Saturday, September 22, 2018

Boxing Challenge

It's a two-fight weekend in the boxing challenge and you can watch them free online as the introductory offer to DAZN includes a free month.

The main event sends the three belt holder in the heavyweight division against a solid contender live from London.
Anthony Joshua defends his WBA, IBF and WBO championships against former WBA champion Alexander Povetkin, who has lost just once in his career in a unification match by decision to Wladimir Klitschko.

The battle of Olympic Gold Medalists (Povetkin 2004, Joshua 2012) is one between two of the top five heavyweights in the world, so even though it's not the wished for Joshua-Deontay Wilder, it's still a top five title defense.
Joshua is the bigger fighter and a harder puncher, although Povetkin is no slouch as a hitter himself and he punches as well, if not better than Dillian Whyte, who floored Joshua in their bout.
Joshua also memorably was dropped by Wladimir Klitschko in their classic conflict, so Povetkin does have a punchers chance in this one, so Povetkin is a real dark horse here.

However, in Povetkin's only appearance against elite competition against Klitschko, Povetkin was knocked off his feet four times (although not seriously hurt by any of them) and was bullied and worn down by the physically larger Klitschko in arguably the dullest heavyweight unification fight ever (Mike Tyson-Bonecrusher Smith is a strong challenger for that award), so we will see just what Povetkin brings to the table other than that puncher's chance.

In our other challenge bout, Briton Luke Campbell attempts to avenge one of his two career defeats in a rematch against Yvan Mendy of France.
Mendy won a close split decision in 2014 when the pair first fought, but this bout has a lot on the line as on paper it is an eliminator for the WBC lightweight title currently held by Mikey Garcia.
In reality, the fight is to guarantee a shot at the vacant title as Garcia is unlikely to defend against either fighter and is more likely to vacate, although I could see a scenario where if Campbell won, Garcia might be enticed to fight him in England for a larger purse than such a fight would be worth in the U.S., if promotional issues don't get into the way.
Campbell is best remembered by American fans for his gritty split decision loss to then-WBA champion Jorge Linares last September.

WBA/IBF/WBO Heavyweight Titles. 12 Rds
Anthony Joshua vs Alexander Povetkin
R.L; Joshua KO 5
TRS: Joshua Unanimous Decision

Lightweights. 12 Rds
Luke Campbell vs Yvan Mendy
Both: Campbell Unanimous Decision

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