Fight Week: Gilberto Ramirez gets back to work against Gabriel Rosado on Saturday in Long Beach, California.
FIGHT WEEK
Gilberto Ramirez, who failed in his bid to dethrone 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol in November, will face veteran Gabriel Rosado in his comeback fight Saturday in Long Beach, California.
GILBERTO RAMIREZ (44-1, 30 KOS) VS. GABRIEL ROSADO (26-16-1, 15 KOS)
When: Saturday, March 18
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Walter Pyramid, Long Beach, California
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Ramirez 17-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Mercito Gesta, lightweights; Oscar Duarte Jurado vs. Alex Martin, lightweights
Prediction: Ramirez KO 8
Background: Ramirez tasted defeat for the first time in his career in November, losing a wide decision to 175-pound champion Dmitry Bivol. Now comes the first step in the rebuilding process. Of course, the former 168-pound titleholder from Mexico has nothing to be ashamed of: Bivol knocked off the great Canelo Alvarez by decision in his previous fight, after all. At the same time, the former 168-pound titleholder’s limitations seemed to be exposed. Rosado, who will be making his debut at 175, probably won’t present that kind of challenge for Ramirez. The durable, but limited 37-year-old from Philadelphia is defying logic by continuing to get meaningful fights more for his fighting spirit and recognizable name than his accomplishments. He has become a classic “opponent,” a boxer hired to fight hard but lose. He has lost his last three fights, including a shutout decision against Ali Akhmedov in September. He did pump life into his career when he stopped hot prospect Bektemir Melikuziev in three rounds at 168 in 2021.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
Jean Pascal vs. Michael Eifert, light heavyweights, Laval, Quebec (ESPN+)
Callum Walsh vs. Leonardo Di Stefano Ruiz, junior middleweights, Boston (UFC Fight Pass)
SATURDAY
Cyrus Pattinson vs. Chris Jenkins, welterweights, Newcastle, England (DAZN)
Fight Week: Gilberto Ramirez gets back to work against Gabriel Rosado on Saturday in Long Beach, California.
FIGHT WEEK
Gilberto Ramirez, who failed in his bid to dethrone 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol in November, will face veteran Gabriel Rosado in his comeback fight Saturday in Long Beach, California.
GILBERTO RAMIREZ (44-1, 30 KOS) VS. GABRIEL ROSADO (26-16-1, 15 KOS)
When: Saturday, March 18
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Walter Pyramid, Long Beach, California
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Ramirez 17-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Mercito Gesta, lightweights; Oscar Duarte Jurado vs. Alex Martin, lightweights
Prediction: Ramirez KO 8
Background: Ramirez tasted defeat for the first time in his career in November, losing a wide decision to 175-pound champion Dmitry Bivol. Now comes the first step in the rebuilding process. Of course, the former 168-pound titleholder from Mexico has nothing to be ashamed of: Bivol knocked off the great Canelo Alvarez by decision in his previous fight, after all. At the same time, the former 168-pound titleholder’s limitations seemed to be exposed. Rosado, who will be making his debut at 175, probably won’t present that kind of challenge for Ramirez. The durable, but limited 37-year-old from Philadelphia is defying logic by continuing to get meaningful fights more for his fighting spirit and recognizable name than his accomplishments. He has become a classic “opponent,” a boxer hired to fight hard but lose. He has lost his last three fights, including a shutout decision against Ali Akhmedov in September. He did pump life into his career when he stopped hot prospect Bektemir Melikuziev in three rounds at 168 in 2021.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
Jean Pascal vs. Michael Eifert, light heavyweights, Laval, Quebec (ESPN+)
Callum Walsh vs. Leonardo Di Stefano Ruiz, junior middleweights, Boston (UFC Fight Pass)
SATURDAY
Cyrus Pattinson vs. Chris Jenkins, welterweights, Newcastle, England (DAZN)
Ali Akhmedov defeated veteran Gabriel Rosado by a shutout decision on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin card Saturday.
Ali Akhmedov gave veteran opponent Gabriel Rosado a boxing lesson on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin card Saturday in Las Vegas.
The super middleweight contender from Kazakhstan used a consistent jab and hard, accurate combinations to pick Rosado apart from beginning to end and win a shutout decision in a 10-round bout.
And Akhmedov (19-1, 14 KOs) took little punishment himself by using his legs to get out of Rosado’s range after inflicting damage.
The stablemate of Golovkin never seriously hurt Rosado (26-16-1, 15 KOs) but he gave the 36-year-old Philadelphia fighter a good beating by the end of the one-sided bout.
All three judges had Akhmedov winning 100-90, 10 rounds to none.
Of course, the gritty Rosado never stopped trying to reverse the momentum with a well-timed power shot. It just never happened, which left him with one of the most conclusive losses of his career.
Akhmedov has now won three consecutive fights since he was stopped by Carlos Gongora in the 12th and final round of a fight he was winning in 2020.
Rosado has lost three consecutive fights since his upset third-round knockout of prospect Bektemir Melikuziev in June 2021. He could be facing retirement.
Ali Akhmedov defeated veteran Gabriel Rosado by a shutout decision on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin card Saturday.
Ali Akhmedov gave veteran opponent Gabriel Rosado a boxing lesson on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin card Saturday in Las Vegas.
The super middleweight contender from Kazakhstan used a consistent jab and hard, accurate combinations to pick Rosado apart from beginning to end and win a shutout decision in a 10-round bout.
And Akhmedov (19-1, 14 KOs) took little punishment himself by using his legs to get out of Rosado’s range after inflicting damage.
The stablemate of Golovkin never seriously hurt Rosado (26-16-1, 15 KOs) but he gave the 36-year-old Philadelphia fighter a good beating by the end of the one-sided bout.
All three judges had Akhmedov winning 100-90, 10 rounds to none.
Of course, the gritty Rosado never stopped trying to reverse the momentum with a well-timed power shot. It just never happened, which left him with one of the most conclusive losses of his career.
Akhmedov has now won three consecutive fights since he was stopped by Carlos Gongora in the 12th and final round of a fight he was winning in 2020.
Rosado has lost three consecutive fights since his upset third-round knockout of prospect Bektemir Melikuziev in June 2021. He could be facing retirement.
Daniel Jacobs is reenergized and thinking big with missing team members back in the fold for his fight against John Ryder on Saturday.
The band is back together. And nothing could make Daniel Jacobs happier.
The former middleweight champion, who fights John Ryder at super middleweight Saturday at Alexandra Palace in London (DAZN), was barely able to get past tough, but limited veteran Gabriel Rosado in his most-recent fight 14-plus months ago.
One reason is that Rosado comes to fight. Another, Jacobs said, was the fact the team with which he’s built a successful career was fragmented. Longtime trainer Andre Rozier and another familiar face in his camp, Anthony Irons, weren’t in his corner for the Rosado fight in November 2020.
Now everyone is back and Jacobs feels whole again.
“With any family members sometimes you don’t see eye to eye,” Jacobs told Boxing Junkie. “I think that was the case with me and Andre Rozier and Anthony Irons. The dynamic duo are back. Having my team together brings out the best in me. I haven’t had that, especially for my last fight.
“I wasn’t in my best mental space. It was unfortunate that it came out the way it did, but I’m grateful I came out the victor and have another opportunity to show the world I’m everything I say I am.”
Jacobs (37-3, 30 KOs) edged an inspired Rosado by a close, split decision in a fight in which “we both stunk it up,” he said.
That was the exception for the Brooklyn product, who bounced back from a knockout loss to Dmitry Pirog in 2010 and a bout with cancer to become middleweight champion in 2017. He has victories over Caleb Truax, Sergio Mora (twice), Peter Quillin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
And he pushed Gennadiy Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez to their limits in losses, leaving no doubt that he’s among the best in the business when he’s 100%.
Indeed, he wants to remind you that he’s one of the top fighters between 160 and 168 pounds over the past decade. And he believes he has enough time, even at 35, to polish his legacy.
He’ll have to do so in order to achieve his ultimate goal: Induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. And if he makes it, he said, it will be with his team members at his side.
“I’ve had an amazing career with my team,” he said. “We’re been able to do it … and unfortunately most fighters can’t say this … we’ve been able to do things our way for a very, very long time. We’ve never been held down by a promoter or manager or any outside force. And I’m grateful for that.
“Now it’s really time for us to look at the end goal, which would be the Hall of Fame. We have to focus on the fights that make the most sense for us to be able to achieve that.”
Of course, Jacobs doesn’t know who he will face in those fights but he’ll be gunning for the biggest names, assuming he beats Ryder (30-5, 17 KOs). And he expects to have the kind of success for which he has been known.
“I still think,” he said, “that I have glory days ahead.”
Daniel Jacobs is reenergized and thinking big with missing team members back in the fold for his fight against John Ryder on Saturday.
The band is back together. And nothing could make Daniel Jacobs happier.
The former middleweight champion, who fights John Ryder at super middleweight Saturday at Alexandra Palace in London (DAZN), was barely able to get past tough, but limited veteran Gabriel Rosado in his most-recent fight 14-plus months ago.
One reason is that Rosado comes to fight. Another, Jacobs said, was the fact the team with which he’s built a successful career was fragmented. Longtime trainer Andre Rozier and another familiar face in his camp, Anthony Irons, weren’t in his corner for the Rosado fight in November 2020.
Now everyone is back and Jacobs feels whole again.
“With any family members sometimes you don’t see eye to eye,” Jacobs told Boxing Junkie. “I think that was the case with me and Andre Rozier and Anthony Irons. The dynamic duo are back. Having my team together brings out the best in me. I haven’t had that, especially for my last fight.
“I wasn’t in my best mental space. It was unfortunate that it came out the way it did, but I’m grateful I came out the victor and have another opportunity to show the world I’m everything I say I am.”
Jacobs (37-3, 30 KOs) edged an inspired Rosado by a close, split decision in a fight in which “we both stunk it up,” he said.
That was the exception for the Brooklyn product, who bounced back from a knockout loss to Dmitry Pirog in 2010 and a bout with cancer to become middleweight champion in 2017. He has victories over Caleb Truax, Sergio Mora (twice), Peter Quillin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
And he pushed Gennadiy Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez to their limits in losses, leaving no doubt that he’s among the best in the business when he’s 100%.
Indeed, he wants to remind you that he’s one of the top fighters between 160 and 168 pounds over the past decade. And he believes he has enough time, even at 35, to polish his legacy.
He’ll have to do so in order to achieve his ultimate goal: Induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. And if he makes it, he said, it will be with his team members at his side.
“I’ve had an amazing career with my team,” he said. “We’re been able to do it … and unfortunately most fighters can’t say this … we’ve been able to do things our way for a very, very long time. We’ve never been held down by a promoter or manager or any outside force. And I’m grateful for that.
“Now it’s really time for us to look at the end goal, which would be the Hall of Fame. We have to focus on the fights that make the most sense for us to be able to achieve that.”
Of course, Jacobs doesn’t know who he will face in those fights but he’ll be gunning for the biggest names, assuming he beats Ryder (30-5, 17 KOs). And he expects to have the kind of success for which he has been known.
“I still think,” he said, “that I have glory days ahead.”
Odds: Crawford 5½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Esquiva Falcao vs. Patrice Volny, middleweights; Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Hassan N’Dam, 10 rounds, middleweights; Isaac Dogboe vs. Christopher Diaz, featherweights
Prediction: Crawford UD
Background: Finally. This is the type of challenge Crawford has coveted for years, a true test of his unusual ability. The 34-year-old Nebraskan has dazzled fans en route to winning major titles in three divisions and climbing to the pinnacle of the sport. However, while he has beaten many capable opponents, it’s difficult to find a defining fight on his resume. He’s coming off a fourth-round knockout of Kell Brook almost exactly a year ago, his fourth successful defense of the title he won by stopping Jeff Horn in June 2018 and his eighth consecutive knockout. Porter, also 34, has been a top 147-pounder for a decade. The swarming fighter from Akron, Ohio, is a two-time titleholder with some big victories, including decisions over Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas. He lost to Brook, Keith Thurman and Errol Spence Jr. The Spence fight, a split decision setback, was close. Porter rebounded from that loss to shut out overmatched Sebastian Formella in August of last year, his most-recent fight. He will have been out of the ring for 15 months.
DEMETRIUS ANDRADE (30-0, 18 KOs) VS. JASON QUIGLEY (19-1, 14 KOs)
Odds: Andrade 10½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs. Ronny Rios, junior featherweights (for Akhmadaliev’s IBF and WBA titles); Julio Cesar Martinez vs. McWilliams Arroyo, flyweights (for Martinez’s WBC title); Kali Reis vs. Jessica Camara, junior welterweights (for Reis’ WBA and vacant WBO titles)
Prediction: Andrade KO 8
Background: One could debate whether Andrade is one of the most-avoided boxers, which is a common notion. The fact is the two-division titleholder has faced a long list of solid, but second-tier opponents, the one possible exception being Vanes Martirosyan back in 2013. He last fought in April, when he easily outpointed Liam Williams in his fourth title defense. Many observers believe the 33-year-old southpaw could give anyone problems with his athleticism and awkward style but we’d have to see him against a next-level opponent to know for sure. Quigley isn’t that type of opponent. The 30-year-old Irishman had a vast and successful amateur career, which gave him a solid fundamental foundation. This is his chance to do something special in the paid ranks. He has won three consecutive fights since he was stopped after nine rounds by Tureano Johnson in July 2019, including a majority decision over solid, but limited Shane Mosley Jr. this past May. Andrade is a significant step up in opposition for Quigley. Hence the long odds he faces in the fight. The card is solid when you factor in the three world title fights below Andrade-Quigley.
Also fighting this week: Junior middleweight contender Tim Tszyu (19-0, 15 KOs) will face Takeshi Inoue (17-1-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled 12-rounder Wednesday in Sydney (no TV in U.S.). And, on Saturday in Mescalero, Mexico, Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera will take on Daniel Ponce de Leon in a six-round junior middleweight exhibition (FITE).
Odds: Crawford 5½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Esquiva Falcao vs. Patrice Volny, middleweights; Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Hassan N’Dam, 10 rounds, middleweights; Isaac Dogboe vs. Christopher Diaz, featherweights
Prediction: Crawford UD
Background: Finally. This is the type of challenge Crawford has coveted for years, a true test of his unusual ability. The 34-year-old Nebraskan has dazzled fans en route to winning major titles in three divisions and climbing to the pinnacle of the sport. However, while he has beaten many capable opponents, it’s difficult to find a defining fight on his resume. He’s coming off a fourth-round knockout of Kell Brook almost exactly a year ago, his fourth successful defense of the title he won by stopping Jeff Horn in June 2018 and his eighth consecutive knockout. Porter, also 34, has been a top 147-pounder for a decade. The swarming fighter from Akron, Ohio, is a two-time titleholder with some big victories, including decisions over Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas. He lost to Brook, Keith Thurman and Errol Spence Jr. The Spence fight, a split decision setback, was close. Porter rebounded from that loss to shut out overmatched Sebastian Formella in August of last year, his most-recent fight. He will have been out of the ring for 15 months.
DEMETRIUS ANDRADE (30-0, 18 KOs) VS. JASON QUIGLEY (19-1, 14 KOs)
Odds: Andrade 10½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs. Ronny Rios, junior featherweights (for Akhmadaliev’s IBF and WBA titles); Julio Cesar Martinez vs. McWilliams Arroyo, flyweights (for Martinez’s WBC title); Kali Reis vs. Jessica Camara, junior welterweights (for Reis’ WBA and vacant WBO titles)
Prediction: Andrade KO 8
Background: One could debate whether Andrade is one of the most-avoided boxers, which is a common notion. The fact is the two-division titleholder has faced a long list of solid, but second-tier opponents, the one possible exception being Vanes Martirosyan back in 2013. He last fought in April, when he easily outpointed Liam Williams in his fourth title defense. Many observers believe the 33-year-old southpaw could give anyone problems with his athleticism and awkward style but we’d have to see him against a next-level opponent to know for sure. Quigley isn’t that type of opponent. The 30-year-old Irishman had a vast and successful amateur career, which gave him a solid fundamental foundation. This is his chance to do something special in the paid ranks. He has won three consecutive fights since he was stopped after nine rounds by Tureano Johnson in July 2019, including a majority decision over solid, but limited Shane Mosley Jr. this past May. Andrade is a significant step up in opposition for Quigley. Hence the long odds he faces in the fight. The card is solid when you factor in the three world title fights below Andrade-Quigley.
Also fighting this week: Junior middleweight contender Tim Tszyu (19-0, 15 KOs) will face Takeshi Inoue (17-1-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled 12-rounder Wednesday in Sydney (no TV in U.S.). And, on Saturday in Mescalero, Mexico, Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera will take on Daniel Ponce de Leon in a six-round junior middleweight exhibition (FITE).
Good, bad, worse: David Benavidez and Jaime Munguia dominate.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
David Benavidez (left) gave Kyrone Davis a vicious beating. Stephanie Trapp / Showtime
David Benavidez and Jaime Munguia lived up to expectations on Saturday night … and then some.
Benavidez, the best super middleweight not named Canelo Alvarez, gave brave Kyrone Davis a terrible beating until Davis’ corner stopped the fight in Round 7. His ability to consistently break down good opponents is awesome, in the literal sense of the word.
I don’t believe stopping a naturally smaller late replacement proves that the Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs) can take down Alvarez but his performance reinforced the notion that he’s a serious threat.
Benavidez, 24, certainly has more all-around ability than Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant, the three fighters Alvarez defeated to become undisputed champion. That includes the heavy hands with which he bludgeoned Davis for six-plus rounds.
If Alvarez is the warrior I believe he is, he’ll choose Benavidez as his opponent for May. He’s clearly the best choice.
Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs) dominated veteran Gabriel Rosado en route to a one-sided decision to remain on track for a shot at a middleweight title.
The 25-year-old Mexican simply outworked Rosado, outpunching him 821 (landing 328) to 551 (154). He never stopped throwing blows, which is a testament to his conditioning. And he clearly is evolving as a boxer under trainer Erik Morales, although he can still be hit.
He also took everything Rosado threw at him, underscoring the former 154-pound titleholder’s durability.
Munguia is the highest-ranked challenger to titleholders Jermall Charlo (WBC) and Demetrius Andrade (WBO), who defends against Jason Quigley on Friday. And he has said he would like a shot at IBF beltholder Gennadiy Golovkin, who fights fellow champ Ryota Murata on Dec. 29.
How would Munguia do against those champions? He’d have a chance against any of them, especially if he and Morales can refine his defense a little bit more.
BAD
Davis and Rosado were on the wrong end of one-sided fights, which is never easy to swallow.
Davis’ effort was inspiring. He took the fight on two weeks’ notice and is a small super middleweight yet absorbed a progressively worse beating and continued to fight back until moments before the bout was stopped.
He also had some good moments between the heavy shots he took from Benavidez, countering nicely at times and landing some hard body shots, although none deterred an imposing opponent bent on his destruction.
Davis obviously is a fighter through and through. And I think he demonstrated that he’s a pretty good boxer in spite of the terrible beating he took. The main problem he had was that he was physical overmatched, as many of Benavidez’s opponents are.
I hope Davis gets more big fights, perhaps at 160 pounds. I think he’ll have some success.
Rosado (26-14-1, 15 KOs) was living in dreamworld when he said after his one-sided setback that he deserved the nod. He didn’t do the work required to win, at least against a volume puncher like Munguia.
In other words, Rosado was Rosado, a gutsy fighter who comes up short in his biggest fights. Yes, he upset Bektemir Melikuziev by a third-round knockout in his most-recent fight. That was an aberration, though. And maybe Melikuziev isn’t as good as we thought he was.
This isn’t meant to be a knock on Rosado, who always comes to fight and has performed well enough to remain a contender for a decade. He simply hasn’t been able to reach the pinnacle of the sport. No shame in that.
Should he retire? Well, he’s 35. That’s an option. At the same time, he probably did enough against Munguia to earn another big fight. I doubt we’ve seen the last of this warrior.
WORSE
Jose Benavidez Jr. (left) drew with Emanuel Torres on Saturday. Stephanie Trapp / Showtime
I celebrate the fact Jose Benavidez Jr. can still fight … but it’s tough for me to watch him.
The older brother of David Benavidez was shot in the leg five years ago, after which it wasn’t clear whether he would be able to fight again. He has managed to do so but no longer has the mobility he had before the shooting, a fact he has acknowledged.
He surprised many by giving pound-for-pound No. 1 Terence Crawford some difficulty in 2018, stepped away from the sport for three years and then returned on his brother’s card Saturday in Phoenix, their hometown.
He was fortunate to emerge with a majority draw in the 10-round bout. Opponent Emanuel Torres was the much busier fighter but Benavidez landed the bigger punches, which resulted in two 95-95 cards. The third judge had Benavidez winning 96-94.
I applaud Benavidez for his effort, especially for overcoming his long layoff and permanent handicap. However, I kept thinking about how much better he would be if both of his legs were 100%.
Alas, he’s making the best of the situation. This is who he is as a fighter now. And he somehow remains a world class fighter, as he demonstrated against both Crawford and Torres.
My dream for him is that he build upon his performance on Saturday, win some fights and earn another shot at a world title. And I imagine him hearing the words “and the new …” after that championship fight.
Benavidez already has pulled off a remarkable comeback. If he can win a world title post-shooting, someone should start thinking about making movie about his life.
RABBIT PUNCHES
What if David Benavidez doesn’t land a fight with Alvarez, who plans to fight next in May? He reeled off a list of potential foes at the post-fight news conference, underscoring earlier comments that he’ll take interim fights if necessary to earn a shot at Alvarez. “I would love to fight [Jermall] Charlo, [Edgar] Berlanga, Caleb Plant still, Callum Smith. If I have to go up to 175, I’ll go up to 175, too. It doesn’t matter. I feel like I got another 10, 12 years left in this professional boxing game so there’s a lot of names to be fought out there. I’ll fight every single one of them.” He doubts Charlo, a respected middleweight titleholder, will fight him. He said in his post-fight interview that Charlo, “Don’t wanna get in the ring with me because he’s a p—y.” How do you really feel, David? … Talk about great stories. Kiko Martinez was a bantamweight titleholder in 2013-14 but could never regain a belt … until Saturday night in Sheffield, England. The 35-year-old Spaniard knocked IBF 126-pound champ Kid Galahad (28-2, 17 KOs) flat on his back with an enormous overhand right in the final seconds of Round 5 and then rendered him unconscious with the same punch seconds into Round 6. That was his fourth – and perhaps final – attempt to win a second major belt, having fallen to Carl Frampton, Leo Santa Cruz and Gary Russell Jr. in previous title fights. Martinez (43-10-2, 30 KOs) is now a two-division titleholder and undoubtedly a legend in Spain.
Good, bad, worse: David Benavidez and Jaime Munguia dominate.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
David Benavidez (left) gave Kyrone Davis a vicious beating. Stephanie Trapp / Showtime
David Benavidez and Jaime Munguia lived up to expectations on Saturday night … and then some.
Benavidez, the best super middleweight not named Canelo Alvarez, gave brave Kyrone Davis a terrible beating until Davis’ corner stopped the fight in Round 7. His ability to consistently break down good opponents is awesome, in the literal sense of the word.
I don’t believe stopping a naturally smaller late replacement proves that the Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs) can take down Alvarez but his performance reinforced the notion that he’s a serious threat.
Benavidez, 24, certainly has more all-around ability than Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant, the three fighters Alvarez defeated to become undisputed champion. That includes the heavy hands with which he bludgeoned Davis for six-plus rounds.
If Alvarez is the warrior I believe he is, he’ll choose Benavidez as his opponent for May. He’s clearly the best choice.
Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs) dominated veteran Gabriel Rosado en route to a one-sided decision to remain on track for a shot at a middleweight title.
The 25-year-old Mexican simply outworked Rosado, outpunching him 821 (landing 328) to 551 (154). He never stopped throwing blows, which is a testament to his conditioning. And he clearly is evolving as a boxer under trainer Erik Morales, although he can still be hit.
He also took everything Rosado threw at him, underscoring the former 154-pound titleholder’s durability.
Munguia is the highest-ranked challenger to titleholders Jermall Charlo (WBC) and Demetrius Andrade (WBO), who defends against Jason Quigley on Friday. And he has said he would like a shot at IBF beltholder Gennadiy Golovkin, who fights fellow champ Ryota Murata on Dec. 29.
How would Munguia do against those champions? He’d have a chance against any of them, especially if he and Morales can refine his defense a little bit more.
BAD
Davis and Rosado were on the wrong end of one-sided fights, which is never easy to swallow.
Davis’ effort was inspiring. He took the fight on two weeks’ notice and is a small super middleweight yet absorbed a progressively worse beating and continued to fight back until moments before the bout was stopped.
He also had some good moments between the heavy shots he took from Benavidez, countering nicely at times and landing some hard body shots, although none deterred an imposing opponent bent on his destruction.
Davis obviously is a fighter through and through. And I think he demonstrated that he’s a pretty good boxer in spite of the terrible beating he took. The main problem he had was that he was physical overmatched, as many of Benavidez’s opponents are.
I hope Davis gets more big fights, perhaps at 160 pounds. I think he’ll have some success.
Rosado (26-14-1, 15 KOs) was living in dreamworld when he said after his one-sided setback that he deserved the nod. He didn’t do the work required to win, at least against a volume puncher like Munguia.
In other words, Rosado was Rosado, a gutsy fighter who comes up short in his biggest fights. Yes, he upset Bektemir Melikuziev by a third-round knockout in his most-recent fight. That was an aberration, though. And maybe Melikuziev isn’t as good as we thought he was.
This isn’t meant to be a knock on Rosado, who always comes to fight and has performed well enough to remain a contender for a decade. He simply hasn’t been able to reach the pinnacle of the sport. No shame in that.
Should he retire? Well, he’s 35. That’s an option. At the same time, he probably did enough against Munguia to earn another big fight. I doubt we’ve seen the last of this warrior.
WORSE
Jose Benavidez Jr. (left) drew with Emanuel Torres on Saturday. Stephanie Trapp / Showtime
I celebrate the fact Jose Benavidez Jr. can still fight … but it’s tough for me to watch him.
The older brother of David Benavidez was shot in the leg five years ago, after which it wasn’t clear whether he would be able to fight again. He has managed to do so but no longer has the mobility he had before the shooting, a fact he has acknowledged.
He surprised many by giving pound-for-pound No. 1 Terence Crawford some difficulty in 2018, stepped away from the sport for three years and then returned on his brother’s card Saturday in Phoenix, their hometown.
He was fortunate to emerge with a majority draw in the 10-round bout. Opponent Emanuel Torres was the much busier fighter but Benavidez landed the bigger punches, which resulted in two 95-95 cards. The third judge had Benavidez winning 96-94.
I applaud Benavidez for his effort, especially for overcoming his long layoff and permanent handicap. However, I kept thinking about how much better he would be if both of his legs were 100%.
Alas, he’s making the best of the situation. This is who he is as a fighter now. And he somehow remains a world class fighter, as he demonstrated against both Crawford and Torres.
My dream for him is that he build upon his performance on Saturday, win some fights and earn another shot at a world title. And I imagine him hearing the words “and the new …” after that championship fight.
Benavidez already has pulled off a remarkable comeback. If he can win a world title post-shooting, someone should start thinking about making movie about his life.
RABBIT PUNCHES
What if David Benavidez doesn’t land a fight with Alvarez, who plans to fight next in May? He reeled off a list of potential foes at the post-fight news conference, underscoring earlier comments that he’ll take interim fights if necessary to earn a shot at Alvarez. “I would love to fight [Jermall] Charlo, [Edgar] Berlanga, Caleb Plant still, Callum Smith. If I have to go up to 175, I’ll go up to 175, too. It doesn’t matter. I feel like I got another 10, 12 years left in this professional boxing game so there’s a lot of names to be fought out there. I’ll fight every single one of them.” He doubts Charlo, a respected middleweight titleholder, will fight him. He said in his post-fight interview that Charlo, “Don’t wanna get in the ring with me because he’s a p—y.” How do you really feel, David? … Talk about great stories. Kiko Martinez was a bantamweight titleholder in 2013-14 but could never regain a belt … until Saturday night in Sheffield, England. The 35-year-old Spaniard knocked IBF 126-pound champ Kid Galahad (28-2, 17 KOs) flat on his back with an enormous overhand right in the final seconds of Round 5 and then rendered him unconscious with the same punch seconds into Round 6. That was his fourth – and perhaps final – attempt to win a second major belt, having fallen to Carl Frampton, Leo Santa Cruz and Gary Russell Jr. in previous title fights. Martinez (43-10-2, 30 KOs) is now a two-division titleholder and undoubtedly a legend in Spain.
