On The Watch “It’s All About Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois”

IBF World Heavyweight Challenge

Former Unified Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 Kos) got himself a serious reality check when he brutally succumbed at the hands of IBF World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 Kos) at tonight’s Main Event at the sold-out Wembley Stadium in London, England, courtesy of Riyadh Season.

This all-British Showdown surpassed all expectations and attendance at the same time. Dubois, who came in the ring looking hungry and laser-focussed, surprisingly kept things simple but efficient. Dubois’ “game plan” was obvious from the jump: to seek and destroy his opponent by all means necessary and the young Lion did just that. Real Talk!

Both combatants looked fit and strong but it was Dubois who imposed himself from the first round by chin checking AJ to a standing 8 count right before the bell ended the round. It was a wrap from that point on.

AJ looked lost and confused from round one and had no proper “game plan” to deter Dubois who was coming at him from all corners with some serious aggression. Dubois refused to give AJ any breathing room round by round. The pressure was real and the power shots that Dubois was landing on AJ were visibly taxing as AJ could not stand toe-to-toe with Dubois and eventually got clipped once again in the third round to another standing 8 count.

The inevitable was near and in the fifth round when AJ attempted to open up with his offence, Dubois landed a “Dynamite” of a right hand that chin checked Anthony cold to the floor prompting the referee to count him out.

Although Anthony showed a lot of heart tonight by rising up every time he got dropped, this version of AJ was the worst I’ve ever seen get into that squared circle. Dubois manhandled and dominated AJ from rounds 1 to 5 which is not an easy task to do but Dubois made it look effortless and for that I tip my “B” hat to the young Lion. You silenced the naysayers and myself, and put the Heavyweight Division and the boxing world on notice that Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois is the real deal. Real Talk!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois”

IBF World Heavyweight Challenge

With Oleksandr Usyk recently announcing that he has vacated the IBF Heavyweight Title, Interim IBF Heavyweight Champion Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 Kos) has now been elevated to full IBF Heavyweight Champion of the World, clearing a perfect path to make the first defense of his Title against former Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25 Kos) in an all-British Showdown on September 21, 2024, at Wembley Stadium in London, England, courtesy of Riyadh Season.

This is a very intriguing matchup where both combatants look the part and carry the power to end the night in a dramatic fashion. The youth that Dubois has over AJ could come into play and the momentum that Dubois is rocking after stoppage wins over Jarell Miller and Filip Hrgovic has him feeling unbeatable.

That being said, Anthony himself has been looking on point in his last few fights as well and very much focussed on the task at hand. Regardless of the opponent across from him, his sole purpose is to dominate the Heavyweight Division once again and regain the Championship Titles by any means necessary.

The experience AJ has on the biggest stage will definitely play a part but the young Lion in Dubois will bring a significant amount of a challenge on the night. Both combatants have shown much improvement as of late with the confidence beaming from both sides, but the million-dollar question in the room is who will prevail victorious.

Tune in and be part of this mega British Heavyweight Showdown on September 21, 2024, at Wembley Stadium in London, England.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Queensberry vs Matchroom 5 vs 5”

Queensberry vs Matchroom 5 vs 5

Thank you to his Excellency Turki Alashikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority for hosting another great show at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. By facilitating two of the biggest promoters in boxing in Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn to go head-to-head, Queensberry Promotions and Matchroom Boxing came up with an intriguing and competitive “5 vs 5” that definitely brought the “HEAT” inside that squared circle.Although the outcome of it all was surprisingly one-sided, the anticipation brought forward was well worth it.

First up on the night representing Queensberry was Light Heavyweight Willy Hutchinson (18-1, 13 Kos) who took on Matchroom representative Light Heavyweight Craig Richards (18-4-1, 11 Kos). Hutchinson, who was the underdog on paper talked the most sh*t on the build-up to the fight undermining the more proven fighter, Richards. This was a good domestic dust up to start the night where both combatants had their moments but Hutchinson, the younger warrior seemed to be one step ahead all night making it look easy outmanoeuvring his opponent at will inside that squared circle. Richards, although he tried, did not have the right “game plan” on the night to sway the Judges. After 12 rounds of one-sided action the Judges at hand called it 119-109, 117-111, 116-112 unanimously for Willy Hutchinson. With this win under his belt Willy is now the proud owner of the vacant WBC Silver Light Heavyweight Championship. Well done.

Next up was WBA Featherweight Champion Raymond Ford (15-1-1, 8 Kos) representing Matchroom defending his recently earned title against the always ready Nick Ball (20-0-1, 11 Kos) representing Queensberry who himself recently had to settle for a draw against WBC Featherweight Champion Rey Vargas in his prior attempt at obtaining a Championship Title. On this night, knowing you don’t always get a second chance that quick at a title opportunity, Nick wasted no time at pressing the action right from the jump. Nick’s style is simple but effective if you can’t deter him from coming forward. Nick throws punches in bunches with some pop behind every punch. Although Nick is short in stature, his presence inside that squared circle seems to always be too much for his opponents to handle. Although Raymond did do his best at standing his ground going toe-to-toe with Nick and having some moments, it was visibly Nick having the more telling effects as the rounds progressed. Nick made it very uncomfortable for Raymond to maintain any type of consistent momentum round after round. After 12 rounds of action one Judge called it 115-113 for Raymond while the other two Judges called it 115-113, 115-113 for Nick giving him the split decision win and the New WBA Featherweight Champion of the world. Well done, Champ!

Next up in a WBC Middleweight Title Eliminator we had Hamzah Sheeraz (20-0, 16 Kos) representing Queensberry taking on Austin Williams (16-1, 11 Kos) representing Matchroom in what was a very entertaining bout where both combatants had their moments. Austin pressed the action early with his aggressive style while Sheeraz remained patient throughout the bout and controlled his distance with a stiff but heavy jab. The action was nonstop round after round but nearing the end of the tenth round, Sheeraz caught Austin with a quick right hand that dropped him for a standing 8 count at the sound of the bell. At the beginning of the eleventh round the inevitable was around the corner. Seeing that Austin hadn’t clearly recovered from being dropped in the previous round Sheeraz wasted no time and went in for the kill and detonated heavy unanswered shots to the head of Austin who was about to get dropped prompting the referee at hand to step in and halt the bout at the 45 second mark of the opening round. This was a competitive bout from start to finish but Sheeraz clearly showed his superiority with his power to close the show. Well done.

Next up in an Interim IBF Heavyweight Championship we had Filip Hrgovic (17-1, 14 Kos) representing Matchroom going at it with Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 Kos) representing Queensberry. Many thought that Dubois would be outclassed by the former 2016 Olympian Hrgovic but what transpired on the night was quite the opposite. Although both combatants did come out the gate throwing heavy leather at each other looking to do harm, it was Dubois who administered the most visible damage having Hrgovic bleeding from both eyes. Personally, I think Hrgovic didn’t look battle ready to handle Dubois. Hrgovic in the later rounds looked battered and exhausted unable to deter Dubois who was coming in stronger as the rounds progressed. Hrgovic was looking so weather-beaten by the eighth round that the referee had the ringside doctor examine his cuts who then recommended that the bout be halted. I expected Hrgovic to bring the “HEAT” on the night but this version of Hrgovic was not it. Dubois impressed me some more on the night and fought fearlessly against a very worthy opponent. Dubois kept his foot on Hrgovic’s neck and delivered a very good win which turned him into an Interim IBF Heavyweight Champion. Well done. Who’s next?

The Main Event and the final showdown of the “5 vs 5” came down to former Interim WBO Heavyweight Champion Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1, 22 Kos) representing Queensberry going up against former WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder (43-4-1, 42 kos) representing Matchroom. Two very hard-hitting punchers looking to keep their careers alive. A lot was said about this matchup on whether retirement might be nearing considering their age but the outcome of this bout proved once again that “Big Bang” Zhang is still very relevant in today’s Heavyweight contention. The action was slow out the gate as both combatants were very aware of the power they both possess but it was only a matter of time before one of them connected with anything to garner the right attention. Wilder looked timid, disengaged and gun-shy every time he even attempted to throw anything solid, unlike Zhang who threw his punches with the purpose of doing bodily harm with every punch thrown. Wilder came to life in the fifth round attempting to let his hands go and getting the crowd involved only to be brought right back to reality by a heavy right hook by Zhang causing Deontay to contemplate life while spinning around lost in space defenseless and open for a detonating right hand that knocked him down flat on his back like a crime scene. Although a shaky looking Wilder made it back to his feet the referee pulled the plug preventing Deontay from absorbing any further damage. Wilder’s power has always been the key to his victories but last night Wilder was severely outsized and outgunned by Zhang who was determined to close the show the “Big Bang” way. Well done.

With this win now secured, Frank Warren and his Queensberry Promotions team had themselves a clean sweep of the first of many “5 vs 5” event with Matchroom Boxing.

Great night of Boxing!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Daniel Dubois vs Jarrell Miller”

Heavyweight Showdown

With his back to the wall Daniel Dubois (20-2, 19 Kos) found some kind of redemption by stopping the trash talking Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (26-1-1, 22 Kos) on his time slot on the card of the “Day of Reckoning” at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dubois set the stage early by letting his hands go and never looking back. I had anticipated Jarrell would be the one applying the pressure but for some reason Jarrell was looking to tire Dubois out by letting him use up his energy in the earlier rounds but as the rounds started to pile up it was Dubois who was the one banking up the rounds by being the more active fighter with his punches.

Both combatants looked tired at times, but it was Daniel who weathered the storm and continued to go blow for blow as the rounds progressed. Daniel had to dig deep for this bout, but he stood his ground and put a beating on “Big Baby” that had him looking depleted.

Jarrell looked desperate in the final round and lacked the energy or the power to deter Daniel from having his way while continuing to receive an onslaught of unanswered punches prompting the referee at hand to stop the fight.

Miller talked that talk but failed to back it up when the going got tough. Props to Dubois for proving the naysayers wrong. You still have that fire left in you.

Well done, Daniel.

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 Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois”

IBO/IBF/WBA/WBO Heavyweight Challenge

Tonight’s Heavyweight Championship Main Event at the Stadion Wroclaw, Poland, between Undefeated Unified IBO/IBF/WBA/WBO/Ring Magazine Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 Kos) and WBA World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Dubois (19-2, 18 Kos), was a very entertaining bout but will forever be tainted by what transpired in the fifth round.

Usyk, who came out the gate confident as ever, dominated his opponent with ease as the rounds progressed but was met with a controversial incident in the fifth round when Dubois connected with a vicious body shot that brutally dropped Usyk to the ground to which the referee on hand shockingly ruled a low blow when it was clearly a well-placed legal body shot.

That moment was suspect if you ask me but the time that Usyk was permitted to recover before the fight resumed was just enough for him to return to form and continue his dominance.

Dubois failed miserably to capitalize on the fact that Usyk was still hurt from the body shot and showed no sense of real urgency round by round. Usyk on the other hand showed even more aggression while putting his own punches together throwing four-piece combinations and dropping Dubois for a quick 8 count late in the eighth round. Dubois was unraveling and showing fatigue and signs of breaking down. The inevitable was near and by the ninth round Usyk applied the right amount of pressure and connected with a well-placed right jab straight to the chin of Dubois dropping him once again but this time refusing to answer the count prompting the referee to wave the bout.

Although Usyk showed levels above Dubois inside that squared circle tonight and retained his IBO/IBF/WBA/WBO/Ring Magazine Championship Titles, the wrong call in the fifth round will always be in the back of everybody’s mind.

Just my thoughts.

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