Monday, December 17, 2018

Boxing Challenge: Dull night on DAZN

The Saturday debut on DAZN with Golden Boy Promotions was anticipated, even though it was expected that the star of the evening, Canelo Alvarez, would cruise through his fight. to be a card with clear-cut favorites.

It was more than that though as some of the fights would never occur, but first, it's Canelo Alvarez who would win one of the WBA's minor titles and could now claim to be yet another multi-divisional champion ( one of my boxing pet peeves) in what was as big of mismatch as you'll see in a while in a third round detonation of England's Rocky Fielding.
Alvarez dropped Fielding four times and I'm not sure that I can describe just how lopsided this fight was.
Fielding was clearly the larger man and that was his only edge.
I can live with these types of fights for active fighters, so I'm fine with this one since Canelo did fight Gennady Golovkin just three months ago, but I won't be so tolerant with another one next time.

Two of the boxing challenge fights never happened as David Lemieux didn't make weight and his fight was Tureano Johnson was sadly canceled.
That's too bad as that would have easily been the best fight of the evening.
Lemieux and promoter Golden Boy needs to realize whether it's a lack of training or simply a fighter that has outgrown his division-Lemieux needs to move on to 168 and not sign for fights at 160 no matter how badly he/they may want to make a bout.
While I'm at it-I feel terrible for Johnson, who lost a paycheck and training expenses and I'd like to add a new rule that state commissions could make and then enforce- IF a fighter does not make weight, his team is responsible for either full reimbursement of training expenses (if a fight's purse would have that be feasible) or if a prelim fight, a set sum that would at least help a little in making things right.

Prospect Vergil Ortiz was not passed by the New York State Commission due to a past eye surgery.
While I can respect that for looking out for the fighters safety, I wished someone could have figured this out before the day of the fight!

This moved Tevin Farmer's IBF junior lightweight defense against Francisco Fonseca to the co-main.
Fonseca tried hard, but Farmer dominated in a fight that both fighters were doing their best but settled into one round each resembling the last as Farmer won a unanimous decision (118-110 on my card).
Farmer once again called out WBA kingpin Gervonta Davis in a fight that both seem to want but is unlikely to happen.

That left the only other challenge bout as former WBO junior middleweight champ Sadam Ali returned to his natural weight at 147 and shutout former junior welterweight contender Mauricio Herrera on his way to a unanimous decision.
It was an ugly bout, not very entertaining and not one that saw Ali shine.

All and all, not a great night for Golden Boy or DAZN, who I'll be discussing their presentation in a future post.
Things aren't always going to fall the way the promoter/network wants them, but with the exception of Canelo doing what champions should do against overmatched competition- take them out early, this had to be a disappointing start to the GBP series on DAZN.
It'll get better- It better...

In the boxing challenge, Ramon Malpica outscored me six to four on the weekend.
Ramon scored two points each from Tevin Farmer and Sadam Ali and one each from Canelo Alvarez and Gilberto Ramirez on Friday.
I added my four with two from Ali and one each from Canelo and Farmer.
I still lead Ramon for the year with two weeks to go 210-191

No comments: