On The Watch “It’s All About 2025 NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS”

2025 NBA Eastern Conference Finals

In a surprising turn of events, The No. 1 Seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and the No. 2 Seeded Boston Celtics have both been bounced out by the Indiana Pacers who systematically broke down the Cavs in 5 games. The New York Knicks did the same to the Defending Champions Celtics but needed 6 games to earn their long awaited spot into the Eastern Conference Finals.

Not too many people in the game predicted this type of Eastern Conference Finals where the No. 3 Seeded Knicks and the No. 4 Seeded Pacers would be the two remaining teams to do battle to reach this year 2025 NBA Finals. Real Talk!

That said, these two squads have an ongoing personal rivalry, considering they met last year in the Eastern Conference Semifinals where the Knicks got sprung by the Pacers in a very competitive game 7 that had been haunting them till this day.

The Knicks will be eyeing the Pacers for some redemption this time around. With both squads looking healthy, strong, motivated and riding high from two very convincing series each. These Knicks/Pacers are guaranteeing a very intriguing matchup that will surely captivate the fans to tune in this Wednesday May 21, 2025, for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and witness an entertaining night of action.

Who you got?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2025 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS”

2025 NBA Western Conference Finals

In a very competitive Western Conference game 7, the No. 1 Seeded Oklahoma City Thunder completely annihilated the No. 4 Seeded Denver Nuggets, ushering them right into the Western Conference Finals to take on a young, rested and motivated No. 6 Seeded Minnesota Timberwolves fresh off dismantling the Golden State Warriors in 5 games.

This series will have two very young teams battling it out to have the right to that golden ticket booked to the NBA Finals. Oklahoma ruled the league in an impressive fashion throughout the season this year and continued to show improve game after game in the Playoffs. Standing in their way is another young squad in Minnesota proving to be the real deal by knocking the favourites off the board one by one. The league is changing and these two teams are the future ready to “TAKEOVER” on the biggest stage.

The spotlight will be on the two upcoming stars in the league today: possible MVP favourite Gilgeous-Alexander for OKC and Anthony Edwards for the Wolves. That being said, I personally think it will come down to whose supportive cast will be able to help their superstar get over that threshold and claim the right of passage. Real Talk!

So tune in and watch these youngins turn this intriguing matchup into must see TV on Tuesday night May 20, 2025, for Game 1 and witness the theatre unfold.

Who you got?

Blaze

ON The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS”

NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals 2025

The No. 1 Seeded Oklahoma City Thunder had themselves a warm up type series in the first round by sweeping the No. 8 Seeded Memphis Grizzlies in 4 games. Now well rested, these young gunners are well equipped and willing to take down their next challenge, the No. 4 Seeded Denver Nuggets who are fresh off a tough game 7 series but prevailed to continue on their journey. The young gunners City Thunder may be the new kids on the block but these Nuggets have been down this road before and won it all so their experience in the trenches will be key in this intriguing matchup.

The No. 6 Seeded Minnesota Timberwolves are riding high after slaying the No. 3 Seeded Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games. Super star Anthony Edwards seems to think that the road to the Finals will be easier after taking down LeBron James and Luka Doncic out the way but I personally think he needs to keep his head in the game because waiting to derail him and his squad are the battle tested No. 7 Seeded Golden State Warriors fresh off a competitive game seven series against the No. 2 Seeded Houston Rockets. Houston had the Warriors on their back but these old heads were battle tested and bred for the ‘Big Stage”. Experience carried them over in this series but a newer and younger challenge await them in the second round.

Both these matchups are must see TV so tune in Monday night May 5, 2025, and witness these series unfold.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas”

Undisputed Junior Featherweight Showdown

Last night’s Top Rank/ESPN+ Main Event between Undisputed IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Featherweight Champion Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 Kos) and challenger Ramon Cardenas (26-2, 14 Kos), single handedly saved the entire heavy weekend of boxing by giving us fans the excitement that was missing throughout the weekend when these two warriors graced the inside of that squared circle at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This bout was action packed from start to finish. Both combatants were very sharp and brought the “HEAT” while exchanging some serious leather with “BOMBS” coming from both sides. Inoue’s aggressive style is very crowd pleasing but can sometimes leave openings when not careful and that is exactly what transpired when he got caught late in the second round with a counter left hook and tasted the canvas for a quick standing 8 count. He brushed himself off though while the fans in attendance erupted with “HYPE” as the action was about to blow up!

From round three, the action picked up from both combatants. I was impressed by Cardenas who stood his ground and fought toe-to-toe and asserted himself quite well and made it an entertaining bout as the rounds progressed.

That being said, a highly motivated Inoue stepped his game up and his pressure as he started to walk down his opponent while administering some heavy shots loaded with combinations. The inevitable was near as Inoue’s onslaught was becoming painfully hard for Cardenas to avoid and he eventually folded in the corner to a standing 8 count in the seventh round. The crowd once again erupted to their feet as Cardenas survived the round.

By the start of round eight the unanswered onslaught came in hot and Cardenas was pinned on the ropes absorbing some serious leather which then prompted the referee to halt the bout. Some will say that the stoppage was premature but truth be told, the end was truly inevitable as the punches were coming in at a higher clip with some serious power behind them.

With this convincing win now under his belt, Naoya Inoue retained his Undisputed IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Featherweight Championship Titles and continues to reign supreme.

Well done, Champ.

Blaze

On The Watch ”It’s All About The Ring Magazine Fatal Fury in Times Square”

Ring’s Fatal Fury “City of the Wolves”

Last night’s three-card Fatal Fury in Times Square Main Event brought to us by his Excellency Turki Alashikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment, sadly, did not live up to the “HYPE” created by the unknown and the expected excitement.

The closed-out location at Times Square, the production and the Ring, created a different scene and atmosphere that will forever be remembered but where things went left is with the performances that some of the chosen talent for the night who neglected to perform at their peak form on this historical night. Real talk!

First up on the Main Event night was WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Champion Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 13 Kos) defending his Championship Belts against undefeated mandatory challenger Arnold Barboza Jr. (32-1, 11 Kos). Although Barboza earned his way to the mandatory position and talked a good game throughout the build-up, he quickly found out that there are levels to this boxing sh*t and on this night, Lopez produced a dominant performance that will forever haunt Barboza. Lopez outworked, outhustled, outboxed and outgunned Barboza who is a very good boxer but lacked the proper skill set and “game plan” to dethrone the Champ on the night. After 12 one-sided rounds of action, the Judges at hand scored it 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 unanimously for Teofimo Lopez. Well done!

Next up was Devin Haney (32-0, 15 Kos) and Jose Ramirez (29-3, 18 Kos) who met up at a catch weight of 144 Lbs. Haney, who talked a good game during the build-up of the bout failed miserably to capture the hearts of viewers at home and in attendance. Neither combatant pressed the action or threw enough leather to land anything significant. I expected Devin, who hadn’t fought in a year, to come out the gate pumped up and ready for some action but what we got was a shell-shocked safety-first reluctant fighter, who put the viewers and fans in attendance to sleep. Ramirez did himself no favours as well with his own lack of activity. It was a very disappointing performance by both combatants on such a big stage like this. Nevertheless, the Judges at hand called it 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110 unanimously for Devin Haney.

The final bout of the night belonged to Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 Kos) and Rolando “Rolly” Romero (17-2, 13 Kos) who met up at the Welterweight Division. With “Rolly” being counted out and labeled the underdog, he wasted no time asserting himself and pressed the action to score an impressive second-round knockdown over Garcia that changed the flow of the bout as it progressed. Garcia looked flat and disengaged, unable to pull the trigger on “Rolly” who was calm and disciplined out-boxing Garcia round by round. “Rolly” stuck with the “game plan” and executed it to a “T” and gained mad confidence round by round while Garcia neglected his corner’s instructions and urgency to let his hands go. Although neither combatant threw an abundance of leather, “Rolly” made his presence felt more than none by landing the more telling punches.

After 12 rounds of action, the Judges at hand scored it 118-109, 115-112 and 115-112 unanimously for Rolando “Rolly” Romero. You were counted out and you prevailed and silenced all the naysayers. With this impressive win under your belt, you are now the proud owner of the vacant WBA “Regular” Welterweight Championship Title. Well done Champ and enjoy this well-earned victory

Blaze

ON The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS”

The NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals

With the first round officially over, we can now set our attention on the second round of action where the No. 1 Seeded Cleveland Cavaliers just swept the Miami Heat in four games to now welcoming the No. 4 Seeded Indiana Pacers, fresh off dismantling the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. The Pacers have prevailed in their head-to-head meetings winning three of their four encounters throughout the season but truth be told, the Cavs have proven to be the most dominant team throughout the season playing levels above their competition. That said, both squads are coming in highly motivated and will definitely put their best foot forward come “Gametime”. One thing for sure is this Pacers team is not to be taken lightly so I expect a serious shootout in this series.

The No. 2 Seeded Defending Champions Boston Celtics stayed busy by dismantling the Orlando Magic in five games but awaiting them are the No. 3 Seeded New York Knicks who had a tougher time getting rid of the Detroit Pistons in six games. The Knicks got tested and pushed but eventually prevailed to move on. The way Jalen Brunson has been balling out in the first round and their squad following suit, the Celtics have a serious threat on their hands that will surely challenge them. I’m expecting a very interesting series with these two battling it out. That being said, the Celtics have been here before.

Tune in this Sunday May 4, 2025, for round two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois II”

Unified Heavyweight Championship

Redemption is on the horizon as an intriguing rematch has officially been announced between IBF World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 Kos), who will be looking to avenge his previous loss to Undefeated Unified IBO/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 Kos) on Saturday night July 19, 2025, at the Wembley Stadium in London.

Dubois has worked his way back in an impressive fashion by beating highly rated Filip Hrgovic, Jarrell Miller and completely annihilating former Unified Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua to capture the IBF Heavyweight Title. These back-to-back wins have created a “Monster” in Daniel Dubois.

Since becoming a Champion, Dubois’ confidence has been on 100% screaming at anybody who would listen to him to bring him Oleksandr Usyk so he could right the wrong and claim Undisputed by dethroning the King of the Heavyweight Division.

A tough task if you ask me, considering Usyk has already run the gauntlet by defeating Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua (twice), Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury (twice). This man Usyk is a one-man army ready and always willing to accept any and all challenges regardless of the obstacle.

Usyk has shown us time and time again that he is levels above all competitors who dare to contest him and on Saturday night July 19, 2025, at the Wembley Stadium in London, Usyk will be looking to become a two-time Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World by beating Daniel Dubois convincingly and reclaiming his IBF World Title that Dubois has been keeping warm for him.

That being said, this version of Dubois is a Champion this time around and a highly motivated one desperately looking to put a beating on Usyk and to prove to himself and the naysayers that his time is now.

Can’t wait to see if Dubois can walk it like he talked it so tune in to DAZN on Saturday night July 19, 2025, at the Wembley Stadium in London and witness the outcome.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn”

Middleweight Showdown

Last night’s highly anticipated domestic grudge match between the sons of legends Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn, IBO Middleweight Champion Chris Eubank Jr. (35-3, 25 Kos) and Conor Benn (23-1, 14 Kos) brought the house down at the sold out 65,000 plus fans who gathered in attendance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

These two warriors did not disappoint when they both stepped foot inside that squared circle. This was a shootout from start to finish where Conor held no punches and went in straight for the kill with his aggressive style looking to pressure Chris into early submission but to no avail. Chris withstood the early onslaught and kept his composure long enough to get his own “game plan” into action.

This was a tougher fight than expected as both combatants threw nuff leather at each other round by round but Chris’ experience prevailed and carried him through the tough challenges ahead.

Conor’s aggressive style was very impressive but could not be sustained for the entire bout as Chris was able to neutralize Conor with a hard and steady active jab. The action definitely picked up as both combatants fought toe-to-toe banging on one another making it that much more entertaining as the rounds progressed, but Chris’ experience with superior opposition showed up last night as he was able to control the later rounds.

Both combatants showed fatigue but fought through it as the adrenalin of being in a sold-out stadium carried them through. Chris’ style and strategy eventually overwhelmed Conor to the point where his own aggressive nonstop output visibly caught Conor off guard as fatigue was seriously settling in on both of them but was visibly more taxing on Conor.

That said, I gotta tip my “B” hat to Conor for bringing the “HEAT” to Chris. Conor came in this bout gunz blazing and went for the kill but after 12 full competitive rounds of action the Judges at hand scored it 116-112 unanimously for Chris Eubank Jr.

Real Talk! Love him or hate him Chris Eubank Jr. was the superior combatant on the night hands down. This was a tough bout but truth be told Chris’ effective punch output in the championship rounds sealed the deal in his favor in my opinion.

This was a glorified street fight inside a squared circle that definitely lived up to the “HYPE”. Congratulations are in order to both combatants for giving us a possible fight of the year candidate. Real Talk!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS 2025”

NBA Playoffs 2025 (Sweet 16)

With another full 82-Games NBA Season now over and the NBA Play-In Tournament successfully completed, we are now officially ready for the NBA Playoffs 2025.

“King of The Court” and the No. 1 Seed in the entire league belong to the upcoming young gunners The Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14). This squad has been balling hard all season in a very dominant fashion. With their leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander improving his game year by year and his squad following his lead, they have built themselves up has true contenders ready and able to snatch that crown in this year’s NBA Playoff run.

The No. 2 Seeded Houston Rockets (52-30) surpassed all my expectations by the way they came up and balled their way to the top. This young squad equipped with a balanced offensive and defensive competitive edge, have the right nucleus and leadership in head coach Ime Udoka pushing them to compete and disrupt this Playoff run.

The No. 3 Seeded Los Angeles Lakers (50-32) turned their season around when they traded for Luka Doncic to now making them a legitimate threat in this year Playoff run. LeBron and Luka have been gelling just in time to make a solid run but the competition ahead won’t be easy.

Outside looking in, the Denver Nuggets (50-32) have been looking vulnerable with the recent shocking firing of head coach Michael Malone and their general manager Calvin Booth a week before the Playoffs. That said, the Nuggets still found a way to secure the No. 4 Seed throughout all their troubles and have looked just as focused and determined as ever to continue their momentum throughout their Playoff run.

The No. 5 Seeded LA Clippers (50-32) fought hard to secure their spot throughout their own tribulations and challenges but did prove to be a handful on any given night. With a healthier looking squad entering the Playoff run, the Clippers could make things quite interesting.

The Minnesota Timberwolves No. 6 Seed (49-33), the Golden State Warriors the No. 7 Seed (48-34) and the Memphis Grizzlies the No. 8 Seed (48-34) all fought hard down the stretch to secure their spots. I would not overlook them since each have the fire power to disrupt the hierarchy in this year Playoffs run.

This year the Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18) picked up where they left off last year and never looked back as they captured the No. 1 Seed in the Eastern Conference and held it down throughout the entire season in an impressive fashion. The Cavs have improved on every level and definitely looked the part throughout the season but now it’s time to for them to show up and dominate the Playoffs with the same energy and then some to claim that elusive NBA Championship. This is their time to shine and finish the year the right way.

The Defending Champs the Boston Celtics (61-21) the No. 2 Seeded team this year fell off a few games shy of the No. 1 spot but truth be told they are still the team to beat considering the squad that won it all last year is still there well intact with the experience of Champions still running through their veins. They are battle tested and still carry themselves as Champions as they should looking to go back-to-back on their way to the NBA Finals.

The No. 3 Seeded New York Knicks (51-31) have worked hard throughout the season in a very competitive Eastern Conference and held it down making them a team to watch during the Playoffs. They have the potential to play spoiler if not taken seriously.

The No. 4 Seeded Indiana Pacers (50-32) is another team in the Playoffs ready to play spoiler as well. Their work like mentally approach has done them well throughout the regular season and have proven the naysayers wrong many times when push comes to shove. The Pacers can definitely disrupt the favorites in this Playoff run.

The No. 5 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks (48-34) had a tougher season than expected due to injuries but still managed to finish the year in a strong way where they secured their spot but without a healthy squad going into this year playoff run, the challenges awaiting them could be their toughest yet.

The No. 6 Seeded Detroit Pistons (44-38) have really impressed me this season by the way they turned their season around from not being mentioned at all last year to earning a spot in this year’s Playoffs run. They are not yet a finished product but they do have a squad ready and willing to battle if not taken seriously.

The Orlando Magic No. 7 Seed (41-41) and the Miami Heat No. 8 Seed (37-45) have made it to the dance but truth be told I don’t think they have the fire power to disrupt the No. 1 Seed or the No. 2 Seed from dispatching them with ease.

That being said, this year’s Playoff runs are mostly top heavy and looking quite interesting right out the gate so tune in and witness the outcome starting this Saturday April 19, 2025.

Blaze

On the Watch “It’s All About Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis”

IBF/WBA Welterweight Unification Showdown

Last night’s Matchroom/DAZN Main Event between IBF Welterweight Champion Jaron”Boots” Ennis (34-0, 30 Kos) and WBA World Welterweight Champion Eimantas Stanionis (15-1, 9 Kos), was a statement type bout that brought the house down at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

On this night Jaron did not disappoint the fans in attendance and put out a memorable performance that will shake the Welterweight Division for certain. Stanionis, a legitimate and well-schooled Champion bumped gloves with another Champion in Jaron who had a personal agenda and something to prove inside that squared circle.

Jaron came out the gate with a steady and strong jab setting the tone for the night that Stanionis could not evade. Stanionis attempted to stand his ground and exchange leather for leather but soon found out that this “game plan” was futile as he got battered round by round from top to bottom and eventually got dropped by a barrage of heavy punches in the sixth round for a standing 8 count.

Judging by the onslaught that Stanionis was taking in this bout and the fact that he was clearly losing every round by this point, his corner did the logical thing and pulled their fighter, stopping any further unnecessary abuse and stopped the fight.

Personally, I was not anticipating Stanionis getting stopped in this fashion but truth be told, Jaron was on point from all angles last night and his dominant performance over a high caliber opponent of Stanionis’ stature was just the type of performance that was missing in his game to silence the naysayers who doubted him.

Jaron completely annihilated Stanionis, possibly the second-best combatant in the Welterweight Division and relieved him of his WBA World Title, retained his IBF Championship Title and picked up the vacant Ring Magazine Belt now firmly positioning himself as the No. 1 Champion in the Welterweight Division.

Congratulations Jaron. Well done!

Blaze