Huck vs Afolabi III Review: Afolabi falls short again as Huck moves on to Arslan rematch

By Peter Wells (twitter @boxingbrains):

When Marco Huck and Ola Afolabi fight, it can be hard to predict who will be the victor, but it doesn't take a genius to know that both fighters will leave it all in the ring. And, as everyone predicted we were treated to a third all-or-nothing war between the pair of Cruiserweights who just have a knack of serving up a delightful brawl.

For the 2nd time in the trilogy, Marco Huck, the German fighter, was awarded the decision - the 2nd fight was scored a draw. Although each fight has been tight, so far I have agreed with each of the decisions - basically I don't believe any of the fights were biased towards the home fighter, Huck, which is the common accusation when a boxer is awarded the win in a close fight in his homeland.

For anyone who has watched the 2nd bout then I'm sure you'll agree that this fight was more in line with that encounter than the 1st meeting. The one difference between fights 2 & 3 was that on Saturday it was Afolabi who looked the stronger of the two in the second half of the fight before the Champion rallied in the latter stages.

Afolabi - a British born fighter now based in America - has been labelled as the fighter who's always the bridesmaid but never the bride. And so the curse continues for Ola, but during each fight it has been evident the former WBO Interim Cruiserweight champion has improved. Sadly for Afolabi, Huck himself always manages to 'up' his game and when he is in deep trouble he has been able to rely on his immense heart to will him over the finish line.

Afolabi started the fight with clear intent, behind the jab he controlled proceedings, while repelling the sporadic attacks from Huck. 'Captain' Huck stole rounds 3 and 4 when coming to life in the final minute of the respective sessions. Rounds 5 and 6 were tough to call - I gave a round apiece - as there were the first signs of fatigue setting in.

With stern instructions from his corner still ringing in Marco's ears, the WBO Cruiserweight champion began to plod forward with authority. Afolabi's stern jaw saved him from a trip to the canvas, but the sign was clear, Huck was taking over and it seemed as though Afolabi had no answer.

Ola Afolabi needed a strong final four rounds and in being so determined not to go home empty handed he stumbled out towards Huck, throwing all his tired body could muster. Both fighters were exhausted but it was the visitor who's desperation was edging him back into contention for the victory.

But just when there seemed as though there could be no more twists in the story line, Marco Huck came close to stopping Afolabi, who was out on his feet by the time the final bell rang. A champions finish merited a champions victory, and so the judges agreed. John Madfis handed in a wide score line of 117-111 (Huck), while Lahcen Oumghar scored the fight even 114-114 and Deon Dwarte's 115-113 (Huck) scorecard was in line with my own. With the majority decision defeat, Ola Afolabi falls to 19-3-4(9).

Next up for Marco Huck - whose record improved to 36-2-1(25) - is a rematch with Firat Arslan whom Marco controversially beat on points last November. The fight is likely to take place during October in Germany.

Stevenson vs Dawson review & a look at how Dawson can bounce back

By Peter Wells (twitter @boxingbrains):

 

It took barely more than a minute, for a fight expected by most to last the full 12 rounds, to end. What wasn't surprising though, was the man scoring the one punch KO. As Haiti-Canadian Adonis Stevenson landed a looping left hand to the jaw of Chad Dawson. 'Bad' Chad staggering to his feet was left once again to pick up the pieces after consecutive defeats and his 3rd of his career.

 

Although the early defeat won't have the same effects physically on Dawson as the previous two, the concern is what has this defeat done to Dawson mentally. A setback like this to a fighter moving up in weight and considered by most to be the inferior boxer, is a huge blow for Dawson's career.

 

On the other side of the morale ladder is the jubilant but, judging by his impeccable self confidence, not quite surprised Adonis Stevenson. Adonis 'Superman' unnerved Dawson before the bout had even began - a brawl nearly broke out at the weigh in the day before - and rattled him further when his trademark left hand made exactly the kind of impact Stevenson had been dreaming about. Now the WBC Light Heavyweight champion, Adonis can suddenly start making the demands for his dream fights, at both 175lbs and 168lbs (if he can still make the latter). Stevenson will likely face mandatory challenger Tony Bellew next. Although a big fan of Bellew, I see Stevenson as the victor in that fight. If Stevenson does indeed dispatch of Bellew then a lucrative fight in Canada lies in wait against the winner of Lucian Bute-Jean Pascal. Then there is always the option of moving back down to Super Middleweight, where the likes of Carl Froch and Andre Ward await. All in all the future certainly is bright for this 'Superman'.

 

The question now is...Where next for Chad Dawson? Firstly he must sit down, look around and see who is still by his side. Then he must tread carefully, select the right opponent, and with any luck he can regain some of that lost confidence. Re-gaining confidence is the first and most important step. As far as his style goes, himself and his team must start to look at ways he can change the way he fights. This isn't down to the fact that some fans find him boring to watch - because let's be honest if he changes his style to be more exciting and gets KO'd all the time no one would watch him anyway. Winning is far more important than pleasing, simple as that. But as things stand opponents are having far too much time to pick shots, move around, and look like they are doing more work - because they are. 

 

Chad's best weapon is his jab, yet he just does not throw the punch half as much as he should. If he can keep opponents at the end of his jab, it makes things so much easier for him to land hard right hands, this may even generate a few knockdowns or knockouts. Variety of punches is also key to success. There is always a chance that Chad has a certain punch that may just work for him, maybe a left hook or an uppercut, this is where Dawson needs to experiment in training. Finally, for myself, Chad's footwork leaves a lot to be desired, this could come down to the fear of tiring himself out, but quite simply to bounce back Dawson needs to be lighter on his feet - and I don't mean bouncing around on his toes constantly for no good reason - but by simply stepping around the ring more, maybe at a higher tempo, and don't allow patient fighters like Ward and Stevenson the time to pick their shots. All this can sound very simple, but it can be very hard for a fighter to change the way he fights, but for Dawson this could be key to changing his career around, if he wishes to fulfil that great potential.

Marco Huck-Ola Afolabi I & II recap plus keys to victory & 3rd fight prediction

By Peter Wells (twitter @boxingbrains):

After two wars in 2009 and 2012 respectively these two fighters, Marco Huck and Ola Afolabi still insist they have a score to settle. The two warriors have earned one another's respect to the degree that they are both once again happy to put their respective careers on hold to enter the ring and trade bombs yet again. In the first encounter Huck was given the fight on a close unanimous decision, while the second contest saw two of the three judges scoring all level, pitting the fight as a draw and ultimately treating the fans to another great Cruiserweight affair. The Cruiserweight division has become the new heavyweights. The slightly smaller fighters have been delighting fans with wars aplenty as the new breed of heavyweights fail to provide the excitement that was always associated with the pinnacle weight class in boxing.

The first fight was far from a clean fought war. It was more in line with a sloppy brawl. Both fighters seemed to be fighting tired throughout the fight, where holding was a common sight. Although the scores were close I failed to see how Afolabi could have been handed the fight and I have no doubt that Huck was a deserved winner.

The opening rounds were close, but Huck seemed to be doing more work while Afolabi seemed to be enjoying the occasion too much, with lots of showboating and looking out of the ring. The 5th round was probably Ola's best round of the entire contest. He badly rocked Huck with a solid uppercut, but after that round Huck re-took control of the fight, winning the next four rounds. The final 3 rounds were hectic and I was kind in giving Afolabi rounds 10 and 12. My final scorecard read 117-113 Marco Huck, in a fight where Huck proved he was just the stronger man.

Three years later and the return, and Afolabi was ready to right the wrongs of the first contest. Straight from the off he showed clear improvements. Afolabi took centre ring from Huck and held his hands much higher, he was also happy to use the jab to outwork Huck early on. Keeping on the front foot made the fight a far more exciting spectacle, although as the fight wore on and the fatigue set in, scrappy exchanges soon ensued. This is where Marco Huck came back into the fight in the 2nd half of the contest.

After 12 exhausting rounds a great finish from Huck earned him a draw on the cards, and I have to agree, with my scorecard reading 114-114. Once again close rounds made the fight extremely hard to score, meaning the result is up for debate.

So now I look ahead to tomorrow nights third fight between the pair. For Ola Afolabi, he was far more successful on the front foot in the second fight, so would benefit from doing the same in the third affair. The jab was also a key weapon in the fight, he landed plenty, totally out jabbing Huck, which helped him into an early lead on the cards. The uppercut was an obvious weapon to use against Huck, yet Afolabi didn't use it half as much as he should have. When Huck inevitably gets inside, Afolabi must throw the uppercut to halt the Germans momentum. Although there were positives, Afolabi can improve in several areas. Firstly his conditioning as he faded badly in the championship rounds. Once the fight becomes an inside brawl it turns into Marco's fight. Also when tagged Afolabi would benefit from putting his hands up and trying to escape the danger area, as opposed to swinging wildly and trying to dodge haymakers with erratic head movement. The longer he can keep off the ropes and at long range the more likelihood Afolabi will get the win.



Afolabi(LEFT) & Huck(RIGHT)

As for Huck, he needs to issue his authority early on, try and force Afolabi to back up where he is far less effective. The left hook landed on several occasions in both encounters, that shot coupled with the straight right is a knockout combo. Huck has the knowledge that he can hurt Afolabi, but must be aware that Ola has the power to hurt him too, but he cannot be too cautious especially early on. If Huck can force Afolabi onto the back foot early in the fight and not dig himself a large hole then he can cause Afolabi to tire himself out early and then force home his strength late in the fight for a clear points win or even a stoppage.

So having looked at what the fighters can do to win, now for my prediction. The pick is for Afolabi to punch his authority early, while Huck tries hard to force him backwards. This should create damaging opportunities for Afolabi which he must take. Huck will inevitably come into the fight in the second half of the contest. In this stage Afolabi should remain cool and stick to his boxing. For me this time Afolabi will do just enough in the middle rounds to still get a close decision after a final assault to regain his belt from Huck.

Marcos Maidana vs Josesito Lopez Preview

By Peter Wells (twitter @boxingbrains):

Maidana(RIGHT) & Lopez(LEFT)

The story of Josesito Lopez 30-5(18KOs) since the start of 2011 has been quite simple, Win, Lose, Win, Lose. So if this was an exam then when I asked you what comes next in the sequence, the simple answer would be Win. But then comes the catch. If boxing were an exam it would be the most unorthodox exam on earth. Is then this pattern of results just a coincidence... Yes! There is no formula in boxing, and Josesito Lopez and Marcos Maidana will know that, they know they have to invent their own chemical equation without the help of a textbook, in order to come out with the right answer. And for the last couple of months that is exactly what both fighters and trainers have been doing, now comes the test, and as they enter the exam room they will both know the questions they are asked will not be entirely in line with what they revised for.

 

So after that long boxing metaphor, I'll cut it down to the basics. Marcos Maidana 33-3(30KOs) comes into the bout off the back of an impressive stoppage victory of Jesus Soto Karass(TKO 8) and a knockout of novice Angel Martinez(KO 3). Prior to that Maidana was dominated on points by IBF Welterweight champion Devon Alexander(L UD 10). Maidana's other two defeats both came on points over 12 rounds against Amir Khan(L UD) & Andriy Kotelnik(L SD 12). The clue in the 30 knockouts is that Maidana is a very hard puncher although his 18 fight knockout streak was halted by DeMarcus Corley(UD 12) who despite suffering a knock down lasted the 12 rounds. Erik Morales(MD 12) is the only other fighter to go 12 rounds with Maidana and lose.

 

Like Maidana, Josesito Lopez's biggest victory came against Victor Ortiz, who in both fights received criticism that was over the top, mostly from keyboard warriors who have never suffered a broken jaw before. I have never once questioned Ortiz's heart - I would never question anyone's heart if they get into the ring - but it instead seems to be more of a mental issue, where Ortiz makes rash decisions when the going gets tough, most notably against Floyd Mayweather. Lopez against Ortiz still had a chance of winning the fight on points after the 9th round when he broke Victor Ortiz's jaw. But Ortiz made the quick decision to retire on his stool giving Lopez the victory.

 

In the Maidana-Ortiz fight, or more accurately, War, both fighters suffered numerous knockdowns, but after a 2nd knockdown Ortiz decided enough was enough. In this instance it seemed like Ortiz in his mind thought he wasn't going to win the fight, handing Maidana a 6th round TKO win.

 

Either side of Lopez's win against Ortiz he was beaten over 10 rounds by Jesse Vargas(L SD 10) and was stopped when making the error of moving up to Light Middleweight to face Saul Alvarez(L TKO 5).

 

Although for myself, Lopez has the slightly better boxing ability Maidana will make it hard for Lopez to resist trading. At times Maidana can look terribly open but if Lopez is to dive for the bait he could fall into a nasty trap. If Lopez is the better boxer then the Argentinian Maidana is by far the harder puncher, and having such a solid chin suggests for Lopez to win it'll have to come via points.

 

Angulo(LEFT) & Lara(RIGHT)

It is a hard fight to call but I expect a cagey opening 3 or 4 rounds, where Lopez can take an early lead with higher activity. Maidana will then start to sting the American as he uses head movement to slip the long range punches from Lopez. Maidana will enjoy success when he pins Lopez on the ropes where he struggled against Alvarez. The pick is for Maidana's ability to trap Lopez on the ropes to be the difference in the fight, and I expect Marcos to take a deserved victory on points.

 

Although the victor will hope that money fights come pouring in afterwards, the likely scenario is that the winner and loser will both be looking at fights with the likes of Ruslan Provodnikov, Andre Berto and rematches with Victor Ortiz, and for Maidana Amir Khan. Although these fights aren't too shabby for the fans though.

 



Hopkins(LEFT) & Charlo(RIGHT)

On the undercard is an interesting mash of styles when brawler Alfredo Angulo 22-2(18KOs) and the Cuban stylist Erislandy Lara 17-1-2(11KOs). The pick is for Lara to neutralise Angulo early but his sometimes negative style may result in Angulo coming back into the fight and being awarded a very close maybe split decision.

 

Also Jermell Charlo 20-0(10KOs) makes a further step towards a Light Middleweight world title when he takes on Demetrius Hopkins 33-2-1(13KOs). The pick is for Charlo to dominate past round 3 on route to a points win.



Chad Dawson vs Adonis Stevenson: A look at Adonis Stevenson

By Peter Wells (twitter - @boxingbrains):

With just a few days to go until Chad Dawson defends his WBC Light Heavyweight title, I'll be taking a look at his challenger, the 35 year old Canadian Adonis Stevenson. With just 21 fights to his name Stevenson is moving up from Super Middleweight having failed to secure a fight with one of the top guns at 168lbs. In modern day boxing Stevenson has failed to attract much attention outside of the fight game. Having fought the majority of his fights in Canada he has some what gone under the radar, but Saturday night he has the chance to make a name for himself. Win, draw or lose, a good performance from Adonis against the world class Dawson would do wonders for his career. Having been a pro for just 7 years, Adonis still has time on his side even at the age of 35, a late bloomer he is, but compare him to fellow Light Heavyweight Bernard Hopkins and he's a young pup.

My main focus for giving you the low-down on Stevenson will be his bout last October against Don George, where he won via TKO in round 12. The most notable trait of Stevenson's is his punching power, early wins against Jesus Gonzalez and Noe Gonzalez back this up, and the way he finished Don George in the 12th highlights his killer instinct. What we gained from the George fight past round 4 bears little significance to what can be expected Saturday night. Once George was twice knocked down in the 5th, the fight was virtually over.

First thing to note though is that Stevenson is a southpaw, like Chad Dawson. The straight left hand is his best weapon, whether to body or head. A left to the body in the 5th was the beginning of the end for George. Adonis rarely gets careless with his left hand, but on occasion left himself too open to the right hand counter. This generally comes down to his wanting to be the aggressor. At range though George didn't have the reach nor the speed to counter. Although patient Stevenson is happy to let his hands go, and is very active with his right jab. When Stevenson has his opponents hurt he does go for broke somewhat, but in this particular fight after the 5th round he remained patient and looked for shots rather than throwing punches with reckless urgency, a good idea when he's fighting someone like Chad Dawson.



It all gets heated at the weigh-in: Stevenson(LEFT) & Dawson(RIGHT)

As far as his defence goes, he holds his right hand low, slinging jabs from his hip. Almost identical to Carl Froch. Good head and body movement helps him to avoid slow counters. At first he constantly stepped to his left, but made the correct adjustment when George started to land the right hand. Stevenson then began to step to his own right opening up room for the left hand and avoiding any wild right hooks from George. Although just a minor adjustment it showed he has the ability to make adjustments mid fight, after that he didn't need to make any other changes to his game plan.

Adonis also oozes confidence, and fights well at his own pace, he'll need to step up the pace against Dawson, who also fights at a slow tempo. Dawson will be a huge step up in class, although the step up in weight shouldn't be a problem. Stevenson is a big Super Middleweight, not in terms of height but in terms of build. Being able to knock opponents over with one shot has its pluses and minuses against Dawson. The plus side is that it is hard to land combinations on Dawson, meaning if he is going to be knocked down then it'd have to be from a single shot - just like Andre Ward did only that was more to do with Dawson being weight drained that Ward being a powerful puncher. The minus side is that Stevenson may not throw enough leather to win rounds against Dawson, much like Bernard Hopkins who just didn't do enough to win.

Well I hope now you have a better idea on what to expect from Adonis Stevenson this weekend. But this analysis is my own opinion and not facts, so I am sure you all have your own opinions on Stevenson's style that may not be in direct line with my own.

Diaz W TKO 7 Gethin: Ammeth Diaz with world class performance against brave hometown hero Martin Gethin

By Peter Wells- (twitter @boxingpeter):

Image courtesy of my very own camera phone

"A once in a lifetime chance", "he'll never get a chance like this again". These are phrases heard too much in boxing. Those who are not optimists DO NOT belong in boxing. If one cannot see beyond what there eyes show them, then they have chosen the wrong sport. For those suggesting that Martin Gethin has missed his one and only chance at contending for a world title, then they needn't look much further than the two men who fought in a small hall classic last Friday night, to prove themselves wrong.

If Martin did not have the mind set of a fighter, he would have quit many years ago. Indeed he considered giving up, but the boxer inside of him resisted the temptation - I'm sure every boxer has had to fight back the question, "What on earth am I doing this for!?". After 3 defeats in a row, Gethin refused to believe his shot at landing a British title - which he had came so close to before losing to Scott Lawton - was gone. Instead he stormed back with 8 victories in a row, to land a shot at the British Lightweight crown, which he took with both fists.

Then came the unexpected world title eliminator. Gethin had nothing to lose. But after 7 hard fought rounds, his opponent was just too powerful and too good on the night. Gethin's chance had gone. But wait! Where have we heard that before? Well look no further than the man who will take on IBF Lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez for the second time in 2 years. Yes, Ammeth Diaz is no stranger to that phrase, yet here he is again, another shot, when it looked as if his chance had passed him by.

Back in 2007, Diaz fought Souleymane M'Baye in a WBC Light Welterweight title eliminator and was stopped in four rounds. So he got back up, wiped himself down and two stoppage wins later he was involved in a WBA Lightweight title eliminator. Once again he lost, this time he was dominated on points. Next fight and a fourth round stoppage defeat, but Diaz was not finished there. Two more wins later and he was taking on Ji-Hoon Kim in a IBF Lightweight title eliminator. Once again he lost, this time in the 1st round. So surely that is it, isn't it? Not quite. Another two wins and Diaz was presented with a 4th world title eliminator. This time he made no mistake, winning in 5 rounds to set up a shot at Miguel Vazquez. Vazquez though was too good and dominated for a 12 rounds points win. But just when you think Diaz had missed his one and only chance he received and won a 5th world title eliminator, and for the 2nd time in his career he will challenge for a world crown.

The moral of the story here is... it isn't over just yet for Martin Gethin. And something tells me it is nowhere near over just yet for Diaz either. But on Friday night the quick step up in class showed as Diaz dominated the fight, and despite the crowd and Gethin's best efforts, Diaz was just too much. A badly damaged nose, a perforated eardrum and swelling around the left eye was all too much in the end. After three knockdowns, Gethin's body just wouldn't allow him to rise as he was counted out. For everyone in attendance, myself included, it was a terrific fight to witness and one that no one there will forget.

Diaz was tired of being the uninvited guest, this time he was going to make a scene, and a scene is exactly what he made. Diaz himself won many admirers Friday night, including myself.

So as the Diaz story goes on, Martin Gethin's boxing story may just have begun. If he and Diaz have learnt anything in boxing, it is that there is always another chance waiting around the corner, you just have to go and grab it.

Looking Back - 18th September 1999: Oscar De La Hoya vs Felix Trinidad

By Peter Wells (twitter- @boxingpeter):

With the upcoming latest instalment of the Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry coming up on June 15th when Mikey Garcia of Mexico takes on Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico, I felt it fitting to look back at a much talked about Mexico-Puerto Rico match-up which I had yet to witness until today.

That match-up was between two of their respective nations greatest treasures as National icons, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix 'Tito' Trinidad faced off in Las Vegas. A fight still talked about to this very day, not entirely for the drama in the ring but the controversial scoring that gave Felix Trinidad a majority decision win. The general consensus was that the fight was either a draw or a close victory for De La Hoya. But while one judged scored it dead even at 114-114, the other two at ringside favoured with Trinidad with scores of 115-114 & 115-113 respectively. To go as far as suggesting a robbery, might be a slight overreaction - there were several close rounds, where one had to choose between fast clean counter shots of Oscar or the aggression of Trinidad. Also the final three rounds, De La Hoya took his foot off the gas and neglected the work rate that had helped him into an early lead, which is coupled with Trinidad going for broke.

De La Hoya entered the contest as the WBC Welterweight champion, which he had acquired two years earlier when defeating defensive wizard, Pernell Whittaker(W UD). An amazing 7 defences later and he was taking on the IBF Welterweight king, Felix Trinidad. After destroying Maurice Blocker in 2 rounds back in 1993, 'Tito' had successfully defended his IBF crown 14 times. His challengers included, Hector Camacho(W UD), the 56-0 Luis Ramon Campos(W TKO 4), Pernell Whittaker(W UD) and many more. In his early reign, Felix suffered 3 knockdowns in his first 5 defences but always fought back to dominate.

During the opening few rounds, Oscar boxed well off the back foot, as Trinidad failed to get his punches off as De La Hoya moved around the ring, before firing quick combinations. De La Hoya had moments of flair where he forced Trinidad to back up momentarily, but most of his good work came when Felix was on the attack. Although I awarded Oscar the first 3 rounds, their was little in them, especially the opening 2 rounds, which could have gone either way. The 4th was Trinidad's best round as he managed to land left hooks, and right hands, but it was false hope for Trinidad's fans.

Oscar got back on his bike and dominated the next 4 rounds - although round 6 was a 50-50 round. In the 9th De La Hoya lessened his work rate, as Trinidad was allowed back into the fight. It was a round that drew a lot of different conclusions on who won the round, I scored it 10-10. But the final 3 rounds, Felix dominated as De La Hoya neglected the right hand which he had rarely missed with all fight. As Trinidad neglected his defence it was a perfect chance for Oscar to close out the fight by stinging the Puerto Rican with the right, but he refused to take it, instead opting to survive the championship rounds, believing he was far enough ahead on the cards. I believed that Oscar had just done enough to win, 116-113, but the opinions that counted did not.

So now it is up to JuanMa Lopez and Mikey Garcia to etch their names in the book of great Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalries.