Garcia-Benn Preview

 On August 22nd, Teofimo Lopez emerged victorious in becoming a three-division world champion when he scored a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. It was that fight that this observer speculated prior to it taking place, could have been the unofficial start of a four-boxer box-off as there was another world title fight that would take place in the same venue a few short weeks after Lopez ultimately defeated Romero. The second bout will be for the WBC World Welterweight championship as champion Ryan Garcia looks to make the first defense of his world title for the first time against top Welterweight contender Conor Benn in a twelve round bout that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription general entertainment network Paramount+ and internationally on digital subscription sports streaming DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

What makes this fight interesting beyond it being the first title defense for Garcia, a fighter who has had some setbacks along the way in his career, but one who has evolved into one of the top stars in the sport of Boxing, is in this case he’s going against a fighter in Benn that not only has the lineage being the son of the legendary two-division world champion Nigel Benn, but Conor Benn has spent his recent fights fighting well above the 147lb. Welterweight division, having competed in two fights against Chris Eubank Jr., the son of his father’s rival Chris Eubank Sr. with those bouts taking place in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Prior to those bouts, in which Benn went 1-1 against Eubank Jr., he was a career Welterweight and was on the verge of challenging for a world title before Garcia got his opportunities. The question here is after having gone up three weight classes for his last two fights, what condition will he be in after coming back down in weight for this world title opportunity.

There have been times throughout history where fighters either after having won world titles at higher weights or looking for an opportunity to challenge for a world title after competing at higher weights, have come back down in weight with not so successful results. Two notable examples this observer has thought of in recent days as I prepared to pen this column was first in February 1991, the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard  after winning world titles from the 147lb. Welterweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division, moved down in weight after last competing in December 1989 in defense of his WBC Super-Middleweight world championship in his third fight against his longtime rival Roberto Duran, chose to take on WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Terry Norris inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. From the opening bell, Norris administered a beating to Leonard, dropping him twice throughout the twelve round world championship bout and earning a wide unanimous decision victory to retain his title. After the fight right in the ring after the decision was announced, Leonard announced to the crowd in attendance that this would be his final fight and retired for six years before making another ill-fated combat in March 1997 when at age forty, he suffered the first knockout of his career when he was stopped in five rounds by the late great Hector “Macho” Camacho in five rounds inside the legendary Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Leonard, as he had done after the loss to Norris, retired following being stopped by Camacho, never to fight again.

A second example came in March 2003 where Roy Jones, a fighter who won world titles from the 160lb. Middleweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division moved up to challenge WBA World Heavyweight champion John Ruiz for his world title and scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision to become a Heavyweight world champion and in doing so, became the first former Middleweight champion to successfully move up to Heavyweight and win a world title since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897. As historic as that accomplish was and remains, following that fight, despite Jones not really having anything else to prove and being in a position where he could have retired with an unmatched legacy, he was still a unified Light-Heavyweight world champion at the time he beat Ruiz and opted to move back down in weight to defend his title against Antonio Tarver later in 2003. Jones looked very sluggish and struggled to retain his title in a controversial decision in November 2003. The decision, that many felt should have gone Tarver’s way, fueled demand for an immediate rematch in May 2004. In that rematch, Tarver scored a second round one punch knockout of Jones, and from that point until Jones retired, having competed in his last official fight in 2023, was never the same fighter and his reflexes, punch resistance, and reaction time were clearly compromised after that knockout loss. Whether that was due to moving back down in weight after defeating Ruiz, or the effect of the knockout at the hands of Tarver in the second fight of what became a trilogy is a subject that will be debated by Boxing fans and historians such as yours truly. If one were to ask my opinion on the subject with regard to Jones, I believe it was a combination of both the drop back down in weight as well as the first of what became five knockouts Jones would go on to suffer throughout the remainder of his career that contributed to his decline.

In this case, we are talking about a fighter in Conor Benn that is a lot closer to his physical prime than either Leonard or Jones were when they opted to move back down in weight. Whether or not it will have negative physical effects in this fight or moving beyond this fight remains to be seen. The loss of mass that one puts on as they are preparing to move up in weight is something to consider as this fight approaches, though the fact that Benn is closer to his prime might be to his benefit in that his body might be able to respond better than both Leonard and Jones were as in addition to age and moving up in weight throughout their careers, both had been through their share of grueling battles, which no doubt contributed to their decline.

In terms of the fight itself, both Garcia and Benn have shown that they can do a little of everything and each have the type of explosive punching power that if they connect, they can end a fight with either hand. What this fight will come down to in my eyes is who will be able to take the initiative and whether they will be able to maintain that pace for however long the fight lasts. 

Whether or not this fight does indeed lead to a showdown later this year with the recently crowned WBA Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez also remains to be seen. With Lopez having put on a stellar performance a few short weeks ago, however, it will be up to Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn to take the attention off of Lopez and put it on themselves. If that translates into a great fight, even better for Boxing as a whole. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Garcia vs. Benn takes place on Saturday, September 12th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States on general entertainment subscription streaming network Paramount+ beginning at 4PM ET/1PM PT and will be included with a Paramount+ subscription.

For more information about Paramount+ including schedules, list of compatible devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ParamountPlus.com. 

Internationally, the card can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 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 subscribe or purchase this event as a standalone offering please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Labor Day Weekend 2026 Thoughts

 Labor Day weekend 2026 featured two stars of the sport of Boxing at distinctly different stages of their careers. First up on September 4th, it was former unified World Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz returning to the ring for the first time in two years to face Heavyweight contender Damian Knyba at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Whenever a fighter, whether notable for their accomplishments or not inside the ring, returns from a long absence, the subject of inactivity is always a topic of discussion.

In that what will the effect of the inactivity have on the fighter when they step back into active competition? For Andy Ruiz, it proved to be both a combination of both inactivity as well as Knyba’s taller height and eighty six inch reach. From the opening bell, the 6’7 Knyba kept the 6’2 Ruiz on the outside with his longer arms and consistent jab. This proved to be the story of the fight as Knyba was able to keep Ruiz at distance and only able to land his punches sporadically. Though this is not the most entertaining approach from a fan’s perspective, when executed properly where a fighter knows how to use their physical attributes to their advantage, it is effective. Despite the formulaic pace of the fight, which consisted of Ruiz coming forward, often being hit with jabs and right hands as he tried to get on the inside, and Knyba moving laterally to maintain a distance where he could maintain control of the combat, Knyba nearly ended the fight in the seventh round with a 1-2 combination that set off a brutal barrage of punches that badly hurt Ruiz and sent him down to the canvas. 

Ruiz was able to beat the count on very unsteady legs, but Knyba had come within mere seconds of scoring a stoppage of the former world champion. With Ruiz being able to survive the round, it may have been logical to see Knyba become more aggressive in perhaps thinking he may have been able to force a stoppage on a still vulnerable Ruiz, but what stood out here was the discipline Knyba showed in maintaining his advantage, sticking to what had proven to be an effective strategy, and not allowing himself to be over aggressive in pursuing a knockout victory. To his credit, Ruiz did show an ability to recover from circumstances where he appeared to be out on his feet and did have some periodic success in the later rounds, but it was not enough to turn things in his favor as Knyba boxed his way to a wide twelve round unanimous decision victory.

As impressive and workmanlike as Knyba’s performance in this fight was, the story here coming out of this fight is what does the future look like for Andy Ruiz? Following the fight, this observer commented on social media in giving credit to Ruiz for his ability to survive nearly being stopped in the seventh round, but noted that inactivity is truly a silent killer for combat athletes. Ruiz, who had previously been aligned with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, like many fighters who have fought under the PBC banner, had seen his activity in how often he competes decline as the PBC has seen its schedule of events also decline in recent years. It is true that prior to this fight and loss to Damian Knyba, Andy Ruiz had fought only three times in the last seven years. 

Although it is not uncommon in the present day in the sport of Boxing to see fighters who are considered elite-level and/or stars of the sport to only compete once or twice in a calendar year, if nothing else due to the economics for fighters in that position having significantly improved per fight as compared to previous eras of the sport, the trade-off often to not competing as often is over time inactivity takes its toll and skills, reflexes, and reaction time tend to diminish due to both age and inactivity. For his part, the thirty-seven year old Ruiz, who is now competing under promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, has said he intends to continue his career. The benefit for Ruiz is he will likely be offered fights in a more frequent timeframe than had been the case previously in his career. What it will come down to is whether Ruiz is committed to what could be a lengthy rebuild process due to this setback to Knyba and whether he will stay the course even if he were to suffer another setback down the road. Ruiz still has name recognition clout and that will help him get opportunities, but he needs to stay active and make the most of whatever opportunities are presented to him if he is to continue his career as name recognition on its own will not be enough to get another opportunity at a world title if he does not stay active and does not score a few wins against fighters that range from fringe to legitimate contenders. The primary thing if Ruiz wants to continue his career will be to recover from the toll this fight took on him and stay active moving forward.

On September 5th, the focus of the Boxing world shifted to Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland where future Hall of Famer Katie Taylor fulfilled a lifelong dream to fight in the legendary stadium for her final fight in defense of her unified WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship to face undefeated IBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Flora Pili for the Undisputed Jr. Welterweight world championship. While the main story of this fight was the final chapter of Katie Taylor’s groundbreaking and incredible career, the other part of this story was the event itself in that this fight was the main event in a stadium that was filled with 82,000 spectators, something that had never been done before for a fight in Woman’s Boxing, and served as another accolade for Taylor following her participating in the first two women’s fights to main event the main arena inside of Madison Square Garden in her career.

As she has done for virtually her entire career, Taylor put forth a masterclass performance from the opening bell using lateral movement, compact combination punching, and when necessary, counter punching to out box Pili over ten rounds to score a wide ten round unanimous decision to become an undisputed champion for the third time in her career following previously accomplishing the feat in the Lightweight division and previously doing it as a Jr. Welterweight as well. 

Although yours truly is on record in saying following the conclusion of Taylor’s trilogy with Amanda Serrano in 2025 that there was nothing more either of the two legends and future Hall of Famers had to prove in their respective careers inside the ring, this fight, which was likely the only scenario Taylor would return to the ring for in being able to make history and fulfill her dream of fighting in Croke Park, along with the dominant performance she put forth, proved to be the ultimate storybook ending for a truly great fighter who broke ground for female fighters both in her native Ireland as well as worldwide as she was one of the fighters in the most recent era that was able to elevate pay for her fellow fighters through her success inside the ring and it will be future generations of female fighters who will be able to benefit more from what fighters like Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Cecilia Braekhus, Jessica McCaskill, Claressa Shields, and many others have been able to accomplish both in regard to the pay that is now available to female fighters as well as the position of women’s bouts as often women’s bouts are now featured in main events not just internationally, but also here in the United States, which was not the case in previous eras in the sport.

This is a significant legacy for Taylor to leave and though as there always seems to be in Boxing, there will likely be offers for her to continue her career, which may be enticing depending on the financial incentives, there simply is no other way that she could top what he has done, in both being part of the first two Women’s main events in the history of Madison Square Garden, being victorious in both of those bouts, and being able to headline the first stadium event in which a women’s bout drew 82,000 spectators. Whatever the next chapter of Katie Taylor’s life entails, you simply cannot do much better than what she has accomplished. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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BiYu Promotions’ Garcia Drops Chaves Four Times in Masterful Boxing Performance

Credit:Zachariah Delgado / Matchroom Boxing 

 Press Release: September 7, 2026 By Mario Serrano - NEWARK, NJ (September 5, 2026)

 — Written off by the oddsmakers but never short on belief, 

BiYu Promotions 

lightweight contender

 Eridson Garcia 

(24-2, 14 KOs) delivered the biggest victory of his professional career last night, upsetting previously unbeaten knockout artist 

Alan Chaves 

(22-1, 19 KOs) in a dominant 10-round performance to capture the 

IBF International 

and 

WBO Latino Lightweight 

titles at the 

Prudential Center 

in 

Newark, New Jersey

.

The event was promoted by 

Matchroom Boxing

, broadcast live on 

DAZN 

in the

 United Kingdom 

and 

TNT 

in the United States.

Entering the bout as a 

7-1 underdog

, Garcia refused to fight like one. The Dominican Republic native put on a boxing masterclass, using a brilliant jab, lateral movement, distance and accurate combinations to neutralize the dangerous Chaves. Garcia dropped the Argentine once in the second round, twice in the fifth and again in the ninth on his way to a commanding unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 

99-87, 99-88 

and

 98-88

, all in favor of Garcia.

Credit: Zachariah Delgado / Matchroom Boxing 

From the opening bell, it was apparent Garcia was in rhythm and operating at his best. Armed with an 11-inch reach advantage, Garcia controlled the fight from the outside, repeatedly beating Chaves to the punch and using his feet to prevent the heavy-handed Argentine from establishing a consistent attack.

Despite entering with 19 knockouts in 22 victories, Chaves had few answers for Garcia’s speed, accuracy and disciplined boxing.

For Garcia, the victory was the culmination of preparation, belief and an opportunity he was determined not to waste.

“I’m extremely grateful for this victory and for everyone who gave me the opportunity to be in this position,” said Garcia. “I knew people were looking at the odds and saying I was the underdog, but I never looked at myself that way. I respected Chaves because he was undefeated and had tremendous punching power, but I believed in my skills and in the work we put in. From the first round, I felt comfortable. My jab was working, my movement was there, and I was seeing everything clearly. I stayed disciplined and followed the game plan. To drop a fighter like Chaves four times and leave with these two titles is a blessing. I give God all the glory.”

Garcia credited much of his success to an outstanding training camp in the Dominican Republic alongside 

Coach Rene Vazquez

. The preparation centered on using Garcia’s physical advantages while maintaining the discipline necessary to avoid giving Chaves opportunities to unleash his power.

“Coach Rene Vazquez and I had a great training camp in the Dominican Republic, and everything we worked on showed up in the fight,” Garcia said. “We knew Chaves was dangerous, so we couldn’t make mistakes or stand in front of him unnecessarily. Coach kept telling me to trust my jab, use my reach, move after my combinations and stay focused for every second of every round. We trained very hard, but we also trained smart. When I got into the ring, I felt prepared for anything he tried to do. I’m thankful to Coach Rene and my entire team because this victory belongs to all of us.”

Garcia’s execution was evident throughout the contest. Rather than becoming reckless after scoring knockdowns, he remained composed and continued using the tools that had established his advantage. His jab repeatedly disrupted Chaves’ offense, while his lateral movement and precision punching allowed him to dictate where and how the exchanges took place.

At 24-2 with 14 knockouts and now holding two regional lightweight championships, Garcia believes defeating a previously unbeaten opponent of Chaves’ caliber has changed the trajectory of his career.

“This victory opens a new chapter for me,” Garcia said. “Beating an undefeated fighter who was 22-0 with 19 knockouts and winning the IBF International and WBO Latino titles is the type of victory that can change a fighter’s career. I’m grateful because opportunities like this are not guaranteed in boxing. You have to be ready when your name is called, and I was ready. Now I want to keep improving, keep winning and continue moving toward the top of the lightweight division. I’m not going to get ahead of myself. I’m going to stay humble, stay in the gym and let my team guide me toward the next opportunity.”

Bobby Harrison, President 

of

 BiYu Promotions

, praised Garcia for embracing the underdog role and producing a performance that Harrison believes will create significantly bigger opportunities for the Dominican lightweight.

“What Eridson Garcia did was incredible,” Harrison said. “He went into this fight as a 7-1 underdog against an undefeated fighter who everyone was saying is the next great fighter from Argentina, and he didn’t just find a way to win, he put on a boxing clinic. The jab, the footwork, the distance, the accuracy and the composure were all outstanding. The fact that he dropped Chaves four times was insane. He controlled the fight from beginning to end. The world got an opportunity to see what we at BiYu Promotions already knew, that Eridson Garcia is a serious lightweight contender.”

Harrison believes Garcia’s newly acquired IBF International and WBO Latino titles, combined with the quality of his performance, should put him in position for another significant fight.

“This victory changes everything for Eridson,” Harrison continued. “He now has two important titles around his waist and a signature victory over an undefeated, dangerous opponent. The next step is to capitalize on this momentum. We’re going to sit down with his team, look at the opportunities that become available and make the move that gets him closer to where he wants to be, a world title shot. He earned the right to be in the conversation with the top lightweights, and we intend to keep putting him in meaningful fights.”

Credit:  Zachariah Delgado / Matchroom Boxing 

Garcia entered the night as the betting underdog. He left with four knockdowns, two championship belts and the most significant victory of his professional career. For a fighter who was given little chance by the oddsmakers, Garcia didn't need to say much after 10 rounds. His performance had already delivered the message. Eridson Garcia is no longer an underdog to overlook.

Material Courtesy of: Mario Serrano/ Photos Courtesy of: Zachariah Delgado / Matchroom Boxing  Used with permission.

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

"Tha Postman” Makes First Professional Appearance Outside U.S. on Dominican Fight Night, Live Worldwide on CombatVisionTV

Credit: BiYu Promotions

Press Release: September 4, 2026 By Mario Serrano and CombatVisionTV -RADCLIFF, KY (September 4, 2026) — Undefeated super lightweight prospect Pryce “Tha Postman” Sparrow (6-0, 4 KOs) will take the biggest test of his young career when he faces veteran Oliver Flores (31-7-3, 20 KOs) on Friday, September 11, 2026, at Coliseo Carlos Teo Cruz in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The bout will be featured on “Dominican Fight Night,” co-promoted by BiYu Promotions and Shuan Boxing, and broadcast worldwide on CombatVisionTV beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET. The CombatVisionTV app is available for download across devices.

For the 19-year-old Sparrow, of Radcliff, Kentucky, the fight represents a significant jump in competition. Flores brings 41 professional fights and 20 knockout victories into the matchup, while Sparrow will also be competing professionally outside the United States for the first time.

“This has been one of my best camps, and my dad, Kevin Sparrow, has been pushing me to another level every day,” said Sparrow. “We know this is a step-up fight, so there haven’t been any shortcuts. I’ve been preparing to be sharp, disciplined and ready for anything Flores brings. I’m going there to show the world my talent and skillset."

Sparrow respects the experience Flores brings but believes facing a seasoned opponent is exactly what he needs at this stage of his career.

“Flores has over 40 professional fights, and I know this is a mjor step up for me, but these are the fights I want,” Sparrow said. “I don’t want easy fights just to protect an undefeated record. I want to prove what level I’m on. Beating a veteran like Flores will show people I’m ready to keep moving up.”

The Dominican Republic assignment will also give Sparrow his first taste of competing internationally as a professional.

“I’m excited to fight outside the U.S. for the first time,” Sparrow added. “If I want to become a top fighter, I have to be able to perform anywhere. Once the bell rings, it doesn’t matter where we are. I’m coming to represent my family and my team and leave the Dominican Republic 7-0.”

With four stoppages in six professional victories, Sparrow plans to give viewers an entertaining performance.

“Fans can expect the best version of me they’ve seen,” Sparrow said. “I’m young, hungry and coming to make people remember my name. Everyone watching on CombatVisionTV is going to see why ‘Tha Postman’ is ready for the next level.”

Bobby Harrison, President of BiYu Promotions, believes the matchup will provide Sparrow with an opportunity to establish himself as a prospect to watch in the 140-pound division.

“Pryce has the talent, confidence and hunger to become one of the top prospects in the super lightweight division,” Harrison said. “Now we want to test him against experienced fighters who will help bring out his best. Flores has 41 professional fights, so this is a legitimate step up for Pryce and an opportunity for him to show everyone what we believe he can become.”

Harrison also encouraged fight fans to tune in through CombatVisionTV.

“Boxing fans should download the CombatVisionTV app because this is where they can watch talented young fighters like Pryce develop before the rest of the world catches on,” Harrison continued. “Dominican Fight Night is about giving hungry fighters meaningful opportunities and giving fans worldwide a chance to watch their journeys unfold.”

For Sparrow, September 11 is another opportunity to deliver a message: the undefeated prospect is ready for tougher competition and intends to prove he belongs among the rising names in the super lightweight division.

DOMINICAN FIGHT NIGHT

Date: Friday, September 11, 2026

Venue: Coliseo Carlos Teo Cruz, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Bout: Pryce Sparrow (6-0, 4 KOs) vs. Oliver Flores (31-7-3, 20 KOs)

Division: Super Lightweight

Promoters: BiYu Promotions / Shuan Boxing

Broadcast: CombatVisionTV

Start Time: 6:00 p.m. ET

Material Courtesy of: Mario Serrano and CombatVisionTV/Photo Courtesy of: BiYu Promotions Used with permission.

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

A Heavyweight Return And A Hall of Famer Prepares To Take Her Final Bow Begins September On DAZN

 The first weekend of September 20206 in the sport of Boxing will feature two stars of the sport at distinctly different stages of their careers. First up on September 4th former WBO/IBF/IBO/WBA World Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz will return to the ring for the first time in two years against Heavyweight contender Damian Knyba at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ in a scheduled twelve round bout that can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and simulcast on TNT in the United States in the latest installment of “The Fight” collaboration series between the two networks. This will be the first fight for Ruiz since August 2024 when he was held to a twelve round draw against top Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller in Los Angeles.

An obvious question that will surround this fight in addition to the subject of the inactivity of Ruiz, will be what type of shape he will be in. Ruiz has always been a fighter that has been criticized for his weight, despite having deceptively quick hands for a Heavyweight and having scored knockouts in twenty-two of his thirty-five career wins. There have been times where Ruiz has looked both impressive and lackluster, which some have attributed to weight fluctuations between fights. While the former world champion is not the first fighter in the Heavyweight division to experience swings in weight either up or down, the subject of his weight in addition to only competing three times since 2021 might have some questioning his overall commitment to the sport. 

What has changed since his last outing is Ruiz, who long fought under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, recently aligned with promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing.  Whether or not Ruiz’ inactivity was in part due to problems with the PBC, which has seen its schedule of events decrease in recent years is something that only he can say. With him now fighting under the Matchroom banner, one could assume if he is successful in this fight that Ruiz will see his activity increase inside the ring or will at least be given the opportunity to be more active.

In Damian Knyba, Ruiz will face a fighter with a record of 18-1, with 11 Knockouts. Despite the respectable record, Knyba is coming off the only defeat of his career as he was knocked out in three rounds in January at the hands of recently crowned unbeaten WBC Heavyweight world champion Agit Kabayel in Germany. Although Knyba is coming off of a loss to a fighter who was recently named world champion by the WBC, there are some who might view his selection as Ruiz’ opponent here as a soft touch given what happened to him against Kabayel. Anything can happen in Boxing and that holds especially true when it comes to the Heavyweight division. The key here will be if Knyba can establish a quick pace and put Ruiz’ conditioning to the test. Knyba must, however, be aware of both Ruiz hand speed as well as his underrated counter punching ability. 

With the Heavyweight division currently in a period of transition following former longtime champion Olekaandr Usyk's decision to relinquish his world titles, contenders like Ruiz and Knyba are likely looking at this fight as an opportunity to maneuver towards a world title shot, potentially against Kabayel.

The second bout that will be taking place over Labor day weekend will be the final fight of a future first ballot Hall of Famer. Two-division world champion Katie Taylor will be taking her final bow of her legendary career headlining a card before an estimated crowd of 80,000 spectators at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. Taylor, a fighter who has become undisputed world champion in two weight classes, will defend her Undisputed Women's Jr. Welterweight world championship against undefeated IBO world champion Flora Pili in a world title bout that will headline a card that can be seen worldwide on DAZN.

What can be said that has not been said about Katie Taylor? One of the top stars in the entire sport of Boxing female or male, part of the collective of top female fighters along with Claressa Shields and her long-time rival Amanda Serrano that elevated the sport to new heights for women and being part of two fights along with Serrano, which made history in being the first women’s fights to main event in the main arena of Madison Square Garden. Those fights, part of an epic three fight trilogy with Serrano cemented both fighters Hall of Fame legacies.

It was after the third fight, Taylor's third win in the trilogy, that this observer felt both fighters would have been justified to each retire as neither realistically had anything left to prove and both had earned the right to go end their in ring careers on their own terms and to enjoy their lives after Boxing.

As some might recall, Amanda Serrano had a close call recently in her last fight against Lucrecia Mansur in August in defense of her unified World Featherweight championship and even though she was able to retain the title, the accumulation of years in the ring as well as the three battles she had with Taylor appeared to begin to show in Serrano. Taylor has also been through her share of battles throughout a long career dating back to her Olympic days where she won a Gold medal in the 2012 games. Although she has only lost one fight as a professional to Chantel Cameron in her first attempt to win a world title in the Jr. Welterweight division, a close loss that Taylor later avenged in a rematch, one has to wonder if she is in a similar position as Serrano and with this being announced as her final fight, whether the accumulative effects of an illustrious career will show itself in this fight.

While no fighter’s situation is exactly alike another, there have been times throughout history in both Women's and Men's Boxing where when a fighter announces that a given fight will be their final time entering the ring that it gives an impression that they have for lack of a better term, one foot out the door, and that can create a scenario where their opponent might be able to establish themselves either by defeating the fighter in their final fight, or putting forth a solid performance during the bout even though they may not get their hand raised. In Flora Pili, Katie Taylor will face an undefeated world champion who has won all twelve of her professional fights.

Pili won the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Jr. Welterweight championship in her last fight in scoring a ten round majority decision over Jelena Janicijevic in her native France. Despite the IBO not being part of the undisputed championship Taylor holds going into this fight, it does give Pili something to try and defend here beyond being a mere opponent under circumstances clearly designed to be the final bow and a celebration of a great fighter’s career in her home country before a record-setting crowd for Women's Boxing. Pili only has two knockouts in her twelve wins and has not fought the caliber of competition that Taylor has in her career up to this point. Though Taylor has six knockouts in her twenty-six career wins, she does have a significant experience edge both in terms of overall fights as well as caliber of opposition. It will be up to Pili to show that she can deal with the experience and skillset of Taylor, who at her best, is a boxer that uses lateral movement, quick combinations, and is a world-class counter puncher. Nearly fourteen months from her last fight, whether Taylor can put forth one more stellar performance to put an explanation point on her Hall of Fame career remains to be seen. 

One fighter looking to resume his career with the aim of again challenging for a world championship, one fighter looking for a storybook ending to her career. Such stories are part of what makes Boxing so compelling. This observer looks forward to how these chapters are written.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Ruiz vs. Knyba takes place on Friday, September 4th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 7:30PM ET/4:30PM PT and will also be simulcast on general entertainment cable network TNT in the United States.

Taylor vs. Pili takes place on Saturday, September 5th at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN beginning at 11AM ET/8AM PT with preliminary bouts, which will be followed by the main card beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(**North American Start Times Only. Cards 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.

For more information about TNT including schedules and channel availability on your cable or live TV provider please visit: www.TNTDrama.com. 

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Hrgovic Makes Boxing History

On August 29th, the Boxing world converged on the O2 Arena in London, England to witness the crowning of a new IBF World Heavyweight champion, as the broader picture of the Heavyweight division continues heading towards a period of transition following former longtime champion Oleksandr Usyk choosing to relinquish the world championships he held in the division, choosing to focus his attention on what he says will be his final fight against an unarmed opponent before retirement. This has created several vacancies in the division that are gradually being filled with new world champions.

It was on this occasion that the world championship of the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) would be on the line and a new champion would be crowned. The element of the politics of the sport of Boxing aside, there was also history that would be made beyond the crowning of a new world champion. It would either be the crowning of the youngest British Heavyweight champion in Boxing history in Moses Itauma, or the first Croatian to be a World Heavyweight champion in Filip Hrgovic. 

Despite the historical implications that surrounded this fight regardless of the outcome minus the possibility of it being declared a draw, some had an expectation that this would be a coronation of bigger significance. This was due to the twenty-one year old Itauma not only attempting to become the youngest World Heavyweight champion in British Boxing history, but attempting to become the second youngest fighter to win a World Heavyweight title in history overall, surpassing Floyd Patterson and only behind the current record holder Mike Tyson, who became the youngest World Heavyweight champion in Boxing history nearly forty years ago as a twenty year old prodigy when he knocked out WBC world champion Trevor Berbick in November 1986.

Much like Tyson, Itauma established himself on a reputation of scoring quick and often brutal knockouts as he approached this world title opportunity against Hrgovic. Unlike Tyson, however, who entered his fight against Berbick with a record of 27-0, with 25 Knockouts, Itauma had only fourteen professional fights going into this encounter. Despite the difference between Tyson and Itauma in terms of experience prior to fighting for a world title, some compared him with the former two-time world champion and Hall of Famer based largely on the similarity in how both compiled knockouts on the way towards that milestone.

In fairness to Itauma, for a significant portion of this fight, it looked as though it was assured that he was going to etch his name right besides Tyson in the record book of Boxing history as he administered a beating to Hrgovic including scoring a knockdown of him in the second round when Hrgovic’s glove touched the canvas following being hit with a short hook to the head. For much of the bout,  the thirty-three year old Hrgovic was slow and seemed a bit reluctant to let his hands go and to engage with his younger opponent in exchanges. 

Round after round, Itauma continued to dish out punishment. As I watched the fight as it was taking place, there were two thoughts that ran through my mind. One, it was frankly a one-sided contest and I wondered if it would get to a point where either Hrgovic’s corner or Referee Howard Foster might stop the fight to prevent him from further punishment, despite Hrgovic showing a granite chin throughout. Two, though I certainly did not agree with the strategy, if there was one due to the beating he was talking with not much defense, I wondered aloud as to whether or not, Hrgovic was attempting to make Itauma punch himself out.

It is important to remember, despite the comparison to Mike Tyson and the touted praise that had been placed upon him, Moses Itauma had never been extended into the deep waters of a fight, otherwise known as the middle and late rounds, and had not been pushed to a distance close to the twelve round world championship distance in his career. In contrast, Mike Tyson was forced to go ten rounds against James “Quick” Tillis earlier in 1986 before facing Berbick for the WBC world championship. The combination of length of overall experience as well as never having gone beyond six rounds before was something to consider for Itauma.

Fatigue began to become visible in that though he was winning the fight clearly on points, Itauma’s offensive output began to subtly decline as the fight progressed. Whether it was due to the resistance of Hrgovic being able to withstand whatever Itauma was able to throw at him or an expectation of Itauma and his camp that the fight would not go into the middle and late rounds, by round seven there were signs that Itauma, though still in control of the fight, was beginning to slip.

Although Itauma was continuing to come forward and pressing the action, the steam behind his punches were noticeably less as the fight moved beyond the sixth round. In round eight, Itauma briefly stunned Hrgovic with a right hand from the southpaw stance that led to Itauma pressing the issue and throwing punches with knockout intention. This amounted to what would turn out to be a last gasp for Itauma as in round nine, he began throwing punches wildly. It is worth noting that it was also in the ninth round that Hrgovic did something he had not done in the contest up to that point. He was now the one coming forward and forcing the issue. The change in tempo combined with obvious exhaustion of Itauma led to Hrgovic landing some shots while Itauma continued to flail his punches, which at point did not have much on them and struggled to stay on his feet. The combination of all the above ultimately led to Hrgovic landing a few more shots before both Referee Howard Foster, who stepped in and Itauma’s corner simultaneously threw the towel in to stop the fight as Itauma collapsed in a neutral corner.

An unlikely come from behind victory for Filip Hrgovic that makes him not only a World Heavyweight champion, but the first Croatian-born World Heavyweight champion in Boxing history. While some may dismiss that accomplishment, at the end of the day, Filip Hrgovic did what he had to do and was able to walk away with the IBF world championship. 

As there always seems to be in Boxing, particularly in the era we presently live in where there are no shortage of opinions and reactions, some were critical of Itauma and responded online with mocking laughter at this setback. While this observer is known for calling out such conduct in pointing out how some choose to allow fandom to cloud their judgement and thus engage in conduct, particularly online that they might not otherwise engage in, after covering this fight, I immediately began to think of another scenario where a highly touted prospect/contender had a misstep in a similar way as Itauma had in this fight. One fight came to mind. 

In May 1984 at the Wembley Arena, also in London, England, another Heavyweight who was seemingly on a fast-track towards a world title, Frank Bruno entered the ring to do battle with James “Bonecrusher” Smith in a ten round bout. Though not for a world title, at the time of the bout Bruno had won all twenty of his professional fights up to that point, with all those wins coming by knockout. Smith entered the encounter largely unknown at that time, but entered with a 13-1, with 12 Knockouts. 

Similar to Itauma-Hrgovic, Bruno dominated the fight from the opening bell forcing the action and winning every round. In the tenth and final round, Bruno, fighting fatigue, found himself trapped on the ropes by Smith as the fighter known as “Bonecrusher” unleashed a barrage of hard punches that ultimately put Bruno down on the canvas. Bruno was unable to beat the count, Smith had scored a come from behind knockout win that would ultimately lead to him challenging for a world title later in 1984. Both Bruno and Smith would eventually become world champions during their respective careers and become cornerstones of the Heavyweight division in the 1980s and 1990s.

While not intended as a direct comparison by yours truly, it does serve as an example as to how one fight should not label a fighter and how one setback should be viewed as a bump in the road over the course of a career, not a career-ender. For his part, Itauma, who left the ring on a stretcher following being stopped by Hrgovic due to a claimed leg injury by promoter Frank Warren as well as likely exhaustion, was gracious in defeat saying he lost to a more experienced man and saying he will be back. 

One should keep in mind that in Boxing and by extension combat sports, anything can happen at any given time and that especially holds true when discussing Heavyweights. Although it would not surprise me to see Itauma go back to the drawing board and look to get a few wins under his belt in 2027 before trying to challenge for a world title again and perhaps a rematch with Hrgovic, he is after all only twenty-one years old, he has nothing but time to bounce back and if he can do so and make the necessary adjustments, this loss to Filip Hrgovic will be a chapter rather than the conclusion of his story.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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