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

WBC Championship Heavyweight Throwdown

Last night’s PBC/Top Rank Main Event Heavyweight Championship bout between WBC/Ring Magazine Champion Tyson Furry (31-0-1, 22 Kos) and Deontay Wilder (42-2-1, 41 Kos) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, was a proper showdown that will definitely last the test of time in the Heavyweight Division. Real Talk!

This trilogy bout lived up to the hype from start to finish. Tyson walked in as a “Spartan” and clearly silenced “The Bronze Bomber” without any dispute. Although Deontay was able detonate two heavy bombs on Tyson that dropped him in the fourth round, Deontay was not able to empty the artillery needed to keep Fury from coming forward with controlled aggression.

Deontay came out the gate with the right “game plan” but neglected to utilize it to its fullest and stick with the task at hand as the tiredness and the rounds became harder to endure as Fury maintained constant pressure on him.

I gotta tip my “B” hat to Deontay cause Dude was getting manhandled inside that squared circle but his strong heart and sheer will wouldn’t let him bow down without a fight. Deontay was on shaky legs early in the bout and took some heavy punishment while handing some of his own as well,  but the “Spartan” warrior that Tyson is proved to be the better prepared combatant on the night. Hands down!

Once again, the strongest puncher in the Heavyweight Division Deontay Wilder got broken down and dropped three times by the so called “pillow-fisted” Tyson Fury who dramatically put a stop to the bout with a devastating knockout in the 11th round. Unbelievable!

I gotta tip my “B” hat to the “Gypsy King”. This man walks it like he talks it inside that squared circle. With another convincing win over the “Bronze Bomber” Tyson successfully defended his WBC Heavyweight Championship and Ring Magazine Belt.

With Boxing Trainer SugarHill Steward in the Gypsy’s corner, it’s going to be hard pressed to remove the WBC Heavyweight Championship and Ring Magazine Belt from this man’s possession. Good luck to the competition.

Until then, congratulations Tyson on another historical type performance. You are truly the man to beat in the Heavyweight Division.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Frank Sanchez vs Efe Ajagba”

Heavyweight Throwdown

In a battle of unbeaten Heavyweight Prospects at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Frank Sanchez (19-0, 13 Kos) put on a boxing clinic when he dropped and dismantled hard hitting Efe Ajagba (15-1, 12 Kos) to a clear-cut unanimous decision win.

There are levels to this boxing sh*t and although both combatants are fairly new to the professional game, Sanchez showed he was levels above Ajagba inside that squared circle by boxing and moving beautifully with ease round after round administering nonestop action.

Ajagba, who is known for his power, was unable to let go of the hammer, and when he did let loose, he quickly got countered with a barrage of punches that eventually cost him in the seventh round when he got caught and dropped.

As the rounds were piling up, it was clear that Ajagba lacked the proper preparation to compete with a superior technical boxer of Sanchez’s caliber.

After 10 rounds of one-sided action all three Judges scored it 98-91, 98-91 and 97-92 all in favor of Frank Sanchez.

It was a very impressive showing by Sanchez who exhibited exceptional offensive and defensive skills inside that squared circle.

Can’t wait to see what comes after this imposing victory. Until then, congratulations Sanchez.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Masayoshi Nakatani”

Lightweight Showdown

Last night’s Top Rank Main Event saw the return of Vasiliy Lomachenko (15-2, 10 Kos) taking on
Masayoshi Nakatani (19-2, 13 Kos) at the Virgin Hotels, in Las Vegas Nevada.

“Loma” came into this bout with a chip on his shoulders and showed us what a fully healed driven fighter can accomplish when no existing lingering injuries are present.

No disrespect to Nakatani, but last night Masayoshi was merely a prop for Loma’s 2.0. version of the “Matrix” inside that squared circle. Loma broke down the bigger, rangier and taller combatant piece by piece at will from head to body round by round.

There was absolutely nothing Nakatani could do to stop the smaller “Loma” from having his way with him inside that squared circle. Punches were coming from all corners with speed and precision. “Loma” looked surprisingly sharp for someone who just came back from shoulder surgery.

Nakatani looked lost and puzzled with no real “game plan” to stop the offensive onslaught coming his way. By the 9th round Nakatani was pretty much out on his feet from the barrage
he was absorbing and eventually dropped to the canvas which then prompted the referee to stop the bout.

This was a masterful performance by “Loma” hands down against a worthy opponent. With this convincing win “Loma” has rightfully reinserted himself back into title contention once again.

It will be interesting to see if IBF/WBA/WBO/WBC Franchise Lightweight Champion Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12 Kos) offers Lomachenko that rematch he’s been asking for.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Shakur Stevenson vs Jeremiah Nakathila”

WBO Interim Junior Lightweight Championship

Last night’s Main Event between Shakur Stevenson (16-0, 8 Kos) and Jeremiah Nakathila (21-2, 17 Kos) at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Nevada was another example of how defensively minded Shakur can be when met with an opponent with serious power. Real Talk!

Jeremiah was supposed to be a real tough test for Shakur and was coming off a 10-fight knockout winning streak. Jeremiah had envisioned putting them paws all over Stevenson’s face but was met with a superior opponent for the first time inside that squared circle.

As good and strong as Jeremiah was, he was clearly outmatched by the younger Stevenson who was elusive and untouchable the entire bout. This bout definitely wasn’t fan friendly to watch but one has to admire the ring generalship Shakur possesses at such a young age.

Jeremiah had absolutely no proper “game plan” to disrupt Shakur’s steady attack. Jeremiah’s frustration was becoming more and more visible as the rounds progressed. His desperate actions made him exposed and susceptible in the fifth round and got caught with a right hook to the chin that dropped him for a quick eight count near the end of the round.

Stevenson showed he was levels above Jeremiah throughout the entire bout of so-called action. Shakur’s defence was impeccable. Had he would have pressed the action and closed the show, the fans in attendance would have been more appreciative of his talent.

That being said, after 12 full rounds of action, the Judges scored it 120-107 unanimously in favor of Shakur Stevenson. With this win, Shakur is now the WBO Interim Junior Lightweight Champion of the World and mandatory challenger to the full WBO Junior Lightweight Champion Jamel Herring (23-2, 11 Kos).

Being that Stevenson may have the option to confront WBC Junior Lightweight Champion Oscar Valdez (29-0, 20 Kos), I can surely anticipate a much better competitive and entertaining bout regardless of which Champion Shakur decides to challenge.

Until then, congratulations on your latest win Shakur.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Josh Taylor vs Jose Ramirez”

Junior Welterweight Unification Championship

Last night’s Main Event at the Virgin Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada between Junior Welterweight IBF/WBA/Ring Magazine Champion Josh Taylor (18-0, 13 Kos) and Junior Welterweight WBC/WBO Champion Jose Ramirez (26-1, 17 Kos), lived up to the hype.

I gotta tip my “B” hat to Josh for walking it like he talked it. Dude is a bad man inside that squared circle. His confidence never waivers inside or outside the ring. He’s an exceptional boxer with a high boxing IQ that benefited him well in last night’s Unification clash with Jose.

Jose fought well and stood his ground and asserted himself when it got rough, aside from a few lapses that eventually cost him dearly. Both combatants went blow for blow dropping heavy bombs, at times making the rounds entertaining and hard to score.

As close as the rounds were, Josh separated himself when he scored a knockdown in the sixth round and the seventh round. Both knockdowns were sharp and right on the money and clearly hurt Jose, but Ramirez’s strong will to compete carried him to stay competitive throughout the later rounds.

After 12 full rounds of action all three Judges scored it unanimously 114-112 in Josh Taylor’s favor. Jose definitely had his moments but those two knockdowns had sealed his fate.

With this convincing win, Josh collected the WBC/WBO Belts and retained his IBF/WBA/Ring Magazine Championship Belts to now becoming the Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion of the World. Josh has officially cemented his name in the record books by joining such a prestigious man club that houses the names of Terence Crawford, Oeksandr Usyk, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor and now Josh Taylor as the only five fully unified Champions in any Division during boxing’s four-belt era. Not bad company for the New Champ.

Further congratulations to Josh on also becoming the first Scottish fighter to don all 4 Major Sanctioning Belts in any Division. You deserve all accolades earned Champ. Job well done.

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 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

On The Watch “It’s All About Miguel Berchelt vs Oscar Valdez”

WBC Super Featherweight Challenge

Last night’s Top Rank Main Event bout between WBC Super Featherweight Champion Miguel Berchelt (37-2, 34 Kos) and Oscar Valdez (29-0, 23 Kos) at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, did not disappoint.

Oscar, the underdog of the night executed their “game plan” to a “T” from start to finish. Oscar boxed and moved beautifully with a steady and accurate jab that prevented Miguel from effectively settling into his own offence.

Miguel who was visibly the bigger guy inside that squared circle, was unable to assert himself physically to use his well-known power. The “game plan” that Oscar was displaying all night was clearly keeping Miguel overthinking his options inside that squared circle which cost him dearly in the fourth round when Oscar connected with a vicious left hook that sent Miguel staggering off the ropes. This prompted the referee to give Miguel a standing 8 count since the ropes saved him from falling out of the ring.

It was a technical matchup where the more elusive fighter in Valdez, was gaining more confidence as the rounds wore on. Although Miguel did have some moments inside that squared circle, it was clear that Oscar’s power shots were breaking Miguel down round by round.

In the 9th round Oscar connected with a nasty three-punch combination that sent Miguel straight down for his second knockdown of the night but Miguel’s resilience beat the 8 count to see the next round.

Miguel was clearly taking too much punishment and his corner contemplated stopping the bout but still sent him out there in the 10th round. Oscar saw a wounded combatant ready to be dispatched and Oscar did just that when he landed a devastating left hook that closed the show indefinitely. Miguel dropped flat on his face knocked out cold as the referee waved it off.

With this emphatic win, Oscar now becomes the new WBC Super Featherweight Champion of the world.

Job well done Oscar. You defied all odds and proved the naysayers wrong while putting the 130-pound Division on notice. There’s a New Champion on deck and he goes by the name of
Oscar Valdez.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Terence Crawford vs Kell Brook”

WBO Welterweight Title Defense

Terence Crawford (37-0, 28 Kos) silenced all the naysayers once again at last nights Main Event inside the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas when he annihilated the tough and worthy former IBF titleholder Kell Brook (39-3, 27 Kos).

It took Crawford a few rounds to get going while Kell was looking good in the early rounds with a stiff jab causing Crawford to rethink his approach. By round three Crawford had switched stance to southpaw and started moving in on Kell like he had figured out the right angles to press the action. The bout started to heat up and was looking really competitive. Kell was holding his own, moving and boxing well until the fourth round started when Crawford caught Brook slippin and connected with a powerful right hand that staggered Kell all the way to the ropes. Crawford continued administering further unanswered assault before the referee intervened to rule a knockdown on Brook and separated them for the standing 8 count.

Seeing that Brook was clearly hurt, Bud wasted no time in finishing his wounded opponent with a flurry of heavy punches that forced the referee to halt the bout at 1:14 in the round.

As good and strong as Brook was last night, Crawford made sure his own power was felt when he stopped Brook dead on his feet. With this destructive win, Terence retained his WBO Welterweight Title that he effectively defended for the fourth time.

Since entering the 147-Pound Division, Crawford has knocked out or stopped all of his opponents in convincing fashion. That being said your Boy Bud is the silent killer in the Welterweight Division. Your Boy got pop in them hands and is nothing to play with. Real Talk!

Peeps can talk all they want about who Bud fought or hasn’t fought to date, but all I want to know is Who’s next?

Blaze