BACK TO K-9 KIM’S CORNER

By Steve Kim Updated on December 05, 2022

As Expected

We got exactly what was expected this past weekend. A heavyweight mismatch in Britain, and a fitting conclusion to a trilogy that will be fondly remembered for years to come.
At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England, Tyson Fury successfully defended his WBC heavyweight title by halting the shopworn, Derek Chisora. This bout, which was never truly competitive was mercifully waved off by referee, Victor Loughlin, near the end of the 10th frame. 
I've said in the past that boxers don't get retirement parties but beatings on their way out. For Chisora, this felt like one big last bonus check for years of hard, honest work inside the squared circle. 'War' is an apt moniker for him given his fighting style. But this wasn't so much a war but target practice for Fury, who peppered him consistently with flicking jabs and follow up right hands.
Picture for As ExpectedMikey Williams/Top Rank
The only thing more courageous than Chisora was his corner who kept sending him out there till the late rounds. Finally, the bout was waved off near the completion of the 10th frame. Chisora will hopefully walk away from the sport with a nice nest egg. He seemed grateful that the plug was pulled on the contest. 
“You know what, thanks to the ref. As a fighter, you don’t want to stop. You want to go out in your shield. Thank you, Tyson, I really appreciate this," said Chisora, who has faced 'the Gypsy King' on three occasions. 
Meanwhile Fury got some rounds under his belt.
“I felt good. I needed some rounds. I haven’t boxed since April. It’s been 8 or 9 months since then. I’ve been out of retirement. I’ve had a lot go on. I felt like I was landing my jab, landing some good punches," said Fury. "I take nothing away from Chisora. He’s an absolute warrior. It’s been a privilege to fight him three times. He’s an absolute British folk hero. What a warrior. What an African British warrior. We’ve done three epic fights, and what a tough man. I was hitting him with shots that would’ve knocked anybody else out, and he stood up to every one of them.”
 
Picture for As ExpectedMikey Williams/Top Rank
So now this leaves just one fight for Fury -- Oleksandr Usyk, who actually has possession of the other three belts in the division. They met face-to-chest on the ring apron shortly after the conclusion of this bout.
 
2022 saw Fury take care of his WBC  mandatory in Dillian Whyte, and then a late year stay-busy bout against Chisora. The upcoming year is really about just one fight -- and no other.
It's Fury-Usyk or bust.
Picture for As Expected
Later on that night at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez put a bow tie on their historic three fight set by battling over 12 brisk rounds. While 'Chocolatito' rallied late after a slow start, it was Estrada who won the vacant WBC 115-pound belt by the scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112.
There are more than a few observers who believe that Gonzalez did enough to get his hands raised in victory, but truth be told, Estrada had a much better case that he was the rightful winner than the second bout that was fought 18 months ago. Estrada fought a sound strategic fight by boxing off his back foot and being quicker off the trigger than Gonzalez in the first half of the contest.
Picture for As ExpectedMilena Pilazo, Matchroom Sports
The 35 year old Gonzalez, whose had a remarkable late-career resurgence, did look a bit weathered in this fight, and it took him awhile to get going. To his credit he kept at it and by the late rounds he got into the thick of things by pressing forward and landing his trademark combinations. But 'Gallo' held his own when he really needed to and staved off the late surge,
I'm not sure if Estrada-Gonzalez III qualifies as a truly great fight -- it was certainly very good --  but the totality of their 36 rounds makes this a modern classic among rivalries, right up there with the likes of  Marco Antonio Barrera-Israel Vazquez, Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward and Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez (yeah, their fourth encounter has been expunged from my memory). 
Picture for As ExpectedMilena Pilazo, Matchroom Sports
It has to be stated, in an era when elite boxers fight no more than once or twice a year, and so many of the anticipated match-up being bogged down by boxing politics, multi-fight sets with marquee boxers will become more rare as we move forward. 
So yeah, you can grumble about this decision, but perhaps there should just be some deep seeded appreciation for what both Estrada and Gonzalez participated in.
FINAL FLURRIES
Daniel Dubois left more questions than answers in his get-off-the-canvas(three times) win against Kevin Lerena...Julio Cesar Martinez keeps looking worse and worse, but he did out-point Samuel Carmona to retain his WBC flyweight belt....Caleb Williams of USC is still my Heisman Trophy winner..... So do you agree with Alabama being left out of the College Football Playoffs?.....I can be reached at k9kim@yahoo.com....
About Author
As Expected
  • Hosted 'the Main Event' on KIEV 870, and then later XTRA AM1150 ( a three hour show devoted to boxing) from 1996 to 1999.
  • Joined one of the first boxing websites, 'House of Boxing' in 1999, and then later became one of the founders of Maxboxing, that started in 2001, till his departure in 2014.
  • From 2014 to 2018, he was the lead columnist for UCNlive.com.
  • Was a boxing reporter for ESPN.com from 2018 to 2020.
  • He has written for Ring Magazine, International Boxing Digest and Boxing News.
  • Is the co-host of 'the 3 Knockdown Rule' with Mario Lopez, which has become of the most popular boxing podcasts the past several years.
  • Steve has also served as an announcer and analyst for RingTV, Thompson Boxing, 360 Promotions and CBS Sports Network.