Above: Frazer Clarke (left) and Fabio Wardley produced a sleeper classic. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)

MARCH MADNESS (in a good way)

It’s said that March comes in like a lion but goes out like a lamb. I guess that pertains only to the weather and not to boxing. You see, in boxing, March came in like a lion and went out the same way. Incredibly, there were eight title fights in the final weekend of the month, along with a 12-round heavyweight bout in a national title fight on the final day in March that turned into a classic.

The heavyweight fight, which matched Britons Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke, was scored a 12-round split draw. The bout brought back memories of another classic heavyweight slugfest I was ringside for – Ike Ibeabuchi vs. David Tua in 1997.  Won by Ibeabuchi on a unanimous 12-round decision, the two combined to throw a heavyweight record 1,730 punches in that non-stop action bout. With Wardley and Clarke, who came in at 17-0 and 8-0, respectively, a rematch is being talked about for later – much later – in the year. Both warriors need some well-deserved rest. Congratulations to the both of them for giving the sport an unforgettable battle.

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The eight winners (in bold) on that final weekend in March were:

Seniesa Estrada UD 10 Yokasta Valle
(Ring/IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO strawweight)

Sebastian Fundora SD 12 Tim Tszyu
(WBC/WBO junior middleweight)

Isaac Cruz TKO 8 Rolando Romero
(WBA junior welterweight)

Julio Cesar Martinez MD 12 Angelino Cordova
(WBC flyweight)

Erislandy Lara KO 2 Michael Zerafa
(WBA middleweight)

Gilberto Ramirez UD 12 Arsen Goulamirian
(WBA cruiserweight)

Melvin Jerusalem UD 12 Yudai Shigeoka
(WBC strawweight)

Ginjiro Shigeoka KO 2 Jake Amparo
(IBF strawweight)

My first reaction to Sebastian Fundora winning the fight and taking the WBO title from Tim Tszyu (as well as capturing the vacant WBC belt) was, “There has to be a rematch!” It was an elbow that opened the awful cut on Tszyu’s scalp and obscured his vision. Fundora is a champion because of that, not because he outboxed Tszyu. Before he goes talking about facing Terence Crawford – or anybody else – tell us, Sebastian, that you will be a real champion and grant Tszyu a rematch when your broken nose – caused by a legal punch – and his split scalp – caused by your elbow – heal.

Best Bet: The best bet of that weekend was Melvin Jerusalem. The Filipino, who was challenging WBC strawweight titleholder Yudai Shigeoka – in Shigeoka’s backyard of Nagoya, Japan – was a +850 underdog. A $100 bet on him would have brought you $850! That would be the equivalent to about 129,000 Yen (it sounds much better in Yen!).

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When I returned to The Ring last August with this column (after an absence of 39 years!), I gave you my personal Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Female Ratings. I took flak for my choice of No. 1. It wasn’t Claressa Shields. It wasn’t Amanda Serrano. It wasn’t Katie Taylor. It was Seniesa Estrada. After her impressive unanimous decision victory over the tough and talented Yokasta Valle, nobody is giving me flak anymore. In fact, look who BoxRec.com, the official record keeper in the sport, has put as their No. 1 P4P Female: Seniesa Estrada. It’s no surprise. “Superbad” Estrada is actually Super Good. She is a cardio monster who seemingly doesn’t get tired; can box exceptionally well as either a southpaw or a right-hander; can box your ears off or rumble on the inside; has defensive skills far superior to other females; who makes opponents miss badly, then counters before they can react; and can separate an opponent from their senses with just one punch. Estrada is unquestionably the P4P female in the sport. I just recognized it long before the rest of the crowd. The only thing I’d like to see from Estrada – as I would every female professional – is 12 three-minute rounds. However, that’s boxing politics at work, which is out of Ms. Estrada’s explosive little hands. Perhaps one day we’ll get to see her doing 12/3’s.

With her now-recognized (not just by this columnist) No. 1 status, maybe she’ll now get to make that dream come true.

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Connecticut-based referee Danny Schiavone has made a terrific transition from ref to fight-caller. Because of a knee replacement, Danny has needed time off to rehab. In the meantime, he has served as color analyst on a few of promoter Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing shows, and has done a phenomenal job on the mic. Some broadcasting newcomers tend to say very little or way too much. Many times they repeatedly cut off their blow-by-blow partner, as if they’re getting paid by the word. So far, Danny is the most enjoyable, easy-to-listen-to “newbie” I have heard in quite awhile.

Speaking of announcers, I like the four-member team of guys Amazon Prime and the PBC hired for their initial broadcast on March 30. Three are from Showtime, while one did a fine job on Fox before they said “hasta la vista” to boxing. The three from Showtime are Brian Custer, Mauro Ranallo and Abner Mares. Custer will serve as the show’s host, while Ranallo brings his unique, energetic style to call the blow-by-blow. The very relaxed, former four-division champ Mares will handle the color, where his vast knowledge of the sports’ mechanics allows him to see what’s going to happen before it happens. His easygoing style – where he doesn’t make up names for every punch and every move and doesn’t grate on a viewer’s nerves – is sure to earn him some announcing awards. Also on the team, sharing the analyst duties with Mares, will be Joe Goossen, the A-list trainer who worked as an analyst for Fox and FS1 before they turned off their cameras to the sport. Goossen’s addition to the team gives it added depth. Apparently, none have been signed to any long-term deal with Amazon Prime’s new boxing series. In fact, it’s not clear if any of them have been guaranteed anything beyond their initial show on March 30th.

Sadly, Hall-of-Fame announcer Al Bernstein was not part of the March 30 premier. However, as noted, nothing has been etched in stone or on paper, so perhaps Bernstein will be on headset for the PBC’s second show, scheduled to be on May 4, when Canelo Alvarez will defend his undisputed super middleweight championship against Jaime Munguia.

Canelo will bring all the belts to his showdown with Munguia. (Photo by Ryan Hafey/PBC)

As Showtime’s former President of Sports, Stephen Espinoza, is a major consultant to the PBC for this series, it wouldn’t surprise anybody if, not just Bernstein, but Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood also were brought aboard. On a personal level, I hope they will become part of these shows.

While on announcers, one of my favorites is ESPN’s Mark Kriegel. The author of several books, including ones on Joe Namath (Namath), Pete Maravich (Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich) and Ray Mancini (The Good Son), Kriegel brings his knowledge and love of boxing to every telecast – and it shows.

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As I’ve always got my eyes watching and assessing every commission, here are some recent observations:

California: Jack Reiss, Tom Taylor and Raul Caiz Jr. are truly three of the best refs in the business. California also has some fine judges. One of them is Ron Scott Stevens, the former Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission. After retiring from his position in NY, Stevens moved to California, where he applied for, tested for, and was granted a judge’s license. In over six years as a professional judge, with around 400 bouts scored, Stevens’ stats show him to be among the finest in the state. I am sure California’s terrific executive officer – Andy Foster – recognizes this and will assign Stevens a major fight so he can show the boxing world what Commissioner Foster and I already know – that Ron Scott Stevens is nothing less than an A-list judge.

Larry Hazzard at a UFC Fight Night event in March 2024. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Pennsylvania: It was questioned whether anybody could step in and fill the void left when Greg Sirb retired after 30+ years as Pennsylvania’s chief executive. Well, so far, Ed Kunkel has been the man. He is not just knowledgeable about boxing and MMA, which he also regulates, but is passionate about both combat sports. He is not against using officials from other states, as long as those states reciprocate and give assignments to Pennsylvania officials. From this old Commissioner’s seat, it looks as if Kunkel was the right choice for the job.

New Jersey: The way I see it, Commissioner Larry Hazzard is THE man. He has been in charge of New Jersey’s Athletic Control Board since, well, the Year of the Great Flood. For my money, I hope he remains there until the arrival of the next Great Flood. Commissioner Hazzard runs perhaps the strongest, best-oiled and trained commission in the sport. He is not feared, as many Commissioners are, by their staff. He is respected. There’s a difference. A big difference.

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Heavyweight Prospect Watch: Keep your eyes on Tsotne Rogava, Moses Itauma and Lorenzo Medina.

Rogava is a powerful slugger from the country of Georgia.  He stands 6-foot-3, weighs around 260 and can punch – smash! – with both hands. He is managed and trained by Joe Goossen. Rogava is 6-0 with six knockouts. He has a fight lined up in May and another one in June. Oh, he is a former kickboxer who had over 300 bouts, winning most of them. Goossen said Rogava “lives to fight.” He could be interesting.

Lorenzo Medina is short by today’s heavyweight standards – 6-foot-2. But he packs 245 quick and powerful pounds onto that frame. He loves boxing guys much taller than him, as he knows he can easily outbox the generally bigger but much slower heavyweights of today. Called the “Gosny Killer,” he is 10-0 (9 KOs). Oh, he’s only 19.

Then there’s Moses Itauma. From the United Kingdom, Itauma, like Medina, is also 19. He said his goal is to become the youngest heavyweight champion of all time.  He won’t turn 20 until December 28. But, he’s only 8-0 (6 KOs). He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs around 240 pounds. A southpaw, fight No. 9 will take place on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury on May 18. Will he be able to get in three or four more fights this year, then another three or four before his 21st birthday in 2025 and get himself a title shot – and win it? It will be interesting to watch him.

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Be sure to check out me and Gerry Cooney on our SiriusXM show “At the Fights” every Monday and Friday from noon-2:00 p.m. (ET) on SXM channel 156.