Chris Carlson

Chris Carlson has been covering boxing for over 20 years, joining Boxing247.com (formerly East Side Boxing) in 2011. He is the Host and Producer of The Rope A Dope Radio Podcast, streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.

Matthysse vs. Garcia: The Definition of a 50-50 fight

DSC_4986This Saturday live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena hardcore boxing fans will finally get a chance to have their cake and eat it too. The co-feature matchup between Lucas “The Machine” Mathysse and Danny “Swift” Garcia is the best PPV undercard fight in recent history.

We already know style’s make fights. Neither combatants style is pretty but rest assure this potential bloodbath will have plenty of substance.

Credit is well deserved to everyone responsible for making this 50-50 fight a reality. The stakes are very high at the 140 pound weight class and beyond. The winner in all probability will be “The One” who gets a fight with Floyd Mayweather in either May or September of 2014.

Every since this fight has been made and even months before there has been a tide of support for “The Machine” from Argentina.

Arreola vs. Mitchell: Will the pre-fight emotions spill into Saturday’s fight?

Arreola and MitchellYou can call Cristobal Arreola a lot of names. The fact is no matter what version shows up he always brings a sturdy chin to the table, something Arreola will try to expose in his opponent Seth Mitchell. Come Saturday night one man will stay on major premium television. The other will be reduced to gatekeeper of an already weak division especially domestically.

When breaking down a Chris Arreola fight the first thing that comes to mind is weight.

On his way up as a prospect who graduated to contender Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola was an all action brawler that threw fluid accurate punches with power to boot.

Semajay Thomas making his pro debut tomorrow

Semajay Thomas, who was a standout out amateur, makes his pro debut this Friday, August 30 at the Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois. The “Night of the Rising Stars” card is promoted by Hitz Boxing Promotions. The biggest star of the night will no doubt be the much anticipated and delayed professional debut of Semajay “The Truth” Thomas, who has already faced more adversity than the average person sees in a lifetime.

Golden Boy/Showtime Doublerheader: One step closer to Abner Mares – Leo Santa Cruz

Abner Mares and Jhonny GonzalezThe newly renamed StubHub Center has been the mecca of boxing in southern California and this Showtime Doubleheader will only add to the recent string of action fights. From a matchmaking standpoint this card will produce fireworks to entertain the viewers at home. It also features top prospect talent for the paying customer live at the event. Will it be just a showcase to further drum up attention for the Mares vs. Santa Cruz fight, or will there be some unforeseen drama that happens when fans, promoters, and fighters have one eye on the future without fully focusing on the present?

Abner Mares faces a hardened vet in Jhonny Gonzalez, an awkward counterpuncher with plenty of power having scored 46 knockouts in his 54 wins.

Leo Santa Cruz challenges Victor Terrazas for the 1st defense of the belt won in his last fight with Cristian Mijares. If successful it will have been Leo’s second world title in as many weight classes.

Cleverly vs. Kovalev: Is Nathan clever enough to deal with the pressure?

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This Saturday on HBO Nathan Cleverly and Sergey Kovalev will get their biggest test to date when they collide in the ring live from Cardiff, Wales. The stage is set, both men unbeaten and fell ready to take the next step up the ladder at the light heavyweight division.

Can Cleverly step up to the challenge of facing a dangerous fighter who will thrown combination punches and with major power in both hands? Will Kovalev be able to handle the pressure of being under the bright lights of HBO, in the Welshman’s backyard, and if the fight makes it to the championship rounds will stamina play a role having only had 57 rounds in 22 fights?

The winner almost certainly will get future HBO options, a pay increase, and will be one step closer to taking on the king of the division.

Has HBO’s The Fight Game with Jim Lampley been more hype than fight?

May 12, 2012 was the day HBO Sports debut The Fight Game with Jim Lampley. Many fans, including myself were excited for boxing to have a show with detail that would help exploit issues, and could also keep mainstream fans informed on the world of boxing, a sport that can confuse even the most hardcore follower. Has the fight game live up to its potential or was it just words made to sound good in a press release?

Let’s start with the HBO press release that made the show seem like the perfect medicine for a sport that is in bad health on many levels.

Tony Grygelko & Seconds Out Promotions bringing boxing back in Minnesota market

Excluding Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao the only thing you hear from the mainstream sports media is that boxing is dead. The boxing media tends to focus its coverage on the west coast where the best sparring along with some of the biggest names and events taking place in Nevada and California. The east coast has made a bit of a comeback and Texas has a very strong fan base but you rarely hear or see a major event or much news coming from the Midwest. That’s something Tony Grygelko, who is the President/C.E.O. of the premier upper midwest boxing promotional company Seconds Out Promotions aims to change.

Light Heavyweight Reloaded: Who will rule the division when the dust settles?

stevenson22The light heavyweight division has been very active over the last few years. Fighters, networks, and promoters found away to give boxing fans something they rarely get in the sports current state…clarity. With all 3 forces working together all hell broke loose with unforeseen upsets, draws, rematches, and the triangle theory once again got debunked. We got entertaining scraps that warranted rematch fights with Chad Dawson vs. Glenn Johnson and Bernard Hopkins vs. Jean Pascal.

Jean Pascal may have drew and loss to BHop but was able to upset Chad Dawson, Dawson then rebounded from his first loss to beat the legend of longevity Hopkins only to get upset with a stunning 1st round one punch KO by Adonis Stevenson, in the most recent 175 division matchup.