Tag: All Boxing

Lomachenko vs Linares – Preview + Prediction

Lomachenko vs Linares – Preview + Prediction

If i can ask you to cast your mind back to a few months when we all thought the month of May looked to be a dream month for boxing fans , but that dream has slowly became a nightmare . Firstly we had the final of the World Boxing Super Series called off due to an injury to Oleksandr Usyk then the super fight between GGG and Canelo was called off due to Canelo failing a drug test and being suspended by the Nevada Athletics Commission . So who will save this Month for us ?…..Step forward Vasyli Lomachenko and Jorge Linares . This weekend we will see two of the best technicians in boxing go toe to toe and i cannot wait .

Jorge Linares 44-3-0 27Ko’s

I have been a fan of Jorge Linares for a good few years now , so much so i made the trip from Glasgow to Manchester to see him take Anthony Crolla apart . Linares in full flow is a joy to watch , with his lightening quick hand’s and superb shot selection Linares is really is a handful . Linares isn’t just a nightmare offensively for opponents , due to his fantastic footwork Linares is very rarely tied down or caught against the ropes and can even make his opponents look foolish when they try to do so . There is one criticism that has always stuck to Linares and that is that he lacks heart when things get tough , now i don’t know how much stock i can put in this nowadays as Linares has just came through a hard fight with Luke Campbell , a fight that maybe at one time Linares would have folded mentally but i do think he has matured mentally as a fighter . Linares also has a another flaw , a more biological problem than a flaw in skills and that is that Linares is a bleeder and i do think that could be a big problem for him this weekend .

Vasyl Lomachenko 10-1-0 8Ko’s

Well what else can be said about this man ? In just eleven fights Vasyl Lomachenko is a two weight World Champion and he will fight in his twelfth fight to become a three weight World Champion , an absolutely outstanding statement of intent from the Ukrainian . Where do you start when talking about Loma , never have i seen a man with the ability to destroy opponents mentally , forcing them to quit like his last four opponents giving Loma the nickname “NoMasChenko” in reference to the infamous Leonard vs Duran 2 fight . The beauty of watching Lomachenko is that when you watch him fight you realise you are seeing are a great in the making , the way he glides across the ring literally acting like a matador toying with a raging bull , the way he launches attacks from obscure angle’s that opponents don’t see coming . I don’t have any negatives to say about Loma , so far he has been perfect …disregarding the shambles of a fight against Orlando Salido of course .

Prediction;

Well as you probably can already tell i have made my pick . I think Vasyl Lomachenko really is something special and no matter how good Jorge Linares is I just cant see him getting the better of Loma . The big question is will Linares make it to the end of the fight or will be another quit job ? ….Well i think Linares will make it to the end , i feel with the fight being Loma’s first at 135lbs he will maybe just lacking the power to hurt Linares …….then again I wouldn’t put it past Loma to stop Linares and make no mistake he will going in there to get the stoppage .

watch it

Casual’s Corner : Bowe vs Holyfeild 1

The is part one of the best trilogy of fight’s there has ever been in heavyweight boxing . When Riddick Bowe vs Evander Holyfeild to see who would become the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World , in an era where that actually meant something , thats  what’s  we all want to get back to . I was born in 1986 so i do not remember this fight but i do remember my Father sitting up all night to watch it , which meant no one else could have watched it if they wanted to anyway because my Dad had very poor eye sight back then and had to sit infront of the screen and he used to take up the full TV screen so no one could see the fight . For years anytime boxing chat got brought up in our company my old man would always say ” Ali vs Fraizier was fantastic but have seen Bowe vs Holyfield ” . I would say i watch this fight maybe six times a year as it has everything in it  .

Riddick Bowe is one of my all time favourite fighters and is usually the case with all the greats he had a very tough upbringing . Growing up in the tough streets of Brownsville , Brooklyn ( the same place Mike Tyson Grew up) Bowe was exposed to the harsh world to drink and drugs at a young age , but after his sister was stabbed to death by a drug addict and his brother died of AIDS , Bowe made it his mission that he was not going to die here . in the early 80s’s he took to up boxing and after a fantastic ameatuer career he turned pro . From there he took personal pleasure in dismantling opponents with his superb power and his jab , which is still regarded as one of the best jabs the sport has ever seen . Going into 1993 Riddick had earned his shot at undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Evander Holyfield  , a fight that would go down in folklore

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Evander Holyfeild is another of my faverite boxers of all time , a man who was a master of the dark arts of boxing aswell as having one of the best lead left hooks I’ve ever seen . Although Holyfield was born in Alabama he was raised in Atlanta in the Bowen Holme Housing Projects , a notorious place filled with crime . From 7 years old Holyfield started boxing and took to it like a fish in water . At 21 years old Holyfield went to the LA Olympics where he contraversially lost to New Zealand’s Keven Barry , As some of you may know is now Joseph Parkers trainer . Holyfield went on the beat Buster Douglas after Douglas pulled of the shock of the century by KO’in Mike Tyson in Japan to become the undisputed champion of the world .

Image result for bowe vs holyfield 1

What people need to understand is that Holyfield never got any credit at this time .  Buster Douglas got a 13count on the canvas  against Tyson that night  . Even though Douglas got up and KO Tyson , people just wouldn’t accept Holyfield  . Holyfeild’s first defence did nothing to win the fans over as he fought the very old George Foreman and then Journeyman Bert Cooper ( This Was Due To Tyson Pulling Out) . Holyfield wanted to test himself and was eager to take on the monster that is Riddick .

Thing’s To Watch Out For

Keep an eye out for Riddick Bowes jab from half way through the second round .

Also watch how Holyfield try to tie Bowe up inside , but doesn’t realise the giant Bowe is fantastic on the inside .

Finally look at how good Holyfield is at the dark arts , remember that is only cheating if you get caught .

ENJOY I KNOW DID

DeGale vs Truax ~ Preview + Prediction

DeGale vs Truax ~ Preview + Prediction

Every so often boxing will throw up a big upset and last year’s biggest upset was when Caleb Truax beat IBF Super Middleweight Champion James DeGale in a very convincing victory in what was supposed to be a relatively easy fight for DeGale . That night the 21st century got it’s very own Cindarella Man …..Well to an extent . This weekend we will see DeGale look to avenge his defeat in Las Vegas on the Lara vs Hurd undercard which will be shown live on Boxnation and BT Sport .

James DeGale 23-2-1 14Ko’s

There are some guys in boxing who go out and make things happen for themselves and James DeGale is one of those fighters . Since winning Gold at the 2008 Olympic Games DeGale was earmarked for big things in the sport whilst building a fanbase here in the UK , but that all came to a shuddering halt in 2011 when he fought George Groves and Groves beat him . After that loss though DeGale done well to rebuild himself and in 2015 he won the IBF super middleweight title on the road in Boston against Andre Dirrell . DeGale successfully defended his title against Lucian Bute and Rogelio Medina on the road again , in fights he was expected to win but we seen DeGale form a bad habit in these fights , a habit of taking a one sided fight and turning them into battles which has seen DeGale really start to slip in recent times . DeGale also fought Badu Jack in what became a classic battle in which he took some heavy and sustained punishment and if you go back and check DeGales post fight antics ( bottom of the page )  its clear to see he was acting out of character , almost insane like which suggested me he must have had a concussion , and after these previous fights where DeGale has took punishment i really think it has started to deteriorate DeGales reflexes which really showed in the first fight with Truax .

DeGale also has a poor gas tank which can cause him to take a rest on the ropes which leaves him so vulnerable . It’s not all doom and gloom for James DeGale though as i have always thought he was superbly talented fighter who looks fantastic when throwing quick combinations to the head and body and then pivoting back out of range . DeGale knows going into this fight that he is the better boxer of the two so if he boxes properly he should win .

Caleb Truax 29-3-2 18Ko’s

Now i have to admit i have seen Caleb Truax a grand total of one time , but in that one performance he did really impress me . Truax is very basic in his style but is also quite smart in how he uses the talent he does have . In the first fight Truax made DeGale look very ordinary trapping him on the ropes and going to work , even showing a bit of class when destroying DeGale with a left hook then a spin out of range which DeGale couldn’t answer the full night . I am also a big believer that once a fighter becomes a champion something changes in there mentality and they start training like a champion , they now have something to protect and that will make Caleb Truax more dangerous .

Prediction

This fight has really flown under the radar up to now , not getting any coverage which is a shame as this should be a good fight on a good card . In the last fight DeGale looked to be really struggling for most of it which some put down to DeGale rushing back from injury , but i think it is something deeper than that , i really think James DeGale is showing signs of being a shot fighter , the big question is can he muster enough up to to avenge his defeat to Truax ? . I have went back and fourth with this in my mind but the more i think about it i have a feeling Truax will retain his title . I don’t think James DeGale’s heart is still in boxing and when going to America he will be fighting a man full confidence in Truax .

I think the American will take this fight on the cards but I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if Caleb Truax stopped DeGale .

Joshua vs Parker – Preview + Prediction

Joshua vs Parker – Preview + Prediction

Five years ago i predicted that the heavyweight division was coming into another Golden Era after years of mediocrity , and i predicted this due to the likes of Tyson Fury , Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker all coming of age and with the likes of Deontay Wilder and Alexander Povetkin already around the top of the division the future looked bright , but it hasn’t panned out that way . Tyson Fury had a brief stint at the the top of the division when he beat Wladimir Klitschko but then served a ban due to drugs and had retired from the sport , Povetkin is another who had failed a drug test and since his return to the ring hasn’t looked the same fighter so now there are three and this weekend we will see two of them go toe to toe on Saturday night when Anthony Joshua takes Joseph Parker of New Zealand .

Anthony Joshua 20-0-0 20Ko’s

This weekend the AJ hype train will again roll up in Cardiff as Anthony Joshua looks to get his hands on another World Title to go along with his IBF and WBA straps when he fights Parker for his WBO title on his way to being king of the heavyweights . Over the years the hype that has been built up around Joshua has been like nothing ever seen before in this country which has even swept up the most cynical of us at times , and now building up to one of AJ’s biggest fights we must strip back the all hype and separate the man from the myth when trying to break this fight down . There is no doubt Joshua’s main asset is his power and shot selection , which even after all this time watching the big Englishman still has the ability to shock . We seen a great example of both assets when AJ took on Wladimir Klitschko last year when Joshua caught Wlad with a superb uppercut which nobody saw coming , not even the legendary Klitschko and although that wasn’t the Knockout punch it was the punch that won fight .

Countless times we have seen AJ pull a variety of power shots out of the bag to the expense of opponents like Dillian Whyte and Carlos Takam . For all AJ’s power and shot selection impress there is no getting away from Joshua’s biggest flaw ….his gas tank . We have seen AJ gas out after four rounds against 42 year old Klitschko who showed the world the blueprint to beating AJ is with movement and agility and had Wlad not been so old or inactive i firmly believe Joshua would have picked up his first loss . There has been a lot of talk coming out of AJ’s camp that they are looking to come in light for this fight which would suggest they have been working on his stamina , but is it enough to last twelve rounds ? …..I’m not so sure .

Joseph Parker 24-0-0 18Ko’s

Around 18 month’s ago i wrote a scathing review for the Boxing Asylum on Joseph Parker when he took on Andy Ruiz Jnr in a fight he won narrowly won on the cards . After being high on Parker for a while i had seen him gradually lose all the qualities that made him a top prospect not to mention he looked to be coming in far to heavy . Since then i have found out i may have been a bit harsh on Parker as he was struggling with injuries on his shoulders and elbows at the time , which has since been operated on and i have to admit Joseph Parker is coming into this weekends fight in the best shape i have ever seen him . The best tool in Parkers locker is his lightening quick hands which he will need to use to full affect this weekend . Seeing Parker coming in so light for this fight means he is coming to be mobile , which isn’t really his style but if he does it right he might just be able to pull it off . Joseph Parker can be very one dimensional and has a habit of getting lazy the longer a fight goes on which could be his undoing against AJ .

Prediction

If you would have asked me two months ago who was going to win this fight i would have told you AJ would win easily , but seeing Joseph Parker this week it really does look as if he means business . The talk from Team AJ is that they have been preparing for a twelve rounder and i really hope he has been as i can see Parker employing a hit and run tactic which would kill the engine of Joshua . So who is my pick for this weekend ? ….Well i am going to stick with my original pick of Anthony Joshua but rather than predict it will be a 4 round demolition , now i am going to say a 9th round KO in a game of chess type of fight . I think Parker will implement his gameplan early but he will get careless at some point and that’s when Joshua will pounce .

Anthony Joshua 9th round KO

Whyte vs Browne – Preview + Prediction

Whyte vs Browne – Preview + Prediction

The heavyweight division at this moment in time is very fragmented . We have at the very top of the division Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder , the next tier is guys like Joseph Parker and Luis Ortiz who have it in there locker to pressure the top two but will just fall short . Then we have the best of the rest and that is what’s on show this weekend in London’s O2 Arena when Dillon Whyte takes on Australian Lucas Browne . This fight has the potential to go either way and could be a modern day classic , well i am using the term classic very loosely , but this fight also has the potential to be a stinker but I’m sure i speak for everyone when i say i am very intrigued by this one .

Dillan Whyte 22-1-0 16Ko’s

Dillian Whyte is one of the best characters in UK boxing due to his lack of media training , what you see with Dillian is what you get and the British public love that . When Whyte signed to fight Joshua it was widely regarded as another easy fight for AJ and even tho the build up brought us some fantastic TV moments , most expected a walkover for the Olympian , but that wasn’t the case . Whyte regrouped after poor start to rock AJ to his core for the first in his career but Whyte just didn’t have enough in his tank to take advantage and went on to be KO’d by Joshua , but i wonder if that missed opportunity still keeps Whyte awake at night . Since then Dillian Whyte has got a lot of TV coverage , i guess being the first man to land a punch on Joshua has it’s benefits . Dillian Whyte is a hard boxer to asses as he is not great at any one thing , he isn’t mobile , he doesn’t have a great jab , he doesn’t have quick hands , his feet look heavy at times , his power is decent but not game changing , but yet he would give most of the heavyweight division problems . Whyte is a big man and that is one thing he uses to his advantage when inside , he will lean , pull , push and grapple which doesn’t always make for the best viewing but can be effective . Whyte has proved he is very tough after taking some massive shots in a gruelling twelve rounds against Derek Chisora which Whyte just edged on the judges cards , not on mine though i thought he lost . Whyte is at his most dangerous when he is inside looping in hooks and is something Lucas Browne will need to be weary of .

Lucas Browne 25-0-0 22Ko’s

Lucas Browne is coming into this fight having only fought twice since 2015 and no matter which way you dress that up it isn’t great . Back in 2016 Browne put in a career best performance against Ruslan Chagaev where he Ko’d the Russian in the tenth round in what really was a great performance by Browne . Since then he has only fought journeyman Mathew Greer which isn’t the best preparations coming into this massive fight in London , that could lead to a world title shot for the winner , which in itself is ludicrous in Browne’s case . Back when Browne beat Chagaev i was very impressed with the big Australian’s footwork for a man his size . Browne also has a very good jab which he likes to work off but he is prone to throwing it from the waist which can leave him wide open . That performance in Russia will mean Browne know’s exactly what he is walking into at the O2 and more importantly that performance show he’s capable of handling it .

Prediction

This is such a hard fight to call as on one hand Lucas Browne has far better fundamentals than Whyte but then on the other hand now at 38 years old and being inactive Browne has got to have lost something , and that something maybe all Whyte needs to put the odds in his favour . If Browne can the bring a performance similar to that of the one in Russia he will wear Whyte down over the distance . If Whyte wants to win this he has to do what he does best and pressure Browne , keep on the inside and don’t give him a second If he can do that he should get the win .

So who am i picking for this one then ? ……… Well although i think Browne is the better boxer of the two i think his time has been and went . I don’t think he will be as mobile as he was back in 2016 when defeating Chagaev and for that reason i am going to pick Dillian Whyte to win by late stoppage .

There Is No Such Thing As Superhuman’s , Only Super-Doping Programmes

There Is No Such Thing As Superhuman’s , Only Super-Doping Programmes

This week has been a damming week for sport but not to much of a surprise for a born again pessimist like myself . Earlier this week the UK Government published it’s report into doping and it indicated some of the biggest names in UK sport are suspected of being cheats . The Parliamentary Digital , culture , media and sport select committee came to the damming conclusion that Team Sky (Cycling Team) cynically abused the anti doping system and allowed its athletes to take PED’s , it also claims there is a strong possibility that Sir Bradley Wiggans was also on PED’s in his time with Team Sky . It doesn’t feel to long ago since the fairytale story of Lance Armstrong was proved to be just that …A fairytale .

It was announced this week that superstar boxer Canelo Alvarez test sample came back with trace amounts of clenbuterol , a banned substance . The weirdest thing about this story was that VADA and WBA had verified and accepted Canelo’s story of ” Contaminated Meat ” right away and took the harsh stance of making Canelo finish his training camp in the US (did you sense the sarcasm) . Now i do accept that Canelo may well have ate contaminated meat as it is a confirmed epidemic in Mexico with sportsmen failing tests in every sport including Mexicos U17 football team . Surly if there is a history of contaminated meat in Mexico that makes Canelo and his team more responsible for making sure he is eating the best organic meat around , even import it like Deontay Wilder had done when getting ready to fight Alexander Povetkin in Russia , ironically a fight that was cancelled due to Povetkin failing a drug test . Canelo’s sample came back with 0.8 and 0.6 trace amounts of clenbuterol in his system which doesn’t sound a lot but when you think a cyclist received a two year ban for having 0.5 in his system it really doesn’t look good for boxing .

Also this week we seen Former Olympian Tony Yoka receive a one year suspended ban for missing multiple drug teats . When i read this i have to admit i felt a little dejected , what is the point in that ban . I have yet to see one athlete that has been caught doping that holds there hands up and admits it , there is always some excuse which deflects blame and even makes them the victims . Tony Yoka missing a drug test has to be an admission of guilt the same way that Rio Ferdinand got a lengthy ban from the FA for missing a test whilst playing for Manchester Utd , Yoka needed to get lengthy ban . Another thing that doesn’t sit right with me is on Saturday night we seen Luis Ortiz fight for the WBC Heavyweight title a few months after failing a drug test by testing positive for a drug known to mask doping , of course Ortiz claimed it was medication for high blood pressure that he forgot to declare to testers . This case got even more bizarre when the WBA stripped Ortiz of his title and gave him a ban but the WBC said he didn’t have a case to answer ….very strange .

There are some fans out there who still believe in “Superhumans” people who will take away from the MPs investigation by saying ” who would Trust an MP ” and then there is those who say “clenbuterol isn’t even a steroid ‘ neglecting to acknowledge its on the banned list , those who say ” Ortiz has High Blood Pressure ” and dont care that he never declared he was on medication on the banned list , something all pro athletes MUST DO . If you are one of these people this is something you should take onboard , There is no such thing as a Superhuman there are only Super Doping Programmes .

Zolani Tete Interview – Born in Apartheid to Champion of the World

Zolani Tete Interview – Born in Apartheid to Champion of the World

Let me take you back to South Africa 1948 . This is the year that laws where implemented that would be a stain on humanity for the best part of 50 years , these laws where called Aparthied . Apartheid comes from an Afrikaans (A White south African person who’s decended from Europe , Holland) word meaning Apart-hood . These laws enforced racial segregation in every aspect of life such as education , employment , housing and Government . South Africa had segregation since the turn of the 20th Century but in 1948 these newly passed laws allowed legal enforcement of racism . As time passed political anti-aprthied movements had started with groups like the ANC , but there protests where met with deadly force and even further restrictions where added to the Apartheid laws .Tete's home Township

Now lets fast forward 40 years to 1988 . The world has finally started to take notice of the oppression happening in South Africa . Trade embargo’s , political pressure and a campaign to have ANC leader’s such as Nelson Mandela set free from prison had seen to it that this was the beginning of the end for Aparthied . This is also the year that Zolani Tete was born in the Township of Mdantsane on the eastern cape . Born to a pastor father and a Mother who Zolani describes as a gift from God , Tete has nothing but appreciation to his parents for how he was raised .

” My father is still a Pastor to this day and he has grown us so well . My parents taught us to love and respect our elders and went out of there way to make sure we got a good education and a better life “

On 11th February 1990 Nelson Mandela was freed from prison after serving 27 years locked up , and over the next few years Apartheid Crumbled and the “Rainbow Nation” was born with Mandela being elected President in 1994 . I asked Zolani what was life like growing up in post Apartheid South Africa ? .

” It’s been the best feeling for us youngsters because we never wanted to experience what our mothers and fathers experienced in the past , we where all happy about that . ”

“It’s been good to grow up past the Apartheid times , just think i wouldn’t have been fighting all over the world experiencing what i have experienced and getting all the opportunities i have now . I must give thanks to our former President and the late Mr Nelson Mandela and his colleagues . “

Growing up in Post Apartheid South Africa didn’t mean that Zolani was sheltered from the sometimes cruel world that children in schools and communities from every country face . I asked Zolani if he had always dreamed of being a professional boxer

“I only got into boxing as a way of defending myself with my brother . We were bullied at school from a very young age , i never knew that through boxing you could you could support your family and make a good living , so i might say thank you to those guys who used to bully us at school “.

Zolani had a successful amateur career with 400 fights and only 3 losses so and with life at home being difficult on the family financially he decided that it was time to turn professional.

“It was around 2005 when i thought i could stand a chance at being a World Champion and at that time my family was going through a tough time . My parents were struggling to get work at the time , sometimes my mum would get a job and earning so little it barely put food on the table , so i decided to turn pro so i could help “.

In 2014 Zolani Tete finally realised his dream of being World Champion when he won the IBF Super Flyweight Champion after a unanimous decision win against the Japanese fighter Kinoshita in Japan . I asked Zolani how he was received on returning home to South Africa as a World Champion .

” People give me credit and respect as their champion , i walk down the street and people salute me as i pass by . Boxing is a very popular sport in South Africa thanks to people like Vuyani Bungu and Welcome Nita to mention a few , who have brought glory to this country . People love boxing here especially in my home township of Mdantsane is the known as the Mecca of boxing so you could imagine how they received me .”

Zolani Tete is a name that is now growing in the UK and has been on the rise since Knockout win over Paul Butler in Liverpool . Since that night in Liverpool Tete’s talent caught the eye of Frank Warren and since then Tete has teamed up with Warren in what looks like a good partnership.

“Frank Warren is one of the best promoters in the world . I met with Frank after the Butler fight when he spotted my talent and he wanted me to partner him . We saw this as a great opportunity and we grabbed it with both hands . It has been amazing working with Frank , Queeensberry is my only home now .”

In Zolani’s last fight he became a world record holder when he Knocked out Siboniso Gonya in Belfast whilst defending his WBO Bantamweight title In just 11 seconds , a result that surprised even Zolani .

“I have to admit i was shocked , i knew i was going to win that fight by KO by I didn’t expect it to happen that quickly and in that fashion . Today i am a record holder which is music to my ears .”

After Zolani’s impressive performance in Belfast he called out IBF and WBA Champion Ryan Burnett . This a fight that all of boxing would love to see and really had fans buzzing for a bit until Eddie Hearn (Burnett’s promoter) shot down all talk about the fight being made . I asked Zolani what he thought about Burnett turning the fight down .

“It is so disappointing that Mr Hearn and Mr Burnett refuse to fight me , i dont know why ….maybe they doubt Ryan’s ability or something . I am hopeful that the fight will happen this year .”

There is a bit momentum building up behind Zolani Tete . With BT Sport now in partnership with Frank Warren , Tete is now more known to a bigger audience , so i asked Zolani what he wants to do in the coming year .

“My plan is clear . I want to unify the division . I want Luis Nery and Ryan Burnett . Once i have all the belts i will chase down the monster (Nagoya Inoue) and trust me that will be a fantastic fight .”

I would just like to to finish up by saying a massive thank you to Zolani Tete and his team for arranging this fantastic interview for us .

Steven Donnell

“We Were Promised the Champions League of Boxing ….And They Have Delivered”

Last year when the World Boxing Super Series concept was announced it was described as going to be for boxing what the UEFA Champions League is for football (soccer if your one of my American readers) which at the time seemed like a massive claim but my god they have delivered it . Over the past two weekends we have been treated to the Cruiserweight Semi-Final’s , where all of the boxers where undefeated World Champions . In the space of seven days we seen two unifications featuring the four best in the division fight it out in two fantastic fights which see’s both winners go on to battle it out in the final , to see who is the undisputed champion …..this is exactly what boxing has been needing.

Usyk vs Briedis

This was a fight that i had been excited about for months , so much so i made the journey over to Riga , Latvia in the middle of winter . The Riga Arena was a fantastic venue for boxing but when you add in the very distinct set up of the WBSS and the electric  atmosphere in the arena , it was like nothing i had ever experienced before at any boxing event . A lot of pundits had predicted a snooze fest of a fight , but they couldn’t have been more wrong if they tried . From the start the local lad Briedis was there prove that Usyk was in for the toughest night of his career . Landing some fantastic shots on the Ukrainian throughout the full fight Mairis Briedis showed why he is an elite level fighter . There is no doubt in my mind Oleksandr Usyk had to dig deep within himself to start answering the questions being asked of him . This fight was a masterclass in technical boxing as we seen two men try to out skill the other whilst keeping the action coming fast . Usyk finally took the fight on the cards which i thought was fair , but the same score  for Briedis would have been fine in my book , that is how close this fight was , a fight i would love to see happen again.

.Gassiev vs Dorticos

The dust had hardly settled from the fantastic semi-final in Riga when we had the second semi-final , this time in Adler ,Russia . Murat Gassiev vs Yunier Dorticos had big shoes to fill going into there fight at the Bolshoy Ice Dome and my god did they fill them . Both men were classed as knockout artists so no one really thought this fight was going to go the distance . From the opening bell the Cuban Dorticos was stalking his Russian prey , with Gassiev choosing to back off and go for quality shots rather than quantity . Countless time throughout the fight Gassiev caught the Cuban with beautiful counters which were getting round Dorticos guard , showing exactly how tough this cuban was . The longer the fight went on the more the tide was turning toward the Russian . Time and time again Dorticos was eating shot after shot but all the time hanging in there like a true champion . That all came to an end in the 12th Round when Gassiev timed Dorticos coming in with a beautiful left hook which seen the Cuban go down . Dorticos tried in vain to fight on but the punishment he had took over the 12 rounds had finally caught up with him and as he went down a further twice before the ref stopped the fight .

After the fight in the post match press conference there was a touching moment of humility and sportsmanship . As Dorticos broke down whilst answering a question Murat Gassiev rose from his seat and made his way across to his opponent to embrace him . It was so refreshing to see two warriors keeping boxing a gentleman sport .

On To Jeddah

Now i for one cannot wait for 11th May to see Usyk vs Gassiev fight it out in the final . Two men who have came through very tough matches as Unified Champions of the world go to battle it out in Saudi Arabia . It really does promise to be a fantastic end to and extraordinary tourniment .

Usyk vs Briedis – Preview + Prediction

Usyk vs Briedis – Preview + Prediction

Well Ladies and Gentlemen , boys and girls it is that time again ,a time that makes makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside which can only mean one thing …..It’s time for another round of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) . On Saturday night WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Oleksandr Usyk will take on WBC World Champion Marius Breidis in Riga Latvia , the first of the Semi Final clashes and once again we will be there on the ground taking in this fantastic tourniment in a fantastic city . There has been a lot of talk of whether the WBSS will be back or not so my advice to any boxing fan out there is to embrace the WBSS whilst it’s here.

.Image result for mairis briedis vs usyk

Oleksandr Usyk 13-0-0 11ko’s

Right from the start i will admit i am a massive Usyk fan , but I’m sure any of our followers on twitter already know this . Usyk is another product of the Ukrainian Boxing Machine which also boasts the most talented fighter in the world today Vasyil Lomachenko , and when you watch Usyk there is definetly direct comparrisons to Lomachenko . In the last round of the WBSS Usyk made light work of the ageing but very awkward Marco Huck in Berlin . There is no doubt Usyk’s top attribute is his footwork and movement which Huck tried to counter by just storming toward the Ukrainian swinging from the heavens  , but after a couple of rounds Usyk had worked him out and really made the vetren Huck look foolish at times . Despite having a high KO ratio and looking like a man mountain Usyk doesn’t have that one punch KO power , his style is to beat you down mentally and physically , again very much like Lomachenko . There are some unanswered questions when talking about Usyk . In all his fights he has had it all his own way as a pro , we have never seen anyone land any big shots on him yet , how will he react ? What happens to Usyk if someone can negate his movement ? , both questions i hope to be answered this weekend .

Mairis Briedis 23-0-0 18Ko’s

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Mairis Briedis is coming off a win against Mike Perez in the last round of the WBSS , but as the fight was a snooze fest it wouldn’t have won him many more fans outside of Latvia   , but Briedis is a talented fighter though . Briedis is very light on his feet which usually see’s him get out of harms way before taking any unnecessary shots . The Latvian is also very smart with the clinch which he uses to control the tempo of a fight and frustrates oponents, even if it isn’t great for fans to watch . When watching Breidis he can look slow and plodding but then in the blink of an eye he will land something which brings him to life , just like that he will be on his toes and looking to land a left hook or one of his beautiful uppercuts . Breidis comes from a kickboxing background and sometimes it does show . With lapses in concentration he can be slow to bring his guard up and even misjudge distance leaving himself wide open .

Prediction : 

I am really looking forward to this fight as it is each mans biggest test to date . It will be interesting to see who will be able to implement there style on this fight , will it be Briedis with his punch and clinch or will Usyk be to elusive for him . I have seen a few people predict a snooze fest in this fight and i have to say i am not one of these people . I think Usyk will use his superior footwork to be able to side step any attempts by Briedis to clinch . I expect Usyk to rise up and really show he is a different level from Briedis . How will it end ? personally i think Usyk will get a late stoppage after a slow start . I think Usyk’s high output and constant movement will break Briedis mentally and physically which will show in the later rounds .

Round 10-12 stoppage

Steven Donnell