On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA Season 2017/2018”

The NBA season is set to start this upcoming Tuesday October 17, 2017, and sitting at top of the food chain once again are the Defending Champs Golden State Warriors. Them Kats showed the league what they were about last year and that was nothing less than a Championship. Mission accomplished. Now with a new NBA season ahead they will be trying to secure their first back-to-back Championship.
I don’t see their momentum stopping any time soon but I do anticipate for them to hit a few roadblocks along the way in the form of the Western Conference. Coming out the WESTSIDE is challenging within itself. Them teams over there have been adding pieces left and right specifically to stunt the Warriors from steamrolling through the league like their previous years.

The usual suspects in my eyes on the WESTSIDE that are hopping to stunt on the Warriors this year are Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets. No disrespect to the rest of the Western Teams but these three teams mentioned are battle tested and have acquired some very interesting acquisitions that may possibly shift the playing field over on the WESTSIDE.
Carmelo Anthony and Paul George joining last year’s MVP in Russell Westbrook, on paper might possibly create a legit threat to the Warriors if they can get it together right?

Houston with the addition of Chris Paul’s leadership could be the missing ingredient to help James Harden get over that hump?

The Spurs well these Kats are a threat on any given year. They have a sound team that is very cerebral when they step foot on that court. You can never count a team coached by Gregg Popovich out. This man is a genius with his X’s and O’s regardless of whom he’s got suiting up to play. REAL TALK!

The rest of the western teams will be competitive as usual battling it out in the deepest conference while staying relevant in the league.

The EASTSIDE had their own makeover also.
Starting with the Defending Eastern Conference Champions the Cleveland Cavaliers swapping point guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas? Unbelievable!! I never saw that one coming. Now add Dwayne Wade and Derrick Rose to the mix and the Cavs become instant Championship contenders. Just like that.

With the Boston Celtics adding all-stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward to their squad, they still maintain enough firepower to possibly upstage Cleveland and give them a run for that No. 1 spot in the EAST. Kyrie’s got something to prove here and he will be gunning for it.

Not far behind is our canadian squad the Toronto Raptors. The last few years they’ve been able to stay competitive and in the mix. They have the right core of Kats to get it poppin over there but just keep missing the mark by a small margin of errors. But don’t sleep on them cause they can definitely stunt hard in the Eastern Conference and still cause enough damage to finish with a high seed come Playoff time.

The other remaining squads in the Eastern Conference is a toss- up. Some of them got better and others actually regressed. Only time will tell to see which sleeper team can actually make enough noise this year and earn some respect on that court. REAL TALK!

I’m eager to see how this NBA season 2017/2018 will unfolds.
The West as usual is still the toughest conference to play in. However, the youth of the players runs through both conferences with again the star power still riding on the WESTSIDE. With all the blockbuster trades that went on during the summer, this NBA season will be entertaining. Tune in this Tuesday night October 17, 2017 and be part of the “New Generation” taking over the league.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Showtime Premier Boxing Champions”

Super Welterweight Division

Wow!!! Last night, Saturday October 14, 2017, Showtime Premier Boxing Champions gave us the fans an incredible tripleheader at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn New York. REAL TALK!
Six of the top Super Welterweights graced that squared circle and all performed stunningly on that stage.

First up was undefeated Jarrett Hurd (21-0, 15 Kos) the International Boxing Federation Titleholder who successfully defended his belt vs former World Champion Austin Trout (30-4, 17 Kos).
This bout was about a young hungry gunner climbing his way to the top of the food chain with no regard to whatsoever to any savvy proven veteran standing in his way. REAL TALK! Trout is a proven warrior and one of the best at that but your Boy Hurd was just too big and strong on that night. Austin brought his “A “ Game but was cut short by the 10th round. Hurd’s onslaught on Trout was just too much to handle.
Jarrett Hurd becomes the first fighter to beat Austin Trout by knockout or technical knockout. Congratulations on your win Champ.

In the co-feature, (which could have easily been the main event on any other night), WBC Super Welterweight Titleholder Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (30-0, 15 Kos), also successfully defended his belt in an astonishing fashion by demolishing previously unbeaten No. 1 contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (18-1, 13 Kos) in the first round. Nuff Said!
Your Boy Jermell is the truth. The kid walks it like he talks it. He once again silenced all the critics and the haters who just can’t seem to come to grip that this kid is the real deal. The 154-pound Division has a real problem on their hands and he goes by the name of Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo. Good luck to the competition. Congratulations Champ!

In the main event, WBA/IBO Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy Lara (25-2-2, 14 Kos) successfully defended his belts by knocking down previously unbeaten Terell Gausha (20-1, 9 Kos) on the way to a 12-round unanimous decision.
Listen his fight wasn’t as exciting as Jarrett or Jermell’s previous title fights but we can’t wrong the man for making it look so easy cause he’s still the top dude in the Division. We all know that styles make fights so lets hope his next performance is up to par to a real Champs standard. Congratulations Champ.

Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About George Groves vs Chris Eubank Jr.”

World Boxing Super Series (WBSS)

In his first fight of the World Boxing Super Series Saturday night October 14, 2017, George Groves’ (27-3, 20 Kos) number one seed and WBA Super Middleweight Titleholder successfully defended his title by knocking out previously undefeated challenger Jamie Cox (24-1 13 Kos) in just four rounds at Wembley Arena in London, United Kingdom. Congratulations George for this emphatic statement.

To me size and experience played a major factor in this bout. Jamie Cox looked good in short spurts but definitely not long enough to do any serious damage to Groves.
Tonight George was just too strong and physical for a limited and inexperienced Jamie Cox. Maybe the stage and the moment were just too much for Cox to take in.

With this win Groves will now advance to the World Boxing Super Series Semi-Finals where a very eager fellow British countryman, IBO Super Middleweight Titleholder Chris “Next Gen” Eubank Jr. (26-1, 20 Kos) is awaiting to take his beloved WBA strap away from him.

The Semi-Finals of the World Boxing Super Series Groves vs Eubank Jr., in January or February if all goes according to plan will be a very intriguing fight considering they have past sparring history with stories for days depending on who you ask.

Styles make fights and this domestic bout between them two Kats on such a big stage is bound to be breathtaking. Eubank Jr. is the newbie in the Middleweight Division while Groves has been vacationing in the Division far longer then him. Groves is the No. 1 seed in the tournament trying to carve his name in the History books while Eubank Jr. is on a mission of attempting to take over the Division the only way he knows how with a high work rate style unmatched by his opponent.

When this bout comes into fruition it might just be the most highly anticipated matched up of the World Boxing Super Series. Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Chris Eubank Jr. vs Avni Yildirim”

World Boxing Super Series (WBSS)

Tonight, Saturday October 7, 2017, at Hanns-Martin-Schleyer in Stuttgart, Germany, Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1, 20Kos) successfully defended his IBO Super Middleweight World Title vs Avni Yildirim (16-1, 10Kos) in taking part of the quarterfinals of the Super Middleweight Division in the World Boxing Super Series.

From the jump Eubank Jr. showed Yildirim what it meant being in the ring with him. There are levels to this sh*t. Eubank Jr. came in that squared circle focused, determined and ready to put on a show.

Tonight, Chris Eubank Jr.’s performance was proof of that flawlessness when he dismantled previously undefeated Avni Yildirim with a third round knockout. REAL TALK!

With such a convincing win Chris has put the other competitors in the Super Middleweight Tournament on notice. Congratulations Champ you are one-step closer to your goal. Who’s next?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Vasyl Lomachenko vs Guillermo Rigondeaux”

“History In The Making”

I can’t front on Boxing this year 2017, the Boxing Gods have given us entertaining bouts after bouts every month to date. REAL TALK!

One of the highly anticipated clashes of the year has finally been set. WBO Super Featherweight Titleholder Vasyl Lomachenko (9-1-0 7 KOs) and WBA Super Bantamweight Titleholder Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0-0 11KOs) are set to collide in that squared circle on Saturday December 9, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Rigondeaux will be moving up two weight Divisions to 130-pounds to challenge Lomachenko for his WBO Super Featherweight Belt. This is another history fight in the making considering that this will be the first time a pair of two-time Olympic Gold-Medal winners will be sharing that squared circle together.

Their amateur careers speak volumes. Lomachenko was (396-1) as an amateur and Rigondeaux was (463-12) as an amateur. To top it all off, they also won two World Amateur Championship apiece-Nuff said! To me they are arguably two of the greatest utmost skilled amateur boxers in history to ever lace up some gloves.

Regardless of the weight class, these two combatants are ready to match it up skill for skill and deliver us an unforgettable high-octane performance.

So far, Lomachenko is seen by many experts in the Boxing community as the favourite in this match up but personally, I don’t think peeps should be sleeping and overlooking Rigondeaux on what he brings to the table. The way Rigodeaux moves and thinks in that squared circle is like a cerebral assassin. Will Lomachenko’s “Matrix” style be enough to penetrate Rigondeaux’s impenetrable style of defense? Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The Heavyweight Division”

The Heavyweight Division is getting some serious attention with a really good look this Fall, if no injuries occur all three Titleholders are booked to return to the ring.

First up is WBO Champion Joseph Parker (23-0 18Kos) who will be defending his title against his mandatory challenger Hughie Fury (20-0 10Kos) this Saturday September 23, 2017 at the Manchester Arena in United Kingdom.

Unified World Titleholder IBO/WBA/IBF Anthony Joshua (19-0 19Kos) will be defending his titles against the mandatory challenger under the IBF, Kubrat Pulev (25-1 13Kos) October 28, 2017 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

WBC Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (38-0, 37Kos) will be facing the unbeaten “Boogieman” of the Division Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (27-0, 23 Kos) on Saturday November 4, 2017 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York.

The “Top Dog” in the Heavyweight Division hands down is your Boy Anthony Joshua since he is holding three of the five belts in the Division and defeated Future Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko. Something any of the other current Titleholders don’t have on their Resume.

That being said out of the three upcoming Heavyweight defenses, I’m very intrigue to see how the Wilder/Ortiz on November 4, 2017 plays out. In my eyes belt or no belt the Number 2 spot in the Heavyweight Division lays between them two. However, if you were to ask either of them they will tell you that they are the No. 1 Dude in the Division. The hype is real when you mention them two Kats. Both carry a lot of power in that ring. Ortiz’s amateur career is impressive. He has seen a lot and done a lot. As for Deontay he came in the game a little later but still managed to win a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics representing the USA as an amateur.

This is a critical fight for both men, as the winner will definitely change the landscape of the Heavyweight Division and position themselves to a unification fight with either remaining Champions. This is a 50/50 fight where youth vs experience will be crucial to a victory aside from the power of course. Your Thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Andre “S.O.G.” Ward”

Andre Ward Retiring From Boxing

Today we see another future Hall of Famer hang his Boxing Gloves up. Andre “S.O.G.” Ward is one of very few Professional Boxers who get to walk away while still being on the top of his Game. His accolades in this Boxing Game speak for himself. 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, Two-Division World Champion, Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight Champion, Reigning Pound-For Pound WBA, WBO, IBF and still undefeated (32-0 16Kos). Nuff said.

Haters are going to talk that shit about homey but REAL TALK, I’m happy to see Ward walk away from Boxing on his own terms. Andre is part of that exceptional breed of disciplined Boxers who took the Game seriously and stayed on path throughout his entire career and looking back at it now, all that hard work and dedication to the sport he loved paid off.

Even if his career ends earlier than anyone projected, “Hate him or love him” peeps can’t front on what Ward brought to the Boxing World. You will be missed. Thank you Andre “S.O.G.” Ward for blessing us with your greatness.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin”

“Middleweight World Supremacy Battle To A Split Draw”

First off I would like to congratulate both Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2 34KOs) and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (37-0-1 33KOs) for giving us a hell of a fight. This Middleweight Battle was as good as expected. Both fighters stepped up to the plate and performed at a high level. “GGG” stayed true to himself as he was the aggressor chasing down the “Pitbull” Canelo whom surprised me with his constant movements around the ring. Which was very unusual for him.

Both fighters were dropping “bombs” on each other. Golovkin had his jab game on point on that night but Canelo had his combination and counterpunches to answer the jab. I have to give the “ring generalship” to Golovkin cause he seemed to cut off the ring well and pretty much controlled the fight. Canelo established himself as a true Middleweight in withstanding Golovkin’s onslaught like a worrier. Your Boy’s chin is serious. REAL TALK! He gave his fair share to Golovkin, whether “GGG” respected his power it’s another question.

For 12 full rounds of action we saw two of the Pound-For-Pound best Middleweights the game had to offer duke it out in that squared circle. The result, a split draw?

Golovkin will retain his IBF, IBO, WBC and WBA Middleweight Titles while Canelo still remains The Ring Magazine and lineal Middleweight Champion since no one has officially beaten him for taking the WBC, Ring and lineal Middleweight Titles from Miguel Cotto back in November 2015.

That being said the unexpected but not too surprising “Drama Show” came in the hands of one particular Judge Adalaide Byrd scored the closely contested fight 118-110 for Alvarez? Judge Dave Moretti scored it 115-113 for Golovkin and Judge Don Trella scored it even, 114-114.

Truth be told this fight was a damn close one no disputing that but to call it 118-110, you have just tainted this “Battle of Middleweight Supremacy”. Now the question remains, will a rematch be the next chapter or will we be left to ponder what could have been? Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Billy Joe Saunders”

Reigning WBO Middleweight Champion

Tonight at London’s Copper Box Arena, Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12Kos) successfully retained his WBO Middleweight Title in beating Willie Monroe Jr. (21-3, 6 Kos) with a twelve round unanimous decision. REAL TALK!

Billy looked calm, in control and never looking rattled or bothered by Willie. It was a boxing chess match in winch Billy’s game plan was executed to perfection. I was quite disappointed to see how weak Monroe performed tonight knowing what was at stake if he won. Willie’s offence was stagnating and lackadaisical. As the visiting fighter your game needs to be on point from the “jump”. You can’t afford to sit back and play the waiting game. He may have looked the part tonight but he did not show up to win in that squared circle.

With that being said I have to congratulate Billy Joe Saunders for his convincing win. Billy showed up in shape and performed well for someone who hadn’t fought since December 2016. His improved stamina was very noticeable considering how he competed impressively in every round. With this win I’m eager to see how he follows it up. Will the winner of the Canelo/Golovkin call him out? Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Billy Joe Saunders vs Willie Monroe Jr.”

WBO Middleweight Title Challenge

Once again another important Middleweight fight is flying under the radar due to the Middleweight Supremacy battle between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, which definitely needs some attention.

Billy Joe Saunders (24-0, 12 Kos) will be making his second defense of his WBO Middleweight Championship Title against Willie Monroe Jr. (21-2, 6Kos) on Saturday September 16, 2017 at London’s Copper Box Arena live on BT Sport and Box Nation.

Judging by the change of trainer to Dominic Ingle and the newfound discipline of Billy Joe, I’m starting to think that he’s actually taking this defense seriously. Billy is viewing this defense as a new beginning a renewed focus to actually attempt at unifying the Middleweight Division. In his mind securing a convincing win against Willie Monroe could open up talks between the winner of Canelo/Golovkin.

With that being said Willy Monroe is hoping to disrupt Saunders future plans by attempting to snatch the WBO Middleweight Title from him. The WBO Belt is the last remaining missing piece to the puzzle. The winner between Saunders’ and Monroe Jr. will have a major bargaining piece to bring to the negotiating table. Losing is not an option for either fighter vying for a shot at the “Throne” in the Middleweight Division.

Ultimately the pressure relies on Billy to perform like the Champion that he is proclaiming to be. The last two years for him have not been his greatest considering injuries while also playing the waiting game with the lack of good competition. He’s been talking a lot of trash as of late so its time to back it up.

I personally anticipate for this bout between Saunders/Monroe to be a very competitive. Stamina will play a major part in this one. Both are unique Boxers in their own way. With Billy’s newfound “fountain of youth” on display and Willie’s fired-up hunger to dethrone the Champ in his own house, we can certainly expect an action-packed evening. Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze