DAZN presents the best 10 rounds seen on the sports streaming service in 2019.
2019 was packed with great fights and rounds. And many of them were seen on DAZN.
That included the unforgettable Round 3 of the first fight between then-heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. last June at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Ruiz went down once, Joshua twice in the round that turned the fight in Ruiz’s favor. He would go on to stop Joshua in Round 7, shocking the world.
DAZN’s digital folks put together this video of highlights of the best rounds that were seen on the sports streaming service last year.
Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create …
Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.
In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Taylor would do against Jose Ramirez, Regis Prograis (in a rematch), Maurice Hooker, Terence Crawford and Teofimo Lopez. We then tally Taylor’s record in those fights and present our standings.
Taylor had a huge 2019, defeating Ivan Baranchyk by a wide decision to win a 140-pound title and then unifying by narrowly outpointing Regis Prograis to become a major star.
We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.
The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 13 Manny Pacquiao.
So here goes: Taylor vs. his five potential opponents.
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TAYLOR (16-0, 12 KOs) VS. RAMIREZ (25-0, 17 KOs)
Jose Ramirez (punching Maurice Hooker here) is the most compelling potential opponent for Josh Taylor. Ronald Martinez / Getty Images
Rosenthal: Great matchup. Taylor and Ramirez are similar. They’re both were accomplished amateurs, they can box, they have some power and they’re big, strong 140 pounders who know how to use their muscle. Ramirez is probably more aggressive but Taylor might be a slightly better technician. The Englishman wins a close decision for that reason.
Frauenheim: Ramirez’s pound-for-pound credentials were evident last July in a stoppage of Maurice Hooker. He displayed newfound head movement and a hook to the body, all on the road in Texas. He’s getting better. Taylor will try to over-power him, bully him. But it won’t work against the poised Ramirez. Ramirez, unanimous decision.
Nam: Taylor edges this one. Ramirez’s high-octane offense will be difficult to quell. But Taylor’s superior inside work will help take some of the sting off of Ramirez’s attack. He’ll tame Ramirez. Taylor wins on points.
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TAYLOR VS. PROGRAIS (24-1, 20 KOs)
Regis Prograis (right) pushed Taylor to the limit but came up short on the cards. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
Rosenthal: Taylor won a highly competitive first fight with Prograis – a majority decision – by fighting behind his excellent jab, keeping the pressure on his rival, beating him to the punch. Prograis will have to work a little harder in the rematch to have his hand raised. Will he? Too difficult to say. This one ends in a draw.
Frauenheim: Get ready for a trilogy. Taylor’s move to Top Rank means he has a new trainer in Ben Davison. They’ll need time to develop chemistry. During the coronavirus pandemic, there are no fights, no chance to work together. Prograis II figures to happen not long after boxing returns. That’s an opportunity for Prograis. He makes adjustments, wins split decision.
Nam: Flip a coin. Taylor was busier in the first fight, which partially helped shade the scores in his favor. He also outworked Prograis on the inside and landed some crushing right hooks. Expect the same in the rematch, with Prograis making a rally that comes too late. Taylor wins by a hair on the scorecards.
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TAYLOR VS. HOOKER (27-1-3, 18 KOs)
Maurice Hooker (right) fought with spirit against Ramirez but couldn’t cope with Ramirez’s all-around game. AP Photo / Brandon Wade
Rosenthal: Hooker met his match in Ramirez, who overcame Hooker’s quickness and movement with his combination of ability and punishing aggression. Hooker could be in for a similar fate against Taylor, who will both outbox and outslug the American en route to a clear decision victory.
Frauenheim: Hooker has advantages. He’s 5-foot-11, two inches taller than Taylor. He uses his height effectively. He has an 80-inch reach, 10½ inches more than Taylor. But that won’t be enough to keep Taylor off him. Taylor, late-round stoppage.
Nam: This is Taylor’s easiest fight here. Taylor will work his way inside Hooker’s long, but lazy jab and proceed to batter the Dallas native’s rib cage. It’s a one-sided fight. Taylor gets his hand raised by the eighth round.
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TAYLOR VS. CRAWFORD (36-0, 27 KOs)
Terence Crawford might be too strong — and too good — for Taylor. Sarah Stier / Getty Images
Rosenthal: Of course, this is a big challenge for Taylor. Crawford isn’t a big welterweight but he’s bigger than Taylor. And as good as Taylor is terms of skills, Crawford is better and more dynamic. Taylor is too talented to go quietly but he will eventually wear down and get stopped late in the fight.
Frauenheim: An intriguing fight a couple of years from now. Taylor has yet to make the jump from junior-welterweight to welter. Crawford has been fighting and winning at 147 pounds since 2018 — four fights, four victories, all by stoppage. Crawford’s punching precision with both hands punishes Taylor as he moves inside. Crawford, unanimous decision.
Nam: Given Taylor’s tendency to slightly fade late in fights, this one doesn’t bode for him. Crawford is one of the top finishers in the sport. Once blood starts trickling from Taylor’s eye, Crawford will pounce on him. Expect a painful ending for Taylor, whom Crawford stops before the final bell.
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TAYLOR VS. LOPEZ (15-0, 12 KOs)
Teofimo Lopez (here standing over admiring his knock down of Richard Conmmey) would have to move up in weight to face Taylor. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Rosenthal: Lopez is a beast at 135 pounds. He has an impressive ring IQ, he’s athletic and he can whack. Hence the excitement surrounding him. But how does he do against a top 140-pounder like Taylor? Probably very well. He’ll have some trouble with Taylor’s all-around ability and size but eventually he’ll get to him and dominate the second of the fight to win a clear decision.
Frauenheim: Lopez, who will turn 23 on July 30, is a lightweight poised to become a junior-welterweight. His confidence and explosive skill set give Taylor trouble. Then again, Prograis had confidence and explosive skill set, too. Taylor beat him. Two years from now, he scores a decision over Taylor. Today, they fight to a draw.
Nam: Lopez may be bigger than the average lightweight, but at junior welterweight he would fit right in with the rest of the division. Taylor is taller, rangier and punches hard enough to give Lopez a possibly rude awakening. On the other hand, Lopez, a power puncher with great reflexes, has a good shot of doing the same to Taylor. In the end, Taylor’s versatility and experience should give him a close decision.
The Regis Prograis-Maurice Hooker fight and three PBC cards have been shelved as a result of the coronavirus threat.
Premier Boxing Champions is canceling cards through at least the end of April and Matchroom Boxing is calling off the Regis Prograis-Maurice Hooker bout because of the coronavirus pandemic.
PBC decided Monday to shelve three cards, including super middleweight David Benavidez’s homecoming scheduled for April 17 against Roamer Alexis Angulo at the Arizona Federal Theater in downtown Phoenix.
“The health and safety of the boxers, fans and those working the events are of utmost importance to us,” Tom Brown, president of TGB Promotions and lead promoter for the canceled PBC shows, said in a statement. “We are all disappointed, and as we get more information we will address future events.”
Prograis-Hooker, an intriguing junior welterweight bout, had been scheduled for April 17 at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn said he will try to re-schedule the bout.
Two other PBS cards were scheduled, one featuring Luis Nery vs. Aaron Alvarado in a bantamweight bout on March 28 at the MGM’s Park Theater in Las Vegas and Jamal James vs. Thomas Dulorme in a welterweight bout on April 11 at The Armory in Minneapolis.
The MGM announced Sunday that it was closing its casinos and hotels in Las Vegas for “the foreseeable future.’’
Meanwhile, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an advisory Sunday that events with more than 50 people should not be held over the next eight weeks. That means there might not be any boxing in the U.S. until at least May 11.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said that Manny Pacquiao and Kell Brook are possible opponents for Terence Crawford.
Terence Crawford is looking to return in June or July against a well-known opponent whose name is not Conor McGregor.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said on a Talkbox podcast that Manny Pacquiao and Kell Brook are the possibilities.
“We’re working on Terence’s fight in June or at the beginning of July,’’ Arum said. “There are a couple of options for Terence.
“We’re exploring a Pacquiao fight, and if that can’t happen, we’re exploring a fight against Kell Brook.”
Crawford trainer Brian McIntyre told ESPN in Frisco, Texas, that he has been told Crawford’s likely return date is June 13. He also mentioned Pacquiao and Brook.
“They say that they’re working on Pacquiao,” said McIntyre, who was at the news conference announcing the Regis Prograis-Maurice Hooker junior welterweight fight on April 17. “Fox and ESPN said they were going to try to work together to make something. They were going to look at the guy overseas, Kell Brook.”
Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs), a welterweight champion and No. 2 in Boxing Junkie’s latest pound-for-pound poll, had been rumored to be in line for two bouts – boxing and mixed martial arts — against UFC star McGregor. But cooperation between promotional entities and networks for Tyson Fury’s stoppage of Deontay Wilder in a heavyweight rematch appears to have created more boxing options.
Top Rank and Premier Boxing Champions were promotional partners for Fury-Wilder. Top Rank promotes Crawford and used to promote Pacquiao, who is now tied to PBC.
Pacquiao, also rumored to be a McGregor possibility, is expected to fight again this summer during a break from his duties as a Filipino Senator. Saudi Arabia, the host country for Anthony Joshua’s decision over Andy Ruiz Jr. on Dec. 7, reportedly wants to stage another major bout this summer.
“All that money, who wouldn’t want to go over there?” McIntyre said.
The 41-year-old Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs), a welterweight champion, is coming off a split decision over Keith Thurman on July 20.
Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) is a former welterweight champion who fought at 154 pounds in his last bout. He scored a seventh-round stoppage of American Mark DeLuca Feb. 2 in Sheffield England. After the impressive victory, he mentioned Crawford and said he’d be willing to go back down to 147 pounds.
Meanwhile, it’s still not clear when Errol Spence, Jr. will fight again. Spence (26-0, 21 KOs), who holds two of the belts, has been back in the gym, working his way back from a scary car crash Oct. 10 in Dallas.
“He’s got to get a fight underneath his belt to see how he feels, see if it’s still there,’’ McIntyre said of a possible Crawford-Spence fight.
Cecilia Braekhus will defend her welterweight titles against unified junior welterweight beltholder Jessica McCaskill on April 17.
Cecilia Braekhus could make history in April.
The “First Lady” is scheduled to defend her welterweight titles against unified junior welterweight beltholder Jessica McCaskill on the Regis Prograis-Maurice Hooker card April 17 in Oxon Hill, Maryland on DAZN.
Braekhus has made 25 successful defenses the 147-pound titles she originally won when she outpointed Vinni Skovgaard in 2009, which equals Joe Louis’ record for consecutive successful defenses.
Thus, she would own the record outright with a victory over McCaskill.
“I’m very excited to battle Jessica McCaskill on April 17,” said Braekhus (36-0, 9 KOs). “She is a unified world champion and a formidable opponent for me. However, following my victory in November, I only took a short time off from training and will be well prepared for this very tough challenge.
“Thanks very much to my team for their efforts in bringing me this opportunity and to my fans all over the world. I can’t wait to put on a great show for you in Maryland.”
Of course, McCaskill (8-2, 3 KOs) is coming to break Braekhus’ streak.
The product of Chicago failed in a bid to take Katie Taylor’s lightweight title in December 2017 but bounced back to win a junior welterweight title by outpointing Erica Farias in October 2018 and then add another 140-pound belt by decisioning Anahi Sanchez seven months later.
“This is a fight I wanted,” McCaskill said. “I want to fight the biggest names and the best fighters. Nothing less. My name is up there with the best in female history and I want to continue on that path. Every time I fight its exciting and not only for female boxing but for boxing – period.”
Josh Taylor will defend his junior welterweight titles against Apinum Khongsong on May 2 at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on ESPN+
The next chapter in Josh Taylor’s career will begin at home.
Taylor’s mandatory title defense against Apinum Khongsong will take place in Scotland on May 2 in his first bout since his surprising jump to Top Rank in early January, about 2½ months after his dramatic majority-decision victory over Regis Prograis for two pieces of the junior welterweight title.
Top Rank announced Thursday that Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs) will face Khongsong (16-0, 13 KOs), of Thailand, in at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow on ESPN+.
Taylor, who is from Edinburgh, will be fighting at the arena for a fifth time.
“I am super excited to kick-start the new year with a fresh start and with a new team,” said Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs), who won his first 140-pound belt in Glasgow by a unanimous decision over Ivan Baranchyk on May 18.
The Taylor announcement came on the same day that Prograis’ next bout against Maurice Hooker on April 17 was formally announced at a news conference. It might have been coincidence, but Taylor and Progais appear to be on track for a rematch in the busy junior welterweight division.
Jose Ramirez, who also holds two belts, faces Viktor Postol in a rescheduled bout on May 9 in Fresno, California, Ramirez’s hometown.
It’s still not clear who will train Taylor, who has been working with former Tyson Fury trainer Ben Davison and Adam Booth. Taylor split with Shane McGuigan when he left Barry McGuigan and Cyclone Promotions for Top Rank.
Former junior welterweight titleholders Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker will meet on April 17 in Oxon Hill, Maryland on DAZN.
The rebuilding process for Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker reportedly will begin against one another.
The former junior welterweight titleholders, who lost their belts and the zeroes in their loss columns last year, will meet on April 17 at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on DAZN, according to BoxingScene.com.
Also on the card, Luke Campbell will face Javier Fortuna for a vacant lightweight title.
Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) lost a close majority decision and his title to Josh Taylor on Oct. 26 in London. The New Orleans native was knocking on the door of pound-for-pound recognition going into that fight.
Hooker (27-1-3, 18 KOs) was less effective against Jose Ramirez on July 27 in Arlington, Texas, losing his title by a sixth-round TKO. The Dallas product rebounded with a first-round knockout of Uriel Perez in December.
Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) is coming off a one-sided decision loss to lightweight titleholder and pound-for-pound king Vassiliy Lomachenko on Aug. 31 in London. He is from Hull, in northern England.
Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs) has beaten Sharif Bogere (UD 10) and Jesus Cuellar (TKO 2) since he lost a split decision to then-lightweight titleholder Robert Easter in January 2018. Forunta is Dominican.
