My Canelo vs. Charlo Theory Relatively Speaking

September 30th, 2023

By William Trillo


With the big fight only hours away I figured it was a good time to use a little Grey Matter and break down what I believe is going to happen in the main event in Las Vegas. Canelo Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KO’s) will be defending all four of his 168-pound belts as he goes up against Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KO’s) in this anticipated attraction.

Although Charlo has been considered a “Live Dog” by some experts, I believe he has bit off more than he can chew and will fall to Canelo’s strengths before the final bell rings, and here are my reasons why;

First and utmost is the inactivity of Charlo. Having not stepped into the ring since May of 2022, Charlo has accumulated more rust than a junk yard Edsel. No matter how good of shape he has gotten himself into, the lack of any competition in recent times will become painfully clear before the fight is halfway over.

Then there is the weight problem. Yes, Charlo is a proven warrior but those belts he owns come in two weight divisions under the challenge he takes on tonight. Trust me, Charlo is not going to be channeling Henry Armstrong. The size differential is going to prove to be problematic, there is no way to get around that.

Lastly, if you read between the lines, Charlo has made it obvious the main reason he took this challenge is the Mega-Fight payday. It’s hard to begrudge the man for that, but it will be to his undoing. His motivation to win is secondary, and that could make for a short night.

As far as Canelo goes, he has made his motivation clear. He feels Charlo has never respected his talent and is looking to prove him wrong.

It doesn’t take a Theoretical Physicist to see the writing on the chalkboard. Look for this one to be stopped after ten grueling rounds. I don’t expect to see Charlo answer the bell for round eleven.

On a side note, it looks like Haney is serious about facing Regis Prograis this year. I stand by my original prediction. This will not end well for Devin.

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Hot Prospect Watch: Gael Cabrera

September 15th, 2023

By William Trillo


As I sat at the Golden Boy press conference on Thursday afternoon, I was feeling a bit nostalgic remembering when I was just cutting my journalistic teeth in the sport as I watched and covered young fighters like Librado Andrade, Enrique Ornelas and Victor Ortiz begin their careers. As much as I enjoy covering the big fights, it’s always a treat to speak with young boxers who are looking to put their names on the pugilistic map. For the most part, all these guys are genuine, all they want to do is let their actions in the ring show fans who they are and what they are all about. In this day and age of “Look At Me” Social Media stars who are more interested in how many hits their webpage is getting than they are about their Punchstat hits, it’s a real treat to find out about these young men.

One of those fighters is Gael Cabrera. He will be entering the ring as a pro for only the second time on Saturday. I took the opportunity after lunch to speak with his management about the young man from Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico.

As I found out, while in Las Vegas for a fight in August of 2022, Managers of Champions, Sergio Diaz and Francisco Espinoza were told about a fighter out of Mexico by the name of Gael Cabrera. As Diaz said, “We looked him up and knew we had to get this kid. His pro record is 1-0 with 1 KO but he had a great amateur career with over 200 fights.”

That was the right call by Diaz and Espinoza. Cabrera is an eight-time State Champion, three-time Mexican National Champion, two-time Mexican National Bronze Champion, and the 2022 IBA Junior World Championship Silver Medalist. Obviously, this young man is battle tested and with a newly signed promotional contract deal with Golden Boy, it is likely we will see him often in the coming year.


“He is a good kid and more importantly he is hungry,” stated Diaz. “He has a strong pedigree; his older brother is a fighter. Gael grew up in the gyms in Mexico, he knows what it takes.”

It seems like only yesterday we were talking with Diaz about his fighters Antonio Margarito and Jesus Soto Karass. “We go back many years and had some great times as we guided Tony and Karass to the top; it will be great to work with you again as we watch Gael’s career grow. You are going to see some great things”, said Diaz.

If you want to see Cabrera in action on Saturday, it’s a good idea to get to the show at The Commerce Casino early or catch his fight on The Golden Boy YouTube Channel. I highly recommend it.

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing news.

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Crawford vs. Spence Random Thoughts

July 31st, 2023

By William Trillo
Photo: German Villasenor


No one adapts to another fighter’s style and exposes his weaknesses better than Terence Crawford…No One.

If Errol Spence Jr. had a Plan B he forgot to use it. (Big If).

I am trying to recall the last time a Super Fight that was basically 50/50 according to oddsmakers became such a one-sided beat down.

Outside of Tyson Fury entering the ring against Deontay Wilder to the song “Crazy”, the music Crawford played for his ring walk was hands down one of my all-time faves…and spot on for the evening.


In case you didn’t notice, Crawford, who can fight from either the orthodox or southpaw stance, fought as a lefty all night long and never switched up. Not once.


The last time Spence fought a southpaw was in September of 2015 against an extremely inferior opponent by the name of Chris van Heerden. Was anyone doing their homework at all over there? Hello?

So…Being right about how this fight was going to turn out got quite a few people uninvited to the party.

I have said it before, and I will say it again; You know all those faces that you looked at smugly as you climbed your way to the top? Remember this, you will have to look at those same faces again on your way down.

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing truth.

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Nipping It In The Bud

July 29th, 2023

By William Trillo
Photo: Esther Lin – SHOWTIME


Okay, all you gambling degenerates out there, if you have been waiting to hear who my pick is for the biggest fight of 2023 so you could go lay all your money down on the other fighter, now is the time.

Yes, I have been known to be way off in the past when it comes to my Big Fight predictions, but for this one, I have done my research and there is no doubt in my mind who will have his hand raised in victory inside The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas tonight.

In lieu of beating around the bush and trying to subtly hint at the how’s and why’s of boxing politics, I am just going to come out and say it.

Because of Erroll Spence Jrs. ties with PBC and their almost teenage crush of a love for him, there is no way on the face of the planet that Spence (28-0, 22 KO’s) loses by decision this evening. No way, no how. You know it, I know it, but more importantly Terence “Bud” Crawford (39-0, 30 KO’s) knows it and he is just the guy to do something about it.

We have all seen Crawford fight. He comes into the ring angry, and that’s against fighters who have shown him no disrespect at all. The outcome is always the same, “Bud” bludgeons his foe before sending him into oblivion.

Tonight, he will enter the ring with that anger and an extra chip of Promoter Disrespect on his shoulder to boot. Knowing the KO is the only way he will leave the arena with all four Welterweight Title belts in tow, Crawford will punish and knock Spence out inside of nine. Trust me on this one.

All right High Rollers, if you sign off now and get over to The Sports Book right away, you should have time to get your bets down before the first bell rings.

PS: And here’s a hot tip for no extra charge. If Devin Haney doesn’t change his mind about stepping up to fight Regis Prograis on October 28th in Las Vegas, finding a mask for Halloween will not be necessary. Prograis will be providing one for him, and it won’t be pretty!

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing odds.

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20/20 Hindsight and the
Derevyanchenko Miscalculation

June 12th, 2023

By William Trillo


If the reports are true, Sergey Derevyanchenko was summoned to the Golden Boy offices only days before the fight with their last meal ticket possession, Jaime Munguia. The reason was simple, Golden Boy wanted the scheduled twelve round fight to be changed to a ten rounder and they were willing to pay a hefty six figure sum to buy their fighter, (so to speak), a six-minute break. Obviously there was concern in the Munguia camp that for whatever reason, their fighter wasn’t ready for a fight that included those crucial Championship rounds.

The proud Ukrainian, who has come up on the wrong side of some very questionable decisions in the past, felt this was the fight he was going to prove everyone wrong and show that even at 38 years old he was still a force to be reckoned with. He was confident he would get the win and turned down the lucrative offer.

As we know, the fight is already in the running for Fight Of The Year. Over the span of the first ten rounds Derevyanchenko was giving Mungia fits. Numerous times Munguia was rocked and in real trouble. In fact, when looking at the official scorecard, after ten rounds Derevyanchenko was winning be a close majority decision.


Then, as if Father Time had seen enough, Derevyanchenko’s legs turned into rubber in round eleven and he never got them back. A wicked body shot from Munguia put him down, but he was somehow able to collect himself to last the twelve round distance.

But in those two final rounds, the ones Munguia’s management was trying to buy away, the fighter from Mexico came on strong and in the end was awarded the unanimous decision victory. That’s why they make ‘em fight.

One can only assume it’s going to be a long plane fight home for Derevyanchenko. Had he taken the payoff not only would he coming home a winner, but he would also have an extra six figure amount in his wallet. Ouch!

Not to be forgotten in all this is what Munguia might be thinking right now? Did his team act on his behalf earlier in the week or was their lack of confidence in the fighter somewhat of a slap in the face? Whatever the case may be, Munguia proved his naysayers wrong as he gutted out an impressive victory.

For Munguia, who has been often criticized for his lack of stiff competition, this win should wipe that slate clean.

For Derevyanchenko, this loss will be tough to swallow. Considering he is in the twilight of his career, this could be the end. How many more tough losses can he take at the hands of the judges?

Truthfully, we can put down all the “robbery” talk. It was a close fight that could have gone either way, unless of course Derevyanchenko took that bribe, then we would be having another conversation. But…

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Derevyanchenko Miscalculation

A Losers Litmus Test

May 22nd, 2023

By William Trillo
Photo: Raymond Spencer

As defined by merriam-webster.com
litmus test: a test in which factors (such as an attitude, event, or fact) are decisive.

Do you want to know who really won the battle between Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko on Saturday night? What would you say if I told you I can tell you with a 100% degree of certainty who was truly victorious? You would probably say, “Here he goes again, what kind of rhetoric is he going to spew this time?”

Just hear me out boxing fans. The Trillo Litmus Test is actually pretty simple and it’s going to be almost impossible to argue with.
Ready? Here we go;


The first thing I want you to consider is the body language of the two fighters when the final bell rang. Lomachenko was jubilant, certain of a victory as he darted to his team’s corner. On the other side, Haney slunked over as he wandered to his corner, there was not an ounce of joy or confidence in his steps.

Next, did you see the looks on the faces of the fighters while the ring announcer was reading the scores of the fight before he declared the victor? Again, Loma was confident and looked relaxed as he was fully expecting to get the nod. On the other hand, Haney looked like he was about to cry, and I am not talking about tears of joy. He looked like he was expecting some very bad news.

And last but not least, whenever I hear a fighter who won the fight making excuses after the fight, I know deep down inside that fighter knows damn well he lost, no matter what the judges card rendered. At the post-fight press conference Haney stated, “I’ve been at 135 for a long, long time….It’s always been tough for me to make weight.” Why the excuses Devin? Didn’t you win?

Bing, Bang, Boom!

Told ya’ that was gonna be easy.

We can argue all day about who really won that fight. We can discuss Moretti’s scorecard and how he botched that tenth round and wonder if the fix was in. At the end of the day, it’s not going to matter, and as per usual, boxing will move on.

But in the meantime, if you really want to know who the loser in Las Vegas on Saturday night was…Look to the Litmus Test my friends, it’s foolproof and always 100% accurate.

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing truth.

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Canelo Underwhelms In Mexico

May 8th, 2023

By William Trillo
Photos: Melina Pizano – Matchroom


By now we have all read the reports, Canelo Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) looked far from a World Beater in his unanimous decision victory over John Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) on Saturday night. The question is why?

Did his performance show that he is now on the downside of his career? Did the injury to his recently repaired wing resurface? Did his inability to handle southpaw fighters rear its ugly head again? Or was Ryder more than he, or anyone else for that matter, bargained for?

The jury remains out on this one, but whatever the case may be, Canelo looked pedestrian at best in front of his hometown audience.

Regardless of the reason, Canelo was victorious and now he says he wants another shot at Dmitry Bivol in a 175-pound rematch. That’s all well and good, but Bivol has made it clear a rematch will take place at 168 pounds for all Canelo’s belts.

It’s doubtful Canelo wants to put his stranglehold on the 168-pound division on the line, so we will see if and when a rematch is made…if ever.


I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Ryder who came to fight, and though bloodied and down in round five, Ryder managed to get up and make a decent showing for himself in going the 12-round distance. Good on you John

Scorecards that read 120-107, 118-109, 118-109, all in favor of Canelo, were generous. Ryder won at least three rounds, maybe four.

Dipping into the undercard, no one is ever going to put WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 14 KOs) on their Pound4Pound list, but this little guy is always fun to watch. His 11th round KO victory over Ronal Batista (15-3, 9 KOs) put him on the must-see radar.

Don’t look now but “The Nail” Gvozdyk (19-1, 15 KOs) is back!

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing news.

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Did Golden Boy Promotions
Throw Ryan Garcia Under The Bus?

April 25th, 2023

By William Trillo

Apparently, we were not the only ones who found the absence of both Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins at the Ryan Garcia post-fight press conference a little bit more than curious. As it turns out, numerous websites and blogs questioned Oscar and Bernard both going ghost after the fight. In a not very surprising move, both The Golden Boy and B-Hop came up with their versions why they did not attend the late night festivities.

That being said, we are posting this little quiz to let you decide why you think Ryan Garcia got thrown under the bus by his promoters after the fight.

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Random Tank vs. Garcia Thoughts

April 24th, 2023

Photos: Esther Lin – SHOWTIME


When you anoint yourself “King” and laugh at all your subjects as you attempt to ascend to the top remember this, when that phony crown is knocked off your head you are going to have to look at those same faces on your way down. It’s not going to be pretty.

On that note: I’m wondering why so many journalists are still calling Garcia, “KingRy”, coming off that less than noble losing performance? To that matter I am wondering why they ever called him that at all? Stop it already!

As I stated in my post-fight report, those Liver shots are a Booger. That delayed reaction is hard to explain, but it’s real and it’s no walk in the park. That being said, the question will always remain whether or not Garcia could have gotten up. Garcia didn’t do himself any favors at the Post Fight press conference when asked about getting up or not when he said, “I was close to getting up, for sure…I mean…I ain’t got no excuses, I just couldn’t get up.” Huh?

Speaking of that Post Fight presser, am I the only one that found it curious that neither Oscar De La Hoya nor Bernard Hopkins were in attendance? I mean, they both went over and above the call of duty to make their annoying presence known during fight week. Now suddenly they are both a No Show? Maybe they were having a late-night meeting with Don King and Adrien Broner.

On the topic of The Golden Boy Promoters, whose idea was it to put Yamaguchi Falcao in a title match with David Morrell? Having seen Yamaguchi in the ring live on numerous occasions it was clear to me he was far from a World Class fighter. Heck, he was barely holding his own at club fights. Are you gonna tell me Golden Boy Brass did not know this? Of course they did. And yet they threw him in there with that beast Morrell. I hope that pocket change they picked up was worth almost getting their fighter killed. Despicable and irresponsible act.


Hey, here’s a question for ya. Did you see the official scorecard for the Tank vs. Garcia fight? Does someone care to explain to me the scoring in the second round? And before you try to give me your Marques of Queensbury lesson…yes, I know Garcia was winning the round. But that knockdown by Tank was no fluke, he ducked a shot and countered with a sweet left hand that dropped Garcia like a sack of potatoes. It wasn’t a slip, it wasn’t a trip. That was a legit knockdown. That’s a 10-8 round in my book every day of the week. So…explain the scoring in round two. Someone? Anyone? I didn’t think so.

Lastly, allow me to say that 2023 has already been a great year for boxing and it hasn’t even hit the month of May yet. Why, you ask? Because those two so called Social Media stars, Ru…err…Jake Paul and now Ryan Garcia have been exposed and put in their place. If these guys want to keep their Social Media follower count in the millions that’s fine by me, knock yourselves out, so to speak. Just get your butts out of the sport I love and let’s get back to the business of boxing. (And take all those so-called “Influencer” journalists who don’t seem to be doing anything but taking up space with you).

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing truth.

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Time To Cancel Zzzurdo For Good

March 18th, 2023

By William Trillo


When Oscar De La Hoya said of his newly found “Meal Ticket”, Zzzurdo Ramirezzz, “Ramirez is on his way up, Ramirez is hungry”, The Golden Boy wasn’t kidding. On Friday afternoon we found out Zzurdo was so hungry he was on his way up to a whopping 183 pounds. That’s a full eight pounds over the contracted weight for his match with Gabe Rosado. As such, the fight has been cancelled. There is simply no excuse for this.

During the same interview De La Hoya also said, “Ramirez is a fighter who wants to taste glory.”

Correction…the only thing Zzzurdo wants to taste is a hot Chimichanga from an Alberto’s Drive-Thru.

Earlier this week Zzzurdo was quoted as saying, “Everything was good in camp. I’m ready…After the last fight, I want to prove myself. I was in a dark place but now it’s a new start and I’m ready.”

Bull Puckey!

After tipping the scale at 183 pounds Friday he stated, “No excuses. I had never missed weight in my 45 pro fights. This is the first and last time.”

One can only hope this is the last time. I personally don’t ever want to see this guy in the ring ever again. He is a disgrace.

Something about a guy who claims he wants to be a champion but not even coming close to the contracted weight that really irks boxing fans.

Speaking with another boxing journalist about this situation the scribe said, “Ramirez is lazy. He fights lazy, and now we find out he trains lazy. This really is no surprise.”

Truer words cannot be spoken.
Hence forth he shall be known as “Lazzzy Zzzurdo Ramirezzz”

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