Deontay Wilder delivers first-round KO of Robert Helenius!
Both heavyweights are feeling each other out. Wilder is showing a left jab. Helenius jabbing to the body early. Wilder with a huge swing and miss of that massive right hand. Wilder misses most of a flurry, and Helenius pushes him back. They’re still trying to figure each other out, moving gingerly around the ring. And BOOM! Wilder knocks out Helenius as he was moving in. No need to even make the count. Wilder does it with that right hand. He caught Helenius flush in the face, and it was over!
Welcome back, Deontay Wilder!
Helenius, Wilder make their walks
Both men are in the ring and have been introduced. Here we go!
Main event is next
Deontay Wilder (42-2-1, 41 knockouts), with his 91 percent KO ratio, returns to the ring for the first time since October 2021, when he suffered his second straight knockout loss to Tyson Fury. A win over a game Robert Helenius (31-3, 20 KOs), Wilder’s former sparring partner, can propel him right back into title contention. Let’s see if Wilder can add to his KO highlight reel.
Plant with a scintillating KO of Dirrell!
An aggressive Dirrell comes out swinging but missing on multiple shots as he gives chase to an elusive Plant. Moments later, Dirrell’s persistence pays off as he lands a shot. Oh my God! A scintillating left hook and Dirrell drops with a thud!! An instant KO! Dirrell was knocked out on his feet well before he hit the canvas! Plant gestures a shovel, throwing dirt on Dirrell’s grave to add insult to injury.
Plant’s KO shot is undeniable. He got low, waited, and then came with the boom!
Jake Paul loved it.
There were many verbal exchanges between Plant and Dirrell leading up to this fight, so you know Plant is savoring this ‘W.’ If there wasn’t enough clamoring for a Plant vs. David Benavidez fight, there will be now!
Plant vs. Dirrell; Round 8
Plant’s corner tells him to dismiss the crowd’s boos and stick to the game plan, which is outboxing Dirrell toward a win. Plant’s forward momentum takes Dirrell down, but he helps him up. Ref resets the action where Plant lands a right hook and ducks under harm coming from the other way. Slick boxing from the former champ. Here come some more boos from the crowd. Dirrell lands a right hook, and Plant pushes him down almost by the neck. The ref could have taken a point off for that. It almost looked like a pro wrestling chokeslam of sorts. They’re up, and Plant is back to peppering Dirrell with the jab. (10-9 Plant, 78-74 Plant)
Plant vs. Dirrell; Round 7
Counter left hook from Plant connects across Dirrell’s jaw. Both fighters continue to feel each other out. The Brooklyn, New York crowd feels like there’s a lull in action and boos both boxers. Under a minute left in the round. Glancing right hook lands for Plant. Right-left body hook combo connects seconds later. (10-9 Plant, 68-65 Plant)
Plant vs. Dirrell; Round 6
It’s no surprise that when Plant is on the outside, he’s in control. When Dirrell manages to grab Plant, he sneaks in shots. Plant splits Dirrell’s guard straight up the middle with that left jab once, twice, three times in a row seconds apart. Dirrell runs back to his corner after the round ends to mock Plant, but the latter takes the round. (10-9 Plant, 58-56 Plant)
Plant vs. Dirrell; Round 5
Plant drives Dirrell back with a right hook. Sharp output. Right-hand lands for Dirrell moments later. Plant tries to play it off like he’s unfazed by it, but it looks like he felt every bit of that blow. And a flurry from Dirrell follows. Is the momentum swinging a bit? (10-9 Dirrell, 48-47 Plant)
Plant vs. Dirrell; Round 4
Another busy round for Plant, although Dirrell picks up his action as well. He absolutely sits on a right hand that lands on Plant’s head late in the round. (10-9 Dirrell, 39-37 Plant)
Plant vs. Dirrell; Round 3
Dirrell is screaming at the ref about being scolded for punching behind the head. Dirrell’s argument is he’s being aggressive. Plant responds seconds later by unloading a lightning-quick combination. Dirrell forces Plant down doing his best WWE Superstar impersonation. Dirrell can dirty up this fight without being dirty. Let’s see if he can find that balance. (10-9 Plant, 30-27 Plant)
Plant vs. Dirrell; Round 2
Plant, seven years Dirrell’s junior, is quicker to the punch and is beginning to piece together combinations. (10-9 Plant, 20-18 Plant)
Caleb Plant vs. Anthony Dirrell; Round 1
Plant with a quick jab down to the body. Glancing right-hand lands and gets Dirrell’s attention as well. Dirrell traps Plant in a headlock and sneaks some shots in. Left hook lands for Plant. Dirrell returns the favor with a right hook and another for good measure. Intriguing first round. (10-9 Plant)
Co-main event on deck
Caleb Plant vs. Anthony Dirrell is moments away. Both former super middleweight champions, these two do not like each other. They’ve been slinging insults building up to this fight, which should finally decide who the better super middleweight is. Plant gained confidence winning rounds from Canelo Alvarez despite losing the fight last November.
Sanchez notches ninth-round TKO
Sanchez’s momentum really started snowballing from that sixth round, and in the ninth, he drops Negron with a pulverizing overhand right. The shot sent Negron spinning and landing with his shoulders resting on the second ring ropes. Negron valiantly got back on his feet, but a nasty left cross moments later swiveled his head, and the ref wisely stopped it right there. That was a good win for Sanchez.
Solid sixth round for Sanchez
The Cuban puts together three minutes of stellar work as he catches Negron with thumping shots in bunches.
No fireworks yet
Halfway through this fight set for ten rounds, Negron is trying to keep Sanchez at bay with the jab. Sanchez has the better movement and dynamic punching, although he’s being extremely patient. He should let his hands go a bit more here.
Heavyweights take the ring
Frank Sanchez vs. Carlos Negron is upon us.
Technical unanimous decision awarded to Emmanuel Rodriguez
The fight was stopped a couple of seconds into the 10th round. A ringside physician advised that the fight be sent to the scorecards because of the headbutt and the gash it caused underneath Rodriguez’s eye. At that point, judges had it 100-90, 99-91, and 99-93, all in favor of Rodriguez, who dominated the fight. A solid showing from Rodriguez, though the match was refereed poorly.
Inadvertent headbutt drops Rodriguez
Russell lunges forward, and they clash heads, sending Rodriguez down to the canvas in the ninth. Rodriguez definitely took the brunt of that headbutt.
Rodriguez drops Russell in eighth
A straight right-hand drops Russell with a second left in the eighth round, and Russell is badly hurt! He tumbled as a result of the shot. The ref checks on him closely following the round. He will be hard-pressed to finish this fight, judging from how his legs look.
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