Boxing Challenge

         The boxing weekend may not be filled with the top stars in the sport, but two world titles are at stake with another fight pitting two top contenders against each other.  

Dublin, Ireland, will start the day with the WBA junior lightweight title, with recently promoted James "Jazza" Dickens defending his title for the first time against former IBF champion Anthony Cacace.

Dickens knocked out then-unbeaten Albert Batyrgaziev in four rounds to win a WBA minor title before being promoted to full status when Lamont Roach moved up in weight. Cacace has won three fights in the UK over former champions Joe Cordina, Josh Warrington, and Leigh Wood. 

Cacace is the bigger puncher, and Dickens has been stopped in four of his five losses, so I doubt that Dickens will stand up under Cacace's attack.

In the evening, the action shifts to Anaheim, California, for a junior welterweight main event between two solid contenders in Arnold Barboza and Kenneth Sims.

Barboza suffered his first defeat in his last outing, losing a unanimous decision to then-WBO champion Teofimo Lopez, while Sims lost a majority decision to Oscar Durarte.

Neither fighter is a big puncher nor especially aggressive, so this is a tactical match that might come down to which fighter can establish the jab.

Strawweight champion Oscar Collazo defends his WBA and WBO titles against seemingly overmatched Jesus Haro, who has only two knockouts in his thirteen wins.

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha meets aging Joseph Diaz in a ten-round bout.

Both fighters were in excellent fights in their last event, Rocha with a draw against Raul Curiel, while Diaz lost a close decision to Regis Prograis.

Diaz looks to be a spent shell, so if Rocha has anything left, he should get the nod.

Boxing Challenge

WBA Junior Lightweight Title. 12 Rds 

James "Jazza" Dickens vs Anthony Cacace

Ramon Malpica: Dickens Unanimous Decision

TRS: Cacace KO 8

Vince Samano:

Junior Welterweights 12 Rds

Arnold Barboza vs Kenneth Sims

R.L: Sims Unanimous Decision

TRS: Barboza Majority Decision

Vince Samano:

WBA and WBO Strawweight Titles. 12 Rds

Oscar Collazo vs Jesus Haro

R.L: Collazo Unanimous Decision

TRS: Collazo KO 6

V.S:

Welterweights. 10 Rds

Alexis Rocha vs Joseph Diaz

R.L: Diaz Unanimous Decision

TRS: Rocha Unanimous Decision

V.S: 

Browns sign Jack Stoll

     The Cleveland Browns needed to add a veteran tight end after cutting ties with David Njoku, and it was expected to be a blocking specialist.

The expectation was correct as Cleveland signed veteran Jack Stoll to a one-year contract.

Stoll spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles before playing for the New Orleans Saints last season.

Stoll caught six passes for forty-six yards and one touchdown for the Saints and is known for his blocking in his five NFL campaigns.

Stoll was signed by Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent from Nebraska in 2021.

Blocking tight ends are a dime a dozen, and are neither hard to replace nor difficult to let go of, so while there was a need for someone, whoever it was didn't really matter.

Two Guys named Jenkins

    The Cleveland Browns bulked up their offensive line with contracts with two guys named Jenkins, both of whom could possibly start depending on the positional alignment.

The new Jenkins is Elgton Jenkins, who was released by the Green Bay Packers after the season to ease their salary cap numbers.

The 30-year-old Jenkins was the Packers' second-round draft choice from Mississippi State in 2019 and made two Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2022.

Jenkins made those Pro Bowls as a guard but played last season at center, where he made nine starts before a season-ending leg fracture, and has played tackle earlier in his career.

Jenkins is rated as an average run blocker, but as one of the better pass blockers at center and guard.

Jenkins was signed to a two-year deal worth 24 million, 20 of which is guaranteed.

I don't know the Browns' plans for the starters, but they re-signed Tevin Jenkins, who started the final four games last season and graded out well at guard.

The alignment that would make the most sense would have Elgton Jenkins at center with Tevin Jenkins at one guard and fellow signee Zion Johnson at the other, but Elgton grades better at guard.

Andrew Berry has clearly targeted bringing in linemen who can play multiple positions along the line, which is a good idea when you are patching a line together from veterans from other teams.

With Tytus Howard at one tackle after being acquired from Houston, and hoping for the best from Dawand Jones at the other tackle for now, the Browns could be finished for now ( but don't rule another veteran out) until the draft.

I see Cleveland drafting a tackle no later than their second round draft pick (39th overall) and more likely with one of their two first rounders (six and twenty-four).

While the Browns have turned over their offensive line, they do have a few backups returning with KT Levinston, who struggled at tackle but I liked what I saw in limited action at guard, disappointing 2024 third rounder Zac Zinter, and backup center Luke Wypler, who was injured in the season finale.

Cleveland isn't finished with free agency yet, as they have other positions to address with a veteran wideout and a blocking tight end at the top of the list.

Browns sign Quincy Williams

      Just a few minutes after I wrapped up writing about the Cleveland Browns losing linebacker Devin Bush to the Chicago Bears and discussing the Browns' possible options at the position, the Browns announced their replacement, and this is one that I really like.

Cleveland signed Quincy Williams from the New York Jets for a reported two-year contract valued at seventeen million dollars.

Williams wasn't the impact player last season for the Jets under new head coach Aaron Glenn that he was in the previous two seasons under Robert Salah, but still finished with forty-five solo tackles and three and a half sacks in thirteen games.

New Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg coached Williams in New York, and what Saleh ran (similarities with Jim Schwartz's scheme) should be close to Rutenberg's plans for the Browns.

Rutenberg was Williams's position coach in his best seasons, with Williams finishing with one hundred tackles in each of the four years, and an All-Pro selection in 2023.

Williams is more than a tackle accumulator and can be used effectively as a blitzer, earning twelve and a half sacks as a Jet. He is known for his range and ability in coverage, which should fit well with Carson Schwesinger as three down linebackers.

Williams will turn thirty in training camp and will enter his eighth year (two with Jacksonville, five with the Jets), but he looked good in the games I saw the Jets last season.

All in all, the Browns have signed a superior player (Williams over Devon Bush) at a cheaper rate (Bush signed for three years at ten million per year, Williams will cost eight and a half million per year for two).

I'm a big fan of this signing and think the Browns have done well here.

Browns sign Zion Johnson, lose Devin Bush

    The Cleveland Browns' rebuilding of their offensive line continued on the first day of free agency with the signing of guard Zion Johnson to a three-year contract worth 49.5 million, $32.4 million guaranteed.

Johnson spent the last four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after the Chargers selected him in the first round of the 2022 draft from Boston College.

Johnson played every snap for the Chargers last season except in the final game, when all starters were rested, so he's durable.

Johnson also excels in run blocking, but has struggled in pass protection, the inverse of the Browns' other veteran addition to the line, tackle Tytus Howard.

Johnson's fifth-year option wasn't picked up by the Chargers before last season, and he responded with the best season of his career, so this isn't the case of a player needing a second chance.

Johnson played left guard last season, but has played both guard positions, which could allow for the return of Joel Bitonio, should he decide to play one more season.

It's a bit of an overpay, as it usually is when teams need starting offensive linemen through free agency, but Johnson seems to be a player on the upswing.

Meanwhile, the Browns had hoped to keep linebacker Devin Bush, but the veteran signed with the Chicago Bears.

The three-year contract is valued at thirty million dollars, and while keeping Bush would have been nice, I don't blame the Browns here.

While Bush had the best season of his career last season with three interceptions (Two returned for touchdowns), two sacks, and over one hundred tackles, Bush has had off-the-field issues, and while the Browns have stated that they will play the same defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg as they did under Jim Schwartz, it's only natural to figure that some small changes (at least) are in store.

When a player such as Devin Bush excels in one system and has been pedestrian in others, I'm always hesitant to count on the same production when the coordinator changes.

Cleveland could take a linebacker on day three in the draft, sign a veteran in need of a new start (as was the case with Devin Bush), or they could attempt to re-sign veteran Jerome Baker and give him a chance to replace Bush.

Boxing Challenge: Zuffa Era begins with Opietaia win

   Jai Opietaia's victory over Brandon Glanton was as dominant as one could see, but it could be more significant for what happened outside the ring, as Opietaia was stripped of his IBF cruiserweight title before the bell rang.

In the ring, the bout was forgettable as Opietaia puffed up Glanton's eyes and forehead and did about everything a fighter could do short of scoring a knockdown.

Honestly, the fight could have been stopped in the corner of Glanton in the late rounds, and I would not have complained.

Glanton was penalized for holding and low blows, and somehow Opietaia was penalized for holding, which was the only thing preventing Opietaia from a perfect score with all three judges scoring the fight 119-106 for the Australian.

The real fun was outside the ring where despite paying the sanctioning fees, the IBF still took their title away in a snit over the Zuffa championship.

I'm no Zuffa apologist but this is all on the IBF.

Yes, Dana White (Zuffa head) has made his statement about the boxing status quo but their fighter (Opietaia) has made it clear that he wanted to unify all four titles, and they are trying to make that happen with their cooperation to date.

I could do without the Zuffa title but it's not a major problem yet.

There will be a showdown eventually but for now, Zuffa has played by the standard rules and deserves the recognition of being right.

Boxing Challenge

Ramon Malpica: 26 Pts (1)

Vince Samano: 24 Pts (1)

TRS: 22 Pts (1)

Boxing Challenge

       Only one fight in the boxing challenge, and it's a championship for now, but only until Jai Opietaia enters the ring.

Once he does, the IBF will strip him of their cruiserweight title and only the newly created Zuffa title will be at stake against top ten contender Brandon Glanton.

Cruiserweights,12 Rds 

Jai Opietaia vs Brandon Glanton

Ramon Malpica: Opietaia KO 7

TRS: Opietaia KO 10

Vince Samano: Opietaia KO 6.