Preview of the Three Boxing Halloween Main Events

Today there are several great boxing main events. I will write about three of them, with one fight in England, while the other two are in the United States. 

Heavyweight: Oleksander Usyk vs Dereck Chisora

Main Card Start Time: 1:30 PM (Eastern)

Titles on the Line:

WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Title

This fight takes place at Wembley Arena in London, England this afternoon. The main card starts at 1:30 PM eastern time. In the main event, Oleksander Usyk takes on Dereck Chisora at Heavyweight. Oleksandr Usyk, like many great professional boxers, got his start in the Olympics. Usyk won the heavyweight gold medal at the 2012 games. Since then, Usyk has gone 17-0 in pro boxing, including 13 wins by KO/TKO. Usyk is the former cruiserweight champion, holding all four major titles, being the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF titles. He is the first cruiserweight boxer to hold all four major boxing titles. Usyk ultimately vacated those titles in order to move up and focus on fighting at heavyweight. Usyk regularly trains with former heavyweight champion, and fellow Ukrainian, Wladimir Klitschko. Usyk was expected to make his pro heavyweight debut in October last year, against Tyrone Spong. Spong is a long time Combat Sports athlete with well over 150 fights, including MMA, Boxing, and kickboxing tournament championships. Spong unfortunately tested positive for a banned substance and that fight was cancelled just days before the fight. Usyk ended up making his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon, winning the fight by retirement in the seventh round. This fight tonight between Usyk and Chisora is for the WBO 

intercontinental heavyweight title. It is expected that if Usyk wins, he will challenge Anthony Joshua for the WBO world heavyweight title. 

On the other side of this fight is Derek Chisora. When Usyk was winning the Olympics in 2012, Chisora was fighting against the brother of one of Usyk’s training partners, Vitali Klitschko, for the WBC heavyweight title. Chisora is 32-9, with 23 wins coming by KO/TKO. In his last fight, he won the vacant WBO intercontinental heavyweight title against David Price. Making this fight against Usyk the first defense of that title. Chisora has fought some big names at heavyweight, including the previously mentioned Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, and Tyson Fury twice. 

This fight tonight between Usyk and Chisora will be a great boxing fight to see who moves up in the heavyweight rankings to likely be in the world championship talks for next year. 

Super Featherweight: Gervonta Davis vs Leo Santa Cruz

Main Card Start Time: 9 PM (Eastern)

Titles on the Line:

WBA Regular Lightweight Title

WBA Super Super-Featherweight Title

     Gervonta Davis vs Leo Santa Cruz: 

Later tonight in San Antonio, Texas, is a boxing fight at super featherweight, which is 130 pounds. Davis is defending his WBA Regular Lightweight Title, while Santa Cruz is defending his WBA super super-featherweight title. 

Gervonta Davis is undefeated at 23-0 with 22 wins by way of stoppage. He is the current WBA Regular Lightweight champion, as well as the former WBA Super Featherweight champion, which is a title his opponent currently holds. He also is the former IBF Super Featherweight champion. His last fight was a twelfth round TKO win over well known name, Yuriorkis Gamboa. 

On the other side of this main event, is Leo Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is 37-1-1, with his one defeat coming to Carl Frampton, by majority decision. Santa Cruz won the rematch in their next fight. Santa Cruz is a great lower weight boxer, having won world championships in four weight classes, from bantamweight all the way up to now super featherweight. His 37 wins include 19 wins by KO/TKO. 

This is exciting championship fight in the lower weight classes of boxing. I expect fast paced furious action in this one. 

Bantamweight: Naoya Inoue vs Jason Moloney: 

Main Card Start Time: 10 PM (Eastern).

Titles on the Line:

WBA, IBF, and the Ring Bantamweight Titles

In the final big boxing main event of this weekend, Naoya Inoue makes just his second appearance in the United States as he takes on Jason Moloney at the MGM Grand. Inoue will be defending his WBA, IBF, and the Ring Bantamweight titles in this fight. 

Naoya Inoue is 19-0 and known for his incredible punching power, especially considering he fights at Bantamweight, which in boxing is 118 pounds. 16 of Inoue’s 19 wins have come by KO/TKO. Inoue previously held other boxing championships, including the WBO junior-bantamweight title, and the WBC light-flyweight title. With Inoue’s power, and the speed that I’m sure he has at bantamweight, I am very excited to watch him fight tonight. 

On the other side of this main event, is the challenger, Australia’s Jason Moloney. Moloney is 21-1, with 18 of his wins coming by KO/TKO. Moloney won and defending regional boxing titles. He fought once for the IBF bantamweight title, which is his one loss, coming by way of split decision against Emmanuel Rodriguez. Rodriguez lost that title in his next fight which happened to be against Moloney’s opponent tonight, Naoya Inoue. Since that title fight loss for Moloney, he has won four straight with all coming by way of stoppage. If Moloney can win tonight, I would not be surprised to see a rematch between him and Rodriguez sometime next year. 

This fight tonight is a big fight between two small guys with huge punching power. With a combined 34 stoppages in 40 fights, I do not expect this to go the distance. Add in the speed of the 118 pound bantamweight fighters, and this is a must watch exciting boxing match up. 

Which boxing fight tonight are you most interested in? Comment and share with your thoughts on what fights you are excited for!