RingSide Report

World News, Social Issues, Politics, Entertainment and Sports

Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World



By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

UK – biggest and most notable

On Saturday the 4th of December, at the Copper Box, London, the grudge match and rematch between the light heavyweights Lyndon Arthur and Anthony Yarde, ended with an exceptional knockout from Yarde. People, including me, thought that Arthur was going to outbox Yarde once again, but it was Yarde’s power that was devastating, clinical and decisive. Yarde came into the fight after an appalling year when he lost relatives to COVID-19 and it was as if all the pain of his experiences were being taken out on Arthur. The record shall show a fourth-round stoppage but the tale of Yarde’s march on towards world honors is now on and we are willing passengers on one hell of a journey. His story can now go beyond that of the man who went to Russia but could not beat Kovalev as he is now looking like he is much more likely to take a title from the top.

Under the radar

The night before, on Friday the 3rd of December, former world champion, Charlie Edwards was back against Jacob Barreto in York Hall and also got a stoppage. This time round the fight did not get beyond the second round and this sets Charlie up for bigger and more taxing fights at some point in the New Year.

International – most intriguing

Als on Saturday the 4th of December, in Las Vegas, we had the WBC lightweight title fight between Devin Haney and Joseph Diaz which ended with Haney being pushed and given a tough time of it. At the end of it, Haney was just far too classy, and his win has set up the Kambosis unification fight beautifully. There is little doubt that we are seeing more unification fights than we would have expected before the pandemic, but we must all keep one eye upon the future to make sure that everyone has the right kind of pressure on to force them to happen. Haney v Kambosis has appeared on Twitter, until it appears in a ring we need to be slightly cautious – excited but cautious.

International headline in the UK

On the Haney/Diaz undercard, in Las Vegas, on Saturday the 4th of December, the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF AND IBO female welterweight battle ended up being between Jessica McCaskill and a late replacement for Victoria Noelia Bustos, as Bustos was unable to get a VISA. McCaskill was up against Kandi Wyatt and stopped her in the seventh round. Wyatt was game and came in with about a week’s notice which was brave but ultimately, she was a level or so below with the referee having to step in to stop the punishment. McCaskill got through what she had to get through and the pot of gold available to her now should be plenty of riches in a highly competitive framework which women’s boxing has now become.

Mentioned in dispatches…

There was a plethora of excitement all over the UK and the globe which included the controversy around the WBO European super welterweight fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Bradley Skeete. An aging Skeete was brought in to help showcase the next new star in Sheeraz BUT Skeete outboxed him and was winning widely on the cards. Skeete was then sent to the canvass and whilst on the floor was whacked three times illegally. He was in no fit state to continue but his fighter’s head was unscrewed on, and he fought on. In the next round he was overwhelmed, on wobbly legs and stopped. His trainer Dom Ingle is crying FOUL as loud as he can!

In mainland Europe, the UK’s Brian Rose at middleweight lost out against Denis Radovan in Germany for the IBF European title. Rose retired at the end of the seventh round, though as expected, he went down swinging. In Bilbao, Spain we also got Kerman Lejarraga make it 6 out of 6 as he knocked out Britain’s Jack Flatley for the EBU title in the ninth round, defeating his 6th Brit in the ring!

In the US, heavyweight Filip Hrgovic also had a change of opponent and like Jessica McCaskill did not let it phase him as he knocked out Emir Ahmatovic in the third round.

Finally, Gervonta Davis may not have got a reel level finish over Isaac Cruz in the WBA lightweight fight, but he did enough to remind people he is still out there at lightweight and would love to be part of the Kambosis, Lopez, Haney scene. Worthy of it too.

Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic

UK – biggest and most notable

On Saturday the 11th of December in Liverpool, and on DAZN, Katie Taylor defends her belts – all her belts at lightweight – against Firuza Sharipova. In an end of the year series of contests where there has been plenty of shocks, this would be seismic as Taylor works her way towards a showdown with Amanda Serrano. Sharipova has a tremendous opportunity, however Taylor is the equivalent in female boxing of AJ and if she has learnt anything, Taylor has learnt that she must avoid complacency. Ironically, at AJ’s first loss – against Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Gardens – Taylor was taking on and, to many, losing to Delfine Persoon. That she got the decision in MSG was fortunate but in the shadow of AJ’s loss to Oleksandr Usyk, is it an omen?

Under the radar

The night before, on Friday the 10th of December, in Crystal Palace, London, Isaac Chamberlain is back and fighting for the IBF international title at cruiserweight against Dilan Prasovic. Chamberlain is a tremendous fighter whose only loss was to Laurence Okolie nearly four years ago. It was a grudge fight demanded by fans that sold out the 02 but did not light up the heavens. It was too early in both their careers. Okolie is now a world champion and Chamberlain is trailing a bit behind but is making up ground. Further comparison shall come as Prasovic’s last fight was against Okolie where he was knocked out in the third round as the challenger to Okolie’s world title. Here, Chamberlain should take some considerably big steps to catch him up.

International – most intriguing

Back to Saturday the 11th of December in Dubai, UAE, and we have Sunny Edwards at flyweight taking on Jayson Mama in defense of his IBF title. MTK Global are based in Dubai and a number of British fighters have made the trip out to fight successfully – Edwards hopes to add to that number. We hardly think he would be making the trip just to hand his title over. Brother Charlie won last weekend, so a brotherly double is certainly on the cards.

International headline in the UK

Also, on Saturday the 11th of December we are heading out east where a couple of light heavyweights face off against each other in Ekaterinberg, Russia. Our attention shall be firmly on Dmitry Bivol as he defends his WBA super title against Umar Sulanov. Bivol exploded on our scene in Monaco on a Matchroom bill where he blasted his opponent out in one round to win the WBA crown. Since then, he has faced some names – Chilemba, Pascal, Smith Jr. – so he is no slouch. This weekend should see yet another name notched on the stool as he retains his title.

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, and super lightweight Robbie Davies Jr, takes on Henry Lundy for the WBA continental title. In Carson, California, the WBC bantamweight title fight is between Nonito Donaire and Reymart Gasallo.

Future History – and the week to follow…

UK – biggest and most notable

Saturday 18th December

It is yet another rematch and this time at heavyweight Joseph Parker/Derrick Chisora II is top of the bill in Manchester for DAZN.

Under the radar

Saturday 18th December

Scottish bantamweight Lee MacGregor goes hunting for a European title as he faces Narek Abgaryan also in Manchester.

International – most intriguing

Saturday 18th December

In Kazakhstan, Daniyar Yeleussinov is in for the IBO super welterweight title against Juan Hernan.

International headline in the UK

Friday 17th December

We have the unification light heavyweight title fight for the IBF and WBC titles between Artur Beterbiev and Marcus Browne.

Mentioned in dispatches…

Tuesday 14th December

In Tokyo, Naoya Inoue faces Aran Dipaen for the WBA super and IBF bantamweight titles.

Friday 17th December

In Sheffield we have heavyweights Kash Ali – fighting to defend his IBF European title – and Dave Allen. In Quebec the super welterweight IBF female crown shall be in the ring to be fought over by Marie Eve Dicaire and Cynthia Lozano.

Saturday 18th December

In Manchester along with the Parker/Chisora II battle we have, in support, the EBU super middleweight title fight between Jack Cullen and Emne Cukur, the return of super featherweight Zelfa Barrett against Bruno Tarimo, and the IBO title fight at super middleweight involving Carlos Gongora and Lerrone Richards. In Houghton-le-Spring, Newcastle is on show with welterweight Joe Laws back, Thomas Patrick Ward takes on Leonardo Padilla, and super lightweight Lewis Ritson returns against Christian Uruzquieta whilst Scotland’s very own lightweight royalty, Ricky Burns completes the night as he enters the professional ring for the 53rd time against Emiliano Dominguez.

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