Inoue And Benavidez Make Statements On Cinco De Mayo Weekend

Cinco De Mayo weekend 2026 was highlighted by two significant fights in Boxing's Jr. Featherweight and Cruiserweight divisions. While longtime readers likely saw the preview penned by this observer regarding the Cruiserweight bout that took place on May 2nd in Las Vegas, NV, which will conclude this column, the first bout that occurred on May 2nd was regarded as an event that most would call a “Super Fight” and likely one of, if not the most significant fight to take place in Japanese Boxing history. 

Yours truly is referring to the highly anticipated encounter between undefeated stars of the sport Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani, which took place before 55,000 spectators in Japan’s Tokyo Dome. Nakatani, the unbeaten former unified World Bantamweight world champion competing for only the second time in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division, facing a man in Naoya Inoue that has two undisputed world championships in two different divisions on his resume with his Undisputed World Jr. Featherweight championship on the line. Nayoa Inoue has proven to be what I have often called a generational talent, much in the same way as Terence Crawford and others throughout the history of the sport that defined their respective eras. In Inoue’s case, he has been defined not only for his ability to often score devastating knockouts that fit his “Monster” moniker, but doing so through multiple divisions ranging from the 108lb. Light Flyweight division to his current weight class the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division, winning world titles in every division he has competed in.

While Inoue has continued his dominance, there have been occasions where he has appeared vulnerable  and most thought that within the weight classes of Bantamweight and Jr. Featherweight, there was one fighter who posed a legitimate threat to him at this stage of his career in Nakatani, who has similar punching power and a former unified World Bantamweight champion in his own right. Despite the ingredients of a likely shootout between two devastating punchers, what we saw was a surprisingly tactical battle rooted largely in the fact that both fighters had respect for each other and what the other could do. This resulted in an extremely tight, tactical fight where both fighters had moments of success in many of the same rounds. 

When fights are fought in such a way, it can be challenging to determine which fighter gets an edge due to both the pace of the combat and there being nuances therein where an argument can be made either way. At the halfway point of the scheduled world championship bout, I felt the fight was even. It would be over the second half of the contest that the two fighters would begin to open up more offensively and it was Inoue who was more active, the effective aggressor throughout much of that half of the fight, and that is what ultimately led him to retaining his undisputed crown via twelve round unanimous decision. 

Although Naoya Inoue remains at the top of the Jr. Featherweight division, the question remains as to whether or not he has reached his ceiling in terms of how far he can go up the weight scale. With his Hall of Fame resume more than secured anything in the 126lb. Featherweight division should be viewed as icing on the cake at this point in his career. There will come a time, however, as most lower weight fighters eventually discover, where moving up in weight will eventually take a toll on his ability to compete effectively where the risk will be greater than the reward in terms of his legacy.

Another fighter who seems to be chasing a legacy in terms of a defining fight that will allow him to cement his Hall of Fame credentials is David Benavidez, a fighter also known as “The Monster.” While sharing a moniker with Nayoa Inoue is purely coincidental, the similarity between the two has been their ability to often dominate their competition. As Inoue has thus far continued to move through weight classes in search of more accolades, so too has Benavidez, but the latter of the two, a world champion in both the 168lb. Super-Middleweight and 175lb. Light-Heavyweight divisions, has done so without getting a marquee fight that most would consider legacy-defining.

As that search for such an opponent has continued, Benavidez set his sights on the 190lb.-200lb. Cruiserweight division. A division usually void of such marquee bouts, but one that usually serves as the precursor for most fighters before testing the waters of the Heavyweight division. May 2nd closed out with Benavidez challenging unified WBO/WBA world champion Gilberto Ramirez at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. While his Cruiserweight debut carried with it the obvious questions of whether he would have the same type of punching power and hand speed at the higher weight, in addition to whether he would find a test in the form of Ramirez, who himself was a two-division world champion, this fight would be another performance for Benavidez that would show why he has carved out a reputation as an avoided fighter within the sport by fighters considered stars.

From the opening bell, Benavidez simply bided his time and it became clear very early that when he let his hand speed be on display, the champion Ramirez had no answers to combat it. As the difference between the two in terms of hand speed became more clear and the champion began to show signs of breaking down as Benavidez gradually administered a terrible beating on the highly regarded Ramirez, the performance would be highlighted by two knockdowns in round four and round six with the latter being the result of what proved to be a fight ended accumulation of punishment as Benavidez scored a sixth round knockout to cement his arrival in the Cruiserweight division as its new unified world champion.

There simply not much one can say to describe Benavidez’ performance in this fight other than to call it the latest in a line of devastating performances against another highly regarded world champion that simply had no way to combat the skillset Benavidez has. In terms of what's next, an encounter with undefeated former two-time IBF Cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia, current holder of the recently introduced Zuffa Boxing World Cruiserweight championship, would seem to be the most logical choice. It is a choice, however, that may prove to be difficult due to Zuffa Boxing appearing intent on not participating in the established model of the sport of Boxing in doing business with existing sanctioning organizations, choosing instead to create their own champions and rankings as well as being front and center in trying to sphere head proposed reforms to the Muhammad Ali Act. 

A challenge will be for the promotion, which falls under the TKO Group banner, to show it can put the interest of the sport takes priority over any promotional-based goals the promotion might have. Co-existence with Boxing’s existing sanctioning organizations and outside promoters are bridges that will have to be crossed to make fights of significant interest happen as well as bring recognition to their own in house world championships, particularly with regard to public opinion much in the same way as established sanctioning organizations all had to do throughout various points in the history of Boxing. A potential fight between Benavidez the new unified world champion and Zuffa Boxing’s first recognized world championship Opetaia, who is also recognized by Ring Magazine as World Cruiserweight champion would appear to be the first test for Zuffa Boxing to show it has the best interest of the sport at heart. It is the most logical fight to make in the Cruiserweight division. Why wait to make it happen?

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Aussie Prospect Malachi Urquhart Inks With Dragon Fire Boxing

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: May 4, 2026 By Dragon Fire Boxing -  It’s an exciting time for me to sign with Dragon Fire Boxing. They have represented a lot of great fighters and have got them to the top. It’s means a lot to have them representing me and it’s a privilege to have so early in my career. I feel the timing is great. 

“Being in the same stable as Jason, Andrew and Bruno is a huge part of my future in boxing. They have been at the top for a long time now and for my self seeing first hand in the gym what it takes to get there is only going to benefit me for the future”

“I want to be the best version of my self. With the right team and path I believe the best version of myself can become a world champion in the future.”

“To the people that continue to support me, this is only the beginning! A long road ahead and I need you all to continue supporting me and fuelling my fire! Thank you.” 

Urquharts message to fighters his division. “Come see me!”

Tony Tolj discusses new protégé Urquhart;

“Malachi is a great talent who I am fortunate to be able to develop with legendary trainers Tony Nobbs along with Angelo Hyder. This is not a short term project, we will back Mal all the way for him to be able to achieve all he can”

Its exciting times ahead and I look forward to the journey together with the whole team and unleashing the “Malachi Crunch” 

 

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

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

Ramirez-Benavidez Preview

Boxing’s Cruiserweight division, positioned between the Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions on the weight scale, is often one that one does not associate with marquee fights that become dates on the calendar that the entire sport marks down and looks forward to. The reason for that is that the division is not viewed as a career destination for most fighters. Either fighters start as a Cruiserweights with a keen eye towards becoming Heavyweights, Light-Heavyweights move into the division with the same eventual goal of becoming Heavyweights, or the Cruiserweight division ends up being a fallback option for those who have tested the Heavyweight waters and feel they can compete more effectively in the division just below the Heavyweights.

Although this observer has periodically chronicled the division, most notably referencing the 1986 WBA World Cruiserweight championship fight between the late Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Evander Holyfield, an encounter between two eventual Hall of Famers that was one of the best fights in the entire sport throughout the 1980’s that has stood the test of time, marquee attractions usually are absent from the division, which was then known as the Jr. Heavyweight division. On Cinco De Mayo weekend, however, the Cruiserweight division will see such an encounter between two world champions and stars of the sport as Gilberto Ramirez will defend his unified WBA/WBO World Cruiserweight championship against undefeated current WBC World Light-Heavyweight champion David Benavidez on May 2nd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as part of its Ultimate subscription plan or as a standalone pay-per-view option either through DAZN or Prime Video* (*Prime Video option for the United States only for those who do not want access through DAZN.*)

This is a rare instance where not only will the Cruiserweight division get to be front and center with a fight in a coveted spot on the Boxing calendar, normally reserved for many of the sport’s biggest battles, but also brings together two offensive-minded fighters with crowd-pleasing styles that on paper, should mesh well with each other. In addition to that, these two fighters are both multi-division world champions having each won world titles in both the Super-Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight divisions previously in their respective careers.

While both fighters like to come forward and engage with their opponents and both are known for throwing punches in volume, the champion in this encounter Ramirez has one slight advantage at least in paper going into this fight. He has fought in the 190lb.-200lb. Cruiserweight division before and that experience in having competed in the division for three years might give him an edge over Ramirez who is moving up to Cruiserweight for the first time in his career. This is a fight where both fighters have high career knockout percentages where the challenger Benavidez has an edge of having stopped over 80% of his opponents compared to the champion’s 62%. The key, however, will be whether Benavidez will be as effective now in his third weight division as he has been previously. It is also worth noting that the only blemish on Ramirez’ record came in a decision loss to Dmitry Bivol in a failed bid to become a Light-Heavyweight world champion before embarking on the Cruiserweight division. Bivol is a master boxer that presents a difficult puzzle for opponents to try and solve with only Artur Beterbiev having been able to score a victory over Bivol to this point in his career so a loss to a fighter of Bivol’s caliber is in no way a disgrace and to Ramirez’ credit, he did give a good account of himself in defeat when they met in November 2022.

In this case, this observer feels it is more likely that we will see two fighters come forward and engage in some heated exchanges of punches, likely early in the scheduled twelve round world championship bout than it being a similar scenario where Ramirez had to combat an extremely technical boxer in Bivol. What will be interesting, however, is seeing as both Ramirez and Benavidez are come forward, pressure fighters who throw at a high volume, which fighter will take the initiative to try and implement that approach? Will it be the champion who will try and impose his will and experience having fought at this weight before on Benavidez or will it be the challenger who will try to back the champion up and show that his punching power will carry with him up to the Cruiserweight division?

Two very interesting questions that yours truly is as curious as anyone as to what will be the answers. While you never know what will happen when two fighters get into a ring regardless of similarities in styles and how a fight looks on paper, I personally have a hard time not seeing a scenario where at some point in the fight the two fighters are going to stand and trade punches with each other and that could very well end up looking like a 50/50 toss up as to who will get the better of it in a bout that some likely will suggest will not go the distance.

For a division in the Cruiserweights that has almost always been starved for mainstream attention in the sport, despite having countless notable fighters pass through it either on the way up to Heavyweight or on the way down towards the end of their careers, this is finally one fight that is worthy of such mainstream attention. If this turns out to be similar to the thrilling battle that Qawi and Holyfield provided forty years ago, hopefully the Cruiserweights will be able to take advantage of the increased exposure, which could lead to more lucrative bouts down the road,

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Ramirez vs. Benavidez takes place on Saturday, May 2nd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month or as a standalone pay-per-view option for $79.99 and will also be available on a pay-per-view basis at the aforementioned price on digital streaming entertainment platform Prime Video (*Prime Video access available in United States only.*)

The card will begin at 5:30PM ET/2:30PM PT with free preliminary bouts with the main card available to subscribers and pay-per-view customers beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Start Times Only*)

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

Visit www.DAZN.com for ordering information, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, or to subscribe to DAZN Ultimate. To order through Prime Video, download the Prime Video app on your streaming device of choice or visit www.PrimeVideo.com for ordering information and a list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs.

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12 Rounds In A Phone Booth: Miller Outlasts Pero

Initially, this column was intended to be a post-feature covering two Heavyweight bouts taking place on April 25th taking place in two different countries. As some might know, however, the scheduled bout between former WBO World Cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie and Tony Yoka, which was to take place in Paris, France, was cancelled in the days prior to the bout due to Okolie having been found to have tested positive for what was described as an “Adverse Finding" in randomized prefight testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-doping Agency (VADA). 

With that fight being cancelled the focus shifted to Las Vegas, NV where Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller met undefeated contender Lenier Pero in a twelve round WBA Heavyweight elimination bout at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino. It can be viewed as the most unintentional of coincidences that one fight that depending on one's perspective, which would have gotten significant attention, was cancelled due to a fighter testing positive for an adverse finding, and the focus shifted to Jarrell Miller, a fighter who has seen his own career negatively impacted over the years due to the subject of testing positive for banned substances, resulting in a lengthy hiatus from active competition, and has seen his career stall in the years since his return in 2022. 

In his previous outing prior to his encounter with Pero, Miller literally lost his toupee in the midst of battle in his fight with Kingsley Ibeh in January of this year. While some may view it as something that one would not want exposed publicly, particularly in Madison Square Garden and it turned into what is known today as a viral moment, Miller boldly threw the out into the crowd and pounded his way to a hard fought ten round split decision.

In making the most of that unique circumstance, Miller now proudly showing a bald head entered this fight with the unbeaten Pero looking to continue building momentum. It seemed as though it would be a difficult task in going against the former highly decorated amateur, who had scored knockouts in eight of his thirteen professional wins.

The perception that Pero would create a difficult task for Miller to overcome seemed to be gradually manifesting in the first two rounds as Pero consistently beat Miller to the punch and seemed to get the better of the combat. It was in round three that things started to tip in Miller's favor as he started to gradually use his over 300lb. frame to walk Paro backwards and force the fight to be fought in close. With the tempo of the combat shifting towards Miller, it set up the definition of a *Fight In A Phone Booth.” By definition, a fight fought exclusively in close where there was not much room to move.

Although this set up obviously created a narrow space, it resulted in a grueling battle that Miller got the better of for the remainder of the scheduled twelve round bout, resulting in him earning a convincing twelve round unanimous decision. In some ways, this fight resembled Miller's previous outing against Kingsley Ibeh in that it was a grueling encounter where Miller had to grind tooth and nail to get a victory. While this bout was void of knockdowns and the type of highlights that would turn heads, it was a competitive give and take battle and Miller’s victory here did serve in continuing to build momentum.

As for what's next for Jarrell Miller, what was billed as a WBA Heavyweight elimination bout will not likely result in him getting a world title shot in the immediate future due to current Unified World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk being scheduled to defend the WBC portion of his unified crown against former Kickboxing World Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven in May. Despite the WBA world title, which Usyk also holds not being on the line in that upcoming title defense, the logical route for Miller in the short-term would seem to be to remain active and try to continue building momentum towards the eventual goal of fighting for a world title. The circumstances, which led to Miller losing his opportunity to fight for a world title when he was in line to fight then unified world champion Anthony Joshua in the summer of 2019, the lengthy absence that followed, and some stumbles along the way since his return, could very well turn into one of the best redemption stories the sport of Boxing has seen in recent times. A story that will obviously continue to evolve with time.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Tanaka Saburi challenges for first title May 29 in Perth – Thunderdome 54

Credit: Mike O'Hara/ Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: April 24, 2026 By Dragon Fire Boxing -  May 29th, Dragon Fire Boxing hits the Metro City Arena for the second time this year for the 54th edition of the iconic Thunderdome series with a stacked card.

One of the prospects coming through is Jnr Welterweight, Tanaka Saburi

Having had another show stealing performance on Thunderdome 53, Saburi returns and is ready to put on another great performance.

Tanaka Saburi opens up;

“My last fight was a big step forward for me. I got the win by TKO, so overall I’m happy with the result, but I’m also very honest with myself, I feel like I could’ve taken him out earlier. I was a bit of a late starter in that fight. I took that first round just to read him, figure out his timing, his reactions, what he was trying to do. Once I made those adjustments, I started cooking and really turning up the pace. That’s when everything began to flow, more time my shots were landing cleaner, I was more confident, and I felt in control. But at this level, I know I can’t afford to give rounds away or take too long to get going. Since that fight, I’ve really focused on starting faster, being sharper from the opening bell, and making sure that when I hurt someone, I finish the job properly.”

“My opponent is a solid fighter, and I respect him. He’s naturally a bit heavier than me, but that’s not something that worries me at all. I’ve been sparring bigger guys my whole life, so I’m used to that kind of size and pressure. He had a great performance in his fight with Devon Kelly, so credit to him, he showed what he’s capable of. But at the end of the day, styles win fights. It’s not just about size or strength, it’s about how styles match up, and I truly believe my style is the one that comes out on top here. I’ve studied what I need to study, I’ve prepared the way I need to prepare, and I know exactly what I have to do when we’re in there”.

“This means everything to me. To be fighting for a professional title in just my 4th fight is something you don’t really hear of, it shows the belief I have in myself and the risks I’m willing to take early in my career. A lot of fighters take their time, build slowly, but I’ve always believed I’m ready for big moments. This is one of them. It’s not just about winning a belt, these times it’s about proving that I belong at this level, that I can handle pressure, and that I’m here to build something serious in this sport. This is the first step toward where I want to go, and I’m not taking it lightly.”

“Come ready. I know what you bring, and I respect you as a fighter. I’m sure you’re coming in confident, just like I am. Let’s go in there and put on a proper fight for everyone watching. At the same time, I pray that we both make it back safely to our families, God bless. But once that bell rings, it’s business. I’m coming in there focused, disciplined, and ready to do what I need to do to take that belt.

“To all my family and friends, this one is truly for us. Boxing is known as a lonely sport, and a lot of the time it can feel that way, but for me, I’ve never felt alone on this journey. I’ve had people supporting me from day one, and I carry that with me every time I step into the ring. All the sacrifices, the early mornings, the hard sessions—it’s not just me, it’s all of us. That’s why this win isn’t just mine. This is going to be a win for all of us. I’m going in there to make you proud, and when I bring that belt home, it belongs to every single person who’s been backing me.”.

Tickets on sale now at megatix.com.au & the event will be broadcast by Livecombatsports.com.au

 

 

Material Courtesy of: 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.

Okolie-Yoka Fight And Full Undercard Cancelled

It has been announced by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions that the scheduled April 25th Boxing card that was to be held in Paris, France headlined by a scheduled twelve round Heavyweight bout between former WBO World Cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie and Tony Yoka has been cancelled. The cancellation comes following Okolie having what is described as an “Adverse Finding" in random prefight drug testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-doping Agency (VADA). An official statement from Queensberry Promotions, released across it's respective social media platforms can be read below. As of this writing, there is no word on what the potential fallout will be or if there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout at a later date. We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

Credit: Queensberry Promotions 

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Owen Corrigan Challenges Mad Dog Micah Rivetti For Light Heavyweight title May 29 In Perth – Thunderdome 54

Press Release: April 20, 2026 By Dragon Fire Boxing - 

Credit: Mike O'Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing 

May 29th, Dragon Fire Boxing hits the Metro City Arena for the second time this year for the 54th edition of the iconic Thunderdome series with a stacked card.

One of the main events features undefeated Owen “Bomber” Corrigan” 5-0 taking of Micah Rivetti in a rematch for the Australian National Boxing Federations Light Heavyweight Australasian Championship.

The first fight was a cracker with the result a Split Decision and expect no difference in the second.

Corrigan opened up about his title fight challenge;

“The last fight is over and time to forget about it, wasn’t a trademark performance from my end but I take full accountability, sometimes you have those nights where you can’t get into your rhythm so you just make sure you win the rounds, thanks again for all the fans for coming out in support this fight will definitely live up to the expectations”

“Micah is a good opponent, I knew that going into the last fight, his record doesn’t indicate what he actually brings. Records are for djs. I’ll be honest I’m focused on being the best I can be rather than focusing on opponents. I’m fully confident going into this fight that I’ve got the ability to get the win emphatically”

“Second title and a major title too, madness what can happen when you put your mind to something, I just do the fighting it’s my team I’m grateful for. No point fighting for titles, I’m going to win it.”

“Micah, he’s a good guy I am too, I look forward to letting the boxing do the talk”.

“Shoutout to the fans, I cringe calling them fans because they are way more than that. They know that too. We’re on this journey together. When one goes to war we all go to war!!”

Your not going to want to miss this one!

Tickets on sale now at megatix.com.au & the event will be broadcast by Livecombatsports.com.au

 

  

 

 

 

Material Courtesy of: 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.