Tag: dillian whyte

Who wins? Juan Francisco Estrada vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create …

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.

We started the series with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and moved down the list to No. 2 Terence Crawford, No. 3 Canelo Alvarez, No. 4 Naoya Inoue, No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk  and No. 6 Gennady Golovkin, No. 7 Errol Spence Jr. and No. 8 Tyson Fury.

No. 9 Juan Francisco Estrada is next up.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Estrada would do against Roman Gonzalez, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Naoya Inoue, Kazuto Ioka and Kosei Tanaka. We then tally Estrada’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Estrada, a two-division champions, has won four consecutive fights since he lost a majority decision to Sor Rungvisai in 2018. That includes a unanimous-decision victory over Sor Rungvisai in a rematch to win a junior bantamweight title.

We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 10 Mikey Garcia.

So here goes: Estrada vs. his five potential opponents.

***

ESTRADA (40-3, 27 KOs) VS. GONZALEZ (49-2, 41 KOs)

Roman Gonzalez (right) resurrected his career as an elite fighter with a victory over Kal Yafai. Amanda Westcott / DAZN

Rosenthal: Gonzalez resurrected his career as an elite fighter by stopping Kal Yafai on Feb. 29, demonstrating to those who had written him off that he has some fight left in him. The problem for Gonzalez is Estrada is much better than Yafai. The Mexican is a superb, resilient boxer who gave Gonzalez hell in their 2012 meeting. This time, the aging Gonzalez will be taken to hell. Estrada by late knockout.

Frauenheim: A rematch has long been on the horizon. Gonzalez won the first one, wining a unanimous decision nearly eight years ago at 108 pounds. A move up the scale to junior bantamweight and possibly bantamweight favors Estrada. Gonzalez was at his best at 112. Estrada, unanimous decision.

Nam: There’s some wind in Gonzalez’s sails after he dominated Kal Yafai last month. Still, the fact is Gonzalez is no longer in his prime and Yafai was something of a fraud, a paper titleholder who fought no one of note during his title reign. Gonzalez won’t be able to pick apart Estrada in the same way. Consider that Estrada gave Gonzalez a pretty spirited fight in 2012. Estrada lost, but he only improved since then. You have to give it to the fresher fighter. Estrada on points.

***

ESTRADA VS. SOR RUNGVISAI (47-5-1, 41 KOs)

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (right) beat Gonzalez in back to back fights in 2017. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II

Rosenthal: A third fight between these two warriors is a no-brainer. Estrada rallied in the first fight to make it close but came up short. Sor Rungvisai, who inexplicably fought mostly from an orthodox stance, did the same in a losing cause in the rematch. Part III? Estrada, 29, has the more-recent victory and momentum while Sor Rungvisai, 33, might have leveled off. Estrada by a close, but clear decision.

Frauenheim: Estrada lost a majority decision to Rungvisai, then beat him by unanimous decision14 months later, both at 115. Estrada learned enough in the first fight to make the right adjustments. In the rematch, he figures to have learned even more. Estrada, unanimous decision.

Nam: Although Sor Rungivsai committed a grave tactical error in their rematch – the decision to go orthodox instead of his natural southpaw stance for more than three quarters of the bout – he ended up giving Estrada a run for his money the last few rounds. The third fight is closer if Sor Rungvisai relies on his natural instincts. Estrada will come out much the same, firing on all cylinders. But the Thai fighter has one of the better chins in the game and eventually he’ll wear out Estrada. Sor Rungvisai by close decision.

***

ESTRADA VS. INOUE (19-0, 16 KOs)

Naoya Inoue made a strong statement by winning the WBSS bantamweight tournament. Toru Hanai / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Estrada is a complete fighter, meaning he’s a handful for anyone. He’ll outbox you, he’ll hurt you and he’ll almost certainly beat you. He’s a 115-pounder, though. He has fought above that weight but not against an elite opponent like Inoue. The guess here is that he’d be at too much of a physical disadvantage against Inoue, who would have trouble in the first half of the fight but slowly break Estrada down and win a clear decision.

Frauenheim: Estrada is a classic boxer-puncher, solid in every way. But he was vulnerable to a busy style, which was what Gonzalez used to beat him by decision. Inoue varies the angles and the rate of his combinations, all done to set up his signature punch — a left hook to the body. Inoue, unanimous decision.

Nam: The most skilled fighter here. He also has an underrated chin, as evidenced in his fights against a prime Roman Gonzalez and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (twice). Not sure it holds up here against Inoue at 118. It’s a competitive bout for most of the fight, but Inoue’s power will take over late, eventually earning him a stoppage.

***

ESTRADA VS. IOKA (25-2, 14 KOs)

Kazuto Ioka has won two in a row since losing a split decision to Donnie Nietes in 2018. Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Rosenthal: Ioka is an excellent all-around fighter and, at 31, has plenty of experience at the elite level. That includes his recent setback against Donnie Nietes, which most observers seem to believe he did enough to win. However, he hasn’t seen someone quite like Estrada, who can match Ioka’s boxing skills and has more power. Estrada by a clear decision.

Frauenheim: Ioka has some power along with foot and hand speed. His also might possess resiliency he’ll need to beat Estrada. He’s 2-0 since losing a debatable split-decision to Donnie Nietes. It’s a close fight, perhaps determined by location, location, location. In Mexico, Estrada wins. In Japan, Ioka wins. At a neutral site, it’s a draw.

Nam: It’s hard to know exactly where exactly Ioka, 31, is in his career. Promotional issues have contributed to some inactivity over the past few years. Moreover, the skilled boxer-puncher has never proven himself against truly elite opposition. That said, he did deserve to win against Donnie Nietes in 2018. Estrada is a bit too talented, too dynamic. Expect Ioka to start fast but for Estrada to catch up before beating the brakes of off Ioka to win a unanimous decision.

***

ESTRADA VS. TANAKA (15-0, 9 KOs)

Kosei Tanaka has stopped nine of his 15 opponents. Behrouz Mehri / AFP via Getty Images

Rosenthal: Tanaka, only 24, is a gifted, dynamic young fighter on the rise. He could be a major player for another decade. That said, this is Estrada’s time. His skill set and experience will be too much for Tanaka at this stage of the game. It will be close for a few rounds and then Estrada will pull away. Estrada by decision.

Frauenheim: Tanaka looks to be an emerging star. He’s 24. He has nine KOs on his 15-0 resume. He won a world title in only his fifth pro bout. He also faces a mandatory challenge for a 112-pound belt from Ioka. He has all of the momentum, enough leverage to keep a bout vs. Estrada in Japan. Tanaka, unanimous decision.

Nam: A potential barnburner. Tanaka, a three-division titleholder at only 24 years of age, has no qualms about mixing it up on the inside. See his terrific tete-a-tete against Sho Kimura in 2018. Not sure how much firepower he has to truly gain Estrada’s respect on the inside. His experience, moreover, is also a concern. Estrada wins a clear decision.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Juan Francisco Estrada: 9-5-1 (1 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Tyson Fury: 14-1 (8 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Errol Spence Jr.: 13-2 (6 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)
Juan Francisco Estrada: 9-5-1 (1 KOs)
Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)

 

Read more:

Who wins? Vassiliy Lomachenko vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

 

Who wins? Tyson Fury vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create …

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.

We started the series with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and moved down the list to No. 2 Terence Crawford, No. 3 Canelo Alvarez, No. 4 Naoya Inoue, No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk  and No. 6 Gennady Golovkin and No. 7 Errol Spence Jr.

Next up is No. 8 Tyson Fury.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Fury would do against Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder a third time, Oleksandr Usyk, Dillian Whyte and Andy Ruiz Jr. We then tally Fury’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Fury is coming off his sensational seventh-round stoppage of Wilder in their rematch Feb. 22. He has not faced any of the other four opponents here.

We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 9 Juan Francisco Estrada.

So here goes: Fury vs. his five potential opponents.

***

FURY (30-0-1, 21 KOs) VS. JOSHUA (23-1, 21 KOs)

Anthony Joshua had reason to be pleased with himself after embarrassing Andy Ruiz Jr. in their rematch. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

Rosenthal: Joshua reminded us that he can box in his careful victory over Andy Ruiz Jr. in their rematch but he’s not going to outbox Fury. His only chance is to stop Fury or control the fight by making him uncomfortable with relentless aggression to eke out a decision. That’s hard to imagine after what we saw in the rematch with Ruiz. Fury, better and mentally tougher, will outbox, wear down and then stop Joshua in the late rounds.

Frauenheim: Who is Joshua? Is he the guy Andy Ruiz Jr. upset? Or the guy who beat Ruiz in a rematch? Hard to know. In the rematch he used his jab to great effect. He was careful, and he won. But Fury is good at taking opponents out of their comfort zone. He’ll rattle Joshua early with a punch or distraction. Fury, unanimous decision.

Nam: Joshua needs to recover his offense-first mentality if he stands a chance of beating Fury. He certainly won’t outbox him running around the ring and throwing one-twos. Joshua needs to come forward and set his feet and try to take Fury out. Unfortunately, that version of Joshua may be long gone. Fury hurts Joshua late en route to a clear points win.

***

FURY VS. WILDER (42-1-1, 41 KOs)

Deontay Wilder was overwhelmed by Tyson Fury in their rematch What can he do differently to win their third fight? Al Bello / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Fury now knows not only how to beat Wilder but how to dominate him, as he demonstrated in their rematch. Attack him, keep him on his back foot, don’t give him room to get anything done. And Wilder doesn’t (or at least didn’t) have the ring IQ to make adjustments. He and his team will come up with some sort of plan for the third fight but it won’t be enough. Fury by late KO.

Frauenheim: It’s not clear what Wilder can do without his right. Fury took away the leverage. There was no adjustment from Wilder. Wilder might adjust his wardrobe, ditching the 40-pound comic-book costume. But he’ll need to make adjustments within the ropes to win. Without knowing how to adjust, Fury wins the way he won the last one. Fury, mid-round TKO.

Nam: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Wilder is what he is: a boxing illiterate with game-changing power. Perhaps the one thing in Wilder’s favor during the layoff is that he’ll be more cognizant of Fury’s aggression in the rematch. But that might also be his undoing. There’s no easy answer for Wilder. Barring a colossal mental meltdown from Fury in the forthcoming months, Wilder is looking at a second straight loss. Fury on points.

***

FURY VS. USYK (17-0, 13 KOs)

Oleksandr Usyk (right, against Chazz Witherspoon) is a good boxer but would be dwarfed by Fury. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA

Rosenthal: This is the worst style matchup for Usyk. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian’s advantage over most heavyweights is his unusual skill set, quickness and relative athleticism. Fury is a towering 6-9, would have about a 50-pound weight advantage and can box and move about as well as Usyk. How could the smaller man win? He couldn’t. Fury would pick Usyk apart, break him down and likely stop him in the second half of the fight.

Frauenheim: Fury has a six-inch advantage in height. Usyk will have to look up at an angle severe enough to suffer a strained neck. He’ll be lucky if that’s all he suffers. Ever since his jump to heavyweight, there are questions about whether Usyk is big enough. Against some, maybe. Against Fury, no way. Fury, mid-round stoppage.

Nam: This is Usyk’s toughest fight in a tactical sense. Fury’s also taller and bigger, meaning Usyk will have to work extra hard just to get close enough to do some damage. Many of the things Usyk excels at – circling to his right, jabbing – may be rendered moot because of Fury’s herky-jerky mobility. But that’s assuming that Fury decides to play cute in the ring. Should Fury employ a more aggressive approach a la Wilder, he’ll find Usyk hard to find. Usyk by close decision.

***

FURY VS. WHYTE (27-1, 18 KOs)

Dillian Whyte has the bulk but not the skills to beat Fury. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Boxing

Rosenthal: Whyte has the bulk to stand up to Fury and an abundance of bravado but that won’t be nearly enough when they step into the ring. Fury will be able to do as he pleases, keep Whyte at a distance with is long jab, push him onto his back foot with measured aggression as he did against in the Wilder rematch and generally dominate the fight. Fury by KO around Round 8.

Frauenheim: Fury’s unique mobility will frustrate White. Whyte has some power, but he’ll never find Fury, whose agile footwork will leave Whyte lunging and missing throughout 12 rounds. Fury, unanimous decision.

Nam: The weakest challenger on this list for Fury. Whyte’s at his best when he’s facing fellow plodders. Fury’s dexterity and nimble footwork is going to cause all kinds of problems for him. Whyte also tends to fade late in a fight. Fury stops him late.

***

FURY VS. RUIZ (33-2, 22 KOs)

Andy Ruiz (left) ate a lot of food before his rematch with Joshua and a lot of punches in the fight. Richard Heathcote / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Ruiz at his best is a good, quick-handed boxer with some power, as we saw in his upset of Anthony Joshua and in a close loss to Joseph Parker. At his worst, as we saw in the Joshua rematch, he’s an ineffective blob. Fury is simply too long and too good for either version of Ruiz. It’s difficult to imagine the Mexican-American finding ways to land with any consistency. Fury by wide decision.

Frauenheim: Ruiz is way too small. He’s seven inches shorter than Fury, who is tall enough to be an NBA power forward. Ruiz’s challenge is complicated by Fury’s foot and hand speed. Ruiz has no choice but to walk inside, where he’ll get punished. Fury, mid-round TKO.

Nam: Ruiz has fast hands, but he’ll find it hard for them to reach long-limbed Fury. Fury will outwork Ruiz with the jab and duck and hold whenever Ruiz tries to get close. It’s a stick-and-move game plan for Fury. It won’t look pretty, but he’ll win a clear decision.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Tyson Fury: 14-1 (8 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Tyson Fury: 14-1 (8 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Errol Spence Jr.: 13-2 (6 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)
Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)

 

Read more:

Who wins? Vassiliy Lomachenko vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

 

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers give their takes on how Oleksandr Usyk would fare against five elite heavyweights.

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.

We started the series Sunday with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and moved down the list to No. 2 Terence Crawford, No. 3 Canelo Alvarez and No. 4 Naoya Inoue.

Now it’s the turn of No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk.

The former unified cruiserweight champion and 2018 Fighter of the Year is now in the land of the big boys, the heavyweights. He passed his first test by stopping journeyman Chazz Witherspoon in October but we don’t know how he’ll fare against elite heavyweights.

Usyk weighed in at only 215 pounds for the Witherspoon fight, meaning he’d be at a distinct size disadvantage against all the top big men except the lean Wilder. He could compensate with his superior skill set and relative athleticism.

In this installment of Who Wins?, you get our staffers’ takes on how he would do against Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte and Andy Ruiz Jr.. We then tally Usyk’s record in those fights and present our standings.

We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk.

So here goes: Inoue vs. his five potential opponents.

USYK (17-0, 13 KOs) VS. FURY (30-0-1, 21 KOs)

Tyson Fury can box about as well as Oleksandr Usyk and has a significant size advantage. Al Bello / Getty Images

Rosenthal: This is the worst style matchup for Usyk. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian’s advantage over most heavyweights is his unusual skill set, quickness and relative athleticism. Fury is a towering 6-9, would have about a 50-pound weight advantage and can box and move about as well as Usyk. How could the smaller man win? He couldn’t. Fury would pick Usyk apart, break him down and likely stop him in the second half of the fight.

Frauenheim: Fury has a six-inch advantage in height. Usyk will have to look up at an angle severe enough to suffer a strained neck. He’ll be lucky if that’s all he suffers. Ever since his jump to heavyweight, there are questions about whether Usyk is big enough. Against some, maybe. Against Fury, no way. Fury, mid-round stoppage.

Nam: This is Usyk’s toughest fight in a tactical sense. Fury’s also taller and bigger, meaning Usyk will have to work extra hard just to get close enough to do some damage. Many of the things Usyk excels at – circling to his right, jabbing – may be rendered moot because of Fury’s herky-jerky mobility. But that’s assuming that Fury decides to play cute in the ring. Should Fury employ a more aggressive approach a la Wilder, he’ll find Usyk hard to find. Usyk by close decision.

***

USYK VS. JOSHUA (23-1, 21 KOs)

Anthony Joshua was reintroduced to his title belts after he outclassed Andy Ruiz Jr. Nick Potts / PA via AP

Rosenthal: Joshua’s heart is a question mark after his knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. and a careful performance in the rematch but he reminded us in the second fight that he knows how to box. That could neutralize Usyk until the moment of truth, the moment Joshua, a big puncher, lands a bomb on Usyk’s chin. Will the former 200-pounder be able to take it? The guess here is “no.” Joshua by mid-fight knockout.

Frauenheim: Joshua has a height advantage, too. But it’s half of what Fury has against Usyk. More significant, Joshua lacks Fury’s fearlessness. Jump on Joshua early and he can be beaten. Example: Andy Ruiz Jr. in his upset of Joshua in June. Trouble is, Usyk is a slow starter. He’s smart enough to adjust. Usyk, unanimous decision.

Nam: This is a nightmare matchup for Joshua, who has not been the same since he was knocked down by Wladimir Klitschko. This was confirmed in his last bout against Andy Ruiz, in which Joshua fought like a scared man. This seemingly anesthetized version of Joshua won’t cut it against Usyk. Joshua will fight off the back foot while Usyk works behind an intelligent pressure attack, circling away from Joshua’s right hands. Usyk by unanimous decision.

***

USYK VS. WILDER (42-1-1, 41 KOs)

Wilder was at a loss the last time we saw him. Al Bello / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Usyk is a much better boxer than the notoriously limited Wilder, which would give him a chance to win a decision or even score a knockout if he can land enough punches. Don’t write off Wilder, though. He has more power that Joshua has. All he has to is connect with the right punch and Usyk will probably go down. The question is: Will he? If he does, Wilder wins by stoppage. If he doesn’t, Usyk wins by decision. Final verdict: Wilder by KO.

Frauenheim: Usyk can’t beat Fury, but he can thank him for deomonstrating how to beat Wilder. Attack Wilder early, eliminate the distance he needs for leverage on his powerful right, his singular weapon. Without that right, there’s not much Wilder can do. But there’s a lot Usyk, a multi-skilled Olympic medalist, can do. Usyk, unanimous decision.

Nam: As Fury showed, Wilder is a mess when opponents put him on the backfoot. Wilder has the equalizer that can end a fight at any moment, but Usyk’s unusual combination of aggression and guile will have Wilder feeling bamboozled for the majority of the fight. Usyk’s jab will be key, as he closes the gap and unloads combinations. Wilder won’t have an answer. Usyk by decision.

***

USYK VS.  WHYTE ()

Dillian Whyte is coming off a victory over Mariusz Wach (left) this past December. Richard Heathcote / Getty Images

Rosenthal: This is the most winnable fight for Usyk even though he’d face the same size disadvantage of the other matchups. Usyk, with his superior ability, would outbox Whyte and land hard shots with increasing regularity as the fight goes on. And while Whyte has decent power, he can’t crack like Joshua and Wilder can. Usyk might be able to handle Whyte’s biggest shots, although the Englishman would have trouble landing them. Usyk by clear decision.

Frauenheim: Only an inch in height separates the 6-4 Whyte from the 6-3 Usyk. One the scale, more than 50 pounds could separate them. Whyte was 271 in his last fight. Usyk figures to be between 215 and 220. Look for Usyk to use his boxing skill to elude Whyte’s powerful left, then wear him out for a late stoppage.

Nam: If only Whyte was as good as his gab. Whyte is a decent heavyweight, nothing more. He has respectable power, but he is slow and is at his best when his opponents are stationary. He’ll have trouble locating Usyk, who will box Whyte’s ears off to an eventual late-round stoppage.

***

USYK VS.  RUIZ (33-2, 22 KOs)

Ruiz (left) was dominated by Joshua in their rematch. AP Photo / Hassan Ammar

Rosenthal: The Andy Ruiz Jr. who stopped Anthony Joshua in June of last year would fight Usyk on even terms. He’s that good at his best. The Ruiz who was ill-prepared in the rematch with Joshua would have little chance against any top heavyweight. Has he learned his lesson? If so, I like his chances against Usyk. His quick hands, solid boxing ability and power would lead him to a clear decision victory over the cruiserweight-turned-heavyweight.

Frauenheim: Ruiz has fast hands and not much else. His stunner over Joshua said more about Joshua than him. His lack of discipline in the rematch and a lack of loyalty to trainer Manny Robles in the aftermath are damning. He fired Robles. He’ll regret that decision. Usyk, unanimous decision.

Nam: Ruiz has neither the devastating punching power of a Wilder nor the dexterity of a Fury. Plus, he’s not as tall as those heavyweights, though he is much wider, which means he’s a bigger target. This will be competitive in the early going, but Usyk will eventually start to pick Ruiz apart from pillar to post in the second half of the fight. Usyk will frustrate Ruiz en route to a clear points win.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)

 

Read more:

Who wins? Vassiliy Lomachenko vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

 

U.K. officials extend suspension of cards through end of April

The British Boxing Board of Control extended suspension of cards in the U.K. though the end of April because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Uncertainty about boxing’s return only heightened Monday with an extended suspension of cards in the U.K. though the end of April.

The British Boxing Board of Control announced the extension within a week after it imposed a suspension through the end of March because of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

“Following further Government and Medical Authorities advice, the British Boxing Board of Control has decided that the suspension of Boxing Tournaments under the BBBofC jurisdiction remains in place until the end of April when further consideration will be given,” the ruling body said in a statement. “We will continue to follow the Government and the Medical Authorities advice and keep the situation under review.’’

An intriguing heavyweight fight between Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce had been scheduled for April 11 at O2 Arena in London. Promoter Frank Warren has rescheduled it for July 11, also at O2.

There’s still no new date for junior welterweight Josh Taylor’s mandatory title defense against Apinun Khongsong. It had been scheduled for May 2 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Other key bouts in the U.K. are still on the May schedule, including two heavyweight bouts — Dillian Whyte vs. Alexander Povetkin on May 2 in Manchester and Oleksandr Usyk vs. Derek Chisora on May 23 at O2 Arena.

Oleksandr Usyk on Dereck Chisora bout: ‘I hope fight will take place’

Oleksandr Usyk and Dereck Chisora acknowledged the Coronavirus as they kicked off the promotion of their May 23 showdown.

Oleksandr Usyk and Dereck Chisora made it clear at a news conference Friday in London that their May 23 showdown is scheduled to take place in unusual times.

Chisora wore a bandana over his mouth and a plastic suit covering his clothes. Usyk also had his nose and mouth covered at one point. And moments after their obligatory face-to-face stare down and then a friendly selfie – Usyk without a mask at that moment – the cruiserweight-turned-heavyweight whipped out disinfectant and sprayed the area.

Those watching, perhaps amused, had to wonder whether the fight being promoted would actually take place as scheduled. Sporting events worldwide have been canceled because of the pandemic, which has killed more than 5,000 worldwide.

If it happens, it will be one of the most-anticipated fights so far this year and one that will have a tremendous impact on the division.

Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) would be fighting as a heavyweight for the second time, having stopped Chazz Witherspoon in seven rounds in October. He is in the short line to challenge for one of Anthony Joshua’s titles.

Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs) has won three consecutive fights since he was stopped in 11 rounds by Dillian Whyte in December 2018. He’s fighting to remain a viable championship contender.

Usyk was speaking for many people when he said, “I really hope that this fight will take place.”

The 33-year-old Ukrainian, the 2018 Fighter of the Year and former unified 200-pound champion, believes he can also find success against the biggest men in the sport. Usyk, who is 6-foot-3, weighed 215 pounds for the Witherspoon fight.

“As a cruiserweight, I reached the highest heights as undisputed champion and now I am following the same path as a heavyweight,” talkSPORT quoted Usyk as saying. “I expect a real test in Chisora. He is strong, tough and resilient. I recall being an amateur and watching his fight with Vitali Klitschko. It seemed so big and far away.

“Now I am myself taking a fight against Chisora. I am working hard in my training camp to show a spectacular performance on May 23. Dear friends, I will see you soon!”

Chisora, a Zimbabwe-born Londoner who has been a heavyweight his entire career, believes Usyk is in for a rude awakening.

“War is coming,” said Chisora, who is 6-1½ but weighed 260¼ in his last fight. “Usyk reckons he can step up and survive with the big boys. He may be the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world, but on May 23 he will find out what it feels like to be hit by a real heavyweight.

“He is coming to my backyard. I’m going to remind him exactly why he hid in the cruiserweight division and also get revenge for my boy, Tony Bellew (who lost to Usyk in 2018). This will be war.”

 

Dillian Whyte continues quest for title vs. Alexander Povetkin on May 2

Dillian Whyte will face Alexander Povektin on May 2 in Manchester, England on DAZN in the United States and Sky Box Office in the U.K.

There’s more to the heavyweights than Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. They continue to show depth not seen in years.

Another sign of the division’s ongoing comeback from dormant days landed on the calendar Tuesday with Matchroom Boxing’s announcement of Dillian Whyte vs. Alexander Povektin on May 2 in Manchester, England on DAZN in the United States and Sky Box Office in the U.K.

“I want to be heavyweight champion of the world, so anywhere in the world is my lion’s den,” said Whyte, who ranks as the No. 1 challenger to the title Tyson Fury took from Wilder Feb. 22 in a rematch. “If you aspire to be world champion, you should be able to fight anywhere.’’

Fury, who is set to fight Wilder for a third time probably in July, has talked about three more bouts before retirement. After Wilder and presumably Joshua, he has mentioned Whyte. Then again, he has also mentioned Dereck Chisora. Fury figures to change his mind again. And again.

All Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) can do is keep himself at the top the rankings and in the public eye. He needs more than a win against Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs). He needs a performance that fans won’t forget and Fury can’t ignore.

“This is a great fight,’’ said Whyte, whose only loss was to Joshua in 2015. “Povetkin is an Olympic gold medalist, has loads of experience, he’s a former world champion and he’s only lost to Joshua and [Wladimir] Klitschko.’’

Whyte is coming off a unanimous decision over Mariusz Wach in Saudi Arabia on a card featuring Anthony Joshua’s decision Andy Ruiz Jr. in a rematch Dec. 7. Whyte’s status was uncertain before the bout because of a reported doping violation. He was cleared by an investigation and allowed to fight.

Povetkin, a Russian who has tested positive twice for performance enhancers, also appeared on the Joshua-Ruiz rematch card, fighting to a split draw with Michael Hunter.

“I am pleased to fight Whyte,” Povetkin said in a news release. “It has long been discussed but didn’t happen for whatever reason. Dillian is a good, strong boxer, and it will make for an interesting fight.’’

Whyte and Povetkin are scheduled to be at a news conference Wednesday in Manchester.

Dillian Whyte on Andy Ruiz Jr.: ‘All stomach and no heart’

Dillian Whyte, who is frustrated at Andy Ruiz Jr.’s apparent hesitancy to fight him this spring, bashed Ruiz on social media.

Andy Ruiz Jr., who lost his heavyweight belts and fired trainer Manny Robles, is searching for a way to re-ignite a stalled career that is suddenly an easy target for some inevitable criticism.

The latest to dump some rhetorical trash all over Ruiz is Dillian Whyte, who is frustrated at Ruiz’s apparent hesitancy to fight him this spring.

According to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, Whyte will fight Russian Alexander Povetkin instead of Ruiz in April. Hearn had offered Ruiz a “seven-figure purse” to fight Whyte in the U.K. But Ruiz wants the fight to be in the United States.

“The first offer was for a U.K. fight, which wasn’t enough money,’’ Hearn told the U.K.’s Sun. “The second fight was a lot more money, and that was for the U.S. fight, which has definitely got their attention.’’

Hearn went on to say that Ruiz is an option for Whyte post Povetkin. By then, Ruiz might have a new trainer. Until then, however, he figures to get another earful or five from Whyte.

It started with a social media post from Ruiz, who posted, “You didn’t want any smoke so I moved on to the next opponent.’’

The post included a photo of Anthony Joshua scoring a seventh-round knockout of Whyte in December 2015 in London. Ruiz took the belts from Joshua in a stoppage, also in the seventh-round, in a stunner June 1 in New York. Joshua regained them in an embarrassingly one-sided decision Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia

Whyte countered on social media, calling Ruiz “a blob rolling away from a big payday.’’

Whyte also said Ruiz was “all stomach & no heart.”

Dillian Whyte skeptical about Tyson Fury’s plan to fight him

Tyson Fury said that Dillian Whyte is one of three fighters he wants to face before he retires but Whyte is skeptical.

Dillian Whyte is on Tyson Fury’s short list. But he’s been there before, which is enough precedent for Whyte not to believe much of anything from Fury.

Fool Whyte once, but not twice.

That’s Whyte’s reaction to Fury’s mention of him as one of the three heavyweights he’d like to fight before retirement. First, Deontay Wilder on Feb. 22 in a Fox/ESPN2 pay-per-view rematch, then Joshua and Whyte, Fury said of his retirement plan.

“Fury is really good at conning the public, saying the right things to keep the public interested,’’ Whyte told iFL TV. “He does that all the time, saying things to get the public on his side.

“He talks a lot of (expletive) as well. So I don’t buy into that. Let’s see what happens. Fury said he was going to fight me before. If he wants it, he can get it. I don’t know who I’m fighting.’’

Whyte is expected to fight on March 28. He’s waiting to hear whether Andy Ruiz Jr. will take a reported seven-figure offer from Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn to fight him on that date. If not Ruiz, Russian Alexander Povetkin is a possibility.

“I don’t know,’’ Whyte said. “I’m waiting to see what Eddie s doing. I’m up for getting big fights this year, if they’re in America, Africa or wherever. We made Andy Ruiz an offer before Povetkin. So let’s see if he wants it.’’

Line between boxing, MMA i$ getting thinner every day

UFC’s Conor McGregor continues to talk about another boxing match while Tyson Fury and Claressa Shields want to go the opposite direction.

The “mixed” in MMA appears to be getting more mixed all the time, a revolving door that has Tyson Fury and Claressa Shields considering the cage while Conor McGregor talks — and talks — about a return to the ring against Floyd Mayweather and/or Manny Pacquiao.

It’s all about options, mostly financial. The rest of it is confusing, especially in terms of rules governing each contest. More than money is on the table. Everything from glove size to the kind of blows are subject to negotiation.

To wit: UFC star McGregor was not allowed to kick Mayweather in their big-money show, a one-sided Mayweather victory by 10th-round stoppage on Aug. 27, 2017 in Las Vegas. If he had kicked Mayweather, he would have been disqualified and fined $10 million.

Now, Fury is talking about his own version of a cage fight, which he is considering after three more bouts in the ring – Deontay Wilder on Feb.  22, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.

“I don’t want to go into an MMA fight, rolling around the floor and all that, no,’’ Fury told ESPN Saturday before attending McGregor’s victory over Donald Cerrone at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. “But I would fight one of their champions in small gloves. Maybe in a cage, but with boxing rules. I think that would be very interesting.’’

Fury, who will wear 12-ounce gloves against Wilder, went on to say that the UFC’s “little” four-ounce glove gloves “would be good for me.’’

Might be devastating for his opponent, too.

Current UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic says he wants to fight Fury, who says he wants to meet with UFC President Dana White.

“After I beat Deontay Wilder next month, I’m going to have a sit-down with Dana and we’re going to go for it, run some numbers and see if the fight makes sense,’’ Fury said during a break from his Vegas’ training camp for the Wilder rematch on Fox/ESPN+ pay-per-view. “Whoever’s available from that side, and whoever’s willing to get their ass kicked in the cage by the heavyweight champion of the world, he’s the one I want.”

Dillian Whyte on Deontay Wilder: ‘(Klitschko) knocked him out’

Dillian Whyte can’t get a straight answer as to why his mandatory status has not translated into a title shot against Deontay Wilder.

It’s no secret that Dillian Whyte has got it in for heavyweight colleague Deontay Wilder. The Londoner has been Wilder’s WBC mandatory for God knows how long, but his status has yet to translate into a title shot. What gives? Whyte himself can’t seem to figure it out, nor has been able to get a convincing answer from the powers that be. In the meantime, he has not been shy about turning to the press to air out his grievances.

“Coward.”

“Chicken.”

“Yellow-livered hillbilly.”

Whyte’s latest bit of trash talk arrives just as Wilder and Tyson Fury conducted a press conference to kick start the promotion for their highly anticipated heavyweight title rematch on Feb. 22 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Whyte recounted a long ago incident in which he claims to have witnessed Wilder hit the canvas during a sparring session with then-reigning heavyweight titleholder Wladimir Klitschko.

“I’ve seen him getting knocked out,” Whyte said. “Wladimir knocked him out. (Wilder) knew what happened. He had his hands up. He was roughing Wlad up, bringing the smoke, and he was going wild.

“Wlad backs up, changes his footwork, feinting, feinting, jabs to the body, throws that feint jab, left hook. Wilder had his hands up, he was gone. It wasn’t no knockdown, he was knocked cold. Properly twitching as well.”

There it is. Yet another untold sparring tale lifted out of obscurity. Clearly, Whyte does not subscribe to the oft-cited brotherly code, “What happens in the gym, stays in the gym.”

“That’s why they probably didn’t want him to fight Wlad,” Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) continued, “because Wlad was going to fight him as a pro and Wilder never fancied it the whole time.”

Meanwhile, Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) seems to be doing alright for himself. After a pay-per-view outing against Luis Ortiz last November, in which he knocked out the Cuban in the seventh round, he will attempt to settle unfinished business with Fury in another pay-per-view clash. The first fight ended in a controversial draw.

Whyte, on the other hand, is coming off a particularly sluggish performance against Mariusz Wach on the undercard of the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Anthony Joshua rematch on Dec. 7. Before that, his career nearly came down in flames when he allegedly tested positive for a banned substance before his fight against Oscar Rivas in July. The issue was exacerbated by the fact Rivas and his team were not aware of the test result. The WBC dropped Whyte’s mandatory status but reinstating him after UK Anti-Doping cleared him of wrongdoing. 

As it pertains to a match-up with Wilder, Whyte was a bit more charitable, noting that “It would be a tough fight because he is quite agile with awkward movement. I would expect a tough fight, but I believe I can knock Wilder out.”

“People might laugh, but I believe I can get to him and knock him out. It wouldn’t be a fight where I would jab my way in. I’d run at him in the first round and start brawling and, if I get chinned, then so be it.”