On The Watch “It’s All About Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury”

WBC Heavyweight Title Challenge

It has now officially been announced. Two of the biggest Heavyweight Boxers in the game – WBC Champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 Kos) and Linear Champion Tyson Fury (27-0, 19 Kos) have now set a date to bump gloves on Saturday night, December 1, 2018 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Both camps are calling this bout a “Mega Fight” but personally I just can’t see it as that considering Fury ‘s last two outings since his long 2 ½ year layoff. His two-last showings inside that squared circle were lackluster and mediocre at best versus “C” level fighters. Definitely not the type of fight one would take to get ready for a clash with the “Bronze Bomber”. This to me sounds like a move from Fury who is simply daring to be great. He’s got it in his mind that he is the Best Heavyweight in the “Game” today and is determined to prove it by taking out the hardest power puncher in the Heavyweight Division, Deontay Wilder.

Styles make fights but, in this case, we have two undefeated fighters who are sitting at 6-feet-7 for Wilder and 6-feet-9 for Fury, two very long and awkward styles that could potentially make it real ugly but very intriguing to see?

The odds are favoring the “Bronze Bomber” to knock “The Gypsy King” out cold but Fury has proven the naysayers wrong before and is determined to once again defy the odds stacked against him. Fury’s quickness and boxing skill will be on full display as long as he makes sure to stay away from Wilder’s “Alabama slammer” but that alone may not be enough for Fury to win the bout.

With their promotional 3-day press tour now in motion the trash talking will be on full display to hype up the bout. Both got mouthpieces to go on for days. There is absolutely no lack of confidence from both fighters but there can only be one winner when it’s all said and done.

Tune in on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View Saturday night December 1, 2018 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and witness the drama unfold.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About George Groves vs Callum Smith”

World Boxing Super Series (WBSS)

Tonight, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at King Abdulla Sport City Arena, the long-awaited World Boxing Super Series Super Middleweight Tournament came to an end in an impressive fashion.

The No. 1 Seed in the Tournament George Groves WBA Super World Super Middleweight Champion (28-4, 20 Kos) succumbed to the gloves of the No 2 Seeded Callum Smith WBC Super Middleweight Diamond Champion (25-0, 18 Kos). The underdog in the betting circuit silenced all naysayers and non-believers on the biggest stage of his career.

Tonight, Callum’s approach vs George were executed perfectly. He fought a smart, technical fight all while using his height and range to his advantage. George fought well with some aggression but had a hard time figuring Callum out. Heavy blows were thrown from both combatants, at times with some very good exchanges but to my surprise Callum’s punches looked to sting just a little more than what Groves expected. Callum seemed relaxed and poised round by round unlike George who looked uncomfortable and desperate at times. By the seventh round, George got complacent and lost focus and got caught with a heavy left hand followed by a burst of punches that sent him down for the count.

It was a beautiful display by an underdog in Callum Smith who has now risen to the top and taken claim of the World Boxing Super Series Muhammad Ali Trophy, the WBA Super World Super Middleweight Championship, The Ring Magazine Belt and retained his WBC Diamond Super Middleweight Title.

With this trifecta of a night you have singlehandedly sky rocketed your position as the top “Dog” in the Super Middleweight Division. Real Talk!

Congratulations Champ for this historical achievement, you deserve it.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Oleksandr Usyk vs Tony Bellew”

Undisputed Cruiserweight Championship Challenge

Tony Bellew (30-2-1, 20 Kos) has officially accepted Oleksandr Usyk’s (15-0, 11Kos) challenge and is now set to meet the unbeaten Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion on Saturday November 10, 2018 at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, for the right to claim the Ring Magazine, IBF/WBA Super/WBC/WBO Titles.

Bellew , who’s been enjoying himself as of late, is coming off of two consecutive knockout wins over former two-Division World Champion David Haye. These are two wins against a proven warrior and I personally did not expect Bellew to come out on top but to my surprise he convincingly battered and conquered David Haye, who by the way was the favorite to win.

If there is one thing I learned from Bellew’s last two outings is to never underestimate him again. He has a way of defying the odds stacked against him and always finds a way to steal the win right from under your eyes. Real Talk!

Once again, Bellew is seen here as the underdog who will be facing his stiffest challenge to date in Usyk the first Boxer in History to hold all 4 major World Championships in the Cruiserweight Division.

I personally think that Bellew might be reaching a little too far with this one. To me Usyk is the total package with exceptional boxing skills that has troubled all 15 previous challengers into submission one way or another. What he may lack in the power department he well makes up in ring generalship while taking you apart for as long as the rounds continue.

That being said, Bellew is not a walk in the park opponent. I would not underestimate this man come fight night. He may not be able to outbox Usyk but he certainly carries his own proven power and has a high Boxing IQ inside that squared circle. He moves fairly well and has a very good counter punch that does demand respect.

The Undisputed Cruiserweight King will be in a tough fight cause if there’s one thing I’ve noticed about Bellew is that he’s tough as hell and will not bow down easily.

Tune in Saturday November 10, 2018 on DAZN/Sky Sports Box Office and see who will walk away with all the Crown Jewels?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Anthony Joshua vs Alexander Povetkin”

World Heavyweight Championship Challenge

Tonight, on a drizzling night at Wembley Stadium in London, England, Anthony Joshua (22-0, 21 Kos) successfully retained his IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO Heavyweight Titles by systematically defeating Alexander Povetkin (34-2, 24 Kos).

It was by no means a walk in the park for AJ but seven rounds are all it took for him to figure out Povetkin and administer him his only stoppage to date. Povetkin was a tough, dangerous and a crafty opponent but AJ performed patiently and took his time and calmly waited for the perfect opening to administer a well-placed and timed combination to lay Povetkin down not once but twice which then prompted the referee to halt the bout at 1:59 in the seventh round.

This was a bout that AJ needed to show his dominance. It’s clear that being the No. 1 Heavyweight in the game comes with some added pressure from the fans and the competitors in the Division aiming to dethrone the “King”. Peeps need to realize and understand that AJ is that “Lion” in the Division but still working hard at perfecting his craft. Every battle is a learning experience and tonight, it was nothing short of another great performance.

The challenges to come will only get harder but it will be up to you AJ to perform to the best of your abilities and prevails while silencing all doubters out there refusing to accept the position you hold in the Heavyweight Division.

Congratulations Champ on reaffirming yourself in the Heavyweight Division in a devastating fashion.

Now on to the next!

Blaze

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

Middleweight World Champion

Last night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, in front of a sellout crowd of 21,965, a New “King” in the Middleweight Division was crowned. Canelo Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 Kos) has now dethroned the previous Pound-for-Pound “King” of the Middleweight Division Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (38-1-1, 34 Kos).

With this win Canelo is once again the Lineal Champion with some new added hardware to his name, the IBO, WBA, and WBC Middleweight Titles are now in his possession.

This bout was simply a beautiful display of two highly skilled boxers fighting for the “supremacy” of the Middleweight Division. This second time around really felt like a continuation of their first encounter but with the added adjustment especially from Canelo.

There was absolutely no shortage of excitement last night, Canelo walked it like he talked it and backed it up as promised inside that squared circle. Canelo said he was going to be there inside the center of the Ring and he meant it. From the first round to the twelfth, Canelo stayed engaged and pressed it on Gennady round after round. That being said Gennadiy didn’t shy away from Canelo either, they both fought back and forth but to everybody’s surprise Canelo still stood his ground and in my eyes was definitely landing the more consistent power shots between the two which was very surprising considering Gennadiy is the known stalker with the heavier hands but on this night, Canelo handled himself exceptionally well. Real Talk!

Truth be told this bout, once again could have easily been called a draw because the rounds were so damn close to call but I have to tip my “B” hat to your Boy Canelo for sticking to the game plan at hand and administering “GGG” his first defeat of his professional career. This by no means, was not an easy fight for either combatant but definitely one to be proud of for the winner considering the level of difficulty each combatant presented inside that squared circle.

Congratulations Canelo on imposing your will and becoming the New Middleweight “King” of the Division. This is a win well deserved.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About David Lemieux vs Gary O’Sullivan”

WBA Middleweight Mandatory Challenge

David Lemieux (40-4, 34 Kos) showed up last night at the T-Mobile Arena and redeemed himself once again on the big stage in Las Vegas in a do or die bout against Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (28-3, 20 Kos) and handed the Irishman a devastating first round knockout for the ages.

When focussed, healthy and fit, David is a real problem inside that squared circle. I’m not sure what game plan “Spike” had in mind on that night but he surely miscalculated his approach towards Lemieux. “Spike” talked a good game and I personally thought he would have at least made a fight out of it but to my surprise, Lemieux came ready to shut it down nice and early 2:44 in the first round is all he needed. Real Talk! It was the type of display Lemieux has been known for but with his last failed showing against WBO Middleweight “Kingpin” Billy Joe Saunders, the boxing community was suspect on what to expect. That being said, Lemieux silenced the masses in attendance with his fan friendly performance.

With this showing Lemieux has now secured a Middleweight mandatory position and may possibly get a bout with the newly crowned “King” of the Middleweight Division Canelo Alvarez.

This is a bout that Lemieux really wants but personally I think he might be reaching in asking for that bout. Although his performance was quite impressive, I think two more wins against any of the top-heavy hitters in the Middleweight Division might be in order. As much as I’m a fan of our own Canadian Lemieux, I still need to see some consistency and discipline along with a few more back-to-back wins to even think of challenging for another title let alone the top Dude in the Division.

Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Danny Garcia vs Shawn Porter”

WBC Welterweight Champion

“Showtime” Shawn Porter (29-2-1, 17 Kos) and Danny “Swift” Garcia (34-2, 20 Kos) showed up last night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and rocked the house just as expected.

Danny came out the gate as the aggressor but as the rounds got going Porter turned it around on Danny and reverted to his usual aggressive ways and started to step it up with his heavy work rate. It soon became clear just how active Porter is inside that squared circle. Real Talk!

Danny seemed to be the more accurate boxer at times and had the heavier punches but Porter was just too relentless with his tactics. His determination and hunger showed up as the rounds crept up.

It was a very close fight to call and exciting to watch and it could have easily been called a draw in my eyes but with that being said, you got to give it up to your Boy “Showtime” for staying true to himself and the game plan at hand. Porter went at it with a Grade “A” fighter in Danny and pulled it off when it counted the most.

Congratulations Shawn on becoming the New WBC Welterweight Champion of the World. With your call out of IBF Welterweight Champion Errol Spence Jr. (24-0, 21Kos), you’ve put the 147-Pound Division on notice and definitely looking for that “smoke” with the best of them. Real Talk!

I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

Blaze

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

WBO Middleweight Challenge

The World Boxing Organization has mandated Billy Joe Saunders (26-0, 12 Kos) to defend his WBO Middleweight Title against former WBO/WBA 154-pound Champion Demetrius Andrade (25-0, 16 Kos).

This bout right here has the potential of being one of the best fights made in the Middleweight Division for the year 2018. Real Talk! I’ve seen firsthand what BJ brings to that squared circle. The dismantling of his previous opponent (our Canadian) David Lemieux, showed me just how crafty and dominant BJ can be when focussed.

That being said, I’m anticipating BJ to step it up another level when he bumps gloves with Andrade who himself is quite an exceptional boxer with a very high IQ inside that squared circle. Again, there are levels to this boxing sh*t and these two are definitely going to give us a great performance to remember. This will most likely be a chess match type dual. Both are crafty and strategic when they fight. Both use the full ring to their advantage. Andrade is more of a come forward type boxer who moves very well while BJ is best fighting of the back foot while being very elusive himself.

Expect a brilliant boxing match from two of the best in the game come Saturday October 20, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

The stakes are high for both combatants. Both are out to prove that they are the No. 1 Middleweight in the Division. BJ is the defending WBO Champion planning on being victorious, while Andrade will be attempting to become a two weight Division Champion by snatching that WBO Belt away from Saunders.

The outcome of this bout will once again shift the Middleweight Division so tune in to DAZN, the new platform for Matchroom Boxing USA and enjoy two of boxing’s finest duke it out under the bright lights.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Daniel Jacobs vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko”

Vacant IBF Middleweight Championship

It’s just been announced that stable mate Daniel Jacobs (34-2, 29 Kos) and Sergiy Derevyanchenko (12-0, 10 Kos) will do battle for the vacant IBF Middleweight Title on October 27, 2018 on HBO Championship Boxing at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

This is going to be an exciting bout and very interesting to say the least. These two combatants have sparred together quite a few rounds. The fear factor is non-existent when you’ve gone so many rounds with one another.

This challenge would not be going on if it weren’t for the IBF Title being on the line. Friendship aside, this is an opportunity that neither fighter could afford to look over.
That being said these two warriors know each other inside out, strength and weaknesses accounted for. Both carry power and know how to use it.

It’s not often you see a head trainer having to decide which fighter from his camp he will have to side with but for this one head trainer, Andre Rozier, will be in Jacobs’ corner while assistant trainer Gary Stark Sr., to Jacobs and Sergiy, will be in Derevyanchenko’s corner.

I’m intrigued to see what the game plan will be when these two combatants and head trainers meet inside that squared circle, not for sparring but for a legitimate title bout that could push forward the winner’s careers in a major way. Real Talk!

Although these two competitors match up really well, I personally see this as a chess match that will come down to execution, patience and experience.

Who will deliver the goods when it’s all said and done?

Blaze

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

WBO Light Heavyweight Championship

In a major upset, last night, Saturday August 4, 2018 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the underdog Eleider “Storm” Alverez (24-0, 12 Kos) prevailed in a very convincing manner and silenced all critics by defeating WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (32-3-1, 28 Kos) by knockout. Real Talk!

Not too many people in the boxing community saw this one coming. The bout started out real competitive with some good back and forth from both fighters. Kovalev seemed to be coasting throughout the rounds and in control until Alverez started applying a bit more pressure and somewhat out boxing the veteran Champion in the second half of the fight to eventually taking over in the seventh round by dropping Kovalev three times in a brutal fashion to an subsequent stoppage.

With patience and determination, Alverez defied all odds and accomplished his dream of becoming a Light Heavyweight Champion. Alverez took this occasion and delivered inside that squared circle. With this credible win over “Krusher”, Alverez has now changed the landscape of the Light Heavyweight Division and now has positioned himself as a major player in the Division as the New WBO Light Heavyweight Champion of the world. Music to his ears. This was an opportunity well over due but one definitely well deserved.

Congratulations on your Win Champ and enjoy the moment, you’re officially in the “Winners circle”.

Blaze