Editor’s Note: This new feature – Weekend Review – replaces the discontinued Good, Bad, Worse. The premise is the same: A look back at last week’s boxing.
BIGGEST WINNER
Regis . Program – Prograis has been a little forgotten since he lost his junior welterweight belt to Josh Taylor in October 2019 because he only fought once a year after that and has never been on a stage great. On Saturday he reminded us what we missed. The 33-year-old from New Orleans put on a dazzling display in Carson, California, beating Jose Zepeda in 11 rounds to become the two-time 140-pound champion. Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs) put on a boxing clinic, making a stellar Zepeda boxer look like a loser for most of the bout. According to CompuBox, the loser landed just over six punches per round. And then Prograis did the job brilliantly, scoring a brutal knockdown in the 59th second in Round 11. He has no doubt that he’s a threat to anyone in the 140-pound class – including his conqueror, Josh Taylor — and finally be able to compete with the elite 147-pound athletes. It was a special night for him.
THE BIGGEST FAILERS
Jose Zepeda – Zepeda (35-3, 27 KOs) had a bad night. He’s had two previous losses in his career but has never been as dominated by Prograis, who seemed to have exposed Zepeda’s limitations in the third failed attempt to win the world title. later great world. The 33-year-old from the Los Angeles area never gave himself a chance to win. He should have been annoyed with Prograis after it became clear he couldn’t fight a super boxer but didn’t, although I would say it’s easy because I didn’t take all the punch. to another punch from one of the best boxers in the world. business. Bottom line: Zepeda was in his head. Does he still have a realistic chance of winning a belt? That will depend on the opponent. I don’t see him beating someone at Prograis or Taylor level. And, of course, how many more chances will he get?
THE LUCKIEST
Dillian Whyte — The longtime heavyweight delivered a majority decision against the relatively unknown Jermaine Franklin (21-1, 1 KO) on Saturday in London, a fight some believe Franklin did enough to win. If Whyte loses, he will fall in close quarters (he was stopped by Tyson Fury in his previous outing) and be 2-3 in the last five games. The 35-year-old Londoner will have a hard time recovering after that. That’s right, Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs) raised his hand. And now he appears to be on track to take on Anthony Joshua in a rematch next year. If he can find a way to win that fight, everyone will forget his cold streak and he’ll be back in the legal title fray.
BEST PROSPECTS
Bakhodir Jalolov – The 6-foot-7 Uzbek seemed to have all the ingredients needed to become a heavyweight champion, which was again evident when he knocked out Curtis Harper in the fourth round on the Prograis-Zepeda card. . The 2020 Olympic gold medalist has an extensive amateur background, which gives him an excellent base. He can box. And 12 kills in multiple pro matches support the notion that he can crack. One question mark is his chin. We’ll see what happens when he’s caught by another big puncher. As it stands, Brooklyn-based Jalolov is on the short list of rising big boys who could one day soon dominate the division. Among others: Joe Joyce, Jared Anderson and Frank Sanchez. Keep stable.
BIGGEST DISCOUNT
John Ryder vs Zach Parker – England’s super-middleweight rivals were engaged in an intriguing fight when, after four rounds, previously undefeated Parker (22-1, 16 KOs) dropped out due to an injured (broken) right hand. ?) on Saturday in London. Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) was confused at first but then celebrated, which makes sense: He’s now the mandatory challenger to Canelo Alvarez’s WBO title. For Parker, there is nothing to celebrate. He has his own dream of challenging Alvarez but will now have to rest to recuperate and then begin the rebuilding process. And some observers certainly wondered if Parker should try to move on, which is harsh judgment because we don’t know the extent of the injury. However, the unfortunate ending contributed to a disappointing night for a great boxer.
BEST PERFORMANCE
Yokasta . Valley – The defending strawweight champion from Costa Rica stepped up in the weight division to challenge the defending junior flyweight champion Evelin Bermudez on the Prograis-Zepeda card, putting her at a physical disadvantage. That doesn’t stop her. She used a combination of ability, agility, and sheer courage to overtake her Argentinian opponent and win the majority decision, becoming the three-weight and athletics champion. It is clear that she is one of the best female weightlifters. Valle (27-2, 9 KOs) is a former atomic weight champion. The proud Bermudez (17-1-1, 6 KOs) has nothing to be ashamed of. She put in a lot of effort. And she’s only 26. She’ll be back.
BEST FAMILY.
The Vargases – Former middleweight boxer Fernando Vargas has produced a promising generation of boxers. His three sons – Fernando Jr., Emiliano and Amado – had a combined record of 14-0 (11 KOs) in their youth careers after Junior and Amado won the match on the Prograis-Zepeda card. Of course, it’s still early. Second generation Vargases, trained by their famous father, are just getting started. However, having been with boxing all their lives, they have a good feeling about the sport and inherited their father’s fighting spirit. I wouldn’t be surprised if one or more of them were successful in the long run.
