GRADES: LEIGH WOOD, LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ, CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH, LAWRENCE OKOLIE & MORE

By: Jay Calderon

So, just a normal weekend with boring results that everyone correctly predicted. Nothing to see here.

Well, OK, there were a few surprises here and there.

In fact, there were abiut four major shows on Saturday, and every main event featured at least a slight upset except one. And we are talking title fights here, not some random prospects encounters. 

In England, we had Leigh Wood recapture gold with a rather effectively but pedestrian win over Mauricio Lara (just how slow the fight was is a shocker in and of itself with these two. Then, we saw Luis Alberto Lopez retain his gold against slight favorite Michael Conlan with a one-hitter quitter.

England, not being finishes there, also witnessed Lawrence Okolie lose his Cruiserweight gold to Chris Billam-Smith over the distance (the distance part being just as big of a surprise).

We had tons more. So, without much more rambling, let's hand out these Grades:

LEIGH WOOD: A

RESULT: DEF. MAURICIO LARA, 12UD (FEATHERWEIGHT)

Trust me when I tell you: Leigh Wood's performance over Mauricio Lara in their rematch wasn't exciting in any fashion. However, that was down to the plan Wood and his team implemented.

While many claim Lara simply looked off, unable to get much going, you have to remind yourself to credit the man that made him look that way. Wood's sharpness, his ability to jab and box clean, and his early knockout encouraged that performance out of the Mexican.

Wood can look exciting in the next fight; he just needed to win on Saturday.

MAURICIO LARA: F

RESULT: LOSS TO LEIGH WOOD, 12UD (FEATHERWEIGHT)

So, if you're Mauricio Lara, this is what yiu do in 2023. You finally win a world title. Then, in your first defense, you efrectively miss weight and lose the gold. And instead of at least having more energy due to not cutting aggressively, you put in one stinker of a performance.

For a guy with as much bravado as Lara has shown, a man willing to spit in another fighter's face in his own country, you have to be willing to go for it all in those moments. Yes, as mentioned, Wood deserves his credit. But you have to be willing to sell out. Otherwise, it's just a bad look for you overall.

Lara wasn't beaten up, but he was certainly out-classed and out-performed. He's going to need a solid rebuild. His saving grace is that a single shot can turn his career around, but he has to be willing to throw it.

LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ: A
RESULT: DEF. MICHAEL CONLAN, 5TKO (FEATHERWEIGHT)

At worst, Luis Alberto Lopez went into an even money fight and did the business. But the truth is that he was a slight underdog and was traveling to take on a fairly popular fighter and won -- and did so in style.

From the jump, Conlan didn't look like he had much of a chance, and that was due to the unique and tricky style of Lopez, the power he an at times effortlessly throw and the precision of the shots.

Even the final blow that he suckered Conlan into was a sneaky shot underneath he didn't see coming.

Lopez, whether you would have guessed it even a year ago, is now a force to be reckoned with at 126 pounds.

MICHAEL CONLAN: C
RESULT: LOSS TO LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ, 5TKO (FEATHERWEIGHT)

For the second time in as many title opportunities, Michael Conlan has come into the contest a slight favorite only to be dramatically stopped by the end of the night. Granted, this wasn't falling-out-of-the-ring dramatic, just regular boxing dramatic, but still...dramatic nonetheless.

Conlan, it would seem, just doesn't have the makings of a varsity athlete. If Michael was to be the guy many hoped he would become as a professional, Featherweight was the vision in which to do it.

Sure, it feels loaded with some talent now. But when you consider two of the bigger names at 126 pounds in part made their names off stopping Conlan, you realize just how open the division could be going forward.

Conlan just couldn't walk through the door.

CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH: B+
RESULT: DEF. LAWRENCE OKOLIE, 12MD (CRUISERWEIGHT)

In a weekend full of upsets and surprises, in some respects, Chris Billam-Smith edging out Lawrence Okolie to capture a portion of the Cruiserweight crown might be the craziest result.

This isn't to dismiss CBS, but you (or, at least I) didn't see it coming. Okolie had been cruising through his reign, was the big favorite coming in and Billam-Smith seemed a European level fighter that might struggle to take that next step.

Yeah...no.

He leaped onto the world stage and, now, could be on the verge of some very big moves at 200 pounds. First, a rematch with Okolie seems likely. If he's successful again, CBS has a few solid options domestically and abroad.

LAWRENCE OKOLIE: C-
RESULT: LOSS TO CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH, 12MD (CRUISERWEIGHT)

What a strange performance from Lawrence Okolie. After a career of mostly skating by with an awkward style and an ability to do what is needed on the night, it almost feels as though the Londoner may have been found out.

Has he always had a questionable chin? Is he so gun shy at times because of it? Or did he just run into a peaking Chris Billam-Smith who might be a bit better some some might have figured previously?

We will need to see Okolie back in the ring a few more times to figure that out. Hwoever, on the night, Okolie didn't look like a guy that appeared on the verge of taking over the division. Not even close, really.

QUICK GRADES:

JOSEPH PARKER: B+

RESULT: DEF. FAIGA OPELU, 1TKO (HEAVYWEIGHT)

Did what was needed in a fight in which he couldn't afford to look anything less than spectacular. Parker got the job done and he moves on.

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ASHTON SYLVE: B

RESULT: DEF. ADAM KIPENGA, 8UD (JR. WELTERWEIGHT)

Sylve needed the rounds. Prior to the eight rounds on Friday, Sylve had only 16 professional frames in eight fights. So, if anything, this gave him a bit more seasoning in the paid ranks.

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ALEXIS ROCHA: A-

RESULT: DEF. ANTHONY YOUNG, 5TKO (WELTERWEIGHT)

Rocha made quick work of Young, an opponent he was originally set to face back in January. Now, with a few wins under his belt in 2023, Rocha can hopefully move into more meaningful fights.

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OSCAR COLLAZO: B+

RESULT: DEF. MELVIN JERUSALEM, 7TKO (STRAWWEIGHT)

Sometimes, when fighters get fast-tracked, it can really blow up in their team's face. For a round or two there, it felt that might be the case for Oscar Collazo. However, Collazo pulled through and made a statement against now former titlist Melvin Jerusalem.
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MELVIN JERUSALEM: C-

RESULT: LOSS TO OSCAR COLLAZO, 7tko (STRAWWEIGHT)

In just January of this year, Melvin Jerusalem was on top of the world, pulling off the upset over Masataka Taniguchi to capture world gold. In less than a year, he gets completely derailed by Oscar Collazo and gives up on his stool halfway through the fight. Boxing is a cruel (and weird) sport.

LINKS:

- SCHEDULE & ODDS

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