Featured Articles
Povetkin-Chagaev Has To Be A Better Fight Than Klitschko-Adamek
In the next few weeks four of the top ten heavyweights in the world will be facing each other in high profile title bouts. This coming Saturday Alexander Povetkin 21-0 (15) will face Ruslan Chagaev 27-1-1 (17) for the vacant WBA title. On September 10th WBC heavyweight title holder Vitali Klitschko 42-2 (39) will defend his title against former cruiserweight title holder Tomasz Adamek 44-1 (28).
The talk in many boxing circles has been centered around Klitschko-Adamek much more than Povetkin-Chagaev. And I guess that’s mainly because of Klitschko and the fact that he’s considered to be the most formidable heavyweight in the world, with the possible exception of his younger brother Wladimir who holds two of the four major title belts in the division (IBF/WBO). However, on paper Adamek doesn’t match up well with Vitali and when all is said and done; in order for him to win, Klitschko has to fight like a 40 year old fighter or his body has to betray him. Other than that Adamek needs to land a lottery punch.
Realistically looking at Klitschko-Adamek, it is Vitali who is the bigger stronger and more experienced fighter. On top of that he’s a bigger puncher and based on Adamek’s tenure fighting as a heavyweight, it doesn’t appear that Adamek is much of a puncher. So how does Adamek beat a much physically bigger more experienced fighter in Klitschko who’s been fighting on the big stage so much longer and appears to have all the confidence in the world? He won’t. Most likely Klitschko will dominate every aspect of the fight. Therefore the only legitimate question is whether Klitschko wins a lopsided decision or increases his stellar knockout percentage and stops Adamek. So where’s the drama or anticipation regarding Klitschko-Adamek? I know I can’t get too excited about a fight that will resemble watching a movie that I’ve seen already many times over.
If you want to see a better heavyweight fight, at least on paper – it’s gotta be Povetkin-Chagaev. Think about it, they’re much closer in size and style than Klitschko and Adamek are. Neither Povetkin or Chagaev are big punchers, but both have shown that they’re willing to push the fight versus fighters who they feel will comply with them or one who they can impose themselves against physically. In addition to that, neither Povetkin or Chagaev are close to being outstanding boxers. So most likely both are confident that they can beat the other via stepping back and countering or by forcing the action and tempo.
At some point early in the bout – either Povetkin or Chagaev is going to try and lead and hopefully make the opponent fight in the style that he doesn’t want to. And once that transpires the onus will be on the fighter fighting out of his role to do everything he can in trying to turn the tide and seize the fight. But who will that be?
When breaking down Povetkin-Chagaev it’s hard to give one of them much of an edge over the other. Povetkin has excelled against boxers and cuties like Chris Byrd and Eddie Chambers, whereas Chagaev has bettered stronger and more physical fighters like Nikolay Valuev and John Ruiz. So will Povetkin feel as though he can walk Chagaev down like he did Byrd and Ruiz, and try that against Ruslan? And what will Chagaev do if Povetkin tries that knowing he’s already beaten two bigger and stronger fighters in Valuev and Ruiz?
Most likely Povetkin-Chagaev will come down to what a lot of fights do, who wants it more and is better prepared. And when you realize that the skill between them is very close and the fight will really boil down to who can force the other fighter to have to fight from their weakness, that has the makings for a much better bout than Klitschko-Adamek does.
Klitschko-Adamek: Everything favors one fighter, Klitschko, and you have to believe in the tooth fairy to convince yourself the other fighter, Adamek, will come out on top. On the other hand Povetkin and Chageev are pretty evenly matched and because of that it could be a very entertaining and competitive fight. Sure, it could be another stinker but Povetkin and Chagaev still have a lot to prove and will hopefully fight as such. Opposed to Klitschko, whose legacy is pretty much carved out and Adamek, who won’t be ripped if he loses because nobody expects him to win.
If given the choice and I could only watch one of the two big heavyweight title bouts on the horizon, I’d much rather watch the movie in which I have no expectations (Povetkin-Chagaev) but could end up being terrific, opposed to the one (Klitschko-Adamek) I’ve already seen 15-times and know the ending.
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
Featured Articles
Canelo vs Berlanga Battles the UFC: Hopefully No Repeat of the 2019 Fiasco
If one happens to be fan of both traditional boxing and MMA, then one has a choice to make this Saturday. Canelo Alvarez will be in action at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas defending his lineal 168-pound world title against Edgar Berlanga and two miles away in a competing Pay-Per-View card, the first-ever sporting event will be staged inside The Sphere, a UFC card bearing the title Riyadh Season Noche 306.
This won’t be the first time that a boxing card featuring the red-headed Mexican superstar went head-to-head with a UFC event. On Nov. 2, 2019, Canelo Alvarez fought Sergey Kovalev at the T-Mobile and 2,500 miles away, MMA stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal locked horns at Madison Square Garden. Both cards were PPV. Alvarez vs Kovalev was live-streamed on DAZN; Diaz vs Masvidal on ESPN+.
We don’t know which event generated the most profit, but the way things played out, this was a symbolic win for the UFC. On this night, the venerable sport of boxing and its adherents were reduced to a second-class citizen.
The fault lay with the nitwits at DAZN. They thought it prudent to postpone the start of Alvarez-Kovalev until the Diaz-Masdival fight was finished. What resulted was an interlude that dragged on for a good 90 minutes after Ryan Garcia knocked out Romero Duno in 98 seconds in the semi-wind-up. Then came the ring walks, the National Anthems (there were three), and the long-winded introduction of the combatants. When the bell finally sounded to signify the start of the bout, it was 10:18 inside the arena and 1:18 am for the bleary-eyed folks tuning in back in the Eastern Time Zone. The backlash was fierce.
The competing shows this coming Saturday coincide with Mexican Independence Day Weekend. One might assume that this will give the PBC promotion at the T-Mobile a leg up as Canelo Alvarez is a must-see attraction within the Mexican and Mexican-American communities. However, the UFC card has something going for it that T-Mobile lacks. The venue is itself an allurement. The newest addition to the Las Vegas skyline, The Sphere has the WOW factor. Even long-time Las Vegas locals, supposedly jaded by a surfeit of architectural wonders, are mesmerized by the constantly changing light show on the exterior of the big globe. Inside, visitors will find the world’s highest resolution LED display.
Customizing the interior for UFC 306 was an expensive proposition. UFC honcho Dana White has pegged the cost at $20 million and concedes that without Saudi money it would not have been feasible. He says that Saturday’s show will be “one-off,” not merely the first combat sports event at The Sphere, but also the last because it would be too expensive to replicate. If that be true, attendees are advised to keep their ticket stubs. Years from now, they might command a nice price in the sports memorabilia marketplace.
The T-Mobile has Canelo, but The Sphere has Alexa Grasso who, akin to Canelo, hails from Guadalajara. Ms. Grasso, 31, just may be the second-most-well-known fighter in Mexico. In addition to holding the UFC flyweight title, she is an analyst for the UFC’s Spanish-language broadcasts.
Grasso will be defending her belts against Russia’s Valentina Shevshenko in the co-main. In the featured bout, bantamweight belt-holder Sean O’Malley will defend his title against Merab Dvalishvili.
The T-Mobile card on Prime Video comes with a suggested list price of $89.99 for U.S. buyers without a Prime Video account. That tab has been widely assailed as a rip-off. “It’s gouging fight fans, plain and simple,” says Kevin Iole who covered both boxing and MMA for Yahoo. (For the record, the UFC show on ESPN+ comes with a list price of $79.99, $10 cheaper if bundled with an ESPN+ subscription. The UFC folks are holding their breath that the event can be translated to the small screen without compromising the clarity of the picture. The logistics are daunting.)
The main bouts on the UFC card will be far more competitive based on the prevailing odds, but when it comes to combat sports, this reporter is a traditionalist. Agreed, that can be interpreted as an old fuddy-duddy stuck in his ways, but in my eyes boxing, a sport that rests on a far more arresting historic foundation, trumps the Johnny-come-lately that is the UFC.
Check back later this week as TSS West Coast Bureau Chief David A. Avila offers up a closer look at Alvarez vs Berlanga and some of the supporting bouts.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Niyomtrong Proves a Bridge Too Far for Alex Winwood in Australia
Today in Perth, Australia, Alex Winwood stepped up in class in his fifth pro fight with the aim of becoming the fastest world title-holder in Australian boxing history. But Winwood (4-0, 2 KOs heading in) wasn’t ready for WBA strawweight champion Thammanoon Niyomtrong, aka Knockout CP Freshmart, who by some accounts is the longest reigning champion in the sport.
Niyomtrong (25-0, 9 KOs) prevailed by a slim margin to retain his title. “At least the right guy won,” said prominent Australian boxing writer Anthony Cocks who thought the scores (114-112, 114-112, 113-113) gave the hometown fighter all the best of it.
Winwood, who represented Australia in the Tokyo Olympics, trained for the match in Thailand (as do many foreign boxers in his weight class). He is trained by Angelo Hyder who also worked with Danny Green and the Moloney twins. Had he prevailed, he would have broken the record of Australian boxing icon Jeff Fenech who won a world title in his seventh pro fight. A member of the Noongar tribe, Winwood, 27, also hoped to etch on his name on the list of notable Australian aboriginal boxers alongside Dave Sands, Lionel Rose and the Mundines, Tony and Anthony, father and son.
What Winwood, 27, hoped to capitalize on was Niyomtrong’s theoretical ring rust. The Thai was making his first start since July 20 of 2022 when he won a comfortable decision over Wanheng Menayothin in one of the most ballyhooed domestic showdowns in Thai boxing history. But the Noongar needed more edges than that to overcome the Thai who won his first major title in his ninth pro fight with a hard-fought decision over Nicaragua’s Carlos Buitrago who was 27-0-1 heading in.
A former Muai Thai champion, Niyomtrong/Freshmart turns 34 later this month, an advanced age for a boxer in the sport’s smallest weight class. Although he remains undefeated, he may have passed his prime. How good was he in his heyday? Prominent boxing historian Matt McGrain has written that he was the most accomplished strawweight in the world in the decade 2010-2019: “It is not close, it is not debatable, there is no argument.”
Against the intrepid Winwood, Niyomtrong started slowly. In round seven, he cranked up the juice, putting the local fighter down hard with a left hook. He added another knockdown in round nine. The game Winwood stayed the course, but was well-beaten at the finish, no matter that the scorecards suggested otherwise, creating the impression of a very close fight.
P.S. – Because boxrec refused to name this a title fight, it fell under the radar screen until the result was made known. In case you hadn’t noticed, boxrec is at loggerheads with the World Boxing Association and has decided to “de-certify” the oldest of the world sanctioning bodies. While this reporter would be happy to see the WBA disappear – it is clearly the most corrupt of the four major organizations – the view from here is that boxrec is being petty. Moreover, if this practice continues, it will be much harder for boxing historians of future generations to sort through the rubble.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Avila Perspective, Chap. 295: Callum Walsh, Pechanga Casino Fights and More
Super welterweight contender Callum Walsh worked out for reporters and videographers at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Calif. on Thursday,
The native of Ireland Walsh (11-0, 9 KOs) has a fight date against Poland’s Przemyslaw Runowski (22-2-1, 6 KOs) on Friday, Sept. 20 at the city of Dublin. It’s a homecoming for the undefeated southpaw from Cork. UFC Fight Pass will stream the 360 Promotions card.
Mark down the date.
Walsh is the latest prodigy of promoter Tom Loeffler who has a history of developing European boxers in America and propelling them forward on the global boxing scene. Think Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin and you know what I mean.
Golovkin was a middleweight monster for years.
From Kevin Kelley to Oba Carr to Vitaly Klitschko to Serhii Bohachuk and many more in-between, the trail of elite boxers promoted by Loeffler continues to grow. Will Walsh be the newest success?
Add to the mix Dana White, the maestro of UFC, who is also involved with Walsh and you get a clearer picture of what the Irish lad brings to the table.
Walsh has speed, power and a glint of meanness that champions need to navigate the prizefighting world. He also has one of the best trainers in the world in Freddie Roach who needs no further introduction.
Perhaps the final measure of Walsh will be when he’s been tested with the most important challenge of all:
Can he take a punch from a big hitter?
That’s the final challenge
It always comes down to the chin. It’s what separates the Golovkins from the rest of the pack. At the top of the food chain they all can hit, have incredible speed and skill, but the fighters with the rock hard chins are those that prevail.
So far, the chin test is the only examination remaining for Walsh.
“King’ Callum Walsh is ready for his Irish homecoming and promises some fireworks for the Irish fans. This will be an entertaining show for the fans and we are excited to bring world class boxing back to the 3Arena in Dublin,” said Loeffler.
Pechanga Fights
MarvNation Promotions presents a battle between welterweight contenders Jose “Chon” Zepeda (37-5, 28 KOs) and Ivan Redkach (24-7-1, 19 KOs) on Friday, Sept. 6, at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula. DAZN will stream the fight card.
Both have fought many of the best welterweights in the world and now face each other. It should be an interesting clash between the veterans.
Also on the card, featherweights Nathan Rodriguez (15-0) and Bryan Mercado (11-5-1) meet in an eight-round fight.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. First bout at 7 p.m.
Monster Inoue
Once again Japan’s Naoya Inoue dispatched another super bantamweight contender with ease as TJ Doheny was unable to continue in the seventh round after battered by a combination on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Inoue continues to brush away whoever is placed in front of him like a glint of dust.
Is the “Monster” the best fighter pound-for-pound on the planet or is it Terence Crawford? Both are dynamic punchers with skill, speed, power and great chins.
Munguia in Big Bear
Super middleweight contender Jaime Munguia is two weeks away from his match with Erik Bazinyan at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. ESPN will show the Top Rank card.
“Erik Bazinyan is a good fighter. He’s undefeated. He switches stances. We need to be careful with that. He’s taller and has a longer reach than me. He has a good jab. He can punch well on the inside. He’s a fighter who comes with all the desire to excel,” said Munguia.
Bazinyan has victories over Ronald Ellis and Alantez Fox.
In case you didn’t know, Munguia moved over to Top Rank but still has ties with Golden Boy Promotions and Zanfer Promotions. Bazinyan is promoted by Eye of the Tiger.
This is the Tijuana fighter’s first match with Top Rank since losing to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez last May in Las Vegas. He is back with trainer Erik Morales.
Callum Walsh photo credit: Lina Baker
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
The Drama in Mikaela Mayer’s Camp Shrouds her Forthcoming Battle with Sandy Ryan
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Christian Mbilli Proves Too Strong for Sergiy Derevyanchenko in Canada
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Avila Perspective, Chap. 292: Route 66 and Great Fights at Mandalay Bay
-
Featured Articles1 week ago
A Closer Look at Jordan Plant, One-Half of Boxing’s ‘Power Couple’
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Avila Perspective, Chap. 291: Mayweather Chronicles
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Jarrett Hurd and Jeison Rosario Fight to a Draw in Plant City
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Nikita Tszyu Overcomes Adversity, TKOs Mazoudier in a Sydney Sizzler
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Can Jarrett Hurd Recapture his Mojo in Plant City or will this be His Final Undoing?