Dan Azeez is scheduled to face fellow Londoner Joshua Buatsi in what could be a defining fight for him on Feb. 3 at OVO Arena Wembley.
Dan Azeez’s big moment has arrived.
The 175-pound contender, who has built a perfect record in spite of a late start in boxing, is scheduled to face fellow Londoner Joshua Buatsi in what could be a defining fight for him on Feb. 3 at OVO Arena Wembley.
The winner of the WBA title eliminator will be first in line to face champion Dmitry Bivol, although Bivol appears headed toward a showdown with Artur Beterbiev.
The Azeez-Buatsi fight, originally scheduled for October, was postponed after Azeez injured his back.
“I still have so much to prove to everyone,” Azeez told Boxing Junkie. “I want to show that, yes, I’m a legitimate challenger and I’m going to be a world champion.”
Azeez (20-0, 13 KOs) dabbled in the sweet science as a minor but didn’t become a competitive boxer until he was 19 or 20, when he was at university.
The odds of succeeding are stacked against a fighter who takes up the sport as an adult. Azeez, now 34, beat those odds by reaching the top four of all four major sanctioning bodies.
That doesn’t mean the learning process was easy, however. He had to work harder than his peers who started boxing as children.
“I did feel like I had to play catch up,” he said. “Maybe you’re sparring a 14- or 15-year-old and their technical skills are so much better than yours. They take to it like fish to the sea. For me it was a bit more difficult. The footwork, I was a bit more rigid.
“… But I had the mindset. That kept me [on pace] with people who were in boxing longer than me. I always wanted to learn, I wanted to absorb everything like a sponge.”
He did so, which is why he could be only two victories away from realizing his dream of winning a major belt.
Of course, the first victory is not expected to come easily. Buatsi (17-0, 13 KOs), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and longtime friend of Azeez, is the more established fighter and about a 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets) to win on Feb. 3.
That’s what makes the matchup so significant for Azeez. If he wins, he’ll reach star status in addition to earning a shot at Bivol.
“I didn’t get into boxing to be a star,” he said. “I didn’t even get into boxing to earn money. I just wanted to prove to myself that something you’re not good [initially] at you can do, that with dedication you can get to the top. But, yes, this is my coming out fight worldwide.
“In the U.K., when I won the British title, yes, we had another really good light heavyweight. But worldwide, this is definitely my coming out.”
That’s exciting for Azeez. More than a decade of hard work and sacrifice could pay off in his next few fights.
“It’s exciting. It can be nerve wracking. There’s pressure,” he said. “This is what it’s all about, having these moments, overcoming real challenges. You have a mountain in front of you. You either climb it or you fall. There’s no other way to put it. Either you do or you don’t.
“This is what shows what you’re made of, these kinds of moments.”
Dan Azeez is scheduled to face fellow Londoner Joshua Buatsi in what could be a defining fight for him on Feb. 3 at OVO Arena Wembley.
Dan Azeez’s big moment has arrived.
The 175-pound contender, who has built a perfect record in spite of a late start in boxing, is scheduled to face fellow Londoner Joshua Buatsi in what could be a defining fight for him on Feb. 3 at OVO Arena Wembley.
The winner of the WBA title eliminator will be first in line to face champion Dmitry Bivol, although Bivol appears headed toward a showdown with Artur Beterbiev.
The Azeez-Buatsi fight, originally scheduled for October, was postponed after Azeez injured his back.
“I still have so much to prove to everyone,” Azeez told Boxing Junkie. “I want to show that, yes, I’m a legitimate challenger and I’m going to be a world champion.”
Azeez (20-0, 13 KOs) dabbled in the sweet science as a minor but didn’t become a competitive boxer until he was 19 or 20, when he was at university.
The odds of succeeding are stacked against a fighter who takes up the sport as an adult. Azeez, now 34, beat those odds by reaching the top four of all four major sanctioning bodies.
That doesn’t mean the learning process was easy, however. He had to work harder than his peers who started boxing as children.
“I did feel like I had to play catch up,” he said. “Maybe you’re sparring a 14- or 15-year-old and their technical skills are so much better than yours. They take to it like fish to the sea. For me it was a bit more difficult. The footwork, I was a bit more rigid.
“… But I had the mindset. That kept me [on pace] with people who were in boxing longer than me. I always wanted to learn, I wanted to absorb everything like a sponge.”
He did so, which is why he could be only two victories away from realizing his dream of winning a major belt.
Of course, the first victory is not expected to come easily. Buatsi (17-0, 13 KOs), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and longtime friend of Azeez, is the more established fighter and about a 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets) to win on Feb. 3.
That’s what makes the matchup so significant for Azeez. If he wins, he’ll reach star status in addition to earning a shot at Bivol.
“I didn’t get into boxing to be a star,” he said. “I didn’t even get into boxing to earn money. I just wanted to prove to myself that something you’re not good [initially] at you can do, that with dedication you can get to the top. But, yes, this is my coming out fight worldwide.
“In the U.K., when I won the British title, yes, we had another really good light heavyweight. But worldwide, this is definitely my coming out.”
That’s exciting for Azeez. More than a decade of hard work and sacrifice could pay off in his next few fights.
“It’s exciting. It can be nerve wracking. There’s pressure,” he said. “This is what it’s all about, having these moments, overcoming real challenges. You have a mountain in front of you. You either climb it or you fall. There’s no other way to put it. Either you do or you don’t.
“This is what shows what you’re made of, these kinds of moments.”
Joshua Buatsi vs. Dan Azeez: Date, time, how to watch, background.
Light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi is scheduled to face unbeaten Dan Azeez on Saturday in London.
JOSHUA BUATSI (17-0, 13 KOs)
VS. DAN AZEEZ (20-0, 13 KOs)
Joshua Buatsi (right) will face friend Dan Azeez on Saturday. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
Where: O2 Arena, London
TV/Stream: Peacock
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Buatsi 3-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Mikael Lawal vs. Isaac Chamberlain, cruiserweights; Louis Greene vs. Sam Gilley, junior middleweights; Michael Hennessy vs. Harley Benn, junior middleweights
Prediction: Buatsi KO 9
Background: The winner of this fight reportedly will be the mandatory challenger to Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title. Buatsi, 30, is a talented 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who has remained perfect as a professional but has yet to face an elite opponent. The Ghana-born Londoner is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Stepien on May 6. Azeez is a friend and former stablemate of Buatsi. The 34-year-old from London also has built his record against second-tier opponents. He last fought on July 15, when he outpointed journeyman Khalid Graidia in an eight-rounder.
Joshua Buatsi vs. Dan Azeez: Date, time, how to watch, background.
Light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi is scheduled to face unbeaten Dan Azeez on Saturday in London.
JOSHUA BUATSI (17-0, 13 KOs)
VS. DAN AZEEZ (20-0, 13 KOs)
Joshua Buatsi (right) will face friend Dan Azeez on Saturday. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
Where: O2 Arena, London
TV/Stream: Peacock
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Buatsi 3-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Mikael Lawal vs. Isaac Chamberlain, cruiserweights; Louis Greene vs. Sam Gilley, junior middleweights; Michael Hennessy vs. Harley Benn, junior middleweights
Prediction: Buatsi KO 9
Background: The winner of this fight reportedly will be the mandatory challenger to Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title. Buatsi, 30, is a talented 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who has remained perfect as a professional but has yet to face an elite opponent. The Ghana-born Londoner is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Stepien on May 6. Azeez is a friend and former stablemate of Buatsi. The 34-year-old from London also has built his record against second-tier opponents. He last fought on July 15, when he outpointed journeyman Khalid Graidia in an eight-rounder.
Fight Week: 147-pound contender Alexis Rocha will face Giovani Santillan and Jack Catterall will return to action on a busy weekend.
FIGHT WEEK
Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is scheduled to face Giovani Santillan in his toughest test in California. Meanwhile, in England, 140-pound contender Jack Catterall will return against Jorge Linares.
JACK CATTERALL (27-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JORGE LINARES (47-8, 29 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Catterall 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Peter McGrail vs. Fran Mendoza, junior featherweights; Shabaz Masoud vs. Jose Sanmartin, junior featherweights; Aqib Fiaz vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights
Prediction: Catterall UD
Background: Catterall took his biggest step forward in a disputed split-decision loss to then-titleholder Josh Taylor in February of last year, after which a proposed rematch failed to materialize. He ended up putting Darragh Foley down twice and easily outpointing him on May 27, his most recent fight. The 30-year-old from Northern England is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, which means another title shot is a realistic possibility if he continues to win. Linares, 38, is a former three-division world titleholder trying to remain relevant after three consecutive losses. He was competitive against 135-pound beltholder Devin Haney in May 2021 but was stopped by Zaur Abdullaev in a fight he was winning early last year and outpointed by Zhora Hamazaryan in December.
JOSHUA BUATSI (17-0, 13 KOs)
VS. DAN AZEEZ (20-0, 13 KOs)
Joshua Buatsi (right) will face friend Dan Azeez on Saturday. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
Where: O2 Arena, London
TV/Stream: Peacock
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Buatsi 3-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Mikael Lawal vs. Isaac Chamberlain, cruiserweights; Louis Greene vs. Sam Gilley, junior middleweights; Michael Hennessy vs. Harley Benn, junior middleweights
Prediction: Buatsi KO 9
Background: The winner of this fight reportedly will be the mandatory challenger to Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title. Buatsi, 30, is a talented 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who has remained perfect as a professional but has yet to face an elite opponent. The Ghana-born Londoner is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Stepien on May 6. Azeez is a friend and former stablemate of Buatsi. The 34-year-old from London also has built his record against second-tier opponents. He last fought on July 15, when he outpointed journeyman Khalid Graidia in an eight-rounder.
Odds: Rocha 4½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: John Ramirez vs. Ronal Batista, junior bantamweights; Joseph Diaz vs. Richard Medina, lightweights; Arely Mucino vs. Gabriela Fundora, flyweights (for Mucino’s IBF title); Ricardo Sandoval vs. Victor Sandoval, flyweights
Prediction: Rocha UD
Background: Rocha is closing in on his first title shot but must get past the unbeaten Santillan first. The 26-year-old from the Los Angeles area, ranked No. 1 by the WBO, has won seven consecutive fights since slick Rashidi Ellis defeated him by a unanimous decision in October 2020. He’s coming off a fifth-round knockout of solid Anthony Young on May 27. Santillan could be Rocha’s toughest test yet. The 31-year-old from San Diego last fought on July 22, when he defeated capable Erick Bone by a clear unanimous decision. This matchup also is a step up in opposition for Santillan. Terence Crawford holds all four major 147-pound titles.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Brandon Glanton vs. Carlos Fromenta Romero, cruiserweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)
Fight Week: 147-pound contender Alexis Rocha will face Giovani Santillan and Jack Catterall will return to action on a busy weekend.
FIGHT WEEK
Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is scheduled to face Giovani Santillan in his toughest test in California. Meanwhile, in England, 140-pound contender Jack Catterall will return against Jorge Linares.
JACK CATTERALL (27-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JORGE LINARES (47-8, 29 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Catterall 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Peter McGrail vs. Fran Mendoza, junior featherweights; Shabaz Masoud vs. Jose Sanmartin, junior featherweights; Aqib Fiaz vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights
Prediction: Catterall UD
Background: Catterall took his biggest step forward in a disputed split-decision loss to then-titleholder Josh Taylor in February of last year, after which a proposed rematch failed to materialize. He ended up putting Darragh Foley down twice and easily outpointing him on May 27, his most recent fight. The 30-year-old from Northern England is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, which means another title shot is a realistic possibility if he continues to win. Linares, 38, is a former three-division world titleholder trying to remain relevant after three consecutive losses. He was competitive against 135-pound beltholder Devin Haney in May 2021 but was stopped by Zaur Abdullaev in a fight he was winning early last year and outpointed by Zhora Hamazaryan in December.
JOSHUA BUATSI (17-0, 13 KOs)
VS. DAN AZEEZ (20-0, 13 KOs)
Joshua Buatsi (right) will face friend Dan Azeez on Saturday. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
Where: O2 Arena, London
TV/Stream: Peacock
Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Buatsi 3-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Mikael Lawal vs. Isaac Chamberlain, cruiserweights; Louis Greene vs. Sam Gilley, junior middleweights; Michael Hennessy vs. Harley Benn, junior middleweights
Prediction: Buatsi KO 9
Background: The winner of this fight reportedly will be the mandatory challenger to Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title. Buatsi, 30, is a talented 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who has remained perfect as a professional but has yet to face an elite opponent. The Ghana-born Londoner is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Stepien on May 6. Azeez is a friend and former stablemate of Buatsi. The 34-year-old from London also has built his record against second-tier opponents. He last fought on July 15, when he outpointed journeyman Khalid Graidia in an eight-rounder.
Odds: Rocha 4½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: John Ramirez vs. Ronal Batista, junior bantamweights; Joseph Diaz vs. Richard Medina, lightweights; Arely Mucino vs. Gabriela Fundora, flyweights (for Mucino’s IBF title); Ricardo Sandoval vs. Victor Sandoval, flyweights
Prediction: Rocha UD
Background: Rocha is closing in on his first title shot but must get past the unbeaten Santillan first. The 26-year-old from the Los Angeles area, ranked No. 1 by the WBO, has won seven consecutive fights since slick Rashidi Ellis defeated him by a unanimous decision in October 2020. He’s coming off a fifth-round knockout of solid Anthony Young on May 27. Santillan could be Rocha’s toughest test yet. The 31-year-old from San Diego last fought on July 22, when he defeated capable Erick Bone by a clear unanimous decision. This matchup also is a step up in opposition for Santillan. Terence Crawford holds all four major 147-pound titles.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Brandon Glanton vs. Carlos Fromenta Romero, cruiserweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)
Brandon Figueroa isn’t the most talented fighter in the world. He isn’t particularly quick or athletic. And while he has solid skills honed over two thirds of his life, no one would confuse him with Vasiliy Lomachenko.
The new 122-pound titleholder is where he is because of hard work, innate toughness and determination, blue-collar qualities that make him a nightmare for any opponent and a favorite of fans.
Luis Nery learned that the hard way on Saturday, when the Mexican got off to a strong start only to wilt under Figueroa’s relentless pressure and have his night ended by a vicious left to the ribs at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Nery was the better boxer, Figueroa the better fighter for the reasons stated above.
“My corner told me to pressure him and that he wouldn’t last. That’s exactly what happened,” Figueroa said.
A friend described Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) as a smaller version of Antonio Margarito, the physically imposing and seemingly indestructible welterweight from the 2000s. I liked that comparison. Margarito, at his best, was something to behold.
Of course, Margarito eventually fell to better all-around fighters. Is that on the horizon for Figueroa?
The victory over Nery set up a junior featherweight title-unification showdown with Stephen Fulton, a gifted, polished boxer who dominated in his most-recent fight an opponent with a similar style to that of Figueroa, Angelo Leo.
The oddsmakers will make Fulton a significant favorite. Nery was favored too, though. And we saw what happened. Figueroa isn’t the fighter Fulton is but he’s special in his own way.
[lawrence-related id=20310]
***
BAD
Is Luis Nery (left) too small for the 122-pound division? Esther Lin / Showtime
Nery (31-1, 24 KOs) was a force of nature at 118 pounds, a good, athletic boxer with crushing power. Hence his record of 29-0 (24 KOs) before he moved up to 122. He’s 1-1 since, a lackluster decision over Aaron Alameda to win his title and the fight on Saturday.
The obvious conclusion is that Nery is naturally too small to handle elite junior featherweights, an argument that might have some merit.
“Like I said, Nery is a 118-pounder. He needs to say down there,” Fulton said after the fight Saturday.
However, that’s not fair to Figueroa because it minimizes his victory. As we’ve seen in the past, natural 122-pounders have had trouble with his size, strength and pressure. For God’s sake, he went toe-to-toe in a 2019 draw with Julio Ceja, who came in 4½ pounds over the limit.
The point is that Nery might’ve simply tangled with the wrong guy in his transition to a new weight.
Another possibility: Nery wasn’t quite as good as many thought even though he created a stir in his exciting run at 118 pounds. He had ability and punching power but he was always hittable. Maybe such an outcome was inevitable.
Of course, we’ll learn a lot about Nery going forward. We’ll see whether he decides to go back down to 118 pounds, which seems unlikely because he evidently had to work hard to make 122.
More important, we’ll see how resilient he is emotionally. That was a brutal loss in the end, one that could be difficult to overcome. Remember: He reportedly had never tasted defeat either as an amateur or a professional. This is new to him.
His response to the setback could be how he’s remembered as a fighter.
***
WORSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLtTdNIoSL0
The scoring in the Xavier Martinez-Juan Carlos Burgos 130-pound fight on the Figueroa-Nery card might’ve been accurate but it certainly doesn’t tell the complete story.
Burgos, a 33-year-old from Mexico who has faced a number of big-name opponents, showed up for his fight on the Figueroa-Nery card in prime shape and determined to show that he remains a fighter to be reckoned with.
He largely succeeded, pushing Martinez to his limits by leaving every single ounce of himself in the ring in a tremendous back-and-forth brawl. Burgos couldn’t have fought harder than he did.
The scores? All three judges had it 99-91 for Martinez, nine rounds to one.
Martinez deserved the victory. I scored it 97-93 in his favor, seven rounds to three. The talented all-around fighter from Sacramento, Calif., landed the cleaner, harder punches to win the fight and take another step toward his first shot at a title.
However, I fear that people will see the 99-91 scores and think that the fight wasn’t competitive, which would be a shame given Burgos’ effort. The spectators at the arena knew better. They booed Martinez afterward, not because he had his hand raised but because Burgos didn’t get enough credit from the judges.
I feel the same way about Burgos’ recent results: He’s 1-3 in his last four fights, with losses to Devin Haney, Hector Tanajara and now Martinez. It would be easy to write him off, especially at his age.
He doesn’t deserve that. He demonstrated in inspiring fashion on Saturday that he has a lot more to give.
[lawrence-related id=20304]
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
If only Daniel Roman had more pop in his punches. The former junior featherweight titleholder gave a strong performance against Ricardo Espinoza on the Figueroa-Nery card, withstanding constant pressure to pick apart the capable Mexican and win a wide decision. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) clearly demonstrated that he remains a wonderful boxer and one of the best 122-pounders in the world. He deserves the opportunity to fight for another title he covets. … Light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi (14-0, 12 KOs) scored a brutal knockout on Saturday in Manchester, England. The 28-year-old Ghana-born Londoner landed a jarring overhand right to the chin of Daniel Dos Santos (15-1, 8 KOs) and followed with another quick right as the Frenchman was going down to end the fight instantaneously in the fourth round. Buatsi, who is trained by Virgil Hunter, appears to be a legitimate threat to any 175-pounder. He has ability, seems to have a high ring IQ and he clearly can punch. … News item: Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh said that UFC President Dana White nixed a planned exhibition between Oscar De La Hoya and former MMA star Georges St-Pierre, who remains under contract to UFC even though he hasn’t fought in years. I get it … and I don’t. White doesn’t want Triller or anyone to have a free run at his fighters. At the same time, White allowed Ben Askren to fight Jake Paul. Why not let De La Hoya and St-Pierre make some money? And perhaps White could take a percentage of the pot. I have a feeling it has something to do with White’s dislike for De La Hoya. The boxer-turned-promoter probably will get the last laugh, though. He’ll find someone of note to fight and still make a boat-load of cash.
Brandon Figueroa isn’t the most talented fighter in the world. He isn’t particularly quick or athletic. And while he has solid skills honed over two thirds of his life, no one would confuse him with Vasiliy Lomachenko.
The new 122-pound titleholder is where he is because of hard work, innate toughness and determination, blue-collar qualities that make him a nightmare for any opponent and a favorite of fans.
Luis Nery learned that the hard way on Saturday, when the Mexican got off to a strong start only to wilt under Figueroa’s relentless pressure and have his night ended by a vicious left to the ribs at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Nery was the better boxer, Figueroa the better fighter for the reasons stated above.
“My corner told me to pressure him and that he wouldn’t last. That’s exactly what happened,” Figueroa said.
A friend described Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) as a smaller version of Antonio Margarito, the physically imposing and seemingly indestructible welterweight from the 2000s. I liked that comparison. Margarito, at his best, was something to behold.
Of course, Margarito eventually fell to better all-around fighters. Is that on the horizon for Figueroa?
The victory over Nery set up a junior featherweight title-unification showdown with Stephen Fulton, a gifted, polished boxer who dominated in his most-recent fight an opponent with a similar style to that of Figueroa, Angelo Leo.
The oddsmakers will make Fulton a significant favorite. Nery was favored too, though. And we saw what happened. Figueroa isn’t the fighter Fulton is but he’s special in his own way.
[lawrence-related id=20310]
***
BAD
Is Luis Nery (left) too small for the 122-pound division? Esther Lin / Showtime
Nery (31-1, 24 KOs) was a force of nature at 118 pounds, a good, athletic boxer with crushing power. Hence his record of 29-0 (24 KOs) before he moved up to 122. He’s 1-1 since, a lackluster decision over Aaron Alameda to win his title and the fight on Saturday.
The obvious conclusion is that Nery is naturally too small to handle elite junior featherweights, an argument that might have some merit.
“Like I said, Nery is a 118-pounder. He needs to say down there,” Fulton said after the fight Saturday.
However, that’s not fair to Figueroa because it minimizes his victory. As we’ve seen in the past, natural 122-pounders have had trouble with his size, strength and pressure. For God’s sake, he went toe-to-toe in a 2019 draw with Julio Ceja, who came in 4½ pounds over the limit.
The point is that Nery might’ve simply tangled with the wrong guy in his transition to a new weight.
Another possibility: Nery wasn’t quite as good as many thought even though he created a stir in his exciting run at 118 pounds. He had ability and punching power but he was always hittable. Maybe such an outcome was inevitable.
Of course, we’ll learn a lot about Nery going forward. We’ll see whether he decides to go back down to 118 pounds, which seems unlikely because he evidently had to work hard to make 122.
More important, we’ll see how resilient he is emotionally. That was a brutal loss in the end, one that could be difficult to overcome. Remember: He reportedly had never tasted defeat either as an amateur or a professional. This is new to him.
His response to the setback could be how he’s remembered as a fighter.
***
WORSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLtTdNIoSL0
The scoring in the Xavier Martinez-Juan Carlos Burgos 130-pound fight on the Figueroa-Nery card might’ve been accurate but it certainly doesn’t tell the complete story.
Burgos, a 33-year-old from Mexico who has faced a number of big-name opponents, showed up for his fight on the Figueroa-Nery card in prime shape and determined to show that he remains a fighter to be reckoned with.
He largely succeeded, pushing Martinez to his limits by leaving every single ounce of himself in the ring in a tremendous back-and-forth brawl. Burgos couldn’t have fought harder than he did.
The scores? All three judges had it 99-91 for Martinez, nine rounds to one.
Martinez deserved the victory. I scored it 97-93 in his favor, seven rounds to three. The talented all-around fighter from Sacramento, Calif., landed the cleaner, harder punches to win the fight and take another step toward his first shot at a title.
However, I fear that people will see the 99-91 scores and think that the fight wasn’t competitive, which would be a shame given Burgos’ effort. The spectators at the arena knew better. They booed Martinez afterward, not because he had his hand raised but because Burgos didn’t get enough credit from the judges.
I feel the same way about Burgos’ recent results: He’s 1-3 in his last four fights, with losses to Devin Haney, Hector Tanajara and now Martinez. It would be easy to write him off, especially at his age.
He doesn’t deserve that. He demonstrated in inspiring fashion on Saturday that he has a lot more to give.
[lawrence-related id=20304]
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
If only Daniel Roman had more pop in his punches. The former junior featherweight titleholder gave a strong performance against Ricardo Espinoza on the Figueroa-Nery card, withstanding constant pressure to pick apart the capable Mexican and win a wide decision. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) clearly demonstrated that he remains a wonderful boxer and one of the best 122-pounders in the world. He deserves the opportunity to fight for another title he covets. … Light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi (14-0, 12 KOs) scored a brutal knockout on Saturday in Manchester, England. The 28-year-old Ghana-born Londoner landed a jarring overhand right to the chin of Daniel Dos Santos (15-1, 8 KOs) and followed with another quick right as the Frenchman was going down to end the fight instantaneously in the fourth round. Buatsi, who is trained by Virgil Hunter, appears to be a legitimate threat to any 175-pounder. He has ability, seems to have a high ring IQ and he clearly can punch. … News item: Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh said that UFC President Dana White nixed a planned exhibition between Oscar De La Hoya and former MMA star Georges St-Pierre, who remains under contract to UFC even though he hasn’t fought in years. I get it … and I don’t. White doesn’t want Triller or anyone to have a free run at his fighters. At the same time, White allowed Ben Askren to fight Jake Paul. Why not let De La Hoya and St-Pierre make some money? And perhaps White could take a percentage of the pot. I have a feeling it has something to do with White’s dislike for De La Hoya. The boxer-turned-promoter probably will get the last laugh, though. He’ll find someone of note to fight and still make a boat-load of cash.
Joshua Buatsi knocked out Daniel Dos Santos with huge right in Round 4 on Saturday in Manchester, England.
Joshua Buatsi left no doubt about the result on Saturday in Manchester, England.
The light heavyweight contender from London landed a monster right hand to the chin of Daniel Dos Santos that instantaneously ended their fight in the fourth round of a scheduled 10-rounder.
Buatsi (14-0, 12 KOs) put Dos Santos (15-1, 8 KOs) down with a barrage of shots in Round 2, after which the slick Frenchman was able to stick, move and survive for a while.
Then, with Dos Santos’ back against the ropes, Buatsi connected on the right hand and followed with another quick right as Dos Santos crumpled to the canvas.
Referee Victor Loughlin didn’t have to count; Dos Santos was out. The official time was 2:44 of Round 4.
“He was awkward for a few rounds. I just landed the shot at the right time,” Buatsi said.
The native of Ghana added that the big punch was the result of following trainer Virgil Hunter’s instructions.
“I came to the corner. [Hunter] said look downstairs and hit upstairs, look upstairs and hit downstairs,” Buatsi said. “I chose the first one. I looked downstairs and I thought, ‘We’re going on top.’ And it landed.”
Buatsi has now stopped nine consecutive opponents.
Joshua Buatsi knocked out Daniel Dos Santos with huge right in Round 4 on Saturday in Manchester, England.
Joshua Buatsi left no doubt about the result on Saturday in Manchester, England.
The light heavyweight contender from London landed a monster right hand to the chin of Daniel Dos Santos that instantaneously ended their fight in the fourth round of a scheduled 10-rounder.
Buatsi (14-0, 12 KOs) put Dos Santos (15-1, 8 KOs) down with a barrage of shots in Round 2, after which the slick Frenchman was able to stick, move and survive for a while.
Then, with Dos Santos’ back against the ropes, Buatsi connected on the right hand and followed with another quick right as Dos Santos crumpled to the canvas.
Referee Victor Loughlin didn’t have to count; Dos Santos was out. The official time was 2:44 of Round 4.
“He was awkward for a few rounds. I just landed the shot at the right time,” Buatsi said.
The native of Ghana added that the big punch was the result of following trainer Virgil Hunter’s instructions.
“I came to the corner. [Hunter] said look downstairs and hit upstairs, look upstairs and hit downstairs,” Buatsi said. “I chose the first one. I looked downstairs and I thought, ‘We’re going on top.’ And it landed.”
Buatsi has now stopped nine consecutive opponents.
