Every 3 months on a quarterly basis, in February, May, August, and November dmboxing.com offers this feature – the current Boxing Champions in each weight division. They are shown in their respective world title belt organization, with their native country, and each champion’s professional ring record listed in following format: win-loss-draw-no contest (knockout wins) and the date of winning their title.
(As of: May 21, 2019)
Continue reading Current ChampionsBy Tom Donelson / Author, Member Boxing Writers Association … Contributor to dmboxing.com since 2008 with expertise, articles, and input
Last week, boxing lost both Bert Cooper and Harold Lederman. Bert Cooper began as a cruiserweight but it was as a heavyweight that he fought every major figure in the late 1980’s and the 1990’s including George Foreman, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Ray Mercer, and Michael Moorer. His overall record does not speak Hall of Fame with 25 losses go to with his 38 wins but many of his losses came later in his career. From the time he fought his first pro fight in 1984 to his last fight in 2012, he proved to be a warrior and willing to go toe-to-toe with any fighter. RIP Bert Cooper.
Harold Lederman educated an entire audience on the nuances of boxing and scoring through his position with HBO. Perhaps Lederman’s death symbolized the change in boxing and the new TV reality. Lederman, from his perch at HBO, was part of some of the biggest fights, and there was a time that HBO was where the big fights were; but today, HBO no longer covers boxing matches and Lederman, sadly, is no longer with us to score fights.
Lederman would tell the boxing fans that the four big ways to view a fight include ring generalship, clean scoring, defense, and effective aggressiveness. He explained how each played a role in his scoring, and I would agree with Lederman’s view the vast majority of the time.
Lederman spent six decades involved in the sports and now his daughter, Julie, carries on the legacy. Lederman was known more for his scoring fights on HBO, but he judged over 1000 fights as a judge and those six decades gave Lederman a unique perspective on the sport as well historical insight. He also was not afraid of the new technology, such as Compubox, and used them in his analysis. (While Compubox has its limitations, it does give a fan insight into the sport and, explained correctly, it does give you insight on why a boxer won or lost a fight.)
Continue reading Bert Cooper, Harold Lederman (R.I.P.)By Tom Donelson / Author, Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)
On Saturday night (May 11, 2019) Julian Williams, fighting in his opponent’s backyard and a big underdog to Jarrett Hurd, carried out the perfect game plan to produce the big upset. Williams put the pressure on Hurd throughout the bout and took advantage of Hurd’s habit of starting slowly to build up a big lead. After three rounds, I had Williams up by four points, including a second round knock down.
The Compubox numbers told the story. While Hurd threw more punches, Williams was the more effective fighter as he handed more punches, more jabs, more power shots and was the more accurate puncher. Every phase of the bout favored Williams.
From the very beginning, Williams used his accurate punches to take advantage of his opponent’s wider punches and his body shots aided his overall attack. Over the second half of the bout, Hurd tried to turn the tide but Williams kept his cool and, while both fighters were shaken by power shots, both fighters remained on their feet.
Continue reading Williams Wins WBA/IBF Junior Middleweight Belt over Hurd … Korobov vs. Aleem a DRAW … Berchelt Stops Vargas to Retain WBC Super Featherweight Title
By David Martinez / dmboxing.com
I am saddened to report the passing of one of my best friends, HBO Boxing’s Harold Lederman. After battling cancer, Harold passed away Saturday, May 11, 2019. He was 79 years old.
Harold was truly a boxing icon. He was also a special friend and one of the kindest people I ever met.
We met over 20 years ago, during my tenure as Boxing Historian and Board Member for the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Since that time, we remained in close contact and I often shared his podcast videos, “Hey Harold” for my readers, on this website. We also even exchanged Christmas cards every year.
In October, 2013 Harold was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame. Due to a commitment with HBO he was unable to attend his induction ceremony. I was so honored that he picked me to receive his induction award, in his absence.
Harold was licensed as a professional boxing judge in 1967, and established himself as one of the world’s top judges long before joining HBO in 1986.
He judged more than 100 world title fights on six continents, and in his 32 years of sitting ringside for HBO, judged over 1,000 fights as their “Unofficial Official”.
He retired as an active judge in 1999, but remained with HBO Boxing until they left the airwaves in December 2018.
Continue reading Harold Lederman – R.I.P.*** FLASHBACK – this article originally appeared on dmboxing.com on October 11, 2013
By Jim Amato / Senior Boxing Writer
In the time that I have followed boxing there are many matches that could have happened and should have happened. Some, like Archie Moore-Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta-Rocky Graziano, were before my era. They might have been thrilling matches, but for one reason or another they just never came off.
One from “my era,” the early 1970’s, was Ken Buchanan against Mando Ramos. Mr. Ramos was one of my early favorites. He was just a few years older than me when he won the lightweight title in his second try versus the talented Carlos Teo Cruz, when he was barely 20 years old. He lost the title soon after to Panama’s slick former world champion Ismael Laguna. Mando was cut up by the jabs and quick hands of Laguna. He also had trouble with Laguna’s fast feet and shifty style. Soon after Ismael Laguna handed the crown to another crafty boxer, the gritty Ken Buchanan of Scotland.
(Photo taken courtesy David Martinez at World Boxing Hall of Fame Banquet of Champions, October 20, 2001, Westin Bonaventure, Los Angeles, California)
By Tom Donelson / Author, Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) … Contributor to dmboxing.com since 2008
Daniel Jacobs did what he normally does in the big fight vs the best of his division, he came up short. Jacobs is one of those fighters one can easily admire, a man who conquered cancer but he has yet to conquer the two elite fighters of his generation in Middleweight division, Canelo Alvarez and the triple G’s.
Compubox numbers show the story accurately. Jacobs threw nearly 200 punches more than Alvarez but landed nearly sixty less punches as Alvarez connected on two out of every five punches compared to Jacobs who connected only one out of five punches. Over the last half of the fight Alvarez averaged 20 punches connected per round versus 13 punches per round for Jacobs. Alvarez connected more jobs and power shots in particular body shots.
Continue reading Canelo Unifies WBC/WBA/IBF Middleweight Titles … Decision Over Jacobs
Hello Boxing Fans!
Come out and meet the champs for a great cause … helping fighters help themselves.
The date is Sunday, May 19, 2019 and it will be a great day, as Ring 10 of New York’s fundraising event will be held at the Villa Maria Academy, 3335 Country Club Road, Bronx, NY 10465. From 1 to 4 pm, it’s Run With The Champs; then, from 4-8 pm, Las Vegas Night Gambling with John Scully’s USA Amateur Boxing Reunion taking place.
We are looking for all boxing fans, former fighters, trainers, and officials to join us. Admission is $10.00 with food and drinks available to purchase, and 100% of all proceeds will go towards helping ex-fighters get back on their feet.
If you can not attend, please know that you can help by donating on our website www.ring10.org.
Ring 10 of New York kindly thanks you and we hope to see you on May 19th.
Stay tuned to dmboxing.com every month for your complete boxing schedule
May 18, 2019 is going to shake Hawaiian Gardens to it’s coconuts as SOCA Fights presents our second installment of The Gardens Casino Fight Night! This six bout card will feature great action including a women’s NABO Middleweight Title Fight, and it all takes place at The Events Center at The Gardens Casino in Hawaiian Gardens. Tickets are available at www.socafights.com with all seats priced at $60!
Headlining this epic night of pugilism will be undefeated Raquel Miller from San Francisco, CA (9-0 / 3 KOs) taking on former American Gladiator Erin (Steel) Toughill from Huntington Beach (7-4-1) in an 8 round NABO Middleweight Title Fight. Miller is ranked 5th in the world. Toughill is ranked 6th. The winner of this fight has a legitimate shot at meeting World Champion Clarissa Shields.
Continue reading Garden Casino Upcoming Fight Night – Hawaiian Gardens, California
By David Martinez / dmboxing.com
On Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Los Angeles Forum in Inglewood, California, Juan Francisco Estrada (39-3 / 26 by KO) won the WBC Super Flyweight title by a unanimous twelve round decision over Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-5-1 / 41 by KO).
Estrada lost narrowly to Rungvisai by decision back in February 2018, but on this night in their rematch he did not wait and dominated right from the opening bell. On my scorecard Estrada was far ahead after the first eight rounds by simply being on target in every phase of the art of boxing mechanics.
Knowing he was behind, Rungvisai made a fight of it by winning a few of the late rounds to make it interesting, but it was the overall superior performance of Estrada that imprinted his name on this fight.
Continue reading Estrada Captures WBC Super Flyweight Belt – Decision Over Rungvisai