Suffice to say, I’m shattered. And there’s still the gala dinner to go to.

The good news is, I’ve bagged a 20-minute interview with Mauricio Sulaiman and we covered a lot of ground.

The other bit of good news is I interviewed Julio Cesar Chavez. The bad news? It was Julio Cesar Chavez Junior.

That’s actually very unkind. Junior was great.

(Chavez Jnr in the interview before mine. I don’t think he was asked about cartels, drugs and sobriety in this one)

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“Any day of the week,” wrote Conor Benn on social media on Tuesday, alongside a mock fight poster advertising a 2027 showdown with Conor McGregor.

Pour scorn on it all you want, but Benn-McGregor makes sense for several million reasons.

And given the TKO/Zuffa/UFC marriage, it makes sense on several levels beyond the money, too.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say it is the fight to save Zuffa Boxing, but it is precisely the type of attraction that could open doors, draw new audiences and provide a platform from which a myriad of other shows and fights could be built.

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If Manny Pacquiao is to fight on the December 11 bill topped by Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, he will not be short of possible opponents.

Already promoter Eddie Hearn has said Welshman Joe Cordina has volunteered his services, and another fighter, Paddy Donovan, is offering to take on the Filipino icon.

Donovan is the No. 1-ranked welterweight with the IBF and is coming off a cuts victory over fellow Irishman Tyrone McKenna at Croke Park in September.

Now Donovan is hoping to appear in back-to-back stadium fights with an appearance on the Cardiff show at the Principality Stadium in Wales.

Donovan is due to face champion Liam Paro, though the Australian is also seemingly being courted by Devin Haney and is allowed a voluntary defence before giving Donovan his shot.

“We see Manny Pacquiao is looking for an active opponent. My manager, Keith O’Sullivan, has reached out to his team. They’ve been in talks about making the fight happen,” said Donovan.

“Look, it’s a long shot, it’d be great. Manny Pacquiao is a phenomenal fighter, is a legend of the sport, and it’d be a dream come true to fight Manny. And I think, yeah, what a great fight it would be.”

The 47-year-old Hall of Famer last boxed when he held then-WBC 147lbs champion Mario Barrios to a draw in a fight many felt the veteran won.

“I think it’d be a tremendous fight between the two of us, but more importantly, he’d be a big win on my record,” Donovan added. “So, hopefully, we hear back soon from Manny’s team, and maybe we can get that across the line before we move on to the world title fight, which I think is going to come around mid-next year, early to mid-next year. So if Manny is down for a fight, let’s do it.”

Cordina has home-field advantage in the race to fight Manny, however, although Donovan has a sturdy case.

“I think an Irishman, Paddy Donovan, on the verge of fighting for the world title, Manny Pacquiao probably needing a win to get back in the mix with the world champions… I think it sounds a great fight,” Donovan added. “Look, as I said, it’s every fighter’s dream to fight Manny Pacquiao, and we all dream about that day happening.

“So, whatever he decides, I just want to let him know that I’m free and I’m available, and I’d give him a good fight.”

Donovan is, of course, a Pacquiao fan, and enjoyed the Filipino marvel’s victories against the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez (whom he went a disputed 2-1-1 against), Miguel Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya.

“He’s still a great fighter. He’s still very, very active, and he’s a living legend,” Donovan continued.

“He knows how to get the wins. He knows how to perform, and he knows how to handle the pressure. He’s been around, and he has so much experience. So, I think if my manager, Keith O’Sullivan, and [trainer] Andy [Lee] and Manny’s team make that fight happen, I think it’ll be a great fight between me and Manny. I think styles, at this stage of his career, would be a good matchup. But, as I said, most importantly, he would be a big win on my record. So, we’ll see. It would be a dream come true to fight an icon like Manny Pacquiao.”

(Picture courtesy of Matchoom Boxing)

Boxing notes and whispers

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Surely it wasn’t supposed to be like this. Zuffa Boxing was expected to storm through the sport, sweeping aside the old guard, rewriting the rules (literally) and leaving boxing’s traditional powerbrokers wondering what had hit them. Instead, just months into the great revolution, there are cracks. It’s not over, by any stretch, but the waters are choppy.

(I spoke to Dan Rafael of Fight Freaks Unite about Zuffa Boxing and Shakur Stevenson)

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Inside a packed O2 Arena, Daniel Dubois bludgeoned Fabio Wardley into a two-round stoppage loss to retain his WBO heavyweight title. It was fat, one-sided, and crowned Dubois as one of the most menacing operators in the sport.

What happened?

As many predicted, the fight marked a continuation of the first fight, which finished with Dubois firmly in the ascendancy. Dubois stormed forward from the first bell and the first time Wardley stopped to trade bombs, inside 17 seconds, he was caught by the right hand that he never fully recovered from.

Wardley’s trainer, Ben Davison, threatened to throw in the towel during a tumultuous first round, and when it became clear that things were going to get no better for Wardley in the second, Davison smartly intervened.

Why did it happen?

You can say the rematch came too early for Wardley and you wouldn’t be wrong. You can say the way he set up to start the fight was wrong and you’d have a point. But I think the big difference going into the fight was that Dubois had come through the fire last time and taken confidence from it. He also knew he could get to Wardley and start breaking him up, based on what happened last time. He also didn’t start this fight with the same post-Oleksandr Usyk trepidation that he had for the first fight. If their confidence levels were even last time, this time Wardley’s had likely dipped and Dubois’ had risen. And it showed.

Should the fight have taken place?

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It’s been 159 days since Fabio Wardley fought Daniel Dubois, and one would imagine Wardley could probably hear the bells ringing for the first few days after their bout.

He lost in the 11th round of a wildly bloody battle, even though he’d twice dropped Dubois, in the first and third sessions respectively.

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Today, at the final press conference ahead of their Saturday return at the O2 Arena, Dubois looked bored to be there but ready to fight, and Wardley tried to convince the doubters that he was raring to go again, despite the beatdown he endured through the final third (or half!) of the first fight.

Asked about losing his unbeaten record in the previous fight, Wardley said: “The thought of it is worse than the reality… I was unlikely to get through this boxing game unscathed with an undefeated record, because I want to be in there with the best guys. And that puts you in the situation of jeopardy. I can right those wrongs. Now is the fun bit.”

Wardley claimed he’d been too overconfident in the first fight, and in the power he wields in his right hand. He promised to pick a better pace and fight round by round.

The problem is, there are many who believe his best and perhaps only chance is to come out gunning for the man who claimed the WBO heavyweight title from him in May in Manchester.

At least, he added, he was more relaxed in his familiar role as the underdog.

As one might imagine, Dubois didn’t have much to say.

“I’m feeling stronger, just grounded and ready to go out there and do my job,” he said. “Another one. Do this thing and move on to bigger and better things.”

It was left, on his side of the dais, to adviser Riz Khan and coach Don Charles to do most of the talking.

Khan predicted a stoppage before round five and pledged Dubois – “who was not 100 per cent last time” – would be stronger, fitter, sharper, leaner.

“We know Fabio is not fully healed from his injuries, that’s my opinion,” he claimed.

Charles reckoned Dubois answered a lot of questions about himself in the previous fight and predicted “a systematic breakdown of his opposition.”

Back with Team Wardley, manager Michael Ofo made it clear they would be looking to talk to the referee about the rough stuff, mentioning MMA and use of the head in the previous fight.

“I trust in the process Fabio’s taken and he’s in a better place than he was last time,” insisted Ofo.

“I think this will be familiar to the Frazer Clarke fight.”

That was to draw a parallel with Wardley having a terrifically hard battle with Clarke in their first bout before icing him in a round in the rematch.

For his part, Ofo said it wouldn’t go beyond six rounds.

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren declared the initial bout was one of the best heavyweight fights he’d promoted, and there were only around 100 tickets left ahead of Saturday.

“It was edge-of-your-seat,” he said. “Your jaw dropped watching these guys give it everything.”

Warren predicted Saturday would be “equally exciting.”

“They’re going to be throwing their shots… letting the bombs go. It’s going to be bombs away. I just don’t see it going the distance at all. They’re KO machines, these guys.”

Warren said they would be looking to make unification fights for the winner.

“I’m sure that’s what they want. The winner of this will be looking to make big money next year… Every one of these shows involving these guys is selling out. I’m so excited about this fight. The first one, it took my breath away.”

But as ever at these events, some of the more interesting conversations took place away from the microphones.

Things I heard at the presser…

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Canelo Alvarez is due to fight Christian Mbilli on October 31 in Saudi Arabia.

(The Neutral Corner is a weekly column that drops every Wednesday)

They are scheduled to swap punches in the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh in a fight that is no gimme for the 68-fight veteran Mexican.

Canada-based Cameroonian Mbilli is fresher and perhaps more ambitious. Canelo, 36, has been on his mind for years.

And while the 29-0-1 (14 KOs) Mbilli might have dreamt of the fight and the big occasion, it is unlikely he ever considered the backdrop that he is supposed to be travelling into.

Because things are not good in Saudi Arabia.

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The cottage industry of promoter wars is once again open for business. From those who brought you Frank Warren vs. Eddie Hearn and those who enjoyed Eddie Hearn/Frank Warren vs. Ben Shalom, we are back and bigger than ever.

This season is, of course, Eddie Hearn against Dana White and it’s the biggest yet.

YouTube numbers are going potty. Social clips are being shared left and right. Sides have been taken. Daggers have been drawn. But what is the real fight ahead of the December 11 clash in Cardiff between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua (oh yes, that small heavyweight dust-up we seem to be forgetting), who is winning and what does it mean?

Who is winning the Eddie Hearn and Dana White feud?

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Ben Whittaker had spent eight rounds doing what we expected him to do against Conor Wallace.

Then, for three rounds, everything changed.

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Whittaker was hurt, ragged and vulnerable as Wallace came on strongly in Birmingham, although the judges had an easier decision than the closing minutes might have suggested.

The reaction has been predictably divided. Some condemn him as overyped, other have promised more patience with their assessments, but today plenty of people are circulating their opinions about the Midlands man. Here are mine, and seven things we learned about Ben Whittaker last night.

1. That he got rounds under his belt

Whittaker has gone two rounds twice in his last four fights and one round twice. Getting ring time under his belt was essential.

If you saw my interview with Andy Lee last week, something that jumped out was Whittaker telling him, after Moses Itauma lost to Filip Hrgovic, that he wanted rounds to the extent that he asked to do 12 in his next spar.

My early thoughts as I watched the fight this morning were about how relaxed and comfortable Ben was with the pace after six or seven rounds. Even by the end, he was not breathing especially hard; he was woozy from taking too many heavy shots.

But, overall, the rounds and the experience will stand him in good stead, I’m sure.

2. That he was in trouble and came through a crisis

This can’t be denied. Those last three rounds, and especially those last three minutes, were tough. The negatives are that he was struggling, he didn’t step off the line fast enough – especially to avoid the straight left from the southpaw – and there are signs that he becomes ragged psychologically as much as physically when the going gets tough.

But, on the flip side, as highlighted by Barry Jones on commentary, he held, he spoiled, he ran. He did all the things you’d want a fighter to show he has in his locker when trouble comes calling.

When a fighter on the rise is ‘exposed’, we often hear that he should have held, he should have run, he should have spoiled. If that’s the case, tick, tick, tick.

We also say, when a fighter is on the move through the ranks, that they must overcome adversity and show their mettle. We say they need a test if they blast people out. We cannot have it both ways all the time.

3. There are reasons why he might not be the same next time

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It is both mad and maddening that Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are fighting.

I should rephrase that. I’m pleased it’s happening.

I am.

It is one of the three fights of the era remaining that we have not had, the others being Joshua versus Deontay Wilder and Wilder versus Oleksandr Usyk.

But what is maddening is just how big it is, in that it has never been bigger and yet the fighters have been on a downward trajectory for years.

There’s plenty wrong with the sport, as we’ve recently addressed, but one of the things that seems to be irreversible is for fighters to cash in at the end of their career, only then taking the bouts fans have dreamt of for years.

Yes, we saw it with Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson, we saw it with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, and more recently in the UK with Amir Khan and Kell Brook.

The thing is, the way it all works, the money and interest grows despite the fights not being what they would have or should have been.

Floyd’s right-hand man at the time, Leonard Ellerbe, would always point to the timing of Mayweather-Pacquiao and say it happened when it should have as it made more money then than it ever would.

I get it. It really is a checkmate argument.

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Total Boxing understands that DAZN has agreed a deal to acquire a controlling interest in The Ring, although the transaction has not been publicly confirmed.

It is understood the streaming platform – owned and funded by Russian billionaire Len Blavatnik – has become the majority stakeholder in the publication, which had been purchased by Saudi Arabian powerbroker Turki Alalshikh in late 2024.

“As company policy, we do not confirm, deny, or comment on market rumours or speculation regarding M&A [mergers and acquisitions], partnerships or rights deals,” said a DAZN spokesman.

One source, however, told Total Boxing: “Turki sold controlling interest of The Ring magazine and belt to DAZN.”

Asked for confirmation on the matter, another source added: “Yes, quite a while ago.”

It is believed that a deal was agreed more than two weeks ago, and a third source, when asked for comment, said the process was happening but ongoing.

There are, of course, ties that bind Saudi Arabia and DAZN. In February 2025, it was reported that SURJ Sports Investment, which on the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) website is a “PIF company specializing in sports investments,” had purchased a stake in the streaming platform to the tune of $1b.

The Ring publication was bought by Alalshikh in November 2024 for a reported $10m, which was said to be $3m more than previous owner Oscar De La Hoya paid for it in 2007.

“Earlier this week, I finalized a deal to acquire 100% of The Ring magazine, and I want to make a few things clear,” Alalshikh was quoted as saying. “The print version of the magazine will return immediately after a two-year hiatus and it will be available in the US and UK markets. The magazine will be fully independent and focusing on every aspect in the sport of boxing.”

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I’m thrilled to announce the launch of Total Boxing with Tris Dixon – the next chapter in a journey that began 30 years ago when I covered my first amateur fight.

That first assignment sparked a passion that would ultimately become my profession. Three decades later, boxing remains as fascinating, unpredictable and compelling as ever, and I’m as driven as I’ve ever been to tell its stories.

As the former editor of Boxing News, I’ve experienced almost every side of this sport. From world title fights to the small halls, from the gyms to the corporate offices, and from organised crime to the politics and business that shape boxing, I’ve written about it all. I’ve been fortunate to meet extraordinary people, witness remarkable moments and gain an insight into a world that never stops giving you something to talk about.

For much of that time, I’ve done it for other people, other publications and other brands. Now, it’s time to build something of my own.

When I launched The Boxing Stack on Substack three months ago, my priority was simple: get started, create great content and challenge myself creatively. I wanted to see what I could build by doing things my way, and the response has given me the confidence to take that next step.

That’s why I’m rebranding as Total Boxing with Tris Dixon.

This is about more than a new name. It’s about building a distinctive boxing media brand that reflects my experience, my perspective and my passion for the sport.

You can expect more content, more opinion, more debate and more interviews, alongside the quality writing and broadcasting that have always been at the heart of my work.

Plans include new content both on Substack and YouTube, too.

I have plenty of ideas I’m excited to bring to life, new subjects I want to explore and a long list of people I want to sit down with. I’ll still be taking you ringside and covering the fights, but I also want to take you beyond the ropes and into the stories, personalities and issues that make boxing what it is.

Most importantly, I want to give you something different. My perspective, my access and my experience, delivered with honesty, curiosity and a genuine passion for the sport.

Thank you to everyone who has supported The Boxing Stack and helped me get to this point. Your support means more than you know, and I’m excited to take you with me on what comes next.

This is Total Boxing with Tris Dixon. This is my next chapter. And I’m only just getting started.

The announcements have come thick and fast today and everyone is claiming to be making it.

Team Joshua, Matchroom, manager Freddie Cunningham, promoter Eddie Hearn and, of course, Anthony Joshua, as well as PR agency Soapbox, have all announced that Tyson Fury will fight Anthony Joshua on December 11 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

We knew it, but it hadn’t been confirmed.

“WE DID IT,” Hearn triumphantly wrote on social media. “Forever indebted to the U.K. public for their support of @anthonyjoshua. We couldn’t have got this over the line without you.”

Well, that’s all well and good. Hearn has gone public many times stating they were fighting to have the contest in the UK, despite many powerful forces attempting to lure the bout towards New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Then there was the equally triumphant announcement from Turki Alalshikh, who said: “For 15 years no one has been able to make this fight. Back in April, I said that any announcement would come from me. I can now confirm that Fury vs. Joshua will be coming to the UK, as I promised British boxing fans. The time for talking is over.”

Let’s not mention that 15 years ago fight fans were talking about Tyson Fury fighting David Price and Anthony Joshua was still an amateur, let’s not talk about the replies blowing up Turki’s X account (far from congratulatory, I will say), and let’s not talk about it being a ‘British fight’ if we are to believe Hearn, who told IFL today: “TKO started getting involved in the Netflix deal, Turki Alalshikh, Netflix, they all wanted to do the fight at Madison Square Garden in November… Everybody wanted the fight in America.”

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Ryan Garcia smoked Conor Benn in two rapid rounds in Las Vegas on Saturday and while Garcia was a significant favourite, not many saw it as being a quick rout.

Benn got caught early and often and had no answer for Garcia’s speed. But it was a huge event, a massive build-up and, on the face of it, a commercial success.

What does Garcia-Benn mean now for the fighters and the sport moving forwards.

How good is Ryan Garcia?

Look, take away the social media following, the failed PED tests, the zany behaviour, the derogatory stuff he’s said and all of the crazy and when you focus on the fighter, he’s really bloody good. It helped that he was not in against a world-class fighter on Saturday but he appeared levels above Benn. Garcia’s electric left hook is both beautiful and ferocious. His right hand is the shot that buckled Benn. His movement kept him out of harm’s way. He was a top amateur. In short, he’s really bloody good. Does he have the minerals for when the going gets tough, as it did against Tank Davis? Can he be consistent and condemn performances like that against Roly Romero to the past?

Of course, there will rightly be an asterisk next to the Devin Haney fight, but when he’s good, he’s exceptional. At 28, he’s in his prime – particularly with his tools – but he needs consistency and activity.

Where did it go wrong for Benn?

When the first early left hook landed. I’d love to know what Benn thought then. He was taken to hospital as a precaution but Benn did what he could. I’d suggest he did all that he could. I can’t volunteer anything he should have done differently. The gap in class was too great. One doubts he will stay at 147lbs, though, and that might have been his biggest mistake.

Was the stoppage correct?

I thought it was bang on. The bloodlust of a fan is strong and I can see why many wanted a couple more clean shots. But that Benn did not complain about the stoppage and that he still wound up in hospital indicated he did not need anything else to land to determine the outcome or to validate Thomas Taylor’s intervention.

Can Conor Benn become a world champion?

At 147, it looks very tough. At 154lbs, it looks impossible. At 168, I can’t see it. Is he too small for 160lbs? I’m not sure. One could see him getting the chance for a belt at some point, at some weight, but there are some hard, hard fights out there. And, as things stand, who do Zuffa have at those weights for him to fight? Perhaps there could be a bout at 160lbs against Denzel Bentley in London for the WBO belt? I could see that. But I’m not convinced Benn wins.

But the likes of Janibek, Boots, Vergil Ortiz, Crawford (who I’m sure came up on a DAZN graphic as a future foe, along with Canelo!), Adames, I don’t make him better than and 80/20 underdog in any of those.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see him stay in the “attraction” bracket. You can’t tell me him against Kell Brook and, yes I’m saying it, Conor McGregor, wouldn’t do big business.

He’s 29. I can’t see a rebuild, an eight-rounder, a drop down in levels. Zuffa will surely want to maximise his audience and that list of possible opponents won’t include anyone who is not a big name.

What next for Ryan Garcia?

We are led to believe he has one more fight left on his Golden Boy contract, so could that be the Teofimo Lopez bout? Lopez was making his presence felt at ringside on Saturday and Garcia said that was the fight he wants. With Teo signed to DAZN and Garcia to GBP, it’s do-able. The money and the storyline might still lie with the Haney return, but that’s not going anywhere, either. You’d assume Garcia could still make 140lbs but the big fights for him are by name, not by division. Was Tank watching?

What does Benn need?

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You can’t please all the people all of the time and, with that in mind, promoter Eddie Hearn has his supporters and his detractors.

I like Eddie. We are a similar age. I probably was the first person in boxing to interview him, or certainly to write a significant feature about him.

We haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but damn, I respect his hustle. I was there when Prizefighter kicked off at Bethnal Green. I was there when David Haye steamrolled Audley Harrison.

I’ve been with him messing around with people in Las Vegas, taken pictures of him and Don King when they first met, have been to his family home – Matchroom HQ – countless times, and I’ve spoken to him in Vegas, New York, Atlantic City, Kiev, Germany and probably half a dozen other places – including all around the UK.

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DUBLIN – When you cover a fight, you want to live and breathe it. You want to see it everywhere. You want to know it’s captured the imagination.

If it’s a fight in London, you want to see adverts on t…

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So Saturday night, ringside at the O2 Arena, marked my final show as a member of the BoxingScene/ProBox TV staff.

I’ve been working for Garry Jonas for about four years, and the role’s been challenging and rewarding.

It would be easy to list the fights I’ve covered, the places I’ve been and the interviews I’ve done since I’ve been there, but that wouldn’t take the story on much. That said, for those wondering, being in Japan for Naoya Inoue-Luis Nery was an obvious highlight.

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LONDON – Social media erupted after Moses Itauma was stopped in the ninth round by Filip Hrgovic on Saturday and Itauma’s world changed overnight. He is now 14-1 (12 KOs), and I’ve seen talk about hype trains being derailed, asking whether the 21-year-old should retire and comments that “Itauma is already done at high levels.”

Let’s take a more measured look at what happens next, and why Saturday night went the way it did.

Where did it go wrong?

The eighth appeared to be the most pivotal. While there were signs beforehand that Itauma was feeling the pace, he invested an awful lot into the eighth and – with hindsight – he pretty much emptied the tank. The eighth might have been his biggest round, aside from the second-round knockdown. He was really troubling Hrgovic to the body and it seemed the big Croat could be on his way out. But Hrgovic weathered the storm and started the ninth with a startling freshness that an exhausted Itauma couldn’t match.

Can Moses Itauma still be a world champion?

Undoubtedly. We wanted to see him tested for a reason, and to see the kind of resolve he had. And he showed us plenty of courage and spirit to finish the fight on his feet. Of course, lessons must be learned, but I have no doubt they will be. Part of the fact that Itauma reads a lot for his own enjoyment shows he is keen to learn, and no doubt he will be trying to work out how to fix what went wrong. But Hrgovic insists Itauma is a world champion in waiting, as too does David Haye. Remember, he had a similar experience in defeat to Carl Thompson and had to rebuild. He did that. He didn’t change teams. And Itauma is only 21.

If they had a rematch, what would happen?

There is no rematch clause, but if they had an immediate rematch in a few months, I’d favour Hrgovic. If Itauma had a couple of fights and went rounds, got the experience he needs and learned to pace the rounds, then I’d lean towards Moses.

What does it say about the culture of boxing?

Well, for the sake of balance, I have seen plenty who are quick to make sure Itauma is not written off. But goodness me, the landscape can be toxic. On Facebook, I saw a post asking whether Itauma should retire. In one comments section, I saw one that started, “Itauma is already done at high levels…” and I’ve seen many say that he is a spent bullet because he can’t go 10 or 12 rounds. How people think a 21-year-old can’t get the fitness in the future to do 12 rounds is beyond me. If he was a nervous fighter, who clearly invested a lot of energy in his emotions and controlling the fear you get on fight night, I’d understand it. But he can improve his gas tank. He can also learn to pace himself, not to load up on every shot, how to hold and become a ring general without being a destroyer.

What is the damage?

On the night, I thought it was a far more grave and shattering outcome than I do now I’ve had time to digest it. That was probably seeing him reeling around the ring a few feet from me, unable to protect himself as Hrgovic hacked away at him. I liked the video he put out. “Fucking good fight,” Itauma called it, before saying he wanted to get back in there and get back to work.

Sure, there is work to do, psychologically and physically, but nothing that is unattainable. If his lights had been turned out by one more huge shot, maybe things would have been different. But we had questions about him before, and no one is saying anything about his heart or courage under fire.

Don’t get me wrong. These days are not going to be easy for Moses. But one day, he might well look back on this aftermath and believe it’s the making of him.

What does it mean for boxing?

I mentioned pre-fight how Moses was starting to ‘blow up.’ DAZN certainly would have wanted him to win, and so did Queensberry. Frank Warren made no secret of that. But the fact that he lost is not the end of the world and, a glance online at some of the astronomical numbers going up on YouTube and socials shows plenty of people are paying attention. And when you look at the heavyweight division, it opens it all right up. I’d like to see Hrgovic against Sanchez, Kabayel, Dubois again, and Wardley. And I’m fascinated to see what happens next for Itauma. What happened on Saturday was not catastrophic for the sport.

Who deserves the blame?

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Jake LaMotta’s reputation preceded him.

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I really like this weekend’s bout between Rolly Romero and Teofimo Lopez.

Romero is an underrated fighter, though he looked overrated when he came up against the marauding Isaac Cruz, and Teofimo is, well, he’s Teofimo. He’s also moving up in weight for the challenge and, skill for skill, is the better fighter.

Rolly has a weird, wild-card energy to him.

Sometimes he sounds thoughtful and considered, sometimes monosyllabic and monotonous.

Lopez is rarely anything but colourful.

In the ring, both have dazzled and both have been in fights that failed to deliver.

In the category of the former, watch Teo against Vasiliy Lomachenko or Josh Taylor.

For Rolly, watch maybe Manuel Jaimes or Anthony Yigit. That said, Rolly is ungainly, unorthodox, but clearly a handful.

He’s also benefited from a decision here or there, and you could say the same about Teo.

All things considered, it’s compelling.

What is far less compelling is the undercard.

Sure, Benjamin Johnson is a nice prospect. Yes, Yoenli Hernandez appears to be going places and Gary Antonio Russell has some traction in the US market, and he takes on WBA interim 122lbs champion Victor Santillan.

But even for me, I’d be going out of my way to want to catch up with all of that the next day.

I don’t want to say it’s a stinker of a bill, but what am I dying to see on it?

And even with the main event, there’s no way I’d consider either staying up for it or setting my alarm to wake up and watch it live.

Veterans to The Boxing Stack will know that, on Sunday morning, the dogs will be let out at around 7am. I will do a few laps of the garden after them, come inside, put their bowls down, make a coffee, and sit on the sofa to enjoy the fight ‘as live’ several hours after it’s finished – while staying off my phone to avoid spoilers.

Of course, I can’t be sure there is a fight to be made at present worth setting my alarm for, but I digress.

But if this is what I feel about the bill, what would those less-than-hardcore fans feel about it?

And I think this is where DAZN is going wrong, in part, and before I get to that, I want to talk about what they are doing right.

Firstly, they are consolidating talent, be it promotional entities or individual boxers, like Lopez and possibly Devin Haney, and stables including PBC, Top Rank, Golden Boy, Queensberry, Matchroom, Salita Promotions, MisFits and MisFits Pro.

Secondly, they now have an appealing price point for fans like me, who subscribe to their Ultimate package, and an audience that has more than a passing interest in boxing.

But this is where things get a little murky.

With all of this talent, how do we get bills like this Saturday?

And if you’re trying to attract new fans, the value proposition has to be extended into real value, onto bills that are at least three or four fights deep. And I don’t mean world title fights. I don’t mean the biggest names. I mean good fights, featuring boxers people are interested in or invested in.

This, in part, is another part of the problem. We, in the media, often hear that there are no storytellers left, but much of what is produced and wanted by platforms is clickbait content in the pursuit of views, hits and numbers.

But the real investment from fans comes when they care.

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