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Richard Schaefer and Kalle Sauerland are the TSS 2019 Promoter(s) of the Year
The founders and promoters of the World Boxing Super Series, Richard Schaefer and Kalle Sauerland, are the 2019 TSS Promoter(s) of the Year.
Who else would it be?
Boxing would have decidedly much less interesting over the course of the past 12 months had not the architects of the WBSS, Schaefer and Sauerland, continued their effort to put boxing politics aside and bring together the best fighters available from specific weight classes for single-elimination tournaments designed to crown the best overall fighter in the division.
“The World Boxing Super Series will create the next superstars in world boxing,” Sauerland said back in 2017 after the first season of the tournament was announced. “This tournament does not detract from the day-to-day nature of boxing, but it is completely the way forward for the sport.â
Two years and the same number of WBSS tournaments later, Sauerlandâs words seem prophetic in hindsight. How else besides this forward-thinking boxing tournament might the meteoric rise of eventual tournament winners Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue have happened without this great idea, and, perhaps more importantly, the tenacious follow-through it must have taken to get it done?
Iâll tell you how. Either very slowly or not at all. Because boxing careers outside the confines of the WBSS are moved painstakingly slow.
So, the WBSS is the best thing to happen in boxing in a long time. The fact that seemingly nobody else in the sport had the idea before Schaefer and Sauerland illustrates another important point. Boxingâs most glaring need as a culture is to more fully embrace possible paths up the mountain that might carry the sport into a bold new future.
This yearâs tournaments included fantastic fields in the bantamweight, junior lightweight and cruiserweight divisions. Some of the best fighters in the sport were involved, including bantamweights Naoya Inoue, Nonito Donaire and Ryan Burnett, junior welterweights Josh Taylor and Regis Prograis, and cruiserweights Mairis Briedis, Yunier Dorticos and Krzysztof GĆowacki.
Perhaps even more impressive is that Fight of the Year candidates seemed to consistently unfold during the WBSS in 2019. Josh Taylorâs defeat of Regis Prograis in October at Londonâs O2 Arena to unify world titles in the 140-pound division was an old-school, throwback scrap between two undefeated world champions itching to prove they belonged at the highest levels of the sport. Both men certainly did that.
And some believe the bantamweight dustup between rising pound-for-pound superstar Naoya Inoue and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire in November in Japan might have been the even better fight. Who could have predicted such a valiant effort from the 37-year-old Donaire against arguably the hardest-hitting knockout puncher pound-for-pound this side of Deontay Wilder?
Theoretically, these great fights could have been made without the WBSS, but thatâs long been the problem in the sport full of great fighters but short of great fights made between them: Fights like these usually donât get made.
Both 2019 tournament winners, Taylor and Inoue, were served greatly by their participation. The same could be said of Donaire whose effort summoned forth a greater appreciation of his great career. Perhaps the most amazing part about the whole deal is that the rising tide of the WBSS surely seems to lift all ships.
Because here is boxing in its finest form. For those who are brave enough, itâs a clear path toward divisional supremacyâone that reveals the very best things about the most daring fighters the sport has to offer.
That isnât to say the endeavor has gone perfectly smooth. If anything, the fact that little hiccups have come up along the way proves just how massive in scope the WBSS truly is among boxingâs other big events.
From the reported storyline that the tournament was on the verge of collapsing over the summer over financial issues, to the relative slow move of some of the tournament brackets because locations, dates, and everything around the fights themselves have to be sorted out, nothing as starkly different as the WBSS has been launched among the stodgy old-world politics of boxing without running into a few problems.
For instance, the WBSS cruiserweight final is still waiting on a date and location to be set for the semi-final winners who earned their places back in June, Mairis Briedis and Yunier Dorticos.
Briedis, by the way, was stripped of his WBC belt for choosing to stay the course over mindlessly following the orders of a sanctioning organization that would rather keep those fees coming back to them all year long than wait for the WBSS to set a date.
Perhaps, though, such a turn of events fits our current narrative quite nicely.
Because how much longer might it take for everyone in boxing to realize that the prize the WBSS offers, both in terms of money and historical prestige, is worth much more to a fighter in the long run than the constantly growing number of alphabet belts spread throughout the boxing world could hope to be?
And how many more fighters will have to turn into stars right before our very eyes until the alphabet gangs realize what might happen in the long run if they donât start getting their acts together?
Whatever the case, one thing is clear to us at TSS after a reviewing the WBSSâs 2019 campaign: Those two guys who created it and run the thing are geniuses, and there was no better job done by anyone in the sport last year of promoting fighters, fights and boxing as a culture.
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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) wasnât 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. âAt least the right guy won,â 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 Niyomtrongâs 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 Nicaraguaâs 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 sportâs 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: âIt is not close, it is not debatable, there is no argument.â
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. â Because boxrec refused to name this a title fight, it fell under the radar screen until the result was made known. In case you hadnât noticed, boxrec is at loggerheads with the World Boxing Association and has decided to âde-certifyâ the oldest of the world sanctioning bodies. While this reporter would be happy to see the WBA disappear â it is clearly the most corrupt of the four major organizations â 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 Polandâs Przemyslaw Runowski (22-2-1, 6 KOs) on Friday, Sept. 20 at the city of Dublin. Itâs 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 âTriple Gâ 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 heâs been tested with the most important challenge of all:
Can he take a punch from a big hitter?
Thatâs the final challenge
It always comes down to the chin. Itâs 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.
âKingâ 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,â said Loeffler.
Pechanga Fights
MarvNation Promotions presents a battle between welterweight contenders Jose âChonâ 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 Japanâs 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 âMonsterâ 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. Heâs undefeated. He switches stances. We need to be careful with that. Heâs taller and has a longer reach than me. He has a good jab. He can punch well on the inside. Heâs a fighter who comes with all the desire to excel,” said Munguia.
Bazinyan has victories over Ronald Ellis and Alantez Fox.
In case you didnât 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 fighterâs first match with Top Rank since losing to Saul âCaneloâ Alvarez last May in Las Vegas. He is back with trainer Erik Morales.
Callum Walsh photo credit: Lina Baker
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60 Years Ago This Month, the Curtain Fell on the Golden Era of TV Boxing
The Sept. 11, 1964 fight between Dick Tiger and Don Fullmer marked the end of an era. The bout aired on ABC which had taken the reins from NBC four years earlier. This would be the final episode of the series informally known as the âFriday Night Fightsâ or the âFight of the Week,â closing the door on a 20-year run. In the future, boxing on free home TV (non-cable) would be sporadic, airing mostly on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The days when boxing was a weekly staple on at least one major TV network were gone forever.
During the NBC years, the show ran on Friday in the 10:00-11-00 pm slot for viewers in the Eastern Time Zone and the âstudioâ was almost always Madison Square Garden. The sponsor from the very beginning was the Gillette razor company (during the ABC run, El Producto Cigars came on as a co-sponsor).
Gillette sponsored many sporting events â the Kentucky Derby, the World Series, the U.S. Open golf tournament and the Blue-Gray college football all-star game, to name just a few â all of which were bundled under the handle of the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports. Every sports fan in America could identify the catchphrase that the company used to promote their disposable âBlue Bladesâ â âLook Sharp, Feel Sharp, Be Sharp!â — and the melody of the Gillette jingle would become the most-played tune by marching bands at high school and college football halftime shows (the precursor, one might say, of the Kingsmenâs âLouie, Louieâ).
The Sept. 11 curtain-closer wasnât staged at Madison Square Garden but in Cleveland with the local area blacked out.
Dick Tiger, born and raised in Nigeria, was making his second start since losing his world middleweight title on a 15-round points decision to Joey Giardello. Don Fullmer would be attempting to restore the family honor. Dick Tiger was 2-0-1 vs. Gene Fullmer, Donâs more celebrated brother. Their third encounter, which proved to be Gene Fullmerâs final fight, was historic. It was staged in Ibadan, Nigeria, the first world title fight ever potted on the continent of Africa.
In New York, the epitaph of free TV boxing was written three weeks earlier when veteran Henry Hank fought up-and-comer Johnny Persol to a draw in a 10-round light heavyweight contest at the Garden. This was the final Gillette fight from the place where it all started.
Some historians trace the advent of TV boxing in the United States to Sept. 29, 1944, when a 20-year-old boxer from Connecticut, Willie Pep, followed his managerâs game plan to perfection, sticking and moving for 15 rounds to become the youngest featherweight champion in history, winning the New York version of the title from West Coast veteran Albert âChalkyâ Wright.
There werenât many TVs in use in those days. As had been true when the telephone was brand new, most were found in hospitals, commercial establishments, and in the homes of the very wealthy. But within a few years, with mass production and tumbling prices, the gizmo became a living room staple and the TV repairman, who made house calls like the family doctor, had a shop on every Main Street.
Boxing was ideally suited to the infant medium of television because the action was confined to a small area that required no refurbishment other than brighter illumination, keeping production costs low. The one-minute interval between rounds served as a natural commercial break. The main drawback was that a fight could end early, meaning fewer commercials for the sponsor who paid a flat rate.
At its zenith, boxing in some locales aired five nights a week. And it came to be generally seen that this oversaturation killed the golden goose. One by one, the small fight clubs dried up as fight fans stayed home to watch the fights on TV. In the big arenas, attendance fell off drastically. Note the difference between Pep vs. Wright, the 1944 originator, and Hank vs. Persol, also at Madison Square Garden:
Willie Pep vs. Chalky Wright Sept. 29, 1944Â Â Â Â Â attendance 19,521
Henry Hank vs. Johnny Persol Aug. 21, 1964Â Â Â attendance 5,219
(True, Pep vs. Wright was a far more alluring fight, but this fact alone doesnât explain the wide gap. Published attendance counts arenât always trustworthy. In the eyes of the UPI reporter who covered the Hank-Persol match, the crowd looked smaller. He estimated the attendance at 3,000.)
Hank vs. Persol was an entertaining bout between evenly-matched combatants. The Tiger-Fullmer bout, which played out before a sea of empty seats, was a snoozer. Don Fullmer, a late sub for Rocky Rivero who got homesick and returned to Argentina, was there just for the paycheck. A Pittsburgh reporter wrote that the match was as dull as a race between two turtles. Scoring off the â5-point-mustâ system, the judges awarded the match to Dick Tiger by margins of 6, 6, and 7 points.
And that was that. Some of the most sensational fights in the annals of boxing aired free on a major TV network, but the last big bang of the golden era was hardly a bang, merely a whimper.
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A recognized authority on the history of prizefighting and the history of American sports gambling, TSS editor-in-chief Arne K. Lang is the author of five books including âPrizefighting: An American History,â released by McFarland in 2008 and re-released in a paperback edition in 2020.
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The photo accompanying this article is from the 1962 fight at Madison Square Garden between Dick Tiger (on the right) and Henry Hank. To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
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