Returning home after a tough fight week
A few days removed from Power Slap 17, former welterweight champion Anthony “Babyface” Blackburn sat down with Slap News to talk through the loss to Cole Young, the brutal week in Saudi Arabia, and what he believes went wrong. Back home and recovering, Blackburn summed up his mood simply: “Good to be back home. We’ll just say that.”
Blackburn remains one of the most decorated welterweights in the sport’s history, a longtime staple alongside former champion Damien Dibbell. But this time, the lone blemish on his record — a tie against Cole Young early in his career — came back full circle.
Two years of evolution made this a very different rematch
When asked what changed between their first meeting and this one, Blackburn pointed to time and development.
“A lot of time and preparation and evolution of the sport happened in two years.”
Did his high activity level catch up to him?
Some wondered whether being active for so long at the top may have finally taken a toll. Blackburn disagreed.
“No, I don’t think it hindered me. Things eventually happen for everybody. Every dog has his day.”
Still, he admits there are things he’ll adjust moving forward.
A difficult week in Saudi Arabia
Blackburn was honest about the fight-week environment.
“It was terrible. I stayed in the hotel the whole time. Didn’t really sleep good. It was boring. Not like a Vegas fight week at all.”
Without the usual energy, he said it affected his pre-fight spark.
Trying to energize the crowd on stage
In round one, Blackburn attempted to hype the fans and feed off the environment — something that works well for him in Las Vegas.
“I like to play off the crowd. In Vegas the energy gives me a boost, but I didn’t have it the same in Saudi.”
Round one went to Cole on the scorecards, but Blackburn stormed back.
Strong rounds two and three before momentum shifted
Judges scored round two 10–8 for Blackburn, and he had success again in round three. At that point, he was in a strong position on the scorecards.
But everything changed after he was dropped.
“My confidence was where it needed to be. But getting rattled and not being able to deliver good strikes after getting dropped was crucial. After that, he locked it in and I couldn’t get an effective strike off.”
The bruise and vision questions
Visible swelling appeared over Blackburn’s left eye. He believes it came from a grazing thumb to the temple.
But the injury didn’t affect his performance — at least not during the match.
“I didn’t really start blacking out until the day after. On stage, I could see just fine.”
Corner coaching and the debated flinch penalty
With Bordeaux coaching him throughout, Blackburn felt well supported. But he does wonder about the flinch sequence.
“Obviously you want the knockout. If I didn’t take the extra round for the flinch, how different would the scorecards have been? But he’s a great coach. He always has your best interest.”
He says he fully understood the flinch call and stands by his choice — even if he wishes he pushed harder for the knockout.
Cole Young’s power stood out
Watching the match back, one thing surprised him most:
“He definitely has a heavier hand than most.”
What comes next for Babyface?
For now, Blackburn is stepping back to recover.
“I definitely need time off. Whatever they call me with next, that’s what I’m going with. I’m not going to be on the internet bitching or making excuses. I’ll get back to training and be ready for whoever.”
He estimates four to six months before returning and has already begun following the medical protocol Power Slap sent him.
“I’ve been taking the Amino Heal we got a while back. I’ll be good to go in a couple months.”
Still a champion at heart
Despite the loss, Blackburn stayed composed, respectful, and focused on healing and rebuilding. Slap News closed the interview by reminding him that his legacy remains intact: “You’re still a champ at heart.” Blackburn signed off with gratitude and loyalty.
“Much love, buddy. Army for life.”