Tag: Tommy Fury

Fight Week: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, Floyd Mayweather exhibition take center stage

Fight Week: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury and a Floyd Mayweather exhibition highlight a busy weekend of boxing.

FIGHT WEEK

Subriel Matias and Jeremias Ponce will fight for a vacant 140-pound title but a Floyd Mayweather exhibition and the Jake Paul-Tommy Fury fight are stealing all the headlines.

SUBRIEL MATIAS (18-1, 18 KOS)
VS. JEREMIAS PONCE (30-0, 20 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 25
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: The Armory, Minneapolis
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: Vacant IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Matias 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Elvis Rodriguez vs. Joseph Adorno, junior welterweights; Jamal James vs. Alberto Palmetta, welterweights
  • Prediction: Matias KO 8
  • Background: This matchup between offense-minded warriors should be pleasing to the fans. Matias is uber-aggressive and has the power necessary to succeed with that style, as all of his victories have come by knockout. The 30-year-old Puerto Rican met his match when he was narrowly outpointed by Petros Ananyan but dropped and stopped Ananyan in the ninth round of their rematch in January of last year. That was Matias’ most-recent fight, meaning he has been out of the ring for 13 months. Ponce isn’t quite as aggressive as Matias but he also has a seek-and-destroy style, using his length (he’s 5-foot-11) to deliver whipping shots to the head and body. And while he doesn’t have the concussive power of Matias he has stopped his last three opponents and four of his last five. Ponce’s last three fights have taken place in Europe, including a third-round knockout of journeyman Achiko Odikadze in his most-recent outing last April in Germany. He will be making his U.S. debut on Saturday. Neither Matias nor Ponce has fought for a major world title.

 

FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. AARON CHALMERS

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 25
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: O2 Arena, London
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view ($29.99)
  • At stake: Exhibition
  • Background: Mayweather will be taking part in his sixth exhibition and making his debut in the U.K. The 46-year-old Hall of Famer was scheduled to face Muay Thai fighter Liam Harrison but Harrison pulled out because of an injury. Enter Chalmers, a British reality television star and former MMA competitor (5-2) with one boxing match, a decision over journeyman Alexander Zeledon at middleweight last June in Liverpool. He appeared on the shows “Geordie Shore” and “Ex on the Beach.” Mayweather’s exhibitions: Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018, Logan Paul in 2021, Don Moore last May, Mikuru Asakura in September and Deji Olatunji in November. He last took part in a sanctioned bout in 2017, when he stopped Conor McGregor in 10 rounds to run his record to 50-0.

 

JAKE PAUL (6-0, 4 KOS) VS. TOMMY FURY (8-0, 4 KOS)

  • When: Sunday, Feb. 26
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Diriyah Arena, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view ($49.99)
  • Division: Catch weight (185 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Paul 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Ilunga Makabu vs. Badou Jack, cruiserweights (for Makabu’s WBC title)
  • Prediction: Paul KO 4
  • Background: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury is finally happening after some starts and stops. Both men are good athletes with some ability but remain rank beginners. Indeed, this event is on pay-per-view because of their massive followings, not their accomplishments. Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, has had success against a retired NBA player (Nate Robinson) and former MMA fighters, including a clear unanimous decision over 47-year-old Anderson Silva in an eight-rounder this past October. Paul made a big splash when he rendered Tyrone Woodley unconscious with a monstrous overhand right in their rematch in December 2021, which preceded the Silva fight. Fury, the half brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, can be described as the first boxer that Paul will have faced but his opposition has been hand-picked. He is well known as a reality TV star in the U.K.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

  • Manuel Gallegos vs. Richard Vansiclen, super middleweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV).

THURSDAY

  • John Ramirez vs. Luis Padilla, junior bantamweights, Indio, California (DAZN).

FRIDAY

  • Jason Sanchez vs. Andy Beltran, junior lightweight, Rio Rancho, New Mexico (FITE).
  • Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Jesus Martinez, bantamweights, Hialeah, Florida (no TV in U.S.).

SATURDAY

  • Dina Thorslund vs. Debora Anahi Lopez, bantamweights (for Thorslund’s WBO title), Holstebro, Denmark (no TV in U.S.).
  • Lewis Ritson vs. Ohara Davies, junior welterweights, Newcastle, England (no TV in U.S.)

SUNDAY

  • Nestor Bravo vs. Jair Valtierra, junior welterweights, Orlando, Florida (CBS Sports Network).

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Fight Week: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, Floyd Mayweather exhibition take center stage

Fight Week: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury and a Floyd Mayweather exhibition highlight a busy weekend of boxing.

FIGHT WEEK

Subriel Matias and Jeremias Ponce will fight for a vacant 140-pound title but a Floyd Mayweather exhibition and the Jake Paul-Tommy Fury fight are stealing all the headlines.

SUBRIEL MATIAS (18-1, 18 KOS)
VS. JEREMIAS PONCE (30-0, 20 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 25
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: The Armory, Minneapolis
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: Vacant IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Matias 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Elvis Rodriguez vs. Joseph Adorno, junior welterweights; Jamal James vs. Alberto Palmetta, welterweights
  • Prediction: Matias KO 8
  • Background: This matchup between offense-minded warriors should be pleasing to the fans. Matias is uber-aggressive and has the power necessary to succeed with that style, as all of his victories have come by knockout. The 30-year-old Puerto Rican met his match when he was narrowly outpointed by Petros Ananyan but dropped and stopped Ananyan in the ninth round of their rematch in January of last year. That was Matias’ most-recent fight, meaning he has been out of the ring for 13 months. Ponce isn’t quite as aggressive as Matias but he also has a seek-and-destroy style, using his length (he’s 5-foot-11) to deliver whipping shots to the head and body. And while he doesn’t have the concussive power of Matias he has stopped his last three opponents and four of his last five. Ponce’s last three fights have taken place in Europe, including a third-round knockout of journeyman Achiko Odikadze in his most-recent outing last April in Germany. He will be making his U.S. debut on Saturday. Neither Matias nor Ponce has fought for a major world title.

 

FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. AARON CHALMERS

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 25
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: O2 Arena, London
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view ($29.99)
  • At stake: Exhibition
  • Background: Mayweather will be taking part in his sixth exhibition and making his debut in the U.K. The 46-year-old Hall of Famer was scheduled to face Muay Thai fighter Liam Harrison but Harrison pulled out because of an injury. Enter Chalmers, a British reality television star and former MMA competitor (5-2) with one boxing match, a decision over journeyman Alexander Zeledon at middleweight last June in Liverpool. He appeared on the shows “Geordie Shore” and “Ex on the Beach.” Mayweather’s exhibitions: Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018, Logan Paul in 2021, Don Moore last May, Mikuru Asakura in September and Deji Olatunji in November. He last took part in a sanctioned bout in 2017, when he stopped Conor McGregor in 10 rounds to run his record to 50-0.

 

JAKE PAUL (6-0, 4 KOS) VS. TOMMY FURY (8-0, 4 KOS)

  • When: Sunday, Feb. 26
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Diriyah Arena, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view ($49.99)
  • Division: Catch weight (185 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Paul 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Ilunga Makabu vs. Badou Jack, cruiserweights (for Makabu’s WBC title)
  • Prediction: Paul KO 4
  • Background: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury is finally happening after some starts and stops. Both men are good athletes with some ability but remain rank beginners. Indeed, this event is on pay-per-view because of their massive followings, not their accomplishments. Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, has had success against a retired NBA player (Nate Robinson) and former MMA fighters, including a clear unanimous decision over 47-year-old Anderson Silva in an eight-rounder this past October. Paul made a big splash when he rendered Tyrone Woodley unconscious with a monstrous overhand right in their rematch in December 2021, which preceded the Silva fight. Fury, the half brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, can be described as the first boxer that Paul will have faced but his opposition has been hand-picked. He is well known as a reality TV star in the U.K.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

  • Manuel Gallegos vs. Richard Vansiclen, super middleweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV).

THURSDAY

  • John Ramirez vs. Luis Padilla, junior bantamweights, Indio, California (DAZN).

FRIDAY

  • Jason Sanchez vs. Andy Beltran, junior lightweight, Rio Rancho, New Mexico (FITE).
  • Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Jesus Martinez, bantamweights, Hialeah, Florida (no TV in U.S.).

SATURDAY

  • Dina Thorslund vs. Debora Anahi Lopez, bantamweights (for Thorslund’s WBO title), Holstebro, Denmark (no TV in U.S.).
  • Lewis Ritson vs. Ohara Davies, junior welterweights, Newcastle, England (no TV in U.S.)

SUNDAY

  • Nestor Bravo vs. Jair Valtierra, junior welterweights, Orlando, Florida (CBS Sports Network).

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Teddy Atlas picks ‘physically strong’ Jake Paul to beat Tommy Fury

Teddy Atlas is picking “physically strong” Jake Paul to beat Tommy Fury on Feb. 26 in Saudi Arabia.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published at MMAJunkie.com.

Hall of Fame trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas thinks Jake Paul will beat Tommy Fury.

Paul (6-0, 4 KOs)  will meet Fury (8-0, 4 KOs) in a 185-pound, eight-round pay-per-view fight Feb. 26 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fury, half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is Paul’s first opponent with boxing experience, but Atlas questions the former reality star’s killer instinct.

“Fury, he’s a guy who’s obviously been fighting longer. He comes from the Fury family. He’s obviously had more experience. He’s been around boxing most of his life,” Atlas said on his podcast “THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.” “He knows how to look like a fighter. I don’t know if he knows how to fight like a fighter.”

He continued, “Jake Paul is learning how to behave like a fighter. I don’t know that Tommy Fury completely knows that yet. I’m gonna put it in context. Tommy Fury is 8-0, and he’s got four knockouts. The combined records of all of his eight opponents is 24 wins, 176 losses, and five draws.”

Atlas agreed with Paul’s snipe at Fury’s past opposition and even went a little further.

“He (Paul) says to Tommy Fury, ‘You’ve fought nothing but taxi drivers,’” Atlas continued. “I would add something to that: They’re very bad taxi drivers. They don’t even have a license.”

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Fury wasn’t able to finish his past three opponents, which Atlas critiqued considering their records. Paul, on the other hand, has finished four of his six opponents – and was able to knock down Anderson Silva late in a decision win.

While Paul’s opposition isn’t exactly credentialed in the boxing world, Atlas thinks Paul was very tactical when targeting Fury as his next opponent.

“He’s not a puncher,” Atlas said of Fury. “He’s not physical. He’s not physically strong. He’s not a banger at all. … Jake Paul is physically strong. Fury’s not physically strong. I think that’s why he picked him. He’s not stupid. I think he thinks he can use his physicality, and I think he thinks he’s mentally tougher. And he might be right. Right now, with the little bit I have to work on, I would say maybe he is, that he’s more determined, he’s a little tougher mentally. So I’m gonna go with what I’ve seen, what I know so far.

“So, I don’t care what people think. I’m gonna pick Jake Paul.”

Teddy Atlas picks ‘physically strong’ Jake Paul to beat Tommy Fury

Teddy Atlas is picking “physically strong” Jake Paul to beat Tommy Fury on Feb. 26 in Saudi Arabia.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published at MMAJunkie.com.

Hall of Fame trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas thinks Jake Paul will beat Tommy Fury.

Paul (6-0, 4 KOs)  will meet Fury (8-0, 4 KOs) in a 185-pound, eight-round pay-per-view fight Feb. 26 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fury, half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is Paul’s first opponent with boxing experience, but Atlas questions the former reality star’s killer instinct.

“Fury, he’s a guy who’s obviously been fighting longer. He comes from the Fury family. He’s obviously had more experience. He’s been around boxing most of his life,” Atlas said on his podcast “THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.” “He knows how to look like a fighter. I don’t know if he knows how to fight like a fighter.”

He continued, “Jake Paul is learning how to behave like a fighter. I don’t know that Tommy Fury completely knows that yet. I’m gonna put it in context. Tommy Fury is 8-0, and he’s got four knockouts. The combined records of all of his eight opponents is 24 wins, 176 losses, and five draws.”

Atlas agreed with Paul’s snipe at Fury’s past opposition and even went a little further.

“He (Paul) says to Tommy Fury, ‘You’ve fought nothing but taxi drivers,’” Atlas continued. “I would add something to that: They’re very bad taxi drivers. They don’t even have a license.”

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Fury wasn’t able to finish his past three opponents, which Atlas critiqued considering their records. Paul, on the other hand, has finished four of his six opponents – and was able to knock down Anderson Silva late in a decision win.

While Paul’s opposition isn’t exactly credentialed in the boxing world, Atlas thinks Paul was very tactical when targeting Fury as his next opponent.

“He’s not a puncher,” Atlas said of Fury. “He’s not physical. He’s not physically strong. He’s not a banger at all. … Jake Paul is physically strong. Fury’s not physically strong. I think that’s why he picked him. He’s not stupid. I think he thinks he can use his physicality, and I think he thinks he’s mentally tougher. And he might be right. Right now, with the little bit I have to work on, I would say maybe he is, that he’s more determined, he’s a little tougher mentally. So I’m gonna go with what I’ve seen, what I know so far.

“So, I don’t care what people think. I’m gonna pick Jake Paul.”

Teddy Atlas picks ‘physically strong’ Jake Paul to beat Tommy Fury

Teddy Atlas likes what he sees from Jake Paul and isn’t sold on Tommy Fury, who “knows how to look like a fighter.”

Legendary boxing coach and analyst Teddy Atlas thinks [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] will beat [autotag]Tommy Fury[/autotag].

Paul (6-0) meets Fury (8-0) in a 185-pound, eight-round boxing match Feb. 26. The event takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and airs on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

Fury, an undefeated boxer and half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, marks Paul’s first opponent who actually has boxing experience, but Atlas questions the former reality star’s killer instinct.

“Fury, he’s a guy who’s obviously been fighting longer. He comes from the Fury family. He’s obviously had more experience. He’s been around boxing most of his life,” Atlas said on his podcast “THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.” “He knows how to look like a fighter. I don’t know if he knows how to fight like a fighter.”

He continued, “Jake Paul is learning how to behave like a fighter. I don’t know that Tommy Fury completely knows that yet. I’m gonna put it in context. Tommy Fury is 8-0, and he’s got four knockouts. The combined records of all of his eight opponents is 24 wins, 176 losses, and five draws.”

Atlas agreed with Paul’s snipe at Fury’s past opposition and even went a little further.

“He (Paul) says to Tommy Fury, ‘You’ve fought nothing but taxi drivers,'” Atlas continued. “I would add something to that: They’re very bad taxi drivers. They don’t even have a license.”

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Fury wasn’t able to finish his past three opponents, which Atlas critiqued considering their records. Paul, on the other hand, has finished four of his six opponents – and was able to knock down Anderson Silva late in a decision win.

While Paul’s opposition isn’t exactly credentialed in the boxing world, Atlas thinks Paul was very tactical when targeting Fury as his next opponent.

“He’s not a puncher,” Atlas said of Fury. “He’s not physical. He’s not physically strong. He’s not a banger at all. … Jake Paul is physically strong. Fury’s not physically strong. I think that’s why he picked him. He’s not stupid. I think he thinks he can use his physicality, and I think he thinks he’s mentally tougher. And he might be right. Right now, with the little bit I have to work on, I would say maybe he is, that he’s more determined, he’s a little tougher mentally. So I’m gonna go with what I’ve seen, what I know so far.

“So, I don’t care what people think. I’m gonna pick Jake Paul.”

Like boxing? Be sure to visit Boxing Junkie for all your coverage of the sweet science and follow @BoxingJunkie2 on Twitter.

Tommy Fury says he’ll retire if he loses to Jake Paul

Tommy Fury says he’ll retire if he loses to Jake Paul in their pay-per-view bout on Feb. 26 in Saudi Arabia.

Tommy Fury told the U.K.’s TalkSport that he will retire if he loses to Jake Paul.

The two young entertainers-turned-professional boxers are scheduled to meet in an eight-round cruiserweight pay-per-view bout on Feb. 26 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

“Yes, 100%m yeah, definitely,” Fury said when he was asked whether he’d call it quits if he didn’t have his hand raised. “If I can’t beat Jake Paul, I don’t belong in the ring.”

Neither them has tasted defeat, although they have faced carefully chosen opponents.

Fury, the half brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is 8-0 (4 KOs). The native of Manchester, England, last took part in a sanctioned bout in April of last year, when he outpointed someone named Daniel Bocianski in London.

Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over former MMA star Anderson Silva in October. However, he made his biggest statement by stopping Tyron Woodley, another MMA fighter, with a single right hand in their 2021 rematch.

Fury was asked what might happen if Paul catches him with a big punch.

“If he caught me, I’d probably just laugh to be honest,” he said, “because I’ve been used to being hit by heavyweights and Olympic gold medalists, world champions and whatever, so Jake Paul – a little kid from Disney – what’s he going to do?

“I’ll let him hit me, I’m not interested. I’ll put my hands up and let him tee off at me like a 5-year-old is hitting me.”

Fury believes Paul’s bark is worse than his bite.

“This man has talked himself into a good fight, when you hear the saying, ‘Oh, he talks a good game,’ this man does talk a good game,” he said. “Whereas me, I can fight a good game.

“I’m not as good as a talker as he is, I give him that, but I’m levels and levels and levels above him in fighting, and he’s going to find out the hard way.”

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Tommy Fury says he’ll retire if he loses to Jake Paul

Tommy Fury says he’ll retire if he loses to Jake Paul in their pay-per-view bout on Feb. 26 in Saudi Arabia.

Tommy Fury told the U.K.’s TalkSport that he will retire if he loses to Jake Paul.

The two young entertainers-turned-professional boxers are scheduled to meet in an eight-round cruiserweight pay-per-view bout on Feb. 26 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

“Yes, 100%m yeah, definitely,” Fury said when he was asked whether he’d call it quits if he didn’t have his hand raised. “If I can’t beat Jake Paul, I don’t belong in the ring.”

Neither them has tasted defeat, although they have faced carefully chosen opponents.

Fury, the half brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is 8-0 (4 KOs). The native of Manchester, England, last took part in a sanctioned bout in April of last year, when he outpointed someone named Daniel Bocianski in London.

Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over former MMA star Anderson Silva in October. However, he made his biggest statement by stopping Tyron Woodley, another MMA fighter, with a single right hand in their 2021 rematch.

Fury was asked what might happen if Paul catches him with a big punch.

“If he caught me, I’d probably just laugh to be honest,” he said, “because I’ve been used to being hit by heavyweights and Olympic gold medalists, world champions and whatever, so Jake Paul – a little kid from Disney – what’s he going to do?

“I’ll let him hit me, I’m not interested. I’ll put my hands up and let him tee off at me like a 5-year-old is hitting me.”

Fury believes Paul’s bark is worse than his bite.

“This man has talked himself into a good fight, when you hear the saying, ‘Oh, he talks a good game,’ this man does talk a good game,” he said. “Whereas me, I can fight a good game.

“I’m not as good as a talker as he is, I give him that, but I’m levels and levels and levels above him in fighting, and he’s going to find out the hard way.”

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Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev rolls on but biggest challenge lies ahead

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev kept his knockout streak alive but his biggest challenge lies ahead.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Artur Beterbiev – Nineteen knockouts in as many professional fights. The last eight in title fights, including an eighth-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Saturday in London. That means even elite opponents can’t survive against the 175-pound titleholder. And he’s still doing it at 38 years old. All that is impressive any way you look at it. Beterbiev isn’t a one-punch knockout artist, a la Deontay Wilder. He’s an excellent, experienced boxer adept at landing heavy, precise punches that break down both the bodies and will of his foes. Yarde gave a brave performance but simply couldn’t take anymore in the end, further evidence of Beterbiev’s destructive ability. Is he in the class of Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue? Probably not. They’re far more dynamic than he is. Then again, if Beterbiev gets the fight he wants – against Dmitry Bivol – and wins, we might have to reevaluate his place among the best fighters in the world.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

The end is near for Anthony Yarde. James Chance / Getty Images

Anthony Yarde – The Londoner gave a solid performance, which is why he was leading on two of the three scorecards after seven rounds. He gave a stalking Beterbiev problems with his quickness and movement while also connecting on enough punches to impress the judges, which made the fight competitive. Yarde’s problem was his limited defensive ability. He simply took too many damaging blows, which led to his demise over time. In other words, Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) wasn’t good enough to beat a fighter with Beterbiev’s ability. Where does he go from here? He probably performed well enough to get more opportunities going forward if he can get a few victories under his belt. One thing he might want to consider: Work with a fitness expert to reduce his bulk. That could enhance both his speed and stamina. Who knows? He might end up at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Dmitry Bivol – Beterbiev and Bivol appear to be on a collision course for the undisputed championship, assuming competing promotional loyalties can be overcome. Who wins? Bivol. Of course, you can’t dismiss Beterbiev’s chances for the reasons listed above. He hasn’t stopped all of his opponents by accident. The problem for Beterbiev is that he hasn’t faced anyone near Bivol’s ability. Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Browne, Joe Smith Jr. and Yarde are good; Bivol is special, as he demonstrated in his convincing victory over Canelo Alvarez last May. Alvarez is naturally smaller than Beterbiev but he has a similar style; he patiently, but inevitably breaks down his opponents to win fights. The Mexican star couldn’t do that against Bivol because of Bivol’s size advantage and superior boxing ability, particularly his defensive skills. Of course, Bivol wouldn’t have a size advantage over Beterbiev but he’s a much better boxer. That would be the difference in the fight.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item: Jake Paul and Tommy Fury have agreed to meet on pay-per-view Feb. 26. I want to say I don’t care one iota because it’s a gimmicky matchup between hucksters who are more adept at marketing themselves than actually fighting. The fact is I’m curious. Fury (8-0, 4 KOs) might be the best fighter Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) will have faced. Can Paul land his big right hand against the half brother of Tyson Fury? Or will he meet his match against a good athlete with some boxing ability? I’ll be watching to find out. What can I say? They got me. … Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) delivered a dramatic knockout on Saturday in Inglewood, California, stopping late replacement and naturally smaller George Ashie (33-6-1, 25 KOs) with a right hook in the seventh round. The victory doesn’t mean much because of Ashie’s limitations but Rocha did what he set out to do, which was to make a statement. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBO, behind only champion Terence Crawford, Vergil Ortiz and Keith Thurman. Is Rocha in the class of such fighters? I’ll just say that he hasn’t demonstrated that yet. He called out Crawford after his victory over Ashie. Nothing I saw on Saturday leads me to believe Rocha can compete with the pound-for-pound king.

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Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev rolls on but biggest challenge lies ahead

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev kept his knockout streak alive but his biggest challenge lies ahead.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Artur Beterbiev – Nineteen knockouts in as many professional fights. The last eight in title fights, including an eighth-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Saturday in London. That means even elite opponents can’t survive against the 175-pound titleholder. And he’s still doing it at 38 years old. All that is impressive any way you look at it. Beterbiev isn’t a one-punch knockout artist, a la Deontay Wilder. He’s an excellent, experienced boxer adept at landing heavy, precise punches that break down both the bodies and will of his foes. Yarde gave a brave performance but simply couldn’t take anymore in the end, further evidence of Beterbiev’s destructive ability. Is he in the class of Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue? Probably not. They’re far more dynamic than he is. Then again, if Beterbiev gets the fight he wants – against Dmitry Bivol – and wins, we might have to reevaluate his place among the best fighters in the world.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

The end is near for Anthony Yarde. James Chance / Getty Images

Anthony Yarde – The Londoner gave a solid performance, which is why he was leading on two of the three scorecards after seven rounds. He gave a stalking Beterbiev problems with his quickness and movement while also connecting on enough punches to impress the judges, which made the fight competitive. Yarde’s problem was his limited defensive ability. He simply took too many damaging blows, which led to his demise over time. In other words, Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) wasn’t good enough to beat a fighter with Beterbiev’s ability. Where does he go from here? He probably performed well enough to get more opportunities going forward if he can get a few victories under his belt. One thing he might want to consider: Work with a fitness expert to reduce his bulk. That could enhance both his speed and stamina. Who knows? He might end up at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Dmitry Bivol – Beterbiev and Bivol appear to be on a collision course for the undisputed championship, assuming competing promotional loyalties can be overcome. Who wins? Bivol. Of course, you can’t dismiss Beterbiev’s chances for the reasons listed above. He hasn’t stopped all of his opponents by accident. The problem for Beterbiev is that he hasn’t faced anyone near Bivol’s ability. Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Browne, Joe Smith Jr. and Yarde are good; Bivol is special, as he demonstrated in his convincing victory over Canelo Alvarez last May. Alvarez is naturally smaller than Beterbiev but he has a similar style; he patiently, but inevitably breaks down his opponents to win fights. The Mexican star couldn’t do that against Bivol because of Bivol’s size advantage and superior boxing ability, particularly his defensive skills. Of course, Bivol wouldn’t have a size advantage over Beterbiev but he’s a much better boxer. That would be the difference in the fight.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item: Jake Paul and Tommy Fury have agreed to meet on pay-per-view Feb. 26. I want to say I don’t care one iota because it’s a gimmicky matchup between hucksters who are more adept at marketing themselves than actually fighting. The fact is I’m curious. Fury (8-0, 4 KOs) might be the best fighter Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) will have faced. Can Paul land his big right hand against the half brother of Tyson Fury? Or will he meet his match against a good athlete with some boxing ability? I’ll be watching to find out. What can I say? They got me. … Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) delivered a dramatic knockout on Saturday in Inglewood, California, stopping late replacement and naturally smaller George Ashie (33-6-1, 25 KOs) with a right hook in the seventh round. The victory doesn’t mean much because of Ashie’s limitations but Rocha did what he set out to do, which was to make a statement. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBO, behind only champion Terence Crawford, Vergil Ortiz and Keith Thurman. Is Rocha in the class of such fighters? I’ll just say that he hasn’t demonstrated that yet. He called out Crawford after his victory over Ashie. Nothing I saw on Saturday leads me to believe Rocha can compete with the pound-for-pound king.

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Jake Paul reveals Mike Perry is standby fighter in case Tommy Fury withdraws again

Former UFC fighter Mike Perry waits in the wings in case Tommy Fury withdraws for a third time against Jake Paul.

This time around, [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] has a backup plan.

Paul announced Saturday that UFC veteran and current BKFC fighter [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] will serve as a standby fighter in case scheduled opponent [autotag]Tommy Fury[/autotag] withdraws from their Feb. 26 matchup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“We have Mike Perry on standby,” Paul said at a press conference Saturday (via Seconds Out). “Let’s go, Mike Perry. He’s ready to jump in in case Tommy pulls out.”

Perry, 31, has competed twice in traditional boxing at the professional level and holds a 1-1 record. Since his UFC departure in 2021, Perry is 2-0 in bareknuckle boxing with wins over Julian Lane and Bellator star Michael “Venom” Page.

On Jan. 3, Perry shared on Twitter a bout contract with Paul’s name and promotion Most Valuable Promotions on it, but did not reveal any further details.

Fury, 23, is the half-brother of heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury. Twice, Fury (8-0) was previously scheduled to fight Paul (6-0). In late 2021, he withdrew due to medical issues. In mid-2022, Fury was denied entry into the U.S. and once again withdrew.

Paul, 26, continued to compete through the Fury match cancellations, as he picked up wins over Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva.

The bout vs. Fury is pegged by many to be his first true boxing test, as all of Paul’s opponents to date were former MMA fighters or celebrities with little to no boxing experience. Paul and Fury faced off Saturday for the first time during the Artur Beterbiev vs. Anthony Yarde boxing event in London.

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