Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
As the sporting world has become more fascinated in Serbian tennis stars and their COVID status than is healthy (sic), the boxing world has focussed on videos online about fights that might happen, but then again might not; social media comments about what fighters may want to do next or might not; and news items written about what promoters might be prepared to do and what they might not…
In short, without the boxing in the ring, it sure is a long week…
International – most intriguing
And so last Friday the 7th of January, in Santa Fe, Argentina, the IBF female super flyweight contest saw Evelin Nazarena Bermudez stop Yaditza Perez in the 3rd round. There are no British or American fighters to whom this would have been of much interest but there is a glut of future opponents in South America. Bermudez of Argentina is not the current number 1 in the division – hell she ain’t even number 1 in her own country – that’s WBC champion Yessica Yolanda Kop. There are also three Mexicans with WBO/WBA versions, and the WBA title is vacant…
Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic
International – most intriguing
On Saturday the 15th of January, in Cheswick, the IBA super featherweight title fight is between Matt Conway and Avery Sparrow. Who are the IBA, I wondered and they are a legitimate organization. Just their world title that is not officially recognized but so what?
It has led to the fight being noticed and some time given to both boxers. Conway has had a relatively unremarkable career over 22 fights – 2 losses. He has not been in a world title fight before but did win the IBA intercontinental belt in June last year. Sparrow is the less experienced with only 13 professional fights under his belt. A likely candidate for an upset – who knows what would be the upset but both are now on the radar!
International headline in the UK
The big fight was due on Saturday the 15th of January, when the WBO light heavyweight title fight in New York was due between Britain’s Callum Johnson and defending champion, Joe Smith Jr. Johnson has caught COVID so is out the fight with his place being taken by Steve Geffrad. Johnson is likely to get his chance later in the year – as long as Smith wins! To be fair, with just over a week’s warning, no competitive fights for around four years and his best rounds apparently in the sparring he has done with major world talents, it would be a major shock if Geffrad won! Smith should come out unscathed from this one.
Future History – and the week to follow…
International headline in the UK
Saturday 22nd January 2022
In New Jersey, Gary Allen Russell Jr. takes on Mark Magsayo for the WBC featherweight title.
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