Boxing Challenge

        Boxing may not have many well-known fighters doing battle this weekend but two world titles are at stake, a former world champion continues his comeback, a prospect attempts to regain some of his shine, and a fight that was promoted to the main event on their show could be the fight of the weekend.

Not televised in the United States, the rematch between Masamichi Yabuki and Kenshiro Teraji for the WBC light flyweight title from Kyoto Japan might be the fight with the largest stakes of the weekend.

Teraji was looked at as the best fighter below flyweight and had he defeated the veteran and prohibitive underdog Yabuki in their September 2021 fight, Teraji would have likely taken his undefeated record to flyweight and a title fight against another exciting fighter in WBO flyweight champion Junto Nakatani this year.

Instead, Yabuki, who had never fought for a title higher than the Japanese championship, fought the fight of his life and led on the scorecards after nine rounds before a candidate for the round of the year in 2021 occurred as Teraji roared out of his corner knowing that he likely needed a knockout to win and badly hurt Yabuki.

Teraji looked to be on the verge of pulling a miracle comeback almost as big as Leigh Wood'srally last week against Michael Conlan until Yabuki fought off Teraji and stopped him to win the title in the same round.

This should be an excellent rematch with the main questions surrounding Teraji's preparation after maybe not being in top shape for their first fight and Yabuki's ability to repeat a performance that few expected him to give in the first place.

The other world title event comes from Dubai and new promoter Probellum and IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards defends his championship against Muhammad Waseem.

Edwards impressively won his title from long-time champion Moruti Mthalane last April and defended against Jayson Mama in December, both won by unanimous decision.

Waseem has won four straight since his only loss, a decision to Moruti Mthalane.

The co-feature from Dubai is a showcase fight for former WBA junior welterweight champion Regis Prograis as Prograis continues his comeback from his only loss- a close decision to Josh Taylor in a unification fight that was also the finals of the World Boxing Super Series in 2019.

Prograis has fought only twice since the defeat in knockout wins over outclassed opponents Juan Heraldez and Ivan Redkach and seems to be fighting an opponent of the same ilk this time in Tyrone McKenna of Ireland.

McKenna has lost only twice but both losses were to his best opponents in Jack Catterall and Ohara Davies and own only six knockouts in his twenty-two victories.

The two evening cards from ESPN and DAZN are prospect-based and while interesting will only have one fight for the challenge.

DAZN and Golden Boy were scheduled to have welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz return to the ring against Michael McKinson in a stay busy bout but Ortiz dropped out with an illness.

The co-feature was promoted to the main event with an interesting welterweight bout between two up-and-coming prospects that are beginning to near fringe contender status as Alexis Rocha faces Blair Cobbs.

Rocha has knocked out both of his opponents since losing his only fight in a unanimous decision to Rashidi Ellis in 2020 in his first jump in competition, while the flashy and undefeated Cobbs knocked out veteran Brad Solomon in his last fight.

Cobbs has tons of personality and if he is able to climb up the ladder, more and more people are going to pay attention but Rocha will test how much steak or sizzle that the future of Cobbs may hold.

ESPN with Top Rank places undefeated super middleweight bomber Edgar Berlanga in their main event against Canadian Steve Rolls.

Berlanga started his career with sixteen first-round knockouts in a row before being taken the distance in his most recent two fights and faded badly down the stretch as Marcelo Coceres knocked him down in the ninth round.

Berlanga suddenly has lots of questions about his future and needs a spectacular performance to shine his star a bit.

The veteran Rolls has only one loss but it was against his only top opponent where he was stopped in four rounds by Gennady Golovkin in 2019.

Rolls is a natural middleweight so he's a much smaller fighter than Berlanga, so if Berlanga goes the distance with Rolls even more alarms will go off regarding him.

WBC Light Flyweight Title. 12 Rds

Masamichi Yabuki vs Kenshiro Teraji 

All: Teraji Unanimous Decision

IBF Flyweight Title. 12 Rds

Sunny Edwards vs Muhammad Waseem

All: Edwards Unanimous Decision

Junior Welterweights. 10 Rds

Regis Prograis vs Tyrone McKenna

R.L: Prograis KO 7
TRS: Prograis KO 5
V.S: Prograis KO 9

Welterweights. 10 Rds

Alexis Rocha vs Blair Cobbs

R.L and V.S: Rocha Unanimous Decision
TRS: Cobbs Unanimous Decision

Super Middleweights.10 Rds

Edgar Berlanga vs Steve Rolls

R.L: Berlanga KO 3
TRS: Berlanga KO 6
V.S: Rolls Unanimous Decision

2020 Boxing Awards

  Since there are no fights this weekend in boxing until the stove starts boiling next week and the month of January was as slow for boxing as it usually is, I thought now would be a good time before it gets too far into 2021 for the TRS boxing awards.

Unlike the TRS boxing ratings, these are done completely by me, so if the reader is unhappy- it is all my fault.

Fighter of the Year: Teofimo Lopez

In a year that has been stained by the Covid-19 pandemic, our two top choices each fought only on one occasion.

While Tyson Fury's conclusive win over Deontay Wilder was important, it's hard to not select Teofimo Lopez, who did what most thought unthinkable- he outboxed Vasyl Lomachenko, who was thought by many to be the best boxer in the world.

Rough Lomachenko up and maybe slide by as Orlando Salido did? Perhaps, but never outbox him.

Lopez did and in a year short of big fights, that's enough for me.

Silver: Tyson Fury. A win over one of the top three heavyweights and winning his title is enough for second.

Bronze: Joe Smith. A solid split decision win over Jesse Hart (The card for Hart was one of the worst scorecards I've seen) and a highlight reel KO of former WBO champion Eleider Alvarez gives Smith a solid case under the top two.

Fight of the Year: Jose Zepeda KO 5 Ivan Baranchyk.

Eight knockdowns, with a ninth called a slip by the referee, multiple swings in momentum, and a final round that saw both fighters on the floor with an ending that was a serious contender for KO of the year.

If you don't like this one, boxing is not for you!

Silver: Juan Francisco Estrada KO 11 Carlos Cuadras

Fast paced action, and the favored champion knocked down in the third before Estrada rallied to score two knockdowns and pounding Cuadras until the fight was forced to end.

Bronze: Masayoshi Nakatani KO 9 Felix Verdejo

Nakatani takes and takes for most of the first seven rounds and then lands a right that hurts Verdejo to the point that the fight is a race to ten- If Verdejo makes it through, he wins.- He doesn't.

Knockout of the Year: Alexander Povetkin KO 5 Dillian Whyte

Any one of the three contestants could have won this category, but I'll give a hairline edge to the compact left uppercut that Povetkin knocked Whtye cold in the fifth that scrambled the heavyweight division's title contenders after Whyte knocked Povetkin twice down in the fourth.

Silver: Gervonta Davis KO 6 Leo Santa Cruz

Davis's own uppercut that wiped out Santa Cruz was just as impressive as Povetkin's, but I gave a small edge to Povetkin coming from behind for the difference.

Bronze: Jose Zepeda KO 5 Ivan Baranchyk.

Zepeda's right hand counter followed by a left hook that folded Baranchyk's leg under him to end the fight seconds after Zepeda was on the floor, might have this awards in many years.

Upset of the Year

Teofimo Lopez-Vasyl Lomachenko

As talented as Lopez is, any time that the perceived top fighter in the world is defeated a case can be made that fight could be the upset of the year.

Silver: Jeison Rosario KO 5 Julian Williams

Williams lost two junior middleweight titles in this shocker that cost him a unification match with Jermell Charlo.

Bronze: Robert Helenius KO 4 Adam Kownacki

Kownacki controlled the first three rounds before Helenius upset Kownacki's apple cart with a stunning knockout.

Kownacki was in line for a title shot with a win.

Round of the Year

Jose Zepeda-Ivan Baranchyk Round Five

Both fighters on the canvas and a conclusive knockout in the fight of the year.

Silver: Jose Zepeda-Ivan Baranchyk Round Two

Both fighters on the canvas and three minutes of punching in the fight of the year, only missing the KO.

Bronze: Juan Francisco Estrada-Carlos Cuadrad Round Five

Estrada began to turn the tide after Cuadras won the early rounds of their fight.

 

Prospect of the Year- It's sometimes hard to divide where a prospect ends and a contender to be begins.

Bektemir Melikuziev

The former Olympic Silver Medalist is going to be a force at either 168 or 175.

Silver: Edgar Berlanga

Sixteen fights, sixteen first round knockouts. What happens when the middle rounds arrive?

Bronze: Tie- Charles Conwell/Elvis Rodriguez

Conwell doesn't do anything spectacular, but he does everything well.  

Rodriguez is a big puncher that like Berlanga will have to past the chin test.

Boxing Awards 2018-The Best

Our 2018 Boxing Awards are being awarded for the first time and consider this a cliff notes version of other award posts.
I'm not going into a ton of detail because I assume that A) If you care you know this information already or B) You don't care and have already left the building so to speak.

This will be the first of a three-part series with the second part being the worst of 2018 and part three awarding "The Zabbies" for fighters that we don't need to see any further in the ring.

Fighter of the Year: Oleksandr Usyk

This was an easy choice as Usyk won three big fights, all of them on the road, unified the four cruiserweight titles, won the first World Boxing Super Series and then added a former division champion as a victim in his first defense.
That's a hell of a year!
Usyk narrowly decisioned (I scored it a draw) Mairis Bredis in the semi-finals of the WBSS to win the WBC title in Latvia, delivered a dazzling performance over feared WBA and IBF champion Murat Gassiev in Russia to win the tournament and then knocked out former champion Tony Bellew with one left hand in London to end the year.
Amazing what being active against strong competition can do for a yearly resume'.

Silver: Vasyl Lomachenko, only a shoulder injury that kept him to two fights kept him from challenging Usyk after two wins against champions Jorge Linares and Jose Pedraza.
Bronze: Deontay Wilder, a win to start the year over Luis Ortiz and a draw with Tyson Fury ended it.
Honorable Mention: Canelo Alvarez, Mikey Garcia, Josh Warrington.

Fight of the Year
Kosei Tanaka Majority Decision over Sho Kimura

The best fight almost no one saw and I was fortunate enough to watch this live at work in the late night/early morning hours,
Action-packed with the tide turning back and forth, one can only hope to see these two in a 2019 rematch for Tanaka's WBO flyweight title.

Silver: Murat Gassiev KO 12 Yunier Dorticos- Two huge hitters pounding each other for twelve rounds and then a violent ending.
Bronze: Jarrett Hurd Split Decision over Erislandy Lara.
Imagine that- an entertaining Erislandy Lara fight! This one would have been scored a draw, if not for Hurd scoring a final round knockdown
Honorable Mention: Canelo Alvarez Split Decision Gennady Golovkin
                                  Srisaket Sor Rungvisai Majority Decision Juan Francisco Estrada
                                  Alex Saucedo TKO Lenny Zappavigna

Knockout of the Year
Naoya Inoue KO 1 Juan Carlos Payano

Inoue's demolition of Payano with one crushing right was one for the ages that dropped Payano to his back and only able to tip to his side like a collapsed brick.

Silver; Murat Gassiev KO 12 Yunier Dorticos
Bronze: Oleksander Gvozdyk KO 12 Adonis Stevenson
Honorable Mention: Oleksandr Usyk KO 8 Tony Bellew
                                  Dillian Whyte KO 11 Dereck Chisora
                                  Teofimo Lopez KO 1 Mason Menard

Upset of the Year
Elieder Alvarez KO 7 Sergei Kovalev
Watching this in a hotel room in Wytheville, Virginia, Kovalev won the first six rounds and seemed to be on cruise control against Alvarez, who Adonis Stevenson had shamelessly ducked for years.
That was until Alvarez turned Kovalev's legs into ramen noodles and three knockdowns later, owned the WBO title and might have ended Kovalev's viability for good.
Their rematch is held next month.

Silver; Josh Warrington Unanimous Decision Carl Frampton
Bronze: Rob Brant Unanimous Decision Ryota Murata
Honorable Mention; Maurice Hooker KO 7 Alex Saucedo
                                 Emmanuel Navarette Unanimous Decision Isaac Dogboe
                                 Tony Harrison Unanimous Decision Jermell Charlo

Round of the Year
Alex Saucedo- Lenny Zappavigna Round 4
A back and forth round that saw both fighters hurt and both fighters withstand booming shots and punishment.
If Saucedo-Zappavigna would have been for a world title or the brave Zappavigna been higher in the ratings, this bout might be higher in my fight of the year consideration.
The punishment Saucedo took in victory played a major part in his losing title challenge to Maurice Hooker in his next fight.

Silver: Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury Round 12
Bronze: Murat Gassiev- Yunier Dorticos Round 12
Honorable Mention: Canelo Alvarez- Gennady Golovkin Round 10
                                  Sriskaet Sor Rungvisai-Juan Francisco Estrada Round 12
                                  Kosei Tanaka-Sho Kimura Round 2

Prospect of the Year
Teofimo Lopez

Lopez has mowed through the lower level competition impressively and has reached the point of meeting fringe contenders and his one round dispatching of Mason Menard was as good of a win as you'll see from a young fighter.
Lopez will fight a top ten contender and former champion in Diego Magdaleno on the Alvarez-Kovalev undercard in February.
Should Lopez win impressively defeat Magdaleno and his other fights in 2019, I wouldn't be shocked to see Lopez challenge Vasyl Lomachenko in 2020, should Lomachenko stay at lightweight or Lopez could be the one to leap to 140 pounds.

Silver: Josh Kelly
Bronze: Devin Haney
Honorable Mention: Shakur Stevenson
                                  Jaron Ennis
                                  Vergil Ortiz

Commentator of the Year- Blow by Blow
Jim Lampley HBO

The voice of the now-defunct HBO boxing program and one of the classiest guys in the game.
Lampley struggled through his final year with HBO through no fault of his own due to less than intriguing fights, the loss of interest by his company, and being saddled with two color commentators that to be kind have become quite grating, but Lampley didn't allow it to affect his performance.
Lampley always understood that real emotion doesn't come with every boxing telecast and unlike so many in sports television today doesn't believe in manufactured emotion.
He'll be missed.

Silver: Brian Kenny DAZN
Bronze: Barry Tompkins Showtime

Commentator of the Year-Color

Al Bernstein Showtime

The veteran that has seen it all still breaks down a bout with the best of them and does it in a way that
doesn't oversimplify for the knowledgeable fan, but isn't too involved that the newer fan feels overwhelmed with nuances from the game.
What I like best about Bernstein is that he's not afraid to state an opinion, but also isn't afraid to veer away if there is a reason to change that opinion, whether during a fight or even over a boxer's career.
Bernstein ranks with the most versatile in television as he can do blow by blow or host if needed and doesn't feel the need to make the broadcast about himself.

Silver: Paulie Malignaggi Showtime
Bronze: Steve Farhood Showtime

Broadcaster of the Year
Showtime

Considering that Showtime has the top three color commentators on my list for Showtime Championship Boxing and their developmental series ShoBox, a good host in Brian Custer, and very readable graphics (Don't laugh that's not always the case in television), the Showtime broadcast isn't number one because HBO stepped aside, they are number one because they bullied them aside.
Showtime isn't perfect (as you'll see in part two) and sometimes they are at the mercy of their provider (Al Haymon's PBC) for too many showcase/squash matches that often times seem like there is a little too much buildup for a good fight, not great that should have been made earlier.
An example of this is in the welterweight division where PBC holds all the stars except for Terence Crawford, yet forces showcase fights to build for fights that are anticipated, but not breathtaking. such as any fight made between the trio of Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, and Shawn Porter.
Still, the network only has so much control and Showtime's presentation ranks above them all.

Silver: ESPN
Bronze: DAZN
Both of these networks are badly in need of help as the streaming aspect grows.
ESPN's team of Joe Tessitore, Mark Kriegel, and Tim Bradley along with DAZN's aforementioned Brian Kenny, Sugar Ray Leonard, and occasionally Sergio Mora needs upgrading to keep pace with Showtime.
Opinions on these and more in part two.