On The Watch “It’s All About Canelo Alvarez vs Dmitry Bivol”

WBA “Super” Light Heavyweight Challenge

Last night’s Matchroom/DAZN PPV Main Event between Pound-for-Pound “Kingpin” Undisputed IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Super Middleweight Champion Canelo (57-2-2, 39 Kos) and WBA “Super” Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol (20-0, 11 Kos) at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, was a shocking and disappointing outcome to the pro-Canelo crowd in attendance. Real Talk!

Canelo may have been reaching a little too high when he attempted to recapture a title at his second run at Light Heavyweight by choosing to pry away the “Big Fundamental” Bivol’s WBA “Super” Title. Bivol wasn’t having it and defended his title like a champion should.

Canelo was met with a warrior in Bivol who did not play by his rules but instead proceeded to being quite the challenge Canelo was looking for. Hands Down!

A lot of boxing pundits discredited Bivol and had already counted him out but I personally thought all these people were dead wrong about him. Anyone who paid attention and actually watched how Bivol dismantled all of his previous opponents would know that Dmitry’s fundamental skills are flawless. He may not be the strongest or the fastest but his efficiency inside that squared circle remains unmatched.

Team Caleno severely miscalculated their “game plan” this time around as they were unable to deter Bivol’s steady nonstop pressure aided by a stiff pistol-like jab that stayed connecting all night. Bivol’s punch output and punch combinations were on point and definitely kept Canelo frustrated throughout the bout.

Bivol was impressive and showed absolutely no fear inside that squared circle, unlike some of Caleno’s past opponents who crumbled under the bright lights and the big stage.

Bivol silenced the pro-Caleno crowd who were privy enough to witness this masterclass performance unfolding right before their eyes. After 12 full rounds of action all three Judges scored it 115-113 in favor of Dmitry Bivol.

I’m a big fan of Caleno win or lose but this score card does not reflect what transpired inside that squared circle. This score card is way too close to my liking. Bivol owned this bout from start to finish in my eyes hands down! Let’s give the man the respect he is due. Bivol just took down the Pound-for-Pound “Kingpin” on the biggest night of his career and retained his WBA “Super” Light Heavyweight Title in the process.

This outcome is nothing that Caleno can’t bounce back from. Maybe an immediate rematch to redeem himself will be in the works but until then congratulations Dmitry this was an incredible win that will last the test of time. Job well done.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne”

IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Championship Challenge

Last night’s GYM Promotion/Top Rank Main Event between IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev (17-0, 17 Kos) and Marcus Browne (24-2, 16 Kos) at the Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada was the only bout on a horrendous card that made any sense. Real Talk!

No disrespect but whoever put this card together did a horrible job. None of these matchups on the card were competitive, that is until the Main Event.

The tough and durable Artur Beterbiev suffered an early cut in the fourth round when an accidental clash of heads cut him and Marcus up but saw Artur suffer the worst of it. Blood was gushing nonstop from Artur’s forehead blinding him at times, but it did not deter him from proceeding with the task at hand.

Marcus, who had a very good “game plan” kept poking in and out with a good jab and constantly moving, frustrating Artur. It was the type of “game plan” that required 100 % of your concentration and stamina to maintain throughout the night.

That being said, Artur kept his composure and continued to administer enough pressure with his heavy punches coming from all angles to slowly wear Marcus down round after round. Once Marcus felt the thumping power of Artur’s punches the original “game plan” went out the window.

Artur’s head to body attack eventually dropped Marcus in the seventh round for a quick 8 count but judging from the body language Marcus was displaying, the inevitable was near and by the ninth round a series of unanswered body shots dropped Marcus again. This time Marcus did not respond to the count forcing the referee to stop the bout.

At first glance Marcus showed he could hang with Artur but as the rounds progressed and the action picked up, it became quite clear that Artur was simply too strong of a resilient opponent for Marcus to overcome inside that squared circle. Bloodied and all, nothing was going to dissuade this man from walking out the Champion.

With this convincing win, Artur retained his IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Championship belts and the No. 1 Spot in the 175-Pound Division.

Dethroning this man from his position will not be easy but I am looking forward to see who will attempt to try.

Until then congratulations Artur on another conclusive win.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Gilberto Ramirez vs Sullivan Barrera”

Light Heavyweight Showdown

Last night’s Golden Boy/DAZN Main Event between Gilberto Ramirez (42-0, 28 Kos) and Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 Kos) at the Banc of California Stadium, in Los Angeles, California, was nothing more than some light sparring work for the one they call “Zurdo”. Real Talk!

I was expecting some serious leather to be thrown back and forth from these two combatants considering Barrera was a strong durable opponent who usually poses a threat when inside that squared circle but, what I actually witnessed was a quick one-sided thrashing coming from the hands of Ramirez.

Ramirez’s “game plan” was straight and simple to follow and didn’t take time to assess as he found the holes in Barrera’s defense and made him pay dearly with some serious body shots that dropped Barrera three times, including twice in the fourth round which then prompted the referee to stop the bout. Unbelievable.

I’ve watch many of Barrera’s bouts to date and never seen the man succumb to submission as easily as that. Gilberto Ramirez is a serious problem inside that squared circle. In only his third bout at the 175-Pound Division, Ramirez has definitely put the Champions on notice and directly called out WBA Super Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11 Kos).

Now if Dmitry answers that call and accepts the challenge, them two inside that squared circle would unquestionably be a very intriguing matchup.

Let’s see if this bout can be made but, until then congratulations “Zurdo” on your latest win.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Joe Smith Jr.” vs Maxim Vlasov”

Vacant WBO Light Heavyweight Championship

Last night’s Top Rank Main Event card between Joe Smith Jr. (27-3, 21 Kos) and Maxim Vlasov at the Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma was better than I expected with a lot of action from start to finish.

Judging by how the bout was going from round to round, I personally believe that Joe underestimated Maxim’s boxing ability inside that squared circle. Maxim’s speed, constant movement and unorthodox style made Joe look amateurish at times.

That being said, whenever Joe did land his punches, he made sure Maxim felt every ounce of them. I gotta tip my “B” hat to Maxim for the way that he fought. This Dude is definitely tougher than he looks. He took Joe’s power punches well and kept it moving as the rounds were piling up.

Maxim’s durability kept things very interesting inside that squared circle. Maxim may not have had the power compared to Joe but he definitely boxed a great fight on the night. Maxim pressed Joe enough round by round to make things very difficult to call but to the Judges, Joe’s power shots may have been the defining factor.

After 12 rounds of non-stop action the Judges scored it 115-112, 115-113, 114-1114, majority decision all in favor of Joe Smith Jr. Personally, it was a very close bout that could have went either way.

With this win Joe Smith Jr. becomes the New WBO Light Heavyweight Champion of the world.

Congratulations Joe on your latest achievement, you have officially reached the top of the mountain. Now on to a Unification bout with IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Artur Beterbiev vs Adam Deines”

IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Title Defence

Tonight’s Top Rank Main Event was business as usual for the Defending IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev (16-0, 16 Kos) against Adam Deines (19-2-1, 10 Kos) at the Megasport Sports Palacein Moscow, Russia.

Beterbiev, who hadn’t graced the squared circle in over 17 months, did look a little rusty but definitely showed his power was still intact when he dropped Deines early in the first round for a quick 8 count.

Beterbiev looked like he wanted to get some rounds in the way he was going in round after round. I don’t blame him for that because he was coming off a serious layoff, a rib injury, and a case COVID. All of these factors would affect your performance.

That being said, Beterbiev handled himself in a professional manner and showed up in tip top shape as usual and asserted himself quite well under the circumstances. Beterbiev applied steady pressure round by round – cutting off the ring effectively but never getting out of first gear.

That said, as the rounds were piling up, Deines did do well at spots and tried to deter the heavy onslaught of  punches that was coming his way with some heavy hands from Beterbiev. It was clear from round one that Deines simply wasn’t strong enough to deal with Beterbiev’s power. Hands down!

The “End Game” was near and in the 10th round Beterbiev did just that when he dropped Deines with a heavy astonishing right hand perfectly placed that rocked his head down for the count that prompted Deines’ corner to stop the fight. Just like that, Beterbiev’s perfect knockout streak continues to 16-0, 16 Kos.

This win may not have been Beterbiev’s best work to date but he did retain his IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Titles.

Congratulations Artur! Hopefully a unification bout is on the horizon.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Canelo Alvarez vs Sergey Kovalev”

WBO Light Heavyweight Challenge

Middleweight “King Pin” Champion Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 Kos) added another chapter to his history-making career last night at the MGM Grand Arena when he knocked out WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 Kos) in the eleventh round.

This bout was a chess match played at the highest level. Kovalev’s “game plan” was clear and executed to perfection. Sergey proceeded as instructed with his stiff jab and doubling up whenever permitted. As good as Kovalev’s jab was all night it literally came down to who had the better tactical approach on the night.

Canelo showed exceptional patience from the start. He did not let Kovalev’s jab deter him from the plan at hand which was making every punch count with controlled aggression. Canelo showed absolutely no fear towards the visibly bigger Kovalev. It was a thing of beauty to see how Canelo was systematically breaking down Kovalev’s body attack round by round.

Kovalev showed great boxing IQ throughout the very close bout but seemed to tire in the later rounds. All though the pace of the fight wasn’t that fast, Sergey was visibly looking weaker and ready for the “end game”. By round 11, Canelo went in for the kill with a devastating two-peace combo that flattened Kovalev into the ropes. Nuff said.

With this win, Canelo has once again conquered his fourth Division and becoming the fourth Mexican boxer to accomplish such an achievement. That being said, Canelo is now the only active boxer to concurrently hold world titles in the Light Heavyweight Division, Super Middleweight Division and Unified Middle Weight Division.

Congratulations Canelo on another great accomplishment. You are truly defying all odds and literally creating your own History.

Until the next chapter Champ.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Artur Beterbiev vs Oleksandr Gvozdyk”

IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Unification

Last night’s Light Heavyweight Unification bout between undefeated IBF Champion Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 Kos) and previously undefeated WBC Champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk (17-1, 14 Kos) at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, did not disappoint us.

It was clear from the “jump” that Gvozdyk’s “game plan” was to jab stick and move at all times and not get caught in a standstill unless he saw an opening to do so but, as the rounds wore on, I noticed some early fatigue coming from Gvozdyk due to Artur’s relentless pressure. Gvozdyk boxed well and made it harder for Beterbiev to work his “game plan” but truth be told, whenever Beterbiev connected with any leather he damn made sure it counted. Real Talk!

Beterbiev’s power was on full display last night. Artur looked focussed and fresher throughout the rounds and determined to administer pain to his opponent. Artur’s inside fighting was visibly breaking Gvozdyk down. Although Oleksandr tried his hardest to hang on in the later rounds, it was noticeably clear that fatigue had settled in by the 10th round when Artur started walking Gvozdyk down to eventually dropping him down three times in the round prompting the referee to stop the unanswered onslaught.

With this convincing win Artur is now the Unified IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Champion of the world and still maintains his status as the only current Champion with a 100% Ko percentage.

Beterbiev has once again put the Light Heavyweight Division on notice. It’s going to be hard to beat this man inside that squared circle but until your next challenge, congratulations are in order Artur and thank you for bringing home the WBC Championship Belt back to Canada.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Canelo Alvarez vs Sergey Kovalev”

WBO Light Heavyweight Challenge

Its Official, Middleweight “King Pin” Champion Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 Kos) will be moving up two weight Divisions to challenge Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 Kos) for his WBO Light Heavyweight Championship on Saturday November 2, 2019 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

From having two tough bouts with Gennady Golovkin onto a stern challenge with Daniel Jacobs, Canelo is now seeking to outdo himself once again by attempting to dethrone the Three-Time Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev and become the fourth Mexican fighter to win World Titles in four different Divisions.

I’m very intrigued with this matchup. A lot of people in the boxing community see this bout as a cherry pick by Canelo but I personally see it has a real tough task ahead for Alvarez. Real Talk! Peeps need to stop looking at Kovalev’s age and really see what the “Krusher” brings to that squared circle. With trainer Buddy McGirt by his side leading the helm and challenging him in camp, Kovalev has now regained focus and is now showing up a more disciplined fighter inside the ring. Sergey has shown us many times before that he is a very smart, skillful fighter with an extended boxing IQ that also carries heat in both hands. Definitely not a walk in the park for any competitor.

That being said, Canelo is out here chasing history and testing himself every time he enters that squared circle. Canelo is the total package at this point in his career. Skill for skill Alvarez is heads above most and on this night, November 2, 2019 Canelo will be banking on his extensive skills and the right “game plan” from trainer Eddy Reynoso to take down the visibly bigger and stronger “Krusher”.

A successful leap from the 160-pound Division to the 175-pound Division is not familiar. In fact, only a few of the greats have succeeded in doing so but Canelo feels he is destined to join the limited prestige club and plans on achieving that goal come Saturday night November 2, 2019 live on DAZN at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. That is if he can effectively slay the “Krusher” down to pieces.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Artur Beterbiev vs Oleksandr Gvozdyk”

IBF/WBC Light Heavyweight Unification

Top Rank is raising up the stakes in the Light Heavyweight Division by setting up a possible fight of the year 2019 by pitting undefeated IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev (14-0, 14 Kos) against undefeated WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk (17-0 14 Kos) for a Unification bout on Friday night October 18, 2019 on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

I’m personally looking forward to this bout and anticipating it to be very competitive. These are two well-schooled Undefeated Champions who are both looking at one day, being crowned the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion of the Division.

Styles make fights, with Beterbiev being the heavier fisted come forward type boxer and Gvozdyk being the taller rangier specialist also with power, predicting the outcome of this bout is no easy task. Both combatants will need to perform their respected “game plan” and assert themselves early come fight night.

Both warriors have heart and a determination to succeed with a very strong will to win. That being said, whichever’s “ring generalship” gets established first in my eyes may have the upper hand at dictating the pace inside that squared circle.

Beterbiev’s strong and aggressive inside fighting along with his heavy hands have proven to be a key factor for his 100% knockout ratio. It will be quite intriguing to see if and how Gvozdyk will be able to neutralize Beterbiev’s strong assets.

Skill for skill both combatants match up pretty evenly, but there can only be one crowned Unified Champion on that night, so tune in Friday night October 18, 2019 on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia and witness two of the top Light Heavyweight in the Division go blow for blow.

Blaze