Since the match is free to watch even to non-Showtime subscribers, the heavyweight title match between undefeated American heavyweight Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka can be watched online here at TBD, through Showtime live streaming YouTube channel embedded above.

Before their heavyweight match on Saturday night, Wilder and Szpilka met at the weigh-in on Friday afternoon. You can watch the highlight of the weigh-in here: http://theboxingdiary.com/2016/01/watch-deontay-wilder-vs-artur-szpilka-weigh-in-recap.html and see the official weight results here: http://theboxingdiary.com/2016/01/official-weights-deontay-wilder-228%C2%BE-artur-szpilka-239.html

Undefeated American heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder and Poland's Artur Szpilka weighed in results this afternoon for Saturday night's Showtime Championship Boxing main event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Wilder (35-0, 34 KO) will make the third defense of his heavyweight title against Artur Szpilka (20-1, 15 KO).

Also in action for another heavyweight title bout,  Vyacheslav Glazkov (21-0-1, 13 KO) takes on Charles Martin (22-0-1, 20 KO).

Below were the official weights:

• Deontay Wilder, 228¾ vs. Artur Szpilka, 239


• Vyacheslav Glazkov, 218 vs. Charles Martin, 249

Watch the above highlights of the recent weigh-in of Showtime's boxing card this Saturday night, featuring Deontay Wilder and Artur Szpilka. Video credit Showtime Sports

American heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder (35-0, 34 KO) and Artur Szpilka (20-1, 15 KO) hit the scales earlier today for their heavyweight boxing match at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York.

The undefeated American official weight during the weigh-in 228¾ pounds, while Poland's Szpilka weighed in several pounds heavier than Wilder at 239 pounds.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 11, 2016) - Undefeated Frankie "Pitbull" Gomez (19-0, 13 KOs), one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the sport, will make his first appearance of 2016 in the ring on the February 5 Boxeo Estelar card on Estrella TV against former IBA Super Lightweioght Champion Silverto "Chamaco III" Ortiz (29-16, 15 KOs) of Chicxulub, Yucatan, Mexico's. Gomez is scheduled to participate in a 10-round co-main event headlined by former World Champion Randy "El Matador" Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) who will return to the ring against Ruben Garcia (15-1-1, 6 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico in a 10-round super bantamweight bout, from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

In addition, former eight time world champion in three weight divisions Sugar Shane Mosely will be in attendance to host a meet and greet with fans at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Special Events Center from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fans with tickets to the fight will have an opportunity meet and interact with the living legend before the Estrella TV live broadcast begins.

San Antonio's rising star Hector "El Finito" Tanajara Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) will open up the broadcast in a four-round super featherweight fight. Fighting on the non-televised undercard but streaming live on Ring TV, Rocco Santomuro (12-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas will participate in a six-round bantamweight fight and Coachella Valley favorite Neeco "Rooster" Macias (10-0, 5) from Palm Desert, Calif. will fight in a six-round super welterweight bout against Paul Mpendo (8-13-4, 4 KOs) of Kampala, Uganda. Also from the Coachella Valley, the undefeated Alberto Fundora (6-0, 2 KOs) is scheduled to fight in a four-round supper middleweight bout, all opponents will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $75, $65, $45 and can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

East LA's Frankie "Pitbull" Gomez is known for his excitingstyle and powerful punches. He is the owner of 13 knockouts in three rounds or fewer and can also box, as shown in his near-shutout victories over longtime contenders Vernon "Ice Man" Paris in July of 2014 and Jorge "Pantera" Silva in October of 2015. A decorated amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a Silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, Gomez is ready to face the top opposition in the division and chase his dreams of a world championship in 2016.

Silvero "Chamaco III" Ortiz of Chicxulub, Yucatan, Mexico is an experienced fighter with more than 50 professional fights under his belt and former owner of the IBA Super Lightweight Title. A professional since 2000, Ortiz has fought some of the toughest welterweights in the division including former WBA Super Lightweight and Welterweight World Champion Marcos "El Chino" Maidana, former three-division world champion Humberto "La Zorrita" Soto and was last seen in the ring against former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion, Pablo Cesar "El Demoledor" Cano. Now, the 33-year-old will be looking to start fresh in 2016 and begin a new chapter in his career when he takes on rising welterweight contender Frankie "Pitbull" Gomez on Feb. 5.

Hailing from San Antonio, Hector "El Finito" Tanajara Jr. has been fighting since 2007 and during that time has won eight national championships. In 2012, he qualified to attend the Veles Cup in Kurgan, Russia and took the gold medal in his weight class and was selected as one of seven to go to the 2016 Olympic trails. Decinding instead to become a professional boxer and sign with Golden Boy Promotions in 2014, Tanajar Jr. is now the owner of an undefeated record of 4-0 with three knockouts. Tanajara will look to continue his winning streak in 2015 when he fights on Feb.5.

Featherweight prospect, Rocco Santomuro of Las Vegas is looking to kick off 2016 with a victory in his first fight of the year on Feb. 5. Undefeated since his professional debut in 2009, the 29-year-old, was last seen in the ring against Daniel Quevedo in May of 2014 winning the bout via unanimous decision. Now, the fighter is ready to take his career to the next level when he faces an soon to be announced opponent on one of the biggest undercards of his career thus far.

Coachella Valley favorite, Neeco "Rooster" Macias from Palm Desert, Calif. is a familiar face to fans in Indio, having fought at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for most of his professional career. The popular southpaw, knows how to attract a crowd and will look to add to his win total and fan base when he fights on Feb. 5. A professional since 2013, 24-year-old Macias, is coached by his father Al and this family affair has resulted in 10 consecutive victories without a loss.

Paul Mpendo of Kampala, Uganda has had a long career in and out of the ring since his professional debut in 1997. Now fighting out of Portland, Orgenon the 44-year-old is looking to start fresh in 2016 and enhance his record with a victory. Mpendo, was last seen in the ring in March of 2015 taking on Marcelino Pineda and in December of 2014 facing Joshua Conley.

20-year-old Alberto Fundora of Coachella, Calif. is quickly making a name for himself in the super middleweight division. Undefeated since his professional debut in 2014, the new comer has stayed busy fighting frequently in front of his hometown at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Fundora was last seen in the ring taking on Philip Lars, defeating the fighter via first-round technical knockout and defeating Ricardo Romero via unanimous decision.

Battle-tested boxing champion Nonito Donaire will be named, for the fourth time, as Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) "Athlete of the Year" along with longest-reigning Filipino boxing champion Donnie Nietes and golfer Miguel Tabuena.

The trio will be honored during its Annual Awards Night on Feb. 13 to be held at One Esplanade in Pasay City.

Nonito Donaire

"That's awesome" was Donaire's reaction when he learned about the award according to Ronnie Natanielz. After his knockout defeat against Nicholas Walters at featherweight in 2014, Donaire registered three successive victories going back down to the 122-pound division in 2015. He demolished William Prado in two rounds in March 2015 at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, which I was able to watch live at ringside. In July 2015, Donaire duplicated his performance wiping out Anthony Settoul in Cotai Arena. Donaire topped his performance in 2015 with a bruising 12-round unanimous decision victory over tough-as-nails Mexican banger Cesar Juarez.

Donaire got the prestigious award first in 2007, and then again in 2011 and 2012.

Donaire was unable to attend the awards night in 2011 and 2012 causing 2012 PSA president Rey Bancod disgust about Donaire's no-show. In 2012, Donaire was in deep training in the US for his fight against slick boxer Guillermo Rigondeux, which he lost via decision. This time, I'm hoping Donaire would be available as he will be in Manila for his training for a fight in April.

Donnie Nietes

Picking Nietes to share the "Athlete of the Year" award is a no-brainer. He's was defeated only once in his career. He broke the record of Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, one of the greatest Filipino boxers, as the longest-reigning Filipino champion. He will be facing Moises Fuentes in a rubber match for his next title defense.

Miguel Tabuena

Tabuena defeated Scott Barr of Australia to win his first-ever Philippine Open championship. The 22-year-old golfer highlighted his performance by winning the Asian Tour.

PSA president Rey Mallari said Donaire, Nietes, and Tabuena “again showed and proved to the world what Filipino athletes are made of as proof of their triumph and success in their respective fields last year. As the country’s sources of pride, all three are truly deserving of the Athlete of the Year honor.”

Looks like another tough title defense for the veteran Filipino champion.

Longest reigning Filipino champion Donnie Ahas Nietes will be facing again Moises Fuentes for his title defense this coming April in Cebu City Sports Complex.

Nietes first fought Fuentes to a majority draw in 2013 at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel & Casino. In a rubber match in 2014, Nietes knocked out Fuentes in Round 9.

It was a back-and-forth action prior to the knockout. But in Round 9, Nietes landed a left and right combination that forced Fuentes to take a knee. Nietes jumped in and fired shots on Fuentes who was already down on the floor. The referee initiated the mandatory count, and Fuentes managed to get up to continue the fight. But instead of resuming the fight, the referee deducted a point on Nietes for throwing punches on Fuentes while still on the floor.

Fuentes took a breather for the deduction, and I thought he can survive the round as he was able to regain his footing.  But Nietes was so patient on his attack as Fuentes tried to come back.  A counter right hand hurt and sent down again Fuentes to the floor that opted the referee to waive the off without initiating the mandatory count.

This could be a very exciting match-up as both guys really know each other for 21 rounds. The first bell is round 22. For sure the fighters will immediately pick up what they left in Round 9 of their rematch in 2014.

Filipino boxing icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao will face American Timothy Bradley Jr. for the third time this coming April. But the Pacquiao-Bradley III gets a negative reaction from fight fans and showed that they aren't interested in another rubber match.

Pacquiao's first fight with Bradley was in June 2012. He lost via split decision on what had been dubbed as the biggest robbery in boxing.

A pointless rematch

Pacquiao didn't demand an immediate rematch. He believed that he clearly won the fight and there's no point in a rematch. Fight fans shared the same sentiment.

On his next fight, Pacquiao chose a fourth fight against fierce rival Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.

Although Pacquiao scored two victories and a draw against Marquez during their three encounters, fight fans were still interested to see another fight. The first three encounters were very competitive and explosive. So why not do it for the fourth time?

Marquez shocked the boxing world! He knocked Pacquiao out in Round 6, ending their rivalry without controversy.

With the devastating defeat, Floyd Mayweather Jr. became even more elusive at that time.

Pacquiao picked Brandon Rios for his next fight. He showcased a one-sided beat down on Rios and proved to critics that he still got it.

Taking on the pointless rematch

Pacquiao then took a Bradley rematch in 2014 -- a rematch he earlier considered as unnecessary.

On the rematch, Pacquiao convincingly defeated Bradley, which further cemented the claim that he won the first fight.

Pacquiao finally squared Floyd Mayweather Jr. in what has been the biggest revenue fight in boxing history. Pacquiao lost in a near snooze fest rather than a promised slugfest in May 2015.

Another pointless rematch

With Pacquiao now coming off from a defeat, we are being sold again for another Bradley rubber match.

Many believed that a third fight is pointless. The first two fights were neither thrilling nor memorable to say the least. But to Arum's business point of view, it is the most viable fight for Pacquiao. Naa... You know... in-house fighters. The talking point is that Bradley is a different Bradley with Teddy Atlas on his side.

"This is a different Timothy Bradley under the aegis of Teddy Atlas. This is not me just saying that. The Bradley that fought Rios, whatever you thought about Rios, was a different fighter. It's still Bradley, but a new Bradley with Teddy. And at this point of his career, can Manny handle that? Remember, Manny is also coming off an injury" said Arum.

But if you are among those boxing fans who believed that Pacquiao-Bradley is a pointless rubber match, then who do you think Pacquiao should fight next?

Although there is still enough time for Manny Pacquiao to prepare for his next fight, Bob Arum showed concern about his April fight card. He mentioned in an interview that with or without Pacquaio Top Rank's scheduled fight card on 9th April will push through.

The frontrunners for Manny Pacquiao's next opponent are British star Amir Khan, American Timothy Bradley Jr., Terrence Crawford, and Adrien Broner.

Why until this point, was Pacquiao still unable to choose whom to fight?

Here's my take.

Well, Pacquiao, as we all know, is gunning for a higher political position in the Philippines. During one of his interviews, he mentioned that if he wins as a senator in May national elections -- the fight in April will be his last, and he will retire for good to focus on his duties as a senator.

With the elections happening in May 2016, a Pacquiao victory in April 2016 would drum up his political campaign. However, it should not be just a mere victory. He should win this fight in an impressive style. It should be, at the very least, a knockout victory.

Apart from that, Pacquiao should not just merely fight a beatable opponent. It should be an opponent that somehow enhances his legacy. So, the question is: Who could be this opponent be?

I believed until now Manny Pacquiao and his team were still not able to figure out the perfect opponent.

Who do you think Pacquiao will fight next?

On Saturday night, two exciting heavyweight contenders squared off in New York to put them in line for a heavyweight title showdown. Those contenders were Bryant Jennings (19-2) and Luis "King Kong" Ortiz (24-0). The fight was toe to toe action you rarely see between heavyweights. It was clearly the antithesis of Klitschko vs Fury back in November.

Jennings has a boxer’s style, usually fighting on the outside, circling left to right, with excellent lateral movement. But trainer John David Jackson decided to change things up and have Jennings fight on the inside of the much bigger Ortiz. Jennings banged Ortiz's head and body with vicious hooks and uppercuts. It was a risk Jennings was willing to take so he would not get caught at the end of a powerful blow from the Cuban puncher. It was a risk that did not pan out well for Jennings. Jennings was knocked down with a brutal uppercut and a straight left that made the referee step in and call the fight.

The fight shook the heavyweight division and showed “King Kong” is a force to be reckoned with. But my attention was drawn before the fight even started. I was touched by Ortiz’s inspiration. His inspiration is his four year old little girl who was born with a medical condition that included necrosis in one of her fingers. Ortiz said that he was willing to have one of his fingers amputated so when his daughter was old enough to see his father’s hand, he would tell her she was born just like her Daddy. I immediately thought of a couple of other boxers who were inspired to do great things in boxing because of the love and inspiration they received from their ailing daughters. Those boxers are two time Cruiserweight Champion Steve “USS” Cunningham and Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder.

It is truly amazing how “Daddy’s little girl” can be such an inspiration to the most lethal fighters to ever step in the ring. Cunningham’s daughter was born with a rare heart defect known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome. It is a condition in which the left side of the heart isn’t fully developed. Jesse Dougherty quoted Cunningham referencing his daughter’s battle, "If she can do that, I think I can do anything in boxing, in life, I always take that into the ring.”

Wilder’s daughter was born with the congenital disorder spina bifida. X-rays revealed a hole in the spine shortly after her birth as well as the condition which usually confines a person to a wheelchair for life. Wilder was quoted by Lem Satterfield saying, "“She inspires me and we inspire each other each and every day, man. She inspires me still now,” said Wilder, “because when she was a year old, I promised her that Daddy would become a world champion.” Wilder fulfilled that dream and continues to take on any challengers.

It was interesting seeing the behemoth Ortiz getting very emotional talking about bringing his children to the United States and giving them a better life. Ortiz said, “It inspires me even more to obtain my dream, obtain my dream which is to be World Champion.”

Only children can bring out that kind of emotion out of a Daddy. I know this feeling all too well. Seeing your beautiful daughter suffering, you feel helpless. The only thing you can do is pray. It drives you to be a better man. A better person. A better father. A person who would sacrifice himself any day of the week for his family. It is an experience that drives you closer to God. Putting yourself whole heartedly before someone else is something you would have never dreamed of doing before seeing that little girl receiving round the clock care from nurses and doctors. But turning that stressful and horrible experience into something positive, such as earning a world title, is something truly special. It is something that you wouldn’t expect a tiny little girl to motivate you to accomplish. But these little girls did just that for Cunningham and Wilder. Now let’s see if it could come to fruition for Ortiz.

This is for you Annalise. Daddy loves you...

Tyson Fury knows what the alphabet gangs do not: They don’t decide who the real champ is.

Showtime’s Brian Custer recently referred to Deontay Wilder as the “world heavyweight champion” and so contributed to the mass confusion in boxing. Would-be fans —precisely the demographic the sport needs to attract— scratched their heads and wondered what the hell happened two weeks ago when Tyson Fury defeated Wlad Klitschko and was declared the “heavyweight champion of the world.” An unknown number of them reached for the clicker.

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a fifty-member, all-volunteer initiative representing eighteen countries invites them to put the clicker down and stay tuned. It recommends approaching the sport as they would a holiday with family. When Uncle Ralph staggers over to intrude on a pleasant exchange claiming something is that assuredly isn’t, wave him off. If he can’t take a hint and proves immune to courteous correction, escort him to the door and lock him out in the cold. He’ll sober up eventually. Boxing is overrun with Uncle Ralphs. We find them well-poised on television and meticulous in print, but most of their claims regarding the championships are gobbledygook. Do any of them really believe there are eighty-six champions in the seventeen weight divisions? Do they know the difference between Deontay Wilder’s belt and the divisional crown?

THE CROWN VS. BELTS

Tyson Fury, insists the Board above the nonsense and the din, is heavyweight king. He takes his place in a succession that includes the vanquished Wlad Klitschko, fellow Briton Lennox Lewis, Fury’s namesake Mike Tyson, and thirty-three others give or take. Each divisional succession is an ongoing march through history with expected breaks and disruptions and which began with the first championship bout fought under the Marquess of Queensberry rules. The heavyweights’ stretch back at least to Gentleman Jim Corbett, if not John L. Sullivan — both sons of Éire like Fury himself.

Anyone with more sense than a partridge in a pear tree knows that there are two paths into a divisional succession: (1) defeat the true champion or (2) if said champion retires or otherwise abdicates, earn a top-two ranking and defeat the top or next-best contender.

And what of “world heavyweight champion” Wilder? He did neither. In January 2015, he defeated Bermane Stiverne (then ranked third in the Transnational Rankings when he was ranked sixth) after both contenders surrendered a percentage of their purses to the WBC. That belt Wilder carries is quite literally bought and paid for. It’s a fabrication; a fabrication puffed up by boxing media as something more but that had nothing to do with Wlad Klitschko and therefore had nothing to do with the heavyweight crown.

Wilder was fervent anyway. “I want to fight four times a year,” he said afterward. “Whoever’s ready, I’m ready.” The response of ESPN’s Dan Rafael was proof positive that the language in the sport must change: “Fight fans who have been searching for a [sic] American heavyweight champion surely are also.”

Tyson Fury understands the problem better than most. “If I want a belt, I can go and buy one,” he said last year. “It’s pointless. There’s the status of saying you’re a ‘world champion’, but when there’s twenty-five different world sanctioning bodies, it doesn’t mean nothing.”

TYSON FURY IN MUHAMMAD ALI’S FOOTSTEPS

Earlier this month, the IBF stripped Fury of their belt because of his intention to give Klitschko a rematch. The heavyweight king responded while doing roadwork. “They should take all of them away from me if they want,” he told reporter Peter Lane. “But they’ll never take what I’ve done.”

He’s in good company. The WBA pulled the same stunt on Muhammad Ali in 1964 after he agreed to a rematch against Sonny Liston. It was a move laughed at by yesterday’s more discerning boxing writers. “The WBA is an imaginary organization,” wrote Red Smith. “When Liston and Clay fight again and the winner is recognized as champion by the public, the press, and the participants, the WBA’s pretensions to power must evaporate.” At the other end of Ali’s career, the WBC took their own swing at his legacy when they stripped Leon Spinks in 1978 for agreeing to fight him in a rematch. They “awarded” the belt to Ken Norton and it was begrudgingly acknowledged by increasingly less-discerning boxing writers.

Trainer Peter Fury was more correct than we supposed when he compared Fury’s upset win over Klitschko with Ali’s upset win over Liston. Fury’s recent dismissal of homosexuality and the value of women in society left him wide open for censure, but Ali said worse. Before becoming America’s secular saint, Ali was a divisive figure who routinely thumbed his nose at the majority culture. “A black man should be killed if he’s messing with a white woman,” he said during a Playboy interview in 1975. And what of a Black Muslim woman who wants to go out with a white man? “Then she dies. Kill her, too.”

In case you haven’t noticed, Ali is celebrated by the very demographic that now condemns Fury.

A HERALD OF CHANGE?

Fury, who shuffled his feet familiarly a few times during the Klitschko fight, can likewise redefine himself as something other than a provocateur of the political left; he can step forward as a herald of change in boxing. Reform is in the air. It’s in his ear. “Gonna speak with [promoter] Mick [Hennessy] and & Tyson to give all belts away. Win em & vacate the lot. Money racket,” tweeted his trainer on December 9. “We know who the real champ is.”

The IBF, WBA, WBC, et al. would rather we didn’t. Unaccountable to anything outside their counting houses, they will continue to thrive in the mass confusion and make decisions based solely on their interests.

The heavyweight king is expected to do what is in his interests, but is also signaling his willingness to do something more.

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board’s only interest resides in that “something more.” It will continue to provide clarity for fans and fighters alike by publishing clean, globally-represented rankings at www.tbrb.org and identifying “the real champs” with virtual crowns that don’t cost a thing.

_________________

Springs Toledo is a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.  Special thanks to Jose Corpas and Tim Starks.

Bryant Jennings and Luis Ortiz stepped on the scales Friday for their anticipated heavyweight clash this Saturday at the Turning Stone Resort Casino.

Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) came in at 229.5 pounds, 9.5  pounds lighter than Ortiz (23-0, 20 KO’s) who weighed in at 239 pounds. 

Bryant Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) and undefeated Luis Ortiz (23-0, 20 KO's) will hit the scales this afternoon for the official weigh-in at the Convention Center, Seneca, Onondaga and Cayuga Rooms at Turning Stone Resort Casino at 1PM ET ahead of their 12-round heavyweight title bout.

During the final presser Ortiz told the media that: "I am a man of few words and will let my hands do the talking."

"I have worked very hard to be here, and I will not waste this opportunity. We will see on Saturday who is the best." says Ortiz.

Meanwhile, Jennings told that: "Preparation went as planned" and that "there will be no surprises on Saturday."

Let's take a look at the fighters once again during the weigh-in and see how the fight will look like as they flex their battle ready arms.

Jennings vs. Ortiz is a 12-round heavyweight bout fight for the heavyweight title on HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins live at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York on Saturday night.

On Saturday night, the great Roy Jones Jr. (62-9) was the recipient of one of the most brutal knockouts of his career against Cruiserweight contender Enzo Maccarinelli (33-7). It was very sad watching what was left of the legendary Jones in the ring that night. An overweight Jones was standing straight up, holding his hands low, while trading punches with the much bigger Maccarinelli. According to the commentators, Jones was doing the old “rope-a-dope” tactic, shooting straight rights and left hooks while being pinned against the ropes. In reality, Jones’ body is so broken down that he could no longer move laterally. His knees are shot from taking the abuse he withstood from his father.

As an amateur, Jones Sr. used to make his son run ten miles a day in the streets of Pensacola, Florida. If Jones was the last kid to come back from doing his road work, he paid a heavy price through physical abuse. Because of the condition of his knees, running is no longer an option to get in shape for fights at this stage of his career. Due to Jones’ deteriorating knees, his legs were so straight in his last fight that it appeared he was fighting on stilts. A boxer cannot punch effectively or get out-of-the-way of punches if his legs are not able to able to bend or function properly.

Jones was knocked out with a right uppercut to the head and a vicious right hook to the temple. The heavy blows dropped Jones like a ton of bricks, flat on his stomach. Eventually, he rolled over on his back, eyes closed, with slight movement to his legs. However, his legs looked as if he was having involuntary leg spasms. It was a sight seen way too often in the hall of fame career of the great Jones. The jerky movement was eerily familiar to when Jones was knocked out cold by Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson in 2004. Most fighters would have walked away from boxing after sustaining such traumatic knockouts. Jones has had 21 additional professional fights since.

Jones has fallen victim to staying in one of the most unforgiving sports on the planet far beyond what he should have. I have seen the rise and fall all too often in World Champions. World Champions such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De Lay Hoya, Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, and the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, it is very rare to see a fighter go out on top like Lennox Lewis or Joe Calzaghe. It is even more rare to see an old fighter such as George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins succeed in the twilight of their career.

Growing up I was in awe of the Jones. The speed, quickness, and power was unlike anyone I have seen put on a pair of boxing gloves. Jones dominated the 90s, and it seemed like there was no one worthy of challenging him. Boxing pundits used to say that Jones fought in the wrong era of boxing due to the lack of competition. It was unheard of for a man to go from winning the middleweight championship of the world, to winning the heavyweight championship of the world, along with every world title in between. Every title except, the Cruiserweight title.

In a very touching article written by Brin-Jonathan Butler, Jones was asked when enough was enough regarding his accomplishments in the ring. Jones said,”Cruiserweight title. Nobody in history has won all the titles I’ve won and the cruiserweight title. I’d be the only man in history. That’s when you die and go to heaven, and God can look at you and know you did everything with the gifts he gave you. If I died today, could I really say that? If I stopped fighting, could I live the rest of my life knowing I didn’t do everything I was put here to do?”

Jones should have went out on top in 2003 when he defeated Heavyweight Champion John Ruiz. I remember seeing how fast he worked the jab against Ruiz. The speed of his hands and feet was a work of art. Ruiz couldn’t touch the man. When Jones won that fight, he cemented his legacy in boxing. But like many boxers, he was lured back into the sport. He then felt his accomplishments were not enough.

I hope Jones will not be remembered as the man who stayed in the ring way too long, lying unconscious on the canvas. Budd Schulberg wrote, “Old fighters don’t fade away. They slowly die in front of our eyes.” I’m tired of seeing Jones die in front of my eyes along with everyone else that is close to him. In 2006 Jones, made his rap debut with, “Ya’ll must have forgot,” reminding the public of all of his accomplishments in the ring. One thing is for sure. I do not think I will ever forget.

Joshua went beyond round two for the first time in his career and Whyte was able to expose some vulnerability of his game during their heavyweight clash at the O2 Arena in London, the United Kingdom on Sky Box Office.

Joshua stopped Whyte in Round 7 to continue his 15 consecutive victories, which is all by way of stoppage. Joshua landed a hard counter right hand that wobbled Whyte. He followed up with a hard uppercut that sent Whyte to the canvass causing referee Howard John Foster to stop the fight at 1:27 in Round 7.

In the first round, Joshua was in control of the fight and hurt Whyte few seconds left in the first round. I thought it would be another walk in the park for Joshua. But Whyte managed to hang on. Out of excitement to finish Whyte early, Joshua unintentionally threw few more punches after the bell. It did not go well on Whyte, and he retaliated by throwing a couple of punches while the referee tried to separate them. This made each camp's entourage come up in the ring. The extra commotion benefited Whyte as he got more time to recover from the flush shot that hurt him in the previous round.

In the second and third rounds, Whyte was able to hurt Joshua. His confidence grew a little bit as he tries now to step his offense a little bit up. But Joshua was obviously still in control of the pace of the fight as he landed a more telling blow that limited Whyte to mount or even build his attack rhythm.

In the seventh, Joshua landed a hard counter that hurt Whyte. After sensing Whyte's in trouble, Joshua followed up with few more punches and then caught the retreating rival with a vicious uppercut that sent Whyte to the canvass for good.

Although, still a knockout victory for Joshua, many have been quick to criticize his performance. A Twitter fan says that "David Haye whatever his condition will beat Joshua".

It could be true, but one thing for sure is that Joshua really learned something in this fight, and I expect few improvements from his game the next time he steps up into the ring.

THANK YOU to God for allowing me to bring back the belt to Philippines!

Thank you to my Angels for their protection.

Thank you to my TEAM who kept me in my game and training me mentally, physically, spiritually for this fight.

To my loving family for all their sacrifice and love...

To the BEST manager in the game Cameron Dunkin for looking out for me.

To Top Rank for the title opportunity...

To Motolite for continuing to believe in me.

To Mizuno for always styling us out.

To ABSCBN for always showing my fights.

To the island of Puerto Rico for welcoming as their own..

And finally to all my fans for always supporting me and never giving up on me.

My words cannot express my gratitude.

Mabuhay Pilipinas!

 

Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire (36-3, 23 KO's) displayed the skills, guts, and heart of a champion and claimed the title, once again, in the super bantamweight division, in what turned out a potential Fight of the Year candidate.

The FOTY possibility could not be achieved without the unflinching guts, grits tough as a concrete nails in Cesar Juarez. He showed what it is like to be a proud warrior. Juarez (17-4, 13 KO's) may not have sound boxing skills and experience to back it up, but his heart and relentless pressure to force Donaire to fight his game made the fight so thrilling and explosive till the end.

There's no questioning about the guts, and toughness of Juarez. He was absorbing all the best shots of Donaire. Ranging from Donaire's right straight and vaunted left hook. But oh man! Juarez is such a proud warrior willing to take it all in front of the Puerto Rican crowd in Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, the difference in class was very evident. Donaire's boxing skills are way above but Juarez's heart and toughness are no doubt at a much higher level.

The Fight

The first three rounds are all about Donaire. He was light on his feet, sharp-shooting the predictable Juarez.

Things got much in Donaire's favor in Round 4.

Donaire scored two knockdowns in Round 4 in what looked like a fight that would not last the distance. Looks like another short night in favor of Donaire. But Juarez brushed the cob-webs off and continued the pressure. The younger Juarez was quick to recover in less than 10 counts from the referee. Donaire, an excellent finisher, was unable to finish the work at hand.

In Round 6, some serious concern on Donaire's corner when he slipped and got up limping. It looked like something was not right on his ankle. The referee gave him time to feel his ankle. After few seconds, he continued to fight.

In Round 7, Juarez got the better out of Donaire who seemed a little bit tired. Donaire didn't get past three rounds in disposing of opponents in his last two fights. Juarez, 24, started walking Donaire, 33, towards the ropes and then pounded him there with hard shots to the head and body. But Donaire, was able to time and counter Juarez with power left hooks and right straights that wobbled Juarez several times.

In Round 9, Donaire started back to his foot and trying to box around again with his jabs. But Juarez was persistent in stalking Donaire. His only chance is when Donaire's back against the rope enabling him to land his shots.

In the championship rounds, Donaire is well ahead of the judges' scorecards. He can disengage and dance away from Juarez if he wanted to and still won on points. But obviously, his mind is willing but his feet were not, plus the unwavering pressure of Juarez. Both men ended the fight locked nose to nose and let their hands fly till the final bell.

In the end, the official scores were: 166-110, 116-110, and 117-109 all in favor of Donaire for the unanimous decision win.

Jesus Cuellar got all three judges to nod to win a unanimous decision against Jonathan Oquendo during their featherweight title match at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, Saturday night

The official scores were: 116-111, 116-111, and 120-107 all for Cuellar for the unanimous decision victory.

Oquendo was down in Round 4 on what seemed like he tangled his leg against Cuellar in that sequence and fell hard head-first to the canvas.

Cuellar improved to 28 wins, 1 defeat, 21 wins via knockout while Oquendo added another loss to his ledger, 26 wins, 5 defeats, 16 wins via knockout.

 On Thanksgiving day, the premiere of Creed debuted in theaters across the country. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the spin off to the Rocky series is the story of Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed. Creed was the Heavyweight Champion of the world, and Rocky’s nemesis, in the original Rocky. In the later sequels, Apollo became Rocky’s trainer and close friend.

Prior to fighting Ivan Drago in Rocky 4, Apollo had an affair with a woman who later gave birth to Johnson. Apollo was killed in the ring by Drago and never got to meet Johnson. Years later, while Johnson was in custody at juvenile hall, Mary Anne Creed (Apollo’s wife) reveals to Johnson that Apollo Creed is his father. It is unknown who Johnson’s real mother is. Mary Anne offers to have Johnson move in with her instead of going from group home to group home. Johnson agrees. Johnson eventually decides to become a professional boxer under the tutelage of the "Italian Stallion” Rocky Balboa.

Prior to watching this movie, I read article after article about how fantastic the movie is. I read that Johnson’s character, Michael B. Jordan, did an excellent job. I read the movie should be a franchise of its own and an Oscar may be a possibility. Being one of the biggest Rocky fans in the world, I did not know what to expect. Was it going to embarrass one of the greatest underdog stories of all time? Did the Rocky character have to be resurrected once again after the disappointing Rocky 5 and the entertaining but so so "Rocky Balboa" movie? Was Creed going to run the franchise into the ground? Let’s just say, I was very much pleasantly surprised.

The movie had its definite share of nostalgia of the original Rocky movie. Johnson is seen running through the Italian market where Rocky ran in the first two Rocky movies. Johnson is also seen working out in the vintage Mighty Mick’s boxing gym where Rocky spent countless hours being trained by Mickey Goldmill. Mighty Mick’s is also the location of where Apollo and Rocky had a secret trilogy match up. Rocky finally reveals who won that third fight in Creed. And last but not least, Johnson is seen visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art where Rocky ran up “the steps.” The museum is also where the famous Rocky statue sits. But the freshness Creed brought was unexpected and a breath of fresh air.

The hip hop and R&B influence was very apparent. The street slang, the music, and style of dress showed a different side of the Rocky franchise. Creed also showed a different kind of love story never before seen in previous Rocky movies. The dialogue between Johnson and his love interest, Bianca, played by Tessa Thompson, was genuine and original. Both characters had dreams and goals and later supported one another in their endeavors. Their story simply did not focus on what Johnson wanted to achieve in boxing and in life. It was new and refreshing to see.

I was happy to once again see the great Sylvester Stallone play Rocky’s character on the big screen. To see the innocence, inspiring, and heart of gold of the man who has been a part of American culture since 1976 was an absolute joy. But there was something different this time around about the indestructible fighter who took blow after blow and kept coming that we have grown accustomed to seeing over the years.There is no more fight at the end with Rocky being the triumphant champ with the crowd cheering “Rocky! Rocky!” This is not Rocky’s story. It is Johnson’s story. Rocky has officially passed the torch. Rocky’s time has officially passed, as he shows his age and fragility. Rocky is now Mickey, the trainer helping his fighter defeat his opponent in the ring. It was something that was inevitable. Although I have to admit, it was a little sad to see unfold before my eyes. But like life itself, the show must go on…

Creed portrayed one of the very best boxing sequences I have ever seen in Hollywood. The boxing choreography was excellent. It was not pure give and take, brawling, and blood and guts. Was there blood? Was there give and take, tit for tat, and exaggerated punching sequences? Absolutely! But the defense, counter shots, shoulder roll, and combination punching to the head and body was unlike any other I have seen on the big screen. Kudos to you Ryan Coogler!

The training camp in the film was also very impressive. The bag work, the shadow boxing, the sparring, and the mitt work appeared very real. It did not show some hodge podge actor holding punching mitts like he just got off the couch and walked into a boxing gym. Mitt holding is a skill in itself. The training camp showed the assistant boxing trainer as someone who has been around the sport for a long time. It was also very apparent Michael B. Jordan put in an immense amount of work in the gym to do the character justice.

I’m ecstatic that Creed made the Rocky franchise proud. I’m excited the birth of a new underdog trying to prove his worth has arrived and that boxing continues to be an avenue to tell inspiring stories. I am excited that the Rocky Balboa spirit continues to live on for generations to come. Ladies and gentlemen there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Adonis “Hollywood” Johnson.