Ring Magazine's Keith Idec broke the news that undefeated lightweight Floyd Schofield, Jr. has been ruled of Saturday's WBC title challenge against Shakur Stevenson in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Ring report said only that Schofield was too ill to fight. His condition may have been related to an effort to cut weight for 135-pound fight. According to the Ring, an effort is being made to bring in a replacement challenger to face Stevenson. Boxingtalk understand that England’s Josh Padley (15-0) hs edged out Spain’s Moussa Gholam (22-1) as the substitute opponent to challenge Stevenson.

Schofield's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, issued the following statement confirming the news: "Yesterday, Floyd 'Kid Austin' Schofield Jr. fell ill and was transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure. In the interest of Schofield’s health and safety, the British Boxing Board of Control made the decision to cancel his scheduled bout against Shakur Stevenson. Schofield has since been discharged from the hospital and is awaiting the results of his medical evaluation. We extend our gratitude to His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, SELA, and the medical professionals who provided Schofield with care."

James Dickens W10 Zelfa Barrett... Veteran southpaw James “Jazza” Dickens put on a high-energy performance to upset the favored Zelfa Barrett (31-3), securing a unanimous decision victory at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. After ten action-packed rounds in the junior lightweight division, Dickens (35-5) effectively used his left-handed stance to break through Barrett’s guard and land punishing body shots throughout the fight. The third round saw Dickens push Barrett back with sharp left hands, but the hometown fighter bounced back in the fourth, responding with crisp combinations. The middle rounds delivered thrilling exchanges, with the seventh standing out as an evenly contested, high-paced battle. However, Dickens took control in the eighth, rocking Barrett with multiple clean left hands. One of the most exciting moments came later in the fight when Dickens landed a well-placed left to the head, followed by a powerful right that visibly shook Barrett. After ten rounds, the judges scored it 97-93 (twice) and 96-94, all in favor of Dickens.

Former junior flyweight champion Luis “Lumumba” Estaba passed away on Sunday, February 16th at the age of 86. Born in Güiria, Venezuela, Estaba carved out a remarkable career in the ring, ultimately reaching the pinnacle of the sport as a world champion. He made his professional debut in 1967 at age 29 and hung up his gloves 11 years later, in 1978. Estaba finished his career with a record of 41 wins, 9 losses, and 2 draws, with 27 of those victories coming by knockout. A true pioneer in the 108-pound division, he became the WBC champion in 1975 at the age of 37 with a knockout victory over Paraguay’s Rafael Lovera. He then successfully defended his title 11 times and in 1977, he was named Venezuelan Athlete of the Year. His title reign ended in February 1978 with a loss to Mexico’s Freddy Castillo. Estaba fought on until he was 40 when Venezuelan law forced him to retire due to his age. Boxingtalk joins the WBA and WBC in extending its heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of Luis Estaba.

Félix Sturm TKO3 Benjamin Blindert ... Now campaigning at light heavyweight, former WBA middleweight champion Félix Sturm turned back the clock over the weekend, stopping Benjamin Blindert in three rounds at the Ratiopharm Arena in Neu-Ulm, Germany. Now 46 years old, Sturm showed that experience and ring IQ still were enough to win at this level. From the opening bell, he pressed forward, closing the distance to work his combinations and break down Blindert, whose record is now 14-2-2. Sturm's first major breakthrough came in round two, when a crisp right hand sent his opponent crashing to the canvas. Blindert beat the count, but Sturm never let up. He continued applying pressure, smothering Blindert’s attempts to find space. The third round was all Sturm. He dropped Blindert twice, first with a sharp right hook, then moments later with a right uppercut that left the referee no choice but to wave it off. Since returning to the ring in 2020, Sturm has strung together six wins, defeating Timo Rost, James Kraft, Istvan Szili, and Sukru Altay (twice). With the victory, Sturm improves to 45-6-3.

WBC 140-pound champion Alberto Puello updated his training camp status and previewed his upcoming showdown against Sandor Martin before they meet on Saturday, March 1st on the PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The pay-per-view features four title fights and is headlined by WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis dueling WBA junior lightweight champion Lamont Roach. Plus, WBA junior welterweight champion Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela will take on Gary Antuanne Russell while Yoenis Tellez battles former unified junior middleweight champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams for the WBA interim title in the pay-per-view opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. In addition to the PPV being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.
 
Here is what Puello (23-0, 10 KOs) had to say about facing Martin, training camp with Ismael Salas and more:
 
On training camp with famed trainer Ismael Salas in Las Vegas:
 
“I’m pushing myself to be the best. Every day we’re in the gym sharpening my skills, working on my movement and making sure I’m in top shape. Coach Salas has a great eye for detail, so we’re focused on the little things that will make a big difference in the ring. We’re making sure I’m going to be the best Alberto Puello that anyone has seen.”
 
On facing Sandor Martin:
 
“Sandor Martin is going to be a tough challenge. He’s the number one contender for a reason. He’s got a smart and complicated style, but we’ve been studying him closely. I’m preparing to take away his strengths and impose my own game plan. When that bell rings, I’ll be ready for whatever he brings.”
 
On what a win would say about his standing in the junior welterweight division:
 
“The only thing I’m envisioning is a win and keeping my unbeaten record. This win not only strengthens my status as world champions, but it creates the opportunity for even bigger matchups. I’m here to show that I’m the best champion in the 140-pound division. This fight is a huge opportunity to prove that to the world.”
 
On fighting in New York for the first time as a pro:
 
“Fighting at Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the first time is going to be special. I hear the energy in New York is different, and I know the fans are going to bring their passion. I’m very proud to be representing the Dominican Republic in New York and I hope the fans come out to see me do it in style. When I step in the ring and they see how I fight, I know they’re going to love it. I can’t wait to put on a show and give them a performance they won’t forget.”
 

Top Rank's Hall of Fame matchmaker Bruce Trampler publicly criticized heavyweight Jaren Anderson's lackluster performance on Saturday night. Anderson (pictured) easily defeated Marios Kollias but nonetheless tired down the stretch. Trampler tweeter: "If Jared Aderson don’t want it, he ain’t gonna get it. Today looked like all the people at Top Rank worked harder for him than he worked for himself. You can be world champ if you truly want it.  Sad if you don’t realize your potential and give it your best effort.  But that’s up to you, champ.  We still love you and Azim. The ESPN team called it the way they saw it, and so did I.  I’m one of Jared’s biggest supporters as a person and a fighter, but he’s got to do his part.  Don’t make excuses for his performance... [It] is so frustrating. Jared’s a good kid and could do some really special things in the ring, but it takes work, not coming in at heaviest weight ever." [Anderson, who is promoted by Top Rank, weighed 256.75 pounds].

WBA junior welterweight champion Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela intends to make a statement in his first title defense as he takes on Gary Antuanne Russell on Saturday, March 1st as part of a PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. “I don't believe that Gary Antuanne Russell belongs here with me,” said Valenzuela. “He’s a strong, solid, durable fighter. He’s good, but I think he’s a little stiff when I look at him more. I worked my ass off to get here, and this is a bit of a handout for him. I took two tough losses and came back from hell to get the ‘Pitbull’ Cruz fight and conquer that. Russell has had everything given to him and I think it's gonna show on March 1.”
 
The 25 year-old Valenzuela (14-2, 9 KOs) earned his world title in his last fight, dethroning fellow Mexican star Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz via decision last summer. Facing one of the sport’s premier action fighters, Valenzuela believes he showed all the levels to his game by delivering a signature performance. “My mentality going into the ‘Pitbull’ fight was that I was gonna show that I'm a more diverse fighter than I got credit for, not just a knockout puncher,” said Valenzuela. “I have a full arsenal. I showed my poise in the ring and I showed my ring generalship. There were a lot of little things that I did that had a major effect in the fight.”
 
Heading into that fight, Valenzuela had come off of back-to-back training camps with famed trainer Robert Garcia and will look to continue the steady improvement that he’s shown since teaming up with one of the sport’s best.  
“Having Robert Garcia in my corner gives me a lot of confidence,” said Valenzuela. “He's really fixed my fundamentals. Everything comes together nicely when we're working together. This training camp is going great. I've been conquering every day with hard work. I'm taking it all in and learning each day. It's just about learning the techniques and working hard.”
 
While Valenzuela was able to show off his versatility in out-boxing Cruz on his way to a decision, he believes that the style matchup with Russell will force him to go toe-to-toe on March 1, delivering fireworks for fans tuning in. “Fans can expect an action-packed fight,” said Valenzuela. “Stylistically it's a great matchup with him being a lefty and coming with the high guard marching forward. Gary is a lot taller than ‘Pitbull’. I knew I could dance around ‘Pitbull’, but with Gary I think I'm gonna have to fight through him.”
 
Russell was a 2016 U.S. Olympian who comes from one of the sport’s preeminent boxing families, as he’s trained by his brother, former WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. By voluntarily taking on a tough challenge in his first title defense, Valenzuela intends to prove his standing in the stacked 140-pound division. “Taking on Gary Antuanne for my first title defense says a lot about me,” said Valenzuela. “People have to respect it. My name is on the radar because of the kind of opposition I'm going up against.
 
“I think I'm at the top of this division with guys like Teofimo Lopez and Alberto Puello,” said Valenzuela. “I believe strongly that I can beat all of these guys. It's just a matter of taking it one fight at a time. Gary Antuanne Russell is in the way of where I'm trying to get to. I've got my full attention on him and I give him his respect. But there's more that I want to do. My story is gonna continue after this.”

Jared Anderson W10 Marios Kollias,... Coming into Madison Sqaure Garden at a career-high 256.8 pounds, American heavyweight Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson, of Toledo, Ohio, returned to the ring following a knockout loss against Martin Bakole last August. Facing him tonight was Greece's Marios Kollias, 235.4, based out of Orebro, Sweden, who was making his United States debut. Coming out in a southpaw stance, Anderson ended a tentative round one with a powerful combination. As the bout progressed, “The Real Big Baby” kept a measured pace placing single shots with force to the head and body. However his defense was lacking. Though nothing appeared to hurt Anderson, Kollias had his moments landing significant power punches. Halfway through, Kollias’ left eye was swelling and a tiring Anderson was fighting with his mouth open. After ten dominant but unimpressive rounds, Anderson won a unanimous decision via tallies of 99-91 (twice) and 98-92, to improve to 18-1 (15 KOs). Kollias went home with a record of 12-3-1 (10 KOs). 

In a Twitter post liked by women's heavyweight champion Claressa Shields, Victor Conte seemed to suggest that Shields had tested positive for marijuana after her last fight, but that she was innocent of any wrongdoing. 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 [a win over Danielle Perkins on February 2nd in Flint, 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. More information about this rather unusual case will become available soon."

In approving Conte's statement, Shields lashed out at people who were calling her a cheater: "Mice 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 marjuana.

According to Front Office Sports, the partnership between Top Rank, the leading boxing promoter in the United States, and ESPN will be ending in a few months. The report said the decision was made by ESPN not to renew the contract that is set to expire in August. Top Rank will search for a new broadcast partner, although that search will be hindered by ESPN leaking out this news. The article further reported that ESPN would not object if Top Rank signed a deal with another network and wanted to leave ESPN even earlier than August. The current relationship between the two dates back to 2017.

WBA welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) is entering the final days of his Lithuanian training camp in his hometown of Kaunas before heading to the United States to complete preparations for his unification showdown against Jaron “Boots” Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs). The two elite welterweights will battle for the IBF and WBA world welterweight titles on April 12th at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, live on DAZN. Before departing for the United States, Stanionis, who fights under the TGB Promotions banner, has been training as well as mentoring young teens at the local after school program for troubled teens, an experience that has fueled his motivation for this career-defining moment. "Spending these last days training at home with my gym mates and mentoring the young kids at the local afterschool program means everything to me," said Stanionis. "I remember growing up with friends that were struggling, so I feel it’s my duty to help these kids out as best I can. Now, I’m here, and I want to show them that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible."

As the first Lithuanian-born world champion in boxing history, Stanionis is proud to represent his country on one of the sport’s biggest stages and hopes to bring home another major victory for his homeland. "Every time I step into the ring, I carry Lithuania with me," Stanionis continued. "This fight isn’t just about me—it’s about my country, my people, and the next generation of Lithuanian fighters. I fight with pride, and on April 12th, I plan to make history once again."

A win over Ennis would establish Stanionis as one of the premier forces in the welterweight division and catapult him into global superstardom. "This is the biggest fight of my career, and a victory over Ennis will put my name alongside the best in the world," Stanionis stated. "He’s a great fighter, but I’m coming to prove that I belong at the very top. This is my moment, and I won’t let it slip away."

With his time in Lithuania coming to an end, Stanionis is looking forward to beginning the final phase of his camp in Los Angeles, where he will fine-tune his skills at the legendary Wild Card Boxing gym with coach Marvin Somodio ahead of the biggest fight of his career. "Training in Los Angeles at Wild Card, with coach Marvin, will be the perfect way to sharpen everything up before the fight. The work I put in there, the elite sparring, will make sure I’m 100% ready to go on April 12," he concluded. "I’m excited, focused, and prepared to leave everything in the ring."

Salita Promotions and Fresh Productions have announced the addition of several competitive undercard bouts to the March 1st show in Fajardo, Puerto Rico headlined by ex-champ Subriel Matías (21-2, 21 KOs) against Mexico’s hard-hitting Gabriel Valenzuela (30-3, 17 KOs). The main event will be an IBF junior welterweight eliminator. DAZN will stream all the action. As for the newly announced supporting bouts, Alfredo Santiago (16-2, 7 KOs) will battle Javier Fortuna (39-5, 28 KOs) of the Dominican Republic. Santiago was also born in the Dominican Republic but resides in Fajardo. Nestor Bravo (23-0, 16 KOs) is matched against South Afdrican gatekeeper Xolisani Ndongeni (32-6, 19 KOs). Also announced for the show is the professional debut of Puerto Rico’s Yandiel Lozano and another fight for Salita Promotions heavyweight Pryce Taylor (6-0, 4 KOs) from Brooklyn, N.Y.
 
Returning to Puerto Rico for the second time in five months, Salita Promotions has continued to explore the rich boxing talent residing on the island, much like the company has done the past two years in the state of Michigan. With a proven track record of discovering talent throughout the greater Detroit and Flint, Mich., region, Salita Promotions president Dmitriy Salita continues to give up-and-coming and rising talent a global platform to perform. “We provided a path and platform for many fighters to earn recognition and achieve their dreams,” said Dmitriy Salita. “From solidified world champions like Claressa Shields to budding stars like Ardreal Holmes Jr., Salita Promotions continues to mine for the next super stars of boxing throughout Michigan and now we are doing the same in Puerto Rico. Stars from the Caribbean Island such as Miguel Cotto, Félix Trinidad, and Juan ‘John John’ Molina have all paved the way for the prospects we will be showcasing on March 1.”
 
Santiago, age 30, returns to the ring on the heels of a statement first-round TKO victory over Mexico’s Pedro Campa in November 2024. Currently on the strength of three straight victories, Santiago defeated Angel Fierro via unanimous decision in June. Starting his pro career off with a record of 12-0, Santiago lost a challenge to future world lightweight champion Devin Haney in November 2019. "This is a great opportunity to showcase the level I am at,” said Santiago. “I have worked hard, I’m in my best shape, and on March 1 in Fajardo, I’m going to give it my all in the ring. I respect Javier Fortuna, but he will find out that he's facing a true warrior. I'm ready for any version of him that shows up in front of my people in Fajardo. I’m going to go to war and take the victory."
 
Entering his second bout in just over two months, the 35-year-old Fortuna will compete in Puerto Rico for the first time. Like his opponent, Fortuna is coming off a TKO victory, defeating Jonatan Mariano in December 2024. Boasting 28 knockouts to his resume, Fortuna challenged former IBF super featherweight champion Joseph "JoJo" Diaz in 2021 for a WBC interim lightweight title.
 
In addition, Bravo and Ndongeni will collide at junior welterweight. Hailing from Arecibo, P.R., Bravo will return to action after nearly a year away from the ring. In his last outing, Bravo scored a second-round knockout victory over Carlos Manuel Portillo. Following a decorated amateur career with numerous national and international tournament wins, Bravo turned professional in 2015 when he defeated Nestor Ortiz via knockout.
 
Ndongeni is looking to insert himself back into the win column against Bravo. A tenured competitor, Ndongeni has held some smaller titles and aims to give the rising Bravo his first defeat.
 
Kicking off the night live on DAZN and in a quick turnaround, Brooklyn, N.Y.’s Pryce Taylor returns to action against Arizona’s Trevor Kotara (4-3-1, 1 KO) following his second-round knockout victory over Jerell Nettles on February 2nd. Taylor signed with Salita Promotions in November 2024, and has since gone 2-0 under the banner, both victories coming by way of knockout. Standing at 6-foot-4, Taylor is a former collegiate basketball player and has won two New York Golden Gloves title.
 
Lastly, Puerto Rico’s own Yandiel Lozano will make his much-anticipated professional debut. The silver medalist at the World Youth Championships, a four-time champion of the Bert Sugar Tournament, Florida Junior Silver Gloves champion, and two-time Puerto Rican National Champion, Lozano steps into the star-studded featherweight division after a solid amateur career.
 
“Fajardo is filled with pride as it welcomes home two of its greatest warriors of the ring,” said José Aníbal Meléndez, Mayor Autonomous Municipality of Fajardo. “Subriel Matías, born and raised in our town, returns to the ring to once again prove why he is one of the most outstanding figures in world boxing. Alongside him, another great champion from Fajardo, Alfredo ‘Ojo’ Santiago, will be defending his title, proudly representing our city. For Fajardo, this event is not just a sporting spectacle but a celebration of the determination, discipline, and talent that define our athletes.”

Former IBF lightweight champion Richard “RC” Commey (30-5-1, 27 KOs) returns to the ring after a two-year absence on Sunday, February 23rd on a show presented by World Kid Promotions at Kings Theater in Brooklyn, New York. The action will be streamed live on www.bxngtv.com. Commey joins another former champion, Brooklyn junior middleweight Sadam “World Kid” Ali (27-3, 14 KOs), who returns to the ring after a 5 ½ years absence from the ring in the eight-round main event against Victoriano Antonio Santillan (13-7-2, 8 KOs) of Argentina. The former champions' friendship is critical in terms of Commey’s return and they’re doing it together. “I have a great relationship with Sadam,” Commey explained. “I was training in his gym when I wasn’t world champ and I’m still training there. I stayed in camp with him when he became world champion. We are very good friends – like family – especially when we talk about boxing.”

A Ghana native, Commey fights out of The Bronx and faces an opponent to be finalized in an eight-round welterweight bout. The 37 year-old Commey captured the vacant IBF crown on February 2, 2019, when he stopped Isa Chaniev (13-1) in the second round. Three-and-one-half months later, Commey successfully defended his title with an eighth-round stoppage of Raymundo Beltran (36-8-1). Commey was idle for the last two years because of life and managerial issues that are now resolved. He’s returning to the ring, not for a one-and-done fight, but for a final career run.

“I had to clear my mind,” Commey talked about his situation that kept him out of the ring. “This is the first of many fights to follow, but I still have to look at my performance that will tell me about upcoming fights.”

Also on the show, YouTube infuiencer junior welterweight Adam Saleh (1-0-1, 0 KOs) of East Meadow, New York, who is supported by his nearly 5-million subscribers, is booked for a four-round match against TBA.

Other fighters on the undercard include Brooklyn bantamweight Khalid Twaiti (14-0, 5 KOs), runner-up in the 2015 USA National Championships, is coming off his first ten-round fight last October, in which he won by way of a dominant unanimous decision (99-91, 99-91, 98-91) over Emmanuel Rodriguez (15-1) in Newark, New Jersey... Brooklyn junior lightweight “Speedy” Chiara Dituri (9-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round match, as well as pro-debuting New York City junior middleweight Jahanze Riswan and pro-debuting light heavyweight Mike Boyle, who is a Yonkers (NY) firefighter, in a pair of four-rounders.

A former WBO junior middleweight champ and a 2008 U.S. Olympian, Ali’s company, World Kid, is promoting this event, its first since 2012, which was also held in Brooklyn.  Ali captured his title in 2017, upsetting Miguel Cotto (41-5) at the famed Madison Square Garden.

In Friday's ten-round junior middleweight co-feature at Madison Square Garden's Theater in New York City, Puerto Rico's Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) looks to retain his WBO #1 ranking against fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs) of Germany. Here is what Spomer had to say at the final press conference earlier this week: "I want to show that I belong at the top. Xander is also a top boxer, and I want to climb to the top. In order to get there, you have to fight the best fighters in the world. That’s why I’m here. Camp with Roy Jones Jr. was amazing. So, two dreams have come true. One was to fight at Madison Square Garden, and the other was to prepare with Roy Jones Jr. The preparation and camp were very good. I’ve been in the game long, so I didn’t need to learn the basics. But now, I see different things because of what Roy has taught me. So, I’m proud of that opportunity.”

It’s an all-British welterweight showdown this Saturday night at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, where undefeated Pat McCormack will put hius skills to the test against former European and British champion Robbie Davies Jr. At 29 years old, McCormack has logged just thirty professional rounds, only a fraction of the experience Davies Jr. brings to the ring. But McCormack, a Sunderland native who won a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, has made a seamless transition to the pro ranks since debuting in 2022. McCormack is coming off a decision win over Argentina’s Williams Herrera in this very arena.

In the opposite corner, Davies Jr. a battle-tested veteran with a deep résumé. The Liverpool native is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over Javier Fortuna on November 1, 2024, bouncing back from a decision loss to ex-IBF champ Sergey Lipinets. With a career full of high-level opposition, Davies poses the toughest test yet for the rising Olympian.

McCormack enters the ring with an unblemished 6-0 record, four of those wins coming by knockout. Davies brings a 24-5 record with 15 knockouts to his name.

The [scandal-plagued] International Boxing Association (IBA) [the amateur federation excluded from the Olympic movement because of prior corruption allegations] released a statement that it is committed to "upholding the integrity of female sports." In the wake of an executive ordersigned by United States president Donald Trump banning transgenders from competing outside of the gender they were assigned at birth, the IBA announced it is filing an official complaint with the Attorney General of Switzerland, Stefan Blätter. The complaint will be filed against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for facilitating the participation of boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting in the women's division. [It should be noted, neither of these boxers are transgender. It seems, although is not officially confirmed, that both were intersex and raised as women their entire life. Both won Olympic gold medals at the 2024 Paris games].

Ihe IBA argues that: "according to the Swiss law, any action or inaction that poses a safety risk to competition participants warrants investigation and may serve as grounds for criminal prosecution. In addition, similar complaints are to be filed with the Attorneys General of France and the USA."

IBA President Umar Kremlev added, "President Trump’s order to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport validates IBA’s efforts to protect the integrity of female sports. Our actions aim to ensure gender equality in boxing. We urge other international federations to follow IBA’s example, as we are uniquely positioned to address this issue and advocate for our athletes’ rights."

Kremlev further encouraged boxers who were impacted by the IOC’s decision to allow Khelif and Lin to compete in the Paris 2024 qualification tournament or Olympic boxing events to pursue legal action against IOC president Thomas Bach and sports director Kit McConnell. "IBA will provide free-of-charge comprehensive legal support to our boxers in these lawsuits, as this is a clear violation of human rights, an outrage towards the female boxers, and simply a crime that should be punished accordingly. In my personal opinion, Thomas Bach should take the full responsibility for this, as he was in charge when it happened, and he needs to compensate the damages caused, if the court or any other instance rules this," said Kremlev in a press release.

 

Camponovo Sports' Miguel "El Explosivo" Madueño (31-1, 28 KOs), is set to take on Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar Duarte (28-2-1, 22 KOs) in a high-stakes showdown on just ten days’ notice. The twelve-round main event will be broadcast live on DAZN from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, this Saturday February 15th. Having just arrived in California, Madueño shares his thoughts on his training camp, the challenge of facing Duarte, stepping in on short notice, and more.

Arriving in California:

"I just arrived in California this past weekend, and from the moment I touched down, it’s been all about getting locked in. The adjustment has been quick, but as I mentioned before, I stay ready at all times. My team and I have been putting in the work, sharpening up the game plan, and making the most of every session. I feel strong and confident heading into fight night."


Matchup with Oscar Duarte:

"Duarte is a tough, aggressive fighter who comes forward with power, but I’m prepared for that style. I also like to come forward, making this a fight the fans will want to see. I respect what he brings to the table, but I know my own strengths and what I’m capable of.  This is going to be a battle of two Mexican warriors, and I’m ready to give the fans an exciting fight."

Taking the fight on ten days’ notice:

"This is the kind of opportunity I train for. Some fighters hesitate when they get a call like this, but I don’t. I stay in shape, I stay ready, and I believe in myself. Short notice or not, I’m stepping in with full confidence that I can get the job done."

What a win would means for his career:

"A victory over Oscar Duarte will be huge for my career. It gets me back in the conversation in the super lightweight division and gives me a shot at even bigger fights. This is my chance to prove myself, and I’m ready to make a statement on fight night."

 

Canada's Mary Spencer will put her WBA junior middleweight title on the line for the first time on Friday, March 14th when she squares off against Ogleidis Suárez of Venezuela. The bout will serve as the chief supporting bout on a card promoted by Eye of the Tiger Management, taking place at Espace St-Denis in Montreal. Headlining the evening will be a clash between Erik Bazinyan (32-1-1) and Steven Butler (35-5-1). Hailing from Wiarton, Ontario, Spencer is gearing up for her first fight of the year after capturing the WBA interim title last September with a unanimous decision victory over Germany’s Naomi Mannes (7-3-1). Shortly after, she was elevated to WBA champion status.

Spencer (9-2, 6 KOs), now 40 years old, boasts an impressive knockout ratio of over 60%. She kicked off 2024 with a first-round KO over American Sonya Dreiling (6-7) but had a setback in her lone fight of 2023, suffering a majority decision loss to Belgium’s Femke Hermans (18-5). Over her last five outings, Spencer has picked up three wins (two by stoppage) and two defeats.

On the other side of the ring, Suárez (31-5-1, 15 KOs) is looking to capitalize on momentum. The 37 year-old Venezuelan enters this title fight fresh off a second-round KO victory over Colombia’s Neisi Torres (13-17-1) earlier this year. A former 122-pound interim title holder who was briefly promoted to full champion in that lower weight class,  Suárez has had mixed results in recent years. Her last North American appearance came in 2022 when she suffered a fifth-round knockout loss to hard-hitting Shadasia Green (15-1) in the United States. Before that, she secured a stoppage win in 2020 against fellow Venezuelan María Pirona (1-7). Suárez has gone 3-2 in her last five fights and will be aiming to reclaim championship gold on Canadian soil.