The best punch trackers on the market
29th September 2021
By: Max Taylor
The Past Week in Action
Highlights:
-Oleksandr Usyk wins the IBF/WBA/WBO and IBO titles with points win over Anthony Joshua
-Lawrence Okolie knocks out Dilan Prasovic in three rounds in WBO cruiser title defence
-Masamichi Yabuki wins the WBC light flyweight title with upset stoppage of unbeaten champion Kenshiro Teraji
-Callum Smith scores scary kayo over Lenin Castillo in the second round
-Arslanbek Makhmudov and Christian Mbilli score quick wins in Quebec
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World Title/Major Shows
September 22
Kyoto, Japan:
Light Fly: Masamichi Yabuki (13-3) W TKO 10 Kenshiro Teraji (18-1).
Unfancied Yabuki spoils the home coming party for WBC title holder Teraji as he stops him in the tenth. Assured start from Teraji in the first with plenty of movement and plenty of probing jabs but he was off target and short with his jab. Yabuki landed a couple of punches late to steal the round. Teraji was still throwing lots of jabs in the second and but again although he was throwing less it was Yabuki who was connecting and he was out jabbing Teraji in the third.
Teraji could have worn just one glove as he hardly used his right at all. Yabuki had a good fourth knocking Teraji back on his heels with a right and connecting with good counters. After four rounds two judges had Yabuki up 40-36 and the other had it 38-38. The rounds had been close but Teraji’s jab was too often just an ineffectual prod. The fifth saw Yabuki score repeatedly with rights to the head knocking Teraji off balance. Teraji upped his pace in the sixth.
He was moving in behind his jab and bringing his right into play and looked on the point of taking the fight over. Teraji kept up the fast pace in the seventh but was only throwing jabs and it was Yakubu who was connecting with the more impressive single shots. The eighth was a good round for Yabuki. Teraji was following him around the ring jabbing but time and again was caught with rights from Yabuki one of which sent Teraji staggering and after the eighth Yabuki was ahead 79-74, 78-74 and 77-75.
In an exciting ninth Teraji came forward throwing punches but suddenly Yabuki fired a series of shots that had Teraji reeling and a punch opened a bad cut over the left eye of the champ. Yabuki then had Teraji under severe pressure. Teraji forgot his boxing and now went toe-to-toe slugging with Yabuki. He looked to have Yabuki rocking only for Yabuki to fire back with two huge rights that shook Teraji at the bell. Teraji went for broke at the start of the tenth forcing Yabuki to the ropes and letting fly with hooks and uppercuts from both hands. He landed a couple of sweeping hooks to the body and snapped Yabuki’s head back with a right.
Yabuki shoved Teraji to the canvas but Teraji got up and was assaulting an exhausted looking Yabuki with body punches but also leaving himself open and Yabuki connected with some blazing head punches that had Teraji reeling across the ring to the ropes. Yabuki kept pounding on a Teraji who was ready to drop when the referee stopped the fight. Teraji had tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of August and this fight was put back seventeen days but Teraji did not have a negative result until 3 September so he could not have been in top condition for this fight.
September 25
London, England:
Heavy: Oleksandr Usyk (19-0) W PTS 12 Anthony Joshua (24-2).
Cruiser: Lawrence Okolie (17-0) W KO 3 Dilan Prasovic (15-1).
Light Heavy: Callum Smith (28-1) W KO 2 Lenin Castillo (21-4-1).
Usyk vs. Joshua
Usyk collects four title belts as he matches Joshua and then finishes the fight strongly sweeping the late round to emerge a clear and deserved winner.
Round 1
Usyk was quicker and more mobile. He landed first getting through with a straight left. Joshua connected with a right later but another left and a shot to the body were enough to give Usyk the round. He was constantly circling Joshua and changing direction with Joshua looking slow by comparison.
Score: 10-9 Usyk
Round 2
Joshua kept popping Usyk with jabs . Not all were landing but he was using the jab to keep Usyk at distance. Usyk could not get past the jab and Joshua took the round with his work with his jab.
Score: 10-9 Joshua Tied 19-19
Round 3
A much better round for Usyk. He was able to dart past Joshua’s jab and connected with a good combination to the head. Late in the round a big left from Usyk visibly shook Joshua and Usyk fired more punches trying to capitalise on that but Joshua recovered.
Score: 10-9 Usyk Usyk 29-28
Round 4
Usyk’s quick footwork and hand speed were allowing him to connect with right jabs over the top of Joshua’s left and he was also able to get through with his punches and get out before Joshua could counter.
Score: 10-9 Usyk Usyk 39-37
Official Scores:
Judge Viktor Fesechko 39-37 Usyk,
Judge Howard Foster 38-38 TIED,
Judge Steve Weisfeld 39-37 Usyk.
Round 5
The pace speeded up in this round mainly because Joshua was more positive and Usyk had to move more. Joshua again kept popping Usyk with his jab and landed a couple of rights with Usyk connected with a left late.
Score:10-9 Joshua Usyk 48-47
Round 6
The pace was very fast for heavyweights. Joshua was stabbing out his jab and putting Usyk under more pressure. Neither scored with any big punches but Usyk was being caught with the jab and was set back by a straight right and not managing to get on the front foot.
Score: 10-9 Joshua TIED 57-57
Round 7
A good round for Usyk. He was getting through with his jab and straight rights. Joshua was throwing single punches whereas Usyk was starting to fire combinations and a left to the head sent Joshua staggering back across the ring.
Score: 10-9 Usyk Usyk 67-66
Round 8
Joshua used his right a lot more in this round and found the target but was reaching with the punch which lost some of its force. Usyk sparked to life late in the round but then Joshua scored with two thumping body punches.
Score: 10-9 Joshua TIED 76-76
Official Scores:
Judge Viktor Fesechko 77-76 Usyk,
Judge Howard Foster 77-75 Joshua,
Judge Steve Weisfeld 76-76 TIED.
Round 9
Usyk was just too fast for Joshua in this round. He was sliding his jab over the top of Joshua’s and coming in with straight lefts. Joshua just could not find the target and Usyk scored with a heavy left at the bell
Score: 10-9 Usyk Usyk 86-85
Round 10
Usyk was confident enough to stand inside and slip Joshua’s lead and slot home fast rights and lefts. He was again putting his punches into small bursts with Joshua just firing one shot at a time looking static and slow there was swelling around his right eye.
Score: 10-9 Usyk Usyk 96-94
Round 11
Joshua tried to raise his game but could not match the movement or hand speed of Usyk. The challenger was getting past Joshua’s jab and driving Joshua back with a series of punches and then moving out of range before Joshua could counter.
Score: 10-9 Usyk Usyk 106-103
Round 12
A one-sided last round saw Usyk out-throw and out-land Joshua and he finished the fight with a whole series of punches that had Joshua reeling against the ropes a well beaten fighter.
Score:10-9 Usyk Usyk 116-112
Official Scores:
Judge Viktor Fesechko 117-112 Usyk,
Judge Howard Foster 115-113 Usyk,
Judge Steve Weisfeld 116-112 Usyk.
A brilliant display of box/fighting from Usyk. He was too quick and too clever for a pedestrian Joshua who with his cautious, no risk approach seemed to think he was fighting the Andy Ruiz from their second fight again instead of one of the most accomplished big men in the sport. Usyk has said he will give Joshua a return-in Ukraine! Whether that will be made or not should become evident soon. The position with the heavyweights is wide open right now.
Obviously it would be good to think that Usyk vs. Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder would follow as it would unify the heavyweight titles but it’s early to say how any negotiations for that might go. The WBA ratings have Trevor Bryan as secondary title holder and Mahmoud Charr as “Champion in Recess” and Daniel Dubois as No 1. I wouldn’t watch Usyk against Bryan or Mahmoud if you paid me and it might be a bit early for Dubois who is yet to face a real test since his loss to Joe Joyce.
The No 1 spot in both the IBF and WBO ratings is vacant so Usyk has at this time no mandatory fights. Usyk was totally the wrong kind of opponent for Joshua and it was strange as there was a constrained way about how he fought as if he believed he could outbox Usyk. There was little “fire” in his performance. He will return but will have to change his whole game plan if he is to have a chance of beating Usyk in a return fight.
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Okolie vs. Prasovic
Okolie destroys Prasovic in a totally predictable ending. Okolie was finding Prasovic with jabs in the first and then dropped him late in the second. A right which looked to land at the back of Prasovic’s head had him staggering and another right floored him. Prasovic made it to his feet and although Okolie landed a couple more head shots Prasovic survived the remaining seconds.
In the third a body punch sent Prasovic down in agony and he was counted out. First defence of the WBO title for Okolie and he got the job done in probably the easiest defense he will have. Prasovic’s No 1 rating with the WBO was ridiculous and even his No 27 rating by Box Rec flatters him.
Smith vs. Castillo
If there was any question over whether Smith would be able to retain his power punching at light heavyweight this fight answered that question. Smith was on target in the first jabbing strongly and scoring with his trade mark left hooks to the body. Castillo showed a useful jab but Smith was curving rights around Castillo’s guard to the head. In the second as they traded punches a thunderous right from Smith sent Castillo down heavily on his back.
His legs twitched uncontrollably and he was quickly given medical attention before leaving the ring on a stretcher and taken to hospital with the information later being that he had recovered and was not in danger. Smith will be looking to get at least another couple of fights at light heavy and then seek a title chance. First inside the distance loss for Castillo who had taken Dmitry Bivol the distance in a challenge for the secondary WBA title and also Marcus Browne.
Dancy, France:
Super Welter: Milan Prat (12-1) W TKO 6 Mathias Lourenco (8-4-3).
French prospect Prat makes a successful first defence of his national title with sixth round stoppage of Lourenco and collects his ninth win by KO/TKO. First inside the distance loss for Lourenco.
Hamburg, Germany:
Light: Artem Harutyunyan (11-0) W KO 5 Samuel Molina (16-1,1ND).
Harutyunyan wins the vacant WBC International title with dramatic kayo of Molina. Harutyunyan built an early lead but Molina made him work hard. Things looked bad for the young Spaniard in the fifth as he was cut over his right eye and under pressure. Although not rated as a big puncher Molina landed a hard left hook counter that staggered Harutyunyan. Molina piled on the punches driving Harutyunyan around the ring .
He landed with hooks to head and body but suddenly Harutyunyan uncorked a left hook to the chin that put Molina down heavily and he was counted out. Seventh inside the distance victory for Olympic bronze medallist Harutyunyan. The celebrations from his team after the knockout showed how much of a scare Molina’s left hook gave them. Molina, 22, showed plenty of promise. The No Decision is on his record as he was suspended after a positive test for a banned substance in December 2019. He had scored three wins since returning
September 23
Quebec City, Canada:
Heavy: Arslanbek Makhmudov (13-0) W RTD 1 Erkan Teper (21-4).
Super Middle: Christian Mbilli (19-0) W TKO 3 Ronny Landaeta (18-4).
Makhmudov vs. Teper
Makhmudov crushes Teper who dips out after three knockdowns in the opening round. Teper found gaps for a straight right and a couple of jabs before Makhmudov connected with a series of hefty rights that put Teper down on his hands and knees. Teper beat the count but was put down twice more and retired at the end of the round.
Now thirteen fights and thirteen wins by KO/TKO for the 6’5” 260lbs Russian and his fourth one round finish in a row. He certainly has power but is a bit crude. I was going to say he has very little head movement and whilst that is true with regard to that movement as a defense he constantly shakes head from side to side in what seems to be an involuntary twitch.
In the World Series of Boxing he scored wins over Mihai Nistor, Jose Larduet and Guido Vianello. Teper, rated No 58 by Box Rec, and in his first fight since February 2020, looked all of his 39 years and proved no test for Makhmudov who has done all that has been asked of him but is yet to meet a threatening opponent.
Mbilli vs. Landaeta
Mbilli marches on with third round victory over Landaeta. Mbilli quickly put Landaeta under pressure in the first with stabbing jabs, hooks to the body inside and some fast rights to the head. Landaeta tried to trade with Mbilli but lacked the power to do so.
Landaeta was down in the second but complained he had been punched on the back of the head. He made it to his feet but was shaken later by two uppercuts. In the third Mbilli connected with two rights to the head that had Landaeta reeling and he was pinned to the ropes under fire when the referee stopped the fight. Mbilli wins the vacant WBC Continental Americas title.
The 26-year-old “Solide” Mbilli has won 18 of his fights by KO/TKO and is ready for rated opposition. To his credit despite the punishment Mbilli was dishing out Landaeta never stopped trying to trade with Mbilli and this is his first inside the distance defeat.
Fight of the week (Significance): Oleksandr Usyk’s win over Anthony Joshua causes a seismic shift in the heavyweight scene
Fight of the week (Entertainment): Usyk and Joshua
Fighter of the week: Oleksandr Usyk
Punch of the week: The left hook from Artem Harutyunyan that knocked out Samuel Molina was perfection in timing and accuracy.
Upset of the week: Masamichi Yabuki stopping unbeaten WBC light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji was a shock result
Prospect watch: French super welterweight Milan Prat is one of his country’s big hopes for the nurture
Observations
-The WBA may be dealing with their ridiculous interim titles but they need to do something about their ratings. Looking at the heavyweight picture after Usyk’s win you have to ask how Daniel Dubois can be their No 1 and Joe Joyce who beat him in November is not even in their top 15!!
-The WBO are in the same boat. How they came to put Dilan Prasovic at No 1 is something only they know-or perhaps even they were surprised to find him there as they don’t seem to pay much attention to their own ratings. Prasovic climbed from No 12 to No 3 for beating Juan Basualdo (11-3-1), Rad Rashid (17-6) and Jackson Dos Santos (22-13).
A promoters dream a No 1 who has never faced anybody remotely near the ratings in fact the only fighter in the WBO top 15 Prasovic has beaten is Edin Puhalo who “earned” his top 10 rating by beating 44-year-old Kai Kurzawa who had lost 2 of his previous 3 fights. Rubbish in rubbish stays in and some fans and streaming company pay good money for a farce of a title fight.
-It seems we get more strange scoring every week. This week Florian Marku took a split decision over Maxim Prodan with one judge scoring it 96-94 for Marku and another 99-91 for Prodan and in a mirror case one judge had Greg Vendetti beating Jimmy Williams 99-91 and another judge scoring 96-94 for Williams.
-It may not get voted the Round of the Year but the ninth round of the fight between Kenshiro Teraji and Masamichi Yabuki was three minutes of total war-it might lose out to the tenth round which had both fighters in deep trouble a couple of times before Masamichi ended it. It lets fans in Japan see what they have been missing due to the pandemic.
It was good to see young Chordale Booker winning at the weekend. He is one of the young men who owe a lot to boxing. He was given probation after being charged with gun and drugs offences and has stayed out of trouble ever since. His mother wanted to understand what attracted Chordale to boxing so she took the logical step of getting Chordale to train her up and then went and had one amateur fight so he can’t say my mother does not understand me. Well done Mum.
