Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
UK – biggest and most notable
With British boxing losing world champions like paper towels in a public toilet during a pandemic, it is nice to gather a new one – even if it is for the IBO belt. Last Friday the 26th of November, in Bolton the IBO cruiserweight title went to Jack Massey who demolished Bilal Laggoune in only 3 rounds. Belgium’s Laggoune was just completely outboxed in a fight that puts Massey in the frame at least for bigger contests. His major problem is that he is not ranked anywhere with the big boys – WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO. With Britain’s Lawrence Okolie already a world champion who won’t fight him and too much of a risk for either Richard Riakporhe or Chris Billiam-Smith, both of whom are ranked, it may need him to look to the top 10 of the world governing bodies and hope someone takes a risk and fancies his belt.
Under the radar
On the same evening, Friday the 26th of November, light flyweight former WBC world titlist Jay Harris was stopped by Hector Gabriel Flores in Cardiff in a modest upset. Given what happened during the rest of the weekend this hardly mustered a moment never mind a maelstrom of mutterings, but it was a shock, nonetheless. Flores spectacularly knocked him out in the 6th round leaving Welshman Harris with a hell of a lot of thinking to do.
International – most intriguing
Then came the Saturday of all Saturdays – the 27th of November – and it began with number one of two massive multi belt fights on the Saturday as super bantamweight Brendan Figueroa lost out to Stephen Fulton for the WBC and WBO titles in Las Vegas. It was a majority decision that saw Fulton triumph in a storm of a fight. Figueroa was absolutely relentless, but the cute work of Fulton got the better of Figueroa and the unbeaten record of Fulton was the one to remain intact by the end of 12 thrilling rounds.
International headline in the UK
And then, on Saturday the 27th of November, to the second of the multi-belt fights as the WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles were lost by Teofimo Lopez and taken down under by George Kambosis Jr. This was a tsunami of a result. Nobody was predicting this and when both fighters were floored, there must have been plenty wondering what the hell was going on. This was supposed to be a Lopez master show, and his father was predicting a first round knockout. He was already planning the undoing of bigger and far better fighters. And then, Lopez lost. He did not lose by much but the noise emanating from Lopez Sr’s mouth after the fight was both unseemly, ungentlemanly, unsporting and verging on the pathos of a series of Deontay Wilder excuses. In the meantime, Australia has a new super star, and they deserve it.
Mentioned in dispatches…
There were quite a few other fights of note held over the weekend including, from Mexico, Erika Cruz v Melissa Esquivel for Cruz’s WBA women’s featherweight title, which went in a close split decision to the retaining champion, Cruz. On the Lopez/Kambosis undercard we had Azinga Fuzile v Kenichi Ogawa, for the vacant IBF junior lightweight title, which Ogawa won on points, and Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang returned to winning ways with a 2nd round stoppage of Bernardo Marquez. In Moscow, Pavel Silmagin beat Isaac Chilemba for the WBC light middleweight silver belt on points and in the UK the WBO Global (what exactly is that?) super middleweight crown on the line between Mark Jeffers and Michel Garcia went to Jeffers. Finally, the Commonwealth lightweight championship title fight between Gavin Gwynne and Jack O’ Keefe ended with a points win for Gwynne.
Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic
UK – biggest and most notable
On Saturday the 4th of December, at the Copper Box, London, we have a real grudge match which has elements of the Kambosis/Lopez fight. Like the Kambosis/Lopez fight, the favourite was expected to beat the underdog. Like the Kambosis/Lopez fight, I believe there was no rematch clause. But unlike, the Kambosis/Lopez fight, there is now a rematch, and we shall see the light heavyweights Lyndon Arthur and Anthony Yarde, back to sort out their differences. Also, like the Kambosis/Lopez fight the loser was a really sore loser and claimed that they had won – Anthony Yarde – though he has softened a lot since. Lyndon Arthur is so confident he can do it again we get the chance to watch it all over. This time round, it truly is a 50/50 fight.
Under the radar
The night before, on Friday the 3rd of December, former world champion, Charlie Edwards is back against Jacob Barreto in York Hall. His brother, Sunny is off to Dubai, next weekend whilst Charlie really needs this win. Barreto shall be a tough task and given the number of shocks we have suffered in the ring recently this shall hardly be taken as read that Edwards shall manage that win. It’s a decent fight and one worth keeping an eye on.
International – most intriguing
On Saturday the 4th of December, in Las Vegas, we have the WBC lightweight title fight between Devin Haney and Joseph Diaz. There had been talk of what was coming next with Haney v Lopez mooted but with the latter dropping off the radar as he could not beat Kambosis, Haney will have had his warning – I think he shall have heeded that.
International headline in the UK
Whilst the Haney/Diaz fight is worthy of most headlines, on the undercard, in Las Vegas, on Saturday the 4th of December, we have the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF AND IBO female welterweight battle between Jessica McCaskill and Victoria Noelia Bustos. McCaskill goes in as the favourite and definitely ought to be as she has rebuilt since her loss to Katie Taylor – though her opposition has bene a little limited – in amongst her contests, Erica Anabella Farias twice, and Cecilia Breakhaus twice in amongst five fights! This looks like yet another brilliant women’s contest.
Mentioned in dispatches…
There is a plethora of pugilism with the WBO European super welterweight fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Bradley Skeete as well as the IBF international silver lightweight title fight between Sam Noakes and Shaun Cooper. In mainland Europe, we have the UK’s Brian Rose at middleweight in for the IBF European title against Denis Radovan in Germany, whilst Kerman Lejarraga against another British name in Jack Flatley for the EBU title – will it be 6th time lucky for a British fighter – the previous 5 could not beat him! In the US, heavyweight Filip Hrgovic takes on Scott Alexander for the IBF international belt and Gervonta Davis takes on Isaac Cruz in the WBA lightweight fight.
Future History – and the week to follow…
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 11th December
Liverpool, DAZN, and Katie Taylor defends her belts against Firuza Sharipova.
Under the radar
Friday 10th December
In Crystal Palace, London, Isaac Chamberlain is back and fighting for the IBF international title at cruiserweight against Dilan Prasovic.
International – most intriguing
Saturday 11th December
We have Sunny Edwards at flyweight in Dubai, UAE, taking on Jayson Mama in defence of his IBF title. MTK Global are based in Dubai and a number of British fighters have made the trip successfully – Edwards hopes to add to that number.
International headline in the UK
Saturday 11th December
Given how many light heavyweights we have who think they are within world title reach, it is in Ekaterinberg, Russia that attention shall be shifted as Dmitry Bivol defends his WBA super title against Umar Sulanov.
Mentioned in dispatches…
Saturday 11th December
In the UK, In Liverpool and on DAZN, Chris Algieri comes across the pond to take on Conor Benn at welterweight – this is a very careful step up for Benn and we are already salivating at him being back in the ring. There is also the WBA international middleweight title fight between Caoimhin Agyarko and Noe Larios Jr, super lightweight Robbie Davies Jr, takes on Henry Lundy for the WBA continental title and the EBU featherweight title fight is on between Karim Guerfi and Jordan Gill. In Carson, California, the WBC bantamweight title fight is between Nonito Donaire and Reymart Gasallo.
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