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Paulie Malignaggi’s picks: For Martin to have any chance against Tank, he needs to be relaxed

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I’m not convinced that Gervonta “Tank” Davis is the best lightweight fighter in the world, but he’s certainly the most electrifying. He’s certainly an elite fighter as well.

Frank Martin, his opponent on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, is also in the top five.

I like this combination. Martin was on track to fight Shakur Stevenson not too long ago, and I’m curious to see how good he can be at the highest level. I want to see Davis tested against his best opponent, and while that probably won’t happen on Saturday – Davis is undoubtedly a real possibility – we’ll soon find out just how good Martin can be.

The fight between Davis, the WBA champion, and Stevenson may be the best that can be made at 135 pounds, but the fight between him and Martin after that is one of the best. Another one of the best fights that could be made would be between Davis and Vasily Lomachenko; Davis has recently talked about a future fight with Lomachenko, and given that Martin, like Lomachenko, is a southpaw, it’s tempting to wonder if he sees Martin as the test he needs before that happens.

The Davis-Ryan Garcia fight ended up being the biggest fight of 2023. Just over a year later, as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez neared the end of his career, Davis is among those who could replace him and be the biggest attraction in the sport. But he needs to stay busy and before he can, he has to fight against the best opponents; he has potential star power and skill, but has previously been guilty of unremarkable pay-per-view fights.

When a fighter’s star rises, it is critical that he continues to fight and defeat his top opponents and do so regularly. Davis was impressive at first against Garcia, whom he stopped in seven rounds, but they fought at 136 pounds and with a hydration clause that worked against Garcia enough to make the night lose some of its luster from then on. If that had been followed by two or three wins – Garcia has since fought twice and in the period in which he had to recover from his first defeat and replaced Joe Goossen as trainer with Derrick James, who also trains Martin – in June 2024 it would have been less critical.

Davis’s legal troubles contributed to his inaction. Sometimes having a fighter involved in a controversy can assist a fighter’s profile, but in Davis’ case it means he fights less and potentially hurts his brand.

If he is to become a top prospect for the Premier Boxing Champions, it looks like they need to do more to keep him elated. He did not appear at Tuesday’s gala and complained about the way Saturday’s fight was promoted.

Martin can fight, but Davis – especially after defeating Garcia – is a fighter with extensive fighting experience. Without that same experience, it’s unclear how loose Martin will be on fight night. In a fight like Saturday’s, he has to give his all. The slightest sign of tension will leisurely his defensive reactions, which an opponent as sturdy as Davis can take advantage of. This is the biggest fight of Martin’s career – not the biggest of Davis’ career – so I’m also curious how relaxed he will be. He will almost certainly feel under pressure. A certain level of nerves and pressure is natural for a fighter in his first huge fight, and being able to control can assist him greatly.

Their previous sparring sessions were mentioned, but unless Martin was completely inappropriate, to the point of being completely out of his league – which I doubt – there is still something he can take from this experience and utilize to his advantage.

I expect him to prove to be a competitive opponent. As of this writing, the win over Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz is the best of Davis’ career – he had to make changes and show his skills against a good fighter. I also expect Davis to win by stoppage – somewhere around the ninth round. The nature of their fight means it could end up being an even better win for Davis than the one over Cruz.

On Saturday, Subriel Matias will defend his IBF super lightweight title against Liam Paro in Puerto Rico. Paro is a decent opponent, but Matias is a tough, nightmare type of opponent, and I didn’t see enough dimensions in Paro for him to be able to handle him. Matias should be considered the best in the world at 140 pounds.

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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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