The Ring Magazine - The Bible of Boxing, September 2025 • Volume 102, No. 10
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DEPARTMENTS 4 OPENING SHOTS 10 COME OUT WRITING
24 THE FIGHTER IN FULL Mike “The Bodysnatcher” McCallum’s ability to grind foes down in the pocket made him one of the most formidable – and avoided – fighters of his era. BY ADAM ABRAMOWITZ 42 SAME SKILLS, NEW THRILLS Shakur Stevenson talks about shutting down the “runner” critics with his toe-to- toe battle against William Zepeda. BY TOM GRAY 54 OLEKSANDR THE GREAT After his latest victory surpassed expectations once again, Oleksandr Usyk’s excellence can only be gauged on a historical level. BY GARETH A DAVIES 60 DOWNLOAD COMPLETE Lauded for his otherworldly skills and willingness to face challenges, Vasiliy Lomachenko took boxing to a new level. BY MICHAEL ROSENTHAL
66 CROSSOVER HIT Tenshin Nasukawa became a star in Japan through kickboxing and MMA – now he intends to prove himself against the best in boxing. BY DAISUKE SUGIURA 72 INSEPARABLE The trailblazing Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano rivalry can now take its place among the greatest trilogies in boxing history. BY THOMAS GERBASI 78 TRIUMPH AND TRAVESTY Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks was a wakeup call for those who believed heavyweight champions were safe from the “little guys.” BY DON STRADLEY
13 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer 19 BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein 22 STEVE’S SOAPBOX By Steve Kim 28 BY THE NUMBERS By Don Stradley 31 RING RATINGS 40 MIKE DROP By Mike Coppinger 50 HOW TO WATCH BOXING By Brian Harty 84 FUNDAMENTALS By Tom Gray 86 THE FIGHT DOCTOR By Dr. Margaret Goodman 90 THE FACE OF BOXING By Wojtek Urbanek and Thomas Hauser 92 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Randy Gordon 94 FINISHING SHOTS 96 FIGHTLINE
Destinations where nature, learning and lifestyle come together ENRICHING EVERYDAY LIFE
Vasiliy Lomachenko’s precision and ability to find angles bewildered his opponents to the point of giving up, as did Jason Sosa in 2017.
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Cover photo by Richard Pelham/Gettyimages; illustration by Oliver Barrett
After the Bell: stc’s Digital KO at Esports World Cup 2025
Tekken 8: A Masterclass in Real-time Analytics Tekken 8 accelerates the action with its new Heat System—a gameplay mechanic that activates once per round for about 10 seconds, boosting offense with special combat moves. Every activation demands precise timing, fast-paced combos, and real- time decisions. stc’s live analytics infrastructure powered the game’s data-intensive demands, feeding high-resolution visuals and real-time dashboards (hit counts, stun durations, block ratios) to fans worldwide, while preserving Tekken 8’s rapid-fire responsiveness through every juggle and Heat- fueled flurry. Meet the Brain Behind the Punch: stc’s Corner–Man Ops Center Inside the region’s largest operations hubs, stc orchestrated flawless gameplay 24/7. Fueled by 11 live dashboards that probed KPIs every 30 seconds and monitored via ultra—high—resolution 168 MP displays, the center was fully staffed by stc’s dedicated engineers and technicians, reacting instantly to any jitter, any frame drop. The Final Showdown As the final bell rang and champions were crowned, one truth remained clear: while the fighters may take the spotlight, stc’s digital infrastructure ensured the show kept going. stc’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and seamless connectivity made EWC 2025 not just a tournament, but a testament to what happens when technology and talent collide.
Lights down. The crowd held its breath. This was a glimpse of the virtual ring of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in Riyadh, a spellbinding showdown where marquee fighting game franchises like Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8 took center stage. But while fans reveled in the action- packed performances, a rock-solid digital powerhouse kept the show running behind the scenes. With every block, jab and punch landed, heavyweight contender stc group was delivering digital knockouts with exceptional precision. Making a comeback as the Elite and Founding Partner of EWC 2025, stc built the digital backbone that powered every pulse, combo and collision across the tournament. With 27 ultra–high–capacity 5G towers, over 1,295 indoor antennas and speeds beyond 2 Gbps, stc group sculpted the digital foundation that supported every high-octane match. Fatal Fury: Where Every Frame is a Title Bout Here is a nod to the golden era of arcade fighting. As 16 of the world’s finest players enter the ring, all vying for a share of the $1 million prize pool, the stakes have never been higher. The highly-anticipated ‘Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves’ revived a classic with its signature combat mechanics – Just Defense, Hyper Defense, and the Strategic Selective Potential Gear (S.P.G.) system, all built around a flashy REV System, a unique gameplay feature that allows players to use dynamic offensive moves and defensive maneuvers.
By extension, stc’s high-bandwidth network and ultra-low latency delivered a seamless experience, ensuring every REV-powered combo, feint, and guard cancel move was registered with frame-perfect accuracy. stc tracked thousands of player actions, routing data through more than 20 optimized gaming and streaming servers and over 3,600 gateway actions to keep latency ultra low across the tournament footprint.
Street Fighter 6: Speed Meets Agility In Street Fighter 6 (SF6), fluid movement and frame-perfect
reversals are more crucial than ever. The game’s dynamic Drive Gauge system—a power meter that fills over time—empowers players to execute advanced techniques like Drive Parry, Drive Impact, Drive Rush, and Overdrive. These moves demand swift reflexes and precise timing, allowing players to turn the tide of the battle in an instant. The game also offers Modern Controls, a single-button system that simplifies complex inputs, enabling players to perform flashy moves with ease. With data circuit speeds exceeding 5 Gbps, stc supported SF6’s fast- paced gameplay by maintaining sub-millisecond input registration, which guaranteed that every move— whether executed through classic six-button inputs or modern controls — was registered in real time, even during peak demand.
OPENING SHOTS Closing in on a featherweight world title shot, the super- skilled Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington returned to The Theatre at Madison Square Garden to face unbeaten Namibian Mateus Heita. In his second outing of 2025, Carrington produced a near-flawless display to win a wide unanimous decision in his first 12-round bout.
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just a number. He moved and fought like someone much younger, and his performance was truly impressive. On my scorecard, he definitely won the fight. As much as I love seeing him in the ring, I do think it might be the perfect time for him to enjoy a well- deserved retirement. Watching Manny Pacquiao step back into the ring at 46 felt like witnessing time fold in on itself. It wasn’t just nostalgia – it was a reminder that legends age, but greatness doesn’t. He didn’t move like a man chasing lost youth. He moved like a man reminding us who he is — a storm in human form. The speed? Still there. The angles? Unpredictable as he’s always been. The footwork? Like jazz – smooth, rhythmic. David Young Sure, the reflexes and punching power may have dipped a notch, but the intent behind every punch carried the weight of a thousand wars fought in silence. This wasn’t a comeback. It was a statement. That boxing isn’t done with Manny Pacquiao. Because Manny Pacquiao isn’t done with boxing. Hesham Alnasser I wasn’t expecting too much from Manny at 46 and after his exhibition fights, where his balance and timing were off, but he really surprised me. His balance was good and there were bursts of some classic Manny combos. His defense struggled a bit with the jab, but I believe he did enough to win the fight by one or two rounds. All in all, a great performance for someone 46 who hadn’t boxed properly for four years. There will never be another Manny Pacquiao. Chris Dane Write To The Ring! Email comeoutwriting@gmail.com or use this address: P.O. Box 90254, Brooklyn, NY 11209
happen is Pacquiao vs. Mayweather 2. It would be the ultimate bout for Pacquiao to truly chase history – and maybe finally settle the debate on who the real GOAT of boxing is in this generation. Erick Baldo This is Ron, 28, from the Philippines. Ever since I was a child, I watched Pacquiao fight during his glory days until past his prime. I even rewatched Pacquiao’s notable wins recently. Those wins against big names in boxing, those controversial losses during the later part of his career – but win or lose, we always believed in him. Before Pacquiao had a fight, that day was like a holiday in our country; all of the people watched him fight on television, no traffic and no crime. Like then and until now, we – and I personally – wanted Pacquiao to win the fight against Barrios. But as I watched the fight, Pacquiao was [not] the same. Not much power, no more speed, not much footwork, no more jab-combinations like when he fought in his glory days. Father Time really got him. Sad to say, I think Pacquiao should retire for good. Maybe he can still fight and can win against unrated boxers, but I think he has a small chance and I doubt that he can compete for a world title against the champions at welterweight. For me, Pacquiao has nothing to prove. The only eight-division world champion in boxing history. I believe no one will beat that record for a long time. Maybe in the future someone will, but maybe never. Ron Mark Grande I grew up in the Philippines during the ’90s, wherein you only had basketball, boxing and billiards to watch on network TV. I remember seeing Manny Pacquiao during my high school days, and my brother and I cracked up watching him. He was like Wolverine from an arcade game we used to play. Pacquiao was all over his opponent. He punched fast, wild and he didn’t care.
It was his brawling style that left an indelible mark on my mind. Fast-forward to 2003, I got reacquainted again with Pacquiao when he broke Marco Antonio Barrera in 11 rounds. He was still the same boxer as in my teenage years. After that, I hardly missed any Pacquiao fight, up to his retirement in 2021. It felt surreal to see Pacquiao again in 2025. As the match progressed, I realized that there were still some flashes that brought back memories of the Pacquiao of my high school days, but one cannot deny that like everybody else, time has caught up with him. Pacquiao’s last hurrah is on borrowed time. The wild old days of PacMan are coming to an end, but his memories will live on for guys who grew old together with him. Rensi Rosales As a 53-year-old male, seeing Manny return to the ring after a four- year hiatus, I felt inspired. I thought his timing was a little off, but I commend his effort. As a volume puncher, the legend was not able to maintain his usual momentum, and reaction time seemed to be slightly diminished. With that being said, his mindset is probably what can see him through if he were to continue with another bout. Jeff McIntosh The early rounds saw a more vintage version of Pacquiao and, in my eyes at least, a massive improvement from the sluggish version who lost a decision to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. Don’t get me wrong, Pacquiao looked great for 46 and I think he proved a lot of people wrong, but not without some areas to critique. I mean, boxing’s only eight-division world champion showed us all he still has something left, but there’s no denying Father Time appeared to have his way with Pacquiao, as he slowed down by the mid to late rounds. But again, isn’t that expected of an inactive 46-year-old former champ? From an entertainment and nostalgia perspective, I would love to see Manny Pacquiao back in the ring. I am sure the majority of fight fans would like to see
him return as well. Manny transcends boxing. He’s a cultural icon, a man who has an entire country behind him and a fighter with much left in the tank after watching that performance. However from an actual fighting standpoint, as good as his performance was, I’m still wary of what’s next. Sebastian Milo I consider Barrios the lightest touch of all the champions at welterweight. The easiest option for any contender. I believe Manny edged the fight, which is an indictment of Barrios. He will go home knowing he doesn’t deserve to be the champion. The WBC chose to entertain this farce in sanctioning a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao after a four-year layoff. It’s a circus. Olubusayo Igbekele It was nostalgic to see Manny Pacquiao returning after four years out and at the age of 46. All the memories of watching PacMan destroy opponents came flooding back. The performance I thought was really incredible, considering the circumstances. He fought hard for 12 rounds and never gassed out. I was concerned about seeing him get hurt, and he did take some shots, but I don’t think he was ever in trouble. I think the draw was a fair result. There were a lot of close rounds, and Mario Barrios didn’t really push to win the fight, mainly keeping Pacquiao at bay with the jab. Sometimes it was sad to see, knowing that in his prime Manny would take an opponent of this caliber apart quickly. But I think he put up a good fight at world-title level, to many people’s surprise, so who are we to tell him whether he should or shouldn’t be fighting? I think if he is to carry on fighting, Rolly Romero could be a good fight next. Matt Bradbury I was thrilled to see Manny Pacquiao return to the ring at age 46, and I have to say, he looked incredible. Even though I was a bit worried going into the fight, he really proved that age is
On July 19, Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring at age 46 for a shot at Mario Barrios’ WBC welterweight title, with the fight ending in a draw. We asked readers to give their thoughts on the performance and share some memories from the Filipino legend’s epic (and still unfolding) career.
D uring the height of his career, Manny was one of those fighters who, despite the early (or late, depending on how you look at it) timing for U.K. fight fans, you would make an event out of staying up until 5 a.m. to watch. Unless he was fighting his main rival of the time – and my favorite boxer of that era – Juan Manuel Marquez, I’d be up, awake and full of beans to cheer the PacMan on! So when Pacquiao announced a comeback fight, I was apprehensive but also excited to relive those early-morning viewings of an all-time great, and while it was harder to do than back in the day, I was up and awake and in awe of what Manny was doing. He put up a great performance that not only he himself could be proud of, but one that all of his fans across the globe could be inspired by, especially for those of us who are a little bit older now and looking for a return to our own glory days. Way to go, Manny, doing it for the old guys! Thanks for another great memory, champ. Tony Little Pacquiao at age 46 looked good but not great, as his agility and speed have deteriorated compared to the historic fights he delivered
– vs. Oscar De La Hoya, Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. He had ring rust from not fighting since 2021. Manny can achieve another title at his age. A rematch against Barrios or [a challenge to] Rolly Romero can be an option. Fans want more of Pacquiao, the one and only, the greatest of all time. Liber Yasser During his fight with Yordenis Ugás in 2021, I realized Pacquiao was no longer the same fighter who once dominated the ring. Even before the final decision, I already felt that Pac was losing the match. However, versus Barrios, I saw glimpses of the old Manny Pacquiao, especially with the color of his trunks, the same ones he wore during his first U.S. fight. As the challenger, he was the more aggressive fighter. Although Barrios landed some solid jabs and counters, I believe Pacquiao should have won the fight. That level of aggression from rounds 1 to 12 isn’t something you often see, especially from a 46-year-old fighter. I wasn’t expecting that kind of performance from Manny. The question now is: Who will he fight next? If I were to choose, the fight that should really
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10 RINGMAGAZINE.COM
RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer MIDYEAR AWARD CANDIDATES
September 2025 Volume 102, No. 10
Founder Nathaniel Fleischer (1888-1972) Owner His Excellency Turki Alalshikh
Editor-in-Chief Douglass Fischer Managing Editor Tom Gray Senior Editor Brian Harty Creative Director Lamar Clark Controller Deborah L. Harrison
T ime flies putting out a wrapped production on this issue during the first days of August that I realized that we’re already past the halfway mark of this year. Seven months went by in a blur due to the magazine grind and a busy travel schedule, but I’ve been taking notes on the best fights, rounds, knockouts and upsets, as well as the standout performers so far. That’s right, it’s already time to start thinking about candidates for The monthly publication, so it wasn’t until your favorite boxing magazine staff Ring’s 2025 awards. Apart from Fighter of the Year, there are frontrunners for most of the categories. Fighter of the Year is still wide open, which isn’t surprising, given how inactive elite boxers are these days. But part of the anticipation for the second half of 2025 is seeing who wins the major showdowns to earn The Ring’s most prestigious honor. Here are my candidates for the annual awards:
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FIGHTER OF THE YEAR Terence Crawford (if he beats Canelo) – If Bud can pull this off (and many think he can), it will be the boldest move since Manny Pacquiao jumped from his pitstop at lightweight to take on Oscar De La Hoya at welterweight in December 2008. The peak PacMan – who outpointed Juan Manuel Marquez for the Ring/ WBC 130-pound championship, brutalized David Diaz to lift the WBC 135-pound strap and then retired the faded Golden Boy in 2008 – was an easy choice for Fighter of the Year. Crawford can achieve the same recognition with one fight if he beats Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight championship. Dmitry Bivol (if he beats Artur Beterbiev again) – Bivol brilliantly outpointed his formidable countryman to win the undisputed light heavyweight championship in their hotly contested February rematch. If he can emphatically win the rubber match, he could be in the running to become the first two-time Fighter of the Year from Russia. Jesse Rodriguez (if he beats Fernando Martinez) – There has only
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RINGSIDE
Chris Eubank Jr. UD 12 Conor Benn – It’s not often that a heavily hyped matchup exceeds the promises of the promoters and the expectations of the public, but that’s what the sons of Britain’s most famous modern rivalry delivered to 67,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a solid PPV audience. Fans got their money’s worth with this one. Naoya Inoue TKO 8 Ramon Cardenas – When the sport needed it most, The Monster and a 15-to-1 underdog produced a shootout that set the
Kenshiro Teraji – My front-runner, so far. I’ve followed Sandoval’s career since his 17th pro bout, watched him develop from prospect to Ring-rated flyweight, but I didn’t think he could dethrone the Japanese veteran. However, the Californian got up from a fourth-round knockdown and displayed the best technique of his career while matching Teraji’s punch output in a terrific fight. The vacant Ring title could be on the line in a rematch. Jorge Garcia Perez SD 12 Charles Conwell – Most pundits viewed the undefeated American Olympian as the dark horse of the very deep 154-pound division, but he got outhustled by the gritty Mexican fringe contender. Rolando Romero UD 12 Ryan Garcia – Romero was a threat with his big right hand, but who saw him outpointing Garcia? The same guy who got blasted by Gervonta Davis and beat up by Isaac Cruz (and was lucky to get the “W” vs. Jackson Marinez and Ismael Barroso) boxed with a sense of purpose after flooring Garcia in the second round. Armando Resendiz SD 12 Caleb Plant – The 11-to-1 underdog spoiled the PBC’s plans for a Plant vs. Jermall Charlo PPV later this year by outslugging the veteran former super middleweight titleholder. James Dickens KO 4 Albert Batyrgaziev – Nobody thought “Jazza” – who had been stopped by Guillermo Rigondeaux, Kid Galahad and Argentine fringe contender Hector Sosa – had a shot against the formidable Russian Olympic gold medalist, but the scrappy Liverpudlian confidently found it – with a series of left hands in Round 4 – breathing new life into his career at junior lightweight. COMEBACK OF THE YEAR Daigo Higa – The former flyweight titleholder is my midyear choice for this award even though he announced his retirement after his draw with Antonio Vargas on July 30. His bantamweight
been one sub-bantamweight Fighter of the Year in The Ring’s 97-year history of the award (Michael Carbajal in 1993), so Bam is a long shot. However, the 115-pound champ reminded us of his generational talent by expertly breaking down
Phumelela Cafu to a 10-round TKO, adding the WBO strap to his Ring and WBC titles in July. If Rodriguez does the same to the fearsome “Puma”
in November, further unifying the division, maybe he’ll get the votes.
boxing world on fire.
Oleksandr Usyk (if he fights and beats Joseph Parker) – As tough and experienced as Parker is, few will give him a shot to upset the undisputed heavyweight champ if that WBO mandatory is made this year. No disrespect to the New Zealander, it’s just that Usyk is already considered an all-time great. The fifth-round KO of Daniel Dubois in their July rematch put a cherry on top of that earned status. If the Ukrainian legend were to win this year’s honor, he’d join an elite group of three-time winners that includes Rocky Marciano, Evander Holyfield and Manny Pacquiao. He’d also be the first back-to-back winner since Pacquiao did it in 2008 and 2009. FIGHT OF THE YEAR Kenshiro Teraji TKO 12 Seigo Yuri Akui – This flyweight title unification battle of attrition is my front- runner, so far. The March showdown featured fierce back-and-forth exchanges from Round 1 to the dramatic final- round finish. Callum Smith UD 12 Joshua Buatsi – This was an old-fashioned dustup between light heavyweight contenders. Every time one fighter seemed to gain the upper hand, the other battled his way back into contention. Smith, the 35-year-old veteran who was in a must-win situation, dug a little deeper.
KO OF THE YEAR Brian Norman Jr. KO 5 Jin Sasaki – My front-runner, so far. Sasaki was a prime candidate to get KTFO by an accurate puncher like the WBO welterweight titleholder, and Norman’s left-hook chiller that put the brazen challenger on his back in Round 5 was as cold – and scary – as KOs get. Zhanibek Alimkhanuly TKO 5 Anauel Ngamissengue – This was not a cold KO, but the unified middleweight titleholder’s perfectly timed pair of left crosses – the first setting up the second – were as beautiful to witness as they were brutal on the valiant challenger, whose dramatic collapse into the ropes and onto the canvas necessitated a stoppage even though he beat the count. Fabio Wardley KO 10 Justis Huni – Outclassed for nine and a half rounds by a fellow unbeaten heavyweight hopeful, the British attraction needed something big late in the fight and he found it with a massive right hand.
UPSET OF THE YEAR Ricardo Sandoval SD 12
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RINGSIDE
journey seemed over with a razor-thin loss to WBO beltholder Yoshiki Takei last September, but the Okinawan slugger established himself as a top five 118-pounder with back-to-back unanimous draws (how rare is that?) in title bouts vs. Seiya Tsutsumi and Vargas in 2025. Manny Pacquiao – The Hall of Famer didn’t beat Father Time or Mario Barrios but didn’t lose (and, more importantly, he didn’t get beat up). He looked
protege passes the eye test, but the lightweight’s brain trust needs to step up his activity and the level of his opposition. Jadier Herrera (17-0, 15 KOs) – The flashy 22-year-old lightweight has only fought once in 2025, a seventh-round TKO of Jose Macias in March, but he was the first to stop the rugged Mexican veteran. The Cuban southpaw ate his share of right hands in the early rounds, so he’s still a work in progress. opposition – British gatekeeper Troy Williamson and former prospect Lorenzo Simpson – so far this year. Simpson gave him a good fight, which should help the New Yorker mature. Callum Walsh (14-0, 11 KOs) – The Irish junior middleweight turned heads with a first-round KO of 19-1 Scottish standout Dean Sutherland in March. At press time, the 24-year- old southpaw boxer-puncher was set to face Fernando Vargas Jr. on the Canelo-Crawford undercard, a coveted showcase that should tell us more about his potential. Jahi Tucker (15-1-1, 6 KOs) – The 22-year-old middleweight has won two 10-rounders vs. solid TRAINER OF THE YEAR Robert Garcia – Last year’s winner is my front-runner due to his fine work with Bam Rodriguez, junior middleweight standout Vergil Ortiz Jr. and lightweight titleholder Raymond Muratalla. Ismael Salas – The Cuban guru is always a candidate for this award, but he deserves extra credit for getting Rolly Romero to box a disciplined fight. Bozy Ennis – The Philly master has shined this year through marvelous performances by his son Jaron Ennis, featherweight titleholder Stephen Fulton and lightweight contender Andy Cruz. Manny Robles – The California coach who guided Andy Ruiz and Rafael Espinoza to Upset of the Year
awards in 2019 and 2023 may have done it again with Armando Resendiz. He also trains Ring/WBO 115-pound champ Mizuki Hiruta, 154-pound contender Serhii Bohachuk and two- division beltholder Brandon Figueroa. ROUND OF THE YEAR Eubank-Benn, Round 12 – The sons of the British legends let it all hang out to the delight of nearly 70,000 fans. Teraji-Akui, Round 12 – This is a prime example of a fighter willing himself to victory. Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach, Round 9 – This one is about controversy. Tank takes a knee off a punch (a jab to the eye) and it isn’t ruled a knockdown, then he runs to his corner to have his coach wipe his face DURING THE ROUND and isn’t disqualified for calling his own time-out. Not referee Steve Willis’ best moment. Buatsi-Smith, Round 6 – Unarguably the best round of a tremendous fight as both contenders were hurt but battled through the adversity. Wardley-Huni, Round 10 – It ain’t over ’til it’s over. Pretty solid first seven months, eh? We could have some very special events and moments over the second half of 2025. By the way, let us know via comeoutwriting@gmail.com if I missed worthy candidates in any category. We’ll make note and be sure to take them under consideration when we vote on the 2025 awards at the end of the year.
That’s the PIF Effect ACCELERATING INNOVATION
good in spots, good enough for many to think he deserved
the nod, good enough for the
Ring Ratings Panel to want him back in the welterweight rankings at age 46. Gary Antuanne Russell
– All but dismissed after dropping a split decision to Alberto Puello last year, the junior welterweight was as relentless as he was technical in nearly shutting out Jose Valenzuela for his first world title. Gary Russell Jr. – How about the oldest and most talented brother of the Russell clan? Despite three and a half years off, the former featherweight titleholder showed no rust at all in his lightweight debut, a 10th-round TKO of Hugo Castaneda. Rolando Romero – The “Rolly Show” was thought to be over after his stoppage loss to Pitbull Cruz last March. But here he is, back in line for huge paydays. PROSPECT OF THE YEAR Emiliano Vargas (15-0, 13 KOs) – My front-runner is the junior welterweight son of popular former champ Fernando Vargas, 3-0 in 2025 so far, and flying high after a one-punch, first-round KO of Alexander Espinoza on July 26. The 21-year-old’s got star potential and he’s getting better with each fight. Curmel Moton (8-0, 6 KOs) – Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s 19-year-old
HHHH
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention three boxing lifers who passed away just before we went to press – former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champ Dwight Muhammad Qawi, trainer Tommy Brooks and promoter Don Elbaum. All three will receive proper tributes in the October issue.
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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING
THE STARS ALIGN By Al Bernstein
Former champ Mary Jo Sanders (second from right) was part of the Class of 2025 at the IBHOF.
her fans in the Motor City with performances in her hometown.
I have been at a number of induction weekends, and often there are certain inductees who just radiate joy at the occasion. Mary Jo’s induction was especially welcomed by boxing folks, and her effusive personality and gracious approach to being honored made it special for her and for everyone else in Canastota. Interestingly, she was inducted along with Anne Sophie Mathis, who, like Sanders, had a two- fight rivalry with Holm. I shared a dinner table at the Hall of Fame with Mary Jo and Anne, and we discussed the irony of their being inducted the same month that Holm was returning
T hree events combined women’s boxing. They were: • The induction of legendary
The first two events are linked by the moments those two remarkable boxers shared with each other in the ring, and their history parallels the Taylor- Serrano rivalry in many ways. The synergy between all this is striking. The induction of Sanders this year honored a 25-1-1 career record carved out between 2003-08. She started late as a pro at 29 years of age but packed a lot into her career, including world titles in four weight divisions. She added to the rich tradition of great Detroit boxers and often thrilled
this summer to revive the past, celebrate the present and portend the future of
PRECISION IN MOTION Every move, crafted to win.
champion Mary Jo Sanders into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. • The return to boxing after a 12-year absence by Holly Holm, also a member of the IBHOF. • The landmark all-female card headlined by the third fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING to boxing. Holm, who has made history as a champion in both boxing and mixed martial arts, surprised many when, at age 43, she decided to return to the sport. Her decision win over Yolanda Vega on June 28 was a very solid performance, especially considering her time away from boxing as she pursued her MMA career. The dovetailing of these two occurrences within a month made me and others think back to the two-fight rivalry between Sanders and Holm. It one of the first major multi-fight rivalries in women’s boxing. I had the pleasure of announcing the first fight between the two. It happened on June 13, 2008, in Albuquerque, Holm’s hometown. While it was considered the biggest match that could be made in women’s boxing, it is noteworthy to see the differences between it and the Taylor-Serrano rivalry. Unlike the Madison Square Garden venue for Taylor-Serrano 1, this one was in a small showroom at the Isleta Casino and the broadcast exposure was minor in comparison. Holm-Sanders was on a more mid- level pay-per-view content provider, and while mainstream sports media couldn’t get enough of Taylor-Serrano coverage in advance of the event, the Holm-Sanders fight was a tougher sell. I was actually brought onto the telecast in part because they felt my presence might garner more radio and print interviews. I did my best to help them generate media for it and did many interviews, but I distinctly remember my manager at the time talking to a couple of the radio shows about me being on, and the producers indicated they were happy to have me – as long as we talked more about the Manny Pacquiao-David Diaz fight than Holm- Sanders. Such were the challenges in 2008 for women’s boxing. In the fight itself, these two multiple-
four months later in Sanders’ hometown, again in a close and even more exciting fight. This time, the judges lived in reality and actually ruled it a draw. I did not do the telecast of the second fight, and to illustrate how things have changed in the reporting of women’s boxing, I offer this note: At one point after an exciting exchange between the two fighters, one of the commentators said, “This is not your typical girl fight.” Yes, he really said that. The 35-year-old Sanders, seven years older than Holm, retired after that second match. Holm would continue in boxing until 2013, when she switched to MMA and fashioned a successful career there. Her return to boxing now is especially satisfying, as demonstrated by two things: First, she performed well in her return fight, and second, at the post- fight press conference, she talked about what she could improve on as she familiarized herself with being in the ring again. Talk of self-improvement from a 43-year-old multiple-time champ in two sports was impressive to me in portending her future. Can she again win a championship in women’s boxing? I don’t know, but in my mind she has a chance. Wouldn’t it just be nice for one of the women who helped push women’s boxing ahead to reap benefits from this new golden age of the sport? Holm is a part of Most Valuable Promotions, the group that put on the remarkable Taylor-Serrano event. That struck me as I watched, and it took me back to that night in 2008 when the second wave of pioneers in women’s boxing built on what the Christy Martins and Laila Alis had previously done. Since then, the sport has kept growing and is flourishing right now, with even better days ahead. These days, I guest on plenty of radio shows and podcasts where nobody minds if I talk as much as I want about women’s boxing.
Holly Holm ended her long hiatus from boxing with a shutout victory.
slick-boxing Holm and naturally bigger and harder-punching Sanders both performed well. Holm controlled some early and middle portions of the fight with her quickness of both hand and foot, but Sanders started to figure out the mystery in the middle rounds and closed very fast. It was a very close fight that I and my broadcast partner Arnie Rosenthal suggested could be a draw or narrow decision either way. Whether it was the hometown atmosphere for Holm, incompetence or bias, the three judges had by it an absurdly wide margin for Holm. Two cards read 98-92 and the other was 97- 93, all for Holm. At the time, I was struck by how gracious Sanders was after the one- sided nature of the verdict. The same could be said of her famous dad, Detroit Lions legend Charlie Sanders, who sat ringside. Certainly it was quite possible Holm won a close decision, but this margin was clearly not accurate. They would fight again
time world champions were, not surprisingly, evenly matched. The
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STEVE’S SOAPBOX AND THEN THERE WERE NONE By Steve Kim
Let’s make this clear: Boxing has always been flawed. But there was a time when it was much more mainstream. Heavyweight championship bouts involving Muhammad Ali were shown to tens of millions on free TV. And later on, major events that were shown at closed-circuit locations (a precursor to pay-per-view) were replayed by those three-letter behemoths. However, as premium/subscriber cable – HBO, and later Showtime – became prominent in the 1980s, the shift began as they routinely outbid the networks for certain fights that otherwise would have been shown on ABC, CBS or NBC. It seemed beneficial to everyone involved in the boxing business – the fighters, managers and promoters, who got larger paydays while the nascent pay-cable entities enticed potential subscribers. For HBO, its boxing division was a key piece of its ascension in the 1980s as it became the home for Mike Tyson. They say that there is a price for everything in life. And the reality is that while certain boxers were earning career-high paydays for performing on HBO or Showtime, they were also doing so in front of a much smaller audience. It was at this time that the slow erosion began. Eventually, the premium cable networks not only bought fights but started to in essence become promoters themselves by entering into exclusive multi-fight agreements with individual boxers. Now certain stars – from Roy Jones to Floyd Mayweather Jr. – were locked into networks with lucrative guarantees. And a certain cat-and- mouse game as to who would be their opponents began with the broadcasters and the boxers’ management. While the network sought – at least in theory – acceptable opposition, managers would usually try to get the softest and safest touch approved by the paymasters. Unfortunately, what the fans wanted in these matters was largely ignored. Oftentimes, these network contracts meant that boxers who had become established with the public with their consistent activity suddenly became
long gone. We’ve been in the Netflix era for many years as far as movies and episodic shows are concerned, but now the line between traditional live TV and what started as a place to rent DVDs
twice-a-year performers, as any extra fights would not be in the yearly programming budget. So, not only were boxers now fighting on smaller platforms, they were also doing it less often. On top of that, the fights that fans really wanted to see were becoming more difficult to make. If a boxer was ensconced in the rival network, then you had “sides of the street” that were used as a crutch to avoid certain matchups. Certain fights weren’t going to come to fruition unless they were part of a joint pay-per-view between rival promoters and networks, which took years to broker. This happened periodically with Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson (HBO/Showtime), Mayweather- Manny Pacquiao (HBO/Showtime) and Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder II and III (Fox Sports/ESPN+). However, these occasions were rare. Throughout the past few decades, too many fights – including the much-anticipated heavyweight showdown between then- titleholders Anthony Joshua (DAZN) and Deontay Wilder (Fox/Showtime) – were left un-fought due to the various cold wars that took place in boxing. Eventually, HBO and Showtime would not only sign individual fighters, but entire promotional stables. Don King was exclusive to Showtime during the 1990s, as was Golden Boy for a spell in the 2010s. Matchroom had an exclusive deal with DAZN, and Top Rank (which has had various unions throughout the years) landed at ESPN. While in theory having various networks involved with the sport is a good thing, the problem is that as more and more of these entities gave exclusive output deals to promoters, you had separate universes of boxing. It actually created more division within the sport. The truth of the matter is, you can only make a certain amount of bouts with your own roster of boxers. What we were seeing was basically a series of house fights, not truly the best matchups possible, for the most part. The days of networks having knowledgeable executives such as Alex Wallau (ABC),
Mort Sharnik (CBS) and Lou DiBella (HBO) acting as program quality watchdogs are long gone. Ten years ago, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) launched under the guidance of Al Haymon, who tried a scorched-earth approach to the U.S. boxing landscape by engaging in a series of time-buys on seemingly every network short of C-SPAN. Part of the PBC’s time-buy deals with networks that already had boxing programs was that they had to part ways with those promoters. This effort to freeze out everyone else in the sport and monopolize the business failed, and now the PBC is down to a few broadcasts on Amazon Prime, most of which are pay- per-view shows. So here we are. Boxing will continue, but much like the newspaper business, it finds itself with an uncertain future and having to find a new business model that is sustainable over the long term. Could Netflix, which has 300 million subscribers worldwide, be a lifeline to a new broadcast era? It’s certainly a brand in the U.S. and the closest thing to a traditional network in terms of its audience and reach. However, so far, the king of streaming entertainment services only seems interested in big, unique events with crossover appeal – Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, the July 11 all-female card topped by Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano III, and Canelo vs. Crawford – not standard boxing cards like Zayas- Garcia. Without major broadcast entities like ESPN bringing the sport to the masses, boxing, like print news, will still exist but will continue to diminish in importance. These two industries also share something else in common: The downfall was gradual – and then it was sudden. Do you agree with Steve’s take on the state of boxing broadcasts in America? Share your thoughts about the current boxing scene in the U.S. or your home country via comeoutwriting@gmail.com.
has also begun to blur. The highly anticipated September showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford will be part of the regular Netflix subscription, not pay- per-view. Given the recent track record of the streaming service, the viewing audience should be significant. But keep this in mind: While the NFL has now entered into a partnership to air a few games on Netflix, most of their games are still shown on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and ESPN. All those networks – along with HBO and Showtime – at one time in the past included boxing as part of their sports programming, whether it was part of a weekend anthology series or prime time broadcasts that featured major championship fights. There were also basic cable series, such as Top Rank Boxing
X ander Zayas outpointed Jorge Garcia to capture the vacant WBO junior middleweight title on July 26 in New York. As far as world title bouts go, there was nothing particularly special about this affair, which took place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden and followed fights that featured featherweight contender Bruce Carrington and junior welterweight prospect Emiliano Vargas. It was a decent night of boxing. But it has to be asked: Will it be the last time this type of boxing card is featured on a non-pay-per-view major platform in the United States? The July 26 broadcast ended ESPN’s partnership with Top Rank, which began in 2017. During this time period,
Top Rank Boxing on ESPN enjoyed an eight-year run.
on ESPN and Tuesday Night Fights on USA, that played to a national audience while various regional cable outlets and over-the-air networks catered to their local viewers. On the West Coast, L.A.’s KCAL-TV (channel 9) and Prime Ticket aired Fight Night at The Forum cards for years during the 1990s. Now they are remnants of the past. So, how did we get to this point? While it’s easy to state one particular reason, the answer is much more complicated. It’s really a little bit of everything. There was a time when boxing was among the most popular sports in America, right alongside baseball and horse racing. Now, it’s largely a niche sport that’s only part of the general sports news cycle once or twice a year.
mainstay broadcasters in the U.S., including HBO, Fox and Showtime, shuttered their boxing programs. So, for the first time since the mid-1940s – when the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports on NBC began – boxing will not have a regular series featured on a U.S. terrestrial network or a cable outlet. As of now, most major boxing shows are on DAZN or pay-per-view. Now, this isn’t solely an indictment on the sport or industry of boxing. Streaming outlets are now prevalent. Cord-cutting isn’t a trend anymore; it’s a reality, and the days of almost every household having traditional cable are
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MIKE MCCALLUM’S ABILITY TO GRIND FOES DOWN IN THE POCKET MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST FORMIDABLE – AND AVOIDED – FIGHTERS OF HIS ERA By Adam Abramowitz
Two of McCallum’s signature moves were specific counters after a miss. His most famous play was slipping the jab to the inside and riddling an opponent’s body with a left hook. Another great move was when an opponent would overshoot a straight right. McCallum would often slip the shot to the inside and fire off a right uppercut to the body, or take a step back to evade the shot and then counter with the right uppercut to the body. McCallum was famous for making opponents pay for missing shots. His brutal effectiveness with body counters held the dual purposes of depleting his opponents and making them gun-shy to launch more offense. McCallum also was excellent at protecting his body in close. He was able to block and parry body shots while still maintaining his offensive posture in the pocket. At close range, he often would have one of his hands down closer to his chest to take the body away. He believed enough in his reflexes and chin to deal with head shots. McCallum was left-hand dominant. So much of his work started with his jab or left hook. In his loss to Kalambay in 1988 (which was McCallum’s first attempt for a belt at middleweight), Kalambay wisely circled away from McCallum’s left hand, which is unusual against an orthodox fighter but the perfect play against McCallum. McCallum had a reputation as a slow starter, which isn’t fully deserved. He scored lots of early-round KOs in his developmental fights, and whenever he was taking a stay-busy assignment during his championship days, those always seemed to end early. But it’s true that McCallum often needed several rounds to dismantle top opponents (with Jackson being a notable exception). His body work and pressure built up over time. McCallum was a breaker of wills. He would deplete fighters before stopping them; the McCrory fight is a great example of this. There were essentially two Mike McCallum styles. His preferred style was when an opponent came to him or wanted to trade in the center of the ring (the Jackson fight, for example).
M ike McCallum, a champion at junior middleweight, middleweight and light heavyweight, died on May 31 at the age of 68. A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the Jamaican- born McCallum was relentless with both hands to his opponents’ midsections, earning him the nickname “The Bodysnatcher.” His left hook in particular could be a pulverizing punch. Not the fastest or the most powerful, McCallum defeated top opponents with a combination of sterling inside-fighting technique, pressure and doggedness. Despite winning two of his titles after the age of 30, McCallum wasn’t a late bloomer. At 19, he represented Jamaica as a welterweight at the 1976 Olympics. He was also a three-time Golden Gloves champion in the United States as an amateur. McCallum was an active professional fighter from 1981-97. He won his first world title, at junior middleweight, in 1984 against Sean Mannion. He made the last defense of his light heavyweight belt in 1995. He retired with a record of 49-5-1, featuring 36 knockouts. He was a true world champion, fighting in seven countries: The U.S., Jamaica, Italy, France, England, Monaco and Germany. As a student of the game, McCallum was a sponge, picking up techniques from the best trainers in the business. In Jamaica as an amateur, he was coached by Austin Taffe, a forward-thinking trainer who incorporated Cuban boxing techniques for his fighters. As a professional, McCallum was surrounded by greatness in his corner, working at different times with Emanuel Steward, the George Benton/Lou Duva tandem and perhaps the greatest modern trainer
of them all, Eddie Futch. Though appreciated in his time, McCallum never attained superstardom in the way that many of his contemporaries did. Roberto Duran famously picked Tommy Hearns for a fight over McCallum, despite McCallum’s No. 1 ranking for Duran’s junior middleweight belt. McCallum had sparred Hearns on numerous occasions during their time together at the Kronk Gym, but Hearns never gave McCallum a shot in the pros. Nevertheless, McCallum racked up wins against impressive fighters. His highlight reel always starts with the perfectly timed left hook he landed in the fifth round on fellow Hall of Famer Donald Curry. He also destroyed future multi-divisional champion Julian Jackson in two rounds. Other notable wins include Milton McCrory (an Emanuel Steward fighter), a rematch victory over Sumbu Kalambay (who gave McCallum his first loss as a pro), and triumphs over Steve Collins, Herol Graham, Michael Watson and Jeff Harding. Even into his mid- and late 30s, McCallum had a memorable three-fight series with the great (and much younger) James Toney. Although McCallum was officially 0-2-1 in the three fights, Toney has often referred to McCallum as the best fighter that he has faced in the ring. W hat McCallum may have lacked in hand speed or pure power, he made up for with expert ring technique at mid- and close range. McCallum was so good in the pocket that he never had to leave unless he wanted to. He had complete faith in his ability during exchanges. His chin was legendary (never stopped in 55 pro fights). He incorporated many of the lost arts of infighting in terms of defensive techniques, creative counters and how to come forward responsibly.
Mike McCallum THE FIGHTER IN FULL
McCallum when he was the WBC light heavyweight titleholder, circa 1995.
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