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George Tahdooahnippah: 34-Year-Old New Kid
When I talked to undefeated middleweight George Tahdooahnippah (31-0-1, 23 KOs) last May, he was anxious for the chance to prove himself. He had big dreams, like all fighters do — dreams of being a contender, winning a title and being a star.
While it was impressive that he’d amassed thirty wins, no losses and a draw, the names on his resume were less so. His team, therefore, was angling for a showdown with a big name opponent that summer. They wanted someone who could help put their fighter on the radar, but it never materialized. In the end, Tahdooahnippah settled on another nondescript win against eight loss fighter Gundrick King. Still, something big did happen that summer for Tahdooahnippah. The middleweight signed a promotional contract with Joe DeGuardia’s New York promotional company, Star Boxing. It was good fortune, destiny or perhaps both, the fighter told me later. Either way, he said, his goal was to let DeGuardia know that he signed more than just a flash in the pan that day. He wanted him to know he signed a good fighter and a big money ticket.
“I’d been talking to Joe for a while. I’d met him at a boxing convention. We just kept in touch. He kept an eye on me. Speaking with Joe, things just looked good on the promotional side of things. I’m 34-years-old. The time is now for me. I’m burning. I’m hungry. I’m in the best shape of my life. I had to sign with someone who would take me there as soon as possible. Joe was the best option. He’s the best promoter for me, and now here we are, about to show the world.”
Where they are now, of course, is right where any fighter yearning to do big things in the sport hopes to be someday: the week of a nationally televised main event showdown against a good opponent. It will be Tahdooahnippah’s first real shot at the big leagues. He’ll be matched up with all-action star Delvin Rodriguez on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights telecast at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut.
“This fight is everything to me,” Tahdooahnippah said of the chance. “This is the one where I am going to be recognized. I’ve been under the radar. I haven’t had the opportunities to be seen. The world is going to see how good I am. I am going to win.”
While confident, Tahdooahnippah also said he realizes what he’s up against in Rodriguez, a fighter who’s two years his junior but has already been in with world class opposition numerous times. He’s watched his opponent before, he said, and he knows he’ll be up against a guy who’s plucky enough to be one half of the BWAA’s 2011 Fight of the Year (a draw versus Pawel Wolak).
“I know he’s an action fighter, a guy people see and people like,” Tahdooahnippah said. I know he’s been in deep waters before, places I haven’t been yet. All that to the side, though, I’m not worried about him. I know what I’ve got to do. He hasn’t fought anyone like me. No one as big, as tough, as rough, as hard-hitting as me, with good boxing skills, as far as big guys go. You know? I’m not Pawel Wolak. I’m more multidimensional than that.”
Tahdooahnippah will have the size advantage come fight night. He hasn’t once fought lower than 160 pounds, while his opponent will be making his first appearance at the weight after a career almost exclusively fought at welter. He said he’ll try to impose his strength and will on the naturally smaller man, but that he won’t let the size difference lead to overconfidence. He thinks his opponent will be quick and fast–sure, but he also believes Rodriguez will be at his strongest because he won’t have had to worry about cutting as much weight as usual.
He’s not your typical prospect, this Tahdooahnippah. He’s 34 years old, married and has four children. He has a business degree, and he holds a day job as the Health and Fitness Promotions Coordinator for the Comanche Nation Diabetes Program. Perhaps this makes him less prone to looking too far past what’s right in front him: a true-blue opportunity to make it big.
“I’m ready. This is everything I’ve been training for, waiting for, dreaming about, and thinking about. I’m just ready for that bell to ring so I can put it on him.”
Despite his size advantage, Tahdooahnippah will be an underdog when the bell rings. One insider went so far as to say that he’ll be no match Rodriguez skill-wise. Still, this boxing stalwart told me, Tahdooahnippah’s size and toughness will give him a good shot.
The fighter seems to like it this way. It’s a bit admirable, in a way. He’s fought just twice outside his home state and never outside the high plains area, yet he’s actually anxious to travel hours away from home all the way to the northeast against what will clearly be his toughest opponent yet.
“I’ve been wanting to fight outside of the Oklahoma area,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to fight in someone else’s backyard. I’ve always had this vision of me being in someone’s backyard, being the underdog, the unknown fighter, the unknown person, then I go out there and shock everyone.”
He’ll get his chance. Fan favorite Rodriguez makes his residence less than an hour away from the venue.
“Being recognized on national TV will be a big thing, not just for myself but for my people, all my Native American people, not only seeing a Native American fighter in the main event, but a Native American fighter winning the main event, a person they never heard of or seen before. So then there’s a new kid on the block,” the 34-year-old said. “When I come to the ring, they’re gonna see my dancing, the drums will be there. I have a charter bus full of Comanche, my chairman, the tribal leaders. I might be fighting in his backyard, but I’m gonna be coming in full effect. A win puts me on the radar for bigger fights. My goal has always been to get on HBO so the world can see my ring entrance. I’m gonna get it. I’m gonna win. Doors will open. Then I’ll be the new kid on the block.”
Can a 34-year-old become the middleweight division’s new kid on the block? Will anyone be able to pronounce his name if he does? Tahdooahnippah thinks so, at least to the part that matters.
“It’s been like that all my life,” he said about the forthcoming nationally televised butchering of this name. “It’s just part of it. Even the Comanche don’t say my name right because they say it in the language, and it sounds different. That’s why I took the name Comanche Boy, though. I don’t expect them to get my name right, but they will say ‘hey, that’s Comanche Boy’, they’ll know there is an Indian boy out there fighting…and winning.”
So a drum will beat on ESPN this Friday night. There will be sights and sounds not typically seen. From Native American Fancy War Dancers to hip hop sounds of Native American rappers to a 34-year-old prospect taking what may be his one real shot at being boxing’s new kid: George Tahdooahnippah will have his moment. The only thing left to see then, is whether it’s the sound of a beginning, or that of an end.
David Benavidez showed fans why they call him “El Monstro” as he plowed through Cuba’s heavy-punching David Morrell to retain a number one ranking in the light heavyweight division by unanimous decision on Saturday.
Not even a flash knockdown for Morrell could make a difference.
Phoenix native Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) gave Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) his first loss as a professional in front of more than 15,000 fans at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. No one needed to hear the judge’s decision.
“I prepared for everything. I know he’s a great fighter,” said Benavidez. “I thought he was going to hit harder, but he didn’t.”
Before the fight, Morrell was almost an even bet according to oddsmakers, but that was not the case once the fight commenced.
Immediately Benavidez pounded the body and exposed the weaknesses of Morrell’s peek-a-boo defense by using his own left glove to push down the Cuban’s guard. Then immediately firing a crushing right to the jaw.
For the first four rounds Benavidez pounded away on the left and right side of Morrell’s body. And when the openings came the uppercuts caught Morrell’s chin. But he absorbed the blows.
Morrell didn’t waver in trying to find a solution. Though Benavidez connected often to the body and head, the Cuban fighter who moved up from super middleweight displayed a very solid chin.
In the fourth round during a furious exchange Morrell beat Benavidez to the punch that stunned him momentarily. But the blow seemed to spark outrage and a storm of blows followed from Benavidez.
It must have seemed like a nightmare for Morrell.
At times the Cuban fighter would connect perfectly with a right hook and pause. Then Benavidez would return fire with massive blows.
The look on Morrell’s face bore traces of disappointment.
As the rounds continued Benavidez became emboldened by his success. Soon the Mexican Monster began launching lead right uppercuts through Morrell’s guard especially in the sixth round.
“He was easier to hit than I expected,” Benavidez said.
During the breaks Morrell’s corner asked him to pressure Benavidez. It was a fruitless suggestion. How do you corner a Monster?
Benavidez continued to stalk Morrell who never stopped swinging but could not seem to hurt the Monster. In the 11th round Morrell managed to catch Benavidez perfectly with a right hook and down went Benavidez. He immediately got up and the two fighters unloaded on each other. Morrell fired one punch after the bell and was deducted a point by referee Thomas Taylor. That negated the extra point gained from the knockdown.
“I wasn’t really hurt,” said Benavidez. “That bullshit knockdown caught me off-balance.”
The final round saw both resume their efforts to knock the other out. Both showed great chins and the ability to trade. Benavidez was simply better. Even Morrell didn’t wait for the decision to be read as he raised the arm of the Monster at the final bell. All three judges scored in favor of Benavidez 115-111 twice and 118-108.
“He knows this is Monstro’s world. Big shout out for Morrell, he’s a tough fighter,” Benavidez said.
Other Bouts
In a fight dedicated to honor the late Israel Vazquez, the ultimate Aztec warrior, super lightweights Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (27-3-1) and Angel Fierro (23-3-2) battled like demons for 10 nonstop rounds. Cruz was ruled the winner by unanimous decision.
With little resemblance of defense, Cruz and Fierro whacked each other relentlessly with shots that might have stopped a moving car. Cruz was tagged by a right cross on the top of the head that staggered him momentarily. Fierro was driven back four feet by an overhand right to the chin early in the fight.
Both fighters took cruel and unusual punishment and never wavered more than a few seconds. It was brutal war and fans were the winners after 10 rounds of violent and savage action.
All three judges saw Cruz the winner 96-94, 97-93, 98-92.
“I’m so happy I gave the fans a great fight,” Cruz said.
Fulton Wins
Stephen Fulton (23-1, 8 KOs) defeated Brandon Figueroa (23-2-1, 19 KOs) again and took the WBC featherweight title by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. He had previously defeated Figueroa in 2021 for the WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles.
Most of the action took place in nose-to-nose fashion where Fulton landed the cleaner shots especially with uppercuts. Figueroa had his moments but was unable to hurt the challenger who lost to Naoya Inoue by knockout 17 months ago.
Fulton landed clean shots but as his record shows he lacks the power with only eight knockouts on his record. But Figueroa was unable to hurt or knock down Fulton. After 12 rounds all three judges saw Fulton win by scores of 116-112 twice and 117-111,
“It feels good. I’m champion again,” said Fulton.
Ramos Wins
Jesus Ramos (22-1, 18 KOs) won by technical knockout over former world champion Jeison Rosario (24-5-2) in the eighth round of a middleweight fight. Both fighters attacked the body but by the sixth round Ramos was the busier fighter and began to dominate the fight. At 2:18 of the eighth round referee Robert Hoyle stopped the fight.
“I like to throw a lot of body punches. It’s kind of my style,” said Ramos.
Photos credit: Al Applerose
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Premier Boxing Champions was at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas tonight with a card topped by a battle between undefeated light heavyweights David Benavidez and David Morrell. Six prelims preceded the four-bout PPV portion of the show airing on Prime Video PPV and PPV.com.
David Benavidez’s older brother Jose Benavidez Jr kicked things off with a fifth-round stoppage of Danny Rosenberger. It was odd to see the older Benavidez fighting an 8-round contest in a nearly empty arena. Heading in, he was 28-3-1 (19) with his only setbacks coming in bouts with Terence Crawford, Jarmall Charlo, and Danny Garcia. But Benavidez Jr, fighting as a middleweight in the sunset of his career, was too good for Youngstown, Ohio’s self-managed Rosenberger (20-10-4).
Unbeaten in his last 15 starts which included a draw with Nico Ali Walsh that was changed to a no-decision when the Ohioan tested positive for a banned substance, Rosenberger was on his feet and wasn’t badly hurt when the referee waived it off, it but to that point it had been a one-sided fight.
Cuello-Olivo
The marquee fight of the prelims, so to speak, pit Argentina’s Mirco Cuello, an Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo, managed by Sampson Lewkowicz, against Christian Olivo in a 10-round featherweight contest. The Argentine, undefeated in 14 starts with 11 KOs, was a heavy favorite over his Mexican adversary and yet very nearly came a cropper, getting off the deck to pull the match out of the fire in the final round.
In the second round, Olivo knocked Cuello to his knees with a left-right combination and Cuello found himself on the canvas for the first time in his career. From that point on, this was a competitive, fan-friendly fight, seemingly closer than the judges’ scores which became moot when Cuello took the fight out of their hands, decking Olivo twice, both left hooks to the solar plexus, which motivated referee Chris Flores to step in and stop it with heavy underdog Olivo (22-2-1) ahead by 6, 4, and 2 points through the completed rounds. The official time was 2:01.
This match was billed as a WBA eliminator which puts Cuello in line to fight England’s Nick Ball but, given a choice, Cuello may opt for the Figueroa-Fulton winner later tonight.
Other Bouts
Yoenli Hernandez, a 27-year-old Cuban, TKOed feisty but overmatched Angel Ruiz in the fifth round of an 8-round middleweight affair. Hernandez has now won all seven of his pro fights inside the distance after ending his amateur career with 26 straight wins. He bears watching. Mexico’s Ruiz falls to 19-4-1.
Salt Lake City lightweight Curmel Moton, the 18-year-old prodigy of Floyd Mayweather Jr, advanced to 7-0 (6 KOs) with a third-round stoppage of Frank Zaldivar (5-2).
Milwaukee super middleweight Daniel Blancas, a stablemate of the Benavidez brothers, improved to 12-0 (5) with a unanimous 8-round decision over Victorville, California’s Juan Barajas (11-1-2). Blancas won comfortably on the cards (80-72, 79-73 twice), but Barajas came to fight and was no pushover.
Super middleweight John “Candyman” Easter, a promising prospect, was forced to go the distance for the first time in his young career, but was a clear-cut winner over Portland, Oregon’s Joseph Aguilar in their six-round match, winning by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice. The 22-year-old Easter advanced to 8-0. Aguilar dops to 6-3-1.
Check back later for David Avila’s recap of the Benavidez-Morrell fight and the three other PPV bouts.
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 311: Jim Lampley Adds Class to the Benavidez-Morrell Rumble
Avila Perspective, Chap. 311: Jim Lampley Adds Class to the Benavidez-Morrell Rumble
Boxing is the oldest sport.
For at least the last 100 years or so, a person with a microphone sitting ringside as an observer has spewed details in machine gun fashion to a radio or television audience of hand-to-hand combat taking place in a boxing ring.
There have been many excellent orators of the sweet science, too many to name, but one who stands out is Jim Lampley. He is the Cicero of boxing journalism.
Through showers of blood, saliva and sometimes body parts, Lampley gave oratory of boxing matches taking place from the days of Sugar Ray Leonard to the emergence of women’s boxing.
Lampley and his merry men of boxing journalism return to Las Vegas for the light heavyweight clash between David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) and David Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) on Saturday Feb. 1, at T-Mobile Arena. PPV.Com will stream the fight card among other media outlets.
“People want to see the stars. They want to see the biggest stars,” says Lampley (pictured on the right with Morrell) about today’s boxing platforms. “We’ve gone from mass distribution to point to point distribution…it’s a product of the current digital world and how that operates.”
No other journalist rivals Lampley when it comes to prizefighting. No other can match the style and grace he describes a sport that brings unexpected intensity and sometimes shocking results.
Think Juan Manuel Marquez knocking out the great Manny Pacquiao in their fourth and final meeting in 2012.
Boxing’s Voice
Lampley has few rivals in broadcast journalism unless you compare other sports like baseball where the late Dodger announcer Vin Scully carved his legend. Or perhaps Chick Hearn the originator of pop culture basketball terminology like “it’s in the refrigerator.”
Boxing has Lampley and since his childhood, the sport has captivated his interest. He recalls after his father passed away his mother sat him in front of a small television set at age six to watch Sugar Ray Robinson fight Carl “Bobo” Olson in their second fight. Boxing was his babysitter.
“I’ve had boxing in my heart and in my head ever since,” Lampley said.
During his youth, after his widowed mother moved their family to Miami, Florida, the young Lampley saved car washing and lawn-mowing money to buy a ticket to watch Cassius Clay versus Sonny Liston.
“My mother took me and dropped me off with my individual ticket to go in and watch the fight. That was the night I saw my very first prize fight,” described Lampley about one of the most important boxing events that took place in 1964. “So, boxing has always been big in my background and in my sports fan experience.”
Eventually Lampley worked with ABC Sports covering college football, Wide World of Sports, and Olympic coverage. The only sport he did not cover in 13 years was boxing because Howard Cosell had a vice grip hold on boxing coverage for ABC. But when new leadership arrived it was decided to insert Lampley to cover boxing as a means of punishment.
“He immediately sized up that I was culturally allergic to boxing,” said Lampley of the new ABC leadership. “He assumed that I would be such a bad fit in boxing that it would bring an end to my broadcasting career and kick me out of his division.”
Ironically the event Lampley was forced to cover was Mike Tyson against Jesse Ferguson in Troy, New York on February 1986.
“This was an astonishing opportunity,” Lampley said. “Maybe this was meant to be,”
After a year or two more with ABC, Lampley moved to CBS and HBO to be part of their boxing programming and blazed a course for that program and himself as the preeminent voice of boxing broadcasting.
From Duran to Mayweather
Among those epic fights HBO covered featured Roberto Duran, Boom Boom Mancini, Marvin Halger, Roy Jones Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Lennox Lewis, James Toney, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather to name some.
When it was announced that new ownership for HBO decided to cancel its boxing programming, the boxing world was aghast.
“It was painful, sad, I was bereft,” said Lampley of the last HBO boxing card at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. “We had no idea why the brand new owners at HBO, a bunch of cell phone salesmen from Dallas, did not see boxing as an important part of the franchise.”
That night on Dec. 8, 2018, women’s boxing was featured for the first and only time on HBO. Lampley was aided by Max Kellerman and Roy Jones Jr. It was a cold night as usual at the outdoor arena known for its gladiator-like results such as the two bloody clashes between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez. (Photo insert: Lampley’s last HBO hurrah; photo by Al Applerose)
Among the women who fought that evening were Cecilia Braekhus and Claressa Shields. Ironically, seven months earlier, Braekhus fought Kali Reis at the same venue. Reis would go on to earn an Emmy nomination for an HBO series for her portrayal in the True Detective series.
Six years ago was HBO and Lampley’s final bow together.
“Still to this day I have no idea why they thought that was better for the long term,” Lampley said of HBO’s boxing abortion.
PPV.COM
Though HBO Championship Boxing no longer exists, Lampley’s undisputed talent for describing the art of boxing has brought him back. Now he represents PPV.COM an outfit wise enough to recognize the appeal of boxing’s greatest broadcast journalist from 1988 to December 2018. They reeled him back and with a new format that includes texting with fans during the actual fights.
“I help introduce the audience to the new communication phenomenon which I’m involved,” said Lampley who is partnered with journalist Dan Canobbio and Chris Algieri for this event. “It puts me back in touch with all my old friends in the media room where I spend the whole week leading up to the fight.”
Lampley recalls his first broadcast with PPV.COM 15 months ago already saw debates regarding undefeated David Benavidez possibly accepting a challenge from David Morrell.
“As style fights go, its potentially a great one,” said Lampley. “Its two punchers with legitimate punching power in an extremely fan friendly fight. The winner is regarded as logical upcoming opponent for Canelo Alvarez the number one money attraction in the world.”
On Saturday night when Benavidez and Morrell lead a talented fight card, be sure to select PPV.COM as your choice to listen to Lampley’s undeniable talent for describing boxing action.
Take advantage boxing fans.
One last note, Lampley’s book “It Happened” will be coming soon on April 15.
Fights to Watch
Sat. PPV.COM 3 p.m. David Benavidez (29-0) vs David Morrell (11-0); Brandon Figueroa (25-1-1) vs Stephen Fulton (22-1); Isaac Cruz (26-3-1) vs Angel Fierro (23-2-2).
Sun. DAZN 4:30 p.m. Claressa Shields (15-0) vs Danielle Perkins (5-0).
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 311: Jim Lampley Adds Class to the Benavidez-Morrell Rumble
Benavidez Defeats Morrell; Cruz, Fulton, and Ramos also Victorious at Las Vegas
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Benavidez Defeats Morrell; Cruz, Fulton, and Ramos also Victorious at Las Vegas
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Hall of Fame Boxing Writer Michael Katz (1939-2025) Could Wield His Pen like a Stiletto
Boxing Odds and Ends: Ernesto Mercado, Marcel Cerdan and More
Ringside at the Cosmo: Pacheco Outpoints Nelson plus Undercard Results
Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City
Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim
Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino
Avila Perspective, Chap. 310: Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue and More
Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing
Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce
Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More
Boxing Trainer Bob Santos Paid his Dues and is Reaping the Rewards
Bygone Days: The Largest Crowd Ever at Madison Square Garden Sees Zivic TKO Armstrong
Jai Opetaia Brutally KOs David Nyika, Cementing his Status as the World’s Top Cruiserweight
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