Paul-Chavez Preview

It seems as though it has become an annual tradition of sorts when social media influencer turned aspiring boxer Jake Paul is preparing to step back into the Boxing ring. Despite taking an unconventional route towards his stated goal of becoming a world champion, by fighting either folks with little or no Boxing experience or fighters who are long past their prime, rather than working his way up the ladder of prospects and contenders to get into a position where he could challenge for a world title, the one thing that is indisputable is whenever Paul steps into the ring, it becomes an event. This was proven in November of last year when the Cruiserweight boxer moved to Heavyweight to share the ring for eight rounds with former two-time Heavyweight world champion and Hall of Famer Mike Tyson. An event that marked streaming giant Netflix's entry into the sport of Boxing.

Despite the fact that Tyson, was fifty-eight years old and a shell of what he was when he was an active fighter, for better or worse, the bout proved to be a success for Netflix, despite technical issues with the live broadcast of the event, as it looks to increase its involvement in Boxing with two major events scheduled in the coming weeks and months, as well as a financial success in selling it the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium.

In reality, however, sharing the ring with a legend who was in no realistic position to compete and if one were honest, probably should not have been in the ring both due to his age as well as being retired for nearly twenty years since his last competitive fight, did little to quell the criticism of Paul and the victory over a shell of a once great fighter did not move him any closer to that goal of fighting for a world championship, and frankly it would be a travesty if it had.

Now Paul prepares to return to the ring on Saturday, June 28th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA as he will face former WBC Middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. in a fight that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. While this is a similar scenario as Paul's last outing in that he is facing a boxer with name recognition value and a former world champion that is past his prime, has not been as active as one would expect of a competitive fighter trying to work his way back into contention, the one thing that makes this a little difference is Chavez is nearing his fortieth birthday, and at least in theory, should be closer to what he was when he was competing regularly at least in terms of age.

In his last outing, Chavez scored a six round decision over former MMA fighter Uriah Hall on the undercard of Paul’s fight against Mike Perry in July of last year. Although Chavez did what was expected and scored a victory over a novice boxer, some may have expected him to be more convincing in a fight where he looked sluggish at times, which was attributable to inactivity. Immediately after defeating Hall, the seeds were planted for Chavez as a potential opponent for Paul following the Tyson event. In this aspect, it is not a surprise that Chavez will now be the opponent as Paul seems intent on continuing to forge an unconventional path towards what he hopes will lead to a shot at a world championship.

Despite the fact that Chavez is significantly closer to his athletic prime than what Tyson was, and keeping in mind that like Tyson, he has significantly more experience than Paul as a world-class boxer, this is another scenario where Paul will be facing someone with name recognition clout, but not one that is currently ranked and one would be justified to wonder whether a win for Paul will be enough to place him in the rankings of the Cruiserweight division even though he has yet to face a ranked boxer in any of the respective sanctioning organizations rankings.

This fact will likely mean regardless of what happens in the ring, criticism of Paul will continue win or lose. Meanwhile, for Chavez, if he has approached this fight seriously, which became an issue for him throughout his career, lead to some setbacks, and stretches of inactivity, this could for better or worse and for lack of a better term, serve as a way to reboot his career and try to use a victory here to try and get one more opportunity at a world championship at an advanced stage of his career.

Frankly, we will have to wait and see whether this is a fight or as was the case last November, more of an event rooted in the curiosity of the casual sports fan than the expectation and anticipation of a competitive fight. For the moment, this observer cannot give an answer.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.*

Paul vs. Chavez takes place on Saturday, June 28th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $59.99. The card will begin with preliminary bouts at 3PM ET/12PM PT. This will be followed by the main pay-per-view card, which will begin at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Price Points and Start Times Only. Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, Availability around the world, local start times in your area, region-specific pricing, to subscribe, and purchase this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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The Rebuilding Process Begins For Deontay Wilder

There is little doubt that over the last decade and a half few fighters have had the type of success as Deontay Wilder. An Olympic Bronze medalist in the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wilder took that accomplishment and made it part of his identity “The Bronze Bomber." An appropriate moniker given his reputation as a true " Knockout Artist” and having a five year reign atop the Heavyweight division as the WBC’s World Heavyweight champion from 2015-2020 where he successfully defended his crown ten times. The end of that run of dominance in being stopped in his second encounter with Tyson Fury in February 2020, however, began a slow, but consistent decline for Wilder including being on the receiving end of a second stoppage at the hands of Fury in their thrilling third enclosure in October 2021. Since that fight, Wilder has only won one of his last three fights. 

In his last outing in June of last year, Wilder was the victim of a one sided fifth round knockout at the hands of top contender Zhilei Zhang. It was after that fight that many, including this observer, questioned whether that fight would be the end of Wilder’s career. The reason for that is not only due to the losses he has suffered and the toll the trilogy with Tyson Fury took on him, but also the stretches of inactivity in recent years, which also had to have impacted him in those defeats. Now one year removed from the loss to Zhang, Wilder prepares to re-enter competition as he will face veteran Tyrell Herndon on Friday, June 27th at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, KS in a fight that can be seen on digital subscription general entertainment network BLK Prime and as a pay-per-view offering across cable/satellite providers and PPV.com. 

If one were objective as this observer fortunately is, they would be honest as I will be with the reader in saying that this has all the appearance of a “Comeback Fight" designed to serve as a confidence builder for Wilder and more specifically as a way to both work off ring rust and to evaluate where Wilder is at this stage in his career. While this is not a fight that will put Wilder back in the discussion of top Heavyweight contenders, these types of fights are vital not only as a means of staying active, but also as a way to get a fighter like a former world champion as Wilder is, in the best possible form before trying to get back to the top. 

Frankly, it is a method of gaining and maintaining a fighter’s activity and sharpness that is rarely seen in present times particularly as notable fighters with name recognition, like Wilder, opt to compete sporadically, in part because of the lucrative paydays attached to it, which removes the necessity to remain consistently active at least from a financial standpoint. The obvious flaw, however, despite the fact that those fighters at or near the top of the sport are in a position to make significant money by waiting for the most lucrative opportunities, is that over time inactivity will have a negative impact on those fighters inside the ring. In Wilder’s case, his inactivity has been due both a bitter split with his former manager Al Haymon and the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters as well as needing to recover from losses, including the knockouts at the hands of Fury and Zhang. At his best, however, Wilder is a devastating puncher that is capable of ending a fight at any time with either hand as illustrated by his forty-two knockouts in forty-three career wins and near 90% career knockout percentage.

How likely are we to see glimpses of that version of Wilder? In Tyrell Herndon, the former world champion will face a veteran of twenty-nine professional fights with a respectable 24-5, with 14 Knockouts record coming into this fight. Although most of Herndon’s victories have come against relatively unknown opposition, he will enter this fight riding a three fight win streak. A red flag as to Herndon’s potential chances, however, and a likely reason he was selected as the opponent for Wilder on this occasion is he has been stopped in four of his five losses, most notably at the hands of unbeaten rising Heavyweight contender and former Olympic Silver medalist Richard Torrez, who stopped him in the second round in October 2023.

What Herndon can point to as something in his favor going into this fight is he has been considerably more active than Wilder, albeit against a lower level of competition since his loss to Torrez. Whether that will be enough to compete effectively with a fighter with the type of power that Wilder has remains to be seen. Herndon is not known for his punching power and some might suggest that his best chance for success here in this fight will be to try and implement a boxer’s approach similar to the one that former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker was able to implement when he faced and defeated Wilder in December 2023 in scoring a wide twelve round unanimous decision victory.

As Wilder now tries to bounce back from his third knockout loss, there may be some who believe that he might be damaged after what was a brutal knockout at the hands of Zhilei Zhang. Although that possibility should not be dismissed, it would be ill advised for Herndon to go in with the mentality of trying to get Wilder out of there as Wilder has done to many of his opponents throughout his career. 

While this indeed has all the appearance of a “Comeback Fight" and keeping in mind that there are indeed levels to combat sports and seemingly every metric tips in Wilder’s favor, we won't know what Wilder has until he and Herndon are in the ring and whether this is the start of a rebuilding process of one of the most devastating fighters in the history of the Heavyweight division.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Wilder vs. Herndon takes place on Friday, June 27th at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, KS. The fight can be seen globally on digital subscription entertainment streaming network and platform BLK Prime beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT. The card will also be available on a pay-per-view basis across cable/satellite providers throughout the United States and Canada as well as PPV.com and it's streaming apps on mobile, tablet and connected streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs for $24.99. (As of this writing, it appears the event will be available to subscribers of BLK Prime at no additional cost, but is unconfirmed at the time of publishing of this column.)

To subscribe to BLK Prime and for information about where you can download the BLK Prime app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices, and Smart TVs please visit: www.BLKPrime.com  

(*Card and Start Time Subject to Change.*)

(*North American Start Times displayed only, visit BLKPrime.com the local start times internationally.*)

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Hitchins Makes A Statement With KO of Kambosos

On June 14th Brooklyn-born undefeated IBF Jr. Welterweight world champion Richardson Hitchins returned to New York City for his first title defense as the headliner of a card at The Theater inside of Madison Square Garden. For a fighter in Hitchens, who won the IBF world championship in the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division with a twelve round split decision over Liam Paro in December of last year, to make his first title defense inside of Madison Square Garden alone was a motivator. To be in the headline position, however, a solid performance in the theater inside of Madison Square Garden, which in itself is a historic Boxing venue, would be an obvious step towards eventually headlining in the Garden’s main arena.

Hitchins’ opponent also offered a dynamic of youth versus experience in the form of former two-time Lightweight world champion George Kambosos, who was no stranger to Madison Square Garden's theater having become Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world by decisioning Teofimo Lopez in the same ring in which this fight would take place in November 2021. Despite having a brief reign as undisputed Lightweight champion and then winning the IBO Lightweight world championship down the road in his career, much as was the case leading up to the Lopez bout, Kambosos was viewed as a significant underdog going against a young and unbeaten world champion.

Unlike Kambosos’ major accomplishment in dethroning Lopez, there would be no dramatic moments that would tip the scales in the challenger’s favor. For the champion Richardson Hitchins put on a performance that can be summed up in one word, “Dominant." 

From the opening bell, the champion used his height, reach, ability to use angles, and hand speed to keep Kambosos from being able to have any sustainable success beyond landing an occasional single punch. As the fight went on, the effects of the punishment dished out by the champion began to show on the former two-time world champion who gradually had all the visual signs of a fighter that though determined, had no answers and was taking a beating to the body and head. 

It would be Hitchins’ ability to change levels and make the body a focal point for his offense that would ultimately bring an end to this fight as a flush left hook to the body forced Kambosos to crumble to the canvas in the eighth round. The always “Game" Kambosos showed his mettle by trying to get up and to his credit, did seem to beat the count at the count of nine, but was in no condition to continue and the fight was promptly stopped.

If you were to draw up an ideal scenario for Richardson Hitchins in his first title defense and his first time as a main event in Madison Square Garden, you would be hard pressed to find one that would be better or one that was executed as perfectly as this performance was for the champion. In simple terms, Hitchins simply took his time and broke down a very " Game” opponent in George Kambosos. What might the future hold for this 27 year old champion who might just be entering his athletic prime? It is at times too easy to anoint a fighter as the next superstar in the sport after a performance like this where there were no flaws and a fight plan was carried out perfectly with almost surgical precision, but Hitchins does have star quality both in his skillset and the way he conducts himself and if he continues to produce these types of performances going forward, the label of "Superstar” will indeed be appropriate.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Former Two-Division World Champion Boxer Paulie Malignaggi Signs Three Fight Deal With BKB Bareknuckle Boxing

Credit: BKB Bareknuckle Boxing 

Press Release: June 17, 2025 By BKB Bareknuckle Boxing - Miami, Florida - Former IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi announced today his return to fighting, signing a three-fight deal with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing in hopes of becoming a 2-sport world champion and adding the historic Police Gazette Diamond Belt to his collection.

 

Malignaggi, who has served as BKB’s color commentator and lead analyst since 2021, will fight in the BKB Super Welterweight division and is slated to return to action and make his Trigon debut at BKB 45 on September 6 in Bristol, England.

 

Malignaggi, born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Sicily, holds a professional boxing record of 36-8 and has fought some of the biggest names in the sport including Miguel Cotto, Shawn Porter, Adrian Broner, Ricky Hatton and Zab Judah.

 

He notes that while it would be easy to leverage his name for an immediate shot at a BKB Bare Knuckle title (currently held by Wales’ Liam Rees), his desire is to first fight a contender and work his way to a shot at the title rather than leapfrogging fighters who have put in their time into the sport.

 

Said Malignaggi, “ I could easily use my position to jump right back into a title fight. But you know what? That's not what I'm going to do. I respect the fighters too much. Here at BKB, there's really good contenders in the super welterweight division. I know that I when this announcement gets around to the contenders, they're all going to want a piece of me. I want to fight one of those top contenders and earn my spot. I don't want to jump the line.  I still got what got the goods and I'm chasing that title.”

 

BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing consists of 5 3-minute rounds (6x3 for title fights) and is fought in the patented triangular ring, the Mighty Trigon - the smallest fighting surface in combat sports. Malignaggi feels that both the Trigon and the number of rounds best suit him at this stage of his career, and that his experience will be advantageous to his success. 

 

“Having sat ringside at BKB for three years, taking in these amazing fights, I'm always thinking, ‘These guys are impressive, but you know what? I think I can still do that.’ I used to fight 10, 12 rounds. I can still do 5 or 6 rounds.

 

“Ultimately, I want to prove something to myself.  I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in years, and being able to say I’ve been at the top of the game in two sports would just solidify my legacy in fighting. I don’t know who my first opponent will be yet, but I am confident that BKB will give me someone I can really test myself against.”

 

BKB’s next event will be this Saturday at 6 CT when Bare Knuckle Boxing makes its Tennessee debut at The Pinnacle in Nashville for BKB 42 Musich City Brawl. BKB then returns to the UK July 5 for BKB 43 in Bristol, England.  BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing airs live exclusively on VICE TV in the US and Canada and on talkSPORT in the UK and Ireland.  Visit bkbbareknuckle.com for tickets, information and all ways to watch.

 

About Paulie Malignaggi

 

One of the biggest personalities in combat sports, Paulie Malignaggi, a former 2-division boxing champion (having held the IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight titles), currently serves as BKB’s lead color commentator.  In addition to BKB, Malignaggi calls fights for ProBox TV and hosts his on YouTube show, Paulie TV.  Previously, he was part of Showtime’s boxing broadcast team. He has appeared in numerous television programs and movies including Gravesend, Bluebloods, and Undefeated, and had a feature documentary on his life leading up to his fight with Miguel Cotto, entitled Magic Man, which later aired on Showtime.

 

About BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing

 

In the past two years, BKB (originally BYB) has purchased the UK-based BKB, the world’s oldest professional bare knuckle boxing company, and in doing so merged the organizations to create the largest bare knuckle boxing company in the world in terms of roster, library and distribution; ushered in ethical and legalized gambling to the sport; acquired the rights to the historic and prestigious Police Gazette Diamond Belt which now serves as the Bare Knuckle Boxing World Championship; and brought bare knuckle boxing to lineal television in the United States with the recent deal with VICE TV, and to mainstream in the UK with a recent partnership with News UK’s talkSPORT.  For more information, visit bkbbareknuckle.com or follow @bkbbareknuckle on all social media platforms.

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of: BKB Bareknuckle Boxing  Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Champion Unites with Boxing Icon Katie Taylor in a Bold, Multi-Year Partnership

 

Credit: Champion Brand 

Press Release: June 13, 2025 By Champion Brand- The global sportswear brand Champion has announced a new multi-year deal with the iconic Irish fighter Katie Taylor ahead of her trilogy fight against Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden, airing live on Netflix July 11th. A force in the ring, Katie has become synonymous with grit, greatness, and unshakable belief and is considered by many to be the greatest female fighter of all-time.

The partnership includes a limited-edition KT Reverse Weave t-shirt which pays tribute to her extraordinary career, as well as a bespoke fight kit and team gear for the Serrano encounter and will lead to the launch later this year of a next-generation combat sports range, shaped by deep collaboration and insights from Taylor. Following the signing in May of UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, this collaboration supercharges Champion’s commitment to the world of combat sports, a space defined by discipline, intensity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

From the invention of the hooded sweatshirt, created to keep athletes warm, to pioneering mesh nylon jerseys for football players, Champion has consistently delivered functional, performance-driven gear rooted in athlete insight. Many of these innovations have transcended sport to become cultural icons.

“Every boxer dreams of being a Champion and I was no different as a child. I've been lucky enough to realise those dreams over the years in the amateurs at world level and the Olympics and now as a professional boxer in becoming a two weight Undisputed Champion so to partner with Champion just seems like the perfect fit,” said Taylor.

She continued, “Champion is such an iconic brand and known around the world. It has such a rich history in sport going back over one hundred years so it's fantastic to partner with them. I'm really excited to be hands-on in helping to develop Champion's boxing range by drawing on my own experience in the sport and helping to create a product range that lives up to the Champion name and our shared values.”

Lorenzo Moretti, President of Champion EMEA, said: “This is a proud moment for our brand as we align with a sporting pioneer, and a fighter who’s done more than anyone as a role model for female boxers around the world. She’s not just a great female fighter; she’s a great fighter, full stop. Katie’s incredible will to prevail, her incredible grace and pure boxing ability are remarkable, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue her journey, as she helps us move forward too with our combat sports proposition.”

Taylor (24–1, 6 KOs) fights Serrano on July 11 at Madison Square Garden, eight months after the pair’s second clash, at Paul vs. Tyson, which Taylor won. The rematch wasn’t just a fight, it was a global moment, drawing 74 million viewers, rewriting the narrative of what women’s sports can achieve, and becoming the most watched professional women’s sports event in US history.

Taylor, from Bray, Co Wicklow, was the undisputed and undefeated world lightweight champion from 2019 to 2024 and has held the undisputed and world super lightweight championship since 2023. A former Ireland international soccer player, Taylor won five consecutive gold medals at the Women's World Championships, gold six times at the European Championships, and gold five times at the European Union Championships. She was the flag bearer for Ireland at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony before going on to win the gold medal in the lightweight division. Katie is widely credited with being the driving force behind getting women’s boxing added into the Olympics and unlocking the commercial viability for professional women’s boxing globally.

About Champion

Since 1919, Champion has offered a full line of innovative athletic apparel for men and women, including activewear, sweats, tees, sports bras, team uniforms, footwear and accessories. Today, as a lifestyle brand born from sport, Champion uses innovative design and state-of-the-art product testing to ensure uncompromised quality and innovative apparel for consumers. Beyond its products, the brand’s mission is to provide every Champion a canvas to live their true purpose; rooted in the belief that Champions are defined not by what they make, but by what they do with it. Champion wants to inspire others to not just win, but to Champion a better tomorrow, and is dedicated to supporting creators by giving them a platform to tell their stories, support their values, and communities.

Learn more at championstore.com.

Material, Photo, and Trailer Courtesy of: Champion Brand Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

talkSPORT Becomes Exclusive Home of BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Press Release: June 11, 2025 By BKB Bareknuckle Boxing -

Credit: BKB Bareknuckle Boxing

Partnership to include live streaming of BKB events, and features, promotion and coverage across talkSPORT’s diverse media platforms.
 

MIAMI, FLORIDA – BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing CEO Greg Bloom announced today that the world’s leading bare knuckle boxing company has signed an exclusive broadcast partnership with talkSPORT to air BKB live bare knuckle boxing events on talkSPORT Boxing.

talkSPORT is part of News UK, one of the leading media businesses in the UK and Ireland whose newsbrands include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Sun on Sunday and The TLS, and national broadcast brands including Times Radio, Talk and Virgin Radio UK.

Said Bloom, “talkSPORT is a globally recognized leader in boxing coverage, analysis and opinion, not to mention having a massive sport footprint with more exclusive English football than any other UK broadcaster.  As one of the world’s preeminent voices in boxing, its commitment to BKB and the sport of bare knuckle is a testament to the sport’s growing mainstream popularity across the world.”

Bloom added, “From our acquisition of the London-based BKB promotion in 2024 to hosting shows in and opening new regions across England in 2025, BKB has made a strategic commitment and investment in growing bare knuckle in Europe.  We view its fans and athletes among the most passionate in combat sports. Now, with this partnership with talkSPORT, we are able to further bolster our presence, provide more exposure to our athletes, and build a sustainable model to expand around the continent and beyond.”

Dennie Morris, Director of Audio, News Broadcasting, said, “I’m delighted to welcome BKB to the home of sport broadcasting in the UK. talkSPORT’s Boxing channel is one of the fastest-growing sports YouTube channels in the UK and will continue to go from strength to strength with this new partnership.”

In the past two years, BKB (originally BYB) has purchased the UK-based BKB, the world’s oldest professional bare knuckle boxing company, and in doing so merged the organizations to create the largest bare knuckle boxing company in the world in terms of roster, library and distribution; ushered in ethical and legalized gambling to the sport; acquired the rights to the historic and prestigious Police Gazette Diamond Belt which now serves as the Bare Knuckle Boxing World Championship; brought bare knuckle boxing to lineal television in the United States with the recent deal with VICE TV; and launched its gloved developmental league Trigon Combat.

In addition to the largest roster of fighters across the globe, BKB boasts a who’s who of broadcast talent on both sides of the Atlantic including Mike Goldberg, recognized as the golden voice of combat sports, Paulie Malignaggi, one of the biggest personalities in combat sports and a former IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight champion, Gareth A. Davies, one of the leading global voices in boxing with 30 years with The Telegraph, 20 years on radio with talkSPORT, as well as two decades working on television with BBC iPlayer, BT Sport, FOX, ESPN and Setanta Sports, veteran Midlands-based writer and commentator Tom Ross, Danielle Moinet, the former "Summer Rae" in the WWE, and one of the top ring announcers in boxing, Kody "Big Mo" Mommaerts.

To learn more about BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing visit bkbbareknuckle.com.  For more information on Trigon Combat, visit trigoncombat.com.

UPCOMING BKB SCHEDULE
Broadcast on VICE TV and talkSPORT

BKB 42: Music City Brawl, Nashville, TN, USA, June 21
BKB 43: Bolton Brawl, Bolton, UK, July 5
BKB 44: Denver Brawl V, Denver, CO, USA, August 16


About talkSPORT
talkSPORT, part of News Broadcasting, is the UK's leading sports radio network and the Global Audio Partner of the Premier League.

We don’t just cover sport. We live, breathe, love and talk all about it. The build up, the anticipation and the excitement, with more football on radio than anywhere else.

So far in 2025, talkSPORT’s unrivalled output has already taken home two Sports Journalism Awards, winning gold for its coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics, beating the BBC, and another gold for White & Jordan. talkSPORT was honoured with the Judge’s Award at the ARIAs, and was nominated for its first-ever Sports Industry award.

talkSPORT Boxing is one of the fastest-growing sports YouTube channels, with close to a quarter of a million subscribers.

You can tune in to talkSPORT and talkSPORT2 via our free online streaming service at talkSPORT.com talkSPORT is widely available across the UK via DAB digital radio and on 1089 or 1053 AM. You can also download the talkSPORT app, or ask your smart speaker to play talkSPORT.

talkSPORT is now available on the big screen, on your Smart TV. Go to talksport.com/watch for more details.

Material and Photo Courtesy of: BKB Bareknuckle Boxing Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

On The Brink Of Defeat: Wardley Finds KO Punch

The circumstances that led to the Heavyweight bout between unbeaten top Heavyweight contenders Fabio Wardley and Justis Huni on June 7th at the Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England was not ideal for either boxer. Due to the fact that it was made on short notice where Huni stepped in for the injured Jarrell Miller, neither man had the type of preparation that they would likely prefer going into a fight. 

When one throws into the equation rainy conditions outdoors, one may not have known what to expect. In terms of styles, this was an adjustment for Wardley, who had been preparing to face a power puncher like himself in Miller, now tasked with facing a more balanced boxer/puncher in Huni. While the perception when fights like this are made on short notice is the fighter stepping into a fight is at a disadvantage, this was a case where one could say it was truly unknown as to having an idea of what could happen with one fighter having the type of punching power that is sudden and devastating going against a fighter that could do a little of everything.

For a significant portion of this bout, it was Huni’s Boxing ability that was on full display. Consistently getting his punches off first, often throwing in combination, and backing the power puncher Wardley up, Huni dictated the combat and frequently landed flush right hands to the head. Gradually, it appeared that it was Huni that had the edge and if one were unaware of the circumstances, they might have assumed that it was Wardley, who stepped into the fight on short notice and not the other way around. 

With each passing round, Huni continued to dominate the action. After eight rounds, this observer, as I often do, shared how I was seeing things in real time on X (Formerly Twitter) and said that Huni had won the fight on my unofficial scorecard having won seven of eight rounds of the scheduled twelve round bout. In terms of points, Wardley was behind to a point that he would likely need a knockout to win the fight. Yours truly commented that  Wardley might have a punch in him to turn things around, but it also appeared that he was struggling due to both fatigue and the punishment that Huni had dished out and I questioned whether he would be able to go the distance.

If one were objective, there was little evidence that there would be a sudden change as Huni continued to bring the fight to Wardley in the ninth round. Having covered thousands of fights on every level of the sport over the last three decades and being a Boxing lifer long before I began my journey as a writer and began covering combat sports, I had learned long ago that you can never truly dismiss the possibility of a sudden turn, but with Huni dominating to the degree he was, it seemed unlikely that Wardley would be able to land that fight changing punch. 

What by all accounts looked to be certain victory for Huni would change in the type of fashion that should remind even the most jaded cynic what makes Boxing great. In an exchange of punches at the midway point in the tenth round, Wardley connected with an overhand right that came out of nowhere and seemed to be thrown in desperation, which landed flush and sent Huni down hard on the canvas. Huni struggled and was unable to beat the count. On the brink of what appeared to be certain defeat, Fabio Wardley found the knockout punch that gave him the most dramatic win of his career. 

The certainty that Wardley needed a knockout to remain unbeaten can be illustrated in the official scorecards in that he was down by six points on two official scorecards and on five on the third entering the tenth round. As dramatic a victory and an illustration of the type of power Wardley is blessed with, if one is objective, they would say that Wardley, his handlers, and supporters got a legitimate scare.

Although Wardley maintained his number one ranking in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings having retained Interim/Regular champion status as the contender currently in position as the World Boxing Association’s mandatory challenger with this victory, he was unable to make the type of statement that would give the impression that he is ready to fight for a world title. Yes, he did get a knockout in the purest sense of the word, however, one might argue that it is Justis Huni who comes out of this fight having made a convincing argument as a potential challenger down the line for either of the Heavyweight division’s two world champions Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.

 With Usyk and Dubois preparing for their rematch for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world on July 19th, and assuming that there might be a third fight between the two in the future per a rematch clause, Waedley may not get an opportunity to fight for the title in the near future. If Wardley is going to fight again before the end of 2025, an obvious option would be to give Justis Huni a rematch. As brutal as the knockout was, Huni has earned another opportunity and Wardley and his team will likely want to quell the questions that will likely be asked coming out of this fight and the best way to do that is by giving Huni a rematch.

“And That's The Boxing Truth," 

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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Belated Most Valuable Prospects 13 Results From Orlando, FL

Credit: Joseph Correa/Most Valuable Promotions 

Press Release: June 9, 2025 By Most Valuable Promotions-

ORLANDO, FL – June 7, 2025 – Brazil’s IBF lightweight world champion Beatriz “The Beast” Ferreira (6-0, 2 KOs) defended her title and lived up to her fearsome nickname in a clinical, dominant performance against 28-year-old Buenos Aires challenger Maria Ines “Dinamita” Ferreyra (11-1-1, 6 KOs) in the main event of MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 13 Championship Edition, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy. The 10-round women’s world title bout at 135 lbs aired free globally on DAZN.com, the DAZN app, and Whindersson Nunes’ YouTube channel live from Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. From the opening bell, Ferreira overwhelmed Ferreyra with elite footwork, pinpoint accuracy, and relentless pressure, showcasing her class and control over every round. Ferreyra showed heart but struggled to find any consistent rhythm as Ferreira methodically picked her apart en route to a unanimous decision win (99-91 x2, 98-92). After the final bell, Ferreira seized the spotlight by calling out WBA lightweight world champion Stephanie Han, who was seated ringside. Han climbed into the ring, accepted the challenge on the spot, and the two champions squared off in a charged face-to-face moment, setting the stage for a massive unification clash.

In the co-main event, Luan Medeiros (6-0, 4 KOs), the Brazilian national champion, successfully defended his unblemished record against Tony Aguilar (13-2-1, 4 KOs) of Crescent City, Florida, in an 8-round lightweight clash at 135 lbs. Medeiros took control early, pressing the action with heavy, precise shots that kept Aguilar on the back foot. Aguilar showed resilience and composure, hanging tough into the later rounds and trying to mount a comeback. Medeiros was deducted a point in round 6 after repeated warnings, but the penalty didn’t slow his momentum. He continued to dominate exchanges, earning a unanimous decision win (77-74, 78-73 x2). In his post-fight interview with Sibley Scoles, Medeiros proudly spoke about his championship ambitions and representing Brazil on the world stage.

On the main card, Bree “Bam Bam” Howling (8-1, 2 KOs), the WBA’s #5-ranked bantamweight, went toe-to-toe with fellow undefeated prospect Naomy “Kusa” Cardenas (9-0, 2 KOs) in an explosive 8-round bout at 118 lbs. Both fighters came out firing from the opening bell, engaging in a slugfest that had the crowd on its feet as they traded heavy shots in a thrilling first round. Howling stood her ground and looked to dictate the tempo, but Cardenas’ sharper combinations and ring control ultimately gave her the edge. After eight hard-fought rounds, Cardenas remained unbeaten, earning a split decision victory (79-73, 77-75, and 77-75 for Howling).

Opening the main card, Kissimmee’s own Antraveous Ingram (11-0, 5 KOs) thrilled the hometown crowd with a commanding performance against Saint Paul’s Sona Akale (9-3, 4 KOs) in a 6-round super welterweight clash at 154 lbs. The 26-year-old local standout used his 6′1″ frame and reach advantage to dictate the pace from the opening bell, consistently breaking through Akale’s guard and landing the cleaner, more effective shots. Ingram controlled the action from start to finish, earning a unanimous decision victory (60-54 x2, 58-56) to remain unbeaten.

In the preliminary card headliner, undefeated 22-year-old Reina Tellez (12-0-1, 5 KOs) faced off against Saltillo, Mexico’s veteran warrior Maria “Polvorita” Salinas (27-12-6, 7 KOs) in an 8-round super bantamweight bout at 124 lbs. The early rounds were closely contested, with Salinas showing grit as she absorbed heavy combinations from Tellez. But as the fight wore on, Tellez’s relentless pace and sharp offense overwhelmed the seasoned Salinas. After eight rounds of high-tempo action, Tellez earned a clear unanimous decision win (80-72 x2, 79-73), further cementing her status as one of boxing’s most promising young super bantamweight talents.

MVP’s 3x U.S. National Boxing Champion and high-fashion model Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (5-0, 5 KOs) made a commanding return to the Most Valuable Prospects series, delivering another spectacular performance against Davenport, Iowa’s Daijohn Gonzalez (12-7, 6 KOs) in a scheduled 6-round middleweight bout at 163 lbs. From the opening bell, Chaparro controlled the pace with precision and poise, breaking down Gonzalez with sharp combinations and relentless pressure. His dominance culminated in the fourth round, when he unleashed a vicious and explosive barrage of punches that dropped Gonzalez and sealed a highlight-reel KO at 1:39. The statement win underscored Chaparro’s superstar potential and perfect knockout record.

Also on the preliminary card, undefeated 20-year-old middleweight Sebastian Juarez (8-0, 6 KOs) overwhelmed Gadsden, Alabama’s Shaquille Cameron (7-5, 6 KOs) from the opening bell, delivering a relentless early assault that led to a third-round TKO and preserved his perfect record. Kicking off the night, Boxlab Promotions’ unbeaten super bantamweight Chavez Barrientes (11-0, 6 KOs) earned a dominant unanimous decision victory (80-71x2, 79-72) over Saint Louis’ Sharone “Smoke” Carter (14-12-1, 3 KOs) in their 122-pound, 8-round bout.

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP, promoted by MVP and Boxlab Promotions, and distributed globally by DAZN. The 13th event in the series, hosted by the Caribe Royale Resort, will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drinks, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. Fansly, TorkLaw and Event Ticket Center have also joined on to sponsor the Most Valuable Prospects series.

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

About MVP

MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last six global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Perry match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. MVP made history again in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. MVP’s Paul vs. Tyson streamed live globally on Netflix and shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of Paul vs. Tyson and the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). We are building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet, and on one app.

For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com.

 Material Courtesy of: Most Valuable Promotions / Photo Courtesy of: Joseph Correa/ Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission. 

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Dr. Phil’s MeritTV™ Delivers Back-to-Back Nights of Live TCL Team Boxing

Press Release: June 6, 2025 By MeritTV -

DALLAS (June 6, 2025) — Dr. Phil’s MeritTV, the multiplatform TV network founded by Dr. Phil McGraw, is set to air a double-header of live matches for the TCL Team Boxing League this Friday, June 6, at 9 PM ET and Saturday, June 7 at 7 PM ET across broadcast, cable, streaming, FAST platforms, and the network’s free app, MeritTV.

The TCL Team Boxing League’s third season continues with high-energy matchups as teams composed of rising stars and veteran athletes go head-to-head in 12 different weight classes. With a team-based ownership model, every punch counts towards the team’s total performance, adding an exciting new dynamic to the world of professional boxing.

Live Matches on MeritTV:

Friday, June 6th, at Boeing Center at Tech Port, San Antonio:

9 PM ET –Dallas Enforcers vs. Philadelphia Smoke

Immediately following – San Antonio Snipers vs. Houston Hitmen

Saturday, June 7th at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach:

7:30 PM ET –Phoenix Fury vs. Miami Assassins

Immediately following – Los Angeles Elite vs. Las Vegas Hustle

The following weekend features NYC vs. Boston and Philadelphia vs. Miami, then Philadelphia vs. Las Vegas and Miami vs. Boston. As part of a global media partnership announced earlier this year, approximately 20 weekends of TCL Boxing will air exclusively on MeritTV. The culmination of play-off rounds and final battles takes place throughout July and August.

More than just a sporting event, TCL Team Boxing League is helping define MeritTV’s unique programming direction. As Forbes recently reported, the league “satisfies that hunger for sports-related content,” offering opportunities for both competition and storytelling. Through its distinctive format and compelling backstories, TCL is attracting a new audience segment, including a younger, more male-skewing demographic, while delivering the kind of emotionally resonant, personality-driven narratives that fit seamlessly with MeritTV’s brand. With 3.5 million viewers tuning in across the first five weeks, TCL is gaining momentum as a fan favorite.

About Dr. Phil’s MeritTV

Launched in April 2024 under the Merit Street Media banner, Dr. Phil’s MeritTV is a premier multiplatform television network spearheaded by Dr. Phil McGraw, the esteemed best-selling author and award-winning television host. MeritTV creates and distributes compelling content across diverse platforms, reaching audiences nationwide. This fully distributed cable, satellite, streaming, FAST TV (free ad-supported streaming TV channels), and free over-the-air broadcast media Network is also available via the free app MeritTV.

MeritTV boasts a rich tapestry of original and acquired programming, anchored by the nightly talk show “Dr. Phil Primetime.” Situated in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the expansive Merit studios span five acres and serve as the dynamic hub for the brand. Here, daily morning and evening live news broadcasts unfold, plus live breaking news, embodying MeritTV’s commitment to delivering engaging and informative content. Viewers can access the channel-finder link by entering ZIP codes at MeritTV.com.

 Material Courtesy of: MeritTV Used with permission. 

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Wardley-Huni Preview

As the Boxing world prepares for the reunification of the Heavyweight division, which will come when the two champions of the division Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois meet in July in a highly anticipated rematch, this time for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world, focus has begun to take shape in regard to the potential challengers that might follow for the winner of that fight. Recently, we saw the fast-rising Moses Itauma score his twelfth victory in his career by scoring a devastating knockout of Mike Balogun on May 24th. Itauma, who is rated in the top three in the Heavyweight division in both the WBO and the WBA rankings, may be on the short list of potential challengers for either Usyk or Dubois. 

On June 7th, however, another Heavyweight who could also be a potential option will return to action. This observer is referring to undefeated WBA number one rated Heavyweight contender Fabio Wardley, who will face fellow unbeaten Heavyweight Justis Huni in a scheduled twelve round bout where Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA rankings, or in lay language the mandatory challenger position will be at stake. The fight, which will be held at the Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

This is an interesting fight in a couple of aspects. One, it is always intriguing when two unbeaten Heavyweights square off against each other, but in this case, there is a slight wrinkle attached here. The wrinkle being that Wardley was originally scheduled to face one-time Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller, who had to withdraw from the fight due to a shoulder injury. With Miller out, in steps Justis Huni, who took the fight on one month’s notice. 

There have of course been countless scenarios throughout Boxing history where a fighter has stepped in with limited time to prepare, in some cases mere days before a scheduled bout, but whenever there is a chance with such a narrow timeframe to prepare, it is as much an adjustment for the fighter stepping in on short notice as it is for the fighter, whose scheduled opponent fell out. Some might say this fight being made with one month to prepare makes things more interesting. Not only does this fight now feature two unbeaten fighters against each other, but in terms of a clash of styles, this now has the dynamic of a puncher in Wardley, (18-0,1, with 17 Knockouts) who has knocked out seventeen of his nineteen opponents, registering a career knockout percentage just under 95% going against more of a boxer in Huni (12-0, with 7 Knockouts) than would have been the case had Jarrell Miller, a fighter also known for punching power, had not withdrawn due to injury.

While Huni has more experience going deeper into fights compared to his opponent, he does have some punching power in his own right having stopped nearly 59% of his opponents. Whether or not his punching power will come into the equation here remains to be seen, but logic suggests that he will try and extend Wardley into the deep waters of this fight by trying to box him rather than trading punches, which is always a crap shoot, especially in the Heavyweight division. 

Something one should keep in mind here is Fabio Wardley has only been the distance twice in his career earning a win and a draw in those two outings and has only been twelve rounds once and that was in the draw against Fraser Clarke in March of last year. Although that statistic may ultimately prove to be moot, it is something that for the moment seems on the surface as though it could be a factor due to the circumstances in the change of opponent for him. On the other side of the equation, Huni , after winning regional titles including the Pan-Pacific Heavyweight title, recognized by the IBF and the Oriental Heavyweight title, recognized by the WBO, this fight represents a step up against the hardest hitting opponent of his career. If he is successful, it will obviously put him right in line to face the winner of the Usyk-Dubois rematch and, despite being unbeaten, it might be a strong enough argument to be next in line as many will view it as an upset.

With the Usyk-Dubois rematch around the corner, the spotlight will be focused on the Heavyweight division for the next several weeks with not only this fight, but also former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder preparing to make a comeback later in June as well. Will it be Wardley or Huni that will emerge victorious? We will find out Saturday, June 7th.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Wardley vs. Huni takes place on Saturday,June 7th at Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming networks DAZN  beginning at 11:30AM ET/8:30AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts. The main card will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT. 

(*U.S. Times Only.* Card and Start Times Subject to Change*)

For more information about DAZN  including schedules,list of compatible streaming devices, platforms,Smart TVs, Availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Thunderdome 50 Results From Metro City, Perth, Australia

Credit:Mike O'Hara/ Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: June 3, 2024 By Dragon Fire Boxing Story By Lewis Moss - Perth boxing fans were treated to another thrilling night of fights as Dragon Fire Promotions celebrated their 50th Thunderdome event at the Metro City Nightclub on Friday night (May 30th).

 

The main event saw Francis “The Removalist” Chua capture the WBC Australasia Silver Lightweight Championship, after a hard-fought win over China’s fourth ranked Lightweight Xiaotao Su.

 

The card also saw The Isle of Man’s Sam Rennie capture WBC gold of his own, as well as other exciting fights.

 

Francis Chua defeated Xiaotao Su 

In the main event of the evening, Francis Chua defeated Xiaotao Su by Unanimous Decision to win the WBC Australasia Silver Lightweight Championship.

 

The fight for Chua was his first in three years since losing to Hironori Mishiro in May 2022.

 

Going into this matchup, many fans wondered how the Perth Native would look after his long hiatus from the ring, but Chua proved he could still hang by returning with a huge win.

 

Throughout the fight Chua took the action to his opponent, by landing a mix of uppercuts and hooks while both fighters were in each other's range. Su often found a home for his lead left hook during the exchanges.

 

Mid way into the fight, Chua started to walk down his opponent while ripping to the body.

 

The Aussie continued to press for the finish in the final round, as he landed multiple shots that looked to have his Chinese opponent hurt.

 

However, Su fought back as the fight went the distance and Chua was announced the winner by unanimous decision.

 

At 39-years-old, Francis Chua looks like he hasn't missed a beat in the ring. 

 

Having already been in the ring with top tier fighters like Liam Wilson and Kye Mackenzie, the Perth Native looks to add a few more names to that list before he hangs up the gloves.

 

Sam Rennie defeated Asyer Alumin

 

In the co main event, Sam Rennie defeated Asyer Alumin to win the WBC Australasia Silver Super Featherweight Championship.

 

The win for Rennie makes him the first ever boxer from The Isle of Man to win a regional title.

 

Over the past few months Sam Rennie had been taking the West Australian boxing scene by storm, with flawless victories in his first two fights.

 

It came to nobody's surprise when Rennie was given a WBC title fight this early in his career and when the stakes were high, Rennie delivered another shut out performance.

 

Rennie stayed in control of the fight, using his jab and superior footwork to keep his opponent guessing.

 

In the third round, Rennie was instructed by his corner to be more aggressive. After following his coaches’ instructions, Rennie dropped Alumin with a left hook to the body.

 

The Englishman continued on the front foot in the fourth round, as he knocked his opponent down again with a right hook before the referee waived the fight off.

 

With yet another dominant win from Sam Rennie, it is clear to see that the sky is the limit for this exceptional prospect.

 

Billy Quinncroft defeated Bilal Seidu

Earlier in the night, Billy Quinncroft defeated Bilal Seidu to win the WA State Cruiserweight Championship.

 

The title win for the 33-year-old marks the first in his professional career, as his record improves to three wins and zero losses.

 

The fight started off strategic, as Quinncroft used his jab efficiently in the early rounds.

 

Seidu did his best to turn the fight into a brawl, but the Englishman remained calm throughout his opponent’s onslaught.

 

Later in the fight, Seidu’s power punches started to get through, culminating with a huge right hand in the final round that got a reaction from the audience.

 

Seidu tried to finish his opponent off, but Quinncroft held on for the final bell.

 

Before the scorecards were about to be ready, fans wondered who would be victorious in this fight of two halves.

 

The win however, was Unanimously given to Billy Quinncroft to a roar from the Perth crowd.

 

Quinncroft will most likely defend his State Title against Will Cleggett who won his fight earlier in the night.

 

Owen Corrigan defeated Alex Muster

Ireland's Owen Corrigan delivered a stunning performance as he knocked out Alex Muster in the third round.

 

The victory advances Corrigan’s undefeated record to three wins.

 

Muster approached the fight aggressively with his looping hooks, but the Irishman remained calm and started to land his crisp right hand.

 

Corrigan began landing his jab in the second round, before knocking his opponent down twice just before the bell.

 

The onslaught from Dublin’s “Bomber” resumed in the third, as he dropped Muster with a huge right hand while they were up close. 

 

Muster was able to answer the count, but after one more flurry of punches the referee put a stop to the contest, giving Owen Corrigan the TKO victory.

 

With yet another dominant performance to his name, it is only a matter of time before Owen Corrigan gets the opportunity to fight for a title.

 

Thunderdome 50 Full Card Results

 

WBC Australasia Silver Lightweight Championship

Francis Chua DEFEATED Xiaotao Su by Unanimous Decision

 

WBC Australasia Silver Super Featherweight Championship

Sam Rennie DEFEATED Asyer Alumin by Fourth Round TKO

 

WA State Cruiserweight Championship

Billy Quinncroft DEFEATED Bilal Seidu by Unanimous Decision

 

Owen Corrigan DEFEATED Alex Muster by Third Round TKO

 

WA NITRO Light Heavyweight Championship

Binny Folan DEFEATED Rusty Oates by Third Round TKO

 

Joel Lewis DEFEATED Hongjun Shi by Fourth Round TKO (Retirement)

 

Will Cleggett DEFEATED Cameron Moffat by Unanimous Decision

 

Alan Pond Cup 2025

Beejay Boonket vs Habib Kheriakhah ends in a Majority Draw

 

Bahtiyar Sonyol DEFEATED Jack Thompson by First Round TKO (Shoulder Injury)

 

Tara Enoka DEFEATED Harma Yesti by Unanimous Decision

 

Yousef Radwan DEFEATED Adam Marshall by Split Decision (Exhibition Fight)

 

Rigor Angeles DEFEATED Mitch Arnold by Third Round TKO (Corner Stoppage)

Material Courtesy of: Lewis Moss/Dragon Fire Boxing/Photo Courtesy of Mike O’Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Resendiz Upsets The Plans For Plant-Charlo?

The  premise of the doubleheader that took place on May 31st at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV was to position former IBF Super-Middleweight world champion Caleb Plant and former WBC Middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo, two of the more notable fighters currently competing under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, to face off in a highly anticipated encounter later this year. While the concept of fighters being strategically positioned to face each other, competing on the same card prior to that encounter being made is certainly not new as such tactics are meant primarily to try and build interest in that fight to come, there is always a danger that is attached to the strategy.

Although when cards like this are not expected to for lack of a better term, “Flip The Script" as Boxing is not a predetermined form of performance art, there are times where no matter how lopsided a fight may appear to learn towards the favorite going into it, things do not always go according to plan.

For his part, Jermall Charlo took care of business in his fight against Thomas LaManna. Fighting at a slow and deliberate pace, Charlo simply took his time landing hard, thudding punches when the opportunity was there and had particular success in landing his right hand. It was the right hand that would be responsible for dropping the “Game," but overmatched LaManna three times, once in rounds three, four, and five all from right hands and busting up LaManna over both eyes in the process. After the fifth round a ringside physician recommended the fight be stopped due to cuts and swelling LaManna had suffered and he was not allowed to come out for the sixth round. 

The thirty-fourth victory in his undefeated career was a statement-making performance for Charlo, who has had his share of struggles outside of the ring including dealing with his mental health, which has stalled his career in recent years, but it was also very much according to the best laid plans for those who were anticipating an eventual showdown with Plant. No drama, no frills, just simply a statement in forcing a stoppage of his opponent.

With Charlo having done his part in theory to bring that encounter later in 2025 to fruition, it was time to see if Caleb Plant could do his. Plant’s fight with Jose Armando Resendiz seemed as though it would tilt in the former champion’s favor in the early rounds.

This was due to Plant’s ability to use lateral movement, give angles, and mix offense to the body and head of Resendiz. Subtly, and gradually, however, Resendiz began turning the tempo of the combat in his favor by applying consistent pressure, and landing hard punches. Whether Resendiz landed to the head or body, his punches were the harder of the two fighters and eventually it reduced Plant’s punch output to single punches rather than short combinations. The movement and angles that Plant was able to execute in the first three rounds to great effect also became absent by the middle and late rounds as Resendiz was able to consistently push him back and seemingly get the better of the action with each passing round. 

At the conclusion of the twelve round bout, this observer felt that Resendiz had won the fight clearly due to him seemingly carrying the action from the fourth round on, but I did wonder if the success Plant had in the early rounds along with what could be considered close rounds depending on one's perspective, could result in a closer fight than I felt. It would turn out that one official judge had Plant ahead, but would be overruled by the two remaining judges who had Resendiz as the winner giving him the sixteenth win of his career and a significant upset.

With the win, Resendiz has been catapulted to the number one contender position in the WBA’s Super-Middleweight ratings having earned Interim/Regular champion status with the victory. The obvious question coming out of this card is whether or not Plant’s loss to Jose Resendiz will derail what seemed planned for later this year between himself and Jermall Charlo?

Even though we have seen scenarios where losses do not stop what seemed to be the working plan of promoters and/or networks in the past, if one were to press me and ask for an educated guess, my gut instinct would be for the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters to attempt to get Plant a rematch with Resendiz first. What makes that interesting now is Resendiz is now the number one mandatory challenger as far as the WBA is concerned for recently recrowned Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez. Although Alvarez will be defending his title against uneaten multi-division world champion Terence Crawford in September, Resendiz has suddenly established himself as a viable option for the winner of that fight by pulling off a convincing victory in a fight where he was considered an afterthought.

As such, Resendiz may not view a rematch with Plant or even potentially being slated to face Jermall Charlo as viable options given that there is at least a possibility in theory that he could be next in line for the Alvarez-Charlo winner either before the end of this year or into 2026. Beyond an opportunity to fight for an undisputed world championship, it may make more sense from a financial perspective for Resendiz to sit and wait for things to be sorted out between Alvarez and Crawford than risk the position he has now put himself in. 

Whatever happens next, this should prove once again that no matter how a fight might look on paper, no matter how tempting it might be for promoters, networks, fans, and yes, fighters to look ahead to what may come in the future, any opponent should not be underestimated by all the above. Boxing is and will forever be a sport where anything can happen at any given time and is truly why one should always expect the unexpected. It is what makes our sport so great.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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