Where else to begin but going back to the start of the month and those marination plans turning to ash when Anthony Joshua was stunned in his defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. The entire Heavyweight Division has been shaken to the foundations after that result and the rematch is now set to take place later in 2019 in what is likely going to be the biggest fight in the sport during this calendar year.
You couldn't help but be stunned by what we were watching with Joshua's fall from the top of the sport, although I think he is far from over. There have been flaws that most would have pointed out and those that were most likely going to be exposed by the likes of Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder, but you can't really sugarcoat the defeat to Ruiz Jr who was a massive underdog going into the fight.
Andy Ruiz Jr was working on short notice and not enough attention was paid to a solid amateur career as he 'shook up the world' with a pummelling of Joshua for four Rounds. Now he holds the keys to the kingdom, although Ruiz Jr will be the first to admit he needs to win the rematch to really get to taste the fruits of his labour.
Despite all the talk putting to bed the rumours around the Joshua build up, I remain convinced something wasn't quite right going into the fight. Even then I do think his style is one that Ruiz Jr will enjoy and I can't wait for the rematch, although if I was advising Joshua I may think about a rebuild first.
That is down to the flaws I have mentioned once already- he is not a very good mover, he doesn't use the jab half as well as he should and most fighters get a clean shot on the whiskers because of the lack of head movement. It was a major reason I fancied Wilder to beat him in a shoot out, although for now that fight looks dead in the water without a huge performance from AJ when he faces Ruiz Jr again.
June 1st was a shocker, whereas June 15th was a party as Tyson Fury announced himself to the American audience in his ESPN debut. From the off Fury looked much more comfortable than Joshua and he looks on course for the big rematch with Deontay Wilder that will likely take place in early 2020 regardless of what Eddie Hearn suggests.
Both Wilder and Fury should be back in action in consecutive weeks in late September/early October and I would expect them to formally announce their rematch for February/March 2020 later in the year.
We always get to read about some nonsense in Boxing and the latest is a couple of statements made by the WBC- I've always liked the green belt more than the others out there, but the creation of a 'Pearl' Belt for the joke of a fight Amir Khan was about to be involved in baffled me. Somehow the WBC managed an even crazier decision when they made Canelo Alvarez their 'Franchise' Champion.
Some have compared this situation to the WBA Super and Regular Championships, but apparently the 'Franchise' Champion cannot drop that status even if he loses a bout. In a sport where we already have a tedious amount of titles, this is a ridiculous decision and one designed to keep Canelo on board rather than forcing mandatories on him as their Champion.
The WBC and Canelo had a major falling out before the first bout with Gennady Golovkin was ever signed and it seems clear the former don't want to lose their sanctioning fees behind the biggest star in the sport by basically making him untouchable. Jermall Charlo has been upgraded to World Champion by the WBC after this ruling, but the American is even less impressed than the fans as his chances of forcing Canelo into the ring diminished.
Jermall Charlo is in action this weekend and perhaps his target going forward will be the winner of the Demetrius Andrade and Maciej Sulecki bout which is for the WBO Middleweight Championship. That might be the next Unification we get in this Division which has been muddied by the WBC's ruling on Canelo, while it isn't an easy fight to make with the two fights being on different networks.
Joseph Parker is also back this weekend and has become more relevant in the last month as the only person to hold a professional win over Andy Ruiz Jr.
Erikson Lubin continues his rebuild towards another Title shot, while Richard Commey is back this weekend too as he looks to secure a future fight with Vasyl Lomachenko.
Talking about Lomachenko, I really hope his next fight is secured for a London venue as has been rumoured. The opportunity to see a pound for pound world star is going to be too much to pass up, especially in a year where the cards in the UK have been disappointing to say the least.
It has been a few weeks since the last Boxing Picks were made with those coming from Madison Square Garden. That wasn't a great evening for the Picks, but Callum Smith's blow out win helped limit the loss and the season remains in a profitable position at the halfway mark.
As I have been saying for a while though, I am looking for better successes than the first six months have provided. It was a very difficult start which has been turned around so I have to be pleased about that, but finishing June with a winning record is the target before we head into a good looking July.
Richard Commey vs Raymundo Beltran
If it wasn't for an injury sustained in his win over Isa Chaniev, IBF Lightweight World Champion Richard Commey would have already been scheduled to face Vasyl Lomachenko in a Unification bout in that Division. Instead Lomachenko stopped Anthony Crolla to fulfil a mandatory and is in line to take on Luke Campbell with an opportunity to add the WBC belt to his growing collection.
The Lomachenko fight is still there for Commey, but the Champion is going to have to tread a tough path to get to it with the IBF setting up a tournament to determine his mandatory to fulfil. Teofimo Lopez is fighting in an eliminator next month so the path is a difficult one for Commey who is yet to truly show what he has to offer.
He could have taken an easier fight than Raymundo Beltran who was the WBO Lightweight Champion last year. Like Commey, fate prevented Beltran from getting in the ring with Lomachenko having surprisingly dropped his Title to Jose Pedraza and the 38 year old will know he is drinking in the last chance saloon in this fight.
No matter what happens, Raymundo Beltran will not be a World Champion on Saturday morning as he missed weight. The fight should still go ahead, but there have to be questions about Beltran who has shown plenty of toughness and skill throughout his career.
Freddie Roach is going to be looking for Beltran to use what many perceive to be the superior boxing skills to try and get the edge over Richard Commey. The heavier hands seem to be in favour of Commey, but the Ghanaian can be susceptible to the counter shots and that is where Beltran has to make him pay.
I certainly think he can through the first half of the fight, but there is plenty of wear and tear on the Beltran body. Raymundo Beltran has been down in two of his last five fights which has to be a concern when facing a puncher like Commey and I do think we will see the Mexican slow down enough in the second half of the fight to give his opponent the chance to put the leather down on him.
My feeling is that is when the tough career Beltran has had will come back to bite him as a heavier hitting, younger Champion is just allowed to tee off. The referee is unlikely to want to see too much of that and I would not be surprised to see Commey come through with a second half stoppage in what should be a very good looking fight to watch for however long it goes.
Joseph Parker vs Alex Leapai
Two defeats to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in 2018 has just curtailed the progress Joseph Parker has made in the Heavyweight Division. He lost his WBO Title and Parker looked to be in a tier below the best Heavyweights and scrambling to move back into a position of contention.
Even the blow out of Alexander Flores in a homecoming bout at the end of 2018 wasn't going to really get people sitting up and taking notice, but the last six weeks could not have gone better for a Boxer that has not entered the ring in that time.
First off Joseph Parker struck a deal with Matchroom on May 31st which means he is on a good platform and with the chance for some big dust ups with British fighters going forward. He will also be given exposure on DAZN in the United States and at 27 years old Parker can definitely come again.
June 1st was even bigger for Parker as a day after signing his deal, Andy Ruiz Jr beat Anthony Joshua to pick up three World Titles. Of course that has raised Parker's stock as the only fighter to hold a professional win over the new Champion and now the New Zealander can't ask for a much better position to be in with two losses over the last fourteen months behind him.
He can't afford the same type of slip as Joshua when being presented to the American audience this week as he takes on Alex Leapai in something of a local rivalry. The Australian has only had One Round in eighteen months and has struggled when stepping up having been stopped by Wladimir Klitschko and beaten on points by Malik Scott and Manuel Charr.
Alex Leapai will likely give it a go though and that is what should make the fight a fan friendly one for those tuning in. Joseph Parker should want to go out and make a statement of his own by stopping Leapai quicker than Klitschko did when he took Five Rounds to beat an opponent who had already been stopped by Kevin Johnson by the time that World Title fight came around.
I do think we could see some leather fly, but Parker should be the sturdier of the two at this time of their careers. Joseph Parker has had plenty more ring time than Leapai in the last eighteen months and against high level opponents for the most part and I think the New Zealander comes out to do a top job.
Backing Parker to win this fight in the first half of the scheduled Twelve Rounds is the selection. I can't help feel Alex Leapai is looking at this as a nice payday after a long layoff and I am not sure a 39 year old will have a lot of resistance to what is thrown his way in this one.
He won't want to lay down at the first sign of trouble, but Leapai should have issues getting into the second half of the fight as Parker puts a strong finish on to announce his return to the Division. Expect to hear a lot about Parker's win over Ruiz Jr throughout the time he is out there and I am expecting Parker to do a clinical job to highlight the improvements he has been talking about and improve on the speed of the Klitschko finish over Leapai.
Demetrius Andrade vs Maciej Sulecki
When Canelo Alvarez declared he wanted to win all four belts in the Middleweight Division, Demetrius Andrade's ears must have lit up. Before the nonsense of a ruling made by the WBC to make Canelo their 'Franchise Champion', the only belt he didn't hold in the Middleweight Division was the one that Andrade has been parading around, but that potential fight looks like it has taken a step back after the going ons of the last week.
This is most definitely not the time for Demetrius Andrade to allow disappointing to seep into his performances as he defends his World Title on Saturday. There does seem to be some needle between him and Maciej Sulecki which should add to the motivation of the Champion who can sometimes be criticised of coasting through fights he is winning rather than putting the hammer down and taking opponents out.
Knock Outs and Stoppages are what really gets the fans wanting to see more rather than someone doing enough to win fights easily without wanting to entertain. Many have suggested that to Andrade in the past, but it has not always been the case for Boo Boo himself although I do think fighting in Providence should also add to his motivation to make a statement.
Maciej Sulecki pushed Danny Jacobs to a Decision loss in April 2018 and that remains the only negative on his ledger. The win over Gabriel Rosado in March has presented the Pole with this opportunity, but I would be concerned that Rosado managed to put him down twice in the Ninth Round and Jacobs put him down in the Twelfth Round in those two bouts I have mentioned.
I am not sure what kind of power Andrade holds as he does hurt opponents when putting his shots together, but the 'killer instinct' can be lacking. In this one I expect Andrade to outbox Sulecki and build a big lead on the cards before trying to take him out in the Championship Rounds as his home supporters urge him to do so.
Sulecki has perhaps shown there is a potential weakness in him as the fight reaches those Championship Rounds and this is something Andrade should be looking to pounce on. The Champion did stop an overmatched Artur Akavov in the Twelfth Round in his last fight and Andrade's last two stoppages have come in that Round.
While the most sensible play is expecting Andrade to win this by a wide margin on the scorecards, I think he will be feeling pretty comfortable by the Seventh or Eighth Round. At that time being at home and wanting to make a statement to offer his services to a potential bout with Canelo should see Andrade want to push on and really put it on Sulecki to the point where the ref potentially steps in and calls a halt to this contest.
If Andrade pushes on I do think he can put Sulecki down in the Championship Rounds and I would expect him to want to put his shots together at that point to end the contest without the need for judges. It is certainly worth a small interest on Saturday night.
Jermall Charlo vs Brandon Adams
It has been a strange week for Jermall Charlo having been upgraded to a full WBC Middleweight Champion in the lead up to this bout. Obviously becoming a World Champion in two weights is a huge achievement, but any hope Charlo had in luring Canelo Alvarez into the ring looks to be gone with the decision made by the WBC.
Earning big fights in the Division is going to be difficult when you think the remaining belts are in control of another network and I am not sure what Charlo is going to do going forward with that in mind.
You could forgive him for lacking some motivation heading into what is looking like a mismatch on paper. Brandon Adams has a loss to Willie Monroe Jr on his record, but Jermall Charlo represents another step up from that level and winning The Contender is not enough to really believe in him.
The Champion looks much bigger when they have stood next to each other and he will be looking to match twin brother Jermell who secured a highlight reel KO last weekend. Fighting at home should inspire Charlo and I think he is going to be too big and too strong for Adams, while also erasing the memory of his last struggling performance against Matvey Korobov with a strong performance to underline his new status as WBC Champion.
I have a feeling Charlo is going to come out and look to cut off the ring immediately and draw Adams into a scrap in which Charlo's power should be the telling difference. His brother won his fight with a Third Round KO last week, I think Jermall Charlo will be able to secure his victory within the first Four Rounds too before calling out some of the bigger names in the Division.
MY PICKS: Richard Commey to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.80 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Joseph Parker to Win Between 1-4 @ 2.87 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Demetrius Andrade to Win Between 7-12 @ 7.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Jermall Charlo to Win Between 1-4 @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Jermall Charlo to Win Between 1-4 @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Boxing 2019: 14-24, + 6.48 Units (61 Units Staked, + 10.62% Yield)
Boxing 2018: + 5.14 Units (159 Units Staked, + 3.23% Yield)
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