Mini Preview: Roach-Zepeda: Can Roach Get Back In The Win Column?

It seems that no matter what time period one chooses to observe, there are always at least a few fighters one could point to and give the label “Hard Luck.” A label usually reserved for fighters who are able to compete effectively at the highest level of the sport of Boxing against opponents that are considered stars,but for whatever reason, end up being denied victories in fights that many observers feel they should have won by the three judges scoring a fight. This essentially describes the recent history of former WBA Jr. Lightweight world champion Lamont Roach.

As some may recall Roach’s two fights in 2025 against Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz, Roach found himself on the receiving end of fights judged to be twelve round draws. In both fights, the opinion of many, including this observer, was that Roach deserved the decisions. Now, nine months removed from his last fight against Cruz, Roach will return to the ring on Saturday, August 1st  against top contender and former world title challenger William Zepeda at the Virgin Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV in a fight that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and simulcast on live TV providers in the United States on TNT as the main event of the second installment of “The Fight” series collaboration between the two networks. The twelve round bout will be for the vacant WBC World Lightweight championship previously held by Shakur Stevenson and will be scheduled for twelve rounds.

This fight has one central question that surrounds it. Will Lamont Roach, assuming that this bout resembles his previous two outings, be able to get a fair shake from the three judges scoring the bout. While there is the matter of the fight itself, which is a contrast of styles between a boxer/puncher in Roach and power punching volume puncher in Zepeda, and at least for now there is no guarantee obviously that the judges will be a factor in this fight because Roach, who has scored knockouts in ten of his twenty-five wins has shown that he can end a fight early if given the opportunity. 

What type of fight will this likely be when the two fighters get into the ring? Conventional wisdom suggests that Roach will look to box Zepeda and will try to be elusive in doing so while looking to exploit counter punching opportunities and take advantage of any openings that Zepeda might give him. In his last fight, Zepeda suffered the lone defeat of his career when he was out boxed by Shakur Stevenson in his first world title opportunity. It was in that fight against logic that Stevenson spent much of the bout standing in front of Zepeda, but Stevenson’s defense and reflexes were on full display as he outworked Zepeda over twelve rounds to retain the WBC Lightweight world championship. Zepeda, however, does have twenty-seven knockouts in his thirty-three career wins and it will be interesting to see how Roach will approach this fight against a fighter who will be trying to cut off the ring from the outset and look to trap him. Whether or not Zepeda will be able to do that against a fighter in Roach who is known for his accuracy and counter punching remains to be seen.

With the future of Gervonta Davis, the current WBA Lightweight world champion uncertain due to ongoing issues he has had outside of the ring, and with WBO world champion Abdullah Mason having recently successfully made the first defense of his claim to the World Lightweight championship with a knockout of Albert Bell on July 4th, coincidentally on the first edition of the DAZN/TNT “The Fight” collaboration series, this fight will obviously keep the focus squarely on the 135lb. Lightweight division. Only time will tell as to whether the winner of this fight will be positioned for a potential unification bout against either Mason, or current IBF world champion Raymond Muratalla as we get closer to 2027.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Roach vs. Zepeda takes place on Saturday, August 1st at the Virgin Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The bout as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 4PM ET/1PM PT with preliminary bouts which will be followed by the main card beginning at 7:30PM ET/4:30 PM PT. The main card will also be simulcast on general entertainment cable network

MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS AND PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE MERGE TO CREATE A NEW GLOBAL COMBAT SPORTS PLATFORM POWERHOUSE

 

Press Release: July 30, 2026 By Most Valuable Promotions - he combined company will operate under the MVP banner, bringing together world-class boxing, MMA, live events, athlete development, and worldwide content distribution under one fighter-first organization, creating a combat sports company for the new era. 

The new company will be led by Co-Founders and Board Members Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, with John Martin serving as CEO and Board Member. Bidarian will continue to oversee MVP's boxing business and blockbuster live events (BLE), with the company backed by Founding Investors 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced a landmark merger, creating a new home of combat sports under the MVP banner. The transaction accelerates MVP’s expansion into mixed martial arts following the record-setting success of MVP MMA 1 and creates a global sports and entertainment company that brings together boxing, MMA, media, blockbuster live events, athlete development, and worldwide content distribution. MVP will continue operating with a fighter-first philosophy focused on equitable compensation, maximum visibility, and opportunities for athletes to build their brands both inside and outside of competition. 

PFL CEO John Martin will serve as CEO and board member, and lead the overall business of the combined company. Martin is one of the most accomplished media, sports, and entertainment executives in the industry, having previously served as Chairman and CEO of Turner, where he oversaw a portfolio including TNT, TBS, CNN, and Turner Sports, and as Chief Financial Officer of Time Warner. Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian will be co-founders and board members and continue to play active leadership roles across the business. Bidarian will continue to drive MVP’s boxing verticals and BLEs, and work closely with Martin and the executi

ve team. Paul, the world’s most-followed combat sports promoter, will continue leveraging his platform, audience, and cultural influence to drive audience growth, fighter development, brand expansion, and fan engagement across all areas of the business. 

As part of the transaction, existing PFL shareholders 885 Capital and affiliated entities of Knighthead Capital Management, LLC ("Knighthead Capital") are becoming Founding Investors of the new entity, committing new capital and ensuring the combined company launches with the strongest balance sheet in its history. 885 Capital’s Sudeep Ramnani and Jai Mahtani are global technology and sports entrepreneurs and investors, bringing their cutting-edge, international operating insight to the business. Ara Cohen is a co-founder of Knighthead Capital, a diversified institutional investment firm with extensive experience partnering with management teams to build and scale businesses over the long term, providing strategic capital and operational support across complex industries, including in sport. 

MVP will be the master brand for all combat sports properties of the new entity. MVP and MVPW will continue as BLE and boxing cornerstones of the company.

PFL has an elite MMA fighter roster, global league operations and infrastructure, media assets and proven ability to stage world class MMA events across the world. This will form the foundation of MVP MMA with the migration being fully completed in the coming mont

hs. The combined company will host five premium live events across boxing and MMA in August, demonstrating the scale and capabilities of th

e new platform. 

Together, MVP will feature nearly 400 elite athletes, including world champions, title contenders, and many of the biggest names across combat sports.  The company intends to invest aggressively in both boxing and MMA.

MVP and PFL will maintain relationships with many of the world's leading media and distribution partners, including Netflix, ESPN, Sky Sports, and PFL's extensive network of 34 partners across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and other key territories, including Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. Together, these relationships form one of the most comprehensive distribution platforms in combat sports.

Since launching in 2021, MVP has become one of the fastest-growing and most influential brands in sports, staging some of the most-watched events the sport has ever seen and reaching hundreds of millions of fans around the world, with particular strength among hard-to-reach Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and women's sports fans. The company has delivered the most-streamed sporting event of all time, the most-viewed professional women's sporting match in U.S. history, the most-streamed MMA event in U.S. history, and record-setting compensation for female athletes across all sports. Through partnerships with Netflix, ESPN, Sky Sports, DAZN, and other leading media companies, MVP has built an internationally recognized brand and established itself as a leader in athlete-first promotion, content creation, and fan engagement.

PFL has built one of the most expansive global platforms in MMA, with a world-class roster of more than 300 fighters representing over 40 countries and a live event footprint spanning four continents. In just over seven years, PFL has staged more than 100 premium live events across 14 countries and was the first organization to hold major MMA events in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Spain and across Africa. In 2026 alone, PFL will produce 24 events across 11 countries, delivering approximately 150 hours of live content to fans. This global infrastructure, combined with PFL's deep fighter roster, premium live event expertise and worldwide distribution, provides a powerful platform to accelerate the growth of MVP MMA and expand the combined company's reach and impact around the world.

Nakisa Bidarian, Co-founder and Board Member of Most Valuable Promotions, said:

“Since launching MVP, our goal has always been bigger than just building a boxing promotion. It has been to build the future of combat sports. In less than five years, MVP has become one of the most influential and culturally relevant brands in the industry, producing some of the biggest events in combat sports history, elevating women’s boxing to unprecedented heights, and bringing millions of new fans into the fight game. The success of MVP MMA’s first event confirmed our belief that there is enormous demand for a modern, fighter-first approach to MMA. This merger accelerates our MMA ambitions while strengthening our ability to continue investing in boxing and MVPW. By combining MVP’s audience-building engine, storytelling capabilities, and brand with PFL’s roster, infrastructure, and international footprint, we are creating a new global home for combat sports. Under the leadership of John Martin, a world-class media executive with deep MMA knowledge, and investment from leading financiers 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital, MVP is going to achieve great things for fighters, fans, and partners.”

John Martin, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of the new company, said:

“Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world’s No. 2 global MMA company, assembling one of the sport’s most elite fighter rosters while creating a world-class global business with premier media distribution across 34 broadcast and streaming partners, reaching fans in more than 170 countries. At the same time, MVP has redefined how combat sports connects with a new generation of fans,

creating events that become cultural moments and proving that athletes, sports, entertainment and creators can all thrive together.  This merger brings scale - in operations, in distribution and media rights, in sponsorship, in fighter development and in fan engagement. 

We're not just combining companies, we're bringing an entire combat sports community together and creating a more powerful platform to accelerate growth. One company, one global stage, millions of fans and we're only just getting started. I'm excited to work with Jake and Nakisa as we build the future of combat sports together, and I'm deeply grateful for the continued confidence and support of our lead investors, 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management.”

Jake Paul, Co-founder and Board Member

of Most Valuable Promotions

, said:

"W

e started MVP to disrupt a broken model. We wanted to give fighters fair pay and a bigger, modernized s

tage to become global superstars. Joining forces with PFL accelerates that vision by a decade. We now have a scaled platform to give today's fans what they want: elite talent mixed with culture, lifestyle, and massive social velocity. MVP was always bigger than me and bigger than any one fighter. MVP is an inevitable movement that needs to happen for the athletes, and now we have all the resources we need to build something that changes this sport forever. I have more conviction in MVP than ever, driven by the proliferation of AI, which will only increase the value of real, live experiences and the sports properties that can bring fans closer to the athletes they love. I look forward to putting my entire promotional muscle into our new company, returning to the boxing ring and making my MVP MMA debut. To all current MVP and PFL fighters, things just got bigger. To fighters fighting in other organizations, we are open for business when you are contractually free. The time for change is now. Welcome to MVP."

Sudeep Ramnani, co-founder of 885 Capital, said:

“We’ve spent our careers building and backing businesses across global markets and few things travel across every border, language, and generation like combat sports. Partnering with Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian, and John Martin to bring PFL’s international infrastructure and roster together with MVP’s audience engine builds a business with the scale, talent, and distribution to lead the category. It reaches fans from the most established markets to the fastest-growing regions in the world, with a fighter-first model built for how audiences consume sport today. At 885 Capital, we back founders and leaders who are building industries from first principles, and we believe this platform will do exactly that, while redefining the future of combat sports. As founding investors, we’re proud to commit new capital to help John Martin and the team build the premier global platform for fighters and fans.”

Ara Cohen, Co-Founder and Managing Member of Knighthead Capital said:

“This transaction brings together highly complementary assets to create a scaled global combat sports platform with significant long-term growth potential. MVP has demonstrated an exceptional ability to build audiences, create cultural relevance, and elevate athletes, while PFL has built world-class MMA operations, international reach, and a deep roster of talent. We are pleased to deepen Knighthead Capital’s investment and support John Martin, Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian, and the broader leadership team as they build what we believe can become one of the premier global sports media and entertainment platforms.”

Goodwin Procter LLP served as legal counsel to Most Valuable Promotions, with MVP’s Rick Torres leading the transaction. Cooley LLP served as legal counsel to the Professional Fighters League, with PFL’s Jim Bramson leading the transaction. 

Additional leadership, organizational, and operational details will be announced at a later date. For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is a global combat sports and entertainment company built for the next generation of athletes and fans. The company operates across boxing, mixed martial arts, live events, media, content, athlete development, and global distribution, with a fighter-first philosophy centered on equitable compensation, maximum visibility, and long-term brand building.

Led by co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian and Chief Executive Officer John Martin and backed by founding investors 885 Capital & Knighthead, MVP promotes some of the world's biggest combat sports events and represents a roster of nearly 400 elite athletes, including world champions, titleholders, contenders, and emerging stars. MVP's portfolio includes MVP, MVPW, and MVP MMA, bringing together premier boxing and mixed martial arts properties under one global brand.

Through partnerships with leading media and distribution platforms including Netflix, ESPN, Sky Sports, and an extensive international network reaching fans across more than 170 countries, MVP delivers world-class competition and entertainment to audiences worldwide. By combining elite athletes, premium live events, compelling storytelling, and global media reach, MVP is building the future of combat sports.

About 885 Capital

885 Capital is a UAE-based investment firm founded by Sudeep Ramnani and Jai Mahtani. The firm focuses on innovative, founder-led businesses shaping the global sports and technology industries, in addition to diversifying into cutting-edge real estate projects and other future-defining sectors. In sports, 885 Capital has backed innovative sports properties including Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) / Professional Fighters League (PFL) in combat sports and Baller League in six-a-side football, and is the

owner of Madrid-based football club C.D. Leganés. The firm is guided by a long-term, conviction-driven approach.

About Knighthead Capital Management, LLC (Knighthead Capital)

Knighthead Capital Management, LLC (Knighthead Capital) was co-founded in 2008 by Tom Wagner and Ara Cohen and has grown to become a diversified asset management platform with an experienced team of investment professionals, specializing in fundamental analysis, operational and financial turnarounds and risk management. Knighthead Capital’s long-term objective is to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for its clients while emphasizing the preservation of capital. Knighthead Capital manages assets across a variety of investment vehicles including insurance asset management, real estate lending, and closed and open-ended vehicles.

In sports,

Knighthead Capital’s

holdings include investments in English football club Birmingham City, NASCAR franchise Legacy Motor Club and cricket’s Birmingham Phoenix competing in The Hundred

Material Courtesy of: Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission. 

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Weekend Of Former World Champions Thoughts

The weekend of July 25, 2026 had one consistent theme. Whether it was by design, or coincidence, the theme was one where former world champions shared the spotlight of the sport with the consistent premise of several of these fighters looking to return to competition after time away from the sport and one fighter taking the next step in his own comeback, which began earlier this year. 

Unfortunately for this observer and the reader, my thoughts on that fighter, former two-time World Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who returned to action for the second time in his latest comeback against former world title challenger Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand on July 24th, will be limited to little more than a brief mention by yours truly because the bout took place under circumstances in 2026 that are rare for a fighter of Fury’s stature in the sport. In that there was no broadcast coverage of the bout on television or streaming and thus, unless you were fortunate to attend the event in person, not much is known as far as to what occurred during the fight. This observer, however, can report thanks to limited coverage that has emerged that Fury did emerge victorious via seventh round stoppage when the forty-six year old Wach, a fighter who had gone 2-4 in his last six fights and is not the same fighter he was many years ago when he was a top contender and challenged for a world title, retired on his stool after the seventh round. 

While the decision by the braintrusts behind this event to have what amounts to a blackout and limited coverage of it, is something some will question, the fact is, Fury was able to pick up his second victory in a little more than three months since returning to the ring following  a near two year hiatus.

It was also on July 24th, however, that another world champion took his first step in a comeback of his own after nearly three years out of action, which aligned with two other bouts in terms of former champions attempting comebacks that will also be discussed in this column on July 25th. Yours truly, is referring to former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade, who returned for the first time since his loss in  November 2023 to David Benavidez, to face veteran  Douglas Ataide at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

Although this observer was prepared for a long fight based on Andrade’s style that would have required more analysis, he simply did not waste time in knocking Ataide out with a brutal combination to the head that sent him down without a count from Referee Rick Gonzalez.

If one were to draw up an ideal scenario for a fighter attempting a comeback after a lengthy absence, you can not draw it much better than a first round knockout in terms of generating buzz. While Andrade, who picked up his thirty-third victory and his twentieth knockout in this fight, is not known for having this kind of punching power, he did succeed in getting people’s attention and perhaps this will lead to him fighting at least once more before the end of the year as he looks to continue building momentum.

Now we come to the stage of this writing where two fights that were originally going to be the central focus of this column took place on July 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Sydney, Australia respectively, each featuring fighters beginning comebacks. First up would be former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who returned for the first time since a tragic car accident in the weeks following his knockout win over Jake Paul last December to face “Knockout Artist" Kristian Prenga at the Jeddah, Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In Joshua's case, his comeback attempt differs from the others that have been and will be discussed in this column as he had been active as recently as last December and was competing consistently before his knockout of Jake Paul. Where his comeback differs is Joshua was competing for the first time since surviving a fatal car accident that he lost two close friends and members of his team in Nigeria. While Joshua suffered what has been described as minor injuries, his survival should be viewed as a miracle. The impact on him and the losses he suffered in the tragic accident makes this comeback different for him. 

Given those circumstances, the obvious question that surrounded this fight was what version of Joshua would show up in the ring. Although Kristian Prenga had scored knockouts in all twenty of his wins as a professional fighter, there were some who felt this was a soft touch for Joshua given Prenga’s limited level of competition. A point of view that nearly proved to be a major miscalculation as Premga dropped Joshua almost immediately after the bout began with a short right uppercut to the head. Joshua was able to get up on unsteady legs and was largely manhandled by Prenga for the majority of the rest of the first round including being roughed up in close before being shoved down to the canvas. This would be followed by Prenga being credited with a second knockdown before the round was over as Joshua's gloves touched the canvas after being hit with a short punch.

At the conclusion of the first round, I thought that at minimum Joshua coming back in a relatively short time following the accident may have been a costly decision. While obviously not wanting to jump to conclusions as yours truly was not and is not on the inside and knows no further information than what had been made public, at worst, I felt that perhaps the impacts of what Joshua had been through may have compromised him in some way. It also appeared that he did not look as though he was warmed up and beyond the circumstances that surrounded this fight, the possibility that he was caught cold was also something to take into consideration beyond what Prenga had brought into the ring. 

Round two would prove to be as dramatic. Joshua was able to slow the pace slightly, throwing right hands behind a consistent jab, which he was unable to do in the first round. This led to him gradually being able to back Prengan up and it would be late in the second round where Joshua would land a combination highlighted by a right hand to the head that sent Prenga down hard in his own corner. Although Prenga showed heart by trying to beat the count, he was unable to get up before the count of ten and Joshua had scored a dramatic, come from behind knockout.

While Joshua did what he had to do here, it should be cause for at least pause, if not concern. It is common knowledge that even before this fight and Tyson Fury’s bout against Mariusz Wach, it had been announced that the two former world champions, who have circled each other for years, had signed a contract to meet later this year in a bout to be streamed on digital subscription general entertainment network Netflix and had been advertised prior to both bouts.

It is a practice that though far from new in the sport of Boxing with regard to star fighters signing contacts to face each other, that interim bouts would be scheduled on or around the same dates featuring those fighters in separate fights, and is used as means of promotion for the eventual fight between the two, it does obviously come with risks and in this case, it nearly proved to be a bust for all involved. Perhaps some evaluation is needed and Joshua should take some time to make sure he is fully healed physically and mentally before that fight should be scheduled. 

This brings us to the final fight that took place on July 25th that pitted two former world champions against each other in a crossroads battle in Sydney, Australia in the 160lb. Middleweight division. Yours truly is referring to the encounter between former unified World Welterweight champion Errol Spence and former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Tim Tszyu, which took place at the Afterpay Arena.

If one were to take the particulars of this encounter out of the equation briefly, they would see what amounted to a classic scenario of a boxer/puncher in Spence going against a power punching pressure fighter in Tszyu. The context in which this fight took place, however, is something that cannot be ignored. This was the first fight for Spence in over three years following his being stopped by Terrence Crawford in a bout that fully unified the 147lb. Welterweight division. The beating he sustained in that fight, along with medical issues outside the ring was a central story of this fight. It can also not be dismissed that this was an encounter originally contracted to take place at a 158lb. Catchweight, but was changed to be at the official 160lb. Middleweight limit at the request of Spence, which fueled speculation among at least some that he may have been struggling to make the agreed upon contracted weight. Longtime readers know that this observer is not a fan of the concept of catchweights for several reasons including, but not limited to it seems to serve as a disadvantage to either a fighter moving up in weight or a fighter moving down to make the theoretical “Catchweight” fight occur. More often than not, however, it amounts to semantics. In this case, this fight would have always been classified as a Middleweight bout due to it being above the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight limit and below the 160lb. Middleweight limit. The issue of allowing one fighter two extra pounds to come in right at the given limit for a weight class amounts to nothing more than a technicality and would not play any meaningful role in how the fight was fought. 

In terms of how the fight was fought, the first six rounds seemed to be a trade off in that the two fighters traded rounds. One round would appear to be dictated by Spence’s combination and volume punching, where the next round would be highlighted by Tszyu’s heavier power punches. While this set up a close fight through the first six rounds of the scheduled twelve round bout, what was noticeable not only during the first half of the contest, but increasingly became more evident as the fight progressed was Tszyu’s heavier punches and ability to consistently knock Spence off balance and hurt him. What also stood out to yours truly was Spence’s legs at no point during this fight appeared to be steady and as the fight progressed even though he showed a lot of heart and mettle by taking hard, thudding blows, it seemed like in some respects, whether it be because of his inactivity or because of age being thirty-six years old, his punch resistance was not what it appeared to be prior to his encounter with Terence Crawford three years ago. Despite this, he was able to stay on his feet even though as the fight progressed, the look of a lopsided contest where one fighter was taking a gradual beating became increasingly clear. 

To his credit, however, Spence showed a lot of heart and was able to make it to the final bell where Tszyu would be declared the winner by twelve round unanimous decision. Immediately following the fight in a post-fight interview with Australia’s Main Event broadcast, which served as the global broadcaster for this fight, Spence acknowledged that he had given his best and when asked if he intended to continue his career, he said he wanted to talk with his family and start a new life outside of Boxing. 

Although some may contend that a fighter announcing his retirement in the ring immediately after a fight, particularly one that they lost may be dismissed as an emotional reaction in the immediate aftermath of a fight, there are times when a fighter realizes. whether they acknowledge it publicly or not, that they are not the fighter they once were and a universal truth that seems to be the case in virtually all combat sports where a fighter breaks down or ages at different times and one fighter’s journey will not be identical to another’s. Errol Spence has always represented his sport well and will go down in history as a likely Hall of Famer and one of the best Welterweights during his time in the sport. If this is the end for him as a fighter, he can hold his head high and know that he went out in his last fight like the champion he has been through most of his career.

As for Tim Tszyu, the victory over Spence, his third as a Middleweight will likely raise his stock as he looks to move himself into contention towards another opportunity to fight for a world title. The goal moving forward for him should be to try and move himself into a spot where a potential title fight in late 2027 or early 2028 might be a possibility if he continues to win. If he can stay active and depending on who he is matched up with, will likely determine how quick he might be able to move himself into position for that challenge. What Tszyu does have working in his favor is he does have name recognition and has proven to be a significant draw in his native Australia to such a degree where he may be able to dictate that fights occur in the land down under and can be in that position even as a potential challenger for a world title based on his ability to sell out arenas and stadiums regardless of who he fights. While continuing to be as active as possible and winning are crucial factors, so too is the ability to draw crowds and the business of the sport of Boxing, for better or worse, also plays a role in dictating how quickly a fighter gets an opportunity to fight for a world title and more specifically, how often those opportunities are given. The combination of name recognition value as well as being a proven draw may give Tszyu the ammunition he needs to accelerate towards a title shot quicker than some of the other contenders in the Middleweight division. Continuing to be active and perform well will make the argument for him to get the shot even stronger.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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The Return Of Demetrius Andrade

While most of the focus of the Boxing world this week has been focused on the two marquee attractions that will take place on July 25th, the return of Anthony Joshua against Kristian Prenga and the return of Errol Spence against Tim Tszyu in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Sydney, Australia respectively, there is another former world champion that will be making his return to action. This observer is referring to former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade, who will compete in a ten round Super-Middleweight bout on Friday, July 24th against veteran Douglas Ataide of Brazil. A bout that will headline a card promoted by promoter Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports CES Boxing at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. and can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. 

This will mark the first bout for Andrade in nearly three years since suffering the first defeat of his career to David Benavidez in September 2023. There was a time prior that fight where Andrade was regarded as one of the more avoided fighters in the sport due in part to his Boxing style that at times can be viewed as awkward and not always crowd pleasing, which prior to the bout with Benavidez, seemed to keep him from getting a marquee bout against a fighter regarded as one of the stars in the sport, most notably a desired bout against Saul “Canelo" Alvarez, which never came to fruition. One could make an argument that taking that fight against Benavidez, another fighter that has developed a reputation in some circles as also an avoided fighter, was a gamble that if he were successful would have likely led to a bout with Alvarez.

Unfortunately for Andrade, he was simply overwhelmed in that fight before being stopped in the sixth round. Although losing one fight does not and should not define a fighter’s whole career, especially a fighter who's won two world titles as Andrade, there can be at times a lack of acknowledgement as to what the physical toll of that kind of fight can take on a fighter and likely played a part in Andrade’s extended absence from competition.

The story of this fight will be what Andrade, now age thirty-eight, has left following that layoff and the effects of that fight with Benavidez. In Douglas Ataide, Andrade (32-1, with 19 Knockouts) will face a veteran of twenty+six professional fights. Ataide, however, (20-5-1, with 11 Knockouts) would seem to be picked as an opponent for Andrade based largely on his not being able to succeed when he has stepped up in caliber of competition with his only notable opponent being former WBA Middleweight world champion Ryota Murata, who stopped him in five rounds in 2015. 

The key for Ataide in this fight, which is a significant step up in opposition compared to his recent opponents, will be to try and apply pressure on Andrade early. Benavidez was able to systematically walk and break Andrade drown and even though  Ataide is not similar in style or skillset as more of a boxer than Benavidez, the unknown here is how Andrade will respond if put under consistent pressure as he was in that fight.

It is logical to think that if Andrade is successful in this bout, he will look to get back into the mix of the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. After three years out of the ring, however, priority number one should be to work off the “Ring Rust" and if he's able to perform well in this bout, look to stay busy with another fight before the end of the year and into 2027. We'll see what happens in this fight before what follows can be discussed further.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

CES Boxing: Andrade vs. Ataide takes place on Friday, July 24th at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT. 

*North American 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, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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DAZN Ultimate Put To It's First Big Test On July 25th Event Doubleheader

On July 25th the Boxing world will focus on Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Sydney, Australia respectively for two pay-per-view offerings that will also serve as the first significant selling point for digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as both events will be available as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. The first of the two events, which will be held in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will feature the return of former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua as he returns to the ring for the first time since scoring a knockout of Jake Paul in December of last year as he will face Heavyweight contender Kristian Prenga in a fight scheduled for twelve rounds. 

Although Joshua frankly did what most knowledgeable Boxing insiders including those who cover the sport, like yours truly, expected in knocking out the novice boxer/promoter Paul in six rounds, Joshua’s returns comes following surviving a horrible car accident in the weeks following the fight where he lost two of his close friends. Frankly, after enduring both a tragic accident, the injuries that came with it, and the loss of two friends, it would be understandable if Joshua either chose to remain out of the ring for an extended period or if he chose to not resume his career. In some ways, this fight against a “Knockout Artist” in Prenga comes on a similar timeline as most marquee stars, as Joshua is, compete in the sport, once or twice a year.

The obvious question here not only is what condition Joshua will be in considering what he has been through, but also what Prenga will bring to the table in what could be a dangerous fight for the former world champion, who still has the goal of trying to regain a World Heavyweight championship. Kristian Prenga  will come into this encounter with a record of 20-1, with all 20 wins coming via knockout. The Albanian-born New Jersey-based Prenga has only suffered one defeat in his career when he dropped a six round decision to a  fighter named Giovanni Auriemma in October 2016. Although it was only Prenga’s third professional fight and came against a fighter who ended his career with a 2-6–2 record, Prenga has remained unbeaten in the years since. Despite all of his victories coming via knockout, he has not fought a fighter considered to be a household name. This is likely viewed as a red flag in the eyes of some  because even though Prenga has built an impressive record in terms of numbers and has never been stopped in his career, he has fought a lower caliber of opposition as compared to the former world champion Joshua. 

What could work to Prenga’s advantage, however, is Joshua has been knocked out before and has been susceptible to getting caught even in fights he has won in the past. Although it may not be expected by some, the accumulation of years competing at or near the top level of the sport for most of his career, the punishment sustained both in fights he’s lost as well as those he’s won, and the fact that Joshua is thirty-six years old, in addition to now attempting a comeback from a tragic accident are all things that need to be considered here. Boxing is after all a sport of opportunity and, despite being at a disadvantage in terms of both overall experience and skillset, sometimes all a fighter needs is an opportunity and it is indisputable that this is the biggest fight in Prenga’s career. If he should pull of an upset here, it should put him on a short list of potential world title challengers.

The second main event that will take place on July 25th brings us to Sydney, Australia where two former world champions will meet in a crossroads bout as former unified Welterweight world champion Errol Spence will return to the ring for the first time in three years to face hometown favorite and former WBO World Jr. Middleweight champion Tim Tszyu in a scheduled twelve round Middleweight bout, which can also be seen either as a standalone pay-per-view offering or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

This fight, which will headline a card, the first official card for the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters under their new worldwide broadcast deal with DAZN. What this fight is in more specific context is an encounter between two former world champions, each trying to reestablish themselves in the sport. For Errol Spence, who has not fought since being stopped by Terence Crawford in 2023 in a fight to fully unify the 147lb. Welterweight division at that time, the central issue that surrounds him will be both inactivity as well as what the condition of his eyes will be after spending the last several years dealing with vision problems. In the other corner will stand Tim Tszyu, the former Jr. Middleweight world champion, who while more active over the period of time in which Spence has been inactive, has also suffered some setbacks over that time, which has affected his standing in the sport including two losses to Sebastian Fundora and one loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev. The loss to Murtazaliev and the second loss to Fundora, were via stoppage and it has prompted some to question what Tszyu has left himself.

The 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division has suddenly become a commodity with Jaron Ennis recently becoming a unified world champion in the division having recently stopped previously unbeaten WBO world champion Xander Zayas to unify the WBO and vacant WBA crowns. It is logical to assume that the end goal for both Spence and Tszyu here will be to try to get into the discussion of potential challengers for Ennis. While this fight is not at the highest level the division has to offer, it is still an encounter between two of the recent stars in the sport that are trying to get back into position to challenge for another world title. 

Given the length of time Spence has been inactive and the fact that this bout, which was originally supposed to occur at a contracted weight of 158lbs., a technicality given that it is two pounds under the 160lb. Middleweight limit, it is logical to expect that Tszyu will attempt to test Spence early on in this fight. The danger for Tszyu is he has been caught before when being overly aggressive and at his best, Errol Spence was a fighter with a good mix of punching power and hand speed, Tszyu should pursue with caution if he is able to have success early. On the flip side of the equation, Spence should look to try and get a few rounds under his belt. What is known as “Ring Rust” is a very real thing for a fighter and it is unrealistic to expect that Spence will not have at least a little rust given his inactivity and the medical issues he has dealt with outside of the ring in his first return to competition in three years.

Both fights that will be showcased here on July 25th have a similar theme. Joshua is looking to get back into the Heavyweight title picture and both Spence and Tszyu are looking to get back into the world title picture as well in either the Jr. Middleweight or Middleweight divisions. Although the theme of both fights are similar in scope, some may argue that Spence and Tszyu are in a scenario where it might be win or go home. This observer will stay clear of such debates, but it does not lessen the intrigue of frankly both fights. What might follow including a planned fight for Joshua with former two-time World Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury aimed for later this year, remains to be seen.

In terms of the business side of the sport these two bouts headlining separate cards, each available either as standalone pay-per-view offerings at $60 and $80 respectively, this either as an unintended coincidence or by design will spotlight the strategy by DAZN as a subscription-based network’s new tiered approach as events like these two are offered under a DAZN Ultimate subscription, which at $44.99 per month does offer value as compared to paying just shy of $140 for these two bouts as standalone options. 

While such a subscription model is clearly aimed at the combat sports enthusiast and was no doubt implemented in response to both criticism of using the pay-per-view model as well as what were likely numbers that showed it was not a winning strategy both for the network and for promoters who insisted on using it, this observer will repeat a point he has made numerous times. It will come down to both matchmaking and which fights are aimed for an ultimate subscription as opposed to a base subscription that DAZN initially launched with in 2018. Clearly, pay-per-view on its own due to both overpricing and the frequency that it has been used has not worked for Boxing in some time, it needed to change and July 25, 2026 is the first day on the Boxing calendar since the introduction of the Ultimate tier subscription for DAZN where the value of this approach will be displayed. With more events coming through the remainder of 2026 and beyond, hopefully, both for the sport as well as its promoters who are largely congregated under one broadcast platform now, it will prove to be a winner both in its implementation as well as providing a reasonably priced alternative for consumers, and for the network, both growing and maintaining their subscriber base without much of the churn that subscription models are often submitted to.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Joshua vs. Prenga takes place on Saturday, July 25th at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The card is available either as a standalone pay-per-view offering for $59.99 or as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The broadcast will begin at 9AM ET/6AM PT.

Spence vs. Tszyu takes place on Saturday, July 25th at the Afterpay Arena in Sydney, Australia. The card is available as a standalone pay-per-view offering for $79.99 or as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The broadcast will begin at 9PM ET/6PM PT.

(*North American Start Times Only.*)

(*Cards and Start Times Subject to Change.*

*Both Events Available Worldwide.*

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times and region specific pricing in your area, to order these events separately or to subscribe or upgrade to a DAZN Ultimate subscription please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Bruno Tarimo Returns To Headline Dragon Fire Boxing's Next Event; BOXINGMANIA August 8th

 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: July 20, 2026 By  Dragon Fire Boxing - Tarimo (29-5-2, 8 KOs) soared into the super featherweight rankings after a string of upset victories over Aussie contenders Billy Dib, Joel Brunker, and Nathaniel May in 2019. Tarimo’s link-up with Aussie trainer Angelo Hyder and manager Tony Tolj saw him become a firm fixture on the Australian and world boxing scene.

Bruno was originally scheduled for a title fight in Fiji on February 7, but that fight date has been repeatedly changed. Tarimo is now headlining a WBA Oceania Featherweight Championship challenge against China Junlun Zhao 12-2

Tarimo opens up

“It’s frustrating with the date constantly being changed, but I know my team (Dragon Fire Boxing) has done everything possible doing and has my best interests at heart. Andrew has become world champion again, and Jason Moloney has signed with Zuffa and I will become world champions from the gym.”

“I had nothing lined up after many date changes in Fiji and Dragon Fire Boxing has put on an event just for me to get me going and I will give everything I can in the ring to become a champion again”

Longtime manager Tony Tolj said: “We are planning a big 2026, where we can get him back in the rankings and challenge for a world title. He wants to campaign at featherweight; we believe he can compete there, and it’s his natural weight. He was fighting up at super featherweight, which wasn’t his weight. But during COVID times, they couldn’t get anyone into the country, so he jumped up. He just kept fighting Aussie after Aussie and kept beating everyone. He ended up getting into a position where he was fighting in a world title eliminator.

“He lives close to Jason and Andrew [Moloney], and young prospect Jesse Wicks is around there as well. They are all friends; Bruno is another extension of our boxing family. He will be a big help in Jason’s next fight on the Gold Coast on the Opetaia card, in Andrew’s IBF world title challenge next year, and in Bruno’s big year coming up. He’s been a big part of all the major camps we have had with the Moloneys. Takei had eight fights with eight knockouts at that point, but Bruno’s fight was stopped due to a cut. He’s world class, and 2026 is going to be a standout year for him.

“Bruno has evolved and gone to the next level and was the chief sparring partner for Jason in his IBF Intercontinental title fight victory. Bruno was preparing for his own title fight, but that got delayed.

“First thing I need to do is get him active, then back into the world ratings,” Tolj added. “Now we can get him into a position where he will fight for a world title. Now he is going to be settled, not worrying about his family, not detached from those he loves. I think he will have a good run now, and I’m really looking forward to seeing Bruno achieve all he can achieve.”

Material and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

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

PBC Joins DAZN : Why It Is A Win For Subscribers

 In April of 2018, this observer received word as I was preparing to cover two separate main events being held in the United Kingdom on April 21st of that year, Amir Khan vs. Phil Lo Greco and Carl Frampton vs, Nonito Donaire that there would be a further shock to the system in terms of the way Boxing was broadcast here in the United States following the inception of ESPN’s first direct to consumer streaming network ESPN+, (Now ESPN Unlimited), which had launched days before and in fact, it was the Khan-Lo Greco bout that ended up being the first Boxing event ever televised on the platform. The further shock that I was informed about privately was the pending entry into the United States of another direct to consumer streaming entity whose focus would largely center on Boxing, DAZN.

Although it would be a few weeks later that the network dubbed by some as the “Netflix of Sports” would hold a press conference in New York to formally announce their entry with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as the centerpiece attraction to serve as the network’s main promoter, upon hearing the information I was given, I began researching what DAZN, which launched in 2016, had to offer in other markets internationally. As first and foremost a Boxing lifer and combat sports aficionado, but just as a sports fan in general, when I saw the amount of content offered in various regions, particularly amongst the major sports here in the United States, I would be lying if I said my mouth did not begin to water. Obviously, I knew that a global streaming network’s available content would vary by region due to existing broadcast agreements with various networks around the world and I also knew based on years of experience in covering media broadcast rights as it relates to Boxing and other combat sports, that there was not going to be the amount of content that I had seen offered internationally upon DAZN’s U.S. launch, primarily the major sports leagues in this country. What I did see, however, was potential.

With regard to Boxing, the network offered a schedule of events from both major and regional promoters that was unparalleled in the sport. While yours truly has written extensively over the years of the benefits of the subscription-based model as compared to the pay-per-view model, which had gotten out of control before DAZN’s launch, for the purposes of this column, the focus will be centered on how DAZN has strategically put together a roster of promoters and Boxing content that frankly has never been seen before on one platform as along with Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and wider sports offerings under Matchroom Sport, the network eventually added Golden Boy Promotions under promoter and Hall of Fame fighter Oscar De La Hoya, OPI Since 82 out of Italy, the highly acclaimed World Boxing Super Series, as well as various other promoters who have appeared on the platform periodically. Most recently, the network had signed Hall of Fame promoters Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions and Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc. to multi-year broadcast agreements. Although having clearly established itself as the dominant broadcaster in the sport not just in the United States, but worldwide to a degree we have never seen in Boxing before, the network has not rested on its accomplishments as it continues to build to its platform. On July 9th, during the launch press conference for the upcoming WBA World Welterweight championship bout between champion Rolando Romero and former two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez an announcement was made that the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, one of the last remaining major promoters in the sport that had spent recent years as a largely pay-per-view centric promoter first through the now defunct Showtime Sports and most recently through digital streaming general entertainment network and platform Prime Video, had signed with the network on what was described as a multi-fight agreement with events being simulcast on Prime Video on a pay-per-view basis for the remainder of 2026.

In all honesty, I was not surprised when I was informed of the pending announcement as frankly, with the exception of a few obscure pay-per-view offerings promoted by independent promoters that have yet to align with DAZN, the PBC group of promoters was really the last hold out, who was attempting to continue to rely largely on what this observer has called the outdated and overpriced model of pay-per-view. Despite DAZN in the period following the global COVID-19 epidemic dipped their toes into the pay-per-view model, a decision that though understandable to an extent given the loss of revenue from the pause of live sports that occurred while the world was essentially shut down during the epidemic, I was highly critical of, which I stand by, the network has always been a subscription-based focused entity. With regard to the PBC’s recent history with Prime Video acting as a distributor for PBC pay-per-view offerings with a handful of free events for Amazon Prime members, though no one has access to how successful or not successful those events have been in terms of buys, the PBC, which launched in 2015 with its initial mission of “Free Boxing For All” with initial time buy arrangements with broadcast and cable networks, had seen its output of events year over year drop significantly as compared to when it launched. Although no one can say how successful a largely pay-per-view centric strategy was for the PBC. One could assume that continuing to rely on what became an increasingly outdated model and doing so at price points of $74 or above, may not have proven to be a winning approach for them, which could have necessitated aligning with DAZN after vocally opposing what the network was attempting to bring to the sport with a subscription-based focus for several years.

While pay-per-view still remains part of the sport, it should be noted that DAZN after testing the waters of periodically dipping its toes into the model, has reverted back to a subscription based approach with the introduction of DAZN Ultimate, a higher priced tier subscription that now includes pay-per-view offerings at no additional cost. This should be of value to many Boxing fans due to now the PBC events being available to DAZN Ultimate subscribers at no additional cost. Although it is not my intention to pen what could essentially be copy for a commercial promoting the network, a monthly or annual subscription is indeed more cost-effective for consumers as opposed to being asked to pay an inflated fee on a per-event basis, regardless of what the headline attractions of those events might be. 

The question is obviously with so many promoters on one platform does it create a monopoly and ultimately, will it serve in the best interest of both consumers and the sport? A cynical viewpoint as well as a realistic one, is Boxing does not have as many broadcasters involved in the sport in 2026 as was the case in decades past. There are several reasons for that, none of which have anything to do with the sport itself or its appeal, but have a lot to do with what became a focus on what was meant to be used for legitimate special occasions in the sport/major events, pay-per-view, which in turn gradually eroded not only the amount of content offered across both free to air broadcast television as well as cable, which over time took what would have been marquee bouts away from free television or from cable networks like HBO and Showtime, which for lack of a better term made whatever was televised on those networks seem secondary by putting the perceived major bouts in the sport behind a paywall. This in addition to consistently raising prices for such events, the frequency of which the pay-per-view model has been used, and the stalling tactics, which delayed fights of significant interest from being made and promoters and fighters refusing to come to the negotiating table for such bouts eventually it created a scenario where free to air networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox eventually bowed out of the sport and were ultimately followed by HBO and Showtime as well after both networks, who had invested significantly in Boxing over decades eventually divested and exited as both became to a significant extent casualties of corporate mergers that is still a major issue in the overall landscape of television.

It goes without saying that having less platforms actively invested in Boxing along with the over reliance on the pay-per-view model has led to where things are now for Boxing. An obvious concern is even with essential 95% of the sport’s major promoters under one global broadcast platform, is that the ways of old including a reluctance of the various promoters to work together to bring about fights of significant interest and to do so in a more reasonable timeframe than  having the public wait, at times several years, before a fight takes place where more often than not, by the time it does it leaves the public feeling very underwhelmed. There is also an obvious danger as well for DAZN in that now with a tier subscription approach, the motivation should be to try and increase long-term subscriptions, but also make it appealing for existing subscribers to stay on. There will come a point where subscription prices will have to stabilize where the ceiling of how high subscription rates can go will have to reach a ceiling or like other networks that were heavily invested in Boxing before them, DAZN may eventually find themselves making a similar decision to that of the aforementioned networks, first by divesting and then by exiting Boxing altogether. It would be a shame if that happens because the potential to grow the sport far beyond any level it has seen before and expose it to new eyes regardless of one’s economic level is there. Will this be the watershed moment where Boxing finally gets out of its own way for the good of the sport? I sincerely hope so. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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