3,425 stories on BoxingScene are published under the Cliff Rold byline.
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It’s a family affair the first two nights this week as twin Australians take a step closer to title contention just pounds apart. The better match on paper is probably the first on tap. WBA sub-titlist Andrew Moloney (21-0, 14 KO) is a serious threat to anyone at 115 lbs.
So far, boxing’s resumption has had a little bit of everything. Good scraps, prospect walkovers, an upset, and a little questionable officiating. The latter reared its head on Tuesday night when veteran former lightweight titlist Antonio DeMarco was on the wrong end of a debatable call against welterweight Giovani Santiallan. While all careers are unique, there are familiar stages for many who reach and depart the upper rungs.
Boxing was back on the air last week but the ratings say many viewers are still waiting for a little bit more than just any old fights. They missed some pretty good stuff last Thursday. There might be some fun to kick off the week here. One of the fun things about Top Rank getting into the Naoya Inoue business is paying attention to the people around the bantamweight banger’s weight that might factor into his future.
By Cliff Rold - In the most romantic sense, a great boxing champion takes on all the top comers until some deserving contender comes along to knock them off their perch or they elect to walk away with the title still in tow. In reality, men who could say such things about their title reigns have often been fewer than those whose reigns were managed...
2016 US Olympic silver medalist and reigning WBO featherweight titlist Shakur Stevenson (13-0, 7 KO) has pound-for-pound dreams and a big national stage to play on here. In non-title action, he will face a Caraballo (13-1, 9 KO) with only a single loss and a solid win over Jose Nieves. Given how few fights Stevenson still has, it’s a good match as he continues to develop while getting folks used to seeing him with belts in tow.
Where it started is anyone’s guess. Most would likely be hard pressed to recall the first time they heard it said. The adage so far remains able to stand the test of time. ‘The book is always better than the movie.’ It’s not true. Nothing is always true. In this case, it’s true often enough to feel like a fact even when acclaimed novels are transformed into acclaimed films. Is it really the case when it comes to one of the greatest pieces of fistic-themed art?
By Cliff Rold - With so many belts around, the idea of champions can get watered down and not just by the WBA. It’s almost certainly one of the reasons pound-for-pound ratings gained so much more heft in the marketplace in the last two generations. It was a way to cut through the chaff. That doesn’t mean there still aren’t men who exemplify what a champion should...
By Cliff Rold - There are nights in boxing, for the viewer, so vivid as to make every mention of them bring back a wave of emotion embedding them in the immediate. It feels like it just happened again because of the smile the memories bring to your face, or because the where you were when watching is instantly so vivid. For this author, one of those fights...
By Cliff Rold - With so many belts around, the idea of champions can get watered down and not just by the WBA. It’s almost certainly one of the reasons pound-for-pound ratings gained so much more heft in the marketplace in the last two generations. It was a way to cut through the chaff. That doesn’t mean there still aren’t men who exemplify what a champion...
As everyone grows up, our education grows with us. The details and rigors deepen in parallel to the inches we add. Elementary history books, as one example, start short on words and long on pictures. It doesn’t stay that way for long.