By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano fought for the third time and like the other two fights, this was a close score both in the ring and on the scorecard.  Their first fight ended in a split decision in favor of Taylor and in their second bout,  Taylor won a close decision 95-94 on all three cards but some view that maybe Serrano should have won that bout as she landed 107 more punches.

This bout did not have the same fast pace as the previous two, but it was another close bout as Taylor won a majority decision 97-93, 97-93 and 95-95.   Their first bout attracted 15 million  viewers on Netflix and their rematch last November attracted 74 million viewers worldwide , the co-main event of the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight.

The bout was for the undisputed super lightweight title.

Taylor and Serrano’s first encounter took place April 30, 2022, at Madison Square Garden and had a global audience of 1.5 million viewers on Netflix. Their rematch last November as the co-main event to Jake Paul’s decision over Mike Tyson became the most watched women’s sporting event in U.S. history, averaging 74 million live viewers globally on Netflix.

“[We proved] the women can fight, we can sell, and we look good doing it,” said Serrano, who found a silver lining despite falling short to Taylor again.

The duo had the stage all to themselves in New York and brought along the present and future of women’s boxing with them. But it was the Pride of Ireland who put a stamp on the rivalry with a 3-0 sweep.

The first two rounds proved cautious before Serrano ramp up the pressure while landing combinations and taking the round.  The fourth round, Serrano continues to pressure while Taylor boxes looking for opening.

In the fifth round, Taylor landed said rights and movement gave her the openings as Serrano had difficulty cutting off the ring.   In the sixth round, Taylor continues to box effectively and with several good rights.  Halfway through the halfway point,  I had it even. 

Taylor won the seventh, but Serrano pressure allowed her to capture the eighth.  The fight was even after eight, but Taylor took the last two rounds with her boxing skills and neutralized Serrano power and pressure.  This clinches the fight.

This rivalry looks like it ended, and Taylor made it clear that three fights is enough as Taylor noted, “”I don’t know [what the future holds], but I just don’t want to fight Amanda Serrano again. She punches too hard.”   This was a classic fight between the boxer versus the slugger and the boxer was declared the winner all three bouts even though some might contend that Serrano won the second. 

These fighters put women boxing on a pedestal never seen before and while this one did not match the others in intensity, it was still a good fight.   Jake Paul in Taylor corner, who knows what we might see from Taylor and if there was a man who could promote, Paul it is.

By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Lamont Roach Jr. was supposed to be another win for Gervonta “The Tank” Davis on his way to other bigger fights against Lomachenko, Shakur Stevenson, and a rematch with Ryan Garcia but something happened. Roach fought the fight of his life and the fight ended up with a majority draw.  One judge had the fight for Davis, the other two a draw.  This was a close fight, and it could easily been 115-113 in favor of Roach as opposed to 115-113 for Davis on one judge card.

Here are some stats to consider, Roach landed more punches in 6 of the 12 rounds, Davis only 3 of the 12 rounds with three rounds even.  Roach landed 112 punches to Davis 103 punches and Davis was the more accurate puncher and Roach the more active as he threw 120 more punches.  On power shots, Davis landed 93 power shots to Roach 87.  As you can see, this was an even fight, hard to judge and hard to determine a winner.

Davis is normally a slow starter and in this fight, it was no different but what was different is that Roach did not wilt as the fight progressed.  In the last round, Roach landed 16 punches with 13 of them power shots versus Davis 9 punches and only 8 power shots.  On many scorecards, this was Roach round.

By Tom Donelson (BWAA) Member Boxing Writers Association of America

Shakur Stevenson defend his title against Artem Harutyunyan, and this was a good card featuring O’Shaquie Foster defending his Super featherweight  title against Robson Conceicao plus Keyshawn Davis challenged the tough veteran Miguel Madueno.  The televised card started with undefeated prospect Abdullah Mason against Luis Lebron.

The first fight Abdullah Mason did a beat down with quick hands and power against a Luis Lebron.  He used quick hands to pound his opponent.  Lebron had no answers as he could not penetrate Mason defense and Mason simply landed whatever punch he wanted.  He landed combination to the body as well as the face.  Lebron’s corner stopped the fight as blood gushed from his nose.  Mason connected on 45 punches over nearly three rounds and his opponent landed only 15. 

Keyshawn Davis showed his boxing skills against the tough veteran Miguel Madueno. Madueno toughness was shown by the fact he never been stopped or hit the canvas. Undefeated Davis landed punches with his hand speed and that includes body shots and combinations to the head.

Davis’s punches were sharp as Madueno came forward and by halfway through the fight Madueno tired and Davis continued to beat Madueno on the inside and then moving away with combinations that punctuated end of every round after round.

Madueno became frustrated as he pushed his head into Davis’s head after round six and in seven rounds, he picked Davis up as if he were going to body slam Davis and he even threw a post bell punch that missed and hit the ref.  He was flirting with disqualification, but the referee was tolerating the antics.  Madueno continued to move forward and continued to be nailed by Davis

The fight was easy to score, and Davis won 99-91 but you could have scored it 100-90, which I did.

By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

David Benavidez fought former light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk as he decided to stay busy while waiting on Saul Alvarez who appears in no hurry to faced Benevidez.  In many ways this was two fights as David Benavidez dominated the first half easily to build up a big lead as he landed 124 punches to  Gvozdyk 69 punches but in the second half of the fight,  Gvozkyk landed 94 punches to 99 punches for Benavidez, and it was a more competitive fight.

Throughout the first half of the fight, Benavidez landed whatever he wanted and pushed Gvozdyk throughout the bout, nailing him with body shots and left hooks but in the second half of the fight, adjusted as he weathered the initial storms and started to nail Benavidez, even opening up a cut over Benavidez left eye.  While there was not doubt who was the winner, I had the fight 117-111, as I had Benavidez winning 9 of the 12 rounds but he never seemed to have Gvozdyk even thought he easily teed off on the Ukrainian fighter.  While Gvozdyk did have three fights in his comeback after returning for three years,  he still had enough to give Benavidez.

Benavidez wants Alvarez for the super middleweight, and he has the skills and power to defeat Alvarez but one is left wondering if he could successfully win a title as a light heavyweight in a division dominated by Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol who has already defeated Alvarez in a light heavyweight title bout.   Now so Benavidez has a decision to make if Alvarez continues to hold out against fighting Benavidez.  Does he go light heavyweight?  As for the Alvarez-Benavidez would be a big PPV fight and there is plenty of money to be made.

Overall, Benavidez landed more punches, more accurately with his punches and dominated the power punching side but in the second half of the fight both fighters were essentially even in power shots. 

By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Vasiliy Lomachenko faced Australian George Kambosos, Jr. for the IBF lightweight title, and this promised to be an interesting fight as both fighters were looking not just for a title but also a loss could hurt the loser if not end his career as championship contenders.

Lomachenko won the first two rounds as Lomachenko landed Kambosos 18 punches to 5 and controlled the ring and I had Lomachenko ahead 20-18.  In the third round Kambosos landed 8 punches for his best round, but his opponent landed 14 punches and as ESPN announcers Tim Bradley noted as the fourth round progressed, Lomachenko has downloaded his opponent weakness and he simply avoided Kambosos punches while accurately landing 21 punches to only one for Kambosos and after the round, it was 40 to 36 for Lomachenko who is looking as sharp as I seen in a while.

The fifth round was the same as the other rounds as Lomachenko simply landed at will and Kambosos couldn’t even land a punch. Lomachenko landed 41 punches and Kambosos only three in the fourth and fifth round.

By Tom Donelson / contributor to www.dmboxing since 2008 / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

This past Saturday, Devin Haney challenged Regis Prograis for Prograis WBC 140-pound championship. Haney had yet to lose in his thirty fights with fifteen knockouts and Prograis came in the fight with only one loss with twenty-nine victories and twenty-four knockouts.

Haney obtained his lightweight title when he defeated George Kambosos Jr in Kambosos  backyard in Australia and then won the rematch before winning a close fight against Vasyl Lomachenko. 

Prograis won his title from Jose Zepeda in an 11th round knockout before struggling in a split decision against Danielito Zorrilla in his first defense and now he faced the slick boxer, Haney.  This was a bout featuring the slick boxer versus the puncher.

Haney out jabbed Prograis and was busier fighter and I had him winning round one but a close round as Prograis had solid body shots. Haney was the busier fighter over the next two rounds and in the third round, Haney knocked Prograis down with a right for a 10-8 round. This was the first major surprise of the evening, and I had the fight 30-26. Haney landed twenty-three punches to Prograis 13 and while Haney only connected on 26% of his fight but Prograis landed 13%. 

In the fourth round, Haney continued his boxing and landed more punches as Prograis looked tentative from the previous rounds and now it was 50-45 for Haney on my card.

Haney took Prograis to school as through the first half he landed fifty-eight punches to only twenty for Prograis.

The seventh and eight round, Haney continued to school Prograis who looked lost and unable to figure out a way to change the tide.  Haney combinations flowed effortlessly and after eight rounds, Haney pitched a shutout 80-71. 

In the ninth round, Prograis threw a left hook that missed wildly and then it was Haney who simply landed any punch he wanted and dominated his opponent and now after nine rounds, it was 90-80.

Haney now going for the knockout in the tenth as he simply throwing combinations and in the eleventh round, Prograis face was a swollen mess as he was simply being outclassed by Haney.  And in the final round, Haney put the finishing touch of an easy shutout victory and I had the fight 120-107. And all the judges agreed with me, 120-107.

By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Ryan Garcia was making his comeback after losing to Gervonta Davis against Oscar Durate, who was 26-1 coming into this bout with twenty-one knockouts.  Until the eighth round, it was even fight that proved round for Garcia as Durante mauling and aggressive tactics troubled Garcia most of the fight.   Both fighters landed a similar number of punches with Garcia landing more jabs and Durante more power shots.

Punch Stats

Garcia found a home for lightening left hook that stunned Durante in the eighth round before landing several power shots sending Durante down.

In the early rounds,  Garcia came out early to take advantage of his reach, but he  also showed defensive inconsistencies that hurt him against Davis in his previous fight.  Durante didn’t back down and stalked Garcia with successes early in the fight with body shots digging to the body.   Durante continued to pressure Garcia into the middle rounds.   The pressure exposed Garcia defensive inadequacy  Garcia noted , “He was building momentum, momentum and I was like, ‘Man, I gotta cut this off somehow.’ … He was a strong fighter. He took a good punch. … I hit him with some hard shots, and he just kept coming.”

Ryan Garcia now is back in the win column and looking for his shot at a title as he managed to stop Durante who had not been stopped before 27 fights before.