Boxing Challenge

    Due to time constraints (Ruby and Work), here is the boxing challenge with just the facts.

Boxing Challenge

Heavyweights. 12 Rds 

Anthony Joshua vs Christian Prenga

Ramon Malpica: Joshua KO 8

TRS: Joshua KO 5
Vince Samano: Joshua KO 7

WBO Super Middleweight Title. 12 Rds

Hamzah Sheeraz vs Simon Zachenhuber

R.L: Sheeraz KO 9
TRS: Sheeraz KO 2
V.S: Sheeraz Unanimous Decision

IBF Junior Middleweight Title 12 Rds

Josh Kelly vs Caoimhin Agyarko

All: Kelly Unanimous Decision

Middleweights 12 Rds

Errol Spence vs Tim Tszyu

R.L: Tszyu KO 9
TRS: Tszyu KO 10
V.S: Spence KO 7

Junior Lightweights 12 Rds

Stephen Fulton vs Liam Wilson

All: Fulton Unanimous Decision

Super Middleweights 10 Rds

Edgar Berlanga vs Steven Butler

R.L: Berlanga Split Decision
TRS: Berlanga KO 5
V.S: Butler KO 8

Welterweights 12 Rds

Richardson Hitchins vs Ricardo Salas

R.L: Hitchins KO 9
TRS and V.S: Hitchins Unanimous Decision

Middleweights 10 Rds

Sergiy Dereyvanchenko vs Jalil Hackett

R.L and TRS: Dereyvanchenko Unanimous Decision
V.S: Hackett Unanimous Decision

Boxing Challenge

   The boxing weekend starts early on Fridaty with two former world champions making returns to the ring.

In Thailand, former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will try to stay busy before an expected match with Anthony Joshua later this year.

Fury will meet veteran Mariusz Wach, who once challenged Wladimir Klitschko for the heavyweight title but in recent years has become a journeyman.

The fight isn't live-streamed as it is going to be shown eventually on Fury's Netflix reality show.

In Uncasville, Connecticut, former junior middleweight and middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade returns for the first time since his first defeat, a knockout loss to David Benavidez.

Andrade will face unknown Brazilian Douglas Ataide, who has been stopped in three of his five losses.

Boxing Challenge

Heavyweights. 10 Rds

Tyson Fury vs Mariusz Wach

All: Fury Unanimous Decision

Super Middleweights 10 Rds

Demetrius Andrade vs Douglas Ataide

Ramon Malpica and Vince Samano; Andrade Unanimous Decision

TRS: Andrade KO 6

Boxing Challenge: Pacheco stops Aleem

    The Matchroom card from Carson, California, didn't look to be thrilling or competitive, and it wasn't.

In the main event, unbeaten super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco stopped veteran Immanuel Aleem in the eleventh round.

Pacheco wore down the durable Aleem with a commitment to body work that had been missing in his recent fights, and his aggression looked more like the rising prospect than the more tentative boxer/puncher, who had settled for decision victories in his last three wins.

Lightweight contender Andy Cruz knocked out late replacement Abraham Montoya in the third round,

Cruz announced after the fight that he was going to move down in weight to the junior lightweight division.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 72 Pts (2) 

Ramon Malpica: 60 Pts (2)

Vince Samano: 46 Pts (2)

Boxing Challenge

     It's an uninspiring card from Carson, California, from Matchroom, in the only action in the boxing challenge.

Unbeaten super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco meets trialhorse Immanuel Aleem in the main event.

Pacheco hasn't been exciting in his recent wins, and he's not facing a top contender in Aleem, who lasted the distance with Lester Martinez but was pounded in a lopsided loss.

Former Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz returns to action for the first time since his majority decision defeat in an IBF lightweight title attempt against Raymond Muratalla against late replacement Abraham Montoya.

Montoya is replacing Albert Bell, who was allowed to drop out of the bout to face WBO champion Abdullah Mason.

Boxing Challenge

Super Middleweights. 12 Rds 

Diego Pacheco vs Immanuel Aleem

All: Pacheco Unanimous Decision

Lightweights 10 Rds

Andy Cruz vs Abraham Montoya

All: Cruz Unanimous Decision

Devils sign Anthony Mantha

    The New Jersey Devils wanted a top-six forward during the offseason, and after the Utah Mammoth matched the Devils' offer sheet to Barrett Hayden, New Jersey's shopping for that player continued.

The Devils found their new addition in right wing Anthony Mantha, who signed a two-year, $ 9.5 million contract to move to New Jersey.

The soon to be 32 year old Mantha is coming off the best season of his career, scoring 33 goals with 31 assists (both career-highs) with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Devils will be the sixth team for Mantha (Detroit, Washington, Las Vegas, Calgary, and Pittsburgh) after a career that has been solid but somewhat disappointing for a player with his size (6'5 240 pounds) and skills.

A first-round pick by Detroit in 2013, Mantha looked to be a potential star when he notched 48 points in back-to-back seasons with the Red Wings, but until his one season with Pittsburgh, Mantha never lived up to his potential.

Mantha has good hands, is a strong skater, and plays with more finesse than a player of his size should; he is likely to be on the first or second line next season.

If Mantha can match his production with the Penguins, the Devils may have found exactly the player that they needed on the wing, but it's fair to question if Mantha isn't coming in at his highest value after a career season.

I'm tentatively optimistic with this signing, but it could go either way.

Cleaning out the Inbox: Non-Sports Edition

    I continue catching up with tributes to those who have recently left us with this edition from the non-sports world.

Goodbye to Anthony Head at the age of 72. 

Head was famous for his acting and singing in the United Kingdom, but his two most memorable roles for me were his recent role as West Ham owner "Rupert Mannion" in the Apple series "Ted Lasso", and of course as "Rupert Giles", the "watcher" in "Buffy The Vampire Slayer".

He also had many roles in voice work, including narrating documentaries and voice work for audiobooks, video games, and animation.

Goodbye to Charles Cioffi at the age of 90.

The long-time character actor was known as the police lieutenant in the 1971 film "Shaft" and appeared in more television series and movies than I can note.

Cioffi also had supporting roles in two of my favorite 80s films as Tom Cruise's father in "All the Right Moves" and as the lead villain (George Grove) in "Remo Williams".

Goodbye to Donald Gibb at the age of  71.

The hulking Gibb was usually cast in roles that made effective use of his size, such as bouncers, bikers, and athletes.

Gibb's most recognized role was as "Ogre" in the Revenge of the Nerds movie series, but he also played linebacker "Dr.Death for all seven seasons of the HBO series "First and Ten".

Goodbye to Joe Negri at the age of 99.

A long-time music teacher at various universities in the Pittsburgh area, Negri's claim to fame was in his recurring role in Mister Rogers ' Neighborhood as "Handyman Negri" in the program's "Land of Make-Believe".

Negri appeared on the program first in 1968 and was a regular until the show's final episode in 2000.

Goodbye to Claudine Longet at the age of 84.

Longet was a singer and actress who appeared on many network television shows in the sixties and seventies, and was a singer who had two top forty hits.

Longet was married to singer and television host Andy Williams before a 1970 divorce and a controversial role in the death of Olympic skier Spider Sabich in 1976.

Longet was convicted of negligent homicide but would only serve thirty days and pay a small fine. 

Cleaning out the Inbox

      We clean out the inbox with some interesting articles from around the world.

We begin with the Athletic's piece on former ABA players who are still trying to receive some pension payments from the NBA, fifty years after the NBA absorbed four ABA franchises.

The current list of twenty-three former ABA players who don't qualify for the "recognition payments" that ABA players agreed to four years ago includes Artis Gilmore, Julius Erving, Rick Barry, and Dan Issel, and they won't get the extra payments because the NBA says they already receive an NBA pension.

The four players I mentioned likely don't need the money, but I'd bet some of the others could certainly use the supplemental help.

The Smithsonian writes of an attempt to help the Eastern Box Turtle by radio telemetry.

The strategy is to track, capture, and release turtles to see how far they travel, and what are some of the issues they face in the wild, to try to figure out a strategy to stop the population decline.

I remember as a child seeing box turtles all the time, but I haven't seen one in the wild for years.

My favorite potato chips in the world used to be Jones Potato Chips, located in Mansfield, Ohio, but a 2017 regulation change forced the company to stop using partially hydrogenated oil, and it changed the flavor.

When I visited Ohio after the change, the chip that catered to Jones's fans was Ballreich's, but in recent years, Ballreich's disappeared from the shelves when I visited and was replaced by Conn's from Zanesville, Ohio, which I thought was even closer to the old Jones flavor.

I buy plenty of Conn's to bring home (Original Wavy for the Boss, Salt and Vinegar for me) on trips, but a Facebook post about an article from the Richland Source grabbed my interest.

Commenters on the article said the old taste was back with Jones (as referenced in the article), and I'm anxious to buy some to see if the former champion has a chance of reclaiming their crown as the best chip in the world!

Our next note comes from the Athletic, which discusses the future of the Seattle Kraken as the NBA expands to the Emerald City in the coming years.

The Kraken have missed the playoffs in four of their five seasons and haven't managed a foothold as an organization, as the Las Vegas Golden Knights have done in their existence.

Seattle is a basketball city first, and the Kraken's best chance was to grab success before the NBA returned.

Boxing Challenge: Mason stops Bell in final round

    On a night that saw boxing's return to cable television on TNT, Abdullah Mason saved a less-than-exciting show and his WBO lightweight title with a twelfth-round stoppage of Albert Bell in Cleveland.

Mason gave away the first half of the fight to Bell, who fought somewhat cautiously but effectively in picking Mason apart from the outside, but Mason began to work the body of Bell, and it was Mason dominating the second half of the fight.

Mason led on the three official scorecards entering the final round, but I had the fading Bell ahead by one point, with his early lead being whittled to a point.

Mason would drop Bell twice in the first forty seconds, with the referee ending the fight without a count after knockdown number two.

The stoppage was thought to some to have been a little early, but I don't think Bell had the legs to survive for another two and a half minutes anyway.

Mason has become a can't-miss champion with his explosive punching power, somewhat questionable chin, and ability to rally from behind.

Top Rank still shouldn't be in a hurry to match him against the elite in the division, but I think they have a coming star in Abdullah Mason.

In the co-feature, touted Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington made his first defense of the WBC featherweight title a successful one with a unanimous decision over Rene Palacios, but didn't dazzle in the victory.

In fact, the most exciting part of a dull twelve rounds was when Palacios buzzed Carrington in the eighth round, with Carrington hitting the floor after what was ruled a punch to the back of the head.

Carrington was the easy victor 118-110, 117-111 (my score), and 116-112, but he may have caused more questions than answers.

Boxing Challenge:

TRS: 70 Pts (3)

Ramon Malpica: 58 Pts (4)
Vince Samano: 44 Pts (0)

Devils sign David Rittich

      When the New Jersey Devils traded Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers, it was assumed that the Devils would be adding someone to the goalie group, and they did just that when they signed veteran David Rittsch to a one-year contract valued at one million.

The Devils will be the seventh team in the soon-to-be thirty-four-year-old Rittsch's career, and he's generally been the second or third goalie on the roster, as he is expected to be in New Jersey.

Rittsch started last season well with the New York Islanders, but faded as the season progressed.

The fast start helped Rittsch's statistics, finishing with a record of 14-10-3 with two shutouts in thirty games.

Rittsch finished with a goals allowed average of 2.76 and a save percentage of .894 for the 2025-26 season.

Rittsch joins veteran Jake Allen and prospect Nico Daws in the Devils goalie room, and honestly, I'm not confident that is enough to get it done between the pipes.

If I'm New Jersey, I'm not giving up on adding to this position because I think it needs it.

Boxing Challenge

   Boxing debuts on TNT from Cleveland on July fourth with young powerhouse Abdullah Mason defending the WBO lightweight title against fellow Ohioan Albert Bell.

Bell replaced former IBF junior lightweight champion Joe Cordina, when Cordina wasn't allowed to enter the country due to a previous criminal conviction.

Mason is entering this fight off a tremendous victory in a war over Great Britain's Sam Noakes last November.

Bell is unbeaten but is stepping up in quality competition, and in his twenty-eight wins, he has stopped only nine opponents.

I think Bell will win a few rounds and show his skill, but eventually Mason's power will wear Bell down and stop him in the late rounds.

Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington will also be making the first defense of his title, the WBC featherweight champion, against unbeaten Rene' Palacios.

Carrington stopped Carlos Castro in nine rounds in January to win the vacant title.

The unbeaten Palacios won his biggest fight last time out with a split decision win over Suliaman Segawa.

Boxing Challenge

WBO Lightweight Title. 12 Rds 

Abdullah Mason vs Albert Bell

Ramon Malpica; Mason KO 8
TRS: Mason KO 10
Vince Samano: Bell Split Decision

WBC Featherweight Title. 12 Rds

Bruce Carrington vs Rene' Palacios

R.L: Carrington Unanimous Decision
TRS: Carrington KO 8
V.S Palacios Split Decision

Cleaning out the Inbox: Passings

     We've fallen behind on our tributes due to personal issues, so I'm working on another post to catch up.

Goodbye to Bob Horner at the age of 68.

The power-hitting infielder was the first overall pick in the 1978 draft by the Atlanta Braves from Arizona State and was moved directly to the majors without playing in the minors.

Horner not only avoided struggling, but he was also named National League Rookie of the Year, hitting twenty-three homers in eighty-nine games.

Horner would hit 218 homers in nine years with the Braves before a contract dispute saw Horner sign with the Yakult Swallows for one season before returning with the St.Louis Cardinals. Still, shoulder injuries held him to only sixty games in the final year of his career.

Goodbye to Dave McGinnis at the age of 74.

McGinnis was a long-time assistant coach before taking the head job with the Arizona Cardinals midway through the 2000 season.

Despite an overall record of 17-40, McGinnis was popular with players and fans with his exuberance and energy. McGinnis was fired following a 4-12 season in 2003.

McGinnis would be an assistant with the Titans and Rams from 2004-2016 before moving into the color analyst position on the Titans radio network.

Goodbye to Charle Young at the age of 75.

Young made the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons after the Eagles took him in the first round of the 1973 draft from USC, and was named either first or second team All-Pro in those years.

Young's receptions were never the same after the Eagles traded him to the Rams before the 1977 season for Ron Jaworski, but he was a solid player for the Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks in the final ten seasons of his career, winning a Super Bowl with the 1981 49ers.

Goodbye to Tony Davis at the age of 73.

Davis left Nebraska in 1976 as the school's all-time leading rusher and in 1973 became the first 1,000-yard rusher under Tom Osborne.

Davis was taken by the Bengals in round four of the 1976 draft and spent three seasons with the Bengals, three with the Buccaneers, and one with the USFL's Boston Breakers.

Cleaning out the Inbox: Passings

  It's time for another series of tributes, and we start with an underrated all-time great in his field.

Goodbye to Dennis Condrey at the age of 74.

"Loverboy" Dennis Condrey was part of the greatest tag team in the history of professional wrestling (my opinion) with partner "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton and manager Jim Cornette to comprise the Midnight Express.

Condrey was a veteran of the three Tennessee territories before getting his big break in 1983 with Mid-South Wrestling, with Eaton and Cornette using the name "Midnight Express" for their team, which Condrey and Randy Rose had used before the move to Mid-South.

Condrey and Eaton would win and lose the NWA world tag team titles against the Rock N Roll Express before Condrey's famous 1987 disappearance, which would lead to Stan Lane as Condrey's replacement in the Midnight Express.

Condrey returned to wrestling with Randy Rose in the AWA, winning the dying federation's tag team titles as the original Midnight Express before moving to the NWA with their famous studio attack on the Jim Cornette version of the Express.

Goodbye to Miguel Canto at the age of 78.

The long-time holder of the WBC flyweight title in the 1970s, Canto defended his title fourteen times from 1975 to 1979.

Known for his silky smooth boxing, Canto lacked any type of power and scored only fifteen knockouts in his sixty-one victories.

Canto lost his title in South Korea to Chan-Hee Park in 1979 but nearly regained it in the rematch, also in South Korea, drawing with Park in a controversial decision.

Goodbye to Claude Lemieux at the age of 60.

The scrappy and controversial Lemieux was known for his ability to get under his opponents' skin and for his excellent play in the postseason.

Lemieux won four Stanley Cups, two with New Jersey and one each with Colorado and Montreal, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for the 1995 champion Devils.

Lemieux was an underrated scorer, scoring 25 goals or more nine times in his career, with a high of 41 in 1991-92 with New Jersey.

Lemieux scored 379 goals in his career, with eighty more in postseason play.

Goodbye to John Garrett at the age of 74.

Garrett played for four teams in the WHA and three others after the merger with the NHL and finished his WHA career with a record of 148-151, the most losses for a goaltender in league history.

Garrett became an analyst after his retirement with the Vancouver Canucks. In recent years, Garrett covered other teams for Rogers Sportsnet.

Goodbye to Stacey King at the age of 59.

An All-American at Oklahoma, where he led the Sooners to the National title game. King was a firsr round draft choice by the Chicago Bulls in 1989.

King would play for three championship teams with the Bulls and would play for four other teams before retiring in 1999.

King has spent the last twenty years in various roles with the Bulls local broadcast team as a beloved figure in the Chicago area.

Devils trade Jacob Markstrom to Florida

      The New Jersey Devils will be starting a new era in net as the Devils traded Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers along with forward Angus Crookshank for three forwards: Evan Rodrigues, former Devil Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves.

Markstrom was acquired from Calgary to give the Devils stability in the net, but instead delivered erratic play in his two New Jersey seasons.

Markstrom played well in his first season, but wasn't good at all last season, finishing with a 3.07 GAA and a .883 save percentage, and will turn 37 in January.

The Devils will likely test the market for a veteran goaltender as only Jake Allen remains on the roster.

Crookshank played only last season in Newark, joining the team from the Ottawa Senators and scoring one goal in eight games.

Crookshank spent most of the season with AHL Utica, where he scored 24 goals in sixty games.

The thirty-two-year-old Evan Rodrigues is a solid two-way forward who scored eleven goals with twenty assists in sixty-nine games, and Jesper Boqvist returns to the Devils after a four-goal and nine-assist season in Florida.

Ben Steeves scored twenty-three goals last season for AHL Charlotte and, at twenty-four, has time to break through for the Devils and, at a minimum, will be a key contributor for AHL Utica.

The versatility of Rodrigues will allow him to plug in as a third-line center and penalty killer, and he can move up and down the lines if injuries become a factor.

Boqvist will likely take over the role of  Paul Cotter on the fourth line after Cotter was allowed to leave via free agency.

Former GM Tom Fitzgerald signed Markstrom to a two-year contract extension last year, and trading him allows the Devils to take his entire contract off their books.

Trading Markstrom now for a decent return could be a good idea, as a slow start for Markstrom could have made him untradable, which would have stuck the Devils with a large cap blow.

New Jersey also signed Utah Mammoth center Barrett Hayden to a one-year offer sheet valued at 4.7 million.

Utah will have one week to match Hayden's offer.

Hayden scored ten goals with fifteen assists last season with the Mammoth.

Boxing Challenge: Boots stops Zayas

    The boxing weekend saw Jaron "Boots" Ennis do more than just snatch the WBA and WBO junior middleweight titles from Xander Zayas. Ennis solidified himself as a star in the sport and did it excitingly as Ennis stopped Zayas in seven rounds in Brooklyn, New York.

Ennis dropped Zayas in the first and fifth rounds before finishing Zayas in the seventh, but was forced to survive in the third round when Zayas appeared to have Ennis in trouble.

While Ennis was far ahead on my card at the time of the stoppage (59-53), Zayas had his successes as well in a fight that will be considered for fight of the year.

Ennis's promoter, Eddie Hearn, stated Zayas has a rematch clause should he activate it, but before the fight, Zayas stated he was likely to rise to 160 pounds, so a rematch is not guaranteed.

Ennis seems most likely to meet IBF champion Josh Kelly in a unification fight unless a more lucrative ( and long-awaited) fight against Vergil Ortiz.

Kelly is also promoted by Matchroom.

Two prospects notched impressive KO wins as the co-features as Emiliano Vargas stopped Bryce Mills in four rounds and Ben Whittaker swatted Richard "Popeye" Rivera aside in two rounds.

In the main event from Zuffa on Paramount Plus, former WBC junior welterweight champion Jose Valenzuela avenged a 2022 knockout loss to Edwin De Los Santos with a second round stoppage.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 67 Pts (5)

Ramon Malpica: 54 Pts (4)

Vince Samano:  44 Pts (2) 

Devils draft Alexander Command

      The New Jersey Devils held the twelfth selection in the first round of the NHL Draft and selected Alexander Command, a center from Sweden.

The eighteen-year-old Command is 6'1 and spent last season with Orebro of the Swedish Under 20 league, scoring seventeen goals and twenty-seven assists in thirty games.

 I've often written that I go by others in reviewing the NHL Draft, as I haven't seen enough of these players to form a knowledgeable opinion, but it seems that some see this as a mild surprise, as the Devils were mocked with several other players.

Command's offensive stats last season belie his reputation as an excellent two-way player, and known for physical play, which some compare to the Devils captain, Nico Hischier.

Command will likely return to Sweden for next season.

Boxing Challenge

   Boxing finally has a top-notch fight to discuss as Xander Zayas defends his WBA and WBO junior middleweight titles against former welterweight champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis in New York City.

Zayas has won his titles in his last two fights, winning the vacant WBO title over Jorge Perez and adding the WBA strap with a win over Abass Baraou.

Ennis knocked out Uisma Limia in one round in his first bout at the weight.

The difference to me seems to be that Zayas lacks the power to keep Ennis at bay and eventually would be worn down by the pop of Ennis.

The undercard features two prospects on the verge of the top ten in their divisions, with junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas facing Bryce Mills and light heavyweight Ben Whittaker meeting Richie Rivera.

Sunday, former champion Jose Valenzuela meets Edwin De Los Santos in a rematch of their 2022 where De Los Santos stopped Valenzuela in three rounds, handing him his first loss and establishing De Los Santos as a division contender.

Boxing Challenge

WBA and WBO Junior Middleweight Titles, 12 Rds

Xander Zayas vs Jaron "Boots" Ennis

Ramon Malpica and TRS: Ennis Unanimous Decision
Vince Samano: Zayas Split Decision

Junior Welterweights. 10 Rds

Emiliano Vargas vs Bryce Mills

R.L: Vargas KO 7

TRS: Vargas KO 4

V.S:  Mills Unanimous Decision

Light Heavyweights. 10 Rds

Ben Whittaker vs Richie Rivera

All; Whittaker Unanimous Decision

Lightweights. 10 Rds

José Valenzuela vs Edwin De Los Santos

R.L: De Los Santos Unanimous Decision

TRS: De Los Santos Split Decision

V.S: Valenzuela Unanimous Decision

Devils add Chisholm and Lombardi

  No, not Shirley Chisholm or Vince Lombardi, but on the eve of the NHL Draft, the New Jersey Devils have added two players who should compete for back spots on the roster and, at minimum, help the Devils AHL affiliate in Utica.

The Devils traded their fourth-rounder in this draft to the Detroit Red Wings for forward Amadeus Lombardi, and their fourth-rounder in the 2027 draft to the Washington Capitals for defenseman Declan Chisholm.

Chisholm (pictured) has played for three teams (Winnipeg, Minnesota, and Washington) and played in only twenty-six games, scoring one goal with six assists as the seventh defenseman.

Chisholm will compete for the six/seventh defenseman spot on the roster, but could also bring a veteran presence to a young defensive corps in Utica who could be called to the big club if injuries deem it necessary.

The more intriguing addition is Amadeus Lombardi, for reasons beyond an unusual name, as the twenty-three-year-old center has been very productive at the AHL level and might just need a chance to break through to the NHL.

Lombardi is reported to be a two-way player and has yet to make his NHL debut, having spent the past three seasons in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Lombardi scored sixteen goals with twenty-six assists in forty-seven games for the Griffins and will compete for the center spot on the Devils' third or fourth lines.

Sometimes, a young player who is blocked by better players just needs a chance to prove themselves with another organization, and Lombardi might be one of those players.

Cavaliers select Meleek Thomas

    The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to have made a strong move by trading out of the first round and dropping five spots into the second round after their opening draft night deal with the Sacramento Kings.

Cleveland's selection of Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas added one of the better shooters in the draft and one who, at nineteen, has the potential to eventually be a key contributor down the road.

The 6'5 Thomas played one season in college at Arkansas for John Calipari, averaging just under sixteen points per game, shooting forty-three percent from the floor and an impressive forty-one percent from three-point distance.

Thomas was a five-star recruit for Arkansas after playing his high school basketball in Pittsburgh and entering the draft. He was rated by most as a mid to late first-rounder, so on talent, Thomas would seem to be a steal in the second round.

Thomas is regarded as an excellent shooter, has been described as a "Gifted Scorer", and his offensive game made me think of Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson, the Detroit Pistons sixth man in the late eighties and early nineties.

Thomas does have some flaws, as he's been noted to play out of control and needs major league work on the defensive end, but at only nineteen, Thomas's potential is worth taking in the second round.

I'd park him with the G-League's Cleveland Charge for as many games as possible and hope he can improve enough to be a key contributor and an offensive catalyst off the bench.

Cavaliers trade out of Round One

   The Cleveland Cavaliers were rumored to have been shopping their first-round pick during the first night of the NBA Draft, and I thought they would move the pick.

Not on any brilliance on my part, but because I was very tired, and usually in these situations, the result isn't worth staying awake.

And the Cavaliers didn't disappoint, trading the next-to-last choice in the first round (29th, originally the property of the San Antonio Spurs) to the Sacramento Kings for the 34th pick (the fourth pick in round two) and a "future second-rounder".

I bracketed those words because the pick wasn't specified, but was described to Cleveland.com as "in the distant future".

The deal is uninspiring, but it makes sense because a second-round choice isn't automatically tied to the team's salary structure as a first-round choice would be, and, given the Cavaliers' cap situation, they need to save wherever they can.

Interesting prospects available in round two include center Henri Veesaar of North Carolina, forward Isaiah Evans of Duke, and guards Maleek Thomas of Arkansas, Ryan Conwell of Louisville, and Bruce Thornton of Ohio State

Devils trade Nemec to Flames, add two number ones

      Days before the NHL Draft, the new general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Sunny Mehta, made his first trade, and it's a very interesting move that dealt from the team's deepest position with the bonus of adding future draft capital.

New Jersey traded defenseman Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for two future first-round draft picks, a second-rounder in Friday's draft, and minor league defenseman Etienne Morin.

Nemec is coming off his best season with New Jersey since being selected second overall by the Devils in the 2022 draft, scoring eleven goals with fifteen assists, and at only twenty-two, the Devils could be selling low on Nemec.

New Jersey has already spent money on locking up Luke Hughes in the defensive corps, and Nemec will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, so it does make sense that Nemec was the most valued member of the group.

New Jersey will also have their top pick in 2024, Anton Silayev, available for the upcoming season, so despite Nemec's talent, the Devils may have been smart to move him now.

Maxim Tsyplakov is a toss-in in the trade after splitting last season between the Islanders and Devils, scoring two goals with two assists in forty-nine combined games.

New Jersey will be receiving a first-round pick in 2027 (originally property of Las Vegas) and a first-round pick in 2028 (originally Colorado's) and the Islanders' second-rounder in this year's draft.

Both first-rounders are top-ten protected.

The Devils now own five first-rounders in the next three drafts, so Sunny Mehta could have some ammo to add a forward to their top six.

Etienne Morin scored one goal with six assists for the Calgary Wranglers, the Flames' AHL affiliate, last season, and at twenty-one, still can be considered a prospect. 

Boxing Challenge

  A quick catch-up to keep the challenge standings up to date

Chris Billam-Smith TKO 7 Ryan Rozicki

Masamichi Yabuki won a unanimous decision over Rene Calixto to retain his IBF Flyweight title.

Andrew Moloney won a majority decision over Willibaldo Garcia to win Garcia's IBF Junior Bantamweight title.

John Riel Casimero KO 4 Luis Nery in a battle of former bantamweight champions.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 62 Pts (4)

Ramon Malpica: 50 Pts (3)

Vince Samano: 42 Pts (2) 

Boxing Challenge

   The boxing weekend may not be the most glamourus but a world title is defended, a vacant world title will be filled, two former champions match up in a career-ending match for the loser, and another former champion continues their comeback.

Cruiserweights 10 Rds

Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rozicki

Ramon Malpica: Rozicki Unanimous Decision

TRS and Vince Samano: Billam-Smith Unanimous Decision

IBF Flyweight Title 12 Rds

Masamichi Yabuki vs Rene Calixto

R.L: Yabuki Unanimous Decision

TRS: Yabuki KO 10

V.S: Calixto Unanimous Decision

IBF Junior Bantamweight Title 12 Rds

Willibaldo Garcia vs Andrew Moloney

R.L: Garcia Unanimous Decision

TRS: Moloney Unanimous Decision

V.S: Garcia KO 8

Featherweights, 10 Rds

Luis Nery vs John Riel Casimero

All: Casimero Unanimous Decision

Browns trade Myles Garrett to Rams, acquire Jared Verse

     The Cleveland Browns finally ended their saga with the greatest defender in the team's history as the Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, who cemented their position as Super Bowl favorites with the addition of Garrett.

The thirty-year-old Garrett finished last season with twenty-three sacks to set the record for sacks in a season, and finished with one hundred and twenty-five for his career after the Browns selected him first overall from Texas A&M in the 2017 draft.

While the return for the best pass rusher in the league may not seem to be enough, the Browns didn't come away with nothing as they acquired defensive end Jared Verse and three draft choices from the Rams.

Cleveland added Los Angeles's first rounder in 2027, their second rounder in 2028, and their third rounder in 2029.

Verse was the first round pick of the Rams in 2024 and won the league's defensive rookie of the year award after entering the league from Florida State.

Verse finished last season with seven and a half sacks, forced three fumbles, and thirty-five solo tackles, eleven of those for losses.

Verse isn't Myles Garrett, but he's very good and should be the leading pass rusher on the Browns this season.

I wish the Browns could have received different choices in the three draft years.

The first rounder will almost certainly be in the final few spots of the round in 2027, and the Browns may have gained more value if the first rounder were in 2029, when the Rams may be in decline, but the 2027 option could be vital if the Browns need draft capital to move up in a quarterback-heavy draft.

The Browns could not have made a better trade, considering Garrett's age, with essentially two number-ones (I'm counting Jared Verse, who is young enough to be considered one) added to the coffers.

Jared Verse is the key to the trade.

I don't expect him to come close to Myles Garrett's production, but he has to be at least very good and lead the team's pass rush.

Should Verse meet those expectations, and I believe that he will, this trade could be as good as expected under the circumstances.

Overdue Boxing Challenge and a little of me

   This is far overdue, but for proper boxing record-keeping in the challenge, I needed to get this done.

However, over the last few months, my writing here has decreased, and it's time to reveal why.

I've had several health issues that started with constant itching that still persists, which has left me scarred and marked all over my body.

Nothing has worked to control this, but I continue to try medications to try to turn this around.

What seems to have caused all this, which began three months ago, is a liver condition that was diagnosed for the first time last week.

I will be visiting a specialist next week to learn more, but it's serious enough to worry me.

I hope it was caught early enough to be a long-term issue rather than an immediate one.

More to come soon about my trials and tribulations.

On to the Boxing Challenge

Olekander Usyk KO 11 Rico Verhoven to retain the WBA and WBC heavyweight titles.

Hamzah Sheeraz KO 2 Alem Begic to win the vacant WBO super middleweight title.

Jack Catterall won a unanimous decision over Shahkram Giyasov over 12 rounds for a minor welterweight title.

Frank Sanchez KO 2 Richard Torrez in an IBF heavyweight eliminator.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 58 Pts (7)

Ramon Malpica: 47 Pts (3)

Vince Samano:  40 Pts(4)

Boxing Challenge

      WBA and WBC Heavyweight Titles. 12 Rds

Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoven

Ramon Malpica: Usyk KO 6

TRS: Usyk KO 4
Vince Samano: Usyk Unanimous Decision

Vacant WBO Super Middleweight Title. 12 Rds

Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic

R.L and V.S: Sheeraz Unanimous Decision
TRS: Sheeraz KO 5

Welterweights 12 Rds

Jack Catterall vs Shakhram Giyasov

R.L: Giyasov KO 9
TRS: Catterall Unanimous Decision
V.S: Giyasov Unanimous Decision

Heavyweights 12 Rds

Frank Sanchez vs Richard Torrez

R.L: Torrez KO 5
TRS: Sanchez Unanimous Decision
V.S: Sanchez KO 9

Boxing Challenge: Davis dominates Albright in rematch

  Nahir Albright got his rematch against Keyshawn Davis in Norfolk, Virginia, but while the ending was the same, the fight was far more one-sided as Davis won an easy unanimous decision.

Davis won by scores of 118-110 on two cards and 117-109 on the third, and despite missing weight, showed the talent to make plenty of waves in the welterweight division.

Davis won every round, but lost two points for a bodyslam in round six.

In the co-feature, former WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman knocked out Josh Wagner in two rounds in Norman's first appearance since losing his title to Devin Haney.

Norman knocked Wagner down twice in the second round on the way to the victory.

In Doncaster, England, Filip Hrgovic stopped Dave Allen in three rounds in a showcase match that could see Hrgovic become the next opponent for highly touted Moses Itauma.

And in Germany, Paddy Donovan won a majority decision over Karen Chukhadzian to win an IBF welterweight eliminator and become the mandatory challenger for the winner of next month's IBF title match between Lewis Crocker and Liam Paro.

Official scores of 115-111, 114-112, and 113-113.

I have yet to watch this fight to score.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 51 Pts (6)

Ramon Malpica: 44 Pts (2)

Vince Samano:  36 Pts (6)

Boxing Challenge

 Boxing Challenge

Welterweights 12 Rds 

Karen Chukhadzhian vs Paddy Donovan

Ramon Malpica: Chukhadzhian Unanimous Decision

TRS and Vince Samano: Donovan Unanimous Decision

Junior Welterweights. 12 Rds

Keyshawn Davis vs Nahir Albright

Ramon Malpica: Davis KO 9
TRS and V.S: Davis Unanimous Decision

Welterweights. 10 Rds

Brian Norman vs Josh Wagner 

All: Norman Unanimous Decision

Heavyweights. 12 Rds

Filip Hrgovic vs Dave Allen

R.L:  Allen KO 6

TRS: Hrgovic KO 9

V.S: Hrgovic KO 7

Boxing Challenge

 Boxing Challenge- Results-Based

Daniel DuBois KO 11 Fabio Wardley to win Wardley's WBO heavyweight title.

Zac Chelli KO 10 David Morrell

Angelo Leo vs Ra'Esee Aleem was canceled with Aleem missing weight.

Shane Mosley Jr. KO 6 Serhii Bohachuk

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 45 Pts (1) 

Ramon Malpica: 42 Pts (1)

Vince Samano:30 Pts (1)

Boxing Challenge

    Boxing Challenge

WBO Heavyweight Titler. 12 Rds

Fabio Wardley vs Daniel DuBois

Ramon Malpica and Vince Samano: Wardley Unanimous Decision

TRS: Wardley KO 9

Light Heavyweights. 10 Rds

David Morrell vs Zac Chelli

R.L: Morrell KO 8

TRS: Morrell KO 6

V.S: Morrell KO 9

IBF Featherweight Title. 12 Rds

Angelo Leo vs Ra'Eese Aleem

R.L. and TRS: Leo Unanimous Decision

V.S:  Aleem Unanimous Decision

Middleweights. 10 Rds

Serhii Bohachuk vs Shane Mosley Jr

All: Mosley Unanimous Decision

Boxing Challenge: Results Based

    I've been overwhelmed with personal issues of late, and TRS has suffered for it.

I'd like to say things will be better ASAP, but I can't make that promise.

I want to keep the challenge going, even without analysis until then, and if time permits, add a few things.

Results

David Benavidez KO 6 Gilberto Ramirez to win Ramirez's WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.

Jaime Munguia Unanimous Decision over Armando Resendiz to win Resendiz's WBA Super Middleweight title.

Oscar Duarte Split Decision over Angel Fierro

Naoya Inoue Unanimous Decision over Junto Nakatani to retain his World Junior Featherweight Titles.

Takuma Inoye Unanimous Decision over Kazuto Ioka to retain his WBC Bantamweight title.

Boxing Challenge 

TRS: 44 Pts (6)

Ramon Malpica: 41 Pts (5)

Vince Samano: 29 Pts (1)

Boxing Challenge

 Boxing Challenge

World Junior Featherweight Title.12 Rds 

Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani

Ramon Malpica and TRS: Inoue Unanimous Decision

Vince Saman0: Nakatani KO 6

WBC Bantamweight Title 12 Rds

Takuma Inoue vs Kazuto Ioka

R.L: Inoue Unanimous Decision

TRS: Ioka Split Decision

V.S: Ioka KO 6

WBA/WBO Cruiserweight Titles. 12 Rds

Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez

All: Benavidez Unanimous Decision

WBA Super Middleweight Title. 12 Rds

Armando Resendiz vs Jaime Munguia

R.L and V.S: Resendiz Unanimous Decision

TRS: Munguia Unanimous Decision

Junior Welterweights 10 Rds

Oscar Duarte vs Angel Fierro

R.L and V.S: Fierro Unanimous Decision

TRS: Durate Unanimous Decision

Browns Draft Carsen Ryan

  Earlier in the day, I commented that the Cleveland Browns were looking for a blocking tight end, and despite drafting Joe Royer in the fifth round, the Browns still lacked a pure blocker at the position.

Cleveland used their seventh-rounder obtained from Seattle to take a player to fit that role in Carsen Ryan of BYU.

Ryan, who also played for UCLA and Utah, is 6'3 and 255 pounds and looks like he fits the blocking position better than Joe Royer, although he's not the pass catcher that Royer is.

Ryan caught 45 passes for 620 yards and three touchdowns in his only season with Brigham Young, and in his seasons with UCLA and Utah, Ryan was used mostly as a blocker, catching only twenty-nine passes in three seasons.

Ryan is noted for his work ethic and toughness and loves to do the dirty work along the line.

Considering that Ryan showed improved pass-catching skills in 2025, Ryan could make the Browns as their third or even fourth tight end.

Ryan does show some stiffness as an athlete and isn't known for his agility, but if he can establish himself as a physical blocker, the Browns would be pleased with their seventh-round pick. 

Browns Draft Taylen Green

    The Cleveland Browns' trade with the Denver Broncos allowed them to use the first pick of the sixth round, and the Browns took a flyer on Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green.

Green has the physical tools to be a star at 6'6 235 pounds, a plus arm, and excellent running ability.

However, Green's been inconsistent as a thrower (completed sixty percent of his passes in 2025) and threw eleven interceptions last season with nineteen touchdowns.

Green rushed for 777 yards for Arkansas last season after rushing for over six hundred in 2024, so he can move around well, but his decision-making has been questioned during his college career.

Green played the last two seasons in Fayetteville after starting for two seasons with Boise State.

The tools are all there for a successful quarterback, and Todd Monken did a great job with the mobile Lamar Jackson when he was the offensive coordinator for Baltimore, so Green certainly makes sense as a developmental quarterback.

Green might find a place in gadget plays, and with his size, Green could see some time as the designated short-yardage quarterback.

There is a lot to like about Taylen Green, but he's very raw and has many edges to refine, so he's far from a sure thing. I do like taking a shot with a late pick and seeing what can be done with him.

This could be the end of Dillon Gabriel with Cleveland, whether it's now or sometime in training camp.

If you take a quarterback like Green, he needs time to develop and learn, and if you are only giving him a training camp to impress you, why bother?

Taylen Green has NFL size and skills; Dillon Gabriel doesn't. Gabriel looks to me to be the odd man out in the Browns quarterback room.

Browns Draft Joe Royer

  The Cleveland Browns were expected to be in the market for a tight end during the draft and they drafted one with their final pick in the fifth round, but it was a mild but pleasant surprise when the choice for Joe Royer of Cincinnati.

The Browns were looking for a blocking tight end, and Royer is better known for his receiving, having broken Travis Kelce's records at Cincinnati for catches in a season.

Royer finished 2025 with 29 catches for 419 yards and four touchdowns, and at 6'5 and 250 pounds, Royer catches the ball well and will gain yards after the catch.

Royer isn't very fast, and he's going to beat very few defenders deep, but his hands are soft, and I can see Royer becoming a dependable checkdown tight end for the Cleveland quarterbacks.

Royer played three seasons at Ohio State in limited action, catching four passes in fourteen games, before transferring to Cincinnati before the 2024 season.

This is an interesting choice, with Royer's size suggesting he could grow into a solid blocking tight end with reliable hands on short routes, and Royer looks like a complement to Harold Fannin at tight end.

That's not what the Browns may have been looking for immediately, but Royer could develop into a contributor beyond those limitations.

Browns select Justin Jefferson

  The Cleveland Browns took a big name with the second of their fifth round draft picks- Justin Jefferson, but this JJ is a linebacker from Alabama.

Jefferson is a little small at six feet and 220 pounds, but he is very fast and, at worst, should be a terrific help on the coverage units on special teams.

Jefferson transferred to Alabama from junior college and played three seasons for the Tide, starting for Bama last season.

Jefferson finished with seventy-seven tackles, three sacks, and an interception for Alabama in 2025.

Jefferson's speed could make him a productive tackler, and as mentioned, a special-teams standout.

Jefferson's ability to cover the field could be a nice fit for the Cleveland defense, although his slight frame is a question as far as durability.

Cleveland would trade the final of these fifth-rounders, peddling number 152 to the Denver Broncos for the Broncos' fifth rounder (170) and the first pick of the sixth round (182).

Browns draft Parker Brailsford

    The Cleveland Browns didn't use their basket of fifth-round picks to move up into round four, but they did pick some players, added a sixth-round pick, and a pick for 2027 with those selections.
 

Cleveland used the first of the four (146, 148,149, and 152) on a position where the Browns needed some depth at center as they nabbed Alabama center, Parker Brailsford.

Brailsford played his first two seasons at Washington before transferring to Alabama for his final two years.

Brailsford is a little undersized at 6'2 and 289 pounds, but is prized for his strength and agility.

The biggest question with Brailsford is whether he can handle the bigger and stronger defensive tackles in the NFL.

If Brailsford can bulk up enough to deal with that problem, the Browns could have a steal at a position where Andrew Berry has been trying to find a young answer for several years in the draft, having drafted Nick Harris, Dawson Deaton, Luke Wypler, and now Brailsford in an attempt to draft a long-term center.

Cleveland then traded pick 148 to the Seattle Seahawks in return for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

I like those types of moves, and with the Browns trading for the Giants 2027 fourth-rounder on day two of the draft, Cleveland now owns three picks in the fourth round of the 2027 draft.

Cleveland would make their pick at 149, and I'll write about that player shortly.

Browns Draft Austin Barber

   It wouldn't be an Andrew Berry draft without taking a player with appealing physical tools, and Berry did that when he traded back into the third round (86th overall) to select Florida tackle Austin Barber.

The Browns had traded both of their third-round choices to trade into the second round to land Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren earlier in the evening

The Los Angeles Chargers traded the pick for the Browns' fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-round picks (105, 145, and 206), which dropped the Browns out of those rounds.

Austin Barber has the physical tools at 6'6 and 314 pounds to play in the league, and like first-rounder Spencer Fano, possesses more of an athletic frame than that of a thicker mauler.

Barber has a basketball background, which helps with his footwork, and is known for his physical play.

Barber played both tackles at Florida, but many see his long-term future in the NFL at guard, where his toughness and attitude could shine.

I don't love the pick as I liked two guards who were taken shortly after Barber, a little better (Oregon's Emanuel Pregnon and Iowa's Gennings Dunker), but Barber's versatility helps his value, so I can see the reasoning behind choosing the former Florida Gator.

I still think Cleveland will trade into the fourth round to land a particular target as the Browns own FOUR fifth-rounders (their own, 49ers, Chiefs, and Bengals) all in the range between 146th overall and 152nd.

Cleveland has one other remaining choice, the seventh-rounder originally owned by the Seattle Seahawks.

Browns Draft Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

    The Cleveland Browns had a tough decision to make early in round two between Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

The Browns opted for Denzel Boston, but never took their eyes off McNeil-Warren, and when he was still available late in the second round, Cleveland swung a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to move up to select the Toledo safety.

Cleveland sent their third rounder and the third rounder acquired from Kansas City on the first day of the draft to San Francisco for the 49ers' second and fifth rounders to make the deal.

McNeil-Warren was a player connected to the Browns throughout the draft season and appeared in many mock drafts as the Browns' pick at number 24 and, especially, 39 entering the draft.

McNeil-Warren finished last season with 77 tackles, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions in the final of his three years with the Rockets.

McNeil-Warren is noted as a strong hitter who can play inside and outside the box and can be an asset in run coverage.

McNeil-Warren will play as a strong safety rather than a free safety, as he lacks the speed to help in deep coverage, and while I think he'll be able to cover tight ends, he could struggle if the Browns force him to cover speedy receivers from the slot.

Both Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman are eligible for free agency at the end of the 2026 season, so this is a position that needs some new blood.

I liked the Browns' choice to move on a player who slid a little more than they should, and doing so at a position of future need was a good idea.

McNeil-Warren should see plenty of time in 2026 and will likely start in 2027.