INOUE AND WILDER

Hey Doug, hope you enjoyed the action this past weekend.

Inoue continues to torch the opposition; the guy is just a damn flamethrower. I feel bad for Nonito Donaire already.

Who would you favor in a match between Gary Russell Jr. and Tank Davis? Who do you think would pose a greater challenge to Canelo: Callum Smith or Billy Joe Saunders? I lean towards Sanders if he’s dialed in, which I think he would be for the biggest fight of his career.

Now, on to Wilder. This result shouldn’t have surprised anyone given that Deontay is a home run hitter and Breazeale’s head is about as hard to find as a ball on a tee, but it sure was an awesome display of power from Wilder, reducing the bigger man to a jiggling starfish with a single punch.

I have been a big fan of Wilder’s for a while, but it seems like he’s finally starting to get respect from boxing snobs too in the past year or so. For the longest time they couldn’t see past the less then elegant technique, but at some point you just can’t argue with the results. Wilder has adapted street fighting to the ring, and his own brand of quirky ring generalship combined with his surprising durability and zapping right hand make him a nightmare for anyone in there, no matter the pedigree. I’ve been saying for a couple years now that I think he’ll beat Joshua. I think more people are starting to come around to this idea. In my opinion Joshua is a little too upright, doesn’t quite move his head enough, doesn’t quite have a strong enough jaw. Wilder on the other hand should be able to take Joshua’s shots, at least long enough to find his own. And we all know Wilder doesn’t get discouraged; you can outbox him for awhile, but he believes in his power till the very end.

My roommates were making fun of his ring walk saying he looked like Michael Jackson meets Cirque du Soleil. I thought he looked pretty silly myself but when you crack like that, I guess you can where whatever you want.  – Jack E.

It’s all part of the show, which Wilder closed in chilling style, so it’s all good in my book (although those two skinny contortionists that walked out ahead of him gave me the freakin’ creeps).

Inoue continues to torch the opposition; the guy is just a damn flamethrower. Flamethrower? He’s a Napalm bomb.

Newly crowned Ring bantamweight champ Naoya Inoue and Nonito Donaire. Photo by Naoki Fukuda

I feel bad for Nonito Donaire already. Inoue will rightfully be a huge favorite going into that match but Donaire has earned the right to be in the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight finals. He got his weight down from 126 to 118 pounds (a weight he hadn’t made since 2011) and he was willing to face back-to-back titleholders in Ryan Burnett and Zolani Tete. Burnett’s back gave out on him during their fight and Tete had to withdraw due to injury, so some will still question if The Filipino Flash is truly a bantamweight player, but his form looks sharp in the rounds we’ve seen of him in the WBSS and his cold-ass KO of Stephon Young let us know that Donaire can still crack. Nobody’s had the power, timing and experience to chin check Inoue. Maybe Donaire does.

Who would you favor in a match between Gary Russell Jr. and Tank Davis? I’ll go with Tank due to his body attack, but he’ll have to have the best camp of his career and keep his weigh down between bouts, which are big asks for Davis.

Who do you think would pose a greater challenge to Canelo: Callum Smith or Billy Joe Saunders? I lean towards Sanders if he’s dialed in, which I think he would be for the biggest fight of his career. I agree with you, but I think Smith would present a greater physical threat and would likely do more damage if given the chance.

Now, on to Wilder. This result shouldn’t have surprised anyone given that Deontay is a home run hitter and Breazeale’s head is about as hard to find as a ball on a tee, but it sure was an awesome display of power from Wilder, reducing the bigger man to a jiggling starfish with a single punch. Your description of the KO is well worded. The result was never in doubt, but the quick and abrupt nature of the stoppage was impressive. I thought Breazeale could go some rounds, and that he’d be dangerous once hurt, but Wilder wiped him out. Having said that, Breazeale was slightly more elusive than Bermane Stiverne was for his rematch with Wilder, which ain’t saying much. Wilder is always going to look like mega-Hearns vs. heavyweights that imitate heavy bags.

I have been a big fan of Wilder’s for a while, but it seems like he’s finally starting to get respect from boxing snobs too in the past year or so. High-profile fights against the likes of Luis Ortiz and Tyson Fury, and crushing KOs like the one he scored against Breazeale will do that (and plenty of “casuals” will jump on the bandwagon, too).

For the longest time they couldn’t see past the less then elegant technique, but at some point you just can’t argue with the results. Punching power matters in the pro ranks, and while technique is very important, there’s more to boxing than proper form.

Wilder has adapted street fighting to the ring, and his own brand of quirky ring generalship combined with his surprising durability and zapping right hand make him a nightmare for anyone in there, no matter the pedigree. Agreed. He’s the most dangerous heavyweight in the game – a one-punch threat with explosive speed/athleticism, stamina, heart and recuperative ability. But, Fury (and Ortiz to a lesser extent) proved that he can be outboxed by a world-class heavyweight boxer.

I’ve been saying for a couple years now that I think he’ll beat Joshua. I think more people are starting to come around to this idea. I think you’re right (about more people believing Wilder can beat Joshua). I still favor the Englishman.

In my opinion Joshua is a little too upright, doesn’t quite move his head enough, doesn’t quite have a strong enough jaw. I think Joshua take about as good a shot at Wilder does, and I also think their stamina is equal. Joshua is a bit stiff and upright, but it works for him, just as Wilder’s unorthodox/amateurish technique works for him.

Wilder on the other hand should be able to take Joshua’s shots, at least long enough to find his own. From your lips to God’s ears.

And we all know Wilder doesn’t get discouraged; you can outbox him for awhile, but he believes in his power till the very end. This is true, so if they every fight (and hopefully they do) AJ would do well to take him out by the middle rounds.

QUICK MYTHICAL MATCHUP

In their primes, Iron Mike or Wilder?

Why? – Alex S.

Tyson by early-to-mid-rounds KO. He’s better talent, technician and puncher (which isn’t to say that he’s a harder puncher per shot, just that he delivered his power more efficiently than Wilder does).

THE WBSS & A GREAT WEEKEND OF BOXING

Good morning Mr Fischer,

The WBSS is a tremendous gift to fight fans. In its two inaugural seasons, the Series has perhaps given us better and more intriguing match-ups than the lot of promoters combined who’ve kept their charges from it.

For my taste, Gassiev-Dorticos was the fight of 2018 and Prograis-Taylor is almost as intriguing as Crawford-Spence (and, more importantly, it’s being made!). I can’t wait for that fight, and I can’t pick a winner. How do you see it?

Add the two legitimate pound-for-pound stars the Series has made and it’s hard to argue against it having done more for boxing and the entrants than Messrs Arum, Haymon, Hearn, Warren, Loeffler, and their companies and competitors, combined.

It’s one of those P4P stars that’s caught my attention this past weekend. Naoya Inoue is lights out. “Monster” is one of the best and most apt nicknames in boxing. While I’d love to see him fight Tete, I don’t believe the South African stands much more of a chance than Nonito Donaire (who I would rather see spared the beating I think Monster dishes out).

I don’t see a current challenge for Inoue at 118, which says a great deal. Any chance Last Born or the Filipino Flash prove me wrong? Inoue, like Usyk before him, is so many levels above the cream of his weight class that the pound-for-pound lists (or historical mythical match-ups) seem the only way to rank him. His power is something I haven’t seen at 118.

He’s had three fights against rugged champions and former-champions and he’s been in the ring for a total of 7 minutes and 22 seconds. None of his opponents had ever been stopped in their professional careers. It’s an Usyk-at-Cruiserweight level of dominance except that instead of sublime skill and sweet science, we get terrifying power and brutal KOs. I love it. Can you think of any precedent for it at the lower weights?

Who do you think wins an historic WBSS with this bracket:

1. Jofre – 8. Galaxy
2. Zarate – 7. Canizales
3. Fenech – 6. Inoue
4. Olivares – 5. Harada

Peace. – John

I’ll go with Jofre (because I think Olivares would beat Harada), but every fight in that MM tournament would be a classic. The bantamweight division has historically been an incredibly deep and talented weight class. (If feel sorry for the pitiful nitwits that can’t appreciate them because they think the banties are too small.)  

The WBSS is a tremendous gift to fight fans. Indeed. I’m glad they got past their financial difficulties and legal issues with some of the participants. The doubleheader from Glasgow was worth the wait.

In its two inaugural seasons, the Series has perhaps given us better and more intriguing match-ups than the lot of promoters combined who’ve kept their charges from it. You might be right about that.

For my taste, Gassiev-Dorticos was the fight of 2018 and Prograis-Taylor is almost as intriguing as Crawford-Spence (and, more importantly, it’s being made!). I think Crawford-Spence is the more significant matchup given their resumes and dominance, at it’s clearly the far bigger event, but Prograis-Taylor might be a little more intriguing for me because I’m having a harder time picking a favorite in the WBSS 140-pound final. (I favor Crawford over Spence. I have no idea who wins Prograis-Taylor.)

Add the two legitimate pound-for-pound stars the Series has made and it’s hard to argue against it having done more for boxing and the entrants than Messrs Arum, Haymon, Hearn, Warren, Loeffler, and their companies and competitors, combined. I believe Inoue had proven to be an elite boxer prior to the WBSS bantamweight tournament but I hear ya.

Naoya Inoue is lights out. “Monster” is one of the best and most apt nicknames in boxing. While I’d love to see him fight Tete, I don’t believe the South African stands much more of a chance than Nonito Donaire (who I would rather see spared the beating I think Monster dishes out). I think Tete is more of a live dog vs. Inoue than Donaire is. Both are worthy challengers for the Ring Magazine 118-pound title he won with his breathtaking destruction of Rodriguez. So are Luis Nery and Nordine Oubaali. And if Carlos Cuadras and Jason Moloney get a quality win or two under their belts, they’ll be in line, too.

His power is something I haven’t seen at 118. His talent, technique and punching prowess remind me of the legendary Mexican bantamweight champs (Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate and Alfonso Zamora).

He’s had three fights against rugged champions and former-champions and he’s been in the ring for a total of 7 minutes and 22 seconds. None of his opponents had ever been stopped in their professional careers. I’m more impressed with Inoue’s KOs of McDonnell, Payano and Rodriguez than I am of Wilder’s KO of Breazeale. (And any nutcake fan that view that opinion as a slight to Wilder or somehow “biased” can catch a right-cross bitch slap from Shingo Inoue.)

It’s an Usyk-at-Cruiserweight level of dominance except that instead of sublime skill and sweet science, we get terrifying power and brutal KOs. I love it. So do I, but I see plenty of skill and science in Inoue’s terrifying power.

Can you think of any precedent for it at the lower weights? Sure, but it’s rare. In the last 10-15 years we saw something like it from Vic Darchinyan at 112-115 pounds, Nonito Donaire from 112-118 pounds, and my man Chocolatito at 105-108 pounds. But I admit that Inoue looks even sharper and more destructive than that terrific trio in their primes.

NAOYA! OMG!

Douglass,

Inoue… (as my daughter would say) WTF! OMG! WOW!

MM: Monster v Godzilla? Best. – Guy, New York

I gotta go with Inoue for now, Guy, The Monster looks unstoppable but I reserve the right to change my mind after I see King of the Monsters at the end of this month (and you know I can’t wait). 

I said WTF, OMG, and wow when Inoue put Rodriguez down with that smart-bomb hook in the second round of what appeared to be an even matchup in the opening stanza. I jumped out of my chair when E-Rod went down the second time from Inoue’s follow-up body attack and somehow made it back to his feet after shaking his head in disbelief (blood trickling from his nose and right eye squinting uncontrollably). And I swear I thought I was experiencing heart palpitations when Inoue jumped on the previously unbeaten Puerto Rican and blasted him to the canvas for the third and final time. My daughter and wife were in the room and they know I only get that excited for truly special and significant boxing performances. They didn’t bother asking me to calm the f__k down (because I remained on my feet and practically chanted “Holy S__t!” for the next minute as if it were a mantra). My daughter (the 15 year old) calmly said: “That must be the Japanese dude you guys put on the cover.”

MONSTERS ARE REAL (AND INOUE SHOULD BE NO. 1 P4P)

Hi Dougie,

What a weekend of boxing! BJS’ return, Wilder extending his ever-growing knockout reel, the WBSS card and that man Inoue.

What even is this guy? The first knock … jeez, the power he generated from such a short distance was reminiscent of a freaking one-inch punch. The second and third knockdowns was terrifying and just highlights his God-like power, Frampton’s face says it all ?

As you know Rodriguez is, and was, no slouch (unbeaten in 19 fights and rated 3rd by Ring magazine) so a second-round knockout is arguably the most impressive thing we’ve seen this year so far. This brings me to my question, is Inoue P4P the best fighter right now? I know one performance isn’t enough for such a title (that us fans care about so much) but that’s the thing, it’s not just one performance. He’s a 3-weight world titlist with an 89% stoppage rate who’s knocked out every single champion he’s faced, is that not unbelievable!?

This fight he just had reminds me of the one a couple weeks back between Canelo and Jacobs. Both fights were pitting the number 1 rated, multiple weight champion, against the, taller and rangier, number 3 rated fighter of the division. Canelo as you know won by a clear UD, Inoue on the other hand did the job inside 2 rounds. So, if anyone is picking Canelo as P4P best I’d argue that based on their most recent performances Inoue is just as good, if not better. It’s a shame he didn’t fight against the other monsters of the 115-pound division (Chocolatito, Rungvisai, Estrada, heck even Yafai) because even if he would of lost they would have been surefire classics and they would have cemented a P4P king.

Anyways, I don’t give Donaire much of a chance against him but you never know, the future hall of fame champion might have one last hurrah before he retires. I only see 3 fights after Donaire that might pose some challenge/or worth to Inoue at bantamweight – The unification fights with Tete and Oubaali and a showdown with Nery.

(Thanks for continuously running the mailbag, I’ve been a huge fan since I was 12). – Ivan, Staffordshire

Oh, geez, Ivan. Turning 49 today already made me feel old, but then you had to drop that line! Really, dude? You were reading the mailbag in middle school? Damn! LOL. It’s all good, though. Thank you for reading this column for as long as you have. It means a lot to me.

What even is this guy? Inoue is a once-in-a-generation talent and it’s a f__king SIN for any self-defined boxing fan not to recognize and appreciate him. I HAVE SPOKEN.

The first knockdown … jeez, the power he generated from such a short distance was reminiscent of a freaking one-inch punch. Bruce Lee would be proud.

As you know Rodriguez is, and was, no slouch (unbeaten in 19 fights and rated 3rd by Ring magazine) so a second-round knockout is arguably the most impressive thing we’ve seen this year so far. I think so. What beats that performance, so far, in 2019?

This brings me to my question, is Inoue P4P the best fighter right now? Arguably. He’s definitely top-3 in my book. He’s at least GOTTA be top-5! Most of the Ring Ratings Panel suggested that he move from No. 7 to No. 5 (surpassing Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence). Panel member Adam Abramowitz argued that Inoue deserves the No. 1 spot, a notion that freaked out the rest of the panel a bit (as he knew it would). Editorial Board member Tom Gray advocated a jump to No. 4.

I know one performance isn’t enough for such a title (that us fans care about so much) but that’s the thing, it’s not just one performance. He’s a 3-weight world titlist with an 89% stoppage rate who’s knocked out every single champion he’s faced, is that not unbelievable!? It’s rare, Ivan. I’m mainly impressed by the quality of opposition Inoue has faced in just 18 pro bouts (over three divisions, as you noted). I’m not even getting overexcited by the number of world titleholders he’s faced, or the high KO ratio. What lets me know that he’s an elite-level boxer is the number of Ring-rated fighters he’s defeated. (He’s faced more than some of the boxers rated ahead of him

Inoue lands one of his vaunted body shots against Omar Narvaez. Photo by Naoki Fukuda

in The Ring’s Pound-for-Pound rankings. I wonder if some of the members of our Ratings Panel are aware of this?) Going back to his fourth pro bout in August of 2013, he outpointed Ryoichi Taguchi over 10 rounds. Taguchi, who went on to unify IBF and WBA 108-pound titles and win The Ring belt, was the magazine’s No. 8-rated junior flyweight when a 21-year-old Inoue beat him. Adrian Hernandez, who he stopped in six rounds to earn the WBC 108-pound belt in April 2014, was The Ring’s No. 4-rated junior flyweight. Omar Narvaez, who Inoue blasted in two rounds for the WBO 115-pound title, was The Ring’s No. 1-rated junior bantamweight at the time (December 2014). Jamie McDonnell, who lasted one round with Inoue, was The Ring’s No. 2-rated bantamweight when they clashed last May. Former beltholder Juan Carlos Payano, who Inoue iced in The Ring’s 2018 KO of the Year last October, was the magazine’s No. 5-rated bantamweight.

This fight he just had reminds me of the one a couple weeks back between Canelo and Jacobs. Both fights were pitting the number 1 rated, multiple weight champion, against the, taller and rangier, number 3 rated fighter of the division. Canelo as you know won by a clear UD, Inoue on the other hand did the job inside 2 rounds. So, if anyone is picking Canelo as P4P best I’d argue that based on their most recent performances Inoue is just as good, if not better. Yeah, you can make that argument, but keep in mind The Ring has Canelo at No. 3 (behind Lomachenko and Crawford) in its pound-for-pound rankings. Also keep in mind that while Canelo isn’t the devastating KO artist that Inoue is, he’s a complete boxer who won his first world title before the Japanese wunderkind turned pro. And while Canelo has one loss on his ledger and has had some close decision wins that could have gone the other way, he’s faced four future hall of famers before the age of 28. Inoue will face is first future hall of famer in the WBSS final.

It’s a shame he didn’t fight against the other monsters of the 115-pound division (Chocolatito, Rungvisai, Estrada, heck even Yafai) because even if he would of lost they would have been surefire classics and they would have cemented a P4P king. The timing just wasn’t right for the Roman Gonzalez showdown, but it’s not too late for Rungvisai and the other top dogs at 115. They would have to step up to 118, but if the money and interest is there for those matchups, I think they can be made once Inoue has finished his business with the WBSS.

Anyways, I don’t give Donaire much of a chance against him but you never know, the future hall of fame champion might have one last hurrah before he retires. Hey, there’s a reason they fight the fights. You never know if a special talent like Donaire has one last great performance in him. And if Donaire pulled off that upset, he’d instantly evolve from a future hall of famer to a surefire ATG.

I only see 3 fights after Donaire that might pose some challenge/or worth to Inoue at bantamweight – The unification fights with Tete and Oubaali and a showdown with Nery. The Nery fight would be off the hook. The best of Japan vs. the best of Mexico, especially in the lighter weight classes, almost always deliver action and drama. That fight couldn’t take place in Japan, though, because the Japanese Boxing Commission banned him. Hey, I’d welcome the showdown here in L.A. I think Oubaali, who holds the WBC title, will have to go through Inoue’s younger brother, Takuma (the interim WBC beltholder), before we can talk about him challenging The Monster. Inoue vs. Tete is a natural unification match if The Monster wins the WBSS tournament and once the top-level South African is 100% healthy.

SHORT AND SWEET HEAVYWEIGHT BLOWOUT

Hi Doug,

I tuned in Saturday night for Deontay Wilder’s title defense to see if he had learned anything from his last clash with Tyson Fury. With an outstanding boxer like Mark Breland in his corner it has always confused me why he did not employ the jab more in order to set up his big right hand. In the Fury fight he just (to my eyes) tried to walk in and throw the right, often swinging from the cheap seats….and he did not look good. In the first Stiverne fight he moved, used the jab, boxed smartly and busted up his opponent so I knew he had the tools. You just never knew which Wilder would show up.

Saturday night, Wilder was all business. Going in, having seen Dominick Brezeale before, I didn’t pick him to win by any means but I thought he might give a few rounds of work for Wilder….well how wrong can you be? Wilder came out working the jab and while it wasn’t the thudding lance that Tommy Hearns had, it kept Breazeale honest, moved him back and Wilder even worked a short left hook underneath to the body (hadn’t seen that before). The ending was sudden and dramatic. That big right hand came straight down the pike and afforded Wilder another highlight reel KTFO finish.

The only question left is…what’s next? Any major heavyweight bout that doesn’t involve some combination of Wilder, Joshua or Fury is meaningless at this point. Wilder/Joshua seems to me the logical choice.  THAT is the one most fans want to see. I know there are money and venue considerations but really…. what’s the big hold up?

Do you think Joshua might have a little fear? That fight would get made if he wanted it. I know he would like that fight to be held at Wembley and I get that. 80 or 90,000 paying fans at the live gate. Wilder has said he would fight anyone anywhere… including their own back yard so no problem there.

As for money, Like Floyd Mayweather in the past, Joshua is not going to agree to a 50-50 split but Wilder deserves 60-40 at least. I think he has earned that… and they both walk away with a boatload of money and the fans get a fight that I think would cross over to the casual fan… I mean they could really sell this one. Can you imagine the electric atmosphere before the first bell at this fight?

So, what are the chances Doug? Could we possibly see this fight in the fall this year? Sometimes they wait too long. Boxing needs to take a page from the MMA playbook and make the big fights when they are hot. I would be interested in your take. – David, Nashville

We’ll see what happens after Joshua’s U.S. debut on June 1. If he takes care of business vs. Andy Ruiz (who I view as a more dangerous challenger than Breazeale), I expect negotiations for the Wilder showdown will resume once again. If they can’t work out a deal, I guess Wilder will do the rematch with Luis Ortiz or fight Adam Kownacki later this year and the promoters/business managers for the two undefeated heavyweight titleholders will aim for spring of 2020. As Wilder said during the post-fight interview after obliterating Breazeale, fans (and media) will just have to be patient.

There goes “Trouble.” Wilder prevented Breazeale from warming up by knocking him cold. Photo by Damon Gonzalez

Saturday night, Wilder was all business. Like a professional hitman.

Going in, having seen Dominick Breazeale before, I didn’t pick him to win by any means but I thought he might give a few rounds of work for Wilder….well how wrong can you be? I thought he could go rounds, too, but Wilder was wise to blitz the big man before he could warm up.

The ending was sudden and dramatic. But was it really that surprising? 

That big right hand came straight down the pike and afforded Wilder another highlight reel KTFO finish. The only question left is…what’s next? Honest answer? Wilder fighting on Showtime or FOX, Joshua fighting on DAZN, and Fury fighting on ESPN (in the U.S.), and nobody crossing the street to face the other, at least until 2020.

Any major heavyweight bout that doesn’t involve some combination of Wilder, Joshua or Fury is meaningless at this point. Agreed, although I’ve become quite fond of Dillian Whyte and would watch with interest if he were to challenge any one of the Big Three or take on Luis Ortiz or Aleksandr Usyk.

Wilder/Joshua seems to me the logical choice. It makes all the sporting sense in the world, and it also makes business sense, which is probably why it’s being held up because so much money is on the line that both sides want to work out the best deal for their heavyweight.

THAT is the one most fans want to see. I think all fans want that unification bout. What’s not like about that matchup? It’s an elite boxer-puncher vs. an elite puncher.

I know there are money and venue considerations but really…. what’s the big hold up? Money and network/platform obligations. Same things that held up Lewis-Tyson and Mayweather-Pacquiao. Haven’t you figured this s__t out yet? LOL.

Do you think Joshua might have a little fear? Nope.

That fight would get made if he wanted it. Same thing can be said about Wilder. DAZN made him a crazy lucrative three-fight offer, which included two shots at AJ.

I know he would like that fight to be held at Wembley and I get that. 80 or 90,000 paying fans at the live gate. I think Joshua will be more willing to do the fight in America after June 1.

Wilder has said he would fight anyone anywhere… including their own back yard so no problem there. You seem to take Wilder at his word more than Joshua.

As for money, Like Floyd Mayweather in the past, Joshua is not going to agree to a 50-50 split but Wilder deserves 60-40 at least. I think he has earned that… Unfortunately, you’re not one of Joshua’s advisers.

and they both walk away with a boatload of money and the fans get a fight that I think would cross over to the casual fan… I think it’s a huge fight, and it would definitely be a crossover event in the UK, but I don’t think it would suck in the casuals and general sports fans in America if it were to happen this year. Wilder has just begun to move the needle outside of the boxing world and AJ is still largely unknown to the American public.

Can you imagine the electric atmosphere before the first bell at this fight? Almost. I think it would be the biggest heavyweight championship bout that I’ve ever covered.

JOE LOUIS

Wow!!! I totally loved the Joe Louis article. Great work. The Ring was only $0.25 cents in 1948!!!!! – Marvin

I’m glad you enjoyed it, Marvin.

I really tried to do one of those with boyhood idol, Sugar Ray Leonard, but I just didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. I might try to complete it this week even though Leonard’s birthday was on Friday (May 17).

Email Fischer at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter and IG at @dougiefischer, and watch him on Periscope every Sunday from SMC track.