WORLD BEAT
H H H ARGENTINA BY DIEGO MORILLA It wasn’t on anyone’s must-watch list, but it’s now an early candidate on everyone’s list of come-from-behind KOs of the year. Trailing on all three cards, The Ring’s No. 8-rated featherweight, Mirco Cuello, managed to land a crippling hook to the body of Christian Olivo, who went down for an eight- count midway through the 10th and final round of their fight on February 1 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Seconds later, sensing the opportunity to score a major win on a huge stage (the bout took place on the David Benavidez- David Morrell undercard), Cuello repeated the dosage and Olivo repeated his reaction, going down on one knee. As Olivo was rising to his feet and Cuello readied himself for the final onslaught, referee Chris Flores halted the bout. With the victory, Cuello became the mandatory challenger for Nick Ball’s WBA title at 126 pounds. It was the unbeaten 2020 Olympian’s toughest test to date, with Olivo dictating the tempo of the bout and delivering a more polished performance throughout. Olivo also managed to baffle Cuello by switching stances and using fast and accurate combinations from all angles. Olivo had his best moment of the fight in the second round, when a straight right to the chin sent Cuello to the canvas for a short count. Cuello tried to find his signature punch to the midsection, with poor results, but the fight found its turning point in the ninth when he stepped up the pressure. Noticing a drop in energy in his foe, Cuello went for the kill but settled for a punishing round that left Olivo ready for the fateful final episode. At the time of the stoppage, the scorecards were all for Olivo by margins of 88-82 (Max DeLuca), 86-84 (David Sutherland) and 87-83 (Zachary Young).
The highly successful Premier Boxing Series, which debuted last year live and free on domestic streaming service 7plus, is no more. After 12 well-matched cards supplemented by 24 regular boxing panel shows between the fights, promoter Ace Boxing decided to pull the plug on the deal. The reason was simple. The one-year deal (with the option to renew for three more) required Ace to tip in all the money for its shows, including providing its own production (crew and commentators) during the initial 12 months. The hope was that 7plus would extend the arrangement for the additional three years after seeing the quality of their cards and start chipping in for the production cost. The decision-makers at 7plus – the streaming arm of terrestrial station Channel 7 – said no. Never mind, though. Ace Boxing will be back on local screens this year, thanks to a new deal they have struck with subscription network Foxtel and its exclusive provider of boxing content, No Limit. The agreement will see Ace Boxing present three shows on dates that fit in between No Limit promotions this year. The first of these was set for March 1 at South Bank Piazza in South Brisbane, Queensland. As we went to press, Liam Wilson was to rematch Youssef Dib, and practically half of the card was set to spotlight Ace Boxing fighters. “We signed a three-card deal with No Limit, and we could have had more, but I stepped back from the sport last year,” said Ace Boxing architect Angelo Di Carlo, who has promoted shows for over a quarter of a century. “When this opportunity came around, we took it with open arms.
Honestly it’s been a real pleasure to work with them. They’ve helped us in every way possible, and I think it will only improve. I really do. “I think No Limit has done some great things for the sport, given the very few fighters we’ve got in this country. I’ve always said that, even when we’ve been competitors. I’m proud to have joined them, and I hope it continues for many more years to come.” The other interesting development in the local broadcast space is that DAZN has bought out Rupert Murdoch’s Foxtel Group for AU$3.4 billion ($2.13 billion), including their sports streaming service, Kayo. “This agreement is a victory for News Corp shareholders, DAZN and sports fans in Australia and around the world,” said News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson in a media release. “Foxtel has been transformed into a genuine digital and streaming leader in Australia, and we believe DAZN is the right owner to take the business to the next level with their technological capabilities, global footprint and compelling sports rights.” The deal is still pending regulatory approval but is expected to be finalized before the end of June. “Foxtel is a successful business that has undergone a remarkable digital transformation in recent years, and we are confident that our global reach and relentless pursuit of innovation will continue to drive the business forward and ensure long-term success,” said DAZN CEO Shay Segev. “We are also committed to using our global reach to export Australia’s most popular sports to new markets around the world, and we will continue to promote women’s and under- represented sports.” DAZN will likely integrate Kayo into its own platform, a process that would take a full year, at bare minimum. But boxing fans shouldn’t panic just yet. With the sweet science taking up 5% or less of Kayo’s sports programming, no imminent changes are expected.
Australia’s Liam Wilson puts the finishing touches on Youssef Dib in their rematch last year.
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