On The Watch ”It’s All About Arslanbek Makhmudov vs Agit Kabayel”

Heavyweight Showdown

One of the unexpected early shockers of the night at the “Day of Reckoning” happened when our own Canadian/Russian representative Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-1, 17 Kos) succumbed at the hands of Agit Kabayel (24-0, 16 Kos). Unbelievable!

Kabayel stood his ground with absolutely no fear of the monster in Arslanbek standing across from him. Kabayel boxed and moved beautifully with a punch and accurate output that visibly bothered Arslanbek. Although Agit was the smaller combatant, his speed and calculated movements were apparently troubling Arslanbek.

Makhmudov never looked comfortable whenever Agit landed heavy body shots on him and in the fourth round Arslanbek was eventually dropped from a well-placed body shot for a standing 8 count but visibly looking worked.

Kabayel continued putting his punches together from head to body and dropped Makhmudov for the second time. A frustrated Arslanbek refused to stay down and rose back to his feet but the onslaught coming his way was simply too much to handle and he eventually succumbed for the third time to the floor prompting the referee to stop the bout.

There are levels to this boxing sh*t and tonight, Makhmudov found out the hard way to never underestimate your opponent.

I tip my “B” hat to Agit Kabayel. This was an impressive performance and by taking out our own Canadian/Russian representative the way you just did has surely moved you up the Heavyweight Division.

Well done!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Jesse Rodriguez vs Sunny Edwards”

IBF/WBO Flyweight Unification Championship

Last night’s Matchroom/DAZN Main Event between WBO Flyweight Champion Jesse Rodriguez (19-0, 12 Kos) and IBF Flyweight Champion Sunny Edwards (20-1, 4 Kos) definitely brought the house down at the Desert Diamond Arena. Real Talk!

Both undefeated Champions walked into that squared circle to determine who was the No. 1 Flyweight in the Division and what transpired subsequently was quite surprising. The usual untouchable slick-talking, slick-moving “Showtime” Sunny Edwards found out quite quickly that “Bam” Rodriguez was the real deal inside that squared circle.

The pressure and patience that Jesse was coming in with was serious and he walked it like he talked it when he was putting some heavy leather on Sunny right from the jump. Sunny wasn’t used to getting touched up like this and hurt at the same time and as the rounds progressed, you could visibly see the damage that Jesse was doing by the way Sunny’s face was being marked up.

Sunny had absolutely no answer or the right “game plan” to deter Jesse from having his way inside that squared circle. Round by round you could see Jesse gaining more and more confidence while not respecting his opponent by the way he was pressuring Sunny at every corner of the ring.

Truth be told, it was a one-sided beat down that nobody expected. The inevitable was nearby. The brash talking “showtime” Sunny’s light was looking dimmer and dimmer as the rounds progressed and he looked like a defeated man ready to be put down. Jesse obliged in the ninth round and dropped Sunny with a vicious knockdown in the closing round prompting a corner stoppage in between rounds 9 and 10.

With this emphatic win now under his belt, Jesse has now put to bed the debate on who is unquestionably the No. 1 Flyweight champion in the Division by picking up the IBF World Championship Belt and unifying it with his WBO World Championship Title.

Well done “Bam” you’ve earned all the respect the hard way. Congratulations on your latest conquest.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Regis Prograis vs Devin Haney”

WBC Junior Welterweight Champion

Last night’s DAZN/Matchroom PPV Main Event between Junior Welterweight Champion Regis Prograis (29-2, 24 Kos) and challenger former Undisputed Lightweight Champion Devin Haney (31-0, 15 Kos), was the type of homecoming any young champion moving up in weight would love to have in front of their fans at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Real Talk!

The undefeated former Undisputed Lightweight Champion Devin Haney ascended into the 140-Pound Division with a “BANG” and completely dominated the Champion Regis on the biggest stage. Devin walked it like he talked and tamed, boxed, dropped, embarrassed, and utterly disarmed the “Rougarou” inside that squared circle.

Devin showed growth last night and had himself a flawless performance where he made the Champion look like an amateur who did not belong in the ring with him. Regis talked a lot of sh*t in the build-up to the fight but had absolutely no answer or the right “game plan” to keep up with Devin on the night. Regis looked out of place and uncomfortable after being dropped in the third round and rocked multiple times throughout the bout. It was clear that his confidence was nowhere to be found.


After 12 one-sided rounds of domination, the Judges at hand unanimously called it a shutout 120-107 for the New WBC Junior Welterweight Champion Devin Haney.

With this compelling performance Devin now becomes a two-weight Division Champion and should be worthy of a spot on everybody’s Pound for Pound list hands down.

Congratulations Devin on another great win. I can’t wait to see what your next challenge will be.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About David Benavidez vs Demetrius Andrade”

WBC Interim Super Middleweight Challenge

Last night’s final Showtime PPV Main event ended with a “BANG” when undefeated Interim WBC Super Middleweight Champion David Benavidez (28-0, 24 Kos) completely annihilated former two Division World Champion Demetrius Andrade (32-1, 19 Kos) at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Andrade came out the gate with the right “Game Plan” boxing and moving letting his hands go and trying to assert himself as a formidable opponent but “The Mexican Monster” stayed true to his moniker and turned the pressure on once he felt no effect from Demetrius’ power and it was straight downhill from that point on.

Simply put, Benavidez was too big and too strong for Andrade to deter and he paid a hefty price in attempting to go blow for blow in the fourth round by getting clipped for a standing 8 count near the end of the round.

Benavidez is a stone-cold punisher inside that squared circle and Demetrius found out the hard way just how dominant “The Mexican Monster” is once that nonstop pressure with them heavy hands keep landing at a ridiculous clip with nowhere to run.

Andrade’s “game plan” went straight out the ring once he realized he had nothing going for him inside that squared circle. Demetrius became a walking punching bag for the next few rounds. I was totally shocked to see Demetrius get broken down so easily. I expected to see Andrade’s skill set to flourish on the night but it was David who blossomed and proved to be the superior combatant inside that squared circle.

At the end of the sixth round Andrade’s corner had seen enough and instructed the referee to pull the plug giving David a technical knockout conquest for the night.

This beatdown on an elite boxer like Demetrius Andrade is proof enough to me that Benavidez is well deserving of an opportunity at a chance at a showdown with Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 Kos).

Until then, congratulations David on another destructive performance.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Chantelle Cameron vs Katie Taylor”

Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion

Tonight’s rematch Undisputed Junior Welterweight redemption showdown between Undisputed Junior Welterweight IBF/IBO/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Champion Chantelle Cameron (18-1, 8 Kos) and Undisputed Lightweight IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 Kos) was exactly the redemption that Katie was looking to bring her fans in attendance at 3Arena, Dublin, Ireland.

Both combatants came into this bout with the utmost confidence but it was Katie who has carried a chip on her shoulders for the past six months coming from a loss and fought like someone who needed to unleash havoc on her opponent of the night.

Both warriors threw heavy leather at each other right from the jump and did not stop giving each other time to breath which made the action inside that squared circle that much more interesting round by round.

Katie’s aggression this time around was key as she constantly kept her hands going and landing punches with combination that kept Chantelle on her toes but did not deter the champion from throwing her own heavy shots during the exchanges.

Chantelle showed her power early by dropping Katie clean but the referee at hand ruled it a slip which I personally think was the wrong call and may had caused Chantelle to lose focus for the remainder of the bout as the referee continuously ignored the constant head butting and holding that Katie was doing throughout the bout.

Chantelle did good work and kept the fight close but seemed distracted by the way the referee was calling the fight. That being said, Katie bit down on her gum shield and fought toe to toe and accepted every advantage going her way and executed her “game plan” round by round.

Things got rough and ugly inside that squared circle but both combatants put on a hell of a show. After 10 full rounds of nonstop action the Judges at hand called it 98-92 and 96-94 for Taylor while the third Judge had a draw 95-95 giving Katie the majority decision.

Katie, who came into this bout as the underdog for the first time, took charge and never wavered when the going got tough and gave out an amazing winning performance in front of her adoring fans to now being called a two weight Undisputed Champion by snatching away the Junior Welterweight IBF/IBO/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine titles from Chantelle Camron. Unbelievable.

Katie showed up tonight and redeemed herself on the same grounds where she took her first loss and for that I tip my “B” hat to Taylor. Congratulations Katie on becoming the New Junior Welterweight IBF/IBO/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Champion of the World.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Emanuel Navarrete vs Robson Conceicao”

WBO World Super Featherweight Challenge

Last night’s Top Rank/ESPN Co-Main Event between WBO World Super Featherweight Champion Emanuel Navarrete (38-1-1 31 Kos) and Robson Conceicao (17-2-1, 8 Kos) was an entertaining bout from start to finish.

Due to Navarrete’s slow start, Conceicao took advantage early and boxed beautifully and stayed active with his hands, but Navarrete’s power and aggressive, awkward styles were quite evident round by round. I was impressed with Conceicao standing his ground and exchanging blow for blow with a much heavier handed combatant across from him, but Conceicao did eventually pay the price by being overly confident in the fourth round and got dropped for a quick standing 8 count. To my surprise Conceicao jumped right back into being active and resilient with his offense.

The heavier shots kept on coming from Navarrete who pressed the action as best he could, but Conceicao didn’t make it easy for him and continued to bang toe-to-toe even though he lacked the power his active hands kept him in the fight. Navarrete’s power showed up again in the seventh round when he dropped Conceicao for the second time for another standing 8 count but couldn’t finish him off in his usual fashion. A tired looking Conceicao refused to fold and continued to box his way to the final bell of the 12thround.

The Judges at hand had a tough call to make. One Judge called it 114-112 for Navarrete while the other two Judges called it 113-113 giving this bout a majority draw.

Conceicao got rewarded for his work rate handed round by round while Navarrete still retained his WBO World Super Featherweight Title after a hard night’s work. Although Navarrete didn’t look as razor-sharp as his last outing, he did manage to give us fans a hell of a fight with Conceicao. Maybe a rematch could be in the near future to clear the air.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk”

Undisputed Heavyweight Championship

It has been officially announced! The road to Undisputed for the Heavyweight Division between Undefeated WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 Kos) and Undefeated Unified Heavyweight IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO and Ring Magazine Champion Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 Kos), will face off once and for all on February 17, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This is what the boxing world has been waiting for, the first Undisputed Champion to be crowned in the 21st century. Both Champions feel destined to become the chosen one to achieve this great feat in today’s time but there can only be one true winner.

The odd makers as of today favor Tyson to come out on top due to his pure size and skill set. However, the former Undisputed Cruiserweight King and now Unified Heavyweight IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO and Ring Magazine Champion has proven time and time again that he is nothing to play with inside that squared circle. Usyk is a proven warrior who has been in there with bigger and stronger men than him and still overcame the obstacles. To Usyk, Fury is just another big mountain that he will need to climb and tear down on his way to Undisputed.

Tyson is clearly not intimidated by Usyk, but truth be told, Usyk has undoubtedly adjusted to the Heavyweight Division by the way he recorded his two convincing victories against former Two-Time Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua and broke down and knocked out Daniel Dubois in his last outing. Usyk always seems to find a way to silence all doubters making this bout that much more intriguing. Usyk is not a big talker but his work inside that squared circle speak volumes.

Tyson will have his work cut out for him but who will have the right “Game Plan” the night of February 17, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The Day of Reckoning”

Saudi Arabia Takeover

The “Day of Reckoning” Grand Event in Saudi Arabia was officially announced at yesterday’s press conference at OVO Arena Wembley in London, when they unveiled a lineup of unexpected warriors grouped together for a night of action to remember on December 23, 2023.

To no one’s surprise, leading up the substantial card in a doubleheader will be former Two-Time Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua (26-3, 23 Kos) going against tough and durable Otto Wallin (26-1, 14 Kos). Wallin has shown some serious improvement fight by fight, enough for AJ to be concerned about and not to be overlooked come fight night. AJ needs to have his “A” game on and to make sure to secure the win without any controversy. While in the Co-Main Event, two other former World Champions in Deontay Wilder (43-2, 42 Kos) and Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 Kos) will be looking to steal the show on the same night. Wilder will be looking to add another body to his high knockout ratio while Parker will be looking to upset the heavy favorite Wilder on the biggest stage of the night. Not an easy task but definitely one he signed up for.

Although the Main Event and the Co-Main Event are the main attractions for the night, the supporting cast to this card carry enough weight on their own to create some interesting outcomes to give this historical night that much more value for your buck.

There are a few notable names on the card looking to state their presence on the night.
Daniel Dubois (19-2, 18 Kos) will be looking to get back to his winning ways by challenging undefeated Heavyweight Jarrell Miller (26-0, 22 Kos). This is a noteworthy bout to keep an eye on. Dubois needs a solid win here to stay amongst the top of the Heavyweight Division while Miller needs a good win over a credible opponent to get himself back into the mix. Judging by how Miller came into the press conference talking all that sh*t, it’s clear Dude is looking for all that smoke with Dubois so expect some serious fireworks to pop off when those two collide inside that squared circle. Real Talk!

Undefeated WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 Kos) will be entering the ring for the first time this year to defend his Title against IBO Light Heavyweight Champion Lyndon Arthur (23-1, 16 Kos). An interesting matchup and a major step-up fight for Lyndon, but I personally don’t think that Lyndon is quite ready for that level of competition just yet but I do tip my “B” hat to him for taking this challenge on short notice.

Undefeated IBF Cruiserweight Champion Jai Opetaia (23-0, 18 Kos) will be looking to maintain his momentum by having to defend his Title for a second time against an undefeated challenger Ellis Zorro (17-0, 7kos) in a stay busy fight if you ask me.

Undefeated Heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic (16-0, 13 Kos) will be looking to put up his IBF mandatory position on the line when he takes on Mark De Mori (41-2, 36 Kos). I see this one as a stay busy fight for Hrgovic.

Our own Canadian/Russian representative, undefeated Heavyweight contender Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-0, 17 Kos) will be going into a step-up bout with undefeated Heavyweight veteran Agit Kabayel (23-0, 15 Kos). This one should be a crowd pleaser for as long as it lasts.

My sleeper of the night will be undefeated Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez (23-0, 16 Kos) who will be looking to silence the crowd once again when he takes on Junior Fa (20-2, 11 Kos). Another mark on his way to the top of the food chain.

This is a showcase type of an event that deserves our full attention so tune in Saturday December 23, 2023, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Kingdom Arena for an intriguing “Day of Reckoning” to be remembered. Some of these outcomes could affect the landscape of the Heavyweight Division if one is not careful.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou”

Heavyweight Showdown

Yesterday’s Queensberry Promotion/Top Rank PPV Main Event between WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 Kos) and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou in his first professional boxing crossover bout at the Boulevard Hall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, brought the fans in attendance to their feet for the entire bout.

Judging on how this bout unraveled from the jump, it was clear that the “Gypsy King” severely underestimated his opponent of the night. Ngannou surprised the boxing world by bringing the heat and his 6-foot-4, 272-pound frame to work by beating and muscling out Fury at his own game. Fury’s usual grappling tactic was ineffective and he learned the hard way by being beaten down and dropped in the third round by a vicious counter left hook that rocked the entire venue.

Ngannou shut the naysayers out on the night by the way he performed. Ngannou showed absolutely no fear and stood his ground round by round dishing out more then he received.

Tyson felt the pressure and tried to get into his bag of tricks but none of them worked because Ngannou was not fazed whatsoever by the man standing across from him. Ngannou, for a novice, asserted himself quite well and definitely won the boxing world over by giving the “Gypsy King” his toughest challenge in his last 5 fights. Real Talk!

What Fury did have going for him inside that squared circle was his experience to weather the storm when things got too heated and the position he holds as the Heavyweight Champion of the World.

After 10 rounds of exciting action the Judges at hand scored it 96-93, 95-94 for Fury and 95-94 for Ngannou giving the split-decision to Tyson. Unbelievable!

Although this bout was an exhibition and a non-title fight, last night we all witnessed the unofficial slaying of the “Gypsy King”. That being said, due to the politics of boxing Ngannou got robbed of his victory but gained my respect and the respect of all the boxing community by proving the naysayers he can definitely rock with the best of them in the game today.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Alexis Rocha vs Giovani Santillan”

Welterweight Showdown

Last night’s Golden Boy/DAZN Main event Between Alexis Rocha (23-2, 15 Kos) and Giovani Santillan (32-0, 17 Kos) exceeded expectation in their Welterweight Showdown at the KIA Forum in Inglewood, California.

Alexis strutted his way down the walkway taking his sweet time but beaming with confidence and definitely pissing off his opponent who was already inside the ring irritated by how long Alexis was taking to get the bout started.

I could see the anger in Giovani’s eyes and pure destruction was written all over his face. I’m not sure if Alexis underestimated his opponent but judging from the first round it was clear that Alexis was not properly prepared for the heat that Giovani was coming at him with.

Giovani pressed the action from the jump and never let his foot of the gas. Giovani was putting his punches together with authority and precision. The power that Giovani was displaying round by round was overwhelming and clearly took Alexis by surprise.

Alexis looked out of place and not in the right mind to compete with Giovani on that night inside that squared circle. Alexis was being broken down round by round and in the fifth round succumbed to two vicious knockdowns that saw him beat the count but clearly wasn’t completely recovered from the bruising round.

The inevitable was around the corner and by the 6th round an onslaught of uncontested heavy punches connected and dropped a demoralized and depleted Rocha to the canvas for the third time prompting the referee to wave the bout at this point.

Although Alexis attempted to stand his ground throughout the bout, Giovani was clearly the better prepared warrior of the night and he did not disappoint by seizing the moment on his biggest night.

With this emphatic win now under his belt, Giovani has shot up the Welterweight Division and put the rest of his peers on notice, he is coming and taking all challenges ahead.

Well done, Giovani, now onto the next.

Blaze