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Logic in Boxing is an Oxymoron

Logic in Boxing is an Oxymoron
In 1996, David Tua KOed future world champion John Ruiz in 19 seconds with a left hook from hell. In 2002, he dispatched former world champion Michael Moorer in 30 seconds with an explosive straight right. A prime Tua was a heavy load for anyone.
After losing to Chris Byrd in 2001, he went on an undefeated streak of 14 including the aforementioned blow-out of Moorer and a slaughter of countryman Shane Cameron, the Mountain Warrior, in a 2009 fight billed as the âFight of the Centuryâ in New Zealand. Tua came into the fight in the best shape of his career having lost a significant amount of weight.
In the first round, Tua hurt and decked Cameron twice with a crushing and accurate attack and even hit him while he was on the canvas. He ended matters 20 seconds into round two with 13 consecutive heavy and accurate blows, all to Cameronâs head. This ending was not for the squeamish or faint of heart.
After beating Friday Ahunanya, the âTerminatorâ was then held to an upset draw by a fading Monte â2Gunzâ Barrett (34-9 coming in) in Atlantic City, NJ. It appeared that Davidâs great run was coming to an end, especially since Barrett came into the fight having lost six of his last nine.
A year later in 2011, Barrett, now 40 years old, beat a sluggish Tua by a clear UD and in New Zealand no less. Tua lost for the first time since being out-classed by Chris Byrd 10 years earlier. Sadly, Tua also told the press that he was broke and homeless and that he was uncertain about his boxing future. He stepped aside from boxing with a myriad of personal issues including depression and a divorce.
Meanwhile, Barrett was scheduled to fight Shane Cameron in July 2012 though he badly wanted a third fight with local hero Tua because he knew it would be a bigger draw. He also resented accusations that he had taken steroids (accusations that never panned out because of procedural irregularities).
Monte was stung by these accusations and lashed out at Tua. âAfter I beat up on Shane,â he said, âIâm going to give Tua one more chance to whip his fat arse into shape and get his act togetherâŠFor me, itâs that or nothing. I want David to take my last fight. After his wife finished pounding on him with their divorce I donât know if heâll have enough for me. I hope he will.â
âDavid doesnât do anyone proud,â continued the vengeful Barrett. âHeâs an embarrassment to New Zealand. Heâs a lazy, fat slob. He doesnât apply himself. He can die a loser and never get a chance to redeem himself or be a man. The first fight his shoulder was hurt and the gloves were too bigâŠ.The second fight he claimed I was taking steroids. Whatâs his excuse for the third fight? I know New Zealand wants to see itâŠ.He will probably make every excuse because heâs a coward. I used to have a lot of respect for David. But he doesnât appreciate the status he has and realize the whole country is behind him.â
Shane Cameron, meanwhile, seemed to be lost in the shuffle, but he remained Monte Barrettâs stepping stone to a lucrative payday. Barrett, a resident of Bayonne, New Jersey, would be risking the WBO Asia and WBO Oriental heavyweight belts that he won when he defeated David Tua, belts formerly held by Cameron.
Barrett vs. Cameron
Cameron won the first three rounds which were uneventful. Early in the fourth, both threw monster right hands simultaneously. Cameronâs got there first, rendering 2Gunz unconscious and producing a very scary moment for everyone at ringside.
This frightening result afformed that Monte had been shot for some time but further certified that David Tua was even more shot. And yet, Tua was able to crush Cameron who in turn crushed Monte Barrett.
Go figure. There was absolutely no logic in what transpired here.
Many more examples would follow. Ricardo Mayorga, for example, scored two wins over Vernon Forrest who owned two wins over Shane Mosley, but Mosley KOed Mayorga twice. Expecting logic to exist in boxing is something one does at his or her peril.
Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com
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Nick Ball Wears Down and Stops TJ Doheny Before the Home Folks in Liverpool

Fighting in his hometown, Liverpoolâs five-foot-two fireplug Nick âThe Wreckingâ Ball stopped TJ Doheny after 10 progressively more one-sided rounds to retain his WBA belt in the second defense of the featherweight title he won with a hard-earned decision over Raymond Ford in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Referee Michael Alexander, with the assent of Dohenyâs corner, waived it off following the bell ending Round 10, much to the chagrin of the brave but mildewed Doheny who burst into tears. But then, Dohenyâs right eye was closed shut and he was plainly exhausted. This may be the end of the line for the 38-year-old campaigner from Perth, Australia via Portlaois, Ireland who was 26-5 heading in following his first loss inside the distance which came against pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue.
There were no knockdowns, but Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs) was docked a point in round nine for throwing Doheny to the canvas after having previously been warned for this infraction. Earlier, both he and Doheny were warned for an incident that could have ended the bout prematurely. At the end of the first round, Ball extricated himself from a headlock by kicking Doheny in the back of his knee. The challengerâs leg appeared to buckle as he returned to his stool.
Going forward, Ball has many options. The 28-year-old Liverpudlian purportedly relishes a unification fight with WBC belt-holder Stephen Fulton, but the decision ultimately rests with Ballâs promoter Frank Warren.
Other Bouts of Note
In a 12-round bantamweight contest that was close on the scorecards but yet a monotonous affair, Liverpoolâs Andrew Cain won a split decision over former WBC flyweight title-holder Charlie Edwards. The scores were 116-112 and 115-114 favoring Cain with judge Steve Gray submitting a disreputable 115-113 tally for Edwards. At stake were a trio of regional titles.
The science of boxing, they say, is about hitting without getting hit. Charlie Edwards is adept at the latter but the hitting part is not in his DNA. He was on his bicycle from the get-go, a style that periodically brought forth a cascade of boos. Cain, who trains in the same gym with Nick Ball, was never able to corner him â Edwards was too elusive â but Cain, to his credit, never lost his composure.
In improving to 14-1 (12), Cain achieved a measure of revenge, in a sense. In his last documented amateur bout, in 2014, Cain was defeated by Charlieâs brother Sunny Edwards, also a former world title-holder at the professional level. Heading in, Charlie Edwards (20-2, 1 NC) was unbeaten in his last 13 which included a comfortable decision over Cristofer Rosales in his flyweight title fight. Charlie relinquished that belt when he could no longer make the weight.
Showboating Cuban lightweight Jadier Herrera, who fought 13 of his first 14 pro fights in his adopted home of Dubai, advanced to 17-0 (15 KOs) with a seventh-round stoppage of spunky but outclassed Mexican import Jose Macias (21-4-2). The official time was 2:31 of round seven.
An all-Liverpool affair between super flyweights Jack Turner (11-0, 10 KOs) and Ryan Farrag (23-6) was over in a jiff. The match, which went next-to-last in the bout order, ended at the 42-second mark of round two. A barrage of punches climaxed by a left hook sent Farrag down hard and the referee waived it off.
The noted spoiler Ionut Baluta, whose former victims include Andrew Cain, forged another upset with a 10-round split decision over local fan favorite Brad Strand. The judges favored Baluta 98-91 and 96-94, out-voting the Italian judge whose 97-93 tally for Strand was deemed the most accurate by the TV pundits.
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 317: Callum Walsh, Dana White and More

As Callum Walsh stood on the observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building with fists clenched, it harked back to actor Jimmy Cagney, an actor of Irish descent, yelling âTop of the world, ma,â in the 1949 motion picture White Heat.
The Irish-born Walsh brings that kind of attitude.
Once again Walsh (12-0, 10 KOs) returns to New York City and this time faces Scottish warrior Dean Sutherland (19-1, 7 KOs) in a super welterweight match set for 10 rounds on Sunday, March 16, at Madison Garden Theater.
UFC Fight Pass will stream the 360 Promotions event.
Flanked by master trainer Freddie Roach and managed by Dana White it brings questions as to the direction that Walsh will be steered. It was just revealed that White will head a new boxing promotion outfit with big plans to make a more UFC type of organization.
Is Walsh part of the plans?
Itâs a lot to digest as the hot prospect from Cork, Ireland proceeds toward world championship dreams. Can he cleanse his mind of this major distraction?
Walsh and Sutherland are both southpaws who are meeting at the crossroads in the heart of New York City. At this point of their careers a loss can mean rebooting and taking a few steps backward. The winner moves on to the next crucial step.
Sutherland, 26, hails from Aberdeen and has never fought outside of his native Scotland. Itâs a lot to ask of someone whose countryâs population of 5 million is dwarfed by New York Cityâs 8.2 million inhabitants all packed together.
Irelandâs population is also 5 million. So basically, both Walsh and Sutherland are on even terms when they enter the prize ring on Sunday.
Who knows what kind of competition Sutherland faced in Scotland. He beat two undefeated fighters and also conquered two foes who each had more than 100 losses on their resumes.
Meanwhile, Walsh has faced only one undefeated fighter but handled veterans like Benjamin Whitaker, Ismael Villareal and Carlos Ortiz Cervantes. But you never know until they meet face to face. Anything can happen in a prize ring.
Walsh has a three-fight knockout streak. Sutherland has slept two out of his last three foes. They will be joined by several Irish fighters on the card plus Cletus âThe Hebrew Hammerâ Seldin.
Dana, Turk and TKO
The announcement earlier in the week that Turki Alalshikh together with TKO Group Holdings that include Dana White and Nick Khan formed a new boxing promotion company.
White, who does not own UFC but guides the MMA ship, works for Endeavor, the parent company of UFC and WWE. Their events are all shown on ESPN, the powerful sports network (albeit WWEâs flagship weekly show âRawâ recently moved to Netflix). It seems Endeavor has decided to allow White to guide its boxing program too.
Where does that leave Top Rank?
It seems the partnership plans to rid boxing of the many sanctioning organizations and have only one champion per division. The champion will be given a Ring Magazine belt. Recently, Turki Alalshikh purchased The Ring magazine from Golden Boy Promotions. This seems to have been the plan all along.
Is this good for boxing?
Mark Shapiro, the president of TKO Group Holdings, said:
âThis is a strategic opportunity to re-imagine the sport of boxing globally. TKO has the deep expertise, promotional prowess, and longstanding relationships. HE Turki Alalshikh and Sela share our passion and vision for evolving the current model. Together, we can bring the sweet science back to its rightful place in the forefront of the global sports ecosystem.â
DAZN all day
Three boxing cards take place on Saturday beginning with WBA featherweight titlist Nick Ball (21-0-1) the human cannonball, defending against former champion TJ Doheny from Liverpool, England. The first bout begins around 9:30 a.m. (Pacific Coast Time). Ball likes to charge forward and punch. Doheny is no slouch and has experience.
Later, Matchroom Boxing presents a show from Florida that features Edgar Berlanga (22-1) fresh off a solid contest against Canelo Alvarez. He fights undefeated Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1) in a super middleweight match. Also, Ammo Williams (17-1) returns to face dangerous Patrice Volny (19-1) in a middleweight clash. The card starts at 3:30 p.m. (Pacific Coast Time.
Saturday evening MarvNation presents Amado Vargas (11-0) meeting Eduardo Hernandez (8-2) in a super lightweight contest at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. Start time is set for 8 p.m. (Pacific Coast Time). The son of the great Fernando Vargas remains undefeated.
Fights to Watch
Sat. DAZN 11:30 a.m. Nick Ball (21-0-1) vs TJ Doheny (26-5).
Sat. DAZN 3:30 p.m. Edgar Berlanga (22-1) vs Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1) ; Ammo Williams (17-1) vs Patrice Volny (19-1).
Sat. DAZN 8 p.m. Amado Vargas (11-0) vs Eduardo Hernandez (8-2).
Sun. UFC Fight Pass 3 p.m. Callum Walsh (12-0) vs Dean Sutherland (19-1).
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A Fresh Face on the Boxing Scene, Bryce Mills Faces His Toughest Test on Friday

âHe wants to test himself and find out just how good he really is,â said International Boxing Hall of Fame promoter Russell Peltz regarding super lightweight Bryce Mills. Peltz, who has dealt with a wide range of fighters throughout his lifetime in boxing, recognized the fire that burned inside Mills at a local show in Philadelphia in early 2022. At the time Mills had less than ten professional fights under his belt.
Mills hails from Liverpool in upstate New York and trains in nearby Syracuse. Currently 17-1 (6 KOs), heâs undefeated in his last 11 since losing a split decision to a Puerto Rican fighter from the Bronx who had fought much stiffer competition.
The fight in question that caught Peltzâs eye was arranged by the well-known and respected matchmaker Nick Tiberi who paired Mills in an intriguing fight against Daiyaan Butt, a tough and skilled fighter from the Philadelphia area. They fought at LIVE Casino in South Philadelphia on Feb. 24, 2022.
Although the crowd on hand that night favored Butt, Mills, although then only 20 years old, wasnât intimidated and was the clear-cut winner at the end of their exciting, back-and-forth battle. This showed Peltz that Mills was serious about seeing just how far his ability could take him.
Thatâs why Peltz decided to join forces with Mills. Despite being semi-retired, Peltz is still active enough to help guide fighters through the ever-changing wild west landscape that is boxing. Since their union after Millâs victory over Butt, Mills has been on a nine-fight winning streak heading into what Peltz believes is the toughest test of his career this Friday against Alex Martin 18-6 (6 KOs) of Chicago.
âI didnât want him to take this fight, itâs a dangerous fight for him. Martin is a southpaw and is tricky, heâs a veteran and is experienced. His father (Millsâs father) called me and said that Bryce wanted the fight, to his credit,â says Peltz. One look at Martinâs resume and it confirms what Peltz stated. All six of Martinâs losses came against fighters with outstanding records including a former world title challenger. Martin also holds some quality wins over undefeated prospects that were at similar points in their careers to where Mills currently is in his development.
Bryce Mills looks like a fighter (heâs always in shape), acts like a fighter (testing his craft against all comers), walks the walk of a fighter, and fights with a fan-friendly pedal-to-the-metal style. That is a winning combination that could be the breath of fresh air the boxing world could surely use and on Friday night at the Wind Creek Events Center in Bethlehem, PA, live on DAZN, Mills is going to have the opportunity to put the boxing world on notice.
***
DAZN will televise the Mills-Martin fight along with a main event that features undefeated middleweight Euri Cedeno (10-0-1, 9 KOâs) against Ulices Rivera (11-1, 7 KOâs). Knockout artist Joseph Adorno (20-4-1, 17 KOs) and undefeated Reading, PA super featherweight Julian Gonzalez (15-0-1, 11 KOs) appear in separate bouts on the undercard. Tickets for the Marshall Kauffmanâs Kings Promotion show are still available through Ticketmaster. Lobby doors open at 5:00 pm. First bell is at 7:00.
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