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Friday, April 30, 2021

Schedule Update

Three Jewish boxers are tentatively scheduled to fight within the next two months. Rabbi Yuri Foreman, David Alaverdian, and David Kaminsky all have separate bouts set up.

Junior middleweight Foreman is scheduled to fight on June 19 at Buckhead Fight Club in Atlanta, Georgia, according to BoxRec. A former world champion, Foreman's record stands at 35-3 with 10 KOs. He defeated Jeremey Ramos by decision last December 5. That was Yuri's first fight in nearly four years. He was also ready to take on Jimmy Williams in March, but he became ill the night before the fight. His team pulled him out of the contest as a precautionary measure. As it turned out, Foreman had contracted covid-19, and entered into quarantine immediately upon returning home.

Alaverdian is a 3-0 super flyweight with 2 KOs. He mentioned on his Instagram page that he was preparing for a fight in Mexico on May 7. He last fought four weeks ago, a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Pacheco.

David Kaminsky announced on Instagram that he is scheduled to fight on June 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout will be televised on ESPN+. Junior middleweight Kaminsky is 6-1 with 3 KOs. A southpaw, David lost his last fight, a split decision to Clay Collard, on June 18, 2020.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Boyd Melson on Ring City USA

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Melson to Appear on Ring City USA

Boyd "Rainmaker" Melson will be featured on Ring City USA's West Point edition tomorrow: Thursday, April 22. Melson graduated from West Point in 2003. A decorated amateur, he boxed professionally from 2010-2016. The southpaw amassed a record of 15-2-1 with 4 KOs during his time in the paid ranks.

During his career, Boyd promoted a non-profit organization he co-founded called Team Fight to Walk, which aimed to spread awareness and develop a cure for spinal cord injuries. After retiring from the ring, Melson has undertaken numerous endeavors which include an aborted run for the U.S. Congress and assisting Tony Milch's Gloves and Doves project. Boyd is also an active army reservist.

Ring City USA will air live at 9 pm Eastern time in the United States on NBCSports. The card will feature three fights headlined by a clash between Jelena Mrdjenovich and Erika Cruz Hernandez.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Mor Oknin Wins Debut

Decorated amateur Mor Oknin won his professional debut against Angel Campoy at Cancha Municipal in Navojoa, Sinoloa, Mexico this past weekend. Oknin won by way of first round technical knockout.

The bout was sloppy thanks to Campoy's awkward rushes forward. Oknin complained of a head clash at one point, and the referee granted him some time to recover. While the Israeli showed a good jab and left hook, the Navojoa native had trouble connecting.

The pace was frenetic when Campoy launched a right hand. Oknin must have a left arm made of steel because Campoy seemed to badly injure his wrist in the exchange. He turned his back and waved his hand. The referee should have stopped the fight, but instead took Campoy over to the doctor who after a thorough examination advised the referee to call a halt to the bout. Oknin was awarded the victory.

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Sinakin Cites Distractions, Weight-cut for Subpar Performance

Light heavyweight Benny Sinakin declared, "I will bounce back," in the wake of his first professional loss. On April 3, Sinakin dropped a majority decision to underdog Afunwa King at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Jewish Bulldog wrote an Instagram post in which he acknowledged relationship and employment troubles in the run-up to the fight with King. In addition, Sinakin revealed his car had been "ransacked." The thieves "even stole the cover to my engine."

Most relevant to his performance in the ring, Sinakin noted that he was forced to cut a significant amount of weight in a compact period of time. At the start of the year, Benny weighed 218 pounds. "I trained like a dog and drained myself to make weight," Sinakan said. He lost about 44 pounds to make the light heavyweight limit on April 2. He admitted, "I'm my own worst enemy to put myself [through] that cut." Incidentally, King was a half a pound over the division's limit at the weigh-in.

King deserves credit, too. He now sports a decent record of 3-1, but his opponents were 10-0 when he faced them. Currently, his opponents are a combined 18-0, subtracting their fights against the Nigerian native. King's lone loss was in a competitive fight against an Olympian. The pandemic has forced prospects to face high-risk, low-reward opponents such as Afunwa King. As a result, a loss on one's record likely won't be the scar it had been pre-pandemic.

Plenty of fighters have suffered early setbacks and gone on to greatness in boxing. Jamel Herring, who fought a career-defining fight on the same day as Bulldog Benny's defeat, suffered two surprising losses mid-career and appeared to solidify himself as a gatekeeper before transforming into a champion. Fellow Philly fighter Tevin Farmer was 7-4-1 journeyman before turning his career around and earning a world championship.

Of the loss, Sinakin said, it's "just another obstacle in the way." At 6-1 with 3 KOs, Benny proclaimed, "I'm here to stay."

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Miroslav Ishchenko Wins in Ukraine

Junior middleweight Miroslav Ishchenko, who has also fought under the surname Kapuler, defeated Alexander Benidze in Kiev, Ukraine last night. Ishchenko won by unanimous decision in a four rounder. Miroslav, a southpaw, controlled nearly every second of the fight.

Ishchenko won the first two rounds because of his lead lefts. He varied the velocity and location of his punches. Benidze, a 37 year old Georgian who fights out of Ukraine, often found himself off balance. At other times, Ishchenko wobbled Benidze when he loaded up on a big left. Ishchenko sprinkled in a right hook here and there starting at the end of the first.

Benidze was noticeably frustrated in the corner before the third round. Ishchenko had created Benidze's irritation with his reach advantage and superior speed. The 44-fight veteran got inside to start the third and landed a short right to the body. Benidze didn't land much throughout the contest, but the short right to the body was his most reliable shot.

Ishchenko committed to the jab for the first time in the fight in the third and garnered positive results. The 23 year old then went back to the lead left and seemingly couldn't miss. Benidze huffed and puffed his way out of the corner to start the fourth, but it was the younger Miroslav who held for the first time in the fight in the final period. Nevertheless, Ishchenko had another strong round.

In his fifth round as a professional, Ishchenko went for his second career knockout by standing in front of Benidze and exchanging fire. The veteran was damaged in the shootout but remained upright, a testament to his toughness. Miroslav then went back to boxing, and his lefts started to wobble his opponent with increasing frequency. After connecting with numerous shots in a row, Benidze went down to the canvas as the ten-second warning sounded.  He rose and heard the final bell while on his feet.

Kapuler won by unanimous decision. The judges scores weren't announced, but The JBB scored the bout 40-35 for Ishchenko. Miroslav is now 2-0 with one KO. Benidze falls to 13-29-3 with 6 KOs. He has still only been stopped three times.

Sunday, April 4, 2021

Sinakin Falls to King by Majority Decision

Light heavyweight Benny Sinakin suffered his first professional defeat at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania tonight. Matched up against Afunwa King, who is quietly making a name for himself as an upset specialist, the Jewish Bulldog lost by majority decision.

Sinakin seemed uncomfortable from the outset. His balance was all over the place, and he even succumbed to clinching in the opening round, which is never a good sign. King controlled center ring and found a home for his overhand rights. Benny was willing to enter firefights in the second round, but he slapped with his punches and dropped that round, too.

The third and fourth rounds were close. Sinakin appeared a bit gassed in the third. By that point, the fight had become a battle between King's overhand rights and Sinakin's left hooks.

The Bulldog wasn't himself the entire fight, but he showed flashes in the fifth. Perhaps Benny was reminded in the corner that the jab is a legal punch, because he began the penultimate round using it effectively. Had he utilized the jab from the beginning, the result likely would have been different. Sinakin's jab served to remind King that he too was allowed to jab. Sinakin, however, got the better of the dueling sticks.

In that round, Sinakin also seemed to finally get his bearings defensively. He expertly slipped King's shots. Benny still couldn't find his timing on his power shots from the outside, but it was the only round he won clearly.

In the final three minutes, both fighters smelled victory and let their hands go. But both guys showed improved defense. Sinakin landed some check hooks as King marched forward sans jab. King managed to connect with another overhand right, but he couldn't find the target as easily as in the first few rounds. King's head was his best weapon down the stretch.

One judge saw the fight even at 57 apiece. The other two judges overruled the first card and granted King the victory. Both scored the contest 58-56.

This was Sinakin's first six rounder. The 23 year old from Philly is now 6-1 with 3 KOs. King, a Nigerian-born resident of the Bronx, rises to 3-1 with one KO.

Saturday, April 3, 2021

David Alaverdian Sweeps the Cards

David Alaverdian defeated Daniel Pacheco at Polideportivo Centenario in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico tonight. The U.S.-based Israeli fighter impressively outboxed a game Pacheco. 

Alaverdian, wearing trunks donning the Israeli flag on his left leg and the American flag on his right, initiated the fight by jabbing and moving. He kept his right hand at a responsible height to thwart Pacheco's left hook. The 27-year-old Alaverdian used his feet to get in, hit, and get out. He often switched to the southpaw stance. Pacheco started the bout a bit wild and spent most of the first bouncing in front of Alaverdian.

David showed off his fast hands and faster feet. He landed lead rights from the outside in the second round. If there was a criticism of his performance throughout the first five minutes, it was he head-hunted too much. In the final minute of the second, Alaverdian rectified the oversight and landed to the body before he came up with a left uppercut.

Understanding that he possessed slower hands and gave up an inch of height and reach, Pacheco tried to bob and weave his way inside. He must have been aware that Alaverdian is known for his body assault, because he kept his elbows low and tight. He had some success to the body himself late in the second round.

The third round featured more of the same. Alaverdian showcased all of his skills. He boxed beautifully. He showed off his defense. He used his feet to avoid the shots for the most part, but he allowed Pacheco to get inside and then blocked virtually all of his shots during one stretch. David went to the head and body with malice and precision, and he landed an overhand left as a southpaw late in the penultimate round. He was better as a righty, though competent as a southpaw, but his constant stance-switching was perhaps an unnecessary risk.

Pacheco found success in the final round. He landed left hooks early and then went to the body and came back up with an overhand right. He next went to the body with both hands and followed up with a right uppercut. Had this been a truncated round, Pacheco would've won it, but Alaverdian closed strong. He displayed vicious left hooks to the head and body to close the contest.

All three judges scored the bout 40-36 for Alaverdian, who is now 3-0 with 2 KOs. Pacheco falls to 4-6 with 2 KOs.

Alaverdian looked like he could be fast-tracked based on this performance. He showed quality technique. His jab was excellent and he varied his attack effectively. He was strong defensively, but had a couple of minor issues. While his right was ready to block left hooks, he held his lead hand low in either stance. A better opponent could make him pay. Sometimes, he moved straight back after landing though his feet are quick enough that he might not pay for that fault too often. In this fight, his power wasn't on display as it had been in his first two pro fights. Regardless, it was a good showing for Alaverdian.

Friday, April 2, 2021

Both Sinakin and Alaverdian Make Weight in Separate Bouts

Benny Sinakin weighed in under the light heavyweight limit today for his fight against Afunwa King at the 23000 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. King came in at 175.5 pounds. Sinakin is 6-0 with 3 KOs while King is 2-1 with 1 KO. This bout is scheduled for six rounds. A stream can be viewed here.

David Alaverdian made weight for his bout against Daniel Pacheco, which will be held at Polideportivo Centenario in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Both fighters came in at 113.1 pounds. Alaverdian (2-0, 2 KOs) will face "Woku" Pacheco (4-5, 2 KOs) in a four round flyweight affair. A stream can be viewed here.