Odds: Catterall 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Peter McGrail vs. Fran Mendoza, junior featherweights; Shabaz Masoud vs. Jose Sanmartin, junior featherweights; Aqib Fiaz vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights
Prediction: Catterall UD
Background: Catterall took his biggest step forward in a disputed split-decision loss to then-titleholder Josh Taylor in February of last year, after which a proposed rematch failed to materialize. He ended up putting Darragh Foley down twice and easily outpointing him on May 27, his most recent fight. The 30-year-old from Northern England is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, which means another title shot is a realistic possibility if he continues to win. Linares, 38, is a former three-division world titleholder trying to remain relevant after three consecutive losses. He was competitive against 135-pound beltholder Devin Haney in May 2021 but was stopped by Zaur Abdullaev in a fight he was winning early last year and outpointed by Zhora Hamazaryan in December.
Fight Week: 147-pound contender Alexis Rocha will face Giovani Santillan and Jack Catterall will return to action on a busy weekend.
FIGHT WEEK
Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is scheduled to face Giovani Santillan in his toughest test in California. Meanwhile, in England, 140-pound contender Jack Catterall will return against Jorge Linares.
JACK CATTERALL (27-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JORGE LINARES (47-8, 29 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Catterall 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Peter McGrail vs. Fran Mendoza, junior featherweights; Shabaz Masoud vs. Jose Sanmartin, junior featherweights; Aqib Fiaz vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights
Prediction: Catterall UD
Background: Catterall took his biggest step forward in a disputed split-decision loss to then-titleholder Josh Taylor in February of last year, after which a proposed rematch failed to materialize. He ended up putting Darragh Foley down twice and easily outpointing him on May 27, his most recent fight. The 30-year-old from Northern England is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, which means another title shot is a realistic possibility if he continues to win. Linares, 38, is a former three-division world titleholder trying to remain relevant after three consecutive losses. He was competitive against 135-pound beltholder Devin Haney in May 2021 but was stopped by Zaur Abdullaev in a fight he was winning early last year and outpointed by Zhora Hamazaryan in December.
JOSHUA BUATSI (17-0, 13 KOs)
VS. DAN AZEEZ (20-0, 13 KOs)
Joshua Buatsi (right) will face friend Dan Azeez on Saturday. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
Where: O2 Arena, London
TV/Stream: Peacock
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Buatsi 3-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Mikael Lawal vs. Isaac Chamberlain, cruiserweights; Louis Greene vs. Sam Gilley, junior middleweights; Michael Hennessy vs. Harley Benn, junior middleweights
Prediction: Buatsi KO 9
Background: The winner of this fight reportedly will be the mandatory challenger to Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title. Buatsi, 30, is a talented 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who has remained perfect as a professional but has yet to face an elite opponent. The Ghana-born Londoner is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Stepien on May 6. Azeez is a friend and former stablemate of Buatsi. The 34-year-old from London also has built his record against second-tier opponents. He last fought on July 15, when he outpointed journeyman Khalid Graidia in an eight-rounder.
Odds: Rocha 4½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: John Ramirez vs. Ronal Batista, junior bantamweights; Joseph Diaz vs. Richard Medina, lightweights; Arely Mucino vs. Gabriela Fundora, flyweights (for Mucino’s IBF title); Ricardo Sandoval vs. Victor Sandoval, flyweights
Prediction: Rocha UD
Background: Rocha is closing in on his first title shot but must get past the unbeaten Santillan first. The 26-year-old from the Los Angeles area, ranked No. 1 by the WBO, has won seven consecutive fights since slick Rashidi Ellis defeated him by a unanimous decision in October 2020. He’s coming off a fifth-round knockout of solid Anthony Young on May 27. Santillan could be Rocha’s toughest test yet. The 31-year-old from San Diego last fought on July 22, when he defeated capable Erick Bone by a clear unanimous decision. This matchup also is a step up in opposition for Santillan. Terence Crawford holds all four major 147-pound titles.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Brandon Glanton vs. Carlos Fromenta Romero, cruiserweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)
Fight Week: 147-pound contender Alexis Rocha will face Giovani Santillan and Jack Catterall will return to action on a busy weekend.
FIGHT WEEK
Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is scheduled to face Giovani Santillan in his toughest test in California. Meanwhile, in England, 140-pound contender Jack Catterall will return against Jorge Linares.
JACK CATTERALL (27-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JORGE LINARES (47-8, 29 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Catterall 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Peter McGrail vs. Fran Mendoza, junior featherweights; Shabaz Masoud vs. Jose Sanmartin, junior featherweights; Aqib Fiaz vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights
Prediction: Catterall UD
Background: Catterall took his biggest step forward in a disputed split-decision loss to then-titleholder Josh Taylor in February of last year, after which a proposed rematch failed to materialize. He ended up putting Darragh Foley down twice and easily outpointing him on May 27, his most recent fight. The 30-year-old from Northern England is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, which means another title shot is a realistic possibility if he continues to win. Linares, 38, is a former three-division world titleholder trying to remain relevant after three consecutive losses. He was competitive against 135-pound beltholder Devin Haney in May 2021 but was stopped by Zaur Abdullaev in a fight he was winning early last year and outpointed by Zhora Hamazaryan in December.
JOSHUA BUATSI (17-0, 13 KOs)
VS. DAN AZEEZ (20-0, 13 KOs)
Joshua Buatsi (right) will face friend Dan Azeez on Saturday. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
Where: O2 Arena, London
TV/Stream: Peacock
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Buatsi 3-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Mikael Lawal vs. Isaac Chamberlain, cruiserweights; Louis Greene vs. Sam Gilley, junior middleweights; Michael Hennessy vs. Harley Benn, junior middleweights
Prediction: Buatsi KO 9
Background: The winner of this fight reportedly will be the mandatory challenger to Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title. Buatsi, 30, is a talented 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who has remained perfect as a professional but has yet to face an elite opponent. The Ghana-born Londoner is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Stepien on May 6. Azeez is a friend and former stablemate of Buatsi. The 34-year-old from London also has built his record against second-tier opponents. He last fought on July 15, when he outpointed journeyman Khalid Graidia in an eight-rounder.
Odds: Rocha 4½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: John Ramirez vs. Ronal Batista, junior bantamweights; Joseph Diaz vs. Richard Medina, lightweights; Arely Mucino vs. Gabriela Fundora, flyweights (for Mucino’s IBF title); Ricardo Sandoval vs. Victor Sandoval, flyweights
Prediction: Rocha UD
Background: Rocha is closing in on his first title shot but must get past the unbeaten Santillan first. The 26-year-old from the Los Angeles area, ranked No. 1 by the WBO, has won seven consecutive fights since slick Rashidi Ellis defeated him by a unanimous decision in October 2020. He’s coming off a fifth-round knockout of solid Anthony Young on May 27. Santillan could be Rocha’s toughest test yet. The 31-year-old from San Diego last fought on July 22, when he defeated capable Erick Bone by a clear unanimous decision. This matchup also is a step up in opposition for Santillan. Terence Crawford holds all four major 147-pound titles.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Brandon Glanton vs. Carlos Fromenta Romero, cruiserweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)
Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez will be trying to recapture lost glory when they meet on Saturday in New York City.
Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez will both be seeking redemption on Saturday in New York City.
Taylor was the undisputed 140-pound champion and a blossoming star when he fell flat against Jack Catterall in February of last year in Taylor’s home country of Scotland, winning a split decision that many believe Catterall deserved.
Lopez shook up the boxing world by upsetting 135-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2020 only to lose a decision, his titles and all of his momentum to George Kambosos Jr. a year later in Australia.
One of them will take a significant step toward regaining whatever respect they lost when they meet for Taylor’s WBO junior welterweight belt at Madison Square Garden Theater (ESPN, ESPN+). The other will be in trouble.
They’re confident. Taylor could’ve been speaking for both of them when he told TalkSport, “I feel like I’ve found myself again. I feel brilliant and everything has gone to plan, I’ve got a spring in my step.”
Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) had climbed onto many pound-for-pound lists after an impressive run between 2017 and 2021, highlighted by victories over unbeaten foes Ivan Baranchyk, Regis Prograis and Jose Ramirez that made him undisputed champion.
Then came the relatively weak performance against fellow southpaw Catterall, a solid all-around fighter but a significant underdog.
Catterall scored consistently with a sharp jab and straight left even if he never hurt the champion. And he did a good job of clinching when the more-aggressive Taylor got inside, further frustrating him.
Taylor went down from two overhand lefts in Round 8, which stunned the local fans and gave the challenger considerable momentum. An upset seemed to be brewing.
However, Taylor fought with more urgency from then on and had some of his strongest rounds down the stretch. That rally allowed him to pull ahead on two cards and eke out a 114-111, 113-112 and 112-113 decision.
Taylor said immediately afterward that the pressure of fighting at home for the first time in almost three years got to him.
“I put a hell of a lot of pressure on myself being the heavy favorite and it showed in the first half of the fight. But once I got my rhythm, I started catching him with the bigger shots.
“It wasn’t my best performance but I believe 100 percent I got the win.”
Taylor had to cope with more issues than just his homecoming, though. He had difficulty making weight, which raises questions going into the fight this Saturday. He also had a bout with COVID and was nursing a leg injury.
All that combined with a gritty performance by Catterall was a perfect storm that almost resulted in his first setback.
Taylor said fans can expect to see the old, dominating champion against Lopez under new trainer Joe McNally.
“I’ve got … my mojo back,” he told Sky Sports. “I feel like I’ve got it back. I just feel like I’m back to my old chirpy self, the way I was before in the lead up to the [Regis] Prograis fight.
“I feel I’m back to that kind of mentality, that sort of form as well.”
Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) is tough to figure out.
The Brooklyn native looked like he was on his way to becoming a superstar when he upset pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko at 23 to become the undisputed 135-pound champ in October 2020 in “The Bubble” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Then he crashed as quickly as he ascended, getting outpointed by George Kambosos Jr. in November 2021.
We learned afterward that Lopez fought with a dangerous condition in which air surrounded his chest wall and heart. Doctors suggested he could’ve died. He was also dealing with emotional issues that became so overwhelming that he considered suicide.
Lopez rebounded from his hell to win his next two fights, a knockout of Pedro Campa last August and a split decision over a survival-minded Sandor Martin in December.
Still, fans wonder whether he can regain the form that allowed him to take down a legend in Lomachenko. He insists he’s in a good place emotionally after getting out of a bad marriage.
“I’m at peace, man,” Lopez told Punsh Drunk Boxing. “I don’t have a parasite sucking me dry going home. I think that’s what it was, man. People was on the run for their money now. For five years I was dealing with that. I had to learn along that way. God made me go through life. Made me go through the cycle of it. Still have my soul, still have my mind, still have my body here with me.
“Yeah, man, I’m in a great state, very great state, man.”
We’ll see on Saturday where the bodies and minds of the fighters are.
Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez will be trying to recapture lost glory when they meet on Saturday in New York City.
Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez will both be seeking redemption on Saturday in New York City.
Taylor was the undisputed 140-pound champion and a blossoming star when he fell flat against Jack Catterall in February of last year in Taylor’s home country of Scotland, winning a split decision that many believe Catterall deserved.
Lopez shook up the boxing world by upsetting 135-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2020 only to lose a decision, his titles and all of his momentum to George Kambosos Jr. a year later in Australia.
One of them will take a significant step toward regaining whatever respect they lost when they meet for Taylor’s WBO junior welterweight belt at Madison Square Garden Theater (ESPN, ESPN+). The other will be in trouble.
They’re confident. Taylor could’ve been speaking for both of them when he told TalkSport, “I feel like I’ve found myself again. I feel brilliant and everything has gone to plan, I’ve got a spring in my step.”
Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) had climbed onto many pound-for-pound lists after an impressive run between 2017 and 2021, highlighted by victories over unbeaten foes Ivan Baranchyk, Regis Prograis and Jose Ramirez that made him undisputed champion.
Then came the relatively weak performance against fellow southpaw Catterall, a solid all-around fighter but a significant underdog.
Catterall scored consistently with a sharp jab and straight left even if he never hurt the champion. And he did a good job of clinching when the more-aggressive Taylor got inside, further frustrating him.
Taylor went down from two overhand lefts in Round 8, which stunned the local fans and gave the challenger considerable momentum. An upset seemed to be brewing.
However, Taylor fought with more urgency from then on and had some of his strongest rounds down the stretch. That rally allowed him to pull ahead on two cards and eke out a 114-111, 113-112 and 112-113 decision.
Taylor said immediately afterward that the pressure of fighting at home for the first time in almost three years got to him.
“I put a hell of a lot of pressure on myself being the heavy favorite and it showed in the first half of the fight. But once I got my rhythm, I started catching him with the bigger shots.
“It wasn’t my best performance but I believe 100 percent I got the win.”
Taylor had to cope with more issues than just his homecoming, though. He had difficulty making weight, which raises questions going into the fight this Saturday. He also had a bout with COVID and was nursing a leg injury.
All that combined with a gritty performance by Catterall was a perfect storm that almost resulted in his first setback.
Taylor said fans can expect to see the old, dominating champion against Lopez under new trainer Joe McNally.
“I’ve got … my mojo back,” he told Sky Sports. “I feel like I’ve got it back. I just feel like I’m back to my old chirpy self, the way I was before in the lead up to the [Regis] Prograis fight.
“I feel I’m back to that kind of mentality, that sort of form as well.”
Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) is tough to figure out.
The Brooklyn native looked like he was on his way to becoming a superstar when he upset pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko at 23 to become the undisputed 135-pound champ in October 2020 in “The Bubble” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Then he crashed as quickly as he ascended, getting outpointed by George Kambosos Jr. in November 2021.
We learned afterward that Lopez fought with a dangerous condition in which air surrounded his chest wall and heart. Doctors suggested he could’ve died. He was also dealing with emotional issues that became so overwhelming that he considered suicide.
Lopez rebounded from his hell to win his next two fights, a knockout of Pedro Campa last August and a split decision over a survival-minded Sandor Martin in December.
Still, fans wonder whether he can regain the form that allowed him to take down a legend in Lomachenko. He insists he’s in a good place emotionally after getting out of a bad marriage.
“I’m at peace, man,” Lopez told Punsh Drunk Boxing. “I don’t have a parasite sucking me dry going home. I think that’s what it was, man. People was on the run for their money now. For five years I was dealing with that. I had to learn along that way. God made me go through life. Made me go through the cycle of it. Still have my soul, still have my mind, still have my body here with me.
“Yeah, man, I’m in a great state, very great state, man.”
We’ll see on Saturday where the bodies and minds of the fighters are.
A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Liam Smith – Who doesn’t love it when a fighter who has been written off proves everyone wrong? Smith looked good in recent fights, including a knockout of Jessie Vargas last April. A meeting …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Liam Smith – Who doesn’t love it when a fighter who has been written off proves everyone wrong?
Smith looked good in recent fights, including a knockout of Jessie Vargas last April. A meeting with the surging and naturally bigger Chris Eubank Jr. at 160 pounds seemed to be a step too far, though. Smith, 34 and counting, would surely have his limitations revealed.
Surprise, surprise.
Smith (33-3-1, 20 KOs) gave his fans – and himself – an unforgettable fourth round Saturday in England, one in which he hurt Eubank badly, put him down twice and stopped him at a time when most observers assumed the Liverpudlian’s career was winding down.
Indeed, how many fighters deliver their greatest victory in their mid-30s and 14-plus years into their professional careers?
Smith suddenly is a major player again, either at 154 pounds or 160, which could mean another title shot and more big paydays. It’s no wonder he and his team celebrated afterward as if he’d become the undisputed middleweight champion.
Of course, Smith’s momentum could end in his next fight, whether it’s in a rematch with Eubank or a meeting with another top 160- or 154-pounder. After all, he’s still the fighter who lost decisively to Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia and, more recently, fell short against Magomed Kurbanov.
No matter what happens going forward, he’ll always have his special night on Jan. 21, 2023 at AO Arena. It was quite a moment.
BIGGEST LOSER
Chris Eubank Jr. – A high-profile showdown with Conor Benn fell through after Benn failed a drug test but a meeting with Smith would be a nice stepping stone to bigger and better things for the talented Eubank. Right?
Then disaster struck.
Eubank (32-3, 23 KOs) boxed well for three-plus rounds, using his jab and stick-and-move tactics to frustrate the slower, less-talented Smith. The son of a former world champion of the same name was in control of the fight. Then, in an instant, he got hurt, couldn’t recover and it was all over.
Knockouts happen. Eubank can say with legitimacy that he got caught with a good shot (or shots), which can happen to anyone. True. At the same time, such losses have ramifications.
Eubank had periods of inactivity but he was on a roll, with six consecutive victories after losing a decision to then-168-pound titleholder George Groves in 2018. There was talk that a victory over Smith would lead to a title shot against Gennadiy Golovkin.
All that vanished in the stunning Round 4 against Smith, who demonstrated in brutal fashion that Eubank’s chin isn’t quite as good as everyone had thought.
Now what? Well, a victory in a rematch would go a long way toward reclaiming what he lost. Of course, there are no guarantees that a second fight will happen and that Eubank would emerge victorious if it did.
Indeed, Eubanks’ future as elite fighter is suddenly uncertain.
RABBIT PUNCHES
A rematch clause in their contract obliges Smith to give Eubank a second fight if the latter wants it. I hope it doesn’t happen. One, the victory couldn’t have been more decisive, meaning a second fight really isn’t warranted. That was a brutal stoppage. And, two, I’d like to see Smith, a former 154-pound champ, get one more shot at a major belt. Smith vs. titleholder Golovkin would be a compelling matchup. … David Stevens (12-0, 9 KOs) saved his best for last against fellow super middleweight prospect Sean Hemphill (14-1, 8 KOs) on Friday on “ShoBox: The New Generation.” The two were engaged in a competitive back-and-forth fight when, in the final seconds of the fight, Hemphill was hurt by a left-right combination and then collapsed under a flurry of follow-up shots. He was able to get up but went down again under another barrage, prompting the referee to stop the fight with only two seconds to go. That’s what you call taking advantage of a significant opportunity on national TV. …
Josh Taylor reportedly suffered a foot injury in training, which has resulted in the postponement of his scheduled March 4 rematch with Jack Catterall. It’s the second time the fight has been pushed back. The rematch was originally set for December but was postponed after Taylor injured his knee. Is Taylor ever going to recapture what he had only a few years ago? He narrowly outpointed Catterall in February of last year. … I was sorry to hear about the passing of former heavyweight titleholder Gerrie Coatzee at 67 on Jan. 12 in his native South Africa. He was a solid fighter and a good man. He spoke out against apartheid at a time when not many prominent athletes from that did, which earned admiration from leader Nelson Mandela and many others. I was fortunate to cross paths with him when he was promoting fights for a time in my old neighborhood, the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles in the 90s. I remember a soft-spoken gentleman who treated people well. He will be missed.
A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Liam Smith – Who doesn’t love it when a fighter who has been written off proves everyone wrong? Smith looked good in recent fights, including a knockout of Jessie Vargas last April. A meeting …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Liam Smith – Who doesn’t love it when a fighter who has been written off proves everyone wrong?
Smith looked good in recent fights, including a knockout of Jessie Vargas last April. A meeting with the surging and naturally bigger Chris Eubank Jr. at 160 pounds seemed to be a step too far, though. Smith, 34 and counting, would surely have his limitations revealed.
Surprise, surprise.
Smith (33-3-1, 20 KOs) gave his fans – and himself – an unforgettable fourth round Saturday in England, one in which he hurt Eubank badly, put him down twice and stopped him at a time when most observers assumed the Liverpudlian’s career was winding down.
Indeed, how many fighters deliver their greatest victory in their mid-30s and 14-plus years into their professional careers?
Smith suddenly is a major player again, either at 154 pounds or 160, which could mean another title shot and more big paydays. It’s no wonder he and his team celebrated afterward as if he’d become the undisputed middleweight champion.
Of course, Smith’s momentum could end in his next fight, whether it’s in a rematch with Eubank or a meeting with another top 160- or 154-pounder. After all, he’s still the fighter who lost decisively to Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia and, more recently, fell short against Magomed Kurbanov.
No matter what happens going forward, he’ll always have his special night on Jan. 21, 2023 at AO Arena. It was quite a moment.
BIGGEST LOSER
Chris Eubank Jr. – A high-profile showdown with Conor Benn fell through after Benn failed a drug test but a meeting with Smith would be a nice stepping stone to bigger and better things for the talented Eubank. Right?
Then disaster struck.
Eubank (32-3, 23 KOs) boxed well for three-plus rounds, using his jab and stick-and-move tactics to frustrate the slower, less-talented Smith. The son of a former world champion of the same name was in control of the fight. Then, in an instant, he got hurt, couldn’t recover and it was all over.
Knockouts happen. Eubank can say with legitimacy that he got caught with a good shot (or shots), which can happen to anyone. True. At the same time, such losses have ramifications.
Eubank had periods of inactivity but he was on a roll, with six consecutive victories after losing a decision to then-168-pound titleholder George Groves in 2018. There was talk that a victory over Smith would lead to a title shot against Gennadiy Golovkin.
All that vanished in the stunning Round 4 against Smith, who demonstrated in brutal fashion that Eubank’s chin isn’t quite as good as everyone had thought.
Now what? Well, a victory in a rematch would go a long way toward reclaiming what he lost. Of course, there are no guarantees that a second fight will happen and that Eubank would emerge victorious if it did.
Indeed, Eubanks’ future as elite fighter is suddenly uncertain.
RABBIT PUNCHES
A rematch clause in their contract obliges Smith to give Eubank a second fight if the latter wants it. I hope it doesn’t happen. One, the victory couldn’t have been more decisive, meaning a second fight really isn’t warranted. That was a brutal stoppage. And, two, I’d like to see Smith, a former 154-pound champ, get one more shot at a major belt. Smith vs. titleholder Golovkin would be a compelling matchup. … David Stevens (12-0, 9 KOs) saved his best for last against fellow super middleweight prospect Sean Hemphill (14-1, 8 KOs) on Friday on “ShoBox: The New Generation.” The two were engaged in a competitive back-and-forth fight when, in the final seconds of the fight, Hemphill was hurt by a left-right combination and then collapsed under a flurry of follow-up shots. He was able to get up but went down again under another barrage, prompting the referee to stop the fight with only two seconds to go. That’s what you call taking advantage of a significant opportunity on national TV. …
Josh Taylor reportedly suffered a foot injury in training, which has resulted in the postponement of his scheduled March 4 rematch with Jack Catterall. It’s the second time the fight has been pushed back. The rematch was originally set for December but was postponed after Taylor injured his knee. Is Taylor ever going to recapture what he had only a few years ago? He narrowly outpointed Catterall in February of last year. … I was sorry to hear about the passing of former heavyweight titleholder Gerrie Coatzee at 67 on Jan. 12 in his native South Africa. He was a solid fighter and a good man. He spoke out against apartheid at a time when not many prominent athletes from that did, which earned admiration from leader Nelson Mandela and many others. I was fortunate to cross paths with him when he was promoting fights for a time in my old neighborhood, the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles in the 90s. I remember a soft-spoken gentleman who treated people well. He will be missed.
Pound for pound: Josh Taylor slips down the Boxing Junkie list after his shaky performance against Jack Catterall.
Josh Taylor hasn’t emerged unscathed after his narrow victory over Jack Catterall on Feb. 26 in Scotland.
Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) retained his undisputed junior welterweight by a split decision but many observers believe Catterall was robbed, which damaged Taylor’s reputation.
As a result, he remains on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list but drops from No. 11 to No. 15.
Why didn’t Taylor drop off the list entirely? One, he won the fight. Two, he remains the undisputed 140-pound champion. And, three, it’s not appropriate to write off a proven champion after one shaky performance.
That said, he can’t afford another slip up if he hopes to retain his status as one of the best in the business.
Here is what the list looks like:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to challenge WBA light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7.
Naoya Inoue – In talks to face Nonito Donaire in a rematch.
Oleksandr Usyk – Career on hold because of the war in Ukraine.
Errol Spence Jr. – Scheduled to face Yordenis Ugas in a welterweight title-unification bout on April 16 in Arlington, Texas.
Tyson Fury– Scheduled to defend his heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte on April 23 in London.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – Career on hold because of the war in Ukraine.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face Ryota Murata in a middleweight title-unification fight on April 9 in Japan.
Jermell Charlo – Rematch with Brian Castano is being targeted for May 14 but no official announcement has been made.
Artur Beterbiev – In talks to face Joe Smith Jr. in a light heavyweight title-unification fight in June but no deal is in place.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Jermall Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Kazuto Ioka– No fight scheduled.
Josh Taylor – No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Mairis Briedis (expected to defend his cruiserweight title against Jai Opetaia on April 6 but no official announcement has been made); Nonito Donaire (in talks to face Naoya Inoue in a rematch); George Kambosos (expected to defend his lightweight titles on June 5 but no opponent has been selected); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled); and Yordenis Ugas (scheduled to face Errol Spence Jr. on April 16).
Pound for pound: Josh Taylor slips down the Boxing Junkie list after his shaky performance against Jack Catterall.
Josh Taylor hasn’t emerged unscathed after his narrow victory over Jack Catterall on Feb. 26 in Scotland.
Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) retained his undisputed junior welterweight by a split decision but many observers believe Catterall was robbed, which damaged Taylor’s reputation.
As a result, he remains on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list but drops from No. 11 to No. 15.
Why didn’t Taylor drop off the list entirely? One, he won the fight. Two, he remains the undisputed 140-pound champion. And, three, it’s not appropriate to write off a proven champion after one shaky performance.
That said, he can’t afford another slip up if he hopes to retain his status as one of the best in the business.
Here is what the list looks like:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to challenge WBA light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7.
Naoya Inoue – In talks to face Nonito Donaire in a rematch.
Oleksandr Usyk – Career on hold because of the war in Ukraine.
Errol Spence Jr. – Scheduled to face Yordenis Ugas in a welterweight title-unification bout on April 16 in Arlington, Texas.
Tyson Fury– Scheduled to defend his heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte on April 23 in London.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – Career on hold because of the war in Ukraine.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face Ryota Murata in a middleweight title-unification fight on April 9 in Japan.
Jermell Charlo – Rematch with Brian Castano is being targeted for May 14 but no official announcement has been made.
Artur Beterbiev – In talks to face Joe Smith Jr. in a light heavyweight title-unification fight in June but no deal is in place.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Jermall Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Kazuto Ioka– No fight scheduled.
Josh Taylor – No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Mairis Briedis (expected to defend his cruiserweight title against Jai Opetaia on April 6 but no official announcement has been made); Nonito Donaire (in talks to face Naoya Inoue in a rematch); George Kambosos (expected to defend his lightweight titles on June 5 but no opponent has been selected); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled); and Yordenis Ugas (scheduled to face Errol Spence Jr. on April 16).
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD It was the day of the underdog. Jack Catterall, Fernando Martinez and Hector Luis Garcia surprised everyone but themselves and those close to them by giving inspired performances Saturday, whether they …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
It was the day of the underdog.
Jack Catterall, Fernando Martinez and Hector Luis Garcia surprised everyone but themselves and those close to them by giving inspired performances Saturday, whether they were victorious or not.
Catterall lost to Josh Taylor while Martinez and Garcia beat Jerwin Ancajas and Chris Colbert, respectively, but all three earned respect.
Many believe that Catterall did enough to earn the nod over undisputed junior welterweight titleholder Josh Taylor in Glasgow, Scotland, Taylor’s home country, but the Englishman lost a split decision.
One thing is certain: The challenger used underappreciated ability and grit to give the champion at least as much trouble as Regis Prograis and Jose Ramirez did, which is saying a lot given the status of those fighters.
Catterall (26-1, 13 KOs) shook his head in disgust when the decision was read. So did a lot of other people. But we all know what we saw.
Martinez (14-0, 8 KOs) is managed by fellow Argentine Marcos Maidana, which is appropriate. He attacked long-reigning champion Ancajas with the ferocity for which his handler became known. That made for a wild toe-to-toe brawl with the rugged Filipino, which Martinez won by a wide decision.
Who wouldn’t want to watch Martinez fight again after that performance? Fans dream of warriors like him.
And Garcia (15-0, 10 KOs) might’ve given the most eye-opening performance of the day given the reputation of Colbert, who was seen as a rising star. The Dominican, strong, fit and confident even though he was a late replacement, imposed his will on his overmatched foe to a point where Colbert refused to even fight back in the last few rounds.
Garcia, who won by a lopsided decision, went from relative unknown to fearsome contender in one night. He’s likely to be favored over titleholder Roger Gutierrez, assuming they meet.
All three men – Catterall, Martinez and Garcia – have a lot of which to be proud.
BAD
Josh Taylor celebrates after his split-decision victory over Jack Catterall. Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc. via Getty Images
Taylor, Ancajas and Colbert gave performances they’d like to forget.
Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) held onto his undisputed 140-pound championship but his reputation took a hit. He said the pressure of defending his belts at home got to him. Makes sense. He apparently has had difficulty making 140. Believable.
At the same time, pound-for-pound fighters are supposed to handle opponents like Catterall, tough, but supposedly limited boxers. He didn’t. He struggled from beginning to end – even going down in the eighth round – and was lucky to leave the ring with his belts.
I would’ve favored the top 147-pounders – including Terence Crawford – to beat Taylor in competitive fights before Saturday. Now I wonder whether he’d be outclassed.
I’m not writing Taylor off based on one sub-par performance but he might’ve hit his ceiling.
Ancajas (33-2-2, 22 KOs) was simply outslugged by Martinez. What I don’t understand is why he didn’t try a different approach given the trajectory of the fight. He has some skills. He could’ve tried boxing more to change things up but didn’t.
Instead, the Filipino bet the house on his ability to outlast his opponent in a fire fight. He’s an ex-champion as a result, the loser of a unanimous decision.
And there isn’t much to say about Colbert’s performance. The Brooklyn fighter didn’t have the tools to keep a better, stronger opponent off of him. I think his relative lack of punching power haunted him in this fight. You have to keep a fighter like Garcia honest or he’s going continue to charge you like a rhinoceros.
A light-punching fighter must be a superb boxer to survive against a beast like Garcia, someone like Pernell Whitaker. Colbert (16-1, 6 KOs) evidently isn’t as good as I and many others thought he is, although he’s still young. He can bounce back if he has it in him.
We’ll learn a lot about Taylor, Ancajas and Colbert in their next fights.
WORSE
Vitali Klitschko (right) and brother Wladimir Klitschko are pictured at Kyiv City Hall during the Russian invasion. AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
I’ve witnessed the fighting spirit of Ukrainian boxers up close for many years. Thus, it makes sense to me that they and their countrymen are digging in against a seemingly unbeatable enemy in the Russian military.
For example, former heavyweight champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko have said they will take up arms if necessary. I had tremendous respect for them before this senseless war. Now I see them as heroes.
I also fear for their lives, particularly Vitali, who is mayor of the country’s capital of Kyiv. He’s in the line of fire, as the Russians have the city surrounded as I’m writing this. And if Russian President Vladimir Putin has a hit list of Ukrainian leaders who he feels might stand in his way, Vitali must be on it.
The thought of this great Hall of Fame boxer, who’s only 50, dying under these circumstances is sickening.
Viktor Postol demonstrated his mental toughness on the Colbert-Garcia card Saturday night, giving a solid performance before losing to Gary Antuanne Russell even though the lives of family members and friends are imperiled.
Imagine how difficult that must have been, trying focus on your preparation for an important fight while you’re relatively small country is at war with a superpower. He showed fighting spirit just making it into the ring. And even though he was stopped in the 10th and final round, he fought his heart out.
No surprise there. This obviously is what Ukrainians do.
Wladimir Klitschko captured that spirit in an Instagram post, in which he also appealed for help. It read in part: “Here, we will defend ourselves with all our might and fight for freedom and democracy. You can also act. Let not fear seize us; let’s not remain frozen. Putin shoots at Ukrainian cities, but he aims at our hearts and, more importantly, at our minds. He wants to create doubt and confusion and thus inaction.
“You can do something by mobilizing and organizing huge demonstrations. Make your voice heard. Make the voice of democracy heard. Say it loud and clear that international law and democracy are under attack, that war is the greatest evil and that life is sacred. Also say that while solidarity is good, support is better. Say that the march of imperialism must be stopped now. After all, whose turn will it be after Ukraine?”
RABBIT PUNCHES
Russell (15-0, 15 KOs) passed an important test against Postol, who was his most-accomplished opponent so far. The junior welterweight prospect outboxed and outworked Postol (31-4, 12 KOs) for most of the fight and then became the first to stop the former titleholder. I think referee Mike Ortega made a poor decision when he stopped the fight with 29 seconds remaining but that shouldn’t obscure the fact that Russell did what he came to do, which was to make a strong statement against a proven foe. … A colleague who follows British boxing closely provided one stark reason Catterall was livid after he ended up on the wrong end of what might’ve been a bad decision. Had he won, had he become undisputed champion, he could’ve earned in the neighborhood of $1 million next time out. As it is, he’ll be lucky to make $100,000 for his next fight. And he’ll probably never get another shot at becoming an undisputed champion. … WBO cruiserweight titleholder Lawrence Okolie (18-0, 14 KOs) outpointed Michal Cieslak (21-2, 15 KOs) in an ugly fight to retain his belt on Sunday in London. That could set up a title-unification bout with either Mairis Briedis or Ilunga Makabu. The 6-foot-5 Briton also could decide to move up to the heavyweight division.
