On the Watch “It’s All About Chris Eubank Jr. vs Marcus Morrison”

Middleweight Showdown

Chris Eubank Jr. (30-2, 22 Kos) had himself some much-needed rounds tonight on the Matchroom/DAZN card at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England when he took on Marcus Morrison (23-4, 16 Kos).

No disrespect to Marcus who was a tough Dude that showed up ready to fight, but it was clear after round 2 that Marcus was way over his head and did not belong inside that squared circle with Chris. As the rounds were piling up you could clearly see that Chris was purposely keeping him around in order to get some rounds in. I don’t blame him for doing so considering Chris hadn’t fought in 17 months and was working with a new trainer in Roy Jones Jr. in his corner.

Chris was visibly capable of stopping Marcus whenever he pressed the action but personally, I was pleased in seeing Chris listening to his corner and executing the instructions given while boxing with patience and dominating his opponent with ease.

After 10 full rounds of action all three Judges scored it 98-92, 98-92, 98-92, in favor of Eubank. Job well done.

I can definitely see the positive work you’ve been putting in with Roy Jones – now keep at it and keep the momentum going.

Until then, congratulations on your win.

Blaze

On the Watch “It’s All About Dmitry Bivol vs Craig Richards”

Super WBA Light Heavyweight Title Defense

Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11 Kos) who we haven’t seen grace the squared circle since his last title defense back in October 12, 2019, had himself quite the rounds tonight on the Matchroom/DAZN card at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England when he defended his WBA Light Heavyweight Title against contender Craig Richards (16-2-1, 9 Kos).

Craig made Dmitry work tonight and asserted himself quite well. Aside from a few lapses, Craig stood his ground and made it an interesting bout. That being said Dmitry needed the rounds and defended his belt like a Champion should and performed exceptionally well for someone who’s been out of action for a year and a half.

Dmitry had himself a live body tonight and boxed a beautiful fight while showing us his exceptional skills round by round. There are levels to this boxing sh*t and tonight, Dmitry had to show us just that to secure this win by the score of 118-110, 115-114 and 115-113.

Had Craig pressed the action by being a tad more aggressive, this outcome would have certainly been in his favor. Craig may have come up short tonight but he definitely showed us he belongs with the top tier in the 168-Pound Division.

That being said, this bout was not a cake walk for Dmitry but he did successfully retain his WBA Light Heavyweight Title.

Congratulations Dmitry on another great win.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Demetrius Andrade vs Liam Williams”

WBO Middleweight Title Defence

Tonight’s DAZN/Matchroom Main Event between WBO Middleweight Champion Demetrius Andrade (30-0, 18 Kos) and mandatory challenger Liam Williams (23-3-1, 18 Kos) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, was tougher than expected for the Middleweight Champion.

I gotta tip my “B” hat to Liam who proved to be tough and competitive as expected on his first title opportunity. Liam stood his ground, got dropped early in the second round for a quick 8 count but bounced right back up and continued to apply non-stop pressure throughout the rest of the rounds.

That being said, Andrade defended off the pressure coming his way by boxing and administering some serious power punches that were visibly landing at will. Surprisingly Andrade stayed in the pocket a lot longer than expected but definitely got the better of Liam as the rounds were piling up.

Liam definitely stepped-up big time tonight and tried to go toe to toe with the Champ by roughing him up but Andrade proved to be too allusive at times and made it extremely hard for Liam to land anything significant to slow Andrade down.

Liam made the Champ work tonight but after 12 rounds of action all three Judges saw it 118-109, 118-109 and 116-111 all in favor of Demetrius Andrade. Hands Down!

With this win Andrade successfully defended his WBO Middleweight Title for the fourth time. There are levels to this boxing sh*t and Andrade clearly showed tonight that he still got plenty of levels to go when tested as the competition improves.

Congratulations Demetrius on another great win. Hopefully a Unification bout is on the horizon.

Blaze

On the Watch ” It’s All About Jaron Ennis vs Sergey Lipinets”

Welterweight Showdown

Jaron Ennis (27-0, 25 Kos) walked it like he talked when he completely destroyed tough and durable adversary Sergey Lipinets (16-2-1, 12 Kos) at last night’s Showtime Main Event card from the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

It was business as usual for Jaron when he stepped inside that squared circle with absolutely no sign of fear. Once the bell rang in the first round Jaron established himself as the more physical combatant with his size and strength while boxing and moving effectively preventing Sergey from ever setting up his own offence.

Sergey usually gets around to imposing himself but last night he clearly lacked the proper “game plan” to counter Jaron’s steady calculated offence.

Jaron’s ring generalship and perfectly timed switch-hitting style was visibly confusing Sergey inside that squared circle.  The number of heavy shots that Sergey was absorbing was quite worrisome outside looking in. I personally expected Sergey to be more competitive with his work rate but the punishment that he was enduring by the sixth-round cost him heavily when he got caught cold with a right-left devastating combination that flatted him out to the canvas and prompted the referee to instantly call an end to the bout at 2:11 of the sixth-round.

This was a very impressive performance by Jaron considering Sergey had never been stopped before or punished in such a dominant fashion.

Jaron is making it be known that he’s coming for that Number 1 Spot in the Welterweight Division. My only question is who will volunteer to derail the young lion?

Congratulations Jaron on another great performance. Goodluck to the competition!

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 Jamel Herring vs Carl Frampton”

WBO Super Featherweight Title Defence

WBO Super Featherweight Champion Jamel Herring (23-2, 11 Kos) successfully defended his title for the third time against former two-Division Champion Carl Frampton (28-3, 16 Kos) at the Caesars Palace Bluewaters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

It was a beautiful performance by Jamel who executed their “game plan” to a “T”. Jamel fought with patience added with a sense of confidence never wavering as the rounds progressed.

Carl, who was slated as the favorite to win this bout, undauntingly overestimated Jamel’s capabilities inside that squared circle. Carl had absolutely no answer to Jamel’s offensive and calculated approach. Carl attempted to bully Jamel at times but found it very difficult to get pass Jamel’s long right and left jab and tight defence preventing Carl from landing anything significant.

That being said, Jamel controlled every round and scored a knock down in round 5 and round 6 that saw Frampton beat the count but visibly hurt when Jamel continued the uncontested onslaught, which had Frampton ready to concede on wobbly legs, forcing his corner to throw in the towel at the 1:40 mark in the sixth round.

Congratulations Jamel. This was by far your best performance to date as a Champion, now on to a Unification bout.

Blaze

On the Watch “It’s All About Alexander Povetkin vs Dillian Whyte 2”

WBC Interim Heavyweight Title Defence

Tonight’s Matchroom/DAZN rematch Main event at the Rock of Gibraltar between WBC Interim Heavyweight Champion Alexander Povetkin (36-3-1, 25 Kos) and Dillian Whyte (28-2, 19 Kos) was short and sweet for the challenger who walked it like he talked it and got his revenge inside that squared circle.

Dillian looked like a man on a mission from round one who had maximum violence written all over his body language. Dillian was focused and patient stalking his prey and pressuring Povetkin from all angles.

The early body shots from “The Body Snatcher” bothering Povetkin was a sign to me that it was going to be an early night for the champion. Povetkin looked shaky to me and possibly still feeble from contracting the Covid-19 virus prior to this bout. His punch resistance was non-existent.

That being said, Povetkin did attempt to regain some composure and tried to hold his ground as the rounds progressed but Dillian’s calculated movements and strong jabs prevented Povetkin from landing with anything significant enough to deter Dillian’s heavy shots coming his way.

Povetkin has been known to recover quickly in the past but in tonight’s round four that was not the case. Dillian went into “beast mode” and landed a devastating right hand to the dome of Povetkin that stunned him and had him on shaky legs into the ropes. Dillian then continued to administer a barrage of heavy punches that sent Povetkin down for the count which he beat, but his wobbly legs and body language were enough for the referee and his corner to throw in the towel to stop the fight.

Having been knocked out in the first showdown between them, this redemption win was a must at all cost. Dillian now reclaimed his WBC Interim Heavyweight Title and presumably resumed his much-anticipated mandatory position to fight for the full WBC Heavyweight Championship against the winner of the Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury bout.

Congratulations Dillian on redeeming yourself in an emphatic fashion.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Amanda Serrano vs Daniela Bermudez”

WBC/WBO Featherweight Title Defence

Last night’s Ring City USA Main Event at Plaza del Quinto Centenario, in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, between WBC/WBO Featherweight Champion Amanda Serrano (40-1-1, 30 Kos) and Daniela Bermudez (29-4-3, 10 Kos) was a showcase type of event for the one they call “The Real Deal” Serrano. Real Talk!

There are levels to this Boxing sh*t and Amanda displayed just that when she dismantled from top to bottom her highly decorated three-division champ Daniela in such a convincing matter. Daniela stood her ground and exchanged leather from the jump but her unconventional stance and lack of adaptation cost her dearly when confronted with someone as seasoned as Amanda.

Amanda was visibly quicker and accurate with her punch selections and definitely had more sting at the end of it as well. Amanda’s inside game was very impressive as well, considering Daniela’s “game plan” was to keep Amanda close but clearly didn’t anticipate Amanda taking advantage of her inside game as easily as she did.

That being said, Daniela was outmatched and outgunned at every corner. Daniela was visibly defeated and ready to concede. The “End Game” was near and came in the 9th round when Amanda landed a two-punch unbearable body combination that led to a delayed reaction from Daniela who then took a knee and got counted out.

It was a beautiful display by Amanda. With this win she retained her WBC/WBO Featherweight Titles and picked up the vacant IBO Featherweight Belt. Job well done!

Congratulations Amanda on another Pound-for-Pound exceptional performance. the road to Undisputed is on your horizon.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Lawrence Okolie vs Krzysztof Glowacki”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vacant WBO Cruiserweight Title

Matchroom added another Champion to their ever growing stable last night with Lawrence Okolie’s (16-0, 13 Kos) devastating win over Krzysztof Glowacki (31-3, 19 Kos) at the SSE Arena, Wembley.

Glowacki was by far the best opponent to date and Okolie asserted himself quite well inside that squared circle with pure dominance right from the jump.

Okolie showed much improvement under the tutelage of head trainer Shane McGuigan. Okolie looked more polished and a better all-rounded fighter with added patience that benefitted his already God given power.

Although Glowacki had the experience factor in his favor, it was Okolie’s ring generalship that controlled the rounds. Okolie’s power punches and calculated movements prevented Glowacki from settling into any type of effective offence. And when Glowacki did connect with anything substantial it had absolutely no effect on Okolie.

Okolie’s head and body attack were quite visibly affecting Glowacki who was surprisingly struggling at landing anything significate. Round by round Okolie was picking up the pace and laying some serious leather on top of Glowacki visibly tiring body.

That said, the “End Game” came in quickly in the sixth round when Okolie landed a destructive, well- placed right hand that took Glowacki out for the count and prompted the referee to stop the bout as he attempted to beat the count.

With only 16 fights under his belt, Okolie has officially arrived to the “Winner’s circle”. He may not be quite the finished product just yet but he does stand here tonight has the New WBO Cruiserweight Champion of the World.

Congratulations Lawrence, job well done.

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