Three Punch Combo: My Odd Choice for Upset of the Year and More

Published

5 years ago

December 11, 2018

THREE PUNCH COMBO: On Saturday night, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 KO’s) makes his 168-pound debut when he faces Rocky Fielding (27-1, 15 KO’s) at Madison Square Garden in New York. Fielding is a substantial underdog and most experts would be surprised if Fielding was even remotely competitive.

Given that he is such a big underdog, Fielding would seemingly be a lock for Upset of the Year if he were to win. But a much bigger upset, albeit in not a high profile fight, occurred earlier this year.

Sam Eggington was added to the Amir Khan-Samuel Vargas card on September 8^th to simply get in some work. Two weeks later, he was slated to face Brandon Rios on a big stage on the Joshua-Povetkin undercard. The opponent chosen for Eggington’s tune-up was little known Hassan Mwakinyo of Tanzania.

Mwakinyo (pictured) entered the bout with a record of 11-2 with 7 knockouts. All but one of his fights had taken place in Africa and he hadn’t defeated anyone of note. He had one knockout loss to a 5-6-5 fighter and his other loss was by wide decision when he traveled to Moscow to face undefeated prospect Lendrush Akopian. Now, Mwakinyo was traveling on late notice to Eggington’s backyard in the UK to face a fighter who was 23-4, had won several regional belts, and had never been stopped.

Eggington was a lock-solid favorite. Some sportsbooks had Eggington at minus -10000 (100 to 1) at fight time while others had him a little lower. There are no sure things in boxing but this fight was as close to a sure thing as there was in the eyes of the sportsbooks.

Eggington got off to a good start in round one and seemed to be on his way to the expected dominant knockout win. But with ten seconds remaining in the round, Mwakinyo clipped him with a counter left hook. Eggington sagged back into the ropes and was visibly hurt. Mwakinyo teed off on Eggington for the final few seconds in the round before the bell rang.

Mwakinyo hurt Eggington with a counter right to open the second round and battered Eggington around the ring, landing countless clean punches to Eggington’s jaw. About a minute into the round, with Eggington eating so many clean punches, the referee was forced to jump in and stop the fight.

End of the year lists tend to focus on high profile fights and fighters, but that should not always be the case. As far as Upset of the Year in 2018, there was no bigger shocker in my opinion than when little known last minute opponent Hassan Mwakinyo defeated Sam Eggington.

IBHOF Voting Process – Transparency and Changes Are Needed

This past week, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY released its 2019 class. Each year, three fighters are elected in the Modern category. This year’s honorees are Donald Curry, Julian Jackson and James “Buddy” McGirt.

The selections have sparked plenty of debate. And I think it is finally time for the IBHOF to not only become more transparent in the voting process but to also make some long needed changes.

Only the IBHOF views the final ballots and is aware of the final tallies. Right or wrong, this has led to rumors about what it really takes for someone to get elected in the IBHOF. I don’t buy into the rumors myself but I think it is time for them to get squashed once and for all.

My suggestion is simple. The IBHOF should have a livestream of them opening the ballots and tallying the votes. Read the name of the person who submitted the ballot and who they voted for. This is not meant to open the voter to any critique but to make sure their ballot is tallied correctly. And it also lets everyone know the exact results. That would put to an end any rumors about the voting process.

Also, changes are needed to the voting process. For one, why set the number at three for the Modern category every year? There needs to be a percentage threshold, say 65% of the vote, for someone to qualify for induction. Whoever hits that number each year is elected whether it is one, five, ten, etc.

Second, for whatever reason it seems voters tend to favor fighters in the Modern category who fought often on American television and somewhat ignore those whose careers were fought off US television. With streaming today, this issue could go away over time but right now needs to be addressed.

My suggestion would be to break up the fighters on the ballot by the decade they primarily fought and then to list certain statistics of each fighter as a side by side comparison. Stats would consist of some of the following: career record, world titles won, number of successful title defenses, number of champions defeated, number of Hall of Famers defeated and other relevant stats.

I’m certain that some voters already look at these stats, but I’m not sure this is always the case. By putting these measurable statistics on the ballot, it at least gives each voter something to think about (and maybe could cause them to do further research) before filling out the ballot. And that may give more consideration to fighters who weren’t seen as often on US television.

It is time for the IBHOF to make some badly needed changes to the voting process. Doing so will ensure the credibility of the IBHOF for years to come.

Under The Radar Fight

There will be plenty of live boxing on streaming services this coming week. ESPN+ has cards on Friday and Saturday. And, of course, there is the big card on Saturday evening on DAZN headlined by Canelo Alvarez. With so many fights on the docket, there is bound to be at least one solid fight slipping deep under the radar.

Stashed deep on the undercard of Alvarez-Fielding, Sadam Ali (26-2, 14 KO’s) returns to the welterweight division to face veteran Mauricio Herrera (24-7, 7 KO’s). Ali is only a year removed from his biggest win when he won a 154-pound title belt against the legendary Miguel Cotto. However, Ali is coming of a devastating knockout loss in his first defense against Jaime Munguia in May. In that fight, Ali showed a lot of courage but absorbed a tremendous beating before the fight was stopped in round four.

So how much did Munguia take out of Ali? And is going back to 147 going to provide resurgence in Ali’s career? We should know more after his contest with Herrera.

Herrera last fought in August of 2017 when he won a majority ten round decision over Jesus Soto Karass. That fight was a war and Herrera proved in winning that he still had something in the tank.

Ali is a boxer puncher who has a penchant to mix it up with his opposition. Herrera was once a technician but as he has gotten older has been more willing to exchange with his opponents. Given the styles, I see a very entertaining fight. Ali is more talented but, as I alluded to, there are questions as to exactly what he has left in his tank following the beating he suffered at the hands of Munguia.

This is an interesting, well matched welterweight crossroads fight and I am very intrigued to see how it plays out.

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Matt Andrzejewski

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Undercard Results from the Canelo-Charlo Card in Las Vegas

Published

3 hours ago

September 30, 2023

Arne K. Lang

Undercard-Results-from-the-Canelo-Charlo-Card-on-Las vegas

Undercard Results from the Canelo-Charlo Card in Las Vegas

In a heavyweight battle slated for 10, Frank Sanchez (23-0, 16 KOs) stopped LA trial horse Scott Alexander (17-6-2) after four frames. Alexander’s corner attempted to stop it in the waning seconds of the fourth, but the referee did not see it and the bell rang before the fight was waived off.

Alexander had one big moment. In the opening round, he rocked Sanchez with a short right hand. But from there, it was all Sanchez in a rather messy fight.

A Miami-based Cuban defector, Frank Sanchez came in ranked #3 by the WBO, #4 by the WBC, and #5 by the IBF. His best win came in this building, a comfortable decision over Efe Ajagba in October of 2021. Alexander also fought here. In his previous visit to the T-Mobile, he was knocked out in the opening round by Zhilei Zhang.

Former WBO light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, in his third fight back since ending his retirement, improved to 20-0 (16) with a second-round stoppage of 38-year-old Brazilian Isaac Rodrigues (28-5). Gvozdyk, 36, left the sport after getting beat up by Artur Beterbiev, but got the itch and is pursuing a fight with Dmitry Bivol.

In an 8-round middleweight fight, 2012 U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha (24-3-1) won a majority decision over Keandre Leatherwood (23-9-1). The judges had it 76-76 and 78-74 twice. Once a highly regarded prospect, Gausha is spinning his wheels. Leatherwood, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, had been stopped four times.

Guadalajara super lightweight Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela advanced to 28-3-1 (17 KOs) with a sixth-round stoppage of overmatched Colombia import Yves Gabriel Solano (15-3). This was redemption of sorts for Valenzuela who lost an unpopular 12-round decision to Montana Love in his last outing inside these walls.

Kazakh super middleweight Bek Nuramaganbat (11-0) continued his fast ascent of the 168-pound ladder with a third-round stoppage of Bola Osundairo. A 30-year-old Chicago-based Nigerian, Osundairo was a 2021 USA National Champion at 178 pounds.

A four-round middleweight contest between Abilikhan Amankul (4-0-1, 4 KOs) and Joeshon James (7-0-2, 4 KOs) ended in a draw. Although he didn’t win, Sacramento’s James continued to exceed expectations. In previous contests he KOed previously undefeated Richard Brewart and fought to a draw with Top Rank signee Javier Martinez. Amankul, a 26-year-old Kazakh, lost a split decision to eventual gold medal winner Hebert Conceicao in the Tokyo Olympics.

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—

David Avila is ringside. Check back later for his report of the Canelo-Charlo fight and the main supporting bouts.

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Opetaia Demolishes Thompson in London; Wallin Upsets Gassiev in Turkey

Published

6 hours ago

September 30, 2023

Arne K. Lang

Opetaia-Demolished-Thompson-on-London-Wallin-Upsets-Gassiev-in-Turkey

In his first defense of his IBF cruiserweight title, Australian southpaw Jai Opetaia demolished overmatched Jordan Thompson in the featured bout of a Matchroom card at London’s Wembley Arena. Opetaia (23-0, 18 KOs) overwhelmed Thompson (15-1) from the opening gun and had the six-foot-six Mancunian on the canvas twice before the match was waived off at the 20-second mark of round four.

An Olympian at the age of 16, Opetaia won the title 15 months ago with a unanimous decision over longtime title-holder Mairis Briedis. Noting that Opetaia broke his jaw in two places early in that contest, prominent Australian sporting journalist Simon Smale called it “one of the bravest, gutsiest, victories in Australian boxing history.”

Following that fight, Opetaia had to eat through a straw for several months. Hence, there were questions about whether his jaw would hold up and whether he would show ring rust in his first title defense. But the towering Thompson, whose nickname is Troublesome, although game, proved to be no trouble whatsoever for Opetaia who would be favored to beat any cruiserweight in the world, no matter the locale.

Opetaia may return to England for his next fight which would be a unification match with Bournemouth’s 18-1 Chris Billam-Smith who captured the WBO version of the 200-pound title in May with a surprisingly one-sided decision over favored Lawrence Okolie. The other cruiserweight title-holders are the well-traveled Badou Jack (WBC) and the French-Armenian boxer Arsen Goulamirian (WBA).

Four female fights were on the undercard including two 10-rounders, both of which were won by the “A side” Englishwomen.

In her first title defense, Ellie Scotney, a 25-year-old Londoner, retained her IBF world super bantamweight title and improved to 8-0 at the expense of 37-year-old Argentine veteran Laura Soledad Griffa (20-9). In a rather monotonous fight, Scotney won every round on two of the scorecards and nine rounds on the other.

Rhiannon Dixon, a 29-year-old southpaw, had a surprisingly easy time with Norwegian veteran Katharina Thanderz, a former world title challenger. Dixon (9-0) won every round on all three cards. Thanderz, who trains in Spain, declined to 16-2.

Wallin-Gassiev

In a 12-round heavyweight fight in Antalya, Turkey, Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin (26-1, 14 KOs) won a split decision over Murat Gassiev (30-2). This was a dull fight. Owing to various issues, Gassiev had answered the bell for only eight rounds in the previous seven years and his vaunted power had deserted him. True, he landed the harder punches, but Wallin, who kept pecking away with his jab, was far busier and won the fight on volume alone. Two of the judges had it 115-113 for the Swede who is 6-0 since going 12 rounds with Tyson Fury. The other judge scored it for Gassiev by a bizarre 117-111.

Opetaia-Thompson photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 254: Canelo vs Jermell Charlo in a Battle of Undisputed Champions

Published

1 day ago

September 29, 2023

David A. Avila

Avils-Perspective-Chap-254-Canelo-vs-Jermell-Charlo-in-a-Battle-of-Undisputed-Champions

LAS VEGAS-Less than the usual massive crowd gathered for boxing kingpin Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jermell Charlo in the desert heat outside of the T-Mobile Arena on Friday afternoon. Usually the weigh-ins are slightly bigger for Mexico’s idol.

Is the declining crowd an indicator of Alvarez fans ebbing belief in his abilities?

Still, on Saturday night, two undisputed world champions from differing divisions will collide as Guadalajara, Mexico’s Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) meets Houston’s Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena for the super middleweight world championship. PPV.Com will stream the clash of champions.

This year has seen a hyper-speed uptick in champions fighting other champions, perhaps the result of watching their female counterparts Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor produce the biggest fight of 2022. This year several marquee collisions were spawned from lightweights to heavyweights.

Or maybe the pandemic lull created a twitch panic among the elite.

Charlo was one of those who had been sidelined while others like Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Naoya “Monster” Inoue and Canelo Alvarez filled their pockets with cash. And others like Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez gained undisputed glory.

Instead of watching on the sidelines, Charlo decided to make his move for greater glory by attempting to dethrone one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, if not the kingpin of boxing when it comes to money.

“If I accomplish this massive goal, it will be hard to top,” Charlo said a few weeks ago during his media workout. “I’ll be in the record book with the greats of boxing for a long time.”

Risks brings rewards.

Canelo, long a member of the boxing elite, has held his position as the box office king for many years now by taking the daunting risks throughout his boxing life.

“Jermell is right, I have nothing to prove. But this time I have something to prove to him,” said Alvarez while in Las Vegas on Wednesday. “He never believed in my skills. He’s been calling me out. Now I have an opportunity to show him my skills.”

Undisputed super welterweight will challenge undisputed super middleweight in a two-division jump not often seen, except for Henry Armstrong, Roberto Duran and Sugar Shane Mosley. It’s the road taken by those who seek to be great.

Both are 33 but the redhead Alvarez has been fighting professionally since he was 15. That’s a lot of bullets in the chamber he has already used. Charlo has height, speed and the ability to adapt to different styles. Stylistically, it’s a battle that makes even the skeptics take pause.

It all depends on Alvarez’s resiliency. Charlo has ring rust, while Alvarez seemingly has lost the hunger. Whose weakness will prove the greater?

“Now is the time for this fight. We’re in our primes and at our best,” said Charlo. “I wanna shake the doubters off and prove to the world why I”m in this position. There’s a reason I made it this far.”

Alvarez remembers being as hungry as Charlo.

“I never overlook any fighter,” Alvarez said. “I know what he’s going to bring and I’m ready.”

Undercard

Several other notable bouts are included on the pay-per-view card.

Former world titlists and current welterweight contenders Yordenis Ugas (27-5) and Mario Barrios (27-2) battle for an interim title set for 12 rounds.

Super welterweights Jesus Ramos (20-0, 16 KOs) and Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) match skills in a match that pits a southpaw veteran against an undefeated southpaw from Arizona. For the past three years Ramos has been moving up the ladder and was last seen pounding out highly-touted Joey Spencer. Can he survive Lubin who nearly toppled Sebastian Fundora?

Doors open at T-Mobile Arena at 2 p.m. Pacific Time.

Lampley is back

Legendary HBO announcer Jim Lampley was hired along with ace reporter Lance Pugmire who will co-host the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez versus Jermell Charlo showdown via viewer chat live on PPV.com.

It’s the same concept used by Monday Night Football that features former quarterback greats Peyton Manning and Eli Manning in alternative programming.

Lampley returns to boxing after a five-year absence following HBO’s yanking of the popular program that vaulted elite boxing to the top behind the likes of George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.

The veteran announcer will be live streaming all the action on media platforms before and during the fight action. He was sorely missed by all who follow the sweet science.

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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