A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
You like savage knockouts? You got ’em this past week.
Jake Paul served up a one-punch, highlight-reel knockout of rival Tyron Woodley while Naoya Inoue, Artur Beterbiev and Gilberto Ramirez beat the daylights out of their unfortunate opponents until they could take no more punishment.
First up was Inoue, who unleashed his pound-for-pound fury on poor Aran Dipaen (12-3, 11 KOs) on Tuesday in Japan. The Thai fighter was brave but didn’t have the tools to fend off Inoue, who coldly broke him down before stopping him in the eighth round.
Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs) needs a challenge comparable to his fight with Nonito Donaire, which means a showdown with fellow titleholder John Riel Casimero or a rematch with Donaire.
The imposing Beterbiev looked vulnerable early against capable Marcus Browne (24-2, 16 KOs) on Friday but settled into beast mode and methodically destroyed the former U.S. Olympian in spite of a ghastly cut on his forehead, finally ending matters in nine rounds to make it 17 knockouts in 17 fights.
The Russian probably will target one of his fellow 175-pound titleholders but a lot of us fancy a showdown with Canelo Alvarez. Could the Mexican star really handle a fighter of Beterbiev’s ability and freakish strength? Hopefully we’ll get a chance to find out.
Ramirez (43-0, 29 KOs) had a tough time against a durable Yunieski Gonzalez (21-4, 17 KOs), absorbing many hard shots, but he still managed to deliver a horrible beating. We knew the Mexican was good but who knew he was this resilient?
I give him a chance a realistic chance to beat the light heavyweight titleholders.
And, on Saturday, Paul gave us the most-dramatic single moment of the week, an enormous right hand that planted rival Tyron Woodley (0-2) on his face. He didn’t get up, which gave Paul the most significant victory yet in his young career.
Is Paul (6-0, 5 KOs) ready for a real boxer? Nah. But he always makes it difficult to look away.
BAD
WHAT A SHOT. @jakepaul KOs Woodley in round 6 😳#PaulWoodley pic.twitter.com/oTV3xeNtfg
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) December 19, 2021
I’ll never fully endorse Paul’s career as a prize fighter out of deference to genuine boxers who would kill for even a fraction of the YouTuber’s fame and fortune.
At the same time, you have to give the guy credit. His impressive ability to market himself is well established. He seems to take the sport seriously, working as hard as anyone in the gym in an effort to hone his skills. And he has a flair for the dramatic.
If you could’ve drawn it up beforehand, what would’ve been the ideal result to add to Paul’s reputation as a can’t-miss attraction? You got it – a sensational one-punch knockout that goes viral on the internet.
The ringside video that allows the viewer to both see and hear the right hand that ended Woodley’s night (see video above) is not something people will forget any time soon. As a result, they will be more intrigued with Paul than ever.
The fact he remains in early stages of development doesn’t matter to most people. He does (and says) things that people want to see, which is the key to his success.
I have to add one thing: Paul is going to lose a fight, probably soon. He almost lost to Woodley in their first fight. We’ll see what impact that has on his drawing power, although I have a feeling he’ll stick in one way or another.
WORSE
Once again, there are always poor souls on the wrong end of brutal knockouts.
I’ll never forget the look of resignation on Dipaen’s face after he went down from a left hook by Inoue and then managed to get up as the referee was counting in Round 8. It was if he was thinking, “What did I do to deserve this?”
He took one more punch and the fight was stopped, fortunately for Dipaen, who might never again fight on a stage that big.
Browne was so distraught after his one-sided setback that he barely acknowledged Beterbiev afterward even though the winner approached him twice. It wasn’t poor sportsmanship as much as it was disappointment. He simply wasn’t ready to face his conqueror.
Browne isn’t in Beterbiev’s class but he has a lot of company.
Gonzalez left his heart in the ring against Ramirez, which I believe is one reason he was so emotional after his fight. And at 36 he probably realized then and there that he might not get another such opportunity.
The native of Cuba suffered during the fight … and after it.
Woodley probably will have emerged from his gruesome fate with a smile on his face. The former MMA star made a reported $2 million even though he’s 39 and was fighting as a pro boxer for only the second time.
That’s called winning the lottery, although getting knocked out cold was a significant price to pay for his windfall.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Joseph Parker (30-2, 21 KOs) defeated Derek Chisora (32-12, 23 KOs) again – this time by a unanimous decision – to underscore his position as a top heavyweight contender Saturday in Manchester, England. It wasn’t easy. The Kiwi put Chisora down three times and seemed to be on the verge of putting him away on several occasions but he couldn’t finish off his stubborn opponent in an entertaining fight. The problem now for Parker is that it could be a while before he gets a shot at a title, as beltholders Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have other plans. Of course, Parker, only 29, will get his opportunity if he keeps winning. Chisora? The Londoner is 37. He has now lost three consecutive fights, to Usyk and twice to Parker. And he has taken a lot of punishment over a long career. He’s probably good enough to continue fighting. However, it might be a good time for him to step away. … This is what I have to say about the Frank Gore (NFL) vs. Deron Williams (NBA) exhibition on the Paul-Woodley II card: If you like to watch street or bar fights between two old guys who have no idea what they’re doing, God bless you. Only you can choose what entertains you. …
Amanda Serrano (42-1-1, 30 KOs) did what she was expected to do on the Paul-Woodley II card, easily defeating Miriam Gutierrez (14-2, 5 KOs). The Spaniard took Serrano the distance but lost a near-shutout decision. The victory sets up arguably the biggest possible fight in women’s boxing: Serrano vs. Katie Taylor for the Irishwoman’s undisputed lightweight championship. The fight would be a boon to the women’s side of the sport. And the winner would be a legend. … David Morrell (6-0, 5 KOs) looked like a bona fide super middleweight contender on Saturday, when he stopped a solid opponent in Alantez Fox in four rounds. I figured the 23-year-old Cuban would win the fight but he dominated, using effective aggression to quickly break down and then stop his overmatched opponent. Morrell probably is ready for a Top 5 168-pounder.
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