Rakhmanov Replaces Malik Hawkins Who Was Forced To Withdraw For Medical Reasons
NEW YORK – February 24, 2020 – Undefeated rising prospect Keith “The Bounty” Hunter will face talented Sanjarbek “War” Rakhmanov in a rematch in the 10-round super lightweight ShoBox: The New Generation main event Friday, February 28 live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT) from Sam’s Town Casino in Las Vegas. Rakhmanov steps in to replace previously scheduled opponent Malik Hawkins who was forced to withdraw for medical reasons.
Hunter (11-0, 7 KOs) and Rakhmanov (12-2-1, 6 KOs) first met on February 5, 2019, in an eight-round welterweight contest that resulted in a narrow-split decision victory for Hunter. Although Hunter controlled the action in the early rounds and scored a knockdown in the second, Rakhmanov recovered and landed some heavy blows in the later rounds. The scorecards read 77-74, 76-75 and 75-76.
Rakhmanov, who fought to a draw with Alfonso Olvera on ShoBox in May of 2016, will be making his second appearance on the prospect developmental series and his ninth start at Sam’s Town Live. In his most recent performance on September 20, 2019, he broke down Andre Byrd, delivering punishment to the body for four straight rounds, leading to Byrd taking a knee and ending the fight. He currently trains with Chris Ben-Tchavtchavadze at the Mayweather Boxing Club.
The 30-year-old Rakhmanov, who was born in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan, was a top amateur with more than 140 bouts, including a Gold Medal win at the 2009 Asian Amateur Boxing Championship. In 2013, he became the national champion of Uzbekistan. After signing with Mayweather Promotions in 2014, he turned pro with an impressive 1:21 first-round knockout over Brett Simmons in June of 2015.
In the ShoBox co-main event, 2016 Olympian and undefeated super lightweight prospect Richardson Hitchins (10-0, 5 KOs) takes on Rhode Island’s Nick DeLomba (16-2, 5 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Once-beaten Las Vegas native Kevin Newman II (11-1-1, 6 KOs) faces Albania’s Genc Pllana (7-1-1, 4 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight matchup to open the telecast.
Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
The Heavyweight Championship has always been the most noteworthy prize in the sport. Over the last few years, the interest in the fistic giants has dwindled. That has changed with the exciting power of Deontay Wilder and the charismatic showmanship of Tyson Fury.
With their first encounter ending in a controversial draw, they find themselves sharing the ring again. Both men with undefeated records and only a single draw (against each other) on their ledger.
The big men are taking center stage for the undisputed prize. “The Bronze Bomber” and “The Gypsy King”…. Who will reign supreme?
AGE, RECORD, AND STATS
Wilder: Age: 34 years old
Record: 42-0-1 (41 Knockouts)
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 219 * * Weight for last bout (11-23-19)
Reach: 83”
Fury:Age: 31 years old
Record: 29-0-1 (20 Knockouts)
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 254 * * Weight for last bout (9-14-19)
Reach: 85”
RING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Wilder:
WBC Heavyweight Champion (’15-Pres)
Fury:
WBA Heavyweight Champion (’15-‘16)
WBO Heavyweight Champion (’15-‘16)
IBF Heavyweight Champion (’15-‘16)
IBO Heavyweight Champion (’15-‘16)
Lineal Heavyweight Champion (’15-Pres)
STYLE
Wilder:
A wild-swinging, often-sloppy fighter with long arms and fight-changing power in both fists, Wilder likes to set the range with his lead hand and follow it with a variety of power punches. He carries his power late into his fights and is capable of scoring a knockout at any time.
Fury:
A confident, self-assured, and sometimes cocky fighter, Fury has nimble moves and quickness for such a large fighter. He combines good footwork with upper-body movement and ability to box either orthodox or southpaw, keeping opponents off-balance and setting up his own offensive attack.
THEIR FIRST BOUT
Wilder-Fury I:Fury opened the bout with effective movement, keeping Wilder off balance and unable to land anything significant. Wilder was able to land several hard jabs in the 4th round, trickling blood from Fury’s nose. Fury spent time in the mid rounds as a southpaw and found success. Wilder scored a knockdown in the 9th round but his follow-up attack left him fatigued, allowed Fury to regain the momentum through the 11th round. The memorable 12th round saw Wilder break through and land a right hand and left hook combination. Fury fell hard to the canvas, flat on his back. He amazingly rose at the count of 9 and was outlanding Wilder as the final round concluded. Alejandro Rochin scored 115-111 Wilder, Robert Tapper scored 114-112 Fury, and Phil Edwards scored 113-113.
STRENGTHS
Wilder:
* Power – The detonation at the end of Wilder’s fists, primarily is right hand, is of nuclear proportions. While his left hand carries substantial pop in it, it is Wilder’s right hand that is seen as maybe the most devastating punch in boxing today. He can end fights by landing his right hand straight down the middle, arcing it over the top, or splitting the guard as an uppercut.
* Conditioning – Early in his career, when he was ending all of his fights within a few rounds, there were question marks if Wilder would fade in the later rounds. He has proven that he can fight equally as hard in the late rounds and capable of a knockout until the final bell.
* Athleticism – Wilder combines a rare blend of size, speed, power, and athletic ability where is easy to imagine him being dominant in any type of athletic environment.
Fury:
* Movement – For a man with the size and physique that resembles a silverback, Fury moves with the grace and agility of a ballet dancer. He is light on his feet and possesses shifty upperbody movement that is uncanny for someone so large.
* Confidence – Fury is supremely confident in himself and believes in his ability. He shows little or no fear in the ring. His self-assured charismatic nature gives him a psychological advantage.
* Resilient – Whether it was climbing off the canvas against Wilder, overcoming a horrific cut against Wallin, or battling against depression and substance abuse, Fury has shown a toughness and resiliency that are to be admired.
WEAKNESSES
Wilder:
* Sloppy – Wilder shows so much faith in his power that he is frequently wild and sloppy with his punches and footwork. He often times looks very amateurish in the ring.
* Trouble With Boxers – Fighters who use good movement and boxing ability trouble Wilder. He struggles setting his feet and is often a step behind. He was trailing Luis Ortiz in both fights and was outclassed for most of his first fight with Fury.
* Chin – The few times that Wilder was seriously chin-checked, he showed some flaws in his durability. Ortiz had him badly hurt and close to a knockout loss.
Fury:
* Distractions – Fury is loving his new-found fame and talking WWE and MMA. He split with his trainer Ben Davidson and is calling his own shots. Fury also has spells in the ring where he loses focus and he has found himself on the canvas more than once during a lapse in concentration.
* Personal Life – It is well-documented Fury’s past personal demons with depression and substance abuse, along with a weight gain to over 400 lbs. While his triumphs over those demons is admirable, the lasting physical effects cannot be denied.
* Skin– It’s only been five months since Fury suffered a terrible gash over his right eye against Otto Wallin, requiring 47 stitches. While doctors have deemed the cut sufficiently healed, his tender skin could reopen at the most inopportune time.
PREVIOUS BOUT
Wilder: (11/23/19) – Wilder again scored a come-from-behind knockout against Luis Oritz. After being outboxed for the majority of the first six rounds, Wilder set his range against a tiring Ortiz and landed a pulverizing right hand which resulted in a one-punch knockout.
Fury:
(9/14/19) – Fury survived a bloody contest with the undefeated but unknown Otto Wallin. Fury suffered a cut over his right eye in the 3rd round and the blood clearly affected his vision. Despite the impairment, Fury still controlled the action and hurt Wallin several times en route to a decision victory.
3 BEST PERFORMANCES
Wilder:
* Artur Szpilka (1/16/16) – After falling behind early, Wilder took over in the 4th round and started to settle down and control the action. A single right hand in the 9th round sent Szpilka down and unconscious, the 2016 Knockout of the Year.
* Bermane Stiverne (1/17/15) – Wilder answered questions about his stamina by going the full 12 rounds for the first time in his career and capturing the WBC title in the process. Wilder utilized his long jab and kept Stiverne at bay with his underrated skillset.
* Luis Ortiz (3/3/18) – Wilder survived some scary moments against the oft-avoided Cuban veteran before prevailing by 10th round knockout. Wilder was troubled by Ortiz’s boxing skills early before knocking him down in the 5th round. An Ortiz rally in the 7th had Wilder seriously hurt but Wilder was able to regroup and score the knockout a few rounds later.
Fury:
* Wladimir Klitschko (11/25/15) – Fury went into Klitschko’s backyard and wrested the unified and lineal heavyweight championships via unanimous decision. While the bout was a cautious affair, Fury was able to outwork Klitschko with superior footwork, movement, and a higher punch output.
* Derek Chisora (11/29/14) – Fury dominated the rematch with his British rival, boxing from a distance, switching between orthodox and southpaw, and punishing his adversary until the corner stopped the fight after 10 one-sided rounds.
* Deontay Wilder (12/1/18) – With the exception of two knockdowns and some curious judging, Fury was in control for most of the bout. He avoided Wilder’s punches and landed effective counters, making Wilder looked confused and off-balance in the process.
KEYS TO VICTORY
Wilder:
* Utilize his jab and negate Fury’s awkward style
* Keep his power punches short and compact
* Don’t get mesmerized by Fury’s upperbody movement
Fury:
* Change the pace and keep Wilder guessing
* Use lateral movement to keep Wilder from setting his feet
* Do not get cocky against the ropes
QUESTIONS
Wilder:
* Can Wilder handle Fury’s unorthodox movement?
* Will Wilder employ a better gameplan?
* Will Wilder become frustrated?
Fury:
* Will Fury try too hard for the knockout?
* Is Fury totally focused on boxing?
* Is his cut eye susceptible to reinjury?
PENECALE PREDICTION
Both combatants are exceptional showmen and their respective ring entrances will have the crowd abuzz. The electricity will be at a fever pitch at the opening bell. With their familiarity, there will be less of a feeling out process than their first encounter. Fury will be on his toes moving forward and Wilder will try to time his advances and land counter punches. At the end of the 1st round, Fury will taunt Wilder and there will be an exchange of words.
Fury’s constant movement and single punches will trouble Wilder as his counter punches will find mostly empty air. The following rounds will be an exciting game of cat and mouse with the smaller Wilder in the role of the cat, futility trying to corner the larger Wilder.
Wilder will find success with his jab in the 6th and 7th rounds and a looping right hand will catch Fury on top of the head, knocking him off balance to the canvas. Fury will rise, wink at his corner, and come bouncing back into action. The excitement will have Wilder swinging wildly and falling to the canvas himself after missing overexaggerated right hand.
With Wilder seemingly arm-weary from his punch output the previous round, Fury will turn southpaw and land several hard right hands, then bounce out of range of any counter punches.
Fury’s movement and higher workrate will carry the action through the championship rounds, leading him again to an apparent lead going into the final round.
The decision this time will be unanimous with Dave Moretti and Glenn Feldman both scoring 115-112 and Steve Weisfeld a shade closer at 114-113, all in favor of “The Gypsy King” Tyson Fury.
Featherweight contender also ranked #5 by the WBO and #13 by the WBC
PHILADELPHIA, PA / ORANGE, CA- February 20, 2020 – Undefeated featherweight Ruben Villa is now ranked #9 by Ring Magazine.
Villa (18-0, 5 KOs) of Salinas, California is just three weeks removed from an impressive 10-round unanimous decision over Alexei Collado in a bout that headlined a ShoBox: The New Generation card in Shreveport, Louisiana. With the win, Villa successfully defended his WBO International title.
In that bout, Villa was dominant throughout and displayed a diverse arsenal of punches that were very effective in decisively out punching the offensive minded Collado.
The ranking from the heralded magazine, adds to his world rankings of #5 by the WBO and #13 by the WBC.
“I was just surprised to get the recognition that I deserve. It’s been tough, but its finally starting to payoff. I am trying to get better with each fight and the people were happy. That the last fight against Collado meant a lot and opened up many doors,” said Villa
“Being recognized in the top-10 by Ring Magazine solidifies and validates Ruben of graduating from top-prospect to bona fide contender. In his next bout, we are looking for Ruben to really make a statement and face another world-ranked opponent in order to put him in position to fight for a world title,” said Banner Promotions President, Artie Pelullo.
“The rise of Ruben Villa has been gaining momentum since the world got to see him on Showtime last year. A world title bout is in his immediate future and it’s great to see the media, like Ring Magazine, recognizing his accomplishments.” stated Ken Thompson, CEO of Thompson Boxing Promotions.
Quadrupleheader Will Feature Five Fighters With Undefeated Records
NEW YORK – February 20, 2020 – Talented undefeated super lightweight prospect Brandun Lee will headline his first ShoBox: The New Generation main event when he takes on Camilo Prieto in a 10-round super lightweight bout that headlines a quadrupleheader on Friday, March 13 live on SHOWTIME (10 ET/PT) from the Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minn.
The four fights include five boxers who have yet to taste defeat with a total record of 107 wins to just three defeats and two draws. In the co-featured bout, undefeated Brian Norman Jr. (16-0, 14 KOs) puts his perfect record on the line as he takes on Flavio Rodriguez (9-1-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight matchup. Undefeated Alejandro Guerrero (11-0, 9 KOs) meets Jose Angulo (12-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight scrap while yet another unbeaten fighter Aram Avagyan (9-0-1, 4 KOs) takes on fellow undefeated Dagoberto Aguero (17-0, 11 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight fight.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with D&D Boxing and Rapacz Boxing, are priced at $75 Ringside, $50 Reserved, $25 General Admission, and $62.50 Table Seating (two-ticket minimum), and are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or the Grand Casino Hinckley Box Office.
“We are excited about our March 13 card, which includes amateur national champions, knockout artists and undefeated fighters,” said Gordon Hall, executive producer for ShoBox: The New Generation. “We open up with a battle of unbeatens and that will be followed by three of boxing’s top prospects under the age of 22. These three very talented prospects all had stellar amateur careers and each are talented in their own way. They all have something in common and that’s power as the threesome have a combined 39 knockouts in their 45 fights. You can expect an action-packed card and certainly some KOs.”
“On March 13th, boxing fans are in for a treat,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “This fantastic ShoBox card is showcasing some of the most talented prospects in boxing. Top to bottom, is going to be a must watch night of fights, shining the spotlight in my opinion, in some of tomorrow’s champions.”
“These are four terrific matchups between up-and-coming young fighters,” said Cameron Dunkin of D&D Boxing. “Brandun Lee has a big test in front of him for his first main event on ShoBox. Brian Norman and Alejandro Guerrero will both be in the toughest fights of their careers as well. All four televised bouts have the potential to be explosive. These are the types of fights that boxing needs.”
Just 20 years old, the knockout artist Lee (18-0, 16 KOs) from La Quinta, Calif., has KO’d all but two of his opponents (88.89 percent), including 11 in the first round, four in the second and one in the third. The third-year pro is making his second ShoBox appearance. In September, Lee scored a second-round knockout against Milton Arauz in his ShoBox debut. (VIDEO). This is Lee’s second fight of 2020 as he knocked out Miguel Zamudio in a non-televised January 17 bout in Sloan, Iowa.
Lee had a decorated amateur career with an estimated record of 196-5. He was the 2015 U.S. Junior National Champion, taking home the gold medal at 145 pounds. With lightning quick hands that also pack power, the exciting Lee has sparred with Mikey Garcia, Devin Haney, Mauricio Herrera, Timothy Bradley Jr., Thomas Dulorme, to name a few. Lee is trained by his father Bobby Lee and is also a full-time college student.
“I’m excited to be headlining my first SHOWTIME show,” Lee said. “I’m looking forward to giving fans something different that they haven’t seen from me before. They’re going to see me display my boxing skills a lot more. In my last two fights, I feel like I didn’t really show how good my defense is. I’m going to use the left hand a lot more to feel him out. And then, when the time is right, I will drop the bombs. Headlining my first ShoBox is a huge accomplishment. It’ll sort of be like graduating the high school of boxing. After this, I hope to move onto the University level of boxing like SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING or Pay-per-View.
The 33-year-old Prieto (15-1, 10 KOs) is riding a seven-fight win streak with his last loss coming in February 2017. In his last fight in November, Prieto recorded a six-round unanimous decision against Yogli Herrera. Prieto trains at various gyms around Miami and for the past year has been working with former light heavyweight world champion and Roy Jones Jr. conqueror Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson.
“It’s been great working with Glen,” Prieto said. “I am getting knowledge from an ex-world champion who knows what it takes to be at the top level and has been there before. He knows how to push and guide you the right way for big fights like this. Brandun Lee looks like a young, undefeated fighter to me, but I don’t see anything too impressive, honestly. You can expect to see fireworks that night. I’m going to really come and put Brandun to the test. He’s never faced anyone as good as me. It’s going to be an action-packed fight.”
Norman, the 19-year-old Atlanta resident, like Lee also has won all but two of his fights by knockout. Most recently, Norman earned a unanimous decision victory over Evincii Dixon on January 17 in Sloan, Iowa. Norman goes by the nickname “The Assassin II” as his father Brian Norman Sr. was known as “The Assassin” as a professional boxer from 2003-2011. Norman is trained by both his father and Barry Richardson.
“I’m not looking for just a victory on ShoBox, I want to show off,” Norman said. “I want to show what I can do. I want to break my opponent down and let everybody know I’m here. You can expect to see a lot of fireworks. Both my father and Barry are giving me their all, and I’m giving it back. I know Rodriguez is a short, pressure fighter. He’s basically made for me to beat.”
Rodriguez trains at Capetillo Boxing Academy in East Los Angeles. He had an amateur record of 86 wins and 14 losses and was a silver medalist at the Junior Olympic Nationals.
“Fighting on SHOWTIME is a dream come true,” Rodriguez said. “Growing up, I always wanted to be one of the guys that fought on TV, so it’s pretty exciting to get the opportunity to do so and show the world my skills. A victory would mean a lot to me, especially a win over someone as tough as the guy I’m fighting. I’m hoping a win over him can bring me to bigger opportunities to fight for a world title.”
Guerrero is a big-punching prospect who has won his last three fights by knockout. A celebrated amateur who won two junior national titles, “Pork Chop” has sparred with the likes of Mikey Garcia and Brandon Rios at the famed Garcia Boxing Academy in California. Fighting out of Houston, the 21-year-old will be making his national television debut March 13 and is coming off a second-round TKO of Darnell Jiles Jr. in January of this year.
“I love that I’m getting this opportunity,” said Guerrero. “I’ve trained for this my whole life. My dream is to become a world champion, so a win would mean so much for me and my family. I’ve been training really hard for this fight, knowing it’ll be on national television. I don’t really know much about Angulo, but we train hard for anyone. The outcome will always be the same. I will always win.”
Angulo, of Guayaquil, Ecuador, will be making his United States debut after fighting 12 of his 13 professional fights in his native country. His lone loss came in his only fight outside of Ecuador, a unanimous decision to Ryan Pino in Puerto Rico. Since the loss, Angulo has rattled off six consecutive wins, including knockouts in the second and first rounds of his last two fights, respectively.
“There’s going to be a big surprise waiting for Guerrero on March 13,” said Angulo. “He likes fighting on the inside and he comes forward with a lot ofaggression too, so he’s the perfect style for me and the way I like to fight. I’m looking forward to showcasing myself on this big platform and putting all my skills to work. I will win.”
Avagyan, a 29-year-old from Yerevan, Armenia, represented his home country in the 2016 Olympic Games. Avagyan had an accomplished amateur career, winning bronze medals at both the 2013 and 2015 European championships. Turning pro following the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, Avagyan won his first eight professional bouts before fighting Russian Evgeny Smirnov to a split-decision in September 2018. His last time out, he made his U.S. debut on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez-Daniel Jacobs, where he handily out-boxed then-unbeaten Francisco Esparza en route to a unanimous decision.
“Every fight is a chance to prove myself and rise to the top,” said Avagyan, who is signed to Salita Promotions. “When I go out into the ring, I only think about winning any at cost. Aguero is just another obstacle that must be moved out of my way. Before each fight, I surrender myself to training one hundred percent so that on the day of the battle, I do not regret the path traveled. Fight night is like a holiday for me because the time has come for which I was preparing.”
The 26-year-old Aguero was an impressive amateur in his native Dominican Republic. Aguero was a silver medalist at the 2011 Pan-Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, losing only to future two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Robeisy Ramírez. As a pro, the San Cristobal native won the first 10 fights of his career in his home country before making his U.S. debut in February 2017 when he earned the most impressive win of his young career over Olimjon Nazarov.
“Fighting on SHOWTIME is what we have been waiting for,” said Aguero, who is currently training in Pahokee, Fla. “I look at it as the opportunity to show people who I am and when I win this fight, it’ll be the beginning of a great boxing career where I can feed my family and give my son everything he needs and deserves.”
Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (February 20, 2020) – From the mean streets of East Los Angeles to a berth on Team USA is a remarkable achievement for 19-year-old flyweight Anthony Herrera, who recently was selected to be a member of the 2020 Olympic Games Tokyo Boxing Qualification Team.
“Since I was very young,” Herrera spoke about growing up in East LA, “my parents always kept me in sports. Being so occupied with sports was actually a distraction from what was going on around the city. So, I never had time to get into trouble and my parents kept me away from a bad lifestyle. Once I started boxing, I took it seriously, staying focused and setting goals. I was a little older at that time and whether or not I wanted to partake in boxing or wanted to make a career out of it was all up to me, and I always had my parents full support. Boxing has been a big part of my life. I’m always looking forward to the next workout or anything boxing related. It’s part of my image at this point.”
For now, though, Herrera is preparing with his teammates at the United States Olympics and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for the America’s Qualification Tournament, March 26-April 3, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Herrera will qualify to represent his country at the Olympics by finishing among the top five in Buenos Aires, or first six placers at the World Qualifier, May 13-14, in Paris, France.
“I thrive under pressure,” Herrera said. “I don’t let pressure get to me mentally so much that it negatively impacts my performance. It makes me perform better when I’m in the ring. I’ve been under pressure my whole boxing career. Not only has it made me a better fighter in certain situations that are intimidating, but also a stronger person overall. Going to Argentina is no different, the nerves are still there, but so is my determination to get to Tokyo.”
A 2018 National PAL and 2019 Western Elite Qualifier champion, Herrera recently finished second at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and third at the 2020 Strandja Tournament in Bulgaria.
“The amateur boxing accomplishment I’m most proud of is making the United States Qualification Team as a flyweight,” he noted. “It was tough to make it here and knowing that I overcame the obstacles I faced on this long journey to where I’m at now makes me very happy. I can truly say I earned it.
“My first International boxing match (Strandja) was a little different from what I’m used to. The equipment we used and fighting without headgear created more risk when fighting, but I had fun in my first international fight. I already have the feel for that environment and am more comfortable now.
“I really enjoy training in Colorado Springs with my teammates, because it’s a great experience that only the best athletes get. I love training at home as well, but there are less distractions in Colorado Springs. I get to focus 100-percent on my craft and get to travel more.”
Herrera, who describes his style as a “swarmer”, applying pressure and breaking down his opponent, is living the dream.
“Fighting in the Olympics was always big for me, but getting a gold medal is my dream,” he added. “I’ve always wanted it because no one can ever take that away from me, and the story and work that is put behind a gold medal is priceless. In my opinion it is harder than winning a world title in professional boxing. Being this close to the Olympics, I’m proud of myself but not satisfied. I know that I still have work to do and I’m taking one step at a time. The next step for me is to qualify for the Olympics at the Olympic Qualifier.”
Herrera attributes some of his success to learning from former and contemporary boxers, implementing any techniques that they use into his style, including, for example, the footwork and head movement of Julio Cesar ChavezSr., and Mike Tyson’s set-ups from the body to head.
Tokyo is a long way from East LA for Anthony Herrera.
ABOUT USA BOXING: To promote and grow Olympic-style amateur boxing in the United States and to inspire the tireless pursuit of Olympic gold and enable athletes and coaches to achieve sustained competitive excellence. Additionally, USA Boxing endeavors to teach all participants the character, confidence and focus they need to become resilient and diverse champions, both in and out of the ring. USA Boxing is one team, one nation, going for gold!
LAS VEGAS (February 20, 2020) – Undefeated super lightweight Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-0, 8 KOs) has been in training camp since the beginning of this year in Boxers & Brawlers gym in his San Antonio hometown to prepare for his February 28th fight against North American Boxing Organization (NABO) champion Yomar “The Magic” Alamo (17-0-1, 12 KOs) airing live on Boxeo Telemundo, starting at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT, from Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.
Alamo vs. Castaneda is co-promoted by All-Star Boxing, which promotes Alamo and the event, and Castaneda’s promoter, Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.
“This is the biggest fight of Kendo’s career to date,” CEO & Co-Founder Keith Veltre said. “He is the type fighter who doesn’t back down from anyone and knows what it takes to get the win. Kendo trains hard and we are fully confident that he will come home with the win.”
The 26-year-old Castaneda, who is ranked No. 15 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), will take on WBO No. 8-rated Alamo, the defending NABO super lightweight champion, in the 10-round main event.
Castaneda captured the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) crown a year ago, taking a 10-round decision from previously undefeated Gilbert Venegas, Jr. (10-0), and followed that with an impressive 10-round unanimous decision over Dominican veteran Eudy Berbardo (24-3).
Last October in Reno, Nevada, Castaneda stopped Stan Martyniouk (20-3) in the sixth round, after which he was installed by the World Boxing Organization as its No. 15 rated super lightweight in the world.
WBO No. 8 ranked Alamo, fighting out of Puerto Rico, is coming off the lone blemish on either fighter’s pro record, a draw with Antonio Moran (24-4-1).
Alamo, 24, is the former World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth World and FECARBOX super lightweight champion, who has made three successful NABO title defenses.
Training Camp Notes
(quotes from Kendo Castaneda)
Training Camp: “Everything here has been good. I’m ready to rock and get back in the ring. I’ll have no trouble making weight for this fight. My sparring partners are local guys, some pros, and other amateurs. I like helping up-and-coming fighters who want to turn pro. They have natural speed at 18, 19 years old, but their strength hasn’t fully developed, yet. They learn and I get good work. My No. 1 sparring partner, Limon, has had more than 100 amateur fights. His style is similar to Alamo’s. He’s tall and lengthy, but not as powerful as Alamo. He throws great jabs and boxes well, which will help me when I fight Alamo.
Yomar Alamo: “He fights off his back foot a lot. He likes to box and is a good counter-puncher.
He’s undefeated but who knows how he wants to fight? I like razzle-dazzle and I’ll quickly learn what I’m in for.”
Fighting in Alamo’s backyard: “I’m not concerned about that at all. My first fight with RJJ Boxing was in Las Vegas against a local fighter, Chuy Gutierrez, and I won that fight. I don’t mind fighting in my opponent’s backyard and I’m getting used to it. My last fight was in Reno against a California fighter, who lived a lot closer to Reno than I do in San Antonio. And I fought a local fighter in New Hampshire, when I had a bare-knuckle fight.”
How do you envision this fight going: “Alamo will go into the fight thinking it’s going to be a boxing match, almost like an exhibition starting the fight. But I’m going to go in strong, like a street fight, banging him around. I’ll catch him with some surprises, throwing hard blows. In the third or fourth round, I’ll start boxing more. Then it’s going to be too much for him, and I’ll take him out in the eighth or ninth round.”
Bout importance: “I think I’ll possibly get a world championship eliminator fight with an impressive victory. I’m a rare, old-fashioned boxer.”
Prediction: “The referee will be announcing, ‘And the new NABO champion…..’”
ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions has been reinventing boxing. RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years. Creating exhilarating content for CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.
Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: WBO #6 rated bantamweight Max Ornelas, featherweight Ray Ximenez, WBO #15 rated super lightweight Kendo Castaneda, middleweights John Vera, Connor Coyle and Shady Gamhour, super middleweight Juan Barajas, and heavyweight Alexander Flores.
February 17th, NYC — China’s Meng Fanlong (16-0, 10 KOs) will fight IBF & WBC light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs), March 28th at the Videotron Center in Quebec City, Canada. Beterbiev vs. Meng is presented by Top Rank in association with Groupe Yvon Michel and Gestev, and will be broadcast live on ESPN along with a co-feature bout at 10 PM ET.
Fanlong, who is from Chifeng, Inner Mongolia China, has more than just his world title shot on his mind. His home country has been essentially shut down due to the recent Coronavirus outbreak.
“The majority of my country has been shut down for weeks.” Says Meng. “My fellow citizens need something to help them escape from this very difficult time. I hope to bring some positivity, happiness, and joy to them with this fight. I want to put pride in their hearts.”
On the 28th of March, Meng will be stepping into the ring with one of boxing’s most dangerous punchers. Champion Artur Beterbiev has won all of his professional fights by knockout – including his thrilling title unification bout against Oleksandr Gvozdyck in October. Meng was in attendance that night in Philadelphia and observed with great interest.
But facing one of boxing’s most dangerous fighters in the ring pales in comparison to the concerns and troubles that are affecting hundreds of millions of Chinese across the globe.
“Fanlong is the best Chinese fighter in the world – everyone will learn that on March 28th.” Says Meng advisor Tommy Lane. “This is a historic fight because he is the first Chinese boxer to fight for the light heavyweight championship. And with what is going on with coronavirus, this is a fight that can bring joy and positive energy to the people at this challenging time.”
It is unknown when the coronavirus will be under control or when the citizens of the The People’s Republic of China can get back to normal life.
“My country needs me. We will get through this.”
Tickets for Beterbiev vs. Meng can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.ca or the Videotron Center box office Meng. More event details will be announced at a later time. For interview requests and media opportunities, please contact Terry Lane – tmlane@gmail.com.
#BeterbievMeng – official hashtag
ABOUT MENG FANLONG
Meng Fanlong is a Chinese, undefeated, professional boxer who competes in the light heavyweight division. Meng has a long list of amateur boxing accomplishments, including earning a spot on the the 2012 Chinese Olympic team. He is now the number one ranked light heavyweight contender.
ABOUT LANE BROTHERS BOXING
New York City Based “Lane Brothers Boxing” was founded in 2019 by brothers Terry and Tommy Lane. The Lane brothers have worked in professional boxing for nearly fifteen years, and are now using their industry expertise to advise top international boxing talent. Terry and Tommy are the sons of former referee Mills Lane.
Abel Ramos Stuns Bryant Perrella in Co-main Event Welterweight Battle
Click HERE for Photos Credit: Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions
Nashville, Tenn. (February 15, 2020) – Fighting in front of a raucous hometown crowd for the first time in his professional career, undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant (20-0, 12 KOs) put on a show.
Plant dominated mandatory challenger Vincent Feigenbutz (31-3, 28 KOs) of Germany, scoring a 10th-round TKO Saturday night in the FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Plant, who grew up in neighboring Ashland City, successfully made the second defense of the world title he won in January 2019 with a thrilling 12-round unanimous decision over then-titlist Jose Uzcategui. “Sweethands” lived up to his moniker, breaking down Germany’s Feigenbutz before putting him away.
“I was super fueled by the crowd tonight,” Plant said. “I could have gone all night. The whole city came out. Nashville stand up!”
Plant gave them plenty to cheer about from the opening bell, landing his jab up and downstairs. The aggressive Feigenbutz, 24, struggled to land anything in return.
Plant began landing the combinations in the third, bringing the crowd to his feet with a series of well-placed volleys.
Those shots slowly took their toll, but Feigenbutz was game. He came alive in the sixth, pinning Plant against the ropes and unloading his own combinations. Plant covered up and shook his head as if unbothered.
Plant pounded Feigenbutz in the seventh and eighth, opening up a cut on his nose and swelling his right eye. The challenger absorbed more punishment in the ninth, causing the ringside doctor to take a hard look at him in between rounds.
The end came swiftly in the 10th as Plant, sensing his foe was weakening, pounded away until referee Malik Waleed mercifully stepped in. The official time of the stoppage was 2:23 of the 10th.
“I felt great out there,” said Plant. “I was relaxed and sharp. I told you I was going to stop this before the 12th round. I want to dedicate this to my daughter, to my mother, my grandfather and the whole city of Nashville.”
The champion also stated his desire to unify versus unbeaten WBC counterpart and rival, David Benavidez.
“Everyone knows I want that unification fight with David Benavidez,” Plant stated. “You know who the best 168-pounder is. If you want that, you’ve got to come see me. I want that fight; I’ve been asking for it and I’m tired of waiting!”
In the co-main event, Abel Ramos scored a stunning last second TKO victory overBryant Perrella in a scheduled 10-round welterweight match. Heading into the 10thand final round Ramos was told by his cornermen that he needed a knockout to win. Ramos (26-3-2, 20 KOs) delivered, badly hurting and dropping Perrella twice in the waning seconds of the frame, prompting referee Jack Reiss to wave the welterweight co-main event off with just one second remaining.
“I know the fight’s not over until it’s over,” said Ramos. “That’s the game. I’ve been sick for two weeks. But no excuses. I wanted to come here and perform.
“I watched the Chavez-Taylor fight like 10 million times and I never thought I’d be in something like that. It just goes to prove that fights are never over till it’s over. You have to fight every single second of every single round.”
Watch Ramos stun Perrella at the end of Round 10 HERE.
Perrella (17-3, 14 KOs) was up on all three cards at the time of the stoppage; 87-84 and two scores of 88-83.
“This is boxing. It’s like Meldrick Taylor and Chavez,” said Perrella, agreeing with Ramos’ comments. “These things just happen. I’m not going to take anything away from my opponent. I was winning every round convincingly. What can I say? There was second left in the 10th round. It’s like a needle in the haystack. It is what it is.”
Southpaw Perrella controlled much of the action, using side to side movement, angles and rapid-fire combinations to stifle Ramos’ offense. A left hook in the third briefly buckled Ramos. Another in the fifth stunned him.
“Perrella’s a tough fighter,” said Ramos. “He’s a strong, strong fighter. I have nothing but respect for him. I expected a tough fight and that’s what happened.”
Ramos never stopped coming forward, picking up the pace as Perrella slowed down. With 34 seconds remaining in the 10th, Ramos landed a perfect left uppercut flush on the chin. Perrella sank to the mat, getting up on unsteady legs. Ramos pounced once action resumed, unloading until a straight right drove Perrella to the floor again. Again, he made it to his feet but couldn’t walk straight without stumbling. Reiss immediately waved it off at 2:59.
“Everything was going well, and I was winning the fight, round by round,” said Perrella. “I don’t know. This is boxing. That’s the thing about the sport. It is what it is. There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not going to make up any excuses or take anything away from my opponent. It’s just an experience that you go through in life and you have to overcome it. Absolutely I’d like to do it again with him. We can get a rematch in for sure.”
“I want all the welterweights,” Ramos exclaimed. “I’d like to have another big TV fight and go out there and prove myself.”
The FOX PBC Fight Night opener featured a back-and-forth battle between lightweightsAustin Dulay and Diego Magdaleno. Magdaleno produced one of the finest performances of his career, dropping Dulay on his way to a 10-round unanimous decision victory in a minor upset.
The 33-year-old Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) was simply busier, particularly down the stretch in this battle of southpaws.
“I knew mentally I could break him down,” said Magdaleno. “If I attacked the body, I knew I could break him down. He’s a young prospect. He’s taller than me so my plan of attack was to get in close and go to the body.”
Dulay disagreed with the decision. “I boxed the hell out of him every round, making him miss, catching shots, countering. Yeah, he hit me with a few good body shots. That doesn’t replace the heavy shots that I hit him with every single round for 10 rounds straight. That is madness. And it was a unanimous decision? That’s crazy. That’s unbelievable to me.
“Even Diego just told me that he had nothing to do with the decision. He knows. How can they do that to me in my hometown? That’s dirty man.”
Fighting in front of his fellow Nashville residents, Dulay (13-2, 10 KOs) started fast, landing several clean lefts in the second. Magdaleno never stopped coming forward, working behind the jab and landing to Dulay’s body.
Watch early round action between Austin Dulay and Diego Magdaleno HERE andHERE.
Some of those shots strayed low which elicited warnings from referee Jack Reiss. However, the work paid off as Dulay’s output dropped over the course of the bout. The sixth featured some of the best exchanges of the bout. Magdaleno got the better of those, landing a right to the ribs followed by one upstairs.
Magdaleno continued to press the attack in the seventh, scoring the fight’s only knockdown with a hard left hook to the solar plexus.
Watch Magdaleno score a knockdown vs Dulay in Round 7 HERE.
Once action resumed, Magdaleno pounded at his ribs until a left hook strayed low and dropped Magdaleno, causing Reiss to deduct a point.
“Every round he was hitting me low and, in the back, and on the hips,” said Dulay. “It was more times than he got called for. I won that fight 100%.”
Sensing the fight slipping away, Dulay picked up the pace over the last three rounds. It wasn’t enough to overcome Magdaleno’s work rate, which earned him a win by scores of 97-91, 96-92 and 96-92.
“Experience has everything going for me. In my previous fight, I lost my head,” said Magdaleno. “This time I took my time. My camp said slow it down. Happy for the victory tonight.”
On the non-televised undercard, former world bantamweight champion Rau’Shee “Nuke” Warren (17-3, 4 KOs) ended a 13-month layoff with a wide 10-round unanimous decision over Gilberto Mendoza (15-8-3, 7 KOs).
The 33-year-old Warren used his fast hands to land an assortment of shots from his lefty stance. In the fourth, a clash of heads opened a cut over the left eye of Mexico’s Mendoza. Warren sought to close the show, but Mendoza was game, firing back though outgunned.
Two judges scored it 99-91 and the third judge had it 100-90.
“It felt good to get back in there after being off for a year,” Warren said. “I didn’t feel like a rookie. I felt like I had to get a little rust off me. But I think I got most of the rust off when I was in the gym training. Going 10 rounds it felt good.”
“I hope to get back in May,” said Warren. “I only need 90 days. I’ve already had my long layoff since last January when I fought on Pacquiao and Adrien’s card. I’m ready to get it on. I’m ready to move on. The only thing he did that I didn’t expect him to do was stay up.”
The event was promoted by Sweethands Promotions, TGB Promotions and Sauerland Promotions.
Ra’eese Aleem Wins Via TKO Over Adam Lopez; Montana Love and Joseph Jackson Earn Impressive Unanimous Decision Victories At 2300 Arena in Philadelphia
Catch The Replay Monday, February 17 At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME®
Click HERE for Photos; Credit Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
PHILADELPHIA – February 15, 2020 – Undefeated 21-year-old lightweight prospect Isaac Cruz stunned ShoBox: The New Generation veteran Thomas Mattice in a closely contested majority decision win in the ShoBox main event Friday night from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. Watch the fight highlightsHERE.
Cruz, of Mexico City, rode his superior work rate, a lethal body attack, and his ability to neutralize Mattice’s jab to the victory. The judges scored the fight 95-95 and 96-94 twice.
Cruz threw an average of 69.4 punches per round, compared to 57.8 punches per round for Mattice. The much shorter Cruz, standing at 5’4” ½, was fearless from the opening bell and held an 82-31 advantage in body punches connected. Mattice, 5’8” ½, was also out-jabbed 34-30. Making his sixth appearance onShoBox, Cleveland’s Mattice was hampered by another slow start, a theme in his previous appearances on the prospect development series. Through the first two rounds, Cruz held advantages of 49-15 in overall punches landed and 39-8 in power punches connected.
“We were going for the knockout but it didn’t come up so we’ll take the decision,” said Cruz. “I thought I won all 10 rounds. I don’t know what fight the judges were watching. Round one to 10 I dominated and I was never hurt.”
A strong finish in the 10th and final round was not enough for Mattice to salvage a draw.
“I came up short,” said Mattice. “He was the better man. He could hit a little bit. I started out a little slow, trying to see what he had. He jumped out to an early lead and I was just trying to get familiar with his power. I have no excuses. He was the better man tonight.”
In the co-featured bout, Ra’eese Aleem (16-0, 10 KOs) burst onto the scene in his national television debut, putting on a boxing clinic by scoring a fourth-round TKO in a scheduled eight-round super bantamweight bout over San Antonio’s Adam Lopez (19-4-2, 9 KOs).
Aleem, from Muskegon, Mich., proved to be overwhelming for Lopez, who was making his record eighth appearance on ShoBox. From the opening bell, Aleem attacked from all angles as a reactive and slower Lopez was unable to cope with the wide array of punches. The 29-year-old Aleem held a commanding 92-11 advantage in overall punches, including a lopsided 61-7 power punches advantage.
With blood dripping from his nose and scalp, Lopez’s corner asked referee Gary Rosato to stop the fight at 1:31 of round four. Watch the TKO HERE.
“I put in a lot of hard work,” said Aleem, who now lives and trains in Las Vegas. “I didn’t see any film on the guy but knew he was a tough Mexican fighter. Once we got in there, I could see the speed difference. I could see his punches coming. I did rush some punches and made some mistakes. But it was good and I kept my hands up and my speed and movements were good. And I’m glad I stopped him. I didn’t want to go the distance.
“I want a world title fight and I’m knocking on the door. I’m hungry and I’m ready. I know Danny Roman just lost the title. Brandon Figueroa, whoever is there in the top-10 I’m ready for. I’m hungry and I’m coming and I want that fight.”
In the second fight of the four-fight telecast, Cleveland’s flashy unbeaten super lightweight Montana Love (13-0-1, 6 KOs) improved his record to 2-0-1 onShoBox, putting in a professional display en route to a unanimous decision over Jerrico Walton (16-1, 7 KOs), who fights out of Houston by way of New Orleans. The judges scored the fight 78-74 and 77-75 twice. Watch fight highlights HERE
“I think Love did enough to win,” said SHOWTIME Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood. “The rounds he won, he won more convincingly. Love did the serious damage in the fight.”
Walton, with noted trainer Ronnie Shields working his corner, threw slightly more punches than Love, but in a fight decided by big moments, Love had more of them, especially in the late rounds. Love was more accurate on his power punches (43 percent to 21 percent) and in body shots (56-23). The southpaw also hurt Walton on two separate occasions, but the 29-year-old did enough to hang on and survive the rounds.
“I give my performance a C-plus,” said the 25-year-old Love. “I could have been more active in there. I didn’t get hit a lot and I hurt him a few times but I let him off the hook.
“I was getting off good shots, and the thing I’m mad about is that the fight should not have gone the distance. I’m ready for whatever’s next. My team is trying to get me to 135 pounds.”
Walton was making his national television debut. “I think the fight was closer than it was scored; I think it was at least a draw,” he said. “I don’t think the fight was 78-74. I’m very disappointed but I’m not going to stop. They’re going to see me again. This is only going to push me harder.”
With his first career loss, Walton became the 191st fighter to lose his undefeated record on ShoBox, boxing’s ultimate proving ground.
In a battle of unbeaten super welterweights making their ShoBox debuts in the telecast opener, North Carolina’s Joseph Jackson (16-0, 12 KOs) handed Derrick Colemon, Jr. (11-1, 8 KOs) his first career loss. Jackson overcame a slow start to earn the unanimous decision. The scores were 77-75, 80-72, 78-74. Watch the decision HERE.
The younger and more aggressive Colemon of Detroit started strong, controlling the first three rounds before the savvier and more mature Jackson commanded the second half of the bout. In rounds six through eight, Jackson out-landed Colemon 76-19 overall and 50-9 on power punches. Jackson’s movement and activity frustrated and tired Colemon, who went past five rounds for the first time in his career. Farhood scored the first three rounds in favor of Colemon and the final five rounds for Jackson.
“We just dug deep and got the job done,” said the 31-year-old Jackson. “I’d give my performance an eight out of 10. I know I can show better. I had about 40 people come out from Greensboro, N.C., and support me.
“I’ll fight whoever they put out in front of me next. It’s SHOWTIME and my first televised fight and first fight outside of North Carolina so it was important to put on a show.”
Friday’s fights were promoted by King’s Promotions in association with GH3 Promotions. The full telecast will replay on Monday, February 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available on SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and SHOWTIME on DEMAND®.
The four-fight telecast was the third of four ShoBox presentations over six weeks showcasing some of boxing’s brightest young prospects in their toughest tests to date. Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins called the action from ringside with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Unbeaten WBC Heavyweight Champion Wilder & Undefeated Lineal Heavyweight Champion Fury Square Off in Highly Anticipated Rematch Taking Place Saturday, February 22 in Historic Mega PPV Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (February 13, 2020) – The upcoming rematch between WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and lineal champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury is the biggest heavyweight title fight in history.
Literally.
Standing 6’7″ and 6’9″ respectively, Wilder and Fury create the greatest combined height ever seen in a bout for the WBC, Ring Magazine and lineal heavyweight titles, standing a collective 13 feet and 4 inches. The only heavyweight title bout “taller,” so to speak, took place in 2007, when the 7-foot Nikolay Valuev defended his WBA heavyweight title against the 6’6″ Jameel McCline. But never before have the sport’s very best big men been as large as they are today.
To put in perspective how large Wilder and Fury are, it’s best to compare them to the land of giants: The NBA. Consider the fact that at 6’7″ and in the neighborhood of 220 pounds, Wilder is the same size as Los Angeles Clippers small forward Kawhi Leonard. Fury, meanwhile, is nearly identical to LeBron James in terms of height and weight.
These days, a look at the Top 10 of any rankings you choose shows that most contenders are built like Super Bowl champion tight end Travis Kelce, who stands 6’6″ and weighs around 250 pounds.
As anyone who watched the thrilling first contest between Wilder and Fury will know, the two are indeed athletes, far from the lumbering behemoths you might expect men of their measurements to be. Wilder might be known for his titanic one-punch power, but he’s displayed some truly dynamic movement in the ring as well. Go watch the tape of his knockout of Bermane Stiverne and watch him bound laterally to create angles before landing his devastating shots, juking like a wide receiver in the open field, and you can see why Wilder dreamt of playing college football at Alabama when he was in high school.
Fury never dreamt of doing anything other than boxing-how could you when you were named after a heavyweight legend and born into a family rich with fighting history in Ireland. But the “Gypsy King” was also born with remarkable nimbleness to go along with a lifetime of developed boxing acumen, gliding around the ring and boxing with a style that would befit a welterweight, not a power forward-sized heavyweight.
Wilder and Fury are distinctive because ironically, giants aren’t usually dominant in sporting fields. While some have been all-time greats-i.e. the 6’9″ Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, who is a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame-often times big men are known mostly just for being big, and don’t reach the pinnacle of their sport. And understandably so. Being colossally large is often a hindrance in as many ways as it’s an advantage, particularly when it comes to movement and dexterity. The NFL’s tallest player, seven-footer Richard Singh, played just eight career games, the MLB’s all-time tallest player, the 6’11” Jon Rauch, was a journeyman reliever, and tennis’ 6’10” and 6’11” skyscrapers Ivo Karlovic, John Isner and Rilley Opelka have no majors to their names.
As human beings have become bigger and stronger over the years, naturally, so have boxers. Rocky Marciano, standing 5’10 ½” and weighing just above 180 pounds, would be a tiny cruiserweight by today’s standards. Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali, considered by many to be the two greatest heavyweights of all-time, and certainly not tiny fighters in their time, stood 6’1 ½” and 6’3″ respectively. Theoretically, Louis would give up nine inches in reach to Fury, whose wingspan is 85″. There were outliers in earlier eras, of course-Jess Willard and Ernie Terrell were 6’6″ and above and captured heavyweight titles-but for decades it was possible to be the size of a modern cruiserweight and not just compete, but be an imposing figure in the division.
Things began to change in the late 80s and 90s, when Tony Tucker, Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis, a trio of 6’6″ heavies captured belts. But the modern era was ushered in by Vitali and Wladimir Klitscko, the 6’6″ brothers who essentially ruled the division for the better part of a decade before Fury unseated Wladimir for the lineal crown in 2015.
Boxing has had its share of giants through the years, many of which have fallen short of the elite levels. In recent times, fans will remember the much-hyped American prospect Tye Fields, a towering 6’8″ southpaw who despite a massive amount of hype, never fought for a world title. Julius “The Towering Inferno” Long started his career 5-0, and at 7’1″ with a 90″ reach looked like a force to be reckoned with, before settling in as one of the sport’s most notorious journeymen and reliable sparring partners.
Wilder and Fury are a remarkable blend of size and athleticism and are bucking the trend that you can be “too big” to be great. As the rematch nears, it’s exciting-or perhaps scary-to think about the next evolution of heavyweights that will come after these two. There was a time when the great George Foreman, at 6’3″ and with a 78″ reach, or Larry Holmes at 6’3″ with an 81″ reach, were considered among the most daunting physical presences to ever step in the ring. But Wilder and Fury have set a new physical standard. Will NBA-sized heavyweights become the norm in the coming years?
At least for the moment, Wilder and Fury are far from normal. They’re colossal presences, yes, but they’re also the two very best heavyweights in the world at the peak of their powers, looking to follow up one of the most memorable fights, and hotly debated draws in recent history.
Who will stand tall on February 22?
# # #
ABOUT DEONTAY WILDER VS. TYSON FURY II Wilder vs. Fury II will see the highly anticipated rematch between unbeaten WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and undefeated lineal champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury as they headline a historic, mega PPV event Saturday, February 22 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The Wilder vs. Fury II PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin squaring off against former title challenger Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington for a 12-round IBF Heavyweight Title eliminator in the co-main event. WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, a.k.a “The Mexican Iron Man” will defend his title against Filipino contender Jeo Santisima in the PPV featured bout. Plus, in the PPV opener, super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will face 2016 Australian Olympian Daniel Lewis in a 10-round battle of unbeatens.
Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased atwww.mgmgrand.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions, Top Rank and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.
