FightBook launching soon |
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FightBook, a social network for the fight industry launching soon, welcomed Tim VanNewhouse as a business development advisor. A respected figure in boxing, VanNewhouse brings years of experience and deep relationships within the sport, which he will leverage to help expand FightBook’s goal to become an essential platform for fighters, promoters, matchmakers, and industry professionals. VanNewhouse will play a crucial role in bringing awareness to FightBook, utilizing his extensive network to introduce the platform to key stakeholders across the industry. By engaging with top promoters, managers, sanctioning bodies, and media outlets, he will help communicate FightBook’s mission and showcase how the platform strives to enhance opportunities and connectivity within the fight business.
“FightBook is creating something truly innovative for the fight industry,” said VanNewhouse. “This platform has the potential to connect every key player in the sport, from fighters and coaches to promoters and sponsors, making it easier than ever to do business and grow the sport globally.”
“We are thrilled to have Tim working with FightBook,” said Mark Habibi, Founder & CEO of FightBook. “His influence in the boxing world and his ability to communicate our vision to the industry will be invaluable as we continue to scale. Tim understands the fight business inside and out, and his expertise will help drive FightBook’s global impact.”
For more information and to pre-register, visit Fightbook.com
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FightBook launching soon
FightBook, a social network for the fight industry launching soon, welcomed Tim VanNewhouse as a business development advisor. A respected figure in boxing, VanNewhouse brings years of experience and deep relationships within the sport, which he will leverage to help expand FightBook’s goal to become an essential platform for fighters, promoters, matchmakers, and industry professionals. VanNewhouse will play a crucial role in bringing awareness to FightBook, utilizing his extensive network to introduce the platform to key stakeholders across the industry. By engaging with top promoters, managers, sanctioning bodies, and media outlets, he will help communicate FightBook’s mission and showcase how the platform strives to enhance opportunities and connectivity within the fight business.
“FightBook is creating something truly innovative for the fight industry,” said VanNewhouse. “This platform has the potential to connect every key player in the sport, from fighters and coaches to promoters and sponsors, making it easier than ever to do business and grow the sport globally.”
“We are thrilled to have Tim working with FightBook,” said Mark Habibi, Founder & CEO of FightBook. “His influence in the boxing world and his ability to communicate our vision to the industry will be invaluable as we continue to scale. Tim understands the fight business inside and out, and his expertise will help drive FightBook’s global impact.”
For more information and to pre-register, visit Fightbook.com
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The great George Foreman passes away |
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The entire boxing world is mourning the passing of George Foreman, one of the biggest punchers and personalities the sport has ever seen. Foreman, a product of Houston's Fifth Ward, was a 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist and captured his first heavyweight championship in 1973. In 1987, after nearly a decade away from the ring, Foreman embarked on a comeback that inspired millions and made him a beloved figure around the globe. Against all odds, he regained the heavyweight championship in 1994 at the age of 45 and is still the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history. Commentator Jim Lampley, who worked with Foreman for years on HBO broadcasts said, "Tonight I am flooded with tears after learning of the death of my dear friend and broadcast partner George Foreman. I loved him. He was a great fighter and a far, far greater human being. Every great thing that ever happened to him, and there were many extraordinary blessings, was richly deserved. My thoughts and prayers tonight are with his family and his friends and his congregation. It’s a massive loss, but I feel blessed and privileged to have known him and spent countless hours in his presence. He’s with Ali now, and they are at peace with each other."
Said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum, “George was a great friend to not only myself but to my entire family. We've lost a family member and are absolutely devastated."
Ricky Cobb, who runs the excellent Super 70s Sports twitter account, posted this eloquent tribute to Foreman:
"Super Sky Point to the great George Foreman. This one hurts. A kid who arrived on the national scene when he won gold in Mexico City in 1968 and waved American flags. Who became the most feared boxer of his era after destroying Joe Frazier and Ken Norton in a combined four rounds. An invincible force who was outthought and outboxed by an allegedly washed up Muhammad Ali in Zaire in 1974 and who retired three years later, exhausted after another upset loss and changed by the subsequent religious experience that prompted him to retire in his prime.
"Big George left public life and went home to Texas for a decade before returning to boxing to raise money for his church. He was mocked for being fat and written off as a joke as he knocked over a slew of tomato cans. But he persevered to regain that heavyweight title he lost in that African night just over 20 years later at age 45 with a right hand that rendered an undefeated champion unconscious. “It happened! It happened!” shouted Jim Lampley as Michael Moorer laid on his back in a fog after meeting the same right hand that had separated so many other men from their senses.
"He learned how to smile during his second act. Now bald and cherubic, the same folks who once feared him and teased him suddenly loved him. He became a genial teddy bear who made millions hawking that damn grill.
"Goodbye to Big George, a man who achieved a dream he believed in for two decades - the dream only he thought was possible. A man whose goodness redeemed him from the darkness that prevented him from enjoying his initial fame, fortune, and acclaim. He won so much more in his middle age than that heavyweight crown he prized so much. I never met George Foreman but I loved him. Rest in peace, champ."
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The great George Foreman passes away
The entire boxing world is mourning the passing of George Foreman, one of the biggest punchers and personalities the sport has ever seen. Foreman, a product of Houston's Fifth Ward, was a 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist and captured his first heavyweight championship in 1973. In 1987, after nearly a decade away from the ring, Foreman embarked on a comeback that inspired millions and made him a beloved figure around the globe. Against all odds, he regained the heavyweight championship in 1994 at the age of 45 and is still the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history. Commentator Jim Lampley, who worked with Foreman for years on HBO broadcasts said, "Tonight I am flooded with tears after learning of the death of my dear friend and broadcast partner George Foreman. I loved him. He was a great fighter and a far, far greater human being. Every great thing that ever happened to him, and there were many extraordinary blessings, was richly deserved. My thoughts and prayers tonight are with his family and his friends and his congregation. It’s a massive loss, but I feel blessed and privileged to have known him and spent countless hours in his presence. He’s with Ali now, and they are at peace with each other."
Said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum, “George was a great friend to not only myself but to my entire family. We've lost a family member and are absolutely devastated."
Ricky Cobb, who runs the excellent Super 70s Sports twitter account, posted this eloquent tribute to Foreman:
"Super Sky Point to the great George Foreman. This one hurts. A kid who arrived on the national scene when he won gold in Mexico City in 1968 and waved American flags. Who became the most feared boxer of his era after destroying Joe Frazier and Ken Norton in a combined four rounds. An invincible force who was outthought and outboxed by an allegedly washed up Muhammad Ali in Zaire in 1974 and who retired three years later, exhausted after another upset loss and changed by the subsequent religious experience that prompted him to retire in his prime.
"Big George left public life and went home to Texas for a decade before returning to boxing to raise money for his church. He was mocked for being fat and written off as a joke as he knocked over a slew of tomato cans. But he persevered to regain that heavyweight title he lost in that African night just over 20 years later at age 45 with a right hand that rendered an undefeated champion unconscious. “It happened! It happened!” shouted Jim Lampley as Michael Moorer laid on his back in a fog after meeting the same right hand that had separated so many other men from their senses.
"He learned how to smile during his second act. Now bald and cherubic, the same folks who once feared him and teased him suddenly loved him. He became a genial teddy bear who made millions hawking that damn grill.
"Goodbye to Big George, a man who achieved a dream he believed in for two decades - the dream only he thought was possible. A man whose goodness redeemed him from the darkness that prevented him from enjoying his initial fame, fortune, and acclaim. He won so much more in his middle age than that heavyweight crown he prized so much. I never met George Foreman but I loved him. Rest in peace, champ."
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New champion alert: Tiara Brown's moment finally comes |
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Tiara Brown W10 Skye Nicolson... One of the most avoided women boxers, Tiara Brown, is the new WBC featherweight champion after she defeated Skye Nicolson in Sydney on Saturday. Fighting in Nicolson's home country, there was a lot of excitement, but Brown was on the hunt for Nicolson from the opening bell. While Brown was on the front foot, Nicolson's superior footwork meant that she could keep her opponent at bay whilst trying to find flaws in her opponent. If Brown was to win this fight, she would need to draw Nicolson into the centre of the ring and tempt her to trade, and in round four the defending champion was trading with her opponent, something which is not a common sight from Nicolson.
There was an issue however for Brown, who despite managing to slowly drag Nicolson into a dogfight, her punches were lacking any significant power to get her opponent's attention. Round six saw Brown work the body and land a left hand, all whilst struggling with ankle injury which could have worked against her with a slick mover such as Nicolson. With the fight being close, Nicolson and Brown began to let their hands go in the hope of getting an early finish or catch the eyes of the judges ringside.
In the end it was Brown who would be announced as the winner by split decision with scores 96-94 and 97-93, whilst the other judge scored the contest 96-94 to Nicolson. This loss to Brown was the first of Nicolson's professional career, meanwhile Brown became a champion at the age of 36 and is now 19-0 (11 KOs).
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New champion alert: Tiara Brown's moment finally comes
Tiara Brown W10 Skye Nicolson... One of the most avoided women boxers, Tiara Brown, is the new WBC featherweight champion after she defeated Skye Nicolson in Sydney on Saturday. Fighting in Nicolson's home country, there was a lot of excitement, but Brown was on the hunt for Nicolson from the opening bell. While Brown was on the front foot, Nicolson's superior footwork meant that she could keep her opponent at bay whilst trying to find flaws in her opponent. If Brown was to win this fight, she would need to draw Nicolson into the centre of the ring and tempt her to trade, and in round four the defending champion was trading with her opponent, something which is not a common sight from Nicolson.
There was an issue however for Brown, who despite managing to slowly drag Nicolson into a dogfight, her punches were lacking any significant power to get her opponent's attention. Round six saw Brown work the body and land a left hand, all whilst struggling with ankle injury which could have worked against her with a slick mover such as Nicolson. With the fight being close, Nicolson and Brown began to let their hands go in the hope of getting an early finish or catch the eyes of the judges ringside.
In the end it was Brown who would be announced as the winner by split decision with scores 96-94 and 97-93, whilst the other judge scored the contest 96-94 to Nicolson. This loss to Brown was the first of Nicolson's professional career, meanwhile Brown became a champion at the age of 36 and is now 19-0 (11 KOs).
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Kambosos on track for title shot after defeating Wyllie |
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George Kambosos Jr. W12 Jake Wyllie ... Former world lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr had a successful homecoming in Sydney where he beat fellow Australian Jake Wyllie by unanimous decision. Wyllie was brought in to face Kambosos on five days' notice after Daud Yordan was forced to withdraw due to medical reasons, and Wyllie gave a good account of himself. This was Kambosos' first fight at junior welterweight, and after a dozen rounds, he was declared the winner by scores of 117-111 (twice) and 115-113. Kambosos (22-3) now has IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins in his sights for a fight later this year. As for Wyllie (16-2), he came into this bout virtually unknown outside of Australia, but he made a good account of himself, and more opportunities are certain to follow.
Taking the center of the ring, Wyllie frequently attempted to back up the former unified lightweight champion, but in the final minute of the opening round Kambosos got to work, landing a body shot before a one-two which rocked his opponent. This did not deter Wyllie from throwing shots as he looked to establish the jab in round two and combat Kambosos' lightning quick punches, especially his left hooks which were hitting his opponent with ease.
Round six saw Wyllie land two successive right hands as Kambosos looked to wrestle back momentum.
Blood began to trickle down the face of Kambosos in the ninth after an accidental clash of heads, but he powered through with a successful left hook and uppercut the highlights. The high punch speed which was prevalent earlier from Kambosos returned for the tenth round onwards as he looked to seal a win on the scorecards.
Wyllie however continued to come forward and briefly stunned Kambosos in round eleven with a left hook.
When the twelfth and final round came to a close, there were a lot of impressed onlookers considering Wyllie managed to hold his own against 'Ferocious' and even had stages where he was on top.
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Kambosos on track for title shot after defeating Wyllie
George Kambosos Jr. W12 Jake Wyllie ... Former world lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr had a successful homecoming in Sydney where he beat fellow Australian Jake Wyllie by unanimous decision. Wyllie was brought in to face Kambosos on five days' notice after Daud Yordan was forced to withdraw due to medical reasons, and Wyllie gave a good account of himself. This was Kambosos' first fight at junior welterweight, and after a dozen rounds, he was declared the winner by scores of 117-111 (twice) and 115-113. Kambosos (22-3) now has IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins in his sights for a fight later this year. As for Wyllie (16-2), he came into this bout virtually unknown outside of Australia, but he made a good account of himself, and more opportunities are certain to follow.
Taking the center of the ring, Wyllie frequently attempted to back up the former unified lightweight champion, but in the final minute of the opening round Kambosos got to work, landing a body shot before a one-two which rocked his opponent. This did not deter Wyllie from throwing shots as he looked to establish the jab in round two and combat Kambosos' lightning quick punches, especially his left hooks which were hitting his opponent with ease.
Round six saw Wyllie land two successive right hands as Kambosos looked to wrestle back momentum.
Blood began to trickle down the face of Kambosos in the ninth after an accidental clash of heads, but he powered through with a successful left hook and uppercut the highlights. The high punch speed which was prevalent earlier from Kambosos returned for the tenth round onwards as he looked to seal a win on the scorecards.
Wyllie however continued to come forward and briefly stunned Kambosos in round eleven with a left hook.
When the twelfth and final round came to a close, there were a lot of impressed onlookers considering Wyllie managed to hold his own against 'Ferocious' and even had stages where he was on top.
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Weigh-in report from Las Vegas |
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The boxers' weights are in for Saturday's Las Vegas show headlined by unified WBC and WBO 154-pound champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora defending against Chordale Booker on PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video. The insanely tall Fundora weighed 152.8 pounds, while Booker will challenge him at 152.6... Mexican junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. will face Guido Emmanuel Schramm (16-3-2) in a ten-round showdown as the chief support after Kevin Salgado withdrew from the fight last week. Ramos weighed in at 155.8, while Schramm tipped the scale at 154.6... Middleweight Elijah Garcia will face rugged U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in the ten-round opening bout on Prime Video. Gausha outweiged Garcia 160.2 to 159.6.
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Weigh-in report from Las Vegas
The boxers' weights are in for Saturday's Las Vegas show headlined by unified WBC and WBO 154-pound champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora defending against Chordale Booker on PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video. The insanely tall Fundora weighed 152.8 pounds, while Booker will challenge him at 152.6... Mexican junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. will face Guido Emmanuel Schramm (16-3-2) in a ten-round showdown as the chief support after Kevin Salgado withdrew from the fight last week. Ramos weighed in at 155.8, while Schramm tipped the scale at 154.6... Middleweight Elijah Garcia will face rugged U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in the ten-round opening bout on Prime Video. Gausha outweiged Garcia 160.2 to 159.6.
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Shields apparently exonerated of drug-related allegations |
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Based on the following tweet, world heavyweight champion Claressa Shields has apparently been exonerated of any drug-related charges in connection with her last fight: "Hey WBO, I’m sure y’all got the news! Make that apology as loud as y’all disrespect was! I’ve been a champion for y’all organization for many years so to threaten to strip me for my title that I worked very hard for, and to not stand behind me and support me until I at least had a chance to prove my innocence... that was foul! Not how you treat a four-time undisputed who carried y’all belt with pride for all these years!"
Gustavo Olivieri, president of the WBO responded, "Hello, Champ. Congrats on being fully exonerated of any wrongdoing by the Michigan Commission. As you know, we always support our champions in and out of the ring. However, we have an obligation to uphold our rules with consistency and fairness, regardless of who is the champion. I’m truly pleased to see this matter resolved with no disciplinary action by the Michigan Commission. The WBO Committee is in the process of issuing [an official] ruling, which will be published in the same manner as the earlier 'show cause' notice.Wishing you continued success."
The controversy arose in February after Shields knocked Danielle Perkins down just before the final bell en route to a unanimous decision win by scores of 100-89, 97-92 and 99-90.
In the following days, Shields approved a Twitter post by Victor Conte that seemed to suggest Shields had tested positive for marijuana. Conte, an expert in athlete doping issues due to his past illegal activities, currently operates Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning (SNAC) and works with Shields. He tweeted as follows: "Important notice to boxing: Claressa Shields did not test positive for a PED [performance enhancing drug] after her recent fight in Michigan. Claressa had not smoked marijuana, [but] the Commision did a mouth swab test after the fight. There seems to be a number of issues that exist with the Michigan testing procedure. Urine is the normal sample [method] used to test for marijuana. Most credible anti-doping entities do not consider marijuana to be a PED. VADA found no PEDs in Claressa's blood and urine samples. The Nevada commision, the UFC and other commissions do not consider marijuana a PED. The amount found in her mouth swab was 3.4 ng/ml or parts per billion. This is an ultra-trace amount that likely would have come from second-hand smoke in the arena. There were also other irregularities that occurred in the testing procedure. The world of boxing needs to clearly understand that Claressa is a clean boxer and always has been."
In approving Conte's statement, Shields lashed out at people who were calling her a cheater: "Nice try haters. Dont't ever try and put no bullsh*t on me. Clean athletes win!" In responding to a Twitter commenter, Shields added that she had never even tried marijuana.
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Shields apparently exonerated of drug-related allegations
Based on the following tweet, world heavyweight champion Claressa Shields has apparently been exonerated of any drug-related charges in connection with her last fight: "Hey WBO, I’m sure y’all got the news! Make that apology as loud as y’all disrespect was! I’ve been a champion for y’all organization for many years so to threaten to strip me for my title that I worked very hard for, and to not stand behind me and support me until I at least had a chance to prove my innocence... that was foul! Not how you treat a four-time undisputed who carried y’all belt with pride for all these years!"
Gustavo Olivieri, president of the WBO responded, "Hello, Champ. Congrats on being fully exonerated of any wrongdoing by the Michigan Commission. As you know, we always support our champions in and out of the ring. However, we have an obligation to uphold our rules with consistency and fairness, regardless of who is the champion. I’m truly pleased to see this matter resolved with no disciplinary action by the Michigan Commission. The WBO Committee is in the process of issuing [an official] ruling, which will be published in the same manner as the earlier 'show cause' notice.Wishing you continued success."
The controversy arose in February after Shields knocked Danielle Perkins down just before the final bell en route to a unanimous decision win by scores of 100-89, 97-92 and 99-90.
In the following days, Shields approved a Twitter post by Victor Conte that seemed to suggest Shields had tested positive for marijuana. Conte, an expert in athlete doping issues due to his past illegal activities, currently operates Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning (SNAC) and works with Shields. He tweeted as follows: "Important notice to boxing: Claressa Shields did not test positive for a PED [performance enhancing drug] after her recent fight in Michigan. Claressa had not smoked marijuana, [but] the Commision did a mouth swab test after the fight. There seems to be a number of issues that exist with the Michigan testing procedure. Urine is the normal sample [method] used to test for marijuana. Most credible anti-doping entities do not consider marijuana to be a PED. VADA found no PEDs in Claressa's blood and urine samples. The Nevada commision, the UFC and other commissions do not consider marijuana a PED. The amount found in her mouth swab was 3.4 ng/ml or parts per billion. This is an ultra-trace amount that likely would have come from second-hand smoke in the arena. There were also other irregularities that occurred in the testing procedure. The world of boxing needs to clearly understand that Claressa is a clean boxer and always has been."
In approving Conte's statement, Shields lashed out at people who were calling her a cheater: "Nice try haters. Dont't ever try and put no bullsh*t on me. Clean athletes win!" In responding to a Twitter commenter, Shields added that she had never even tried marijuana.
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New opponent for Abdullah Mason |
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Abdullah Mason, the touted Cleveland-born lightweight will now face Mexican southpaw Carlos "Chinito" Ornelas in a ten-round contest on Saturday, April 5th at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Ornelas replaces Giovanni Cabrera, who withdrew from the bout due to injury. Mason-Ornelas is part of a show headlined by the ten-round main event between heavyweights Richard Torrez Jr. and Guido Vianello. Junior welterweights Lindolfo Delgado and Elvis Rodriguez will meet in a high-stakes co-feature scheduled for ten rounds. The entire Torrez-Vianello card will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.
Mason (17-0, 15 KOs), who turns 21 on fight day, enters his first scheduled ten-rounder riding a wave of momentum. He knocked out Manuel Jaimes in four rounds in February on the Denys Berinchyk-Keyshawn Davis bill in New York City. Mason went 5-0 with five early stoppages in 2024.
Ornelas (28-4, 15 KOs) is the most battle-tested foe of Mason's pro career, a 30-year old with extensive experience against established Mexican opposition. He has won three fights since losing a ten-round decision to current WBO featherweight champ Rafael Espinoza in January 2021. Ornelas is coming off a December 2023 decision win over David Moreno Potrero, who entered that bout with a 16-0-1 record.
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New opponent for Abdullah Mason
Abdullah Mason, the touted Cleveland-born lightweight will now face Mexican southpaw Carlos "Chinito" Ornelas in a ten-round contest on Saturday, April 5th at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Ornelas replaces Giovanni Cabrera, who withdrew from the bout due to injury. Mason-Ornelas is part of a show headlined by the ten-round main event between heavyweights Richard Torrez Jr. and Guido Vianello. Junior welterweights Lindolfo Delgado and Elvis Rodriguez will meet in a high-stakes co-feature scheduled for ten rounds. The entire Torrez-Vianello card will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.
Mason (17-0, 15 KOs), who turns 21 on fight day, enters his first scheduled ten-rounder riding a wave of momentum. He knocked out Manuel Jaimes in four rounds in February on the Denys Berinchyk-Keyshawn Davis bill in New York City. Mason went 5-0 with five early stoppages in 2024.
Ornelas (28-4, 15 KOs) is the most battle-tested foe of Mason's pro career, a 30-year old with extensive experience against established Mexican opposition. He has won three fights since losing a ten-round decision to current WBO featherweight champ Rafael Espinoza in January 2021. Ornelas is coming off a December 2023 decision win over David Moreno Potrero, who entered that bout with a 16-0-1 record.
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Freudis Rojas faces Maurice Lee on Vegas undercard today |
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The Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas is set to host a junior middleweight undercard battle today (Saturday), as Freudis Rojas and Maurice Lee square off in advance of the championship main event between Sebastian Fundora and Chordale Booker. Fighting out of Las Vegas, Rojas enters the ring with a 14-0 record, including 11 knockouts. At 26 years old, Rojas has already had soe success in the boxing world, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. His aggressive approach and ability to dictate the pace make him the favorite heading into this matchup.
But standing across from him is Lee, a battle-tested veteran from Woodland Hills, California. After a 14-month layoff, Lee is eager to prove he’s still a force to be reckoned with. Sporting a 15-1-2 record, he’s known for his durability and adaptability in the ring. At 33 years old, Lee has the experience and ring IQ to make this a tough night for Rojas.
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Freudis Rojas faces Maurice Lee on Vegas undercard today
The Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas is set to host a junior middleweight undercard battle today (Saturday), as Freudis Rojas and Maurice Lee square off in advance of the championship main event between Sebastian Fundora and Chordale Booker. Fighting out of Las Vegas, Rojas enters the ring with a 14-0 record, including 11 knockouts. At 26 years old, Rojas has already had soe success in the boxing world, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. His aggressive approach and ability to dictate the pace make him the favorite heading into this matchup.
But standing across from him is Lee, a battle-tested veteran from Woodland Hills, California. After a 14-month layoff, Lee is eager to prove he’s still a force to be reckoned with. Sporting a 15-1-2 record, he’s known for his durability and adaptability in the ring. At 33 years old, Lee has the experience and ring IQ to make this a tough night for Rojas.
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KSI postpones celebrity boxing bout |
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Due to illness to social media star KSI, Misfits Boxing's Unfinished Business crossover boxing show, scheduled for March 29th in Manchester, England has been postponed. KSI was scheduled to fight Dillon Danis, in KSI's first ring action since 2013. Misfits Boxing promised further news, including a new date for the fight, will be released next week.
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KSI postpones celebrity boxing bout
Due to illness to social media star KSI, Misfits Boxing's Unfinished Business crossover boxing show, scheduled for March 29th in Manchester, England has been postponed. KSI was scheduled to fight Dillon Danis, in KSI's first ring action since 2013. Misfits Boxing promised further news, including a new date for the fight, will be released next week.
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Guatemala vs. Costa Rica featherweight action today |
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Guatemala is set to host a featherweight clash this Saturday, March 22nd, as Alex Miller and Joshua Jiménez go head-to-head. Miller, a hometown favorite from Guatemala, enters the ring with a 10-1 record, boasting eight knockouts. A skilled and composed technician, Miller believes the energy of his home crowd will be the extra edge he needs to claim victory. Standing in his way is Jiménez, from Costa Rica. With an 8-0 record, including two wins by knockout, Jiménez presents a serious threat. The Costa Rican brings an aggressive style and an iron chin, vowing not to be fazed by the Guatemalan crowd. Organized by the Association of Sports Journalists (ACD), this bout will showcase two rising boxers from Central America, each eager to make a statement on the international stage.
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Guatemala vs. Costa Rica featherweight action today
Guatemala is set to host a featherweight clash this Saturday, March 22nd, as Alex Miller and Joshua Jiménez go head-to-head. Miller, a hometown favorite from Guatemala, enters the ring with a 10-1 record, boasting eight knockouts. A skilled and composed technician, Miller believes the energy of his home crowd will be the extra edge he needs to claim victory. Standing in his way is Jiménez, from Costa Rica. With an 8-0 record, including two wins by knockout, Jiménez presents a serious threat. The Costa Rican brings an aggressive style and an iron chin, vowing not to be fazed by the Guatemalan crowd. Organized by the Association of Sports Journalists (ACD), this bout will showcase two rising boxers from Central America, each eager to make a statement on the international stage.
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Weigh-in results from Atlantic City, NJ |
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Here are the boxers' weights for Saturday night's Boxing Insider card at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This event will air on DAZN and doors will open at 6:30 PM ET.
Vlad Panin 152 pounds -vs.- Brian Arregui 153;
Justin Figueroa 156 -vs.- Mario Gastron Rios 153;
Bruce Seldon Jr. 230 -vs.- Gabriel Costa 220;
Cali Box 166 -vs.- Victor Pradis 168;
Damian Tinnerello 155 -vs.- Jose Perdomo 155; and
Julio Sanchez III 140 -vs.- Douglas Leon Diggs 140.
Promoter: Boxing Insider Promotions
Venue: Tropicana Atlantic City
1st Bell:7:30 PM ET
Stream: DAZN
Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.
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Weigh-in results from Atlantic City, NJ
Here are the boxers' weights for Saturday night's Boxing Insider card at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This event will air on DAZN and doors will open at 6:30 PM ET.
Vlad Panin 152 pounds -vs.- Brian Arregui 153;
Justin Figueroa 156 -vs.- Mario Gastron Rios 153;
Bruce Seldon Jr. 230 -vs.- Gabriel Costa 220;
Cali Box 166 -vs.- Victor Pradis 168;
Damian Tinnerello 155 -vs.- Jose Perdomo 155; and
Julio Sanchez III 140 -vs.- Douglas Leon Diggs 140.
Promoter: Boxing Insider Promotions
Venue: Tropicana Atlantic City
1st Bell:7:30 PM ET
Stream: DAZN
Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.
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Brian Norman prepares for first title defense |
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Brian Norman Jr. says a champ isn’t a champ until he defends his belt, and he’s ready to do just that. Norman will put his WBO welterweight world title on the line against Puerto Rican challenger Derrieck Cuevas on Saturday, March 29, at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Norman-Cuevas will be the co-feature to the rematch between WBO female welterweight world champion Mikaela Mayer and former titleholder Sandy Ryan. Mayer-Ryan II and Norman-Cuevas will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Matchroom Boxing, tickets are on sale here.
Norman (26-0, 20 KOs) captured the interim title with a tenth-round knockout over previously unbeaten Giovani Santillan last May. He was elevated to full champion after Terence Crawford vacated the belt later that year. The win capped a breakout run for the Atlanta native, who signed with Top Rank in 2023 and notched three victories that year. Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) enters the biggest challenge of his career riding a four-fight knockout streak, including a sixth-round TKO against Marlon Aguas in December 2023.
While spending a week in Las Vegas for sparring, away from his Georgia training camp, this is what Norman had to say:
“I’m very excited. I feel like a champion is not a champion until that first title defense. I’ve got a wonderful competitor coming against me. So, it’s time to prove that I am the real deal champion.”
“He's a very tough fighter. He’s coming to change his life. This is a championship fight. So, I know how that feels. He’s thinking, ‘All I have to do is win this one fight, and my whole life changes.’ So, I understand how he’s coming. He’s very strong and powerful. He’s coming to knock my head off. It’s going to be a very good fight, but I don’t think it will be a long one.”
“I see {being a champion} as a good thing because I’m still a hunter. I’m hunting for knowledge. I’m hunting for experience. And I’m hunting for more skills. I want to see how far I can go.”
“I’m 1,000 percent ready. I’m ready to go. I’m to fight tomorrow. Sign me up. Where the gloves at? Throw me in there!”
"After this fight, we can get that unification fight. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. I’m 24 years old. I’m going to be a welterweight for a smooth minute. Let’s get these fights in.”
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Brian Norman prepares for first title defense
Brian Norman Jr. says a champ isn’t a champ until he defends his belt, and he’s ready to do just that. Norman will put his WBO welterweight world title on the line against Puerto Rican challenger Derrieck Cuevas on Saturday, March 29, at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Norman-Cuevas will be the co-feature to the rematch between WBO female welterweight world champion Mikaela Mayer and former titleholder Sandy Ryan. Mayer-Ryan II and Norman-Cuevas will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Matchroom Boxing, tickets are on sale here.
Norman (26-0, 20 KOs) captured the interim title with a tenth-round knockout over previously unbeaten Giovani Santillan last May. He was elevated to full champion after Terence Crawford vacated the belt later that year. The win capped a breakout run for the Atlanta native, who signed with Top Rank in 2023 and notched three victories that year. Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) enters the biggest challenge of his career riding a four-fight knockout streak, including a sixth-round TKO against Marlon Aguas in December 2023.
While spending a week in Las Vegas for sparring, away from his Georgia training camp, this is what Norman had to say:
“I’m very excited. I feel like a champion is not a champion until that first title defense. I’ve got a wonderful competitor coming against me. So, it’s time to prove that I am the real deal champion.”
“He's a very tough fighter. He’s coming to change his life. This is a championship fight. So, I know how that feels. He’s thinking, ‘All I have to do is win this one fight, and my whole life changes.’ So, I understand how he’s coming. He’s very strong and powerful. He’s coming to knock my head off. It’s going to be a very good fight, but I don’t think it will be a long one.”
“I see {being a champion} as a good thing because I’m still a hunter. I’m hunting for knowledge. I’m hunting for experience. And I’m hunting for more skills. I want to see how far I can go.”
“I’m 1,000 percent ready. I’m ready to go. I’m to fight tomorrow. Sign me up. Where the gloves at? Throw me in there!”
"After this fight, we can get that unification fight. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. I’m 24 years old. I’m going to be a welterweight for a smooth minute. Let’s get these fights in.”
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Ramos vs. Schramm final presser quotes |
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Mexican junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. (22-1) will face Guido Emmanuel Schramm (16-3-2) in a ten-round showdown as the chief support on Premier Boxing Champion's Prime Video show on Saturday, March 22nd at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Ramos was originally scheduled to face Kevin Salgado, but Salgado withdrew from the fight last week. The main event will see unified WBC / WBO junior middlewight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora squaring off against Chordale Booker. The Prime Video broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Here is what Ramos and Schramm had to say at Thursday's final press conference:
JESUS RAMOS JR.
“I’m just excited to be back and blessed to have this opportunity. I’m looking to stay active this whole year and put on big fights for the fans.
“Activity is really important and it’s overlooked a lot in boxing. The greats would fight often back in the day and that’s something I’m trying to bring back. I’m always in the gym and staying ready. It’s gonna make a big difference.
“The defeat against Erickson Lubin only made me better. I grew a lot and I learned. It was a blessing in disguise in a way and I’m demonstrating that in each fight. I’m showing new wrinkles and displaying my whole arsenal.
“I definitely want the winner of the main event. I’m glad I’m up here next to him so I can really see how tall Fundora is. But I’m definitely not overlooking Schramm, and of course Fundora has a really tough opponent as well. If we both take care of our jobs on Saturday night, we’ll see what happens next.
“If you thought I looked sharp on February 1st [when he stopped ex-champ Jeison Rosario], I’m going to be even sharper on Saturday night and put on a great performance.”
GUIDO EMMANUEL SCHRAMM
“I want everyone to know that I’m coming to win on Saturday night. I’m grateful to my team for making this possible. I had a great training camp and I’m more than ready to come out with my hand raised.
“I took this fight because I’m ready. I like to be challenged and I’m made for these kinds of moments. I want to shine under the bright lights.
“I have a great opponent in Jesus Ramos Jr., but I’m made to be a champion and I want to prove that to everyone on Saturday night.
“I was training in Los Angeles when I got offered this fight. I was ready from the get go. I said yes right away and I was ready to get it on.
“I’m coming out there to win no matter what. I’ll be ready for whatever happens in the ring and do whatever it takes to get the win.”
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Ramos vs. Schramm final presser quotes
Mexican junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. (22-1) will face Guido Emmanuel Schramm (16-3-2) in a ten-round showdown as the chief support on Premier Boxing Champion's Prime Video show on Saturday, March 22nd at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Ramos was originally scheduled to face Kevin Salgado, but Salgado withdrew from the fight last week. The main event will see unified WBC / WBO junior middlewight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora squaring off against Chordale Booker. The Prime Video broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Here is what Ramos and Schramm had to say at Thursday's final press conference:
JESUS RAMOS JR.
“I’m just excited to be back and blessed to have this opportunity. I’m looking to stay active this whole year and put on big fights for the fans.
“Activity is really important and it’s overlooked a lot in boxing. The greats would fight often back in the day and that’s something I’m trying to bring back. I’m always in the gym and staying ready. It’s gonna make a big difference.
“The defeat against Erickson Lubin only made me better. I grew a lot and I learned. It was a blessing in disguise in a way and I’m demonstrating that in each fight. I’m showing new wrinkles and displaying my whole arsenal.
“I definitely want the winner of the main event. I’m glad I’m up here next to him so I can really see how tall Fundora is. But I’m definitely not overlooking Schramm, and of course Fundora has a really tough opponent as well. If we both take care of our jobs on Saturday night, we’ll see what happens next.
“If you thought I looked sharp on February 1st [when he stopped ex-champ Jeison Rosario], I’m going to be even sharper on Saturday night and put on a great performance.”
GUIDO EMMANUEL SCHRAMM
“I want everyone to know that I’m coming to win on Saturday night. I’m grateful to my team for making this possible. I had a great training camp and I’m more than ready to come out with my hand raised.
“I took this fight because I’m ready. I like to be challenged and I’m made for these kinds of moments. I want to shine under the bright lights.
“I have a great opponent in Jesus Ramos Jr., but I’m made to be a champion and I want to prove that to everyone on Saturday night.
“I was training in Los Angeles when I got offered this fight. I was ready from the get go. I said yes right away and I was ready to get it on.
“I’m coming out there to win no matter what. I’ll be ready for whatever happens in the ring and do whatever it takes to get the win.”
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Saturday: eight-bout show set for Edinburg, TX |
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GT Promotions is gearing up for its first-ever show this Saturday night (March 22nd) at the Edinburg Activity Center in Edinburg, Texas. The main event of the eight-bout show will see Nelson "Hot Hands" Hampton (10-9) vs. Ricardo Camacho (3-1-1) in a six-round junior welterweight bout. The co-feature matches Fabian "Unknown Warrior" Diaz (6-0-1) vs. Jose Ceja (1-13-2), also in a six-round junior welterweight bout. A special attraction will be a crosstown grudge match between "The Game Changer" Emilio Quiroz (5-2-1) and "El Rey" Johnny Soto(3-2), set to be contested over four rounds at junior middleweight. Five other bouts are set to round out the card. Rio Grande Valley notables Brandon "Heartbreaker" Figueroa, a former champion, and Eric "The Drummer Boy" Molina are scheduled to be in attendance. Tickets can be purchased by calling (956)784-2638 or (956)252-8000. Opening bell time is set for 7PM. Boxingtalk writer Christian Schmidt will be the announcer.
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Saturday: eight-bout show set for Edinburg, TX
GT Promotions is gearing up for its first-ever show this Saturday night (March 22nd) at the Edinburg Activity Center in Edinburg, Texas. The main event of the eight-bout show will see Nelson "Hot Hands" Hampton (10-9) vs. Ricardo Camacho (3-1-1) in a six-round junior welterweight bout. The co-feature matches Fabian "Unknown Warrior" Diaz (6-0-1) vs. Jose Ceja (1-13-2), also in a six-round junior welterweight bout. A special attraction will be a crosstown grudge match between "The Game Changer" Emilio Quiroz (5-2-1) and "El Rey" Johnny Soto(3-2), set to be contested over four rounds at junior middleweight. Five other bouts are set to round out the card. Rio Grande Valley notables Brandon "Heartbreaker" Figueroa, a former champion, and Eric "The Drummer Boy" Molina are scheduled to be in attendance. Tickets can be purchased by calling (956)784-2638 or (956)252-8000. Opening bell time is set for 7PM. Boxingtalk writer Christian Schmidt will be the announcer.
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IBA womens world amateur championships wrap-up |
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Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay and Busenaz Surmeneli of Türkiye joined an exclusive club of boxers to win three gold medals at the IBA women’s world [amateur] championships after the finals in Niš, Serbia last weekend. In the opening match in the junior flyweight category, Kyzaibay won her first title since 2016 and 11 years after her first gold. The Olympic bronze medallist came to Serbia with a lot of momentum and won by referee’s stoppage on two occasions before beating North Korea’s Hong Kyong Ryong to make it to the final. There, she faced Russian Iuliia Chumgalakova, who had won by a unanimous decision in all four of her matches. However, Kyzaibay was the one to be favorable with the judges this time, winning every round on every individual score. Chumgalakova was aggressive and keen to take the fight to the Kazakh, but Kyzaibay looked more assured and performed to the standard of a world champion.
Surmeneli of Türkiye won her third World title in the welterweight category, denying a first-ever title for Uzbekistan, represented by their boxer Navbakhor Khamidova. Surmeneli was considered her nation’s best hope for a gold medal and for good reason – she came into the bout as a two-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist. Even in her semi-final contest with Serbian Anastasija Lukajic, she looked comfortable and confident. Khamidova provided her tougher test, having already guaranteed Uzbekistan’s best-ever result by making the final. The opening three minutes saw both boxers deal out punishment in equal measures, as Surmeneli took a 3-2 lead. However, the turning point came one minute from the end of the second round, when Surmeneli landed a hard right hand to the head of Khamidova – going on to take the second round unanimously. From there, Surmeneli looked in control and was able to claim her third world title.
Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova realised her dream of becoming a flyweight world champion, ending the dream run of Hu Meiyi of China. Balkibekova has come close to gold before in both 2022 and 2023, winning silver and bronze. On her third attempt, she took a deserved title, winning her contest by a unanimous decision. Credit had to gon to Hu, who ran a gauntlet of fantastic competitors – Ireland’s Daina Moorehouse, Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat and Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova – on her way to the silver.
In the super flyweight final, it was the Olympic silver medallist against the Olympic bronze medallist, 2022 World champion against 2018 World champion, Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Türkiye against Pang Chol Mi of North Korea. Either of these great fighters would be a worthy gold medallist, but it went the way of Pang at the expense of Cakiroglu. Pang won the first round by a 4-1 split decision, being favored as both boxers preferred a cautious approach from the back foot. Then Pang claimed a 3-2 split in the second round, but crucially for Cakiroglu, she was even with her opponent on three judges’ scorecards; and went aggressive in the final round as she chased the verdict. While Cakiroglu tried to win points back, Pang evaded effectively and won the last round unanimously, making her a world champion for a second time.
Serbia won its first gold medal in IBA women’s championships history after Andjela Brankovic claimed the featherweight title by defeating Punrawee Ruenros from Thailand. Brankovic was the surprise package in the team, having just a European bronze to her name in a squad full of European finalists. In the world final, she defeated two-time world medallist and Asian champion Punrawee Ruenros from Thailand.A home crowd can make all the difference, and Brankovic was motivated by her fans who cheered her to a comfortable lead after two rounds. Ruenros managed to get the better of the Serbian in the final round – but all judges scored the bout 29-28, narrowly in favor of Brankovic. She is the first-ever gold medallist for Serbia at either the IBA men’s or women’s world championships.
An emotional Widad Bertal from Morocco was crowned the bantamweight champion by defeating the 2022 world champion Hatice Akbas of Türkiye by a split decision. Akbas was impressive in her previous two matches, beating Russian Karina Tazabekova and Thailand’s Natnicha Chongprongklang; while Bertal defeated opponents from North Korea and Vietnam, before beating Sara Cirkovic of Serbia in the semi-finals. The Turkish boxer won the first round by a unanimous decision, before Bertal responded in the second, making the final round anyone’s contest. Bertal worked hard to win the match following a bout review.
Russia’s Nune Asatrian turned last year’s heartache in Belgrade into joy this time, being announced the world champion in the lightweight final. Asatrian settled for silver at the European Championships in the Serbian capital last April in a losing effort to Natalia Shadrina of Serbia but was the winner by a unanimous decision this time, beating Kazakhstan’s Victoriya Grafeyeva.
Irish boxers Lisa and Aoife O’Rourke became the first sisters to make finals at the same IBA world championships, both claiming silver medals.At junior middleweight, Elena Gapeshina of Russia was able to stop Lisa O’Rourke from winning a second gold medal, by a unanimous decision. O’Rourke became a world champion while turning 20 during the 2022 World Championships and was seeking her second title.Standing in the way of that gold was the Russian, who won the European title last year at light heavyweight, dropping down two weight categories for this tournament. A bout of contrasting styles saw O’Rourke landing many hooks, while the more compact Gapeshina used power and evasion to her advantage. The Russian won the first round, but little separated the pair. However, the second round was clearer, in favor of Gapeshina. The Russian would hold onto the win.
A rematch of the European final saw Anastasiia Shamonova of Russia defeat Aoife O’Rourke in the super middleweight finals. In Belgrade last year, it was O’Rourke who took the European gold via a split decision verdict, showing little could separate them in the ring. A furious first round saw Shamonova take a 4-1 lead, and the Russian continued with the pressure in the second, giving her a comfortable lead with the judges. This helped the Russian to get a unanimous win. However, three-time European champion O’Rourke should be very proud of herself, winning favor with judges in each round, just not enough to turn the verdict around.
Asian champion Aida Abikeyeva from Kazakhstan climbed to the top of the junior welterweight podium, following a comprehensive win over Thananya Somnuek of Thailand. The pair had previously met in December in the Asian Championships semi-finals, with the Kazakh winning on that occasion by split decision, on her way to gold. Redemption was not to be for the Thai boxer, who lost by a unanimous decision.
Russian Saltanat Medenova won the light heavyweight gold medal, defeating Turkish boxer Busra Isildar. The latter, one of Türkiye’s rising stars who is a IBA junior world champion and two-time European U23 champion, faced tough opposition in the form of Medenova. The Russian caused two referee stoppages in her previous bouts before beating Hasnae Larti of Morocco emphatically in the semi-finals. A close opening round was followed by a strong second from Medenova. Luckily for the Turkish boxer, she still had the opportunity to claw back favor with three judges. While Isildar performed well, the Russian held onto the victory and claimed her first gold medal.
In the last final of the evening, China’s Zhan Yilian defeated Kazakhstan’s Asian champion Yeldana Talipova to claim gold in the heavyeight category. Zhan, who stopped multiple World medallist from Türkiye Elif Guneri with ease in the semi-finals, had a similar cushion when beating Talipova. Despite the defeat, the Kazakh can be proud of her achievements. She became an Asian champion and Asian U22 champion in 2024, prior to taking the silver medal in Serbia.
Following the finals, awards were given to Morocco’s Oumayma Semlali for Best Referee, Andjela Brankovic of Serbia for Best Boxer and Russia was named Best Team in front of Kazakhstan and Türkiye. IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2025 is available and can be watched on the IBA YouTube channel. All results are available on the IBA website. Photos from each session can be found on the IBA Flickr channel.
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IBA womens world amateur championships wrap-up
Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay and Busenaz Surmeneli of Türkiye joined an exclusive club of boxers to win three gold medals at the IBA women’s world [amateur] championships after the finals in Niš, Serbia last weekend. In the opening match in the junior flyweight category, Kyzaibay won her first title since 2016 and 11 years after her first gold. The Olympic bronze medallist came to Serbia with a lot of momentum and won by referee’s stoppage on two occasions before beating North Korea’s Hong Kyong Ryong to make it to the final. There, she faced Russian Iuliia Chumgalakova, who had won by a unanimous decision in all four of her matches. However, Kyzaibay was the one to be favorable with the judges this time, winning every round on every individual score. Chumgalakova was aggressive and keen to take the fight to the Kazakh, but Kyzaibay looked more assured and performed to the standard of a world champion.
Surmeneli of Türkiye won her third World title in the welterweight category, denying a first-ever title for Uzbekistan, represented by their boxer Navbakhor Khamidova. Surmeneli was considered her nation’s best hope for a gold medal and for good reason – she came into the bout as a two-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist. Even in her semi-final contest with Serbian Anastasija Lukajic, she looked comfortable and confident. Khamidova provided her tougher test, having already guaranteed Uzbekistan’s best-ever result by making the final. The opening three minutes saw both boxers deal out punishment in equal measures, as Surmeneli took a 3-2 lead. However, the turning point came one minute from the end of the second round, when Surmeneli landed a hard right hand to the head of Khamidova – going on to take the second round unanimously. From there, Surmeneli looked in control and was able to claim her third world title.
Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova realised her dream of becoming a flyweight world champion, ending the dream run of Hu Meiyi of China. Balkibekova has come close to gold before in both 2022 and 2023, winning silver and bronze. On her third attempt, she took a deserved title, winning her contest by a unanimous decision. Credit had to gon to Hu, who ran a gauntlet of fantastic competitors – Ireland’s Daina Moorehouse, Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat and Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova – on her way to the silver.
In the super flyweight final, it was the Olympic silver medallist against the Olympic bronze medallist, 2022 World champion against 2018 World champion, Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Türkiye against Pang Chol Mi of North Korea. Either of these great fighters would be a worthy gold medallist, but it went the way of Pang at the expense of Cakiroglu. Pang won the first round by a 4-1 split decision, being favored as both boxers preferred a cautious approach from the back foot. Then Pang claimed a 3-2 split in the second round, but crucially for Cakiroglu, she was even with her opponent on three judges’ scorecards; and went aggressive in the final round as she chased the verdict. While Cakiroglu tried to win points back, Pang evaded effectively and won the last round unanimously, making her a world champion for a second time.
Serbia won its first gold medal in IBA women’s championships history after Andjela Brankovic claimed the featherweight title by defeating Punrawee Ruenros from Thailand. Brankovic was the surprise package in the team, having just a European bronze to her name in a squad full of European finalists. In the world final, she defeated two-time world medallist and Asian champion Punrawee Ruenros from Thailand.A home crowd can make all the difference, and Brankovic was motivated by her fans who cheered her to a comfortable lead after two rounds. Ruenros managed to get the better of the Serbian in the final round – but all judges scored the bout 29-28, narrowly in favor of Brankovic. She is the first-ever gold medallist for Serbia at either the IBA men’s or women’s world championships.
An emotional Widad Bertal from Morocco was crowned the bantamweight champion by defeating the 2022 world champion Hatice Akbas of Türkiye by a split decision. Akbas was impressive in her previous two matches, beating Russian Karina Tazabekova and Thailand’s Natnicha Chongprongklang; while Bertal defeated opponents from North Korea and Vietnam, before beating Sara Cirkovic of Serbia in the semi-finals. The Turkish boxer won the first round by a unanimous decision, before Bertal responded in the second, making the final round anyone’s contest. Bertal worked hard to win the match following a bout review.
Russia’s Nune Asatrian turned last year’s heartache in Belgrade into joy this time, being announced the world champion in the lightweight final. Asatrian settled for silver at the European Championships in the Serbian capital last April in a losing effort to Natalia Shadrina of Serbia but was the winner by a unanimous decision this time, beating Kazakhstan’s Victoriya Grafeyeva.
Irish boxers Lisa and Aoife O’Rourke became the first sisters to make finals at the same IBA world championships, both claiming silver medals.At junior middleweight, Elena Gapeshina of Russia was able to stop Lisa O’Rourke from winning a second gold medal, by a unanimous decision. O’Rourke became a world champion while turning 20 during the 2022 World Championships and was seeking her second title.Standing in the way of that gold was the Russian, who won the European title last year at light heavyweight, dropping down two weight categories for this tournament. A bout of contrasting styles saw O’Rourke landing many hooks, while the more compact Gapeshina used power and evasion to her advantage. The Russian won the first round, but little separated the pair. However, the second round was clearer, in favor of Gapeshina. The Russian would hold onto the win.
A rematch of the European final saw Anastasiia Shamonova of Russia defeat Aoife O’Rourke in the super middleweight finals. In Belgrade last year, it was O’Rourke who took the European gold via a split decision verdict, showing little could separate them in the ring. A furious first round saw Shamonova take a 4-1 lead, and the Russian continued with the pressure in the second, giving her a comfortable lead with the judges. This helped the Russian to get a unanimous win. However, three-time European champion O’Rourke should be very proud of herself, winning favor with judges in each round, just not enough to turn the verdict around.
Asian champion Aida Abikeyeva from Kazakhstan climbed to the top of the junior welterweight podium, following a comprehensive win over Thananya Somnuek of Thailand. The pair had previously met in December in the Asian Championships semi-finals, with the Kazakh winning on that occasion by split decision, on her way to gold. Redemption was not to be for the Thai boxer, who lost by a unanimous decision.
Russian Saltanat Medenova won the light heavyweight gold medal, defeating Turkish boxer Busra Isildar. The latter, one of Türkiye’s rising stars who is a IBA junior world champion and two-time European U23 champion, faced tough opposition in the form of Medenova. The Russian caused two referee stoppages in her previous bouts before beating Hasnae Larti of Morocco emphatically in the semi-finals. A close opening round was followed by a strong second from Medenova. Luckily for the Turkish boxer, she still had the opportunity to claw back favor with three judges. While Isildar performed well, the Russian held onto the victory and claimed her first gold medal.
In the last final of the evening, China’s Zhan Yilian defeated Kazakhstan’s Asian champion Yeldana Talipova to claim gold in the heavyeight category. Zhan, who stopped multiple World medallist from Türkiye Elif Guneri with ease in the semi-finals, had a similar cushion when beating Talipova. Despite the defeat, the Kazakh can be proud of her achievements. She became an Asian champion and Asian U22 champion in 2024, prior to taking the silver medal in Serbia.
Following the finals, awards were given to Morocco’s Oumayma Semlali for Best Referee, Andjela Brankovic of Serbia for Best Boxer and Russia was named Best Team in front of Kazakhstan and Türkiye. IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2025 is available and can be watched on the IBA YouTube channel. All results are available on the IBA website. Photos from each session can be found on the IBA Flickr channel.
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Introducing Baltimore cruiserweight Tyler Langer |
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Baltimore cruiserweight Tyler Langer is looking to catapult himself into the 200-pound division discussion this fall. The 29 year-old Langer has a record of 4-0 with three knockouts and already has four more prospective fight dates on the horizon. Langer, who recently signed with Jeter Promotions, is coming off a fourth-round stoppage over pro debuting Sean Schultz on March 1st at Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland. "He was tough and bigger. He was coming down in weight. I am a natural cruiserweight. He was one of the strongest guys that I have fought. He took a lot of my big shots. He came to win, but. my experience and skill took over. It was a fight that I needed to see where I am," said Langer
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Introducing Baltimore cruiserweight Tyler Langer
Baltimore cruiserweight Tyler Langer is looking to catapult himself into the 200-pound division discussion this fall. The 29 year-old Langer has a record of 4-0 with three knockouts and already has four more prospective fight dates on the horizon. Langer, who recently signed with Jeter Promotions, is coming off a fourth-round stoppage over pro debuting Sean Schultz on March 1st at Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland. "He was tough and bigger. He was coming down in weight. I am a natural cruiserweight. He was one of the strongest guys that I have fought. He took a lot of my big shots. He came to win, but. my experience and skill took over. It was a fight that I needed to see where I am," said Langer
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Fundora: "I feel like I’m fully a man now" |
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Unified WBC / WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (pictured) and Chordale Booker faced off on Wednesday with a media workout in Las Vegas before they meet in the main event of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video this Saturday, March 22nd at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now at AXS.com. Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from Boxing VIP:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“I’m very excited to have another headliner here in the boxing capital of the world of Las Vegas and defend these two titles. I’m ready for Saturday night.
“I think I showed my boxing skills and what I can do with my jab in my last fight. I’ll be ready to do it again if I have to on Saturday night.
“The older I get, the more I feel like I’ve been learning in this sport. I was still growing into my man body and I feel like I’m fully a man now.
“I definitely think I’m a better fighter now that I’ve won these belts. I was confident before, but now there’s an extra confidence that I have with being a champion. I proved to the world that I’m the best in this division.
“I was the underdog in my last fight and you all saw how that went. We’re definitely not looking past Booker. This is what we’ve been focused on for three months and we’re going to show everyone what we came to do.
“The best defense is offense. If you’re not punching, they’re gonna be punching you. There’s only one thing in boxing, it’s simple. You have to throw punches.”
CHORDALE BOOKER
“Everybody at the top of the division has been on my radar. Fundora is the guy with the belts, so I was excited to take on the challenge.
“In my opinion, this is the best weight class in boxing because we have so many different guys who could win on a given night. It’s the most competitive division in the sport.
“Fundora covers a lot of distance, so it’s not easy to avoid getting into a firefight with him. I don’t care how I have to fight to get the win though. I’ve trained to shock the world.
“I don’t think anyone can really prepare for Fundora’s size until you get in the ring and go a few rounds with him. You have to get a gauge for how tall he is and how long his arms are. We brought sparring partners in that simulated him as best they could and I think I’m going to be just fine with the height.
“Some people like Fundora just enjoy going toe-to-toe because that’s their style and that’s what they’re better at. In the Tim Tszyu fight he was actually boxing, so I’m prepared for anything.”
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Fundora: "I feel like I’m fully a man now"
Unified WBC / WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (pictured) and Chordale Booker faced off on Wednesday with a media workout in Las Vegas before they meet in the main event of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video this Saturday, March 22nd at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now at AXS.com. Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from Boxing VIP:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“I’m very excited to have another headliner here in the boxing capital of the world of Las Vegas and defend these two titles. I’m ready for Saturday night.
“I think I showed my boxing skills and what I can do with my jab in my last fight. I’ll be ready to do it again if I have to on Saturday night.
“The older I get, the more I feel like I’ve been learning in this sport. I was still growing into my man body and I feel like I’m fully a man now.
“I definitely think I’m a better fighter now that I’ve won these belts. I was confident before, but now there’s an extra confidence that I have with being a champion. I proved to the world that I’m the best in this division.
“I was the underdog in my last fight and you all saw how that went. We’re definitely not looking past Booker. This is what we’ve been focused on for three months and we’re going to show everyone what we came to do.
“The best defense is offense. If you’re not punching, they’re gonna be punching you. There’s only one thing in boxing, it’s simple. You have to throw punches.”
CHORDALE BOOKER
“Everybody at the top of the division has been on my radar. Fundora is the guy with the belts, so I was excited to take on the challenge.
“In my opinion, this is the best weight class in boxing because we have so many different guys who could win on a given night. It’s the most competitive division in the sport.
“Fundora covers a lot of distance, so it’s not easy to avoid getting into a firefight with him. I don’t care how I have to fight to get the win though. I’ve trained to shock the world.
“I don’t think anyone can really prepare for Fundora’s size until you get in the ring and go a few rounds with him. You have to get a gauge for how tall he is and how long his arms are. We brought sparring partners in that simulated him as best they could and I think I’m going to be just fine with the height.
“Some people like Fundora just enjoy going toe-to-toe because that’s their style and that’s what they’re better at. In the Tim Tszyu fight he was actually boxing, so I’m prepared for anything.”
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Cherneka Johnson gives Nina Hughes a rematch this weekend |
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This Saturday, March 22nd, the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney will host a championship rematch between Cherneka Johnson and Nina Hughes. Johnson, the current WBA bantamweight champion, will be defending her title against a challenger determined to overturn the outcome of their May 2024 encounter. At 30 years old, the Australian Johnson comes into the bout with a solid record of 16 wins, 2 losses and 6 KOs. Her technical prowess and ring pressure are her established advantages. Meanwhile, the 42 year-old ex-champ Hughes is set to prove that age is just a number. With a record of 6 wins, 1 loss and 2 KOs, the British Hughes lost her title to Johnson by majority decision loss in May 2024. Hughes promises a more aggressive and tactical approach to avoid letting the fight go the distance.
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Cherneka Johnson gives Nina Hughes a rematch this weekend
This Saturday, March 22nd, the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney will host a championship rematch between Cherneka Johnson and Nina Hughes. Johnson, the current WBA bantamweight champion, will be defending her title against a challenger determined to overturn the outcome of their May 2024 encounter. At 30 years old, the Australian Johnson comes into the bout with a solid record of 16 wins, 2 losses and 6 KOs. Her technical prowess and ring pressure are her established advantages. Meanwhile, the 42 year-old ex-champ Hughes is set to prove that age is just a number. With a record of 6 wins, 1 loss and 2 KOs, the British Hughes lost her title to Johnson by majority decision loss in May 2024. Hughes promises a more aggressive and tactical approach to avoid letting the fight go the distance.
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Rozicki headed to Riyadh to challenge Jack |
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Canadian cruiserweight Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1-1, 19 KOs) will finally get his WBC cruiserweight title shot against defending champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KOs) on May 3rd on the Riyadh Season’s high-profile card headlined by the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) versus William Scull (23-0, 9 KOs) for the world super middleweight championship. All the action will be stream live on DAZN pay-per-view. Proudly channeling his boxing idol, Hall of Famer Jack Dempsey, Rozicki is the WBC mandatory challenger for the third time, but he will now get his long-awaited shot. His promoter, Three Lions Promotions, won the purse bid and had originally secured a date and venue, April 26th at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Negotiations led to Jack vs. Rozicki being added to the May 3rd show in Riyadh.
“We would like to thank his excellency Turki Al-Sheikh, David Ghansa from 258 Management, and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman for making this fight possible. Ryan is fighting on the biggest stage possible, and he is more than ready. Come May 3rd there will be a new WBC cruiserweight champion,” Rozicki’s promoter Daniel Otter (Three Lions Promotions) proclaimed. “The world is going to witness the hardest puncher in boxing today. Rozicki is going to walk right through Jack and get him out of there early, mark my words!”
Rozicki, 30, has been the WBC’s mandatory challenger since 2023, first for then-champion Noel Mikaelyan (27-2, 12 KOs), who failed to make his ordered title defense with Rozicki. The WBC named Mikaelyan its “Champion In Recess,” returning Jack to its cruiserweight champion from his position as the WBC “Champion In Recess.” Age 41, Jack hasn’t fought since he captured the crown on February 26, 2023.
Rozicki’s aggressive, powerful style of fighting (“The Bruiser”) has been modeled after Dempsey and the two, despite Ryan being born nearly 100 years to the day after Dempsey, even look similar. “My style of fighting hasn’t been seen in Saudi Arabia,” Rozicki said. I’m going to knock him (Jack) out and end his boxing career. It’s that simple. These other fighters have been ducking and dodging me for long enough; I’m putting the whole division on blast, after I’m finished with Jack, I want Jai (Opetaia – IBF and lineal champion) and (Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ – WBA and WBO champion) next.”
The May 3rd card is absolutely loaded, arguably “The Event of the Year” from top to bottom. In addition to Canelo vs. Scully and Jack vs. Rozicki, other fights include middleweight Jaime Munguia (44-2, 35 KOs) vs. Bruno Surace (26-0-2, 5 KOs) in a rematch of their fight which was won by the latter in a major upset, as well as heavyweight hopeful Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) vs. Efe Ajagba (20-1, 16 KOs).
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Rozicki headed to Riyadh to challenge Jack
Canadian cruiserweight Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1-1, 19 KOs) will finally get his WBC cruiserweight title shot against defending champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KOs) on May 3rd on the Riyadh Season’s high-profile card headlined by the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) versus William Scull (23-0, 9 KOs) for the world super middleweight championship. All the action will be stream live on DAZN pay-per-view. Proudly channeling his boxing idol, Hall of Famer Jack Dempsey, Rozicki is the WBC mandatory challenger for the third time, but he will now get his long-awaited shot. His promoter, Three Lions Promotions, won the purse bid and had originally secured a date and venue, April 26th at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Negotiations led to Jack vs. Rozicki being added to the May 3rd show in Riyadh.
“We would like to thank his excellency Turki Al-Sheikh, David Ghansa from 258 Management, and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman for making this fight possible. Ryan is fighting on the biggest stage possible, and he is more than ready. Come May 3rd there will be a new WBC cruiserweight champion,” Rozicki’s promoter Daniel Otter (Three Lions Promotions) proclaimed. “The world is going to witness the hardest puncher in boxing today. Rozicki is going to walk right through Jack and get him out of there early, mark my words!”
Rozicki, 30, has been the WBC’s mandatory challenger since 2023, first for then-champion Noel Mikaelyan (27-2, 12 KOs), who failed to make his ordered title defense with Rozicki. The WBC named Mikaelyan its “Champion In Recess,” returning Jack to its cruiserweight champion from his position as the WBC “Champion In Recess.” Age 41, Jack hasn’t fought since he captured the crown on February 26, 2023.
Rozicki’s aggressive, powerful style of fighting (“The Bruiser”) has been modeled after Dempsey and the two, despite Ryan being born nearly 100 years to the day after Dempsey, even look similar. “My style of fighting hasn’t been seen in Saudi Arabia,” Rozicki said. I’m going to knock him (Jack) out and end his boxing career. It’s that simple. These other fighters have been ducking and dodging me for long enough; I’m putting the whole division on blast, after I’m finished with Jack, I want Jai (Opetaia – IBF and lineal champion) and (Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ – WBA and WBO champion) next.”
The May 3rd card is absolutely loaded, arguably “The Event of the Year” from top to bottom. In addition to Canelo vs. Scully and Jack vs. Rozicki, other fights include middleweight Jaime Munguia (44-2, 35 KOs) vs. Bruno Surace (26-0-2, 5 KOs) in a rematch of their fight which was won by the latter in a major upset, as well as heavyweight hopeful Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) vs. Efe Ajagba (20-1, 16 KOs).
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Formal announcement of Kambosos vs. Wyllie |
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‘Ferocious’ George Kambosos Jr will now face a huge all-Australian clash against young, knockout artist Jake Wyllie in his Sydney homecoming this Saturday – live worldwide on DAZN. The 24 year-old Queensland native steps in at under a week’s notice for the main event after Kambosos Jr’s original opponent Daud Yordan was ruled out on medical grounds following a visit to a hospital in his homeland of Indonesia. Wyllie, promoted by No Limits Boxing, has a resumé of 16 wins in 17 fights with 15 victories by way of knockout. And he is ready to spoil Kambosos Jr’s homecoming party at the Qudos Bank Arena – brought to fans around the globe under the sponsorship of Riyadh Season. “This is what dreams are made of. I’d already arranged tickets to come watch on Saturday and now I’m fighting in the main event,” said the Australian junior welterweight Champion, Wyllie. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m ready to take it with both hands. George has boxed at the highest level in the sport but I’m young, ambitious, and ready to put it all on the line in Sydney on Saturday. Expect fireworks! Jake ‘The Machine’ Wyllie is coming.”
The mission remains the same for Kambosos Jr, however, with the former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion relishing his first test in the 140lb division as he sets his sights on a potential world title date with IBF king, Richardson Hitchins. “I am ready to showcase all the hard work I have been putting in over the last 3 months, no matter who the opponent is,” said Kambosos Jr (21-3-0, 10 KOs).
Kambosos continued, "Boxing is unpredictable and it is very unfortunate to have Daud Yordan medically pull out, 5 days before the event, but the Ferocious show goes on because there is no show without me. Victory is the only thing on my mind, no matter what, and it sets up my 140-pound World Title shot next. I want to give a good local Aussie kid a shot. Jake Wyllie, 16-1, 15 KOs, stands out. He is the current Australian 140 National Champion, the only one that hasn’t been disrespectful for a payday, and I like how he has gone about his business in the boxing world. So, I’m giving Jake the ‘Rocky’ shot! The opportunity, but that’s where it ends. This is not a Rocky movie, don’t get it twisted, there is no happy ending. A Ferocious statement is what you’ll see on Saturday night. Victory by any means.”
ADDITIONAL BOUTS
WBC featherweight queen Skye Nicolson (12-0, 1 KO) continues her quest to become ‘Future Undisputed’ – but must take care of undefeated, mandatory American rival, Overtime Boxing’s Tiara Brown (18-0, 11 KOs).
Another long-standing rivalry will be settled in Sydney as Cherneka Johnson (16-2, 6 KOs) defends her WBA bantamweight title in a rematch against Great Britain’s Nina Hughes (6-1, 2 KOs), after their first fight was marred in controversy last May.
And heavyweight Teremoana Jr (6-0, 6 KOs) will be out ensure that the Aussies rule when the Olympian bids for his seventh successive stoppage when he faces James ‘The Beast’ Singh (12-5, 11 KOs).
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn said: “The biggest card in Australia so far this year has just got even bigger. “First and foremost, we wish Daud Yordan a speedy recovery. Now young Jake Wyllie comes in at short notice with a life changing opportunity to shock the world and wreck George Kambosos Jr’s plans. He is a dangerous puncher with a rising reputation as a stoppage sensation, so expect fireworks this Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena. Sydney we’re coming – and I cannot wait.”
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Formal announcement of Kambosos vs. Wyllie
‘Ferocious’ George Kambosos Jr will now face a huge all-Australian clash against young, knockout artist Jake Wyllie in his Sydney homecoming this Saturday – live worldwide on DAZN. The 24 year-old Queensland native steps in at under a week’s notice for the main event after Kambosos Jr’s original opponent Daud Yordan was ruled out on medical grounds following a visit to a hospital in his homeland of Indonesia. Wyllie, promoted by No Limits Boxing, has a resumé of 16 wins in 17 fights with 15 victories by way of knockout. And he is ready to spoil Kambosos Jr’s homecoming party at the Qudos Bank Arena – brought to fans around the globe under the sponsorship of Riyadh Season. “This is what dreams are made of. I’d already arranged tickets to come watch on Saturday and now I’m fighting in the main event,” said the Australian junior welterweight Champion, Wyllie. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m ready to take it with both hands. George has boxed at the highest level in the sport but I’m young, ambitious, and ready to put it all on the line in Sydney on Saturday. Expect fireworks! Jake ‘The Machine’ Wyllie is coming.”
The mission remains the same for Kambosos Jr, however, with the former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion relishing his first test in the 140lb division as he sets his sights on a potential world title date with IBF king, Richardson Hitchins. “I am ready to showcase all the hard work I have been putting in over the last 3 months, no matter who the opponent is,” said Kambosos Jr (21-3-0, 10 KOs).
Kambosos continued, "Boxing is unpredictable and it is very unfortunate to have Daud Yordan medically pull out, 5 days before the event, but the Ferocious show goes on because there is no show without me. Victory is the only thing on my mind, no matter what, and it sets up my 140-pound World Title shot next. I want to give a good local Aussie kid a shot. Jake Wyllie, 16-1, 15 KOs, stands out. He is the current Australian 140 National Champion, the only one that hasn’t been disrespectful for a payday, and I like how he has gone about his business in the boxing world. So, I’m giving Jake the ‘Rocky’ shot! The opportunity, but that’s where it ends. This is not a Rocky movie, don’t get it twisted, there is no happy ending. A Ferocious statement is what you’ll see on Saturday night. Victory by any means.”
ADDITIONAL BOUTS
WBC featherweight queen Skye Nicolson (12-0, 1 KO) continues her quest to become ‘Future Undisputed’ – but must take care of undefeated, mandatory American rival, Overtime Boxing’s Tiara Brown (18-0, 11 KOs).
Another long-standing rivalry will be settled in Sydney as Cherneka Johnson (16-2, 6 KOs) defends her WBA bantamweight title in a rematch against Great Britain’s Nina Hughes (6-1, 2 KOs), after their first fight was marred in controversy last May.
And heavyweight Teremoana Jr (6-0, 6 KOs) will be out ensure that the Aussies rule when the Olympian bids for his seventh successive stoppage when he faces James ‘The Beast’ Singh (12-5, 11 KOs).
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn said: “The biggest card in Australia so far this year has just got even bigger. “First and foremost, we wish Daud Yordan a speedy recovery. Now young Jake Wyllie comes in at short notice with a life changing opportunity to shock the world and wreck George Kambosos Jr’s plans. He is a dangerous puncher with a rising reputation as a stoppage sensation, so expect fireworks this Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena. Sydney we’re coming – and I cannot wait.”
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Late results from Bethlehem, PA |
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Euri Cedeno KO1 Ulices Tovar... This past Friday, middleweight Euri Cedeno scored a first-round stoppage over Ulices Tovar in the main event of an eight-bout card in front of a capacity crowd at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania's Wind Creek Event Center. The show was promoted by King's Promotions and streamed to a worldwide audience Live on DAZN. Cedeno landed thudding shots from the outset. Towards the end of the opening frame, Cedeno landed a perfect left to the head that put Tovar on the canvas for referee Harvey Dock's ten count at 2:44. Cedeno stays undefeated at 11-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Tovar of Mexico falls to 11-2.
Bryce Mills W8 Alex Martin... In the co-feature, Bryce Mills was very workmanlike in pounding out a eight-round unanimous decision over Alex Martin in a junior welterweight bout. Mills was the busier fighter as he stalked Martin throughout the contest. Martin would occasionally get in a counter from the southpaw stance and made the fight competitive in spots. Mills used his volume punching as he mixed up head and body shots to get the victory by scores of 78-74 (twice) and 77-75. Mills of Liverpool, New York is now 18-1. Martin of Chicago is 18-7.
ADDITIONAL RESULTS
Joseph Adorno needed one punch to turn out the lights of Wesley Rivers in round three of their eight-round junior welterweight bout. In round three, Adorno landed a big counter right that was followed up by a flurry to the head that put Rivers on the canvas, Rivers was able to continue, but only for a few seconds as another barrage of punches forced Harvey Dock to stop the bout at 2;02. Adorno of Allentown, PA is now 21-4-2 with 18 knockouts. Rivers of Detroit is 8-6.
Julian Gonzalez stayed undefeated with a first-round stoppage over Armando Frausto in a junior lightweight bout. In round one, Gonzalez dropped Frausto with a right hand between the gloves. Gonzales dropped Frausto for a second time when he landed a left hook to the head. Frausto got to his feet, but was stumbling which forced referee Eric Dali to stop the bout at 2:42.
Shera Mae Patricio won a six-round unanimous decision over Nancy Franco in a bantamweight bout. Patricio of Waianae, Hawaii by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 5-0. Franco of Guadalajara, Mexico is 19-23-2.
Bantamweight Brittany Sims pounded Wendellin Cruz out in 42 seconds of round one of their eight-round bout. Sims of Salem, Oregon is 8-3 with five knockouts. Cruz, from Nicaragua, is 6-17-1.
Ibraheim Robinson won a six-round unanimous decision over Rommell Toran in a welterweight bout. Robinson of Baltimore won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 8-1-1. Toran of Ohio is 2-5-1.
In a battle of Bethlehem based heavyweights, Mike Liberto stopped Adam Atiyeh in the opening round of their four-round bout. Liberto dropped Atiyeh three times and the bout was stopped at 1:23. Liberto is 2-0 with two knockouts. Atiyeh is 2-1
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Late results from Bethlehem, PA
Euri Cedeno KO1 Ulices Tovar... This past Friday, middleweight Euri Cedeno scored a first-round stoppage over Ulices Tovar in the main event of an eight-bout card in front of a capacity crowd at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania's Wind Creek Event Center. The show was promoted by King's Promotions and streamed to a worldwide audience Live on DAZN. Cedeno landed thudding shots from the outset. Towards the end of the opening frame, Cedeno landed a perfect left to the head that put Tovar on the canvas for referee Harvey Dock's ten count at 2:44. Cedeno stays undefeated at 11-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Tovar of Mexico falls to 11-2.
Bryce Mills W8 Alex Martin... In the co-feature, Bryce Mills was very workmanlike in pounding out a eight-round unanimous decision over Alex Martin in a junior welterweight bout. Mills was the busier fighter as he stalked Martin throughout the contest. Martin would occasionally get in a counter from the southpaw stance and made the fight competitive in spots. Mills used his volume punching as he mixed up head and body shots to get the victory by scores of 78-74 (twice) and 77-75. Mills of Liverpool, New York is now 18-1. Martin of Chicago is 18-7.
ADDITIONAL RESULTS
Joseph Adorno needed one punch to turn out the lights of Wesley Rivers in round three of their eight-round junior welterweight bout. In round three, Adorno landed a big counter right that was followed up by a flurry to the head that put Rivers on the canvas, Rivers was able to continue, but only for a few seconds as another barrage of punches forced Harvey Dock to stop the bout at 2;02. Adorno of Allentown, PA is now 21-4-2 with 18 knockouts. Rivers of Detroit is 8-6.
Julian Gonzalez stayed undefeated with a first-round stoppage over Armando Frausto in a junior lightweight bout. In round one, Gonzalez dropped Frausto with a right hand between the gloves. Gonzales dropped Frausto for a second time when he landed a left hook to the head. Frausto got to his feet, but was stumbling which forced referee Eric Dali to stop the bout at 2:42.
Shera Mae Patricio won a six-round unanimous decision over Nancy Franco in a bantamweight bout. Patricio of Waianae, Hawaii by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 5-0. Franco of Guadalajara, Mexico is 19-23-2.
Bantamweight Brittany Sims pounded Wendellin Cruz out in 42 seconds of round one of their eight-round bout. Sims of Salem, Oregon is 8-3 with five knockouts. Cruz, from Nicaragua, is 6-17-1.
Ibraheim Robinson won a six-round unanimous decision over Rommell Toran in a welterweight bout. Robinson of Baltimore won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 8-1-1. Toran of Ohio is 2-5-1.
In a battle of Bethlehem based heavyweights, Mike Liberto stopped Adam Atiyeh in the opening round of their four-round bout. Liberto dropped Atiyeh three times and the bout was stopped at 1:23. Liberto is 2-0 with two knockouts. Atiyeh is 2-1
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Tszyu looking to end losing streak vs. Spencer |
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Former junior middleweight Tim Tszyu (pictured) will return to the ring against Joey Spencer in the main event of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video action on Saturday, April 5th (U.S. date and time) from the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, Australia. The event will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the card. A star in his native Australia, Tszyu hopes to bounce back from a world title defeat in his last outing with a victory over the talented Spencer, who enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak and who can earn his own signature victory on April 5th. The event is promoted by No Limit Boxing and The Rose Brothers, in association with TGB Promotions.
“Tim Tszyu does not take easy fights,” said George Rose, CEO of No Limit Boxing. “He could’ve taken a softer option, but that’s not who he is. He wanted the toughest challenge available, and that’s exactly what Joey Spencer brings to the table. Spencer is a two-time PBC Prospect of the Year, he has devastating power and he’s looking to make a massive statement in the super welterweight division. This is an all-risk fight for Tim, but that’s the only way he operates…Joey Spencer is coming to rip everything away from Tim, and that’s what makes this fight absolutely unmissable.”
“Tim Tszyu is in nothing but action fights and when he goes up against the hungry and explosive Joey Spencer, they will surely combine for fireworks down under in Australia and on Prime Video,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Tszyu is beloved in his home country and there’s no doubt that it will be an electric atmosphere that will bring the best out of both Tszyu and Joey Spencer.”
The son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, Tim Tszyu has already joined his father on the roll call of boxing champions. He will look to further his place in this era with a big 2025 that he’ll kick off by facing Spencer in a ten rounder that headlines action on April 5th.
The 30-year-old Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs) will return to action after a tumultuous 2024 that saw him come up on the short end of two action fights, with his most recent bout coming to undefeated IBF 154-pound champion Bakhram Murtazaliev in October. Prior to that fight, he challenged now WBO and WBC 154-pound champion Sebastian Fundora, losing a decision after suffering from a gruesome cut due to an accidental elbow. Tszyu showed his mettle in fighting through the blood and making it to the final round, but came up on the wrong side of a split-decision.
Tszyu came into that fight off a red-hot 2023 campaign that saw him elevated to world champion at 154-pounds while defeating former champion Tony Harrison, top contender Brian Mendoza and former title challenger Carlos Ocampo. A native of Sydney, Tszyu made his U.S debut against U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in March 2022, earning a unanimous decision. Tszyu grew up playing soccer, but soon gravitated toward boxing. The decision led to him following in the legendary footsteps of his father, Kostya, who was an undisputed 140-pound champion.
“This is my redemption tour,” said Tszyu. “I’m coming back stronger, hungrier and ready to prove a point. There’s no easing back in – no tune-up fights – just straight into the fire with a very, very good fighter in Joey Spencer. He’s a real fighter, a dangerous opponent and exactly the kind of challenge I crave…I’m here to make a statement. If I have to walk through fire to get back on top, so be it. This is what I live for.”
The 24-year-old Spencer (19-1, 11 KOs) turned pro in February 2018. Spencer earned a career-best triumph in September 2022 as he controlled the action throughout and scored a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Kevin Salgado. The Linden, Michigan native’s victory over Salgado made him 16-0 and led to an opportunity for him to face then-unbeaten contender Jesus Ramos Jr. in March 2023.
Spencer lost the step-up bout to Ramos, but will now look to prove his mettle with another chance against elite competition in the 154-pound division. After that fight, Spencer returned in December 2023 to defeat Marcelo Fabian Bzowski, before knocking out veteran Janer Gonzalez in the sixth round of their August 2024 matchup. He most recently made it a three-fight winning streak last December, as he earned a decision over the previously unbeaten Miguel Angel Hernandez.
“I’ve watched Tszyu for a long time – his style, his mentality – the guy’s a real warrior,” said Spencer. “He’s the kind of fighter who doesn’t back down. He takes on all comers, no excuses, he just gets in there and fights…I’m coming to take him out. I’m not here just to share the ring with him. I’m coming to win. Period.”
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Tszyu looking to end losing streak vs. Spencer
Former junior middleweight Tim Tszyu (pictured) will return to the ring against Joey Spencer in the main event of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video action on Saturday, April 5th (U.S. date and time) from the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, Australia. The event will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the card. A star in his native Australia, Tszyu hopes to bounce back from a world title defeat in his last outing with a victory over the talented Spencer, who enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak and who can earn his own signature victory on April 5th. The event is promoted by No Limit Boxing and The Rose Brothers, in association with TGB Promotions.
“Tim Tszyu does not take easy fights,” said George Rose, CEO of No Limit Boxing. “He could’ve taken a softer option, but that’s not who he is. He wanted the toughest challenge available, and that’s exactly what Joey Spencer brings to the table. Spencer is a two-time PBC Prospect of the Year, he has devastating power and he’s looking to make a massive statement in the super welterweight division. This is an all-risk fight for Tim, but that’s the only way he operates…Joey Spencer is coming to rip everything away from Tim, and that’s what makes this fight absolutely unmissable.”
“Tim Tszyu is in nothing but action fights and when he goes up against the hungry and explosive Joey Spencer, they will surely combine for fireworks down under in Australia and on Prime Video,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Tszyu is beloved in his home country and there’s no doubt that it will be an electric atmosphere that will bring the best out of both Tszyu and Joey Spencer.”
The son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, Tim Tszyu has already joined his father on the roll call of boxing champions. He will look to further his place in this era with a big 2025 that he’ll kick off by facing Spencer in a ten rounder that headlines action on April 5th.
The 30-year-old Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs) will return to action after a tumultuous 2024 that saw him come up on the short end of two action fights, with his most recent bout coming to undefeated IBF 154-pound champion Bakhram Murtazaliev in October. Prior to that fight, he challenged now WBO and WBC 154-pound champion Sebastian Fundora, losing a decision after suffering from a gruesome cut due to an accidental elbow. Tszyu showed his mettle in fighting through the blood and making it to the final round, but came up on the wrong side of a split-decision.
Tszyu came into that fight off a red-hot 2023 campaign that saw him elevated to world champion at 154-pounds while defeating former champion Tony Harrison, top contender Brian Mendoza and former title challenger Carlos Ocampo. A native of Sydney, Tszyu made his U.S debut against U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in March 2022, earning a unanimous decision. Tszyu grew up playing soccer, but soon gravitated toward boxing. The decision led to him following in the legendary footsteps of his father, Kostya, who was an undisputed 140-pound champion.
“This is my redemption tour,” said Tszyu. “I’m coming back stronger, hungrier and ready to prove a point. There’s no easing back in – no tune-up fights – just straight into the fire with a very, very good fighter in Joey Spencer. He’s a real fighter, a dangerous opponent and exactly the kind of challenge I crave…I’m here to make a statement. If I have to walk through fire to get back on top, so be it. This is what I live for.”
The 24-year-old Spencer (19-1, 11 KOs) turned pro in February 2018. Spencer earned a career-best triumph in September 2022 as he controlled the action throughout and scored a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Kevin Salgado. The Linden, Michigan native’s victory over Salgado made him 16-0 and led to an opportunity for him to face then-unbeaten contender Jesus Ramos Jr. in March 2023.
Spencer lost the step-up bout to Ramos, but will now look to prove his mettle with another chance against elite competition in the 154-pound division. After that fight, Spencer returned in December 2023 to defeat Marcelo Fabian Bzowski, before knocking out veteran Janer Gonzalez in the sixth round of their August 2024 matchup. He most recently made it a three-fight winning streak last December, as he earned a decision over the previously unbeaten Miguel Angel Hernandez.
“I’ve watched Tszyu for a long time – his style, his mentality – the guy’s a real warrior,” said Spencer. “He’s the kind of fighter who doesn’t back down. He takes on all comers, no excuses, he just gets in there and fights…I’m coming to take him out. I’m not here just to share the ring with him. I’m coming to win. Period.”
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PBC announces additional bouts for Saturday |
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Additional bouts have been added to the Saturday's Las Vegas show headlined by unified WBC and WBO 154-pound champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora defending against Chordale Booker on PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video. Highlighting the non-televised portion of the card will be undefeated Freudis Rojas Jr. facing veteran Maurice Lee in an eight-round welterweight attraction, as well as unbeaten Alberto Mora Garcia fighting Viktor Slavinskyi in an eight-round super featherweight affair. Rising Mexican junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. will face Guido Emmanuel Schramm in a ten-round showdown and middleweight Elijah Garcia will face rugged U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in the ten-round opening bout on Prime Video. The tripleheader will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card. Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now at AXS.com.
Also on the undercard will be Robert Guerrero Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs), the son of former champion Robert Guerrero, stepping in against Pomona, Calif. native Sean Armas (6-1, 3 KOs) in a four-round lightweight scrap, plus Brayan Gonzalez (2-0, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz. battles Stockton, Calif.-native Justin Marquez (5-1, 4 KOs) in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Rounding out lineup is unbeaten Alexis De La Cerda (5-0, 3 KOs) entering the ring for six rounds of super bantamweight action against St. Louis-native Sharone Carter (14-9-1, 3 KOs), plus Joseph Brown (4-0, 3 KOs) of Vancouver, Canada and Amarillo, Texas’ Ezequiel Duran (4-0, 1 KO) meet in a six-round junior middleweight affair and the Netherland’s Jursly Vargas (4-0, 3 KOs) faces Uhlices Avelino-Rey (3-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round lightweight fight
Las Vegas’ Rojas (14-0, 11 KOs) stopped his first eleven professional opponents inside the distance, including Diego Santiago Sanchez in July 2023. Rojas followed that up by besting Saul Bustos in September 2023, Christian Baez in January 2024 and Walter Cardoba in April 2024, all by unanimous decision.
Rojas will be challenged by Lee (15-1-2, 6 KOs) of Woodland Hills, Calif. Lee will look to extend his win streak to seven following a pair of majority draws in September 2018 and February 2019. Since then, Lee has rattled off six straight victories, the most recent of which was a knockout win over Les Byfield in January of last year.
The Mexico City native Garcia (12-0, 9 KOs), having fought all of his professional fights in Mexico, will be making his U.S. debut on March 22. The undefeated power puncher has knocked out his last two opponents and will aim to make it three-in-a-row when he steps between the ropes at Michelob Ultra Arena.
He’ll face a rugged opponent in Slavinskyi (15-3-1, 7 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif., who has won two of his last three fights and who owns a victory over Cuba's Leduan Barthelemy.
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PBC announces additional bouts for Saturday
Additional bouts have been added to the Saturday's Las Vegas show headlined by unified WBC and WBO 154-pound champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora defending against Chordale Booker on PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video. Highlighting the non-televised portion of the card will be undefeated Freudis Rojas Jr. facing veteran Maurice Lee in an eight-round welterweight attraction, as well as unbeaten Alberto Mora Garcia fighting Viktor Slavinskyi in an eight-round super featherweight affair. Rising Mexican junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. will face Guido Emmanuel Schramm in a ten-round showdown and middleweight Elijah Garcia will face rugged U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in the ten-round opening bout on Prime Video. The tripleheader will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card. Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now at AXS.com.
Also on the undercard will be Robert Guerrero Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs), the son of former champion Robert Guerrero, stepping in against Pomona, Calif. native Sean Armas (6-1, 3 KOs) in a four-round lightweight scrap, plus Brayan Gonzalez (2-0, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz. battles Stockton, Calif.-native Justin Marquez (5-1, 4 KOs) in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Rounding out lineup is unbeaten Alexis De La Cerda (5-0, 3 KOs) entering the ring for six rounds of super bantamweight action against St. Louis-native Sharone Carter (14-9-1, 3 KOs), plus Joseph Brown (4-0, 3 KOs) of Vancouver, Canada and Amarillo, Texas’ Ezequiel Duran (4-0, 1 KO) meet in a six-round junior middleweight affair and the Netherland’s Jursly Vargas (4-0, 3 KOs) faces Uhlices Avelino-Rey (3-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round lightweight fight
Las Vegas’ Rojas (14-0, 11 KOs) stopped his first eleven professional opponents inside the distance, including Diego Santiago Sanchez in July 2023. Rojas followed that up by besting Saul Bustos in September 2023, Christian Baez in January 2024 and Walter Cardoba in April 2024, all by unanimous decision.
Rojas will be challenged by Lee (15-1-2, 6 KOs) of Woodland Hills, Calif. Lee will look to extend his win streak to seven following a pair of majority draws in September 2018 and February 2019. Since then, Lee has rattled off six straight victories, the most recent of which was a knockout win over Les Byfield in January of last year.
The Mexico City native Garcia (12-0, 9 KOs), having fought all of his professional fights in Mexico, will be making his U.S. debut on March 22. The undefeated power puncher has knocked out his last two opponents and will aim to make it three-in-a-row when he steps between the ropes at Michelob Ultra Arena.
He’ll face a rugged opponent in Slavinskyi (15-3-1, 7 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif., who has won two of his last three fights and who owns a victory over Cuba's Leduan Barthelemy.
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Michael Hunter to face Christopher Lovejoy |
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Showtime Boxing Promotions has a show set for April 19th at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. The show will stream live on WBCboxing.com. Headlining the event, heavyweight Michael “The Bounty” Hunter (24-2-2, 17 KOs) of Las Vegas takes on Christopher Lovejoy (20-1-1, 20 KOs) of Los Angeles in a scheduled eight-round showdown. "I’m coming into this fight with a knockout mentality,” said Hunter (pictured). “Lovejoy is tough, but I’m levels above him, and I’ll prove it on fight night. 2025 will be the year I’m crowned world champion.
"People have been doubting me, but I’m here to show I belong with the best,” stated Lovejoy, who is known for his knockout power, as he sees this as a major opportunity. “Hunter better be ready because I’m coming to take his spot."
In the eight-round chief support, bantamweight Anthony Garnica (12-0-1, 7 KOs) of Oakland, CA, will take on Aston Palicte (28-7-1, 23 KOs) of the Philippines. "Palicte has experience, but I’m ready for this moment. I’ve trained for tough fights like this, and I’m going to show why I’m one of the best rising bantamweights in the world," said Garnica.
Also on the card, 2020 Mexican Olympian Brianda Tamara Cruz (1-0), globally known for losing to Algerian boxer Imane Khelif in 2022s, will compete in a six-round welterweight bout in her USA debut. "This is a dream come true. Fighting in the United States is a huge step for me, and I plan to show everyone that I’m ready to take over the welterweight division," said Cruz.
The card will also feature junior welterweight Israel Mercado (11-1-2, 7 KOs) from Pomona, CA, in a ten-round bout, Mexican lightweight Victor Manuel Lopez Gala (6-1-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round bout, middleweight Raul Salomon (14-2, 12 KOs) from Long Beach, CA, in an eight-round bout, and bantamweight Chantel Navarro (4-0, 3 KOs) from Glendale, CA, in a six-round bout, with all opponents TBA.
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Michael Hunter to face Christopher Lovejoy
Showtime Boxing Promotions has a show set for April 19th at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. The show will stream live on WBCboxing.com. Headlining the event, heavyweight Michael “The Bounty” Hunter (24-2-2, 17 KOs) of Las Vegas takes on Christopher Lovejoy (20-1-1, 20 KOs) of Los Angeles in a scheduled eight-round showdown. "I’m coming into this fight with a knockout mentality,” said Hunter (pictured). “Lovejoy is tough, but I’m levels above him, and I’ll prove it on fight night. 2025 will be the year I’m crowned world champion.
"People have been doubting me, but I’m here to show I belong with the best,” stated Lovejoy, who is known for his knockout power, as he sees this as a major opportunity. “Hunter better be ready because I’m coming to take his spot."
In the eight-round chief support, bantamweight Anthony Garnica (12-0-1, 7 KOs) of Oakland, CA, will take on Aston Palicte (28-7-1, 23 KOs) of the Philippines. "Palicte has experience, but I’m ready for this moment. I’ve trained for tough fights like this, and I’m going to show why I’m one of the best rising bantamweights in the world," said Garnica.
Also on the card, 2020 Mexican Olympian Brianda Tamara Cruz (1-0), globally known for losing to Algerian boxer Imane Khelif in 2022s, will compete in a six-round welterweight bout in her USA debut. "This is a dream come true. Fighting in the United States is a huge step for me, and I plan to show everyone that I’m ready to take over the welterweight division," said Cruz.
The card will also feature junior welterweight Israel Mercado (11-1-2, 7 KOs) from Pomona, CA, in a ten-round bout, Mexican lightweight Victor Manuel Lopez Gala (6-1-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round bout, middleweight Raul Salomon (14-2, 12 KOs) from Long Beach, CA, in an eight-round bout, and bantamweight Chantel Navarro (4-0, 3 KOs) from Glendale, CA, in a six-round bout, with all opponents TBA.
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Boxingtalk salutes Alfonso Zamora on his 50th championship anniversary |
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Alfonso Zamora was celebrated, cheered and honored by the WBC for the fiftieth anniversary of becoming a bantamweight champion. On March 14, 1975, he knocked out Soo-Hwan Hong in the fourth round to win the WBA title. Alfonso went on to achieve 32 knockouts in 33 wins against five losses. He is the only Mexican to win an Olympic medal and become a world champion. He won the silver medal at the 1972 Munich Games. His championship reign included a win over future featherweight champion and Hall of Famer Eusebio Pedroza. In 1977, he faced Carlos Zarate, the WBC bantamweight champion, in what was agreed to be a non-title bout. Zarate beat Zamora and Zamora lost his WBA title next time out against Jorge Lujan.
Zamora was very moved by the celebration. Baby-faced back then and still fresh-faced and handsome now, he smiled as he said, “I am very happy. Fifty years in which many things have happened. I am very grateful to God for allowing me to be here today with you, recounting what I have been through.”
Boxingtalk joins the WBC in saluting Alfonso Zamora on his fiftieth championship anniversary.
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Boxingtalk salutes Alfonso Zamora on his 50th championship anniversary
Alfonso Zamora was celebrated, cheered and honored by the WBC for the fiftieth anniversary of becoming a bantamweight champion. On March 14, 1975, he knocked out Soo-Hwan Hong in the fourth round to win the WBA title. Alfonso went on to achieve 32 knockouts in 33 wins against five losses. He is the only Mexican to win an Olympic medal and become a world champion. He won the silver medal at the 1972 Munich Games. His championship reign included a win over future featherweight champion and Hall of Famer Eusebio Pedroza. In 1977, he faced Carlos Zarate, the WBC bantamweight champion, in what was agreed to be a non-title bout. Zarate beat Zamora and Zamora lost his WBA title next time out against Jorge Lujan.
Zamora was very moved by the celebration. Baby-faced back then and still fresh-faced and handsome now, he smiled as he said, “I am very happy. Fifty years in which many things have happened. I am very grateful to God for allowing me to be here today with you, recounting what I have been through.”
Boxingtalk joins the WBC in saluting Alfonso Zamora on his fiftieth championship anniversary.
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Netherlands to host heavyweight battle |
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Undefeated Dutch heavyweight Willy Kyakonye will take on Venezuela's Wilmer Vasquez on March 29th. The potentially explosive affair headlines The Evolution of Boxing XI at the Sporthal de Willisstee in Wilnis, Netherlands. Uganda-born Kyakonye (10-0 with 9 KOs). In Vasquez (13-3-2 with 8 KOs), he is facing his most dangerous opponent to date, and a man who travels to his opponents backyard full of confidence. Vasquez last boxed in July of 2024, where he scored a split decision over then-undefeated Mexican Ubaldo Ilagor Resendiz in Caracas. Kyakonye has a significant advantage in punching-power and fighting on home soil, but Vasquez has by far faced and defeated the better opposition and will not be intimidated by what the home-man brings.
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Netherlands to host heavyweight battle
Undefeated Dutch heavyweight Willy Kyakonye will take on Venezuela's Wilmer Vasquez on March 29th. The potentially explosive affair headlines The Evolution of Boxing XI at the Sporthal de Willisstee in Wilnis, Netherlands. Uganda-born Kyakonye (10-0 with 9 KOs). In Vasquez (13-3-2 with 8 KOs), he is facing his most dangerous opponent to date, and a man who travels to his opponents backyard full of confidence. Vasquez last boxed in July of 2024, where he scored a split decision over then-undefeated Mexican Ubaldo Ilagor Resendiz in Caracas. Kyakonye has a significant advantage in punching-power and fighting on home soil, but Vasquez has by far faced and defeated the better opposition and will not be intimidated by what the home-man brings.
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Marshall ordered to purse bid vs. Watpool |
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On January 28th, the IBF ordered its super middleweight champion Savannah Marshall (pictured) and its mandatory contender Melinda Watpool to begin negotiations for a title fight. An agreement was not reached within the time frame set forth by IBF, so the IBF has scheduled a purse bid for Tuesday, April 1st at 12 noon. Marshall won three of the four major super middleweight titles, and general recognition as the women's world champion by defeating Franchon Crews Dezurn in July 2023. However, Marshall (13-1) has not boxed since then, and now only holds the IBF title. (Marhsall did win a mixed martial arts fight in July 2024). Watpool, from Canada, is 7-1 but is coming off a split-decision loss in a WBO title bid against Shadasia Green.
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Marshall ordered to purse bid vs. Watpool
On January 28th, the IBF ordered its super middleweight champion Savannah Marshall (pictured) and its mandatory contender Melinda Watpool to begin negotiations for a title fight. An agreement was not reached within the time frame set forth by IBF, so the IBF has scheduled a purse bid for Tuesday, April 1st at 12 noon. Marshall won three of the four major super middleweight titles, and general recognition as the women's world champion by defeating Franchon Crews Dezurn in July 2023. However, Marshall (13-1) has not boxed since then, and now only holds the IBF title. (Marhsall did win a mixed martial arts fight in July 2024). Watpool, from Canada, is 7-1 but is coming off a split-decision loss in a WBO title bid against Shadasia Green.
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Turki Alalshikh announces a huge show for May 3rd |
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Turki Alalshikh (pictured), the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, has announced the full line-up for another huge card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This one takes place on May 3rd at ANB Arena. Here is the bout sheet tweeted out by Alalshikh:
World super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. IBF super middleweight title holder William Scull;
Bruno Surace in a rematch vs. former junior middleweight title holder Jaime Munguia;
heavyweights Efe Ajagba vs. Martin Bakole;
WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack vs. Ryan Rozicki;
Mexican Olympian Marco Verde vs. Michel Polina at middleweight; and
undefeated light heavyweight Brayan Leon vs. Aaron Guerrero.
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Turki Alalshikh announces a huge show for May 3rd
Turki Alalshikh (pictured), the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, has announced the full line-up for another huge card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This one takes place on May 3rd at ANB Arena. Here is the bout sheet tweeted out by Alalshikh:
World super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. IBF super middleweight title holder William Scull;
Bruno Surace in a rematch vs. former junior middleweight title holder Jaime Munguia;
heavyweights Efe Ajagba vs. Martin Bakole;
WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack vs. Ryan Rozicki;
Mexican Olympian Marco Verde vs. Michel Polina at middleweight; and
undefeated light heavyweight Brayan Leon vs. Aaron Guerrero.
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Boxing likely to return for the 2028 Olympics |
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The inclusion of boxing for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles has been proposed by the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the 144th IOC Session. The final determination could be made this week in Costa Navarino, Greece. The decision from the EB follows the recommendation made by the Olympic Programme Commission and the provisional recognition granted in February 2025 by the EB to World Boxing as the new international federation within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level. Boxing was not included on the initial sports program approved by the IOC Session in February 2022 because of the then-ongoing concerns arbout [the corrupt] International Boxing Association (IBA), whioch was the former international federation. Following the withdrawal of the IBA’s recognition in June 2023, the inclusion of boxing on the LA28 sports programme remained on hold.
The Paris 2024 boxing competition and its qualifying tournaments were organized under the authority of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, an ad hoc task force created by the EB. This decision was taken in order to protect athlete participation at the Olympic Games and deliver a clear, fair and transparent pathway for boxers to qualify, ensuring a fair and just competition. At Paris 2024, 68 national Olympic committees (NOCs) were represented in the boxing competition, with the IOC Refugee Olympic Team and 31 different NOCs medalling across the 13 events. This was the highest ratio of competing NOCs to medal in one sport at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Last year, the IOC made it clear that National Boxing Federations had to reach a consensus around a new International Federation in order for boxing to be included in the 2028 Olympic Games. Following an assessment of the various criteria regarding governance and sports integrity, the EB decided on February 26th to provisionally recognise World Boxing, which is currently composed of 84 National Federations over the five continents.
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Boxing likely to return for the 2028 Olympics
The inclusion of boxing for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles has been proposed by the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the 144th IOC Session. The final determination could be made this week in Costa Navarino, Greece. The decision from the EB follows the recommendation made by the Olympic Programme Commission and the provisional recognition granted in February 2025 by the EB to World Boxing as the new international federation within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level. Boxing was not included on the initial sports program approved by the IOC Session in February 2022 because of the then-ongoing concerns arbout [the corrupt] International Boxing Association (IBA), whioch was the former international federation. Following the withdrawal of the IBA’s recognition in June 2023, the inclusion of boxing on the LA28 sports programme remained on hold.
The Paris 2024 boxing competition and its qualifying tournaments were organized under the authority of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, an ad hoc task force created by the EB. This decision was taken in order to protect athlete participation at the Olympic Games and deliver a clear, fair and transparent pathway for boxers to qualify, ensuring a fair and just competition. At Paris 2024, 68 national Olympic committees (NOCs) were represented in the boxing competition, with the IOC Refugee Olympic Team and 31 different NOCs medalling across the 13 events. This was the highest ratio of competing NOCs to medal in one sport at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Last year, the IOC made it clear that National Boxing Federations had to reach a consensus around a new International Federation in order for boxing to be included in the 2028 Olympic Games. Following an assessment of the various criteria regarding governance and sports integrity, the EB decided on February 26th to provisionally recognise World Boxing, which is currently composed of 84 National Federations over the five continents.
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Jamaine Ortiz tops Yomar Alamo |
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Jamaine Ortiz W10 Yomar Alamo ... Junior welterweight Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (19-2-1, 9 KOs) delivered a dominant ten-round unanimous decision victory over Yomar Alamo (22-4-1, 13 KOs) this past weekend. The fight took place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, and aired live on DAZN. From the opening bell, Ortiz, who is co-promoted by Boxlab Promotions and CES Boxing, showcased his superior speed, footwork, and ring IQ, controlling the pace and outclassing Alamo in nearly every round. He cruised to a well-earned victory on scorecards that read 99-91 (twice) and 98-92.
"I knew coming into this fight that I had to win and win impressively, and I did just that. I dominated from start to finish and showed why I belong at the top of the super lightweight division," said Ortiz. "Every fight is another step toward my ultimate goal—winning a world title. This victory puts me in a great position, and I’m ready for the next challenge.”
As he continues his rise, Ortiz is eager to face the division’s elite, calling out the top contenders and proving he is ready for the best. "I want the top guys in the division,” Ortiz added. “Anyone standing in my way, I’m ready to go through them. My style is a problem for anybody—I can outbox you…I can pressure you, and I can break you down mentally. Whoever steps in that ring with me is going to have a long night."
"Jamaine has all the skills to become a world champion,” said Boxlab Promotions President Amaury Piedra as he praised Ortiz’s performance. He’s fought at the championship level and his skill set, determination, and work ethic are second to none. This win was another strong step forward, and I have no doubt he will be fighting for a world title very soon.”
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Jamaine Ortiz tops Yomar Alamo
Jamaine Ortiz W10 Yomar Alamo ... Junior welterweight Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (19-2-1, 9 KOs) delivered a dominant ten-round unanimous decision victory over Yomar Alamo (22-4-1, 13 KOs) this past weekend. The fight took place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, and aired live on DAZN. From the opening bell, Ortiz, who is co-promoted by Boxlab Promotions and CES Boxing, showcased his superior speed, footwork, and ring IQ, controlling the pace and outclassing Alamo in nearly every round. He cruised to a well-earned victory on scorecards that read 99-91 (twice) and 98-92.
"I knew coming into this fight that I had to win and win impressively, and I did just that. I dominated from start to finish and showed why I belong at the top of the super lightweight division," said Ortiz. "Every fight is another step toward my ultimate goal—winning a world title. This victory puts me in a great position, and I’m ready for the next challenge.”
As he continues his rise, Ortiz is eager to face the division’s elite, calling out the top contenders and proving he is ready for the best. "I want the top guys in the division,” Ortiz added. “Anyone standing in my way, I’m ready to go through them. My style is a problem for anybody—I can outbox you…I can pressure you, and I can break you down mentally. Whoever steps in that ring with me is going to have a long night."
"Jamaine has all the skills to become a world champion,” said Boxlab Promotions President Amaury Piedra as he praised Ortiz’s performance. He’s fought at the championship level and his skill set, determination, and work ethic are second to none. This win was another strong step forward, and I have no doubt he will be fighting for a world title very soon.”
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Walsh KOs Sutherland in first round |
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Callum Walsh KO1 Dean Sutherland... Callum Walsh had Irish eyes smiling on St. Patrick’s Day Eve, as the super middleweight knocked out Scotland's Dean Sutherland in the first round at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The end came at 2:45 of the opening round, dominated by Cork’s Walsh, who improved his record to 13-0 with 11 knockouts. Sutherland dropped to 19-2 with 7 knockouts. The 24 year-old Walsh was unfazed by his opponent’s southpaw style, and although Sutherland (19-2 with 7 KOs) resisted some heavy blows in the early stage, Walsh's punches soon took their toll. A big left-right combination just before the end of the round sent Sutherland to the canvas, twisting his leg in the process. Referee Ricky Gonzales didn’t need to count, stopping the fight and allowing the Hollywood-based Walsh to begin the March 17th celebration early.
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Walsh KOs Sutherland in first round
Callum Walsh KO1 Dean Sutherland... Callum Walsh had Irish eyes smiling on St. Patrick’s Day Eve, as the super middleweight knocked out Scotland's Dean Sutherland in the first round at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The end came at 2:45 of the opening round, dominated by Cork’s Walsh, who improved his record to 13-0 with 11 knockouts. Sutherland dropped to 19-2 with 7 knockouts. The 24 year-old Walsh was unfazed by his opponent’s southpaw style, and although Sutherland (19-2 with 7 KOs) resisted some heavy blows in the early stage, Walsh's punches soon took their toll. A big left-right combination just before the end of the round sent Sutherland to the canvas, twisting his leg in the process. Referee Ricky Gonzales didn’t need to count, stopping the fight and allowing the Hollywood-based Walsh to begin the March 17th celebration early.
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BKFC returns to Philly on Friday |
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It’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) fight week in Philadelphia. On Friday, BKFC Fight Night: Philly will take place at the famed 2300 Arena in “The City of Brotherly Love,” live worldwide on The BKFC App. This week’s return to Philadelphia comes hot on the heels of the biggest event in BKFC history — KnuckleMania V in front of more than 17,000 fans at the sold-out Wells Fargo Center. Two of bare knuckle fighting’s fiercest competitors — Dustin “The Disciple” Pague and Andrew Angelcor — meet in Friday’s main event. After a flawless BKFC debut — and successful post-fight marriage proposal — at KnuckleMania V, South Philly's own John “Johnny Garb” Garbarino meets Michael “Murc” Jones in Friday’s co-feature. Friday's action also features Travis “The Animal” Thompson and unbeaten Brandon “Stronghold” Conley in separate bouts.
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BKFC returns to Philly on Friday
It’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) fight week in Philadelphia. On Friday, BKFC Fight Night: Philly will take place at the famed 2300 Arena in “The City of Brotherly Love,” live worldwide on The BKFC App. This week’s return to Philadelphia comes hot on the heels of the biggest event in BKFC history — KnuckleMania V in front of more than 17,000 fans at the sold-out Wells Fargo Center. Two of bare knuckle fighting’s fiercest competitors — Dustin “The Disciple” Pague and Andrew Angelcor — meet in Friday’s main event. After a flawless BKFC debut — and successful post-fight marriage proposal — at KnuckleMania V, South Philly's own John “Johnny Garb” Garbarino meets Michael “Murc” Jones in Friday’s co-feature. Friday's action also features Travis “The Animal” Thompson and unbeaten Brandon “Stronghold” Conley in separate bouts.
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Kambosos gets new opponent for Saturday |
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Matchroom Boxing has announced that former world lightweight champion George Kambosos (pictured) will face a late replacement opponent on Saturday. In his junior welterweight debut, Kambosos is now slated to take on Queenslandm Australia’s Jake Wyllie (16-1, 15 KOs) at the Qudos Bank Arena this Saturday. Kambosos explained further: "[Original opponent Daud] Yordan just pulled out due to medical issues and now is in hospital. Boxing [is] always the unpredictable. Most importantly, I hope he’s OK as I know he was preparing very hard for this opportunity. Ok so im not just going to chill and wait to smack [IBF champion Richardson Hitchins] in a few months and take his belt. I'm ready to showcase all the work we have be putting in over the last three months and will give a good local Aussie kid a shot!! Five days out, there is no show without me. The undercard needs me and I want them all to shine and be paid for the hard work they have put in. Australian boxing needs me, and victory no matter what, sets up my world title shot next. Jake Wyllie, you are the current Australian 140-pound national champion. You're the only one that hasn’t been disrespectful for a payday, and I like how you have gone about your business, so I’m giving you the Rocky shot!!! But this ain’t a Rocky movie, don’t get it twisted, there is no happy ending. Ferocious statement [coming]. See you all Saturday night. The show goes on, the Ferocious Show."
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Kambosos gets new opponent for Saturday
Matchroom Boxing has announced that former world lightweight champion George Kambosos (pictured) will face a late replacement opponent on Saturday. In his junior welterweight debut, Kambosos is now slated to take on Queenslandm Australia’s Jake Wyllie (16-1, 15 KOs) at the Qudos Bank Arena this Saturday. Kambosos explained further: "[Original opponent Daud] Yordan just pulled out due to medical issues and now is in hospital. Boxing [is] always the unpredictable. Most importantly, I hope he’s OK as I know he was preparing very hard for this opportunity. Ok so im not just going to chill and wait to smack [IBF champion Richardson Hitchins] in a few months and take his belt. I'm ready to showcase all the work we have be putting in over the last three months and will give a good local Aussie kid a shot!! Five days out, there is no show without me. The undercard needs me and I want them all to shine and be paid for the hard work they have put in. Australian boxing needs me, and victory no matter what, sets up my world title shot next. Jake Wyllie, you are the current Australian 140-pound national champion. You're the only one that hasn’t been disrespectful for a payday, and I like how you have gone about your business, so I’m giving you the Rocky shot!!! But this ain’t a Rocky movie, don’t get it twisted, there is no happy ending. Ferocious statement [coming]. See you all Saturday night. The show goes on, the Ferocious Show."
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ESPN to coordinate Inoue broadcast around Ohtani baseball game |
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Japanese icon Naoya Inoue will defend his world 122-pound championship against Ramon Cardenas on Sunday, May 4th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Inoue-Cardenas and the WBO featherweight title bout between reigning champion Rafael Espinoza and Edward Vazquez will headline a championship doubleheader that will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The Inoue-Cardenas card is scheduled to air immediately following the Sunday Night Baseball game between Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. Undercard bouts will be announced soon and stream live and exclusively on ESPN+.
“This is a tremendous platform for Inoue to perform, as he and the incomparable Ohtani are two of Japan’s most decorated athletes,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “This promises to be a special event at T-Mobile Arena and for boxing fans watching on ESPN.” Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Ohashi Promotion, Teiken Promotions, and Sampson Boxing, tickets are on sale now via AXS.com.
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ESPN to coordinate Inoue broadcast around Ohtani baseball game
Japanese icon Naoya Inoue will defend his world 122-pound championship against Ramon Cardenas on Sunday, May 4th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Inoue-Cardenas and the WBO featherweight title bout between reigning champion Rafael Espinoza and Edward Vazquez will headline a championship doubleheader that will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The Inoue-Cardenas card is scheduled to air immediately following the Sunday Night Baseball game between Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. Undercard bouts will be announced soon and stream live and exclusively on ESPN+.
“This is a tremendous platform for Inoue to perform, as he and the incomparable Ohtani are two of Japan’s most decorated athletes,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “This promises to be a special event at T-Mobile Arena and for boxing fans watching on ESPN.” Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Ohashi Promotion, Teiken Promotions, and Sampson Boxing, tickets are on sale now via AXS.com.
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Welcome to Fundora vs. Booker fight week |
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Its Fundora vs. Booker fight week as WBC / WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (pictured) steps into the ring to make the first defense of his unified titles against Chordale Booker headlining PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video action Saturday, March 22nd at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. In the co-main feature, Mexico's Jesus Ramos Jr. will battle Guido Emmanuel Schramm in a ten-round junior middleweight showdown. Also, rising middleweight Elijah Garcia duels veteran contender and U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in the ten-round opening bout. The tripleheader will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now at AXS.com.
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Welcome to Fundora vs. Booker fight week
Its Fundora vs. Booker fight week as WBC / WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (pictured) steps into the ring to make the first defense of his unified titles against Chordale Booker headlining PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video action Saturday, March 22nd at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. In the co-main feature, Mexico's Jesus Ramos Jr. will battle Guido Emmanuel Schramm in a ten-round junior middleweight showdown. Also, rising middleweight Elijah Garcia duels veteran contender and U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in the ten-round opening bout. The tripleheader will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now at AXS.com.
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Report: Iran Barkley recovering from stroke |
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UPDATE: New York promoter Lou DiBella tweeted, "Just spoke to Iran. He sounded really strong and was joking around. Said no little stroke keeping him on the canvas. He's grateful to everyone for the love and prayers. God is good." On Friday, DiBella tweeted, "Prayers up for a NYC boxing legend and a really, really, good guy, Iran Barkley, who's now hospitalized following a stroke. Much love to the Blade." For those too young to remember, Barkley was a three-division champion in the three-belt era. He twice defeated the great Thomas Hearns and lost a very controversial decision to Roberto Duran. Barkley's pro career spanned 1982-1999 and his overall record was 43-19-1, with too many losses towards the end of his career. Boxingtalk sends its best wishes to Barkley and his loved ones.
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Report: Iran Barkley recovering from stroke
UPDATE: New York promoter Lou DiBella tweeted, "Just spoke to Iran. He sounded really strong and was joking around. Said no little stroke keeping him on the canvas. He's grateful to everyone for the love and prayers. God is good." On Friday, DiBella tweeted, "Prayers up for a NYC boxing legend and a really, really, good guy, Iran Barkley, who's now hospitalized following a stroke. Much love to the Blade." For those too young to remember, Barkley was a three-division champion in the three-belt era. He twice defeated the great Thomas Hearns and lost a very controversial decision to Roberto Duran. Barkley's pro career spanned 1982-1999 and his overall record was 43-19-1, with too many losses towards the end of his career. Boxingtalk sends its best wishes to Barkley and his loved ones.
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NYC to host Irish card today |
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A big Irish boxing card is coming to The Theater at New York City's Madison Square Garden today -- St. Patrick's Day eve. Presented by Tom Loeffler's 360 Promotions, the card will be headlined by undefeated junior middleweight Callum Walsh, from Cork, Ireland, who is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach. Walsh (12-0, 10 KOs), will be in the ring against Dean Sutherland (19-1, seven KOs), from Aberdeen, Scotland. The top portion of the seven-bout card, featuring seven fighters from Ireland or of Irish descent, will be streamed live globally on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
Making his pro debut on the undercard will be light heavyweight amateur standout Sean O'Bradaigh, in a four-round bout, against Jefferson Almeida, from Campo Grande, Brasil, also making his pro debut. O'Bradaigh, 22, a first generation American, is not your typical boxer having completed his bachelor's degree in real estate finance at New York University last December. He will receive his diploma at NYU's commencement in May. As for O'Bradaigh's boxing credentials, he won the 2023 New York Golden Gloves tournament (now called the Ring Masters) at Madison Square Garden in the 165 pound division and the Elite 176 pound title in the 2023 New York Boxing Tournament. He was also a three-time National Amateur semifinalist -- twice in the U.S. and once in Ireland -- and a 2024 Olympic trials competitor. He was ranked as high as no. 8 in the U.S. Amateurs light heavyweight division. The card's first three bouts, including Sean's, will be streamed live and free on the UFC Fight Pass YouTube channel beginning at 4 p.m. ET
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NYC to host Irish card today
A big Irish boxing card is coming to The Theater at New York City's Madison Square Garden today -- St. Patrick's Day eve. Presented by Tom Loeffler's 360 Promotions, the card will be headlined by undefeated junior middleweight Callum Walsh, from Cork, Ireland, who is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach. Walsh (12-0, 10 KOs), will be in the ring against Dean Sutherland (19-1, seven KOs), from Aberdeen, Scotland. The top portion of the seven-bout card, featuring seven fighters from Ireland or of Irish descent, will be streamed live globally on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
Making his pro debut on the undercard will be light heavyweight amateur standout Sean O'Bradaigh, in a four-round bout, against Jefferson Almeida, from Campo Grande, Brasil, also making his pro debut. O'Bradaigh, 22, a first generation American, is not your typical boxer having completed his bachelor's degree in real estate finance at New York University last December. He will receive his diploma at NYU's commencement in May. As for O'Bradaigh's boxing credentials, he won the 2023 New York Golden Gloves tournament (now called the Ring Masters) at Madison Square Garden in the 165 pound division and the Elite 176 pound title in the 2023 New York Boxing Tournament. He was also a three-time National Amateur semifinalist -- twice in the U.S. and once in Ireland -- and a 2024 Olympic trials competitor. He was ranked as high as no. 8 in the U.S. Amateurs light heavyweight division. The card's first three bouts, including Sean's, will be streamed live and free on the UFC Fight Pass YouTube channel beginning at 4 p.m. ET
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Nick Ball stops TJ Doheny |
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<div> <strong>Nick Ball TKO10 TJ Doheny ... </strong>Nick Ball made his second successful defence of his WBA featherweight title against former 122-pound champion TJ Doheny with the fight being stopped at the end of the tenth round. Doheny's corner pulled him out because with Doheny's eyes closing, he couldn't see Ball's punches coming. By round nine, Doheny was showing a lot of damage around the eye when Ball had a point deducted for throwing Doheny to the ground. The penalty would not make any difference. The action was live on TNT Sports 1</div> <div> </div> <div> <strong>Andrew Cain W12 Charlie Edwards... </strong>The main support bout in Liverpool saw British and Commonwealth bantamweight champ Andrew Cain edge former WBC flyweight title holder Charlie Edwards via a split decision. Cain took the contest on two cards 115-114 and 116-112, with the third judge giving Edwards the fight 115-113. Former champion Carl Frampton, TNT Sport's analyst, scored the fight a draw.</div>
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Nick Ball stops TJ Doheny
Nick Ball TKO10 TJ Doheny ... Nick Ball made his second successful defence of his WBA featherweight title against former 122-pound champion TJ Doheny with the fight being stopped at the end of the tenth round. Doheny's corner pulled him out because with Doheny's eyes closing, he couldn't see Ball's punches coming. By round nine, Doheny was showing a lot of damage around the eye when Ball had a point deducted for throwing Doheny to the ground. The penalty would not make any difference. The action was live on TNT Sports 1 Andrew Cain W12 Charlie Edwards... The main support bout in Liverpool saw British and Commonwealth bantamweight champ Andrew Cain edge former WBC flyweight title holder Charlie Edwards via a split decision. Cain took the contest on two cards 115-114 and 116-112, with the third judge giving Edwards the fight 115-113. Former champion Carl Frampton, TNT Sport's analyst, scored the fight a draw.
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Four-belt atomweight unification set for April 5th |
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Tina Rupprecht will face Japan’s Sumire Yamanaka in Germany for the unification of the WBC, WBO, IBF and WBA atomweight (102-pound) titles. The bout will take place on April 5th at the MBS Arena in Potsdam, Germany. Rupprecht is a two-division champion, having won the WBC 105-pound title in 2018 by defeating Niorkis “Bachaca” Carreno by unanimous decision. After four successful defenses, she was defeated by American Seniesa Estrada. The German Rupprecht then moved down a division to fight for the WBC atomweight title, defeating the Czech Fabiana Bytyqi to become the champion. Last year, Rupprecht added the WBA and WBA titles by defeating Eri Matsuda. Yamanaka, from Japan like Matsuda, is undefeated and holds the IBF world title, having beaten Mika Iwakawa for her title in 2024.
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Four-belt atomweight unification set for April 5th
Tina Rupprecht will face Japan’s Sumire Yamanaka in Germany for the unification of the WBC, WBO, IBF and WBA atomweight (102-pound) titles. The bout will take place on April 5th at the MBS Arena in Potsdam, Germany. Rupprecht is a two-division champion, having won the WBC 105-pound title in 2018 by defeating Niorkis “Bachaca” Carreno by unanimous decision. After four successful defenses, she was defeated by American Seniesa Estrada. The German Rupprecht then moved down a division to fight for the WBC atomweight title, defeating the Czech Fabiana Bytyqi to become the champion. Last year, Rupprecht added the WBA and WBA titles by defeating Eri Matsuda. Yamanaka, from Japan like Matsuda, is undefeated and holds the IBF world title, having beaten Mika Iwakawa for her title in 2024.
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Berlanga makes quick work of comeback opponent |
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Edgar Berlanga TKO1 Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz... In Orlando, Florida, super middleweight Edgar Berlanga made quick work of Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz on Saturday night with a first-round TKO victory. Berlanga (23-1) had not fought since last year's loss to world champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. For his return, Berlanga played it safe with in his choice of opponents, but got two knockdowns leading up to the stoppage. Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-1-1) had not lost prior to this fight, but he had barely fought at all since 2014 and looked to be in poor condition. Berlanga's victory over Gonzalez-Ortiz on Saturday night came a day after Berlanga turned up 1.6 pounds over the limit during Friday's weigh-in.
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Berlanga makes quick work of comeback opponent
Edgar Berlanga TKO1 Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz... In Orlando, Florida, super middleweight Edgar Berlanga made quick work of Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz on Saturday night with a first-round TKO victory. Berlanga (23-1) had not fought since last year's loss to world champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. For his return, Berlanga played it safe with in his choice of opponents, but got two knockdowns leading up to the stoppage. Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-1-1) had not lost prior to this fight, but he had barely fought at all since 2014 and looked to be in poor condition. Berlanga's victory over Gonzalez-Ortiz on Saturday night came a day after Berlanga turned up 1.6 pounds over the limit during Friday's weigh-in.
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