On The Watch “It’s All About Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez”

WBO Junior Welterweight Challenge

Last night’s Top Rank/ESPN Main Event showdown between WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Champion Josh Taylor (19-1, 13 Kos) and Challenger Teofimo Lopez (19-1, 13 Kos) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, was a “Takeover” well executed by Teofimo.

There was a lot of trash talking from both combatants throughout the build-up but when the time came, it was Lopez who surprisingly backed up his words inside that squared circle.

Taylor came out the gate real aggressive with bad intentions on his mind but it was Lopez’s well executed “game plan” and ring generalship that controlled the rounds from that point on.

Lopez impressed me last night and came into this bout laser focussed and stayed on track. Josh had absolutely nothing to deter Teofimo from having his way inside that squared circle. As the rounds progressed, Teofimo’s confidence grew round by round.

Lopez showed completely no fear to the man across from him. Taylor, who was naturally the bigger, longer and stronger man inside that squared circle, in my eyes, could not land anything significant enough to win rounds. Taylor’s usual dominance was non-existent and was easily outworked by the younger and driven warrior in Teofimo.

There are levels to this boxing sh*t and after 12 fully completed rounds of action the Judges at hand called it 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 unanimously for Teofimo Lopez, the New WBO and Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Champion of the World and now a two-weight Division Champion.

Well done, Teofimo. You defied the odds and silenced the critics who doubted you. You dominated the night and clearly defeated the former Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion to now becoming the “Top Dogg” of 140-Pound Division.

Who’s next?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Daniel Jacobs vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko”

IBF Middleweight Title

Last night, on HBO at the Madison Square Garden in New York, Daniel Jacobs (35-2, 29 Kos) once again became Middleweight Champion by defeating a very worthy opponent in Sergiy Derevyanchenko (12-1, 10 Kos) for the vacant IBF Belt.

This was by far his toughest opponent since his last bout with Gennady Golovkin.
Jacobs came out the gate early by dropping Sergiy in the first round and establishing himself from that point on. Sergiy, a familiar sparring partner bounced back and composed himself and made the fight as competitive as expected. Sergiy maintained an aggressive approach round by round but Jacobs’ experience and slick boxing made it very difficult for Sergiy to land any real significant punches all night. In my eyes Jacobs’ ring generalship combine with precise and accurate punches was what separated both warriors in a very tight bout.

Jacobs fought a brilliant fight against a very determined adversary who laid it all on the line. It was a very technical bout but the more seasoned Jacobs executed the game plan at hand to perfection to secure the victory when it counted under the bright lights.

Sergiy proved to masses in attendance that he belonged amongst the top of the Middleweight Division and can definitely bounce back from this defeat. He needed this fight just as much as Jacobs.

With this win and the IBF Middleweight Title in his possession, Jacobs has good options ahead for himself; a rematch against “GGG” might be on the horizon or possibly a unification bout against newly crowned WBO Middleweight Champion (if the price is right) or a date with the “King” in the Middleweight Division, Lineal Champion, IBO, WBA and WBC Title holder Canelo Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 Kos).

Until then, congratulations on a great win Daniel; you belong in the “winner’s circle”.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Daniel Jacobs vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko”

Vacant IBF Middleweight Championship

It’s just been announced that stable mate Daniel Jacobs (34-2, 29 Kos) and Sergiy Derevyanchenko (12-0, 10 Kos) will do battle for the vacant IBF Middleweight Title on October 27, 2018 on HBO Championship Boxing at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

This is going to be an exciting bout and very interesting to say the least. These two combatants have sparred together quite a few rounds. The fear factor is non-existent when you’ve gone so many rounds with one another.

This challenge would not be going on if it weren’t for the IBF Title being on the line. Friendship aside, this is an opportunity that neither fighter could afford to look over.
That being said these two warriors know each other inside out, strength and weaknesses accounted for. Both carry power and know how to use it.

It’s not often you see a head trainer having to decide which fighter from his camp he will have to side with but for this one head trainer, Andre Rozier, will be in Jacobs’ corner while assistant trainer Gary Stark Sr., to Jacobs and Sergiy, will be in Derevyanchenko’s corner.

I’m intrigued to see what the game plan will be when these two combatants and head trainers meet inside that squared circle, not for sparring but for a legitimate title bout that could push forward the winner’s careers in a major way. Real Talk!

Although these two competitors match up really well, I personally see this as a chess match that will come down to execution, patience and experience.

Who will deliver the goods when it’s all said and done?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Vasyl Lomachenko vs Guillermo Rigondeaux”

Super-Featherweight Championship

What was believed to be the most anticipated fight of the year turned out to be a one-sided affair between Vasyl Lomachenko (10-1, 8 Kos) and Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-1, 11 Kos, 1NC).

I know that anything can happen in a boxing ring but real talk, when you have two 2 Time Olympic Champions going at it inside that squared circle you expect firework! No Mas was not what I expected from Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Vasyl brought his “A” game last night but to say that Rigondeaux did the same is an understatement. The first two rounds started out like a chess match where both fighters were testing each other unsure of their next move, but from the 3rd round to the 6th round things didn’t look right for Rigondeaux. Vasyl started having his way being the aggressor with Rigondeaux without any real resistance from him. Now both fighters are supposed to be warriors with exceptional skills set to go toe-to-toe with anybody, no excuses! I was baffled when Rigondeaux decided to retire on his stool after the 6th rounds. Speechless! All that trash talking with all that hype only to have the bout end in a technical knockout due to an alleged injury suffered to Rigondeaux.

With that being said, history was still made last night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Lomachenko walked it like he talked it and retained his WBO Super Featherweight Title and won the first ever-professional bout between a pair of Two-Time Olympic gold medalists.

Congratulations are in order to the superior Olympian Vasyl Lomachenko.

Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Sergey Kovalev vs Vyacheslav Shabranskyy”

WBO Light Heavyweight Championship

After suffering two humiliating defeats to now-retired Andre Ward, a determined and now refocused Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev is on a mission to regain the top position in the Light Heavyweight Division once again.

Last night at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sergey Kovalev (31-2-1, 27 Kos) had the opportunity to regain his first title he ever won, the WBO Light Heavyweight Belt back once again by defeating Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-2, 16 Kos).

On paper Shabranskyy looked like a formidable opponent to challenge and test Kovalev but to our surprise Shabranskyy found out the hard way that the so-called “Krusher” was not done yet. I’ve said this before and I’m gonna keep on saying it, there are levels to this Boxing Game and last night Shabranskyy was soundly out boxed and outclassed simply by a more seasoned and proven veteran fighter, hands down.

Sergey seemed to have gotten his swagger back by dismantling his opponent in less than six minutes. He knocked down Shabranskyy three times in the first round before the referee stopped the bout in the second round.

This was just what Kovalev needed, an impressive comeback fight with the WBO Light-Heavyweight Belt back under his waist. Congratulations on your emphatic win Sergey.

The road back to the top of the Division will not be an easy one. Dmitry Bivol holds the WBA Belt, Artur Beterbiev holds the IBF Belt and our Canadian Champion Adonis Stevenson has held the WBC Belt since 2013. The challenges are there and none of those Kats are easy marks but who will want to attempt at unifying the Division? All these Kats are talking a good game about it but who will actually do it?

Your thoughts on this one?

Blaze