Tag: Jason Moloney

Weekend Review: Rolando Romero escapes with belt on forgettable night

Weekend Review: Rolando Romero escaped with a belt on an otherwise forgettable night Saturday in Las Vegas.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER?
Rolando Romero

What a disaster. Romero gave a weak performance, hit the canvas, was awarded a dubious knockdown himself and then received the ultimate gift by the referee: a knockout of Ismael Barroso he didn’t deserve in the ninth to win a 140-pound title that is tainted from the beginning Saturday in Las Vegas. On top of that the fight was boring as hell. The boxers landed a combined total of 104 punches over eight-plus rounds, according to CompuBox. It wasn’t a good night for anyone involved. Romero was overly cautious because he didn’t want to get caught by a big shot, which allowed Barroso to lead on all three cards at the time of the stoppage. The 40-year-old slugger from Venezuela didn’t do much either but he put Romero down in Round 3 and pushed the action for most of the fight. He seemed to have victory within his grasp. That’s why the events of Round 9 were particularly galling. First a knockdown that was the result of a push, not a punch. Then a stoppage by referee Tony Weeks even though Barroso was on his feet and defending himself. Bad fight, bad performance by Romero, bad miscue by Weeks. Rarely has a fighter accomplished so little by winning a major belt.

 

BIGGEST LOSER
Ismael Barroso

Rolando Romero pushed Ismael Borroso down in Round 9.  Steve Marcus / Getty Images

You have to feel for Barroso. He did all he could in light of his advanced age to earn a 78-73, 77-74 and 76-75 on the cards after eight completed rounds, leaving him in a strong position to win his first world title late in the game. Then it was gone. The stoppage justifiably outraged many of those watching but that doesn’t do Barroso any good. He lost the fight as the result of a referee’s mistake and might never get another opportunity to challenge for a major championship, which makes Weeks’ actions all the more heartbreaking. Even Romero acknowledged afterward that the fight shouldn’t have been stopped. There’s only way Barroso can get a modicum of justice: a rematch. If anyone deserves it, it’s him after the debacle on Saturday night. Will Romero give him a second chance? He mentioned the names Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia afterward, not Barroso. Hopefully the new titleholder and his handlers will push higher-profile matchups up one fight and do the right thing. Barroso earned it.

 

BIGGEST LOSER II
Tony Weeks

Should Ismael Barroso (left) been allowed to continue?  Steve Marcus / Getty Images

Was the stoppage as bad as it looked? It’s tough to make a case for Weeks, who is a respected veteran referee who had an off night. Barroso might’ve been in a somewhat weakened state after Romero pushed him down and followed with a flurry of punches meant to end the fight. The problem is that few of those shots found the target. And Barroso never stopped fighting back, unloading — and landing — his own hard blows. That’s why Weeks’ ultimate decision was so shocking. The universal reaction surely was, “What?!” Weeks was physically closer to Barroso than anyone else – maybe he saw something we didn’t – but most will agree, based on what they could see, that Weeks blew it. And that was only Part II of this fiasco. The knockdown moments earlier shouldn’t have been a knockdown. Romero did land a left but Barroso took the punch. Replays made it clear that it was a push that sent him to the canvas. Of course, Weeks didn’t enjoy the benefit of a replay. And he would argue that Barroso wasn’t in condition to continue when he stopped the fight, according to his judgment. Still, it’s clear that it wasn’t Weeks’ best night in the ring.

 

WORST IDEA?
Romero vs. Davis or Garcia

Romero said he would like to defend his new title against Ryan Garcia, which makes sense on more than one level. Garcia’s fanbase would bring a great deal of attention to the fight. And Garcia is deemed beatable after his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis last month, although Romero also was stopped by Tank. My advice to Romero: Be careful what you wish for. Garcia would eat Romero alive. Garcia has the amateur foundation Romero lacks and is both quicker and more powerful than the titleholder. Romero wouldn’t last six rounds. Romero also said after his victory on Saturday that he wants a rematch with Davis, who stopped him in six. Forget it. He was competitive with Davis for five-plus rounds because Davis is a patient fighter who often eases his way into his fights, not because Romero has comparable abilities to that of Davis. Romero would be wise to give Barroso a rematch and continue to develop before tangling with Garcia or Davis a second time.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Janibek Alimkhanuly

Alimkhanuly (14-0, 9 KOs) gave a so-so performance in a unanimous decision victory over Denzel Bentley in November, raising questions about the former amateur world champion’s ceiling. He answered those questions Saturday. The 160-pound titleholder put overmatched Steven Butler (32-4-1, 26 KOs) down three times and stopped him, all in a wild, dominating Round 2. OK, we shouldn’t get carried away with Alimkhanuly’s victory. Butler (32-4-1, 26 KOs) was grossly overmatched, which limits the significance of the winner’s accomplishment. At the same time, the 30-year-old Kazakhstani’s spectacular performance on national television in the U.S. will have boosted his profile and increased his chances of luring a top middleweight into the ring. He called out fellow 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo and 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez in the wake of his knockout. I doubt he did enough to land one of those opponents but he certainly took a step in that direction.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

The best fight on the Romero-Barroso card was a brilliant, back-and-forth scrap between Kenneth Sims Jr. and Batyr Akhmedov that Sims won by a majority decision. Sims (20-2-1, 7 KOs) has long been considered an excellent technician with limited power who couldn’t quite reach elite status. He did that on Saturday, boxing well, withstanding Akhmedov’s relentless pressure and fighting hard until the end of the battle of 140-pound contenders. He is now a legitimate opponent for anyone. Akhmedov (9-3, 8 KOs)? I can’t blame him for feeling that the powers that be are working against him because he has now ended up on the wrong end of three close, disputable decisions. I hope he doesn’t give up. He’s obviously an excellent fighter. … Kudos to Jason Moloney (26-2, 19 KOs) on his perseverance. The Australian had failed in previous attempts to win major titles against Emmanul Rodriguez and then Naoya Inoue but finally got over the hump against Vincent Astrolabio (18-4, 13 KOs) on the Alimkhanuly-Butler card, winning a majority decision to claim the vacant WBO 118-pound belt.

[lawrence-related id=37341,37337,37333,37327,37317]

Weekend Review: Rolando Romero escapes with belt on forgettable night

Weekend Review: Rolando Romero escaped with a belt on an otherwise forgettable night Saturday in Las Vegas.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER?
Rolando Romero

What a disaster. Romero gave a weak performance, hit the canvas, was awarded a dubious knockdown himself and then received the ultimate gift by the referee: a knockout of Ismael Barroso he didn’t deserve in the ninth to win a 140-pound title that is tainted from the beginning Saturday in Las Vegas. On top of that the fight was boring as hell. The boxers landed a combined total of 104 punches over eight-plus rounds, according to CompuBox. It wasn’t a good night for anyone involved. Romero was overly cautious because he didn’t want to get caught by a big shot, which allowed Barroso to lead on all three cards at the time of the stoppage. The 40-year-old slugger from Venezuela didn’t do much either but he put Romero down in Round 3 and pushed the action for most of the fight. He seemed to have victory within his grasp. That’s why the events of Round 9 were particularly galling. First a knockdown that was the result of a push, not a punch. Then a stoppage by referee Tony Weeks even though Barroso was on his feet and defending himself. Bad fight, bad performance by Romero, bad miscue by Weeks. Rarely has a fighter accomplished so little by winning a major belt.

 

BIGGEST LOSER
Ismael Barroso

Rolando Romero pushed Ismael Borroso down in Round 9.  Steve Marcus / Getty Images

You have to feel for Barroso. He did all he could in light of his advanced age to earn a 78-73, 77-74 and 76-75 on the cards after eight completed rounds, leaving him in a strong position to win his first world title late in the game. Then it was gone. The stoppage justifiably outraged many of those watching but that doesn’t do Barroso any good. He lost the fight as the result of a referee’s mistake and might never get another opportunity to challenge for a major championship, which makes Weeks’ actions all the more heartbreaking. Even Romero acknowledged afterward that the fight shouldn’t have been stopped. There’s only way Barroso can get a modicum of justice: a rematch. If anyone deserves it, it’s him after the debacle on Saturday night. Will Romero give him a second chance? He mentioned the names Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia afterward, not Barroso. Hopefully the new titleholder and his handlers will push higher-profile matchups up one fight and do the right thing. Barroso earned it.

 

BIGGEST LOSER II
Tony Weeks

Should Ismael Barroso (left) been allowed to continue?  Steve Marcus / Getty Images

Was the stoppage as bad as it looked? It’s tough to make a case for Weeks, who is a respected veteran referee who had an off night. Barroso might’ve been in a somewhat weakened state after Romero pushed him down and followed with a flurry of punches meant to end the fight. The problem is that few of those shots found the target. And Barroso never stopped fighting back, unloading — and landing — his own hard blows. That’s why Weeks’ ultimate decision was so shocking. The universal reaction surely was, “What?!” Weeks was physically closer to Barroso than anyone else – maybe he saw something we didn’t – but most will agree, based on what they could see, that Weeks blew it. And that was only Part II of this fiasco. The knockdown moments earlier shouldn’t have been a knockdown. Romero did land a left but Barroso took the punch. Replays made it clear that it was a push that sent him to the canvas. Of course, Weeks didn’t enjoy the benefit of a replay. And he would argue that Barroso wasn’t in condition to continue when he stopped the fight, according to his judgment. Still, it’s clear that it wasn’t Weeks’ best night in the ring.

 

WORST IDEA?
Romero vs. Davis or Garcia

Romero said he would like to defend his new title against Ryan Garcia, which makes sense on more than one level. Garcia’s fanbase would bring a great deal of attention to the fight. And Garcia is deemed beatable after his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis last month, although Romero also was stopped by Tank. My advice to Romero: Be careful what you wish for. Garcia would eat Romero alive. Garcia has the amateur foundation Romero lacks and is both quicker and more powerful than the titleholder. Romero wouldn’t last six rounds. Romero also said after his victory on Saturday that he wants a rematch with Davis, who stopped him in six. Forget it. He was competitive with Davis for five-plus rounds because Davis is a patient fighter who often eases his way into his fights, not because Romero has comparable abilities to that of Davis. Romero would be wise to give Barroso a rematch and continue to develop before tangling with Garcia or Davis a second time.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Janibek Alimkhanuly

Alimkhanuly (14-0, 9 KOs) gave a so-so performance in a unanimous decision victory over Denzel Bentley in November, raising questions about the former amateur world champion’s ceiling. He answered those questions Saturday. The 160-pound titleholder put overmatched Steven Butler (32-4-1, 26 KOs) down three times and stopped him, all in a wild, dominating Round 2. OK, we shouldn’t get carried away with Alimkhanuly’s victory. Butler (32-4-1, 26 KOs) was grossly overmatched, which limits the significance of the winner’s accomplishment. At the same time, the 30-year-old Kazakhstani’s spectacular performance on national television in the U.S. will have boosted his profile and increased his chances of luring a top middleweight into the ring. He called out fellow 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo and 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez in the wake of his knockout. I doubt he did enough to land one of those opponents but he certainly took a step in that direction.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

The best fight on the Romero-Barroso card was a brilliant, back-and-forth scrap between Kenneth Sims Jr. and Batyr Akhmedov that Sims won by a majority decision. Sims (20-2-1, 7 KOs) has long been considered an excellent technician with limited power who couldn’t quite reach elite status. He did that on Saturday, boxing well, withstanding Akhmedov’s relentless pressure and fighting hard until the end of the battle of 140-pound contenders. He is now a legitimate opponent for anyone. Akhmedov (9-3, 8 KOs)? I can’t blame him for feeling that the powers that be are working against him because he has now ended up on the wrong end of three close, disputable decisions. I hope he doesn’t give up. He’s obviously an excellent fighter. … Kudos to Jason Moloney (26-2, 19 KOs) on his perseverance. The Australian had failed in previous attempts to win major titles against Emmanul Rodriguez and then Naoya Inoue but finally got over the hump against Vincent Astrolabio (18-4, 13 KOs) on the Alimkhanuly-Butler card, winning a majority decision to claim the vacant WBO 118-pound belt.

[lawrence-related id=37341,37337,37333,37327,37317]

Janibek Alimkhanuly makes statement with brutal KO of Steven Butler

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly made a statement with a brutal knockout of Steven Butler on Saturday in Stockton, California.

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly wanted to make a statement after a so-so performance in his previous fight, a decision over Denzel Bentley in November.

Mission accomplished.

The 30-year-old Kazakhstani put overmatched challenger Steven Butler down three times in a brutal second round, the third time for good, Saturday night at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.

Alimkhanuly (14-0, 9 KOs) used his post-fight interview to call out the best in and around the 160-pound division.

“Champions! Boxing superstars! Where are you? I am waiting,” he said. “Let’s fight. I am the most avoided boxer. I am the middleweight king. Let’s go. Let’s fight. I am ready for anybody. Anytime. Anywhere.”

Alimkhanuly making his second defense of his WBO title, used the first round to size up Butler (32-4-1, 26 KOs), although he landed some good body shots in the opening stanza.

Then, about a minute into Round 2, a left uppercut initiated Butler’s demise.

The punch hurt the Canadian badly and a series of follow-up shots put him down. The brave challenger got up on wobbly legs only to go down again from another flurry.

Butler remained in deep trouble when referee Jack Reiss gave him  careful look and one more chance to turn the tide.

He couldn’t. One last barrage of hard, accurate blows — capped by a huge left  hand from the southpaw — sent Butler to the canvas one more time, prompting Reiss to wave off the fight.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:35 of Round 2.

The way Alimkhanuly sees it his spectacular stoppage put the other titleholders – Jermall Charlo and Erislandy Lara – on notice. He also has a particular 168-pounder in mind as a potential opponent.

Said the one-time world amateur champion: “Canelo [Alvarez] and Charlo, I’m coming.”

In another bout on the card, Jason Moloney (26-2, 19 KOs) of Australia defeated Vincent Astrolabio (18-4, 13 KOs) of the Philippines by a majority decision to capture the vacant WBO 118-pound title.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114.

Janibek Alimkhanuly makes statement with brutal KO of Steven Butler

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly made a statement with a brutal knockout of Steven Butler on Saturday in Stockton, California.

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly wanted to make a statement after a so-so performance in his previous fight, a decision over Denzel Bentley in November.

Mission accomplished.

The 30-year-old Kazakhstani put overmatched challenger Steven Butler down three times in a brutal second round, the third time for good, Saturday night at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.

Alimkhanuly (14-0, 9 KOs) used his post-fight interview to call out the best in and around the 160-pound division.

“Champions! Boxing superstars! Where are you? I am waiting,” he said. “Let’s fight. I am the most avoided boxer. I am the middleweight king. Let’s go. Let’s fight. I am ready for anybody. Anytime. Anywhere.”

Alimkhanuly making his second defense of his WBO title, used the first round to size up Butler (32-4-1, 26 KOs), although he landed some good body shots in the opening stanza.

Then, about a minute into Round 2, a left uppercut initiated Butler’s demise.

The punch hurt the Canadian badly and a series of follow-up shots put him down. The brave challenger got up on wobbly legs only to go down again from another flurry.

Butler remained in deep trouble when referee Jack Reiss gave him  careful look and one more chance to turn the tide.

He couldn’t. One last barrage of hard, accurate blows — capped by a huge left  hand from the southpaw — sent Butler to the canvas one more time, prompting Reiss to wave off the fight.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:35 of Round 2.

The way Alimkhanuly sees it his spectacular stoppage put the other titleholders – Jermall Charlo and Erislandy Lara – on notice. He also has a particular 168-pounder in mind as a potential opponent.

Said the one-time world amateur champion: “Canelo [Alvarez] and Charlo, I’m coming.”

In another bout on the card, Jason Moloney (26-2, 19 KOs) of Australia defeated Vincent Astrolabio (18-4, 13 KOs) of the Philippines by a majority decision to capture the vacant WBO 118-pound title.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114.

Good, bad, worse: The brilliance of Davis, Inoue

Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue turned in special performances in separate locations on Saturday night.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

It was another day at the office, another KO for Naoya Inoue. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

I always scoff when someone says that boxers aren’t as good as they used to be. The fact is the sport continues to produce special fighters who could’ve been successful in any era.

Two prime examples were in action on Saturday at different locations.

Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue gave fans a collective glimpse of a bright immediate future, Davis, 25, stopping Leo Santa Cruz with an epic punch on pay-per-view from San Antonio and Inoue, 27, overwhelming Jason Moloney in Las Vegas.

Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) and Santa Cruz engaged in an entertaining firefight for five-plus rounds, which generated a high level of intensity and made the sixth-round ending all the more dramatic. One punch, an epic left uppercut, rendered Santa Cruz unconscious and lifted Davis to phenom status.

Is he a pay-per-view star, as he suggested afterward? I wouldn’t go that far, at least not yet, but he’s well on his way.

Davis’ quickness? His punches fly. His accuracy? He connected on an insane 54.8% of his power punches on Saturday, according to CompuBox. His power? Well, his KO percentage and what we saw on Saturday speak for themselves.

This is special stuff, folks.

Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) stopped Moloney with a straight right from hell in the seventh round to cap a dominating performance inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” Moloney is a good, strong bantamweight but he simply didn’t have the tools to cope with Inoue’s otherworldly combination of speed, power and all-around ability.

Does the dynamic Japanese fighter have any weaknesses?

TV analyst Andre Ward suggested that he doesn’t move his head enough. OK. He still has room to grow. Let’s be clear, though: Inoue has a top-of-the-line tool chest. That includes resilience, which he demonstrated in his victory over Nonito Doniare in his previous fight.

Again, special stuff. Let’s savor it.

***

BAD

Oleksandr Usyk proved he could beat a big, capable heavyweight. Dave Thompson / Matchroom

I’ve thought all along that former cruiserweight champ Oleksandr Usyk would have problems against big heavyweights. We got a glimpse of that on Saturday, when he was pushed by Derek Chisora, who was 38.5 pounds heavier than he was.

There’s no way around it: A natural 200-pounder is at a distinct disadvantage against one of the sport’s behemoths. Even Evander Holyfield, an all-time great, struggled against Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis.

That said, I don’t understand the criticism of Usyk based on his performance against Chisora in London. That’s the reason this item is filed under “bad.”

The Ukrainian withstood Chisora’s early aggression – taking some good shots, in the process – and eventually used his superior speed and technique to take control of the fight even though Chisora never stopped coming.

I scored it 117-111 for Usyk, nine rounds to three. Judge Robert Williams had a similar score, 117-112. That’s decisive. The other two judges – Jan Christensen and Yuri Koptsev – had it 115-113, seven rounds to five.

Was it a perfect performance by Usyk? No. We might never see one of those against a capable fighter of Chisora’s size for the reasons stated above. That doesn’t mean he can’t continue to win these fights, though.

Remember: Usyk was fighting at heavyweight for only the second time and he hadn’t fought for a year. He is still adjusting. And Chisora, obviously fit and motivated for the fight, couldn’t have fought much better than he did.

If I were in Usyk’s camp, I would be encouraged by what I saw on Saturday. He proved he could handle pressure from a big heavyweight and could use his advantages to win a clear decision. That’s a good night’s work.

That doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily have a similar experience against the likes of Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua. He could be taken out by a single punch at any time. I believe it does mean that he’d have a chance against anyone.

***

WORSE

Leo Santa Cruz paid a stiff price for his bravery. Esther Lin / Showtime

We all admire fighters who tempt fate by taking on monumental challenges, as Leo Santa Cruz did on Saturday.

The problem is that the fallout can be disturbing. Mikey Garcia was embarrassed by Errol Spence Jr. when he dared to fight him. Kell Brook suffered a broken face when he moved from welterweight to middleweight to face monstrous puncher Gennadiy Golovkin.

And, at least in terms of immediate appearances, Santa Cruz’s demise was particularly upsetting.

I know I’m not alone when I say I’ve grown to admire the Mexican-American, a hard-working, blue-collar champion who almost always makes for entertaining fights. He’s also one of the nicest people you’ll ever want to meet.

To see him lying unconscious under the ropes – knowing that he probably never should’ve fought Davis in the first place – was painful to see. It’s a stiff price to pay for having the bravery to challenge oneself in this way.

I take solace in two things. One, Santa Cruz will have no regrets. He knew the risk but dived in anyway. He’s a true warrior. And, two, I thought of something Manny Pacquiao said after he was stopped by Juan Manuel Marquez with one punch.

The Filipino icon said, in so many words, that bad things can happen in boxing. If you can’t accept that, then you shouldn’t be in the ring.

Pacquiao was born to be in the ring. So was Santa Cruz. “El Terremoto” will be just fine.

[lawrence-related id=15201,15197]

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Good, bad, worse: The brilliance of Davis, Inoue

Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue turned in special performances in separate locations on Saturday night.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

It was another day at the office, another KO for Naoya Inoue. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

I always scoff when someone says that boxers aren’t as good as they used to be. The fact is the sport continues to produce special fighters who could’ve been successful in any era.

Two prime examples were in action on Saturday at different locations.

Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue gave fans a collective glimpse of a bright immediate future, Davis, 25, stopping Leo Santa Cruz with an epic punch on pay-per-view from San Antonio and Inoue, 27, overwhelming Jason Moloney in Las Vegas.

Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) and Santa Cruz engaged in an entertaining firefight for five-plus rounds, which generated a high level of intensity and made the sixth-round ending all the more dramatic. One punch, an epic left uppercut, rendered Santa Cruz unconscious and lifted Davis to phenom status.

Is he a pay-per-view star, as he suggested afterward? I wouldn’t go that far, at least not yet, but he’s well on his way.

Davis’ quickness? His punches fly. His accuracy? He connected on an insane 54.8% of his power punches on Saturday, according to CompuBox. His power? Well, his KO percentage and what we saw on Saturday speak for themselves.

This is special stuff, folks.

Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) stopped Moloney with a straight right from hell in the seventh round to cap a dominating performance inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” Moloney is a good, strong bantamweight but he simply didn’t have the tools to cope with Inoue’s otherworldly combination of speed, power and all-around ability.

Does the dynamic Japanese fighter have any weaknesses?

TV analyst Andre Ward suggested that he doesn’t move his head enough. OK. He still has room to grow. Let’s be clear, though: Inoue has a top-of-the-line tool chest. That includes resilience, which he demonstrated in his victory over Nonito Doniare in his previous fight.

Again, special stuff. Let’s savor it.

***

BAD

Oleksandr Usyk proved he could beat a big, capable heavyweight. Dave Thompson / Matchroom

I’ve thought all along that former cruiserweight champ Oleksandr Usyk would have problems against big heavyweights. We got a glimpse of that on Saturday, when he was pushed by Derek Chisora, who was 38.5 pounds heavier than he was.

There’s no way around it: A natural 200-pounder is at a distinct disadvantage against one of the sport’s behemoths. Even Evander Holyfield, an all-time great, struggled against Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis.

That said, I don’t understand the criticism of Usyk based on his performance against Chisora in London. That’s the reason this item is filed under “bad.”

The Ukrainian withstood Chisora’s early aggression – taking some good shots, in the process – and eventually used his superior speed and technique to take control of the fight even though Chisora never stopped coming.

I scored it 117-111 for Usyk, nine rounds to three. Judge Robert Williams had a similar score, 117-112. That’s decisive. The other two judges – Jan Christensen and Yuri Koptsev – had it 115-113, seven rounds to five.

Was it a perfect performance by Usyk? No. We might never see one of those against a capable fighter of Chisora’s size for the reasons stated above. That doesn’t mean he can’t continue to win these fights, though.

Remember: Usyk was fighting at heavyweight for only the second time and he hadn’t fought for a year. He is still adjusting. And Chisora, obviously fit and motivated for the fight, couldn’t have fought much better than he did.

If I were in Usyk’s camp, I would be encouraged by what I saw on Saturday. He proved he could handle pressure from a big heavyweight and could use his advantages to win a clear decision. That’s a good night’s work.

That doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily have a similar experience against the likes of Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua. He could be taken out by a single punch at any time. I believe it does mean that he’d have a chance against anyone.

***

WORSE

Leo Santa Cruz paid a stiff price for his bravery. Esther Lin / Showtime

We all admire fighters who tempt fate by taking on monumental challenges, as Leo Santa Cruz did on Saturday.

The problem is that the fallout can be disturbing. Mikey Garcia was embarrassed by Errol Spence Jr. when he dared to fight him. Kell Brook suffered a broken face when he moved from welterweight to middleweight to face monstrous puncher Gennadiy Golovkin.

And, at least in terms of immediate appearances, Santa Cruz’s demise was particularly upsetting.

I know I’m not alone when I say I’ve grown to admire the Mexican-American, a hard-working, blue-collar champion who almost always makes for entertaining fights. He’s also one of the nicest people you’ll ever want to meet.

To see him lying unconscious under the ropes – knowing that he probably never should’ve fought Davis in the first place – was painful to see. It’s a stiff price to pay for having the bravery to challenge oneself in this way.

I take solace in two things. One, Santa Cruz will have no regrets. He knew the risk but dived in anyway. He’s a true warrior. And, two, I thought of something Manny Pacquiao said after he was stopped by Juan Manuel Marquez with one punch.

The Filipino icon said, in so many words, that bad things can happen in boxing. If you can’t accept that, then you shouldn’t be in the ring.

Pacquiao was born to be in the ring. So was Santa Cruz. “El Terremoto” will be just fine.

[lawrence-related id=15201,15197]

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Naoya Inoue breaks down, stops overmatched Jason Moloney

Naoya Inoue broke down and ultimately stopped overmatched Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jason Moloney is good. Naoya Inoue is special. Thus, the result of their fight was no surprise.

Inoue methodically broke down the game, but overmatched Australian, put him down twice and ultimately stopped him with a second to go in Round 7 Saturday night inside the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas.

The Japanese phenom, who retained his bantamweight title, was coming off the toughest fight of his life: a unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire last November in which he had to fight through a broken orbital bone and a bad cut.

Inoue’s face held up perfectly and he never looked better.

“As you go through fight by fight, you learn things from the previous fight,” Inoue said through a translator. “Regarding that, I think I’m getting wiser and better.”

Jason Moloney couldn’t get to his feet after he went down in Round 7. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Moloney (21-2, 18 KOs) had won four consecutive fights since he lost a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez in his first title shot in 2018, including a seventh-round knockout of Leonardo Baez in July. He’s a capable fighter.

The problem is that Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) is otherworldly. He was faster, more powerful and ultimately just much better than his opponent on Saturday.

Inoue patiently picked Moloney apart with his stiff jab and well-timed power punches from the opening bell, gradually picking up his pace and causing more and more damage as the fight progressed. Moloney simply didn’t have answers for what Inoue threw at him.

Moloney went down for the first time about 30 seconds into Round 6, the result of a counter left hook. He wasn’t terribly hurt but went into survival mode to finish the round.

Inoue didn’t do much in Round 7, which gave the illusion that Moloney had rebounded ever so slightly. Then, in the final seconds, Inoue landed a counter straight right that put Moloney down again. He was on all fours as the referee counted. When he tried to get up onto just his knees, he toppled over.

That was that. The ref ended it there.

It was another day at the office, another KO for Naoya Inoue. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

“The final punch, the finishing punch, I’m very happy and satisfied with that punch,” Inoue said. “Moloney has a great defense, and it was difficult to get through. The two [knockdown] punches you mentioned are something we really practiced in Japan a lot.

“And I was able to perform well and use it, and I’m very happy with that.”

Inoue, No. 3 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, is the boogeyman of the 118-pound division but he has talented rivals at the weight. The best are fellow titleholders Nordine Oubaali and Johnriel Casimero, who Inoue was expected to face before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

Another option mentioned by Inoue is a rematch with Donaire.

“Those [fighters],” he said, “are in are in my sights as far as targets go.”

The problem for them is that they would also be in his sights in the ring. That never ends well.

***

In preliminary bouts, Mikael Mayer (14-0, 5 KOs) won a vacant junior lightweight title by easily outpointing previously unbeaten Ewa Broadnicka (19-1, 2 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

And junior lightweight prospect Robson Conceicao (15-0, 7 KOs) survived a knockdown and two point deductions to defeat Luis Coria (12-4, 7 KOs) by a close unanimous decision.

Naoya Inoue breaks down, stops overmatched Jason Moloney

Naoya Inoue broke down and ultimately stopped overmatched Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jason Moloney is good. Naoya Inoue is special. Thus, the result of their fight was no surprise.

Inoue methodically broke down the game, but overmatched Australian, put him down twice and ultimately stopped him with a second to go in Round 7 Saturday night inside the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas.

The Japanese phenom, who retained his bantamweight title, was coming off the toughest fight of his life: a unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire last November in which he had to fight through a broken orbital bone and a bad cut.

Inoue’s face held up perfectly and he never looked better.

“As you go through fight by fight, you learn things from the previous fight,” Inoue said through a translator. “Regarding that, I think I’m getting wiser and better.”

Jason Moloney couldn’t get to his feet after he went down in Round 7. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Moloney (21-2, 18 KOs) had won four consecutive fights since he lost a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez in his first title shot in 2018, including a seventh-round knockout of Leonardo Baez in July. He’s a capable fighter.

The problem is that Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) is otherworldly. He was faster, more powerful and ultimately just much better than his opponent on Saturday.

Inoue patiently picked Moloney apart with his stiff jab and well-timed power punches from the opening bell, gradually picking up his pace and causing more and more damage as the fight progressed. Moloney simply didn’t have answers for what Inoue threw at him.

Moloney went down for the first time about 30 seconds into Round 6, the result of a counter left hook. He wasn’t terribly hurt but went into survival mode to finish the round.

Inoue didn’t do much in Round 7, which gave the illusion that Moloney had rebounded ever so slightly. Then, in the final seconds, Inoue landed a counter straight right that put Moloney down again. He was on all fours as the referee counted. When he tried to get up onto just his knees, he toppled over.

That was that. The ref ended it there.

It was another day at the office, another KO for Naoya Inoue. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

“The final punch, the finishing punch, I’m very happy and satisfied with that punch,” Inoue said. “Moloney has a great defense, and it was difficult to get through. The two [knockdown] punches you mentioned are something we really practiced in Japan a lot.

“And I was able to perform well and use it, and I’m very happy with that.”

Inoue, No. 3 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, is the boogeyman of the 118-pound division but he has talented rivals at the weight. The best are fellow titleholders Nordine Oubaali and Johnriel Casimero, who Inoue was expected to face before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

Another option mentioned by Inoue is a rematch with Donaire.

“Those [fighters],” he said, “are in are in my sights as far as targets go.”

The problem for them is that they would also be in his sights in the ring. That never ends well.

***

In preliminary bouts, Mikael Mayer (14-0, 5 KOs) won a vacant junior lightweight title by easily outpointing previously unbeaten Ewa Broadnicka (19-1, 2 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

And junior lightweight prospect Robson Conceicao (15-0, 7 KOs) survived a knockdown and two point deductions to defeat Luis Coria (12-4, 7 KOs) by a close unanimous decision.

Naoya Inoue: ‘I want to meet expectations’

Naoya Inoue is scheduled to defend his title against Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Naoya “Monster” Inoue typically takes his opponents to hell but, to the surprise of many, he experienced a little of that himself in his most-recent fight.

The Japanese phenom had to fight through a painful storm to outpoint Nonito Donaire in their Fight of the Year war last November in Saitama, suffering a broken orbital bone, a broken nose and a bad cut yet emerging with a unanimous-decision victory.

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) remained unbeaten and unified two 118-pound titles but seemed human for the first time.

He’s had almost a year to heal – without surgery — so he should be healthy when he returns to the ring Saturday inside the “bubble” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (ESPN).

“The Donaire fight was surely the toughest fight of my career,” Inoue told RingTV.com. “But it was also a fight where I gained a lot of experience. And that will make me a better fighter.”

Naoya Inoue (right) had to dig deep to get past Nonito Donaire in his most-recent fight. AP Photo / Toru Takahashi

Inoue was originally scheduled to face fellow titleholder Johnriel Casimero in April but that fight gave way to the coronavirus pandemic. The Filipino slugger accepted a fight with Duke Micah in September, which opened the door for Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs).

The Australian lost a split decision to then-bantamweight titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez in October 2018 but has won three consecutive fights since, including an impressive seventh-round knockout of Leonard Baez in June at the MGM Grand.

“I think that everything happens for a reason, and that loss that I suffered against Rodriguez showed me how much I want this,” Moloney said. “I will not let myself lose again. On Saturday night, nothing will stop me, and I will become the best bantamweight in the world.”

Easier said than done. BetMGM has listed Inoue as an 8-1 underdog, which is no surprise given his track record and imposing combination of speed, ability and crushing power.

Moloney isn’t fazed.

“I know I can win this fight,” he said. “I don’t care if some people think that I can’t win this fight. I believe, and I know that I can win it. He has never faced a fighter as relentless as me. I’m going to take him to places he has never been before.

“I can’t wait. There has been a lot of talk about ‘The Monster’ coming to Las Vegas, but people haven’t seen what I can do inside those ropes.”

Inoue is fighting in the United States because he wants to become a global star on the level of Manny Pacquiao. To do that, he will have to go back to annihilating opponents.

He hasn’t used such a strong adjective to describe his work but he implied that he plans to look like the pre-Donaire “Monster” on Halloween.

“This past year, my injuries have healed very well,” Inoue said. “With COVID-19, it’s has been tough training, but it has been the same for everyone else. We still have to go out there and perform at a high level. I see [Moloney] as a high-level, all-around fighter.

“There are a lot of expectations, and I want to meet those expectations. I take those big expectations, and I use them as motivation and power to keep getting better with every fight.”

[lawrence-related id=15059,6625,5793]

Naoya Inoue: ‘I want to meet expectations’

Naoya Inoue is scheduled to defend his title against Jason Moloney on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Naoya “Monster” Inoue typically takes his opponents to hell but, to the surprise of many, he experienced a little of that himself in his most-recent fight.

The Japanese phenom had to fight through a painful storm to outpoint Nonito Donaire in their Fight of the Year war last November in Saitama, suffering a broken orbital bone, a broken nose and a bad cut yet emerging with a unanimous-decision victory.

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) remained unbeaten and unified two 118-pound titles but seemed human for the first time.

He’s had almost a year to heal – without surgery — so he should be healthy when he returns to the ring Saturday inside the “bubble” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (ESPN).

“The Donaire fight was surely the toughest fight of my career,” Inoue told RingTV.com. “But it was also a fight where I gained a lot of experience. And that will make me a better fighter.”

Naoya Inoue (right) had to dig deep to get past Nonito Donaire in his most-recent fight. AP Photo / Toru Takahashi

Inoue was originally scheduled to face fellow titleholder Johnriel Casimero in April but that fight gave way to the coronavirus pandemic. The Filipino slugger accepted a fight with Duke Micah in September, which opened the door for Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs).

The Australian lost a split decision to then-bantamweight titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez in October 2018 but has won three consecutive fights since, including an impressive seventh-round knockout of Leonard Baez in June at the MGM Grand.

“I think that everything happens for a reason, and that loss that I suffered against Rodriguez showed me how much I want this,” Moloney said. “I will not let myself lose again. On Saturday night, nothing will stop me, and I will become the best bantamweight in the world.”

Easier said than done. BetMGM has listed Inoue as an 8-1 underdog, which is no surprise given his track record and imposing combination of speed, ability and crushing power.

Moloney isn’t fazed.

“I know I can win this fight,” he said. “I don’t care if some people think that I can’t win this fight. I believe, and I know that I can win it. He has never faced a fighter as relentless as me. I’m going to take him to places he has never been before.

“I can’t wait. There has been a lot of talk about ‘The Monster’ coming to Las Vegas, but people haven’t seen what I can do inside those ropes.”

Inoue is fighting in the United States because he wants to become a global star on the level of Manny Pacquiao. To do that, he will have to go back to annihilating opponents.

He hasn’t used such a strong adjective to describe his work but he implied that he plans to look like the pre-Donaire “Monster” on Halloween.

“This past year, my injuries have healed very well,” Inoue said. “With COVID-19, it’s has been tough training, but it has been the same for everyone else. We still have to go out there and perform at a high level. I see [Moloney] as a high-level, all-around fighter.

“There are a lot of expectations, and I want to meet those expectations. I take those big expectations, and I use them as motivation and power to keep getting better with every fight.”

[lawrence-related id=15059,6625,5793]