Tag: Aidos Yerbossynuly

Good, bad, worse: Sunny Edwards impresses again, Floyd Mayweather entertains

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD That classic Showtime style! @SunnyEdwards closes out the final round with his hands in the air! #ProbellumSheffield pic.twitter.com/rry7jG52HE – Probellum (@probellum) November 11, 2022 The best …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The best fighter in the United Kingdom might be a flyweight from London.

IBF 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards gave another impressive performance on Saturday night in Sheffield, England, where he defeated former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado by a convincing unanimous decision.

And he used a rare combination of skill and durability to do it, further evidence that the 26-year-old could go a long way.

Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) boxed brilliantly, using his quick, fluid stick-and-move style to frustrate the capable Alvarado in the first half of the fight. Then, in the second half, Edwards had to rely on his determination and toughness as much as his ability to survive Alvarado’s relentless pressure and leave the ring with another victory.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, the last two of which were too generous toward Alvarado.

And remember that Edwards can’t punch, as his knockout percentage indicates. That only makes his accomplishments more remarkable: He’s able to dominate opponents without the power to hurt them.

That limitation probably works against him in terms of his place among the best British fighters, including the more-complete Josh Taylor. However, I’m not sure anyone in the U.K. can box better than Edwards.

What’s next? He wants to face another hot fighter, highly respected Bam Rodriguez, who said he plans to move down to 112 pounds. That interesting matchup of sublime young technicians would be a genuine test of Edwards’ ability.

I would lean toward Rodriguez to win that fight but I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if Edwards had his hand raised, cementing his place among the best in the business regardless of origin. He’s that good.

 

BAD

There is nothing inherently “bad” about boxing exhibitions involving retired fighters, such as Floyd Mayweather.

I remember enjoying old-timers baseball games as a child. I was thrilled by the opportunity to see my heroes and legends of the sport return to the field one night even though there were no winners or losers in a competitive sense. It was good fun.

Obviously that’s how some fans feel about seeing Mayweather, Mike Tyson and others climb through the ropes to remind of us of what made them great. That’s why the retirees can still make money in boxing.

Mayweather gave us a reminder once again on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, where he toyed with ridiculously overmatched YouTuber Deji Olatunji and then stopped him in six rounds.

The Hall of Famer had a blast, demonstrated that he can still bring it at 45 years old and playing to the crowd along the way. There’s no doubt that many fans worldwide were entertained, which Mayweather said afterward was his goal.

The only reason this item is filed under “bad” is that I don’t get the appeal. To me the most entertaining part of the broadcast was the back-and-forth antics of marketing wiz and part-time commentator Jake Paul and the Fury family after Tommy Fury and Rolly Lambert engaged in an exhibition.

The moment the hefty John Fury, the father of Tyson Fury, took off his shirt in the ring and challenged Paul to fight him then and there was hysterical.

To each their own, though. If you enjoy these exhibitions enough to fork over the pay-per-view fee, God bless you. You must be pleased that there are many more to come.

 

WORSE

It’s always painful to write this.

We learned after David Morrell knocked out Aidos Yerbossynuly that Yerbossynuly was placed in a medically induced coma to treat bleeding on his brain, which has us praying for the best but thinking the worst.

In retrospect it seems clear that referee Tony Weeks or Yerbossynuly’s cornermen should’ve stopped the fight earlier than the 12th and final round, in which Morrell stopped him. However, the brave Kazakh was fighting with vigor almost until the end, which made it difficult to step in.

My opinion? Err on the side of caution. You might be criticized but an early stoppage is better than one that comes too late.

Such a tragic situation, which haunts us periodically, serves as a reminder of the fighters’ courage. They don’t necessarily believe they’ll suffer such an unfortunate fate but they know it’s a possibility. Still, they step through the ropes to pursue their dreams and entertain the fans.

I believe the powers that be do their best to protect the fighters in an inherently dangerous sport. Let’s hope they continue to do so and then some. Yerbossynuly and his peers deserve nothing less.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) didn’t live up to the hype against Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. The 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan won the fight by a unanimous decision but wasn’t particularly impressive in any respect, which must’ve been a disappointment for those hoping he’d make a statement. Alimkhanuly said he’s ready for any champion. We’ll see. … Kudos to Bentley. He’s a good fighter. … Strawweight titleholder Seniesa Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) was impressive in her unanimous-decision victory over Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-2-2, 1 KO) on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card, her first fight in 11 months. The Los Angeles product might be as skillful as anyone in women’s boxing. … Montana Love (18-1-1, 9 KOs) was disqualified for throwing opponent Steve Spark (16-2, 14 KOs) over the ropes and out of the ring in the sixth round of their junior welterweight fight Saturday in Cleveland. It was a rough fight. Love when down in Round 2 and suffered a cut from a clash of heads shortly before the unusual ending. I don’t know what the fuss is about. It seems to me that Love did exactly what he was accused of doing, which is an egregious foul. I might’ve docked him two points and allowed him to continue but a disqualification certainly was justified. …

Canelo Alvarez said his therapy is going well and that he should be ready to fight again in May after having surgery to repair a right wrist injury. That’s good news. He seems to be targeting 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol, who outpointed him this past May. That makes sense. I’d still rather see him take on fellow 168-pounder David Benavidez. … Former two-time junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas seems to have produced some good fighters: His three sons, who he trains, are a combined 12-0 (10 KOs). His youngest boy, 18-year-old Emiliano Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) got everyone’s attention by stopping Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) with a single left hook in the second round of their lightweight bout on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card. Another son, Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), is considered an outstanding junior middleweight prospect. He’s scheduled to fight Alejandro Martinez on the Regis Prograis–Jose Zepeda pay-per-view card on Nov. 26. And a third son, lightweight Amado Vargas (4-0, 2 KOs), also has promise. The second-generation Vargases will have trouble living up to the standard of their father, who was one of the better fighters of his generation. However, they obviously are worth watching.

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Good, bad, worse: Sunny Edwards impresses again, Floyd Mayweather entertains

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD That classic Showtime style! @SunnyEdwards closes out the final round with his hands in the air! #ProbellumSheffield pic.twitter.com/rry7jG52HE – Probellum (@probellum) November 11, 2022 The best …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The best fighter in the United Kingdom might be a flyweight from London.

IBF 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards gave another impressive performance on Saturday night in Sheffield, England, where he defeated former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado by a convincing unanimous decision.

And he used a rare combination of skill and durability to do it, further evidence that the 26-year-old could go a long way.

Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) boxed brilliantly, using his quick, fluid stick-and-move style to frustrate the capable Alvarado in the first half of the fight. Then, in the second half, Edwards had to rely on his determination and toughness as much as his ability to survive Alvarado’s relentless pressure and leave the ring with another victory.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, the last two of which were too generous toward Alvarado.

And remember that Edwards can’t punch, as his knockout percentage indicates. That only makes his accomplishments more remarkable: He’s able to dominate opponents without the power to hurt them.

That limitation probably works against him in terms of his place among the best British fighters, including the more-complete Josh Taylor. However, I’m not sure anyone in the U.K. can box better than Edwards.

What’s next? He wants to face another hot fighter, highly respected Bam Rodriguez, who said he plans to move down to 112 pounds. That interesting matchup of sublime young technicians would be a genuine test of Edwards’ ability.

I would lean toward Rodriguez to win that fight but I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if Edwards had his hand raised, cementing his place among the best in the business regardless of origin. He’s that good.

 

BAD

There is nothing inherently “bad” about boxing exhibitions involving retired fighters, such as Floyd Mayweather.

I remember enjoying old-timers baseball games as a child. I was thrilled by the opportunity to see my heroes and legends of the sport return to the field one night even though there were no winners or losers in a competitive sense. It was good fun.

Obviously that’s how some fans feel about seeing Mayweather, Mike Tyson and others climb through the ropes to remind of us of what made them great. That’s why the retirees can still make money in boxing.

Mayweather gave us a reminder once again on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, where he toyed with ridiculously overmatched YouTuber Deji Olatunji and then stopped him in six rounds.

The Hall of Famer had a blast, demonstrated that he can still bring it at 45 years old and playing to the crowd along the way. There’s no doubt that many fans worldwide were entertained, which Mayweather said afterward was his goal.

The only reason this item is filed under “bad” is that I don’t get the appeal. To me the most entertaining part of the broadcast was the back-and-forth antics of marketing wiz and part-time commentator Jake Paul and the Fury family after Tommy Fury and Rolly Lambert engaged in an exhibition.

The moment the hefty John Fury, the father of Tyson Fury, took off his shirt in the ring and challenged Paul to fight him then and there was hysterical.

To each their own, though. If you enjoy these exhibitions enough to fork over the pay-per-view fee, God bless you. You must be pleased that there are many more to come.

 

WORSE

It’s always painful to write this.

We learned after David Morrell knocked out Aidos Yerbossynuly that Yerbossynuly was placed in a medically induced coma to treat bleeding on his brain, which has us praying for the best but thinking the worst.

In retrospect it seems clear that referee Tony Weeks or Yerbossynuly’s cornermen should’ve stopped the fight earlier than the 12th and final round, in which Morrell stopped him. However, the brave Kazakh was fighting with vigor almost until the end, which made it difficult to step in.

My opinion? Err on the side of caution. You might be criticized but an early stoppage is better than one that comes too late.

Such a tragic situation, which haunts us periodically, serves as a reminder of the fighters’ courage. They don’t necessarily believe they’ll suffer such an unfortunate fate but they know it’s a possibility. Still, they step through the ropes to pursue their dreams and entertain the fans.

I believe the powers that be do their best to protect the fighters in an inherently dangerous sport. Let’s hope they continue to do so and then some. Yerbossynuly and his peers deserve nothing less.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) didn’t live up to the hype against Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. The 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan won the fight by a unanimous decision but wasn’t particularly impressive in any respect, which must’ve been a disappointment for those hoping he’d make a statement. Alimkhanuly said he’s ready for any champion. We’ll see. … Kudos to Bentley. He’s a good fighter. … Strawweight titleholder Seniesa Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) was impressive in her unanimous-decision victory over Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-2-2, 1 KO) on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card, her first fight in 11 months. The Los Angeles product might be as skillful as anyone in women’s boxing. … Montana Love (18-1-1, 9 KOs) was disqualified for throwing opponent Steve Spark (16-2, 14 KOs) over the ropes and out of the ring in the sixth round of their junior welterweight fight Saturday in Cleveland. It was a rough fight. Love when down in Round 2 and suffered a cut from a clash of heads shortly before the unusual ending. I don’t know what the fuss is about. It seems to me that Love did exactly what he was accused of doing, which is an egregious foul. I might’ve docked him two points and allowed him to continue but a disqualification certainly was justified. …

Canelo Alvarez said his therapy is going well and that he should be ready to fight again in May after having surgery to repair a right wrist injury. That’s good news. He seems to be targeting 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol, who outpointed him this past May. That makes sense. I’d still rather see him take on fellow 168-pounder David Benavidez. … Former two-time junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas seems to have produced some good fighters: His three sons, who he trains, are a combined 12-0 (10 KOs). His youngest boy, 18-year-old Emiliano Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) got everyone’s attention by stopping Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) with a single left hook in the second round of their lightweight bout on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card. Another son, Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), is considered an outstanding junior middleweight prospect. He’s scheduled to fight Alejandro Martinez on the Regis Prograis–Jose Zepeda pay-per-view card on Nov. 26. And a third son, lightweight Amado Vargas (4-0, 2 KOs), also has promise. The second-generation Vargases will have trouble living up to the standard of their father, who was one of the better fighters of his generation. However, they obviously are worth watching.

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David Morrell’s co-trainer: ‘No doubt he beats Canelo [Alvarez]’

David Morrell’s co-trainer Bob Santos: “No doubt he beats Canelo [Alvarez].”

Dmitry Bivol has already defeated Canelo Alvarez. And formidable fighters like Artur Beterbiev and David Benavidez are generally seen as legitimate threats to the one-time pound-for-pound king from Mexico.

Bob Santos believes you should add another fighter to the latter list: super middleweight contender David Morrell, who Santos co-trains.

Morrell gave a sensational performance this past Saturday at The Armory in Minneapolis, where he dominated and then stopped Aidos Yerbossynuly in the 12th and final round.

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“No doubt he beats Canelo,” Santos told me and Kenneth Bouhairie on The PBC Podcast. “… Morrell is taller than Bivol, a lot longer than Bivol. He’s left-handed. I can tell you for a fact he’s a bigger puncher than Bivol. What could Canelo do to beat him? He ain’t going to outbox [Morrell]. …

“Basically he can do everything Bivol can do but he’s better, longer and faster.”

Santos, who has worked with many fighters over the past three decades, didn’t stop there. He also believes that Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) would also beat Benavidez, who is generally is as the No. 2 168-pounder behind Alvarez.

Morrell has said he’d like to face Benavidez in his next fight, but the former two-time titleholder is on track to face Caleb Plant.

“I know David Benavidez real well,” he said. “… I think the utmost of him. He’s uber-talented. That said, David Morrell is just different. There’s no doubt in my mind that David Morrell would be victorious against him. The same thing with Caleb Plant or any of those guys.

“David Morrell is a special, special talent. Believe me when I say that.”

Morrell gave the previously unbeaten Yerbossynuly a severe beating, after which the Kazakh fighter was transported to a nearby hospital. He was placed in a coma and remains in critical, but stable condition.

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David Morrell’s co-trainer: ‘No doubt he beats Canelo [Alvarez]’

David Morrell’s co-trainer Bob Santos: “No doubt he beats Canelo [Alvarez].”

Dmitry Bivol has already defeated Canelo Alvarez. And formidable fighters like Artur Beterbiev and David Benavidez are generally seen as legitimate threats to the one-time pound-for-pound king from Mexico.

Bob Santos believes you should add another fighter to the latter list: super middleweight contender David Morrell, who Santos co-trains.

Morrell gave a sensational performance this past Saturday at The Armory in Minneapolis, where he dominated and then stopped Aidos Yerbossynuly in the 12th and final round.

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“No doubt he beats Canelo,” Santos told me and Kenneth Bouhairie on The PBC Podcast. “… Morrell is taller than Bivol, a lot longer than Bivol. He’s left-handed. I can tell you for a fact he’s a bigger puncher than Bivol. What could Canelo do to beat him? He ain’t going to outbox [Morrell]. …

“Basically he can do everything Bivol can do but he’s better, longer and faster.”

Santos, who has worked with many fighters over the past three decades, didn’t stop there. He also believes that Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) would also beat Benavidez, who is generally is as the No. 2 168-pounder behind Alvarez.

Morrell has said he’d like to face Benavidez in his next fight, but the former two-time titleholder is on track to face Caleb Plant.

“I know David Benavidez real well,” he said. “… I think the utmost of him. He’s uber-talented. That said, David Morrell is just different. There’s no doubt in my mind that David Morrell would be victorious against him. The same thing with Caleb Plant or any of those guys.

“David Morrell is a special, special talent. Believe me when I say that.”

Morrell gave the previously unbeaten Yerbossynuly a severe beating, after which the Kazakh fighter was transported to a nearby hospital. He was placed in a coma and remains in critical, but stable condition.

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Aidos Yerbossynuly remains in critical, but stable condition in Minneapolis hospital

Aidos Yerbossynuly on Wednesday remained in critical, but stable condition in a Minneapolis hospital after his KO loss to David Morrell.

Super middleweight contender Aidos Yerbossynuly remains in critical, but stable condition after he was placed in a medically induced coma Sunday night, a hospital spokesperson told Boxing Junkie on Wednesday.

The spokesperson is not authorized to say whether the Kazakh fighter is still comatose.

Yerbossynuly, 30, was knocked out in the 12th and final round by David Morrell on Saturday night at The Armory in Minneapolis, after which he was transported to nearby Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.

The U.S.-based Kazakh was placed in a coma, which minimizes swelling following a brain injury.

TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions released a joint statement. It read: “Representatives of TGB Promotions and PBC are on the ground in Minneapolis with Aidos’ team and we are monitoring the situation closely. Out of respect for he and his family’s privacy, we can’t share any details but we ask the boxing community to keep him in its thoughts and prayers.”

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Morrell, a top 168-pounder, delivered a sustained beating on his tough, but overmatched opponent before finally taking him out 26 seconds before the final bell.

Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) was hurt so badly that referee Tony Weeks and Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) had to help him to his corner.

Morrell’s trainer, Ronnie Shields, said shortly after the fight — and before the extent of his injuries were known — that the fight was allowed to continue too long.

“That fight should’ve been stopped sooner,” Shields told BoxingScene.com. “They let this kid take way too much punishment. But even the referee, and Tony Weeks is a really good ref, but sometimes you’ve gotta go to the corner and say, ‘Hey man, y’all need to stop this.’ And that’s when [Yerbossynuly] started fighting dirty, because he didn’t wanna get knocked out.”

Shields went on: “It was all pride. I commend the guy for taking all that punishment, but you’ve gotta save guys from themselves. He took way too many punches. And you know what? This kid might never be able to fight again. That’s how bad it was.”

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Aidos Yerbossynuly remains in critical, but stable condition in Minneapolis hospital

Aidos Yerbossynuly on Wednesday remained in critical, but stable condition in a Minneapolis hospital after his KO loss to David Morrell.

Super middleweight contender Aidos Yerbossynuly remains in critical, but stable condition after he was placed in a medically induced coma Sunday night, a hospital spokesperson told Boxing Junkie on Wednesday.

The spokesperson is not authorized to say whether the Kazakh fighter is still comatose.

Yerbossynuly, 30, was knocked out in the 12th and final round by David Morrell on Saturday night at The Armory in Minneapolis, after which he was transported to nearby Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.

The U.S.-based Kazakh was placed in a coma, which minimizes swelling following a brain injury.

TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions released a joint statement. It read: “Representatives of TGB Promotions and PBC are on the ground in Minneapolis with Aidos’ team and we are monitoring the situation closely. Out of respect for he and his family’s privacy, we can’t share any details but we ask the boxing community to keep him in its thoughts and prayers.”

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Morrell, a top 168-pounder, delivered a sustained beating on his tough, but overmatched opponent before finally taking him out 26 seconds before the final bell.

Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) was hurt so badly that referee Tony Weeks and Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) had to help him to his corner.

Morrell’s trainer, Ronnie Shields, said shortly after the fight — and before the extent of his injuries were known — that the fight was allowed to continue too long.

“That fight should’ve been stopped sooner,” Shields told BoxingScene.com. “They let this kid take way too much punishment. But even the referee, and Tony Weeks is a really good ref, but sometimes you’ve gotta go to the corner and say, ‘Hey man, y’all need to stop this.’ And that’s when [Yerbossynuly] started fighting dirty, because he didn’t wanna get knocked out.”

Shields went on: “It was all pride. I commend the guy for taking all that punishment, but you’ve gotta save guys from themselves. He took way too many punches. And you know what? This kid might never be able to fight again. That’s how bad it was.”

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Report: Aidos Yerbossynuly in coma after taking beating from David Morrell

Report: Aidos Yerbossynuly us in a medically induced coma after a taking beating from David Morrell on Saturday night.

Aidos Yerbossynuly was in a medically induced coma Sunday night after taking a beating from David Morrell on Saturday in Minneapolis, according to Fight Freaks Unite. The outlet cited a “source with knowledge of the situation.”

Yerbossynuly, 30, was knocked out in the 12th and final round by his fellow 168-pound contender at The Armory, after which he was transported to nearby Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation. The U.S.-based Kazakh was placed in a coma because of bleeding on the brain, the outlet reported.

Another source couldn’t provide the outlet with specifics but said, “He is not good. I don’t have a lot of information, only that he is hurt pretty bad.”

TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions released a joint statement. It read: “Representatives of TGB Promotions and PBC are on the ground in Minneapolis with Aidos’ team and we are monitoring the situation closely. Out of respect for he and his family’s privacy, we can’t share any details but we ask the boxing community to keep him in its thoughts and prayers.”

Morrell, a top 168-pounder, delivered a sustained beating on his tough, but overmatched opponent before finally taking him out 26 seconds before the final bell.

Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) was hurt so badly that referee Tony Weeks and Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) had to help him to his corner.

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Report: Aidos Yerbossynuly in coma after taking beating from David Morrell

Report: Aidos Yerbossynuly us in a medically induced coma after a taking beating from David Morrell on Saturday night.

Aidos Yerbossynuly was in a medically induced coma Sunday night after taking a beating from David Morrell on Saturday in Minneapolis, according to Fight Freaks Unite. The outlet cited a “source with knowledge of the situation.”

Yerbossynuly, 30, was knocked out in the 12th and final round by his fellow 168-pound contender at The Armory, after which he was transported to nearby Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation. The U.S.-based Kazakh was placed in a coma because of bleeding on the brain, the outlet reported.

Another source couldn’t provide the outlet with specifics but said, “He is not good. I don’t have a lot of information, only that he is hurt pretty bad.”

TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions released a joint statement. It read: “Representatives of TGB Promotions and PBC are on the ground in Minneapolis with Aidos’ team and we are monitoring the situation closely. Out of respect for he and his family’s privacy, we can’t share any details but we ask the boxing community to keep him in its thoughts and prayers.”

Morrell, a top 168-pounder, delivered a sustained beating on his tough, but overmatched opponent before finally taking him out 26 seconds before the final bell.

Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) was hurt so badly that referee Tony Weeks and Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) had to help him to his corner.

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Good, bad, worse: Dmitry Bivol, David Morrell give virtuoso performances

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The fans were spoiled on Saturday night. They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The fans were spoiled on Saturday night.

They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United Arab Emirates and then by 168-pound contender David Morrell in Minneapolis

Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) reminded us of how he was able to upset Canelo Alvarez in May, outclassing a good, previously unbeaten opponent in Gilberto Ramirez to win a wide decision and set up another big fight.

Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) was competitive for the first four rounds. Then, after Bivol settled into the fight, he toyed with the former 168-pound champion the rest of the way to win a wide unanimous decision and underscore the perception that he’s one of the best pure boxers on the planet.

Bivol’s defensive performance was particularly striking: Ramirez landed only 12.2% of his punches, according to CompuBox. No one is harder to hit.

What’s next?

He wants to fight countryman Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. If that doesn’t happen – and it probably won’t because of a prior commitment – he’d happily settle for a rematch with Alvarez.

Neither of those fights is easy but I’d pick Bivol to win both. He’s the best among those three … maybe the best, period.

Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) demonstrated in his 12th-round knockout of Aidos Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) why he’s going to be a handful for the top super middleweights and eventually light heavyweights.

Find a weakness. The Cuban defector is naturally gifted, has polished skills, has punching power and appears to have a good chin. On Saturday, he outclassed a good, rugged opponent, beat him up and then brutally knocked him out.

The fans in his adopted hometown loved every minute of it. The rest of us just nodded in appreciation.

Morrell appears to be special.

 

BAD

Bivol suggested after his victory on Saturday that he’s open to moving down to 168 pounds to challenge for Alvarez’s undisputed championship after outpointing Alvarez at 175 in their first fight.

Let’s hope he doesn’t do it.

It’s one thing to move up a division, as Alvarez did in May. It’s another to shed weight, which can leave a fighter depleted and create a significant advantage for his opponent. And that’s the last thing you want if you’re facing a future Hall of Famer.

Bivol has fought as a light heavyweight his entire eight-year professional career. As he said, “I’m a light heavyweight. This is my weight.”

He needs to remember that. And so does Alvarez.

If the Mexican star wants to turn the tables on Bivol, he needs to do it against a Bivol who is at full strength. That would be at 175 pounds, not 168 or a catch weight. Otherwise a victory in the rematch wouldn’t mean nearly as much.

And Alvarez has had success at 175. He stopped a still-competent Sergey Kovalev to win a light heavyweight title in 2019. A size disadvantage wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle on that night. And there’s no reason it should be in a second fight with Bivol.

Indeed, the first meeting was more about ability than size. That would also be the case in a rematch.

It has to take place at 175 pounds.

 

WORSE

Bivol, Morrell and the fans will have to wait for the fights they want.

Bivol is choosing legacy over money when he says that he’d prefer to fight Beterbiev over a rematch with Alvarez in his next fight. You have to think Beterbiev also wants that fight. And, of course, the fans would love to see a matchup between the boxing wizard and the knockout artist.

Instead, it appears that Beterbiev will defend his three belts against mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde early next year.

That’s unfortunate for the fans. Beterbiev-Yarde is mismatch. Yarde has power but he doesn’t have the skill set to compete with a fighter with the ability and experience of Beterbiev, who almost certainly would dominate and ultimately stop Yarde. Knockouts are always fun to watch but I’d rather see a competitive fight.

Bivol will probably fight Beterbiev at some point. The question is when.

He could face Alvarez a second time in May, when the Mexican normally fights. Then, if things go well for Bivol and Beterbiev defeats Yarde, the Russians could meet in the fall.

That seems to be the best case scenario for Bivol.

Meanwhile, Morrell left little doubt on Saturday that he’s ready to challenge one of the top 168-pounders. He would like to face former two-time titleholder David Benavidez next.

However, Benavidez appears headed toward a long-awaited showdown with Caleb Plant. Benavidez-Plant is a much better matchup than Beterbiev-Yarde, particularly after Plant’s one-punch knockout of Anthony Dirrell last month.

It’s just not as good as Benavidez-Morrell, which now seems to be the ultimate 168-pound matchup not involving Alvarez. Why? Because Morrell is a bigger threat to Benavidez than Plant is.

Benavidez-Morrell also could happen next year if Benavidez defeats Plant and Morrell wins an interim fight, which will probably happen.

We just have to be patient.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Jeison Rosario (23-4-1, 17 KOs) turned out to be a one-hit wonder. The Dominican made a big splash when he stopped talented Julian Williams to win two 154-pound belts in 2020. It has been down hill for him since. He was stopped by Jermell Charlo and Erickson Lubin in his next two fights, beat three journeymen in his native country and then was stopped by Brian Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs) in five rounds on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card. Rosario is only 27 but appears to be finished as an elite fighter. … Kudos to Mendoza, who ended the fight with a beautiful right uppercut and follow up left in the fifth round of his first fight at 160 pounds. The victory was a break through for the Albuquerque product, who lost a decision o Jesus Ramos only two fights ago. … Say hello to Fiodor Czerkaszyn. The talented Ukrainian middleweight could be around for a while. Czerkaszyn (21-0, 13 KOs) gave a strong performance on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card, easily outpointing veteran Nathaniel Gallimore (22-6-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round bout. The former Muay Thai fighter seems to be a slick, clever boxer with heavy hands and a ton of confidence. It will be interesting to see how he fares at the next level. … Undisputed 147-pound champion Jessica McCaskill (12-3, 5 KOs) looked awful for most of her fight against 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron (17-0, 8 KOs) on the Bivol-Ramirez card, losing a wide decision. Maybe the two-timer conqueror of Cecilia Braekhus had trouble moving down in weight. Maybe a collision of heads early in the fight affected her. Maybe Cameron is just significantly better than she is. Whatever the reason, McCaskill had a bad night. She might have a chance to redeem herself. Cameron said afterward that she’d like to move up to 147 to challenge for McCaskill’s titles in that division.

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Good, bad, worse: Dmitry Bivol, David Morrell give virtuoso performances

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The fans were spoiled on Saturday night. They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The fans were spoiled on Saturday night.

They received not one, but two unusually fine performances in venues separated by around 7,000 miles, first by 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol in the United Arab Emirates and then by 168-pound contender David Morrell in Minneapolis

Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) reminded us of how he was able to upset Canelo Alvarez in May, outclassing a good, previously unbeaten opponent in Gilberto Ramirez to win a wide decision and set up another big fight.

Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) was competitive for the first four rounds. Then, after Bivol settled into the fight, he toyed with the former 168-pound champion the rest of the way to win a wide unanimous decision and underscore the perception that he’s one of the best pure boxers on the planet.

Bivol’s defensive performance was particularly striking: Ramirez landed only 12.2% of his punches, according to CompuBox. No one is harder to hit.

What’s next?

He wants to fight countryman Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. If that doesn’t happen – and it probably won’t because of a prior commitment – he’d happily settle for a rematch with Alvarez.

Neither of those fights is easy but I’d pick Bivol to win both. He’s the best among those three … maybe the best, period.

Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) demonstrated in his 12th-round knockout of Aidos Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) why he’s going to be a handful for the top super middleweights and eventually light heavyweights.

Find a weakness. The Cuban defector is naturally gifted, has polished skills, has punching power and appears to have a good chin. On Saturday, he outclassed a good, rugged opponent, beat him up and then brutally knocked him out.

The fans in his adopted hometown loved every minute of it. The rest of us just nodded in appreciation.

Morrell appears to be special.

 

BAD

Bivol suggested after his victory on Saturday that he’s open to moving down to 168 pounds to challenge for Alvarez’s undisputed championship after outpointing Alvarez at 175 in their first fight.

Let’s hope he doesn’t do it.

It’s one thing to move up a division, as Alvarez did in May. It’s another to shed weight, which can leave a fighter depleted and create a significant advantage for his opponent. And that’s the last thing you want if you’re facing a future Hall of Famer.

Bivol has fought as a light heavyweight his entire eight-year professional career. As he said, “I’m a light heavyweight. This is my weight.”

He needs to remember that. And so does Alvarez.

If the Mexican star wants to turn the tables on Bivol, he needs to do it against a Bivol who is at full strength. That would be at 175 pounds, not 168 or a catch weight. Otherwise a victory in the rematch wouldn’t mean nearly as much.

And Alvarez has had success at 175. He stopped a still-competent Sergey Kovalev to win a light heavyweight title in 2019. A size disadvantage wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle on that night. And there’s no reason it should be in a second fight with Bivol.

Indeed, the first meeting was more about ability than size. That would also be the case in a rematch.

It has to take place at 175 pounds.

 

WORSE

Bivol, Morrell and the fans will have to wait for the fights they want.

Bivol is choosing legacy over money when he says that he’d prefer to fight Beterbiev over a rematch with Alvarez in his next fight. You have to think Beterbiev also wants that fight. And, of course, the fans would love to see a matchup between the boxing wizard and the knockout artist.

Instead, it appears that Beterbiev will defend his three belts against mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde early next year.

That’s unfortunate for the fans. Beterbiev-Yarde is mismatch. Yarde has power but he doesn’t have the skill set to compete with a fighter with the ability and experience of Beterbiev, who almost certainly would dominate and ultimately stop Yarde. Knockouts are always fun to watch but I’d rather see a competitive fight.

Bivol will probably fight Beterbiev at some point. The question is when.

He could face Alvarez a second time in May, when the Mexican normally fights. Then, if things go well for Bivol and Beterbiev defeats Yarde, the Russians could meet in the fall.

That seems to be the best case scenario for Bivol.

Meanwhile, Morrell left little doubt on Saturday that he’s ready to challenge one of the top 168-pounders. He would like to face former two-time titleholder David Benavidez next.

However, Benavidez appears headed toward a long-awaited showdown with Caleb Plant. Benavidez-Plant is a much better matchup than Beterbiev-Yarde, particularly after Plant’s one-punch knockout of Anthony Dirrell last month.

It’s just not as good as Benavidez-Morrell, which now seems to be the ultimate 168-pound matchup not involving Alvarez. Why? Because Morrell is a bigger threat to Benavidez than Plant is.

Benavidez-Morrell also could happen next year if Benavidez defeats Plant and Morrell wins an interim fight, which will probably happen.

We just have to be patient.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Jeison Rosario (23-4-1, 17 KOs) turned out to be a one-hit wonder. The Dominican made a big splash when he stopped talented Julian Williams to win two 154-pound belts in 2020. It has been down hill for him since. He was stopped by Jermell Charlo and Erickson Lubin in his next two fights, beat three journeymen in his native country and then was stopped by Brian Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs) in five rounds on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card. Rosario is only 27 but appears to be finished as an elite fighter. … Kudos to Mendoza, who ended the fight with a beautiful right uppercut and follow up left in the fifth round of his first fight at 160 pounds. The victory was a break through for the Albuquerque product, who lost a decision o Jesus Ramos only two fights ago. … Say hello to Fiodor Czerkaszyn. The talented Ukrainian middleweight could be around for a while. Czerkaszyn (21-0, 13 KOs) gave a strong performance on the Morrell-Yerbossynuly card, easily outpointing veteran Nathaniel Gallimore (22-6-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round bout. The former Muay Thai fighter seems to be a slick, clever boxer with heavy hands and a ton of confidence. It will be interesting to see how he fares at the next level. … Undisputed 147-pound champion Jessica McCaskill (12-3, 5 KOs) looked awful for most of her fight against 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron (17-0, 8 KOs) on the Bivol-Ramirez card, losing a wide decision. Maybe the two-timer conqueror of Cecilia Braekhus had trouble moving down in weight. Maybe a collision of heads early in the fight affected her. Maybe Cameron is just significantly better than she is. Whatever the reason, McCaskill had a bad night. She might have a chance to redeem herself. Cameron said afterward that she’d like to move up to 147 to challenge for McCaskill’s titles in that division.

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