Connect with us

Featured Articles

Boxing Notables Lay Bare the Top Storylines of 2019 in Our Newest TSS Survey

Published

on

Boxing-Notables-Lay-Bare-the-top-Storylines-of-2019-in-our-Newest-TSS-Survey

The first quarterly survey of 2020 is in the hopper. We asked our respondents this question: “If you were writing about the year 2019 in boxing, what would you title your article — and why?”

Almost 30 people weighed in with their thoughts. Here are their answers. The respondents are listed in alphabetical order.

MATT ANDRZEJEWSKITSS boxing writer: The Content Revolution. In 2019, there was more boxing available through various platforms than ever in the history of the sport. From small club shows in the US to fight cards all across the world, there was an unreal amount of live boxing for diehard fans to watch. And that is just the tip of iceberg as content is expected to grow in 2020. For those who love the sport, 2019 was as good as it gets.

DAVID AVILATSS West Coast Bureau Chief: The Year of the First Mexican World Heavyweight Champion as brief as it was.

BOB BENOIT– former boxer, now referee and judge: The Eleventh Round of a Ten-Round Fight. With the first ten rounds this year being very good ones

STEVE CANTON — President of the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame; author: 2019: The Year of the Unprofessional Professional. I would chronicle all those boxers who failed to make weight or never even tried to make weight, those who consistently made excuses to mask their laziness or lack of professionalism and those who talked a good game and didn’t produce. The boxers who only talk of how great they are but avoid all opponents who pose a risk and those who cheat (PED’s) to gain an unfair advantage would be detailed.

JILL DIAMOND — WBC International Secretary, WBC Cares Chair: Boxing Saves Lives and Also Costs Them. Boxing remains one of the most important tools we can give young people to help them live quality lives. This year, though, we’ve lost too many pros, and starting with the young, we must up the education on hydration and safety.

DAVID DIAMANTE — renowned ring announcer: Boxing Was Alive and Well in 2019. It’s undoubtedly expanding globally and getting stronger. However, the fans must continue to demand the super fights in 2020. The Fight Starts Now!

RICK FARRIS — former boxer, historian, and President and Founder of West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame: The Rise and Fall of the First Mexican Heavyweight Champ. That says it all for my memory of this past year.

BERNARD FERNANDEZTSS Mainstay and Lifetime Member of the BWAA; 2020 IBHOF Inductee: The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same. For several decades, the best possible matchups often did not get made because of Don King’s longstanding blood feud with Bob Arum, or because HBO and Showtime were constantly at cross-purposes. Now HBO is out of boxing, but with new broadcast and streaming entities providing more coverage of the sport than ever before, a lot of the familiar barriers are still in place, with different players wielding considerable influence. Arum and Top Rank remain a major presence, but His Hairness, King, has been replaced by Premier Boxing Champions and Al Haymon, as well as Matchroom Sport’s Eddie Hearn. DAZN doesn’t want to play in the same sandbox with ESPN, the revised equivalent of HBO vs. Showtime, which remains in the game but confronted by more and more powerful adversaries than in the past. And while there was a spate of good fights made in the year about to end, don’t hold your breath expecting a welterweight megafight between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. to happen anytime soon.

JEFFREY FREEMAN (aka KO DIGEST) TSS writer — Attack of the Killer Streaming Apps: How Boxing Went From the TV Screen to the Tiny Screen And How Nobody Can Actually See the Fights Anymore Without Glasses So They Don’t Watch Them At All Because Then They Can’t Be On Their Phones 24/7 Reading Articles With Super Long Headlines so They Just Put it Down and Fall Asleep Under a Landslide of Commercials They’re Being Billed For Monthly.

RANDY GORDON — radio host, writer, former head of the New York State Athletic Commission: 2019The Year Streaming Took Over

LEE GROVESwriter, author, researcher and CompuBox punch counter: The Streaming Revolution Transforms Boxing Landscape.  Every year in boxing is difficult to condense into just a few words because one in-ring scenario rarely dominates the sport in total (“The Year of the Knockout,” “The Year of the Upset,” etc.). Therefore, I went with an aspect that covers the entirety of boxing regardless of in-ring results, and, to me, the extraordinary depth and breadth of streaming platforms in boxing is the transformational story of 2019. Yes, ESPN +, DAZN and Facebook Live — among others — existed in 2018, and pay-per-view cards are still around, but, as a whole, fight cards around the globe have been made available on a wide variety of sites throughout the entire year, and it’s nearly impossible to keep up with all of them. A big plus is that every single fight on a show can be seen, which gives undercard fighters unprecedented exposure, and an even bigger plus is that these services can be had for a tremendously affordable price compared to the subscription rates of the past, either monthly or per-event. Best yet, the younger generation gets a vast amount of their entertainment from streaming services, and because boxing has been at the forefront of this transition, it should bode well for the sport’s future. For once, boxing fans are getting bang for the buck, and this positive momentum in terms of availability looks like it will continue for years to come.

CLARENCE GEORGE — writer and historian: Anthony Joshua Could Eat No Fat. His Opponent Could Eat No Lean. Alternately, Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Fat. Joshua-Ruiz I was more than the Upset of the Year; it was payback for all those overweight heavyweights who came up short against all those lean-mean-fighting-machine pretty boys. Take that, Charles Atlas!

HENRY HASCUP– historian; President of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame:  The Ups and Downs of Andy Ruiz! Andy Ruiz shocked the boxing World twice in one year! First, when no one gave him a chance he came off the canvas to stop Anthony Joshua, who was being regarded as the next Great One, to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World! Then just 6 months later Andy shocked the boxing world again when he came into the ring 15 pounds heavier and in no condition to defend his title and now is regarded as an embarrassment.

CHUCK HASSON — writer, historian: Boxing Makes a Positive Comeback in 2019.

DANNY HOWARD — writer: 2019: The Year We (Almost) Got it Right. Our year in the ring featured shocking upsets, career defining moments and was packed to the brim with spectacular fights and fan engagement was the best it has been in the post- Mayweather era. Unfortunately, shades of the iron curtain have slowly fallen once again as the streaming networks begin to draw the battle lines, executives and media personalities once again aimed to steal the spotlight and the best possible fights that can be made face an insurmountable layer of red tape.

DR. STUART KIRSCHENBAUM — Boxing Commissioner Emeritus, State of Michigan: Raging Bulloney. 2019 marked the year in boxing when the bull hit the fan. We have slowly witnessed the demise of boxing as the king of sports. The one-time boxing fan can no longer name more champions than there are fingers on his hand. It is as impossible to have a conversation with another sports fan about boxing as it is to figure out the crimes Trump committed for impeachment. Most of your major news publications do not have a boxing writer…but just use the wire services. Reporters are so young that they don’t even recognize names that come across the news desk of deceased legendary champions or names of inductees into a hall of fame. Musical chairs of champions losing their title on their first defense is commonplace. Bling and entourage have replaced substance and loyalty. Is it so bad that no one has even noticed or yet cared what has happened?  “Yeah….I’m talkin’ to you.”

JIM LAMPLEY — linchpin of the HBO Boxing announcing team, 2015 IBHOF inductee: My title is The Relentless Tide Of Globalism Strengthens.

ARNE LANG TSS editor-in-chief, author, historian: I might title it with a metaphor such as The Levee Has Been Breached. In 2019, boxing was suddenly bursting out all over, resulting in many attractive shows going head-to-head with other attractive shows. This was the result of the sport’s new economic model with promoters contractually bound to provide a steady stream of fresh content to their live-streaming partners.

 JIMMY LANGE — former boxer and promoter: It Ain’t the 80’s No More. This might sound negative but it’s not intended to be. Many complain that boxing has greatly diminished since the 50’s, but it’s still great with many outstanding fights in 2019.

RON LIPTON — A member of the New Jersey and New York Boxing Halls of Fame, former fighter, active pro referee and retired police officer: Holding the Big Fights at Madison Square Garden. Other wonderful venues in New York State such as Barclays Center, the renovated Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Resorts World, and Turning Stone keep big time professional boxing alive and well in the Empire State, yet the illuminating, electric and almost magical feeling that boxing fans visibly experience while attending a Madison Square Garden fight show takes on a life of its own as it certainly did in 2019. In refereeing several shows at MSG in 2019 the magic of it all never leaves me for a moment. Boxing at MSG remained as exciting to me as it did in the early 60’s when I attended every boxing show at the old Garden, never missing a prelim.

In mourning the loss of Patrick Day, it comforts me to know that his happiest career moment may have been winning the WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight belt at Barclays Center where it was my honor to referee him that night.

PAUL MAGNO — author and writer: Business vs. Boxing. 2019 was the year the sport had to battle the business to keep from having its life force snuffed out. With so much talk about the business of boxing and why the best fights couldn’t be made, fighters were still able to show why boxing is such a magical sport. Joshua-Ruiz I, Golovkin-Derevyanchenko, Pascal-Browne, Cano-Linares, etc. were fights born out of cynicism and negativity where the will and drive of an underdog– one man with two fists—flipped the script and made for memorable moments. The business of the sport may be preventing some of the biggest and most anticipated fights from happening, but it hasn’t taken the spirit from the fighters just yet.

ROBERT MLADINICH— former boxer, former NY Detective, writer, author, actor (see him in The Irishman): Fleeced. Because after the first Ruiz-Joshua fight I was excited about my love affair with boxing being rekindled. It was all taken away in the rematch. Both fights reminded me of all that I love and loathe about the Sweet Science.

RUSSELL PELTZ — venerable Philadelphia boxing promoter and 2004 IBHOF inductee: It was another year in which the promoters who control television did what was best for their own company but not what was best for the long-term health of the sport.

FRED ROMANO — researcher formerly associated with ESPN, historian, author: Here Come the Young GunsIn 2019 a group of exciting young fighters moved forward in their quest to become boxing stars. This cadre of boxers include T. Lopez, D. Haney, G. Davis, R. Garcia and V. Ortiz. 2019 was the set-up year and 2020 should tell us who is legit and who is a product of promotional and media hype.

DANA ROSENBLATT — former middleweight champion of the world, inspirational speaker and TV host: Canelo Alvarez. In 2019, in his defeats of another two fighters that had odds makers questioning the matchups, Alvarez exhibited his dominance of the sport of boxing.

TED SARES — TSS writer:  Viva Mexico. There were/are seven world champions of Mexican heritage at one point during the year—Saul Álvarez, Miguel Berchelt, Leo Santa Cruz. Rey Vargas, Emanuel Navarrete. Juan Francisco Estrada, and Elwin Soto—and, of course, Andy Ruiz.

ALAN SWYER — filmmaker, writer, and producer of the acclaimed “El Boxeo”: Why Every Boxing Trainer in The World is Happy. Why?  Because if Andy Ruiz had beaten Joshua again, it would have given license to every aspiring boxer to skip workouts and eat three more desserts.

Observations:

The answers reflected an overview in some cases or turned on a specific event in others.

Andy Ruiz took a piñata–like pounding and that was predictable, but there was surprisingly little mention of the ring deaths that occurred during the year.

A common thread had to do with boxing’s new business model with more fights brought to the masses via live-streaming.

While many (but far from all) acclaimed 2019 as an excellent year in boxing, the biggest surprise (to me at least) were the number of potential respondents who have lost interest in boxing. For the most part, these were students of boxing history who recalled the days when the best often fought the best.

Any discussion about the advent of new business models and how they differ from those of yore seemed to go by the wayside for them as modern boxing was simply bypassed. Then again, maybe it IS the advent of such new business models that have turned off so many historians.

In the meantime, what would be the title of your article covering 2019?

Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel 

To comment on this story in The Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Featured Articles

Arne’s Almanac: The First BWAA Dinner Was Quite the Shindig

Published

on

Arne's-Almanac-The-First-BWAA-Dinner-was-Quite-the-Shindig

The first annual dinner of the Boxing Writers Association of America was staged on April 25, 1926 in the grand ballroom of New York’s Hotel Astor, an edifice that rivaled the original Waldorf Astoria as the swankiest hotel in the city. Back then, the organization was known as the Boxing Writers Association of Greater New York.

The ballroom was configured to hold 1200 for the banquet which was reportedly oversubscribed. Among those listed as agreeing to attend were the governors of six states (New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland) and the mayors of 10 of America’s largest cities.

In 1926, radio was in its infancy and the digital age was decades away (and inconceivable). So, every journalist who regularly covered boxing was a newspaper and/or magazine writer, editor, or cartoonist. And at this juncture in American history, there were plenty of outlets for someone who wanted to pursue a career as a sportswriter and had the requisite skills to get hired.

The following papers were represented at the inaugural boxing writers’ dinner:

New York Times

New York News

New York World

New York Sun

New York Journal

New York Post

New York Mirror

New York Telegram

New York Graphic

New York Herald Tribune

Brooklyn Eagle

Brooklyn Times

Brooklyn Standard Union

Brooklyn Citizen

Bronx Home News

This isn’t a complete list because a few of these papers, notably the New York World and the New York Journal, had strong afternoon editions that functioned as independent papers. Plus, scribes from both big national wire services (Associated Press and UPI) attended the banquet and there were undoubtedly a smattering of scribes from papers in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Back then, the event’s organizer Nat Fleischer, sports editor of the New York Telegram and the driving force behind The Ring magazine, had little choice but to limit the journalistic component of the gathering to writers in the New York metropolitan area. There wasn’t a ballroom big enough to accommodate a good-sized response if he had extended the welcome to every boxing writer in North America.

The keynote speaker at the inaugural dinner was New York’s charismatic Jazz Age mayor James J. “Jimmy” Walker, architect of the transformative Walker Law of 1920 which ushered in a new era of boxing in the Empire State with a template that would guide reformers in many other jurisdictions.

Prizefighting was then associated with hooligans. In his speech, Mayor Walker promised to rid the sport of their ilk. “Boxing, as you know, is closest to my heart,” said hizzoner. “So I tell you the police force is behind you against those who would besmirch or injure boxing. Rowdyism doesn’t belong in this town or in your game.” (In 1945, Walker would be the recipient of the Edward J. Neil Memorial Award given for meritorious service to the sport. The oldest of the BWAA awards, the previous recipients were all active or former boxers. The award, no longer issued under that title, was named for an Associated Press sportswriter and war correspondent who died from shrapnel wounds covering the Spanish Civil War.)

Another speaker was well-traveled sportswriter Wilbur Wood, then affiliated with the Brooklyn Citizen. He told the assembly that the aim of the organization was two-fold: to help defend the game against its detractors and to promote harmony among the various factions.

Of course, the 1926 dinner wouldn’t have been as well-attended without the entertainment. According to press dispatches, Broadway stars and performers from some of the city’s top nightclubs would be there to regale the attendees. Among the names bandied about were vaudeville superstars Sophie Tucker and Jimmy Durante, the latter of whom would appear with his trio, Durante, (Lou) Clayton, and (Eddie) Jackson.

There was a contraction of New York newspapers during the Great Depression. Although empirical evidence is lacking, the inaugural boxing writers dinner was likely the largest of its kind. Fifteen years later, in 1941, the event drew “more than 200” according to a news report. There was no mention of entertainment.

In 1950, for the first time, the annual dinner was opened to the public. For $25, a civilian could get a meal and mingle with some of his favorite fighters. Sugar Ray Robinson was the Edward J. Neil Award winner that year, honored for his ring exploits and for donating his purse from the Charlie Fusari fight to the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund.

There was no formal announcement when the Boxing Writers Association of Greater New York was re-christened the Boxing Writers Association of America, but by the late 1940s reporters were referencing the annual event as simply the boxing writers dinner. By then, it had become traditional to hold the annual affair in January, a practice discontinued after 1971.

The winnowing of New York’s newspaper herd plus competing banquets in other parts of the country forced Nat Fleischer’s baby to adapt. And more adaptations will be necessary in the immediate future as the future of the BWAA, as it currently exists, is threatened by new technologies. If the forthcoming BWAA dinner (April 30 at the Edison Ballroom in mid-Manhattan) were restricted to wordsmiths from the traditional print media, the gathering would be too small to cover the nut and the congregants would be drawn disproportionately from the geriatric class.

Some of those adaptations have already started. Last year, Las Vegas resident Sean Zittel, a recent UNLV graduate, had the distinction of becoming the first videographer welcomed into the BWAA. With more and more people getting their news from sound bites, rather than the written word, the videographer serves an important function.

The reporters who conducted interviews with pen and paper have gone the way of the dodo bird and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A taped interview for a “talkie” has more integrity than a story culled from a paper and pen interview because it is unfiltered. Many years ago, some reporters, after interviewing the great Joe Louis, put  words in his mouth that made him seem like a dullard, words consistent with the Sambo stereotype. In other instances, the language of some athletes was reconstructed to the point where the reader would think the athlete had a second job as an English professor.

The content created by videographers is free from that bias. More of them will inevitably join the BWAA and similar organizations in the future.

Photo: Nat Fleischer is flanked by Sugar Ray Robinson and Tony Zale at the 1947 boxing writers dinner.

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 “Prizefighting: An American History,” released by McFarland in 2008 and re-released in a paperback edition in 2020.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Share The Sweet Science experience!
Continue Reading

Featured Articles

Gabriela Fundora KOs Marilyn Badillo and Perez Upsets Conwell in Oceanside

Published

on

Gabriela-Fundora-KOs-Marilyn-Badillo-and-Perez-Upsets-Conwell-in-Oceanside

It was just a numbers game for Gabriela Fundora and despite Mexico’s Marilyn Badillo’s elusive tactics it took the champion one punch to end the fight and retain her undisputed flyweight world title by knockout on Saturday.

Will it be her last flyweight defense?

Though Fundora (16-0, 8 KOs) fired dozens of misses, a single punch found Badillo (19-1-1, 3 KOs) and ended her undefeated career and first attempt at a world title at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California.

Fundora, however, proves unbeatable at flyweight.

The champion entered the arena as the headliner for the Golden Boy Promotion show and stepped through the ropes with every physical advantage possible, including power.

Mexico’s Badillo was a midget compared to Fundora but proved to be as elusive as a butterfly in a menagerie for the first six rounds. As the six-inch taller Fundora connected on one punch for every dozen thrown, that single punch was a deadly reminder.

Badillo tried ducking low and slipping to the left while countering with slashing uppercuts, she found little success. She did find the body a solid target but the blows proved to be useless. And when Badillo clinched, that proved more erroneous as Fundora belted her rapidly during the tie-ups.

“She was kind of doing her ducking thing,” said Fundora describing Badillo’s defensive tactics. “I just put the pressure on. It was just like a train. We didn’t give her that break.”

The Mexican fighter tried valiantly with various maneuvers. None proved even slightly successful. Fundora remained poised and under control as she stalked the challenger.

In the seventh round Badillo seemed to take a stand and try to slug it out with Fundora. She quickly was lit up by rapid left crosses and down she went at 1:44 of the seventh round. The Mexican fighter’s corner wisely waved off the fight and referee Rudy Barragan stopped the fight and held the dazed Badillo upright.

Once again Fundora remained champion by knockout. The only question now is will she move up to super flyweight or bantamweight to challenge the bigger girls.

Perez Beats Conwell.

Mexico’s Jorge “Chino” Perez (33-4, 26 KOs) upset Charles Conwell (21-1, 15 KOs) to win by split decision after 12 rounds in their super welterweight showdown.

It was a match that paired two hard-hitting fighters whose ledgers brimmed with knockouts, but neither was able to score a knockdown against each other.

Neither fighter moved backward. It was full steam ahead with Conwell proving successful to the body and head with left hooks and Perez connecting with rights to the head and body. It was difficult to differentiate the winner.

Though Conwell seemed to be the superior defensive fighter and more accurate, two judges preferred Perez’s busier style. They gave the fight to Perez by 115-113 scores with the dissenter favoring Conwell by the same margin.

It was Conwell’s first pro loss. Maybe it will open doors for more opportunities.

Other Bouts

Tristan Kalkreuth (15-1) managed to pass a serious heat check by unanimous decision against former contender Felix Valera (24-8) after a 10-round back-and-forth heavyweight fight.

It was very close.

Kalkreuth is one of those fighters that possess all the physical tools including youth and size but never seems to be able to show it. Once again he edged past another foe but at least this time he faced an experienced fighter in Valera.

Valera had his moments especially in the middle of the 10-round fight but slowed down during the last three rounds.

One major asset for Kalkreuth was his chin. He got caught but still motored past the clever Valera. After 10 rounds two judges saw it 99-91 and one other judge 97-93 all for Kalkreuth.

Highly-rated prospect Ruslan Abdullaev (2-0) blasted past dangerous Jino Rodrigo (13- 5-2) in an eight round super lightweight fight. He nearly stopped the very tough Rodrigo in the last two rounds and won by unanimous decision.

Abdullaev is trained by Joel and Antonio Diaz in Indio.

Bakersfield prospect Joel Iriarte (7-0, 7 KOs) needed only 1:44 to knock out Puerto Rico’s Marcos Jimenez (25-12) in a welterweight bout.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Share The Sweet Science experience!
Continue Reading

Featured Articles

‘Krusher’ Kovalev Exits on a Winning Note: TKOs Artur Mann in his ‘Farewell Fight’

Published

on

Krusher-Kovalev-Exits-on-a-Winning-Note-TKOs-Artur-Mann-in-his-Farewell-Fight

At his peak, former three-time world light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev ranked high on everyone’s pound-for-pound list. Now 42 years old – he turned 42 earlier this month – Kovalev has been largely inactive in recent years, but last night he returned to the ring in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia, and rose to the occasion in what was billed as his farewell fight, stopping Artur Mann in the seventh frame.

Kovalev hit his peak during his first run as a world title-holder. He was 30-0-1 (26 KOs) entering first match with Andre Ward, a mark that included a 9-0 mark in world title fights. The only blemish on his record was a draw that could have been ruled a no-contest (journeyman Grover Young was unfit to continue after Kovalev knocked down in the second round what with was deemed an illegal rabbit punch). Among those nine wins were two stoppages of dangerous Haitian-Canadian campaigner Jean Pascal and a 12-round shutout over Bernard Hopkins.

Kovalev’s stature was not diminished by his loss to the undefeated Ward. All three judges had it 114-113, but the general feeling among the ringside press was that Sergey nicked it.

The rematch was also somewhat controversial. Referee Tony Weeks, who halted the match in the eighth stanza with Kovalev sitting on the lower strand of ropes, was accused of letting Ward get away with a series of low blows, including the first punch of a three-punch series of body shots that culminated in the stoppage. Sergey was wobbled by a punch to the head earlier in the round and was showing signs of fatigue, but he was still in the fight. Respected judge Steve Weisfeld had him up by three points through the completed rounds.

Sergey Kovalev was never the same after his second loss to Andre Ward, albeit he recaptured a piece of the 175-pound title twice, demolishing Vyacheslav Shabranskyy for the vacant WBO belt after Ward announced his retirement and then avenging a loss to Eleider Alvarez (TKO by 7) with a comprehensive win on points in their rematch.

Kovalev’s days as a title-holder ended on Nov. 2, 2019 when Canelo Alvarez, moving up two weight classes to pursue a title in a fourth weight division, stopped him in the 11th round, terminating what had been a relatively even fight with a hellacious left-right combination that left Krusher so discombobulated that a count was superfluous.

That fight went head-to-head with a UFC fight in New York City. DAZN, to their everlasting discredit, opted to delay the start of Canelo-Kovalev until the main event of the UFC fight was finished. The delay lasted more than an hour and Kovalev would say that he lost his psychological edge during the wait.

Kovalev had two fights in the cruiserweight class between his setback to Canelo and last night’s presumptive swan song. He outpointed Tervel Pulev in Los Angeles and lost a 10-round decision to unheralded Robin Sirwan Safar in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Artur Mann, a former world title challenger – he was stopped in three rounds by Mairis Briedis in 2021 when Briedis was recognized as the top cruiserweight in the world – was unexceptional, but the 34-year-old German, born in Kazakhstan, wasn’t chopped liver either, and Kovalev’s stoppage of him will redound well to the Russian when he becomes eligible for the Boxing Hall of Fame.

Krusher almost ended the fight in the second round. He knocked Mann down hard with a short left hand and seemingly scored another knockdown before the round was over (but it was ruled a slip). Mann barely survived the round.

In the next round, a punch left Mann with a bad cut on his right eyelid, but the German came to fight and rounds three, four and five were competitive.

Kovalev had a good sixth round although there were indications that he was tiring. But in the seventh he got a second wind and unleashed a right-left combination that rolled back the clock to the days when he was one of the sport’s most feared punchers. Mann went down hard and as he staggered to his feet, his corner signaled that the fight should be stopped and the referee complied. The official time was 0:49 of round seven. It was the 30th KO for Kovalev who advanced his record to 36-5-1.

Addendum: History informs us that Farewell Fights have a habit of becoming redundant, by which we mean that boxers often get the itch to fight again after calling it quits. Have we seen the last of Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev? We woudn’t bet on it.

The complete Kovalev-Mann fight card was live-streamed on the Boxing News youtube channel.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Share The Sweet Science experience!
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Bernard-Fernandez-Reflects-on-His-Special-Bond-with-George-Foreman
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Bernard Fernandez Reflects on His Special Bond with George Foreman

A-Paean-to-George-Foreman-1949-2025-Architect-of-an-Amazing-Second-Act
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

A Paean to George Foreman (1949-2025), Architect of an Amazing Second Act

Sebastian-Fundora-TKOs-Chordale-Booker-in-Las-Vegas
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Sebastian Fundora TKOs Chordale Booker in Las Vegas

Boxing-Odds-and-Ends-The-Wacky-and-Sad-World-of-Livingstone-Bramble-and-More
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Boxing Odds and Ends: The Wacky and Sad World of Livingstone Bramble and More

Avila-Perspective-Chap-319-Rematches-in-Las-Vegas-Cancun-and-More
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 319: Rematches in Las Vegas, Cancun and More

Results-and-Recaps-from-Sydney-where-George-Kambosos-Upended-Late-Sub-Jake-Wyllie
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Results and Recaps from Sydney where George Kambosos Upended Late Sub Jake Wyllie

Ringside-at-the-Fontainebleau-where-Mikaela-Mayer-won-her-Rematch-with-Sandy-Ryan
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Ringside at the Fontainebleau where Mikaela Mayer Won her Rematch with Sandy Ryan

William-Zepeda-Edges-Past-Tevin-Farmer-in-Cancun-Improves-to-34-0
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

History-has-Shortchanged-Freddie-Dawson-One-of-the-Best-Boxers-of-his-Era
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

History has Shortchanged Freddie Dawson, One of the Best Boxers of his Era

Avila-Perspective-Chap-320-Women's-Boxing-Hall-of-Fame-Heavyweights-and-More
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 320: Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame, Heavyweights and More

Results-and-Recaps-from-Las-Vegas-where-Richard-Torrez-Jr-Mauled-Guido-Vianello
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Results and Recaps from Las Vegas where Richard Torrez Jr Mauled Guido Vianello

Filip-Hrgovic-Fefeats-Joe-Joe-Joyce-in-Manchester
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Filip Hrgovic Defeats Joe Joyce in Manchester

Weekend-Recap-and-More-with-Accents-on-Heavyweights
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Weekend Recap and More with the Accent of Heavyweights

Remembering-Hall--Fame-Boxing-Trainer-Kenny-Adams
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Remembering Hall of Fame Boxing Trainer Kenny Adams

Avila-Perspective-Chap-320:-Boots-Ennis-and-Stanionis.jpg
Featured Articles1 week ago

Avila Perspective Chap 320: Boots Ennis and Stanionis

Jaron-'Boots'-Ennis-Wins-Welterweight-Showdown-in-Atlantic-City
Featured Articles1 week ago

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis Wins Welterweight Showdown in Atlantic City

Dzmitry-Asanau-Flummoxes-Franesco-Patera-on-a-Ho-Hum-Card-in-Montreal
Featured Articles1 week ago

Dzmitry Asanau Flummoxes Francesco Patera on a Ho-Hum Card in Montreal

Boxing-Notes-and-Nuggets-from-Thoas-Hauser
Featured Articles1 week ago

Boxing Notes and Nuggets from Thomas Hauser

Mekhrubon-Sanginov-whose-Heroism-Nearly-Proved-Fatal-Returns-on-Saturday
Featured Articles5 days ago

Mekhrubon Sanginov, whose Heroism Nearly Proved Fatal, Returns on Saturday

TSS-Salutes-Thomas-Hauser-and-his-Bernie-Award-Cohorts
Featured Articles5 days ago

TSS Salutes Thomas Hauser and his Bernie Award Cohorts

Arne's-Almanac-The-First-BWAA-Dinner-was-Quite-the-Shindig
Featured Articles7 hours ago

Arne’s Almanac: The First BWAA Dinner Was Quite the Shindig

Gabriela-Fundora-KOs-Marilyn-Badillo-and-Perez-Upsets-Conwell-in-Oceanside
Featured Articles20 hours ago

Gabriela Fundora KOs Marilyn Badillo and Perez Upsets Conwell in Oceanside

Krusher-Kovalev-Exits-on-a-Winning-Note-TKOs-Artur-Mann-in-his-Farewell-Fight
Featured Articles2 days ago

‘Krusher’ Kovalev Exits on a Winning Note: TKOs Artur Mann in his ‘Farewell Fight’

Avila-Perspective-Chap-322-Super-Welterweight-Week-in-SoCal
Featured Articles2 days ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 322: Super Welterweight Week in SoCal

TSS-Salutes-Thomas-Hauser-and-his-Bernie-Award-Cohorts
Featured Articles5 days ago

TSS Salutes Thomas Hauser and his Bernie Award Cohorts

Mekhrubon-Sanginov-whose-Heroism-Nearly-Proved-Fatal-Returns-on-Saturday
Featured Articles5 days ago

Mekhrubon Sanginov, whose Heroism Nearly Proved Fatal, Returns on Saturday

Jaron-'Boots'-Ennis-Wins-Welterweight-Showdown-in-Atlantic-City
Featured Articles1 week ago

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis Wins Welterweight Showdown in Atlantic City

Boxing-Notes-and-Nuggets-from-Thoas-Hauser
Featured Articles1 week ago

Boxing Notes and Nuggets from Thomas Hauser

Avila-Perspective-Chap-320:-Boots-Ennis-and-Stanionis.jpg
Featured Articles1 week ago

Avila Perspective Chap 320: Boots Ennis and Stanionis

Dzmitry-Asanau-Flummoxes-Franesco-Patera-on-a-Ho-Hum-Card-in-Montreal
Featured Articles1 week ago

Dzmitry Asanau Flummoxes Francesco Patera on a Ho-Hum Card in Montreal

Remembering-Hall--Fame-Boxing-Trainer-Kenny-Adams
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Remembering Hall of Fame Boxing Trainer Kenny Adams

Weekend-Recap-and-More-with-Accents-on-Heavyweights
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Weekend Recap and More with the Accent of Heavyweights

Results-and-Recaps-from-Las-Vegas-where-Richard-Torrez-Jr-Mauled-Guido-Vianello
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Results and Recaps from Las Vegas where Richard Torrez Jr Mauled Guido Vianello

Filip-Hrgovic-Fefeats-Joe-Joe-Joyce-in-Manchester
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Filip Hrgovic Defeats Joe Joyce in Manchester

Avila-Perspective-Chap-320-Women's-Boxing-Hall-of-Fame-Heavyweights-and-More
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 320: Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame, Heavyweights and More

History-has-Shortchanged-Freddie-Dawson-One-of-the-Best-Boxers-of-his-Era
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

History has Shortchanged Freddie Dawson, One of the Best Boxers of his Era

Ringside-at-the-Fontainebleau-where-Mikaela-Mayer-won-her-Rematch-with-Sandy-Ryan
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Ringside at the Fontainebleau where Mikaela Mayer Won her Rematch with Sandy Ryan

William-Zepeda-Edges-Past-Tevin-Farmer-in-Cancun-Improves-to-34-0
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

Avila-Perspective-Chap-319-Rematches-in-Las-Vegas-Cancun-and-More
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 319: Rematches in Las Vegas, Cancun and More

Boxing-Odds-and-Ends-The-Wacky-and-Sad-World-of-Livingstone-Bramble-and-More
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Boxing Odds and Ends: The Wacky and Sad World of Livingstone Bramble and More

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Advertisement