Fabio Wardley produces “Wilder moment” to KO Justis Huni
Plus, Lomachenko retires, Keyshawn flunks weight and other bits of news
It was such a packed weekend of action in the ring and drama outside, it’s hard to know where to start. There was excitement in two UK stadiums, missed weight in America and world champions appearing across Australia and Japan. Not to mention the retirement of one legend and the sad passing of another.
1. Fabio Wardley gatecrashes world level with stunning knockout
The more people write Fabio Wardley off, the more he bounces back to prove them wrong. Wardley roared back in his Ipswich homecoming to detonate a right hand square on Justis Huni’s chin and swing things around with one shot.
Aussie Huni was using his left jab, hook and plenty of patience to pile up the points and rounds. Promoter Frank Warren likened the finish to Deontay Wilder, who made a habit of finding the overhand right equaliser just in time to splatter superior boxers.
Wardley does have limitations. He knows it, and so do many of his opponents. The vulnerable nose is becoming a concern. However, so far, no one has been able to take full advantage and topple him.
Realistically, a rematch would be the fairest outcome, although I doubt very much they’ll do that. Why? Because I wasn’t overly happy about the referee’s stoppage and I’m not alone. A quick check on Huni’s condition, wipe down of the gloves and so forth would’ve been fair given the status of both men when the ending arrived.
Much is made of Wardley’s white collar background and lack of amateur grounding. While it means he’s a little rough around the edges, I don’t think it’s holding him back at all.
Not that I’m suggesting everyone should skip the amateur stage, but look at Lewis Richardson (I’m calling it now, he’s a knockout waiting to happen) on the Ipswich undercard and Delicious Orie, who recently retired after one fight. The two codes are like different sports now, and success in one is not always a guarantee of success in another.
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2. Vasiliy Lomachenko retires from boxing
Ukrainian star Vasiliy Lomachenko announced his retirement, age 37. Speculation has been rife over the past year as to whether the legendary fighter, who won two Olympic gold medals spanning a 396-1 amateur run, would ever return to the pro ring.
The term 'legend' is often thrown around carelessly. Some have questioned that status as a pro, even though he was a three-weight world champion. He suffered losses, but given the condensed nature of his career, plus the aforementioned amateur achievements, his record as a boxer from start to finish is outstanding.
3. Callum Simpson survives two knockdowns to win Euro title
Barnsley’s Callum Simpson got caught up in the crowd a little at Oakwell on Saturday, battling through a couple of knockdowns to grind down and stop Ivan Zucco in round 10.
It was a tough start to Simpson, who was auditioning for world-level and got caught cold and flat-footed more than once. Guilty of smothering his own work at times, once Simpson stepped off and used his long levers, he was the boss in this vacant European title fight at super-middleweight.
A required wake-up call of sorts. Bullying slicker counter punchers in world-class won’t cut it. There were plenty of plus points for Simpson, all the same.
4. Junto Nakatani eyes Inoue after Nishida’s eye closes
“There’s a really frightening level of joy Nakatani seems to be taking in what’s happening right now,” ESPN commentator Corey Erdman remarked two minutes into round six of Nakatani’s unification bout with Ryosuke Nishida.
Soaking up punishment as his right eye slammed shut, Nishida’s resilience and bravery were left in no doubt. As Erdman correctly referenced, Junto Nakatani enjoyed closing the eye, bludgeoning his fellow countryman with shots from both hands and all angles, adding Nishida’s IBF bantamweight to his own WBC.
It’s all being set up for a clash between Nakatani and Naoya Inoue, should Nakatani forgo the option of attempting to unify the 118-pound division and instead jump up to challenge the ‘Monster’ in a huge all-Japanese affair.
5. Keyshawn Davis’ weight miss is part of a disappointing trend
Making weight seems to be more of an option than a necessity these days. It feels like an increasing number of world champions are happy just to sack off their belt and move up. Which is fine if they did it between fights and not on the day of the weigh-in.
Keyshawn Davis decided that, rather than try and make the championship weight, some four months after winning his first world title, he’d just pay a fine and fight Edwin De Los Santos for a vacant crown that he was ineligible to win.
Let’s hope he doesn’t follow the Shakur Stevenson pathway of picking up a title, then moving up without setting any roots in the ground of a division.
6. Abdullah Mason steps perfectly into Keyshawn’s muddied shoes
What proved to be a terrible week for the Davis family, who suffered in-ring losses and backstage brawls, turned out to be a fruitful headline opportunity for Abdullah Mason.
Top Rank’s newest shining light took full advantage of his elevated slot, battering a hapless Jeremia Nakathila, landing southpaw jabs and left hands for fun before the African import suffered a mercifully fight-ending cut.
I’m a fan of Mason on both sides of the ropes. Long may his exciting rise continue, especially at the expense of his ill-behaved promotional stablemates.
7. Pretty performance from Josh Kelly
Josh ‘Pretty Boy’ Kelly made short work of Romania’s Flavius Biea on Friday evening in Newcastle. A swiping double left hook in round one had the visitor down and out. He rose on time but was visibly shaken.
No British referee would allow that to carry on. Sunderland’s Kelly remains on the road to possible world title opportunities. Stiffer tests than Biea await over the horizon. Kelly called out Conor Benn after the bout.
8. Jai Opetaia runs through Little Italy
The IBF cruiserweight clash between champion Jai Opetaia and Italy’s Claudio Squeo looked a little farcical at times, such was the size discrepancy between the pair.
Squeo, a sawn-off shotgun version of Canelo, tried to rumble forward, but once the Aussie champ found his range and timing, the uppercuts and body shots came raining in.
It was a whipping right hook that ended matters in favour of a fighter who badly needs unification bouts rather than any more inferior challengers. Squeo reportedly left with a broken jaw. Opetaia’s team believe Gilberto Ramirez is actively avoiding their man.
9. Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney August fight date confusion
Lopez and Haney had both signed contracts for a 145-pound catchweight contest on August 16. Briefly. Negotiations had barely got up and running before they broke down, or maybe Turki had a whisper in the ear outlining what a potential carnival he was putting his name to.
Low output, two fighters with delusions of grandeur. Of course, it would break down. Had it happened, I’d have favoured Lopez. Haney seems to have been ruffled by the first Garcia fight.
I believe he will fight with extreme negativity from now on, fearing another chin crack. I don’t doubt his bravery, but Devin is mentally washed, until I see evidence to the contrary.
10. Boxing legend Mike McCallum dies aged 68
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Jamaican three-weight world champion Mike McCallum last weekend. I briefly met McCallum in Las Vegas back in 2004. At the time, the only exposure I had to his legacy was his survival-based effort against Roy Jones Jr at the very end of Mike’s storied career.
It wasn’t until I adequately invested my time into the real achievements of the ‘Bodysnatcher’ that I came to appreciate his greatness. The rib-slicing dismantling of Michael Watson. The three fights with James Toney. Battles with Sumbu Kalambay. A list of star names littered across his resume. McCallum was a tremendous fighter.
Image Credits: BBC, Japan Forward, Promotional material.
About Steve…
Current existence: Online editor at Boxing News Magazine.
Previous lives: Author (8 books), podcaster (500+ eps), scriptwriter for Motivedia channel, newspaper journalist, copywriter & educator.
Contact: stevenwellings1982@gmail.com