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THE BREAKDOWN: Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley
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THE FIGHT:
Manny Pacquiao Versus Timothy Bradley, Saturday, June 9
At the MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas, on HBO pay per view and Primetime {UK}
12 rounds, for Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title {147 pounds}
STATISTICS:
Manny Pacquiao Timothy Bradley
33 Age 28
General Santos City Hometown Palm Springs, California
Filipino Nationality American
Jan 22, 1995 Pro debut Aug 20, 2004
54-3-2 {38} Record 28-0 {12}
5ft 6 1/2ins Height 5ft 6ins
67ins Reach 69ins
Southpaw Stance Orthodox
353 Rounds boxed 194
64% KO rate 41%
38% Connect rate 33%
27% Opponent's connect rate 25%
+11 Compubox +/- +8
n/a Common opponents n/a
Previous five opponents
W MD 12 Juan Manuel Marquez W TKO 8 Joel Casamayor
W UD 12 Shane Mosley W TD 10 Devon Alexander
W UD 12 Antonio Margarito W UD 12 Luis Carlos Abregu
W UD 12 Joshua Clottey W UD 12 Lamont Peterson
W TKO 12 Miguel Cotto NC 3 Nate Campbell
***1/2 Recent opposition quality ***
****1/2 Career opposition quality ***
STYLE, STRATEGY AND SHOT SELECTION:
Manny Pacquiao:
Considered by most to be boxing's premier offensive fighter — No longer the one-handed searcher of his featherweight days, has now evolved into a dynamic ring stylist–Is able to counter, stalk or employ stick and move tactics depending on the opponent at hand — Athleticism and reflexes compliment his excellent coordination and balance — His potent combination of speed, power and explosiveness may be unrivaled in the modern game — Rapier left hand remains his most sinister weapon –Counter right hook from the southpaw stance is also dangerous –Prefers to utilize the jab as more of a decoy before launching an attack — Lateral and upper-body movement along with added patience and a far less deliberate approach have made him tougher to hit — Despite the steep rise in weight, his chin remains formidable — Brilliant at feinting an opponent out of position — His uncanny ability to string five-or six punches together which are thrown in unpredictable patterns,from unconventional angles and with great speed,equates to him being one of the most effective combination punchers around — Outstanding multi-dimensional footwork that allows him to drift in and out, and around his opponent is arguably his greatest asset.
Other Issues:
Is his hunger and desire still once what it was? Will his leg cramps continue to be a problem? Are recent poor showings the result of erosion in a 33 year-old fighter who relies heavily on physical gifts?
Timothy Bradley:
Tremendously versatile,is able to fight from the outside or at close quarters –Short, stocky and muscular, he is right at home either by taking the lead and pressurizing or by laying back and countering –Solid technical skills –Often the smaller man, his exceptional timing allows him to outbox taller opponents — Makes up for lack of knockout power with volume, grit and a willingness to take risks and trade–Good combination puncher — Has an excellent overhand right — Determination and hunger are possibly second to none –Quick reflexes — Can sometimes become reckless when throwing his counter left hook — Possesses an accurate, rapid fire jab — Very good body puncher — Lack of height and tucked in chin makes for a small, difficult to hit target — Phenomenal conditioning and stamina — Recovers fast when hit — Hand and footspeed are vastly underrated — Has been accused of head butting his opponents throughout his career. <br >
Other Issues:
Will he be out of his depth facing one of boxing's consensus top two? Can he fight effectively at 147 pounds having only fought there just once before? With only 12 knockouts on his record, a win inside the distance seems unlikely….Can he secure a decision against, who is quite possibly,boxing's most marketable commodity?
THE SCENARIO:
Make no mistake about it, this is a very tough fight for Manny Pacquiao. For the first time since his featherweight campaign, Manny will be facing an opponent in Timothy Bradley, who is young, skilled,athletic and in his prime. He is also undefeated and hungry. Simply put, unless we see a Manny Pacquiao who is firing on all cylinders on June 9th, it's a fight he could wind up losing. Ever since the fight was first announced, I've had my doubts. I believe that Top Rank -and Pacquiao for that matter- made a questionable decision in choosing Bradley as their next opponent. Tim Bradley is the stereotypical young and hungry fighter who is regularly avoided by other top fighters -I'm reminded of Clubber Lang in the movie “Rocky 3” . Men like Charley Burley, Aaron Pryor, Mike McCallum and Mark Johnson-high risk with little reward-were never granted their day in the sun against boxing's best whilst being in their primes.Bradley's wish is Pacquiao's command. It is my belief that Pacquiao's representatives view Bradley as a Ricky Hatton-type fighter -a one-dimensional reckless aggressor- who is going to allow their prized asset to get back on the knockout trail on June 9th, without posing much of a risk due to his low knockout rate. If this is indeed the case, they are sorely mistaken.
Despite Pacquiao being the clear betting favourite, I believe Bradley possesses the kind attributes and experience to pull off the upset.Bradley is five years younger than Pacquiao.Bradley will be undoubtedly, the fastest fighter -both of hand and foot- that Pacquiao has ever faced.Bradley can fight effectively in close or at range.Bradley can lead or counter. Bradley is also aware of what problems are presented when faced with a southpaw -he has faced no fewer than ten, including a switch-hitting Junior Witter, throughout his career,which is a vast percentage of his 28 fights.
A quick glance of the above illuminates the essential ingredient to Bradley's chances. Versatility. Tim Bradley,like Andre Ward, is a boxing chameleon.Look at his fights with Alexander, Abregu and Peterson, you will see a different tactical approach from Bradley in each. He is also capable of adjusting and adapting throughout a fight, something quite frankly, no Pacquiao opponent has been capable of doing other than Erik Morales back in 2005, who remains to this day, the only man to defeat Pacquiao beyond doubt on American land.
Manny Pacquiao, just like Floyd Mayweather, can be beat.
If we look at Pacquiao's welterweight opponents up until the Shane Mosley bout -De La Hoya to Antonio Margarito- they all fought Pacquiao the same way -standing right there in front of him. Pacquiao's ability to feint, step around and attack is too much for static fighters. Pacquiao's handspeed rates very high, but his mobility is the foundation of his attack. His superb footwork allows him to create punching angles on offense and enables him to evade counters on defense. Pacquiao's offense is his defense. Pacquiao's fluidity around the ring is the reason flat footed fighters, particularly larger ones, get caught up in an offensive storm. It's why all of Pacquiao's opponent's share the same downfall -they don't see his punches coming.
Against Floyd Mayweather and Sergio Mora, Shane Mosley fought flat-footed. Against Pacquiao, we saw something different. When Shane got knocked down in the third round and then got up, Pacquiao -one of the better finishers in boxing- couldn't get to him. Yes, Mosley was hesitant to exchange, but he succeeded in keeping Manny from hitting him for much of the remainder of the fight -something no other welterweight Pacquiao opponent could muster.
So how did Mosley achieve this?
Simple, he remembered that he was fighting a southpaw and, unlike Pacquiao's previous opponents, remembered to get his lead foot outside of Pacquiao's lead foot. Mosley survived the rest of the fight by moving to his left and maintaining distance using the jab. This strategy was repeated with even better results during Pacquiao's next fight against Juan Manuel Marquez. Marquez however, unlike Mosley, is a natural counterpuncher. Marquez was able to constantly keep Manny off balance by moving to his left, feinting and landing with right hands from the outside. Both Mosley and Marquez were able to make Pacquiao fall short through subtle foot adjustments, but they both lacked the speed to get back into firing range after the evasive maneuver. Pacquiao is an ultra aggressive fighter who has an easier time with opponents who are aggressive like him. Mosley and Marquez were the opposite, they used Manny's aggression against him.
Just making Manny miss however, is not enough to win a fight. This is what, I believe, cost Marquez in his last attempt at trying to better Pacman. For me, the ultimate blueprint in derailing Manny Pacquiao lies within Erik Morales' work against him in 2005. Morales, like Mosley and Marquez, also realized he was facing a left handed fighter and kept moving to his left, away from the power hand. But what Morales was able to do differently, was to be aggressive at the right times -between Pacquiao ambushes. If you go back and view the fight, you will see Morales always staying out of range of Pacquiao's left hand. Everytime Pacquiao stepped to his left -Manny is unconventional in this regard- Morales stepped to his left. We were left with a visual of two fighters constantly circling clockwise around the ring. With Manny's left hand taken away, Morales, through his astute sense of timing, was able to catch Manny with double jabs and straight right hands over the top of his right shoulder. Morales always knew when to be aggressive and when to defend.
Many will argue that Manny is a different fighter now, that he is more complete. I agree. But he is still a southpaw, and I believe that Bradley, just like Morales and Marquez, knows how to deal with them. Going one step further, I believe if Bradley can get by the first few rounds -Pacquiao will likely land something substantial- then he could dominate the fight.
I believe Bradley is going to have the perfect strategy on June 9th, by using his defense to aid his offense. Bradley will be preparing his positioning to attack while defending. Like I mentioned earlier, I believe Top Rank are anticipating Bradley to come out like a bullet from a gun at the opening bell. Bradley is better than that.
Here is what I believe to be Timothy Bradley's strategy on June 9th:
~ Always move to the left and away from the left hand, keeping the lead foot outside of Manny's lead foot ~ As Manny falls short, fall in with a double jab, with a right hand behind it, Manny's response will be to either back up, or stand and trade, and if it's the latter, Bradley could wind up inside, where I believe Manny will be at a huge disadvantage in this fight ~ Always avoid the mid-range where Manny does his most dangerous work, stay on the outside where you can make him reach, or get right inside where you can exploit any inside weaknesses ~ Manny is a rhythm fighter, disrupt his rhythm with the jab, throw it in threes and fours to stop him countering, keep him from entering his range ~ Never charge in, wait until he's reaching, use your own footwork to step around and get inside that way, once there, work the body ~ remember the angle, circle left, jab as you rotate.
On the other hand, there are areas that Pacquiao can exploit. Bradley can sometimes get wild at the end of exchanges; if he opens up, Manny could catch him with his straight left hand down the middle. Bradley also likes to double up on his left hook -upstairs and down. When he throws it, he needs to maintain defensive responsibility as this is how Kendall Holt caught him during their bout. Bradley cannot afford to become over aggressive either. Against Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao's ability to side step the Briton's attacks and connect with an overhand left is what turned his lights out. Pacquiao also had success with his counter right hook as Hatton was steaming in. Manny Pacquiao possesses the type of explosive offense that, if an opponent is not one hundred percent focused, can end a fight early -there is the fear that Pacquiao,with his superior handspeed and power,will be able to overwhelm the smaller Bradley.
One thing we must pay attention to is Timothy Bradley's use of the head. Personally, I don't think it is his intention -as was claimed on Jim Lampley's Fight Game- to use the head in this way. Bradley is often the smaller fighter, who tucks in his chin to lower the risk of walking onto something as he advances. Pacquiao has been in this situation before. Against Agapito Sanchez in 2001, Pacquiao suffered two separate cuts from “accidental” headbutts. Both Pacquiao and Bradley dip low when they throw their power shots…let's hope this is not an issue on June 9th.
PREDICTION:
I've long said, that if Pacquiao and Mayweather ever decide to get into the ring with one another, then I would pick Pacquiao as the winner,based on his superior footspeed at this stage in their careers. Mayweather is a lot more stationary these days, relying more on his upper body movement as opposed to his legs. This is where Bradley differs from Mayweather. I actually believe that Bradley's foot speed is comparable to Manny's, which I think is key to the fight. Manny has the best A game in boxing, which is to come in with fast punches, then move off at a different angle. However,I'm not sure he can adjust during a fight if things are not going his way. For the first time since Erik Morales,I think Pacquiao is going to have to adapt to his opponent during a fight. If Bradley is able to avoid the Pacquiao mid-range and control the action at distance by keeping Manny off balance, and in close,by putting Manny on the back foot and smothering, then I think Manny will be in for one of the worst nights of his legendary career. I really do believe Bradley has everything going for him in this fight to get the job done. Youth, technique, speed, desire, determination, stamina, knowledge of fighting southpaws…you name it.
If Bradley can avoid a gun slinging contest, which I think he can by isolating Pacquiao with his feet,then use his footspeed and superior in-fighting skills to capitalize on Pacquiao falling short after reaching, then I don't think it matters that Pacquiao is the marquee fighter here. I believe Timothy Bradley could beat him beyond doubt winning a decision in what would be one of the biggest upsets of this era.
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The Hauser Report — Riyadh Season and Sony Hall: Very Big and Very Small
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Larry Goldberg promoted his eleventh club fight card at Sony Hall in New York on February 20, continuing the Boxing Insider series that began in October 2022.
Goldberg is well thought of in boxing circles. Matchmaker Eric Bottjer notes, “Here are some words that I have not heard in connection with Larry: ‘Scam artist . . . Liar . . . Untrustworthy.’ He has a good reputation. That doesn’t equate to success on its own. But it’s good when you’re sitting down with people who might want to work with you.”
That said; the life of a small promoter is hard. Goldberg’s February 20 show is a case in point.
Six fights had been scheduled. But last-minute, chaos reigned. The New York State Athletic Commission refused to clear one fighter because of a troubling MRI. Another fighter pulled out because his father thought that his B-side opponent (who had a (6-17-3 record with 6 KOs by) was “the wrong style.” Then the mother of a third fighter tried to hold Goldberg up for an increase in her son’s purse from $1,200 to $2,000 and the fight disappeared when Larry balked at her demand.
That left three fights. And guess what? It was a surprisingly entertaining card. The fights were more competitive that most club fights. And all six fighters came to win.
Jason Castanon (1-1, 1 KO) vs. Stephen Barbee (0-2, 1 KO by) was the first bout of the evening. Neither man was particularly skilled. But they fought hard and both men had a chance to win. Castanon emerged on the long end of a 39-37, 39-37, 38-38 majority decision.
Koby Khalil Williams (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Nicholas Isaac (5-0, 4 KOs) was next up.
Williams’s four wins had come against opponents who now have a total of 4 wins in 48 fights. Isaac’s record had been fashioned against opponents who are 9-and-49 with 24 KOs by. The bout was a significant step up for both men. The result was a spirited, six-round action fight with Isaac prevailing on all three judges’ scorecards.
Finally, Avious Griffin (16-0, 15 KOs) squared off against Jose Luis Sanchez (14-4-1, 4 KOs, 1 KO by). Griffin has built his record by fighting opponents with limited skills. Sanchez fit that profile. Both men threw non-stop punches. But Griffin’s were faster, straighter, more accurate, and harder. Sanchez was dropped three times in the early rounds (by a left hook, an overhand right, and a right uppercut). In round five, Griffin appeared to tire a bit. And Sanchez was still there. At that point, the fight devolved into an “I’ll punch you and then you punch me” affair, and it seemed possible that Avious would crumble. But he didn’t. Jose Luis had a lot of heart. He just wasn’t good enough. Griffin regrouped and ended matters on an eight-round stoppage with Sanchez still on his feet.
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Avious Griffin
Watching the fights, my mind went back to a conversation I had with Ray Arcel when I began writing about boxing four decades ago.
Arcel (a Hall of Fame legend who trained scores of world champions during his years in the sweet science) told me, “Too many people don’t take pride in what they do. They do just enough to get by, maybe to hold onto their jobs, and that’s all. A fighter can’t be like that.” And Arcel went on to reminisce about a time when four-round preliminary fighters on their way to the gym would look back over their shoulder and see kids following them on the street, offering to carry their gym bag. A fighter would come home and neighborhood children would be sitting on the stoop, looking at him and saying, “Wow, he’s a fighter.”
There used to be glory at the club fight level. Being a good club fighter was an end in itself. Now, for the most part, club fights are regarded as stepping stones for prospects who face off against woefully overmatched opponents. On February 20, Larry Goldberg gave boxing fans three good club fights.
****
Two nights later, on February 22, the latest Riyadh Season fight card took place in Saudi Arabia. Seven fights of note were on the card, leading the promotion to proclaim that it was “the greatest fight card in the history of boxing.”
It wasn’t. And that was true even before Daniel Dubois and Floyd Schofield pulled out of scheduled title fights due to illness.
You don’t put “the greatest fight card ever” in a 6,000-seat arena (Venue Riyadh Season) when the 25,000-seat Kingdom Arena is next door. Moreover, fight cards are judged in large measure by the main event. And the main event here wasn’t a megafight on the order of Leonard-Hearns I or a half-dozen Muhammad Ali encounters.
That said; it was an exceptionally good card. Credit to Turki Alalshikh for putting it together. Thumbnail sketches of the fights that mattered most (in the order that they occurred) follow.
Callum Smith broke Joshua Buatsi down with a brutal body attack in the middle rounds. Both fighters were hurt as the fight went on. But Buatsi was hurt more and more often. It was a very good fight with Smith prevailing on a 119-110 (which was way out of line), 116-112, 115-113 decision.
Zhilel Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel was an entertaining slugfest with both men evincing a conspicuous lack of upper-body and head movement. After a cautious first round, Kabayel attacked. Zhang, who is 41 years old and has never been in particularly good shape, started fading in round three. Kabayel got sloppy in round four and was dropped by a straight left hand. But Agit went back on the offensive and stopped Zhang with body shots in the fifth stanza.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Israil Madrimov was a fight that boxing purists were looking forward to. Ortiz is a puncher and wanted to engage. Madrimov didn’t. Israil kept skittering around the ring and Virgil couldn’t figure him out. Then the Energizer Bunny wore down and there were some heated exchanges. That was the fight Virgil (who began scoring big to the body) wanted. Ortiz won a 117-111, 115-113, 115-113 decision.
Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz for Adames’s WBC 160-pound belt had particular significance. Sheeraz (a 5-to-2 betting favorite) is a favorite of Turki Alalshikh who had big plans for him. The belief was that Hamzah would beat Carlos and continue to increase his profile. Meanwhile, Canelo Alvarez’s four-fight deal with Riyadh Season will begin with fights against William Scull and Terence Crawford this year. Then, the thinking went, Canelo would fight the winner of Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn on Cinco de Mayo Weekend 2026 followed by a fight against Sheeraz on next year’s Mexican Independence Day Weekend.
Adames-Sheeraz was a step-up fight for Sherraz. And he fell short of expectations.
After a cautious first round, Adames began stalking. He couldn’t get past Sheeraz’s jab. Hamzah dictated the distance between them with his jab and footwork. But Sheeraz seemed intimidated and threw few punches of consequence. It was a slow fight. Carlos didn’t silence the crowd. But Hamzah did. The judges ruled the fight a split-decision draw, which meant that Adames retained his title.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Josh Padley was not a good fight. Floyd Scholfield (an 8-to-1 underdog) fell out as Stevenson’s opponent for medical reasons during fight week. Padley, a 30-to-1 underdog. took his place. The typical Shakur Stevenson opponent is slow without much of a punch. Padley is slow without much of a punch. Prior to being called in as a late replacement earlier in the week, he had been on the job installing solar panels. Shakur stopped him in the ninth round.
Then the heavyweights returned to center stage – Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole. Parker had been slated to challenge Daniel Dubois for Dubois’ alphabet-soup “championship” belt. But two days before the fight, Dubois pulled out after contracting a viral infection.
Large amounts of money can do wondrous things. When Larry Goldberg lost three fighters during fight week, he was left with a three-bout card. When Dubois was scratched, Turki Alalshikh simply opened his checkbook and brought in Bakole.
Martin was in Africa when he got the call and arrived in Riyadh at 2:00 AM on the day of the fight. Most of us have trouble keeping our eyes open after a trans-continental fight. Bakole had to fight Parker. Moreover, Martin weighed in at a massive 315 pounds, which clearly indicated that he wasn’t in shape (unless one considers round a shape).
Round one saw Parker biding his time while Bakole plodded slowly forward. Two minutes into the second stanza, Joseph landed a glancing right hand off the top of Martin’s head. Bakole went down. He got up. And his corner stopped the fight.
That wasn’t what fans were hoping for. But then they were treated to an exceptionally good fight.
Artur Beterbiev was an 11-to-10 favorite over Dmitry Bivol in a rematch of their October 2024 title-unification bout which Beterbiev won on a close majority-decision. This time, as before, the momentum swung back and forth. But this fight was more intensely contested than their first encounter.
Beterbiev came out hard. He couldn’t reach Bivol, who was circling away and outjabbing him. But Artur was relentless. He started landing and, by the middle rounds, was outpunching and outboxing Dmitry. Then Beterbiev (who at age forty is six years older than Bivol) tired a bit and Dmitry regained control of the contest. Both men were in good condition. Fighting desperately at the end, Artur finished stronger. But this time, the majority decision was in Bivol’s favor.
“What was different?” Dmitry was asked after the fight.
“Just me,” BivoI answered. “I was better.”
****
And a note from the past . . .
In 2004, Tom Gerbasi (who was writing for Maxboxing.com at the time) went to the PAL Gym in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, to record a video interview with Bernard Hopkins while Bernard was training to fight Oscar De La Hoya.
“Hopkins wanted to do the interview while he was getting his hands wrapped,” Gerbasi recalls. “But there was a problem. My camera guy wasn’t there. Hopkins is telling me, ‘Look! I gotta do this now because I have to get my workout in.’ So I interviewed him for twenty minutes while James Fisher was wrapping his hands without my camera guy there. Then Hopkins sparred and went through the rest of his workout. He’s done for the day and getting ready to leave the gym. And finally, my camera guy shows up. He’s very apologetic. He tells us he’s late because he was pulled over by the police and handcuffed because of a bunch of unpaid traffic tickets, which I assume were moving violations. Bernard says, ‘Show me your wrists.’ So my guy shows Bernard his wrists. There were marks from the handcuffs all over them. And Bernard tells us, ‘Okay. Set up the camera.” I did the interview all over again and wound up writing a four-part piece, ten thousand words.”
Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. His most recent book – MY MOTHER and me – is a personal memoir available at Amazon.com. https://www.amazon.com/My-Mother-Me-Thomas-Hauser/dp/1955836191/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5C0TEN4M9ZAH&keywords=thomas+hauser&qid=1707662513&sprefix=thomas+hauser%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1
In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored Hauser with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism. In 2019, Hauser was selected for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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Bivol Evens the Score with Beterbiev; Parker and Stevenson Win Handily
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Bivol Evens the Score with Beterbiev; Parker and Stevenson Win Handily
It was labeled the best boxing card in history.
That’s up for debate.
And there was some debate as Dmitry Bivol avenged his loss to Artur Beterbiev to become the new undisputed light heavyweight world champion on Saturday by majority decision in a tactical battle.
“He gave me this chance and I appreciate it,” said Bivol of Beterbiev.
Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) rallied from behind to give Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) his first pro loss in their rematch at a sold out crowd in the Venue Riyadh Season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Like their first encounter the rematch was also very close.
Four months ago, these two faced each other as undefeated light heavyweights. Now, after two furious engagements, both have losses.
Beterbiev was making his first defense as undisputed light heavyweight champion and made adjustments from their first match. This time the Russian fighter who trains in Canada concentrated on a body attack and immediately saw dividends.
For most of the first six rounds it seemed Beterbiev would slowly grind down Bivol until he reached an unsurmountable lead. But despite the momentum he never could truly hurt Bivol or gain separation.
Things turned around in the seventh round as Bivol opened up with combinations to the head and body while slipping Beterbiev’s blows. It was a sudden swing of momentum. But how long could it last?
“It was hard to keep him at the distance. I had to be smarter and punch more clean punches,” said Bivol.
Beterbiev attempted to regain the momentum but Bivol was not allowing it to happen. In the final 10 seconds he opened up with a machine gun combination. Though few of the punches connected it became clear he was not going to allow unclarity.
Using strategic movement Bivol laced quick combinations and immediately departed. Betebiev seemed determined to counter the fleet fighter but was unsuccessful for much of the second half of the fight.
Around the 10th round Beterbiev stepped on the gas with the same formula of working the body and head. It gave Bivol pause but he still unleashed quick combos to keep from being overrun.
Bivol connected with combinations and Beterbiev connected with single body and head shots. It was going to be tough for the referees to decide which attack they preferred. After 12 rounds with no knockdowns one judge saw it a draw at 114-114. But two others saw Bivol the winner 116-112, 115-113.
“I was better. I was pushing myself more, I was lighter. I just wanted to win so much today,” said Bivol.
Beterbiev was gracious in defeat.
“Congratulations to Bivol’s team” said Beterbiev. “I think this fight was better than the first fight.”
After the match it was discussed that an effort to make a third fight is a strong possibility.
Heavyweight KO by Parker
Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) once again proved he could be the best heavyweight without a world title in knocking out the feared Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) to retain his WBO interim title. It was quick and decisive.
“Catch him when he is coming in,” said Parker, 33, about his plan.
After original foe IBF heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois was forced to withdraw due to illness, Bakole willingly accepted the match with only two days’ notice. Many experts and fans around the world were surprised and excited Parker accepted the match.
Ever since Parker lost to Joe Joyce in 2022, the New Zealander has proven to be vastly improved with wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Now you can add Bakole to the list of conquests.
Bakole, 33, was coming off an impressive knockout win last July and posed a serious threat if he connected with a punch. The quick-handed Bakole at 310 pounds and a two-inch height advantage is always dangerous.
In the first round Parker was wary of the fighter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He kept his range and moved around the ring looking to poke a jab and move. Bakole caught him twice with blows and Parker retaliated.
It proved to be a very important test.
Parker refrained from moving and instead moved inside range of the big African fighter. Both exchanged liberally with Bakole connecting with an uppercut and Parker an overhand right.
Bakole shook his head at the blow he absorbed.
Both re-engaged and fired simultaneously. Parker’s right connected to the top of the head of Bakole who shuddered and stumbled and down he went and could not beat the count. The referee stopped the heavyweight fight at 2:17 of the second round. Parker retains his interim title by knockout.
“I’m strong, I’m healthy, I’m sharp,” said Parker. “I had to be patient.”
Shakur Wins
Despite an injured left hand southpaw WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) won by stoppage over late replacement Josh Padley (15-1, 6 KOs). It was an impressive accomplishment.
Often criticized for his lack of action and safety-first style, Stevenson was supposed to fight undefeated Floyd Schofield who pulled out due to illness. In stepped British lightweight Padley who had nothing to lose.
Padley was never hesitant to engage with the super-quick Stevenson and despite the lightning-quick combos by the champion, the British challenger exchanged liberally. It just wasn’t enough.
Even when Stevenson injured his left hand during an exchange in the sixth round, Padley just couldn’t take advantage. The speedy southpaw kept shooting the right jabs and ripping off right hooks. At the end of the sixth Stevenson briefly switched to a right-handed fighting style.
Stevenson used his right jabs and hooks to perfection. Double right hooks to the head and body seemed to affect the British challenger. A clean left to the body of Padley sent him to the floor for the count in the ninth round. It was a surprising knockdown due to his injured left. Padley got up and the fight resumed. Stevenson unloaded with right hooks to the body and down went the British fighter once again. He got up and tried to fight his way out but was met with another left to the body and down he went a third time. Padley’s corner tossed in a white towel to signify surrender. The referee stopped the fight at the end of the round. Stevenson scored his 11th knockout win.
Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom
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Early Results from Riyadh where Hamzah Sheeraz was Awarded a Gift Draw
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After two 6-round appetizers, British light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith got the show rolling with a lusty 12-round skirmish. Things went south in the middle of the seven-fight main card when WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames locked horns with challenger Hamzah Sheeraz. This was a drab fight owing to a milquetoast performance by the favored Sheeraz.
Heading in, the lanky six-foot-three Sheeraz, whose physique is mindful of a young Thomas Hearns, was undefeated in 21 fights. Having stopped five of his last six opponents in two rounds or less, the 25-year-old Englishman was touted as the next big thing in the middleweight division. However, he fought off his back foot the entire contest, reluctant to let his hands go, and Adames kept his title when the bout was scored a draw.
Sheeraz had the crowd in his corner and two of the judges scored the match with their ears. Their tallies were 115-114 for Sheeraz and 114-114. The third judge had it 118-110 for Adames, the 30-year old Dominican, now 24-1-1, who had Ismael Salas in his corner.
Ortiz-Madrimov
Super welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr, knocked out his first 21 opponents, begging the question of how he would react when he finally faced adversity. He showed his mettle in August of last year when he went a sizzling 12 rounds with fellow knockout artist Serhii Bohachuk, winning a hard-fought decision. Tonight he added another feather in his cap with a 12-round unanimous decision over Ismail Madrimov, prevailing on scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice.
Ortiz won by adhering tight to Robert Garcia’s game plan. The elusive Madrimov, who bounces around the ring like the energizer bunny, won the early rounds. But eventually Ortiz was able to cut the ring off and turned the tide in his favor by landing the harder punches. It was the second straight loss for Madrimov (10-2-1), a decorated amateur who had lost a close but unanimous decision to Terence Crawford in his previous bout.
Kabayel-Zhang
No heavyweight has made greater gains in the last 15 months than Agit Kabayel. The German of Kurdish descent, whose specialty is body punching, made his third straight appearance in Riyadh tonight and, like in the previous two, fashioned a knockout. Today, although out-weighed by more than 40 pounds, he did away with Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang in the sixth round.
It didn’t start out well for Kabayel. The New Jersey-based, six-foot-six Zhang, a two-time Olympian for China, started fast and plainly won the opening round. Kabayel beat him to the punch from that point on, save for one moment when Zhang put him on the canvas with a straight left hand.
That happened in the fifth round, but by the end of the frame, the 41-year-old Zhang was conspicuously gassed. The end for the big fellow came at the 2:29 mark of round six when he couldn’t beat the count after crumbling to the canvas in a delayed reaction after taking a hard punch to his flabby midsection.
Kabayel remains undefeated at 26-0 (18 KOs). Zhang (27-3-1) hadn’t previously been stopped.
Smith-Buatsi
The all-British showdown between light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith was a grueling, fan-friendly affair. A former 168-pound world title-holder, Smith, 34, won hard-earned unanimous decision, prevailing on scores of 115-113, 116-112, and a ludicrous 119-110.
There were no knockdowns, but Liverpool’s Smith, who advanced to 31-2 (22) finished the contest with a bad gash in the corner of his right eye. It was the first pro loss for Buatsi (19-1), an Olympic bronze medalist who entered the contest a small favorite and was the defending “interim” title-holder.
This contest was also a battle of wits between two of America’s most prominent trainers, Buddy McGirt (Smith) and Virgil Hunter (Buatsi).
Check back shortly for David Avila’s wrap-up of the last three fights.
Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom
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