On the Watch “It’s All About Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano”

Undisputed Lightweight Championship Challenge

Last night’s Matchroom/DAZN Main Event between Undisputed Lightweight IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/ Ring Magazine Champion Katie Taylor (21-0, 6 Kos) and highly decorated Champion Amanda Serrano (42-2-1, 30 Kos), outdid themselves when they battled it out at Madison Square Garden in New York.

This was women’s Boxing at its highest level and both combatants showed the World and the fans in attendance a boxing match that will last the test of time. Real Talk! Amanda, who moved up in weight from the 126-Pound Division to the 135-Pound Division, did not look out of place exchanging leather for leather against the visibly bigger Champion in Katie Taylor.

Them two warriors gave it to each other right from the jump with neither combatant letting one another get the edge as the rounds progressed. Both had moments throughout the bout and both managed to impress me with the way they executed their respectable “game plan”.

Amanda, being the smaller opponent, performed exceptionally well and even had the Champ hurt a few times and could have put the Champ out if it wasn’t for the round being over at the right time giving Katie that out long enough to recover. Amanda’s power was real and looked quite effective and definitely bothered Katie whenever she got tagged hard enough.

That said, Katie is one resilient combatant who wasn’t about to be outdone on the biggest night of her career to date. Katie’s hand speed and punch output was quite efficient and definitely made it difficult for Amanda to match her punch for punch. Her foot work and conditioning were key points that carried her throughout the bout.

This was a tight bout to call from start to finish and both combatants had their respectable moments throughout the bout, but after 10 full rounds of nonstop action the Judges at hand scored it 96-93, 97-93 for Taylor and 96-94 for Serrano, giving the edge and the win to Katie Taylor.

Listen, I’m a big fan of Katie but I personally think that Amanda edged this one, hands down!
Again, this was a tight bout from start to finish but Amanda did the better work round by round and clearly had Katie hurt numerous times and landed the more visible telling punches. Katie’s punch output was very good but Amanda stood her ground and showed her strength and power with clean punches that were too clean to be ignored by these two Judges’ score cards.

Just my thoughts.

Blaze

ON The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS 2022”

NBA PLAYOFFS CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS 2022

With the first round officially over, we can now set our focus on the second round of attention-grabbing match-ups to come. The only team claiming a four-game sweep in the first round of action was the No. 2 seeded Eastern team the Boston Celtics who dismantled the Brooklyn Nets game by game. Proving their growth and maturity will definitely be a problem for the Defending Champions Milwaukee Bucks who will be going into battle against them short handed with Khris Middleton out of action for this round due to a knee injury. The pressure will be on Giannis to carry his team through the tough challenge ahead.

The No. 1 seeded Miami Heat may have caught an early break with their match up with the Philadelphia 76ers. With Joel Embiid out indefinitely due to an orbital fracture and concussion, this major setback for the 76ers may have cost them the series. It will be up to Miami to capitalize on Philly’s misfortune by not letting this series go pass four.

The Western Conference No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns successfully dispatched the New Orleans Pelicans to welcome an interesting matchup with the 5 seed Dallas Mavericks who took down the Utah Jazz to have the opportunity to put a stop the crazy run the Suns have been enjoying all season long. The Mavericks have been playing some serious ball as of late and with a healthy Luka Doncic running the show the Mavs might be able to upset the Suns if they can’t find an answer to Luka.

That said, the most intriguing second round matchup to me is the No. 2 Seed Memphis Grizzlies and the No. 3 Seed Golden State Warriors. No one predicted that Memphis would be balling at such a high level and keeping up that same momentum in the Playoffs. The Grizzlies have arrived and have fire power, the squad, and a star in the making in Ja Morant to carry them through the trenches of the NBA Playoffs. However, standing in their way is the 3-time NBA Champions Golden State Warriors. Them Boys may have missed out on the Playoffs last year but with this version of an updated battle tested squad now intact, the team’s sole mission is to reclaim their rightful throne by winning another NBA Championship. To some, this may sound farfetched but truth be told the Warriors seem to have the right nucleus to actually make happen. However, in order to even get to the NBA Finals, the Warriors will have to deal with a highly motivated Memphis team ready to accept all challenges. A very tough task for both teams but definitely one series that can’t be missed.

Tune in and witness the outcome.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte”

WBC Heavyweight Challenge

Tonight’s Queensberry Promotion/Top Rank Main Event between WBC/Ring Magazine Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 Kos) and Mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte (28-3, 19 Kos) at the Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London, UK, with an attendance of 94,000 fans definitely lived up to the hype. Hands Down!

The “Gypsy King” defended his Championship belts for the second time and did it in style by boxing circles around “The Body Snatcher” Dillian who had absolutely no proper “game plan” in keeping Tyson from having his way inside that squared circle.

It was a boxing clinic by Tyson who kept Dillian at bay with a very effective jab, enabling Dillian from landing anything significant enough to deter Tyson from pressing the action from round one and on.

Tyson looked good from the jump boxing and moving at ease inside that squared circle. Dillian tried numerous times to land that heavy left hand but with no avail constantly missing and swinging at air whenever Tyson moved with grace avoiding every power shot coming from Dillian.

Tyson’s size, reach and boxing IQ inside the ring was simply too much of a puzzle for Dillian to overcome. Tyson always seemed to be two steps ahead of Dillian’s every move. Dillian was outmatched and outwitted inside that squared circle. To me this bout looked like a sparring session gone wrong for Dillian. It was only matter of time before the inevitable happened and by the 6th round, Tyson connected with a vicious right uppercut straight to the chin that dropped Dillian who then managed to get up before the count but was on shaky legs to continue. This prompted the referee to call the bout in fear for his safety. Game over!

This was a long overdue mandatory position that Dillian Whyte rightfully deserved from time but fell short on the biggest night of his career to the so-called pillow fisted “Gypsy King”. I tip my “B” hat to Fury for successfully defending his WBC/Ring Magazine Heavyweight Championship Titles and walking away from the game still undefeated and on his own terms in the presence of 94,000 fans at the Wembley Stadium in London.

Job well done Tyson, now enjoy your retirement.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Errol Spence Jr. vs Yordenis Ugas”

WBA/WBC/IBF Welterweight Unified Champion

Last night’s Showtime PPV Main Event between WBC/IBF Welterweight Champion Errol Spence Jr. (28-0, 22 Kos) and WBA “Super” Welterweight Champion Yordenis Ugas (27-5, 12 Kos) at the AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, was simply an excellent display of how great Errol can be when dialed in inside that squared circle. Real Talk!

Both combatants showed up in tip top shape ready to go to war with one another but it was Errol who hadn’t fought in over 16 months, and had to recover from retina surgery to be back healthy for this bout he had the look and the aura of a man who wasn’t going to be deterred by no means, regardless of the opponent inside that squared circle.

Errol let his hands go early and did not stop pounding his opponent right from the jump. Both combatants surprisingly fought from the “phone booth” style not giving each other an inch but it was Spence who was getting most out of that tactic due to the higher volumes of punches being thrown with power.

I was surprised by Ugas’ “game plan” or lack of considering going toe to toe with Errol requires you to dish out a punch output to at least deter him from coming forward. Ugas gave back but was looking more at placing his punches rather than keeping up with Spence. Allowing Spence to have his way helps him build his confidence and encourages him to keep applying nonstop pressure with no real fear of anything coming at him.

Ugas had some moments inside that squared circle and even caught Spence slipping in the 6th round with a couple of heavy shots that caught Spence’s attention and visibly hurt him, but Ugas didn’t capitalize on that momentum and once Spence shook it off, he went back into “beast mode” throwing heavy punches looking for that get back.

As the rounds progressed Ugas’ right eye was swollen shut from the pounding, he was receiving from Spence who by then was breaking his opponent down round by round. The inevitable was near.

By the tenth round Ugas became a punching bag, absorbing punishment after punishment coming from all angles prompting the referee to send Yordenis to the ringside Doctor who than decided Ugas could no longer continue seeing out the right eye. Errol won by technical knockout and became the New Unified WBA “Super”/WBC/IBF Welterweight Champion of the World. Well done.

Errol Spence Jr. is “The Truth” hands down inside that squared circle. This performance by Spence last night proved once and for all that your Boy is back 100% from all previous setbacks. The only thing next to do is to challenge WBO Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 Kos). Two undefeated Champions laying it all on the line for Undisputed.

Who you got?

Blaze

DJ Blaze’s Top 15 April 17, 2022

1-Pusha T f/Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams-Neck & Wrist
2-Capella Grey-Talk Nice
3-Chris Brown-Iffy
4-Dr. Dre-Black Privilege
5-Kali f/Yung Bleu-UonU
6-Zae France f/Capella Grey-Whatever on Whatever
7-Papoose f/Fabolous & Jermaine Dupri-I Got A Plan
8-Kehlanie f/Justin Bieber-Up All Night
9-Miraa May-Wild Things
10-Aitch f/Ashanti-Baby
11-A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie f/H.E.R.-Playa
12-Russ f/Capella Grey-Seduce
13-DJ Era f/O.T. Genasis, Eric Bellinger & AD-On my Way
14-A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie f/Capella Grey-Bestie
15-DJ Inspire f/Kenneth Paige & Derek King-100 Bottles