lightweight titleholder Tevin Farmer.
Some thought Cruz would get a rematch with Davis. Cruz competed against Davis in their first fight and is one of only two men to last the distance against Tank. (It should be noted that Davis has been dealing with a hand injury.)
That belief disappeared when Cruz lost to Valenzuela in August. Will Valenzuela not only win Cruz’s title, but also inherit the opportunity?
“I have a rematch clause [with Cruz] now, so I’m waiting, but if not, then Teofimo [Lopez] and second [140-pound] “masters” Valenzuela recently told FaceOfBoxingTV. What about the rumors that he turned down the Davis fight? “It wasn’t actually an offer. It was more like I had just been asked about Tank. I said not at 35 and we never really delved into it. There were no details or anything. I don’t know if you consider this an offer, but it happened.
Valenzuela has fought in the 135-pound weight class for most of his career and was a lightweight as recently as December of last year. However, you can’t blame him if he thinks junior welterweight is better for his body. You also can’t blame Davis if he wants to stay at lightweight now, even though he moved up to 140 pounds before the Barrios fight.
That leaves Davis with few options, and among lightweights, none are particularly attractive. Once you get past the three other titleholders and Zepeda, the rest of the rankings z “Ring” magazine. and International Boxing Rating Council are mostly made up of prospects who are still developing (Raymond Muratalla, Keyshawn Davis, Andy Cruz, Zaur Abdullaev) or who have recently failed to live up to the hype (Kambosos and Martin).
Edwin De Los Santos is not classified by these observers, but he is rated by the WBA and therefore could fight for the belt. De Los Santos scored a knockout over Valenzuela in 2022, although he also punched a downed Valenzuela one round earlier. However, his last fight was a decision loss to Stevenson in November 2023.
Since there isn’t much space on 135, Roach can enter from 130. And from the Washington street side.
This is another reason why this fight is worth fighting.
If Tank fails to face any of the top lightweights and does not wish to remain inactive until the end of 2024, a fight against Roach would be an acceptable substitute. Or at least it’s as good as it can be, even if it doesn’t satisfy us as much as a steak dinner.
Roach (25-1-1, 10 KO) has won six in a row since his only loss, a decision that came in 2019 in favor of Jamel Herring. His biggest victory came last November when Roach defeated Hector Garcia by split decision to win the world title. Garcia is another former enemy of Tank; Davis stopped him in nine rounds in January 2023 at lightweight, about 10 months before Garcia’s loss to Roach.
It was fun to watch Roach’s progress. It’s still demanding to imagine him causing Tank too much trouble. However, the fight could be organized and staged in Davis’ hometown of Baltimore or, more likely, in DC itself. Although this is Roach’s hometown, it was here that Davis headlined the fight against Hector Garcia. The fight will do well at the box office.
Another issue is pay-per-view. Davis is one of the biggest stars in the United States. Some may purchase the stream just to see him perform; the opponent takes them less into account, if at all. For others, the prospect of Davis vs. Roach may be intriguing enough to be worth watching, but not intriguing enough to commit to it.
Boxing fans can and should talk to their wallets. Just because there’s a fight going on doesn’t mean you have to buy into it. If you really don’t feel like eating fish, you may want to avoid eating at a restaurant until steak is available again.
As for Davis, just because a huge fight isn’t available doesn’t mean he should wait on the sidelines. I’d rather see Tank back on the battlefield, even if he just had to fight his way through and knock down an armed enemy. It’s better than sitting around collecting rust.
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Boxing
Deontay Wilder has only one option left or his career is over
Published
4 days agoon
November 1, 2024Deontay Wilder continues to deny that he has the only real chance to win another world title.
Wilder has a sedate chance of becoming a two-weight world champion after losing for the fourth time in his career.
The American was dominated by Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia before being knocked out by Zhilei Zhang.
Wilder remains adamant that he can still become a two-time ruler of the weight class, despite the obvious possibility of being relegated to the bridge division.
“I need to get my killer instinct back. I’m too composed; I’m too joyful. When I had this dog inside me, no one had a chance. I will be a two-time heavyweight champion of the world,” Wilder told 78SPORTSTV.
At just Parker’s 213 pounds, Wilder was eleven pounds under the bridge weight benchmark. He could enter the rankings right away at 224 pounds and finish high in the rankings.
Due to his standing in the World Boxing Council, which means he is ranked in the top 15 despite one victory in five years, World Boxing News understands that Wilder could even be rated number one if he ever decides to cut weight.
He had previously ruled out fighting at super cruiserweight, but that was before he lost three times in his last four fights.
The “Brown Bomber” can’t cope with bigger heavyweights who operate the right tactics. Therefore, his fixation on the world champion may finally cause Wilder to swallow his pride and go down.
If he ever did, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman would undoubtedly rate the huge boxer as capable of immediately fighting for the belt.
For now, Wilder still believes he can compete in the top flight.
“I want to give the fans what they want to see,” Wilder added, before delving into Joshua’s career. “There is a difference between being born a champion and becoming one.
“Once you become one, you are very selective about who you choose. You move carefully through the jungle.
“When you are born a King, you don’t give because you are a King. I am a born king. He is [Joshua] became king, and if not, then [the fight] would happen.”
The current bridgeweight champion is Łukasz Różański. The undefeated Pole in his current form would still be a complex proposition for Wilder.
But Wilder will never lose his punching power. This means he will always have a chance to continue his legacy as the ruler of the two-weight boxing world.
It all comes down to pride.
Boxing
Canelo vs Chris Eubank Jr fight falls apart after ‘completely false’ claims
Published
5 days agoon
October 31, 2024Canelo Alvarez fighting Chris Eubank Jr. is out of the question as coach Eddy Reynoso claims the Briton missed his chance.
Reynoso was reacting to claims by Eubank and his team that the fight could take place at Wembley Stadium in England next May. According to Reynoso, who told former World Boxing News chief writer Dan Rafael, Canelo is looking in a different direction.
Eubank said before rejecting Reynoso Heavenly sports“This fight could happen within the next year. There is no available fighter pool and no more names that fight fans want to see.
“After [David] Benavidez, there are no other boys. Maybe [Artur] Beterbieva and [Dmitry] Bivol, but they’re not in his weight class and he probably wouldn’t defend these guys.
“Me and Canelo would be a damn good combination. Two very different personalities and very different backgrounds. That would be great fun. This will be great fun.”
. @Canelo he doesn’t talk @ChrisEubankJr According to Canelo’s manager, there are no plans to meet with him @CANELOTEAMwho spoke to Fight Freaks Unite and dismissed the comments made by @boxxerBen Shalom. Read my story and sign up for mine #box bulletin: https://t.co/5pBHOLKluW pic.twitter.com/7robTlh0y1
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) October 30, 2024
In an interview with Rafael for his daily newsletter, Reynoso firmly stated that the fight would never happen and that Eubank would no longer be considered.
“It’s completely false. Eubank had his chance to fight Canelo in September. All he did was complicate the negotiations. We will not contact him again before a future fight.”
When asked if they had a successor in line, Reynoso replied, “Anyone but Eubank,” to make sure the son of a legend knew his place in line.
Eubank may turn to Conor Benn again after his recent clash with his nemesis in Saudi Arabia. Promoter Ben Shalom also spoke to Sky Sports about Canelo before Reynoso ended the fight.
“The two fights for me are Canelo and Conor Benn. We have already started brief talks about fighting Canelo,” Shalom told Sky Sports.
“Of course [Canelo] last time it was close. I believe this is a fight that interests Canelo. You can imagine a press conference in the UK and the US. It would be absolutely huge.
“I think Canelo needs dance partners, but he also needs stars. I don’t think his last few opponents were the biggest stars. Chris Eubank Jr. he is definitely a large star.
“If he ever fights in the UK it will be a sell-out fight at Wembley Stadium. For me, that’s number one on the list.”
Judging by Reynoso’s comments, Benn is taking the reins again as Eubank’s next opponent.
Boxing
Manny Flores scores a 110-second KO at Golden Boy Fight Night
Published
1 week agoon
October 26, 2024The final installment of Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN in 2024 ended with absolute fireworks, with Coachella Valley hometown hero Manuel “Gucci Manny” Flores (19-1, 15 KO) ending the fight at 1:50 of the first round when he faced from Sonora, Mexican Victor Olivo (21-5-1, 9 KO).
The 10-round super bantamweight fight ended with a massive punch to the body from which Olivo was unable to recover. The event took place live at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and was broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“I feel good,” said Manuel Flores. “It was only one round, so I feel good, I can start again. Today I give myself a B. I should have stopped it sooner.
During the co-main gala organized in cooperation with Miguel Cotto Promotions, Tito Sanchez (14-0, 8 KO) from Cathedral City electrified the audience with a stunning knockout victory over the tough Edwin “Pupo” Palomares (18-5-3, 9 KO). The 10-round featherweight fight began with fierce action, with Palomares’ right eye being cut in the second round and Sanchez’s left eye being cut by an accidental headbutt in the third. It was at the end of the eighth round that Sanchez landed a series of punches with his right hand, ending the fight at 0:53, securing the victory by KO.
“I feel really great,” said Tito Sanchez. “My performance wasn’t great in the earlier rounds because I wasn’t letting go yet, but when I threw with my right hand it worked and that’s what we were waiting for, that moment. Palomares kept throwing; he wouldn’t let me put my foot down so I could catch him with my right. His condition was excellent. Today he was in the right place.”
Maintaining his undefeated record, Coachella Valley’s Grant Flores (7-0, 5 KO) defeated Karolina and Luis Ramos (7-5-1, 7 KO) in a six-round middleweight fight. The back and forth action kept fans on their feet; Flores received a warning in the third round for a low punch, and Ramos went to a knee in the fifth round. The judges scored the fight unanimously in Flores’ favor with scores of 60-53, 59-54 and 60-53. Also at the DAZN gala, in a super-lightweight fight scheduled for six rounds, Daniel “Junebug” Garcia (10-0, 8 KO) from Denver defeated Jorge Villegas from California (14-3, 13 KO) from Oxnard by knockout in the second round. Villegas succumbed twice to Garcia’s power and did not survive the 10-count.
Also representing Coachella Valley, Cayden Griffiths (2-0, 2 KO) dazzled the audience by knocking out Markus Bowes (3-7, 2 KO) of Roxboro, North Carolina, in the third round in a welterweight fight scheduled for four rounds. Opening the DAZN broadcast, Johnny “Sugarcane” Cañas (6-0, 2 KO) from Santa Ana defeated Pedro “Zurdo de Oro” Cruz (3-6, 2 KO) from San Jose. The six-round lightweight fight was controlled largely by Cañas, with Cruz suffering a cut to his right eye from an accidental headbutt and a cut to his left eye from a tough blow to the head. All three judges scored the fight 60-54 for Cañas.
In the preliminary fights, Daniel “Ikaika” Luna (5-1, 5 KO) of Victorville added another knockout to his resume, defeating Caracas, Giovanna Gonzalez (2-6, 2 KO) of Venezuela in the second round. Scheduled as a four-round lightweight match, Luna sent Gonzalez to the mat twice in the second round and the referee waved off the fight at 2:44. Kicking off the fight night with a four-round super bantamweight bout, Kevin Gudiño (1-0, 1 KO) of West Covina made a successful professional debut, defeating Bryan Cox (0-2) of Cedar Hill, Texas, by technical knockout. Cox was knocked to the mat in the first round, and his corner kick stopped the fight after the first round.
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