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Why I Like Garcia Over Thurman
SATURDAY’S WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN — There was Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns in 1981, the standard by which all other welterweight unification bouts are measured. Then there was Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad in 1999, and lastly in 2015 we had Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. All three bouts were for the welterweight title of which each combatant owned a version and each was the most anticipated fight of the year in which they happened. This Saturday night WBC title holder Danny Garcia 33-0 (19) will meet WBA title holder Keith Thurman 27-0 (22) in just the 10th unification bout in the history of the division at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Some press releases have gone as far as to claim both Garcia and Thurman belong in the elite company of the fighters above. No, I’m not quite ready to make that over-statement. However, in 2017 undefeated Garcia versus undefeated Thurman in a title unification bout is about as good as it gets. And with both title holders trying to escape the ghost of former title-holder Floyd Mayweather and current WBO titlist Manny Pacquiao, not to mention the style clash and mindsets of Garcia and Thurman, the ingredients are there an action-packed and fan-friendly bout.
With Garcia being weeks away from turning 29 and Thurman turning 28 this past November, both fighters are peaking and no doubt the winner takes a giant leap into becoming a participant in a future super-fight – perhaps against the winner of the upcoming IBF welterweight title bout between Kell Brook and Errol Spence. And an even bigger fight for the winner would be a bout in which he defended his WBC/WBA titles against the fighter many believe to be the best pound-for-pound in boxing, and that’s WBC/WBO junior welterweight champ Terence Crawford 30-0 (21), who many believe willl soon be looking to add some welterweight hardware to his jewelry box.
One of the main attractions pertaining to the clash between Garcia and Thurman is that both carry themselves as tough guys and aren’t shy about the way they project themselves in and out of the ring. Garcia carries himself as if he’s Philadelphia’s welterweight version of former heavyweight champ “Smokin” Joe Frazier. That’s due to the fact that Danny loves his left hook and has no trepidation about going into the trenches and fighting it out with any opponent. Conversely, Thurman believes he owns a right hand that is the equivalent of Earnie Shavers at welterweight.
At one of the final press conferences for the bout, Garcia said “There’s a lot of pressure on me to be the best. That’s what keeps me focused. I think about the eyes that are going to be on me and I have to go in there and look my best. These kinds of fights really bring out the best in me.”
One thing that cannot be overlooked regarding Danny Garcia is the influence of his friend, Philly legend Bernard Hopkins. You can bet everything you own that Hopkins has been inside Danny’s ear, stressing to him how important it is to win these big fights, pointing out the money that can follow and that do-overs if you lose take a long time to get and aren’t guaranteed. This leads me to believe that we’ll see the best of Garcia this Saturday night.
During the same press conference Thurman said “Ultimately, my heart desires victory at this stage and at this level. I’m looking to do what I do best. Which is be a smart fighter. You can expect a world class fight. We’re both great champions with impressive skills. We’re going to be pushing each other and testing each other. I see myself as the smarter fighter. I’ve shown that I can adjust in the middle of a fight. With the experience that I have, I go in there with an objective I’m trying to achieve. If it’s not happening, then I have to use something else.”
In this fight the fighter who can adjust and implement a plan “B” is the one who will have a big edge. Yes, that’s a cliché, just as the saying “styles make fights” is. However, the onus is on Thurman I believe…and the reason for that is that Keith is more reliant on his big power to win. In his last fight against Shawn Porter, Thurman was very reliant on his power early and it didn’t turn the fight in his favor. Forced to fight his rear-end off over the last three rounds, he edged out a unanimous decision. All three judges saw the bout 115-113 or 7-5 in rounds in his favor. In other words Thurman was a single round away from a draw.
Based on what I saw Thurman do against Porter, I have reservations picking him to beat Garcia. I believe Garcia is the more resourceful fighter and better technician. Most observers see Thurman as the better puncher but I think it’s closer than most perceive it to be. I also believe that Garcia is the tougher guy and takes a better punch. In addition to that, Danny has been in with better opposition and I think his father, Angel, is a better trainer than Thurman’s trainer Dan Birmingham. It’s plausible that Angel has done his homework and picked up that Thurman doesn’t like it to the body and he’ll aide Danny in exposing Thurman’s limitations.
Garcia is certainly not a life-taker when it comes to his punching power with either hand, but I think he hits hard enough to gain Thurman’s respect. And because of that, the fight will more than likely go the distance. Without a doubt, conditioning, along with the strategic adjustments both will probably have to make as the bout progresses, will be a big factor in this one. If the fight hangs in the balance over the last three or four rounds, I have a hunch Garcia will prove to be more fit and better able to gut it out and win the rounds needed to swing the fight his way.
When Garcia vs. Thurman was first announced, I was leaning towards Thurman. With the eve of the bout upon us, I’ve had a change of heart and believe Garcia’s better overall game, toughness and grit will be the difference. I expect him to hold both the WBC and WBA welterweight titles Sunday morning March 5th 2017.
Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel.
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
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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.
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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.
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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
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