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HITS and MISSES: AJ’s Mandatory Destruction of Kubrat Pulev and More

HITS and MISSES: AJ’s Mandatory Destruction of Kubrat Pulev and More
It was another big weekend in boxing. While most of the world was glued to their seats at home watching Anthony Joshua climb back into the ring for the first time since the pandemic struck, there were several other important fights and high-profile prospects on display.
With all that in mind, here are the biggest and best HITS and MISSES from another busy weekend on the boxing beat.
HIT: Anthony Joshua’s Mandatory Destruction of Kubrat Pulev
Unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua seems to be on his way to making the biggest fight in British boxing history happen, but the 31-year-old first needed to take care of business against 39-year-old Bulgarian challenger Kubrat Pulev on Saturday in London.
AJ dominated and stopped Pulev in nine rounds. Pulev had entered the fight having won eight straight contests since his lone defeat to Wladimir Klitschko in 2014, so it was a solid win over a notable challenger.
Now, Joshua appears to be all the way back from his upset loss to upstart Andy Ruiz back in 2019. Sure, Joshua had already avenged that shocking defeat later that same year, but there was still at least some cause of concern among the masses that maybe it was more than just a blip on the radar. Maybe Joshua just wasn’t what people thought he was.
But now? Joshua is quite clearly one of the two very best heavyweight boxers on the planet, so it’s high time for him and WBC titleholder Tyson Fury to meet in a winner takes all superfight.
MISS: WBO’s Ridiculous Position on Boxing’s Biggest Fight
If Joshua and Fury do fight next as many hope, there’s a chance that the important heavyweight battle will crown the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion since Lennox Lewis pulled off the feat way back in 1999 against Evander Holyfield.
Well, that’s what everybody thought until Joshua beat Pulev on Saturday, and WBO president Paco Valcarcel went on social media to suggest that his alphabet organization wouldn’t be allowing its champion (Joshua) to fight anyone but Oleksandr Usyk next.
Huh?
Look, Usyk is one of the most intriguing storylines in boxing, but there’s not a bigger fight to be made in the world right now than Joshua vs. Fury. So Valcarcel essentially saying on social media that his organization would stand in the way of crowning the undisputed champion in boxing’s glamour division is ultimately just another example in a long line of them of why it will always be in boxing’s best interests to figure out a way to kick these sanctioning organizations to the curb.
HIT: Shakur Stevenson’s Masterful Boxing Skills
Shakur Stevenson won every single round against Toka Khan Clary on Saturday. His immediate hopes for superstardom notwithstanding, the southpaw is as good as it gets inside a boxing ring.
According to CompuBoxâs Dan Canobbio, Stevenson has out-landed his opponents 1,249-351 through his first 15 fights. That level of superiority on defense is an incredible skill to have, one I’ve anecdotally heard in Houston-area gym stories which say that some of the best and brightest prospects in the sport have been reduced to tears and anger over not being able to land a single punch on the guy during sparring.
None of those things will pay immediate dividends for the 23-year-old, but Stevenson’s consistent excellence over time might someday put him in a position to become boxing’s next big thing.
Look, everybody loves the knockout, and Top Rank’s 23-year-old prodigy Edgar Berlanga is a guy that will continue to gets all sorts of attention so long as he keeps dropping his opponents in under three minutes. But Stevenson’s ceiling is as high as they come.
Is he the next Floyd Mayweather? That’s a big ask, but Stevenson surely appears to be on his way to having a chance.
MISS: Clay Collard’s ‘Fighter of the Year’ Push
Much was made on social media about someone at the latest Boxing Writers Association of America meeting nominating ex-UFC fighter Clay Collard as boxing’s Fighter of the Year for 2020. That motion did not pass, but people made mincemeat over it anyway.
At the time of his nomination, of course, Collard had won five fights during 2020, a few of which came quite surprisingly.
So, despite the vitriol spewed by some people who didn’t quite share the same opinion about the matter, Collard was entering his final fight in 2020 with at least the chance of being considered one of the most remarkable stories of the year in the sport.
How could he not be in the running for Fighter of the Year?
Regardless, Collard didn’t appear to fight with the same kind of energy he used in his five other previous fights as a professional boxer on Saturday. Perhaps the MMA star has simply had enough of limiting himself to just two fists and is ready to jump into next year’s Professional Fighters League MMA tournament.
Or maybe his opponent Quincy LaVallais was just too slick.
Whatever the case, Collard missed a huge opportunity to keep his undefeated run going as a professional boxer. He might not have been the BWAAâs Fighter of the Year, but he would have surely been mine.
HIT: Masayoshi Nakatani’s Thrilling ComebackÂ
It didn’t seem like the 31-year-old from Japan was brought to The Bubble at MGM on Saturday to win his fight, but Masayoshi Nakatani scored a thrilling comeback knockout victory of Felix Verdejo anyway.
Verdejo, 27, was on a redemption tour of sorts. The Puerto Rican had shockingly lost his undefeated record back in 2018 via 10th-round stoppage to an even more unheralded opponent than Nakatani, but the former Olympian had righted the ship by reeling off four straight wins.
Things appeared to be heading toward a fifth straight victory when Verdejo dropped Nakatani in the first round and again in the fourth. But Nakatani kept employing his craft over all other available options, most notably quitting, and eventually turned the fight around to score the dramatic knockout win in the ninth.
The best part? Nakatani’s only other loss was to Teofimo Lopez last year in a 12-round decision. When that happened, most observers (including me) chose to blast Lopez over his effort and focus rather than give credit to Nakatani.
In hindsight, maybe Nakatani is just a whole lot better than people thought.
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Boxers Fighting the Best and Doing It Again for the First Time: Part Two

Boxers Fighting the Best and Doing It Again for the First Time: Part Two
As mentioned in Part One, the phrase âcherry pickingâ gained meaningful traction during the time âMoneyâ Mayweather was making his run. A new and very simple business model seemed to fuel it; namely, make the most money the quickest way with the least amount of risk and that translated into fewer fights. The change was almost imperceptible.
WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. (31-1) has fought once a year sine 2014. WBO middleweight king Demetrius Andrade (39-0) started out fast but then fell into a less active mode. Wlad Klitschko began to pick his spots with more caution as he met the likes of Francesco Pianeta and Alex Leapai. Shane Mosley slowed down towards the end and even Guillermo Rigondeaux (20-1) has faded from the headlines after being stopped by Vasyl Lomachenko.
Back to the Future
Suddenly, however, a twist has emerged that suggests a new model may well be in the offing; to wit: make the most money the quickest way but with lesser regard to risk. Perhaps Daniel Dubois fighting Joe Joyce last November was an example. Translated, it could mean that the best will fight the best as they did in days of yore. If so, Mega- possibilities await.
âI Want All The Belts, No Easy Fights, I Want To Face The Best.â âVirgil Ortiz
Ryan âKing Ryâ Garcia (21-0) has called out everyone and anybody and it appears he might get his wish in Devin âThe Dreamâ Haney (25-0) or maybe the exciting Gervonta âTankâ Davis (24-0).
The new breed of Davis, Garcia, Haney and Teofimo âThe Takeoverâ Lopez is being is being compared to the âFour Kingsâ (Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Duran) but a flattered Devin Haney wisely notes âthose guys fought each other.â
In this connection, writer James Slater nails it as follows: âRight now, in todayâs boxing world, Haney, Lopez, Davis and Garcia could all do well, they could win a title or two and they could pick up some huge paydays, without fighting each other. This is the state the sport is in these days. Itâs up to the fighters to really WANT to take take the risks, to take on their most dangerous rivals. The âFour Kingsâ did it, time and again, and this is what added enormously to their greatness.â
Teofimo Lopez did it. After shocking Richard Commey, he beat Vasyl Lomachenko in an even more shocking outcome and now wants George Kambosos, Jr. to step aside for a Devin Haney fight.
It doesnât get any better than the specter of Errol Spence Jr. (27-0) fighting âBudâ Crawford (37-0) unless itâs Tyson Fury (30-0-1) meeting Anthony Joshua (24-1.) If Covid 19 is under control, they could do this one in front of 100,000 fans.
Josh Taylor has talked about challenging Lopez even if it means dropping down to lightweight, and then moving up to 147 to challenge Crawford or Spence.
Dillian Whyte rematching with Alexander Povetkin is another highly anticipated fray and has the added dimension of being a crossroads affair. Oleksandr Usyk will likely face off with Joe Joyce in Usykâs first real test as a heavyweight.
In late February thereâs a big domestic showdown in New Zealand between heavyweights Joseph Parker and Junior Fa. On that same date In London, Carl Frampton squares off with slick WBO 130-pound champion Jamel Herring.
And Juan Francisco Estrada rematching with a rejuvenated Roman âChocolatitoâ Gonzalez has everyoneâs attention.
Super exciting Joe Smith Jr. meets Russiaâs Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBA light heavyweight belt. Whatâs not to like?
The showdown between Miguel Berchelt (38-1) and Oscar Valdez (28-0) is the best on the February docket and could end up being a FOTY.
Speaking of FOTY’s, the prospect of Naoya “Monster” Inoue vs. Kazuto Ioka is as mouthwatering as it can get and has global appeal.
Meanwhile, Artur Beterbiev looms and it’s not a question of opponents as much as it’s a question of who wants to contend with his bludgeoning style of destruction.
Claressa Shields, Marie Eve Dicaire, Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Delfine Persoon, Jessica McCaskill, and Layla McCarter are prepared to make female boxing sizzle. In the final analysis, when Vasyl Lomachenko becomes an opponent, you know something is very different.
You can read Part One HERE
Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com
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Vic Pasillas: An East L.A. Fighter

When East L.A.âs Vic Pasillas enters the prize ring this weekend he follows a path that many from his area have trod before. Not all were successful, but those that succeed become near legendary.
But itâs definitely not easy being from East L.A.
Pasillas (16-0, 9 KOs) meets Michiganâs Raeese Aleem (17-0, 11 KOs) for the vacant interim WBA featherweight title on Saturday Jan. 23, at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. Showtime will televise live.
Once again, a fighter from East L.A. stands pivoted for greatness. Can Pasillas go all the way?
For the past 130 years, prizefighters from East Los Angeles have developed into some of the best in the world if you can get them into the prize ring. Oscar De La Hoya and Leo Santa Cruz are two who were able to duck drugs, crime, street gangs and longtime allegiances that can often mislead aspiring boxers toward deadly endings.
One of the first featherweight champions in history lived in East L.A. Solly Garcia Smith won the world championship in 1893. He was the first Latino to ever win a world title.
There are many others from âEast Losâ who were talented prizefighters that were sidetracked into oblivion. Talented pugilists like brothers Panchito Bojado and Angel Bojado were derailed by mysterious obstacles that East Los Angeles presents. Others like Frankie Gomez and Julian Rodriguez showed dazzling promise but disappeared.
It’s almost as if a curse hangs over East L.A. area like a blanket of smog.
Many were surefire champions. But for some reason East L.A. or East Los as itâs called by those living in the 20 square mile radius, seems to have a dark lingering spell that makes it extra difficult for prizefighters to succeed.
Back in the 1950s a supremely talented fighter named Keeny Teran was skyrocketing to fame when heroin dropped him like an invisible left hook. Celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Danny Kaye were his biggest backers. Yet, not even they could help Teran.
Drugs almost took Pasillas too.
The fighter known as âViciousâ Vic Pasillas could have tripped into one of those sad stories from East L.A. you often hear about from your abuelitas. The streets can easily claim you if you let your guard down. Who is a friend and who is a foe are not often clear as the colors brown or white. Itâs a potholed journey to navigate the barrio streets that look tame during the day, but ominous when the darkness arrives.
Barrio Life
Growing up with parents who were incarcerated led Pasillas to find loyalty from the vatos on the street. They treated him well and gave him protection and a sense of family, but often led to being involved in petty and major crimes.
âI moved out of the neighborhood. I had to get away from my friends. No disrespect to them but I knew that I would end up in jail,â said Pasillas who moved to Riverside, Calif. which is 60 miles east of East L.A. âNobody knew where I was.â
One thing certain: prizefighting was his gift. All that he encountered recognized his boxing ability.
âHe was always a gifted fighter,â said Joe Estrada, who would often take him to tournaments around California or in other states. âEvery tournament he entered he won. He has always had speed, power, and defense. Heâs always been a great boxer, but trouble was always around him.â
Gangs had always been a part of Pasillas life. He was born into gangs in South El Monte and even after moving to East L.A. it was not an escape. It was vatos locos that took him under their wing and showed him love and respect. They took care of him; some were also boxers.
East L.A. is an area much like a spider web. You can travel a quarter mile in one direction and suddenly you are in enemy turf. Gangs are everywhere. If you are an adult male you canât simply walk outside a door without looking in all directions. It makes you razor sharp in recognizing danger. You always look out for danger.
Pasillas loved boxing and loved his friends, the big homies, but cutting off one for the other was the most difficult decision. He would train, fight, and win but then hang with the homies and end up being arrested with the rest of them.
âThe cops would come and everybody would run so I would run,â said Pasillas. âI didnât do anything, but I would get busted with everybody else for trying to evade the police.â
Things remained the same until he met his wife. The streets never had a chance. Once married he moved to the Riverside area. It was 2011 and newly married he needed to make a decision on whether to try and make the Olympic team or turn professional.
âI was ready to go to the Olympics. First, I was going to smash everybody but my wife got pregnant at 2011. It forced me to get a job at a warehouse. I was making 50 dollars a week. Pennies,â said Pasillas. âI got a call from Cameron Dunkin and Top Rank. They offered me a fight on the third Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez fight. That was my pro debut.â
Sadly, the streets reclaimed him again.
Reckoning
A move to northern California seemed to change things but the struggle to stay outside the grasp of the streets remained real even hundreds of miles away. Despite the dark times Pasillas still had friends and admirers.
Seniesa Estrada, who holds the interim WBA flyweight title and is poised to fight for a world title in March, remembers sparring with Pasillas when she could not find girls to spar.
âVic was always very good. He would take it easy on me, of course, but I would learn so much from sparring with guys like him and Jojo Diaz and Frankie Gomez,â said Estrada, who grew up and still lives in East L.A.
Pasillas, 28, had more than 300 amateur fights. He lost only eight times. Anyone who ever saw him fight immediately recognized his immense talent.
âVic is one of the best fighters I ever saw,â said Joe Estrada. âEveryone knew that when heâs in shape he canât be beat. Just so much talent.â
That talent will be tested on Saturday when he meets Michiganâs undefeated Aleem. Whoever wins their battle will meet the winner between Angelo Leo and Stephen Fulton who fight for the WBO super bantamweight title.
âI want to fight the best now, and Pasillas is one of the best fighters in the division. Iâm not ducking or dodging anyone. Iâm going to be a world champion by all means necessary,â said Aleem who now fights out of Las Vegas.
Pasillas doesnât doubt that Aleem has talent.
âI donât want to give up my game plan but best believe Iâm going to do whatever it takes to win this fight. If he wants to bang, then weâll bang, if he wants to box, weâll box. Iâve seen so many different styles in the amateurs, there is nothing that he brings that I havenât seen. My power is what heâs going to have to deal with,â Pasillas said.
It’s been an incredible up and down journey so far for Pasillas; a lifetime of dealing with hidden traps on East L.A. streets that have toppled many previous fighters now long forgotten.
Or will those same streets show the way to glittering success as former champions De La Hoya, Santa Cruz, Joey Olivo, Richie Lemos, Newsboy Brown and Solly Garcia Smith discovered.
One thing Pasillas already discovered was his own family.
âPeople invite me all the time to events and parties but I tell them I already have plans with my family,â said Pasillas who has a wife and two elementary age children. âI never really had a family like other people.â
Now he has his own family. Something he didnât have during his youth due to drugs and the streets.
âItâs just a domino effect. Iâm making sure Iâm going to stop that sât,â says Pasillas. âItâs going to be good for East Los. Iâm a born and bred fighter from East Los.â
Sometimes the streets can break you or make you.
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Hank Aaron and Muhammad Ali

Hank Aaron, one of the greatest players in baseball history, died today (January 22) at age 86.
Aaron is best known for breaking Babe Ruth’s mark of 714 career home runs. He finished his sojourn through baseball with 755 homers, a record that stood until 2007 when it was eclipsed by Barry Bonds. He still holds the MLB career records for most RBIs, most total bases, and most extra base hits while ranking third on the list for most hits and most games played and fourth in runs scored. He was a thoughtful gracious man who inspired a generation.
Decades ago, I was conducting research for the book that would become Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. As part of this process, I interviewed many great athletes. Some, like Jim Brown, had played an important role in Ali’s life. Others had interacted with Muhammad in a less significant manner. The people I spoke with included sports legends like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, and Reggie Jackson. On September 5, 1989, I was privileged to talk with Aaron.
Aaron had broken Babe Ruth’s record in 1974, the year that Ali dethroned George Foreman to reclaim the heavyweight championship of the world. The thoughts that Aaron shared with me – one great athlete talking about another – follow:
âI was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1934. I came up with the Braves when I was twenty. And coming from Mobile, I was very shy. I wasnât satisfied with the way things were, but I felt like I had to do something special in baseball in order to get people to listen to me. By the time Ali came along, things were a little different but not that much. My first awareness of him was when he won the gold medal. And I saw greatness stamped all over him. How great, I didnât know. But I was impressed by his ability and his confidence.
âBeing a gifted athlete, being one of the best in the world at what you do, is a great feeling. But sometimes itâs kind of eerie because you wonder why youâre blessed with so much ability. Iâd go up to the plate to face a pitcher and Iâd know that, before the night was over, I was going to hit one out of the ballpark. I felt that, and Iâm sure Ali felt the same way. That no matter who he got in the ring with, he was better and heâd figure them out. He had all kinds of confidence. And I was the same way. The only thing that scared me was, when I was approaching Babe Ruthâs record, I got a lot of threatening letters. Iâm sure Ali went through the same thing with letters from people who didnât want him to be heavyweight champion. Most of that stuff is nothing but cranks. But one of them might be for real, and you never know which one.
âI donât think thereâll ever be another fighter like Muhammad Ali. Iâm not putting anybody else down. Maybe someone could have beaten Ali in his prime, but Iâm not concerned about that. Thereâs just no one who could possibly be as beautiful in the ring as he was. For a guy to be that big and move the way he did; it was like music, poetry, no question about it. And for what he did outside the ring, Ali will always be remembered. When you start talking about sports, when you start talking about history; you canât do it unless you mention Ali. Children in this country should be taught forever how he stood by his convictions and lived his life. Heâs someone that black people, white people, people all across the country whatever their color, can be proud of. I know, Iâm glad I had the opportunity to live in his time and bear witness to what he accomplished. God gave Ali the gift, and Ali used it right.â
I remember very clearly reading to Ali what Hank Aaron had said about him. And Muhammad responded, “Hank Aaron said that about me? I’m honored.”
Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. His most recent book â Staredown: Another Year Inside Boxing â was published by the University of Arkansas Press. In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored Hauser with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism. In 2019, Hauser was selected for induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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