Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20
That’s crickets you’re hearing when it comes to the pound-for-pound scene.
None of the 20 fighter’s on Boxing Junkie’s list — Nos. 1-15 and five Honorable Mentions — is scheduled to step into the ring until April 20, when No. 10 Devin Haney will defend his 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.
The action picks up in a big way at that point, however. Between April 20 and June 1 — a span of only five-plus weeks — seven pound-for-pounders are scheduled to fight.
They are No. 2 Naoya Inoue, No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk, No. 4 Dmitry Bivol, No. 9 Tyson Fury, Haney, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and No. 14 Vasiliy Lomachenko (see below for details).
That number could grow. No. 6 Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4, although no opponent has been announced. And Honorable Mention David Benavidez is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.
And who knows what other matchups involving the best of the best might emerge?
Yes, the lack of activity at the moment is disappointing. However, patience will pay dividends. The biggest stars in the sport are in the gym as you read this preparing to perform.
Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no deal is in place); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).
Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20
That’s crickets you’re hearing when it comes to the pound-for-pound scene.
None of the 20 fighter’s on Boxing Junkie’s list — Nos. 1-15 and five Honorable Mentions — is scheduled to step into the ring until April 20, when No. 10 Devin Haney will defend his 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.
The action picks up in a big way at that point, however. Between April 20 and June 1 — a span of only five-plus weeks — seven pound-for-pounders are scheduled to fight.
They are No. 2 Naoya Inoue, No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk, No. 4 Dmitry Bivol, No. 9 Tyson Fury, Haney, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and No. 14 Vasiliy Lomachenko (see below for details).
That number could grow. No. 6 Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4, although no opponent has been announced. And Honorable Mention David Benavidez is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.
And who knows what other matchups involving the best of the best might emerge?
Yes, the lack of activity at the moment is disappointing. However, patience will pay dividends. The biggest stars in the sport are in the gym as you read this preparing to perform.
Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no deal is in place); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).
Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his Honorable Mention position after a subpar performance against Jamaine Ortiz?
Teofimo Lopez didn’t look like a pound-for-pounder in his unanimous decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.
The physically gifted 140-pound titleholder did enough to win but spent the entire fight chasing his elusive opponent but rarely catching him, which made for a relatively weak performance and a lousy fight.
To be fair, as I wrote earlier in Weekend Review, it’s difficult to corral a foe who refuses to engage, particularly if they’re as quick and capable as Ortiz. However, special fighters find a way. And Lopez didn’t.
So where does that leave the Honorable Mention on our pound-for-pound list?
He’s getting a pass this time, meaning he’ll stay where he was for the time being. After all, he won the fight. And, again, Ortiz’s strategy was a contributing factor in his subpar performance.
We’re watching, however, He can’t continue to look good in one fight and so-so in the next, which has been his pattern the past few years. If he is ever going to move toward the top of this list, he’s going to have to demonstrate consistency.
Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).
Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his Honorable Mention position after a subpar performance against Jamaine Ortiz?
Teofimo Lopez didn’t look like a pound-for-pounder in his unanimous decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.
The physically gifted 140-pound titleholder did enough to win but spent the entire fight chasing his elusive opponent but rarely catching him, which made for a relatively weak performance and a lousy fight.
To be fair, as I wrote earlier in Weekend Review, it’s difficult to corral a foe who refuses to engage, particularly if they’re as quick and capable as Ortiz. However, special fighters find a way. And Lopez didn’t.
So where does that leave the Honorable Mention on our pound-for-pound list?
He’s getting a pass this time, meaning he’ll stay where he was for the time being. After all, he won the fight. And, again, Ortiz’s strategy was a contributing factor in his subpar performance.
We’re watching, however, He can’t continue to look good in one fight and so-so in the next, which has been his pattern the past few years. If he is ever going to move toward the top of this list, he’s going to have to demonstrate consistency.
Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).
Weekend Review: The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight was delayed. Meanwhile, Joshua Buatsi and Conor Benn easily won their fights.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
MOST DAMAGING CUT
Tyson Fury’s
‼️ Footage has now emerged appearing to show the moment Tyson Fury was cut by an ELBOW in sparring, causing the Oleksandr Usyk fight to be postponed… pic.twitter.com/dDy3e0Cv4o
S— happens. Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) was set to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when Fury suffered a deep cut over his right eye in sparring, which forced the postponement of the event on Friday. Organizers bemoaned the calamity, Fury apologized profusely and Usyk’s manager cried foul, calling Fury a coward and insisting the WBC beltholder had sought a way out of the fight. A day later the camps agreed to reschedule the event for May 18 in the same location. Problem solved. Of course, the initial news was disappointing for everyone. The fighters were primed to take part in the biggest fight of their careers only to have to slam on the brakes and begin preparations to restart their camps, probably next month. That’s an enormous letdown for them. Fans also were excited about the crowning of the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis and a compelling matchup, which became particularly interesting when Fury eked out a victory over an MMA star making his boxing debut (Francis Ngannou) in October. The good news is that May will roll around soon enough and we’ll have our big fight, assuming nothing else unforeseen happens.
BIGGEST WINNER
Joshua Buatsi
Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) looked sharp in his one-sided decision over previously unbeaten London-area friend Dan Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) on Saturday night in London, bolstering his status as the top 175-pound contender. He’s the mandatory challenger for the title held by pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and arguably the best light heavyweight without a belt, as he’s ranked No. 1 by two of the three major sanctioning bodies and will soon ascend to the top of a third. The problem for him is that Bivol and fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev have agreed to fight one another for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, which could tie up the titles for a while. Buatsi would have to wait at least until the fall to face the winner if he gets that opportunity at all. And Bivol vs. Beterbiev has the feel of a rivalry that could result in multiple fights. That could push back Buatsi’s big opportunity even further, although one never knows how things will play out. Fighters move up in weight, they get stripped, they get injured, they retire. The list goes on. Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) must continue to focus on the one thing he can control, winning fights. If the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist can do that – particularly as convincingly as he did on Saturday – his time will come soon enough.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Conor Benn
Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) needed a win. The 147-pounder contender from England has had a rough year and half, after failing two drug tests, getting suspended, getting cleared of wrong doing by an independent anti-doping agency and then having British authorities appeal that decision. That leaves him without a license to box in his homeland to this day. His response? He has moved his career across the pond, where he outpointed Rodolfo Orozco in September in Orlando and Peter Dobson (16-1, 9 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. He gave a solid performance against the defense-challenged Dobson in a 12-round 151-pound bout, using his overmatched foe as a punching bag en route to winning a one-sided decision. The fact he couldn’t hurt Dobson, at least not seriously, might be an indication that he should stick to fighting at 147 for the time being. The important thing is that he has gotten back to what he does best, which is to box. That’s helping him overcome the most difficult period of his life. Soon he’ll be reinstated in the U.K. and face the big-name opponents he has been calling out. Then he can leave his PED issues in the past.
MOST EXCITING
We learned on Saturday that Bivol and Beterbiev had reached their deal to fight in less than four months, which is exciting. The winner arguably can claim to be the top 175-pounder of his era, making it one of the biggest possible matchups in the sport. The gifted Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) became an overnight star when he easily outpointed Canelo Alvarez in May 2022 and has dominating many more top contenders, including Sullivan Barrera, Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal, Joe Smith Jr. and Gilberto Ramirez. Few active fighters have had a better run. And Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) remains a beast at 39, as he demonstrated by becoming the first to stop Callum Smith on Jan. 13. He is one of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound and an underappreciated boxer, making him as a formidable opponent for anyone. Who wins? This is a 50-50 matchup if there ever was one. Bivol is the better boxer and athlete but it’s anyone’s guess whether he can withstand Beterbiev’s pressure and power. Can’t wait.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Manny Pacquiao, 45, evidently is no longer retired. That’s the word from his longtime advisor Sean Gibbons, who told BoxingScene.com that his client is interested in facing Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia in a sanctioned bout. Please, no. The last thing we want to see is Pacquiao take the kind of beating he delivered against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. And that’s what would happen if he faces a titleholder or top contender. He has an exhibition against muay thai fighter Buakaw Banchamek scheduled for April 20 in Thailand, he has expressed interest in facing old rival Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition and a bout with Conor McGregor has been discussed. Those are reasonable options. Davis or Garcia? That could be a mistake. … News item: unbeaten 135-pound titleholder Shakur Stevenson last week announced his retirement from boxing at 26 years old, which evidently was prompted by his inability to get the fights he wants. I understand Stevenson’s frustration, which is common to many top fighters. Ask Terence Crawford. But does anyone really believe Stevenson is going to walk away from the millions of dollars he stands to earn over the next several years? Of course not. He’ll be back soon. And he’ll eventually get the biggest fights that have been elusive. … Japanese boxer Kazuki Anaguchi died Friday, the result of a subdural hematoma suffered in a decision loss against Seiya Tsutsumi on Dec. 26 in Tokyo. Anaguchi, who went down four times in the fight, lost consciousness afterward and never awakened. He was only 23. … And so long to actor Carl Weathers, who has died at 76. Weathers played Apollo Creed, the rival of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and one of the great characters in any boxing movie.
Weekend Review: The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight was delayed. Meanwhile, Joshua Buatsi and Conor Benn easily won their fights.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
MOST DAMAGING CUT
Tyson Fury’s
‼️ Footage has now emerged appearing to show the moment Tyson Fury was cut by an ELBOW in sparring, causing the Oleksandr Usyk fight to be postponed… pic.twitter.com/dDy3e0Cv4o
S— happens. Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) was set to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when Fury suffered a deep cut over his right eye in sparring, which forced the postponement of the event on Friday. Organizers bemoaned the calamity, Fury apologized profusely and Usyk’s manager cried foul, calling Fury a coward and insisting the WBC beltholder had sought a way out of the fight. A day later the camps agreed to reschedule the event for May 18 in the same location. Problem solved. Of course, the initial news was disappointing for everyone. The fighters were primed to take part in the biggest fight of their careers only to have to slam on the brakes and begin preparations to restart their camps, probably next month. That’s an enormous letdown for them. Fans also were excited about the crowning of the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis and a compelling matchup, which became particularly interesting when Fury eked out a victory over an MMA star making his boxing debut (Francis Ngannou) in October. The good news is that May will roll around soon enough and we’ll have our big fight, assuming nothing else unforeseen happens.
BIGGEST WINNER
Joshua Buatsi
Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) looked sharp in his one-sided decision over previously unbeaten London-area friend Dan Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) on Saturday night in London, bolstering his status as the top 175-pound contender. He’s the mandatory challenger for the title held by pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and arguably the best light heavyweight without a belt, as he’s ranked No. 1 by two of the three major sanctioning bodies and will soon ascend to the top of a third. The problem for him is that Bivol and fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev have agreed to fight one another for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, which could tie up the titles for a while. Buatsi would have to wait at least until the fall to face the winner if he gets that opportunity at all. And Bivol vs. Beterbiev has the feel of a rivalry that could result in multiple fights. That could push back Buatsi’s big opportunity even further, although one never knows how things will play out. Fighters move up in weight, they get stripped, they get injured, they retire. The list goes on. Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) must continue to focus on the one thing he can control, winning fights. If the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist can do that – particularly as convincingly as he did on Saturday – his time will come soon enough.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Conor Benn
Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) needed a win. The 147-pounder contender from England has had a rough year and half, after failing two drug tests, getting suspended, getting cleared of wrong doing by an independent anti-doping agency and then having British authorities appeal that decision. That leaves him without a license to box in his homeland to this day. His response? He has moved his career across the pond, where he outpointed Rodolfo Orozco in September in Orlando and Peter Dobson (16-1, 9 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. He gave a solid performance against the defense-challenged Dobson in a 12-round 151-pound bout, using his overmatched foe as a punching bag en route to winning a one-sided decision. The fact he couldn’t hurt Dobson, at least not seriously, might be an indication that he should stick to fighting at 147 for the time being. The important thing is that he has gotten back to what he does best, which is to box. That’s helping him overcome the most difficult period of his life. Soon he’ll be reinstated in the U.K. and face the big-name opponents he has been calling out. Then he can leave his PED issues in the past.
MOST EXCITING
We learned on Saturday that Bivol and Beterbiev had reached their deal to fight in less than four months, which is exciting. The winner arguably can claim to be the top 175-pounder of his era, making it one of the biggest possible matchups in the sport. The gifted Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) became an overnight star when he easily outpointed Canelo Alvarez in May 2022 and has dominating many more top contenders, including Sullivan Barrera, Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal, Joe Smith Jr. and Gilberto Ramirez. Few active fighters have had a better run. And Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) remains a beast at 39, as he demonstrated by becoming the first to stop Callum Smith on Jan. 13. He is one of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound and an underappreciated boxer, making him as a formidable opponent for anyone. Who wins? This is a 50-50 matchup if there ever was one. Bivol is the better boxer and athlete but it’s anyone’s guess whether he can withstand Beterbiev’s pressure and power. Can’t wait.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Manny Pacquiao, 45, evidently is no longer retired. That’s the word from his longtime advisor Sean Gibbons, who told BoxingScene.com that his client is interested in facing Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia in a sanctioned bout. Please, no. The last thing we want to see is Pacquiao take the kind of beating he delivered against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. And that’s what would happen if he faces a titleholder or top contender. He has an exhibition against muay thai fighter Buakaw Banchamek scheduled for April 20 in Thailand, he has expressed interest in facing old rival Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition and a bout with Conor McGregor has been discussed. Those are reasonable options. Davis or Garcia? That could be a mistake. … News item: unbeaten 135-pound titleholder Shakur Stevenson last week announced his retirement from boxing at 26 years old, which evidently was prompted by his inability to get the fights he wants. I understand Stevenson’s frustration, which is common to many top fighters. Ask Terence Crawford. But does anyone really believe Stevenson is going to walk away from the millions of dollars he stands to earn over the next several years? Of course not. He’ll be back soon. And he’ll eventually get the biggest fights that have been elusive. … Japanese boxer Kazuki Anaguchi died Friday, the result of a subdural hematoma suffered in a decision loss against Seiya Tsutsumi on Dec. 26 in Tokyo. Anaguchi, who went down four times in the fight, lost consciousness afterward and never awakened. He was only 23. … And so long to actor Carl Weathers, who has died at 76. Weathers played Apollo Creed, the rival of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and one of the great characters in any boxing movie.
Joshua Buatsi dropped Dan Azeez twice en route to winning a clear decision in their title eliminator Saturday in London.
Bring on the winner of the June 1 Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev fight?
Joshua Buatsi had no trouble with Dan Azeez in a title eliminator for Bivol’s 175-pound title, putting his opponent down twice and winning a one-sided decision Saturday in London.
The official scores were 117-109, 117-109 and 116-110.
Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) outboxed and outworked Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) from the outset, including consistently good work to Azeez’s body.
Azeez hit the canvas twice in Round 11, although neither knockdown was conclusive. However, they didn’t factor into the result. Buatsi would’ve gotten the nod without them.
Buatsi is now in a strong position to challenge the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev fight for the undisputed championship in Saudi Arabia, which was just announced.
However, he’ll have to wait on the outcome and what might follow. The winner of the title fight could do it a second time, which would push back Buatsi’s big opportunity even further.
Joshua Buatsi dropped Dan Azeez twice en route to winning a clear decision in their title eliminator Saturday in London.
Bring on the winner of the June 1 Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev fight?
Joshua Buatsi had no trouble with Dan Azeez in a title eliminator for Bivol’s 175-pound title, putting his opponent down twice and winning a one-sided decision Saturday in London.
The official scores were 117-109, 117-109 and 116-110.
Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) outboxed and outworked Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) from the outset, including consistently good work to Azeez’s body.
Azeez hit the canvas twice in Round 11, although neither knockdown was conclusive. However, they didn’t factor into the result. Buatsi would’ve gotten the nod without them.
Buatsi is now in a strong position to challenge the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev fight for the undisputed championship in Saudi Arabia, which was just announced.
However, he’ll have to wait on the outcome and what might follow. The winner of the title fight could do it a second time, which would push back Buatsi’s big opportunity even further.
Fighter of the Month: Aging Artur Beterbiev never looked better than he did in his knockout victory over Callum Smith.
Artur Beterbiev was still perfect as he approached his 39th birthday.
The 175-pound titleholder hadn’t fought in a year when he stepped through the ropes to face Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada, but neither his advanced age nor the layoff was evident in his performance.
Beterbiev pummeled his accomplished opponent, dropped him twice and finally stopped him the seventh round, making Smith his 20th knockout victim in as many fights.
The winner was modest afterward, saying, “It’s because of luck. It’s my coach (Marc Ramsay). My team works hard with me, too. Maybe that’s why, too. But I think it’s because of luck.”
Luck had nothing to do with it. He demonstrated in emphatic fashion that he remains one of the best fighters in the world — he’s No. 12 on Boxing Junkie’s pound for pound list — and arguably the top 175-pounder of his generation.
Thus, he earned Boxing Junkie Fighter of the Month honors for January.
Beterbiev’s dominating victory wasn’t the result of sheer aggression. The three-belt champion used his boxing skills and experience to patiently, methodically break down his opponent until the challenger could no longer fight back.
The result was both brutal and thorough, which underscored Beterbiev’s reputation as a fearsome beast.
Indeed, he has never looked better as he approaches the biggest matchup of his decade-long career, a showdown with fellow titleholder Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship in late spring or summer.
We’ll see whether Beterbiev is up to the challenge of facing Bivol if they reach a deal. Bivol, the conqueror of superstar Canelo Alvarez, is more skillful than Smith.
However, Beterbiev, who turned 39 on Jan. 21, clearly is threat to anyone at or near his weight. That couldn’t have been more obvious on Jan. 13.
“They talk about his strength and punching power,” said Buddy McGirt, Smith’s trainer, “but he’s a very smart fighter. He’s gonna be tough to beat.”
Fighter of the Month: Aging Artur Beterbiev never looked better than he did in his knockout victory over Callum Smith.
Artur Beterbiev was still perfect as he approached his 39th birthday.
The 175-pound titleholder hadn’t fought in a year when he stepped through the ropes to face Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada, but neither his advanced age nor the layoff was evident in his performance.
Beterbiev pummeled his accomplished opponent, dropped him twice and finally stopped him the seventh round, making Smith his 20th knockout victim in as many fights.
The winner was modest afterward, saying, “It’s because of luck. It’s my coach (Marc Ramsay). My team works hard with me, too. Maybe that’s why, too. But I think it’s because of luck.”
Luck had nothing to do with it. He demonstrated in emphatic fashion that he remains one of the best fighters in the world — he’s No. 12 on Boxing Junkie’s pound for pound list — and arguably the top 175-pounder of his generation.
Thus, he earned Boxing Junkie Fighter of the Month honors for January.
Beterbiev’s dominating victory wasn’t the result of sheer aggression. The three-belt champion used his boxing skills and experience to patiently, methodically break down his opponent until the challenger could no longer fight back.
The result was both brutal and thorough, which underscored Beterbiev’s reputation as a fearsome beast.
Indeed, he has never looked better as he approaches the biggest matchup of his decade-long career, a showdown with fellow titleholder Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship in late spring or summer.
We’ll see whether Beterbiev is up to the challenge of facing Bivol if they reach a deal. Bivol, the conqueror of superstar Canelo Alvarez, is more skillful than Smith.
However, Beterbiev, who turned 39 on Jan. 21, clearly is threat to anyone at or near his weight. That couldn’t have been more obvious on Jan. 13.
“They talk about his strength and punching power,” said Buddy McGirt, Smith’s trainer, “but he’s a very smart fighter. He’s gonna be tough to beat.”
