Three groups of people, seem to come by nicknames naturally. First, the kids from my old neighborhood. Second, gangsters. And third, the group with the most colorful nicknames of all, professional boxers!
I started to list my ten favorite boxer nicknames. That list quickly grew to 15, then 20, and then I couldn’t stop. I finally called a halt at 150. As with the kids in my neighborhood, some fighters become so identified by their nicknames… we forget their real names. Case in point, Canelo! I’ve run into many a fight fan who when asked what they think of Saul Alvarez, say “Who’s he?”
Test your knowledge and see how many nicknames you can match with the boxer’s real name. This list is certainly not complete, I actually came up with more than 150 but had to draw the line somewhere! There is no preference in ranking or order. They are simply at random as they came to me when putting this together. The numbers are there only as a point of reference. Comment about fighters, and their nicknames, not on this list. Or ask questions about those who are! I welcome your feedback.
By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)
Naoya Inoue is one of the greatest fighters of this generation and certainly ranks as one of the greatest, period! In a weekend in which great fights were promised but failed to deliver, this one did. The first round was feeling round in which the underdog Cardenas got in a few jabs as Inoue was looking to see what Cardenas had. Cardenas showed a quick jab.
Cardenas launched a combination at the beginning of the second round while Inoue used his jab, body and head shot against his opponent. Cardenas began to push the action and near the end of the round, he put Inoue down with a sharp left hook.
Cardenas continued to move forward and using his defense to avoid the big Inaoue shots and Inoue found himself in a fight and Cardenas deliver combinations while Inoue found himself open to the counters. After three rounds 29-27 in favor Cardenas.
The fourth round was Inoue best of the first four round as he moved forward out boxing Cardenas and forced Cardenas to retreat.38-37 still in favor Cardenas. The fifth round was closer as Inoue continued to pursue his opponent, but Cardenas successfully countered to make the round close but Inoue even the fight on my score card.
The sixth round saw Inoue dominating the round and punish Cardenas throughout the round and for the first time, Inoue showed the domination expected and halfway through the fight, Cardenas was behind 57-56. Very few thought this fight would last this long.
By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Associationof America (BWAA)
Canelo Alveraz wanted to reclaim his unanimous undisputed super middleweight championship as he fought the present IBF supermiddleweight William Schull. Alvarez was the super middleweight champion, but he was stripped of his IBF championship when he chose to fight Berlanga versus the IBF mandatory challenger.
This fight follows the pattern of the Time square boredom as we saw the lowest total of punches by both fighters in CompuBox history and Canelo Alvarez even finished in the top three in individual lowest total. He averaged 5 landed for 13 punches and Schull averaged 5 punches and threw 24 per round.
Alvarez was not impressive in this bout, but he did win as he landed nearly 40 percent of his punches whereas Schull only landed nearly 20 percent. Schull tried to box his way to victory and landed a punch here or here but for the most part, Schull was ineffectua.
After four rounds, you could have called the fight even as Schull avoided getting hit and Alvarez was throwing very little and landing little.
By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)
On Friday night, May 2, 2025, it was boxing in New York Times Square, however the Haney -Ramirez and Garcia-Romero were setting records for some of the lowest boxing CompuBox stats. Most fans would been better off people watching in Times Square or watching paint dry than either of those two matches.
Teofimo Lopez faced the undefeated Arnold Barboza, jr. in the WBO super lightweight championship. Barboza entered the fight after a split decision victory over Jack Catterall and there was still concern if Lopez will be able to reach his full potential, This fight, he defeated a slick undefeated boxer rather easily as Lopez won the bout 116-112, 16-112, and 118-110.
Barboza has been looking forward to fighting Lopez, but it was obvious that he was not yet ready to fight Lopez.
Lopez boxing skills were on display as he slipped punches and proved elusive while he landed counters. Barboza tried to jab his inside, but this proved ineffectual as he landed only 38 jabs versus 54 jabs for Lopez. Lopez had rhythm and even did a little showboating while Barboza landed only 16 percent of his punches. (In fairness and while he was more accurate, Lopez landed only 22.1 percent.)
Lopez landed 127 punches versus only 71 punches for Barboza, nearly five punches more punches per round than his opponents and landed more than double power shots. Lopez boxing superiority and powerful right hand prove decisive and he by himself threw more punches than Haney and Ramierz combined, and more than Garcia-Rolando combined in their fight.
Displayed are the “Current Champions” in boxingtodaywith each shown in their respective weight division, world title belt organization, professional ring record in the following format: win-loss-draw-no contest (knockout wins) and the date of winning their title.
As of: April 18, 2025
Heavyweight (+200 lb/+90.7 kg or +224 lb/+101.6 kg)
A solid pro boxing and pro MMA lineup awaits fight fans on Thursday, April 17th as Fight Club OC gears up once again for a night of fight action inside The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA.
This show is set to feature Golden Boy Promotions undefeated rising star super bantamweight 7-0 Asa Stevens in a six round bout. Stevens had an incredible 36-4 amateur record and is managed by top agent David McWater. Asa Stevens is set to face 9-4-0 Luis Alvarado Morales.
By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWWA)
Sebastian Fundora kept his unified WBC and WBO championship with an easy fourth stoppage of Chordale Booker. Fundora, who carries 154 pounds on a 6 foot five inches presents a challenge for any fighter, and he used his reach and height to be bloodied Booker behind his left-handed jab.
Fundora stunned Booker and with a combination that sent the challenge down. Compubox punch stats says it all as he landed more than double the punches and dominated power shots landing 50 versus only 16 for Booker.
CompuBox Punch Stats
Punches
Fundora
Booker
Total landed
79
37
Total thrown
361
150
Percent
21.9%
24.7%
Jabs landed
29
21
Jabs thrown
211
90
Percent
13.7%
23.3%
Power landed
50
16
Power thrown
150
60
Percent
33.3%
26.7%
Fundora noted Booker did a lot of movement, mostly to avoid getting nailed. Originally he was to fight Errol Spence, but that fight has been canceled.
Fundora has some compelling matches coming up including Puerto Rican undefeated fighter Xander Zayas who is a mandatory opponent or a reunification Bakhram Murtazalieve.
George Forman was one of the great heavyweights and did what was consider impossible, he lost a title in 1974 to the great Ali but then 21 years later he came back in a miraculous way to recapture his title against Michael Moorer, a fight he was losing by a wide margin before he stopped Moorer..
After nine rounds, Foreman was down 9 rounds to zero but in the tenth round, he caught Moorer with a left hook and then finished up Moorer with a straight right. This was a redemption 21 years in the making, making up for his loss to Ali in the rumble in the jungle.