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.
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.
Demetrius Andrade continues his pursuit of the golden ticket.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at DAZN.com.
In the film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” five children set out to uncover the golden ticket and take a tour of Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory.
The 1971 hit is the story of Demetrius Andrade’s reign as WBO middleweight champion as he looks to defend the belt for the fifth time on Friday evening against Jason Quigley from the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Andrade (30-0, 18 KOs) checks every box when looking for a star. He’s a former Olympian, charismatic, good looking and, most important, the native of Rhode Island can fight. His problem? The notable fighters who currently or have competed at middleweight, such as Canelo Alvarez, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo and Billy Joe Saunders, have been reluctant to share the squared circle with Andrade.
After Alvarez dispatched Saunders to win the WBO super-middleweight title, Andrade crashed the presser in hopes of getting under the Mexican star’s skin to make the fight. Instead, Alvarez laughed it off and told him he hadn’t fought anybody, to which Andrade countered by saying the pound-for-pound king had avoided him.
Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) has never said why he wouldn’t entertain a bout with Andrade. Andrade was supposed to face Saunders in October 2018, but the Englishman tested positive for a banned substance and was subsequently pulled from the fight. Talks were revisited for them to meet for Saunders’ 168-pound belt at the time, but they never crossed the finish line.
When asked about future opponents before his win over Gabe Rosado, Jaime Munguia never mentioned Andrade’s name to DAZN News despite being the No. 1 contender. Then there’s Charlo, where a substantial offer was made from Andrade’s promoter Eddie Hearn, and it was rebuffed.
Most would get frustrated for not securing the opportunities they feel they deserve. Not Andrade. “Boo-Boo” knows that he and Hearn have done everything they can to ensure a big fight to show the boxing world he belongs in the conversation among the upper echelon of the sport.
“I’m not going to sit there and drive myself crazy, emotionally be upside down because I’m not getting these other name guys,” Andrade told DAZN News. “As long as I’m in the ring, I’m staying active. [I] can’t get paid unless I fight, and that’s the biggest thing. I take care of my family.
“I’m doing what I got to do, and I’m still keeping the ball rolling. And at one point in time, they’re going to have to want to be like, ‘We need to force this thing to happen.’
“If it doesn’t, then at least I can say I went to everybody’s door and tried to make it happen. There is a real boogeyman.”
Out of those five names, there’s one that bothers Andrade more than the rest because he’s an American with a perfect record who holds a 160-pound title, which the 33-year-old believes makes it the most significant matchup of all.
“Charlo,” Andrade said without hesitation. “Because for one thing, like Eddie Hearn says, ‘Two American undefeated fighters, why not?’ I think that fight is bigger than the Canelo fight, honestly. Canelo got the fan base, but that’s like the biggest fight, Charlo versus Andrade.
“Demetrius Andrade versus GGG is good. Canelo- Andrade is really good. But Charlo vs. Andrade, I think is really big.”
Andrade’s inability to land a big fight doesn’t mean he doesn’t prepare properly for those willing to meet him in the ring. Andrade could have taken Liam Williams in April because there was no golden ticket to Charlo, Canelo, GGG, Munguia or Saunders. The same for Quigley.
But that mindset isn’t in Andrade’s DNA.
“Because [of] the bigger picture and who I am and the drive,” Andrade said. “What I have inside at the end of the day, he’s trying to take what’s mine. He’s trying to take everything that I worked hard for.
“No matter what his ability or his level is to other people, for him to be in the ring with me has to be somewhat good. He’s trying to take what’s mine. Anything can happen any given night.
“I got to be on top of my game, and then how does that prove that I am looking to be one of the best or the boogeyman if I lack in preparation because I’m not getting the names I’m looking to get.”
Demetrius Andrade continues his pursuit of the golden ticket.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at DAZN.com.
In the film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” five children set out to uncover the golden ticket and take a tour of Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory.
The 1971 hit is the story of Demetrius Andrade’s reign as WBO middleweight champion as he looks to defend the belt for the fifth time on Friday evening against Jason Quigley from the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Andrade (30-0, 18 KOs) checks every box when looking for a star. He’s a former Olympian, charismatic, good looking and, most important, the native of Rhode Island can fight. His problem? The notable fighters who currently or have competed at middleweight, such as Canelo Alvarez, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo and Billy Joe Saunders, have been reluctant to share the squared circle with Andrade.
After Alvarez dispatched Saunders to win the WBO super-middleweight title, Andrade crashed the presser in hopes of getting under the Mexican star’s skin to make the fight. Instead, Alvarez laughed it off and told him he hadn’t fought anybody, to which Andrade countered by saying the pound-for-pound king had avoided him.
Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) has never said why he wouldn’t entertain a bout with Andrade. Andrade was supposed to face Saunders in October 2018, but the Englishman tested positive for a banned substance and was subsequently pulled from the fight. Talks were revisited for them to meet for Saunders’ 168-pound belt at the time, but they never crossed the finish line.
When asked about future opponents before his win over Gabe Rosado, Jaime Munguia never mentioned Andrade’s name to DAZN News despite being the No. 1 contender. Then there’s Charlo, where a substantial offer was made from Andrade’s promoter Eddie Hearn, and it was rebuffed.
Most would get frustrated for not securing the opportunities they feel they deserve. Not Andrade. “Boo-Boo” knows that he and Hearn have done everything they can to ensure a big fight to show the boxing world he belongs in the conversation among the upper echelon of the sport.
“I’m not going to sit there and drive myself crazy, emotionally be upside down because I’m not getting these other name guys,” Andrade told DAZN News. “As long as I’m in the ring, I’m staying active. [I] can’t get paid unless I fight, and that’s the biggest thing. I take care of my family.
“I’m doing what I got to do, and I’m still keeping the ball rolling. And at one point in time, they’re going to have to want to be like, ‘We need to force this thing to happen.’
“If it doesn’t, then at least I can say I went to everybody’s door and tried to make it happen. There is a real boogeyman.”
Out of those five names, there’s one that bothers Andrade more than the rest because he’s an American with a perfect record who holds a 160-pound title, which the 33-year-old believes makes it the most significant matchup of all.
“Charlo,” Andrade said without hesitation. “Because for one thing, like Eddie Hearn says, ‘Two American undefeated fighters, why not?’ I think that fight is bigger than the Canelo fight, honestly. Canelo got the fan base, but that’s like the biggest fight, Charlo versus Andrade.
“Demetrius Andrade versus GGG is good. Canelo- Andrade is really good. But Charlo vs. Andrade, I think is really big.”
Andrade’s inability to land a big fight doesn’t mean he doesn’t prepare properly for those willing to meet him in the ring. Andrade could have taken Liam Williams in April because there was no golden ticket to Charlo, Canelo, GGG, Munguia or Saunders. The same for Quigley.
But that mindset isn’t in Andrade’s DNA.
“Because [of] the bigger picture and who I am and the drive,” Andrade said. “What I have inside at the end of the day, he’s trying to take what’s mine. He’s trying to take everything that I worked hard for.
“No matter what his ability or his level is to other people, for him to be in the ring with me has to be somewhat good. He’s trying to take what’s mine. Anything can happen any given night.
“I got to be on top of my game, and then how does that prove that I am looking to be one of the best or the boogeyman if I lack in preparation because I’m not getting the names I’m looking to get.”
Jason Quigley vows to “take care of business” against Demetrius Andrade on Friday.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
Ireland’s Jason Quigley is hoping his army of Irish fans can give him an extra boost against WBO middleweight titleholder Demetrius Andrade on Friday night.
The fight is taking place at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, which is home territory for Andrade.
Quigley is counting on an Irish invasion to help swing the fight in his favor in his first attempt to win a 160-pound title.
“There’s nothing like the Irish fans, and I cannot really imagine what it’s going to be like come fight night,” Quigley said ahead of the clash, which is being broadcast live on DAZN.
[lawrence-related id=20606,25898,19625,19531]
“We all know how loud and proud they are, and that’s giving me more excitement. And these are the types of things as well that can get fighters through a difficult period of a fight.
“When you are in the ring and you are hurt, you go down, something is not going to plan, when you hear the crowd roaring you on, that can give you the extra lift and percentage to get you over the line.”
While Quigley is both nervous and excited ahead of this career defining contest, the 30-year-old is focused on the task at hand.
“In the build-up to the fight it’s about controlling emotions, the nervous energy,” he said. “You have the natural excitement inside of course, but I have a job to do on November 19, to get in there and take care of business.
“That’s been the mindset for me, I have prepared as hard for this fight as any other that I’ve had.”
Andrade vs. Quigley is the main event on a deep card, which features four world title fights. That includes Murdojon Akhamdaliev’s defenes of his WBA and IBF junior featherweight titles against Jose Velasquez.
Jason Quigley vows to “take care of business” against Demetrius Andrade on Friday.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
Ireland’s Jason Quigley is hoping his army of Irish fans can give him an extra boost against WBO middleweight titleholder Demetrius Andrade on Friday night.
The fight is taking place at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, which is home territory for Andrade.
Quigley is counting on an Irish invasion to help swing the fight in his favor in his first attempt to win a 160-pound title.
“There’s nothing like the Irish fans, and I cannot really imagine what it’s going to be like come fight night,” Quigley said ahead of the clash, which is being broadcast live on DAZN.
[lawrence-related id=20606,25898,19625,19531]
“We all know how loud and proud they are, and that’s giving me more excitement. And these are the types of things as well that can get fighters through a difficult period of a fight.
“When you are in the ring and you are hurt, you go down, something is not going to plan, when you hear the crowd roaring you on, that can give you the extra lift and percentage to get you over the line.”
While Quigley is both nervous and excited ahead of this career defining contest, the 30-year-old is focused on the task at hand.
“In the build-up to the fight it’s about controlling emotions, the nervous energy,” he said. “You have the natural excitement inside of course, but I have a job to do on November 19, to get in there and take care of business.
“That’s been the mindset for me, I have prepared as hard for this fight as any other that I’ve had.”
Andrade vs. Quigley is the main event on a deep card, which features four world title fights. That includes Murdojon Akhamdaliev’s defenes of his WBA and IBF junior featherweight titles against Jose Velasquez.
Sometimes the best fighters give special performances. Sometimes they go beyond that, accomplishing something that will likely outlive them by many years.
The Filipino Flash methodically dismantled an unbeaten champion before finally putting him away in the fourth round to claim his ninth world title in three weight classes. And he did it at 38 years old, which is a division record for a new titleholder.
Donaire’s tactics weren’t complicated. He patiently waited for opportunities to counter his attacking opponent and did so with precision and power, which has always been the key to his success.
What’s harder to understand is how a man who turned professional 20 years ago and has fought an elite level for about 15 of them can still give virtuoso performances.
Donaire talked before and after the fight about mental strength and the resilience of one’s body if one takes care of it, as he does. Obviously, there is something to be said for what the man has been preaching.
That said, his ability to push the great Naoya Inoue to his limits in his previous fight and the manner in which he annihilated Oubaali a two-time Olympian, speaks to something more nebulous, something limited to a handful of fighters, something like magic.
Watching Donaire quickly reduce a good fighter like Oubaali to helpless prey at his age was like witnessing something impossible. That’s what made it so dramatic. I asked myself as it was happening, “How is he doing this after so many years?”
Magic.
Donaire expressed gratitude afterward, thanking everyone who played a role in getting him the opportunity to fight Oubaali. I thank him.
***
BAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgx9wyKpHrY&t=23s
Devin Haney doesn’t deserve much criticism after his performance against Jorge Linares on Saturday in Las Vegas. After all, he defeated an elite opponent by a well-earned unanimous decision.
The problem for the 22-year-old was the manner in which he finished the fight.
Haney demonstrated for nine-plus rounds why he’s considered one off the brightest young stars in the sport. He boxed beautifully behind his superb jab, landing quick, hard power punches while always keeping defense in mind.
And one must admire his willingness to engage Linares as much as he did, which was an effort to stir the passions of fans. It was shaping up to be a brilliant performance.
Then, in the final seconds of Round 10, things changed in an instant. Linares, a strong puncher, buzzed Haney with a big right hand. The young man insisted multiple times afterward that he wasn’t hurt but I doubt many believe him.
He held much of the final two rounds, at first, it seemed, to regain his senses and then for unclear reasons. Was he simply wary of Linares’ power? Was he tired? Maybe it was a combination of both.
Bottom line: Haney’s behavior in Rounds 11 and 12 took some of luster off what was otherwise a fine performance, one that might’ve been his first career-defining victory.
Again, we shouldn’t be too hard on Haney. He looked good most of the fight and emerged with a clear victory. And he survived some adversity to do it, for which he arguably should be commended.
And he’ll probably be a better fighter going forward because of the experience he gained. That might not be good news for the other top 135-pounders and those at 140.
***
WORSE
Devin Haney holds his secondary WBC belt after his victory. David Becker / Getty Images
I still cringe when I hear people refer to “titles” like the one owned by Haney as legitimate. It’s not.
The WBC calls Haney it’s lightweight titleholder even though he sits below Teofimo Lopez, who outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko to become undisputed champ in October.
Lomachenko won the WBC title by outpointing Luke Campbell in August 2019 and was later elevated to what the sanctioning body calls its “franchise” champion, a special designation that absolves the beltholder from facing mandatory challengers.
That’s when Haney was elevated to “full” titleholder even though he sat below Lomachenko and then Lopez, which is the cause of confusion that persists to this day.
The boxing world generally recognizes four sanctioning bodies, the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO. Three of those organizations have 17 divisions, one (the WBC) has 18. That means 69 fighters could be champions if each body gets one per division.
Yet they’ve created more than one – sometimes more than two – in each weight class, clear evidence that the title system has spun out of control. To be clear: The more titles that exist, the less they mean.
Why do the bodies create more than one title? Greed. They charge a pretty penny to wear their pretty belts. The more the create, the more money and influence they accumulate.
Yes, the system is broken. And everyone buys into it nonetheless. The fighters love the shiny belts, the managers and promoters love to say they’re staging title fights for marketing purposes and the media goes along for the ride.
Boxing Junkie limits the mention of titles or minimizes them – calling Haney’s belt “secondary,” for example – but even we acknowledge them because readers expect it.
The good news? Haney could end up fighting Lopez for the undisputed championship. At least then there would be no more confusion.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Two aspects of the Donaire-Oubaali fight were arguably controversial. One, Donaire seemed to hit – and badly hurt — Oubaali a split second after the bell to end Round 3. Referee Jack Reiss ruled that the punch was legal and Donaire can claim he either initiated the punch before the bell or couldn’t hear it. However, I’m guessing Oubaali will forever claim that he lost his title in part because of a foul. And, two, Reiss was criticized for allowing Oubaali too much time to recover after the aforementioned punch, which put the Frenchman down. I tried to time what followed. Oubaali was given 11-plus seconds to get to his feet, in part because Reiss had to clear the area. And the loser had about 1 minute, 21 seconds from the time he got to his feet to recover. That’s because Reiss needed time to assess Oubaali’s condition. Frankly, I don’t agree with the criticism. Reiss is required by rules in California to conduct the assessment if a fighter’s ability to defend himself is in question. He could’ve stopped the fight but didn’t do so because he believed Oubaali was able to continue.
Gary Antuanne Russell demonstrated against Jovanie Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs) on the Donaire-Oubaali card why he’s considered one of the best prospects in the world. The brother of Gary Russell Jr. used controlled, coldly efficient aggression to break down an opponent who was supposed to be his most-significant test to date. A battered Santiago quit on his stool after Round 6 of the 140-pound bout. The younger Russell has now stopped all 14 of his opponents. To say he’s one to watch is an understatement. … Subriel Matias (17-1, 17 KOs) also made a strong statement on the Donaire-Oubaali card. The 140-pounder from Puerto Rico walked down and beat up Batyrzhan Jukembayev (18-1, 14 KOs) of Kazakhstan until the latter’s trainer decided he was taking too much punishment and ended the toe-to-toe brawl after eight rounds. Batyrzhan simply couldn’t cope Matias’ relentless output of power punches. Impressive performance. … Jason Quigley (19-1, 14 KOs) defeated Shane Mosley Jr. (17-4, 10 KOs) by a majority decision in an entertaining middleweight fight on the Haney-Linares card. Quigley, the one-time amateur standout from Ireland, remained a player in the 160-pound division with his victory. I doubt he could beat the top middleweights but he has probably earned a shot at one of them. I have to give Mosley some credit. I remember writing after his pro debut that he had little hope of succeeding but he has proved me wrong. He’ll never approach the heights reached by his father – that would be too much to ask – but he has turned himself into a solid fighter. … Azinga Fuzile (15-1, 9 KOs) gave a strong performance on the Haney-Linares card, stopping Martin Ward (24-2-2, 11 KOs) in eight rounds. The 130-pounder from South Africa can box and has some power. He also demonstrated mental toughness: He was coming off a crushing eighth-round knockout loss to Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov.
Sometimes the best fighters give special performances. Sometimes they go beyond that, accomplishing something that will likely outlive them by many years.
The Filipino Flash methodically dismantled an unbeaten champion before finally putting him away in the fourth round to claim his ninth world title in three weight classes. And he did it at 38 years old, which is a division record for a new titleholder.
Donaire’s tactics weren’t complicated. He patiently waited for opportunities to counter his attacking opponent and did so with precision and power, which has always been the key to his success.
What’s harder to understand is how a man who turned professional 20 years ago and has fought an elite level for about 15 of them can still give virtuoso performances.
Donaire talked before and after the fight about mental strength and the resilience of one’s body if one takes care of it, as he does. Obviously, there is something to be said for what the man has been preaching.
That said, his ability to push the great Naoya Inoue to his limits in his previous fight and the manner in which he annihilated Oubaali a two-time Olympian, speaks to something more nebulous, something limited to a handful of fighters, something like magic.
Watching Donaire quickly reduce a good fighter like Oubaali to helpless prey at his age was like witnessing something impossible. That’s what made it so dramatic. I asked myself as it was happening, “How is he doing this after so many years?”
Magic.
Donaire expressed gratitude afterward, thanking everyone who played a role in getting him the opportunity to fight Oubaali. I thank him.
***
BAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgx9wyKpHrY&t=23s
Devin Haney doesn’t deserve much criticism after his performance against Jorge Linares on Saturday in Las Vegas. After all, he defeated an elite opponent by a well-earned unanimous decision.
The problem for the 22-year-old was the manner in which he finished the fight.
Haney demonstrated for nine-plus rounds why he’s considered one off the brightest young stars in the sport. He boxed beautifully behind his superb jab, landing quick, hard power punches while always keeping defense in mind.
And one must admire his willingness to engage Linares as much as he did, which was an effort to stir the passions of fans. It was shaping up to be a brilliant performance.
Then, in the final seconds of Round 10, things changed in an instant. Linares, a strong puncher, buzzed Haney with a big right hand. The young man insisted multiple times afterward that he wasn’t hurt but I doubt many believe him.
He held much of the final two rounds, at first, it seemed, to regain his senses and then for unclear reasons. Was he simply wary of Linares’ power? Was he tired? Maybe it was a combination of both.
Bottom line: Haney’s behavior in Rounds 11 and 12 took some of luster off what was otherwise a fine performance, one that might’ve been his first career-defining victory.
Again, we shouldn’t be too hard on Haney. He looked good most of the fight and emerged with a clear victory. And he survived some adversity to do it, for which he arguably should be commended.
And he’ll probably be a better fighter going forward because of the experience he gained. That might not be good news for the other top 135-pounders and those at 140.
***
WORSE
Devin Haney holds his secondary WBC belt after his victory. David Becker / Getty Images
I still cringe when I hear people refer to “titles” like the one owned by Haney as legitimate. It’s not.
The WBC calls Haney it’s lightweight titleholder even though he sits below Teofimo Lopez, who outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko to become undisputed champ in October.
Lomachenko won the WBC title by outpointing Luke Campbell in August 2019 and was later elevated to what the sanctioning body calls its “franchise” champion, a special designation that absolves the beltholder from facing mandatory challengers.
That’s when Haney was elevated to “full” titleholder even though he sat below Lomachenko and then Lopez, which is the cause of confusion that persists to this day.
The boxing world generally recognizes four sanctioning bodies, the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO. Three of those organizations have 17 divisions, one (the WBC) has 18. That means 69 fighters could be champions if each body gets one per division.
Yet they’ve created more than one – sometimes more than two – in each weight class, clear evidence that the title system has spun out of control. To be clear: The more titles that exist, the less they mean.
Why do the bodies create more than one title? Greed. They charge a pretty penny to wear their pretty belts. The more the create, the more money and influence they accumulate.
Yes, the system is broken. And everyone buys into it nonetheless. The fighters love the shiny belts, the managers and promoters love to say they’re staging title fights for marketing purposes and the media goes along for the ride.
Boxing Junkie limits the mention of titles or minimizes them – calling Haney’s belt “secondary,” for example – but even we acknowledge them because readers expect it.
The good news? Haney could end up fighting Lopez for the undisputed championship. At least then there would be no more confusion.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Two aspects of the Donaire-Oubaali fight were arguably controversial. One, Donaire seemed to hit – and badly hurt — Oubaali a split second after the bell to end Round 3. Referee Jack Reiss ruled that the punch was legal and Donaire can claim he either initiated the punch before the bell or couldn’t hear it. However, I’m guessing Oubaali will forever claim that he lost his title in part because of a foul. And, two, Reiss was criticized for allowing Oubaali too much time to recover after the aforementioned punch, which put the Frenchman down. I tried to time what followed. Oubaali was given 11-plus seconds to get to his feet, in part because Reiss had to clear the area. And the loser had about 1 minute, 21 seconds from the time he got to his feet to recover. That’s because Reiss needed time to assess Oubaali’s condition. Frankly, I don’t agree with the criticism. Reiss is required by rules in California to conduct the assessment if a fighter’s ability to defend himself is in question. He could’ve stopped the fight but didn’t do so because he believed Oubaali was able to continue.
Gary Antuanne Russell demonstrated against Jovanie Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs) on the Donaire-Oubaali card why he’s considered one of the best prospects in the world. The brother of Gary Russell Jr. used controlled, coldly efficient aggression to break down an opponent who was supposed to be his most-significant test to date. A battered Santiago quit on his stool after Round 6 of the 140-pound bout. The younger Russell has now stopped all 14 of his opponents. To say he’s one to watch is an understatement. … Subriel Matias (17-1, 17 KOs) also made a strong statement on the Donaire-Oubaali card. The 140-pounder from Puerto Rico walked down and beat up Batyrzhan Jukembayev (18-1, 14 KOs) of Kazakhstan until the latter’s trainer decided he was taking too much punishment and ended the toe-to-toe brawl after eight rounds. Batyrzhan simply couldn’t cope Matias’ relentless output of power punches. Impressive performance. … Jason Quigley (19-1, 14 KOs) defeated Shane Mosley Jr. (17-4, 10 KOs) by a majority decision in an entertaining middleweight fight on the Haney-Linares card. Quigley, the one-time amateur standout from Ireland, remained a player in the 160-pound division with his victory. I doubt he could beat the top middleweights but he has probably earned a shot at one of them. I have to give Mosley some credit. I remember writing after his pro debut that he had little hope of succeeding but he has proved me wrong. He’ll never approach the heights reached by his father – that would be too much to ask – but he has turned himself into a solid fighter. … Azinga Fuzile (15-1, 9 KOs) gave a strong performance on the Haney-Linares card, stopping Martin Ward (24-2-2, 11 KOs) in eight rounds. The 130-pounder from South Africa can box and has some power. He also demonstrated mental toughness: He was coming off a crushing eighth-round knockout loss to Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov.
Jason Quigley eked past Shane Mosley Jr. by a majority decision on the Devin Haney-Jorge Linares card Saturday in Las Vegas.
Jason Quigley defeated Shane Mosley Jr. by a majority decision in 10-round middleweight bout on the Devin Haney-Jorge Linares card Saturday in Las Vegas.
One judge scored it 95-95 but the other two had it 97-93 and 96-94 for Quigley
The fight was competitive throughout, as a number of rounds were difficult to score.
One fighter seemed to seize the momentum only to relinquish it his opponent in back-and-forth fashion.
However, Quigley, the better technician, might’ve caught the attention of the two judges who favored him by outboxing Mosley at times and landing the cleaner punches..
Neither fighter went down or was hurt.
Quigley (19-1, 14 KOs) has now won three consecutive fights since he was upset in 2019 by Tureano Johnson, who stopped the Irishman in nine rounds.
Mosley (17-4, 10 KOs), the son of the Hall of Famer by the same name, had won four consecutive fights since he lost a decision to Brandon Adams in 2018.
Jason Quigley eked past Shane Mosley Jr. by a majority decision on the Devin Haney-Jorge Linares card Saturday in Las Vegas.
Jason Quigley defeated Shane Mosley Jr. by a majority decision in 10-round middleweight bout on the Devin Haney-Jorge Linares card Saturday in Las Vegas.
One judge scored it 95-95 but the other two had it 97-93 and 96-94 for Quigley
The fight was competitive throughout, as a number of rounds were difficult to score.
One fighter seemed to seize the momentum only to relinquish it his opponent in back-and-forth fashion.
However, Quigley, the better technician, might’ve caught the attention of the two judges who favored him by outboxing Mosley at times and landing the cleaner punches..
Neither fighter went down or was hurt.
Quigley (19-1, 14 KOs) has now won three consecutive fights since he was upset in 2019 by Tureano Johnson, who stopped the Irishman in nine rounds.
Mosley (17-4, 10 KOs), the son of the Hall of Famer by the same name, had won four consecutive fights since he lost a decision to Brandon Adams in 2018.
