Madrimov vs. Walker: Inviting Tragedy
By Caryn A. Tate on August 18, 2020
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Fighters are hard-pressed to admit that they’re hurt. (photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom)
Even when proper precautions are taken, sometimes there can still be a negative outcome. But what about when there are clear warning signs that go unheeded, such as in Walker’s case? It’s inviting a tragic outcome… READ MORE
Herring retains title via DQ over Oquendo
By Robert Ecksel on September 5, 2020
The champ intended to box, while the challenger came to brawl. (Mikey Williams/Top Rank)
“I wasn’t too satisfied with my performance, to be honest with you,” said Herring after the fight. “I didn’t want it to end like that. I’m disappointed with the outcome. But my team felt it was too much. So we just had to stop it or whatever…” READ MORE
By Robert Ecksel on November 22, 2021
Not to be outdone, Crawford dropped a bombshell of his own. (Photo: Chase Stevens/AP)
Porter was ahead on the scorecards after five rounds. Crawford took control in the sixth and slowly broke Shawn Porter down. After the knockdowns, Shawn's father and trainer, Kenny Porter, stopped the fight. It was a gutsy, heart-wrenching loss... READ MORE
Red Alert! Cruising with Canelo
November 18, 2021
Reynoso failed to mention that Showtime, PBC, and David Benavidez were thrown under the bus. But boxing turns the page like a speed-reader on meth...
November 15, 2021
“Breadman" told Davis, “He (Benavidez) just shot his load this round a little bit.” But the uppercuts he landed at the start of the fifth suggested otherwise…
Rock 'n' Roll: Crawford vs. Porter
November 20, 2021
Porter will get in his licks, and his elbows, head, and whatnot. He’s an expert at throwing opponents off their game. But Crawford is in a class of his own..
November 22, 2021
He may or may not be the greatest fighter alive, there’s a redhead down in Mexico who’s in the running, but Crawford’s boxing IQ is off the charts…
November 10, 2021
With the victory, Canelo has become the world’s first undisputed champion at super middleweight, as well as the first undisputed champion in Mexican history…
October 31, 2021
Boxers are constantly screwed. Chicanery in the game seems to be the normal. Jose Benavidez was not going to let that happen to his boys…
It's Showtime: Benavidez vs. Davis
November 13, 2021
Former two-time WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez returns to his birthplace to get it on with late replacement Kyrone Davis…
November 14, 2021
Benavidez tried his best. He had to lose about 70 pounds of candy and chips for the fight. Hours spent watching “Days of our Lives” were difficult to shed…
November 14, 2021
Benavidez brought nothing new to the fight. There is nothing new he can bring unless he grows another arm. He is a complete fighter…
September 20, 2021
We haven’t seen the last of Manny Pacquiao. Hopefully he’ll achieve his political goals and save his country if not the world…
September 10, 2021
He looks old. He looks slow. He looks unsteady. He looks like a great former champion who has no business fighting, even an 8-round exhibition with 2-minute rounds...
Canelo Alvarez vs. Caleb Plant Preview
September 22, 2021
Having turned pro at the tender age of 15, he is now a seasoned veteran at 31 and a beautiful boxing creation, thanks in no small part to his trainer Eddy Reynoso…
Holyfield Humbled, Wants Tyson Next
September 12, 2021
“For me to be able to compete with Holyfield is a dream.” The dream doesn’t stop there, however. Vitor Belfort has other plans…
September 19, 2021
He has been accused of being lazy, combative, uninterested, unmotivated, and a general pain-in-the ass. He is all of that and much more…
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Gessuri Brito—Episode 4—Why Boxing?
August 15, 2021
Almost anyone can learn to box. Work is the difference between success and mediocrity; work and luck and things inside a person that cannot be taught...
Scouting Report: Keon Papillion
July 23, 2021
“I got started in boxing through my dad,” he said. “I didn’t want to do it at first because he kind of forced me to do it at a young age. I quit to go play other sports...”
August 27, 2021
The 17,000 fans at T-Mobile knew it. The millions watching at home knew it. Even Manny knew it, or so he said, or managed to not quite say in so few words...
Sonny Liston Meets the Beatles
August 30, 2021
The Beatles wanted to meet heavyweight champion Sonny Liston, not “that loudmouth who’s going to lose,” in the words of John Lennon…
September 3, 2021
He is 48. He hasn’t fought in a dozen years. He’s toyed with idea, both privately and publicly, as former champions do. But De La Hoya was serious...
March 29, 2021
The decision for a young boxer to go pro is partially made for boxers in the United States. The law does not say how old he can be but how young he cannot be…
March 24, 2021
Many of the best fighters are not champions and many champions are little more than contenders. Not being a champion may be a convenient excuse to avoid a fight…
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Whyte Stops Povetkin in Rematch
March 27, 2021
His punch resistance isn’t nearly where it should be; and like all older athletes, his physical reflexes are too slow to match what his mind recognizes needs to be done…
The "Habanero Kid,"Luis Gallegos, Wins First Victory
May 10, 2021
The hand wraps feel good, just enough padding and tension. You are here to establish your dominance…
Scouting Report: Floyd Schofield
May 30, 2021
“[I most enjoy] boxing on the inside,” Schofield said. “It's more fun for me. It makes my fights more entertaining, and (there’s) better action when I fight on the inside…”
Jose Benavidez Sr.: Thank God for One More Day
March 10, 2021
“They didn’t have a childhood. I regret that now, because that wasn’t what I wanted, but I was just trying to make them better. I wanted them to be strong in life…”
Estrada Wins Split Decision Over Gonzalez in Thrilling Rematch
March 13, 2021
Estrada vs. Gonzalez was a lot like any historically great, elite level fight between evenly matched fighters...
Benavidez Punishes Game Ronald Ellis
March 15, 2021
“I want all the big guys, and as you can see, I love throwing punches and I love stopping people. Me against any of the big names would be a great fight…”
Vergil Ortiz Stops Maurice Hooker in 7, Calls Out Crawford
March 21, 2021
It was just the type of fight Ortiz needed at this point in his career before he moves on to higher level opposition…
Claressa Shields: First Boxer to Win Undisputed Titles in 2 Divisions
March 5, 2021
It was a tremendous performance by Shields, who at 25 years old, continues to improve fight after fight...
Dirrell Fights Davis to a Split Draw
February 28, 2021
Davis started out well, light on his feet and moving laterally. At times he tried to initiate some rough stuff, but Dirrell isn't called "The Dog" for nothing...
Turkey Shoot: Canelo Clobbers Yildirim
February 28, 2021
Yildirim must have had a game plan in mind going in. But whatever the game plan might have been, it was abandoned at the first hard shot Canelo landed...
March 3, 2021
One is always too cold to know how cold it is in Montana. Once the temperature drops to the level of tree limbs cracking in half, what difference does the cold make?
Claressa Shields Makes Her Own Way
March 5, 2021
Claressa wants to challenge herself as a combat athlete, but the difference in how these sports treat their female athletes is the primary motivator…
Jalapeño Popper—Episode 3—Debut
March 5, 2021
That first walk to the ring must feel like it takes forever. The crowd in Great Falls, Montana, was anxious for a fight, any kind of activity that would let them out of the house…
David Benavidez, a Hawk Seeking a Meal
February 14, 2021
After Benavidez beat Dirrell he has been calling out Caleb Plant. Plant has responded with a tweet-full of excuses. “He acts like a woman on twitter,” said Benavidez…
Adrien Broner, Falling in Love Again
February 19, 2021
Since love is war and love is blind and love is a four-letter word and a losing game, Broner professing his newfound love almost makes a weird kind of sense…
Catch and Counter with Caryn: Berchelt vs. Valdez
February 19, 2021
It’s a highly anticipated bout, coming at a particularly opportune time for boxing fans—there has been a lull in the sport in recent months as far as high profile fights go…
Oscar Valdez KOs Miguel Berchelt
February 20, 2021
Valdez showed a whole other layer of his skills tonight. He boxed beautifully, utilizing angles, feints, showing different looks, and showing incredible intelligence in the ring…
Uninspired Broner Outpoints Santiago
February 21, 2021
“Broner did a nice job in there. The decision could have gone both ways. He fought a great fight. We were in it to win this fight and he got the decision…"
February 13, 2021
He looked great tonight. Marinez didn’t come to lose, but he just wasn’t able to hang with Commey, a strong fighter who packs a punch and has good fundamentals…
February 7, 2021
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, the one-time Olympic gold medalist, started Muhammad Ali on his long goodbye on February 15, 1978...
February 4, 2021
Brito stayed in Washington. With David Benavidez, Abraham Martinez, and Jose Valenzuela training in Big Bear for future fights the gym here feels fairly empty…
Plant Puts on Clinic Against Game Caleb Truax
January 30, 2021
The angles Plant used were absolutely beautiful—he nearly always ensured he could get off with whatever he wanted while keeping Truax from letting his hands go …
February 5, 2021
He has always been an in-your-face kind of fighter, a non-stop banger exciting to watch. He will exhaust an opponent by walking him down. He also hits very hard...
Stephen Fulton Wins Skillful Dogfight Against Angelo Leo
January 23, 2021
Angelo Leo and Stephen Fulton faced off in a 12-rounder for Leo's WBO world super bantamweight title…
January 25, 2021
Those early infractions, while scary and unbecoming, were chalked up to his being a stranger in a strange land unfamiliar with the customs of his adopted home...
January 25, 2021
Thinking Simmons was finished, he showered him with bombs coming all the way from Canada. LeCoure learned that not every stunned fighter goes down…
January 26, 2021
Reyes picked up the black & white picture and held the shot in both hands. He outlined his face and body with his finger. “I look fat,” he said. “You are fat,” replied Javier…
Saturday Night Fever: Plant vs. Truax
January 30, 2021
Positioned precisely where he belongs in the P4P rankings, Plant may have bigger fish to fry than Caleb Truax, but it’s Truax who’s on his radar tonight…
Ryan Garcia, Dropped Early, is First to Stop Luke Campbell
January 2, 2021
Campbell grimaced in pain and fell to his knees. He wasn't able to make the count and the fight was waved off…
January 16, 2021
Word spread and I expected a number of calls. People in the boxing game often call me thinking I might have some information that might benefit them. I don’t…
January 21, 2021
Think of all the great fighters we have known, boxers who have put their lives on the line yet could not eat in certain restaurants or stay in certain hotels…
January 22, 2021
She brings something more into the ring than just boxing. She likes putting on a show. Costumes are fine but there is no greater show than a good fight with plenty of action…
January 23, 2021
“I always thought he would be one of the greats. You can’t be great if you don’t fight the best and Benavidez is currently the best super middleweight in the world…”
Morrell Beats Gavronski on FOX
December 26, 2020
Morrell threw a picture-perfect 1-2-3 (jab, left hand, right hook) to drop Gavronski heavily at the end of round 1. He was in over his head…
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December 27, 2020
The corner wanted to continue. Gavronski was not yet beaten into insensibility, still able to almost speak a complete sentence, and still recognizable as human…
Catch & Counter With Caryn: 2020, The Year That
Almost Wasn't
December 31, 2020
Young champion Teofimo Lopez faced the great Vasyl Lomachenko for the undisputed lightweight world title…
January 1, 2021
The last bit of news concerns the very popular heavyweight Chauncy Welliver. He was rushed to the hospital suffering from a very dangerous case of covid…
Saturday Night Fever: Garcia vs. Campbell
January 2, 2021
“He has no challenges for me. All he’s got is pitter-patter punches and amateur style punches. None of that is going to save him. I'm not even worried about Luke Campbell…”
Friday Night Fights: Golovkin vs. Szeremeta
December 16, 2020
Golovkin peaked six years ago, but since his two fights with Canelo Alvarez in 2017 and ‘18, the superlatives used to describe him have decreased in number and volume…
Canelo Alvarez vs. Callum Smith Preview
December 18, 2020
At 6-foot-3 with a 78-inch reach, compared to his challenger’s 5-foot-8 with a 70½-inch reach, Smith could present problems Canelo has not yet overcome...
Golovkin TKOs Outclassed Szeremeta
December 18, 2020
Golovkin established his jab in the opening round and added a dazzling array of punches as the rounds progressed that seemingly could not miss…
Canelo Outboxes, Punishes Callum Smith for 12 Rounds
December 19, 2020
Smith was simply too straight up-and-down for a fighter of Canelo’s caliber, regardless of the size difference...
Mike Gavronski—Once More into the Breach
December 24, 2020
If David Morrell wins, he goes on to more money and more fame. If Mike Gavronski loses, he falls into the well paid opponent category…
Catch & Counter with Caryn: Errol Spence Jr. Vs. Danny Garcia
December 5, 2020
Spence's last fight was versus Shawn Porter in September 2019, just before the accident. It was grueling...
Spence Inspires in Win Over Garcia
December 5, 2020
This was Spence’s first fight back after a serious car accident in October 2019. Questions abounded heading into this fight: would Spence look the same?
Saturday Night Fever: Joshua vs. Pulev
December 12, 2020
“With all due respect to Anthony Joshua, I don't think he's that good, nor do I think he's invincible. I have everything. I’m here now, ready to fight and win…”
December 12, 2020
Joshua was able to anticipate much of what Pulev was doing and throwing, and Pulev’s lack of adjustment were obvious in the way Joshua was able to control him...
December 16, 2020
Filmed in gritty black and white, the documentary explores the life and times of the former heavyweight contender known as the “Golden Boy” and “Blond Bomber…”
Holyfield challenges Tyson to third fight
December 1, 2020
“My side tried to make the fight happen and we got nothing but excuses. Now I can see why he wanted a tune-up fight before thinking about fighting me…”
Claressa Shields Goes for the Gold
December 2, 2020
Despite its increased visibility, women’s boxing hasn’t exactly taken the world by storm. Old habits die hard, while boxing tradition dies even harder…
December 2, 2020
“Often it can be those close to us who make us doubt ourselves because they want to guide us to take the safe route, the well-travelled path through life…”
December 3, 2020
Until the opening bell sounds, doubts persist that Spence, no matter how hard at work he is in the gym, may have lost a step, if not physically than psychologically…
December 4, 2020
Finding fights in the time of covid is tough. Fights have gone the way of the blacksmith, the party line telephone, and silent movies. Many gyms have been closed…
Fire and Brimstone and Deontay Wilder
November 16, 2020
Former heavyweight champion of the world Deontay Wilder isn’t the first person to believe his own lies, nor will he be the last...
Caveat emptor: Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr.
November 26, 2020
“We wanted to make sure that they both understood that it was a sanctioned exhibition fight. It's going to look like a boxing match…”
Joe Joyce Stops Daniel Dubois in 10
November 28, 2020
It was a superb performance by Joyce, who showed that he has a higher level of skill than perhaps many people realized. It was also a very good showing by Dubois...
Tyson/Jones Jr. draw after 8 rounds
November 28, 2020
Tyson was asked if he would resume his pro career. “This is bigger than fighting for championships. We’re humanitarians, we’re helping people. I’m into that now…”
What if Mike Tyson stages a comeback?
November 30, 2020
George Foreman liked what he saw, was impressed by Tyson’s performance, and foresees big things in Mike’s future should he decide to take that path…
November 8, 2020
“I want the big fights,” said Haney after the bout. “Fighting someone like Gamboa was a steppingstone but I’m here for the big fights…”
Luis Ortiz Stops Alexander Flores in One
November 7, 2020
Less than a minute into round 1, Ortiz caught Flores with a right hook to the body that dropped the American fighter. Flores also seemed to injure himself on the way down...
November 12, 2020
“He’s not the only opponent that went into the fight thinking they were going to stop me or knock me out, so that’s nothing new for me…”
November 14, 2020
Vidal landed shot after shot, and though Ortiz may not have taken any single monumental punch, he was simply taking too much damage…
November 14, 2020
Brook performed well, before he walked into a punch he didn’t see coming, and has now lost three of his last six fights…
Mayweather goes on the offensive
October 23, 2020
There may be people who don’t know about sanctioning fees, even though I’ve yet to meet them. But it could be because of the company I keep…
Lomachenko Injured Prior to Lopez Fight
October 22, 2020
“I was injured coming into this fight as well, if you want to talk about injuries,” Lopez told ESPN, “but I didn’t make no excuses about it. You know what I mean...
October 24, 2020
Gene Fullmer was not a boxer in a conventional sense. He was often slow, awkward, and used tactics that confused his opponents…
Lipinets and Clayton Fight to a Majority Draw
October 24, 2020
The cards read 115-113 for Clayton, and 114-114 twice for a majority draw. A draw was a very fair result in a close, competitive bout in which it was hard to pick the winner...
Gervonta Davis Stops Leo Santa Cruz in Six
October 31, 2020
Davis’ sharp counters kept Santa Cruz guessing and thinking twice about letting his hands go as much as he normally does…
Tonight's the Night: Lomachenko vs. Lopez
October 17, 2020
“A lot of people talking about Teofimo Lopez. Who is this guy? He never fought any top fighters. Now he’s a world champion. Welcome to my club…”
Lopez Upsets Lomachenko for Undisputed Title
October 17, 2020
Loma wasn’t able to fully utilize his beautiful footwork and dance around Lopez as he normally does against his opponents; instead, he turned up the dog…
Judges Bungle Lopez-Loma Scorecards
October 18, 2020
Distinguishing good from bad, right from wrong, fact from fiction, truth from lies, might impinge on self-interest, which would be a pity, especially if that’s all there is…
October 21, 2020
The media reluctantly embraced Sonny Liston as the celebrity he was and succeeded, to some extent, in humanizing the alleged monster in our midst…
The Jalapeño Popper Ready for Pro Debut
October 21, 2020
When Brito decided he did not like the amateurs, he and his father decided to do something different, an interesting experiment. His father kept him in the gym…
KO, or Not KO, that is the question
October 12, 2020
Many shot fighters say they can make a comeback, that they have been reborn and renewed. Flores is hardly a shot fighter. He is more a throwback fighter...
October 13, 2020
“It was a sign. I left college sold everything I had, and moved to Los Angeles. I would stay in boxing and I would become a champion…”
Blood, Sweat and Tears: Loma vs. Lopez Preview
October 14, 2020
ESPN is giving the fight the star treatment it deserves. Check out Parts 1 and 2 of Blood, Sweat and Tears before tuning in to Saturday’s pick ‘em title bout…
October 15, 2020
At the fights she glides to her seat like an apparition of Athena, goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare. Athena is often depicted with a helmet and a spear…
Joshua vs. Pulev on December 12
October 17, 2020
Pulev’s only loss was by knockout to Wladimir Klitschko in 2014, just before Dr. K formally commenced his slide. But Pulev has won eight fights since then…
