Boxing Challenge: Wardley rallies again!

    For the second fight in a row, Fabio Wardley rallied from behind to score a miracle knockout win, and in this win, he defeated the best opponent of his career to earn a chance at undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Wardley's eleventh-round stoppage of Joseph Parker won him a minor title, but his victory in London has replaced Parker as the next opponent for Usyk.

The fight was action-filled and competitive, but two of the three judges had Parker ahead (by two and six points), with the third scoring it even after ten rounds (I had Parker ahead 97-93).

Both fighters landed heavy shots throughout the fight, but Parker had Wardley in mild trouble in the ninth and tenth rounds.

I thought the stoppage by referee Howard Foster was premature, as Parker looked to be hurt worse earlier in the round, and Wardley wasn't connecting solidly (if at all) with the flurry that ended the fight.

A rematch seems to be a good idea, but I can't see Wardley risking his now mandatory shot at Usyk, although Parker took that risk to face Wardley.

I don't see Wardley having more than a puncher's chance against Usyk, who will likely handle Wardley in the same manner that he disposed of the similarly styled Daniel DuBois.

However, as Wardley has proven in his two recent bouts, you always have a chance when you possess the power to end a fight at any time.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 135 Pts (0)

Ramon Malpica: 128 Pts (0)

Vince Samano; 53 Pts  (0) 

Boxing Challenge: Wardley hits Hail Mary

    For almost all of the nine-plus rounds of the scheduled twelve-round heavyweight tilt, Australian Justis Huni dominated Fabio Wardley in his hometown of Ipswich, England, and appeared to be on his way to a big upset in his entry on the big stage in the heavyweight division.

Then Wardley fired one right hand that dropped Huni for the count, saving his unbeaten record, earning a minor title, and keeping Wardley in contention in the heavyweight division.

I had Huni ahead 89-83 after nine rounds as Huni walked Wardley backwards and hurt him a few times, but Huni lacked the one-punch power that Wardley owns, which cost him the fight.

Wardley showed that he has the "eraser" that will never completely take him out of a fight, which will keep fans interested and entertained by his fights.

Huni fought very well, and I'm interested in him in the future.

Perhaps Huni just got caught with a big punch he never saw, and his chin isn't a weakness.

Time will tell.

Meanwhile, in the upgraded main event from Norfolk, Virginia.

Abdullah Mason overpowered Jeremiah Nakathila and forced the doctor to stop the fight at the start of the fifth round in a lightweight battle.

Nakathila was badly cut over the left eye and had been taking a beating throughout, so the decision to end the fight was a excellent one.

Mason is expected to face Sam Noakes for the title taken from Keyshawn Davis after Davis missed weight by over four pounds for the scheduled main event against Edwin De Los Santos.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 85 Pts (4)

Ramon Malpica: 81 Pts(3)

Vince Samano: 33 Pts (1)  

Boxing Challenge: Beterbiev bumps Bivol

    The long-awaited light heavyweight unification match between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol may not have been a firefight but it was a fascinating technical battle at the highest level that the sport can offer and at the end of twelve closely-matched rounds, it was Beterbiev who emerged with the narrow victory and adding the fourth (WBA) title to his three (WBC, IBF, WBO) and the title as the undisputed best in the division.  

The fight's scoring has been criticized but I scored it 114-114 which agreed with one judge and the others giving an edge to Beterbiev 115-113 and 116-112.

Beterbiev threw over two hundred more punches and landed the stronger shots but Bivol landed six more punches overall for a higher percentage. 
I thought it was even but if I am forced to choose, I would lean towards the more aggressive Beterbiev.

Beterbiev went the distance for the first time in his career after twenty knockouts in his previous twenty fights, while Bivol suffered his first defeat.

I would not have an issue if someone scored Bivol a close winner and a rematch seems to be the main money fight for each man as neither is likely to move to cruiserweight and Bivol's loss may render him uninteresting for Canelo Alvarez, now that Bivol does not hold a title.

The undercard was pretty mundane with one exception as Fabio Wardley conclusively finished his rivalry with Frazer Clarke with a stunning first-round knockout.

The two hooked up in a sensational war in March that was scored a draw but this one ended when Wardley hurt Clarke with a right hand and sent him to a knee in the corner in no condition to continue.

An excellent win for Wardley, who will move up in the ratings after a spectacular victory.

Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight title with a sixth-round stoppage of Jack Massey.

Opetaia was well ahead on my card when Massey's corner threw in the towel.

Opetaia is the top cruiserweight currently and I would love to see him against the winner of this fall's unification match between WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez and WBO king Chris Billam-Smith.

Middleweight Chris Eubank Jr, knocked down Kamil Szeremets three times before stopping him in the seventh round of a middleweight mismatch.

In Nagoya Japan, Masamchi Yabuki won the IBF junior flyweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Sivenathi Nontshinga.

Yabuki, the former WBC champion in the division and the only fighter to defeat Kenshiro Teraji knocked down Nontshinga late in the eighth round and was dropped twice in the ninth round before the referee ended the fight.

Boxing Challenge

Ramon Malpica; 143 Pts (6)

TRS: 136 Pts (6)

Vince Samano: 80 Pts (4)