Odds: Ramirez 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Joet Gonzalez vs. Jeo Santisima, featherweights; Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Abraham Montoya, junior lightweights
Prediction: Ramirez UD
Background: Ramirez lost his two 140-pound titles and the considerable momentum he had built when he lost a close, but unanimous decision against Josh Taylor in May of last year, his most-recent fight. All three judges scored it 114-112, meaning the fight would’ve been a draw had Ramirez not gone down twice. Ramirez said afterward that he learned a great deal in the setback and that it revived his hunger to succeed. The resident of California’s agriculture-rich San Joaquin Valley will be fighting in front of his hometown fans. He didn’t select a pushover as his comeback opponent. Pedraza, a slick former two-division titleholder, is going strong at 32. The Puerto Rican has won three consecutive fights since losing two of three (to Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Zepeda) in 2018 and 2019. He last fought in June of last year, when he dominated and then stopped previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez in eight rounds. His only other loss was a seventh-round knockout against Gervonta Davis in 2017. This will be Pedraza’s 14th consecutive fight in the U.S.
Odds: Ramirez 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Joet Gonzalez vs. Jeo Santisima, featherweights; Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Abraham Montoya, junior lightweights
Prediction: Ramirez UD
Background: Ramirez lost his two 140-pound titles and the considerable momentum he had built when he lost a close, but unanimous decision against Josh Taylor in May of last year, his most-recent fight. All three judges scored it 114-112, meaning the fight would’ve been a draw had Ramirez not gone down twice. Ramirez said afterward that he learned a great deal in the setback and that it revived his hunger to succeed. The resident of California’s agriculture-rich San Joaquin Valley will be fighting in front of his hometown fans. He didn’t select a pushover as his comeback opponent. Pedraza, a slick former two-division titleholder, is going strong at 32. The Puerto Rican has won three consecutive fights since losing two of three (to Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Zepeda) in 2018 and 2019. He last fought in June of last year, when he dominated and then stopped previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez in eight rounds. His only other loss was a seventh-round knockout against Gervonta Davis in 2017. This will be Pedraza’s 14th consecutive fight in the U.S.
Odds: Ramirez 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Joet Gonzalez vs. Jeo Santisima, featherweights; Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Abraham Montoya, junior lightweights
Prediction: Ramirez UD
Background: Ramirez lost his two 140-pound titles and the considerable momentum he had built when he lost a close, but unanimous decision against Josh Taylor in May of last year, his most-recent fight. All three judges scored it 114-112, meaning the fight would’ve been a draw had Ramirez not gone down twice. Ramirez said afterward that he learned a great deal in the setback and that it revived his hunger to succeed. The resident of California’s agriculture-rich San Joaquin Valley will be fighting in front of his hometown fans. He didn’t select a pushover as his comeback opponent. Pedraza, a slick former two-division titleholder, is going strong at 32. The Puerto Rican has won three consecutive fights since losing two of three (to Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Zepeda) in 2018 and 2019. He last fought in June of last year, when he dominated and then stopped previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez in eight rounds. His only other loss was a seventh-round knockout against Gervonta Davis in 2017. This will be Pedraza’s 14th consecutive fight in the U.S.
Roman Gonzalez 50-3 (41 KOs) vs. Junior Cesar Martinez (18-1, 14 KOs)
Also on the card: Mauricio Lara vs. Emilio Sanchez, featherweights; Angel Fierro vs. Juan Carlos Burgos, lightweights
Prediction: Gonzalez KO 9
Background: Gonzalez was scheduled to face two-belt champion Juan Francisco Estrada in the rubber match of a trilogy but Estrada pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19. Martinez, a flyweight titleholder, immediately agreed to step in. Gonzalez, a former four-division titleholder, has written a remarkable comeback story. Many wrote off the Nicaraguan when he lost back-to-back fights to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, the second by knockout at 30, in 2017. However, he bounced back to win three consecutive fights – including a title-winning KO of Khalid Yafai – and some believe he was robbed when he lost a close decision to Estrada in a classic brawl a year ago. The future Hall of Famer seems to be near his best at 34. Martinez is the toughest late replacement you’ll ever see. The Mexican won his 112-pound title by stopping Cristofer Rosales in nine rounds in December 2019 and has successfully defended three times, not including a no-contest against McWilliams Arroyo this past November. Arroyo had to quit because of a deep cut. Martinez will be moving up in weight but should feel comfortable. The hard-charging boxer-puncher has weighed more than 112 in 12 of his 19 fights.
Odds: Ramirez 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Joet Gonzalez vs. Jeo Santisima, featherweights; Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Abraham Montoya, junior lightweights
Prediction: Ramirez UD
Background: Ramirez lost his two 140-pound titles and the considerable momentum he had built when he lost a close, but unanimous decision against Josh Taylor in May of last year, his most-recent fight. All three judges scored it 114-112, meaning the fight would’ve been a draw had Ramirez not gone down twice. Ramirez said afterward that he learned a great deal in the setback and that it revived his hunger to succeed. The resident of California’s agriculture-rich San Joaquin Valley will be fighting in front of his hometown fans. He didn’t select a pushover as his comeback opponent. Pedraza, a slick former two-division titleholder, is going strong at 32. The Puerto Rican has won three consecutive fights since losing two of three (to Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Zepeda) in 2018 and 2019. He last fought in June of last year, when he dominated and then stopped previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez in eight rounds. His only other loss was a seventh-round knockout against Gervonta Davis in 2017. This will be Pedraza’s 14th consecutive fight in the U.S.
Roman Gonzalez 50-3 (41 KOs) vs. Junior Cesar Martinez (18-1, 14 KOs)
Also on the card: Mauricio Lara vs. Emilio Sanchez, featherweights; Angel Fierro vs. Juan Carlos Burgos, lightweights
Prediction: Gonzalez KO 9
Background: Gonzalez was scheduled to face two-belt champion Juan Francisco Estrada in the rubber match of a trilogy but Estrada pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19. Martinez, a flyweight titleholder, immediately agreed to step in. Gonzalez, a former four-division titleholder, has written a remarkable comeback story. Many wrote off the Nicaraguan when he lost back-to-back fights to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, the second by knockout at 30, in 2017. However, he bounced back to win three consecutive fights – including a title-winning KO of Khalid Yafai – and some believe he was robbed when he lost a close decision to Estrada in a classic brawl a year ago. The future Hall of Famer seems to be near his best at 34. Martinez is the toughest late replacement you’ll ever see. The Mexican won his 112-pound title by stopping Cristofer Rosales in nine rounds in December 2019 and has successfully defended three times, not including a no-contest against McWilliams Arroyo this past November. Arroyo had to quit because of a deep cut. Martinez will be moving up in weight but should feel comfortable. The hard-charging boxer-puncher has weighed more than 112 in 12 of his 19 fights.
Good, bad, worse: Shakur Stevenson was good and boring against Jeremiah Nakathila on Saturday in Las Vegas.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7hqu3ZbkDM
The “good” for Shakur Stevenson was that his unusual skill set was on full display against Jeremiah Nakathila on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Stevenson schooled his overmatched Namibian opponent from beginning to end, winning every round on all three scorecards and throwing in a knockdown to boot in the 12-round 130-pound bout. Nakathila could barely touch Stevenson, averaging 2.3 punches landed per round, according to CompuBox.
One could argue it was a masterful boxing exhibition by the 2016 Olympic silver medalist and former 126-pound titleholder.
The problem for Stevenson was that he also delivered plenty of “bad,” which was the talk of the ESPN-televised fight afterward.
Stevenson fancies himself a budding superstar, which makes sense given his ability. He didn’t perform like one against Nakathila, a far inferior boxer who didn’t have the tools to compete with an elite opponent.
Stevenson won every minute of every round but didn’t take the risks necessary to give himself a realistic chance of taking out Nakathila, which everyone watching was waiting for him to do. He took a safe approach because of Nakathila’s power.
Safe is boring, which is not what a superstar is.
Stevenson presumably will have learned a lesson in that fight. Yes, the main objective is to have your hand raised. However, the biggest stars in the sport are also entertainers. And he seems to understand that concept. He apologized for his performance on social media, which is a good sign.
He should take more risks, particularly against overmatched opponents. The rewards can be great.
[lawrence-related id=21040]
***
BAD
Referee Celestino Ruiz became a topic of discussion during the main event in Las Vegas. AP Photo / John Locher
A referee is on the wrong path when he or she steals attention away from the fighters.
That happened during the main event on ESPN, when referee Celestino Ruiz was unnecessarily obsessed with the feet of the southpaw Stevenson and Nakathila, who fights from an orthodox stance.
Southpaws and orthodox boxers typically step on one another because their lead feet are on the same side. It simply can’t be avoided entirely.
Nevertheless, Ruiz constantly – and annoyingly – warned the fighters to avoid each other’s feet. He even threatened once to take a point away from the next one to step on a foot, which was surrealistic.
The fighters are concentrating on their game plans and protecting themselves. The last thing they need is a referee badgering them about where they place their feet.
I try to assume the best about refs. Ruiz obviously wanted to avoid potential foot-on-foot problems. That said, he was out of control. I’ve watched thousands of fights in my career and I can’t recall any referee doing what Ruiz did.
I hope he behaved in that manner on his own. It would be more disturbing if it turns out he was instructed to issue such warnings, which I doubt is the case given the reputation of Nevada officials.
I trust that the powers that be in that state will prevent such nonsense from happening again.
***
WORSE
Jeremiah Nakathila (right) barely touched Shakur Stevenson in 36 minutes of fighting. AP Photo / John Locher
How did Nakathila end up as the WBO’s No. 2-ranked 130-pounder?
An argument can be made that all regions in the world should have representation in the rankings. Nakathila is African. And, of course, one never knows how a relatively obscure fighter will do in his first major test until he gets an opportunity.
At the same time, no one should rise to No. 2 without beating a contender or someone close to that status. Nakathila, who has fought outside his continent only once, has no such victories.
Obviously, his handlers are well connected because merit doesn’t seem to have played a role in his ascent.
As a result, the fight on Saturday was garbage. Nakathila, who appears to have power but little else, was out of his depth. And that isn’t supposed to be the case when the Nos. 1- and 2-ranked fighters face off.
I can’t be too critical of Top Rank, ESPN or the Nevada State Athletic Commission, all of which approved the bout. They obviously saw No. 1 and No. 2 and ran with it. The problem was with the WBO, which demonstrated again why sanctioning bodies can’t be trusted to get it right.
The alphabet organizations rank fighters based primarily on how much money they can collect in sanctioning fees, not on resume. That’s obvious to anyone paying attention.
Is boxing ever going to emerge from this frustrating cycle?
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Stevenson won the WBO “interim” title with his victory over Nakathila, meaning his next fight could be a title challenge of champion Jamel Herring. I have tremendous respect for the 35-year-old Herring, who is on an impressive run of victories over established opponents. That includes a knockout of former Fighter of the Year Carl Frampton in his most-recent bout. I just don’t believe he’s as talented as Stevenson, whose gifts are rare. I believe Stevenson would outbox him and win a major title in a second division even if he doesn’t dazzle us in the process. … Jose Pedraza looked sharp in his victory over previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez in a scheduled 10-round 140-pound bout on the Stevenson-Nakathila card, which ended after eight rounds with a beaten Rodriguez sitting on his stool. Pedraza demonstrated once again that he’s one of better technicians in the world, schooling and ultimately breaking down his less-experienced opponent to remain in title contention at 32 years old. All three judges somehow had it 77-75 for Pedraza at the time of the stoppage, five rounds to three. I thought Pedraza won every round. …
The “good” in this column could’ve been the four featured fights – all involving heavyweights — on the July 24 Tyson Fury–Deontay Wilder III card: Fury vs Wilder, Robert Helenius vs. Adam Kownacki II, Frank Sanchez vs. Efe Ajagba and Jared Anderson vs. Vladimir Treshkin. That’s going to be entertaining as hell. And it’s further proof that competing entities – Top Rank and Premier Boxing Champions, in this case – can work together when they have to. Can we build on this? … Claressa Shields deserves credit for her victory in her MMA debut on Thursday. Things looked bleak for two rounds, during which jiu-jitsu expert Brittney Elkin controlled the battle on the ground. However, Shields, obviously determined, rallied to win when Elkin tried for a takedown but failed and was met with a flurry of hard punches. “I just had never-quit attitude every round,” Shields said. She should be proud of herself. …
Longtime heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin, 41, has announced his retirement. The Russian had a good career, which started with a super heavyweight gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. He never won a major professional title – losing badly to Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua in his only tries — but he was a contender for more than a decade. He defeated Larry Donald, Chris Byrd, Eddie Chambers, Ruslan Chagaev, Marco Huck, Hasim Rahman and several other capable heavyweights. And he saved one of his best for second to last, a stunning one punch knockout of Dillian Whyte last August. Whyte stopped Povetkin in the rematch, prompting him to call it quits. Povetkin also will be remembered for his failed drug tests.
Good, bad, worse: Shakur Stevenson was good and boring against Jeremiah Nakathila on Saturday in Las Vegas.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7hqu3ZbkDM
The “good” for Shakur Stevenson was that his unusual skill set was on full display against Jeremiah Nakathila on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Stevenson schooled his overmatched Namibian opponent from beginning to end, winning every round on all three scorecards and throwing in a knockdown to boot in the 12-round 130-pound bout. Nakathila could barely touch Stevenson, averaging 2.3 punches landed per round, according to CompuBox.
One could argue it was a masterful boxing exhibition by the 2016 Olympic silver medalist and former 126-pound titleholder.
The problem for Stevenson was that he also delivered plenty of “bad,” which was the talk of the ESPN-televised fight afterward.
Stevenson fancies himself a budding superstar, which makes sense given his ability. He didn’t perform like one against Nakathila, a far inferior boxer who didn’t have the tools to compete with an elite opponent.
Stevenson won every minute of every round but didn’t take the risks necessary to give himself a realistic chance of taking out Nakathila, which everyone watching was waiting for him to do. He took a safe approach because of Nakathila’s power.
Safe is boring, which is not what a superstar is.
Stevenson presumably will have learned a lesson in that fight. Yes, the main objective is to have your hand raised. However, the biggest stars in the sport are also entertainers. And he seems to understand that concept. He apologized for his performance on social media, which is a good sign.
He should take more risks, particularly against overmatched opponents. The rewards can be great.
[lawrence-related id=21040]
***
BAD
Referee Celestino Ruiz became a topic of discussion during the main event in Las Vegas. AP Photo / John Locher
A referee is on the wrong path when he or she steals attention away from the fighters.
That happened during the main event on ESPN, when referee Celestino Ruiz was unnecessarily obsessed with the feet of the southpaw Stevenson and Nakathila, who fights from an orthodox stance.
Southpaws and orthodox boxers typically step on one another because their lead feet are on the same side. It simply can’t be avoided entirely.
Nevertheless, Ruiz constantly – and annoyingly – warned the fighters to avoid each other’s feet. He even threatened once to take a point away from the next one to step on a foot, which was surrealistic.
The fighters are concentrating on their game plans and protecting themselves. The last thing they need is a referee badgering them about where they place their feet.
I try to assume the best about refs. Ruiz obviously wanted to avoid potential foot-on-foot problems. That said, he was out of control. I’ve watched thousands of fights in my career and I can’t recall any referee doing what Ruiz did.
I hope he behaved in that manner on his own. It would be more disturbing if it turns out he was instructed to issue such warnings, which I doubt is the case given the reputation of Nevada officials.
I trust that the powers that be in that state will prevent such nonsense from happening again.
***
WORSE
Jeremiah Nakathila (right) barely touched Shakur Stevenson in 36 minutes of fighting. AP Photo / John Locher
How did Nakathila end up as the WBO’s No. 2-ranked 130-pounder?
An argument can be made that all regions in the world should have representation in the rankings. Nakathila is African. And, of course, one never knows how a relatively obscure fighter will do in his first major test until he gets an opportunity.
At the same time, no one should rise to No. 2 without beating a contender or someone close to that status. Nakathila, who has fought outside his continent only once, has no such victories.
Obviously, his handlers are well connected because merit doesn’t seem to have played a role in his ascent.
As a result, the fight on Saturday was garbage. Nakathila, who appears to have power but little else, was out of his depth. And that isn’t supposed to be the case when the Nos. 1- and 2-ranked fighters face off.
I can’t be too critical of Top Rank, ESPN or the Nevada State Athletic Commission, all of which approved the bout. They obviously saw No. 1 and No. 2 and ran with it. The problem was with the WBO, which demonstrated again why sanctioning bodies can’t be trusted to get it right.
The alphabet organizations rank fighters based primarily on how much money they can collect in sanctioning fees, not on resume. That’s obvious to anyone paying attention.
Is boxing ever going to emerge from this frustrating cycle?
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Stevenson won the WBO “interim” title with his victory over Nakathila, meaning his next fight could be a title challenge of champion Jamel Herring. I have tremendous respect for the 35-year-old Herring, who is on an impressive run of victories over established opponents. That includes a knockout of former Fighter of the Year Carl Frampton in his most-recent bout. I just don’t believe he’s as talented as Stevenson, whose gifts are rare. I believe Stevenson would outbox him and win a major title in a second division even if he doesn’t dazzle us in the process. … Jose Pedraza looked sharp in his victory over previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez in a scheduled 10-round 140-pound bout on the Stevenson-Nakathila card, which ended after eight rounds with a beaten Rodriguez sitting on his stool. Pedraza demonstrated once again that he’s one of better technicians in the world, schooling and ultimately breaking down his less-experienced opponent to remain in title contention at 32 years old. All three judges somehow had it 77-75 for Pedraza at the time of the stoppage, five rounds to three. I thought Pedraza won every round. …
The “good” in this column could’ve been the four featured fights – all involving heavyweights — on the July 24 Tyson Fury–Deontay Wilder III card: Fury vs Wilder, Robert Helenius vs. Adam Kownacki II, Frank Sanchez vs. Efe Ajagba and Jared Anderson vs. Vladimir Treshkin. That’s going to be entertaining as hell. And it’s further proof that competing entities – Top Rank and Premier Boxing Champions, in this case – can work together when they have to. Can we build on this? … Claressa Shields deserves credit for her victory in her MMA debut on Thursday. Things looked bleak for two rounds, during which jiu-jitsu expert Brittney Elkin controlled the battle on the ground. However, Shields, obviously determined, rallied to win when Elkin tried for a takedown but failed and was met with a flurry of hard punches. “I just had never-quit attitude every round,” Shields said. She should be proud of herself. …
Longtime heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin, 41, has announced his retirement. The Russian had a good career, which started with a super heavyweight gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. He never won a major professional title – losing badly to Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua in his only tries — but he was a contender for more than a decade. He defeated Larry Donald, Chris Byrd, Eddie Chambers, Ruslan Chagaev, Marco Huck, Hasim Rahman and several other capable heavyweights. And he saved one of his best for second to last, a stunning one punch knockout of Dillian Whyte last August. Whyte stopped Povetkin in the rematch, prompting him to call it quits. Povetkin also will be remembered for his failed drug tests.
Jose Pedraza stopped Julian Rodriguez after eight rounds on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Jose Pedraza just won’t go away.
The two-time titleholder, now 32, picked apart Julian Rodriguez until the young contender’s cornermen stopped the fight after eight rounds on the Shakur Stevenson-Jeremiah Nakathila card Saturday in Las Vegas.
Pedraza (29-3, 14 KOs) boxed beautifully behind his snapping jab, landing enough power shots to win rounds and keep Rodriguez off balance at the same time.
And the face of Rodriguez (21-1, 14 KOs) became more and more swollen and bruised as the scheduled 10-round 140-pound bout progressed.
Rodriguez fought aggressively at times and had some good moments. However, he could never get a sustained attack going against his clever, experienced opponent.
Finally, after the eighth round, there was no point in allowing the fight to continue and the fight was stopped to prevent Rodriguez from enduring undue punishment.
Pedraza has now beaten Mikkel LesPierre, Javier Molina and Rodriguez since losing a decision to Jose Zepeda in September 2019.
Jose Pedraza stopped Julian Rodriguez after eight rounds on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Jose Pedraza just won’t go away.
The two-time titleholder, now 32, picked apart Julian Rodriguez until the young contender’s cornermen stopped the fight after eight rounds on the Shakur Stevenson-Jeremiah Nakathila card Saturday in Las Vegas.
Pedraza (29-3, 14 KOs) boxed beautifully behind his snapping jab, landing enough power shots to win rounds and keep Rodriguez off balance at the same time.
And the face of Rodriguez (21-1, 14 KOs) became more and more swollen and bruised as the scheduled 10-round 140-pound bout progressed.
Rodriguez fought aggressively at times and had some good moments. However, he could never get a sustained attack going against his clever, experienced opponent.
Finally, after the eighth round, there was no point in allowing the fight to continue and the fight was stopped to prevent Rodriguez from enduring undue punishment.
Pedraza has now beaten Mikkel LesPierre, Javier Molina and Rodriguez since losing a decision to Jose Zepeda in September 2019.
Odds: Stevenson 32-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Jose Pedraza vs. Julian Rodriguez, junior welterweights
Prediction: Stevenson KO 7
Background: Stevenson, the Olympic silver medalist and former 126-pound titleholder, is taking another step toward a world title shot in a second division. This will be the 23-year-old southpaw’s third fight at 130, having stopped Felix Caraballo in six rounds in June of last year and shut out Toka Khan Clary in December. Stevenson, the WBO’s No. 1-ranked contender, will fight the unranked Nakathila for the sanctioning body’s “interim” title. Jamel Herring is the WBO titleholder. Nakathila, evidently a big puncher, has a gaudy record and has won 10 consecutive fights – all by knockout – since his only setback. However, he has fought outside Africa only once in his career, a 2016 bout in Russia. Thus, the 31-year-old from the Nambian coast is a bit of a mystery going into the biggest fight of his life. And, obviously, Stevenson represents an enormous step up in opposition. On the undercard, former two-division titleholder Jose Pedraza (28-3, 13 KOs) faces young contender Julian Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round 140-pound bout. Pedraza has won two in a row since he was outpointed by Jose Zepeda, including an impressive decision over Javier Molina in September.
Odds: Stevenson 32-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Jose Pedraza vs. Julian Rodriguez, junior welterweights
Prediction: Stevenson KO 7
Background: Stevenson, the Olympic silver medalist and former 126-pound titleholder, is taking another step toward a world title shot in a second division. This will be the 23-year-old southpaw’s third fight at 130, having stopped Felix Caraballo in six rounds in June of last year and shut out Toka Khan Clary in December. Stevenson, the WBO’s No. 1-ranked contender, will fight the unranked Nakathila for the sanctioning body’s “interim” title. Jamel Herring is the WBO titleholder. Nakathila, evidently a big puncher, has a gaudy record and has won 10 consecutive fights – all by knockout – since his only setback. However, he has fought outside Africa only once in his career, a 2016 bout in Russia. Thus, the 31-year-old from the Nambian coast is a bit of a mystery going into the biggest fight of his life. And, obviously, Stevenson represents an enormous step up in opposition. On the undercard, former two-division titleholder Jose Pedraza (28-3, 13 KOs) faces young contender Julian Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round 140-pound bout. Pedraza has won two in a row since he was outpointed by Jose Zepeda, including an impressive decision over Javier Molina in September.
