New Faces: A look back
21
Dec
Today, Ring TV looks back on 10 fighters featured in the “New Faces” series.
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 18: Andrzej Fonfara punches Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. en route to a ninth round TKO in their light heavyweight bout at StubHub Center on April 18, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Andrzej Fonfara, light heavyweight, previewed July 2012 (28-3, 16 knockouts)
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Fonfara improved his record from 21-2 to 28-3, the loss a solid effort versus Adonis Stevenson last year in a WBC title attempt. Despite losing, his reputation was enhanced because, early on, he took a shellacking before raging back late in the fight, dropping Stevenson. He rebounded with wins over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Nathan Cleverly in a barnburner last time out. Primed to step up to the top table of the light heavyweight division.
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Fonfara improved his record from 21-2 to 28-3, the loss a solid effort versus Adonis Stevenson last year in a WBC title attempt. Despite losing, his reputation was enhanced because, early on, he took a shellacking before raging back late in the fight, dropping Stevenson. He rebounded with wins over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Nathan Cleverly in a barnburner last time out. Primed to step up to the top table of the light heavyweight division.
TAMPA, FL – JULY 11: Keith Thurman (L) exchanges blows with Luis Collazo during their welterweight contest on July 11, 2015 at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
Keith Thurman, welterweight, previewed July 2012 (26-0, 22 KOs)
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Thurman is seen as one of the leading lights to usher boxing into the new era. Waiting for his next fight but rumors suggest it could be Shawn Porter in a mouth-watering match-up.
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Thurman is seen as one of the leading lights to usher boxing into the new era. Waiting for his next fight but rumors suggest it could be Shawn Porter in a mouth-watering match-up.
NEW YORK, NY – JAN. 30: Eddie Gomez punches Daquan Arnett during their junior middleweight fight at Barclays Center on Jan. 30, 2014 in the Brooklyn, NY. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Daquan Arnett, junior middleweight, previewed Nov. 2012 (15-1, 9 KOs)
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The 23-year-old from Florida hasn’t been as active as he may like. He has taken three fighters’ unbeaten records but also lost his own nearly two years ago against Eddie Gomez when he decided to try his luck at welterweight. Arnett ended up losing a 10-round decision; he’s fought just three times since. Impressively stopped Cuban Yudel Jhonson in a single round last month and seems to be over the Gomez loss.
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The 23-year-old from Florida hasn’t been as active as he may like. He has taken three fighters’ unbeaten records but also lost his own nearly two years ago against Eddie Gomez when he decided to try his luck at welterweight. Arnett ended up losing a 10-round decision; he’s fought just three times since. Impressively stopped Cuban Yudel Jhonson in a single round last month and seems to be over the Gomez loss.
Left to right: Julian Ramirez, Nick Arce and Everton Lopes. Photo by Golden Boy Promotions
Julian Ramirez, junior featherweight, previewed March 2013, 15-0 (8 KOs)
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The nephew of former world champion Genaro Hernandez is now a full-fledged featherweight, having flirted with the idea of campaigning at 122-pounds. He remains unbeaten; he’s steadily improving and has moved from eight rounds to 10. His last two fights have gone the distance. What he lacks in pop he more than makes up for with boxing skills.
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The nephew of former world champion Genaro Hernandez is now a full-fledged featherweight, having flirted with the idea of campaigning at 122-pounds. He remains unbeaten; he’s steadily improving and has moved from eight rounds to 10. His last two fights have gone the distance. What he lacks in pop he more than makes up for with boxing skills.
Photo credit: Larry Marano
Erickson Lubin, junior middleweight, previewed July 2014 (13-0, 10 KOs)
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Lubin, 20, continues to progress, he’s now 13-0, winning five times this year. He stepped up to 10-round fights two fights ago and didn’t go the distance in either. “The Hammer” closed out the year easily dispatching Alexis Camacho in two rounds last month.
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Lubin, 20, continues to progress, he’s now 13-0, winning five times this year. He stepped up to 10-round fights two fights ago and didn’t go the distance in either. “The Hammer” closed out the year easily dispatching Alexis Camacho in two rounds last month.
Photo credit: Fabrizio Costantini/New York Times
Erick De Leon, junior lightweight, previewed July 2014 (11-0, 5 KOs)
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Since entering the pros in Dec. 2012, De Leon has struggled with activity; that hasn’t changed. The good news is he’s still unbeaten; however, he’s yet to make his mark on the pro game.
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Since entering the pros in Dec. 2012, De Leon has struggled with activity; that hasn’t changed. The good news is he’s still unbeaten; however, he’s yet to make his mark on the pro game.
Photo credit: Stephanie Trapp/TrappFotos/Showtime
Ryan Martin, lightweight, previewed Aug. 2014 (13-0, 8 KOs)
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Initially, Martin was kept active by his team; however, he has struggled since 50 Cent’s bankruptcy in the summer. Martin, who sports a 13-0 record, hasn’t fought since a first round knockout on the Canelo Alvarez-James Kirkland undercard in May. Since then, his team has tried – so far unsuccessfully – to become free agents.
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Initially, Martin was kept active by his team; however, he has struggled since 50 Cent’s bankruptcy in the summer. Martin, who sports a 13-0 record, hasn’t fought since a first round knockout on the Canelo Alvarez-James Kirkland undercard in May. Since then, his team has tried – so far unsuccessfully – to become free agents.
Photo credit: Artists Apex
Robert Easter Jr., lightweight, previewed Sept. 2014 (16-0, 13 KOs)
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The 24-year-old Ohio-based prospect had gone the eight-round distance in his last two fights when he was featured. However, since then he’s won six fights, with five coming inside the distance. He has also moved up to the 10-round distance. He seems ready to step up the level of opposition next year before embarking on a title run in late-2016, early-2017.
https://www.ringtv.com/
The 24-year-old Ohio-based prospect had gone the eight-round distance in his last two fights when he was featured. However, since then he’s won six fights, with five coming inside the distance. He has also moved up to the 10-round distance. He seems ready to step up the level of opposition next year before embarking on a title run in late-2016, early-2017.
Oleksandr Usyk (R) faces off with Daniel Bruwer on Oct. 4, 2014, in Ukraine. Photo by the Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images.
Oleksandr Usyk, cruiserweight, previewed Oct. 2014 (9-0, 9 KOs)
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Usyk has continued his perfect start in the pros; he’s won five times in the past year, taking his record to 9-0 (9 KOs). He beat South African trio Daniel Bruwer (TKO 7), Danie Venter (TKO 9) and Johnny Muller (TKO 3) last year and is already ranked No. 1 by the WBO. Took out once-beaten Cuban Pedro Rodriguez in seven rounds in his last fight. All being well, expect Usyk to fight for a world title at some point next year.
https://www.ringtv.com/
Usyk has continued his perfect start in the pros; he’s won five times in the past year, taking his record to 9-0 (9 KOs). He beat South African trio Daniel Bruwer (TKO 7), Danie Venter (TKO 9) and Johnny Muller (TKO 3) last year and is already ranked No. 1 by the WBO. Took out once-beaten Cuban Pedro Rodriguez in seven rounds in his last fight. All being well, expect Usyk to fight for a world title at some point next year.
Heavyweight Joseph Parker fires a right hand at Brian Minto in their July 2014 bout in Manakau City, New Zealand. Photo credit: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Joseph Parker, heavyweight, previewed Oct. 2014 (17-0, 15 KOs)
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The highly-touted New Zealander has won seven fights – six by knockout, inside four rounds – since he was featured just over a year ago against decent opposition. He’s been active, fighting five times this year. He’ll continue to stay active, fighting Jason Bergman on Jan. 23. Although, he hasn’t fought in America since Aug. ’14, he trains in Las Vegas and appears primed to return to the boxing capital at some point in the New Year.
https://www.ringtv.com/
The highly-touted New Zealander has won seven fights – six by knockout, inside four rounds – since he was featured just over a year ago against decent opposition. He’s been active, fighting five times this year. He’ll continue to stay active, fighting Jason Bergman on Jan. 23. Although, he hasn’t fought in America since Aug. ’14, he trains in Las Vegas and appears primed to return to the boxing capital at some point in the New Year.
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him at www.twitter.com/
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