Gabriel Rosado scores destructive KO over Bektemir Melikuziev in 3!
Bek “The Bully” as he is referred to as entered this fight 7-0 with five knockouts and hungry for a big fight. The Uzbek super middleweight lost out on a big fight against Sergei Kovalev last year when Kovalev tested positive for a banned substance. This was his biggest fight to date as a professional and things started off in his favor as he scored a knockdown in the opening round. A hard body shot made Rosado take a knee and he was under constant pressure early on in the fight. Rosado now trained by Roach hung in there and scored a devastating knockout in the third round by exploiting a very aggressive Bek who was rushing him. Sergio Mora on the broadcast very astutely compared this knockout to Juan Manuel Marquez’s knockout of Manny Pacquiao in their fourth fight. I linked my recording of the DAZN broadcast and the Marquez KO to highlight this comparison. When observing the replays Bek cocked his left hand in the first round to feign a head shot before going to the body. This aggressive attack seemed to befuddle Rosado while Rosado was still timing him but showed a vulnerability that could be exploited in his delayed attack. Rosado bounces back following his controversial decision loss to Danny Jacobs and early rumors point to a fight with Jaime Mungia who headlined the same card.
Jaime Mungia forces Kamil Szermeta to back out after 6
Mungia scored his third consecutive stoppage since moving up to middleweight in 2020. In his second fight with Erik Morales serving as his head trainer Jaime looked sharper with his boxing. We know Mungia has power having knocked out thirty of his thirty-seven opponents. Defense has been his area of weakness as he was tagged and out boxed by Denis Hogan and hit frequently by Tureano Johnson. In this fight Mungia was more responsible defensively having tightened up his game and appears to have improved his balance. Obviously this was a last minute opponent and he was expected to win by stoppage but the performance itself was still impressive. Mungia is the number one contender for Demetrius Andrade’s title and as a young former champion time is on his side. Early rumors point to a Rosado showdown next and with Andrade, Jermall Charlo and Gennady Golovkin holding titles there are some very exciting match ups available. I hope to see further improvement in his game ahead of these step up fights.
Other Notable Results
Jermall Charlo defends his WBC Middleweight Title by unanimous decision, suffers cut
Mikaela Mayer successfully defends her WBO Super Featherweight Title by unanimous decision
Naoya Inonue defends his unified bantamweight championship by third round KO
Isaac Dogboe gets a second consecutive victory since the two losses to Emmanuel Navarrete
Marlen Esparza climbs off the deck to win the WBC Flyweight Championship
Angelo Leo bounces back with a commanding decision victory
Jermall Charlo and Demetrius Andrade Spar Online
Jermall Charlo and Demetrius Andrade are both middleweight title holders claiming to be ducked by everyone else. Charlo responded to a question at the press conference about facing Andrade by responding that Andrade needs to beat his most recent opponent. I find this demand very weird as both are established title holders in the division with contrasting styles. It feels like both fighters are just waiting for Canelo though neither says they will move up to super middleweight and it is unlikely that Canelo is moving down. Andrade called out Charlo four years ago at a post fight press conference and the two have been squabbling online since February. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean anything until they get in the ring. Hopefully the posturing and BS subsides and they can get in the ring. I hate the “fight this guy” bull shit when it comes to two fighters on the same level trying to dodge a tough fight. I have been critical of Andrade and have not been overly impressed by Charlo’s middleweight run and feel these two should just get in the ring and show us why they talk so highly of themselves. Talk is cheap, lets go.
Wilder vs Fury III Quick Prediction
It is a fight that I really did not want when compared to Fury vs Joshua but as it has become the reality I have found myself getting excited. Wilder has been looking sharp working with Malik Scott and his press conference behavior shows an all business mood. Tyson Fury looks a little pudgy and the change of opponents and lay off is interesting. However, I cannot un-see what happened last February as Wilder was beaten from pillar to post and dropped to the canvas in a shocking stoppage loss. It was not shocking that Wilder lost as he was out boxed in the first fight but the way he was bullied and knocked out was surprise. I believe that Fury won nine rounds of their first fight and all or all but one in the rematch. He has clearly outdone Wilder on the back foot, on the front foot, inside, and at range. He has taken Wilders best punch and came back and has stopped Wilder. Wilder may do a little better this next time out because he can’t do worse than the last outing. I think the crisp hooks and short punches he is displaying in training will go a long way to aid him inside. However, I find it hard to see him dramatically change in one fight, especially under the lights in a big fight. How many times did we see Gatti promise to box before being sucked into an all out war. I expect a TKO win for Fury later in the fight or a decisive decision.
Pacquiao vs Spence Quick Prediction
This presents boxing fans with a big fight that is buzzing as an aging legend takes on the young gun in a title unification fight at welterweight. For some this is Manny’s chance to become boxing’s GOAT and for Spence this could be an ultimate kingmaker fight that would gain him notoriety and future financial benefits. I am not here to argue the legacy aspect as I genuinely favor historic fighters in my ratings but that is for a large scope of reasons not a knock on modern fighters. For Spence I am not sure beating a 42 year-old Pacquiao on a long layoff will make him the biggest star in the sport or give him a big win to “dine out on” so to speak. I am seeing early analysis drawing from Shawn Porter’s prolonged success in their twelve round war. In that fight Porter was able to ambush Spence with quick punching and back up Errol and force a brawl. Pacquiao with his dart and dart out style with a precise southpaw left hand has some similarities on a quick glance. However, Porter is a lot younger than Pacquiao, naturally larger and much more physically imposing inside. Pacquiao is less likely to linger inside and trade with Spence or try to back him up with raw physicality. Pacquiao will likely bank on his unorthodox style and sharp left hand to pick his spots and win with speed. Pacquiao is a gifted athlete but I have a hard time seeing him as quick as he was against Mayweather and Spence is young and in his prime. Spence was able to out box the quick handed Mikey Garcia at range to a dominant decision over the smaller but very talented star. Mayweather boxed behind an accurate jab to stifle Pacquiao’s offensive out put and used his natural size advantage to wear Manny down. I find Spence to have a more commanding jab and he should be able to out muscle Pacquiao. I expect a decision victory where Spence stays disciplined behind a jab and works Manny to the body.
Usyk a major risk for Joshua?
While many see Wilder’s punch as banana peel for the big unification fight it may be Usyk who is the more live dog. Usyk and Joshua is not official yet but it is looking much more likely that they are going to meet ahead of any unification. Usyk is very determined to get his title fight whether Joshua vacates or not and Eddie Hearn and team Joshua do not look interested in vacating their title and losing a chance at total undisputed status at heavyweight. European boxing fans have been clamoring for Usyk to get his shot for what feels like two years now as Usyk has moved up and held the WBO’s top spot. Despite giving up height and reach to the top heavies and more than a few pounds many cite his skills to be the difference maker. Does Usyk have what it takes to beat Anthony Joshua? My answer is yes he CAN but I do not have him as the favorite. I think Joshua has holes defensively and has a questionable gas tank having gassed and slowed down in several fights. My reservation is that I don’t think Usyk has the punch to floor or trouble Joshua. He might be able to evade but the height and reach disadvantage could serve to make countering and landing effectively possible. I do think Joshua is a work in progress and a little robotic where I can’t see him dominating on the outside with ease like Klitschko did vs Haye. However, I think when Joshua connects clean he will have Usyk in trouble like we have not seen in his career. I foresee a very close and cautious fight maybe a similar fight to the Jermaine Taylor vs Cory Spinks fight for anyone that remembers that far back.
Despite marketing Tank Davis is not going up two weights to fight Barrios
Davis has held a version of the WBA Lightweight Title which is one class below 140 lbs. where the Barrios fight is being campaigned. I know semi dishonest marketing is a huge part of celebrating hard to justify pay-per-view events but these ads are annoying me enough to write about it. Barrios holds a second tier title with an undefeated resume lacking in elite names yet this will count as another in another weight class. This x amount of titles in x weight classes just continues to get more watered down. I mean Tank winning is a good result, I am not going to totally crap on the fight but it is being served up as Gold when it is Bronze hiding as Gold. It is marketing and decent buy rates that lead to unworthy PPV events being shoved down our throats. There was a time when PPV was for the biggest fights and a time when PBC denounced PPV and now it feels like PBC has a PPV every few months. Even Floyd Mayweather fought Demarcus Corley, Victoriano Sosa, Phillip Ndou and Sharmba Mitchell on regular HBO between PPV fights with Arturo Gatti and Zab Judah. I am all for the fighters getting paid but this is feeling money grubby at this point with all these PPV’s coming around.
Jersey George's Boxing Blog 