The Undisputed

After the excitement of the ‘Dust Up in the Desert’ and Oleksandr Usyk’s coronation as undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, it’s back to more domestic matters this weekend.

The much awaited rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall at ten stone (140lbs) is a classic England v Scotland clash, but with world consequences for the junior-welterweight division. Scotland’s ‘Tartan Tornado’ Taylor, 33, finally gets his chance to shut up all the doubters, who now believe his time at world level is over and he must return to domestic matters, permanently.

For Chorley, England’s Catterall, this is his opportunity to seal the victory he claims he was wrongly denied in the controversial draw of 2022 against the same foe. This looked to us to be one of the worst decisions in recent years. Caterall’s career has essentially been on hold as a consequence, whilst Taylor subsequently lost all his world titles to American-Honduran Teofimo Lopez and has not looked the same since.

As crossroads fights go, on Saturday in the Leeds Arena, the stakes are high. The fight will be available live on DAZN in the UK and on ESPN+ in the USA.

Prior to their first meeting, Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs), was an undefeated fighter and rated by The Ring magazine in their pound-for-pound top ten across every weight. The mythical but elite ranking of boxers.

His fall since then has been dramatic, but is not totally irreversible. To get anywhere close to his previous status he must beat Catterall, and emphatically.

For the Chorley man, 30, this is an opportunity to continue with his upward trajectory and fight for one of the now splintered ‘world’ titles available. Billed as ‘Hate Runs Deep’ this is a genuine grudge match with both fighters insistent they were the victor in the first meeting.

Taylor doesn’t believe that Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) is on his level and the latter believes the Scot is a spent force. Come Saturday we will know one way or the other.

The Scot has all the pedigree being an elite amateur and navigating his way through an unprecedented series of victories to reach undisputed status. Both are excellent boxers with respectable, but not destructive knockout power. They are box-punchers and slick southpaws who know their way around a ring.

This is a fight that based on the boxers’ similar skillsets, close age and, what’s at stake, is difficult to call. We conclude that despite one fighter appearing on the upward curve (Catterall) and one reputedly going in the opposite direction that this should be easy. However, the toughness of Taylor, him operating at a more elite level and, his motivation to prove the doubters wrong, might swing the fight in his favour.

We expect another hard-fought twelve rounds but the Scot’s hand to be raised at the end of a quality match. Caterall can come again, but for Taylor this is his ‘last chance saloon’. He should seize the moment.

Editor’s note: Our regular Monday LunchBox did not appear this week as we let the national media and bloggers consume you with the dust finally settling in Riyadh. Simply revisit last week’s Friday Faceup to confirm how the fight would go and the victor.

You will see in the biggest fight this millennium we were ‘bang on’.

Well, here we are !

Twenty four hours from crowning the first, ‘new’ heavyweight champion of the world, to carry the title of this website this century. What an event and fight it promises to be.

This contest, as the American’s are prone to say, is a real ‘pick ems’. The odds are even among the bookies, and pundits, fans and soothsayers are swaying from one to the other. Flip-flopping is rife.

Let us nail our flag to the mast …

After years of us being convinced that Tyson Fury was too big, strong and adaptable for Oleksandr Usyk, and, the ‘Gypsy King’ would prevail in any subsequent meeting between the two, we have watched and deeply considered what has happened in recent years and, as a result, now predict a Usyk points victory.

Our rationale is:

• Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) is an elite fighter, who as a 2012 London Olympic champion and former undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world has a proven track record and skillset to behold.
• He originally entered the heavyweight division as a small addition to the world title contenders. It was doubtful whether he was going to physically be big enough to achieve anything in that rarefied division. He has though been a genuine heavyweight for the years either side of the COVID pandemic. His defeats of Anthony Joshua (twice), fringe contenders and Daniel Dubois last time out confirm this.
• Usyk is a southpaw, providing a whole series of new challenges to Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs). These are awkwardness, technique, pace, mixing up of stance and punching positions.
• Usyk has the support and motivation of a nation currently under occupation by an invading army. His desire to give honour and pride to his nation, in difficult times, cannot be underestimated.
• We believe Fury has regressed significantly in recent years. This was no more evident than in his last fight with Francis Ngannou, a one-fight novice in the Queensberry code. He was put on his backside and in our view lost the fight. He was previously involved in a back and forth struggle with Otto Wallin (a small heavyweight) in which he suffered significant cut damage. Tomorrow’s match up was also delayed by three months due to a further cut received in training camp. The scar tissue is mounting up.

Some of the flip-side arguments are:

1. Fury is significantly the bigger man
2. At 35, he is also younger than Usyk (37)
3. Fury has got into shape (certainly compared to previous outings)
4. Fury is adaptable and always found a way to win when he’s most challenged
5. Fury is the better boxer ?
   Responses to all these arguments can be put forward, in many cases contradicting the original point. An example being; Fury is in shape. But, will Usyk after three training camps during the prolonged journey to this meeting, not be ?
   We believe the decider which leans us towards a Usyk victory will be skills and style. The Ukrainian WBA/IBF/WBO titleholder will maximise these advantages by aligning his tactics over the twelve rounds we expect the fight to last.
   Usyk will not stand toe-to-toe with Fury on any occasion, but will also not run. He will use measured and well timed aggression.
   He will exchange when he needs to force a point and bank rounds as the fight progresses.
   We predict Fury will float around the ring when he chooses peppering Usyk with his jab but the Ukrainian will, by his boxing IQ, maximise his experience and southpaw style to take a close but unanimous decision on the scorecards. Then, it’s roll on to the controversy and the subsequent rematch scheduled for September. We can only hope the title still remains undisputed and is not splintered in the interim.

Enjoy what we predict to be more of a chessmatch than slugfest but, hope and expect it to be riveting, not just for what’s at stake, but the mesh of the size, styles and pedigree. We’re likely to get a twelve round fight, but thankfully, at the end the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion !

They say form is temporary and class is permanent.

Sunday in Perth, Australia double-Olympic and three-division ‘world’ professional champion Vasiliy Lomachenko proved it once again by regaining the IBF lightweight (9st, 9lbs/135lbs) title in his opponent’s backyard.

In front of approximately 15,000 raucious Aussies, the Ukrainian future hall-of-famer ‘Loma’ was supreme, dropping George Kambosos Jnr twice en-route to becoming a ‘world’ champion again via a late eleventh round stoppage.

The nature of victory was emphatic belying Lomachencko’s 36 years.

Fighting out of his familiar southpaw stance and carefully navigating and commanding the ringcentre with his ‘Matrix’ custom-like style he bossed the fight, regularly targetting the Aussie’s body with pinpoint accuracy.

The left hook sortie that brought Kambosos’ end was spectacular.

The former undisputed champion, Kambosos, now 21-3, 10 KOs, was competitive and brave throughout but was no match for Lomachenko’s technical superiority in the end.

With the Fury-Usyk undisputed world heavyweight fight coming up this weekend (Saturday 18th) this was a big fillip for Ukrainian patriotism and that nation’s ongoing struggle. Whether the co-London 2012 Olympic champion can pull off something similar this weekend is still up for debate, but, it should serve as additional inspiration for Usyk. Both Ukrainian fighters are close knit.

Despite a few years in boxing on the outside looking in and, a slide down the pound-for-pound ratings with successive losses to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney, Lomachenko has bounced back substantially and can now look forward to future big fights, if he so wishes.

Since the Russian invasion of his homeland in February 2022 he has understandably been pre-occupied by events, even serving in their defence corp at one point. It will continue to still occupy his mind and hopes regardless. He has though, at best, got his boxing career back on track, and we can look forward to a continuing exhibition of his skills.

Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) was The Ring magazine 2017 fighter of the year and a regular in their pound-for-pound ratings up until recently. The big fights that may happen and he could re-cement his status are against American’s Shakur Stevenson (WBC champ) or Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (WBA champ). Recent victor Ryan Garcia may also be on the horizon.

For the time being, post-fight Loma commended his opponent’s skills and bravery but dedicated his newly won belt to his father and trainer Anatoly and that he now wanted to go home to his family. He had earned it.

Honourable mention also goes to Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion and Welsh heroine Lauren Price, who emphatically beat American Jessica McCaskill in Cardiff, Wales to win the undisputed women’s world welterweight (10st, 7lbs/ 147lbs) championship. Her performance was flawless in clearly outpointing and ultimately stopping her classy opponent via a badly swollen left eye after eight completed rounds.

McCaskill (12-4-1, 5 KOs) was brave throughout, but simply outskilled by the Welsh southpaw. A bright future undoubtedly awaits the new quality champion Price (7-0, 1 KO).

As the temperature hopefully heats up in the northern hemisphere, thankfully, at last, so does the action in worldwide rings.

Over the coming month three of The Ring magazine’s mythical pound-for-pound fighters in the world will box. For fans of the sport this is a potential feast.

First up, this Saturday on Mexican Cinco de Mayo weekend, boxing in Las Vegas, USA is a contest for the undisputed super-middleweight (12st/168 lbs) championship of the world. It pits The Ring’s #4 pound-for-pounder (P4P), multi-weight world champion and, future hall-of-famer, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez against fellow undefeated Mexican Jaime Munguia.

At age 33 and entering the twilight of his career Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) is still a formidable fighter and it will be some achievement for the 27 year old Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) to wrestle the titles from him. The challenger is a come-forward fighter who likes to mix it, but bar an immediate deterioration of Alvarez’ skills and metal, we expect, after a real humdinger of a fight, the experience and durability of Canelo to prevail.

Quickly following up on Monday (6^th) The Ring 2023 Fighter of the Year and four-weight world champion ‘The Monster’ Naoya Inoue defends his second undisputed title against Mexican Luis Nery. This match-up is also notable for selling out the Tokyo Dome for boxing for the first time since ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson v James ‘Buster’ Douglas in 1990. And we know what happened then !

The 31 year old Japanese, Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs), is a modern boxing phenomenon who transcends the sport in the Far East. To think he was recently questioned by Shawn Porter as to needing to fight in the US to achieve that transcendal status !

The fight is at junior-featherweight (122 pounds/8st, 8lbs).

Nery (35-1, 27 KOs) and aged 29 is up for the challenge and talking a good fight. His sole defeat was in May 2021 being counted out by a body shot and subsequently it’s hard to see him weathering Inoue’s assault and class. Again though, a shoot-out is expected.

The following weekend ( Sat 11^th) Ukrainian Vasiliy Lomachenko faces Greek-Australian George Kambosos for the vacant IBF lightweight (9st, 9lbs/135lbs) title in Perth, Australia.

Loma, a two-time Olympic champion and former undisputed professional lightweight world champion is, like Canelo, in the twilight of his career too. His record stands at 17-3, 11 KOs and he’s The Ring #1 at 135 lbs. The Aussie, Kambosos is as well a former undisputed champion at lightweight and is attempting to regain at least a splinter of his former titles, having suffered two defeats to American Devin Haney.

Then, on Saturday (18^th) from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia we have the ‘history’ fight for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World between WBC and ‘lineal’ champion Tyson Fury and multi-sanction body champion Oleksandr Usyk. This is genuinely the biggest fight in the sport and will cement the undisputed status for the first time this century. Lennox Lewis was the last person to boast this by finally defeating Evander Holyfield in 1999.

Fury will enter at 34-0-1 (24 KOs) and Usyk 21-0 (14 KOs). More news, updates and a prediction on this follow.

Finally, on Saturday (25^th) in Leeds, England the long awaited rematch takes place between Brits Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall. This is a classic England v Scotland encounter, with Taylor the passionate Scot. Both have good skills and a sole defeat. Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) had a hotly disputed victory over Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) in 2022 and subsequently lost his unified world titles to Teofimo Lopez. No titles at stake in the rematch but national pride and kudos are high. Taylor is The Ring #2 and Catterall #7.

The month of May is truly 31 days of career defining and monumental fistic contests to lick your lips to. Legacies will either be enhanced or come tumbling down if either Canelo, Inoue or Lomachenko lose heavily.

Although big losses are entirely unexpected, great fights await. Lets hope the month delivers, and enjoy.

Two standout performances over the weekend saw two young boxers take a step to world title challenge and potential stellar careers. The achievements both sides of the Atlantic were so different in so many ways.

British and Commonwealth lightweight champion Sam Noakes (14-0, 13 KO’s) from Maidstone, England continued his march towards world honours with an emphatic points victory against experienced Yvan Mendy. In doing so, also adding the European 9st, 9lbs (135 lbs) title to his expanding resume’.

Meanwhile in Brooklyn, New York City, on a much larger attended and profile card, junior-welterweight Ryan Garcia (26-1, 20 KO’s) dominated previously undefeated and two-weight world champion Devin Haney (31-1, 15 KO’s) to go pole position to challenge for the current sanction-body fractured (10st/140lbs) title.

Noakes at age 26 and Garcia at 25 are the potential futures of these two divisions on a world level, and may even meet further down the line.

One fight was a systematic points accumulation and victory, the other an assault and bashing up from the opening round. Ironically both went the distance.

Noakes, a technically sound and two-time British amateur champion, boasted a 100% KO professional record coming into Saturday’s fight in the iconic York Hall, Bethnal Green, London. Although he was forced to go the distance due to the 38 year old Mendy’s undoubted championship quality (being a two-time European champion) and, his resilience.

Noakes won convincingly and guided by a strong management team and promoted by Queensberry he looked the ‘real deal’. Post fight he honestly admitted he’d been extended (going 12 rounds for the first time) and against a good experienced operator, he went onto explain he needed a long rest. This was for Noakes a fight that may have shown us more than his thirteen to date, even though he didn’t get the KO he strove for. The contest ended 120-108 on all three cards.

Garcia on the other hand dropped Haney (31-1, 15 KO’s) three times en-route to busting up the previously undisputed lightweight champion and, still current WBC junior-welterweight champion – work that out ?

The fact that Garcia was indisciplined enough to be 3lbs over the divisional limit beforehand meant that the WBC title was not up for grabs. The fight though went ahead and Garcia was outstanding; launching an all out assault from the opening round.

Although the fight ended as a majority decision – 114-110, 115-109 and 112-112, Garcia enhanced his reputation as a hard handed left hooker with undoubted ability and charisma.

His victory was impressive to the extreme and after losing by KO to mutiple ‘world’ champion Gervonta Davis last year in his first and only defeat to date, the world is now again his oyster. The Los Angelean’s well publicised mental challenges and irrational behaviour online has drawn widespread criticism and concerned comment. But, when it comes down to it the man can fight ! He showed that on Saturday night and his blessed looks could lead to his claim of being “the face of boxing” no longer being hyperbole.

Noakes meanwhile, quietly goes about his business and capturing the European title completed what is the old, now non too-familiar way of working your way up to a world crown by winning all that is up for grabs along the way.

In an era of get rich quick, and likes online, this is a refreshing reminder of bygone times. The Maidstone man may reach the same heights though substance alone, and his fan appeal, albeit currently at a lower level, may even surpass that of the impressive Garcia in the end. His quality appears good enough to point to that or at least match this in ring accomplishment.

The journey and riches on offer will, for both, be fun along the way !

An action packed night was had on the ‘Knockout Chaos’ card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Top billing and statement went to former two-time unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25 KO’s) in demolishing former UFC champion Francis Ngannou (0-2 as a boxer) inside two rounds.

The emphatic nature of the victory significantly announces Joshua’s right to now legitimately challenge the winner of the undisputed world title fight contested when Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KO’s) and Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KO’s) meet in the same territory ten weeks from now (May 18).

The performance and finish was very impressive, with the ex-champion dropping his man first in the opening round and finishing him off with two knockdowns in the second, including arguably the best right hand he’s ever thrown to finish it on 2:38 of that round.

Immediately on impact Ngannou slumped to the canvas and was worryingly left motionless as the referee waved the contest over.

The 34 year old Joshua’s victory contrasts sharply with Tyson Fury’s struggle against the same opponent last year, whom he narrowly defeated on a split decision after being floored himself. We considered Ngannou the narrow victor on that occasion.

After Saturday’s demolition the 37 year old Ngannou has shown enough in two contests that he should come again if he continues to pursue a career in Queensberry rules boxing.

First, Usyk and Fury have to duke it out in May to finally get our first undisputed heavyweight champion this century.

In what we considered the main event, continually improving New Zealander Joseph Parker (35-3, 23 KO’s) won a close majority decision against Chinese man-mountain Zhilei Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KO’s) . The Kiwi survived two earlier knockdowns himself, but looked impressive down the stretch as he earned and thoroughly deserved his points victory. Yes, we were wrong on that one ! Returned scores were 113-113, 114-112, 115-111 in the Kiwi’s favour.

Narrowly contending for ‘fight of the night’ was the WBC featherweight (9st/126lbs) clash between tall Mexican ‘world’ champion Rey Vargas (36-1-1, 22 KO’s) and Liverpool’s compact Nick Ball (19-0-1, 12 KO’s).

In what was Ball’s first world title challenge, he was impressive. Again there were knockdowns and Vargas built up a big early lead to slow down in the late rounds, but managed to cling onto his title with a controversial twelve round split decision draw. Scores were 114-112, 116-110 and 113-113. The nature of the fight and contention calls for an immediate rematch, most likely in the UK.

The whole event was a big success for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which added to their Riyadh Season immediately before Ramadan.

This has now become an annual feast of boxing as big finances of the Middle East dictate the direction of the sport and significantly enhance the earning potential of its top fighters. On this evidence the Season is a welcome addition to the boxing calendar, albeit the seismic shift sports eastwards understandably has it’s detractors. From our perspective the big fights are being made regularly which is all we can the fans and media can ask.

Next, Usyk and Fury duke it out in May to finally get our first undisputed heavyweight champion this century. That in itself is a prospect to cherish and behold.

Eyes and ears will shortly be on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia tonight.

Unfortunately for most, if curious, you have to pay once more for the privilege if you plan to watch. The event is available on pay-per-view/box office on either DAZN or Sky Sports in the UK. For others, you can tune in, almost free, to BBC Radio 5 for live blow-by-blow analysis of the chief supports and main event. The choice is yours.

Hidden behind the hype of a contest between a mixed-martial arts fighter with a Queensberry code record of no wins from one contest and a former two-time heavyweight title holder, there is a legitimate winner-take-all fight between two top ranked heavyweight contenders.

China’s Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KO’s) will face New Zealander Joseph Parker (34-3, 23 KO’s) in what should be a final eliminator for the undisputed title to be later contested in the same desert city on 19 May between undefeated champions Oleksandr Usyk from Ukraine and Briton Tyson Fury.

The form guide for the chief support to the Joshua-Ngannou clash is that both Zhang and Parker are contenders on the up.

True, Joshua (27-3, 24 KO’s) has beaten Parker, but the Kiwi is a much improved fighter since with an almost perfect win record. One of his only other losses being to Joe Joyce, a fighter that Zhang convincingly beat over two outings last year.

Heavyweight boxing is an unpredictable thing. One big punch can ruin reputations and turn the form book on its head. Boxing history is littered with them – Tyson-Douglas, Lewis-McCall to name but a few. We only have to look recently to Francis Ngannou temporarily flooring Tyson Fury and ‘earning’ his top ten world ranking with an immediate fight against Anthony Joshua tonight.

Zhang, a 40 year old southpaw and standing six foot six, is rated #3 by The Ring magazine. He has already beaten Parker over the amateur code on points 13 years ago and this bodes well for him.

Parker is coming off arguably his biggest victory, a unanimous points decision victory over former WBC champion Deontay Wilder last December. Now trained by former world champion Andy Lee he looked a much improved fighter after a long period of being a perennial loser in big fights. It was his most impressive outing since losing the WBO title to Joshua some years before.

This really should be the fight of the evening. We pick Zhang to win late by KO as his fast and heavy hands take their concussive effect. Parker will be competitive throughout and bank on the much older man running out of gas but the Chinese has enough amateur experience to get his game plan right on the night.

Similarly in the main event we see the elite competitive pedigree of Joshua, London Olympic’s super-heavyweight gold medallist, to be the telling factor in defeating the strong Cameroonian who will also have good moments, maybe flooring the Londoner if he gets sloppy, but having he nous and skills to prevail unanimously on points. Then it’s onto the heavyweight queue to meet the new undisputed champ in the winter.

However you choose to watch or listen, enjoy it.

Vengeance is sweet !

In Oaxaca, Mexico, early Sunday morning (UK time) South Africa’s box-puncher Sivenathi Nontshinga defeated Mexico’s Adrian Curiel to regain his IBF light-flyweight (108lbs/7st, 10lbs) title. The classy Nontshinga (13-1, 10 KOs) from Reeston in the Eastern Cape lived up to his “Special One” nickname scoring a spectacular technical knockout at 44 seconds of round ten.

His win was notable and, some achievement, after his stunning defeat to the same opponent in Monaco last November, in what was arguably the knockout and a shock of 2023 world boxing.

Big things were expected of the South African before that defeat and Curiel was confident his win would be more emphatic in the rematch.

Both fighters, aged 25, had their moments in a highly competitive contest. Nontshinga boxed smartly from the opening round and opted for a ‘rope a dope’ tactic, conceding the ring centre and countering mainly off the ropes. Through the completed rounds it looked as though the home fighter was surging ahead and the South African would need to do more to wrestle the title from him.

In the seventh the challenger was deducted a point for head use as he tucked up and absorbed the Mexican blows, advancing forward with a low head and countering the champion. This was a clear 10-8 round to Curiel.

The strong champion from Mexico City, with a canopy full of his compatriots, tried his hardest to overwhelm the challenger, but couldn’t quite find the formula throughout.

The eighth was the best round of the fight as they exchanged blows standing toe-to-toe, almost as if in a phone booth (ala Jeff Fenech-Azumah Nelson I). Curiel took the round as the more come-forward fighter. The challenger continued to lose the initiative in the ninth but then had a big finish to the round landing a double left hook which visibly wobbled the Mexican.

Into the tenth, the ex-champion got caught with a big right hand mid-round and the challenger let his hands go and overwhelmed the home fighter. Referee Mark Calo-oy had no option but to wave the contest over to Curiel from further punishment.

The event promoted by Matchroom and shown live on the DAZN streaming channel showcased the lighter weights and quality fighters involved. Big things possibly await the slick and charismatic Nontshinga with a fight against British flyweight Sunny Edwards being mooted in the 4lb heavier division.

Curiel now drops to 24-5-1 (5 KOs).

Japanese stylist Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14 KOs) is recognised by The Ring magazine as the current king of the 108 lbs division. If the impressive Nontshinga chooses to stay in the lighter division, or step up, he will continue to be an interesting watch. Don’t though rule out a third ‘rubber match’ with Curiel. The South African’s stock is now fully restored and rising.

Performance and breakout victory of the weekend was by Ilford, London’s Hamzah Sheeraz on a stacked Queensberry promotion at the Copper Box Arena, Stratford, London.

The tall middleweight (160lbs/11st, 6lbs) impressively stopped Wales’ former title contender Liam Williams for the WBC silver and Commonwealth titles inside one round after an initial knockdown. The finish came with a good right uppercut off an impressive lead left jab and sustained array of punches, resulting in Williams’ trainer Gary Lockett throwing the towel in to protect his fighter. A good and compassionate call in our view.

Sheeraz (19-0, 15 KOs), at 24 years old, and ranked #10 by The Ring magazine is homing in on a world title challenge successfully defending his silver strap. Having prepared himself Stateside at the famous Ten Goose Gym, he was all business and not overawed by the experience of his opponent being his first serious test.

The 31 year old Williams drops his record to 25-5-1 (20 KOs). The Welshman who’s fought for a number of years in good company has never been beaten so convincingly and is likely to operate at domestic level from herein.

The card also saw world top ten ranked light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde convincingly stop Serb’ Marko Nikolic after a minute of the third round. Yarde rated #4 by The Ring in their 175 lbs (12st, 7lbs) category has failed honourably in two previous ‘world’ title shots but now is well placed for a third crack at either Russian Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol.

The two Russians are due to meet in Saudi Arabia on June 1st in a big unification clash. First up though is likely a domestic shoot out with London rival Joshua Buatsi who is also top ten ranked and coming hot off a victory against Dan Azeez last weekend. In doing so, he gained the British and Commonwealth titles en-route to a potential world title shot.

Last, but not least; Maidstone, England’s lightweight prospect Sam Noakes (13-0, 13 KOs) won the British and Commonwealth 135lbs (9st, 9lbs) titles by stopping Lewis Sylvester in four rounds.

In a packed Las Vegas weekend due to Super Bowl 58 in town, further victories were had by Teofimo Lopez in defence of his WBO 140 lbs (10st) ‘world’ title and, up and coming lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis. Lopez laboured to a unanimous points victory, but Davis impressively stopped former two-weight ‘world’ title winner Jose Pedraza in the sixth round.

As we’ve said on these pages Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Davis is one for the future, without doubt. He shows the full charisma and skills package to be a major addition to the elite of world boxing. Watch this space.

With most eyes this weekend on Super Bowl 58 held for the first time in Las Vegas, USA, big time boxing takes a back seat there, and likely worldwide. 

For this reason a tasty fistic world title showdown takes place, unusually on a Thursday (tonight February 8), in the same city, at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, Mandalay Bay resort and casino.

Talented American-Honduran Teofimo Lopez Jnr. (19-1, 13 KOs) faces Jamaine Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs) in defence of his WBO and Ring magazine junior-welterweight titles over 12 rounds.

At yesterday’s weigh-in both came in at 139.6 lbs, four ounces within the divisional limit and with barbs exchanged pre-fight a tasty encounter is expected. One particular interested observer will be former undisputed ten stone (140 lbs) champion Josh Taylor whom Lopez ripped the titles off in June 2023. Added spice in the division is provided by undefeated American Devin Haney who holds the other belts. Potential superfights await, pending tonight’s outcome.

Lopez, at age 26, has the double Olympic champion and former undisputed lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko on his resume and followed this up with his defeat of Taylor in the higher weight class. He was co-Ring magazine ‘Fighter of the Year’ with Tyson Fury in 2020 so his pedigree is solid. He has though been prone to periods of inactivity and disillusion with the sport. For now he appears to have his appetite back.

Lopez, a New Yorker, defeated the now 27 year old Ortiz as an amateur but the challenger has compiled a good record as a pro since. It should be a feisty and competitive fight, but if Lopez is switched on, he should win comfortably. When he’s good, he’s very good.

The chief support is promising and world ranked USA Olympian Keyshawn Davis (9-0, 6 KOs) who faces former ‘world’ champion and now ‘gatekeeper’ Jose Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) over 10 rounds at lightweight (9st 9lbs/135 lbs). Davis is exceptionally talented and has the charisma to match.

Pedraza, from Puerto Rico is well decorated and tested, but well in the twilight of his career. He’s mixed in good company and will provide a stern test for the American, establishing where Davis is at.

Davis, a product of Norfolk, in the state of Virginia (former home of hall-of-famer Pernell Whitaker) has all the tools to reach some of the heights that Whitaker reached, but at age 24 he needs to switch on and realise ‘the time is now’. He should though win comfortably when he catches up with the elusive Pedraza. If successful, again, for Davis, big fights await in the talented lightweight division.

The event promoted by Top Rank inc. will be shown live on Sky Sports Arena in UK from 01:30 GMT (Friday) and on ESPN in USA. Both main event and chief support are well worth a watch.