Spence vs Bundu

[diehard]

Bundu ready to take on Spence


Photo: Marco Chiesa

By Marco Bratusch

IBF #6 welterweight Leonard “The Lion” Bundu (33-1-2, 12 KOs) is eager to prove himself on Sunday afternoon against IBF #2 Errol “The Truth” Spence jr. (20-0, 17 KOs). The fight, set to take place at the new Ford Amphiteater in Coney Island, NY, is an elimination bout to determine the new IBF mandatory challenger in the welterweight division. Bundu-Spence will top a PBC card promoted by DiBella Entertainment. NBC will broadcast the fight live in the USA starting at 5PM ET/ 2PM PT. BoxNation will show the contest in the UK as well as Sportitalia TV in Italy.
For the Italian fighter, born in Sierra Leone, this will be his third fight on USA soil after his loss on points to Keith Thurman in December 2014 and the following comeback fight against Mexican Pablo Munguia in Seattle last year.
“I feel really good,” Bundu told Fightnews.com®, “after my first loss I went through a short period of discouragement for a while, then I’ve found my pleasure in training soon again. I know Spence is a young talent and a very accurate puncher but I think he will have to be cautious against me.
“I’ve seen he’s now fighting more on his front foot at close quarters, looking for the KO. It would suit me well as I also love fighting and countering, provide a good clash for the fans. We’ve had a very good training camp, divided between my conditioning training in Cisterna and the technical and sparring part in Florence during last month. There we used a quick Swiss southpaw, Ricardo Silva, a worthy sparring partner that my promoter Mario Loreni provided. I’ll land in New York City on Monday evening, so I’ll have plenty of time to acclimate and overcome the 6-hours of jet lag. I’m looking forward to a very good performance.”
Long-time trainer Alessandro Boncinelli, owner of the Accademia Pugilistica Fiorentina (Bundu’s gym in Florence), gives his thought on the contest:
“I can see Spence as a little ‘tank,’ although he’s also really accurate punching from the inside. This young southpaw has very good offensive skills even though I still want to see how good his defense is. We studied a couple of tactics that can work out well going into this fight, but of course I don’t want to reveal them now.
“For this fight I wanted Leonard to have a very hard training camp because, you know, when you’re in your early forties you can’t overlook anything. Leonard did a very good job, running many miles, doing uphill sprints, working at high-intensity at the heavy bag and showing me good recover from those works. I couldn’t ask him more in training. Now he must do the right things even into the ring. I expect a very hard but entertaining fight.”

[diehard]

Spence-Bundu face off at Coney Island

Photos: Ed Diller – DiBella Entertainment / Premier Boxing Champions

Undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu went face-to-face for the first time Thursday before they meet in the main event on NBC this Sunday from the Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn, NY.

Errol Spence Jr: “This has been a long camp. I’m in great shape and I’ve had strong sparring partners throughout. Bundu is a very good fighter. He’s experienced and technically sound, but he can be awkward. We went up the rankings trying to find an opponent. A lot of guys didn’t want to fight me, even in a title eliminator. So I want to thank Bundu for taking the fight. I’m not worried about what’s going to happen next. I know what’s next if I take care of my business. If I win I’m guaranteed a chance at the world title. I want the title fight sooner rather than later.”

Leonard Bundu: “Spence Jr. is a good boxer. He’s probably my toughest fight to date. These kind of fights make me more motivated. I have nothing to lose. I’m going to give it all I have and I’m very confident in myself. I believe I can be victorious…I see his weaknesses and I have to take advantage of them. I believe I can put him in trouble with my countering but it all has to come together in the ring. I love the challenge. I want to give him his first loss. That’s what I have to do. That’s all that is in my head.”

Promoter Lou DiBella: “This is the first boxing broadcast that will be nationally televised from Coney Island. In my mind we have one of the best young fighters in the world defending his standing against a guy who has had a long and successful career. Both Spence Jr. and Bundu were Olympians and it will be a real test for Errol.”

[diehard]

My man, Spence:

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/spence-kos-bundu-six-351327

[diehard]

Errol Spence obliterates Leonard Bundu in 6th round KO

Premier Boxing - August 21, 2016 - 7 comments

Undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (21-0-, 18 KOs) moved one step closer to a world title as he delivered a thunderous sixth-round knockout of tough Italian contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu (33-2-2, 12 KOs) Sunday afternoon in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.

With the knockout, Spence Jr. becomes the mandatory challenger for undefeated welterweight Kell Brook and showed his willingness to step in the ring with Brook.

“I definitely want my shot at Kell Brook and his title,” said Spence Jr. “I want him next. If he vacates or gets stripped then I’ll fight for his vacant title. I’ve paid my dues.”

In a prime spot that immediately followed the U.S. Men’s basketball team winning Olympic gold in Rio, the Dallas-native started patiently, measuring his opponent with steady jabs. Bundu came ready to fight and tried to make it difficult for Spence Jr. by switching stances and attacking from awkward angles.

“I was a little shakey in the first round and second rounds,” said Spence Jr. “He’s very awkward and I was trying to feel him out.”

Spence Jr. began to pick up his power punching as the rounds went on and started to connect with left uppercuts and hooks. After round four, Bundu returned to his corner with swelling beginning to show up over his right eye.

“Once I was able to catch his rhythm and figure him out, I knew I had him,” said Spence Jr. “I knew he was very tough, but he never hurt me. He was switching and jumping in and out and it took me a little bit to adjust to.”

The dominance with his power punches began to wear Bundu down as the fight entered the sixth. After seemingly scoring a knockdown, which was ruled a slip by referee Johnny Callas, Spence Jr. quickly pounced on Bundu and trapped him in the corner.

“He certainly lived up to the hype,” said Bundu, who was taken to the hospital for evaluation after the fight. “Errol was more precise than Keith Thurman. Errol threw more punches and was fresh in every round.”

It didn’t take long for Spence Jr. to take advantage as he hit Bundu with a hard left uppercut and followed with a crushing right hook that put Bundu on the mat for good and forced the referee to stop the fight at 2:06 of the sixth-round.

“I really tried to get up but I couldn’t,” said Bundu, who had never been stopped before. “I am okay though. I feel good.”

Spence Jr. won every round on all three judges’ cards and landed a staggering 64 percent of his power punches, per Compubox.

“I think this performance showed once again that I am one of the top fighters at 147-pounds,” said Spence Jr.

[diehard]

Six million see Spence-Bundu
By Karl Freitag

Sunday’s Spence-Bundu broadcast on NBC was a ratings knockout. With the Olympic basketball gold medal game as a lead-in, the fight drew a 4.6 overnight rating, a peak audience of 6.34 million viewers and averaged 4.8 million viewers for the entire hour.

It was a perfect telecast. They got right to the main event without forcing viewers to sit through boring prelims and the fighters delivered an entertaining fight which ended in a fan-pleasing brutal knockout. It was by far the largest audience to see a PBC fight to date.