Fury vs. Wilder III: Fight Report
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on 10th October, 2021: https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-report-fury-vs-wilder-iii-boxing/
When a world heavyweight title fight delivers all it promises to be, the drama is unparalleled. There have been great heavyweight trilogies in the past: together, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier carved their names into history during the sport’s golden era, and more recently Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe fought three epic battles in the 1990s. It is no exaggeration to say that Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder’s trilogy, and the instant classic they delivered last night, will sit alongside these and so many other great rivalries of the past. You really couldn’t ask for more, or expect two men to give more of themselves, in a boxing match. Read more
Fury vs. Wilder III: Repeat or Revenge?
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on 8th October, 2021: https://www.thefightcity.com/fury-vs-wilder-repeat-or-revenge-boxing/
It was almost six years ago that Tyson Fury travelled to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and clambered into the ring to confront Deontay Wilder, after “the Bronze Bomber’s” emphatic KO of Artur Szpilka. Fresh off his title win over Wladimir Klitschko, a fired-up Fury grabbed the microphone to call out his rival belt holder.
“Anytime, anyplace, anywhere!… I’ll beat you, ya bum! You’re a bum!” yelled Fury, as Showtime’s Jim Gray struggled to regain control of the situation.
“I don’t play this… This ain’t wrestling, this ain’t the WWE… I promise you: when you step in this ring, I will baptize you!” retorted Wilder. Read more
Pacquiao vs. Ugas: Fight Report
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on 22nd August, 2021: https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-report-pacquiao-vs-ugas-boxing/
The well had to run dry sooner or later. Finally, for Manny Pacquiao, it did. The Filipino great made all the right noises and looked the part in the gym in the lead up to his latest PPV headline event, but under the lights where it mattered the body could no longer go where the mind willed it to be.
Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano: Fight Report
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on 18th July, 2021: https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-report-charlo-vs-castano-boxing/
Undisputed champions are a rarity in boxing, and the feat is only getting harder to accomplish with the proliferation of titles. After Bernard Hopkins became the first man to unify boxing’s “Big Four” sanctioning belts in 2004 and Jermain Taylor’s brief stint following Hopkins, we had to wait 12 long years before another fighter achieved the same status. Since 2017 we’ve been treated to a relative deluge of four-belt mega fights though, as first Terence Crawford, then Oleksandr Usyk, Teofimo Lopez (the WBC Franchise nonsense notwithstanding), and Josh Taylor were each crowned as undisputed kings of their division.
Tyson Fury TKO7 Deontay Wilder: 2020 Performance of the Year
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on 8th January, 2021: https://www.thefightcity.com/2020-performance-of-the-year-tyson-fury-boxing/
After a nail-biting finish to their first encounter in December 2018, which saw Tyson Fury largely outbox Deontay Wilder before having to twice peel himself off the canvas only to earn a draw, the stage was set for another finely balanced contest in their February rematch. Logic seemed to indicate one of two likely outcomes: either Fury would outbox his undefeated rival again, only this time avoid getting clipped like in the first fight and so take a clear decision, or else Wilder’s wrecking ball right hand would find Fury’s chin again, only this time he wouldn’t get off the deck. Read more
Fight Report: Crawford TKO4 Brook
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on November 15th, 2020: https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-report-crawford-vs-brook-boxing/
Pound-for-pound lists are not to everybody’s taste, but regardless of how you choose to rank the best fighters in the world, there’s no denying that Terence Crawford is one of the most outstanding talents of the last few years. The WBO welterweight champion from Omaha, Nebraska, is now 15-0 in world title fights across three weight classes, winning his last eight contests all by stoppage. If anything, Crawford only looks to be getting better. Read more
The New Sugar Man Arrives: Shane Mosley W12 Oscar De La Hoya
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on June 17th, 2020: https://www.thefightcity.com/june-17-de-la-hoya-vs-mosley-los-angeles-boxing/
It was the summer of 2000. Still drunk on the optimism of the New Millennium, the world was a happier, less volatile place. The social media giants that dominate our lives today did not even exist. The tragedy of 9/11 and the “War on Terror” that lay in its wake had yet to unfold. Bill Clinton was presiding over his eighth and final year in the White House, while a Donald Trump presidency was still just a joke in The Simpsons. Read more
Fury vs. Wilder II – The Breakdown
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on February 21st, 2020: https://www.thefightcity.com/fury-vs-wilder-rematch-breakdown-boxing/
It seems strange to know so much about two fighters, what their strengths and weaknesses are, how their styles mesh against each other, and yet the outcome of a match-up between them to feel so unpredictable. That’s what we are getting in Fury-Wilder II, though: a true pick’em fight. Both came so tantalizingly close to victory in their 12-round draw in December 2018, and by such different methods, that it’s as easy to envisage Wilder blitzing his way to a knockout in the rematch as it is to imagine Fury befuddling his way to a clear decision. Oddsmakers on both sides of the Atlantic can barely split them – a sure sign that we are getting an excellent contest, and one that should take us an important step closer towards crowning a single heavyweight champion. Here, I look at some of the key factors that could determine Saturday’s winner. Read more
2019 Fight of the Year
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on January 7th, 2020: https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-of-the-year-inoue-donaire-boxing/
Well before the final bell had sounded, it was clear the bantamweight World Boxing Super Series finale would be one to add to the “Classic Fights” collection. It had all the right ingredients: a timeless “old legend vs. young Monster” storyline, two endearing characters, twists and turns in the plot, elite skills, and true grit – all fired up in a 12-round pressure cooker to produce 2019’s Fight of the Year. Read more
Post-Fight Report: Prograis vs. Taylor
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on October 27th, 2019: https://www.thefightcity.com/prograis-vs-taylor-report-scotland-boxing/
In a gruelling twelve-round finale to the World Boxing Super Series, Josh Taylor emerged a deserved majority decision winner over a game Regis Prograis. Tactically absorbing yet action-packed, the contest lived up to everything boxing fans were hoping for, with both men having moments of ascendency and pushing each other to the last bell. Read more
Sergey Kovalev TKO11 Anthony Yarde: Vindication
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on August 27th, 2019: https://www.thefightcity.com/kovalev-vs-yarde-double-vindication/
Sergey Kovalev, defending in his hometown against undefeated English upstart Anthony Yarde, was an intriguing match-up on paper and one that brought out the full spectrum of predictions. Some asserted assuredly that Yarde, at 18-0 but with few recognizable names on his record, had no business in the ring with the seasoned Russian and would be badly exposed. Others, swayed perhaps by a mixture of Yarde’s obvious athletic potential, his team’s immense confidence, and various personal and pugilistic chinks apparent in the Russian’s armour, insisted the Englishman would pull off one of the great British upsets on away soil.
Fights that Never Were
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on May 28th, 2019: https://www.thefightcity.com/boxing-heartache-fans/
Surveying the 2019 boxing landscape, there are some brilliant fights to be made: Spence vs. Crawford at welterweight; Lomachenko vs. Garcia at lightweight; a round robin between Wilder, Fury and Joshua at heavyweight; and a much-needed Canelo vs. Golovkin trilogy fight at middleweight, to name a few. Whether or not we will actually get to see any of these is another question entirely, of course. Unfortunately, one of the downsides to being a boxing fan is that we don’t always get to see the best fights get made.
With that being said, here’s five of the best fights that we didn’t get to see over the last 30 years, according to three categories: Fights that should have happened; rematches that should have happened; and fights that did happen, but at the wrong time. Read more
Time for a Welterweight Renaissance
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on April 29th, 2019: https://www.thefightcity.com/boxing-welterweights-division-crawford-spence/
We all have a favourite set of boxers. The ones that helped forge our love for the sport way back when; the ones we still keep on old, worn-out VHS tapes and faded, nostalgic magazines, stuffed away in the loft somewhere. Wind the clock back a couple of decades to the mid-to-late 90s, and you’ll find my own favourite era. It’s fair to say the 90s are not generally considered an historical golden age for boxing, at least not in comparison to when the Four Kings were doing battle the previous decade, or when the mesmerizing career of Muhammad Ali was unfolding in the 60s and 70s. And yet, with the benefit of 20 years of hindsight, it looks pretty damn good from where I’m standing today. Read more
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev: The End of an Aura
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on January 30th, 2019: https://www.thefightcity.com/sergey-kovalev-aura-alvarez-boxing/
It’s surprising how far and how fast a fighter’s star can fall when a once-fearsome aura is finally burst. It’s not so long ago that Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev was blazing a trail of destruction through the light-heavyweight ranks, but it feels like an age. Read more
Why Tyson Fury Could Pull Off the Upset
An edited version of this article was originally published on TheFightCity.com on December 1st, 2018: https://www.thefightcity.com/gypsy-king-tyson-fury-boxing/
Almost exactly three years to the day since he defeated Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA, WBO, IBF and lineal heavyweight crown, Tyson Fury steps through the ropes this Saturday night to face Deontay Wilder for the WBC portion of the heavyweight championship. Unsurprisingly, given Fury’s well-documented battle with depression and drugs while ballooning up to almost 400lbs during his long layoff, he goes into this weekend’s fight as the betting underdog. Considering the dearth of elite competition Fury has faced since returning to the ring in June though, alongside the fact he is facing the most explosive heavyweight in the world, the odds are not quite as wide as one might expect. Can Tyson pull off the upset? Here’s five reasons why it just might be possible… Read more
Floyd Mayweather TKO10 Ricky Hatton, December 8th 2007
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com website on December 8th, 2017: https://www.thefightcity.com/dec-8-2007-mayweather-vs-hatton-boxing/
“My heart will explode before I leave him alone for one second,” Ricky Hatton had promised prior to his December 2007 showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. In the event, far less was required to inflict a first defeat on the determined challenger, though no one could ever accuse the Englishman of not giving everything he had that night in Las Vegas.
Read more
The Monster Makes Mincemeat of McDonnell
This report was originally published on TheFightCity.com, on May 25th 2018: https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-report-inoue-vs-mcdonnell/
The bantamweight division is on notice: there is a Monster in town, and he is not taking any prisoners.
It was always going to be a tall order for Britain’s Jamie McDonnell. Defending away from home and competing against one of the most highly regarded fighters in world boxing; very few people were backing him to come away with his WBA “regular” world title belt. But no one foresaw the one-sided drubbing that Inoue dished out. Read more
Wilder vs. Ortiz & Boxing’s PED Problem
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com website on October 5th, 2017: https://www.thefightcity.com/wilder-vs-ortiz-drugs-boxing/
Last month boxing fans were treated to the news that WBC heavyweight champion, “The Bronze Bomber” Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs), would defend his title against one of the most feared contenders in the division, Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs). In what has already been a stellar year for the sport of boxing, this promised to be yet another excellent contest, with sharply contrasting perceptions of champion and challenger providing the backdrop for an intriguing clash of styles. Read more
“Who’s The Champ?” Well, That Depends…
An edited version of this article, with the title “Undisputed Chaos”, was published on TheFightCity.com website on September 25th, 2017: https://www.thefightcity.com/undisputed-chaos-title-belts-boxing/
This past weekend witnessed a special event in boxing, as WBO/WBC 140lbs belt-holder Terrence Crawford swept aside IBF/WBA ruler Julius Indongo to become just the third man in history to unify boxing’s “Big Four” sanctioning belts. With each of the four governing bodies naming a minimum of one titlist across seventeen weight categories – not to mention various pointless distinctions between “super”, “regular”, “interim”, “diamond” and “emeritus” champions – the anointment of a truly undisputed king, albeit in a single division, provides a welcome reprieve from boxing’s messy landscape. Read more
Super Flyweight Super Card #2
This was a preview of the Superfly 2 card, published by Boxinginsider.com on September 8th 2017: https://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/super-flyweight-super-card-2017-just-keeps-giving/
“I think 2016 should go down as one of the worst years in boxing history, maybe the worst.” – Oscar De La Hoya, October 2016.
The Golden Boy’s sad assessment of the state of boxing almost a year ago may have been somewhat of an exaggeration, but it’s fair to say 2016 was not exactly a banner year for the sport. Still recovering from the stench of the Mayweather-Pacquiao mega-letdown in 2015 and facing the prospect of being usurped as the world’s No.1 combat sport by a surging UFC, boxing was certainly in need of a serious shot in the arm. Read more
Mayweather-McGregor: A Reflection of the Times
post-truth adjective
relating to a situation in which people are more likely to accept an argument based on their emotions and beliefs, rather than one based on facts
Conor McGregor is an interesting character. If you listen to him in an interview, he can be witty, polite and genuine. When he forwards an outlandish prediction, he does so with calm and conviction. Speaking in front of a large audience, McGregor is often animated, fiery and profane, yet manages to maintain a sense of humour. He has charisma. He knows how to captivate the public’s attention. Regardless of setting, he always emanates a cast-iron certainty in his own ability to bend reality to his will – a quality shared by some of the most successful people in history, most notably the greatest boxer ever, Muhammad Ali.
UFC boss Dana White was recently quoted on Twitter as saying: “If you sit in a room with @TheNotoriousMMA for two minutes, you’ll believe him too.”
Many people don’t even require that long. Read more
Ranking Wladimir
This article was published by BoxingInsider.com on August 10th, 2017: https://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/ranking-wladimir-klitschko/
With the recent announcement that Wladimir Klitschko is officially retiring, a page was turned to end an era of heavyweight boxing. And while many would have gladly viewed a return of last April’s gripping contest with Anthony Joshua, few would have predicted a different result. At 41 years of age and following such a tremendous effort, now would seem the perfect moment for the Ukrainian to call time on his illustrious career. Which begs the question: where does his legacy rank in the annals of heavyweight history? Read more
The Troubles with CompuBox
This article was published by Boxinginsider.com on July 8th, 2017: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/the-troubles-with-compubox/
Boxing is a notoriously difficult sport to score. Although the brief a fighter must follow is simple enough – hit and hurt your opponent more than he does you – deciding who completes this task more successfully can be a complicated affair. Witness the myriad of disputed decisions that litter boxing history as evidence of the above. In the wake of Manny Pacquiao’s defeat to unfavoured Australian Jeff Horn last weekend, another contentious result can be added to that list. Read more
Re-Visiting the Ward vs. Kovalev I “Robbery”
This article was published by Boxinginsider.com on 17th June, 2017: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/re-visiting-ward-vs-kovalev-robbery/
In the immediate aftermath of Andre Ward’s unanimous victory over Sergey Kovalev in their first fight last November, emotions from both sets of fans were running high and the controversial nature of the decision elicited some intense scrutiny of the judges’ scorecards. Cries of “robbery” flooded the web, with a deluge of fans enthusiastically taking up the “boxing is crooked” narrative. With the immediate rematch looming, here I take a look back and re-examine some of the perceptions, misconceptions and post-fight reaction to their first encounter. Read more
Errol Spence Jr. TKO11 Kell Brook & George Groves TKO6 Fedor Chudinov
The Brook-Spence fight report was published on TheFightCity.com on May 28th, 2017. Thanks to Michael Carbert for his help in editing and publishing the final version: http://www.thefightcity.com/fight-report-brook-vs-spence-boxing/
As they made their way to the ring, the American challenger looked confident and relaxed, as he has done for the duration of the buildup to his biggest ever fight; meanwhile the champion wore a tense but focused expression throughout the pre-fight introductions. Read more
Ward Skips HBO Face Off: Prima Donna or Pre-Fight Gamesmanship?
This article was published on TheFightCity.com on May 11th, 2017. Thanks to Michael Carbert and Zachary Alapi for their help in editing and publishing the final version: http://www.thefightcity.com/andre-ward-skips-hbo-face-off-prima-donna-or-gamesmanship/
It’s fair to say that Andre Ward is not every fight fan’s cup of tea. In fact, it would be more accurate to say the reaction his name elicits online tends to be fairly scathing. Whether it is vitriol directed at the judges’ verdict awarded to him over Sergey Kovalev or scorn heaped on his “diva-ish” behaviour at the negotiating table, it seems few people have a positive word to say about the man these days. So with the news that he failed to show up for a planned HBO Face Off segment opposite his Russian rival this past weekend, it did not take long for the critics to once again come out in force. Read more
The Battle of the Planet: Hopkins vs. Calzaghe
Author’s Note: This article was written on 17th April, 2008, and was my first ever attempt at a full-length boxing article. I’d like to extend a huge thanks to Thomas Hauser and T.K. Stewart, who kindly took the time to read it and offer feedback and words of encouragement.
After a combined total of 44 world title fight victories including two of the longest title reigns in the history of boxing, culminating in both fighters becoming undisputed champions in their respective divisions and one of them a two division champion, finally Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopkins and Joe ‘The Pride of Wales’ Calzaghe will meet in the squared circle. The fight will determine not only who can call himself the best light-heavyweight in the world, but which man can claim supremacy over an entire era. Most likely niether fighter will remain in the sport of boxing long after Saturday’s contest, regardless of the outcome. So as another of boxings era’s draws itself to a close – with the likes of De La Hoya, Roy Jones, Mosley, Trinidad, Barrera and more all likely closing out their hall of fame careers in the near future – so two more legends of the modern era duke it out to decide just who can ride off into the sunset with his pride in tact; his will executed. Read more
Sor Rungvisai W12 Gonzalez: Great Fight, Wrong Result
This article was published on TheFightCity.com on March 24th, 2017. Thanks to Michael Carbert and Zachary Alapi for their help in editing and publishing the final version: http://www.thefightcity.com/srisaket-sor-rungvisai-boxing-roman-gonzalez/
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai may well have the most deceptive record of any world champion currently in boxing. The story of where he came from in order to become a champion may also be one of the most remarkable in the sport. Read more
David Haye vs. Tony Bellew: Beneath the Bluster
This article was published by BoxingInsider.com on March 3rd, 2017: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/haye-vs-bellew-beneath-bluster/
“Of course, to try to learn from boxers was a quintessentially comic quest. Boxers were liars. Champions were great liars. They had to be. Once you knew what they thought, you could hit them. So their personalities became masterpieces of concealment.” – Norman Mailer, The Fight.
David Haye is a self-confessed play boy from south London who enjoys partying it up in Miami and posing on yachts in his spare time; Tony Bellew is a straight-talking, proud Liverpudlian and consummate family man. It would be an understatement to say they are different characters. What they share is a competitive zeal that has taken them both to professional world title honours and helped set up a meeting inside a 20ft ring on Saturday night at London’s O2 Arena in front of thousands of baying spectators. Read more
Kell Brook Serves the Haters Some Humble Pie
This article was published by BoxingInsider.com on February 14th, 2017: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/kell-brook-serves-haters-humble-pie/
Boxing is a tough sport, and boxing fans are a hard bunch to please. Opinions dished out from die-hard behind-the-keyboard fans are usually harsh, though often these criticisms are eminently fair and promote the better values and traditions of the sport (the backlash against Canelo Alvarez and Golden Boy for dropping his WBC middleweight belt like a hot potato in order to avoid facing Gennady Golovkin, after publicly stating they would do no such thing, would be one example). Often times though, the messages spouted on forums and over social media cross the line into the unreasonable, unnecessary or just plain nasty. Sometimes, it seems, a fighter can do no right – even when they’ve already exceeded expectations and dared to achieve far more than most fans ever believed they would. Read more
Britain & Ireland’s Super Six
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on February 13th, 2017: http://www.thefightcity.com/super-middleweight-super-six-boxing/
Since being established by the major sanctioning bodies in the mid-1980s, the super middleweight division has produced some classic contests. I was fortunate enough to be growing into an avid boxing fan in the midst of the division’s heyday for British & Irish boxing, during a wonderful era in the 1990s. James DeGale didn’t quite manage to emerge victorious in his recent IBF/WBC unification fight against Badou Jack, but he nevertheless earned a rightful place in the discussion alongside Britain and Ireland’s best 168lb fighters. Looking at each man’s achievements in the sport, as well as why they earned a special place in my heart as a boxing fan, here’s my personal Super Six: Read more
Ronda Rousey Returns After “Biggest Upset in Combat Sports History”? Not By a Long Way
This article was published by BoxingInsider.com on December 30th, 2016: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/ronda-rousey-returns-biggest-upset-combat-sports-history-not-long-way/
Friday night sees the long-awaited comeback of “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey following her shocking defeat to Holly Holm last November, in a result infamously described by UFC commentator Joe Rogan as, “the biggest upset in combat sports history”. Prior to her defeat, Rousey had demolished a string of 12 opponents with only one of them making it out of the first round – a devastating record by any standard, and there’s no doubt that Holm’s knockout was a truly enormous upset, with the challenger overcoming odds of up to 12-1 against her.
That being said, it takes two people to make a fight, and the bookies’ published odds are not the only ingredient that goes into a big upset – the wider context of the underdog’s role is also vital. Ronda’s record was indeed formidable, but keen observers had noted that it could be a far more difficult task than anything she had faced before, with Holm being a former world-boxing champion and arguably the first bona fide world-class striker “Rowdy” had faced off against.
So while Rogan’s assertion that it was the “biggest upset of all time” might be right as far as UFC or even MMA history goes, once we include the sweet science the scale of Ronda’s defeat falls a few rungs down the list of “greatest ever upsets”. Here are five of my favourite shocks in boxing history that eclipse Holly Holm’s upset victory over Ronda Rousey: Read more
Five Myths About Judging Fights
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on December 22nd, 2016: http://www.thefightcity.com/five-myths-about-judging-fights-kovalev-vs-ward/
In the aftermath of the unanimous decision for Andre Ward over Sergey Kovalev, a lot of attention has been focused on the scorecards turned in by the 3 ringside judges, with the usual barbs being tossed around on social media about “corrupt officials” and a so-called “robbery”. While the decision was certainly a controversial one and everyone is entitled to their opinion, there’s several scoring clichés that could do with a healthy dose of reality. Here are five of the most common to be aware of: Read more
Why the Conor McGregor Hype Train Can Be Good for Boxing
This article was published by BoxingInsider.com on December 4th, 2016: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/conor-mcgregor-hype-train-can-good-boxing/
With the recent news that UFC star Conor McGregor was granted a professional boxing license in California, the media hype about a potential fight with Floyd Mayweather has gone into overdrive again – although this time, there is at least an element of substance to back it up. Reaction in the boxing world has been, quite reasonably, largely cynical about what seems to be a calculated publicity stunt on McGregor’s part. It’s hard to begrudge him though for piggybacking on the boxer’s name and modeling the brash persona that brought Mayweather unparalleled sums, and if the Irishman wants to sprinkle some of his star power in the direction of boxing, that can hardly be a bad thing. Read more
Who Should we Believe in the Ward-GGG Saga?
An edited version of this article was published on thefightcity.com on November 17th, 2016: http://www.thefightcity.com/golovkin-vs-ward-gennady-golovkin-andre-ward-kovalev-boxing/
As former super middleweight ruler Andre Ward prepares for his upcoming challenge against WBA/WBO/IBF light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, a phoney war between his camp and that of another Eastern bloc pound-for-pound star, Gennady Golovkin, continues to rumble on. The latest round of the back and forth battle-by-media occurred when Triple G’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, recently stated that his star pupil has the beating not only of Ward, but 175lb champions Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson, too. Read more
Super Fight 2016: Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward, “Pound-for-Pound”
This article was published by BoxingInsider.com on 15th November, 2016: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/super-fight-2016-sergey-kovalev-vs-andre-ward-pound-pound/
On November 19th at the 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, two of boxing’s most highly rated fighters meet in a battle for the WBA, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight world championships. While the bout has not quite captured mainstream media attention in the manner of a Mayweather-Pacquiao type mega event, it is nevertheless a rare meeting between undefeated, elite talents in the prime of their careers. The fighters enter with a combined record of 60-0-1, with 41 knockouts. Below, I analyse the case for each man’s prospects of victory. Read more
Time for the Pacman to Call it a Day
This article was published by BoxingInsider.com on 11th November, 2016: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/time-pacman-call-day/
Following a short-lived “retirement” from boxing, Manny Pacquiao returned to action on Saturday night and reclaimed a portion of the welterweight title for the third time. Once again the Pacman demonstrated that he is levels above the vast majority of 147lb boxers in the world, dominating and widely outpointing a respectable, ambitious world champion 10 years his junior. Read more
Five Memorable “Psych Jobs”
This is an updated version of an article that was originally published on Eastsideboxing.com, November 22nd, 2013: https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/boxing-five-memorable-psych-jobs/21212
Boxing is an inherently psychological undertaking. It is an activity that exposes the contestants to far more than the simple prospect of defeat: the potential combination of public humiliation and genuine physical harm percolate in a fighter’s mind to a degree that few who have not lived the experience can reasonably quantify. Far from being a mere test of physical skills then, boxing is perhaps one of the purest tests of human will power. Some of the biggest contests in boxing history have therefore been won or lost through cunning, bravery and fortitude as much as they have speed, strength and stamina. Read more
Santa Cruz vs. Frampton: Are the Bookies Underestimating the Ulsterman?
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com website, on 29th July 2016. Thanks to Michael Carbert, Editor-in-Chief, for his help in producing and publishing the final version: http://www.thefightcity.com/carl-frampton-leo-santa-cruz-preview-boxing-odds-underdog-showtime/
Following two less-than-scintillating performances in his most recent bouts, Carl Frampton goes into his featherweight title fight against defending champion Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday night as a clear underdog, according to most bookmakers. UK’s Sky Bet, for example, currently have Frampton as a 2/1 outsider, while a bet on a Santa Cruz victory will get you odds of 4/9. (That is, a winning £10 bet on Santa Cruz only pays out £4.44, while the same amount on Frampton would net you a £20 profit). These seem to be wide odds indeed, considering that the fight features two undefeated, finely matched world-class boxers, both in the prime of their careers.
Kovalev Less Than Convincing
This article was first published on TheFightCity.com website on July 12th, 2016: http://www.thefightcity.com/kovalev-less-convincing-sergey-kovalev-isaac-chilemba-andre-ward-russia-boxing/
In a tougher-than-expected defence of his WBA, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight titles, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev unanimously out-pointed Malawi-born challenger Isaac Chilemba on his home-turf in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Although prevailing widely on the official scorecards, the judges’ tallies of 117-110, 116-111 and 118-109 were perhaps a tad disingenuous to the African challenger and certainly didn’t tell the story of how difficult a contest this was for the defending champion.
Canelo-Khan: A “Super” Fight, Not a “Superfight”
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com website on April 6th, 2016. Thanks to Michael Carbert, Editor-in-Chief, for his help in producing and publishing the final version: http://www.thefightcity.com/canelo-vs-khan-not-a-superfight-canelo-alvarez-amir-khan-golden-boy-floyd-mayweather-miguel-cotto-manny-pacquiao/
When Amir Khan’s May 7th bout with Mexican boxing icon Saul “Canelo” Alvarez was announced, the reaction among the world’s fight media was, almost universally, one of “welcome surprise”. Outside of the fighters’ camps, few had anticipated a match-up between the newly crowned WBC middleweight belt-holder and Britain’s former 140lb world champion being made. The shock of the announcement was coupled with a healthy dose of enthusiasm though, for what promises to be an entertaining meeting between two of the sport’s most recognizable names.
While I share the sense of excitement for what is undoubtedly a fantastic piece of matchmaking on the part of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, amidst the fanfare I would also caution against exaggerating what the fight means in the wider context of the sport. Canelo-Khan may well be a fascinating meeting between two world-class, world-renowned boxers, but it nevertheless falls short of the vaunted “Superfight” status that many media outlets labelled the contest with.
Pacquiao-Bradley I Scoring Re-Visited: Heist or Hyperbole?
This article was published by TheFightCity.com on April 8th, 2016, prior to the third Manny Pacquiao vs. Tim Bradley fight: http://www.thefightcity.com/pacquiao-vs-bradley-i-heist-or-hyperbole-manny-pacquaio-timothy-bradley-robbery-boxing-las-vegas/
On Saturday night, the MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas, sees the third installment of Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley’s welterweight trilogy, in what is likely to be the Filipino legend’s final outing in the ring. While officially the fight serves as the rubber match in their three-fight series, many would argue that in reality Pacquiao should be entering the “decider” with a 2-0 lead, owing to the controversial nature of their first meeting. In June 2012, Bradley was awarded a split points victory over Pacquiao, relieving him of his WBO world title. Here, I take a look back at one of the most high profile, contentious decisions in modern boxing history, and question whether the judges’ verdict that night was deserving of the widespread outrage it caused.
Eubank vs Blackwell: Brave, Brutal, Blameless
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on April 1st, 2016. Thanks to Michael Carbert, Editor-in-Chief, for his help and patience in producing and publishing the edited version: http://www.thefightcity.com/eubank-vs-blackwell-chris-eubank-nick-blackwell-tyson-fury-billy-joe-saunders-boxing-great-britain/
“Boxing is the magic of men in combat, the magic of will, and skill, and pain, and the risking of everything so you can respect yourself for the rest of your life.” – F.X. Toole
Over the course of 10 ferocious rounds of boxing, Chris Eubank Jr. and Nick Blackwell’s titanic battle for the British middleweight championship epitomized the very best and very worst aspects of the sweet science. Two men who went into the contest as loathsome enemies ended their struggle with a newfound and heartfelt respect for each other, enthralling and finally sickening their audience, encapsulating how this sport is at once so compelling and yet, at times, so disturbing for even its most ardent followers. Read more
The Heavyweight Championship: Dawn of a New Era
An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on February 5th, 2016. Thanks to Michael Carbert, Editor-in-Chief, for his help and patience in producing and publishing the edited version: http://www.thefightcity.com/dawn-of-a-new-era-joe-louis-rocky-marciano-muhammad-ali-mike-tyson-larry-holmes-tyson-fury-heavyweights/
Boxing is a cyclical sport. No matter how dominant, fearsome or skilled a reigning champion may seem at the height of his powers, sooner or later the old guard is forced to make way for the new. Once great kings are swept aside by the challenge of bold young pretenders; years later the new ruler will inevitably be usurped by a similarly brash, younger upstart. As we make our way into a new year, the transition into a new heavyweight era is upon us. Read more
Who Wins: Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith vs. ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley?
After Liam Smith’s fantastic victory for the WBO light-middleweight world title last Saturday night, the new champ suggested that the likes of former pound-for-pound stand out and American legend ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley should now “be calling me out” – igniting a brief back and forth between the pair on Twitter.
Mayweather’s Final Opponent? Berto Ain’t So Bad
On the 12th of September boxing’s biggest star, Floyd Mayweather Jnr., will step through the ropes for the 49th and – if his retirement promise is to be believed – final time. The selection of Haitian born Andre Berto as his supposed last ever dance partner is a choice that has induced stinging criticism from large sections of media and fans. But while the disappointment of not seeing boxing’s premier operator test himself in a more high-risk encounter justifies the criticism to a certain extent, all things considered, Berto really isn’t that bad of an opponent. And before you condemn me as a fully-fledged member of the Floyd “TBE” Cheerleading Society, hear me out. Read more
Who is the best ever 168lb fighter from the UK: Joe Calzaghe or Carl Froch?
This is an extended version of an article published on thesweetscience.com, on July 27th 2015: http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/21225-better-uk-168er-froch-or-calzaghe
With the recent retirement of British super middleweight Carl Froch, one topic that has received much attention is his standing among former British greats in a division that has produced some of the finest ever champions from these shores. Below I analyse the respective careers of arguably the top two British 168lb legends and give my take on who stands higher in the all-time pantheon. Read more
Mayweather-Pacquiao: Big Fight Preview & Prediction
Part I: The Case for Pacquiao
“We thought Manny Pacquiao was great”, exclaimed Larry Merchant, as referee Kenny Bayless crossed his arms to signal the end of the Filipino phenom’s twelve round hammering of Miguel Cotto in December 2009, in what was arguably his greatest victory to date. “He’s better than we thought”. Perhaps no one has managed to encapsulate so incisively Manny Pacquiao’s unprecedented and at times terrifying rise through boxing’s elite ranks. Read more
Mayweather-Pacquiao: the Biggest Fight Since…? Part 2
In this two part article, I look at ten of the biggest boxing events from the last twenty-five years and consider their “super-fight” credentials against Mayweather-Pacquiao.
Part Two: The 90’s
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad, 18th September 1999, WBC/IBF Welterweight Championship
In terms of a high quality, evenly matched, perfectly timed contest between two great rivals, this one was, hands down, easily the best in my years following the sport. A boxing purist’s dream and a fan’s delight between two undefeated icons at the absolute peak of their powers, it was a match made in heaven. A reported 1.4 million PPV buys made the event the biggest selling non-heavyweight fight ever – a record that stood until De La Hoya-Mayweather eight years later. Read more
Mayweather-Pacquiao: the Biggest Fight Since…? Part 1
Depending on the news source and the size of the hyperbole employed, the super-fight between Floyd Mayweather Jnr. and Manny Pacquiao is variously described as “the biggest fight in history” or else “the biggest fight since [insert 80’s super-fight]”. In one sense, of course, such statements are undeniably true: barring a catastrophe the May 2nd event will smash every box-office record in the book. In another sense though, basing our assessment of the bout’s “super-fight” status purely on its ability to generate dollar signs may be misguided, for a number of reasons. Read more
Matt O'Brien
Boxing Philosophy 