Boxing News Stories and Press Releases from

       The Boxing TwinsFor Immediate Release:

King Artur Returns: Beterbiev to Defend Unified Light Heavyweight Crown Against Top Contender Marcus Browne December 17 at Montreal’s Bell Centre and LIVE on ESPN+

Marie-Eve Dicaire and Kim Clavel also featured in world title fights as part of The Boxing Triple Crown in Montreal
Tickets go on sale Saturday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. ET

MONTREAL (Oct. 12, 2021) — WBC/IBF unified light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev moved to Montreal nearly a decade ago to embark on his professional journey following a pair of Olympic berths for his native Russia. Sixteen fights into his career, he will return to his adopted hometown for the first time as a world champion.
 
Beterbiev, boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout rate, will defend his world titles against WBC No. 1 contender and 2012 U.S. Olympian Marcus Browne on Friday Dec. 17 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
 
Beterbiev-Browne will headline a loaded world title tripleheader streaming live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+. Undefeated light flyweight contender Kim Clavel will challenge for the WBC title, while former IBF junior middleweight world champion Marie-Eve Dicaire will attempt to regain her crown. Full details regarding the Clavel and Dicaire fights will be announced shortly.
 
Promoted by Top Rank and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), tickets go on sale Saturday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased by visiting ticketmaster.ca, or emailing GYM’s office directly at info@groupeyvonmichel.ca.

“Artur Beterbiev has built a tremendous fanbase in Montreal, and we wanted to give him the opportunity to defend his titles in his adopted hometown,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Marcus Browne is a worthy mandatory challenger, a big southpaw with a high boxing IQ. But I believe Artur is the world’s premier light heavyweight and, as usual, will end the fight before the final bell.”
 
“I want to thank Bob Arum and Yvon Michel for bringing this event to Montreal. It’s been a dream of mine to defend my titles in front of the fans who have supported me my entire pro career,” Beterbiev said. “I look forward to defending my titles in dominant fashion.”
 
“This is the moment in my life that I’ve been waiting for and I’m ready to take advantage of it,” Browne said. “I know exactly what I have to do to take the titles from Beterbiev and that’s what I’m going to do.
 
“Beterbiev is the most avoided champion out there. He’s a great fighter, doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and is super strong. But I’m the better fighter and I’m here to show that come December 17. So, to my fans, know that I’m back and I’m here to stay. No controversial losses, no distractions, just straight work.”
 
“It is with great pride that we are going to offer this wonderful Christmas gift to Quebecers! Artur Beterbiev is probably the best boxer in the history of Canadian boxing, and it is a privilege to have him with us in this defense of his two world titles,” said Yvon Michel, GYM President. “In addition, we are going to make this event a historical one, as we have three world championship fights on the bill. Marie-Eve ​​Dicaire is determined to regain her title, and the charismatic Kim Clavel sets out to win the WBC light flyweight crown. December 17 is one of the biggest international boxing events ever presented in Canada, a real bright spot after all these months of the pandemic. I would like to thank Artur Beterbiev, Bob Arum and Top Rank for their trust.”
 
Beterbiev (16-0, 16 KOs) last fought in Canada in December 2016, a first-round stoppage over Isidro Ranoni Prieto. He won the vacant IBF world title in his next fight, which he defended two times before unifying titles with a devastating 10^th-round stoppage over longtime WBC king Oleksandr Gvozdyk. After a nearly 18-month absence, Beterbiev returned in March with a 10^th-round TKO over Adam Deines in Moscow. Browne (24-1, 16 KOs), a 30-year-old native of Staten Island, New York, won an interim world title in January 2019 with a unanimous decision win over two-weight world champion Badou Jack. After dropping a technical decision to Jean Pascal in August 2019, Browne returned to his winning ways April 20 with a shutout decision over Denis Grachev.

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Mike O’Han, Jr. headlines

“Championship Road”

 Nov. 13th in Hampton, NH

QUINCY, Mass. (October 14, 2021) – Granite Chin Promotions presents its seventh and final event of 2021, “Championship Road,” on Saturday night, November 13, streaming live on bxngtv.com, from The Rim in Hampton, New Hampshire.

New England welterweight champion Mike “Bad Boy” O’Han (13-1, 7 KOs), Granite Chin’s most recent signee, meets Mexican Israel “Filipino Tigre” Rojas (14-24, 5 KOs), in the non-title fight main event. It marks O’Han’s first scheduled 10-round bout.

Fighting out of Whitman (MA), O’Han captured the vacant New England title last November, when he won an 8-round unanimous decision over Ryan Dibartolomeo, followed by a successful title defense in his last fight in June, when challenger Tyrone Luckey retired after the five rounds.

In the 6-round co-featured event, undefeated welterweight prospect Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (6-0, 5 KOs), of Holyoke (MA), faces John Ferrara (0-1), of Tiverton, Rhode Island.

“2021 has been a breakout year for Granite Chin,” Granite Chin Promotions president Chris Traietti said, “but it won’t light a candle compared to what is coming in 2022. The roster is getting bigger, more signings are on the way, and people will see Granite Chin fighters more and more on the biggest stages in the sport.”

Fighting on the undercard, each slated for 4 rounds, is Woburn (MA) middleweight Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Providence’s pro-debuting Alfred “Keenan” Raymond, Lynn ‘s (MA) pro-debuting Alex Falcon vs. Wallace Nass Silva (0-2), Maine middleweight Llmar Kelly in his pro debut vs. Wallace Nass Silva (0-2), Holyoke (MA) junior middleweight Carlos Castillo (3-0, 3 KOs) vs. Swansea’s (MA) Anthony Andreozzi (0-1), Pittsfield (MA) super middleweight Steve Sumpter (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Juan Celin Zapata (6-19-2, 4 KOs), and Springfield (MA) middleweight Jamer Jones (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Woburn’s (MA) Aguilando Brandao (1-7).

Also, Lawrence (MA) lightweight “El Gallo” Kevin Rodriguez (2-1, 1 KO) vs. Daron Jenkins (0-5),  Springfield light heavyweight Laurent Humes (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Woburn’s pro-debuting Thailisson Nunes, Providence (RI) welterweight Damon Towns (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. TBA, and Pittsfield (MA) heavyweight Quinton Sumpter (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Woburn’s pro-debuting Wewerson Silveira Silva.

Card subject to change.

Tickets priced at $60.00 (ringside) and $40.00 (general admission, in addition to ringside tables of four for $260.00, are available to purchase at www.TicketRiver.com (Search: Championship Road).

Doors open at 5 pm. ET with the first bout at 5:30 p.m. ET.

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Cowboy Up: ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete Retains Featherweight Crown in Bloody Battle Against Joet Gonzalez

Giovani Santillan Outlasts Angel Ruiz in Thrilling Co-Feature

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 15, 2021) – Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and Joet Gonzalez engaged in a border war for the ages.

Navarrete (35-1, 29 KOs) retained his WBO featherweight world title with a bloody unanimous decision (118-110 and 116-112 2x) over Joet Gonzalez (24-2, 14 KOs) on Friday evening at Pechanga Arena San Diego. It was the second successful title defense for Navarrete, who moved up to the featherweight ranks last year after defending his junior featherweight crown five times.

“Without a doubt, I hurt him, but every single time he came back, and he also hurt me. A couple shots he landed hurt me during the fight,” Navarrete said. “It has been an exciting ride so far, and from now on, I want the bigger fights.”

The bigger fights could include an eventual move up to 130 pounds, where a match with WBC champion Oscar Valdez would be one of the biggest all-Mexican showdowns in the sport.

But on this night, Navarrete had to contend with the stubborn Gonzalez, who hung in tough despite swollen right eye in the early rounds. Navarrete threw 979 punches, including 104 in the 12th round to close the show in style. 

Gonzalez said, “I thought I had it seven rounds to five, eight rounds to four. I was really surprised by that score of 118-110, I believe. But it is what it is, and I did my best.”

Santillan Thrills Hometown Crowd

Welterweight contender Giovani Santillan had not fought in his hometown in more than seven years. In front of a partisan crowd that broke out into frequent “Gio” chants, the San Diego native improved to 28-0 with a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Ruiz (17-2, 12 KOs). The scores — 100-90 2x and 99-91 — did not reflect the game effort of Ruiz, who gave nearly as good as he received for much of the fight.

Buoyed by the local faithful, Santillan prevailed in the phone both affair and edged closer to a title shot.

Santillan said, “This is what it’s all about, a great fight in front of my amazing hometown fans. They were cheering for me all night, and it was an honor to perform for my people in San Diego.
 
“My father and I always wanted to fight here. It was a dream come true, and credit to Angel Ruiz for going to battle for 10 rounds. He’s a true Mexican warrior. I have nothing but respect for him.”

In other action:

Puerto Rican southpaw junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) notched the most significant win of his young career, turning back the hard-charging Dallas native Manuel Rey Rojas (21-6, 6 KOs) by eight-round unanimous decision. All three judges scored the fight 80-72.

Junior welterweight prospect Lindolfo Delgado (14-0, 12 KOs) won his second bout in six weeks, shutting out Juan Garcia Mendez (21-5-2, 13 KOs) over eight rounds (80-71 3x). Delgado floored Mendez with a two-punch combination in the closing stages of the eighth round.

Middleweight upstart Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (5-0, 2 KOs) did not give any of that famous Midwest hospitality to Daryl Jones (4-3-1, 2 KOs), as he bested the Florida resident over six one-sided rounds by scores of 60-54 and 60-53 2x. After a second round that saw Jones nearly stopped against the ropes, the two battled the rest of the way, trading punches in the waning seconds of the sixth round.

Bantamweight prospect Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (3-0) dominated former amateur rival Jose Ramirez (1-1, 1 KO) via four-round unanimous decision, knocking Ramirez down in the opening round and cruising to a points win by scores of 39-36 and 40-35 2x.
 
The newest heavyweight on the block showed out. Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles, from Des Moines, Iowa, shined in his professional debut, knocking out Demonte Randle (2-2, 2 KOs) in the opening round. Mireles, a southpaw, knocked down Randle early in the first round with a right hook. Following two more knockdowns, the referee called a halt to the fight at 2:07.

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Super Featherweight Kevin Montano Wins Unanimous Decision to Stay Undefeated

2^nd “Fight Night” charity event

Presented by Punch4Parkinsons

Oct. 23^rd at Moseley’s On The Charles in Dedham, Mass

DEDHAM, MA (October XX, 2021) – The second “Fight Night,” a charity boxing event presented by Punch4Parkinsons, will be held Saturday night, October 23^rd, at Moseley’s On The Charles in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Regular people, not professional or amateur boxers, will lace-up their gloves to support Punch4Parkinsons’ fight against Parkinson’s disease. A memorable night will include numerous boxing exhibitions, each a scheduled 3-round (1:30 per round) match.

“Through our charity ‘Fight Night’ we are able to support local boxing gyms with rock steady programs,” Punch4Parkinsons founder/president Ryan Roach explained, “as well as one-on-one and small group boxing lessons. We cover 100-percent of Parkinson’s fighters’ gym memberships.  We now have more than 100 Parkinson’s fighters, mostly in New England, but we do have some fighters in Florida and Texas. 

“One of our fighters recently went to the doctor and she had dropped 20 points on the Parkinson’s scale.  She attributes this to the boxing we provide her three times a week.”

Last year’s “Fight Night” charity event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Limited tickets priced at $200.00 (ringside, row 1), $175.00 (ringside, row 2), $165.00 (ringside, row 2), and $75.00 (standing room) and available for purchase by going online at www.punch4parkinsons.com or contacting one of the participating fighters.

Those unable to attend but interested in making a donation can do so by going online at www.punch4parkinsons.com.

Doors open at 7 pm. ET with the first match slated for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Four-Time, Two-Division World Champion Acelino “Popo” Freitas on International Boxing Hall of Fame Ballot

October 23: Puerto Rican Sensation Xander Zayas Returns Against Dan Karpency on Jamel Herring-Shakur Stevenson Card at State Farm Arena in Atlanta

Herring-Stevenson, Zayas-Karpency and Nico Ali Walsh-James Westley II will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

ATLANTA (Sept. 30, 2021) — X is about to mark the spot in Downtown Atlanta.
 
Xander Zayas (10-0, 7 KOs), the 19-year-old Puerto Rican-born prodigy who is the frontrunner for 2021 Prospect of the Year, will fight Dan Karpency in a six-round junior middleweight bout Saturday, Oct. 23 at State Farm Arena. Zayas-Karpency will serve as the co-feature to the “Throwdown in A-Town” main event between WBO junior lightweight world champion Jamel Herring and undefeated former featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson.
 
Nico Ali Walsh (1-0, 1 KO), grandson of “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, has an opponent for his second pro bout. Ali Walsh will face James Westley II (1-0), from Toledo, Ohio, in a four-round middleweight tilt.
 
Herring-Stevenson, Zayas-Karpency and Ali Walsh-Westley II will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.
 
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.
 
Zayas said, “I am grateful to Top Rank and ESPN for this opportunity. Fighting underneath a main event like Herring-Stevenson, in front of the great Atlanta fans, is an honor. It will also be my first time fighting on ESPN as a co-feature, and I will not disappoint. My goal is to win Prospect of the Year, and I’m coming to Atlanta to put on a spectacular show. Don’t miss it.”
 
Zayas has been earmarked for stardom since signing with Top Rank as a 16-year-old in early 2019. He turned pro at 17 in October 2019 and notched four first-round stoppages in his first six outings. Zayas has been clocking overtime in 2021, as this will be his fifth appearance of the year. He shut out James Martin over six rounds in February, blew out Demarcus Layton in 56 seconds in April, grinded down Larry Fryers in three rounds in June, and dominated Jose Luis Sanchez over six rounds last month in Tucson, Arizona. Karpency (9-3-1, 4 KOs) has never been knocked out in an eight-year pro career. Zayas has only been the six-round distance twice as a pro, while Karpency has gone eight or more rounds on four occasions.
 
In undercard action streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ (7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT), Atlanta’s Evan “Yung Holy” Holyfield (7-0, 5 KOs), son of heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield, will take on Charles Stanford (6-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round junior middleweight bout; Atlanta native Roddricus Livsey (8-0-1, 5 KOs) will battle Eric Palmer (12-14-5, 1 KO) in a six-rounder at junior welterweight; Georgia-born prospect Haven Brady Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) will fight fellow unbeaten Roberto Negrete (3-0, 1 KO) in a four-rounder at featherweight; Chicago’s Antoine Cobb will make his pro debut in four-round junior welterweight bout; Brooklyn-born lightweight Harley Mederos (1-0, 1 KO) will fight in a four-rounder; and recent U.S. Olympian Troy Isley (2-0, 1 KO) will make his professional return in a six-rounder at middleweight.

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October 30: Jose Zepeda-Josue Vargas Junior Welterweight Showdown Headlines Halloween Weekend Havoc at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden and LIVE on ESPN+

Zepeda-Vargas and Carlos Caraballo-Jonas Sultan bantamweight battle to stream on ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Tickets starting at $30 go on sale Friday, Oct. 1 at 12 p.m. ET
Undefeated prospects Kasir Goldston, Paddy Donovan and Jahi Tucker will appear on the undercard

NEW YORK (Sept. 28, 2021) — Jose “Chon” Zepeda wants a third world title shot. Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas, born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, hopes his hometown main event is the ticket to title contention.
 
Zepeda and Vargas will meet in a 10-round junior welterweight main event Saturday, Oct. 30 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Zepeda is ranked No. 2 in the world by the WBC, and Vargas, winner of 13 straight bouts, hopes to knock “Chon” off his lofty perch.
 
Zepeda-Vargas and a 10-round bantamweight tilt between undefeated Puerto Rican knockout artist Carlos “Purin” Caraballo and former world title challenger Jonas Sultan will stream and live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. 
 
Undercard action — also streaming and live and exclusively on ESPN+ — includes former world champion Jonathan Guzman returning in an eight-round junior featherweight fight, Long Island-born welterweight Jahi Tucker (4-0, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder, Kasir “Mazzi” Goldston (3-0, 1 KO) competing in a six-round junior welterweight contest, New York City prospect Mathew Gonzalez (12-0, 8 KOs) making his MSG debut in a six-rounder at junior welterweight, former New York City amateur standout Ray Cuadrado (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-rounder at junior lightweight, and Irish sensation Paddy “Real Deal” Donovan (7-0, 5 KOs) making his American debut in a six-round welterweight assignment.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $30 (not including fees) go on sale Friday, Oct. 1 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com. All guests age 12 and older are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (this means having at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine prior to attending). MSG’s comprehensive COVID-19 guidelines, including those regarding children under 12, can be found at https://www.msg.com/madison-square-garden/faqs.
 
“It’s been a long time, and Top Rank and ESPN are thrilled to be back at Madison Square Garden with an intriguing battle between a sensational young southpaw in Vargas and a world-level contender in Zepeda. The winner is squarely in the title picture,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Carlos Caraballo has all the makings of the next Puerto Rican superstar. Not many bantamweights can punch like this kid, but Sultan is far from a pushover.”
 
Zepeda (34-2, 21 KOs) is unbeaten in five bouts since a tight majority decision loss to then-WBC world champion Jose Ramirez in February 2019. The slick-boxing Zepeda participated in the 2020 Fight of the Year, knocking out Ivan Baranchyk in the fifth round of a bout that featured eight total knockdowns. He returned in May on the Josh Taylor-Ramirez undercard and outboxed “Hammerin” Hank Lundy over 10 rounds. Zepeda hopes a win over Vargas leads to a Ramirez rematch or perhaps a crack at undisputed king Taylor. Vargas (19-1, 9 KOs) earned his nickname as a wunderkind in the Bronx, where he compiled a 72-8 amateur record and won six New York City Metro championships. Apart from a controversial disqualification loss early in his pro career, Vargas has been near-perfect. He fought twice in 2020 inside the MGM Grand Bubble, notching wide points wins over Salvador Briceno and Kendo Castaneda. He last fought April 24 in Kissimmee, Florida, and turned back the awkward challenge of Willie Shaw over 10 rounds.
 
“I am pushing hard to earn another world title opportunity, but I understand the task at hand against a young, talented fighter like Josue Vargas,” Zepeda said. “There is mutual respect, but when we enter the Madison Square Garden ring, that all goes out the window.”
 
Vargas said, “I’m ready for this opportunity. Being the main event in my hometown, Madison Square Garden, is a dream true. The Bronx and Puerto Rico will be in the building to show their support. This is Puerto Rico versus Mexico, so you know it’s going to be a heck of a fight. Once I got the call, I started pushing even harder. I‘ve been through a lot in my professional career, so why not step up to the plate? I have the skills to beat Zepeda, and I’m going to do just that. Zepeda has a lot of experience against the top names in the junior welterweight division. We both have the talent and the skills to put on a show.”
 
Caraballo (14-0, 14 KOs), from Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, is a five-year pro who broke out in March with his fourth-round demolition over Leonardo Baez. He hopes to enter the world title picture with an impressive showing over Sultan (17-5, 11 KOs), a former world title challenger from the Philippines who has never been stopped as a professional. In May 2018, Sultan dropped a decision to Jerwin Ancajas for the IBF junior bantamweight world title. He has won three out of his past four fights and last fought in August, knocking out Sharone Carter in seven rounds.
 
Caraballo said, “I am thankful for the opportunity that my promoter, Miguel Cotto Promotions, is giving me together with Top Rank to fight at Madison Square Garden. I will take this opportunity to look great and continue to make noise at 118 pounds as I aspire to win a world title. Sultan is a strong, experienced opponent. I know he has fought the big names, but I am working hard with my team to show I am a force to be reckoned with. This victory is for my people from Guayanilla, and all Puerto Ricans in New York.”

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Boxing Returns to Connecticut

By Kirk Lang

Boxing returned to Connecticut’s capital city on Friday September 24 – after a lengthy absence due to the Corona Virus / COVID 19 pandemic – with a six-bout card promoted by CES Boxing. The main event saw Greg “The Villain” Vendetti, of Stoneham, MA, win a 10-round decision over New Haven-based CES fighter Jimmy Williams at the Connecticut Convention Center.

Vendetti, 31, earned the nod with clear-cut scores of 99-91 and 97-93 on two judges’ cards.  However, judge Ken Ezzo, somehow had it 96-94 for Williams. Fortunately, two judges paid attention to what transpired in the ring and the right man walked away with the victory. Vendetti also earned the vacant WBC USNBC silver super welterweight title.

“A piece of hardware is always good for the collection,” said Vendetti, who added, “I feel good. I got the job done. I wanted the knockout but what can you do?”

Williams, 35, gave a good account of himself over the first two rounds, but the more aggressive Vendetti – preferring hard left hooks and chopping right hands rather than a steady jab – seemed to take control in the third frame. After nailing Williams with a big hook less than 20 seconds into the round, he followed up with a whirlwind attack with Williams trapped against the ropes. He would continue to land big shots and had the crowd cheering in the final 30 seconds as he let loose with a barrage of leather.

The bearded and heavily tattooed Vendetti continued to impress in rounds five and six, as Williams was unable to land hard stiff jabs to make his opponent think twice about coming forward. He also seemed to forget to follow up his jab with straight right hands or better yet, combinations, that might have curtailed Vendetti’s desire to come at him like a bull.

The seventh-round saw Vendetti trying some big right uppercuts with Williams once again up against the ropes. Williams didn’t do anything in the 8^th to try to turn things around. In the first half of the 9^th round, Vendetti seemed to rock Williams with a big shot.

In the last minute of the 10^th and final round, Williams, 152 ½, let his hands fly a little more, which created some nice two-way action between the two fighters. Williams again got bullied to the ropes, but this time he fired back with equal aplomb, and both fighters’ efforts had dozens standing and cheering them on.

Vendetti, 153, raised his record 23-4-1 (12) while Williams fell to 18-6-2 (6). Williams fell to 18-6-2 (6).

Williams thought his career was back on track in his previous fight, when he defeated former junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman in June in Atlanta, GA. However, Foreman was 11 years removed from his seven-month championship reign. And with the loss to Vendetti, Williams has only two wins in his last eight fights. Before Vendetti, he was on a two-bout win streak, but before that suffered consecutive defeats, had a draw and had another pair of losses before that.

In the 8-round co-main event, undefeated middleweight on the rise Chordale Booker won a lopsided eight-round decision over Silveiro Ortiz, 157, of Yucatan, Mexico.

Booker, who raised his record to 17-0 (7), was fighting in his home state for the first time. He didn’t get to truly impress, as Ortiz’ strategy to hold and clown around made things a bit ugly. He was twice deducted points, once for hitting behind the head and the second time, in the seventh round, for hitting below the belt.

“I knew he was a veteran type,” said Booker, “Uses his head, punches low. He did what he could to try to survive the fight.”

CES Boxing matchmaker Michael Parente admitted, “Booker had his hands full.”

“Ortiz is a tough veteran who rarely gets stopped and you can see why,” he said. “He’s tricky, elusive and likes to maul his opponents, and when you’re not used to that style it can be frustrating. “

Parente added, “I’m sure Chordale wanted to close it out with a knockout in front of his fans, but this fight will be good for him in the long run. Not every opponent will stand in front of you as a stationary target. They’re all different and he faced a unique one on Friday that I think will be a good lesson going forward.”

Booker was asked who he wants next.

“Whoever wins this next fight (between Williams and Vendetti), I want him next,” he said.

Returning to the ring for the first in nearly two years, featherweight Nathan Martinez, 126, of New Britain, won a unanimous six-round decision over Francisco Dominguez, 126 ½, of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The 19-year-old Martinez was simpler busier and more aggressive than the 35-year-old veteran in front of him. He raised his record to 7-1 (2) while Dominguez fell to 7-12-1 (1).

Undefeated Angel Gonzalez, 116, of Hartford, registered the only stoppage of the night when Juan Gabriel Medina, 117, of La Ramona, Dominican Republic, quit on his stool before the start of the fifth round. It was unclear why Gonzalez’ corner informed Dr. Michael Schwartz they were done, as Medina’s fourth round with Gonzalez was fought on even terms. Gonzalez is now 6-0 (4) and Medina dropped to 12-8 (11).

Ramon Caraballo, 146, of New Britain, had a successful pro debut in taking a four-round unanimous decision over Samuel Lajoie-Dery, 146, of Montreal, Canada. Lajoie-Dery came out on a tear in the opening round but after he got hit with a solid straight left in the second frame it made him think twice about attacking so aggressively.  Caraballo followed up with a volley of shots that put Lajoie-Dery on the canvas in center-ring. However, he made it to his feet and finished the round in impressive fashion, connecting with three good straight right hands just before the bell to end the stanza.

Lajoie-Dery also tasted the canvas in the first 30 seconds of the third round. And once again, he came back strong. However, his no quit heart wasn’t enough to win the fight. Caraballo got the nod on all three cards. Two judges had it 38-36 and a third card had it for Caraballo by a score of 38-37.

Carlos Perez, 140, of New Haven, fighting for the first time since 2019, won a unanimous four-round decision over Tyriek Gainey, 134, of Paterson, NJ. All three judges scored it 40-36. Gainey loses his pro debut while Perez rises to 2-0.

In the second swing bout of the night – and the only female match-up – Stevie Jane Coleman, trained by Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inducted trainer Paul Cichon, also cruised to a unanimous four-round decision by scores of 40-36 on all three cards. “Scary” Christina Barry may have been bigger but she wasn’t better. Coleman bounced back from an unsuccessful pro debut in May, when she suffered a six-round majority decision loss to Kelsey Wickstrum. However, that fight took place in Tennessee. On Friday evening, she refused to lose in her home state, in front of family and dozens of friends. Coleman is now 1-1. Just 20 years old, she has plenty of time to fine-tune her skill set.

The September 24 card marked CES Boxing’s third post-COVID boxing show with fans (There had been a behind-closed-doors event in October 2020), according to Parente, who added he was “thrilled’ with Friday’s turnout.

“There are still restrictions in place to ensure the safety of fans, fighters and staff, but it’s great to see boxing in front of a live audience again,” he said. “I thought the crowd was energetic and amped up throughout the night. This was the first boxing event in Hartford since October 2019. The fans in this area waited a long time and it showed on Friday.”

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Heavyweight Amateur Star Antonio Mireles Inks Professional Contract with Top Rank 

“El Gigante” will turn pro October 15 on the Emanuel Navarrete-Joet Gonzalez card in San Diego

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 22, 2021) — Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles is about to take a giant step in his boxing career. The 6-foot-9, 265-pound heavyweight from Des Moines, Iowa, has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank and will make his professional debut in a four-rounder live on ESPN+ Friday, Oct. 15 on the Emanuel Navarrete-Joet Gonzalez undercard at Pechanga Arena San Diego. 

“Antonio is a big young man with a personality to match, and he has all the makings of a heavyweight superstar,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “With Robert Garcia guiding him inside the ropes, I have no doubt he’ll develop into a formidable fighter.”

Mireles said, “I want to thank Top Rank for this tremendous opportunity. I’ve had my eye on Top Rank ever since I started taking the sport seriously, and it’s an honor to turn pro under their banner. I am a versatile boxer, but I’m not afraid to get in the trenches and have a shootout. My coaches try to stop me from doing that, but I’m aggressive by nature. I believe my style is more suited to the pro game, and I’m counting down the days until I step in that ring.”

Mireles, who started boxing at the age of 12, had a brief but successful amateur career. He went 28-4 with 10 knockouts, winning the 2020 USA Olympic Trials and a National Golden Gloves title in 2019. Despite winning the trials, Mireles was selected as an alternate for the 2020 Olympic boxing qualifiers. As a result, he set his sights on the pro game.

“The more I thought about it, I realized I had no desire to fight as an amateur anymore,” Mireles said. “I wanted to take the next step and continue to grow as a fighter.”

_________

MEXICAN SUPERSTAR CANELO ÁLVAREZ AND 
UNBEATEN WORLD CHAMPION CALEB PLANT MEET FOR 
UNDISPUTED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6 LIVE ON PAY-PER-VIEW FROM 
MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA IN LAS VEGAS

Shearns Boxing taking care of unfinished business

 First pro boxing show ever in Framingham, Mass.

“Fight Night in Framingham” October 16, 2021

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (September 14, 2021) — Nineteen months after it was originally scheduled, “Fight Night in Framingham” finally will be presented October 16 by Shearns Boxing Promotions for the benefit of “Fighting Life” at Sheraton Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, “Fight Night in Framingham” will mark the first professional boxing event ever held in Framingham, a city incorporated in 1700, located in the MetroWest subregion of Greater Boston, less than 40 miles from Boston.

“Fighting Life” is an after-school youth boxing program and academic empowerment program, available 100-percentfree of charge to students beginning in elementary school through high school education.

High Octane Classics is the presenting sponsor.  Other sponsors include Platts Landscaping and Shamrock Sports.

“We had to cancel this show last year just a week before the event,” promoter Chuck Shearns explained.  “A lot of people had put in a lot of work for the event, so it was disappointing for many, especially fighters.  When events were allowed again in Massachusetts, we wanted to finish what we started in Framingham.  Although still in uncertain times, we waited just a bit hoping that it would lessen the possibility of another cancellation.  We are feeling confident that this will be the great event that we started last year.”

Shearns is excited about promoting the first boxing event in Framingham history, as well as working in association with Fighting Life.

“Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP) is very excited, and we look forward to putting on Framingham’s first-ever boxing event for a great charity, Fighting Life,” Shearns added.  “I think what speaks loudest is the amount of community and business support Fighting Life has received.  I think it says a lot about what (Fighting Life founder/head coach) and the board are trying to accomplish with this organization.  This kind of support will go a long way.”

Located in UpperKuts Boxing Club in nearby Ashland, MA, the Fighting Life Boxing Program was founded as a resource and program to provide children with a positive outlet in life.  Visit www.fightlif.org to learn more about this organization.

The purpose of Fighting Life is to provide a safe space to promote structure, growth mindset, self-worth, and goal setting through physical and academic fulfillment and self-discipline.

“It is an outlet for kids,” Thomas said.  “Kids who have been picked on. Bullied, or at risk find it’s a safe haven.  We take kids from all walks of life.  We don’t turn anybody away.  If their parents can’t afford the membership fee to join the gym, we provide a voucher to apply to waive the fee.  Not all of these kids come here to become boxers.  We have fitness classes in addition to teaching boxing lessons.

“This show is important because the attention and money we receive will help us get more volunteers, equipment, and go places to box that we’ve never been.  Any money we receive will go straight to the kids.  Our dream is to promote our own shows someday and get our charity’s name out there for the benefit of our programs.  Boxing is growing here in Framingham, and we believe that there will be more boxing in our city.  I even check on the kids in school and if they need help, they’ll have a big brother right next to them.  Everything is for the kids!”

Undefeated Florida-based junior middleweight Josniel “TG” Castro (5-0, 3 KOs) will headline “Fight Night in Framingham” in a 6-round bout versus 57-fight veteran Rynell Griffin, of Las Vegas.  Castro has been active, something few boxers have been able to do during the pandemic, as this will be his fourth fight of 2021.

The co-featured event features a “graduate” of Fighting Life, Marlboro, MA super lightweight Nelson “Chino” Perez (3-0, 2 KOs), who will fight Ryan Venable (2-6) in a 6-round bout.  Puerto Rico-native Perez is a past New England Golden Gloves champion.

Perez hasn’t forgotten where he comes from.  He trains at UpperKuts and often teaches youngsters there how to train to become boxers.  “I try to teach the kids to stay out of trouble,” Perez remarked. “I coach them a little to help them live and prosper.  It’s great seeing these kids in the gym. I’m very excited to be part of this event to benefit Fighting Life.”

Hometown favorite Kevin Lewis will make his professional debut in a 4-rounder against a fellow Framingham resident, super middleweight Saul “The Spider” Almeida (0-14-4), one of the top MMA fighters in New England.

A pair of New Haven (CT) fighters will also be in action.  Three-time New England Golden Gloves champion, super middleweight Elvis Figueroa (7-0, 4 KOs), and 4-time New England Golden Gloves champion, pro-debuting featherweight Felix Parilla, will fight in 6 and 4-round bouts, respectively, versus opponents to be determined.

Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round bouts is Boston heavyweight Wallace Nass Silva (0-2) and pro-debuting Sean Evans, fighting out of Shrewsbury, MA.  Brazilian middleweight Leonardo Ladeira (0-6), of Revere (MA), will fight TBAs.

Priced at $75.00 ringside and $60.00 general admission, tickets are available to purchase online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-night-in-framingham-tickets-171408807357, at UpperKuts gym, or from any of the local fighters on the card.

Doors open at 6 p.m. PT, first bout at 7:00 p.m.

• ______________

Vertex Promotions presents Back-to-Back Boxing

BACK-TO-BACK NIGHTS OF FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT ACTION SET FOR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 FROM MECHANICS BANK ARENA IN BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA

Rising Lightweight Prospect Jose Valenzuela Takes on Deiner Berrio In Saturday’s Main Event
 Undefeated Prospect Maliek Montgomery Battles Aleem Jumakhonov Headlining Sunday’s Lineup

BAKERSFIELD, CA. (September 10, 2021) – Premier Boxing Champions will present back-to-back nights of FS1 PBC Fight Night action, and on FOX Deportes, on Saturday, September 18 and Sunday, September 19 delivering an exciting fight-filled weekend live from Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California.
 
On Saturday, rising lightweight prospect Jose Valenzuela will put his unbeaten record on the line against Colombia’s Deiner Berrio in the 10-round main event. That telecast will begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and feature undefeated super middleweight prospect Suray Mahmutovic stepping into the ring for six rounds of action against unbeaten Pachino Hill, while undefeated featherweights Rajon Chance and Elon de Jesus battle in a six-round attraction.
 
On Sunday, undefeated super featherweight prospect Maliek Montgomery faces Aleem Jumakhonov in a 10-round headlining bout. That telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will see all-action super lightweight Omar “El Relámpago” Juárez in an eight-round attraction against Mexico’s Jairo Lopez, plus exciting prospect Angel Barrientes competes in a four-round super bantamweight showdown taking on Victor Torres.
 
Tickets for the live events, which are promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and available at AXS.com.
 
Born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Valenzuela (9-0, 6 KOs) now trains in Seattle as a stablemate of unbeaten two-time champion David Benavidez. The 22-year-old turned pro in 2018 and is currently on a five-bout knockout streak that includes 2021 victories over Nelson Hampton and Clay Burns. In his last outing, Valenzuela stopped Donte Strayhorn in the fourth-round of their August 21 bout. He takes on the 30-year-old Berrio (22-3-1, 13 KOs), who represents his native Columbia while fighting out of Los Angeles. All three of Berrio’s defeats have come against unbeaten fighters and have gone the distance, including his last outing, which saw him drop his U.S. debut to Juan Pablo Romero in April.
 
Mahmutovic (3-0, 3 KOs) began his pro career with three-straight knockout victories before he makes his U.S. debut as a pro on September 18. The 23-year-old was born in San Francisco and now resides in Daly City, California. Mahmutovic picked up all of his knockout victories in 2021, scoring wins in April, May and July. He squares off against Davenport, Iowa’s Hill (6-0, 5 KOs) in a battle of unbeatens. The 24-year-old Hill debuted in February 2020, with three-straight stoppage victories, having most recently defeated Brandt Cooper in August.
 
The 21-year-old Chance (5-0, 5 KOs) will look to keep his perfect record intact when he returns to the ring on September 18. A native of East Orange, New Jersey, Chance began his 2021 by knocking out Marco Lara in the first round in July. Chance will be taking on the 27-year-old de Jesus (3-0, 2 KOs) in a rematch of their 2018 amateur clash that Chance won by split-decision. Fighting out of Dunkirk, New York, de Jesus most recently defeated Jetter Soriano by unanimous decision in August.
 
The 25-year-old Montgomery (10-0, 10 KOs) turned pro in 2017 after an impressive amateur career that included two national Golden Gloves titles and victories over recognizable names such as Edgar Berlanga, Keeshawn Williams and Joseph Adorno, to name a few. The Macon, Georgia born fighter has stopped all 10 of his opponents inside of the distance in his pro career to date. He will face the 28-year-old Jumakhonov (9-3-2, 5 KOs), who most recently knocked out Jorge Ramos in September 2020. Born in Horoh, Tajikistan, Jumakhonov now fights out of Reseda, California.
 
Juárez (11-1, 5 KOs) will look to bounce back after his first defeat, which came via decision in an exciting showdown against All Rivera in June. Juárez has been lauded as much for his work outside the ring as he has for what he’s accomplished in it. After graduating high school in his native Brownsville, Texas, the 22-year-old dedicated himself to giving back to the state’s youth through motivational speaking and received recognition from the Texas State Senate and the Texas House of Representatives for his efforts. He takes on the 30-year-old Lopez (26-13, 17 KOs), who hails from Nuevo Leon, Mexico and lost by decision to Anthony Peterson in his last outing.
 
The younger of the Barrientes twins by 13 minutes, Ángel Barrientes (5-1, 4 KOs) had an impressive amateur career, winning 14 national tournaments and three international. The 19-year-old turned pro in November 2019, winning his first three fights before dropping a December 2020 contest to Travon Lawson. Barrientes last fight saw him stop Linus Lambert in the first round in August. He squares off against the 27-year-old Torres (7-8-1, 5 KOs), who fights out of Modesto, California and has won five-straight bouts heading into September 19.

• ______________

He’s Coming Home: WBC Super Featherweight Champion Osc

ar Valdez Primed for Tucson Showdown Friday Against Robson Conceição

Valdez-Conceição and Gabriel Flores Jr.-Luis Alberto Lopez to stream live and exclusively FRIDAY on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Undercard to stream exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT

TUCSON, Ariz. (September 8, 2021) — WBC super featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez, born in Nogales, Mexico and raised in Tucson, Arizona, is ready for his sold-out homecoming. Valdez authored a Knockout of the Year contender over Miguel Berchelt in February and will attempt to successfully defend his title for the first time against unbeaten Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao (16-0, 8 KOs) on Friday evening at the AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol in Tucson. Conceicao defeated Valdez by one point in the finals of the 2009 Pan American Games, so the amateur rivals have a professional score to settle. 

In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated junior lightweight sensation Gabriel Flores Jr. (20-0, 7 KOs) will take on his stiffest test to date against hard-charging Mexican veteran Luis Alberto Lopez (22-2, 12 KOs). In his last bout, Flores, the pride of Stockton, California, knocked out former world title challenger Jayson Velez in six rounds. Lopez has won five in a row and is best known for last year’s split decision over Andy Vences in one of the best action bouts of 2020.

Valdez-Conceição and Flores-Lopez will stream live and exclusively Friday on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7p.m. PT.

At Wednesday’s final press conference, this is what the combatants had to say.

Oscar Valdez

“I feel blessed that I get the chance to step in the ring on September 10. I’m very grateful to Top Rank, the Pascua Yaqui {Tribal Gaming Commission} for letting this fight proceed, and I’ve just been very concentrated. Coming here to my second home in Tucson means a lot to me. People know my last two fights were without a crowd due to COVID and what better way to come back as a champion than in front of my people with all of Sonora and Arizona here? I’m just excited. I’ve been very focused on not looking at anything negative out there. It has been a little difficult — I  can’t lie — but this is what we have to go through. This is what it’s going to be.”

“This is when you realize who the real people are around you, who are loyal to you and got your back. I realize that my family is number one and also my team. I have to thank everyone on my team, {including} my manager, Frank Espinoza, and my trainer, Eddy Reynoso. My father has always been there with me. Just everyone who has been around supporting me during these tough times because it has been difficult. They had my back, and we know we did nothing wrong. We’re going to be real concentrated for this fight.” 

“{Our amateur bout} was a back-and-forth fight, but I lost. I always took my losses very seriously. Everybody hates losing, and I’m one of them. I’m a sore loser. Now that I get the chance to fight him as a professional, I’m taking this fight very seriously like all the fights. I’m defending my title, and I’m going to do whatever it takes and whatever I got to defend my title and avenge my loss.”

Robson Conceicao

“When I fought him {as an amateur}, it was a tough fight. I fought him and the crowd, and it motivated me a lot and made me happy. Here we have the same thing. I fight against two opponents, him and the crowd… and I will be the winner.”

“This is a very important moment for me, the most important moment in my life. I’m happy I’m here and not alone. I’m here for the Brazilian crowd, for my family, my team, and we’ll be great.” 

“About the problem with the champion, what is done is done. There is no explanation, but I’m here to do my best and fight the greatest fight of my life.” 

Gabriel Flores Jr.

“Every fight that goes on, I learn. Each fight, I get better and better. It’s a fact. You’re seeing it each fight. This training camp was a long training camp, a longer one because I was supposed to fight on the {Fury-Wilder 3} card, but that got postponed. And now I’m on this card. We took a positive out of a negative. We got sharper. The sparring was great and everything. All my confidence comes from my training. I sparred with real good people that helped me out for this fight. Gervonta Davis. Mark Magsayo. {Yuriorkis} Gamboa. So I’m extremely ready.”

“Lopez is going to get knocked out. He’s going to live up to his name. They call him the deer. He’s going to look like Bambi in there.” 

“I always look at the big picture. I know who I am. I started off early in the pros. I was 17 fighting, so that was me figuring out who I am. I know who I am. I’m comfortable. He just bit off more than he can chew. Friday night, he’s going to choke.”

Luis Alberto Lopez

“It was a great fight that night {against Vences}. Fans that night saw just half of what ‘Venado’ can do. I suffered a fracture in the sixth round, but we got the win. It was a big victory, and I wasn’t 100 percent.”

“He has a lot of flaws. He’s just a kid.”

“There’s a lot of talk, but I have proven I am on this level. He might be a future champion, but I’m here to demonstrate I’m on this level, too.”

FRIDAY, September 10, 2021

ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Oscar Valdez vs. Robson Conceicao, 12 rounds, Valdez’s WBC Super Featherweight World Title

Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT

Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, 12 rounds, Nakatani’s WBO Flyweight World Title

Raymond Muratalla vs. Jose Angulo, 8 rounds, lightweight

Xander Zayas vs. Jose Luis Sanchez, 6 rounds, junior middleweight

Jose Ramirez vs. Miguel Ceballos, 4 rounds, junior featherweight

Lindolfo Delgado vs. Miguel Zamudio, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

Rene Tellez Giron vs. Eduardo Garza, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Omar Aguilar vs. Carlos Manuel Portillo, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

• ______________

“Boardwalk Boxing” Powered by Hard Hitting Promotions in Association with Showboat Hotel Atlantic City” will take place on Saturday night, September 25th

• ____________
• ESPN KNOCKOUT AND TOP RANK ANNOUNCE MULTIMEDIA OUTPUT DEAL ACROSS LATIN AMERICAThis innovative and extensive broadcast agreement includes the linear and digital platforms of The Walt Disney Company in the region
  Top Rank on ESPN KNOCKOUT debuts this Friday with Oscar Valdez’s WBC super featherweight world title defense against Robson Conceicao
• LAS VEGAS (September 8, 2021) – ESPN KNOCKOUT is proud to announce a four-year multimedia agreement to become the Latin American home of Top Rank, the worldwide leader in boxing promotions. The agreement encompasses 25 Spanish-speaking territories, with a potential reach of 65 million households and 260 million viewers.
   
  Under this landmark deal, ESPN KNOCKOUT will broadcast Top Rank’s live cards simultaneously on newly launched streaming service Star+, as well on ESPN linear channels in the region.Top Rank’s inaugural ESPN KNOCKOUT card will be this Friday, Sept. 10 in Tucson, Arizona, headlined by WBC super featherweight world champion and two-time Mexican Olympian Oscar Valdez against unbeaten Brazilian Robson Conceicao.“Latin America is a rich region with passionate fans connected to local and worldwide boxing for decades,” said Top Rank President Todd duBoef. “We look forward to expanding our partnership with ESPN, serving the existing fans, and cultivating new fans under their many platforms.”
   
  Live broadcasts will feature ESPN production and analysis on SportsCenter and the ESPN KNOCKOUT studio show, as well as through ESPN.com and on social media at @ESPNKnockOut.
   
  About ESPN KNOCKOUT
  ESPN KNOCKOUT, the best combat sports series in Latin America, shares the passion for boxing and MMA with fans. Throughout Latin America, ESPN KNOCKOUT airs the best live boxing and the most outstanding MMA events in the universe, along with features, interviews, analysis, exclusives, previews and much more from its renowned commentator team.  Follow @ESPNKnockOut for features exclusive content and the latest news on combat athletes. 
   
  About Top Rank
  Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1973 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Tyson Fury.Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Wembley Arena, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.About Star+
  Star+ is a general entertainment and sports streaming service launched in Latin America on August 31. It is be complementary to, but independent from Disney+ in this region. The service is the home for exclusive premieres of general entertainment TV series and movies from The Walt Disney Company’s content studios, including Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, Star Original Productions, National Geographic Original Productions and more, and the streaming service for live sports from ESPN, the most respected and renowned brand for sports fans in the region. From dramas to comedies (including all seasons of The Simpsons) and thrillers for adults, Star+ also features exclusive original programming from the Star general entertainment brand, along with a collection of regional original productions from Latin America. To learn more, visit: www.starplus.com
• ____________
• Former South African Middleweight champion and Olympian Giovanni Pretorius  died from Covid at age 49
• 
  Giovanni Pretorius – The Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa middleweight active between 1992 and 1999, died August 23, 2021, from Covid, at age 49. He was born in Gauteng, South Africa, on January 1, 1972, and compiled a record of 28-2-1 (KO 24/KO by 2). As an amateur, he represented South Africa in the 1992 Olympics, losing in the first round of competition. During his professional career, he held the South African middleweight title from 1996 to 1999. He made an unsuccessful bid in 1997 for the WBC super-middleweight title, losing to WBC champion Robin Reid by seventh-round knockout.  
   
  https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/7145
  
  • ____________

FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS: KINGS BOXING TO AIR NINE BOUTS ON SEPT. 10 ON FLOCOMBAT, LIVE FROM 2300 ARENA IN SOUTH PHILLY   

Pre-order now! FloSports broadcast begins at 8 p.m. and subscription plans start at $12.50 per month! 

Online: https://www.flocombat.com/

Online: https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE

 NEW YORK (Sept. 8, 2021) – Friday night fights are back on Sept. 10 in South Philly, as FloSports FIGHTNIGHT LIVE partners with Kings Promotions to air nine big bouts live from the famed 2300 Arena. Popular Mid-Atlantic prospects will be featured beginning at 8 p.m. as familiar faces populate what’s sure to be an action-packed card to ring the closing bell on Summer 2021.

“We’re excited to be back at 2300 Arena with Marshall Kauffman and King’s Promotions next Friday night,” said Mark Fratto, Principal and Director of Business Development, Linacre Media. “Not only will the spotlight shine brightly on prospects like Greg Outlaw and Elijah Morales – not only will we feature a comeback bout for fan favorite Christian Carto – but it’s back to school time and we’re officially in session with Mykal “The Professor” Fox joining the venerable Michael Woods for ringside commentary. Myke should be, by rights, a newly-minted world champion right now if not for WBA and Minnesota commission injustice last month, but we’re pleased that he will bring his knowledge and expertise as one of Kings Boxing’s own takes the mic.”  

As part of FIGHTNIGHT LIVE’s blockbuster multi-event deal with FloSports, the 8 p.m. card featuring nine scheduled bouts will air exclusively on FloCombat. FIGHTNIGHT LIVE plans to deliver two shows per month – 24 boxing and MMA cards per year – via the subscription-based FloSports platform. Fight fans can witness every explosive knockout and drama-dripped decision from regional rising stars – as well as the 10,000-plus events streamed annually by FloSports via the web, the FloSports mobile app (iOS and Android), or connected TV platforms such as AppleTV, Roku, FireTV, Vizio and others – for as little as $12.50 per month. Fight fans can subscribe with a monthly or annual membership today at https://www.flocombat.com/ to be ready for a full slate of FIGHTNIGHT LIVE events in 2021-22. 

“The FIGHTNIGHT LIVE crew always does a professional job and features a production which tells the stories of these young warriors,” said promoter Marshall Kauffman. “We’re thrilled to be able to work with their team and provide a big-time platform for these prospects on FloSports.”

On Friday, Sept. 10, welterweight Outlaw (8-1, 3 KOs) of Bowie, Md., meets Edgar Torres (8-1-1, 4 KOs) of Woodbridge, Md., in an all “Old Line State” bout scheduled for six-rounds. The six-round co-feature will mark the much-anticipated return of popular 24 year-old South Philly bantamweight Carto (17-1, 11 KOs), who won his first 17 bouts before suffering his only loss on February 8, 2019, to Victor Ruiz at the 2300 Arena. Unbeaten Elijah Morales (8-0, 4 KOs) of Trenton, N.J., Philly junior welterweight Quadir Albright (2-0, 2 KOs) and junior lightweight Julian Gonzalez (3-0, 3 KOs) test their perfect records while LeAnna Cruz of Allentown, Pa., debuts and streaking welterweight Kashon Hutchinson (8-5, 2 KOs) looks to win his sixth-straight contest next Friday night.

Additional FIGHTNIGHT LIVE fall programming – such as event previews, some undercards and highlights – will be available through the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Facebook channel, which boasts nearly 89,000 fans and almost 101,000 followers. 

Now in its fifth season, FIGHTNIGHT LIVE is the fan-friendly platform that – among other aspects – prides itself on creating a home for rising combat sports stars and regional boxing and MMA promotions. FIGHTNIGHT LIVE has showcased more than 820 fighters and 23 promotions during 54 live event broadcasts from 24 different cities and three countries since May 2017, and in doing so, the platform has generated the loyal interest of fight fans from across the United States and around the globe, including significant audiences in Mexico, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, and even fans in South America, Asia and Australia.  

Created and produced by Linacre Media out of New York City, the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series features professional announcers, multiple camera angles, television graphics, replays and behind-the-scenes access and interviews. The streamed shows are available globally via FloSports, through web, mobile devices (both iOS and Android) and connected TV solutions, such as Roku, FireTV and AppleTV. The initiative not only enables fans from around the world to tune in, but also gives up-and-coming fighters a global platform to showcase their abilities, gives promoters an accessible “broadcast” solution and gives sponsors the ability to reach a mass audience via branded content.

FIGHTNIGHT LIVE is available online at: https://www.flocombat.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/

• ____________

Friday Punch in Paris: Tony Yoka-Peter Milas Heavyweight Showdown Headlines Afternoon of Fights Live and Exclusively on ESPN+

Live stream begins at 2:45 p.m. ET/11:45 a.m. PT
Highlights of Top Rank prospect Hugo Micallef’s pro debut will be shown

(September 8, 2021) — Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka, the Paris native who won Olympic gold for France in 2016, returns home for a historic night at the fights. Yoka will face fellow unbeaten Peter Milas in a 10-rounder this Friday, Sept. 10 at Roland Garros, site of the French Open. This marks the first boxing event to take place at the famed tennis venue since 1973.
 
Yoka-Milas will headline a scheduled three-fight card streaming live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+ starting at 2:45 p.m. ET/11:45 a.m. PT. Top Rank-signed prospect Hugo “The Fresh Prince of Monaco” Micallef will make his pro debut on the card in a four-round welterweight bout against Ezequiel Gregores (2-2, 0 KOs). Highlights of Micallef’s fight will be shown on the stream.
 
Yoka (10-0, 8 KOs) turned pro in April 2017 and stepped up early with wins over the likes of Jonnie Rice, David Allen and former European champion Alexander Dimitrenko. He went 2-0 in 2020, including a first-round knockout over former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas. Yoka made his 2021 debut in March and knocked out Belgian native Joel Tambwe Djeko to pick up the European Union title. Milas (15-0, 11 KOs), from Split, Croatia, has fought most of his pro career in Germany. He’s picked up standout victories over durable spoiler Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson and former world title challenger Francesco Pianeta.
 
In other action streaming on ESPN+:

• In a 12-round tilt for the vacant European Union light heavyweight title, former world title challenger Igor Mikhalkin (24-2, 11 KOs) looks to extend his winning streak to four against French 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Mathieu Bauderlique (20-1, 11 KOs). Bauderlique has won eight straight fights since a shocking first-round knockout loss.
   
• Souleymane Cissokho (13-0, 8 KOs), who earned a bronze medal for France at the 2016 Rio Olympics, will make the first defense of his WBA Intercontinental super welterweight strap against Russian veteran Ismail Iliev (13-2-1, 3 KOs). Cissokho won the belt in May with a split decision over Kieron Conway on the Canelo Alvarez-Billy Joe Saunders undercard.
• ____________

LAS VEGAS (August 9, 2021) – Undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs), the first Mexican boxer to capture the World super middleweight title, is now the World light heavyweight champion in waiting. “Zurdo” is currently rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and No. 5 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

After Ramirez’ recent knockout victory over Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs), it appeared that the boxing stars had aligned and “Zurdo” would challenge WBA Super World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol later this year. It still may happen, however, Bivol has offered to replace Caleb Plant next month against WBA and WBC Super Middleweight Champion “Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs) at either super middleweight or light heavyweight.

The 30-year Ramirez understands why Bivol would challenge “Canelo,” and he still welcomes a fight against Bivol, or either of the other World light heavyweight title holders, Artur Beterbiev (WBC/IBF) and Joe Smith, Jr. (WBO), scheduled to fight each other in a unification match this year.

“People may say he is avoiding me by chasing the ‘Canelo’ fight,” Ramirez commented, “but I hope he gets it.  Everyone knows ‘Canelo’ is the lottery ticket. At the moment I can’t hate on him (Bivol) for taking his shot.  But, if the fight doesn’t happen, he and his team know I’m available and there won’t be any other fight or excuse to avoid me. I’m open to fighting any of the World champions in the light heavyweight division.  I’ve always said I’m the best in the division and there’s no one I wouldn’t fight for the title assuming all the other variables align.”

“Zurdo” never really gets out of shape.  He’s back home in Mazatlán (Mexico) running, doing yoga, golfing, and doing a little bit of boxing.

“As I get closer to my fight news,” Ramirez remarked, “I’ll start my pre-camp to make sure I’m at my target weight before even entering training camp. It’s not like my teenage years, so I need to make sure everything is precise and on track before camp.”

For his most recent fight versus Barrera, Ramirez trained at his ultramodern Brickhouse Boxing Club in North Hollywood, California, in which “Zurdo” is a member of the 3PM Group ownership.  Ramirez reports the gym is running smoothly and that he’s happy it’s a community space where a lot of professional athletes train such as fighters David Benavidez, Gerald Washington, Cem Kilic and John “Scrappy” Ramirez (no relations), as well as UFC fighters TJ Dillashaw, Giga Chikadze and Marvin Vettori, among the more notables.

“I’ve known Bivol from before (they sparred) and he’s a tough fighter with a warrior mentality,” Ramirez concluded.  “I just hope he’s not just a talker and doesn’t retract from calling me out publicly on social media and announcing it to the world.  Everyone knows it’s an easy fight to make (Ramirez and Bivol have fought on DAZN).  I know nothing on my side (Team Zurdo & his promoter Golden Boy) is holding it back from making it happen.”

• _________________

The Comeback Heavyweight Contender JD Chapman Continues

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m/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/

• _________________

42-0 Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez

On a mission to steal Dmitry Bivol’s soul & take his WBA Super light heavyweight title belt

CHAMPIONS: (L-R) Oscar de la Hoya, Zurdo Ramirez, and Bernard Hopkins

LOS ANGELES (July 15, 2021) – Undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez’ stock recently rose even higher after his sensational fourth-round stoppage of world title challenger Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs), positioning the gifted Mexican boxer for a world title shot in the light heavyweight division, and putting the three world champions on notice.

After notching his 42^nd pro victory without a loss, “Zurdo” drew rave reviews for his impressive performance and all-around style, which showcased a punishing body attack, decking Barrera three different times. It’s important to note that Barrera went the distance with Hall of Famer Andre Ward and WBA Super World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol didn’t finish off the Cuban until the 12th round.

The 30-year Ramirez, who made his debut under the Golden Boy banner, issued a loud statement to the three reigning world light heavyweight champions: Bivol, Artur Beterbiev (WBC/IBF) and Joe Smith, Jr. (WBO).

“I knew I had to come out strong and make a statement,” Ramirez spoke about the Barrera fight.  “Barrera is a tough, strong opponent who has fought the best.  I had visioned all this in training camp and wanted to showcase my skills. Golden Boy did a great job promoting the show and I wanted to make sure I did my best job in the ring.

“I’ve always loved going to the body early.  My team and I have worked on several areas including the improvement of my body shots that was evident during the fight.  I’m at my best today! I’m comfortable at this weight and believe the combination of my new and improved power and ring experience makes me a dangerous fighter.”

Prior to Ramirez’ fight versus Barrera, Bivol (18-0 11 KOs) posted the following on social media: “@zurdoramirez, I’ve never avoided a challenge.  Good luck to you in the fight against Barrera and after that let’s make it happen.”

“Zurdo” has a better shot at fighting Bivol this year than the other two world champions who are tentatively scheduled to face each other in a unification fight.  Ramirez and Bivol want this fight, as do their respective camps, along with boxing fans worldwide.  They’ve both also fought on DAZN as well.

“Bivol is definitely one of my main targets,” Ramirez explained.  “Both our teams have explored the fight and they know where to find me.  After calling me out on the internet, I’ll be surprised if he retracts from his comments; it’s boxing and you can never be too confident until contracts are signed.  He called me out on social media and his side knows I’m available.  If it doesn’t happen, I’m sure he would have a good reason why, but, at the end of the day, I’m 100-percent for this fight and his team is fully aware of it.”

Ramirez couldn’t have been happier with his Golden Boy debut.

“It was exactly how I had envisioned,” Ramirez concluded.  “Oscar (de la Hoya) and his entire staff were great and really made us feel comfortable throughout the process.  It was a great show and I really enjoyed working our first of many shows together.”

Will Bivol accept the challenge and fight “Zurdo”? Stay tuned, the clock’s ticking.

(Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions)

• _________________
• The former Italian and European welterweight champion and world junior-middleweight title challenger Silvano Bertini dies at age 81

• Silvano Bertini – The former Italian and European welterweight champion and world junior-middleweight title challenger died on June 27, 2021, aged 81. Bertini was born in Signa, Toscana, Italy, on March 27, 1940, and was active from 1965-1973,  compiling a record 42-3-1 (KO 18/KO by 3).

  

  As an amateur, Bertini won a silver medal at the 1963 European Championships and a bronze medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In 1965 he turned professional and was undefeated in his first 28 fights before losing to Jean Josselin in 1969. He retired in 1973 after failing to come out for the bell in the 12th round against Koichi Wajima for the lineal world junior-middleweight title. During his career, he defeated such fighters as Domenico Tiberia, Angel Robinson Garcia, Fighting Mack, Chucho Garcia, Oscar Miranda, Alberto Torri, Eddie Blay, Romano Rubini,  Giuliano Nervino,  Jose Hernandez, and Jose Luiz Penteado.  Besides Josselin and Wajima, he also fought Roger Menetrey.  

  https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/16034

• _________________

Undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez goes for 42^nd victory vs. Sullivan Barrera

Streaming live July 9^th on DAZN from L.A.

LOS ANGELES (June 8, 2021) – Undefeated former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Middleweight Champion (WBO) Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), who will be making his debut as a member of Golden Boy’s stable, goes for his 42^nd professional victory July 9^th against world light heavyweight title challenger Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs).

Zurdo vs. Barrera, presented by Golden Boy Promotions, will be streamed exclusively on DAZN, live from Banc of California Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Football Club (pro soccer), located in downtown Los Angeles. 

“I’m very excited to make my debut with Golden Boy,” Ramirez said.  “LA’s the home to many Latinos and I can’t wait to share the moment with my people. 

“Every fight is the most important fight of my career.  Obviously, the goal is to dominate the division and become world champ, and I do believe this match-up versus Barrera is a step in the right direction.”

There will be World title implications for the winner of the 12-round Zurdo vs. Barrera main event.  Ramirez is ranked No. 3 by the World Boxing Council (WBA) and WBO, as well as No. 5 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), which rates Barrera at No. 7 in the world.

Ramirez, 29, was the first Mexican fighter to capture a World super middleweight title, which he relinquished to move up to the light heavyweight division.  He is 2-0 (2 KOs) as a 175-pounder, defeating Tommy Karpency (29-6-1) on April 12, 2019, when Karpency was unable to continue fighting after four rounds, along with a 10th round stoppage of Alphonso Lopez (32-3) last December to capture the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) crown.

The 39-year-old Barrera was a decorated Cuban amateur boxer (285-27 record), who was the middleweight gold medalist at the 2000 AIBA Junior World Championships.  Barrera, who defected to the United States in 2009 and settled in Miami, beat future pro world champions such as Chad Dawson, Beibut Shumenov and Mariano Natalio Carrera.

During the course of his 12-year pro career, Barrera is 3-3 vs. past or present world champions having defeated Jeff Lacy (WTKO4), Karo Murat (WKO12) and Felix Valera (WDEC10), losing to current WBA Super and IBF World light heavyweight champions, respectively, Dmitry Bivol (TKO12) and Joe Smith Jr. (DEC10), in addition to Hall of Famer Andre Ward (DEC 12).

“Barrera is a tough Cuban veteran with world-class experience,” Ramirez added.  He’s fought the best in the past and shown why he’s been in many title fights against them.  He even had a one-sided victory over the current WBO champions, Joe Smith, Jr.”

Jesse Hart is the only common opponent; Ramirez won a pair of decisions in World super middleweight title fights against Hart, while Sullivan lost a 10-round light heavyweight decision to the Philadelphia boxer.

Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35, excluding applicable service charges, and available to purchase at www.bancocaliforniastadium and www.ticketmaster.com.

________________

Fighting for a Cause: José Ramírez to Auction Fight-Worn Gloves and 1/1 Poster for Cancer Research

The V Foundation and The Bautista Foundation will split the proceeds
Ramírez will battle Josh Taylor for the undisputed junior welterweight world title, LIVE Saturday on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT)

LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2021) — WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion José Ramírez is set to fight WBA/IBF champion Josh Taylor this Saturday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET), a history-making bout that will crown an undisputed champion.
 
After the final bell, two one-of-a-kind fight artifacts — a 1/1 poster signed by Ramírez, Taylor and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, and Ramírez’s fight-worn Cleto Reyes gloves — will be auctioned off by Goldin Auctions. The proceeds will be shared with a pair of charities supported by Ramírez: The V Foundation for Cancer Research and The Bautista Foundation, which funds community, education and health programs in California’s Central Valley, where Ramírez was born and still resides.
 
Ramírez (26-0, 17 KOs), a 2012 U.S. Olympian, has long used his fights as a platform to raise awareness and funds for myriad nonprofits.
 
Ramírez said, “The fight against Taylor is a big one, but I am especially proud to fight for the V Foundation and The Bautista Foundation, two charities that do such vital, life-changing work. Get those bids up, donate to a worthy cause, and be sure to watch my fight against Josh Taylor on Saturday.”
 
Stephen Foster, the founder of Fresno Coin, fired the first haymaker of fight week when he opened the bidding at $7,500.
 
Foster said, “José is a leader in our community and stands for so many great things, and we at Fresno Coin stand with him in the fight against cancer.”
 
About Ramirez vs. Taylor

Promoted by Top Rank, Ramírez vs. Taylor is a 12-round showdown for the undisputed junior welterweight world championship, which will take place Saturday, May 22 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (and simulcast on ESPN+) at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ (in English and Spanish) at 4:45 p.m. ET/1:45 p.m. PT.
 
The telecast will also feature a 10-round junior welterweight battle between Jose “Chon” Zepeda and “Hammerin” Hank Lundy, in addition to an eight-round junior welterweight tilt between knockout artist Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez and Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr. 

• • _________________

WBO Champion Emanuel Navarrete Retains Title after Vicious KO of Tough Challenger  Christopher Diaz

Rising superstar Edgar Berlanga drops Demond Nicholson four times en route to decision win

Story by Alexander R. Rinaldi and Joseph Rinaldi                                                 

KISSIMMEE, Fla. It was a great night of fighting at the Spurs Arena. Though the name itself sounds much like the backdrop of a western shootout or the outpost of a cavalry regiment, when boxers and their fists took up the visage of gunfighters and six-shooters with WBO Featherweight World Champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete leading the charge scoring a stunning and impressive knockout over the #6 ranked challenger Christopher Diaz.

What was most impressive about the knockout was that Navarrete was well ahead on the scorecards going into the twelfth and final round. Still, like the great gladiators and gunfighters of yesteryear, Navarrete left no room for doubt and put away his game and gallant challenger Diaz in a devastating, punishing fashion.       

Coming into the bout with a 80% knockout rate, Navarrete, who was also the former WBO Super Bantamweight champion having defended that title successfully five times, all of them ending by way of knockout, sent a loud and clear message to the rest of the featherweight champions that he is the new sheriff in town and the major one certainly to be reckoned with.

And reckoning he did – right in front of Diaz’s hometown faithful.

What also the made the fight compelling and exciting was that the bout was between a Puerto Rican challenger against a Mexican champion – a Spanish Witch’s brew for a grand night of boxing.

Diaz, 125.8, was a seasoned and top notch challenger who entered the bout with an impressive ledger of 26-2 (16 KO’s) having never been previously knocked out and who fought a tough fight against Shakur Stevenson whom he suffered a points loss to in 2019.

Facing the lankier Navarrete, the challenger Diaz had his worked cut out for himself, especially when he entered the relatively small 18 foot ring – a true puncher’s den – against the grave digger fists of the Mexican champion.

Wearing black trunk with white trim, Navarrete, 126, of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, wasted little time establish his jab against the small challenger. With a 72 inch reach (8 inches longer than the challenger’s) the champion stabbed Diaz with lancer-like jabs and leaping left hooks and jarring uppercuts. Duiaz, of nearby  Orlando, Florida, meanwhile went after Navarrete with lefts and rights to the champion’s head and body.

In round two, Diaz hammered relentlessly to Navarrete’s body and at one point even rocked the Mexican with a hard right to the jaw.

Navarrete regrouped in round three, and began scoring with right hand leads and left hooks, eventually slicing Diaz with a piercing left that slashed a cut over the challenger’s right eye.

To make matters worse for the challenger, in round four Navarrete started throwing his unorthodox left uppercut along with his potent jabs, left hooks, and right crosses. But with 42 seconds remaining in the round, it was the left uppercut that would strike pay dirt as it crashed under the Puerto Rican’s chin like an unseen grenade,  and sent him dropping hard and fast to the canvas. Though Diaz did not see the punch that struck him, he certainly felt it, as he stumbled to try and beat the referee’s count.

Up at the count of “nine” Diaz looked as if had he had been run over by a team of horses, as he used all the grit he had to stay upright until the bell sounded to end the round.

In round five, Diaz came out fast, aggressively tracking  the Champion with a two-fisted attack as both fighters began throwing bombs at the other.

Diaz fared even better in the next two rounds, trapping Navarrete against the ropes and waling away at his head and body. The problem was that the champion withstood those blows and fought back trading punch for punch. Then when it looked like Diaz was holding his own, the referee took a point deduction for hitting Navarrete behind the back.

Then came round 8.

After some good action for the first two thirds of the round, at the 1:13 mark of the round, Navarrete scored once again with that lethal left uppercut that nearly tore Diaz’s head off his shoulders, which the champion followed with a right to the jaw that landed like gunfire from a Remington Block rifle, that crashed the challenger back to the canvas. Barely up at the count of eight, Diaz bravely continued, but it was if he was entering the buzz saw of a western lumber mill.  Before he could settle himself, Diaz was struck again by over ten thunderous punches from the champion, which dropped him back to the now familiar canvas on the ring floor. Again, he gamely rose as the round ended to spare him.

To his credit, Diaz never gave up, but continued to fight hard and nearly got back in the fight, especially after landing a hard left uppercut of his own in round eleven.

Going into the twelfth and final round, Navarrete was well ahead on the scorecards and Diaz need a knockout to win the fight and the title. Knowing this all too well, Diaz went after the champion with both guns blazing. He even caught the Mexican with a hard right to the jaw as he continued his onslaught with a do or die attitude. Unfortunately, Navarrete was not satisfied with a decision and battled back with the fury of a tornado and the deadly killer instinct of a rattle snake.

With less than a minute in the fight, Navarete did what true champions do – he went for the knockout. With a five punch combination starting with a right to temple and ending with one more left uppercut to the jaw, Diaz smashed back to the canvas for the fourth and final time in the bout.

Once again, Diaz, with the courage of a lion rose back to his feet until his trainer Nelson Rodriguez mercifully stopped the bout at 2:49 of the twelfth and final round. 

 “I think we did put on a worthy performance (of Mexcio vs. Puerto Rico) because ‘Pitufo,’ I knew he was tough, I knew he was strong. And I knew he could hit hard, but he surpassed all my expectations. He brought out all the best in me and so I’ve got a lot of respect for Christopher ‘Pitufo’ Diaz,” said a jubilant Navarrete after the bout.”

“I was really impressed by ‘Pitufo’ because every time I hurt him, every time I dropped him, he came back stronger. He was a beast in there because he kept coming at me. He kept getting better even though I kept hurting him, and as the fight progressed, you’d expect him to get weaker but he kept getting stronger. I just couldn’t understand it. So I have the utmost respect for Christopher ‘Pitufo’ Diaz and what he did tonight.”

Diaz (26-3, 16 KOs) entered the fight having won two straight since a decision loss to Shakur Stevenson in a non-title bout. He landed 183 punches on Navarrete, but he was unable to seriously hurt the seasoned champion.

Diaz said, ” I’m very disappointed. I wanted to win. It’s a title shot. But next time. He’s a great fu—– fighter. He hit hard. We went to war. I made my best fight. I was in shape. Everything was good. 
 
“I’m not a weak fighter. I always bring my heart with me. I came here to fight. I said I want to box but that guy, he’s a problem. We come here to fight, too. He caught me. My coach loves me like a son, and he stopped the fight.”

In other action:

Super Middleweight: Edgar Berlanga (17-0, 16 KOs) UD 8 Demond Nicholson (23-4-1, 20 KOs). Scores: 79-68 and 79-69 2x.

There is a first time for everything.

“The streak” is no more, but Berlanga is still undefeated. Berlanga, who had 16 consecutive first-round knockouts entering the night, was extended the eight-round distance by Nicholson. He dropped Nicholson four times en route to the near-shutout, and the reading of the scorecards was academic.

Berlanga knocked down Nicholson with a left hook in the second round, a right hand in the third round, a left hook in the fifth round, and a right hand just before the bell sounded to end the eighth.

Berlanga said, “I feel amazing. It’s kind of fu—- up I had to go to the judges with all the people here. I know they wanted a first-round knockout, but I enjoyed getting the experience. 
 
“It was an awesome experience for me. I caught him with an amazing shot at 10 seconds of the last round. I wanted to get him out! But I didn’t, but I got the experience, especially in front of my Puerto Rican people. It was good.”

Junior Welterweight: Josue Vargas (19-1, 9 KOs) UD 10 Willie Shaw (13-3, 9 KOs). Scores: 98-92 and 99-91 2x.

Vargas, the Puerto Rican-born contender who now fights out of the Bronx, New York, survived a rough patch when he was buzzed in the opening round. He then proceeded to outbox Shaw, a native of Oakland, California. Vargas has won 13 consecutive bouts since a controversial disqualification loss early in his career.

Lightweight: Joseph Adorno (14-0-2, 12 KOs) MAJORITY DRAW 8 Jamaine Ortiz (14-0-1, 8 KOs). Scores: 76-74 Ortiz and 75-75 2x.

War. Eight rounds of fistic war. Adorno and Ortiz fought to a dead heat but combined to give boxing fans what will ultimately stand as one of 2021’s best fights. Adorno knocked down Ortiz with left hooks in the second and seventh rounds, but when Ortiz wasn’t on the canvas, he was muscling Adorno on the inside and ripping him with combinations. After nearly being knocked out in the seventh, Ortiz dominated the eighth round, sweeping the stanza on all three judges’ cards to salvage the draw.

Featherweight: Orlando Gonzalez (17-0, 10 KOs) UD 8 Juan Antonio Lopez (15-9, 6 KOs). Scores: 78-74 and 79-73 2x.

Puerto Rico’s Gonzalez didn’t have it easy against Lopez, but a determined effort and a boost from the partisan crowd was more than enough.

Welterweight: Xander Zayas (8-0, 6 KOs) TKO 1 Demarcus Layton (8-2-1, 5 KOs), :56.
 
Zayas tied his personal record for the shortest evening of his career, dispatching Arkansas native Layton in under a minute. A left hook started the onslaught, then another sweeping left planted Layton to the canvas. Referee Emil Lombardi saw enough and waved off the bout.
 
Zayas said, “This was amazing, something I was looking forward to for a long time. The last time I fought in front of a crowd, it was in Puerto Rico. Doing it here in Kissimmee, in front of my Puerto Rican fans, was memorable. First-round knockout, what else can I ask for?”

Junior Featherweight: Jeremy Adorno (5-0, 1 KO) MD 4 Ramiro Martinez (2-1-2, 1 KO). Scores: 38-38, 39-37 and 40-36. Adorno had the most difficult evening of his young career, returning from a 15-month layoff to edge Texas resident Martinez. Adorno was stunned in the second and fourth rounds, but his volume and clean punching told the story of the fight.

Junior Lightweight: Jaycob Gomez (2-0, 2 KOs) KO 1 Mobley Villegas (3-2, 2 KOs), 2:38. Puerto Rican phenom Gomez prevailed in less than a round, ending matters with a three-punch combination that put Villegas down for the 10-count.

(Undercard Action by Top Rank)

(Photos by Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Terence Crawford demolishes former Champ Kell Brook to retain WBO Welterweight Title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas

By Alex and John Rinaldi

LAS VEGAS —  It is common knowledge that the state of Nebraska’s most widely known and grown crop is corn, which is used to feed livestock and poultry, as well as make the industrial chemical known as ethanol.

After the corn is grown and harvested – the next most important part of the process is the husking of corn, which is the removal of its outer leafy-like layers leaving remaining only the cob or seed rack of the corn. This husking is not only part of the process, it also becomes a communal ritual in some parts of the state.

That is why the University of Nebraska football team is famously known as the Cornhuskers.

It is equally well known that the WBO Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford also happens to hail from Nebraska.

But make no mistake about it, the closest Crawford  will ever come to being a Cornhusker is when his fists crash through his opponents’ layers of defense with the goal of turning their battered, smashed faces into cornbread.

And like the Grim Reaper the only thing Crawford is reaping lately is pain and destruction.

Defending his WBO welterweight title for the fourth time, on November 14, Crawford knew that his opponent was not some undeserving or unqualified challenger. Instead staring at him from the other side of the ring stood Kell Brook, from Sheffield England, who had previously won the IBF welterweight title from Shawn Porter in 2014, then defended it successfully three times until losing it to Errol Spence three years later in 2017.

Brook, 147,  also had three things going for him: One, lack of fear of any man; Two,  the skills and desire to win back the welterweight title, and, Three,  knockout powered fists that caused 27 men in his 39 wins to never hear the sound of the final bell.

Besides that, the Brit looked be chiseled out of the same Brimham Rocks found near his hometown of Sheffield. In short, he looked to be in wonderful condition and ready to take on his American adversary.

Though the odds makers had him a +1100 chance to win, by fight time, when the English money finally made its way to the Las Vegas Strip, the odds in Brook’s favor increased to +700.

As for Crawford, 146.4, who entered the ring at odds of -225 to retain his title by knockout, and wearing black trunks with gold trim, he had one thing on his mind – a mission as old as the wars of men and might, to seek and annihilate his challenger before the bell tolled 12.

A few minutes later, when the bell rang loud in the near COVID deserted MGM Bubble, Brook started the fight confident behind left jabs and rights to the head and body.  When Crawford, a natural southpaw, came out initially as a righty, Brook took advantage of this to score often with the left jab.

In round two, Terence switched back to lefty and began landing some hard right jabs and combinations. Brook, meanwhile, connected well with straight rights to attack Crawford’s southpaw stance and even managed to pull out of his arsenal an uppercut or two.

The give and take continued in round three, when Brook, wearing white trunks with blue and red trim, continued throwing punches to Crawford’s head and midsection. This time the champion began to pick up the pace, and even stunned Brook with a hard right to the chin near the round’s end.

That right hand punch would prove to be a harbinger of things to come, and like a firestorm tearing up a prairie, it would soon spell doom to anyone in its path.

For the challenger Brook, that doom came for him in round four.

After a fairly close beginning of the round, at around the 2:17 mark, Brook went to throw a left jab…then it happened.

Like meteor on target to strike planet Earth, Crawford countered over the left with a right cross that collided with Brook’s jaw and crushed it as if struck by a cinder block thrown off the top of a farm silo.

Immediately Brook, who never actually saw the punch coming or landing, flew across the ring and into the ropes. Though the ropes at first appeared to be protecting him from falling to the canvas, at the same time it also trapped him like a spider’s web.  

Seeing Brook helpless and hurt, Crawford pounced on him with a hard flurry of punches until the referee Tony Weeks interceded to give the British challenger a merciful eight count.

With his eyes still rolling in his head like gumballs, and his face taking on the gray mask of a man about to take the long walk down the hall to the electric chair, Brook bravely continued the fight.

Unfortunately for Brook, Crawford not only wanted to continue the fight – he also wanted to end it.

And end it he did.

His punches shot out like bullets from a Tommy Gun, consisting of a right to the head, followed by three jarring left hooks, culminating with one final right hand that put Brook somewhere between an ether forced sleep and the curved resting bench of a guillotine.

Thankfully Weeks saw enough and jumped in to save both Brook and his career in the fight game.

The time of the stoppage was 1:14 of round four.

Although Brook (39-3, 27 KOs) was leading on two of three judges’ cards entering the fourth round, it was Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs)  who ended Brook’s challenge forever.

Crawford, who pocketed a cool $4 million for his night’s work,  has now won eight straight fights by knockout dating back to July 2016.

As for  Brook, the first thing he said to his corner after the fight was, “What happened?”

Well, Terence Crawford happened…and he keeps on happening fight after fight.

“I already said who I want {next}. I want Pacquiao. I want to revisit that fight,” Crawford said. “That was a fight that should’ve happened right now. But being that the pandemic happened, and they weren’t going to allow fans in the Middle East, they had to put a hold to that. Everything was 95 percent done. We had the venue. The money was almost there. It wasn’t quite there. That was the only thing we were waiting on.

“Kell is a tremendous talent. He came and he tried to take my title. He was in shape. He made the weight. There were no excuses to be put on the table. He came off of three wins.”

Added Brook, “Never in my career, nobody has ever done that to me in sparring or anything.
 
“It was one of them… I got caught with a shot I didn’t see. I’m gutted because nobody could’ve gotten me in better condition. I was bang on the limit. Maybe I could’ve been a bit more relaxed and loose and let the shots go.”

The only saving grace for the game and talented brooks was that he went home $2 million richer.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said, “Terence Crawford showed, once again, why he is the best welterweight in the world. It was a dominating performance over a very good fighter in Kell Brook. Terence ranks up there with all the great welterweights I’ve promoted.”

Franco-Moloney 2 Ends in Controversy

In one of the strangest events in recent boxing history, Joshua Franco, of San Antonio, Texas,  and Andrew Moloney, of Melbourne, Australia,  fought to a no-decision thereby permitting Franco to retain his WBA jr. bantamweight title.

In a fight that saw Moloney, 114.7,  stabbing his jab at the Champion Franco, and throwing punches in bunches to his head and midsection, the Australian appeared dominant and on the top of his game. 

Then trouble emerged after Moloney connected with some hard blows to the right eye of Franco, 114.5, The champion’s eyed swelled almost immediately prompting referee to  Russell Mora to seemingly incorrectly rule that there was an accidental headbutt. 

In round two, Moloney, (21-1, 14 KO’s) who was trying to avenge the loss of his title to Franco last June, continued his two-fisted assault as Franco battled heroically through his quickly closing eye. At the end of the round, the ring doctor stopped the fight.

After a 26-minute replay review, controversy reigned supreme. WBA super flyweight world champion Joshua Franco, (17-1-2, 1ND, 8 KO’s) retained title via no decision over Andrew Moloney. Franco dethroned Moloney back in June via unanimous decision, and in the rematch, Moloney controlled the first two rounds before the bout was stopped. The injury sustained by Franco in the first round caused the fight to be halted following the conclusion of the second.

Moloney said, “They took this away from me. The injury was caused by a punch. I can’t believe this.
 
“I was in control of the fight and on my way to a clear victory. I deserved this win. I landed 50 punches on that eye. It was not even close.”
 
Added Arum, “This is an absolute disgrace. There was no head butt.  Andrew Moloney should be the new champion.”

In undercard bouts:

Bantamweight: Joshua Greer Jr. (22-2-2, 12 KOs) Majority Draw 8 Rounds Edwin Rodriguez (11-5-2, 5 KOs). Scores: 77-75 Rodriguez and 76-76 2x. Noted spoiler Rodriguez nearly pulled another upset, but Greer closed the bout strong to salvage the draw. Rodriguez is 2-0-2 in his last four fights, all of which came against undefeated fighters.Middleweight: Tyler Howard (19-0, 11 KOs) UD 8 KeAndrae Leatherwood (22-8-1, 13 KOs). Scores: 77-73, 77-74 and 76-74. “Hercules” Howard returned from a nearly 18-month layoff to pick up the most significant victory of his career. In a closely contested bout, Howard dropped Leatherwood in the closing stages of the eighth round to clinch the decision.

Featherweight: Duke Ragan (3-0, 1 KO) UD 4 Sebastian Gutierrez (2-1-1). Scores: 40-35 2x. Ragan, a top prospect from Cincinnati, Ohio, cruised to the win after knocking down Gutierrez in the second round.

Bantamweight: Vegas Larfield (2-0, 2 KOs) TKO 3 Juan Alberto Flores (2-1-1), 1:07. Larfield, who trained with Andrew Moloney to prepare for this bout, made a memorable American debut, scoring two knockdowns in the third round. Entering the third round, two judges had the fight even, while the third had Flores ahead 20-18.

Lightweight: Raymond Muratalla (11-0, 9 KOs) TKO 3 Luis Porozo (15-5, 8 KOs), 2:40. Muratalla upped his KO streak to six with a statement-making performance over the former Ecuadorian Olympian. Muratalla, who is trained by Robert Garcia, notched a pair of knockdowns in the third round.

Photos courtesy of  Top Rank

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Terence Crawford vs. Kell Brook: Top Boxing Telecast Across all TV Networks since January 2019

• Crawford vs Brook averaged 1,758,000 viewers, making it the most viewed boxing telecast across on all TV networks since January 2019.
• The main event was also the most viewed boxing telecast on cable since December 2018 (Lomachenko vs. Pedraza on ESPN: 1,889,000)
• The fight rating peaked during the 11:45 p.m.-12:00 a.m. ET quarter hour with 2.1 million viewers
• Through seven Saturday night telecasts on ESPN so far this year, Top Rank on ESPN has averaged 1,033,000 viewers, up 44% from 11 Saturday night telecasts in 2019
• Adults 18-49 are up 54% year-over-year
• Crawford vs. Brook ranked No. 1 as the most socially engaged boxing telecast across TV over the last two years, with over 306,000 total social interactions across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Crawford vs. Brook had a strong performance on social media, becoming the most socially engaged telecast across TV over the last two years, with over 306,000 social interactions across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Lomachenko vs. Lopez and Crawford vs. Brook have been the most socially engaged boxing telecasts across TV in consecutive months over the last two years.
• Top Rank on ESPN has featured an action-packed fall schedule highlighted by some of the leaders of boxing’s electric youth movement, including stunning performances by the new undisputed lightweight king Teofimo Lopez, WBO female junior lightweight world champion Mikaela Mayer and WBA/IBF unified bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue. Rising star Shakur Stevenson, the undefeated former featherweight world champion from Newark, N.J., is set to close out the year in a 10-round junior lightweight main event against Toka Kahn Clary, Saturday, Dec. 12, from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Shawn Porter and Ryan Garcia lead boxers in win over UFC on television’s Celebrity Family Feud
By Ron John Rinaldi

LOS ANGELES – The iconic television Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey, scored a knockout when present and past WBC Champions competed against their fellow combat sport adversaries in the UFC to the delight of the live crowd on hand.

The WBC team consisted of present WBC Silver Lightweight Champion Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17 KO’s), former WBC and IBF Welterweight Champion Shawn Porter (31-3-1, 17 KO’s), retired legendary former Heavyweight Champions Evander Holyfield (44-10-2-1NC, 29 KO’s) and Riddick Bowe (43-1-1NC, 33 KO’s), as well as WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman.

Surprisingly the weak link on the team happened to be Sulaiman, while the four boxers soared to victory with their answers.

In an interesting note, the day before the fighters were to appear as part of the boxing team for Family Feud, Shawn Porter somehow happened to be watching his Family Feud teammate Ryan Garcia’s boxing KO Francisco Fonseca on February 14, and wondered how the young boxer could have a fight and somehow be able to make the taping of the show the very next day.

“I was in denial,” Porter told ESPN. “I’m like, ‘He ain’t gonna be there. He’s fighting the night before.’ The second thought: ‘Is he that bold to schedule two things?’ My thought was, I hope to see him there.”

Not surprisingly, Garcia, who happens to be one of the new shining stars in boxing, Garcia knocked out Fonseca at just 1:20 of the second round and then, about 15 hours later, helped lead Team WBC to a dominant 522-37 victory over Team UFC on Feb. 15.

The fight was in Anaheim, California. The show was filmed in the Fairfax district of L.A. and aired Thursday night on October 29 on ABC.

“We got the [early] knockout,” Garcia said afterward. “Two days in a row, [early] knockout.”

Forrest Griffin did not get Team UFC off to a good start on “Celebrity Family Feud,” much to the amusement of Henry Cejudo. “Giraffe”? What was Griffin thinking?

Team UFC was headed by former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, and also featured Henry Cejudo, who was UFC men’s bantamweight champion at the time, and former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm  along with welterweight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, and strawweight champion Michelle Waterson. 

With the victory, the WBC boxers earned $25,000 for the Andy Vargas Foundation, a youth scholarship program in Los Angeles. The UFC team won $5,000 for the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research.

Prior to the beginning of the Feud contest, the boxers presented Steve Harvey with an authentic WBC World Championship Belt featuring his name and likeness on it.

The UFC team also presented Harvey with the UFC championship Belt

The UFC team had a slow start and struggled to gain back any momentum. In the first showdown, between Garcia and Griffin, the ex-UFC fighter hit the button first and was asked to name a top answer for the question: “What animal does your wife turn into as soon as you come to bed?” Griffin stupidly answered “giraffe,” which was not on the board. Garcia said “bear” — the No. 1 answer, which allowed Team WBC to take control.

“That’s where it went wrong,” Griffin said with a laugh. “You have to set the tone as the team captain. We had a fumble on the opening kickoff. That’s pretty much what happened. … I don’t know where that came from, but I wish it went back there.”

Next to the UFC fighters, the WBC boxers looked liked Rhodes Scholars, especially Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe who proved to be the funniest contestant with the best answers.

But it was Bowe who delivered the most telling blow of the episode when host Steve Harvey asked: “Some guys are so lonely they’ll go out on a date with their who?”

Cool as you like, the man known as Big Daddy replied: “Joe.”

And Harvey fell straight into the trap.

“Joe, who?” he replied.

“Joe Mamma,” Bowe said.

Harvey let out an hysterical, stunned reaction as the players from both teams erupted in laughter.

Joked Thompson: “As soon as ‘giraffe’ came out of his mouth, we were like, ‘OK, we’re screwed.'”

Bowe was arguably the MVP for Team WBC, quick with a joke and answers, including a showdown victory over Holm.

“Family Feud” host Steve Harvey told the studio audience that in Las Vegas five years ago he bet $10,000 on Holm to beat Ronda Rousey at UFC 193. Holm, of course, knocked Rousey out. “I told everybody she was gonna whoop Ronda Rousey,” Harvey said.

Waterson said she’s a lifelong fan of “Family Feud” and was hoping to get more time to hang out with Harvey on set. “I want a rematch,” she said.

Team WBC would beg to differ. Garcia stole the show, guiding his team to victory just hours after a highlight-reel knockout in a boxing ring.

“Life is good,” Holyfield said. “One has to take advantage of the opportunity — and he did. Bam.”

All in all, it was great to see the boxers take part in the show.  Steve Harvey, a lifelong boxing fan, proved to be a genuinely thrilled to see his boxing heroes, as well as was generally touched when he was presented with the WBC Belt.

Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) is next scheduled to fight Luke Campbell in Indio on Dec. 5 for the WBC interim lightweight title.

Ryan Garcia, center, waives to the studio audience as the professional boxer from Victorville stands next to host Steve Harvey, left, and teammate Evander Holyfield on the set of “Celebrity Family Feud,” which aired Thursday night, Oct. 29, 2020, on ABC.

Earlier this month, he said he’s been “eagerly waiting” to get back to the sport he has dominated to this point. 

“It’s been a tough year for everyone, but I’m excited to bring the fans an escape for the night … or based on my track record, a few minutes at most,” Garcia said of his upcoming bout. “Luke’s record speaks for itself, but I’m ready to prove the doubters wrong. This is my era now, and Dec. 5 is just the start of it.”