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The Fallout Continues from the Benn-Eubank Fiasco but the Beat Goes On
Six days have elapsed since Riath Al-Sammarai, the Chief sports feature writer at the Daily Mail, broke the news that Conor Benn had tested positive for a banned substance, aborting the big fight between the offspring of British boxing legends Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, and the brickbats continue to fly with lead promoter Eddie Hearn bearing the brunt.
Hearn and his collaborator Kalle Sauerland were apparently aware of this development well before the story broke – Benn’s “A-sample” purportedly came back positive on Aug. 23 – but did not call off the fight until a last-ditch effort to salvage it and the heat got too intense.
Donald McRae’s chastisement typified the reaction. Writing in the London Guardian, McRae, an award-winning author, had this to say: “The shameless way in which efforts were made to sidestep the damning evidence of the Vada test…exposed the hypocrisy at the sick old heart of this promotion and boxing itself.”
Before the spit hit the fan, Chris Eubank Sr, who refused to participate in any of the pre-fight hoopla, encouraged fans to boycott the fight, a “catch-weight” affair. By his reckoning, his son, although the bigger man, was in greater jeopardy of being permanently injured because of weight-draining. Eubank Sr held no animosity toward Conor Benn who he believes ingested the banned substance at the suggestion of a member or members of his camp without realizing the ramifications.
Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, of all people, has now added his voice to the chorus, blistering Eddie Hearn as a hypocrite on his YouTube channel. (Jarrell Miller has his own YouTube channel? The world has passed me by.)
Miller, as we recall, was pulled from his scheduled 2019 fight at Madison Square Garden with Anthony Joshua by the New York State Athletic Commission when he was exposed as a serial PEDs (plural) user. “He threw me under the bus,” said Miller of Hearn whose hands were tied when the adverse findings were made known.
Several months ago, Hearn said that Miller still owed him money which he intended to collect (an advance on Miller’s multi-million-dollar purse) and branded Big Baby a criminal.
Will Eddie Hearn seek reparations from Conor Benn? The influential promoter had a lot invested in him. As Sean Nam noted in a story that ran on these pages, the flashy son of Nigel Benn was emerging as Hearn’s most promising candidate to carry British boxing into the post-Joshua era.
Meanwhile, the beat goes on for Eddie Hearn who makes his first foray into Australia this weekend with an event in South Brisbane with undefeated Aussie super lightweights Liam Paro and Brock Jarvis colliding in the main go. Paro, the slicker boxer, is a consensus 2/1 favorite over the harder-punching Jarvis in a match that promises more fireworks than the more newsworthy fight the next day down the road in Melbourne (well, actually the cities are 1100 miles apart), the rematch between Devin Haney and George Kambosos Jr.
Crawford-Spence
According to various sources, negotiations between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr have hit a snag and the hoped-for date of Nov. 19 is a no-go, pushing the fight into December at the earliest. A keen-eyed contributor to a rival publication notes that Crawford is now 35 and Spence is 32. Keep that in mind when the promoters tag this match with a steep pay-for-view price tag and hype it as the reincarnation of Leonard-Hearns I.
When Sugar Ray and Tommy the Hitman met at Caesars Place in 1981, Sugar Ray was 25 and Hearns was 23.
The biggest welterweight match since that classic was the 1999 meeting at Mandalay Bay between Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad. Both were 26. Granted, athletes don’t age as fast nowadays because of advances in nutrition and exercise science, but each month that this match-up stays on the backburner, the less likely that Crawford and Spence will meet in their respective primes.
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Dr. Bennet Omalu has been in the news a lot lately. Dr. Omalu is the Nigerian-American neuropathologist whose research into Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in retired football players inspired the 2015 Hollywood movie “Concussion” and was instrumental in getting the NFL to institute “protocols” to prevent players who receive concussions from going back into the game with an eye toward diminishing the risk that they will develop neurological deficits later in life that will burden their loved ones.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently suffered apparent concussions in games spaced four days apart. Dr. Omalu, who believes that all contact sports for children should be abolished, ventured the opinion that Tagovailoa, who is 24 years old and is in his third season in the league, should retire immediately. The quarterback, he told TMZ, [“more than likely”] suffered severe long-term permanent brain damage.”
Dr. Omalu pops up in Tris Dixon’s important 2021 book “Damage” The Untold Story of Brain Damage in Boxing.” CTE is pugilistic dementia re-named to fit a wider set of precipitators.
While not wishing to denigrate the importance of Omalu’s findings, it’s worth noting that he isn’t held in high regard by his peers. For one thing, he continues to maintain the fiction that he discovered CTE. To the contrary, he did not discover the disease, nor he did he name it. A British neurologist first used the term in 1949.
Washington Post sports reporter Will Hobson “outed” Omalu for a 2020 story titled “From Scientist to Salesman.” The consensus in the brain science community, says Hobson, is that Omalu “exaggerates his accomplishments and dramatically overstates the known risks of CTE and contact sports.”
Dr. Omalu, noted Hobson, transitioned from being a CTE researcher to being an evangelist, cashing in on his fame to make public appearances at $25,000 a pop. CTE is one of the fastest growing fields of litigation and Omalu commands a fee of $10,000 for serving as an expert witness.
Omalu reportedly earned $900,000 in 2018, the bulk coming from courtroom appearances as an expert witness for the plaintiff.
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Ringside at the Cosmo: Pacheco Outpoints Nelson plus Undercard Results
LAS VEGAS, NV – Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Promotions was at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas tonight for the second half of a DAZN doubleheader that began in Nottingham, England. In the main event, Diego Pacheco, ranked #1 by the WBO at super middleweight, continued his ascent toward a world title with a unanimous decision over Steven Nelson.
Pacheco glides round the ring smoothly whereas Nelson wastes a lot energy with something of a herky-jerky style. However, although Nelson figured to slow down as the fight progressed, he did some of his best work in rounds 11 and 12. Fighting with a cut over his left eye from round four, a cut that periodically reopened, the gritty Nelson fulfilled his promise that he would a fight as if he had everything to lose if he failed to win, but it just wasn’t enough, even after his Omaha homie Terence “Bud” Crawford entered his corner before the last round to give him a pep talk (back home in North Omaha, Nelson runs the B&B (Bud and Bomac) Sports Academy.
All three judges had it 117-111 for Pacheco who mostly fought off his back foot but landed the cleaner punches throughout. A stablemate of David Benavidez and trained by David’s father Jose Benevidez Sr, Pacheco improved to 23-0 (18). It was the first pro loss for the 36-year-old Nelson (20-1).
Semi wind-up
Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz, who as a pro has never fought a match slated for fewer than 10 rounds, had too much class for Hermosillo, Mexico’s rugged Omar Salcido who returned to his corner with a puffy face after the fourth stanza, but won the next round and never stopped trying. The outcome was inevitable even before the final round when Salcido barely made it to the final gun, but the Mexican was far more competitive than many expected.
The Cuban, who was 4-0 vs. Keyshawn Davis in closely-contested bouts as an amateur, advanced his pro record to 5-0 (2), winning by scores by 99-91 and 98-92 twice. Salido, coming off his career-best win, a 9th-round stoppage of former WBA super featherweight title-holder Chris Colbert, falls to 20-2.
Other TV bouts
Ernesto “Tito” Mercado, a 23-year-old super lightweight, aims to become the next world champion from Pomona, California, following in the footsteps of the late Richie Sandoval and Sugar Shane Mosely, and based on his showing tonight against former Beijing Olympian and former two-division title-holder Jose Pedraza, he is well on his way.
After three rounds after what had been a technical fight, Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) knocked Pedraza off his pins with an overhand right followed by short left hand. Pedraza bounced back and fell on his backside. When he rose on unsteady legs, the bout was waived off. The official time was 2:08 of round four and the fading, 25-year-old Pedraza (29-7-1) was saddled with his third loss in his last four outings.
The 8-round super lightweight clash between Israel Mercado (no relation to “Tito”) and Leonardo Rubalcava was fan-friendly skirmish with many robust exchanges. When the smoke cleared, the verdict was a majority draw. Mercado got the nod on one card (76-74), but was overruled by a pair of 75-75 scores.
Mercado came out strong in the opening round, but suffered a flash knockdown before the round ended. The referee ruled it a slip but was overruled by replay operator Jay Nady and what would have been a 10-9 round for Mercado became a 10-8 round for Rubalcava. Mercado lost another point in round seven when he was penalized for low blows.
The scores were 76-74 for Mercado (11-1-2) and 75-75 twice. The verdict was mildly unpopular with most thinking that Mercado deserved the nod. Reportedly a four-time Mexican amateur champion, Rubalcava (9-0-1) is trained by Robert Garcia.
Also
New Matchroom signee Nishant Dev, a 24-year-old southpaw from India, had an auspicious pro debut (pardon the cliché). Before a beaming Eddie Hearn, Dev stopped Oakland’s Alton Wiggins (1-1-1) in the opening round. The referee waived it off after the second knockdown.
Boxers from India have made large gains at the amateur level in recent years and Matchroom honcho Eddie Hearn anticipates that Dev, a Paris Olympian, will be the first fighter from India to make his mark as a pro.
Undefeated Brooklyn lightweight Harley Mederos, managed by the influential Keith Connolly, scored his seventh knockout in eight tries with a brutal third-round KO of Mexico’s Arturo de Isla.
A left-right combination knocked de Isla (5-3-1) flat on his back. Referee Raul Caiz did not bother to count and several minutes elapsed before the stricken fighter was fit to leave the ring. The official time was 1:27 of round three.
In the opener, Newark junior lightweight Zaquin Moses, a cousin of Shakur Stevenson, improved to 2-0 when his opponent retired on his stool after the opening round.
Photo credit: Melina Pizano / Matchroom
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Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City
Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his last three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).
Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.
In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.
The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.
Co-Feature
In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.
Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.
What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.
The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.
Also
In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).
A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, applied the exclamation point, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.
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Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim
Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.
Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.
Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.
Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is Brandon Figueroa should he defeat former Inoue foe Stephen Fulton next weekend. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.
Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”
Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.
Semi-wind-up
In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.
Also
In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.
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