Who Won The Weekend? Boo Boo Gets Love, But We Can’t Diss Brant

Another boxing weekend passed, another embarrassment of riches to soak up in this new age of wealth of content.

The laptop industry should get a mini bump from boxing journos buying an extra unit so they can juggle, as they had to on Saturday evening, when two cards were running on DAZN while portions of another were streaming on ESPN+. But, as always, whatever the method of delivery, we will find ourselves chattering more on Sunday and Monday about some of the athletes, and others less so. To help achieve some clarity of thought, we offer Who Won the Weekend to sift winners from losers, fast risers from those stalling out…

Have at it NYFights talent…Who Won the Weekend in your eyes?

“Rob Brant won the weekend! He came into this fight as the underdog with future fights for Murata being discussed,” said Abe Gonzalez. “He clearly took that to heart and he threw over 1200 punches in the fight! He was a warrior Saturday night and made some new fans as he is now the WBA “regular” middleweight champ.”

“I’m a big Andrade fan – shocking, I know – and I thought he did himself a service this weekend,” said Tom Penney. “He put on a brutal display against Walter Kautondokwa, the game Namibian and picked up a version of the 160 crown in the process. Yeah sure, he didn't finish him off with a brutal knockout but he did create a ton of great highlights of himself and will now hopefully begin to get himself some high profile fights on DAZN. We've been talking about it for years, how avoided Andrade is, but now that he's with a promoter who wants his fighters to be active, we'll find out if Boo Boo is really about it.”

“I’m with Andrade too,” said David Philips. “There was a time when he looked like a future pound for pound guy. While he has had a fine career, he's never seemingly achieved his potential. Maybe there's another gear left for him to access.”

Colin Morrison, who ya got? “Tevin Farmer. Out of all the fights I watched this weekend it was the IBF super-featherweight champion's ruthless demolition of James Tennyson that I will remember most. Having just won the title in August, Farmer was back quickly for a mandatory defence. He stopped Tennyson in round five then stated his desire to box again in December post fight. A skillful champion who wants to stay active and take on all comers, what's not to like?”

Kelsey McCarson offered his three cents…”To me, Walter Kautondokwa won the weekend. Kautondokwa was completely and hopelessly outclassed by Demetrius Andrade right from the opening bell but that didn't stop him from giving his best effort. I have never seen a fighter walk through so many hellacious knockout punches. He went down in the first, third and fourth rounds like a sack of bricks, but picked himself up off the canvas each time with a quiet dignity and stoic grace few men possess in this world and finished the fight on his terms. What a truly amazing thing to witness!

Going to leave it with guest nominator Vladimir Lik to end the exercise, of Who Won the Weekend…

“Andrade had a great weekend but the one who benefitted the most in my opinion is Rob Brant. Brant traveled to Las Vegas a heavy underdog and handily defeated Ryota Murata. This is significant because Murata was being targeted as a likely foe for GGG possibly in Tokyo as part of a big money fight. Those plans are now dashed. This reminds me of when Ruslan Provodnikov took what he thought was an easy assignment against Chris Algieri en-route to a future date with cash cow Manny Pacquiao. Well, Algieri upset Provodnikov sending his career into a downward spiral while Algieri got the big bucks to fight Pac-man. Brant may have just earned himself an opportunity against Golovkin!”

Know what…I’m gonna weigh in…I got Brant, too. He reminded me again to do that extra leg of homework, and see how styles match up, and not be overly impressed with momentum, especially when that momentum comes courtesy of a less-than-super-charged resume. Hassan N’Dam, and Emanuele Blandemura, not Canastotans, right? Still Brant grabbed what was there, and boy, do I love volume guys! He sent the message that he wanted it, needed it, deserved it. Good for Rob Brant, giving us that upset special which in retrospect, wasn’t as much of an upset as maybe we thought.” Brant won the weekend, congrats, sir…..