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•  – Flash From the Past –  

Terence Crawford successfully defends WBO welterweight title after Amur Khan surrenders after low blow

STORY BY JOHN RINALDI PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALEXANDER RINALDI

April 20 – New York City, NY. Top Rank, Inc. led by Bob Arum, demonstrated once more that after over half a century of promoting, they are still a dominating force in pugilism. On Easter Weekend in New York City, an impressive crowd of 14,091 fans turned out to see a Nebraska fighter take on an English adversary.

WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford, of Omaha, Nebraska, appears to be heading up the steps of super stardom. He first arrived on the big stage when he outpointed the popular Ricky Burns on March 1, 2014 for the WBO World Lightweight Championship. After two successful title defenses, Crawford bludgeoned Thomas Dulcimer on April 18, 2015 to win the vacant WBO World Super Lightweight crown. Terence then defended his laurels six more times, also scooping up the WBC Super Lightweight title belt in the process, before he moved up to TKO the conqueror of Manny Pacquiao, Jeff Horn, on June 9, 2018 to capture the WBO World Welterweight Championship. Crawford is a busy fighter and four months later he stopped Jose Bedridden Jr. in a barn burner on October 13 to retain his 147-pound belt for the first time.

The problem Crawford has faced, however, is that he had not beaten many household names to enhance his reputation. He needed a known opponent to take him up another rung of the ladder. That unlikely foe turned out to be Amur “King Khan” Khan, the former super lightweight king.

At one time, Khan, of Bolton, Lancashire, UK, was a hero in Great Britain. He defeated the great Marco Antonio Barrera on a technical decision (due to a clash of heads) on March 14, 2009, and four months later outpointed Andriy Kotelnik to win the WBA Super Lightweight Championship. Over the next three years he defended his belt five times against tough characters as Dmitiy Salita (TKO-1), Paulie Malignaggi (TKO-11), Marco Maidana (W-12), Paul McCloskey (TD-6) and Zab Judah (KO-5 and also capturing the IBF World Super Lightweight Crown) before being dethroned by Lamont Peterson on a 12-round split decision on December 10, 2011.

The loss to Peterson was a disputed one, but when he was destroyed in four rounds by Danny Garcia in his next outing on July 14, 2012, it appeared to be the end of Khan’s rising boxing star.

After two points wins over Luis Collazo (wining the WBA Int’l Welterweight Title and vacant WBC Silver Welterweight Belt) and Devon Alexander in 2014, Khan inexplicably moved all the way up to the middleweight division to take on the power punching WBC World Middleweight king Saul Alvarez, where he was punished and KO’d in the sixth round.

Once more Khan tried to rise from the ashes and captured a pair of wins over Phil Lo Greco and Samuel Vargas in 2018 to place himself in the #2 position in the WBO World Welterweight Rankings.

Although most believed that Khan was in way over his head against the likes of Crawford, there were still some believers out there (mostly in Great Britain) that Khan’s once vaulted punching power could pull off a miracle. Sadly miracles are in short supply in New York City boxing rings.

The two fighters entered the ring in Madison Square Garden in top shape, but right from the outset, the difference in the two fighters’ power was obvious. Crawford, 146.4, appeared to hurt the challenger with every punch he landed. Khan fought cautiously, while Crawford pounded away with both fists. Suddenly in the opening frame, the champion smashed a mighty right to the head of Khan that froze him for a brief millisecond before a left hook to the face send him toppling to the canvas.

Bravely rising, Khan appeared okay as he moved away from the walloping shots of Crawford. Amir tried to land a few lefts and rights to hold off the champion, but was tagged at the end of the frame with a crunching right hand that staggered him.

After the beating in the opening round, Khan appeared to have removed the cobwebs from his rattled brain and attacked with jolting combinations. Crawford, however, would then retaliate with a barrage of leather with punches coming from all angles possible, battering away at the Brit’s arms, body and head. Khan, 146.6, kept his composure and managed to score with some telling shots. Near the end of the session, Amir rocked Crawford with a vicious right hand that knocked the champion into the ropes. The right hand wallop was the best punch of Round 2 and won the round for the Brit on one of the judges’ scorecards.

The third round was another close frame as it appeared the champion was biding his time and content to counter off the Brit’s crackling combinations. Khan was still quite cautious, but scored well with some solid blows. This was another frame where one judge awarded the stanza to the challenger.

Rounds four and five saw Crawford land effectively with his southpaw right jab and hammered away at the challenger’s ribs and head. Khan would lunge in with a three-punch combination, but then the champion would open with both fist flailing and drive Khan across the ring.

Going into the sixth round the scorecards had Crawford ahead by tallies of 49-45 (twice) and 50-44. Early in Round 6, Crawford swung for the fences with a mighty left hook. Unfortunately his blow landed too far south and crashed into the groin of Khan, which sent the Englishman collapsing to the canvas. Amir then managed to make it to his feet, wearing of mask of pain on his face.

As referee David Fields questioned Khan and offered to give him time to recover, the challenger first adjusted his protective cup, and then made a comment that he was unable to fight. Because Khan refused a respite to recover, and instead decided he could not longer continue, Fields had no choice but to declare Crawford the winner by a 6th-round TKO at the 0:47 mark.

The Garden erupted in boos with the apparent surrender by Khan. Up until the low blow, Crawford may have been in control, but it was a rather enjoyable scrap.

“I feel like I was touching him [Khan] more and I was picking up the intensity,” said Crawford (35-0, 26 KO’s). He was looking for a way out. I hit him on top of the leg and he got his way out and his coach stopped the fight.”

Khan (33-5, 20 KO’s) remarked, “I want to apologize to all of the fans. The fight was just getting interesting. I could feel the pain in my stomach and legs, and said, ‘I can’t move’ to the referee and my corner. There was no point taking five minutes out, I could not continue. I am not one to give up. I was hit by a hard shot below the belt. I couldn’t continue as the pain was too much.”

At the press conference, Crawford clearly thought that Khan had quit. When the following exchange took place: Crawford – “You didn’t quit? Tell everything – the truth!”

Khan – “No, I didn’t.” Crawford – “Then what happened?” Khan – “I was hit with a low blow.” Crawford – “Your leg?” Khan – “In the leg? It was in the balls! I’ve not seen the video of it, but it was a low blow.” Crawford – “It was low.” Khan – “If you guys think I quit, no problem. I never quit from a fight. It was a great fight and Crawford beat me.”

The challenger’s trainer Virgil Hunter explained, “The crowd will always be bloodthirsty and want to see a dramatic ending, but you have to look out for the safety of the fighter. He’s not the kind of fighter to make things up. I believe he was incapacitated.”

The problem is that Hunter was not one of those fans in attendance who paid from $56 to $606 to view the fight. Khan refused to take advantage of a five-minute rest in an effort to recover from the low punch. Instead, he waved the white flag and that was it for the evening.

Regardless, the crowd witnessed an impressive performance from Crawford who thrilled the fans with a great first-round knockdown, along with incredible power shots throughout the battle. Khan, 32, may be through with his time in the big-time spotlight, while Crawford, 31, has many exciting challenges ahead.

Crawford expressed a desire to take on IBF World Welterweight King Errol Spence Jr. in the near future. The undercard featured the following: Bantamweight Lawrence Newton (12-0, 7 KO’s), of Deerfield, FL, oupointed Jonathan Garza (7-3, 2 KO’s), of Eagle Pass, TX, over six rounds. Super Welterweight Vikas Krishan (2-0, 1 KO), of Haryana, IND, won a unanimous 6-round decision over Noah Kidd (3-2-1, 2 KO’s), of Jefferson City, MO. Super Lightweight Larry Fryers (10-1, 3 KO’s), of Clones, IRL, decisioned Dakota Polley (5-3, 2 KO’s), of St. Joseph, MO.

Power punching, undefeated middleweight Edgar Berlanga (10-0, 10 KO’s), of New York City, NY, made short work of veteran Samir Barbosa (37-16-3, 26 KO’s), of Rio Grande, BRA, with a first-round TKO at the 0:46 mark.

In a battle for the vacant NABF/NABO Super Welterweight Title, Carlos Adames (17-0, 14 KO’s) bludgeoned Frank Galarza (20-3-2, 12 KO’s), of Brooklyn, NY, in four rounds after dropping Galarza with a whipping left hook.

Lightweight Felix Verdejo (25-1, 16 KO’s), of San Juan, PR, defeated Bryan Vasquez (37-4, 20 KO’s) over ten rounds.

Former Olympic Silver medalist Shakur Stevenson (11-0, 6 KO’s), of Newark, NJ, easily outboxed Christoper Diaz (24-2, 16 KO’s), of Barranquitas, PR, to win the IBF Intercontinental and NABO Featherweight Title Belts by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92. The southpaw Stevenson a a crafty, cocky and slick fighter that surely has a bright future. “I want to fight all the champions,” said Stevenson. “I’m the smartest boxer in boxing today.”

The popular NABF lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez (13-0, 11 KO’s), of Brooklyn, NY, KO’d former two-time EBU European Union Lightweight king Edis Tatli (31-3, 10 KO’s), of Helsinki, FIN, with a wicked left hook to the ribs that sent the challenger down and out in the fifth round.

All in all, Top Rank put on a fun night of boxing by having girls shoot t-shirts to the fans with air guns, provide games where audience members adorned with boxing gloves had to put on a Top Rank shirt the fastest to win, and also trivia contests given to some fans with Top Rank t-shirt prizes.

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Michael Dutchover suffers 1st loss in controversial fashion

Ruben Villa Shines in win over Enrique Vivas

Petr Petrov inches towards title shot with 2nd round KO

PHILADELPHIA – September 23, 2019 – This past Friday night, three members of the Banner Promotions stable were in action and had impressive performances.

In Midland, Texas lightweight Michael Ducthover (13-1, 10 KOs) took on Thomas Mattice in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation that was televised Live on SHOWTIME.
Dutchover took the fight to Mattice and was up on two of the three judges scorecards as the bout entered the eighth round.

In that round, Dutchover was cut over the left eye.  The cut was ruled from a punch, but instant replays were inconclusive on how the cut occurred, and Mattice was ruled the winner of the bout.

Dutchover was ahead 69-64, 68-65 while Mattice was ahead on one card 67-66.

“It was a great fight.  Mattice is a warrior, but the fight was going my way,” said Dutchover.  “My body punches and uppercuts were working well, and I stunned him in the 6th round.  It was a good performance and I had the fight won.”

On the punch the allegedly stopped the fight, Dutchover did not know how the cut was opened.  “They said I got with a punch, and I guess that’s boxing.  I don’t know if it was a punch and I don’t know if it was a headbutt.  I just know that I started bleeding.  I was good, but the doctor stopped the fight.  The thing that disappointed me was that they did not let my cutman Andrew Rodriguez work on it between rounds.  In fact, after the fight was over, he worked on it for about 20 seconds, and the cut was under control.”

Dutchover showed great sportsmanship in defeat.

“I take my losses the same way I take my wins, but now I just can’t wait to get back in there.  It says that I have a loss on paper, but with my performance, I feel that I won.  I would take a rematch with him without hesitation.  But as soon as I heal up, I would take that as the 1st fight back.”

The fight took place in front of a sold out crowd in Dutchover’s hometown for which SHOWTIME analyst’s said it was the loudest they heard a venue in many years.

“Midland supported this event, and I helped bring a major event here.    It exceeded all expectations, the fans loved the fight, and they are already talking about bringing another event here.”

In the co-feature, world-ranked featherweight, Ruben Villa (17-0, 5 KOs) was very impressive in shutting out previously undefeated Enrique Vivas to retain the WBO International title.  

Villa used a variety of punches throughout the fight which included a perfect two punch combination that dropped Vivas in round two, and Villa cruised to the victory by matching 100-89 scores on all cards.  

“It was a pretty good performance.  He was confident, but we had a good game-plan which we stuck to the whole fight, and I was smart about it what I wanted to do in there,” said Villa.

“We planned that he would be more aggressive.  We know that feints and jabs would be key and they worked great.  Once I landed the jab that was followed by a left hand in round that that dropped him, I saw him begin to lose his confidence.”

Villa was very satisfied with his performance in his 3rd appearance on ShoBox.

“If you consider the tough opponent, who came in undefeated and combine it that I scored a knockdown and won all the rounds, I would say it was my best performance to date.”

Villa is very confident that major opportunities are on the horizon.

“I am going to take a couple of weeks off, and then get right back in the gym.  I am hopeful that by middle of next year I will get my world title opportunity.”

In Ontario, California, two-time world title challenger Petr Petrov registered his 3rd stoppage victory of the year as he stopped Dedrick Bell in the 2nd round of their main event at The Doubletree Hotel.  

Petrov dominated the action, and stopped Bell with a body shot at 2:48.

With the win, Petrov (41-6-2, 22 KOs) will look for a major opportunity, which could include a world title shot with a particular interest in fighting newly crowned WBC Interim lightweight champion Devin Haney.

“I am very proud of Michael, Ruben and Petr,” said Artie Pelullo, President of Banner Promotions.  “Michael was ahead in the fight that ended because of a situation where no one has clearly seen a punch.  If the referee would have declared it a headbutt, Michael would have won the fight as he was ahead on two the cards.  It’s just bad luck.  Michael is 21 years-old and he is terrific young fighter.  It is just a bump in the road. Ruben was outstanding, and he keeps showing us he is on his way to a world title.  He took on an undefeated fighter who was promoted by Mikey Garcia’s company.  Mikey knows talent.  Ruben won every round, and he is proving why he is one of the best at 126 pounds in the world.  Once again Petr showed that he is a true professional as he has been active, and has three straight knockouts.  A big fight is in his near future.”

Dutchover and Villa are co-promoted by Thompson Boxing.

Dutchover & Villa Photos by Emily Harney; Petrov Photo by Kyte Monroe

 

THE OSCAR DE LA HOYA FOUNDATION HOSTS BOXING EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY AT PASADENA CITY HALL
Photos courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – The Oscar De La Hoya Foundation presented a spectacular night of professional boxing today at Pasadena City Hall to give back to the community. The proceeds from the public event will go towards the Foundation to help support programs that will benefit the youth and community of Pasadena.

“I wanted to do something for Pasadena for the first time,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “So we decided to give free fights to everyone. Also, on behalf of the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation, I want to donate $100,000 to various foundations here, especially Villa Park, which I have always supported. A lot of kids have made their dreams come true by staying off the streets and by taking up a sport that will drive them to bigger and better things like boxing. On behalf of Golden Boy Promotions and myself personally, I want to thank you for opening the doors for us. Thank you for having a beautiful city, and thank you for everything.”
 
The event was televised as part of a special Friday edition of the Golden Boy DAZN Thursday Night Fights series with welterweight prospect Ferdinand “Lucky Boy” Kerobyan (12-1, 7 KO’s) of North Hollywood, CA, scoring a second-round knockout against Daniel Evangelista Jr. (20-11-2, 16 KO’s) of Mexico City, MX, in the scheduled eight-round main event. Kerobyan won with a time of 1:54 of the aforementioned round.

“I want to take this time to thank God for giving me the opportunity to do what I love,” said Kerobyan. “I also want to dedicate this fight to a dear supporter who passed away. If Golden Boy wants me back in four weeks, then I’ll be ready to do it. I’m ready to come back next week.”
 
In the co-main event, Emilio “The Kid” Sanchez (19-1, 12 KO’s) of North Hollywood, CA, defeated Jose Gonzalez (23-8-1 13 KO’s) of Guadalajara, MX, via unanimous decision in an eight-round featherweight battle. Sanchez won with two scores of 77-75 and one of 80-72.

“I was trying to figure this guy out,” remarked Sanchez. “I finally listened to my corner by the end, and you saw the result. All of this is a product of hard work, which pays off in the end. Thank you all for the support.”
 
Uzbekistani prospect Bektemir Melikuziev (2-0, 2 KO’s) scored a thunderous first-round body-shot knockout victory over Adrian Luna (22-7-1 14 KO’s) of Mexico City, MX, in a scheduled eight-round light heavyweight fight.
 
“We did as we planned tonight,” stated Melikuziev. “By my fifth fight, I want to fight for a world title.”
 
Eben Vargas (11-0, 5 KO’s) of Mexico City, MX, scored a six-round unanimous decision win against Cornell “The Hitman” Hines (5-1, 2 KO’s) of Washington, DC, in a welterweight fight. All judges scored the fight 59-55.

“I feel amazing,” explained Vargas. “It was a great experience to fight on a Golden Boy card for a second time. Beating an undefeated fighter will do a lot for me. I want to come back soon and fight in September.”
 
Jousce “Tito” Gonzalez (10-0-1 9 KO’s) of Glendora, CA, defeated Miguel Mendoza (23-17-2, 22 KO’s) of Aguascalientes, MX, via a six-round unanimous decision in a lightweight fight. Gonzalez won with scores of 59-55, 59-55 and 60-54.
 
“I give myself an ‘F’ in this fight,” said  Gonzalez. “I did poorly. I could have popped my jab more, but I hurt my shoulder early, and I couldn’t adjust. I still landed cleaner and harder shots though, so I got the victory.”

Anthony Garnica (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Oakland, CA, scored a first-round stoppage win against Yaqub Kareem (14-12-1, 8 KO’s) of Bloomingfield, MI, in a scheduled four-round featherweight weight battle. The fight was stopped at 2:59 of the just mentioned round. 
 
“I feel great,” stated Garnica. “I have a great corner and had a great camp, so I felt confident going into the fight. I’m going to continue to work hard and improving my craft.”
 
Kerobyan vs. Evangelista Jr. was an eight-round super welterweight fight presented by the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation. The fights took place on Friday, Aug 30 at Pasadena City Hall and was open to the public. The event was streamed live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page. The series is also available on regional sports networks around the nation.
 
For more information on future events and upcoming fights, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA, or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #KerobyanEvangelista, #ThursdayNightFights and #TNF.
  Founded in 1995, the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation annually hosts a golf tournament, a boxing gym equipment donation, Thanksgiving dinner giveaway and holiday toy giveaway, in addition to supporting the Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School, the Cecilia Gonzalez De La Hoya Cancer Center and the Oscar De La Hoya Labor and Delivery Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (both located at White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles). Today, with the help of many partners, the foundation serves thousands of people annually.

 

 

 

Champion Jaime Munguia demolishes Challenger Patrick Allotey in 4 to retain WBO Super Welterweight Title

By Tyrone Cartwright

September 14 – Carson, California. There is something to be said about an outdoor fight.

With the sky surrounding the arena with a panoramic backdrop, an outdoor fight presents a magical feeling of being sent back in time to the famous outside fights in boxing history that took place in such iconic venues as Yankee Stadium, Soldier’s Field and many others from the days of the bare knucklers to the present.

In the open air arena at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, a crowd of 7,311 must have shared the same nostalgic feeling when they cheered on their hero and WBO super welterweight champion Jaime Munguia before the sun, the moon, and the stars.

It was Mexican Independence weekend and the fans on hand were fortunate enough to witness the talents of the fighter who is soon becoming the number one dose of excitement in the sport of boxing. This fighter is none other than WBO super welterweight champion and knockout artist Jaime Munguia, of Tijuana, Mexico.

At 22 years old, this boxing sensation is taking the sport by storm and when he entered the ring sporting an undefeated ledger featuring 26 KO’s in 33 bouts, the fans, most of who were comprised of his fellow countrymen, took notice and waited in anticipation for knockout number 27 to happen.   

And happen it did.

But it did not happen right away, for challenger Patrick Allotey, 153, hailing from Ghana, 153, who started the fight off fast behind swift and jarring combinations to the champ’s head. Wearing green trunks with black trim, Allotey, 28, who also had an impressive ledger of 30 KO’s, showed no fear whatsoever to Munguia’s punching reputation nor to the fact that most of the fans on hand were rooting for his adversary.

After a close feeling-out opening stanza, in round two, the challenger banged away at Munguia with combinations to the head and jaw. Towards the end of the round Allotey even stunned the champion with a hard combination to the chin and cheekbone.

In round three things started off the same till the last minute of the round when Munguia pinned the challenger to the ring corner and belted him with a terrific right to the jaw followed by a thunderous left to the ribs that struck him like a barn door and dropped him to the canvas.

Up at “nine” Allotey tried to regroup and appeared to hold off Munguia’s constant attack until the champion nailed him with lead right combinations to Allotey’s head and body. The champion then added to his deadly arsenal, double left hooks, the true terror of the family of fistic combinations, that landed with the force of a blacksmith’s forging hammer and knocked the challenger clear across the ring, this time dropping him to the seat of his trunks. Again he bravely rose, and made it up to his feet at the count of “eight” and was thus able to make it to round four.

Little did Allotey know at the time, that his reprieve would be short-lived as the champion jumped on him and remained Punching at him all the way to the last minute of the round when he connected with a head and body combination that sent his to the ring floor for the third time in the bout. Though the game challenger again rose to his feet, his corner had rightly seen enough and threw in the towel to end the one-way proceedings.

The fight ended at 2:18 of the round.

With the loss Allotey saw his record drop to a still impressive 40-4 (30 KO’s). In defeat while praising the champion, he also declared that he intended to get back to the proverbial drawing board and return promptly tothe prize ring.

With the win, Munguia (34-0, 27 KOs), who successfully defended his WBO junior middleweight title for the fifth time, was very pleased with his performance. “I feel really good fighting back in my hometown. People here cheering me on, it’s a great feeling. During the fight I felt really good. This guy was tough, you know, he was eating up all the punches but I was able to get him on the third round.”

The champion added, “The journey getting here was hard but I feel really good with these people who came to support me. This is Mexican Independence Day and I feel really good and I’m ready to go further for more.”

The champion also acknowledged the assistance from the former legendary champion and ring icon Erik Morales. “Thank you of course to Erik [Morales]. I learned from Erik to stay calm, but this is a combination of everyone that I work with.”

“Step by step, I’ve learned a lot from all the fighters that I’ve fought before.”

When asked if he wanted to go up to the next weight class the middleweight division, and fight the top guys  at 160 – e.g., Canelo and GGG, Munguia responded,  “First I need to get to 160, but I’m ready to go.”

The way he looked in this fight, Munguia may indeed be the future of boxing, and a force to be reckoned with in any weight class.

The fight was telecast on DAZN Streaming Network.

Next wave continuing rich Reno boxing history

Inaugural RJJ Boxing & Silver Legacy event

Co-promoted with Joey Gilbert Promotions

Event streaming live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS

LAS VEGAS (September 16, 2019) – The next wave of Reno boxers will continue its rich boxing tradition October 25 on “RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®,” co-promoted by Joey Gilbert Promotions in association with Silver Legacy Resort Casino at THE ROW in Reno, Nevada.

The event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, from inside the Grande Exposition Hall at Silver Legacy.

Local boxers such as featherweight Ricardo Lucio Galvan (2-0, 2 KOs) and super lightweight Wilfred Mariano (1-0, 1 KO) are all slated to fight on the Oct. 25^th card against opponents to be determined.

Organized boxing was held during the early 1880’s in small mining towns in the Northwest section of Nevada, professional boxing matches were conducted there later that century.

Hall of Fame promoter Tex Rickard and legendary heavyweight Jack Johnson first put Reno on the boxing map on July 4, 1910, when World heavyweight champion successfully defending his title against James J. Jeffries, stopping him in the 15^th round at what was reportedly the only venue ever built for a single boxing event.  When President William Taft declined Richard’s offer to referee, Richards became the third man in the ring.  Boxing stars including Jake Kilrain, Tommy Burns, and Abe Attell were introduced to the reported crowd of 16,528.

Richard first brought another Hall of Fame heavyweight champion, Jack Dempsey, to Reno in 1915 for his ninth pro fight, when Dempsey stopped Emmanuel Campbell in the fourth round at Airdrome Arena.  To fight, Dempsey had to “ride the rails” from Utah to Reno, stored away on a train with hobos.  Dempsey returned three years later to knockout Jack Moran in the opening round at Moana Spring Arena.

Dempsey may have been involved in unsanctioned fights in Reno as well.  Desperate for money during the early part of his boxing career, Dempsey is infamous for walking into saloons and saying, “I can’t sing, and I can’t dance, but I can lick any SOB in the house.”

In 1982 on HBO, future Hall of Famer “Sugar” Ray Leonard successfully defended his World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight World titles at Centennial Coliseum, knocking out Bruce Finch in round three.

Reno-based Gilbert’s first three (2001-2003) and last three (2010) pro fights were held in Reno, where he had a 7-2 (6 KOs) pro record.

Gilbert commented, “Having fought as both an amateur and a professional at these same properties; THE ROW, Eldorado, Silver Legacy, and Circus Circus, which are like a second home to me and all Nevada boxing alumni, it’s really an honor to bring boxing and combat sports back to Northern Nevada, a true fight town, and to provide world class entertainment and an incredible digital production through Roy Jones JR Boxing and UFC FIGHT PASSs, in a partnership with the very casinos and environment that helped make me who I am today; I couldn’t be more delighted to be a part of this opportunity with Eldorado Resorts and UFC Fight Pass through Roy Jones Jr Promotions. I’m looking forward to a prosperous partnership with everyone involved, including the local community and all fight fans in the area.”

Hall of Fame referee Mills Lane was an adopted son of Reno, arguably the No. 1 referee in the world of boxing, during his high-profile stretch of activity.

Reno has also hosted major amateur boxing events like the 2016 NCBA (college) Western Regional Championships at the Eldorado Hotel and USA Boxing’s 2018 Western Elite Qualifier and Regional Open.  Reno will host the 2020 Western Elite Qualifier & Regional Open, March 21-28, 2020

Undefeated super lightweight prospect Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (16-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of San Antonio, faces Estonia-native Stan Martyniouk (20-2, 6 KOs), who lives in Belmont, California, in the eight-round main event on Oct. 25^th.

The co-featured event pits undefeated Sacramento cruiserweight Blake McKernan (10-0, 2 KOs) against Francisco Rivas (15-2, 5 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round bout.

Undefeated WIBA World female bantamweight champion Rosalindo Rodriguez (10-0, 2 KOs), of Miami, takes on Las Vegas’ unbeaten Jamie “The Miracle” Mitchell (5-0-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round non-title fight.

Galvan is matched against Sacramento’s pro-debuting Samir McQueen, while Mariano faces an opponent to be determined.

Also scheduled to fight on the undercard in separate four-round bouts against TBAs are undefeated Las Vegas lightweight Daquan Mays (3-0, 1 KO) and Sacramento lightweight Sergio Vega (2-0, 2 KOs).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets are available for $25, $45 and $65 and can be purchased at the Silver Legacy Box Office, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 775-325-7401 or 1-800-MUST-SEE. 

Silver Legacy Resort Casino is offering a special RJJ Boxing room rate at its hotel as well as its connected sister properties, Eldorado Resort Casino and Circus Circus Reno. Click on the respective property links for more information.

 Doors open at 5 p.m. PT, first bout 5:45 p.m. PT, and UFC FIGHT PASS starts at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET

INFORMATION:   Websites: www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com www.SilverLegacy.com Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @UFCFightPass, @JoeyPromotions, @SilverLegacy Instagram: @RoyJonesJRboxing, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @artofmusiclv, @rivalboxinggear, @JoeyPromotions, @SilverLegacyReno Facebook: /RJJBoxing, /JoeyPromotions /SilverLegacyResortCasino ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing.  RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years.  Creating exhilarating content for CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN, beIN Sports and UFC FIGHT PASS in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport. Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: former multiple world  bantamweight champion Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko (36-5, 26 KOs), 2-time world junior bantamweight title challenger “Mighty” Aston Palicte (25-3-1, 21 KOs), undefeated Irish middleweight prospect Connor “The Kid” Coyle, former world-ranked junior middleweights John “The Phenom” Vera (18-1, 11 KOs), WBA #14-rated junior welterweight Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (16-0, 7 KOs), junior lightweight Randy Moreno (12-2, 10 KOs), WBO #8-rated bantamweights Max “The Baby Faced Assassin” Ornelas (13-0-1, 5 KOs), undefeated featherweight prospects Ray “Valentino” Ximenez (18-2, 4 KOs), Edward Vazquez (6-0, 0 KOs), undefeated super middleweight prospect Juan “Just Business” Barajas (10-0, 7 KOs), and former WBC” Youth heavyweight champion Alexander “The Great” Flores (17-2, 15 KOs).

  Blood, Sweat & 50 Years: Padilla-Tomas Headlines Oct. 4 in Philly

VASILIY LOMACHENKO KNOCKS DOWN THEN OUTPOINTS BRITAIN’S “COOL HAND” LUKE CAMPBELL, TO ADDS WBC LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE TO HIS BELTS COLLECTION

Lee Selby to fight Ricky Burns in lightweight clash at O2 in October

Boxing Road to Tokyo 2020: Qualification Events announced

August 30, 2019

The Olympic Boxing Task Force today confirmed the names of the cities to host the five Qualification Events to be held on the Boxing Road to Tokyo 2020. The Task Force also announced the creation of an Athlete Ambassador Group, as well as the collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers on the refereeing and judging process.

Qualification Events

Four Continental Events and a final World Qualification Event will be held between February and May 2020 to give boxers the opportunity to seal their places at the Tokyo 2020 boxing tournament.

The World Qualification Event will give athletes a second chance to qualify and will therefore be open only to those boxers who have not yet qualified for the Games.

“The Qualification Events represent a fair and transparent pathway to the Olympic Games with equal opportunities for all National Olympic Committees,” said Boxing Task Force Chair and IOC Member Mr Morinari Watanabe. “Everything is being done to provide world-class Qualification Events and to ensure the best possible conditions for the athletes.”

The qualifying schedule features a strong emphasis on legacy, with all five events hosted by former or future Olympic Games or Youth Olympic Games host cities or countries. 

The five Qualification Events together with planned dates are as follows:

Asia/Oceania: WUHAN, China, 3-14 February 2020

Africa: DAKAR, Senegal, 20-29 February 2020
Venue: Dakar International Expo Centre, Diamniadio

Europe: LONDON, Great Britain, 13-23 March 2020
Venue: Copper Box arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

America: BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, 26 March-3 April 2020Venue: CeNARD high-performance athletics training centre

World: PARIS, France, 13-24 May 2020

The competition venues in Wuhan and Paris will be finalised and confirmed in due course.

The full Tokyo 2020 Event Programme and Qualification System for boxing was finalised and published in June 2019 and can be found here.

While the total number of athletes (286) has been maintained from Rio 2016, the number of female boxers has been tripled for Tokyo 2020 in a major boost toward gender equality and in keeping with the enhanced quality and popularity of female boxing. The Tokyo tournament will feature 186 men and 100 women (compared to 250 men and 36 women in Rio). 

Athlete Ambassador Programme

The Task Force also announced the creation of an Athlete Ambassador Group to engage with and represent boxers. This group will provide valuable athlete input and feedback to the Task Force and promote the athlete voice and representation in boxing, for Tokyo 2020 and beyond.

The Athlete Ambassadors will comprise 10 boxers, one man and one woman from each of the five regions, providing gender equality and global representation. The 10 will be selected from among nominations received from National Olympic Committees and National Federations by 30 September. They will be joined by additional athletes elected by their peers at each of the four continental events.   

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to oversee refereeing and judging process

To ensure the successful delivery of the Olympic Qualification Events and the Olympic competition itself, the Olympic Boxing Task Force is currently finalising the appointment of PwC to independently review the process for selecting and evaluating boxing referees and judges.

The assessment will be carried out prior to, and during, the five Olympic Qualification Events and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The Olympic Boxing Task Force decided to build on the successful delivery at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, where the partnership with PwC helped ensure the credibility of refereeing and judging processes.

Background information

The creation of the Olympic Boxing Task Force by the IOC Executive Board (EB) followed the recommendation by the IOC EB on 22 May – approved by the IOC Session on 26 June – that boxing keep its place on the Tokyo 2020 programme, but that recognition of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) by the IOC should be suspended and evaluated after Tokyo 2020.

The decision was based on the recommendations of the Inquiry Committee set up by the IOC EB on 30 November 2018 over concerns about AIBA in the areas of finance, governance, ethics and refereeing and judging.

Steven Ortiz, Alejandro Salinas to headline
Xcite Fight Night 5 At Parx Casino® on Friday, Sept. 20th

 Three Brutal Rounds: Navarrete Stops De Vaca

Jessie Magdaleno scores technical decision over Rafael Rivera in the co-feature

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 17, 2019) — Emanuel Navarrete was already a champion. He is now one of the sport’s elite. Navarrete knocked out the previously unbeaten Francisco “Panchito” De Vaca in three rounds Saturday evening in front of 3,944 fans in the first-ever boxing card at Banc of California Stadium.

Navarrete (28-1, 24 KOs), who upset Isaac Dogboe to win the title and then defeated him in an immediate rematch, knocked down De Vaca (20-1, 6 KOs) in the second round and forced the referee to stop the fight after dishing out a sustained beating in the third.

“I want to thank my supporters, and second of all, I want to continue the tradition of Mexican boxing in Los Angeles. `I want to fill arenas and follow in the footsteps of Mexican legends,” Navarrete said. “I’m talking to {Top Rank} about fighting September 14 on the Tyson Fury card in Las Vegas. I want to thank Bob Arum and Zanfer Promotions for the opportunity.”

Said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum: “He’s Mexican. He’s proud to be Mexican. September 14 is Mexican Independence Day Weekend, and the best fighter in Mexico will be there defending his title.”

Magdaleno Topples Rivera

Former junior featherweight world champion Jessie Magdaleno is ready to take on the featherweight titans. In his second bout since moving up in weight, Magdaleno scored a ninth-round technical decision over Rafael Rivera after an elbow opened up a gash on the bridge of Magdaleno’s nose. 

Magdaleno knocked down Rivera early in the ninth round and prevailed by scores of 89-81, 89-81 and 88-82.

“These things happen. It’s part of the sport,” Magdaleno said. “I have a lot of respect for Rivera. He is a warrior. I felt very good. I felt strong. I would say better than ever. I want a world title. I’m ready.”

— Super lightweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. (22-0, 9 KOs) dished out a sustained beating to Ricky Sismundo, and Sismundo’s corner stopped the bout following the conclusion of the fourth round,

“I want a world title shot now,” Barboza said. “I want to challenge all the champions. It doesn’t matter who it is, or where it takes place. All I want is to face Ramirez, Prograis, or Taylor, and I want it now!”

— Welterweight contender Chris van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) continued his march up the rankings, overcoming a bad a cut to defeat Aslanbek Kozaev (33-3-1, 8 KOs) via eight-round unanimous decision (79-73 2x and 78-74). van Heerden has won five straight since a 2015 defeat to Errol Spence Jr.

“Listen, it was a tough, hard fight, but I got the victory. Hopefully, the cut doesn’t keep me out of action too long. I’m starting to get more active, and before long, I will be ready to fight any of the top welterweights.”

— Top middleweight contender Janibek Alimkhanuly (7-0, 3 KOs) defended his WBC Continental Americas and WBO Global middleweight titles with a fifth-round stoppage over Canadian veteran Stuart McLellan (27-4-3, 11 KOs). 

— Javier Molina (20-2, 8 KOs), a 2008 U.S. Olympian, won his third consecutive bout, grinding out an eight-round unanimous decision (79-73 2x and 78-74) over Manuel Mendez (16-6-3, 11 KOs).

— Lightweight prospect Dmitry Yun improved to 2-0 with a six-round unanimous decision over veteran Javier Martinez (4-7, 3 KOs) by scores of 57-54 2x and 56-54.

— Super lightweight prospect Elvis Rodriguez (3-0-1, 3 KOs) made quick work of Jesus Gonzalez (6-3, 2 KOs), knocking him out  at 1:42 of the opening round.

(Photo Credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank)

 

 

All Time Great Jose Angel “Mantequilla” Napoles has died

• NOTABLE EVENTS IN JOSE NAPOLES’ LIFE

Napoles’ amateur record has been listed as 113-1 and 114-1.

According to BoxRec and Cyber Boxing Zone, Napoles defeated Diwaldo Ventosa by a ten-round decision on February 20, 1960. However, some sources have claimed that Napoles lost to Ventosa. In the August 1969issue of The Ring, Napoles insisted that it was his cousin, Israel Napoles, who had lost to Ventosa. According to BoxRec, Ventosa defeated Israel Napoles by a six-round decision on June 13, 1959.

After Cuban president Fidel Castro banned professional boxing in 1961, Napoles defected to Mexico, where he was adopted as a national hero.

Napoles stopped Curtis Cokes after thirteen rounds to win the World Welterweight Championship on April 18, 1969.

On October 17, 1969, Napoles defeated former World Welterweight Champion and World Middleweight Champion Emile Griffith by a fifteen-round unanimous decision to successfully defend the World Welterweight Championship.

Napoles lost the World Welterweight Championship to 9-1 underdog Billy Backus on December 3, 1970. The fight was stopped in the fourth round due to a cut over Napoles’ right eye.

On June 4, 1971, Napoles regained the World Welterweight Championship by stopping Billy Backus in eight rounds.

On November 1, 1970, the New York State Athletic Commission suspended Napoles and withdrew its title recognition because he and his manager, who was also suspended, failed to fulfill a contract with the Canastota Boxing Club in Syracuse, New York. The contract stated that Napoles would have to engage in a bout against an opponent to be selected by the Canastota Boxing Club within 120 days of his rematch with Billy Backus on June 4, 1971, providing that Napoles regained the title. Napoles remained the World Boxing Association and the World Boxing Council World Welterweight Champion.

On December 14, 1971, Napoles defeated Hedgemon Lewis by a fifteen-round unanimous decision to retain the World Welterweight Championship. Lewis would defeat Billy Backus by a fifteen-round unanimous decision to win the vacant New York State World Welterweight Championship on June 16, 1972.

Napoles challenged World Middleweight Champion Carlos Monzon on February 9, 1974, and was stopped after six rounds.

On August 3, 1974, Napoles stopped Hedgemon Lewis in nine rounds to retain the World Welterweight Championship.

Napoles was stripped of the WBA World Welterweight Championship on May 16, 1975, for failure to sign for a fight against the WBA’s No. 1-rated welterweight contender, Angel Espada. Napoles remained the WBC World Welterweight Champion.

Napoles retired after losing the World Welterweight Championship to John H. Stracey by a sixth-round TKO on December 6, 1975.

Napoles made three successful title defenses during his first reign as World Welterweight Champion, and he made ten successful defenses during his second reign.

Amir Imam Signs With Top Rank

Imam to make Top Rank debut later this year

(Aug. 15, 2019) — Amir Imam, a former super lightweight world challenger known for his explosive knockouts, has signed a multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank.

Imam (21-2, 18 KOs) has been out of the ring since March 17, 2018, the evening he challenged Jose Ramirez for the vacant WBC super lightweight world title. He lost via unanimous decision in a brutal toe-to-toe battle to Ramirez, who is currently the unified WBC/WBO 140-pound world champion.

Imam will campaign at either super lightweight or welterweight, and he recently enlisted the services of South Florida-based manager Peter Kahn. He is expected to make his long-awaited ring return later this year.

“I am grateful to have joined the best promotional company in boxing. I have learned a lot from my past fights and have made positive changes that will allow me to succeed as I move forward to my goal of becoming a world champion,” Imam said. “I’m eager to get back into the ring before the end of the year and showcase my skills as part of the Top Rank team. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me.”

“Amir Imam is a naturally gifted fighter who can best be defined as potential unrealized to this point in his career,” Kahn said. “He has the physical and mental tools to be a world champion. He’s a perfect fit for Top Rank. Whether Amir continues to campaign at super lightweight or welterweight remains to be seen, but the fans will see a rejuvenated, well-prepared Amir who is on a mission to be a world champion.”

Imam, from Albany, New York, knocked out 12 out of his first 13 opponents in the paid ranks, and won an eight-round unanimous decision in 2014 over Yordenis Ugas, who is currently one of the welterweight division’s top contenders. He scored highlight-reel knockouts over Jason Robinson and Fidel Maldonado before being stopped in shocking fashion by Adrian Granados in 2015. Imam rebounded with three consecutive knockout wins before locking horns with Ramirez in a memorable clash at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

August 24: Kovalev-Yarde Headlines Special Afternoon of Boxing on ESPN+

WBO light heavyweight championship showdown to stream LIVE from Russia beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT

(Aug. 14, 2019) — WBO light heavyweight champion and future Hall of Famer Sergey Kovalev will face off against his hard-hitting mandatory challenger, Anthony Yarde, in a highly anticipated showdown Saturday, Aug. 24 from Traktor Arena in Kovalev’s hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia.
 
Kovalev-Yarde will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT. The stream will also showcase the co-feature bout between unbeaten cruiserweight contender Aleksei Papin (11-0, 10 KOs) and former world title challenger Ilunga Makabu (25-2, 24 KOs). Fans in the U.S. can sign up at www.ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App.
 
“I am thrilled to fight for the first time in my hometown of Chelyabinsk,” Kovalev said. “It is a dream to defend my WBO title in front of all my friends and family back home. I am also thankful ESPN+ will show the fight to my fans in the U.S. Thank you to Igor Altushkin, Egis Klimas, Main Events and Top Rank for making this dream a reality, and thank you to Anthony Yarde for agreeing to fight in my home.”
 
“Sergey has done just about everything a professional fighter can do, other than fight in his own hometown,” said promoter Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events. “One of the sport’s greatest road warriors, Sergey will finally get the chance to salute his legion of fans in Chelyabinsk, where he grew up. It will be an exciting, long overdue homecoming for Sergey. And I am so happy to confirm that Sergey’s many fans in the U.S. will be able to watch this great event only on ESPN+. I wish to thank Igor Altushkin, German Titov and everyone at RCC for making this all possible. I also wish to thank Bob Arum and Top Rank for their continued support.”
 
Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 KOs) is a veteran of 15 world title bouts and has won the light heavyweight world title on three occasions. A former unified champion, he revived his career in February by scoring a wide points win over Eleider Alvarez, the man who’d knocked him out less than six months prior. One of this generation’s most decorated champions, Kovalev holds victories over Jean Pascal, Nathan Cleverly and living legend Bernard Hopkins. In Yarde (18-0, 17 KOs), he faces a London native with a giant hand who is taking a giant step up in competition. Yarde has won his last 16 bouts by knockout, most recently stopping Travis Reeves in five rounds in a bout that streamed on ESPN+. This will be only his second pro bout outside of England.
 
For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
 
Use the hashtag #KovalevYarde to join the conversation on social media.

Encore: Lineal Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury Returns to Las Vegas September 14 Against Otto Wallin Live on ESPN+

Tickets for the showdown at T-Mobile Arena go on sale Friday, Aug. 16

LAS VEGAS (Aug. 13, 2019) — The Las Vegas Strip’s most electrifying act is returning for a repeat engagement. Less than three months since his second-round destruction of Tom Schwarz at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Tyson Fury, a.k.a. “The Gypsy King,” will defend his lineal heavyweight championship versus the undefeated Otto Wallin Saturday, Sept. 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
 
This will be the fifth defense of the lineal crown for Fury, who upset future Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 to claim heavyweight supremacy.
 
Fury-Wallin will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, with the main event to begin at 11:00 pm ET (undercards beginning at 7:30 pm ET). ESPN+ is available via the ESPN App on mobile and connected devices, on ESPN.com and ESPNplus.com.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and Salita Promotions, tickets for Fury vs. Wallin start at $105 and go on sale Friday, Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are also available for purchase online at www.axs.com or by phone at 888-929-7849.

“Tyson Fury electrified Las Vegas last time he fought, and he is set to do it again against a tough kid in Otto Wallin,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Tyson knows what’s at stake, and I expect him to have another masterful performance. He is the best heavyweight in the world and is only beginning to show everyone what he’s capable of.”
 
“I am pleased to be back in Las Vegas. I loved my time there in my last fight and I am going to put on a show at the T-Mobile Arena,” Fury said. “Otto Wallin is a world-ranked fighter and is tall, something we want with the Deontay Wilder rematch around the corner. He is also a southpaw, which will bring its own obstacles, but I will be fully focused to get this job done because the rematch needs to happen.”
 
“I’m delighted that Tyson is boxing in Las Vegas again after his previous success,” Frank Warren said. “It is another undefeated boxer he is facing and a contest where a victory will set up the Deontay Wilder rematch. Otto Wallin knows this is his big chance, and Tyson will not be underestimating him.”
 
“This is the type of fight I’ve been waiting for since I was a kid and my father started showing me some boxing moves in our kitchen,” Wallin said. “I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to get to this point and I’m very happy it’s starting to pay off. I want to thank my team and my supporters for making this happen.

“I know I’m an underdog in this fight, but I’m ready for this opportunity and I’m going to grab it with both hands. Anybody can get beat and especially in the heavyweight division. I like the fact that I have everything to gain and Tyson has everything to lose.”
 
“Otto Wallin is an example of what happens when you combine dreams and hard work,” said Dmitriy Salita, Wallin’s promoter. “He grew up in a small town in Sweden, worked hard and dreamed big! He plans to follow in the footsteps of countryman Ingemar Johansson and score the big win against lineal world heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury. It will be an exciting fight from the opening bell, which I believe will end in a historic upset in Las Vegas.”
 
“Tyson Fury is arguably the top heavyweight and most entertaining fighter in the world,” said Russell Wolff, executive vice president and general manager, ESPN+. “He put on a show the last time he was on ESPN+ and we look forward to another with this fight. With 29 boxing world title fights in under 18 months, and several more on the horizon, ESPN+ is a home for fight fans and the top sports streaming platform in the US.”

Richard Sturm, President of Las Vegas Live Entertainment & Sports, said, “We look forward to hosting this international championship fight on September 14 at T-Mobile Arena with two of the sport’s top heavyweights.  Additionally, it will be an exciting weekend for the entire city as Las Vegas hosts multiple events celebrating Mexican Independence Weekend.”
 
Fury (28-0-1 20 KOs) is in the midst of one of sport’s most remarkable comebacks, a Hollywood script turned reality that has seen him battle back from substance abuse and mental health issues to reclaim his spot atop the sport. After nearly three years out of the ring following the Klitschko triumph, Fury returned in June 2018 and won a pair of fights before his controversial draw versus WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Six months after the Wilder fight, he made short work of Schwarz (24-0 at the time) and will once again fight an undefeated challenger.
 
Wallin (20-0, 1 NC, 13 KOs), from Sundsvall, Sweden, is looking to become the second Swedish heavyweight champion, as Ingemar Johansson held the crown from 1959-1960. Wallin, 28, made his United States debut in April 2019, a no-contest against Nick Kisner after Kisner suffered a cut due to an accidental headbutt in the opening round. A six-year pro, Wallin defeated Adrian Granat (15-1 at the time) by 12-round unanimous decision in 2018 to capture the European Union heavyweight crown. 
 
For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
 
Use the hashtag #Fury Wallin to join the conversation on social media.

 Camden’s Finest: Sosa Knocks Out Rhodes

Robeisy Ramirez Stunned in Pro Debut

The unbeaten champion unified titles by knocking out Maurice Hooker in the sixth round

Manny Pacquiao defeats Keith Thurman via a split decison to capture WBA Welterweigtht title

By Ron John Rinaldi

July 21 – Las Vegas, Nevada. Boxing has a strange and twisted history when an old legendary fighter comes up against some young gunslinger. First, the younger fighter wants to knock the older fighter’s block off so he can carry the torch and force the older fighter into the bastions of yesterday and retirement. Second, the younger one feels that “today” is his time and that the older champion is a mere member of the old guard soon to be replaced by the new guard, namely himself.

Great fighters like Davey Moore, and later Iran Barkley, once shared the identical thought about Roberto Duran in the 1980’s, and Duran proved them both sadly wrong.

In this fight, the undefeated 30 year old champion Keith Thurman had the same thought in mind. This was made apparent in the pre-fight press conferences leading up to the fight where Thurman kept declaring that he, and not Pacquiao, was the best welterweight out there, and that the 40 year old ring great no longer deserved to be at the top of the welterweights. “I want to show the world that I deserve to be at the top,” exclaimed Thurman. So much so that Thurman made three bets to not only win, but to knock out Pacquiao in rounds 1, 2, or 7.

The famed gunfighter Wyatt Earp once famously said, “When you have to choose between fact and legend print the legend.”  But that underlies the fact that their legend actually derives from iconic morsels of pure and real fact. The same goes for the legendary fighter and modern day gunslinger Manny Pacquiao. 

Like Davey Moore and Iran Barkley before him, Thurman painfully learned that sometimes it is easier to can a live alligator than it is to beat a legend. This is especially true for that young great fighter when he squares off against a legend who happens to strike lightning one more time again, and returns to his once lethal greatness.

Well, that happened here before a sellout crowd of over 14,000 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, 146 1/2,  beat previously  undefeated WBA Welterweight Champion Keith “One-Time” Thurman via split decision to capture his title.

Going into the bout, Manny was the favorite at -150, while Thurman was the underdog at +125. Meanwhile unlike Thurman, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach wisely bet $5,000 on his man.

In an exciting give and take affair, that saw action throughout its twelve full rounds, both fighters firmly acquitted themselves well and gave the fans their money’s worth.

At the start of the fight Thurman, 146 1/2,  came out fast in round one scoring with straight rights to Pacquiao’s head and lefts to the body. Then with a 28 seconds remaining in the round, Manny raced after a retreating Thurman and landed a quick three punch combinations of right-left-right to the jaw that dropped Keith swiftly to the ring floor. Though it was a flash knockdown, it soon set the tone off the fight, which was that the 8 division world champion Pacquiao at age 40, was still a dreaded adversary to face within the ring ropes. It also gave the Filipino a 10-8 round, which would be a telling factor later when the time came for the tallying up of the scores.

Pacquiao still had the speed, both hand and foot, that he had since his younger days and even carried the punch with him as well.  Like the song he came into the ring with, Survivor’s  Eye of The Tiger, Manny never stopped punching during the bout, eventually bloodying Thurman’s nose and causing a swelling under his eyes.

To his credit, Thurman fought like the champion he is and scored well and often with straight rights, right uppercuts and lefts hooks that landed with power on his aggressive foe. For instance he stunned Manny several times in round 7, catching the Filipino legend with jarring blows to the chin and ribs, a couple of which actually stunned him.

It was just that Pacquiao threw the greater number of blows 696 to Thurman’s 571, though Thurman landed 210 to Manny’s 195. Regardless, Thurman could never catch up, though he gave it his all throughout. But his “all” on this night did not add up to be enough.

The judges scored it a close split decision with Manny winning by two judges’ scores of 115-112, while one judge gave it to Thurman by a score of 114-113. The USA Boxing News also scored it for Pacquiao by a score of 115-112.

Manny whose record upped to 62-7-2 (39 KO’s) pocketed a guaranteed $10 million plus a percentage of sales, which should bring his take up to around $20 million, said after the bout, “He [Keith Thurman] did his best, and I did my best, and i think the two of us gave the fans their money’s worth.”

Meanwhile Thurman whose record fell to a still impressive 29-1 (23 KO’s) also brought home a large guaranteed purse of $2.5 million plus a percentage of receipts, which should bring his final tally to about $8 million, was gratuitous in defeat, and said, “This was a beautiful night of boxing. Manny got the victory over me. I wish I had more output. I would love a rematch.”

 

Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Robeisy Ramirez to Make Pro Debut August 10 in Philadelphia LIVE on ESPN+

Ramirez to debut on undercard stream of Carl Frampton-Emmanuel Dominguez main event on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

Maryland Takeover: Teofimo Lopez Defeats Masayoshi Nakatani

Lopez prevails via unanimous decision in IBF Lightweight world title eliminator
 Subriel Matias KOs Maxim Dadashev in IBF Junior Welterweight world title eliminator

August 17: Jose Benavidez Jr.-Luis Collazo and Emanuel Navarrete-Francisco De Vaca Set for Inaugural Fight Card at Banc of California Stadium LIVE on ESPN

Live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Tickets starting at $25 go on sale Tuesday, July 16 at 10 a.m. PT

LOS ANGELES (July 15, 2019) — The soccer field will become a fistic battleground Saturday, August 17, as Jose Benavidez Jr. will battle former world champion Luis Collazo in a 10-round welterweight co-feature at Banc of California Stadium, the home of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC.

In the other co-feature, WBO junior featherweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete will make the second defense of his title against the undefeated Francisco “Panchito” De Vaca.

Benavidez-Collazo and Navarrete-De Vaca will headline the inaugural fight card at the year-old stadium and will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The undercard, including the returns of unbeaten super lightweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr., welterweight contender Chris van Heerden, undefeated middleweight sensation Janibek Alimkhanuly and featherweight Adam Lopez, will stream live on ESPN+ — the leading multi-sport streaming service — starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Iron Boy Promotions, tickets priced at $100, $80, $70, $60, $45 and $25 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Tuesday, July 16 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 and in person at the Banc of California Stadium box office.
 
“I am very focused, and I see this as a must-win fight,” Benavidez said. “Collazo has been in the game for a long time and is still a top fighter, but I am going to push him towards retirement. He looks good for his age, but trust me, youth will prevail when we fight.”
 
“I’m coming for everything they said I couldn’t have,” Collazo said. “Talk is cheap. I’m here to show that I’m still one of the top welterweights in the world.”
 
Benavidez (27-1, 18 KOs) is coming off his most notable performance to date, a spirited effort in a 12th-round TKO loss versus pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford in Crawford’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. Crawford-Benavidez was ESPN’s most-watched boxing event of 2018, and now, the Phoenix native has a chance to return to title contention with a victory over Collazo (39-7, 20 KOs). A native of Brooklyn, New York, Collazo held a piece of the welterweight title from 2005-2006 and has remained a top contender in the 13 years since he lost his belt via controversial decision to Ricky Hatton. Collazo has won three in a row since falling short in a title challenge to Keith Thurman, most recently edging Samuel Vargas by split decision on St. Patrick’s Day at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
 
Navarrete (27-1, 23 KOs) has won 22 consecutive bouts dating back to 2012, but his breakthrough came last December when he upset Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe via unanimous decision to win the WBO junior featherweight title. Five months later, in Tucson, Arizona, he repeated the deed, this time knocking out Dogboe in the 12th round. A native of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, Navarrete had a reported 108-7 record in the amateur ranks and comes from a family of fighters. His uncle, Pedro Navarrete Sr., and two of his cousins, Pedro Navarrete Jr. and Johnny Navarrete, fought as professionals.
 
De Vaca (20-0, 6 KOs) was born in Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico, and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, as a small child. All but one of De Vaca’s pro fights have taken place in the Phoenix area, where he has developed into one of the region’s most popular attractions. The 24-year-old boxer-puncher made his Top Rank debut last August in Glendale, Arizona, outlasting Jesus Serrano by unanimous decision in a crowd-pleasing brawl. He last fought in February at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, where he shut out Ernesto Guerrero over eight rounds. 
 
“This is a great opportunity to defend my title against an exciting fighter like De Vaca,” Navarrete said. “I’ve worked hard to prove myself as a true champion, and I won’t let anyone take that away from me. It’s going to be a great night outside in Los Angeles, and whenever you have two Mexicans in the ring, you can expect a battle.”
 
“This is the fight of my life,” De Vaca said. “I am going to show my Mexican heart and prove to the world that I belong on the world stage. I’m not going to talk any trash. I have a lot of respect for Emanuel Navarrete, but his reign will end on August 17.”

 

Newark Power: Shakur Stevenson Thrills Hometown Fans

Stevenson knocks out Alberto Guevara in three

 Joshua Greer Jr. edges Nikolai Potapov by majority decision in bantamweight eliminator

August 3: Michael Conlan-Diego Alberto Ruiz Set for Historic Belfast Showdown LIVE on ESPN+

BELFAST (July 3, 2019) — Michael Conlan has a new opponent for his Belfast homecoming. Conlan, who was originally slated to face former Olympic nemesis Vladimir Nikitin, will take on the dangerous Diego Alberto “El Profeta” Ruiz in a 10-round featherweight showdown Saturday, Aug. 3 at Falls Park as part of the city’s annual Féile an Phobail summer festival.

Conlan-Ruiz and the 10-round middleweight showdown between Luke Keeler and Luis Arias will stream live in the United States beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on ESPN+ — the industry-leading sports streaming service — on a special international edition of Top Rank on ESPN.

“When Vladimir Nikitin dropped out due to injury, I told Top Rank and MTK Global to get me the toughest possible opponent,” Conlan said. “Ruiz is on a 10-fight winning streak, and I know he’s coming all the way from Argentina to continue his victorious ways. This is my toughest test as a professional, but if I’m going to become a world champion, I must beat Ruiz. I’ve been busy in London with my trainer, Adam Booth, and I can’t wait to put on a show on August 3.

“Maybe once I’m a world champion, I might give Nikitin a shot, but for now, I’m moving on because it was more stalling my career than advancing it in terms of the level I’m at.”

“This is the biggest fight of my career,” Ruiz said. “This is a great opportunity to prove myself as a fighter. I fought June 1, and I am going to be ready for whatever Michael brings. It won’t be an easy fight, but it is not an impossible task. I am not scared to fight on the road. That is my motivation because the pressure will be on him.”

Conlan (11-0, 6 KOs) entered the pro ranks as one of Ireland’s most beloved sporting figures, having earned an Olympic bronze medal in 2012 and gold medals at both the European and World Championships in 2015. “The Conlan Revolution” turned pro in front of a sold-out Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden crowd on St. Patrick’s Day in 2017. He won the vacant WBO Intercontinental featherweight belt last December in Manchester, England, besting Jason Cunningham via unanimous decision. In his last bout, in front of a raucous St. Patrick’s Day crowd at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Conlan defeated Ruben Garcia Hernandez over 10 rounds.

Ruiz (21-2, 10 KOs), a 25-year-old from Argentina, will be fighting for the first time away from his native country. He has won 10 in a row dating back to 2016 and is coming off a 10-round split decision June 1 over Luis Emanuel Cusolito for the vacant WBC Latino silver featherweight title. Before moving up to the featherweight ranks, Ruiz won the Argentina Boxing Federation’s bantamweight title and the WBC Latino silver super bantamweight belt. 

 

August 10: Carl Frampton-Emmanuel Dominguez Featherweight Clash Headlines Philly Fight Night LIVE on ESPN+   

 Liacouras Center showdown to stream on ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Tickets starting at $35 on sale now

PHILADELPHIA (July 2, 2019) — Carl “The Jackal” Frampton is on the hunt for another world title. Frampton, the former two-division world champion from Belfast, Northern Ireland, will make his first stateside appearance in more than two years in a 10-round featherweight bout against the hard-hitting Emmanuel Dominguez on Saturday, Aug. 10 at the Liacouras Center.
 
Frampton-Dominguez and a co-feature will stream live on ESPN+ — the industry-leading sports streaming service — beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The entire undercard, including South Philadelphia heavyweight sensation Sonny Conto (3-0, 3 KOs), Philadelphia-born featherweight prospect Donald Smith (9-0, 6 KOs) and Puerto Rican middleweight puncher Edgar Berlanga (11-0, 11 KOs), will stream on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets, priced at $100, $55 and $35 (not including applicable fees), are on sale now and can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office and www.liacourascenter.com, or by calling Peltz Boxing at 215-765-0922.

“Dominguez is a tall, young, hungry featherweight, so I’ll need to be on my game,” Frampton said. “The premise of an Oscar Valdez fight is dangling in front of me, so I want to go out and show the world that I’ve still got what it takes to be a world champion. Winning is always the most important thing, but I want to do it in style. It’s great to be boxing stateside again. And Philly, in particular, has so much boxing history. I’d like to thank MTK Global and Top Rank for giving me the opportunity. I won’t disappoint.”
 
“Carl Frampton is already looking ahead to an Oscar Valdez fight, which gives me added motivation,” Dominguez said. “I am not a stepping stone. I am coming to Philadelphia prepared to ruin Carl’s plans.”
 
Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs), a 10-year pro who compiled more than 100 victories during a standout amateur career, is on the road back to another world title opportunity following his competitive decision loss to IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington last December. Frampton won the IBF junior featherweight world title in 2014 and unified titles against WBA champion Scott Quigg via split decision in February 2016. He upset Leo Santa Cruz to win the WBA super world featherweight title in July 2016 but lost the immediate rematch six months later.

Frampton won three in a row, including an interim world title, before running into Warrington in front of a sold-out Manchester Arena crowd in one of the year’s best fights. With his sights set on Valdez, he must first defeat Dominguez (26-8-2, 18 KOs), a 25-year-old native of Aguascalientes, Mexico, who has won four of his last five, all by knockout.
 
For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
 
Use the hashtag #FramptonDominguez to join the conversation on social media.

 

 

Lightweight Thunder: Commey Stops Beltran in 8

 Carlos Adames retains NABO and NABF super welterweight titles, decisions Patrick Day

TEMECULA, Calif (June 28, 2019) — The young champion took the old veteran to school. Richard “RC” Commey made the first defense of his IBF world lightweight title, knocking down former world champion Ray Beltran four times en route to an eighth-round knockout in front of 2,795 fans at Pechanga Resort Casino.“Beltran showed why he was a champion. He’s a great fighter who showed it against me tonight,” Commey said. “I was happy to get the job done and defend my title for the first time.

“It looks like Teofimo Lopez is next, but he has a job to do first.”

It was all Commey (29-2, 26 KOs) from the opening bell, as the native of Accra, Ghana, knocked Beltran (36-9-1, 22 KOs) down a pair of times in the opening stanza and had him pinned against the ropes when the bell sounded to end the round.

Beltran had his moments in the fight and even appeared to hurt Commey on a few occasions, but Commey proved to be resilient and finished Beltran off with a furious combination. Beltran rose to his feet, but the referee waved the fight off.

Adames Defeats Day

Carlos “Caballo Bronco” Adames pressed the action and landed the harder punches, ultimately coming away with a 10-round unanimous decision over Patrick Day to retain his NABF and NABO super welterweight titles.

Adames (18-0, 14 KO) prevailed by scores of 97-93 2x and 98-91, as Day (17-3-1, 6 KOs) saw his six-bout winning streak snapped. The Dominican puncher wobbled Day in the final round, but Day was ultimately saved by the final bell.

Adames, who had knocked out three straight opponents coming into the fight, now has his sights set on a world title shot.

“Tonight was about getting work in. I listened to my coach, Robert Garcia,” Adames said. “This was my second fight with him, and it was about getting good rounds, and we did that. In the 10th round, he told me he was ready to go. If I had one more minute I think I would’ve finished him, but in the end, I think it was a very good performance on my behalf.”

In other action: 
 

Presser Notes and Quotes: Commey and Beltran Battle for Lightweight Supremacy 

Live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes FRIDAY from Pechanga Resort Casino
Carlos Adames-Patrick Day 154-pound clash to serve as co-feature
TICKETS ON SALE NOW

 

Kazuto Ioka stops Aston Palicte in

 10^th round to become 4-division world champ

CHIBA CITY, Chiba, Japan  (June 18, 2019) – History was made today in Japan as local favorite Kazuto Ioka, (24-2, 14 KOs) stopped his Filipino challenger,  “Mighty” Aston Palicte, (25-3-1, 21 KOs) midway through the 10^th round, to capture the vacant World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) junior bantamweight title, and become the first Japanese boxer to be world champion in four different weight classes.

Ioka vs. Palicte, co-promoted by RJJ Boxing and Reason Taki Promotions, was the first world championship boxing match streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

Official Result below:

WBO WORLD JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Kazuto Ioka (24-2, 14 KOs), Tokyo, Japan

WTKO10 (1:46)

Aston Palicte (25-3-1, 21 KOs), Bago City, Negros Occidental, Phillipines

(Ioka won the vacant WBO junior bantamweight title)

 

Split-T Management’s Sonny Conto Remains Perfect with 2nd Round Stoppage Over Daniel Infate in Las Vegas

NEW YORK (June 17, 2019) –On Saturday night,  Split-T Management’s Sonny Conto made it three consecutive stoppage wins to begin his career as he got rid of Daniel Infante in the 2nd round of their heavyweight bout that took place at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.  

 

Cletus “Hebrew Hammer” Seldin pounds out former champ Zab “Super” Judah to win vacant NABA super lightweight title

Story by Kirk Lang

Photos by Al Derouin and Star Boxing

June 7, 2019 – Verona, NY – Turning Stone Resort Casino. In a fight pitting a young lion against an aging former champion, the script did not go according to plan for the 41-year-old pugilist.

Unable to turn back the hands of time, Zab “Super” Judah, a six-time world champion, was stopped in the 11^th round after taking a barrage against the ropes from Cletus “The Hebew Hammer” Seldin, whose goal in every fight is to land at least 100 punches a round. Seldin won the vacant NABA super lightweight title with his biggest career victory to date.

Judah immediately protested the stoppage by referee Charlie Fitch – with his facial expression – but later elected to check himself into a local hospital after nearly collapsing in his dressing room. The official time of the stoppage was 1:40. Judah reportedly suffered a brain bleed and spent the remainder of the weekend in hospital care (he went in on Friday night). He would finally check out on Monday.

Seldin-Judah was one of those youth versus experience match-ups, the kind of test the younger man has to pass in order to prove he can take his career to the next level. Seldin passed with flying colors, but many did not predict such an easy victory, even against a 41-year-old version of Judah, who years ago impressed with titles at junior welterweight and defeated Cory Spinks for the undisputed welterweight crown.

Seldin came out fast in the opening round as Judah tried to keep him at bay with his right jab. As early as the second half of the second round, Judah resorted to holding in an attempt to blunt Seldin’s attack. The third round saw chants of “Ju-dah, Ju-dah,” an attempt to inspire Zab as Seldin was amping up his punch output. Seldin blasted Judah with an overhand right ten seconds before the bell that wobbled his legs. Fortunately for Judah, Seldin did not have adequate time to mount a follow-up attack.

Seldin stayed on his rival round after round, with rights, left hooks and solid uppercuts. Cletus did not throw every punch with bad intentions, but stayed busy, was racking up points on the judges’ scorecards and had a plan to wear Judah down. Over the first four rounds Judah, 44-10 (30), of Brooklyn, NY, looked fairly competitive, however, in the fifth Seldin, 24-1 (20), of Long Island, NY, looked like he was beginning to take over and turn the tide more in his favor. Seldin, 138 ¼, continued to apply pressure and in the sixth round forced Judah, 138 ¼, to fight with his back against the ropes a few times. The seventh round saw a mini-comeback by the former champ. He made good use of his legs, not giving Seldin an easy target, and little more than halfway through the frame, he caught Seldin with a nice left uppercut and immediately followed that up with a straight left. Seldin would re-establish control in the 8^th round, burrowing in chest to chest, thus giving Judah little opportunity to fight at his preferred distance and land his quicker hands.

Chants of “Ju-dah, Ju-dah” were heard once again, this time at the start of the 11^th frame, but Seldin was all over the former champion like flies on poop. A right hand seemed to make Judah’s legs a bit unsteady and a succession of shots upstairs forced referee Charlie Fitch to jump in and wave the fight off.

“This was a big opportunity for me,” said Seldin, a knockout artist who had never experienced an 11^th round before. “I love 12 rounds. I want those championship rounds. I want to fight those championship fights.”

In the co-main event, Buddy McGirt Jr., 159 ½, of Vero Beach, FL., and David Papot, 156, of Paris, France, battled to a 12-round draw in a bout contested for the  WBO International and WBA Intercontinental middleweight belts.  Considering Papot was undefeated in 22 bouts, it was a pretty good showing for the fairly inactive McGirt, who only had one fight in 2018 (16 months ago in February) and then a single fight in 2017. Prior to that, he had not fought since October 2015. He was likely inspired to get on the Turning Stone card out of respect for his father Buddy McGirt Sr. who would be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame one exit away in Canastota two days after fight night.

McGirt began the bout strong, displaying a stiff right jab over the first four rounds.  In fact, in the opening frame he bloodied Papot’s nose. Before the third round was over, he had caused swelling around both of Papot’s eyes. Papot, 22-0-1 (3), began to have more success around the latter half of the fourth round and he took more chances and got more aggressive in the fifth stanza. In the sixth round, McGirt , 27-3-2 (14), was not using his legs like he had in earlier rounds, which allowed Papot to get close and fire away. He seemed to briefly rock McGirt with two lefts to the head at one point. Before the round was over, McGirt’s nose was bleeding and he had a mouse under his left eye.

Papot would land a ton of power shots in the seventh frame. Fortunately for McGirt, Papot is not a “puncher,” as only three of his 22 wins have come by knockout. McGirt seemed to get a second wind in the 8^th round and in the 9^th round Buddy’s uncle Daniel McGirt was yelling for his nephew – from the press area – to go “downstairs” and attack “the liver.” McGirt was impressing with some serious head shots but his uncle wanted him to vary his attack. The 10^th frame featured some crowd-pleasing ebb and flow. McGirt seemed to take the 11^th round as he focused on keeping Papot at arm’s length. It appeared Papot deserved the 12^th and final round by being a little more aggressive. In the end, nobody lost, but nobody picked up the two vacant titles up for grabs. One judge saw it 117-111 for Papot; another had it 115-113 for McGirt and judge John McKaie had it even, 114-114.

In the night’s “special attraction,” Alcibiade Duran Galvan, AKA Roberto Duran Jr., won a four-round split-decision over previously unbeaten Jonathan “The Boogie Man” Pierre. Interestingly, Duran is trained by Vinny Paz (formerly Pazienza), who twice defeated his legendary father when Duran Sr. was past his prime.

Duran, 147, of Plantation, FL, pressed the action in the opening frame – even though he was not always busy with his hands – but Pierre, 146, of Vero Beach, FL, proved an elusive target.

Thirty seconds into the second round, Pierre landed a solid straight right hand. It was not until halfway through the frame that Duran began to find some steady success with his own right hand. His overall punch output increased as the round wore on.

By the third round it was clear Pierre had the better footwork and appeared to possess the faster hands, but Duran, constantly in pursuit, landed the harder punches. Duran’s best shot of the night might have been the lead right he cracked Pierre with halfway through the fourth and final round.

All three judges scored the fight 39-37 for Duran. Duran improved to 3-0 (2) while Pierre drops to 3-1.

“It was pretty close,” admitted Duran. “My opponent had constant movement. He moved around the ring good and avoided being in the pocket with me. I knew he was quick and was going to be on the move so I had to be cautious and not fall for his counters.”

Duran added, “That’s why I limited myself on throwing more punches, which I should have been doing but this was a chess game type of fight. I landed enough punches. I was putting the pressure and I had a great defense.’

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 13^th, 2019) – NORTH CAROLINA NATIVE Quinton Rankin is less than three weeks away from the opportunity of a lifetime Saturday, June 29th, 2019 at Foxwoods Resort Casino when he faces former two-time world light heavyweight champion “Bad” Chad Dawson of New Haven, Conn., to headline CES Boxing’s pro-am extravaganza at the historic Fox Theater. Rankin only has 22 fights on his resume, but has worked alongside some of the sport’s top fighters in several different championship training camps through the years, which he thinks will help elevate his game to the next level when he stands toe-to-toe with Dawson on the 29th. 

The Newest Vegas Strip Headliner: Tyson Fury

Fury to defend lineal heavyweight crown against undefeated challenger Tom Schwarz SATURDAY at MGM Grand Garden Arena beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT LIVE on ESPN+

Tickets available at AXS.com

June 15: Jesse Hart-Sullivan Barrera Light Heavyweight Clash Set for Fury-Schwarz Co-Feature at MGM Grand

Fury-Schwarz and Hart-Barrera to stream LIVE and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST
 
Mikaela Mayer, Guido Vianello and Sonny Conto to see action on ESPN2/ESPN Deportes undercard broadcast beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST/4:00 p.m. PST

Tickets starting at $50 available now at AXS.com

LAS VEGAS (May 29, 2019) — Jesse “Hollywood” Hart and Sullivan Barrera understand high stakes and are coming to Las Vegas, intent on cashing in with a potential world title shot on the line. Hart and Barrera will square off in a 10-round light heavyweight bout Saturday, June 15 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Hart-Barrera will serve as the co-feature to lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s title defense against unbeaten German challenger Tom Schwarz.

Fury-Schwarz and Hart-Barrera will stream live in the United States exclusively on ESPN+ — the leading multi-sport streaming service – beginning at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST.

The undercard will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST/4:00 p.m. PST and will showcase undefeated 2016 Olympian Mikaela Mayer (10-0, 4 KOs), who will fight former world title challenger Lizbeth Crespo (13-4, 3 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight bout.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and SES Boxing, tickets priced at $500, $300, $100 and $50 are on sale now can be purchased online through axs.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts box office.

“On June 15, I’m coming to knock him out,” Hart said. “I refuse to lose. This is a legacy fight. I want the big names. I need a big name, and Barrera is the name. I don’t want to just win and coast to some boring decision. I’m coming to prove to the world that I can fight with these bigger guys. After I knock Barrera out, I’m coming for all the champions. The light heavyweights better watch out because ‘Hollywood’ Hart is here.”

“I am excited to face Jesse Hart, a great fighter who has also been in there with world champions,” Barrera said. “This is a must-win fight. Simple as that. Camp has been great for me, and I am looking forward to June 15. It’s going to be a great card, and I am going to show everyone in Las Vegas and watching on ESPN+ what I’m truly made of.”

Hart (25-2, 21 KOs) had two cracks at the WBO super middleweight world title, losing a pair of close decisions to longtime champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. The Ramirez rematch, which took place last December in Corpus Christi, Texas, was a bruising affair that saw Hart rally in the second half before losing a majority decision. Eleven of Hart’s last 12 victories have come via knockout, and he hopes to carry that power up to the light heavyweight ranks. The Philadelphia native fought on the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao undercard in 2015 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, knocking out Mike Jimenez in six rounds.

Barrera (22-2, 14 KOs), from Cuba, defected to the United States in 2009 and turned pro later that year. The Miami-based bruiser won the first 17 bouts of his career before dropping a decision to pound-for-pound great Andre Ward. A perennial contender, Barrera holds victories over Joe Smith Jr., Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, Karo Murat and former super middleweight world champion Jeff Lacy. He challenged Dmitry Bivol for a light heavyweight world title last year and fought valiantly before being stopped in the 12^th and final round.

Mayer is one of female boxing’s rising stars and has dominated her opposition as a professional. She went 6-0 in 2018, winning the NABF belt on August 25 with a shutout decision over the previously undefeated Vanessa Bradford. She made her 2019 debut February 15 in Hinckley, Minnesota, outclassing Yareli Larios over eight rounds. Crespo fought IBF featherweight world champion Jennifer Han in February 2018, dropping a tightly contested unanimous decision.

“It’s been a dream of mine to see women fighting alongside marquee names like Tyson Fury, and I’m grateful to be fighting at the MGM Grand on June 15,” Mayer said. “There’s still a lot the world hasn’t seen when it comes to my style and I’m ready to show everyone something special.”

In addition to Mayer-Crespo, the ESPN2/ESPN Deportes undercard broadcast will also include the following fights:

• Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (3-0, 3 KOs), a 6-foot-6 heavyweight who represented his native Italy at the 2016 Rio Olympics, will return in a six-rounder.
   
• Featherweight Isaac Lowe (17-0-3, 6 KOs), a stablemate of Fury’s, will fight an opponent to be named in a 10-rounder.
   
• Top super middleweight prospect Cem “Champ” Kilic (13-0, 8 KOs) will see action in an eight-rounder against an opponent to be determined.
   
• Sonny Conto (2-0, 2 KOs), as big-punching heavyweight from Philadelphia, will make his Las Vegas debut in a four-rounder. Conto’s two professional fights — both first-round knockouts — have lasted a total of 3:30.
   
• German heavyweight prospect Peter Kadiru (3-0, 1 KO) will fight an opponent to be named in a six-rounder.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Sign-up to ESPN+ at www.espnplus.com.

Use the hashtags #FurySchwarz and #HartBarrera to join the conversation on social media.

 

Saturday: Jay Harris to Battle Angel Moreno for European Flyweight Title LIVE on ESPN+

Latest edition of #MTKFightNight to begin streaming at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT

(May 28, 2019) — One of Wales’ premier talents, Jay Harris is ready to take the next step. The unbeaten Harris will battle former world title challenger Angel Moreno in a 12-rounder for the vacant European flyweight title Saturday from Vale Sports Arena in Cardiff, Wales.
 
Harris-Moreno will headline an #MTKFightNight card on ESPN+ — the leading multi-sport streaming service — Saturday, June 1, beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
 
Harris (15-0, 8 KOs), from Swansea, Wales, is a six-year pro who captured Commonwealth flyweight honors in February 2017 with a hard-fought unanimous decision over Thomas Essomba. He defended that belt in November 2018, overcoming a cut left eye to knock out Ross Murray in the third round. Moreno (19-3-2, 6 KOs), from Madrid, Spain, is a former European flyweight champion who has fought at the upper reaches of the sport. He challenged WBC flyweight world champion Charlie Edwards on March 23, dropping a unanimous decision at Copper Box Arena in London.

In other action scheduled for the ESPN+ stream:

• Craig Evans (19-2-2, 3 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBO European lightweight title in a rematch against Stephen Ormond (27-5, 13 KOs). The two locked horns in June 2017, as Evans knocked down Ormond twice in the 10^th and final round of an action-packed fight to win a unanimous decision.
   
• Sultan Zaurbek (6-0, 4 KOs), the big-punching southpaw lightweight prospect from Kazakhstan, will see action in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named. This will be the fourth bout of 2019 for Zaurbek, who was last seen knocking out Chenghong Tao in Dubai on April 5.
   
• Zhankosh Turarov (22-0, 15 KOs) will return from a nearly two-year layoff to face Richmond Djarbeng (29-3-1, 23 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight bout.

Use the hashtags #MTKFightNight and #HarrisMoreno to follow the action on social media.

 

Rio Revenge? Michael Conlan to face Olympic Nemesis Vladimir Nikitin August 3 in Belfast

Conlan-Nikitin to stream LIVE in the United States on ESPN+ 

BELFAST (May 14, 2019) —Michael “Mick” Conlan’s amateur career ended in controversy and a pair of middle fingers. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Conlan appeared to have bested Russian standout Vladimir Nikitin in the 56-kilogram quarterfinals. The judges disagreed, and Conlan responded with a memorable double middle-finger salute.
 
Almost three years to the day since Conlan flashed those digits, the Olympic rivals will run it back in the paid ranks, this time on Irish soil.
 
Conlan will face Nikitin in a 10-round featherweight bout Saturday, Aug. 3 in a massive outdoor fight at Falls Park in his home city of Belfast. Conlan-Nikitin will take place as part of the annual Féile an Phobail, Europe’s largest community festival.
 
Conlan-Nikitin will stream live in the United States beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, on a special international edition of Top Rank on ESPN.
 
“This is the opportunity for Mick Conlan to right what most observers felt was an injustice,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “That being said, Nikitin is a real aggressive fighter, and he believes that a victory over Conlan in August would cement the one he was given in the Rio Olympics.”
 
“I am delighted that I will be fighting Vladimir Nikitin in front of 10,000 fans,” Conlan said. “This is literally home turf for me and it is absolutely huge. I am West Belfast and Falls Road born and bred so this means everything to me. Vladimir Nikitin and I have unfinished business from the 2016 Olympics, and I can’t wait to set the record straight.”
 
“When I turned professional last year, the man I wanted to fight most was Michael Conlan,” Nikitin said. “Michael has said a lot of things since the Olympics about how he was robbed of a medal. Well, I am coming to his hometown during their biggest festival to show everyone my Olympic victory was not a fluke. This is going to be repeat, not revenge. Conlan will regret pushing for this fight. I beat him twice in the amateurs and will do the same as a pro. It will feel even sweeter to beat him in his hometown. Belfast, here I come!”
 
“The fight with Vladimir Nikitin has been talked about for a long time now, and MTK Global and Top Rank have worked extremely hard along with Féile an Phobail to make it happen,” said Jamie Conlan, Professional Development Manager, MTK Global. “Michael Conlan is coming home for one of the biggest fight nights Belfast will have ever seen.”
 
Conlan (11-0, 6 KOs) entered the pro ranks as one of Ireland’s most beloved sporting figures, having earned an Olympic bronze medal in 2012 and gold medals at both the European and World Championships in 2015. He was favored to win Olympic gold in 2016, but Nikitin and the judges thwarted those plans. “The Conlan Revolution” turned pro in front of a sold-out Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden crowd on St. Patrick’s Day in 2017. He won the vacant WBO Intercontinental featherweight belt last December in Manchester, England, besting Jason Cunningham via unanimous decision. In his last bout, in front of a raucous St. Patrick’s Day crowd at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Conlan defeated Ruben Garcia Hernandez over 10 rounds.
 
Nikitin (3-0, 0 KOs) did not turn pro immediately following the 2016 Olympics, electing to fight as an amateur throughout 2017. He signed a professional contract in 2018 with Top Rank, in large part because he wanted to face Conlan as a pro. Nikitin’s come-forward style has translated to the pro ranks, as he’s won a trio of clear-cut unanimous decisions. He has fought on the same card as Conlan twice as a professional. The message was clear: Conlan and Nikitin were destined to meet again.
 
It will finally happen, in front of more than 10,000 of Conlan’s rowdiest supporters. Will it be Rio Revenge or another shining moment for Nikitin?

June 28: Richard Commey to Defend Lightweight World Title Against Former Champion Ray Beltran

Live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes from Pechanga Resort Casino
Carlos Adames-Patrick Day 154-pound clash to serve as co-feature
TICKETS ON SALE NOW

TEMECULA, Calif (May 16, 2019) — Something has to give. IBF lightweight world champion Richard Commey is one of the division’s biggest punchers. For his first title defense, he’ll face a rugged ex-champion who hasn’t been knocked out in more than a decade.
 
Commey will defend his belt against former WBO lightweight world champion Ray Beltran in the Top Rank on ESPN main event Friday, June 28 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California. In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated Dominican puncher Carlos “Caballo Bronco” Adames will defend his NABO and NABF 154-pound belts against Patrick Day.
 
Commey-Beltran and Adames-Day will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The undercard will stream live on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets for this world championship event priced at $149, $129, $79, $59, and $29 are on sale now and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or in person at the Pechanga Resort Casino box office.
 
“I’m honored to be headlining an ESPN show as a world champion and to be fighting former world champion Ray Beltran, whom I have the utmost respect for,” Commey said. “This is an opportunity for me to show the American public that I’m here to become the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. The path is set, and come June 28, I’ll be ready to rock ‘n’ roll.”
 
“I’m excited about this fight with Richard Commey. I’ve been the WBO champion, and I intend to be the IBF champion on June 28,” Beltran said. “I expect a tough fight, but that’s the kind of fight I like. We are both very experienced, so it will come down to who is willing to lay his heart on the line that night. After losing my title to Jose Pedraza, I think some people thought I was done, but I always come back and prove that I belong. I’m excited to announce that Freddie Roach is back in my corner after all these years. When I was working with Manny Pacquiao, I saw what Freddie can do, both in camp and in the corner. I’m grateful to Top Rank and ESPN for having me back. The only thing I want for my birthday (July 23) is the IBF world title.”

“Richard Commey, the pride of Ghana, is a physically imposing, hard-punching lightweight champion,” said Lou DiBella, Commey’s promoter. “We’re thrilled that his first defense will be a high-profile fight against tenacious former world champion Ray Beltran. Richard wants to be a unified champion and a star. On June 28, he has an opportunity to raise his profile worldwide.”
 
Commey (28-2, 25 KOs) blew away Isa Chaniev via second-round TKO Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, to win the vacant IBF world title. He had previously challenged Robert Easter Jr. for that belt, dropping a razor-thin split decision in September 2016. His only other loss came via split decision less than three months later to Denis Shafikov in Shafikov’s home country of Russia. Since then, he has won four in a row and is fully recovered from a right knuckle injury suffered during the Chaniev fight. A proud native of Accra, Ghana, Commey hails from the same neighborhood that produced former world champions Ike Quartey, Joshua Clottey, David Kotey, Alfred Kotey, Joseph Agbeko and the legendary Azumah Nelson.
 
Beltran (36-8-1, 22 KOs), the former sparring partner to the stars, realized his world championship dreams in February 2018, besting Paulus Moses by unanimous decision to win the WBO lightweight world title. His title reign was short-lived, as he was defeated by Jose Pedraza via unanimous decision last August. Beltran rebounded from that setback, returning in February to knock out then-unbeaten 140-pound contender Hiroki Okada in the ninth round.
 
Adames (17-0, 14 KOs) has won three straight bouts by knockout since electing to campaign at 154 pounds. A former amateur star from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Adames grew up with 35 siblings and turned to the sport at the age of 12 after an older brother took him to a gym. In his last bout, April 20 on the Terence Crawford-Amir Khan undercard, he blew away perennial contender Frank Galarza in four rounds. Day (17-2-1, 6 KOs), from Freeport, New York, has won six in a row, including two wins against previously unbeaten fighters. He made a statement Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, outboxing Ismail Iliev (11-0-1 at the time) over 10 rounds.
 
“This fight represents a big step in the right direction for me and my career,” Adames said. “I am thrilled with this opportunity, and as I have always promised to my people of the Dominican Republic, I will be the next world champion from the island and the new face of Dominican boxing.”
 
“Time to show the world who Pat Day is,” Day said. “These are the fights I dreamed of on my way to top 10 contention. Now that I am here, I intend to advance to a world title. I respect what Carlos brings to the table, but he has never fought a guy like me. I am focused on winning and looking good doing it.”
 
The action-packed ESPN+ stream will include the following bouts:

• Saul “Neno” Rodriguez (23-0-1, 17 KOs) will take on Miguel Angel “Miguelito” Gonzalez (24-4, 21 KOs) in a super featherweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds. Rodriguez has notched a pair of knockout wins since returning from a nearly two-year layoff.

• Middleweight prospect Tyler Howard (17-0, 11 KOs) will face the upset-minded Manny “Shake Em’ Up Woods (16-8-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

• Ruben Rodriguez (6-0, 2 KOs), a 22-year-old super lightweight prospect from Indio, California, will fight Vicente Morales (2-2-2, 1 KO) in a six-rounder.

• Raymond Muratalla (7-0, 5 KOs) will look to extend his knockout streak to three against Javier Martinez (4-6, 3 KOs) in a lightweight fight scheduled for six rounds. 

• Super featherweight sensation Christopher “The Boy” Zavala (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight Prisco Marquez (4-0-1, 1 KO) in a four-rounder.

• Middleweight prospect David “Lion of Zion” Kaminsky (4-0, 2 KOs), an 18-year-old from Israel, will face veteran Osbaldo Gonzalez (6-4, 4 KOs) in a four-rounder.

• 2016 Australian Olympian Daniel Lewis (1-0, 1 KO) will see action in a six-round middleweight contest in his Top Rank debut.

• Super lightweight prospect Elvis Rodriguez (2-0, 2 KOs) will face an opponent to be named in a four-rounder.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

 

Miguel Marriaga, Jason Sanchez, and Carlos Castro to see action in separate bouts
LIVE on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

TUCSON, Ariz. (May 1, 2019) — Fazliddin “Fayzi” Gaibnazarov is on the fast track to world title contention. Gaibnazarov, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist for his native Uzbekistan, will face the toughest — and tallest — test of his career against the 6-foot-3 Mykal “The Professor” Fox in a 10-round super lightweight showdown from the Tucson Arena. Fox will have a roughly nine-inch height advantage over Gaibnazarov.
 
Gaibnazarov-Fox will headline an action-packed slate of fights on ESPN+ — the leading multi-sport streaming service — beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
 
The main card, dubbed “Twice as Nice,” will feature a pair of world championship rematches and will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. ET. WBC super featherweight champion Miguel “El Alacrán” Berchelt will make the fifth defense of his belt against Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas in a rematch of their 2017 Fight of the Year contender, won by Berchelt via 11^th-round knockout. In the co-feature, WBO junior featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete will look to repeat the deed against Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe in a rematch of their Dec. 8 bout, won by Navarrete via unanimous decision.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, tickets priced at $102, $77, $52 and $27 can be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet, online at www.Ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000, or at the Tucson Convention Center ticket office. 
 
“I want the best fighters at 140 pounds, and I want them soon,” Gaibnazarov said. “Fox is a step up for me, but I always rise to the occasion as my opposition gets better. I fought and beat the world’s best fighters as an amateur, and I will do the same as a professional. 2019 is going to be my year.”
 
“Most guys would take a step down in competition after a loss, but there is nothing to gain from that. Gaibnazorov is not to be taken lightly but neither am I,” Fox said. “I’m looking to secure a win and get back on the ball. An undefeated Olympian is a hell of a choice to try and do that with, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Plus, the list of guys who will fight me, despite losing, is very short. I’m grateful and looking forward to doing battle with an Olympian.”
 
Gaibnazarov (7-0, 4 KOs) turned pro in 2017 following a storied amateur career that included a pair of Olympic berths, the gold medal in 2016 and victories over the likes of current promotional stablemate and WBC super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez. He turned pro in scheduled eight-rounders and has yet to be seriously challenged in the paid ranks. After going 3-0 in 2018, he made his 2019 debut on Jan. 19 in Verona, New York, stopping Ricardo Garcia in four rounds.
 
Fox (19-1, 5 KOs), a native of Forestville, Maryland, has befuddled most of his professional opponents with his long southpaw jab. In his last outing, Feb. 15 in Mulvane, Kansas, the upset-minded Fox was on the short end of a 10-round unanimous decision to top prospect Shohjahon Ergashev. Despite a pair of 98-92 scorecards, many ringside observers believed Fox did enough to earn a draw.
 
In other action on ESPN+:

• Albuquerque native and top featherweight prospect Jason Sanchez (14-0, 7 KOs) will face former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos (19-6, 15 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• Phoenix native Carlos Castro (22-0, 9 KOs) will defend his WBC Continental Americas super bantamweight belt in a 10-rounder against Mario Alberto Diaz (18-2, 7 KOs). Castro is coming off an upset win over former world title challenger Genesis Servania in February.
   
• Three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga (27-3, 23 KOs) returns to action in an eight-round featherweight bout against Naciff Martinez (23-10-3, 9 KOs).
   
• Super lightweight prospect Miguel Parra (16-1-1, 11 KOs) hopes to make it eight wins in a row versus David Morales (13-10, 13 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• Tucson-based middleweight prospect Manny Guajardo (4-0, 0 KOs) will look to impress the hometown fans in a four-rounder against Jonathan Espino (2-3, 2 KOs).
   
• In a four-round welterweight rematch featuring a pair of local favorites, Nogales’ Judas Estrada (1-1-1, 1 KO) will face Tucson’s Christopher Gonzalez (3-0-1, 0 KOs). Estrada and Gonzalez fought to a draw last November in a crowd-pleasing brawl.
   
• Phoenix native Carlos Velasquez (1-0, 0 KOs) will face an opponent to be named in a four-rounder at lightweight.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
 
Use the hashtags #BercheltVargas2 and #NavarreteDogboe2 to join the conversation on social media.

 

 

Former Unified Bantamweight World Champion Ryan Burnett Joins Top Rank Stable

Burnett to make ring return May 17 against Jelbirt Gomera on ESPN+

 

(April 29, 2019)— Top Rank is proud to announce the signing of former unified bantamweight world champion Ryan Burnett to a multi-fight promotional pact in what is the latest collaboration between Top Rank and Burnett’s management group, MTK Global.
 
Burnett (19-1, 9 KOs) will make his ring return May 17 against Jelbirt Gomera in a 12-rounder for the vacant WBC International super bantamweight title in his hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Burnett vs. Gomera will headline a card that will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+.
 
Burnett plans on campaigning as a super bantamweight moving forward and has his sights set on becoming a two-division world champion before the end of the year.
 
“It is a dream come true to sign with Top Rank,” Burnett said. “I’ve spent years learning and perfecting my craft, becoming world champion and then unified world champion. On May 17, I begin my quest to become world champion again. Teaming up with the biggest players in the game in Top Rank, ESPN and MTK Global will only strengthen my drive and determination to achieve this.
 
“With these guys behind me, there’s only one way ahead for me, and that’s straight to the top.”
 
“We’re proud and excited to be part of another huge deal involving Top Rank and ESPN, and this is something Ryan deserves,” said Jamie Conlan, Professional Development Manager, MTK Global. “As the boxing world already knows, Ryan has a special night upcoming when he headlines an #MTKFightNight in his home city of Belfast, live on ESPN+ on May 17. It’s great the partnership won’t stop there. As someone who’s already unified a division, we believe we’re talking about an elite fighter, and elite fighters should fight on elite platforms. This agreement ensures that happens, and once again, MTK Global are delighted to play our role.”
 
Said Adam Booth, Burnett’s trainer/manager: “I am relieved and excited that on May 17 Ryan will start his journey back to being world champion. It was essential for us to look at the options and which relationships would maximize the opportunity for him to achieve this. That’s why Ryan is now working with Top Rank, MTK Global and ESPN.”
 
Burnett turned pro in 2013 and won the British bantamweight title in November 2015 with a shutout 12-round unanimous decision over Jason Booth. He captured the IBF bantamweight title on June 10, 2017, with a unanimous win over Lee Haskins. Four months later, he added the WBA super world bantamweight title to his collection, outclassing Zhanat Zhakiyanov over 12 rounds.
 
Burnett’s world championship run ended last November under freakish circumstances against four-division champion Nonito Donaire, when he suffered a torn oblique while throwing a right hand and was forced to retire on his stool following the fourth round.

 

LAS VEGAS (April 24, 2019) — Here comes the “Gypsy King.”

Tickets for the Las Vegas debut of lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury — Saturday, June 15 at MGM Grand Garden Arena — will go on sale TOMORROW, April 25 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST/6 p.m. GMT.

Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs), who defeated long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 to win the crown, will defend his title against unbeaten German contender Tom Schwarz (24-0, 16 KOs).

Fury-Schwarz will be available live in the United States exclusively on ESPN+ — the leading multi-sport streaming service – beginning at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST.

The event will be promoted by Top Rank, in association with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and SES Boxing.

Tickets priced at $500, $300, $100 and $50 can be purchased online through axs.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts box office.

Richard Sturm, President of Las Vegas Live Entertainment and Sports, said, “We look forward to hosting the Fury-Schwarz heavyweight fight at MGM Grand on June 15. These two exciting fighters, known by boxing fans worldwide, will be sure to put on a blockbuster event this summer.”

Fury will be making his first ring appearance since a draw last December 1 versus WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Despite being knocked down twice, including the 1-2 combination felt around the world in the 12^th round, most ringside observers believed Fury did more than enough to win the fight.

Schwarz, the WBO No. 2 heavyweight contender, is one of Europe’s leading heavyweights and has not gone the distance in his last six fights. He has fought all but two of his bouts in his native Germany and will be making his United States debut against Fury. In his last fight, March 2 in Magdeburg, Germany, he knocked out Kristijan Krstacic in two rounds.

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com.

 

May 25: Masayuki Ito-Jamel Herring Junior Lightweight Title Showdown Headlines Memorial Day Weekend Card on ESPN

Live from Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida
Jose Pedraza-Antonio Lozada Jr. to serve as lightweight co-feature
Coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT