Junto Nakatani vs David Cuellar headlines Bantamweight Triple Header

TOKYO (Dec. 27, 2024) — Three bantamweight firefights, including a pair of world title showdowns, are set for Monday, Feb. 24, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

In the main event, pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani will defend his WBC crown against unbeaten Mexican puncher David Cuellar. Newly crowned WBA champion Seiya Tsutsumi makes his first defense against former flyweight king Daigo Higa in the all-Japanese co-feature.

And, in a 10-round special feature, kickboxing legend Tenshin Nasukawa continues his burgeoning boxing journey against Australian former world champion Jason “Mayhem” Moloney.

Nakatani-Cuellar, Tsutsumi-Higa, and Tenshin-Moloney will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ as part of a special early-morning presentation.

Nakatani (29-0, 22 KOs) enters 2025 coming off a prolific year that saw him ascend the bantamweight mountaintop. He dethroned Alexandro Santiago by sixth-round stoppage to win the WBC title in February, made his first defense in July with a first-round stoppage over Vincent Astrolabio, and notched a sixth-round TKO over Thailand’s Tasana Salapat in October. From Querétaro, Mexico, Cuellar (28-0, 18 KOs) turned pro in 2017 and will make his first professional appearance outside his home country. He is 5-0 since moving up to bantamweight in 2023, including a stoppage win over former world champion Luis Concepción.

Tsutsumi (12-0-2, 8 KOs) and Higa fought to a 10-round majority draw in October 2020 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. A longtime Japanese bantamweight champion, Tsutsumi bested Takuma Inoue by unanimous decision in October to capture the WBA title. Higa (21-3-1, 19 KOs) reigned as WBC flyweight world champion from 2017-2018. He is 5-2 since the defeat to Tsutsumi, most recently dropping a competitive decision to WBO bantamweight world champion Yoshiki Takei in September.

Tenshin (5-0, 2 KOs) turned pro in April 2023 and is ranked in the top 10 by three sanctioning organizations. He went 3-0 in 2024, capping off his campaign with a 10-round decision over Gerwin Asilo for the WBO Asia Pacific belt. Moloney (27-3, 19 KOs) became a crowd favorite in Japan when he fought Takei in May at the Toyko Dome. Despite losing a unanimous decision and his WBO bantamweight title to Takei, he had Takei badly hurt in the final seconds of the 12th round. He returns against one of Japan’s mainstream sporting heroes in hopes of earning another title opportunity.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury II: Preview and Prediction

Oleksandr Usyk faces again Tyson Fury for the heavyweight supremacy on Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this rematch only the three straps are on the line. Usyk relinquished the IBF version to prioritize the rematch rather than fighting Daniel Dubois.

In the first fight in May, Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) won a split decision to the tune of 115-112 and 114-113 on two scorecards. Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) won the first half of the fight and Usyk won the second half. What made the difference is the 10-8 round scored by Usyk in Round 9. 

In this rematch, I sided Fury to win by decision. I see Fury dominated the first half of the fight in the same manner he dominated last May but will continue to do so until the fight ends in Round 12. This time Fury will be sharp and focus on defending against the left hand of Usyk.  

Usyk will continue what he does best, finding a way to win using his stamina, bouncing on his feet to create more angles and to land his left hand. But Fury will circle to right to avoid those left hand. Fury's jab also will be a big factor keeping Usyk away from his punching range. Usyk will find a way to close the gap but Fury will make sure to smother him to negate impact. Fury UD 12. See you in the trilogy. 

Oleksandr Usyk VS Tyson Fury All you need to know about the rematch

When Oleksandr Usyk VS Tyson Fury rematch will happen?

Well, it is according to where you are. So let's make this simple and provide you with the local time. 

At the venue, in Riyadh, the event will start as per below:

Date: Saturday, 21 December 2024.

Time: 7:00 PM Riyadh Time, main event ring walk approximately 1:00 AM (early Sunday) Riyadh Time.

If you are in New York (E.T.):

Time: 11:00 AM, main event ring walk approx., 5:00 PM.

If you are in L.A. (P.T.):

Time: 8 AM, main event ring walk approx., 2:00 PM.

If you are in the London:

Time: 4:00 PM, main event ring walk approx., 10:00 PM.

If you are in Manila: 

Time: 12:00 Noon (Sunday), main event ring walk approx., 6:00 PM (Sunday).

If you are in Sydney: 

Time: 3:00 AM (Sunday), main event ring walk approx., 9:00 AM (Sunday).

What is at stake on this heavyweight rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury?

In the rematch the IBO, WBA and WBC belts were on the line as Usyk vacated to the IBF strap to prioritize a rematch with Fury. A rematch clause was there also in the first fight. Usyk escaped a narrow decision in the first fight as Fury dominated in the first half of the 12-round fight. He has the opportunity to secure a clear cut victory. In the first fight post fight interview Usyk commented about the referee's decision to rule a standing knockdown instead of a stoppage. Fury on the other hand considered not only the "Gypsy King" but also a rematch king, expected to outperform his previous performance against the same opponent. So, is this a revenge or repeat? You better watch it live! But how?

How to watch Usyk vs Fury II?

The heavyweight rematch can be stream on live DAZN PPV 

The undercard

• Moses Itauma vs. Demsey McKean
• Johnny Fisher vs. Dave Allen
• Dennis McCann vs. Peter McGrail
• Isaac Lowe vs. Lee McGregor

Watch: Oleksandr Usyk vsTyson Fury II Final Press Conference

Watch and listen to Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury talk about their final thoughts of the fight after the preparations they've made in their respective training camps for their anticipated rematch on Saturday night in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will battle once again for the heavyweight supremacy.

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Watch Live Usyk vs. Fury on DAZN PPV

This is Round 13, the continuation of what Usyk and Fury left of last summer. Usyk won a narrow decision on their first fight after being dominated by Fury in the first half of the fight. Usyk step on the gas in Round 9 and hit Fury with hard shots to the head that wobbled Fury to ropes that prompted the referee to rule a knockdown. Usyk secured a narrow victory, 115-112 and 114-113 on two scorecards. The other card read 114-113 in favor of Fury. 

ALEXIS ROCHA VS. RAUL CURIEL: OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS

Alexis Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO's) weighed 146.4 lbs. for the DAZN Main Event and the NABO & NABF Welterweight title is on the line against Raul Curiel (15-0, 13 KO's) weighed 146.6 lbs. 

 

Watch Alexis Rocha vs. Raul Curiel LIVE on DAZN!

Don't miss the action when Alexis Rocha takes on Raul Curiel

Live on DAZN. Get your subscription now!

Watch Rocha vs Curiel on DAZN!

They are ready to go right now 👀#RochaCuriel | LIVE on DAZN Dec. 14 pic.twitter.com/p8EHhJnv86

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 13, 2024

Press Conference Notes: Emanuel Navarrete VS Oscar Valdez II

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Dec. 5, 2024) — Two world title rematches are set to light up The Grand Canyon State, with legacies and redemption on the line.

Three-division champion Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) defends his WBO junior lightweight world title against former two-division king Oscar Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) in an all-Mexican main event this Saturday, Dec. 7, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Navarrete aims for a knockout in the sequel, while the Eddy Reynoso-trained Valdez believes he can turn the tables and become a three-time world champion.

In the co-feature, Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defends his WBO featherweight world title against Cuba’s Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs), the man he unseated one year ago to seize the crown.

Espinoza looks to prove that his title-winning effort was no fluke, while Ramirez is eager to show what he can do at his best after personal issues hindered his preparation for their first encounter.

Navarrete-Valdez 2 & Ramirez-Espinoza 2 will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard begins at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT and includes the return of unbeaten Mexican junior welterweight contender Lindolfo Delgado (21-0, 15 KOs), who will face Jackson Marinez (22-3, 10 KOs) in a 10-round clash.

U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (11-0, 10 KOs) makes his fourth appearance of the year in an eight-round heavyweight tilt against once-beaten Mexican Issac Muñoz (18-1-1, 15 KOs), while welterweight contender Giovani Santillan (32-1, 17 KOs) looks to bounce back from his first pro defeat in a 10-rounder versus Fredrick Lawson (30-5, 22 KOs).

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.com.

This is what the fighters had to say at Thursday's press conference.

Emanuel Navarrete

“We all know that we both plan to come out and give a war and leave everything in the ring again. And what better way to do it than by having a co-main event that's gonna eat things up?”

“The bar is gonna be set really high and so we're gonna have to try to do better than that. It's gonna be hard especially with these two great people {Espinoza and Ramirez} right next to us. It's gonna be difficult for both me and Valdez. However, we don't need much. All we need is for the bell to ring for us to go to war.”

“I'm focused 100 percent on him. I haven't thought about anything beyond Valdez. And now he's coming with a different strategy. The first fight helped us learn about each other. And now we will use the tools that we extracted from the first fight. And, aside from using our experience with each other, we will also come with the same heart as last time. And so, I can't say much, but no doubt it will be not just a fight but an epic event, especially with the co-main before us."

Oscar Valdez

“The {Liam Wilson fight} was very important for me because boxing penalizes you if you have a lot of losses. It’s not like other sports where you can lose and you can do better in the next season. In boxing, most people don’t want to see you again after a couple of losses. So, doing that fight was very important for me. That’s why there was so much emotion for me after that fight. And that fight got me the ticket for this rematch.”

“This is not an easy fight. This is a hard task. But nothing in life that is worth it is going to be easy. It’s always going to be hard. So, we trained hard. I’m excited for this. I’m excited to face the great ‘Vaquero' once again. It’s going to be a great fight.”

"I visualized this. I feel I can do a lot more in the sport. After I lost, I went back home and was obviously sad and disappointed in my performance. But then you go back to the gym, and you start to work out. Then, you start to see that you can do better. So, you have to visualize it first. And now we are here. Let’s get it on.”

Rafael Espinoza

“God's timing is perfect. We waited a bit for the rematch, but now we are here. And like I've said since the first fight, I've always wanted a rematch. because it was a war where we both gave everything. So, he deserved it, I deserved it, and the people deserved it."

“Knowing you are a champion affects you mentally. As a champion, you know that you have a big commitment, and so I've become a better person and a better fighter as a result, and I'm enjoying it.”

“Yes, we all know about my height advantage, but I also have another advantage, and that's my heart. So, I'm going to show my heart by giving everything in the ring this Saturday.”

Robeisy Ramirez

“Well, it's no secret that we're not the only fighters here. The main event will also be a war. So I'm happy to be here. I'm excited to be with these champs here. And overall, we want the public to enjoy this event.”

“I think that to mention things from the past right now is unnecessary because it sounds like excuses, and I will never give excuses in this sport. Simply put, I think that I learned how you should fight when you're not at 100% physically and mentally.”

“It was very nice to see my parents again recently. It had been six years. It's no secret that I can't return to Cuba, and so it filled me with a lot of satisfaction to be able to see them, to embrace them, to spend time with them, and I hope that after this victory, I can repeat that as soon as possible.”

Lindolfo Delgado

“{My last bout against Bryan Flores} was not easy. It was a tough fight. I’m happy with the result. I’m happy it ended that way because it took me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to be better, work harder, and prepare for what is next.”

“This is what I’ve been waiting for. I’m focused on my fight because I know it’s a tough fight. I’m looking for an opportunity at a world title. I have what it takes to fight against anyone and against any of those champs. I’m just waiting for that opportunity.”

Richard Torrez Jr.

"I was saying I don't care about {the knockout streak}, but in the Uber back to the hotel from the venue {following a DQ win in September}, the driver asked me, 'What's your record?' I was like 11-0 with, oh, 10 knockouts. So, that does kind of sting a little bit. But, at the end of the day, I'm here to win, and I'm here to put on good performances. I did that last time, and I'm looking to continue doing that."

"{Muñoz} is rated the number one heavyweight in Mexico. He's been on the amateur scene for a while, and he knows what he's doing. I'm really excited for this fight."

"Every time I train, I train for a world championship fight. I don't train for the opponent. I train to be the best boxer I can be, and on Saturday night, you will see that."

Giovani Santillan

"Losing is tough, but it's part of the sport. And that's what I signed up for, to take on the hard, tough fights. Sometimes you lose, but that one loss is not going to hold me back from getting to where I want to get to."

"Ever since I went back to camp, everyone has been supportive. They all believe in me, and since then, it's been about working on strategy and game plan for this fight. But also my preparation. A lot of it has to do with my weight cut and things like that."

"That's the way I was raised by my dad. Sometimes, you fall, but you get back up and keep going. That's the mentality I've had since {my defeat}."

Alexis Rocha VS Raul Curiel Undercard

ONTARIO, CALIF. (December 3, 2024) - The DAZN undercard has been finalized for the anticipated clash of power between two, world title contenders, NABO Welterweight Titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KOs) and undefeated knockout artist and NABF Welterweight Titleholder Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (15-0, 13 KOs). The 12-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif. and broadcast around the world on DAZN. Doors to the venue open at 1:00 p.m. PT, the Golden Boy Fight Night: Rocha vs. Curiel Prelims livestream begin at 1:10 p.m. PT, and the DAZN Broadcast will kickstart at 5:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Rocha vs. Curiel are on sale and are priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges. A limited amount of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available for purchase with exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades included. Standard and VIP tickets for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or the Toyota Arena box office Monday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The media credentials form is open and can be found at the Golden Boy website. Applications are due EOD, December 9.

In the co-main event, the highly ranked, undefeated world title contender Charles “Bad News” Conwell (20-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring in a 10-round super welterweight fight against Buenos Aires, Argentina’s Gerardo Vergara (20-0, 13 KO’s). With two straight knockout performances since signing with Golden Boy, Conwell will look to impress yet again against the tough Argentinian who also has had an impressive knockout streak and has held several regional titles.

Making his great return, John “Scrappy” Ramirez (13-1, 9 KOs) is making a comeback into the ring against Sugar Land, Texas’ undefeated Ephraim Bui (10-0, 8 KOs) in a 10-round super flyweight fight. In a crossroads fight, U.S. Olympic Medalist and former unified world champion Marlen Esparza (14-2, 1 KOs) and former four-time World Champion Arely “Ametralladora” Mucino (32-4-2, 11 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico will battle it out in a 10-round super flyweight bout. Opening the DAZN Broadcast with a 10-round super featherweight fight, Victor “El Tornado” Morales (19-0-1, 9 KOs) of Vancouver, Canada and Ensenada, Mexico’s Jose Ortiz (16-2-1, 6 KOs) will kick off the broadcast.

On the Golden Boy Fight Night: Rocha vs. Curiel Prelims that are streamed live on the Golden Boy YouTube Channel, Tijuana, Mexico’s Jorge “El Niño De Oro” Chavez (12-0, 8 KOs) will participate in an eight-round super bantamweight fight against Ruben Casero (12-3, 4 KOs) of Colonia, Uruguay. In a six-round super bantamweight fight, Sonora, Mexico’s Gael “El Terror” Cabrera (5-0, 3 KOs) will measure up against former world champion challenger of General Santos City, Philippines, Garen Diagan (10-5, 5 KOs). Moreno Valley’s Joshua “El Americano” Garcia (9-0, 4 KOs) will fight Uhlices Avelino-Reyes (2-1, 1 KO) of Omaha, Nebraska in a six-round super featherweight match.

Also on the prelims, Ventura, California’s Ricardo Ruvalcaba (12-0-1, 10 KOs) will participate in a six-round super lightweight medley, and Fabian Guzman (5-0, 5 KOs) of Orange will participate in a four-round super welterweight fight with both of their opponents soon to be announced. Opening fight night, Amarillo, Texas’ Javier Meza will make his professional debut against Findley, Ohio’s David Music (0-1) in a four-round super lightweight bout.

Naoya Inoue to Defend Undisputed Super Bantamweight Crown against Sam Goodman December

TOKYO (Oct. 23, 2024) – Boxing’s most prolific undisputed king is ready to close out the year on a 'Monster' note.

Naoya Inoue will defend his super bantamweight crown against unbeaten Australian contender Sam Goodman on Tuesday, Dec. 24, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Inoue will make an unprecedented third defense of his undisputed crown within a single calendar year while looking to secure his 10th consecutive knockout.

Inoue-Goodman will headline a special early-morning broadcast streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. In the co-feature, Yoshiki Takei (10-0, 8 KOs) will defend his WBO bantamweight world title against an opponent to be named.

Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) began his four-belt legacy in December 2022 when he stopped Paul Butler to unify all the bantamweight titles. Then, within a little over a year, the 31-year-old knocked out WBC/WBO champ Stephen Fulton in July 2023 and WBA/IBF king Marlon Tapales that December to achieve undisputed glory in a second weight class. He made history again in May by headlining the first boxing card at the Tokyo Dome since the historic Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas showdown, overcoming a first-round knockdown before icing former two-division world champion Luis Nery in six. In September, he registered a seventh-round TKO over one-time junior featherweight king TJ Doheny.

Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) is a 26-year-old Australian who entered the paid ranks in 2018. He went 4-0 in 2023, earning points victories over Doheny as well as then-unbeaten talents Ra’eese Aleem and Zhong Liu. He authored a fourth-round TKO against Mark Schleibs in March before decisioning previously unbeaten Thachtana Luangphon across 12 in July.

Mikaela Mayer Dethrones Sandy Ryan

NEW YORK CITY (Sept. 27, 2024) — Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) is once again a world champion.

The former unified junior lightweight queen defeated bitter rival Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) via majority decision to capture the WBO welterweight world title Friday evening at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Tensions were high leading up to the fight, with Mayer accusing Ryan of poaching her longtime training team—a claim Ryan denied. The animosity carried into the ring with intense exchanges throughout the fight.

Mayer’s strategy was to step to her left to avoid Ryan’s hooks. In doing so, she created space for counter rights and lefts as Ryan tried to close the distance. Though Ryan shifted the momentum by stumbling Mayer with a hook in the sixth, Mayer responded by hurting her with a counter in the eighth.

As Ryan increased the pressure, Mayer prevailed in most of the exchanges and clinched the victory with scores of 97-93 and 96-94, overruling one judge’s 95-95 draw.

Mayer said, "It was similar to how I thought it would go. I always said before that I respected Sandy as a boxer. She has a big pedigree, just like myself, but I knew I was gonna beat her to the punch. I knew I was faster. I knew I was sharper. And that's exactly what I did.

“I picked it up halfway through the fight, like I always do. I always turn it on in that second half of the fight. And she just couldn't handle my timing. So, I felt like I won the fight, and I'm just glad I got the right decision this time.

“I want to finish what I started and go undisputed. I came very close at junior lightweight. But my body outgrew that weight. I'm comfortable now. I feel like I'm stronger than ever. I’m still in my prime, as you can see. So I'm coming for the other champions.”

Ryan said, "I'm obviously disappointed, and I'm not taking nothing away from the decision. But before coming to the venue, I don't know if you guys seen, but I had a hit and run {with paint outside the hotel}. And that was definitely set up. I'm not taking nothing away from the win, but it unsettled me.

"It threw me off a bit of my game plan because I just wanted to fight. And you saw at the start of the fight, I was handling her quite well on the jab. I was boxing her and then I started to pick it up. But then, I was obviously pushing it too hard.

“It's nice to fight in America again. But I just don't like the circumstances that happened to me before the fight. But I can't take nothing away from that. It is what it is.”

Twenty For Twenty

Puerto Rican junior middleweight Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) wanted to end tonight's co-feature with a stoppage, but the durable Damian Sosa (25-3, 12 KOs) wasn’t going down easily, pushing the 22-year-old to settle for a shutout unanimous decision (100-90 3x).

Zayas quickly found his rhythm, sitting on his punches by the third round and answering Sosa’s pressure with sharp counterpunches. Whenever Sosa advanced, Zayas responded with precise power shots, alternating between body and head.

By the middle rounds, Zayas was in total command, buzzing Sosa with a right hand in the sixth. Despite seeking the finish, Zayas couldn't put Sosa away, as the Mexican warrior held on until the final bell.

Zayas said, “He pushed me and elevated me to the next level. Now, I feel like I'm ready. Before, I felt like I was ready. But now I think I let everybody know that I'm ready for the elite names.

“Man, they said he throws 84 punches per round. I didn't see that today. I did my job. Now, I just have to be calm, relax, and see what my promoter wants. I want whoever is in the top five.”

KO! Daniel Dubois smokes Anthony Joshua in Five rounds

Daniel Dubois etched his name among the elite in heavyweight division with a stunning knockout victory over former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium. Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) ended the fight in the fifth round with a hard right hand that sent Joshua crashing to the canvas.

Joshua (28-4, 25 KO's) tried to get up but was too hurt to do so and was counted out by the referee.

In the first round itself it was evident that Dubois can topple bigger opponent as he floored Joshua to begin a series of knockdown---once in first, third, fourth and finally knocking Joshua out in the fifth.

Dubois' victory marked a significant turning point in his career, solidifying his status as a force in the heavyweight division. He was once viewed as a promising prospect. Dubois had faced setbacks in the past, but his performance against Joshua showcased his immense power and determination.

The bout was a thrilling spectacle from start to finish. Both fighters came out swinging, eager to establish their dominance. Dubois' aggressive style and heavy hands were immediately apparent, while Joshua sought to use his experience and ringcraft to neutralize his opponent.

However, it was Dubois who landed the decisive blow. In the fifth round, he caught Joshua with a perfectly timed right hand that sent the former champion tumbling to the canvas. Joshua was unable to recover, and the referee waved off the fight.

“I’ve just been on a roller coaster ride, and this is my time, this is my redemption story,” Dubois said.

With Dubois' dominant performance over Johua, I would like to see him getting a rematch and a shot at the undisputed heavyweight titlist Oleksandr Usyk. Remains to be seen after the Tyson Fury rematch.

The defeat for Joshua, while a setback, does not necessarily mean the end of his career. However, it will undoubtedly force him to reevaluate his strategy and training regimen especially in the defensive end. By just keeping his left hand up, he could have defended those big right hands.

Beterbiev-Bivol Available on ESPN+

(Sept. 6, 2024) — The undisputed light heavyweight showdown between WBC/IBF/WBO unified champion Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) and WBA king Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs)— Saturday, Oct. 12 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.

This can’t-miss matchup features two of the world’s best pound-for-pound practitioners, a long-awaited duel between a master boxer and a battering ram with a 100 percent knockout ratio.

Beterbiev-Bivol will be promoted by Top Rank, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, Matchroom Boxing and Sela.

“The epic matchup has been a long time coming, and I can’t wait until these two legends of the ring meet,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “I am thrilled that American fans can view the fight on ESPN+, a tremendous platform that consistently shows the biggest and best bouts."

Beterbiev and Bivol were initially scheduled to fight on June 1, but Beterbiev suffered a ruptured meniscus in training. Bivol fought Malik Zinad on that date instead, scoring a devastating sixth-round TKO. Beterbiev last fought in January, knocking out British former super middleweight world champion Callum Smith

Undisputed Super Bantamweight Championship: Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny

(Aug. 30, 2024) — Top Rank Boxing on ESPN, Inoue vs. Doheny, will be presented live this Tuesday, September 3, at a special early start time of 5:45 a.m. ET/ 2:45 a.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. The event takes place at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Naoya “The Monster” Inoue will make defense number two of his undisputed super bantamweight crown against former world champion TJ Doheny.

Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs), a four-division world champion and pound-for-pound standout, has made Ariake Arena his boxing home in recent years. It’s where he knocked out Paul Butler to win the undisputed bantamweight title in December 2022, defeated Stephen Fulton for two super bantamweight titles in July 2023, and dominated Marlon Tapales for the undisputed crown last December. Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) is 4-0 when fighting on Japanese soil, including a knockout win over Bryl Bayogos on the Inoue-Luis Nery undercard at Tokyo Dome in May.

In the co-feature, WBO bantamweight world champion Yoshiki Takei (9-0, 8 KOs) will make his first title defense against former WBC flyweight champion Daigo Higa (21-2-1, 19 KOs).

Timothy Bradley, Jr. and Bernardo Osuna will call the action.

Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery: Weigh-in Results

(Photo: Nauki Fukuda)

• Naoya Inoue 121 3/4 lbs. vs. Luis Nery 121 lbs

ESTIMATED RING WALK TIME: 7:35 a.m. ET/4:35 a.m. PT
(Inoue's Undisputed Junior Featherweight World Title - 12 Rounds)
Referee: Michael Griffin
Judges: Benoit Roussel, Jose Roberto Torres and Adam Height

• Jason Moloney 117 3/4 lbs vs. Yoshiki Takei 117 3/4 lbs
ESTIMATED RING WALK TIME: 6:25 a.m. ET/3:25 a.m. PT
(Moloney's WBO Bantamweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Referee: Steve Willis
Judges: Benoit Roussel, Ellis Johnson and Lou Moret

• Takuma Inoue 117 3/4 lbs vs. Sho Ishida 117 3/4 lbs
ESTIMATED RING WALK TIME: 5:20 a.m. ET/2:20 a.m. PT
(Inoue's WBA Bantamweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Referee: Luis Pabon
Judges: Pinit Prayadsab, Kazunobu Asao and Michiaki Someya

• Seigo Yuri Akui 112 lbs vs. Taku Kuwahara 112 lbs
ESTIMATED RING WALK TIME: 4:10 a.m. ET/1:10 a.m. PT
(Akui's WBA Flyweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Referee: Raul Caiz Jr.
Judges: Pinit Prayadsab, Jose Roberto Torres and Yoshikazu Furuta 

Ryan Garcia knocks Devin Haney down Three times in route to majority decision win

BROOKLYN, NY (April 20, 2024): After months of enduring ridicule and scorn from so-called experts who gave who him no shot at victory, Ryan “Kingry” Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) shocked the world Saturday night in Brooklyn, flooring Devin “The Dream” Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) three times en route to a majority decision victory, capping an action-packed Golden Boy Promotions card at the Barclay’s Center.

Garcia of Victorville, Calif. rocked Haney in the middle of the first round with a left hook and rolled through the back of the half of the fight to secure the decision by scores of 115-109, 114-110 and 112-112.

“I shouldn’t have put too much pressure on myself to stop him, because every time I hurt him, I went crazy and I couldn’t stop him,” said Ryan Garcia. “I think the ref should’ve stopped the fight. He (Haney) was really hurt. I felt bad, I even looked at Bill to stop the fight. [Regarding the point being deducted in seventh round] The guy was holding me for dear life, and I felt the opportunity to keep swinging while my hands were free. I should’ve knocked him out that seventh round. They stole that from me. I’m surprised he has so much heart and recovery. He got wobbled bad in the first round. I thought it was over. He even hurt me with a hook. At the end of the day, I’m going to fight him, win or lose.”

“Ryan just shocked the world and proved once and for all that he is the face of boxing and a pound-for-pound athlete in our sport,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman Oscar De La Hoya. “Despite all of the talk from armchair psychologists and so-called boxing pundits, Ryan clearly had a plan and executed it.”

In a co-main event for the WBO Intercontinental Super Lightweight Title, Arnold Barboza, Jr. (30-0, 11 KOs) defeated Sean 'The Public Nuisance' McComb (18-2, 5 KOs) via split decision in a back and forth 10-round fight that went the distance. McComb fought off his back foot the whole night as Barboza Jr. slowly tried to get in. Ultimately the fight ended in Barboza’s favor with the judges scoring the fight 96-94 and 97-93 in Barboza’s favor and 92-98 in McComb’s favor.

“I felt good. It was a very tricky fight,” said Arnold Barboza Jr., “He was a lefty, tall and he moved a lot. He gave me a lot of trouble, but it was a learning experience. I’ll be back better. We’re going to talk to Oscar and see what’s next.”

Retaining his WBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight Title, Bektemir “Bully” Melikuziev (14-1, 10 KOs) went to war with Frenchman Pierre Dibombe (22-1-1, 12 KOs) in a fight scheduled for 10-rounds. The nonstop action left both fighers cut with battle scars; the corner doctor stopping the fight due to a deep gash over Melikuziev’s eye caused by an accidental headbutt. The judges went to the scorecards, awarding the “Bully” the technical decision victory with scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 79-73.

“He was a good opponent. Unfortunately, the fight was stopped,” said Bektemir Melikuziev. “During the fight he kept coming forward with his head. There was nothing I could do. I just needed another minute or two in the ring to finish the fight. I slowed down a bit because I felt that my opponent was getting tired.”

David “Medallita” Jimenez (16-1, 11KOs) of Cartago, Costa Rica pulled off an upset win against fan favorite John “Scrappy” Ramirez (13-1, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. claiming the WBA Interim Super Featherweight Title via unanimous decision in a 12-round grudge match. Jimenez won with scores of 111-117, 112-116 and 111-117 all in his favor.

“I am very happy to become a champion again. I want to thank Golden Boy for the opportunity,” said David Jimenez. “I am ready to plan for what’s next. I felt great in the ring, and I felt like I was controlling the fight from the second round. Scrappy has a good punch and is a good boxer. Like all fighters, I want to become undisputed.”

Charles "Bad News" Conwell (19-0, 14 KOs) of Cleveland, Ohio opened the DAZN PPV card in spectacular fashion as he stopped Nathanial Gallimore (22-8-1, 17 KOs) of Des Plaines, Illinois in the sixth round via TKO in a super welterweight fight originally scheduled for 10 rounds. Conwell won the fight with a time of 0:52 of the aforementioned round.

“I feel good,” said Charles Conwell. “It was the coming back party. I thought he was a tough-game fighter. He came with a lot of experience, but I did what no other fighter has done. I stopped him in the sixth round. I don’t think any other fighter has beat him as bad as I did. He was a tough fighter and I appreciate him for taking the fight. We’re looking to get back in the ring asap, sometime in July or August. I’m back in the gym getting better. The ring rust is off. We’re ready for what’s next.”

On the preliminary card, Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York defeated Vaughn Alexander (18-11-1, 11 KOs) of St. Louis, Missouri via unanimous decision in a 10-round Super Middleweight bout. Derevyanchenko won with scores of 100-89 by all three judges. Darius “DFG” Fulghum (11-0, 10 KOs) of Houston, Texas successfully defended his WBA Continental Super Middleweight Title against Cristian Olivas (22-11, 19 KOs) of Baja California, Mexico stopping him in the fourth round via TKO in a fight originally scheduled for eight-rounds. Fulghum won with a time of 0:50 of the aforementioned round.

Also a part of the preliminaries, Jonathan “Sugar Cane” Canas (4-0, 2 KOs) of Houston, Texas beat Markus Bowes (2-6, 2 KOs) of Roxboro, North Carolina via unanimous decision in a 4-round Super Lightweight bout. Canas won with scores of 40-36 by all three judges. Amari Jones (12-0, 11 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada beat Armel Mbumba-Yassa (10-2, 7 KOs) of Remscheid, Germany via TKO in the sixth round of an 8-round Super Middleweight fight. Jones won with a time of 0:39 in the aforementioned round. In a dazzling KO, Kevin Newman II (16-3-1, 1 KO) of Las Vegas, Nevada stopped Eric Robles (9-4, 8 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico via TKO in the fourth round of an 8-round Cruiserweight fight. Newman II won with a time of 1:53 in the aforementioned round. Opening fight night, Shamar Canal (8-0, 4 KOs) of Albany, New York defeated Pedro Borgaro (7-2, 4 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico via unanimous decision in a six-round super lightweight bout with scores of 60-53.

Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia: Preview and Prediction

Devin Haney (31-0-0, 15 KOs) and Ryan Garcia (24-1-0, 20 KOs) will meet again, this time, in a professional boxing match on Saturday night at the Barclays Center, Haney will defend his Super Lightweight in a huge DAZN PPV main event. 

Garcia and Haney are familiar opponents as they met several times in their amateur career. In fact, they met 6 times and the outcome is even. This fight will be a tie-breaker.

With the above being said, I think it would be impractical to base my prediction of this fight on their amateur matches. They fought when they were just 10 years old and 14 years old. They are both 25 years old now. So, I think it's better to look at their respective professional boxing record. 

Haney is still undefeated in 31 fights while Garcia lost once out of 25 fights. Therefore, Haney has the advantage of experience. He also faced former and present world champions such as Vasily Lomachenko, George Kampboso Jr. Jorge Linares, and Yoriorkis Gamboa.

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Garcia lacks the quality of opponents in his resume and failed to come on top against Tank Davis. Another thing that bothered me was how Garcia behaved during the build-up to this fight. I mean, I did not see something that I can attribute to the qualities of a disciplined fighter. Is he even ready? Mentally? Phsically? Well, that remains to be seen Saturday night. Or at least some hint during the weigh-in. Anyway, I'm not here to judge but to give my prediction. 

So, without further bush-beating, I have no reason to pick Ryan Garcia here. I got Haney by stoppage in round 8 or by a crystal-clear unanimous decision.

Paddy Donovan not looking past Lewis Ritson

NEW YORK (April 15, 2024) –Undefeated Irishman Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (13-0, 10 KOs), the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental Welterweight Champion, is fully focusing on his next opponent, former British lightweight champion Lewis “Sandman” Ritson (23-3, 13 KOs), and not his rumored showdown later this year with Northern Ireland’s Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (19-0, 11 KOs).

Donovan vs. Ritson is the 10-round co-featured event May 25th on a Matchroom Boxing card, headlined by a domestic clash between UK super lightweights Josh Taylor (19-1) and Jack Catterall (28-1), to be streamed on DAZN live from First Direct Arena in Leeds, United Kingdom.

The 25-year-old Donovan, who is now ranked No. 11 in the world by the World Boxing Association (WBA), will defend his title belt for the second time after a TKO win over William Andres Herrera (15-2) in his last fight this past January 27.

Donovan vs. Crocker has been percolating and if both fighters continue winning it will be one of the most anticipated 2024 fights in Ireland and the UK. The key is for both fighters to continue winning without a hiccup. Donovan understands that he needs to avoid any distractions as he prepares to fight Ritson, especially with the possibility of a future fight against Crocker as it continues to build exponentially into an epic super-fight.

“I do not look past any opponent,” Donovan said. “I know Lewis Ritson is a really good opponent for me at this stage of my career. I’m really excited to be ranked No. 11 in the world and I’m checking all the boxes in training to be ready for any fighter, Lewis first, and then we can move on to beating whoever my managers and promoter put in front of me. Ritson is a very good opponent for me. This is the fight I need, the challenge that will prepare me for bigger fights, especially against Crocker, or anyone else. For me, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is, I will be ready mentally and physically, and just be me.

“This is the biggest test of my career, every fight from now is like my world title fight. I believe he will throw caution to the wind early in the fight, but I will match him for everything he does, and I’m going into the ring to win every battle, every moment, every round, and every fight.”

Ritson, also a former WBA Inter-Continental Super Lightweight Champion, lost his last fight on March 4th, stopped by a body shot from Ohara Davies (24-2) in the ninth round. Donovan has finished-off his last two opponents with crushing liver punches.

“Under the trusted eye of trainer and co-manager, Andy Lee, I am confident Paddy will be primed and ready to showcase his boxing skills and punching power on May 25th,” commented NYC-based attorney Keith Sullivan, Donovan’s co-manager. “This is Paddy’s breakout year. I don’t envy anyone we match him against, because he’s on a mission to fight for a world title. He’s hungry, and he’s earned it, but first he has to handle business in the ring with a very formidable Ritson.”

Ideally, Paddy Donovan would like to put “Sandman” Ritson to sleep, then and only then, look toward Crocker, or whomever else stands in his path to a world title.

Jared Anderson Dominates Ryad Merhy

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (April 13, 2024) — Jared "The Real Big Baby" Anderson did not have a particularly eager opponent in Ryad Merhy, but the heavyweight hopeful from Toledo, Ohio, got the job done.Anderson faced little resistance and defeated Merhy via 10-round unanimous decision in the main event Saturday evening at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. There was little drama when the scorecards were read, as Anderson prevailed by margins of 100-90 2x and 99-91.

Merhy (32-3, 26 KOs) showed little interest in engaging, throwing only 144 punches over the course of the fight. Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) kept an active pace for a big man, landing 128 of 662 punches, including 49 power blows.

Anderson said, "Another day, another night in the office. I wanted to give the fans a better show, but what can you do when they show up to fight like him. It’s just another day in the office. We’re going to continue working.

“I stayed sharp for 10 rounds. That’s the biggest takeaway. I got to make some changes. I made some mistakes. I got hit with a few punches. I shouldn’t have gotten hit at all because he didn’t even come here to fight.

“I want all of the names. If I’m ranked with you and your name is near mine, then we can get it crackin’. We’re coming to knock everybody off."

Ajagba Outworks Vianello

Nigerian heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba (20-1, 14 KOs) earned a 10-round split decision over Italy's Guido Vianello (12-2-1, 10 KOs) in a phone booth battle of 2016 Olympians.

Vianello rocked Ajagba with a right hand in the second stanza and tried to end the fight swiftly, but “The Silent Roller” kept his composure and connected cleanly in the fourth and fifth rounds. The 29-year-old found a consistent home for uppercuts with both hands, though he controlled most of the action behind jabs and straight right hands.

Ajagba switched to southpaw in the later rounds. Vianello was perplexed by the change but figured him out by the final round. However, Ajagba had by then done enough on two of the judges scorecards to clinch the victory.

One judge had it 96-94 for Vianello, which was overruled by two scores of 96-94 for Ajagba.
Conceição Batters Guardado

Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição (18-2-1, 9 KOs) scored his first victory in two years by stopping Jose Guardado (15-2-1, 5 KOs) in the seventh round. Returning from a majority draw against Emanuel Navarrete in November, Conceição was quick to demonstrate the skill disparity with rapid combos in the opening chapters.

Conceição continued volume punching in rounds five and six, which prevented Guardado from mounting an attack. And in the seventh, the Brazilian landed a left hook to the body that dropped Guardado, who rose from the canvas, only to be stopped moments later with a flurry at 2:27.

Middleweight: Julian Delgado entered the paid ranks in front of his hometown fans today. The 22-year-old, who became the first Corpus Christi native to win a national Golden Gloves title in four decades, decisioned Juan Tamez (1-1) across four rounds of sustained action. Scores: 40-36 2x and 39-37.

Featherweight: Ruben Villa IV (22-1, 7 KOs) moved one step closer to a second world title shot by decisioning Cristian Cruz (22-7-1, 11 KOs) over 10 rounds to pick up the WBC Silver belt. Villa scored in the initial rounds with combinations from the outside, while Cruz found success to the body in rounds four and five. Villa retained control with constant pressure and counters in the final rounds. Scores: 98-92 2x and 97-93.

Welterweight: Corpus Christi's John Rincon (9-0, 2 KOs) defeated Yainel Alvarez (3-4-2, 1 KO) via six-round majority decision. Rincon worked behind a southpaw jab to land early, though he had to overcome Alvarez's erratic offense. Alvarez pressured in the final two rounds, but it was not enough. Scores: 57-57, 58-56, and 59-55.

Lightweight: 20-year-old phenom Abdullah Mason (13-0, 11 KOs) delivered a resounding fourth-round TKO against Ronal Ron (14-6, 11 KOs). Mason landed a flawless left hand that floored Ron as he was attempting a left hook. A Mason left to the solar plexus dropped Ron for a second time. He stepped on the throttle in the fourth and ended matters at 1:02 of the round.

Junior Lightweight: Filipino Olympian Charly Suarez (17-0, 9 KOs) tallied a workmanlike unanimous points verdict following eight rounds against Louie Coria (15-7, 7 KOs). Coria worked off a good jab and occasionally landed sharp uppercuts, but he was overwhelmed by sudden left hooks and right hands from Suarez. Coria scored a knockdown at the final bell, but it wasn't enough to close the gap. Scores: 77-74 2x and 76-75.

Junior Lightweight: Texas native Alejandro Guerrero (13-4, 10 KOs) upset Jalen Walker (12-1-1, 10 KOs) by flooring him twice before forcing Walker's corner to halt the action at 1:36 of the seventh. Guerrero, who snapped a four-fight losing skid, was dropped in the sixth before regaining the momentum in the seventh, He was ahead on all three cards, 56-55, at the time of the stoppage.

Heavyweight: Team USA's Ali Feliz (1-0, 1 KOs) made a successful pro debut by dispatching Anthony Woodson III (1-2, 1 KO) in two rounds. Time of stoppage: 1:16.

Zurdo Ramirez defeats Arsen Goulamirian via unanimous decision

INGLEWOOD, CALIF. (March 30, 2024) - History was made in front of a sold out crowd as Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) of Mazatlán, Mexico became the new WBA Cruiserweight Super World Champion in a clash that went the distance against former long-time champion Arsen “Feroz” Goulamirian (27-1, 19 KOs) of Yerevan, Armenia. Ramirez etches his name among the Mexican pugilist elite, being the first Mexican to become a cruiserweight world titlist and the first of his countrymen to hold both the super middleweight and cruiserweight titles. The back-and-forth action was entertaining from start to finish, Feroz living up to his nickname of ferocious; Zurdo impressing with his bobbing and weaving and slick moves. All three judges scored the momentous 12-rounds 110-118 to name Zurdo Ramirez the new champion and handed Goulamirian his first-ever career defeat.

“Dreams come true. Los sueños se hacen realidad,” said Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. “Thank you to everyone who supported me and believed in me and also those who didn’t give me a chance. Thank you because it gave me great motivation, this is not just my new belt, this is the result of all the hard work of my team. I worked hard every day and I feel so proud of myself, I feel so happy for my family. This is for my dad too! I’m a big boy, I’m strong, and that’s what gave me the confidence. He told me he would break me mentally and physically and I knew that he couldn’t.”

“His punches didn’t really hurt me,” said Arsen Goulamirian. “I give him his props; he is the new champion now. He was slick in there with the movement, and that’s what helped him win. It was a longtime since I had been in the ring, and I definitely had to shake off some rust, but I want to come back very soon.”

Special VIP guests of the night included Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy Partner Bernard Hopkins, Comedian Cedric the Entertainer, Actor Anthony Anderson, and British Broadcaster Kate Abdo. The action took place live from YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood and was broadcast live on DAZN.

In the co-main event, Santa Ana’s Alexis “Lex” Rocha (24-2, 16 KOs) made a valiant return with a TKO defeat of Fredrick “General Okunka” Lawson (30-5, 22 KOs). Scheduled as a 10-round welterweight bout, Rocha showed off his ring prowess and power in a fight that made it the conclusion of the seventh round where the referee waved the fight off.

“I want to thank my team, I am just very grateful for everyone,” said Alexis Rocha. Yeah it's my first fight after my loss and not that many people hold their head up like I did after my loss, but I just kept moving forward. I know what type of person and type of fighter I am. You just gotta keep moving forward, and I have great people behind me. I was hitting him with pretty much everything in the kitchen sink but like my coach always says you just have to be patient change combinations, change the speeds, and the knockout will come, don't go looking for it and I feel like I was doing that a little bit too much today.”

Also on the DAZN broadcast, Rialto’s Ricardo Sandoval (24-2, 17 KOs) added another knockout to his record with a solid TKO defeat of Managua, Nicaragua’s Carlos Buitrago (38-13-1, 22 KOs). The super flyweight fight was scheduled for 10-rounds, and the action-packed fight featured a dominant Sandoval who took control of the fight and displayed great ring generalship, slowly breaking down Buitrago who could not keep up. Upon the advice of the physician, the referee stopped the fight at the end of the eighth round.

In a bout that went the distance, Fort Worth, Texas’ Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (27-0, 20 KOs) secured a split decision victory against Jose Sanchez (14-3-1, 4 KOs) of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 10-round welterweight fight featured a number of back-and-forth exchanges, the judges ultimately scoring the fight 97-93, 93-97 and 96-94 for Dominguez.

Opening the broadcast, in a scheduled four-round welterweight bout, Joel Iriarte (2-0, 2 KO) of Bakersfield set the crowd ablaze with a highlight-reel stoppage of Kevin Aguirre (5-3, 2 KOs) of Guerrero, Mexico. Iriarte went to work early, landing a flurry of punches that ultimately Aguirre couldn’t handle, causing him to go down at 2:09 in the first round.

On the preliminary card Victorville’s Rowdy Montgomery (11-5-1, 8 KOs) pulled off an upset knockout victory upset against Kareem Hackett (12-1, 6 KOs) of Toronto, Canada and stole Hackett’s WBA Intercontinental Title. Scheduled as a 10-round light heavyweight fight, Montgomery landed a massive blow to the head that Hackett was unable to recover from, the referee stopping the fight at 2:36 in round three when Hackett was unable to respond to the barrage of punches.

Making his professional debut, Ronaldo Mancilla (1-0, 1 KO) of Big Bear dazzled the crowd with a first-round knockout against Rueben Johnson (0-6) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Scheduled for four-rounds of light heavyweight action, the bout only made it to 2:09.

Oscar Valdez knocks out Liam Wilson in the 7th Round

GLENDALE, Arizona (March 29, 2024) — Oscar Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) wanted to show that he could become a champion again, and tonight he did it.

The former two-division world champion stopped Australian puncher Liam Wilson (13-3, 7 KOs) in the seventh round to capture the WBO Interim junior lightweight world title Friday evening at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

After trying to find his distance in the opening round, Valdez began controlling the action by launching a quick jab, blocking and slipping any counters and looking for left hooks.

Wilson had more success by keeping his distance, but Valdez was able to lure him into punching range. In the sixth round, both stood toe-to-toe, where Valdez connected with left hooks to the body and right hooks to the side of Wilson’s head.

By the following round, Valdez had worn Wilson out, who stopped responding to Valdez’ onslaught and forced referee Mark Nelson to halt the action at 2:48.

Valdez said, “This victory means a lot. I proved a lot of people wrong again. People said ‘You’re thirty-something. You’re done. You got your jaw broken. You got your rib broken.’ But I refused to believe that.

“I told him {Liam} to not give up. I lost as well. It doesn’t mean you’re done in the sport. I’m a good example. He almost got me. He almost got 'Vaquero.' He almost became a world champion. I have nothing but respect for Liam Wilson and his team.”

Wilson said, “That’s how boxing goes. I tried to box in the first few rounds, but my heart got the better of me. These are the kind of fights I dreamed of since I was a kid. But, I’ve got to learn from this and start using my boxing brain.

"Oscar is a true champion, and I’m very proud to have shared the ring with him. It’s still early in my career. I have plenty to go. I’m young. I’ll be back.”

Super Bad To The Bone

The super fight live up to the pre-fight trash talk, and after 10 rounds of sustained action, an undisputed minimumweight world champion was crowned.

Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (26-0, 9 KOs) defeated longtime rival Yokasta Valle (30-3, 9 KOs) via unanimous decision to unify all the belts in the 105-pound division, a first in boxing history.

All judges scored the fight 97-93.

Both took the center of the ring in the opening round, but Estrada’s unorthodox style perplexed an aggressive Valle. A clash of heads in the first round caused a cut above Valle’s right eye, and Estrada had success by switching stances and punching from the outside.

An undeterred Valle stepped up the pace in round four, landing a right hook that appeared to stun Estrada. Valle continued landing in the fifth, and it was evident that she was stronger on the inside.

Estrada made adjustments and began fighting again from the outside, landing with precision and even taunting Valle at times. The Costa Rican rallied late in the final round, but it was not enough.Estrada said, "I feel better. I’m happy. It’s something I’ve been wanting for a long time, becoming undisputed. It finally happened, and I accomplished my dreams. I’m beyond overwhelmed and happy.

“I knew she would come in and be aggressive like she always is. That’s her style, and I knew I would take everything away from her that she does best.

“I’m very competitive, and I want to be the best. In this training camp, there were days where it was difficult for me to go to the gym. My body was hurting. My back was hurting. My hand was hurting. But I pushed through because that’s what champions do and because I want to be great."

Valle said, “I did feel {the headbutt that opened the cut} was intentional. I felt that she did that coming towards me in the first round, and I had to struggle through that for the last nine rounds.”

Junior Welterweight: Raymond "Danger" Muratalla (20-0, 16 KOs) cruised to a 10-round unanimous points victory against late-notice replacement Xolisani Ndongeni (31-5, 18 KOs). Muratalla boxed with tranquil confidence, pawing with jabs before unleashing one-twos and sneaky hooks to the body. Ndongeni proved to be very durable, but Muratalla's defense prevented him from making any significant impact. Scores: 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93.

Junior Welterweight: Mexican Olympian Lindolfo Delgado (20-0, 15 KOs) may be a slow starter, but he always gets the job done. The 29-year-old contender knocked out countryman Carlos Sanchez (25-3, 19 KOs) in the seventh round. Sanchez connected on Delgado early because Delgado's defensive parries made him open to counters. Nevertheless, Delgado dropped Sanchez with a counter right hand in the fifth and ended matters in the seventh with a right hook. Time of stoppage: 48.

Heavyweight: U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (9-0, 9 KOs) retained his 100 percent knockout ratio with a first-round TKO against Don Haynesworth (18-9-1, 16 KOs). After boxing for the first half of the round, Torrez found an opening and began unleashing a two-fisted barrage, forcing referee Raul Caiz Jr. to halt the action at 2:19.

Middleweight: Phoenix's hometown hero Sergio Rodriguez (11-0-1, 8 KOs) decisioned Sanny Duversonne (12-7-2, 9 KOs) across six-rounds of action. Rodriguez pressed forward and landed, but Duversonne responded immediately each time, which prevented Rodriguez from continuing his momentum. Scores: 60-54 and 59-55 2x.

Lightweight: Emiliano Fernando Vargas (9-0, 7 KOs) had his toughest fight to date as he tallied a hard-earned unanimous decision against Nelson Hampton (10-9, 6 KOs). Vargas had the offensive advantage with speed and power, but Hampton answered back with many counters as Vargas admired his work. Scores: 60-54 3x.

Lightweight: Alan "Kid Kansas" Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs), the unbeaten standout who signed with Top Rank earlier this month, stopped Gonzalo Fuenzalida (12-4, 3 KOs) via TKO in the second round. Time of stoppage: 1:58.

Junior Welterweight: Art Barrera Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs), the Robert Garcia-trained powerhouse from Linwood, California, blasted out Kevin Soto (5-2, 3 KOs) with a left hook in the second round. Time of stoppage: 2:17.

Junior Welterweight: Ricardo Ruvalcaba (12-0-1, 10 KOs) handed Avner Hernandez Molina (4-4) his first stoppage defeat with a fifth-round TKO. Time of stoppage: 1:44.

Moloney-Guevara Co-Features Lomachenko-Kambosos, Cuadras withdrawn

PERTH, Western Australia (March 27, 2024) — The opponent has changed, but the stakes are just as high for Australian standout Andrew Moloney. Pedro Guevara will now fight Moloney for the vacant WBC Interim junior bantamweight world title on Sunday, May 12 at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

 
Guevara replaces former world champion Carlos Cuadras, who was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a torn Achilles suffered in training. Moloney-Guevara will be the co-feature to the vacant IBF lightweight world title showdown between Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. In other world championship action on the bill, WBA bantamweight world champion Nina Hughes looks to turn back the challenge of one-time world champion Cherneka “Sugar Neekz” Johnson.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Top Rank, Ferocious Promotions, TEG Sport and Duco Events, Lomachenko-Kambosos, Moloney-Guevara and Hughes-Johnson will be broadcast in prime time in the United States on Saturday, May 11 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

“I’m grateful that Top Rank and my team were able to get such a great opponent so quickly and to still be fighting for the WBC Interim world title,” Moloney said. “Guevara has only lost to world champions, and each of his defeats have come by either split or majority decision. I look forward to being the first person to beat him convincingly and making a massive statement.”

"This is a fantastic opportunity. Moloney is a great fighter, but I want the WBC green belt,” Guevara said. “It’s an honor to be part of the Lomachenko-Kambosos event. I’m very grateful to Top Rank, All Star Boxing and Bxstrs Promotions for making this happen. I will not let my Mexican people down."

Moloney (26-3, 16 KOs) is unbeaten when fighting on Australian soil and looks to continue his climb back up the 115-pound rankings. After suffering a 12th-round stoppage defeat to Junto Nakatani for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight world title last May, he returned in December with a convincing decision over Judy Flores in Melbourne, Australia. Guevara (41-4-1, 22 KOs), from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, is a former WBC light flyweight world champion who made two world title defenses in 2015. He challenged Kenshiro Teraji for that title in 2017, dropping a majority decision. Guevara saw his 10-fight winning streak end when he lost a split decision to Cuadras last November for the WBC Interim junior bantamweight world title. In February, he outlasted Lamberto Macias via 10-round decision in Mazatlán.

In other undercard action, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, knockout sensation Imam Khataev (6-0, 6 KOs) steps up against Ričards Bolotņiks (20-7-1, 8 KOs). Khataev, who trains in Sydney, Australia, earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. As a professional, he has yet to be pushed past the third round.

Two action-packed heavyweight fights, which will take place after the main event, have been added to the card. Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne (31-5, 27 KOs) returns to Australian soil to face New Zealand’s Hemi Ahio (21-1, 16 KOs) in an eight-rounder. The last time Browne fought in Australia, he shocked Junior Fa with a first-round knockout on the first Kambosos-Devin Haney card in Melbourne.

And, in an all-Australian 10-rounder, Faiga Opelu (16-4-2, 12 KOs) will battle former amateur standout Joe Goodall (10-2-1, 9 KOs). Opelu hopes to notch his second straight win, while Goodall looks to rebound from last November’s stoppage defeat to Nigerian knockout artist Efe Ajagba.

Lomachenko-Kambosos, Moloney-Guevara and Hughes-Johnson final tickets including ringside hospitality on sale now at Ticketek.

The final tickets for this event, which are selling across all categories, are on sale now at Ticketek and VIP NOW for hospitality, and when these are gone, the event will be a sellout.

Liam Wilson: "I'm Ready For A War!"

HENDERSON, Nevada (March 25, 2024) — Liam Wilson is eager to claim his spot among the top fighters in the junior lightweight division.

The Australian former world title challenger will take on former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez in a special 12-round attraction this Friday, March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

In the co-feature, WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF ruler Yokasta Valle will collide in a highly anticipated showdown for the undisputed minimumweight crown.

Valdez-Wilson & Estrada-Valle headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) is a five-year pro who made his U.S. debut by nearly upsetting Emanuel Navarrete in a bid for the vacant WBO junior lightweight title at Desert Diamond Arena last February. The 28-year-old stunned Navarrete with a left hook before flooring him with a flurry of punches in the fourth. Wilson was eventually stopped in the ninth round, but he bounced back with victories over Carlos Alanis in August and Jackson Jon England in December. Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs), a two-time Mexican Olympian, returns following an August defeat against Navarrete at the same venue.

Following a recent training session in Henderson, Nevada, this is what Wilson had to say:

“I’ve had two fights since the Navarrete fight. I feel much more prepared this time around. I’m going back to the same place. I’m much more familiar with the whole atmosphere there. I’m really looking forward to March 29.”

“I think he’s going to want to prove himself in this fight. He wants to show that he still has what it takes to be a world champion. So, while I’m not sure what to expect, I know he is well rounded. You don’t become a two-division world champion by being one-dimensional.”

“It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen with him. In the past, he’s shown that he likes to go in there and brawl. But he’s also been boxing and moving more in his last couple fights. So, I’m not too sure what to expect from him, but I’m ready for anything.”

“He has been in a lot of wars. I have that tendency as well. If a fight gets rough, I get dragged into it. So, I’m ready for anything. I’m going to use my abilities. I’m going to stick to my game plan. But I’m also ready for a war.”

Denzel Whitley improves to 14-0

WORCESTER, Mass. (March 25, 2024) – Undefeated prospect Dennzel “Double Impact” Whitley (14-0, 8 KOs) remained undefeated, winning last Saturday night’s “Pandemonium at The Palladium 3” main event with a second-round stoppage of late replacement Joe Wilson, Jr. (3-7, 0 KOs). “Pandemonium at the Palladium 3,” presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), was streamed on www.BXNGTV.com live from the famed Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. Whitley dropped Wilson at the end of round one with a nifty one-two, but he managed to rise to beat the count. Wilson may have survived but it was only temporarily, as Whitley unloaded a perfect left hook that sent Wilson to the canvas. Referee Gene Del Bianco immediately stopped the fight without counting. The 25-year-old Whitley, fighting out of Holyoke (MA), is the reigning Junior North American Boxing Federation (NABF), Massachusetts and United States Boxing Federation (USBF) welterweight champion. The Sumpter brothers, fighting out of Pittsfield (MA), fought on the same card for the first time in 21 months. IBA Americas Super Middleweight Champion Steve “The Savage” Sumpter (9-0-1, 7 KOs) fought Antonio Louis “Tony The Beast” Hernandez (7-18-3, 4 KOs) to an eight-round majority draw in a non-title fight. Sumpter seemed to be loading up for one big punch during the first few rounds, but in the sixth round, southpaw Sumpter let his hands go, connecting on several occasions. Knowing the fight was close, Sumpter came out in the eighth round on the attack, belting Hernandez with some punishing punches, but he didn’t sustain the pressure, forcing the action only in spurts. Sumpter’s older brother, heavyweight Quintin Sumpter (7-2, 4 KOs), out-punched a game, colorful Zach Calmus (1-1), of Gloucester (MA), in a bombs-away encounter for a four-round unanimous decision. Sumpter dropped the awkward Calmus with a left hook to the top of the head only seconds prior to the end of fourth and final round.  Springfield (MA) super featherweight Carlos “El Gallo” Gonzalez (11-0, 10 KOs), the new Massachusetts Champion, kept his undefeated record intact with another dominant performance, blasting Aldimar Silva (22-25, 14 KOs) from the opening bell until the end. Gonzalez hurt Silva with a shot and then jumped all over him, battering him in a neutral corner with 10-unanswered punches, the last forcing Silva to take a knee. Referee Gene Del Bianco counted to eight, but he didn’t like what he saw in the eyes of the former Brazilian Super Bantamweight Champion and stopped the fight. Gonzalez has stopped all but one of his 11 opponents as a pro fighter. One of New England’s elite fighters, World Boxing Association’s (WBA) No. 14 rated super featherweight William “The Silent Assassin” Foster, III (16-1, 10 KOs), a 2-time New England Golden Gloves Champion and reigning WBA Fedecentro Champion, faced Lucas “El Pibe” Mignoni (14-6, 4 Kos), of Argentina. Fighting out of New Haven (CT), Foster dropped Mignoni with a vicious left hook to the body that dropped the Argentinian to his knees, and he was unable to beat the referee Del Bianco’s count. The newest member of the CGP stable, Dorchester (MA) lightweight Jonathan de Pina (13-2, 6 KOs), knocked out Michael “Titan” Taylor (1-7) in the second round. De Pina, the 2018 New England Golden Gloves Champion, unloaded in the second after a feeling-out first round, trapping Taylor in a neutral corner and pounding him until referee Paul Casey waved off the fight.

(L) – Jonathan de Pina was victorious in his GCP debut   Southpaw Jetter Burgos (8-1, 6 KOs), fighting out of the Bronx, outclassed super welterweight Linwood “Mr. Composure” Dozier (10-36-3, 5 KOs) in the opening fight of the evening, mixing in a steady diet of crisp combinations and powerful body shots en route to a six-round unanimous decision.

Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang reported finalizing deal for June 1 fight in Saudi Arabia

Deontay Wilder could be back in the ring on June 1 against Zhilei Zhang in Saudi Arabia as the deal is in the process of finalizing according to ESPN's Mike Coppinger.

Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are in the process of finalizing a deal for a June 1 fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sources told ESPN. The heavyweight bout will take place on the undercard of the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undisputed title fight. Two monster punchers. pic.twitter.com/yPVaeHXOfC

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) March 22, 2024

Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) had three losses from his last four bouts starting from back-to-back losses against Tyson Fury, a knockout win from Robert Helenius and a one-sided loss against Joseph Parker in his last fight also in Saudi Arabia.

Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) had two losses from his last four bouts starting from a unanimous decision loss against Filip Hrgovic, back-to-back win against Joe Joyce and a loss against Joseph Parker in his last fight this month also in Saudi Arabia.

Both fighters got their respective losses only from the last four bouts of their career wherein Zhang scored back-to-back wins against the same opponent, Joyce, whereas Wilder had back-to-back losses against the same opponent in Fury. Both men also lost to the same opponent in their last fight.