Takuma Inoue knocks out Jerwin Ancajas in Round 9 [KO highlight]

Takuma Inoue continued to carve his own name in boxing, knocking out former Filipino world champion Jerwin Ancajas in Round 9 of their bantamweight fight on Saturday in Japan. 

 

Takuma (19-1-0, 5 KOs) the younger brother of 2-division undisputed champion Naoya Inoue showed tremendous stamina and power in a back-and-forth action on the inside with the very game Ancajas. They exchanged vicious body shots during the entire fight. 

Although Ancajas would mix it up with punches to the head and body, Takuma invested heavily to the body, and in Round 9, Inoue caught Ancajas with a hard right uppercut to the body that sent Ancajas grimacing in pain to the canvas. He was hurt. 

Ancajas (34-4-2, 23 KOs) was not able to get up and remained on his knees as the count reached 10. There was a slight delay in Ancajas' reaction to the body shot before he took a knee with both gloves on the canvas. 

With the win, Takuma retained the bantamweight title and had the chance also to become the undisputed bantamweight champion, a fate his brother, Naoya achieved. 

BRUTAL BODY SHOT SEALS THE DEAL 🫢@TakumaInoue_122 x #InoueAncajas pic.twitter.com/cVcrH7pr83

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 24, 2024

Venado Lopez: "It's Going To Be A War!"

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. (Feb. 23, 2024) — Luis Alberto "Venado" Lopez is determined to turn his third-world title defense into a war of attrition.

Lopez will defend his IBF featherweight world title against Japanese contender Reiya Abe on Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Lopez-Abe will be the co-feature in the vacant WBA featherweight world championship showdown between Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov and American standout Raymond Ford.

Kholmatov-Ford & Lopez-Abe will headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) captured the IBF title by defeating Josh Warrington in his hometown of Leeds, England, in December 2022. The fighting pride of Mexicali, Mexico, defended his crown by traveling to Belfast to beat hometown hero Michael Conlan via fifth-round TKO. Lopez then beat division mainstay Joet Gonzalez with a hard-earned unanimous decision last September. The 30-year-old looks to vanquish his mandatory challenger as he preps to face the other champs in his division. Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs) is coming off a points win over former two-division world champion Kiko Martinez to earn his shot at the belt.

Following a recent training session in Santa Fe Springs, California, this is what Lopez had to say:

“I decided to do my camp here in Los Angeles so I can be a little closer to my family. I also like it because of the altitude I get to experience when I go to the mountains. There are a lot of good spots to run out here. I feel great out here."

“We’ve gotten tall southpaws who move a lot because we’ll need to neutralize Reiya Abe's legs. We’re going to need to cut the ring off a lot, so we’re preparing for his style of fighting."

“He's a very slippery fighter. He doesn't really like to brawl. So, it’s going to be difficult to catch him in the early rounds. But we’ve got great sparring partners. You can tell by the black eye one of them left me. I think we’re doing a great job, and I expect to win this fight by knockout.”

“My long-term goal is to fight the other champions and become a unified champion. I welcome a fight with whomever is next in line. Honestly, I want to unify the titles quickly and establish myself as a great champion and then move up to 130 pounds.”

“The fans know that I give everything in the ring. I always look for the fight. I always look to win by knockout. They know that I come here to fight. So, it’s going to be a real war. It's going to be a bit complicated in the early rounds, but everyone knows that when I step in the ring, it’s always going to be a war.”

Arsen Goulamirian vs Gilberto Ramirez set in March

INGLEWOOD, CA (February 22, 2024): There will be a clash of titans on Saturday, March 30, as WBA Cruiserweight Super World Champion Arsen “Feroz” Goulamirian (27-0, 19 KOs) of Yerevan, Armenia makes his U.S. fighting debut to defend his championship hardware against hungry former World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs). Ramirez will be hoping to break records yet again to become the first Mexican to become a cruiserweight champion. The momentous, 12-round fight is presented in association with Y12 Boxing and will take place at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood and broadcast live on DAZN.

“I am excited to fight for the first time in the United States, and of all places Los Angeles,” said Arsen Goulamirian. “There are no excuses now. I know Zurdo wants to be a world champion, but he’s going to have to go through me first. I will successfully defend my World Championship belt this March 30!”

“I’m back! And I’m ready to become the first Mexican cruiserweight champion. When I made the move to this division, I had my eyes set on Arsen and I can’t wait to showcase my skills in the ring,” said Zurdo Ramirez. “I feel extremely comfortable at this weight class and will look to become the undisputed champion. I want to thank DAZN, Golden Boy, the WBA, my team and family for all the support and I look forward to seeing everyone on the 30th.”

“There has never been a Mexican world champion in both the Super Middleweight and Cruiserweight divisions, but ‘Zurdo’ has always been special, and I fully expect him to walk away with the WBA belt on March 30,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. “On the heels of being the first Mexican Super Middleweight, Zurdo can now do the same in the cruiserweight division. With all of this motivation, I would expect a knockout — and a spectacular one.”

"We're excited to welcome Golden Boy Boxing back to the YouTube Theater for the second time, solidifying our venue as a premier destination for world-class boxing in the heart of Inglewood." said Adolfo Romero, vice president programming and booking, SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater and Hollywood Park. "In what promises to be an exciting showdown, Arsen 'Feroz' Goulamirian will make his highly anticipated U.S. debut, facing off against Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez in what is sure to be one of YouTube Theater's most competitive main events to date."

Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall Rematch Set on April 27

LEEDS, England (Feb. 15, 2024) — After more than two years of waiting, bitter rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall will finally meet in a hugely anticipated rematch at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday, April 27, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.

The enemies have been embroiled in a heated war of words since February 2022 when they met on an unforgettable night at The OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow for Taylor’s undisputed junior welterweight world title.

Intense debate has raged in the aftermath of their first fight, when Scotland’s Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) protected his unbeaten record with a hugely controversial split decision win to retain his crown.

During a pulsating battle, Taylor was cut twice by the left eye and was put down by Catterall in the 8th round before he was deducted one point in the 11th for punching after the bell. Catterall, meanwhile, was deducted one point for holding in the 10th.

Chorley’s ‘El Gato’ (28-1, 13 KOs) appeared to outbox Taylor for long periods but ultimately tasted defeat for the first time in his career after Taylor clung onto his titles. The decision caused outrage among some boxing fans and the two have been at loggerheads ever since.

Following his clash with Catterall, ‘The Tartan Tornado’ relinquished his WBC, IBF and WBA world titles due to pending mandatory orders – and then lost his WBO crown to a resurgent Teofimo Lopez in New York City last June.

Catterall ended a 15-month ring absence by widely outpointing Irishman Darragh Foley over ten-rounds at the Manchester’s AO Arena in May 2023 before sending multi-weight world champion Jorge Linares into retirement after dominating the Venezuelan legend over 12 rounds in Liverpool last October.

In what is one of the most eagerly anticipated rematches in modern British boxing history, the fierce rivals will go head-to-head once more in a 12-round junior welterweight contest on neutral territory - with plenty of bad blood and animosity guaranteed in a blockbuster build-up.

“I’ve never run from anyone in my life, especially not Jack Catterall,” Taylor said. “He has spent the last two years running from promoter to promoter while living off my name. Jack should be careful what he wishes for because he’s getting battered on April 27. I am going to enjoy every second of this. See you soon, Jack.”

“I’ve wanted this fight since the moment the scorecards got read out in Glasgow,” Catterall said . “A few people say ‘move on Jack’, and that’s easy to say to when you’re not in my position. I get asked every day of my life multiple times a day, ‘when are you fighting Taylor again?’. This isn’t about belts, this is personal to me, and I can’t wait to get my hands on him. I don’t like him, I don’t respect him and on April 27 I’m going to end him.”

"I’m so happy to get this fight made," said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. "British boxing has been crying out for a big fight and now we look to settling the score of one of the most bitter rivalries in the sport. It will be nearly 2 years to the day since their controversial ndisputed fight and not a day has past where opinion and debate has not ensued. The pair have engaged in a back and forth full of hatred and now the time has come to finally meet again in Leeds on April 27. Despite the offers to stage this fight on PPV, I am proud that Matchroom and DAZN have stepped up make this fight available to subscribers as part of their subscription and I can’t wait for the intense build up and a huge event on April 27."

“This is the ultimate grudge match between two of the world’s top 140-pounders,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “These two warriors will settle the score in front of what I’m sure will be an incredible crowd in Leeds. If you look at Josh Taylor’s career, he has never, ever backed down from a challenge, and he will be in peak form on April 27.”

Teofimo Lopez Defeats Jamaine Ortiz By Decision

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 8, 2024) — Teofimo Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) defended his WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight world titles with a unanimous decision win over Jamaine Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs) Thursday evening at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Lopez was the aggressor, while Ortiz employed a cautious strategy that resulted in exchanges that were few and far between.

Ortiz, who normally fights from an orthodox stance, boxed from the outside as a southpaw, using footwork and jabs to set up quick counters. Lopez pushed forward, bursting with jabs and right hands, though he had difficulty cutting off the ring, especially following the third and fourth rounds.

In the seventh round, a clash of heads caused a cut on Ortiz’s left eyebrow, and he seemed to slow down. But Ortiz continued to pepper shots from a distance, while Lopez accelerated his offense.

One judge scored the bout 117-111, and the other two had it 115-113. Lopez swept the final three rounds on all three judges' cards.

Lopez said, "I tried my best for the people. I even tried to box going backward, and he didn’t want to commit.

“Glory is next for me. None of these guys want to fight me. I’ll fight {Terence} Crawford at a catchweight. I’m here. I’m ready. I’ve always been ready. I’m younger, prettier, and a two-time unified champion at 25.

“We’re talking about a lightweight {Keyshawn Davis}. He hasn’t done anything. Just like Vasiliy Lomachenko told me: If you want to fight me, you’ve got to get a world title. If you want to fight the king, get a world title.”

Ortiz said, “I stuck to the game plan. I was listening to my corner and my team. I was doing good. I thought I was winning. That’s what I believe. I believe I won the fight. What can I say? I came up short once again.

“I just felt like he couldn’t hit me. I was making him miss all night. I was countering. I was making him miss. I was hitting him with the jab and the check hook. I just felt like he wasn’t landing any shots on me.”

“I always stay true to who I am. But we’ll go back to the drawing board, make some adjustments, and come back for a title shot.”

Davis Puts Lightweight Division on Notice

Keyshawn Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) made a statement tonight.

The 24-year old Olympic silver medalist earned his most important victory yet by vanquishing former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs) via sixth-round TKO.

After studying Pedraza for two rounds, Davis kicked his offense into high gear, using lead left hands to prepare vicious fusillades in the third and fourth rounds. Pedraza survived, so Davis boxed on the outside in the fifth. But he reinitiated his attack in the sixth, landing several combos before forcing referee Tom Taylor to stop the fight.

Davis said, “Throughout this whole training camp, I’ve been saying that I’m the best at 135. Everyone kept saying, ‘You’ve got to get the stoppage. You’ve got to get the knockout.’ But I told everyone to not worry about it and just watch me work. And that’s exactly what happened. I got the stoppage.

“Teofimo has been doing a lot of talking lately. I’ll go up to 140 and fight Teofimo. What’s up?! Get this win tonight. You already know how I’m coming. You and your father. So, let’s set it up. I’l come straight to 140. Let’s go! And if you’re scared, Teofimo, then {Emanuel} Navarrete. He is a hell of a fighter. It would be an honor to get in the ring with you after you capture the WBO title. So let’s do it."

Lightweight: Mexican warrior Rene Tellez Giron (19-3, 12 KOs) overcame height and reach disadvantages to upset George Acosta (17-2, 3 KOs) via eight-round unanimous decision. Acosta tried his best to keep Giron off him, but Giron closed the distance and landed several punches in the second and third rounds. Giron landed a right hook in the fifth that floored Acosta, who survived an onslaught to the body before the two went toe-to-toe in the final rounds. Scores: 79-72, 78-73 and 76-75.

Middleweight: Javier Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KOs) notched an eight-round unanimous decision win against Raul Salomon (12-3, 10 KOs). Martinez used a high guard to defend against Salomon as he pushed forward. Both found their rhythm in the center of the ring by the middle rounds, where Martinez landed power shots to the head and body with ease on an unrelenting Salomon. Scores: 79-73 and 78-74 2x.Lightweight: Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) had his first scheduled eight-rounder tonight, but he only needed two rounds to obliterate the previously unbeaten Benjamim Gurment (8-1-3, 5 KOs). After dropping him with a series of shots, Mason landed a counter left hand that immediately floored the Texas hopeful. Time of stoppage: 1:29.

Lightweight: Charlie Sheehy (9-0, 5 KOs) remained undefeated with an eight-round points verdict over rugged Mexican Abdel Sauceda (12-4, 8 KOs). Sheehy maintained distance with sharp jabs and quick footwork. Saucedo came on strong in the final two rounds, but it was not enough to win a single round. Scores: 80-72 3x.Lightweight: Alan "Kid Kansas" Garcia (11-0, 9 KOs) dropped Tomas Ornelas (7-4, 5 KOs) with left hook to the temple before ending the fight with a rib-shattering left hook to the body at :51 of the first round.

Heavyweight: Lemir Isom-Riley (4-2, 2 KOs) upset hometown favorite Antonio Zepeda (6-2, 6 KOs) via third-round TKO. Zepeda took a pair of knees in the third after appearing to suffer an injury. Time of stoppage: 1:28.

Junior Welterweight: Art Barrera Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs), the latest fistic prodigy to come out of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, scored a first-round KO win over Michael Portales (3-3-1, 1 KO). Time of stoppage: 1:41.