Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
As easy as 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C here we have what happened, what is about to happen and what is due to happen in the boxing world from the perspective of a fan with a laptop, in the heart of Scotland. Three fights, all being talked about and talked up and not all for obvious reasons.
Flash Back – Ringside Report’s Rear View Mirror – one fight from the week past from a Scottish angle (Look it up on a map…)
UK – biggest and most notable – what should be the biggest news in the UK boxing scene
Saturday 12th November
“In Las Vegas, the WBO middleweight title is on the line between Zhanibek Alimkhanuly against Britain’s Denzel Bentley.”
This was a fight that most casual observers will have felt was a simple defense for the champion. It was far from that. British middleweight champion Denzel Bentley came to win and after watching the fight back, felt that he did win 7 of the 12 rounds! Unfortunately, there were no judges who thought that, and he walked away as a defeated challenger but with his reputation fully enhanced.
Bentley pushed champion Janibek Alimkhanuly from the 5th round onwards though in the early rounds was behind. Then in the 5th, he lit up and started to show the champion just what he was made of. It was argued that in the championship rounds, Alimkhanuly was just too much for the plucky challenger and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that is highly accurate as Bentley had to take some severe punishment especially in the 12th.
Alimkhanuly is now talking of unification, and of course, that is exactly what he should be thinking of. As for Bentley, he is likely to pursue another world title fight and we may well get to see this again some time, but with two and not one belt on the line!
My View
In the end Bentley fell a little short. Up against a champion who almost fell into the WBO belt, in his interim win against Danny Dignum being elevated to champion thereafter, he showed that he belonged at this level. It would suggest that Bentley had a decent chance and now that this has gone, perhaps there is less chance against in any of the other world title fights he might negotiate.
Of course, he has the British belt to defend and can come back and put that on the line in a domestic fight that would certainly light up many venues in the UK. Will he feel he is now beyond that?
Will the rest of the British fighters at his weight feel he is to be avoided as they look to other routes? All of that is what makes this sport fascinating… so we shall watch every space to see what happens next!
Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic
UK – biggest and most notable – what should be the biggest news in the UK boxing scene
Saturday 19th November
“In Telford, and on BT Sport, light heavyweight contender, Anthony Yarde faces Stefani Koykov.”
Former world titlist, Anthony Yarde faces a Bulgarian opponent in what is in essence a tune up for his hopes of facing another world champion – Artur Beterbiev – having not managed to beat Sergey Kovalev before.
The light heavyweight division is very interesting and filled with many British contenders so Yarde will be hoping to beat his Bulgarian, take the WBC, IBF and WBO titles from Beterbiev and find some riches in dealing with all of his domestic rivals. That list of British rivals includes Richard Riakporhe, Johnathon Buatsi, Callum Smith, or it could even lead to a trilogy fight with Lyndon Arthur…
The news is that if he manages to get through this, then the fight which had been agreed with Beterbiev before injury saw it being cancelled is back on. But before that, knockout artist, Koykov has to be dismissed and dismissed well enough to cause Beterbiev to wonder about what he will face. Anything less than a convincing win shall mean that people shall wonder about his credentials.
There is very little anywhere about Koykov and he is a very unknown quantity. Yarde has not fought since December last year so after 11 months on the sidelines, there is an obvious worry that he shall be very rusty.
My View
Yarde wins. I don’t think there shall be many who will worry overmuch about the unknown Bulgarian; however, you can never be certain that what is going to happen if he takes it less than seriously. After his first fight to Arthur – which Yarde controversially lost – he would be a bigger fool if he did not pay this particular attention. Most are predicting that, given that Yarde has stopped 21 of his 2 opponents early, this shall not get beyond the 4th bell.
The fight against Beterbiev is the Golden Goose. I do wonder about whether Yarde is quite on the same level as Beterbiev, but this fight shall not be a test of that. It’s a sensible fight to take, given the amount of time out of the ring, but the biggest test will come when he is across the ring from Beterbiev. We are hopeful but realistic. Yarde is absolutely a man who believes in himself. He really does think he can do it and I am happy to join the caravan, if he can navigate past this.
Future History – and the week to follow…
UK – biggest and most notable – what should be the biggest news in the UK boxing scene
Saturday 26th November
At the 02 Arena, London, on BT Sport as part of the Queensberry bill, we have the WBO interim super middleweight world title fight between the unbeaten Zach Parker and the hugely experienced John Ryder.
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