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Avila Perspective, Chap. 276: Notes on AJ vs Ngannou and Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 276: Notes on AJ vs Ngannou and Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul

Fighting is fighting.

Whether it’s influencers, celebrities, former champions or retired athletes, when it comes to trading blows people like watching human beings knock out other human beings.

It is human nature.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) meets MMA champion Francis Ngannou (0-1) on Friday, March 8, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Matchroom Boxing and Queensbury Boxing card will be streamed on PPV.Com.

You are not mistaken in wondering why Joshua is fighting someone with no wins in pro boxing.

Let me explain: last October Ngannou knocked down heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and barely lost by decision. It was a shocking result to see an MMA fighter with no pro boxing experience nearly topple the current heavyweight king.

“I think I haven’t shocked the world yet,” Ngannou said.

It’s a new age for prizefighting.

When it comes to fighting, I’ve always maintained that the best fighter in the world is not necessarily a professional. He could be a normal looking person who has never put on gloves but with natural fighting abilities that just cannot be taught.

Ngannou just might be that guy.

When the former UFC champion dropped Fury in the third round it was pretty unbelievable. The boxing world champion has one of the better chins in the business. Of course, Fury was able to use his boxing skills to wrangle a win by split decision after 10 rounds.

Throughout boxing history boxers like Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and Oscar De La Hoya have ventured into crossover or celebrity fights for money. It piques the interest of fans. It’s like watching a car crash.

Joshua has already been through this kind of affair. Remember when he accepted the much smaller and seemingly unfit Andy Ruiz?

“It’s our duty to do what we’ve got to do. We work for these people out here, do you know what I mean?” said Joshua at the press conference. “These are the fights that they want to see. We’re here to entertain them, so I feel the pressure.”

The physically imposing former heavyweight champion lost three times to foes that seemed too small to cause problems. Now he faces someone his size with knockout power and with muscles that probably pop the buttons on his shirts if he flexes.

Ngannou has power to spare. Joshua’s chin has limits.

“I want to thank AJ for also being part of this. It always takes two to tango, so thank you for being here and for making this happen,” Ngannou told Joshua.

Also on the same card, China’s Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) meets New Zealand’s Joseph Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) in another intriguing heavyweight clash.

The last time Parker fought he upset former world champion Deontay Wilder. In each of Zhang’s last two matches he knocked out Britain’s Joe Joyce.

Anything can happen when it comes to heavyweights.

Tyson and Jake Paul

It was announced that influencer fighter Jake Paul will fight former boxing great Mike Tyson on July 20 at ATT Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Netflix will stream the Most Valuable Promotions card.

It is not a pay-per-view event, according to MVP. It is free to Netflix subscribers.

We just saw Paul score another first round knockout against a professional boxer this past weekend. Now he’s enticed the mighty Tyson to return to the prize ring at age 57.

Tyson is the most recognizable name in boxing today. Though he last fought professionally in 2005, he did fight an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020 that drew more than 1.6 million pay-per-views.

“He’s grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a “kid” can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT,” stated Tyson. “It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”

Paul has already proven to be a big draw in boxing. When you combine Paul and Tyson’s marketing appeal it is easy to understand that drawing 2 million or more pay-per-views is very reachable.

“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard. Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons,” said Jake Paul.

Jim Lampley

Legendary boxing commentator Jim Lampley will be doing the broadcast for the Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou heavyweight contest on Friday March 8, on PPV.COM. The Matchroom and Queensbury Promotions card begins at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

“As time goes by and there are more and more boxing matches governed by boxing rules between boxers (Joshua) and MMA combatants (Ngannou), it’s clear the technical gap is closing,” said Lampley who leads the commentary on PPV.COM.

Lampley will be joined by Kevin Iole on the broadcast and will be texting live with fans during the fight card. It’s a great opportunity to interact with the two legendary boxing journalists.

Fights to Watch

Fri. PPV.Com 10 a.m. Anthony Joshua (27-3) vs Francis Ngannou (0-1); Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1) vs Joseph Parker (34-3); Rey Vargas (36-1) vs Nick Ball (19-0).

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City

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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

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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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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino

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Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.

In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.

All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.

Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.

Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.

Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.

In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.

Other Bouts

Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.

Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.

Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.

A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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