Oleksandr Usyk defeated the much bigger Derek Chisora by a unanimous decision in his second heavyweight fight Saturday night at Wembley Arena in London. Usyk withstood considerable pressure applied by Chisora – taking everything the Londoner landed …
Oleksandr Usyk defeated the much bigger Derek Chisora by a unanimous decision in his second heavyweight fight Saturday night at Wembley Arena in London.
Usyk withstood considerable pressure applied by Chisora — taking everything the Londoner landed — and outboxed him to win 117-112, 115-113 and 115-113, a solid victory for the Ukrainian.
But did the former cruiserweight champ demonstrate that he’s a threat to the likes of giants Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua?
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora tackle that question.
Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue turned in special performances in separate locations on Saturday night.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
It was another day at the office, another KO for Naoya Inoue. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
I always scoff when someone says that boxers aren’t as good as they used to be. The fact is the sport continues to produce special fighters who could’ve been successful in any era.
Two prime examples were in action on Saturday at different locations.
Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue gave fans a collective glimpse of a bright immediate future, Davis, 25, stopping Leo Santa Cruz with an epic punch on pay-per-view from San Antonio and Inoue, 27, overwhelming Jason Moloney in Las Vegas.
Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) and Santa Cruz engaged in an entertaining firefight for five-plus rounds, which generated a high level of intensity and made the sixth-round ending all the more dramatic. One punch, an epic left uppercut, rendered Santa Cruz unconscious and lifted Davis to phenom status.
Is he a pay-per-view star, as he suggested afterward? I wouldn’t go that far, at least not yet, but he’s well on his way.
Davis’ quickness? His punches fly. His accuracy? He connected on an insane 54.8% of his power punches on Saturday, according to CompuBox. His power? Well, his KO percentage and what we saw on Saturday speak for themselves.
This is special stuff, folks.
Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) stopped Moloney with a straight right from hell in the seventh round to cap a dominating performance inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” Moloney is a good, strong bantamweight but he simply didn’t have the tools to cope with Inoue’s otherworldly combination of speed, power and all-around ability.
Does the dynamic Japanese fighter have any weaknesses?
TV analyst Andre Ward suggested that he doesn’t move his head enough. OK. He still has room to grow. Let’s be clear, though: Inoue has a top-of-the-line tool chest. That includes resilience, which he demonstrated in his victory over Nonito Doniare in his previous fight.
Again, special stuff. Let’s savor it.
***
BAD
Oleksandr Usyk proved he could beat a big, capable heavyweight. Dave Thompson / Matchroom
I’ve thought all along that former cruiserweight champ Oleksandr Usyk would have problems against big heavyweights. We got a glimpse of that on Saturday, when he was pushed by Derek Chisora, who was 38.5 pounds heavier than he was.
There’s no way around it: A natural 200-pounder is at a distinct disadvantage against one of the sport’s behemoths. Even Evander Holyfield, an all-time great, struggled against Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis.
That said, I don’t understand the criticism of Usyk based on his performance against Chisora in London. That’s the reason this item is filed under “bad.”
The Ukrainian withstood Chisora’s early aggression – taking some good shots, in the process – and eventually used his superior speed and technique to take control of the fight even though Chisora never stopped coming.
I scored it 117-111 for Usyk, nine rounds to three. Judge Robert Williams had a similar score, 117-112. That’s decisive. The other two judges – Jan Christensen and Yuri Koptsev – had it 115-113, seven rounds to five.
Was it a perfect performance by Usyk? No. We might never see one of those against a capable fighter of Chisora’s size for the reasons stated above. That doesn’t mean he can’t continue to win these fights, though.
Remember: Usyk was fighting at heavyweight for only the second time and he hadn’t fought for a year. He is still adjusting. And Chisora, obviously fit and motivated for the fight, couldn’t have fought much better than he did.
If I were in Usyk’s camp, I would be encouraged by what I saw on Saturday. He proved he could handle pressure from a big heavyweight and could use his advantages to win a clear decision. That’s a good night’s work.
That doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily have a similar experience against the likes of Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua. He could be taken out by a single punch at any time. I believe it does mean that he’d have a chance against anyone.
***
WORSE
Leo Santa Cruz paid a stiff price for his bravery. Esther Lin / Showtime
We all admire fighters who tempt fate by taking on monumental challenges, as Leo Santa Cruz did on Saturday.
The problem is that the fallout can be disturbing. Mikey Garcia was embarrassed by Errol Spence Jr. when he dared to fight him. Kell Brook suffered a broken face when he moved from welterweight to middleweight to face monstrous puncher Gennadiy Golovkin.
And, at least in terms of immediate appearances, Santa Cruz’s demise was particularly upsetting.
I know I’m not alone when I say I’ve grown to admire the Mexican-American, a hard-working, blue-collar champion who almost always makes for entertaining fights. He’s also one of the nicest people you’ll ever want to meet.
To see him lying unconscious under the ropes – knowing that he probably never should’ve fought Davis in the first place – was painful to see. It’s a stiff price to pay for having the bravery to challenge oneself in this way.
I take solace in two things. One, Santa Cruz will have no regrets. He knew the risk but dived in anyway. He’s a true warrior. And, two, I thought of something Manny Pacquiao said after he was stopped by Juan Manuel Marquez with one punch.
The Filipino icon said, in so many words, that bad things can happen in boxing. If you can’t accept that, then you shouldn’t be in the ring.
Pacquiao was born to be in the ring. So was Santa Cruz. “El Terremoto” will be just fine.
Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue turned in special performances in separate locations on Saturday night.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
It was another day at the office, another KO for Naoya Inoue. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
I always scoff when someone says that boxers aren’t as good as they used to be. The fact is the sport continues to produce special fighters who could’ve been successful in any era.
Two prime examples were in action on Saturday at different locations.
Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue gave fans a collective glimpse of a bright immediate future, Davis, 25, stopping Leo Santa Cruz with an epic punch on pay-per-view from San Antonio and Inoue, 27, overwhelming Jason Moloney in Las Vegas.
Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) and Santa Cruz engaged in an entertaining firefight for five-plus rounds, which generated a high level of intensity and made the sixth-round ending all the more dramatic. One punch, an epic left uppercut, rendered Santa Cruz unconscious and lifted Davis to phenom status.
Is he a pay-per-view star, as he suggested afterward? I wouldn’t go that far, at least not yet, but he’s well on his way.
Davis’ quickness? His punches fly. His accuracy? He connected on an insane 54.8% of his power punches on Saturday, according to CompuBox. His power? Well, his KO percentage and what we saw on Saturday speak for themselves.
This is special stuff, folks.
Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) stopped Moloney with a straight right from hell in the seventh round to cap a dominating performance inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” Moloney is a good, strong bantamweight but he simply didn’t have the tools to cope with Inoue’s otherworldly combination of speed, power and all-around ability.
Does the dynamic Japanese fighter have any weaknesses?
TV analyst Andre Ward suggested that he doesn’t move his head enough. OK. He still has room to grow. Let’s be clear, though: Inoue has a top-of-the-line tool chest. That includes resilience, which he demonstrated in his victory over Nonito Doniare in his previous fight.
Again, special stuff. Let’s savor it.
***
BAD
Oleksandr Usyk proved he could beat a big, capable heavyweight. Dave Thompson / Matchroom
I’ve thought all along that former cruiserweight champ Oleksandr Usyk would have problems against big heavyweights. We got a glimpse of that on Saturday, when he was pushed by Derek Chisora, who was 38.5 pounds heavier than he was.
There’s no way around it: A natural 200-pounder is at a distinct disadvantage against one of the sport’s behemoths. Even Evander Holyfield, an all-time great, struggled against Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis.
That said, I don’t understand the criticism of Usyk based on his performance against Chisora in London. That’s the reason this item is filed under “bad.”
The Ukrainian withstood Chisora’s early aggression – taking some good shots, in the process – and eventually used his superior speed and technique to take control of the fight even though Chisora never stopped coming.
I scored it 117-111 for Usyk, nine rounds to three. Judge Robert Williams had a similar score, 117-112. That’s decisive. The other two judges – Jan Christensen and Yuri Koptsev – had it 115-113, seven rounds to five.
Was it a perfect performance by Usyk? No. We might never see one of those against a capable fighter of Chisora’s size for the reasons stated above. That doesn’t mean he can’t continue to win these fights, though.
Remember: Usyk was fighting at heavyweight for only the second time and he hadn’t fought for a year. He is still adjusting. And Chisora, obviously fit and motivated for the fight, couldn’t have fought much better than he did.
If I were in Usyk’s camp, I would be encouraged by what I saw on Saturday. He proved he could handle pressure from a big heavyweight and could use his advantages to win a clear decision. That’s a good night’s work.
That doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily have a similar experience against the likes of Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua. He could be taken out by a single punch at any time. I believe it does mean that he’d have a chance against anyone.
***
WORSE
Leo Santa Cruz paid a stiff price for his bravery. Esther Lin / Showtime
We all admire fighters who tempt fate by taking on monumental challenges, as Leo Santa Cruz did on Saturday.
The problem is that the fallout can be disturbing. Mikey Garcia was embarrassed by Errol Spence Jr. when he dared to fight him. Kell Brook suffered a broken face when he moved from welterweight to middleweight to face monstrous puncher Gennadiy Golovkin.
And, at least in terms of immediate appearances, Santa Cruz’s demise was particularly upsetting.
I know I’m not alone when I say I’ve grown to admire the Mexican-American, a hard-working, blue-collar champion who almost always makes for entertaining fights. He’s also one of the nicest people you’ll ever want to meet.
To see him lying unconscious under the ropes – knowing that he probably never should’ve fought Davis in the first place – was painful to see. It’s a stiff price to pay for having the bravery to challenge oneself in this way.
I take solace in two things. One, Santa Cruz will have no regrets. He knew the risk but dived in anyway. He’s a true warrior. And, two, I thought of something Manny Pacquiao said after he was stopped by Juan Manuel Marquez with one punch.
The Filipino icon said, in so many words, that bad things can happen in boxing. If you can’t accept that, then you shouldn’t be in the ring.
Pacquiao was born to be in the ring. So was Santa Cruz. “El Terremoto” will be just fine.
Oleksandr Usyk made a strong statement in a unanimous-decision victory over Derek Chisora on Saturday in London.
Okeksandr Usyk definitely belongs.
The former undisputed cruiserweight champ, fighting at heavyweight for the second time, withstood almost-constant pressure to outbox and outwork Derek Chisora en route to a unanimous-decision victory Saturday at Wembley Arena in London.
The scores were 117-112, 115-113 and 115-113, which allowed Usyk to retain his WBO mandatory status. Boxing Junkie scored it 117-111 for Usyk.
“You know, it’s really a test at heavyweight, [fighting] a big guy, a hard guy,” Usyk said through a translator afterward.
Chisora (32-10, 23 KOs) attacked Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) from the opening bell, obviously trying to impose his 38½-pound weight advantage and generally testing the notion that Usyk is too small for a big, capable heavyweight.
Derek Chisora (right) kept Oleksandr Usyk on his toes the entire fight. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
The Londoner forced Usyk into a sort of survival mode in the first few rounds and landed some eye-catching shots, which the Ukrainian took in stride. These were intense rounds, in which many probably feared for Usyk,
However, by the third round, Usyk settled into a stick-and-move mode that would carry him though the rest of the fight. Chisora continued to pursue his prey – sometimes chasing him around the ring – but the quicker, clicker Usyk used his feet to stay out of trouble and pecked away at his opponent with stinging shots.
Usyk seemed to take full control of the fight by Round 7, when Chisora appeared to be tiring and Usyk was in a groove. Late in that round Usyk landed a number of hard, accurate punches, which seemed to open the door to a knockout.
Chisora (32-10, 23 KOs) had more to give, though. In Round 9 he was back in attack mode and Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) was back pedaling, although the winner continue to poke away at the loser as he charged toward him. Chisora acquitted himself well in Rounds 9, 10 and 11 while Usyk appeared to win the final round.
The result wasn’t surprising, as all three judges gave the victory to Usyk. The 115-113 scores – seven rounds to five – might be seen as too close by some observers.
Chisora was crushed by the result. The 36-year-old had worked hard in training camp, which was obvious given his effectiveness late in the fight. And he thought he did enough to earn the decision.
Usyk (right) pecked away at the aggressive Chisora most of the fight. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
“I’m just disappointed,” he said. “Do you think you won that fight?” he was asked. “Yeah, 100 percent,” he said. “I was pushing the pace. I gave a couple of rounds away but I was pushing the pace. But the judges saw it a different way.”
He went on: “In the heavyweight game you have to fight, not box. I’m setting the pace, he’s not setting the pace. … He caught me with some good shots, not like painful shots. But you know what? It’s boxing. There has to be one loser and one winner.
“I’m just pissed off. You don’t understand. I did work hard for this fight.”
Meanwhile, Usyk was asked what grade he would give himself – 1 to 10 – and whether he believes he proved that he can fight at a high level at heavyweight. He gave himself a 3, which evidently revealed his lofty standards, and said it’s not up to him to determine whether he’s a legitimate threat to the likes of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s a question for the fans and experts.”
Fury, the WBC titleholder, is scheduled to fight on Dec. 5, although he doesn’t have an opponent yet. Joshua, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, defends against Kubrat Pulev a week later. If Fury and Joshua win, they intend to fight one another next year.
It’s unclear how Usyk will fit in. The two most obvious scenarios: He’ll either challenge Joshua or Joshua will give up the WBO belt to fight Fury. Usyk said his plan now is to go home and spend time with his family, meaning we’ll all have to wait and see.
He did make one thing clear, though: He said he still believes he can emerge as the best heavyweight in the world when asked whether that remains his objective.
“Undisputed heavyweight champion,” he said. “Not just world champ … undisputed heavyweight champion.”
Oleksandr Usyk made a strong statement in a unanimous-decision victory over Derek Chisora on Saturday in London.
Okeksandr Usyk definitely belongs.
The former undisputed cruiserweight champ, fighting at heavyweight for the second time, withstood almost-constant pressure to outbox and outwork Derek Chisora en route to a unanimous-decision victory Saturday at Wembley Arena in London.
The scores were 117-112, 115-113 and 115-113, which allowed Usyk to retain his WBO mandatory status. Boxing Junkie scored it 117-111 for Usyk.
“You know, it’s really a test at heavyweight, [fighting] a big guy, a hard guy,” Usyk said through a translator afterward.
Chisora (32-10, 23 KOs) attacked Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) from the opening bell, obviously trying to impose his 38½-pound weight advantage and generally testing the notion that Usyk is too small for a big, capable heavyweight.
Derek Chisora (right) kept Oleksandr Usyk on his toes the entire fight. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
The Londoner forced Usyk into a sort of survival mode in the first few rounds and landed some eye-catching shots, which the Ukrainian took in stride. These were intense rounds, in which many probably feared for Usyk,
However, by the third round, Usyk settled into a stick-and-move mode that would carry him though the rest of the fight. Chisora continued to pursue his prey – sometimes chasing him around the ring – but the quicker, clicker Usyk used his feet to stay out of trouble and pecked away at his opponent with stinging shots.
Usyk seemed to take full control of the fight by Round 7, when Chisora appeared to be tiring and Usyk was in a groove. Late in that round Usyk landed a number of hard, accurate punches, which seemed to open the door to a knockout.
Chisora (32-10, 23 KOs) had more to give, though. In Round 9 he was back in attack mode and Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) was back pedaling, although the winner continue to poke away at the loser as he charged toward him. Chisora acquitted himself well in Rounds 9, 10 and 11 while Usyk appeared to win the final round.
The result wasn’t surprising, as all three judges gave the victory to Usyk. The 115-113 scores – seven rounds to five – might be seen as too close by some observers.
Chisora was crushed by the result. The 36-year-old had worked hard in training camp, which was obvious given his effectiveness late in the fight. And he thought he did enough to earn the decision.
Usyk (right) pecked away at the aggressive Chisora most of the fight. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
“I’m just disappointed,” he said. “Do you think you won that fight?” he was asked. “Yeah, 100 percent,” he said. “I was pushing the pace. I gave a couple of rounds away but I was pushing the pace. But the judges saw it a different way.”
He went on: “In the heavyweight game you have to fight, not box. I’m setting the pace, he’s not setting the pace. … He caught me with some good shots, not like painful shots. But you know what? It’s boxing. There has to be one loser and one winner.
“I’m just pissed off. You don’t understand. I did work hard for this fight.”
Meanwhile, Usyk was asked what grade he would give himself – 1 to 10 – and whether he believes he proved that he can fight at a high level at heavyweight. He gave himself a 3, which evidently revealed his lofty standards, and said it’s not up to him to determine whether he’s a legitimate threat to the likes of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s a question for the fans and experts.”
Fury, the WBC titleholder, is scheduled to fight on Dec. 5, although he doesn’t have an opponent yet. Joshua, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, defends against Kubrat Pulev a week later. If Fury and Joshua win, they intend to fight one another next year.
It’s unclear how Usyk will fit in. The two most obvious scenarios: He’ll either challenge Joshua or Joshua will give up the WBO belt to fight Fury. Usyk said his plan now is to go home and spend time with his family, meaning we’ll all have to wait and see.
He did make one thing clear, though: He said he still believes he can emerge as the best heavyweight in the world when asked whether that remains his objective.
“Undisputed heavyweight champion,” he said. “Not just world champ … undisputed heavyweight champion.”
Derek Chisora weighed in 38.5 heavier than Oleksandr Usyk for their fight Saturday in London.
Cruiserweight-turned-heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk on Friday weighed in at 217 pounds for Saturday’s fight against Derek Chisora at Wembley Arena in London (DAZN).
That’s two pounds more than he weighed for his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon a year ago, which the former unified 200-pound champion won by seventh-round knockout.
Still, Usyk will be at a distinct weight disadvantage against Chisora, who weighed 255.5. That’s the longtime contender’s lightest weight since he was stopped by Dillian Whyte in 2018.
“That’s exactly the shape I aimed for,” Usyk told Sky Sports. “It could have been a bit more, but it’s still good. “It’s important to make a good statement on Saturday to avoid hesitation from my opponents in the future.
“Now people say they don’t believe me, they don’t trust me. On Saturday I will make my statement for the heavyweights.”
Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs) wore face and body paint for the weigh-in in the spirit of Halloween, including the word “war” painted on his chest.
That appears to be the attitude he will take into the ring.
“I would rather him knock me out, than me do nothing,” Chisora said. “Either I will knock him out or he will quit on his stool. That’s what we’re going for.”
On the undercard, George Kambosos Jr. and Lee Selby both weighed 134 for their lightweight fight.
Derek Chisora weighed in 38.5 heavier than Oleksandr Usyk for their fight Saturday in London.
Cruiserweight-turned-heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk on Friday weighed in at 217 pounds for Saturday’s fight against Derek Chisora at Wembley Arena in London (DAZN).
That’s two pounds more than he weighed for his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon a year ago, which the former unified 200-pound champion won by seventh-round knockout.
Still, Usyk will be at a distinct weight disadvantage against Chisora, who weighed 255.5. That’s the longtime contender’s lightest weight since he was stopped by Dillian Whyte in 2018.
“That’s exactly the shape I aimed for,” Usyk told Sky Sports. “It could have been a bit more, but it’s still good. “It’s important to make a good statement on Saturday to avoid hesitation from my opponents in the future.
“Now people say they don’t believe me, they don’t trust me. On Saturday I will make my statement for the heavyweights.”
Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs) wore face and body paint for the weigh-in in the spirit of Halloween, including the word “war” painted on his chest.
That appears to be the attitude he will take into the ring.
“I would rather him knock me out, than me do nothing,” Chisora said. “Either I will knock him out or he will quit on his stool. That’s what we’re going for.”
On the undercard, George Kambosos Jr. and Lee Selby both weighed 134 for their lightweight fight.
The title fight between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz on pay-per-view highlights a busy weekend of boxing.
FIGHT WEEK
A look at the coming week in capsules
***
JAIME MUNGUIA (35-0, 28 KOs) VS.
TUREANO JOHNSON (21-2-1, 15 KOs)
Jaime Munguia (right against Gary OSullivan) will fight Tureano Johnson on Oct. 30. Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions
When: Friday, Oct. 30 Where: Fantasy Springs, Indio, Calif. TV: DAZN Division: Middleweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: None Odds: NA Also on the card: Rashidi Ellis vs. Alexis Rocha, welterweights; Marlen Esparza vs. Sulem Urbina, flyweights Prediction: Munguia KO 8 Background: Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at middleweight for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, is physically strong and has unusual punching power but is still developing as a boxer. He sensationally stopped Sadam Ali to win his 154-pound title in May 2018 but struggled to outpoint Dennis Hogan about a year later and seemed vulnerable against Gary O’Sullivan in his 160-pound debut in January, although he won by 11th-round knockout. The jury is still out on him. Johnson, a 36-year-old veteran, is a capable boxer-puncher but he has come up short in his biggest fights. He lost by KO to both Curtis Stevens and Sergiy Derevyanchenko and seemed destined to permanent second-tier status. However, he pumped life into his career by stopped previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year. That victory earned him this shot at Munguia. If the native of the Bahamas can win on Friday, he could find himself in a 160-pound title fight in the near future. Of course, that’s a big if.
***
GERVONTA DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOs) VS.
LEO SANTA CRUZ (37-1-1, 19)
Leo Santa Cruz (right) will face the biggest challenge of his career against Gervonta Davis. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
When: Oct. 31 Where: Alamodome, San Antonio TV: Pay-per-view Division: Junior lightweight and lightweight At stake: Santa Cruz’s 130-pound and Davis’ secondary 135-pound titles Pound-for-poundranking: Santa Cruz Honorable Mention Odds: Davis 3½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Regis Prograis vs. Juan Heraldez, junior welterweights; Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Karl, junior welterweights; Diego Magdaleno vs. Issac Cruz Gonzalez, lightweights. Prediction: Davis KO 9 Background: Davis and Santa Cruz are making their debuts as pay-per-view headliners. “Tank” has been largely untouchable in his seven-plus-year career, as his record indicates. He didn’t look great in his last fight, against veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa last December, but he still built a big lead on the cards and scored a 12th-round knockout. His biggest enemy has been his dedication to training. However, after moving his camp to Floyd Mayweather’s gym in Las Vegas, he seems to be more focused than ever. That will have been necessary to make the agreed-upon 130-pound limit for the fight. Santa Cruz could be Davis’ toughest challenge. The four-division titleholder also has been a consistent winner. He avenged the only loss of his career, outpointing Carl Frampton in their rematch. Santa Cruz’s Achilles’ heel in this fight could be his natural size. He fought at featherweight only two fights ago yet will be facing a big junior lightweight with uncommon punching power. “El Terremoto” looked so-so in his title-winning fight against Miguel Flores last November but battled flu symptoms during training. Should be fun.
***
NAOYA INOUE (19-0, 16 KOs) VS.
JASON MOLONEY (21-1, 18 KOs)
Naoya Inoue (left) will face a solid test when he stakes on Jason Moloney. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP via Getty Images
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas TV: ESPN Division: Bantamweights At stake: Inoue’s IBF and WBA titles Pound-for-poundranking: Inoue No. 3 Odds: Inoue 9-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, junior lightweights (for Brodnicka’s title) Prediction: Inoue KO 4 Background: Inoue, a three-division titleholder, has steamrolled his way to the pinnacle of the sport with uncommon natural gifts – speed, power, IQ – and the seasoning to make full use of them. His most-recent opponent, Nonito Donaire, seemed to expose vulnerabilities in the Japanese star but Inoue had to fight through a broken bone in his face and still emerged with a clear decision victory last November in Japan. Inoue, hoping to make his mark in the United States, will be fighting there for the second time in his career. He stopped Antonio Nieves in six rounds in 2017 in California. Moloney, a well-schooled boxer from Australia, will have his work cut out but he can’t be written off. He has the tools to give anyone problems and, as a former junior featherweight, is naturally bigger than Inoue. Also, he’s coming off an impressive seventh-round knockout of capable Leonardo Baez on June 25 inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” That means he will have been active more recently than Inoue and is more familiar with the venue.
Oleksandr Usyk (right) will take on Derek Chisora in his second heavyweight fight. AP Photo / Kamil Krzaczynski
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: Wembley Arena, London TV: DAZN Division: Heavyweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: Usyk No. 4 Odds: Usyk 5½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Lee Selby vs. George Kambosos Jr., lightweights; Tommy McCarthy vs. Bilal Laggoune, cruiserweights (for vacant European title) Prediction: Usyk UD Background: Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, will be fighting at heavyweight for the second time. He looked comfortable in a seventh-round knockout of Chazz Witherspoon in his debut at the weight in October of last year, meaning he will have been out of the ring for 12 months. Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua’s WBO title. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed 215 pounds for the Witherspoon fight, more than 45 less than Chisora (260¼) weighed when he stopped David Price in four rounds in October of last year. Chisora, 36, has been a contender for a decade. The Londoner lost a wide decision to Vitali Klitschko in his only title shot back in 2012. He’s a solid all-around heavyweight who has come up short – sometimes barely – in his biggest fights. He has won three consecutive fights since he was stopped by Dillian Whyte in 11 rounds in December 2018. Usyk is clearly a better boxer in this fight but Chisora will be bigger and stronger. We’ll learn a lot about Usyk’s future at heavyweight on Saturday.
The title fight between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz on pay-per-view highlights a busy weekend of boxing.
FIGHT WEEK
A look at the coming week in capsules
***
JAIME MUNGUIA (35-0, 28 KOs) VS.
TUREANO JOHNSON (21-2-1, 15 KOs)
Jaime Munguia (right against Gary OSullivan) will fight Tureano Johnson on Oct. 30. Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions
When: Friday, Oct. 30 Where: Fantasy Springs, Indio, Calif. TV: DAZN Division: Middleweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: None Odds: NA Also on the card: Rashidi Ellis vs. Alexis Rocha, welterweights; Marlen Esparza vs. Sulem Urbina, flyweights Prediction: Munguia KO 8 Background: Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at middleweight for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, is physically strong and has unusual punching power but is still developing as a boxer. He sensationally stopped Sadam Ali to win his 154-pound title in May 2018 but struggled to outpoint Dennis Hogan about a year later and seemed vulnerable against Gary O’Sullivan in his 160-pound debut in January, although he won by 11th-round knockout. The jury is still out on him. Johnson, a 36-year-old veteran, is a capable boxer-puncher but he has come up short in his biggest fights. He lost by KO to both Curtis Stevens and Sergiy Derevyanchenko and seemed destined to permanent second-tier status. However, he pumped life into his career by stopped previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year. That victory earned him this shot at Munguia. If the native of the Bahamas can win on Friday, he could find himself in a 160-pound title fight in the near future. Of course, that’s a big if.
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GERVONTA DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOs) VS.
LEO SANTA CRUZ (37-1-1, 19)
Leo Santa Cruz (right) will face the biggest challenge of his career against Gervonta Davis. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
When: Oct. 31 Where: Alamodome, San Antonio TV: Pay-per-view Division: Junior lightweight and lightweight At stake: Santa Cruz’s 130-pound and Davis’ secondary 135-pound titles Pound-for-poundranking: Santa Cruz Honorable Mention Odds: Davis 3½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Regis Prograis vs. Juan Heraldez, junior welterweights; Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Karl, junior welterweights; Diego Magdaleno vs. Issac Cruz Gonzalez, lightweights. Prediction: Davis KO 9 Background: Davis and Santa Cruz are making their debuts as pay-per-view headliners. “Tank” has been largely untouchable in his seven-plus-year career, as his record indicates. He didn’t look great in his last fight, against veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa last December, but he still built a big lead on the cards and scored a 12th-round knockout. His biggest enemy has been his dedication to training. However, after moving his camp to Floyd Mayweather’s gym in Las Vegas, he seems to be more focused than ever. That will have been necessary to make the agreed-upon 130-pound limit for the fight. Santa Cruz could be Davis’ toughest challenge. The four-division titleholder also has been a consistent winner. He avenged the only loss of his career, outpointing Carl Frampton in their rematch. Santa Cruz’s Achilles’ heel in this fight could be his natural size. He fought at featherweight only two fights ago yet will be facing a big junior lightweight with uncommon punching power. “El Terremoto” looked so-so in his title-winning fight against Miguel Flores last November but battled flu symptoms during training. Should be fun.
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NAOYA INOUE (19-0, 16 KOs) VS.
JASON MOLONEY (21-1, 18 KOs)
Naoya Inoue (left) will face a solid test when he stakes on Jason Moloney. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP via Getty Images
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas TV: ESPN Division: Bantamweights At stake: Inoue’s IBF and WBA titles Pound-for-poundranking: Inoue No. 3 Odds: Inoue 9-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, junior lightweights (for Brodnicka’s title) Prediction: Inoue KO 4 Background: Inoue, a three-division titleholder, has steamrolled his way to the pinnacle of the sport with uncommon natural gifts – speed, power, IQ – and the seasoning to make full use of them. His most-recent opponent, Nonito Donaire, seemed to expose vulnerabilities in the Japanese star but Inoue had to fight through a broken bone in his face and still emerged with a clear decision victory last November in Japan. Inoue, hoping to make his mark in the United States, will be fighting there for the second time in his career. He stopped Antonio Nieves in six rounds in 2017 in California. Moloney, a well-schooled boxer from Australia, will have his work cut out but he can’t be written off. He has the tools to give anyone problems and, as a former junior featherweight, is naturally bigger than Inoue. Also, he’s coming off an impressive seventh-round knockout of capable Leonardo Baez on June 25 inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” That means he will have been active more recently than Inoue and is more familiar with the venue.
Oleksandr Usyk (right) will take on Derek Chisora in his second heavyweight fight. AP Photo / Kamil Krzaczynski
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: Wembley Arena, London TV: DAZN Division: Heavyweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: Usyk No. 4 Odds: Usyk 5½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Lee Selby vs. George Kambosos Jr., lightweights; Tommy McCarthy vs. Bilal Laggoune, cruiserweights (for vacant European title) Prediction: Usyk UD Background: Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, will be fighting at heavyweight for the second time. He looked comfortable in a seventh-round knockout of Chazz Witherspoon in his debut at the weight in October of last year, meaning he will have been out of the ring for 12 months. Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua’s WBO title. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed 215 pounds for the Witherspoon fight, more than 45 less than Chisora (260¼) weighed when he stopped David Price in four rounds in October of last year. Chisora, 36, has been a contender for a decade. The Londoner lost a wide decision to Vitali Klitschko in his only title shot back in 2012. He’s a solid all-around heavyweight who has come up short – sometimes barely – in his biggest fights. He has won three consecutive fights since he was stopped by Dillian Whyte in 11 rounds in December 2018. Usyk is clearly a better boxer in this fight but Chisora will be bigger and stronger. We’ll learn a lot about Usyk’s future at heavyweight on Saturday.
George Kambosos Jr. and Lee Selby are scheduled to fight in a lightweight title eliminator on Oct. 31.
One of Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s mandatory challengers is about to emerge.
George Kambosos Jr. is scheduled to fight Lee Selby in an IBF lightweight title eliminator on the Oleksandr Usyk-Derek Chisora card on Oct. 31. The site of the show has not been finalized.
The IBF has Kambosos ranked No. 3, Selby No. 4. The Nos. 1 and 2 slots are vacant.
Kambosos (18-0, 10 KOs) traveled from his home in Australia to fight American Mickey Bey this past December at Madison Square Garden and emerged with a split-decision victory, which set up the fight with Selby.
Lopez outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko to become undisputed 135-pound champ last Saturday.
“Beating Lee Selby means everything to me,” Kambosos said. “I’m hungry, focused and have trained like a man possessed to handle business on October 31st. This is a young man’s sport and Lopez proved that against Lomachenko when he became the unified lightweight world champion. and I will prove it once again against Lee Selby.
“This hungry young lion will become mandatory, that is my complete focus, this is why I have sacrificed so much and then you best believe that ‘Ferocious Kambosos’ will be primed and ready to take all the belts off another hungry, young lion in Teofimo Lopez. Let’s see who the real king of the jungle is.”
Selby (28-2, 9 KOs) is coming off a majority-decision victory over Ricky Burns in October of last year. That was his second consecutive win since losing his featherweight title to Josh Warrington by a split decision in 2018.
“He’s very confident in himself,” the Welshman said. “If you listened to him talk, you’d think he’s the next Muhammad Ali, which he’s not. Looking at his record, it’s difficult to gauge how good he really is. His best win came against Mickey Bey when he was past his best at 36 and inactive. The rest of his record is padded.
“This fight has been a long time coming, and I’m glad we’re just over a week away now. I’m one step away from a shot at the IBF lightweight world title and my dream of becoming Wales’ first ever two-weight world champion.”
Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs), the former unified cruiserweight titleholder, faces his first significant test at heavyweight against longtime contender Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs).
