If you’re a boxing fan, you won’t get a dull weekend! It remains pretty much the same for the last weekend as well, with boxing fans witnessing some wins, losses, and controversies. So, RDX Sports is here with a boxing news round-up for the 1st week of December 2022.
1. Manny Pacquiao’s Still Got It! Flaunts His Prowess against South Korean Martial Artist DK Yoo in an Exhibition Bout
Soon to be 44 years old, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao came out of retirement, participating in an exhibition fight against a famous South Korean YouTuber near Seoul on Sunday, 11th December 2022. He still remains enigmatic about the prospect of a real return to the ring.
Pacquiao, the only boxer to have been world champion in eight different weight categories, ended his long career (26 years) last year before embarking in vain on the race for the presidency of his country.
In October, he announced his return to the ring for a friendly fight against South Korean DK Yoo, a martial arts specialist nicknamed the “Korean Bruce Lee” who also has hundreds of thousands of subscribers on his YouTube channel.
As everyone anticipated, @MannyPacquiao dominated @dkyoowcs in a 6-round exhibition in South Korea #PacquiaoYoo @pnagovph
— Ivan Saldajeno (@IvanSaldajeno) December 11, 2022
Pacquiao ended up with plenty of big shots in the six-round fight and dropped Yoo several times. But the eight-division world champion was unable to finish his opponent off. While Pacquiao proved too much for the martial artist, the latter also proved his mettle to withstand six one-sided rounds of bashing.
However, Pacquiao seems to have no intention of staying retired after recently expressing his desire to challenge undefeated lightweight champions, Terence Crawford and Errol Spence.
He also hinted at a possible return next year during his post-match interview in the ring after dominating Yoo.
🇵🇭 @MannyPacquiao defeats @dkyoowcs by unanimous decision in South Korea 🇰🇷 #PacquiaoYoo pic.twitter.com/Jqp7yJwnfr
— Triller Fight Club (@trillerfight) December 11, 2022
When asked about continuing boxing in 2023, he replied,
“You’ll see.”
He hinted before the bout that he might not be done fighting, calling Sunday’s bout
“a very good stepping stone to come back.”
Pacquiao is already set to be a part of another exhibition bout in January 2023 against former training partner Jaber Zayani in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2. Terence Crawford Defeats David Avanesyan to Remain the WBO Welterweight Champion
Terence Crawford is still the WBO Welterweight Champion. Crawford (39-0-0, 30 K.Os) KOed David Avanesyan in the 6th round on Saturday night to retain his belt.
Crawford thus remains undefeated in 39 professional fights and successfully defends his title for the sixth consecutive time. This victory opens the door to a unification fight against Errol Spence Jr. in 2023 for Crawford.
Crawford stepped in the ring for the first time in almost 13 months and showed good control of the fight.
In front of his supporters, Crawford put on the right combinations and finished the job in the 6th round with a powerful right. That allowed him to record a knockout for the 10th fight in a row. Avanesyan collapsed on the ground and suffered his first loss in his last seven fights.
Bud Crawford gets the KO in the 6th pic.twitter.com/hXF3VCJFfT
— Boxing SB (@BoxingSB22) December 11, 2022
Crawford-Spence Saga on Hold
After being WBO lightweight champion, Terence Crawford held the WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO super-lightweight belts. He was in his first fight in over a year, having topped Shawn Porter in November 2021. Crawford is now waiting to face compatriot Errol Spence Jr., the WBA-WBC-IBF welterweight champion.
The latter, undefeated in 28 fights (including 22 by knockout), published a video on Saturday that indicates he was involved in a car accident. Fortunately, there are no severe injuries inflicted on him. He was caught in a collision caused by a 14-year-old driver who ran a red light after taking his parents’ car without permission.
3. Teofimo Lopez Beats Spaniard Sandor Martin via Split Decision in a Close Fight
In a close fight, the boxer Teófimo López defeated the Spanish Sandor Martín by a split decision of the judges this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.
This was the second fight for the boxer of Honduran descent in the super lightweight category.
López had shown some great initiative at the beginning of the fight, looking for a knockout blow against the Spaniard. In doing so, he demonstrated his motto of always putting on a show.
However, he suffered a setback in the second round after being knocked down on the canvas, deducting points and losing that round.
.@SandorMartin with the HUGE knockdown in R2 👀 pic.twitter.com/11urkis4n1
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) December 11, 2022
For the following rounds, López was better, managing to connect with the Spaniard a couple of times. However, he began to spend a lot of energy, having several failed attempts.
Sandro Martín, being more conservative and strategic, managed to take a few rounds after dodging López’s attempts and damaging part of his left eyebrow with his blows.
The Spaniard’s nose bled throughout the fight due to a headbutt he received from his opponent in the first round.
López looked tired in the last rounds, although for the tenth, he went all out against Martín in search of finishing him with a knockout or sending him to the canvas. But, he could not do it, unfortunately.
In the end, López won by a split decision, the score of the last one being questioned, which awarded 97-91 in favor of the New York boxer.
Yoooo!!!!!! Teo asks if he still has it!!!! OMG 🔊🔊
🎥credit espn pic.twitter.com/tmPqTIz8Ao
— BOXING n BBQ (@BOXINGnBBQ) December 11, 2022
After the fight, López looked crestfallen, doubting if he could win the fight, in which two of the judges decided 96-93 and 97-92 in his favor. But a third marked 95-94 in favor of Sandor Martin, lending Lopez the victory engulfed in a lot of criticism and controversy.
4. Luis Alberto Lopez Steals the IBF Belt from Josh Warrington
Luis Alberto Lopez captured the IBF featherweight title from Josh Warrington by winning by majority decision on Saturday in England.
Two judges gave cards of 115-113 in favor of the mandatory challenger, while another tied it at 114-114.
😮 The Leeds Warrior is stunned in his hometown by another Mexican!
🇲🇽 Luis Alberto Lopez beats Josh Warrington to become the new IBF featherweight champion of the world. pic.twitter.com/BvEafTs8ub
— Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) December 10, 2022
The action was intense from the start. Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs) was very aggressive, and Warrington (31-2-1, 8 KOs) started bleeding from the nose after an uppercut.
Lopez continued that momentum in the second bout but suffered a cut above the left eye after a head-to-head clash.
After a split third round, Lopez continued to put the pressure on in the following, with big body and head shots in the eighth.
Warrington took the lead with good combinations in the ninth round and made his opponent run a lot.
The 10th was hotly contested, but Lopez threw the most powerful shots. From the 11th, Warrington wore down the contender and finished strong. However, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Lopez showcased his best work in the first eight rounds of the match. And despite Warrington finishing strongly, the Mexican outmatched him by scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-113 at First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.
“This is my moment; it comes from hard work over a long boxing career,”
said Lopez, who won the belt in his first world title fight.
And this is how Warrington responded to losing the bout:
“I started off slow, but after four or five rounds, I did some good work inside,”
Warrington said.
“For the last three rounds, body shots were ripping into him, and all he wanted to do was hold. I’m devastated to lose my title like that. I still think I can have a big fight with one of the champions.”
Moreover, Lopez accused Warrington of foul play, highlighting poor refereeing.
“To be honest, I had to respect him coming into his city in front of his people. I knew he was a dirty fighter, but he surprised me even more. He was hitting me to the legs, in the gut and the referee, I didn’t feel, did his work.”
5. Legendary Boxing Referee Mills Lane is No More – Dies at 85
Mills Lane, the legendary referee in the professional world, died Tuesday at the age of 85. Lane was known for refereeing a bonkers match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Yes, you got it right, the one in which “Iron Mike” ripped a piece of Holyfield’s ear off in 1997.
Mills Lane began his career in boxing as a fighter, obtaining ten victories and a defeat in his pro streak. He then became a referee, starting at his first World Championship in 1971 and ending his career in 1998.
Prior to donning the gloves, Lane had been in the Marines, and that helped him gain respect in the ring from the boxers. Known for his phrase before starting the game, “Let’s get it on”, Mills Lane had a rigorous attitude as a referee.
He was also known for refereeing Tyson’s 89-second match against Peter McNeeley in 1995, in which the latter was disqualified for his manager’s appearance in the ring.
Mills Lane was also a district attorney and a judge in the State of Nevada. He also played in a reality TV series called “Judge Mills Lane”, which lasted four seasons until 2001.
That does it for our weekly boxing news round this time around. You’ll surely get more of it the next week, and the next, and the next, and …………!
