Opinions and Observations: Beterbiev-Bivol

After Saturday's Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol match, which was more interesting than exciting, neither fighter seemed too pleased with his performance. Beterbiev, who was awarded the victory by majority decision, claimed that he didn't box particularly well, which is important because the fight primarily featured boxing instead of brawling or power displays. Bivol might have thought that he won, but he was resigned to accepting the judges' scores. He understood how tough the fight was. 

I scored the fight a draw. That's how it played out round-by-round on my scorecard and I thought that the draw reflected the action (or inaction) of the entire fight. To me the match was a perfect example of a stalemate, where neither fighter was able to assert himself on a consistent-enough basis. 

Beterbiev (right) and Bivol exchanging
Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank

But this will not be a rant at the scores, which were 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112, with the latter two scores favoring Beterbiev, who became the "undisputed" light heavyweight champion with the win. I used the quotes in the previous sentence because technically Beterbiev is undisputed now, but I'm certainly not sure that he won Saturday's fight.

The bout featured plenty of swing rounds, ones were not a ton happened (the third round) and others that had consequential action from both (the seventh). A whole range of scores were acceptable in scoring the fight, but I would have preferred it if more rounds contained real drama, instead of the familiar "someone had to win it" refrain. 

I was surprised by the tactics of both, and not necessarily in a positive way. I thought that Beterbiev was a little too slow to start applying pressure. At 39, he fought like he had some concerns with his gas tank. Although he was the fighter who closed stronger, that might be because he really conserved energy in the fight's first half. And I will have none of the talk that he paced himself perfectly, because when the final scores were announced, I don't believe that he could confidently believe that he won. That there was doubt speaks to the questionable success of his tactics. 

To Bivol's credit or detriment, he fought far more aggressively than I expected. Until the championship rounds, he spent almost as much of the fight on the front foot as he did in retreat. In fact, Bivol might have paid the price for being too aggressive. When he finally unloaded with gripping combinations, he often found a hard counter shot in return that stopped him in his tracks. I think in particular that happened in the 7th and 10th rounds. 

In a theme that appears often in boxing, the fighter who was more aggressive was given a lot of credit, irrespective of how effective he was. Beterbiev was clearly the one who came forward on a more consistent basis in the final three rounds. I thought that the 10th was a toss-up which I shaded to Bivol, but I had Beterbiev winning 11 and 12. That was the difference between drawing and losing on my card, and it was decisive for the judges, who favored Beterbiev down the stretch. Yes, each round does count the same, but in terms of the broader narrative of the fight, there can be no doubt that Beterbiev was the fresher fighter at the conclusion of the match. He had an extra level at the end, where Bivol did not.

Overall, I was a little disappointed in the fight. I was looking for one of the fighters to make a definitive statement and absent that, I was hoping for some thrilling action, but that didn't really happen either, with the exception of a pulsating seventh round. Beterbiev played it a little too safe in my opinion and Bivol was a little too weary by the end of the fight.  

Furthermore, there were few singular moments to remember from the fight. Yes, Bivol had some instances where he landed blistering left hook-straight right-hand combinations and Beterbiev had a couple of thudding counter right uppercuts and right hands, but there was little carnage, few periods of mastery, and a lot of tentative moments from both. 

The two fighters tangling on the inside
Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Although I have admired the championship reigns of Beterbiev and Bivol, Saturday's fight felt anti-climactic for me. I can't say that Beterbiev is the definitive light heavyweight of his era. But I also can't buy into Bivol's superior technical brilliance, especially how he faded in a fight that was mostly a boxing match. Although he is the first opponent to go the distance with Beterbiev, I'm guessing that moral victory doesn't feel particularly sweet for Bivol. For someone who has prided himself on being a champion, he certainly didn't close like a champ. And he left enough openings for the score to be in doubt.  

Bivol's defense was still very good on the night, but getting hit with 20% or so of Beterbiev's shots (which is still a very low connect percentage) is not the same as getting hit with someone else's 20%. Bivol somehow needed to be even sharper. 

Surprisingly, Beterbiev's speed wasn't a big disadvantage. He was able to get in range enough. But he rarely landed his best power shots. It seems that he made a clear decision to rely on touch shots that sacrificed power for speed. Despite the victory, Beterbiev didn't look like the big bad wolf in the ring. He did have Bivol on the run at the end of the fight and that did help him win it, but he didn't have too many signature moments. The judges felt that he was a little more consistent throughout the fight. You or I may not believe that, but that's less important right now. He struggled. He persevered. Some felt he had done just enough. 

At 39 and overcoming a slew of recent injuries, I wouldn't expect Beterbiev to be back in the ring anytime soon. And I don't think that he has too many big fights left. When the pressure fighter can't do it for 12 rounds, when the power puncher isn't having the same effect that he used to, the signs of decline may soon become even more apparent. And Beterbiev's aura has been a vital part of his success. His relentlessness has caused many opponents to make mistakes, to burn out, or to help in defeating themselves. If his intimidation factor has lessened, that can only embolden opponents. 

As for Bivol, he certainly has years ahead of him at the top levels of boxing, but I don't think that his speed on Saturday was what it once was either. The guy who defanged Canelo controlled the ring far better than the fighter who was in the ring on Saturday. And Beterbiev is many things, but he is not faster on his feet than Canelo, nor does he have faster hands. Yet Bivol struggled more on Saturday. Size does matter and so does Beterbiev's talent, but I can only remember a handful of big shots that Canelo landed whereas Beterbiev scored with shots more frequently. That Beterbiev was even in range points to a deficiency from Bivol; either his tactics were off, or his speed has lessened. In a perfect world, I don't think that Bivol wanted as many exchanges as what happened on Saturday. 

With so many high-profile fights this year, and others that have featured superior entertainment value, I won't dwell on Beterbiev-Bivol for too long. I will applaud both for making it happen. It was a consequential matchup, one of the best that could have been made in the sport, but the quality of the fight didn't rival its importance. I wanted Saturday to be a confirmation of greatness, but it turned out to be too risk-averse from both. So perhaps two great fighters neutralized the other. This potential reality always existed; it's just not what the public wanted to see. 

To me, this remains the Beterbiev and Bivol era. And if they want to settle it for good, that's fine. And if not, we will move on. They tried. They didn't fully succeed. That's the sport too. They both did some great things in the ring on Saturday, but it wasn't enough from this vantage point. Neither fully sold out for the win. They didn't leave it all in the ring. And however history remembers them, that fact should not be forgotten. 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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Beterbiev-Bivol: Preview and Prediction

The most significant light heavyweight fight in generations takes place on Saturday between Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) and Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight will be for undisputed status at 175 lbs. and the winner will emerge on the shortlist as one of the best of his time. For the last truly undisputed light heavyweight in the sport, we'd have to go back all the way to Michael Spinks in the '80s, so the winner of Saturday's fight will be in rarified air.   

Perfect Opponents 

If you were to draw up a hypothetical perfect opponent to beat Dmitry Bivol, Arthur Beterbiev would be as close to ideal as possible. Beterbiev, with the 100% knockout rate, does not need to land a lot of shots to stop fighters, which is important because Bivol doesn't get hit frequently. Similarly, Beterbiev is not reliant on one specific punch, which makes it tougher for Bivol to gear his defense to protecting himself against a lone knockout weapon. And if Beterbiev can get someone hurt, he can close. Bivol has been hurt before by Joe Smith and hit with enormous shots by Canelo Alvarez, but he was never close to being stopped. If anyone can stop Bivol at 175 lbs., Beterbiev is the guy. 

The converse of this matchup is also true. Bivol is the perfect type of fighter to beat Beterbiev. He has exceptional feet and is faster on the outside than Beterbiev. He can score with shots and can get out of range well. He has a terrific jab that allows him to win rounds while minimizing risk. Perhaps most importantly, Bivol has the temperament to face a relentless slugger like Beterbiev; he doesn't care if he stinks a fight out. Bivol isn't concerned with wowing the crowd. He is there to win and he will try to accomplish that by any means necessary. He's not in the business of giving his opponents a lot of shots at him and he's not interested in trading. He's there to land and leave. 

Beterbiev (left) and Bivol face-off at the kickoff presser
Photo courtesy of Queensbury Promotions

Beterbiev's Age 

On fight night Beterbiev will be 39 years old, six years older than Bivol. 39 is old in boxing, but not necessarily disqualifying, especially at the higher weights. Archie Moore was light heavyweight champion at 45. Bernard Hopkins was champ at 49. And another point in Beterbiev's favor is the relatively small number of professional rounds that he's had. He still hasn't hit 100 professional rounds (just 98). Compare that to Bivol, who even at a significantly younger age, has almost 100 more pro rounds (190). So just how much is age a factor in the fight?  

Despite Beterbiev's expert ability to make quick work of his opponents, I believe that it would be a mistake to consider him well-preserved. Beterbiev has dropped out of or delayed several fights over the past five years, including this one. Recent physical issues have involved his knee, his jaw and his shoulder. These are the types of things that happen as fighters age; they start to break down. Beterbiev enters this match after fighting in January, which for him is a lot of activity. This will be his first time fighting twice in a calendar year since 2021. In his last five years he has had the following number of fights: 0, 2, 1, 1 and now 2. It's possible for fighters to get old overnight, especially ones who are inactive and have had recent injuries.   

Each Has a Lost Art 

If there are two frustrations I have with modern boxers in the ring, it's that so few can fight effectively on the inside and hardly anyone knows how to stink a fight out and win. In this fight, Beterbiev (the former) and Bivol (the latter) really understand these dynamics of the sport. In close, Beterbiev varies the pace and power of his shots. He'll mix in touch shots with massive artillery. He goes to the body and the head. He knows how to position his body to get throwing angles while minimizing those of his opponents. In the trenches, his footwork is often terrific.  

And Bivol will try his very best to ensure that none of those attributes from Beterbiev will manifest in the fight. He has the agility to move for 12 rounds and even if he's not throwing or taking a round off, he knows not to put himself at risk. Now there are many opponents who can minimize risk but not necessarily win their big fights. However, Bivol not only wins fights, but they are rarely close. Although Bivol has won tons of decisions in his fights, I don't think that any of them were undeserved. Yes, he faded late against Craig Richards and had to deal with Canelo's magnetism as it relates to judges, but I don't think that those fights were ever in serious doubt with an unbiased set of eyes. If Bivol needs to fight negatively, he can, and can still win. 

The Key Factor

The fight doesn't start, in my opinion, until Beterbiev can hurt Bivol. Up to that point, I would expect Bivol to win rounds based on volume, hand speed and ring generalship. It's not that Beterbiev is a bad boxer, not by any means. In fact, he has been mischaracterized as a one-dimensional slugger for far too long. Beterbiev possesses several tremendous boxing attributes. He can lead and counter. He can hurt an opponent with several weapons. His body shots are pulverizing. He has a counter right hook to the side of the head that seems to land on everyone. Although his foot speed has been criticized, he can cut off the ring really well. He can also expertly turn opponents on the ropes.  

And although all of the above is true, he just isn't the boxer that Bivol is. The speed advantage is real in this fight. But it's not just about athleticism, Bivol knows how to control the ring with his movements. He glides effortlessly. He can go laterally either way, circle, or move in and out. He doesn't need to plant his feet to land punches and he rarely sticks around after throwing. He's one of the most elusive fighters in this era.  

I just don't see Beterbiev beating Bivol by out-boxing him. But Beterbiev can certainly turn the tide with a boxing move. That practiced counter right hook could be the shot. Maybe it will be his sledgehammer jab. Boxing won't win Beterbiev the fight, but it may be the entry point for him to do so. 

If and when Beterbiev hurts Bivol, then we will see all we need to know about Bivol's recuperative powers and if Beterbiev can finish an opponent as hard to find as Bivol. The only frame of reference is Bivol in the Joe Smith fight, where Bivol was hurt late in that fight at the end of a round. He needed more than a round to recover his bearings. But Smith just couldn’t land the final blow. And in truth, despite having a rocked opponent in front of him, Smith didn't get close. Beterbiev is certainly more well-rounded offensively than Smtih, and he will need to be to get Bivol down and possibly out.   

Prediction: 

This fight could certainly go many ways, but I can't get past the fact that Bivol doesn't care about style points. That's the singular attribute that makes me side with him in this matchup. It's not that he knows how to stink out a fight; it's that he has a willingness to do so. The crowd booing won't bother him one bit.  

I would certainly hate a sport that had 15 champions who all knew how to stink out a fight against a top opponent, but I can definitely appreciate one champ who can and will. There's a beauty in it. Floyd was great at it. So was Hopkins. They won fights that often weren't in doubt and yet sometimes it would be a challenge to recall any memorable punches that they landed. Their level of control was that comprehensive. I believe that Bivol is in this category.  

But even the great Floyd and the great Hopkins had rough nights, fights they could have lost, and with Hopkins, fights that he did lose. Every style can be gotten to. Every fighter can be beaten. So even as I marvel at Bivol's athleticism, technical prowess and grace in the ring, he's a short, clubbing right hand away from being Beterbiev's 21st KO victim. And let's never forget that the risk Beterbiev presents in this fight will be real in every second of the match. Bivol cannot make too many mistakes and expect to win.  

I think that Bivol will win by decision, but he will have to survive one or two moments of genuine peril, and those moments will make for a riveting fight. Beterbiev is too skilled to go 12 rounds without landing something consequential. I just don't know if he has the speed to capitalize on those moments. It's one thing landing something big on Bivol, but can Beterbiev find the right combination of shots to get Bivol out of the fight? I have my concerns. It's certainly possible that Bivol hits the canvas on Saturday, but I do expect him to hear the final bell. Let's say that Bivol wins 10 rounds to 2 or 9 rounds to 3, but no one will regret watching the fight.  

Dmitry Bivol defeats Artur Beterbiev via wide decision. 10 rounds to 2 or 9 rounds to 3. 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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Opinions and Observations: Joshua-Dubois

Daniel Dubois entered the ring on Saturday determined to put Anthony Joshua on the defensive. In a bold strategic shift from his past notable fights, Dubois immediately pressed the action. He didn't just dip his toe in the water; there was no feeling out process. He marched forward behind his jab and power punches.  

Dubois and his trainer Don Charles prepared a game plan that sought to exploit Joshua's potential weaknesses and minimize Dubois' own shortcomings. Joshua had often started fights cautiously; that could be taken advantage of. In addition, Dubois hadn't fared well when he had started with caution. Before aligning with Charles, Dubois had been dropped by Kevin Lerena in the first round, picked apart by Oleksandr Usyk early in their fight and struggled at mid-range with Joe Joyce's jab. Even in recent victories with Charles in the corner, he had been outhustled by Jarrell Miller in the early rounds and he had absorbed dozens of big right hands by Filip Hrgovic. 

Dubois (standing) knocking down Joshua
Photo courtesy of Mark Robinson (Matchroom)

Thus, Charles and Dubois selected a bold strategy on Saturday: they would go right at Anthony Joshua, despite AJ's considerable heavyweight power. They were determined for Dubois to make his own luck; there was no use waiting around for something bad to happen. And the gambit was immediately effective. By the end of the first round, Dubois had knocked down Joshua with a whipping right hand. Joshua was hurt badly and was never the same during the rest of the fight.  

Ultimately Dubois would stop Joshua in the fifth round, scoring four knockdowns in the fight, including a pulverizing left during a combination in the third round and a counter right hook in the fifth that ended the match.  

That Dubois won as a sizable underdog was shocking enough, but how he went about it – bludgeoning Joshua over five rounds, a comprehensive beating – was something more; it was startling and thrilling. Joshua had been beaten before, but no one had wiped the floor with him like this. Even the great Usyk couldn't get him on the canvas. Remember, in Joshua's prior knockout loss to Andy Ruiz, it was Joshua who had scored the first knockdown in the fight.  

And for whatever criticisms that one could levy on Joshua during the fight, it was Dubois who forced those shortcomings to manifest. If Dubois hadn't been determined to counter Joshua's jab with hard right hands, then Joshua may have gotten away with throwing a lazy jab early in the fight. If Dubois didn't insist on pushing the pace in the fight, then Joshua's ponderous movement may have been far less of a problem. 

Furthermore, by the end of the first, Joshua was already a diminished fighter. The hard right hand that had dropped him had caused serious damage. And his body started to give out by the third round after the right uppercut/left hand combination just before the knockdown.  

It's certainly possible that if Joshua was given time to establish his preferred work rate and distance that the fight could have worked out in his favor. But Dubois never allowed him to have any comfort in the fight. Even during Joshua's best moments in the fight, the hard right hands in the fifth round, it took only one more big shot for Dubois to end the match. That's how damaged Joshua was. He could not beat the count in the fifth; he had taken too much punishment.  

There are lots of other notable aspects about Dubois' performance: the crispness of his jab; his varied punch arsenal that included left hooks, right uppercuts, and straight and looping right hands; his ability to defend himself against Joshua's jab. But ultimately, what won him the fight for me was the boldness of his gameplan and his execution of it. Yes, he was much sharper defensively than in previous fights. Yes, his countering ability has improved tremendously under Charles (this was their fourth fight together). And all of that is fine and dandy. But it was the belief that was most important to me. This was a young fighter who had finally overcome his losses, who now had the confidence to perform at his highest level.  

Through Dubois' defeats and comeback fights, he had learned a lot about himself. He realized that he could take big punches. Against Miller and Hrgovic, he now grasped that he had the chin and the power to win firefights. And even more importantly, he now knew that he could reverse the tide in a fight. Even if he was losing or getting hit with big shots, that didn't mean the fight was forever lost.  

Whereas Dubois was unwilling to sell out for the win after hurting Usyk (low blow or not), against Joshua, Dubois would not be denied. This was his moment. He was going to step on the gas and not let the opportunity fall through his fingers. And even when Joshua had success in the fifth, Dubois was still thinking about offense, how to place that one final blow. He wasn't spooked by Joshua's big punches. Ultimately, he realized that they presented him with an opportunity, and he took it! 

Dubois after the victory
Photo courtesy of Mark Robinson (Matchroom)

The unlikely story of Dubois' rise in boxing is a reminder that fighters can make significant improvements after losses, even knockouts. Dubois made wholesale changes after his second defeat. He improved technically with his punching form and his defense. But most importantly, he had matured in the ring psychologically. He could now deal with duress. He wasn't afraid of a big shot. He had the confidence to overcome scary moments. He believed in his power and ability.  

Dubois ultimately emerged from those dark places as a better version of himself in the ring. But he had been willing to do the work. He had reflected on what had caused him to fall short and he let this evaluation process lead him to new paths in his career.  

The effect of these changes was evident on Saturday He would no longer be intimidated by who was across the ring from him. He would not allow his opponents too much respect. He would keep his poise. Finally...he belonged.

And in the see-saw of Anthony Joshua's career (and let's not dismiss the chance of another comeback from him), AJ was once again on Saturday at the bottom. It was one of those fights where it all went wrong for him. He never had a chance to establish a rhythm or work his way into the fight. His opponent had outthought and outfought him.  

Although Joshua had looked good in his recent fights with trainer Ben Davison, he had predictable patterns in his career when facing punchers. He didn't like to be pressed early in fights and he didn't want to be in firefights. He liked control. And he had not been ready to assert his control in round one against Dubois. He had expected Dubois to be more cautious, that they would both see their way into the fight. And his whole team was unprepared for what followed. 

I keep going back to the "making your own luck" concept. This was the key to the fight for me. By being assertive from the opening bell, Dubois never allowed Joshua to gain a foothold. But Dubois had laid the groundwork for his success years earlier. He assessed his problems objectively. He found solutions. As a result, he was able to ascend to a new level physically, technically, and emotionally in the ring. He had manifested these changes. Against Joshua, he was now ready for anyone in the heavyweight division. And he proved it.  

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook  

Can Jared Anderson Still Be Heavyweight Champ?

I was pleasantly surprised when it was announced that undefeated American heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson agreed to fight Martin Bakole on August 3rd. To my eyes, Bakole represented a significant step up in class, with solid victories over Sergey Kuzmin, Tony Yoka and Carlos Takam. He also was a real puncher (15 KOs in 21 fights).  

Anderson himself possessed heavy hands, with 15 stoppages in 17 fights. And he displayed several dimensions not often found with young heavyweights. He could punch from both stances and his commitment to the body was praiseworthy. 

But there were some red flags with Anderson along the way. He had already shown to be susceptible to getting hit with big shots, specifically from Jerry Forrest and Charles Martin. Perhaps more worrisome was that Anderson didn't respond particularly well after getting tagged. Against Forrest, Anderson got hit right after the opening bell by a big left hand. He then went on tilt, throwing well over 100 punches in the round, often leaving himself vulnerable for additional big shots. Against Martin, Anderson had a round late in the fight where he looked like a deer in the headlights after absorbing Martin's lead lefts. He didn't really know what to do.   

I viewed the Anderson-Bakole matchup as a true 50/50 battle, with Anderson having significant athleticism advantages but Bakole having a clearer ring identify and far more valuable experience. However, as we were reminded during the fight, bouts that look even on paper often don't play out that way in the ring. By the end of the first round, Bakole had floored Anderson with a pulverizing uppercut. In the fifth, Bakole dropped Anderson two more times, with a one-two combination, and then with another uppercut. The fight didn't make it to the sixth. 

Anderson did have some decent moments in the fight, especially through the early portions of the first round and in the third. However, there can be no doubt that he got sucked into Bakole's fight. For all of Anderson's athletic gifts, he rarely used them in the bout. Despite showing considerable boxing skills during his developmental fights, Anderson tried to beat Bakole in a battle of machismo. It's also clear that he didn't respect Bakole enough. He had the legs to make the bout far more tactical, but he wasn't interested in making that statement; instead, he made another. 

Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Although only 24, Anderson has had considerable hype throughout his professional career. Hard-punching, athletic American heavyweights no longer just grow on trees. His collection of skills deserved special attention. In addition, as one of Tyson Fury's chief sparring partners, Anderson had given Fury great work over the years with Fury often praising the young upstart, believing that he was destined for greatness.

But Anderson also exhibited concerning behavior out of the ring. He once admitted that he was looking forward to leaving the sport, an odd thing to say for a fighter far away from the top of the division. He had a recent arrest for leading police in a high-speed chase. He also had already played the coaching carousel a number of times, cycling through a handful of trainers and constantly making additions and deletions to his team. None of this is the type of fighter you want to necessarily bet the house on. 

Now it's time for Andreson to pick up the pieces of his career. If he rededicates himself to the sport there remains a clear pathway to reaching greatness in boxing. I did some digging, and there is precedent in overcoming this type of defeat in the heavyweight division. 

Believe it or not, in the last 50 years there have been at least 13 fighters who have gotten knocked out in the fifth round or earlier of a non-title bout who would later become a heavyweight champion. That number surprised me. So, here's the list, and I won't pretend it is fully complete. It also calls into consideration the WBO and when it should be regarded as a major belt. Nevertheless, the names are: 

Buster Douglas, Chris Byrd, Shannon Briggs, Bermane Stiverne, Mike Weaver, Bonecrusher Smith, Trevor Berbick, John Ruiz, Michael Bentt, Bruce Seldon, Corrie Sanders, Oleg Maskaev and David Haye. 

Well, that's a motley collection of fighters. Among them are those who had memorable runs in the sport (Haye and Byrd) and others who are little more than trivia (Seldon, Maskaev). But here is what I found most interesting about the list: 

Only one from the list became lineal heavyweight champion (Buster Douglas). What that means is that with a lone exception, if a heavyweight gets knocked out that early in a non-title fight, he's not going to become the best in the division. The fighters on this list were good enough to win titles but, excepting Douglas, they lacked a certain something to become the best. 

The early-round, early-fight knockout loss and the inability to become the best in the division is not coincidental. I think it's telling. Think about why a guy might get knocked out early in a fight: his defense isn't good enough, he doesn't have a good beard, he wasn't taking training seriously, he doesn't have poise in the ring after getting hit with a good shot. 

These early-round knockouts aren't necessarily the same as the ones that occur at the end of fights. These fights weren't wars of attrition or examples of fighters who didn't have the experience in ten- or twelve-round battles. The fighters that get lit-up early are walking red flags for the rest of their career. This doesn't mean a fighter can't become successful, not by any means, but history has shown that after this kind of loss, the ceiling for the future does drop. The expectations won't or shouldn't be quite the same. 

Photo courtesy of Top Rank

But these fighters regrouped, persevered and improved in the ring. They have shown that it can be done. However, now think about the thousands of heavyweights who have been knocked out in the fifth round or earlier in their development fights. Most we have never heard of. Most never made it anywhere near the top. These 13 are exceptions. This cohort does exist, but it represents an unlikely success story.

So, might Jared Anderson become the 14th member of this club? It's still possible. At 24, Anderson has youth on his side. And in particular, this current crop of top heavyweights does skew older. It's tough to imagine how many more big years that Usyk, Fury and Joshua have in the sport. And so many others within the top 15 of the division are on the other side of 30. Furthermore, there doesn't appear to be an incredible group of heavyweights on their way up, just a few interesting ones here and there. Anderson will certainly get opportunities for big fights even if he just bides his time and stays busy in the ring for the next few years. 

But the ultimate question is what does Anderson what? Is he truly committed to the sport? Does he realize that a higher level of focus is needed to reach the top of the division, both in and out of the ring? He still has the Top Rank contract. He will certainly get chances. But will he make the most of them? 

To become #14 Anderson is going to have to face up to some real truths. His chin isn't necessarily an asset. He needs to respect his opponents more. The win is far more important than getting style points. He also needs to find a voice in his corner that he listens to and respects. In addition, he has to settle on a more coherent approach to winning. Yes, he can do lots of things in the ring, but what should he be doing against a given opponent? What's the smartest approach to take? How can he maximize his chance of winning? 

The way back won't be easy for Anderson. He fights in a contemporary boxing environment that can be unforgiving for losses. But look at Joshua, look at Dubois. Their stories aren't exactly like Anderson's, but both rebounded from knockout losses to get world titles (Dubois was recently elevated). It can be done. But does Anderson really want to do it? Is boxing in his blood or a means to an end? Now we get to find out what Anderson is really made of, both in and out of the ring.

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook   

Opinions and Observations: Bohachuk-Ortiz

Junior middleweights Serhii Bohachuk and Vergil Ortiz Jr. engaged in a memorable battle on Saturday with Ortiz surviving two knockdowns to squeak by with a majority decision victory. The match was well-contested and featured cracking power shots throughout the 12 rounds. 

But the fight left me a little cold. I thought that both weren't at their best. And this wasn't because one was being neutralized by the other. I don't believe that either was at his sharpest. 

Let's go to the victor first. I think that Ortiz had Bohachuk seriously hurt at least four times in the fight, with the beginning of the 11th round as perhaps the most memorable occasion. Yet whenever Ortiz had Bohachuk hurt and diminished, he was unable to put the right shots together to end the fight, or even drop him to the canvas. Ortiz was so poor in these instances that he allowed Bohachuk opportunities to recover time and again.  

I believe that Bohachuk was there for the taking, yet Ortiz continued to make the same mistakes. He smothered himself, he loaded up on big shots that missed the mark, his footwork became clumsy which made it easy for Bohachuk to tie up, and he couldn't create better angles to land. Yes, Bohachuk deserves credit for knowing how to clinch and ducking under some shots; these were veteran moves, but a first-rate closer, as Ortiz was purported to be (he entered the fight with a 100% knockout ratio!), should be able to do better against a wounded fighter. 

Something snapped within Ortiz whenever he saw Bohachuk hurt. He abandoned his considerable boxing skills and replaced it with an overeager zeal. He saw red, but he lacked the composure and temperament to get the job done.  

Ortiz (right) on the front foot
Photo courtesy of Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy

And let's also examine the two knockdowns in the fight. The initial knockdown in the first round was kind of a nothing shot toward the back of the head where Ortiz dropped to the canvas for an instant and then picked himself up like nothing had happened. Referee Harvey Dock didn't call a knockdown and at no point did Bohachuk even protest the decision.  

Eventually, Dock's decision was overturned by "instant" replay (which took four rounds to reverse), and I'm still not convinced that the punch was in a legally scoring area. However, that shot in the first round and the left hook in the eighth round, which again dropped Ortiz for an instant, cannot be ignored. Ortiz had some real issues with footwork and balance in the fight. Of all the big punches that Bohachuk landed in the fight, the love taps were the ones that put Ortiz on the canvas. The shot in the eighth was a perfect counter hook where Ortiz's defense was nowhere to be found. Again, it wasn't a hard punch whatsoever, but the right shot can be all that's needed to swing a round to 10-8.  

I'm also not sure what Ortiz's plan was for the fight. At times he used his jab effectively, but it wasn't enough for trainer Robert Garcia, who continued to prod Ortiz to throw the shot more frequently. During portions of the fight, Ortiz was terrific with his power punches and did wonderfully in close range. At other points, he drifted to the outside where he got very little work done. There's certainly no problem with being able to fight at different ranges, but Ortiz looked lost at sea both offensively and defensively from the outside.  

Bohachuk lost the fight despite scoring two knockdowns and I believe that the scoring was correct (114-112 x 2 and 113-113). Like two of the judges did, I also had Bohachuk losing eight rounds in the fight. Yes, there were snapshots in each round where he landed excellent punches, but far too often his left hook was sailing over Ortiz's head, his jabs were too lazy, and his defense left a lot to be desired. He was getting outpunched by Ortiz throughout most of the fight.  

Bohachuk himself entered the fight with 23 knockouts in 25 fights and yet so much of his offensive arsenal looked crude or ragtag. Through large portions of the fight, he landed ineffectual arm punches. His accuracy was poor against an opponent who certainly can be hit.  

But the fight wasn't a dud...far from it. If the technical skills weren't up to the highest levels in the sport, the intangibles certainly were there for both. Bohachuk was getting pasted with shots from the beginning of the fight, but he refused to yield. And even more impressive, he kept hanging around and continued to find opportunities to connect on Ortiz. If Bohachuk was outgunned during the majority of the fight, he was certainly opportunistic. His self-belief was admirable. Bohachuk's heart and determination didn't let him down one bit.  

And Ortiz showed a lot in gutting out the win. Garcia told Ortiz that he needed to win the last three rounds of the fight, and he did just that. Despite being dropped twice and having portions of the bout where he lacked fluidity or a cohesive plan, he kept plugging along. He had an excellent 11th round and did enough to sway the judges by the end of the match. It sure wasn't pretty, but round by round his performance was enough to eke out the win.  

Bohachuk finding a home for his left hook
Photo courtesy of Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy

In the immediate aftermath of Bohachuk-Ortiz, there were many who called the bout the Fight of the Year, but to me, I have a problem bestowing that honor on a fight where I believe that both guys were a couple of steps down from their best. Bohachuk-Ortiz reminded me of Charlo-Castano 1, which was highly competitive, had portions of great action, yet gave me a similar feeling where both fighters left a lot of food on the table.   

Like Israil Madrimov the week before against Terence Crawford, Bohachuk just didn't close strong enough to have any claims of a robbery. He had several excellent moments, he competed, but when the fight was there for the taking, it was taken from him. Not by the judges, but by Ortiz.  

Ortiz has long been viewed as one of the best young talents in the sport, but it may be time to curb our expectations. In addition to having multiple fights fall out because of serious physical issues, Ortiz has also played the coaching carousel, going from Robert Garcia to Manny Robles to his father and now back to Garcia. There was certainly a sense that Ortiz either was doing freelancing in the ring in Saturday night or he couldn't fully internalize Garcia's instructions in the corner. Neither would be a great sign for his future. When boxing savants like Mayweather and Crawford freelance, they have the ring IQ, the multifaceted skills, and the experience to go off script with success. But with Ortiz, I often had no idea what his plan was at a given moment. He didn't seem like a guy who had a clarity of thought throughout significant portions of the fight.  

Despite my protestations of its quality, Bohachuk-Ortiz was excellent for boxing. It was the type of fight that defines careers. Bohachuk has proven that his knockout loss to Brandon Adams years ago is now far in the rearview mirror. There didn't seem to be any cobwebs or aftershocks when facing duress. He kept his composure and fought courageously. He kept swinging. He has cemented his status in the 154-lb. division as a serious factor. And Ortiz did find a way to win when a lot of things didn't go right for him. That displays high character as well. And if the fight did reveal certain flaws of his, he has time on his side should he want to improve. 

If there is a rematch, I'm hoping for a higher-quality version of Saturday's fight, even if it's not as competitive. I like to see fighters at their best. I want to believe that Ortiz has the pound-for-pound talent that so many predicted for him and I want to see if Bohachuk is really as offensively gifted as his promoter, Tom Loeffler, has trumpeted over the past half-dozen years. But those weren't my impressions from Saturday night.  

I commend Ortiz and Bohachuk for their effort in the fight. It was a spirited battle, a real prizefight. But I want both to head back to the gym and tighten things up. They fought for an interim-level title belt on Saturday and that felt about right. It was a couple of flawed fighters without their best fastballs trying to gut it out. There's always room for that in boxing, but these two can provide more.  

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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