Avila Perspective, Chap. 199: Usyk-Joshua II, Navarrete-Baez, Figueroa-Lipinets and More

Usyk-Joshua II, Navarrete-Baez, Figueroa-Lipinets and More

It’s beginning to be a habit.

Once again Anthony Joshua attempts to right a wrong when he faces Oleksandr Usyk to regain the heavyweight titles. We’ve heard this all before.

“It’s a must-win fight. Preparations have been tough, but I like the pressure,” said Joshua.

Ukraine’s Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) defends the IBF, WBA, WBO titles against England’s Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) on Saturday Aug. 20, at Jedda, Saudi Arabia. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing card.

It was almost a year ago when Usyk extracted the heavyweight titles from Joshua with a blend of surprising inside attacks mixed with high technical maneuvering. It caught Joshua off-balance once again as it did when he lost to Andy Ruiz in June 2019.

The physical specimen Joshua was forced to resort to jab and run tactics to avenge his loss to Ruiz and was successful in the rematch.

But will those tactics work with Usyk, a clever and resourceful boxer?

“We learned from each other in that first fight. This is a continuation and the first round on Saturday will be round 13,” said Usyk.

Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight world champion, moved up to heavyweight and dared challenge the dangerous heavyweights. Now he holds all the belts except the WBC which Tyson Fury possesses for the moment.

The only question remaining for the current champion Usyk are his concerns for family and loves ones due to the war with Russia that is taking place in his homeland Ukraine.

“He made his decision to take the rematch in these circumstances after he had received massive support from his Ukrainian compatriots,” said Alexander Krassyuk, Usyk’s promoter. “People wanted him to fight.”

Can history repeat itself and see Joshua regain his belts?

Joshua hired famed trainer Robert Garcia and his staff to prepare him for the rematch. The trainer based in Riverside, California, was optimistic about the chances of his charge.

“On Saturday night we are going to walk out with those belts. I think he peaked at the right moment,” said Garcia who has worked with numerous world champions.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn seems inclined to let the matter be settled in the prize ring.

“Two tremendous fighters, two tremendous athletes, champions and ambassadors of the sport that people in Saudi Arabia and all around the world can be inspired by,” said Hearn. “The best is still to come.”

World Title Fight in San Diego

“El Vaquero” returns to San Diego on the Top Rank card on Saturday Aug. 20, and faces another local talent.

Mexico City’s Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (35-1, 29 KOs) defends the WBO featherweight world title against Calexico, California’s Eduardo Baez (21-2-2, 7 KOs) at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, Calif. ESPN will televise the Top Rank card.

Baez hails from nearby Calexico, which is located further inland and across the border from Mexicali, Mexico. Though not as big a border town as Tijuana, it has produced its share of talented fighters like Jorge “Maromero” Paez and Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo.

Navarrete has proven to be a monster at featherweight and thwarted the efforts of talented Joet Gonzalez the last time he stepped in the same arena last October. It was perhaps the most brutal fight of the year.

Also on the card is San Diego’s own Giovanni Santillan (29-0) facing Julio Luna Avila (19-0-2) in a battle of undefeated welterweights. Santillan is a boxer-puncher and Luna Avila is the younger brother of female bantamweight world champ Yulihan Luna Avila.

Some other prospects to watch are Lindolfo Delgado and Nico Ali Walsh the grandson of the late great Muhammad Ali.

PBC in Florida

Despite a late change of headliners Omar Figueroa will remain on the main event and face Sergey Lipinets in a super lightweight clash on Saturday, Aug. 20. The PBC fight card will be televised on Showtime from Hollywood, Florida.

Adrien Broner was forced to pull out of the fight due to mental stress and was replaced by former super lightweight world titlist Lipinets who is based in Southern California.

“Obviously we were preparing for a certain style, but the fight fell through, so I just have to take all my experience and the things I’ve learned all these years and apply it toward Sergey,” said Figueroa. “He’s no pushover and he’s a former world champion. We know we have our hands full.”

Figueroa is coming off consecutive losses and faces Lipinets who also lost his last contest.

“My last loss [to Jaron Ennis] was at 147 pounds, so I’m going back to 140 and I want to be world champion again and show that I’m a force to be reckoned with,” Lipinets said.

Also, on the same card, Southern California’s Brandun Lee (25-0, 22 KOs) makes a quick return after four months and fights Will Madera (17-1-3, 10 KOs) in a super lightweight contest. Expect the winner of this fight to move on to main event status.

“I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing. I have to go in there with a brain, don’t be dumb and look for the knockout right away. If it comes, it comes. I’ve already gone 10 rounds and I have no problem going another 10. Just be smart,” said Lee.

Other Notes: ProBox TV

Boxing on a new streaming site called ProBox TV takes place tonight Friday, Aug. 19, with Cotto Promotions staging its inaugural fight card pitting Juan Carlos Camacho Jr. (13-1, 7 KOs) against Southern California’s Fernando Diaz (11-1-1, 3 KOs) in the main event.

The cost is $1.99 a month and features bi-weekly schedule of events beginning tonight and the next coming on Sept. 9.  https://twitter.com/ProBox_TV and https://www.youtube.com/c/ProBoxTV

Hosting tonight’s card are Claudia Trejos, Paulie Malignaggi, Ivan Calderon, Mike Goldberg and Alan Obrador.

ProBox also has a weekly podcast along with talk shows, gym visits and behind-the-scene encounters. For more information go to this link: https://proboxtv.com/what-is-probox-tv/en

Fights to Watch

Fri. ProBoxTV 6 p.m. Juan Carlos Camacho (13-1) vs Fernando Diaz (11-1-1).

Fri. CANELA.TV, 6 p.m. Manuel Gallegos (19-1) vs Jesus Moroyoqui (10-1-1).

Fri. FITE.TV 7 p.m. Luis Feliciano (15-0) vs Alejandro Frias (14-6-2).

Sat. DAZN 10 a.m. Oleksandr Usyk (19-0) vs Anthony Joshua (24-2).

Sat. Showtime 5 p.m. Omar Figueroa (28-2-1) vs Sergey Lipinets (16-2-1).

Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Emanuel Navarrete (35-1) vs Eduardo Baez (21-2-2).

Sat. ThompsonBoxing.com 8 p.m. Ruben Torres (18-0) vs Cristian Baez (18-1).

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