Monday 5 October 2015 13:34, UK
It was a busy weekend, in and out of the ring. We saw but barely heard Adrian Broner, were left upset in Argentina but learned that home advantage isn't always crucial, in boxing or otherwise...
Adrien Broner broke a habit of a lifetime but still had everyone else talking about him before, during and after the fight that saw him etch his name in history - for the right reasons. 'The Problem' was on media silence in the run-up to taking on Khabib Allakhverdiev for the vacant WBA light-welterweight title.
He stopped talking for a full five days beforehand and then toppled Allakhverdiev in 10 to suggest silence is indeed golden when it comes to doing the business. That's world titles for Broner at four weights - super-featherweight, lightweight, welter and now light-welterweight - so maybe he is spending more time training than talking. Or he was, until he immediately called out fellow Team Mayweather fighter, London-born Ashley Theophane.
So, does Amir Khan return to the newly-formed Manny Pacquiao comeback rankings? Well, after Lucas Matthysse was stopped in the 10th by new WBC world light-welterweight champion Viktor Postol, maybe he is back to being the front-runner. And hopefully it will happen early next year. No one can predict what will happen that far ahead, especially Matthysse, who took a knee after a decent shot in that 10th, which is not what you expect from him.
Matthysse claimed that he couldn't see, even though there was no obvious damage, aside from a bloodied nose. Credit to him because even fighters need to put their health first and only he knew what the problem was. Khan had reportedly fallen behind the Argentine in the race to fight Pacquiao but must be back in pole position. Postol might well get to fight Manny... in sparring. Even Freddie Roach can't work opposite corners.
This week will hopefully see the Smith brothers celebrate a world champion in the shape of Liam, but now we know who big brother Stephen will face for his crack at a world title. Saturday night saw the IBF super-featherweight champion Jose Pedraza retain his title with a split decision win over Edner Cherry.
Pedraza is a new Puerto Rican star in the making and while Stephen may have, ahem... picked Cherry, he now knows what he has got to do. Pedraza does box in America and Puerto Rico, so Smith may have to make his first trip across the pond to try to pick his pocket. But it is one less thing for him to worry about in the run-up to brother Liam's challenge for the vacant WBO light-middleweight title against John Thompson in Manchester on Saturday.
Sometimes life isn't fair and more often than not, particularly in boxing. Ovill McKenzie is one of Britain's good guys and to go out to Argentina to take on hard-hitting IBF cruiserweight world champion Victor Emilio Ramirez, was one thing. To do it at 11 days' notice and then attend the British Boxing Board of Control awards seven days out, showed he will do anything for this sport.
But on top of all that, The Upsetter produced one of the best performances of his career and in front of a partisan Buenos Aires crowd, looked like he'd done enough to pinch the belt and bring it back to Britain. It was closer than close, as the 115-113, 114-114, 113-115 draw suggested, but many watching from afar had McKenzie slightly ahead. It was upsetting but it could've been worse, and with promoter Frank Warren rightly demanding a rematch maybe a little more notice will see The Upsetter having us smiling again.
Hours after one England side lost on home soil, James DeGale confirmed he will again be flying the flag across the pond. The Rugby World Cup saw Australia send host nation England packing but DeGale is expected to hold on to his title when he travels to Canada to face Lucien Bute. This is DeGale's first IBF super-middleweight title defence and he is happy to be heading abroad - a trip to Boston saw him see off Andre Dirrell in May and now Quebec awaits on November 28.
'Chunky' made history by becoming the first British Olympic gold medallist to win a professional world title, while Kell Brook and Jamie McDonnell also won world title fights on foreign soil in recent times. And, after Wales' rugby triumph at Twickenham, Welsh warriors Lee Selby and Nathan Cleverly are heading out to fight abroad, too. The omens are good...
