Heavyweight Division

[diehard]

Looks like the WBA is the worst offender, at least amongst the heavyweights.  What gets me is how they choose the fighters to put up there as bogus champs.  For instance, Stiverne was way past it when he fought Joyce.  Stiverne was a shell of a fighter the second Wilder fight.  They pick these guys out of a hat or something?  It really makes the WBA look bad.

[diehard]

Just checked. Yep, the WBA are the ONLY ones who have multiple champs in virtually EVERY division, save for a couple. Would love to have been at that meeting...

[bart]

Back handers mostly I would say, stiverne promoted by Don King....king of the backhand

[diehard]

Team Usyk Clarify Reason For Delay In Chisora Bout
By Jake Donovan Published On Tue Feb 11, 2020

The plan remains the same for Oleksandr Usyk—return to the ring this spring and then, with a win, compete for the heavyweight crown.

All that has changed is the timeline.

The 2012 Olympic Gold medalist and former undisputed cruiserweight champion from Ukraine remains on course to next face England’s Derek Chisora. The bout will likely land in London, although with the time frame pushed back from its originally targeted March 28 date.

“We expect him fighting in May versus Chisora,” Alex Krassyuk, general director of K2 Promotions-Ukraine confirmed to BoxingScene.com.

The aforementioned clash is part of a trio of heavyweight headliners in the United Kingdom planned by Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, Usyk’s co-promoter. Earlier plans called for the bout with Chisora (32-9, 23KOs) to land at the start of the series, which was to be followed interim heavyweight titlist Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18KOs) versus Russia’s Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24KOs) and anchored by unified heavyweight titlist Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21KOs) in a mandatory defense versus Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14KOs).

Usyk (17-0, 13KOs)—upon medical advice—made the command decision to stall his 2020 debut by 6-8 weeks, thus causing the reshuffled lineup. The 33-year old southpaw continues to rehabilitate past wounds, including: an injury to his left elbow which delayed his World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final and undisputed championship showdown versus Murat Gassiev in 2018; and a torn right biceps injury suffered a year ago, thus delaying his foray into the heavyweight division.

The latter injury put Usyk out of the ring for 11 months before returning last October, when he scored a 7th round stoppage of Chazz Witherspoon to preserve his place as mandatory contender to one of Joshua’s title. An agreement was reached between the sanctioning bodies where Pulev would get first dibs at England’s Joshua. Usyk is guaranteed to face the winner, having accepted a fight with Chisora as means to remain active.

However, it was maintenance to his elbow which has caused the current delay.

“Usyk is not injured,” Krassyuk emphasized. “He is 33 and as the professional sportsman has some issues about his body. Normally he does his recovery routine once a year. This year, his doctor emphasized some rehab measures on his elbow and [the full recovery] took a bit [longer] than usual.

“Soon, he will be 100 percent ready to start the camp.”

[diehard]

Look out everyone, my man Trevor is going after his first fight in 18 months and risking his ranking:

WBA calls Charr-Bryant purse bid

The World Boxing Association (WBA) World Championships Committee has called a purse bid for the fight between heavyweight champion Mahmoud Charr and challenger Trevor Bryant to be held on March 2 at 11:00 a.m. at the WBA offices in Panama City. Charr and Bryant have a long period of inactivity. The fee for the right to participate is US$ 15,000, and the minimum bid is $1,000,000 USD. WBA Ratings Committee Vice Chairman Aurelio Fiengo will be directing the bidding.

[diehard]

Martin KOs Washington in IBF eliminator

By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin (28-2-1, 24 KOs) scored a sixth round knockout over former world title challenger Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington (20-4-1, 13 KOs) in an IBF title eliminator on Saturday night inside the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Martin and Washington got off to a fast start as they exchanged to close round one. The southpaw Martin shot the straight left into Washington’s mid section in the third as Washington stalked. In round three both fighters kept their distance as Martin pressed and Washington stuck out the jab. The fourth round was slow paced with Washington and Martin measuring with their jabs but late in the round Martin rallied as he landed a flush straight left to close.

The straight left landed once again for Martin as he connected Washington multiple times with it in the fifth. A straight left found its mark for the last time as Martin sent Washington to the canvas. Washington got up but could not continue as he was dazed. Referee Tony Weeks waived it at 1:57 of the sixth.

[diehard]

Boxing Buzz

Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has reportedly confirmed he will “definitely” exercise his rematch clause for a second rematch with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. The Bronze Bomber also blamed the heavy 40+ pound outfit he wore during his lengthy ringwalk for taking away his legs during his loss to Fury.
—–
IBF #15-ranked Otto Wallin (20-1, 13 KOs), who chopped up Fury to the tune of 47 stitches last September, says he wants another shot at The Gypsy King. “I want a rematch and this time I will finish what I started,” proclaimed Wallin who lost by unanimous decision to Fury in that fight.
—–
Las Vegas sportsbooks cleaned up with Fury’s win. According to lvrj.com, MGM Resorts had one of its biggest boxing wins of the past decade, as did the Mirage whose sportsbook director Jeff Stoneback told the paper “We took two bets to win $100,000 on Wilder and lots of five-figure bets. The public was all in on Wilder.

[diehard]

RESULTS: Carlos Takam pounds out ten-round decision Win over Fabio Maldonado
James Slater - February 29, 2020

Carlos Takam keeps on ticking. Last night in Huntington, New York, the world ranked heavy won his third on the bounce since being stopped by Anthony Joshua and then Dereck Chisora, as he pounded out a ten-round UD over boxer and MMA fighter Fabio Maldonado of Brazil.

39-year-old Takam won almost every round in a fight that never really caught too much fire. Now 38-5-1 with 28 KO’s, Takam remains in the hunt for another big fight opportunity. Maldonado, the same age as Takam at 39, falls to 26-4(25).

Last night’s heavyweight fight was widely expected to be an explosive affair yet it wasn’t to be. Takam, with his experience and his know-how, was in charge all the way through, winning the rounds. Maldonado, coming off a May 2019 stoppage loss to Michael Hunter, kept trying but he was outclassed.

Takam, who gave Joshua real trouble and was beating Chisora before getting caught, was in line to fight undisputed cruiserweight champ Oleksandr Usyk in the Ukrainian’s heavyweight debut, but the Frenchman lost out as Usyk suffered an injury. But Takam, as long as he’s here and winning, will surely get himself another big-fight chance sooner rather than later.

Solid if unspectacular, Takam can hit, he can take a whack and he is almost always in shape. In fact, Takam, a pro since 2005, has been in with four world champions, either former or current (AJ) in his time and he has given all of them a tough time of things.

Takam will no doubt be hoping the phone rings soon and maybe Andy Ruiz or a Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller picks him as their comeback opponent. Takam is dangerous enough to ensure these types of fighters would have no choice but to take the fight entirely seriously if they did sign up for it.

Takam should maybe have scored a stoppage last night but he was perhaps satisfied with getting a decent 10 rounds in his first fight of 2020.

[diehard]

Saturday, March 7
FOX
Adam Kownacki vs. Robert Helenius
(WBA heavyweight eliminator)

[diehard]

WBA eliminator??? What are they eliminating? Kownacki is ranked WBA #4, and Helenius WBA #7. Where is Trevor Bryan when we need him? Last I heard, he was supposed to be having a purse bid to fight Charr? I think.