👑 🇦🇺 A Coronation Down Under

June 03, 2022

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Fight With Teddy Atlas Newsletter, your one stop shop for all things combat sports related, brought to you by Teddy and The Fight team.

Dustin Poirier joins Teddy Atlas and co-host Ken Rideout for a conversation about what's next for him (title run or big money fight?), the Lightweight Division, if he wants to move to Welterweight, the recent Charles Oliveira win over Justin Gaethje, and a whole lot more.

Thanks for being with us.…

Every Friday We Bring You:

  • A combat sports news digest with all the headlines you need to know from Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts.

  • Highlights from the podcast and across the fight world.

  • Fight times and information you need to know ahead of time.

  • How to’s and tips for Boxing from Teddy himself.

Fight News From Around The 🌍

Lightweight Supremacy Awaits

Unified WBO, WBA, IBF and The Ring champion George Kambosos Jr will face WBC champion Devin Haney for undisputed status in the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, in what is the biggest fight the country has seen since Manny Pacquiao vs Jeff Horn.

Whilst that fight saw a hugely controversial upset take place, what we have here is a far more competitive, evenly matched affair between two boxers who are fighting for the most coveted title in the sport: to hold all the major belts in the division.

Kambosos Jr has had somewhat of a slow burning career, fighting his way from small hall shows in Australia to the big stage, aided by his status as Manny Pacquiao's long term sparring partner.

He was never built to be a big star, but when the opportunity to shake up the division came in November 2021 against Teofimo Lopez, he seized it with a brilliant performance.

Now, in his first title defence, he's up against another young, talented lightweight, but one that presents a very different challenge across 12 rounds.

Devin Haney's status as a lightweight champion was the subject of ridicule by some, calling him an "email" champion due to the fact he was upgraded from interim champion and never actually won the belt in the ring.

What can't be disputed however, is his talent as a pure boxer. He's a sharpshooter who relies on solid footwork and constant movement to be able to keep his opponents off balance and at the mercy of his shots.

What he lacks for in punching power, he makes up for with his ring IQ and understanding of space. On paper, it's a different proposition to what Kambosos has faced before.

Kambosos thrives on educated pressure and catching his opponents in between their shots. He punished Lopez and his lazy jab back when he when the titles, but he'll need to be even smarter against the more fundamentally sound Haney.

Kambosos will have the advantage of being at home, and should it come down to the judges, that could very well play into his favour. Even within the distance, he'll back himself to be able to rattle Haney, who has had issues with Jorge Linares and JoJo Diaz (neither of whom are natural lightweights).

It's a fascinating matchup and another chapter in a lightweight division that keeps producing great fights.

By the time Monday morning comes around, the 135 lbs title puzzle will be completed, and only one man will stand atop of one of boxings glamour divisions.

Heavyweight Veterans Collide

Less than 3 years ago, Jairzinho Rozenstruik was an undefeated UFC heavyweight whose stock was on the up. Simultaneously ,Alexander Volkov had won seven of his eight fights in the promotion.

Both looked like certainties for a title shot in the near future. But destiny had other plans.

Volkov and Rozenstruik have lost several bouts against the division's top contenders and are both coming off a defeat, to Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes respectively.

Both are still in the top-10, and they meet on Saturday in the main event of a matinee UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, with the winner solidifying his spot in the heavyweight hierarchy, and the loser seeing a future shot at the champion Francis Ngannou slip even further away.

It may not be high stakes in terms of being towards the upper echelon of the division, but it's extremely high stakes for both these fighters as they look to rebuild from their recent losses.

It'll most likely be a stand-up affair, with neither of them having particularly strong ground game to be able to justify taking the fight to the mat.

Rozenstruik is an accomplished kickboxer, whilst Volkov is an educated MMA striker who has been competing in the sport since 2009. Between them they have 33 knockouts in 59 fights.

Rozenstruik may be slightly older than Volkov, but he could be said to be fresher than the Russian, who has a lot of road miles on him and could be looking towards the end of a long career.

Whoever wins this fight, it'll come down to whoever devises the best striking gameplan, as well as whoever still has the strongest desire to remain relevant as a player amongst the UFC heavyweights.

Fight ⏰ for this weekend

Boxing: Kambosos vs Haney (Saturday 4th/Sunday 5th)

  • 🇺🇸 Full Card: 10pm Eastern/ 7pm Pacific | Main Event: 12am Eastern/ 9pm Pacific

  • 🇬🇧 Full Card: 3am | Main Event: 5am

  • 🇦🇺 Full Card: 12pm Eastern/ 10am Western | Main Event: 2pm Eastern/ 12pm Western

UFC: Volkov vs Rozenstruik (Saturday 4th/Sunday 5th)

  • 🇺🇸 Full Card: 4pm Eastern/ 1pm Pacific | Main Event: 6pm Eastern/ 3pm Pacific

  • 🇬🇧 Full Card: 9pm | Main Event: 11pm

  • 🇦🇺 Full Card: 6am Eastern/ 4am Western | Main Event: 8am Eastern/ 6am Western

Don't forget to tune in to the latest episode 🎧

Thanks for being with us and see you next week #BANG💥