The Boxing Diary

Views and Opinions

Monday, November 29, 2021

Crawford catches Porter with a counter left

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter preview and prediction

Terence Crawford takes on Shawn Porter on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas for their welterweight bout. The undefeated Crawford, TBRB rank number two, looks to solidify his claim at the top spot in the division. Above Crawford at the welterweight division is Errol Spence Jr, while Porter, TBRB rank number four, is looking to go back on top of the division. 

The welterweight crown is up for grabs as it is open when Manny Pacquiao retired.

Crawford, (37-0-0, 28 KO's) many still in doubt with is unblemished resume. If you look at his record, none of his past opponents were currently rank at TBRB's top 10. He had beaten notable opponents like Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Yuriorkis Gamboa but are no longer at the top 10. On Saturday, night he will be up against Porter who's currently number four at welterweight division. Porter is expected to give Crawford a close and competitive fight that Crawford's previous opponents failed to do. 

Porter, (31-3-1, 17 KO's) came up short against Errol Spence Jr.. He lost by a split decision. A very close fight that judge Larry Hazzard Jr had him on the scorecard (115-112). If it was Porter declared as the winner, it's a decision that I can't complain. Well if you look at the Crawford-Porter match-up, I can think of this way. Crawford is more of a technically sound boxer that Porter can outbox. But the question is: Does Porter do not have a chance? Of course he has.

There's always a way for Porter to win here. Porter fight likes he's going somewhere else after the fight. He's like in a hurry to finish the fight but doesn't really have that devastating power. His power is respectable, but not superb. But if he could land something that Crawford won't see coming, Porter might score a knock-out, which is a possibility that could turn out into a reality. Porter's overhand right find some home of his previous opponents. Crawford has been tagged too in a fight he all won. 

There's a tendency also that the fight will be stopped due to injuries that a referee might stop the fight. Maybe a clash of heads, cut due to a punch. But I can say most likely would be a clash of heads as Porter tends to come in head first coming forward with that looping right hook.

Crawford can switch between stance at any point of the fight. He was more of a defensive mindset when he goes southpaw, but more aggressive when he turns orthodox. This could lead to Porter to think and adjust his aggression in the fight. 

Porter said that Crawford is an emotional fighter. Once he disrupts Crawford's rhythm he would become emotional. Simply put, he will not let Crawford fight his fight and instead force his swarming style to Crawford, so that Crawford get frustrated. But this approach is easier said than done. Porter should have his tank full going into the fight ready for 12 rounds. Not only that, Porter needs to include defensively responsibilities on his attacks as he could not just go out swinging. He's get tagged by Crawford's counters. 

I got Crawford winning on the scorecards in an action packed fight. 

Thursday, November 18, 2021

He’s someone (Crawford) who’s an emotional fighter -- Porter


On Saturday night in Las Vegas on PPV main event, Shawn Porter faces Terence Crawford. Will Porter gives problem to Crawford's crafty game? That still remains to be seen.

Well, Shawn Porter believes that Terence Crawford is an emotional fighter. 
 
"When I look and I see the way he likes to move, and I don’t allow him to move that way and disrupt things — he’s someone who’s an emotional fighter," Porter said.

Porter (31-3-1, 17 KO) is a type of fighter that rough things up, for as long as his tank is full of oxygen because he disrupts an opponents rhythm. I agree when he said "I live in disrupting your rhythm."

“I live in disrupting your rhythm, I live in figuring out what makes you uncomfortable. It’s hard to adjust to on fight night. He’s gonna get uncomfortable and it’s gonna start to fester mentally and emotionally, and it’s gonna show up in the fight,” Porter said.

Porter on being the heavy underdog.

"The best thing I'm gonna do is go in that ring and punch Terence Crawford in the mouth"

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2021

NEW YORK (November 16, 2021) – The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) has announced its 29-member Class of 2121. The 10th NYSBHOF induction dinner, sponsored by Ring 8, will be Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), May 1, at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

“Every year the selections get more difficult,” NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy said. “Everyone of these new inductees has been a major part of New York boxing. It’s talent like this that makes NYSBHOF so successful.”

Living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF include WBO Heavyweight World Champions and Michael Bentt (11-2, 6 KOs), also a 4-time New York Golden Gloves gold medalist, and Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs (60-6-1, 53 KOs), 3-time World light middleweight titlist Verno Phillips (42-11-1, 2 KOs), WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Donny “Golden Boy” Lalonde (42-11-1, 21 KOs), WBC World Light Heavyweight Champion Johnny “The Heat” Verderosa (41-5-1, 33 KOs), 2-time World title challenger and No. 1 ranked welterweight contender Larry “No Fear” Barnes (44-3-1, 17 KOs), and welterweight Johnny Turner (42-6-2, 32 KOs)

Posthumous participants being inducted World Lightweight Champion Al Singer (62-9-2, 26 KOs), World’s Colored Light Heavyweight Champion Kid Norfolk (88-25-7, 49 KOs), lightweight Patsy “Cannonball” Giovanelli (44-7-1, 14 KOs), World Bantamweight Champion Cannonball Eddie Martin (81-12-4, 29 KOs), World Light Heavyweight title challenger Battling Seki (60-24-4, 31 KOs), Novice New York Golden Gloves and Intercity Golden Gloves champion Solly Krieger (82-25-6 , 54 KOs), No. 1 world ranked middleweight contender Herbie Kronowitz (55-23-5, 10 KOs), World featherweight champion Tommy Paul (80-28-10, 26 KOs), and World Bantamweight Champion and US Olympian Lou Salica (67-17-12, 13 KOs).

Living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are judge Ron McNair, promoter/manager/matchmaker Don Elbaum, journalists Ed Schuyler and Bill Verigan, author/journalist Tom Hauser, author/journalist/promoter/inspector Mike Silver, and Jill Diamond, Secretary of the World Boxing Council and International Chair or WBC Cares.

Posthumous non-participant inductees are trainer and Stillman’s gym owner Lou Stillman, promoter/manager Bill Cayton, NYC Mayor James Walker who legalized boxing in NY, publicists John Condon and Irving Rudd, journalist Richard K. Fox, and trainer Victor Valle.

Each attending inductee (or direct descendant of) will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his or her induction into the NYSBHOF.

The 2021 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Jim Monteverde and Neil Terens.

All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career.

Monday, November 8, 2021

Views and Opinion: Canelo vs Plant

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez knocked out Caleb Plant in the 11th round to unify the 168-pound division. He became the first undisputed four-belt super middleweight world champion in boxing history on Saturday night.

Plant's downfall started when Canelo landed a left hook to the head followed by a right and then a left uppercut that forced him to touch his gloves on the canvas. Plant stood right away running towards the corner wobbly. Canelo, a brutal punisher who carried his power even in the championship rounds finished Plant with a leaping left hook and chase him with finishing blows to the head.

In the first half of the fight, I observed that Plant has no match with Canelo's power. Although Plant had a boxing style that posed problems for Canelo earlier in his career, he seemed to be not so polished with his execution. I noticed also that he seemed to wait too much before mounting his offense. In most sequences, he waited for Canelo to be in position before he initiates his combinations. There were rounds that Plant threw combinations and then move away. That was very effective, but he was not able to execute the same with consistency. This must be because of the tremendous pressure Canelo imposed. 

With the above observations, I thought it was just a matter of time for Canelo's hook or an uppercut to find its homerun. Canelo seemed not bothered with Plant's power. He confidently walked down Plant and fired shots after shots on what is available to hit with Plant on the "Philly Shell" defensive stance. Canelo also made good investments to the body that later on paid as Plant head started to fall expecting a body shot and the hooks to the head started to connect at will. 

What would be next for Canelo? Will he move up to 175 again?