On The Watch “It’s All About David Benavidez vs Ronald Ellis”

WBC Super Middleweight Title Eliminator

It was another strong showing for David Benavidez (24-0, 21 Kos) at last night’s Showtime Boxing Main Event card at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut when he battled Ronald Ellis (18-2-2, 12 Kos) in a WBC Super Middleweight Title Eliminator.

Ellis made it fight for as long as he could but soon found out that Benavidez is a serious problem inside that squared circle. Outside looking in, many competitors think that Benavidez is nothing special with no real special effects to his style, but once that bell rings, they find out really quickly that the kid is strong and very effective with his non-stop offence. Benavidez won’t dazzle you with his footwork but he will cut the ring on you and apply that pressure from round one until the end of the fight.

That being said, Ellis fell victim to the same circumstances when it was painfully evident that the punishment Ellis was absorbing round after round would eventually wear him down. Ellis boxed and moved well and definitely made it interesting but the heavy combinations and deadly body and head shots that Benavidez was administering on Ellis forced the referee to ultimately jump in and stop the bout in the 11th round.

Benavidez is a top 168-Pounder who can no longer be avoided by any of the other top contenders in the Division. With this win Benavidez is one step closer at reclaiming his WBC Super Middleweight Title he lost on the scale by not making weight in the last fight.

Benavidez is now officially the new mandatory challenger to Canelo Alvarez’s WBC Super Middleweight Title. With that in mind Benavidez has no shortage of confidence and truly believes he’s the man who will dethrone Canelo from the No. 1 Spot.

This is an interesting bout between the two that needs to happen but with Canelo’s quest of unifying the Super Middleweight Division this year, we may have to wait to see this intriguing clash come into fruition.

Until then keep piling up the wins David.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Canelo Alvarez vs Avni Yildirim”

WBA/WBC Super Middleweight World Challenge

Last night’s DAZN/Matchroom Main Event between Pound-for-Pound “KingPin” Unified WBA Super/WBC and Ring Magazine Super Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez (55-1-2, 37 Kos) and Avni Yildirim (21-3, 12 Kos) at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, was a necessary mandated WBC title defense that could not be avoided.

That being said, it was clear from round one that Avni had absolutely no business inside that squared circle opposite of Canelo. For someone who had the privilege of being in camp with Canelo in the past and shared quite a few rounds with the “Champ” you would think that the fear factor would be nonexistent but that was not the case last night.

Avni, who was visibly the bigger fighter got bullied and abused straight from jump with little to no resistance which made it painful to watch. Avni stood there like a punching bag while Canelo battered him on all angles from the head to the body.

The onslaught by Canelo continued in the third round where Alvarez dropped Avni with a devastating right hand to the dome for an 8 count that saw him survive the round. However, Joel Diaz, Avni’s trainer had seen enough in his non-responsive fighter and pulled the plug before the 4th round even started.

With this successful defense of the WBA “Super”/WBC and Ring Magazine Super Middleweight Championships, Canelo now has a clear path to a unification bout against WBO slick Champion Billy Joe Saunders (30-0, 14 Kos) which has already been set for May 8, 2021 Cinco De Mayo weekend.

Billy Joe is no cakewalk when focussed inside that squared circle. I’m anticipating a calculated and exciting bout between them two come fight night.

Congratulations Canelo. The road to “Undisputed” is that much closer. Now on to the next.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Miguel Berchelt vs Oscar Valdez”

WBC Super Featherweight Challenge

Last night’s Top Rank Main Event bout between WBC Super Featherweight Champion Miguel Berchelt (37-2, 34 Kos) and Oscar Valdez (29-0, 23 Kos) at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, did not disappoint.

Oscar, the underdog of the night executed their “game plan” to a “T” from start to finish. Oscar boxed and moved beautifully with a steady and accurate jab that prevented Miguel from effectively settling into his own offence.

Miguel who was visibly the bigger guy inside that squared circle, was unable to assert himself physically to use his well-known power. The “game plan” that Oscar was displaying all night was clearly keeping Miguel overthinking his options inside that squared circle which cost him dearly in the fourth round when Oscar connected with a vicious left hook that sent Miguel staggering off the ropes. This prompted the referee to give Miguel a standing 8 count since the ropes saved him from falling out of the ring.

It was a technical matchup where the more elusive fighter in Valdez, was gaining more confidence as the rounds wore on. Although Miguel did have some moments inside that squared circle, it was clear that Oscar’s power shots were breaking Miguel down round by round.

In the 9th round Oscar connected with a nasty three-punch combination that sent Miguel straight down for his second knockdown of the night but Miguel’s resilience beat the 8 count to see the next round.

Miguel was clearly taking too much punishment and his corner contemplated stopping the bout but still sent him out there in the 10th round. Oscar saw a wounded combatant ready to be dispatched and Oscar did just that when he landed a devastating left hook that closed the show indefinitely. Miguel dropped flat on his face knocked out cold as the referee waved it off.

With this emphatic win, Oscar now becomes the new WBC Super Featherweight Champion of the world.

Job well done Oscar. You defied all odds and proved the naysayers wrong while putting the 130-pound Division on notice. There’s a New Champion on deck and he goes by the name of
Oscar Valdez.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Adrien Broner vs Jovanie Santiago”

Welterweight Showdown

Last night’s Showtime Main Event between Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 Kos) and Jovanie Santiago (14-1-1, 10 Kos) from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut wasn’t as eventful as I expected. Real Talk!

Broner, who hadn’t graced the inside of a squared circle in more than two years, may have looked the part last night but definitely didn’t look like the AB that I grew to appreciate throughout his career. AB still got “problems” letting his hands go.

It’s clear that things haven’t been the same for AB since his loss to Marcos Maidana which to me was a respectable loss cause AB fought his heart out that night and simply got beaten by the better man. That’s the version of AB that could still be a “Problem” to anybody stepping inside that squared circle with him.

That being said, the AB who showed up last night was a shell of the Broner I grew accustomed to seeing. Real talk! Although AB was awarded the win last night, I personally think he failed to show us the work rate that would have sealed the deal convincingly.

Broner clearly landed the harder shots throughout the bout but Santiago was visibly the more consistent with his work rate round by round. The Judges clearly didn’t appreciate Jovanie’s activity and determined aggression when they scored it 117-110, 116-111, 115-112 all in favor of Broner.

Let’s keep it real, that’s some serious suspect scoring and I’m an AB fan from time. A draw in my eyes would have been more acceptable.

Activity is key for you AB so make it happen for yourself Money! You are way too skilled to be having questionable fights like this one.

Just my thoughts.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Ryan Garcia vs Luke Campbell”

Interim WBC Lightweight Championship

Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18 Kos) is no longer a contender. Tonight’s Main Event at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas between Ryan Garcia and Luke Campbell (20-4, 16 Kos) lived up to the hype as expected.

The unbeaten young warrior “King Ryan” had himself a true test inside that squared circle tonight when he exchanged leather with a formidable opponent in the two-time title contender Campbell.

Straight from the jump, Ryan thought sh*t was going to be nice and easy until he found himself in uncharted territory when he got dropped early in the 2nd round for a quick 8 count. Being that this was the first time Garcia had ever tasted the canvas, Ryan bounced right back up and shook it off.

Luke’s confidence was up from dropping Garcia in the second round but it wasn’t enough to deter Ryan from moving forward on him like a lion on a hunt for his kill. Luke had the right “game plan” throughout the rounds and fought exceptionally well, while still holding his ground efficiently.

However, I was impressed by Garcia throughout the rounds. Garcia kept it cool and worked his way back on the cards with a steady jab along with some very good power shots while still maintaining his height and reach advantages. It was only a matter of time before Ryan caught up with Campbell.

That being said, Garcia’s non-stop pressure eventually overwhelmed Luke in the 7th round to where Ryan was able to pick up a spectacular left body knockdown that had Luke gasping in pain for air which then prompted the referee to stop the bout since Luke was unable to beat the count.

It was an intriguing bout from start to finish. Both combatants showed up and performed exceptionally well. This was an important fight for Ryan, one that he needed to win in a convincing fashion to show his worth in the Lightweight Division.

With this imposing victory, Ryan now possesses the Interim WBC Lightweight Championship giving him a guaranteed mandatory shot at the WBC Lightweight Champion Devin Haney (25-0, 15 Kos).

Although the mandatory position is his for the taking, Ryan seems adamant on calling out and facing WBA “Regular” Lightweight Champion Gervonta Davis (24-0, 23 Kos). Whichever opponent accepts the challenge, Ryan will have his hands full.

Until an official opponent is confirmed, congratulations Ryan on your latest accomplishment.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Canelo Alvarez vs Callum Smith”

Super Middleweight Supremacy

Last night’s Matchroom/DAZN Main Event at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas between Canelo Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 Kos) and Callum Smith (27-1, 19 Kos) was the perfect way to end the Year 2020.

Canelo, who was clearly the shorter fighter standing at 5 foot 8 to the towering Callum at 6 foot 3, displayed some serious Boxing IQ that had Callum confused all night inside that squared circle. It was a thing of beauty to watch the smaller man walk down his opponent the way he did considering Callum had all the physical advantages coming into this bout.

I was surprised by the fact that Canelo showed absolutely no fear at all throughout the rounds. Canelo’s jab and body attack were so vicious and precise that Callum stayed on his back foot trying to avoid the heavy pounding he was receiving all night.

I expected Callum to be Canelo’s toughest challenge to date but judging on how Canelo dominated and dismantled Callum from round one to twelve, Canelo proved once again why he is the Pound-for-Pound best in the World today. Real Talk!

There are levels to this Boxing sh*t and Canelo’s masterclass performance last night showed us just how superior he can get when faced with so many drawbacks.

Callum, who was rated as the No. 1 Super Middleweight in the Division, took the worst beating I’ve ever seen him take in his career to date. The “game plan” that his corner drew up had absolutely no effect on Canelo whatsoever. Dude got heart though and he withheld the onslaught coming his way like the fighting man that he is.

That said, after 12 rounds of one-sided action, the Judges scored it 117-111, 119-109 and 119-109 in favor of Canelo. With this convincing win, Canelo is now the New WBC/WBA “Super” and Ring Magazine Champion of the World and now the No.1 168-Pounder in the Division.

With a new Division to dominate, Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion is the latest task at hand for the No. 1 Pound-for-Pound King they call Canelo Alvarez.

Congratulations Canelo on your latest accomplishment.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev”

IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO Heavyweight Challenge

Last night’s Heavyweight Bout inside the SSE Arena, Wembley in London, UK was a homecoming fight for Unified Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22 Kos) and Kubrat Pulev (28-2, 14 Kos) that did not disappoint.

AJ looked good last night, focussed, assertive, poised and did not deviate from the “game plan“ at hand. His jab and uppercut were key last night and he handled his opponent the right way, dropping Pulev four times throughout the bout to a convincing stoppage in the 9th round.

Pulev, a worthy opponent, tried to keep up with AJ but was simply met with a better, complete and motivated fighter in AJ. Anthony worked the ring well and controlled every round while wearing Pulev down.

Kubrat couldn’t put any type of a convincing offence together long enough to deter Anthony who showed much improvement in his repertoire. Pulev showed some durability at times throughout the bout but Anthony’s size and power proved to be too much.

The “End Game” was inevitable and in the 9th round when AJ connected with a vicious strong and accurate right hand to Kubrat’s jaw that put him down indefinitely for the 10 count.

With this emphatic win by AJ, he now retains his IBF/IBO/WBA “Super” and WBO Heavyweight Titles. This was a much-needed win for Anthony last night. He needed to make a statement of Pulev and show the Heavyweight Division that he is nothing to play with inside that squared circle. The road to undisputed is still the mission at hand.

Congratulations AJ on finishing this turbulent year 2020 in a strong fashion.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Errol Spence Jr. vs Danny Garcia”

IBF/WBC Welterweight Challenge

Last night’s Main Event between Errol Spence Jr. (27-0, 21 Kos) and Danny Garcia (36-3, 21 Kos) at Arlington Texas inside the AT&T Stadium, answered a lot of questions that we the fans had when it came to EJ. After 12 rounds of action all was revealed to the boxing world.

EJ dusted off his shoulders last night inside that squared circle and showed all the doubters and his supporters that your Boy was back 100%. Spence’s car accident in October 2019 left a lot of us fans wondering if Errol could ever get back to his championship form, he once held before the car crash and, with last night’s dominant performance against Danny, your Boy EJ defied all odds.

EJ is “The Truth” inside that squared circle hands down. Errol made Danny, who is one of the top strong Welterweights, in the Division, looked like a pedestrian inside that squared circle. Spence kept that pressure on Danny all night with a stiff effective jab that prevented Danny from applying any type of successful offence.

Whatever “game plan” Danny’s corner constructed for the night became obsolete the minute EJ’s jab started touching Danny at will. EJ’s jab was key last night and clearly marked Danny up from all angles. Danny showed some grit and a strong will to compete but just didn’t have the right output to keep up with EJ. Had Danny applied more pressure the outcome could have definitely been different.

That being said, EJ showed us once again that he’s levels above all competitors who dare to challenge him for that No. 1 Spot inside that squared circle. The Judges were all in agreeance tonight with the score of 116-112, 116-112 and 117-111 for Errol Spence Jr.

With this dominant performance by Spence, he now retains his IBF and WBC Titles while putting the 147-Pound Division back on notice that “The Truth” is back like he never left.

Congratulations Errol on another great performance.

Who’s next?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Anthony Yard vs Lyndon Arthur”

Light Heavyweight British Throwdown

Another intriguing outcome presented itself tonight at Church House, Westminister in London when Anthony Yard (20-2, 19 Kos) and Lyndon Arthur (18-0, 12 Kos) entered that squared circle.

The underdog Lyndon came in with a very good “game plan” and executed it to a “T”. Lyndon’s stiff and steady jab was a key factor tonight. Lyndon boxed well and kept a cool head throughout the rounds.

Anthony, on the other hand, came out the gate with no real sense of urgency which may have cost him a few early rounds. That said, Yard did pick up the pace as the rounds wore on and did manage to land the more telling power punches but the jab, he was eating all night from Lyndon clearly dictated what the Judges were taking into account.

The bout seemed to get a lot closer to call in the later rounds but truth be told, I personally think that Anthony rallied a little too late and did not press the action in his usual dominating ways.

After 12 rounds of action the Judges called it a split decision. One Judge had it 117-111 for Yard and the other two Judges had it 115-114 for Lyndon.

Yard, who was clearly the stronger fighter, did not have the right “game plan” on the night. Yard may have landed the more power shots but it was Lyndon who controlled most of the rounds with good ring generalship and a steady and accurate jab.

Lyndon kept it simple but effective and never wavered from the original “game plan” and for that Lyndon handed Anthony his second defeat.

Congratulations Lyndon. With this win you now retain your Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Title and picked up the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Title and move up one step closer to a World Championship opportunity.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Daniel Dubois vs Joe Joyce”

Heavyweight British Throwdown

Tonight’s highly anticipated British showdown between “Dynamite” Daniel Dubois (15-1, 14 Kos) and Joe Joyce “The Juggernaut” (12-0, 11 Kos) at Church House, Westminister in London was an exciting bout from start to finish. Real talk!

Tonight, Joe silenced all the naysayers by forcing Dubois to gracefully bow down by taking a knee in the tenth round. Joe had his jab working Dubois all night and definitely made a dent in Dubois’ armour when he severely damaged and closed Dubois’ left eye shut.

Dubois came out the gate and tried to physically assert himself with his heavy punches. Normally his presence alone would have deterred his opponents but tonight Dubois was met with a formidable and durable adversary and couldn’t get by Joe’s steady and accurate jab successfully.

That said, it was a competitive and interesting bout with both warriors going at it hard but tonight the young lion met his match when fatigue and a worrisome bummed eye prevented him to continue in the 10th round and got counted out. I personally never anticipated Dubois quitting in any of his fights but only a fighter can truly know when enough is enough.

This is a major win for Joyce who was confident from the time this bout got announced. Experience, patience and a very good chin is what carried Joe over for this victory. Joe is steadily creeping up the Heavyweight ladder and now holds the British, Commonwealth and European Titles but best of all, is he now moves one step closer to a world title opportunity in 2021.

Congratulations Joe on a very convincing win. Job well done.

Blaze