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Cunningham Confident Erickson Lubin will dominate this weekend, and then go "big name hunting" |
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World class junior middleweight contender Erickson "Hammer" Lubin (20-1 15KO) returns to the ring this weekend to take on Zakaria Attou (29-6-2 7KO) and his elite coach Kevin Cunningham is brimming with confidence days away from the bout. "We’ve had another tremendous training camp for this fight. Hammer’s prepared to go out and give the fans another spectacular performance. Attou, the French Champion is a solid opponent, but Hammer will have a answer for whatever he brings. After taking care of Attou we will be big name hunting."
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Cunningham Confident Erickson Lubin will dominate this weekend, and then go "big name hunting"
World class junior middleweight contender Erickson "Hammer" Lubin (20-1 15KO) returns to the ring this weekend to take on Zakaria Attou (29-6-2 7KO) and his elite coach Kevin Cunningham is brimming with confidence days away from the bout. "We’ve had another tremendous training camp for this fight. Hammer’s prepared to go out and give the fans another spectacular performance. Attou, the French Champion is a solid opponent, but Hammer will have a answer for whatever he brings. After taking care of Attou we will be big name hunting."
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Reshard Hicks succeeding despite late career start |
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Justin Hackman: [Reshard Hicks is a 34 year-old welterweight out of Kileen, Texas with a 12-0-1 pro record]. Reshard, you signed with Mike Cameron of the Cameron Management Team not too long ago. What attracted you to Mike and his team. Reshard Hicks: He’s interactive and transparent. That’s a great combination for a manager. I want to know what is going on, and Mike is there communicating with me every step of the way. He’s honest, and I trust him. We don’t have our first fight fully made at this point, but we’re aiming for August.
JH: You were an All-American college athlete. Tell me about that.
RH: I went to Fordham University, I played football, and ran track, and was named as an All American. I joined the military after that, and I am medically retired now. I started boxing there as a way to get my strength back up after an illness. My first time putting on a pair of gloves I was already 25.
JH: What sort of illness forced you to medically retire from the military?
RH: A type of stomach cancer, my grandfather had it as well. I went through treatment, and came out the other end of it. It’s not a bright time in my life, so beating it is nothing I brag about. Because some people make it through and some people don’t. I am just one of the lucky ones.
JH: What specifically do you love about boxing that made you want to stick with it and become a professional?
RH: It’s a combat zone out there, and it’s just me. I put my hard work in, and at the end of the day, if I don’t perform, I only have myself to blame. Yes, we have a great team, and I have great coaches, but at the end of the day, I am accountable for myself in that ring. So it’s a great personal challenge in that way. But to be honest, some of the real challenges in being a boxer come outside the ring unfortunately. I get a lot of initial interest from promoters, but then sometimes I feel like they see my age and then look away. I got started late, yes, but my body is so well-preserved, and I’ve been a top-level athlete my whole life. My ring years are few and I feel great.
JH: What are your goals as a professional fighter?
RH: I’m hoping to stay as busy as possible. To this point in my career, I haven’t fought more than twice in a year. I’m kind of that ghost type of opponent, no one wants to fight me. I’m a good fighter, capable of beating any opponent, and for them, losing to me is a real possibility, and then beating me, they don’t see much of an upside. So it’s been difficult to find the right fights and stay busy. But this is part of the reason I signed with Mike Cameron – to stay active and pile up the wins toward more exposure. So as long as I keep winning, the TV dates, the titles, they will come. But above all, I’m looking to provide for my family.
JH: Do you have your eye on anyone specific in the top ten around 147?
RH: Everyone in the top twenty, I’m aiming for right now. Anybody that’s ranked a level above me, I’m ready.
JH: Favorite fighter?
RH: Winky Wright. He never ducked or dodged anybody. He went to more popular opponents’ hometowns and took on all comers with no fear. Winky, Floyd Mayweather, and Sweet Pea Whitaker, in not particular order.
JH: It’s been nice talking, Reshard; when you have a fight solidified for August, let’s chat again.
RH: Sounds great, thank you for the time.
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Reshard Hicks succeeding despite late career start
Justin Hackman: [Reshard Hicks is a 34 year-old welterweight out of Kileen, Texas with a 12-0-1 pro record]. Reshard, you signed with Mike Cameron of the Cameron Management Team not too long ago. What attracted you to Mike and his team. Reshard Hicks: He’s interactive and transparent. That’s a great combination for a manager. I want to know what is going on, and Mike is there communicating with me every step of the way. He’s honest, and I trust him. We don’t have our first fight fully made at this point, but we’re aiming for August.
JH: You were an All-American college athlete. Tell me about that.
RH: I went to Fordham University, I played football, and ran track, and was named as an All American. I joined the military after that, and I am medically retired now. I started boxing there as a way to get my strength back up after an illness. My first time putting on a pair of gloves I was already 25.
JH: What sort of illness forced you to medically retire from the military?
RH: A type of stomach cancer, my grandfather had it as well. I went through treatment, and came out the other end of it. It’s not a bright time in my life, so beating it is nothing I brag about. Because some people make it through and some people don’t. I am just one of the lucky ones.
JH: What specifically do you love about boxing that made you want to stick with it and become a professional?
RH: It’s a combat zone out there, and it’s just me. I put my hard work in, and at the end of the day, if I don’t perform, I only have myself to blame. Yes, we have a great team, and I have great coaches, but at the end of the day, I am accountable for myself in that ring. So it’s a great personal challenge in that way. But to be honest, some of the real challenges in being a boxer come outside the ring unfortunately. I get a lot of initial interest from promoters, but then sometimes I feel like they see my age and then look away. I got started late, yes, but my body is so well-preserved, and I’ve been a top-level athlete my whole life. My ring years are few and I feel great.
JH: What are your goals as a professional fighter?
RH: I’m hoping to stay as busy as possible. To this point in my career, I haven’t fought more than twice in a year. I’m kind of that ghost type of opponent, no one wants to fight me. I’m a good fighter, capable of beating any opponent, and for them, losing to me is a real possibility, and then beating me, they don’t see much of an upside. So it’s been difficult to find the right fights and stay busy. But this is part of the reason I signed with Mike Cameron – to stay active and pile up the wins toward more exposure. So as long as I keep winning, the TV dates, the titles, they will come. But above all, I’m looking to provide for my family.
JH: Do you have your eye on anyone specific in the top ten around 147?
RH: Everyone in the top twenty, I’m aiming for right now. Anybody that’s ranked a level above me, I’m ready.
JH: Favorite fighter?
RH: Winky Wright. He never ducked or dodged anybody. He went to more popular opponents’ hometowns and took on all comers with no fear. Winky, Floyd Mayweather, and Sweet Pea Whitaker, in not particular order.
JH: It’s been nice talking, Reshard; when you have a fight solidified for August, let’s chat again.
RH: Sounds great, thank you for the time.
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Hughie Fury to fight... wait for it... Sam Peter |
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Hennessy Sports announced that heavyweight Hughie Fury will take on ex-WBC heavyweight titleholder Samuel Peter in a sanctioned mismatch. The fight will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 12th to as the chief support to a main even of former world 140-pound champion Amirk Khan vs. India's Neeraj Goyat. How bad is this fight? Peter lost to unknown Mario Heredia (16-6-1) in mid-April, then beat a 2-13 opponent in Cheer's Bar in Tijuana to "rehabilitate" himself. Fury is 22-2 with losses only to Joseph Parker, an ex-title holder, and Kubrat Pulev. Bad fight.
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Hughie Fury to fight... wait for it... Sam Peter
Hennessy Sports announced that heavyweight Hughie Fury will take on ex-WBC heavyweight titleholder Samuel Peter in a sanctioned mismatch. The fight will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 12th to as the chief support to a main even of former world 140-pound champion Amirk Khan vs. India's Neeraj Goyat. How bad is this fight? Peter lost to unknown Mario Heredia (16-6-1) in mid-April, then beat a 2-13 opponent in Cheer's Bar in Tijuana to "rehabilitate" himself. Fury is 22-2 with losses only to Joseph Parker, an ex-title holder, and Kubrat Pulev. Bad fight.
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Andrade views Sulecki fight as a showcase |
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Demetrius Andrade (pictured) believes his big homecoming night will be the perfect showcase to secure blockbuster fights as he defends his WBO mddleweight title against Poland's Maciej Sulecki (28-1, 11 KOs) on Saturday June 29th at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK. Andrade (27-0, 17 KOs) fights at home for the first time as a World champion in the second defense of the 160lb crown he landed in Boston in October against Walter Kautondokwa and then stopped Artur Akavov in New York in January in his first defense.
The two-weight titlist now gets the chance to thrill his hometown fans against Sulecki, the Pole that landed the clash coming out on top of a rollercoaster clash with Gabriel Rosado in March – and believes that a stand-out performance as a hometown headliner will see him land the fights that he craves with true world middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy "GGG" Golovkin.
“Fighting at home is really exciting,” said Andrade. “In a way it’s more exciting for the fans in Providence as I've fought all over the world already. So, to give my hometown the chance to watch me display my skills, talent, work ethic is going to be great for them - they're going to see greatness from one of their own. I've got two full passports from travelling the world and it's a privilege to do that, to see the world and learn and gain experience, so to come home for such a big fight is great.
“I'm an Olympian and a two-weight champion, but that's not enough because there’s a lot of people that haven't seen my talent displayed in the mainstream like some other fighters, like Canelo Alvarez, as Golden Boy did a great job moving him and GGG had great promotion too, but they're not the greatest talents out there, they are just the most popular. It's called prize fighting and I am looking to capitalize on that, with the capital.
“I've got air in me now. Should I have been the guy like Canelo with the machine behind him? Yeah, I could've been that, but it didn't fall that way for me, but now I'm here. I kept my focus in mind, body and soul and continued to grind, because anyone else, this boxing game is hard and people give up, especially when there's no money coming in as you have to pay the bills.
“I've been through the politics of boing and found my way out of it, just like I've found my way to win in every fight. Being who I am and having the team around me has got me to the point where I'm headlining the Dunk as an undefeated World champion.
“Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing USA have realized the talent and the character that I am, and DAZN are doing a great job too, giving the different characters in the sport the exposure so that people can tune in outside the people we already know. Through the obstacles I've been through, they tried to sweep me under the rug, I got back up, wiped off the dirt and it's me again.
“To be the first Cape Verdean as an undisputed champion would be history and the same for New England, we've only really had Vinny Paz and that was 30 years ago. I'm continuing to catapult myself to be the best I can and set the bar high for others.”
Andrade’s clash with Sulecki is part of a show that also includes Kal Yafai defending his WBA 115-pound title against Norbelto Jimenez and former WBO heavyweight king Joseph Parker in against Australian former World title challenger Alex Leapai. Also, Boston’s Mark DeLuca faces Canadian Brandon Brewer over ten rounds at 154 pounds.
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Andrade views Sulecki fight as a showcase
Demetrius Andrade (pictured) believes his big homecoming night will be the perfect showcase to secure blockbuster fights as he defends his WBO mddleweight title against Poland's Maciej Sulecki (28-1, 11 KOs) on Saturday June 29th at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK. Andrade (27-0, 17 KOs) fights at home for the first time as a World champion in the second defense of the 160lb crown he landed in Boston in October against Walter Kautondokwa and then stopped Artur Akavov in New York in January in his first defense.
The two-weight titlist now gets the chance to thrill his hometown fans against Sulecki, the Pole that landed the clash coming out on top of a rollercoaster clash with Gabriel Rosado in March – and believes that a stand-out performance as a hometown headliner will see him land the fights that he craves with true world middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy "GGG" Golovkin.
“Fighting at home is really exciting,” said Andrade. “In a way it’s more exciting for the fans in Providence as I've fought all over the world already. So, to give my hometown the chance to watch me display my skills, talent, work ethic is going to be great for them - they're going to see greatness from one of their own. I've got two full passports from travelling the world and it's a privilege to do that, to see the world and learn and gain experience, so to come home for such a big fight is great.
“I'm an Olympian and a two-weight champion, but that's not enough because there’s a lot of people that haven't seen my talent displayed in the mainstream like some other fighters, like Canelo Alvarez, as Golden Boy did a great job moving him and GGG had great promotion too, but they're not the greatest talents out there, they are just the most popular. It's called prize fighting and I am looking to capitalize on that, with the capital.
“I've got air in me now. Should I have been the guy like Canelo with the machine behind him? Yeah, I could've been that, but it didn't fall that way for me, but now I'm here. I kept my focus in mind, body and soul and continued to grind, because anyone else, this boxing game is hard and people give up, especially when there's no money coming in as you have to pay the bills.
“I've been through the politics of boing and found my way out of it, just like I've found my way to win in every fight. Being who I am and having the team around me has got me to the point where I'm headlining the Dunk as an undefeated World champion.
“Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing USA have realized the talent and the character that I am, and DAZN are doing a great job too, giving the different characters in the sport the exposure so that people can tune in outside the people we already know. Through the obstacles I've been through, they tried to sweep me under the rug, I got back up, wiped off the dirt and it's me again.
“To be the first Cape Verdean as an undisputed champion would be history and the same for New England, we've only really had Vinny Paz and that was 30 years ago. I'm continuing to catapult myself to be the best I can and set the bar high for others.”
Andrade’s clash with Sulecki is part of a show that also includes Kal Yafai defending his WBA 115-pound title against Norbelto Jimenez and former WBO heavyweight king Joseph Parker in against Australian former World title challenger Alex Leapai. Also, Boston’s Mark DeLuca faces Canadian Brandon Brewer over ten rounds at 154 pounds.
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ESPN+ to air British card on Friday |
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British featherweight champion Ryan Walsh will make the sixth defense of his title in a twelve-round showdown against the unbeaten Lewis Paulin on Friday, June 28th at York Hall in London. In the ten-round co-feature, loquacious junior welterweight Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies will take on former IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez. Walsh-Paulin and Davies-Vazquez will headline a scheduled four-bout stream on ESPN+ — the multi-sport streaming service — beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Walsh (23-2-2, 11 KOs) has held the British featherweight title since 2015, when he edged Samir Mouneimne by split decision to win the vacant belt. He is unbeaten in three bouts — all defenses of the British title — since losing a split decision in October 2016 to Dennis Ceylan for the vacant European featherweight title.
Paulin (12-0, 3 KOs), from Edinburgh, Scotland, is taking a massive step up in class, as he has only two wins against foes with winning records. He is two fights removed from winning the Scottish featherweight title via decision against then-unbeaten Stephen Tiffney.
Davies (18-2, 14 KOs) turned pro in 2014 following a brief amateur career and ran off a 15-0 start to his pro career. He stumbled in a bid for the Commonwealth title against Josh Taylor, suffering a pair of knockdowns en route to a seventh-round stoppage loss. Davies rebounded with a trio of wins before dropping a competitive decision to Jack Catterall last October.
Vazquez (41-7, 15 KOs), from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, famously lost a split decision to Canelo Alvarez in his professional debut in 2006. In August 2010, he won the vacant IBF lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Ji Hoon Kim. He would go on to defend the title six times before dropping a split decision to Mickey Bey in September 2014. He is 7-3 since losing the world title, most recently upsetting Ghislain Maduma by split decision in Maduma’s adopted hometown of Montreal.
Friday’s stream will also include a ten-round showdown featuring a pair of unbeaten 140 pounders, Daniel “Danny Darko” Egbunike (4-0, 3 KOs) against Martin McDonagh (5-0, 0 KOs). Also, former European junior welterweight champion Anthony Yigit (23-1-1, 8 KOs) will fight Siar Ozgul (15-3, 3 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
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ESPN+ to air British card on Friday
British featherweight champion Ryan Walsh will make the sixth defense of his title in a twelve-round showdown against the unbeaten Lewis Paulin on Friday, June 28th at York Hall in London. In the ten-round co-feature, loquacious junior welterweight Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies will take on former IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez. Walsh-Paulin and Davies-Vazquez will headline a scheduled four-bout stream on ESPN+ — the multi-sport streaming service — beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Walsh (23-2-2, 11 KOs) has held the British featherweight title since 2015, when he edged Samir Mouneimne by split decision to win the vacant belt. He is unbeaten in three bouts — all defenses of the British title — since losing a split decision in October 2016 to Dennis Ceylan for the vacant European featherweight title.
Paulin (12-0, 3 KOs), from Edinburgh, Scotland, is taking a massive step up in class, as he has only two wins against foes with winning records. He is two fights removed from winning the Scottish featherweight title via decision against then-unbeaten Stephen Tiffney.
Davies (18-2, 14 KOs) turned pro in 2014 following a brief amateur career and ran off a 15-0 start to his pro career. He stumbled in a bid for the Commonwealth title against Josh Taylor, suffering a pair of knockdowns en route to a seventh-round stoppage loss. Davies rebounded with a trio of wins before dropping a competitive decision to Jack Catterall last October.
Vazquez (41-7, 15 KOs), from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, famously lost a split decision to Canelo Alvarez in his professional debut in 2006. In August 2010, he won the vacant IBF lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Ji Hoon Kim. He would go on to defend the title six times before dropping a split decision to Mickey Bey in September 2014. He is 7-3 since losing the world title, most recently upsetting Ghislain Maduma by split decision in Maduma’s adopted hometown of Montreal.
Friday’s stream will also include a ten-round showdown featuring a pair of unbeaten 140 pounders, Daniel “Danny Darko” Egbunike (4-0, 3 KOs) against Martin McDonagh (5-0, 0 KOs). Also, former European junior welterweight champion Anthony Yigit (23-1-1, 8 KOs) will fight Siar Ozgul (15-3, 3 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
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Boxing coming to Catskills, NY this week |
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Star Boxing iwill present a boxing show at Resorts World in Catskills, New York on June 28th. 2018 Connecticut boxer of the year, Anthony Laureano (10-0, 3 KOs) will look to make it eleven straight victories as he takes on Dieumerci Nzau (11-8, 8 KOS), fighting out of Maryland, but originally from the Democrat Republic of the Congo. Laureano, a junior welterweight has earned three straight wide unanimous decisions. Nzau's previous three opponenets have a combined record of 37-4-1. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds.Annother Connecticut boxer, Richie "Popeye" Rivera (11-0, 10 KOs) will take on Brian "MVP" Howard (14-2, 11 KOS) fighting out of the fighting city of Philadelphia, by way of Atlanta, Georgia. Howard is coming off of a big first round KO of Garret Wilson and hopes to repeat his success on June 28th. This is a scheduled eight-round cruiserweight bout.
Making his United Stated debut, Ireland's Dylan Moran (10-0, 5 KOs) takes on Dennis Okoth (2-2-1, 1KO) fighting out of Maryland by way of Kenya. Moran, having fought in Mexico and the famous York Hall in Britain, is no stranger to getting the job done on the road. Moran is an amateur boxing standout and former kickboxing world champion. This is a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.
The undercard will feature Alcibiade Duran Galvan (3-0, 2 KOs), reportedly son of the legendary Roberto Duran, who is coming off a win earlier this month against Jonathan Pierre. Duran Jr. will face off against Jermaine Corley (1-6, 1 KO) of Rochester New York. This will be a four-round welterweight scrap.
In the opening bout of the evening, Lawrence King (1-0 1KO) who works as the Monroe County Sheriff's Deputy, will be making his second professional appearance against Perez Aughtry (0-1) of Buffalo, in a four-round cruiserweight bout.
Star Boxing CEO Joe DeGuardia said, "Boxing fans are in for a real treat on June 28th, as we are featuring three extremely skilled, young, and up and coming prospects. Laureano has never disappointed as he always brings all out action from the opening to the closing bell. Rivera has only ever been in exciting fights, and with power in both hands, you will not want to miss one second of this bout. Moran, an Irish standout, is making his US debut, and we have very high hopes for him and what the future holds. This will be a fun night of fights, be sure to get your tickets now."
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Boxing coming to Catskills, NY this week
Star Boxing iwill present a boxing show at Resorts World in Catskills, New York on June 28th. 2018 Connecticut boxer of the year, Anthony Laureano (10-0, 3 KOs) will look to make it eleven straight victories as he takes on Dieumerci Nzau (11-8, 8 KOS), fighting out of Maryland, but originally from the Democrat Republic of the Congo. Laureano, a junior welterweight has earned three straight wide unanimous decisions. Nzau's previous three opponenets have a combined record of 37-4-1. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds.Annother Connecticut boxer, Richie "Popeye" Rivera (11-0, 10 KOs) will take on Brian "MVP" Howard (14-2, 11 KOS) fighting out of the fighting city of Philadelphia, by way of Atlanta, Georgia. Howard is coming off of a big first round KO of Garret Wilson and hopes to repeat his success on June 28th. This is a scheduled eight-round cruiserweight bout.
Making his United Stated debut, Ireland's Dylan Moran (10-0, 5 KOs) takes on Dennis Okoth (2-2-1, 1KO) fighting out of Maryland by way of Kenya. Moran, having fought in Mexico and the famous York Hall in Britain, is no stranger to getting the job done on the road. Moran is an amateur boxing standout and former kickboxing world champion. This is a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.
The undercard will feature Alcibiade Duran Galvan (3-0, 2 KOs), reportedly son of the legendary Roberto Duran, who is coming off a win earlier this month against Jonathan Pierre. Duran Jr. will face off against Jermaine Corley (1-6, 1 KO) of Rochester New York. This will be a four-round welterweight scrap.
In the opening bout of the evening, Lawrence King (1-0 1KO) who works as the Monroe County Sheriff's Deputy, will be making his second professional appearance against Perez Aughtry (0-1) of Buffalo, in a four-round cruiserweight bout.
Star Boxing CEO Joe DeGuardia said, "Boxing fans are in for a real treat on June 28th, as we are featuring three extremely skilled, young, and up and coming prospects. Laureano has never disappointed as he always brings all out action from the opening to the closing bell. Rivera has only ever been in exciting fights, and with power in both hands, you will not want to miss one second of this bout. Moran, an Irish standout, is making his US debut, and we have very high hopes for him and what the future holds. This will be a fun night of fights, be sure to get your tickets now."
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Nevada's HOF exhibit now open to the public |
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This past Saturday, the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame held its ribbon-cutting event for its Interactive Boxing Exhibit Museum located at the HeadzUP Las Vegas headquarters. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez hosted the event where many past and current world champions were in attendance. Their brand-new home will be open year-round for fans to visit on a daily basis. Many memorabilia items from some of the biggest fights to take place in Las Vegas and the entire state of Nevada will be on display. "This Saturday was a great day in boxing history as we opened our doors to the many boxing fans who will now be able to visit our museum on a daily basis," said Michelle Corrales-Lewis, president of the NVBHOF. "I want to thank everyone who attended to make this grand opening a special day for our team. I encourage all fans to come visit our new location and experience the rich history of boxing in Las Vegas and Nevada."
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Nevada's HOF exhibit now open to the public
This past Saturday, the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame held its ribbon-cutting event for its Interactive Boxing Exhibit Museum located at the HeadzUP Las Vegas headquarters. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez hosted the event where many past and current world champions were in attendance. Their brand-new home will be open year-round for fans to visit on a daily basis. Many memorabilia items from some of the biggest fights to take place in Las Vegas and the entire state of Nevada will be on display. "This Saturday was a great day in boxing history as we opened our doors to the many boxing fans who will now be able to visit our museum on a daily basis," said Michelle Corrales-Lewis, president of the NVBHOF. "I want to thank everyone who attended to make this grand opening a special day for our team. I encourage all fans to come visit our new location and experience the rich history of boxing in Las Vegas and Nevada."
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Jesse Hart wants Eleider Alvarez next, hopes the former champ doesn't refuse fight again |
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Greg Leon: Congrats on your recent victory over Sullivan Barrera. Can you give us some thoughts on your performance? Jesse Hart: "I think my performance was great for my first time at the weight. My movement was good, but I think I got to get more adjusted to them type of guys laying on me. He was laying on me in the clinches and he kept grabbing on me, I just got to get more physically adjusted to the weight class. Overall though I would have to give myself a C performance, C+. I felt like I was getting stronger as the rounds were going on. I felt like I was the way fresher guy at going into the later rounds."
GL: This was a sloppy fight, is that the reason you're giving yourself a C or C+?
JH: "Yes, that's the main reason I'm giving myself that grade. When he was laying on me I felt his physicality. I could normally throw guys off me and I couldn't really do that with Sullivan Barrera, he was the stronger man in that fight. These guys at 175 are coming in at 190-200 pounds and it was a new experience for me."
GL: Were you surprised he was the stronger man?
JH: "Yes, because I'm used to the being the stronger man. I'm always the stronger man, even with Gilberto Ramirez I knew I was the stronger fighter. He packed on more weight, but he wasn't stronger than me."
GL: You've been hurt a couple of times before in the closing seconds of rounds and it happened again in this fight. What's up with that Jesse? Do them sticks sound like the bell or something?
JH: "I think I just get lax some times and it causes a guy to catch me at the end of the round. My mind is telling my body to stay alert, but sometimes my body doesn't want to cooperate. (laughs) It's something I'm going to continue to work on and concentrate on. I have to stay alert at all times, it's not the kind of thing a trainer can teach you. In the Nicholson fight you seen me get hurt at the end of the round, my body get lax, but at the end of the day it's something that could be worked on and I can correct it myself."
GL: Are you disappointed you didn't stop Barrera?
JH: "Absolutely. That's the statement I wanted to make. I wanted to let people know that I'm up here and I can punch. I think that first knockdown, I did push him a bit, but I dropped him with that right hand and he got back up on queer street. It was only his experience that got him through that. When I talk that shit about these fighters they get up for me and Sullivan Barrera definitely did. But I want the 175 division to be on notice because that's the weakest I'm ever going to be at this weight class, I'm only going to get better, bigger and stronger and I did a lot of that with one hand. My right hand was acting up during the fight, so I had to use my left a lot more. Imagine what I could have done to him if I had two hands that whole fight."
GL: Who do you want next and when can we expect to see you back in the ring?
JH: "I want to fight Eleider Alvarez or Joe Smith Jr next, I don't know when it's going to be. Hopefully my last fight makes these guys want to fight me more. I wanted to fight Alvarez in my first fight, but he didn't want to fight me. Hopefully he does now, we'll see."
GL: Closing thoughts for the fans.
JH: "I want to thank you and Boxingtalk for always reaching out. Whenever people want to get the latest and greatest on Jesse Hart, they've got to get it from Boxingtalk. Boxingtalk gets it first and then everybody else has to copy off them."
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Jesse Hart wants Eleider Alvarez next, hopes the former champ doesn't refuse fight again
Greg Leon: Congrats on your recent victory over Sullivan Barrera. Can you give us some thoughts on your performance? Jesse Hart: "I think my performance was great for my first time at the weight. My movement was good, but I think I got to get more adjusted to them type of guys laying on me. He was laying on me in the clinches and he kept grabbing on me, I just got to get more physically adjusted to the weight class. Overall though I would have to give myself a C performance, C+. I felt like I was getting stronger as the rounds were going on. I felt like I was the way fresher guy at going into the later rounds."
GL: This was a sloppy fight, is that the reason you're giving yourself a C or C+?
JH: "Yes, that's the main reason I'm giving myself that grade. When he was laying on me I felt his physicality. I could normally throw guys off me and I couldn't really do that with Sullivan Barrera, he was the stronger man in that fight. These guys at 175 are coming in at 190-200 pounds and it was a new experience for me."
GL: Were you surprised he was the stronger man?
JH: "Yes, because I'm used to the being the stronger man. I'm always the stronger man, even with Gilberto Ramirez I knew I was the stronger fighter. He packed on more weight, but he wasn't stronger than me."
GL: You've been hurt a couple of times before in the closing seconds of rounds and it happened again in this fight. What's up with that Jesse? Do them sticks sound like the bell or something?
JH: "I think I just get lax some times and it causes a guy to catch me at the end of the round. My mind is telling my body to stay alert, but sometimes my body doesn't want to cooperate. (laughs) It's something I'm going to continue to work on and concentrate on. I have to stay alert at all times, it's not the kind of thing a trainer can teach you. In the Nicholson fight you seen me get hurt at the end of the round, my body get lax, but at the end of the day it's something that could be worked on and I can correct it myself."
GL: Are you disappointed you didn't stop Barrera?
JH: "Absolutely. That's the statement I wanted to make. I wanted to let people know that I'm up here and I can punch. I think that first knockdown, I did push him a bit, but I dropped him with that right hand and he got back up on queer street. It was only his experience that got him through that. When I talk that shit about these fighters they get up for me and Sullivan Barrera definitely did. But I want the 175 division to be on notice because that's the weakest I'm ever going to be at this weight class, I'm only going to get better, bigger and stronger and I did a lot of that with one hand. My right hand was acting up during the fight, so I had to use my left a lot more. Imagine what I could have done to him if I had two hands that whole fight."
GL: Who do you want next and when can we expect to see you back in the ring?
JH: "I want to fight Eleider Alvarez or Joe Smith Jr next, I don't know when it's going to be. Hopefully my last fight makes these guys want to fight me more. I wanted to fight Alvarez in my first fight, but he didn't want to fight me. Hopefully he does now, we'll see."
GL: Closing thoughts for the fans.
JH: "I want to thank you and Boxingtalk for always reaching out. Whenever people want to get the latest and greatest on Jesse Hart, they've got to get it from Boxingtalk. Boxingtalk gets it first and then everybody else has to copy off them."
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Jean Pascal: Marcus Browne has never faced a top light heavyweight |
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Hunter Leon: How is everything going in preparation for your upcoming bout with Marcus Browne? What can we expect to see from you on fight night? Jean Pascal: "Everything is going great. I've had a lot of time to focus on Marcus for this fight because it was originally supposed to happen on May 18th as part of the rematch with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, but that didn't happen. Then we were going to fight in Houston this weekend and that didn't happen, so I'm just glad we had a press conference and the fight is happening on August 3rd at the Barclay's Center." HL: And what can we expect to see from you on fight night? JP: "You're going to have to tune into Fox like everyone to see that, but it's going to be special."
HL: What do you think about Browne as a fighter?
JP: "I think he's very good, he fast and he's where he is for a reason. I don't really think he's fought any top light heayweights yet and my resume speaks for itself, so this is nothing new to me. I've been there and done that, he hasn't."
HL: You've been saying that you're going to box him, is that really going to be the game plan?
JP: "I'm undefeated against southpaws for a reason, I know that I'm awkward to deal with and that comes into play even more when I'm in the ring with a southpaw. I'm the southpaw killer. (laughs) Besides we all know Marcus Browne doesn't really want to fight with me anyway. If I wanted to make this a dog fight with him all he would do is hold and hold some more, he already knows he can't go to war with me so I'm going to beat him at his game. We're going play chess and when we get to the deeper waters it's going to be checkmate."
HL: Checkmate like you're going to knock him out?
JP: "Tune in on August 3rd and you'll see."
HL: Are you worried about the judges since you're fighting him in his backyard?
JP: "No, not at all. The last time I fought a guy in the States in his hometown was Elbiali and even though I stopped him, I was way up on all of the cards when the fight ended. New York has one of the best commissions in boxing and I know they're going to appointment experienced officials who know what they're doing."
HL: Who will you be sparring with for this fight?
JP: "Guys who will help get me ready for Marcus Browne."
HL: I see you've brought Troy Ross on as a coach for this fight. Why is that?
JP: "I'm the southpaw killer and he's a southpaw master. Troy knows his stuff and he's able to get in the ring and move around with me while he shows me some tactics I plan to take advantage of. I'm going to box Browne's socks off on August 3rd, you'll see."
HL: Even though you plan on boxing with him, do you plan on throwing a lot more punches than you have been lately?
JP: "Maybe, maybe not. We'll see, I can tell you this I will be throwing more effective punches and that's 100%. I'm not going to be wasting my shots at all on August 3rd."
HL: Closing thoughts for the fans.
JP: "I want to thank all of my fans all over the world, but especially in Haiti and the Province of Quebec for always showing me love. I want all of my Haitian people in Brooklyn, I know there's a lot of us out there, I want to see all you guys at this fight. I do this for you and I'm not going to let you guys down on August 3rd."
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Jean Pascal: Marcus Browne has never faced a top light heavyweight
Hunter Leon: How is everything going in preparation for your upcoming bout with Marcus Browne? What can we expect to see from you on fight night? Jean Pascal: "Everything is going great. I've had a lot of time to focus on Marcus for this fight because it was originally supposed to happen on May 18th as part of the rematch with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, but that didn't happen. Then we were going to fight in Houston this weekend and that didn't happen, so I'm just glad we had a press conference and the fight is happening on August 3rd at the Barclay's Center." HL: And what can we expect to see from you on fight night? JP: "You're going to have to tune into Fox like everyone to see that, but it's going to be special."
HL: What do you think about Browne as a fighter?
JP: "I think he's very good, he fast and he's where he is for a reason. I don't really think he's fought any top light heayweights yet and my resume speaks for itself, so this is nothing new to me. I've been there and done that, he hasn't."
HL: You've been saying that you're going to box him, is that really going to be the game plan?
JP: "I'm undefeated against southpaws for a reason, I know that I'm awkward to deal with and that comes into play even more when I'm in the ring with a southpaw. I'm the southpaw killer. (laughs) Besides we all know Marcus Browne doesn't really want to fight with me anyway. If I wanted to make this a dog fight with him all he would do is hold and hold some more, he already knows he can't go to war with me so I'm going to beat him at his game. We're going play chess and when we get to the deeper waters it's going to be checkmate."
HL: Checkmate like you're going to knock him out?
JP: "Tune in on August 3rd and you'll see."
HL: Are you worried about the judges since you're fighting him in his backyard?
JP: "No, not at all. The last time I fought a guy in the States in his hometown was Elbiali and even though I stopped him, I was way up on all of the cards when the fight ended. New York has one of the best commissions in boxing and I know they're going to appointment experienced officials who know what they're doing."
HL: Who will you be sparring with for this fight?
JP: "Guys who will help get me ready for Marcus Browne."
HL: I see you've brought Troy Ross on as a coach for this fight. Why is that?
JP: "I'm the southpaw killer and he's a southpaw master. Troy knows his stuff and he's able to get in the ring and move around with me while he shows me some tactics I plan to take advantage of. I'm going to box Browne's socks off on August 3rd, you'll see."
HL: Even though you plan on boxing with him, do you plan on throwing a lot more punches than you have been lately?
JP: "Maybe, maybe not. We'll see, I can tell you this I will be throwing more effective punches and that's 100%. I'm not going to be wasting my shots at all on August 3rd."
HL: Closing thoughts for the fans.
JP: "I want to thank all of my fans all over the world, but especially in Haiti and the Province of Quebec for always showing me love. I want all of my Haitian people in Brooklyn, I know there's a lot of us out there, I want to see all you guys at this fight. I do this for you and I'm not going to let you guys down on August 3rd."
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Results from Philadelphia: Yunusov remains undefeated |
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Anvar Yunusov TKO2 Angel Luna... Three-time Tajikistani Olympian Anvar Yunusov (8-0) stopped Angel Luna (11-6-1) in the second round of a junior lightweight bout at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. Yunosov dropped Luna with a right hook in round one. That was followed by a flurry that Luna barely survived. In round two, Yunusov landed a straight left that deposited Luna on his back. Yunusov jumped on Luna, and the bout was quickly stopped.
Robert Simms W8 Colby Madison... Robert Simms scored a minor upset victory, handing Colby Madison his first loss by pounding out a eight-round unanimous decision in a heavyweight bout. Madison fought through a badly swollen left eye that occurred in round five. Simms had a bad cut over his right eye, but was able to come through by scores of (80-72) twice and 79-73. Simms of Saginaw, Michigan is now 9-3. Madison of Owings Mills, Maryland is 8-1-2.
MORE RESULTS
Rasheen Brown stopped debuting Lionell Tidwell in the second round of their scheduled four-round super bantamweight fight. Brown landed a perfect straight left that sent Tidwell down and the bout was stopped at 1:18 of round two. Brown of Philadelphia is 4-0 with one knockout...
Former amateur star Paul Kroll kept his perfect mark intact with a memorable first-round stoppage of Hector Mercado in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout. Kroll landed a right to the head, that sent Mercado down on his leg. Mercado's right leg was dangling off of his ankle, and the bout was stopped at 1:23. Kroll of Philadelphia is 4-0 with four knockouts. Mercado is 3-11...
Kashon Hutchinson won a six-round unanimous decision over Philadelphia's James Martin (4-1) in a welterweight bout. Hutchinson scored a flash knockdown in the opening frame, and that proved to be distance as he took all cards 57-56. Hutchinson of Reading, PA is 5-5...
Jonathan Torres won a four-round unanimous decision over Hugo Rodriguez in a bantamweight contest. Torres of Bethlehem, PA dropped Rodriguez in round four, and cruised to the victory by 40-35 scores. Torres is 5-0. Rodriguez of Mexico is 0-5...
Kevin Asmat stopped Weusi Johnson in round three of their scheduled four round junior lightweight bout. Asmat dropped Johnson in round's one and two, and Johnson was stopped on his feet at 2:44 of round three. Asmat of North Bergen, NJ is 6-2 with five knockouts. Johnson of Wilmington, Delaware is 3-13-1...
Khainell Wheeler registered his second consecutive first-round stoppage against Tywaski Hendrix in their scheduled four-round super middleweight fight. Wheeler dropped Hendrix twice and the fight was stopped immedately upon the 2nd knockdown at 2:45. Wheeler of Bethlehem, PA is 2-0 with two knockouts. Hendrix of Little Rock, Arkansas was making his pro debut. source for all results: king's promotions press release
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Results from Philadelphia: Yunusov remains undefeated
Anvar Yunusov TKO2 Angel Luna... Three-time Tajikistani Olympian Anvar Yunusov (8-0) stopped Angel Luna (11-6-1) in the second round of a junior lightweight bout at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. Yunosov dropped Luna with a right hook in round one. That was followed by a flurry that Luna barely survived. In round two, Yunusov landed a straight left that deposited Luna on his back. Yunusov jumped on Luna, and the bout was quickly stopped.
Robert Simms W8 Colby Madison... Robert Simms scored a minor upset victory, handing Colby Madison his first loss by pounding out a eight-round unanimous decision in a heavyweight bout. Madison fought through a badly swollen left eye that occurred in round five. Simms had a bad cut over his right eye, but was able to come through by scores of (80-72) twice and 79-73. Simms of Saginaw, Michigan is now 9-3. Madison of Owings Mills, Maryland is 8-1-2.
MORE RESULTS
Rasheen Brown stopped debuting Lionell Tidwell in the second round of their scheduled four-round super bantamweight fight. Brown landed a perfect straight left that sent Tidwell down and the bout was stopped at 1:18 of round two. Brown of Philadelphia is 4-0 with one knockout...
Former amateur star Paul Kroll kept his perfect mark intact with a memorable first-round stoppage of Hector Mercado in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout. Kroll landed a right to the head, that sent Mercado down on his leg. Mercado's right leg was dangling off of his ankle, and the bout was stopped at 1:23. Kroll of Philadelphia is 4-0 with four knockouts. Mercado is 3-11...
Kashon Hutchinson won a six-round unanimous decision over Philadelphia's James Martin (4-1) in a welterweight bout. Hutchinson scored a flash knockdown in the opening frame, and that proved to be distance as he took all cards 57-56. Hutchinson of Reading, PA is 5-5...
Jonathan Torres won a four-round unanimous decision over Hugo Rodriguez in a bantamweight contest. Torres of Bethlehem, PA dropped Rodriguez in round four, and cruised to the victory by 40-35 scores. Torres is 5-0. Rodriguez of Mexico is 0-5...
Kevin Asmat stopped Weusi Johnson in round three of their scheduled four round junior lightweight bout. Asmat dropped Johnson in round's one and two, and Johnson was stopped on his feet at 2:44 of round three. Asmat of North Bergen, NJ is 6-2 with five knockouts. Johnson of Wilmington, Delaware is 3-13-1...
Khainell Wheeler registered his second consecutive first-round stoppage against Tywaski Hendrix in their scheduled four-round super middleweight fight. Wheeler dropped Hendrix twice and the fight was stopped immedately upon the 2nd knockdown at 2:45. Wheeler of Bethlehem, PA is 2-0 with two knockouts. Hendrix of Little Rock, Arkansas was making his pro debut. source for all results: king's promotions press release
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: keeping up with Jones |
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Otha Jones III TKO1 Michael Horabin... On Friday, 19 year-old Otha Jones III took out Michael Horabin (2-12) in one round in a bout that took place at York Hall London. Jones dropped Horabin twice. With the win, Jones ups his mark to 2-0 with one knockout. Jones, a native of Toledo, Ohio, had a 283-13 amateur record highlighted by representing Team USA in several international tournaments. He was also a four-time state wrestling champion. source: Split-T Management
Muhsin Cason TKO1 Nathaniel Copeland ... Heavyweight Muhsin Cason (5-0, 3 KOs) notched a first-round TKO against Nathaniel Copeland (1-1, 1 KO) of Washington D.C. Cason, the younger brother of former world champion Hasim Rahman, landed a body blow in the middle of round one, sending the bigger Copeland to the canvas. Copeland did not recover, and the bout was halted. "Since I've recently moved up to heavyweight, I feel a lot stronger," said Cason, who is also trained by his older brother. "I'm starting to feel more comfortable at heavyweight with each fight. This was my second bout fighting with the big boys and I promise to get better with each fight. My power is moving up with me. I'm hoping to get back in the ring next month."
"Muhsin showed he has the power to compete at heavyweight," said manager Greg Hannely. "We are going to try to get three or four more fights in before the end of the year. Right now, the focus is on keeping him busy. He has a bright future and we believe he has all the tools to become a force in the heavyweight division."
"Muhsin is becoming a better fighter as he marches on in his career," said Hasim Rahman, who trains Muhsin. "We are working very had in the gym and he's getting great sparring with some of the best heavyweight in boxing. He's still learning but he's retaining all the knowledge I'm showing him. I'm happy we got another knockout against a tough fighter like Copeland." source: prince ranch boxing
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: keeping up with Jones
Otha Jones III TKO1 Michael Horabin... On Friday, 19 year-old Otha Jones III took out Michael Horabin (2-12) in one round in a bout that took place at York Hall London. Jones dropped Horabin twice. With the win, Jones ups his mark to 2-0 with one knockout. Jones, a native of Toledo, Ohio, had a 283-13 amateur record highlighted by representing Team USA in several international tournaments. He was also a four-time state wrestling champion. source: Split-T Management
Muhsin Cason TKO1 Nathaniel Copeland ... Heavyweight Muhsin Cason (5-0, 3 KOs) notched a first-round TKO against Nathaniel Copeland (1-1, 1 KO) of Washington D.C. Cason, the younger brother of former world champion Hasim Rahman, landed a body blow in the middle of round one, sending the bigger Copeland to the canvas. Copeland did not recover, and the bout was halted. "Since I've recently moved up to heavyweight, I feel a lot stronger," said Cason, who is also trained by his older brother. "I'm starting to feel more comfortable at heavyweight with each fight. This was my second bout fighting with the big boys and I promise to get better with each fight. My power is moving up with me. I'm hoping to get back in the ring next month."
"Muhsin showed he has the power to compete at heavyweight," said manager Greg Hannely. "We are going to try to get three or four more fights in before the end of the year. Right now, the focus is on keeping him busy. He has a bright future and we believe he has all the tools to become a force in the heavyweight division."
"Muhsin is becoming a better fighter as he marches on in his career," said Hasim Rahman, who trains Muhsin. "We are working very had in the gym and he's getting great sparring with some of the best heavyweight in boxing. He's still learning but he's retaining all the knowledge I'm showing him. I'm happy we got another knockout against a tough fighter like Copeland." source: prince ranch boxing
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Charlo destroys Cota in three, Harrison rematch next |
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Jermell Charlo KO3 Jorge Cota: Former WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo improved to 32-1 with 16 KOs with a one-punch knockout of Mexico's Jorge Cota...sorta. After possibly losing the first two rounds and getting hit with far too much of what the awkward Mexican was throwing at him, Charlo landed a crushing right hand that sent Cota to the canvas. He would make it to his feet and beat the count. Despite a cloudy look in Cota's eyes, referee Jay Nady allowed the action to resume without asking Cota to walk in any direction, including forward. Charlo immediately landed a 1-2 that flattened Cota (28-4) badly enough that the fight was stopped without a count. Source: Fox
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Charlo destroys Cota in three, Harrison rematch next
Jermell Charlo KO3 Jorge Cota: Former WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo improved to 32-1 with 16 KOs with a one-punch knockout of Mexico's Jorge Cota...sorta. After possibly losing the first two rounds and getting hit with far too much of what the awkward Mexican was throwing at him, Charlo landed a crushing right hand that sent Cota to the canvas. He would make it to his feet and beat the count. Despite a cloudy look in Cota's eyes, referee Jay Nady allowed the action to resume without asking Cota to walk in any direction, including forward. Charlo immediately landed a 1-2 that flattened Cota (28-4) badly enough that the fight was stopped without a count. Source: Fox
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Dubois calls Gorman's style boring |
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British heavyweight Daniel Dubois has questioned the entertainment value of fights involving his forthcoming opponent Nathan Gorman. By his own admission, Gorman (16-0, 11 KOs) has labored somewhat to points victories in his last three fights, but mitigates this by pointing out that he has suffered with opponent withdrawals and short notice changes, therefore affecting his level of motivation. Dubois views the matter differently and insists his July 13th vacant British heavyweight title opposition will never deliver the thrills and spills. “Well, this sort of fighter will never be entertaining, it is just the way he is,” reasoned the London fighter. “One thing I can tell you is he is never going to be exciting to watch.”
The same certainly cannot be said for Dubois, with his 10 KOs in 11 pro fights. The 21-year-old even entered into a couple of wild swing-offs with his last opponent, Richard Lartey, before stopping the Ghanaian in the fourth. Dubois cannot fathom what the thought process was behind being drawn into a shootout. “To be honest, I don’t know,” he admitted. “The spirit and energy told me to do that and I went out and did it. The only thing I can say about that fight is I got a win.”
Meanwhile, Dubois went on to borrow the words of Lartey when assessing the merits of Gorman as an opponent and whether he is the Nantwich man’s toughest assignment to date. “Yes, as my last opponent said, he is baby food and this guy has definitely been on that.”
Tickets for ‘Heavy Duty’ featuring Daniel Dubois v Nathan Gorman for the vacant British heavyweight title, plus Olympic silver medallist Joe Joyce vs. Bryant Jennings are on sale now. The show also features British middleweight champion Liam Williams who clashes against France’s Karim Achour. Super flyweight Sunny Edwards meets Mexican Hiram Gallardo. Super featherweight Archie Sharp is matched against Jordan McCorry.
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Dubois calls Gorman's style boring
British heavyweight Daniel Dubois has questioned the entertainment value of fights involving his forthcoming opponent Nathan Gorman. By his own admission, Gorman (16-0, 11 KOs) has labored somewhat to points victories in his last three fights, but mitigates this by pointing out that he has suffered with opponent withdrawals and short notice changes, therefore affecting his level of motivation. Dubois views the matter differently and insists his July 13th vacant British heavyweight title opposition will never deliver the thrills and spills. “Well, this sort of fighter will never be entertaining, it is just the way he is,” reasoned the London fighter. “One thing I can tell you is he is never going to be exciting to watch.”
The same certainly cannot be said for Dubois, with his 10 KOs in 11 pro fights. The 21-year-old even entered into a couple of wild swing-offs with his last opponent, Richard Lartey, before stopping the Ghanaian in the fourth. Dubois cannot fathom what the thought process was behind being drawn into a shootout. “To be honest, I don’t know,” he admitted. “The spirit and energy told me to do that and I went out and did it. The only thing I can say about that fight is I got a win.”
Meanwhile, Dubois went on to borrow the words of Lartey when assessing the merits of Gorman as an opponent and whether he is the Nantwich man’s toughest assignment to date. “Yes, as my last opponent said, he is baby food and this guy has definitely been on that.”
Tickets for ‘Heavy Duty’ featuring Daniel Dubois v Nathan Gorman for the vacant British heavyweight title, plus Olympic silver medallist Joe Joyce vs. Bryant Jennings are on sale now. The show also features British middleweight champion Liam Williams who clashes against France’s Karim Achour. Super flyweight Sunny Edwards meets Mexican Hiram Gallardo. Super featherweight Archie Sharp is matched against Jordan McCorry.
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Rigondeaux stops Ceja in eighth, featuring another bad night from Russell Mora |
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Guillermo Rigondeaux TKO8 Julio Ceja: It was far from easy and as a result far more exciting than any of us could have hoped for. Instead of using his superior footwork and overall boxing ability, Cuba's Guillermo Rigondeaux chose to make it a phone booth fight with Mexico's Julio Ceja. Both combatants were head-to-head and chest-to-chest for the majority of the evening (referee Russell Mora did everything he could to insert himself into the fight, calling multiple low blows that were clearly on belt lines). Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs), was visibly hurt in the closing moments of the seventh round, but easily hung on to finish the frame. Both fighters were deducted a point for low blows in round eight, the last round of the fight. Moments later Rigondeaux landed a perfectly placed looping left hand that sent Ceja (32-4) crashing to the canvas. He beat the count but Mora topped of his lousy performance with a premature stoppage. Official time of stoppage was 2:59. Source: Fox
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Rigondeaux stops Ceja in eighth, featuring another bad night from Russell Mora
Guillermo Rigondeaux TKO8 Julio Ceja: It was far from easy and as a result far more exciting than any of us could have hoped for. Instead of using his superior footwork and overall boxing ability, Cuba's Guillermo Rigondeaux chose to make it a phone booth fight with Mexico's Julio Ceja. Both combatants were head-to-head and chest-to-chest for the majority of the evening (referee Russell Mora did everything he could to insert himself into the fight, calling multiple low blows that were clearly on belt lines). Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs), was visibly hurt in the closing moments of the seventh round, but easily hung on to finish the frame. Both fighters were deducted a point for low blows in round eight, the last round of the fight. Moments later Rigondeaux landed a perfectly placed looping left hand that sent Ceja (32-4) crashing to the canvas. He beat the count but Mora topped of his lousy performance with a premature stoppage. Official time of stoppage was 2:59. Source: Fox
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Colbert, Ramos go distance but remain unbeaten |
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Chris Colbert W8 Alberto Mercado: Super featherweight up-and-comer Chris Colbert improved to (12-0, 4 KOs) came away with a one-sided victory over rugged Alberto Mercardo (16-3-1). Colbert was in control for the overwhelming majority of the action. He got the better of it when he was pressing forward and it was more of the same when his back was against the ropes. Colbert's got work to do, but he's definitely one to keep a close eye on. Official scores were 80-72 on all three cards. Source: Fox
Jesus Ramos W4 Kevin Shacks: It was a night of firsts for teenage welterweight Jesus Ramos (10-0, 9 KOs). He went more than two rounds for the first time, he went the distance for the first time and he fought through blood, as an accidental clash of heads opened up a cut on the outside of Ramos eye in round two. Kevin Shacks (3-4-3) was game and had his moments, but he was never really in the fight despite giving Ramos some valuable experience. Official scores were 40-36 on all three cards. Source: Fox
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Colbert, Ramos go distance but remain unbeaten
Chris Colbert W8 Alberto Mercado: Super featherweight up-and-comer Chris Colbert improved to (12-0, 4 KOs) came away with a one-sided victory over rugged Alberto Mercardo (16-3-1). Colbert was in control for the overwhelming majority of the action. He got the better of it when he was pressing forward and it was more of the same when his back was against the ropes. Colbert's got work to do, but he's definitely one to keep a close eye on. Official scores were 80-72 on all three cards. Source: Fox
Jesus Ramos W4 Kevin Shacks: It was a night of firsts for teenage welterweight Jesus Ramos (10-0, 9 KOs). He went more than two rounds for the first time, he went the distance for the first time and he fought through blood, as an accidental clash of heads opened up a cut on the outside of Ramos eye in round two. Kevin Shacks (3-4-3) was game and had his moments, but he was never really in the fight despite giving Ramos some valuable experience. Official scores were 40-36 on all three cards. Source: Fox
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WBO names Usyk as mandatory contender |
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The WBO has named Oleksandr Usyk as the mandatory contender at heavyweight, an unusual move considering Usyk has never fought in the heavyweight division. While the move is defensible based on the fact that Usyk completely cleaned out the cruiserweight division in the World Boxing Super Series, it certainly does not seem fair to Dillian Whyte, who appears at #1 in the WBO rankings and has beaten several respected heavyweights. The WBO heavyweight champion, of course, is Andy Ruiz, who is contractually obligated to give a rematch to the man he just beat, Anthony Joshuia. Ruiz also holds the WBA and IBF belts, and they have differrent mandatories, so it is unclear what Usyk's path to a heavyweight title would be. He probably should be required to beat a top fifteen heavyweight before getting the mandatory designation.
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WBO names Usyk as mandatory contender
The WBO has named Oleksandr Usyk as the mandatory contender at heavyweight, an unusual move considering Usyk has never fought in the heavyweight division. While the move is defensible based on the fact that Usyk completely cleaned out the cruiserweight division in the World Boxing Super Series, it certainly does not seem fair to Dillian Whyte, who appears at #1 in the WBO rankings and has beaten several respected heavyweights. The WBO heavyweight champion, of course, is Andy Ruiz, who is contractually obligated to give a rematch to the man he just beat, Anthony Joshuia. Ruiz also holds the WBA and IBF belts, and they have differrent mandatories, so it is unclear what Usyk's path to a heavyweight title would be. He probably should be required to beat a top fifteen heavyweight before getting the mandatory designation.
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Wilder not getting paid $4.3M for cancelled Povetkin fight |
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Last week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a decision issued last year over the failed Deontay Wider vs. Alexander Povetkin WBC heavyweight title fight. Even though Povetkin tested positive for a banned performance enhancing substance prior to his planned 2016 WBC title challenge against Wilder, the court ruled that Wilder is NOT entitled to receive the $4,369,000 purse he was scheduled to be paid for the fight. The fight never occurred but Wilder's purse was held in an escrow account pending a legal ruling. The court has now ruled that Povetkin’s promoter, World of Boxing (WOB) is entitled to keep the $4,369,000 that was supposed to be Wilder's purse. "We see no reason why WOB should not be entitled to return of the funds held in escrow." The Second Circuit also ruled that WOB could not collect any additional money from Wilder for failing to reschedule the fight after Povetkin tested positive. Despite the loss of its counterclaims, this decision is a win for WOB.
In reaching this decision, the key was a prior ruling issued by the WBC in August 2017. The contract between Wilder and WOB read that the WBC could drop its sanction of the fight and “perform any and all decisions... and actions relating to” it at any time. The WBC took a very weak stance against Povetkin's cheating and let his promoter off the hook, to the detriment of Wilder.
Povetkin tested clean on April 7th, 8th and 11th of 2016 but a urine sample provided by him on April 27, 2016 tested positive for the banned substance meldonium. [Povetkin subsequently tested positive for a different banned substance, but that was not at issue in this lawsuit].
At the time, meldonium was newly banned, as it was legal in Russia, where Povetkin lives, through December 31, 2015. The WBC decided in 2017, despite the dirty test result, that Povetkin did not violate the WBC's Clean Boxing Program. The WBC wrote in 2017, “it is not possible to ascertain that Mr. Povetkin ingested meldonium after January 1, 2016.”
The January 1, 2016 date is significant. According to the New York Times, the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) did not ban meldonium until January 1, 2016. The drug had been legal and widely used in Russia for decades, so it makes sense not to punish uses of meldonium from December 2015 or earlier because it was legal at the time.
HoweverR, the WBC's ruling is illogical and/or corrupt because it ignores the three tests from earlier in April 2016 that showed no meldonium in Povetkin's system. It seems logical that the positive test result was caused by Povetkin ingesting meldonium between April 11 and April 27, 2016, not prior to January 1, 2016.
The court found the WBC's determination of no violation meant WOB, not Wilder, was entitled to keep Wilder's $4.3 million purse because the contract between Wilder and WOB specified that the WBC had initial decision-making power over future disputes.
The court decided the WBC’s ruling was conclusive on the issue of who was entitled to the escrow funds, stating, “To conclude otherwise would require this Court to determine that Povetkin breached the contract by failing to abide by WBC anti-doping requirements when the parties specifically agreed that WBC’s decision on this question would be conclusive. Wilder has not shown that Povetkin’s ingestion of or positive test for meldonium was by itself a breach of the bout agreement.”
Povetkin and WOB had counterclaims against Wilder, accusing him of pulling out of the fight when he had no reason to do so, but the court dismissed those claims as well.
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Wilder not getting paid $4.3M for cancelled Povetkin fight
Last week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a decision issued last year over the failed Deontay Wider vs. Alexander Povetkin WBC heavyweight title fight. Even though Povetkin tested positive for a banned performance enhancing substance prior to his planned 2016 WBC title challenge against Wilder, the court ruled that Wilder is NOT entitled to receive the $4,369,000 purse he was scheduled to be paid for the fight. The fight never occurred but Wilder's purse was held in an escrow account pending a legal ruling. The court has now ruled that Povetkin’s promoter, World of Boxing (WOB) is entitled to keep the $4,369,000 that was supposed to be Wilder's purse. "We see no reason why WOB should not be entitled to return of the funds held in escrow." The Second Circuit also ruled that WOB could not collect any additional money from Wilder for failing to reschedule the fight after Povetkin tested positive. Despite the loss of its counterclaims, this decision is a win for WOB.
In reaching this decision, the key was a prior ruling issued by the WBC in August 2017. The contract between Wilder and WOB read that the WBC could drop its sanction of the fight and “perform any and all decisions... and actions relating to” it at any time. The WBC took a very weak stance against Povetkin's cheating and let his promoter off the hook, to the detriment of Wilder.
Povetkin tested clean on April 7th, 8th and 11th of 2016 but a urine sample provided by him on April 27, 2016 tested positive for the banned substance meldonium. [Povetkin subsequently tested positive for a different banned substance, but that was not at issue in this lawsuit].
At the time, meldonium was newly banned, as it was legal in Russia, where Povetkin lives, through December 31, 2015. The WBC decided in 2017, despite the dirty test result, that Povetkin did not violate the WBC's Clean Boxing Program. The WBC wrote in 2017, “it is not possible to ascertain that Mr. Povetkin ingested meldonium after January 1, 2016.”
The January 1, 2016 date is significant. According to the New York Times, the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) did not ban meldonium until January 1, 2016. The drug had been legal and widely used in Russia for decades, so it makes sense not to punish uses of meldonium from December 2015 or earlier because it was legal at the time.
HoweverR, the WBC's ruling is illogical and/or corrupt because it ignores the three tests from earlier in April 2016 that showed no meldonium in Povetkin's system. It seems logical that the positive test result was caused by Povetkin ingesting meldonium between April 11 and April 27, 2016, not prior to January 1, 2016.
The court found the WBC's determination of no violation meant WOB, not Wilder, was entitled to keep Wilder's $4.3 million purse because the contract between Wilder and WOB specified that the WBC had initial decision-making power over future disputes.
The court decided the WBC’s ruling was conclusive on the issue of who was entitled to the escrow funds, stating, “To conclude otherwise would require this Court to determine that Povetkin breached the contract by failing to abide by WBC anti-doping requirements when the parties specifically agreed that WBC’s decision on this question would be conclusive. Wilder has not shown that Povetkin’s ingestion of or positive test for meldonium was by itself a breach of the bout agreement.”
Povetkin and WOB had counterclaims against Wilder, accusing him of pulling out of the fight when he had no reason to do so, but the court dismissed those claims as well.
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Results from Scotland: Lee McGregor remains undefeated |
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Lee McGregor TKO8 Scott Allan... Banrtamweight Lee McGregor (7-0, 6 KOs) stopped Scott Allan (9-4-1) in the eighth round of their Commonwealth title showdown in Glasgow, Scotland. After an entertaining battle, McGregor dropped his countryman in round eight. Allan made it up to his feet, but McGregor continued his attack and forced the referee to step in, sending the crowd home happy. McGregor: “It went exactly how I thought it would go. He started to feel my power and we took him out. I was breaking him down and it was a good performance. I’m absolutely flying and loving life at the moment. Mentally and physically I’m in a great place and I’d love the Kash Farooq fight next. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and it would be a huge fight for Scotland. Two Scottish undefeated fighters makes for a great fight.”
Kieran Smith W10 Ivan Montero... Elsewhere on the card, junior middleweight Kieran Smith (15-0, 7 KOs) defeated Ivan Montero (21-3, 9 KOs) on points. Smith: “I won every round and stuck to my game plan and boxing. I did what the coaches told me to do and I think he was looking for a way out from round five when he was busted up. I had him hurt a few times and I was pleased with the win. I’m progressing in this game now and hopefully I can get out in September in a big fight. I’ll fight anybody and whoever MTK Global decide to put in front of me I’ll fight.”
Lewis Bewnson W8 Renald Garrido... Benson: “It was what I expected with him coming forward constantly and throwing big shots. I had to weather the storms at times but these are the fights I want where my opponents come to win. “It was good to get the eight rounds and it will stand me in good stead. Garrido is a tough fighter but I had to do what I had to do and I got the win so I’m pleased. Hopefully we can kick on and get another good fight next.”
Craig MacIntyre TKO3 Chris Adaway... MacIntyre: “I’m delighted. I only had three weeks to train for this fight so to get the stoppage win against a tough opponent on ESPN+, I couldn’t be happier. “It was a perfectly timed shot that landed. I’m boxing for the big nights like this so it was brilliant to introduce myself to that audience at this stage of my career. Hopefully now we can get a title fight between the end of the year.”
Reece McFadden W6 Joel Sanchez... McFadden: “I suffered a cut but dealt with it really well. It was my first six rounder and I enjoyed it and I thought I came on well in the later rounds. “I want to be fast-tracked to higher levels and bigger fights as quick as possible. I wanted someone with a winning record and he came to win, and it meant you saw the slick stuff from me that I can do.”
Jack Turner W4 Jose Hernandez... Turner: “My performance was ten times better than my debut. I’m feeling good and back to my normal self. I enjoyed it and it was definitely better than last time. “My support out there was phenomenal and I love all of my fans for coming down. It’s brilliant to fight on these Scottish bills with these great fights on them. Scottish boxing is massive at the moment so for me to be apart of it is great.” source for all results: MTK Management
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Results from Scotland: Lee McGregor remains undefeated
Lee McGregor TKO8 Scott Allan... Banrtamweight Lee McGregor (7-0, 6 KOs) stopped Scott Allan (9-4-1) in the eighth round of their Commonwealth title showdown in Glasgow, Scotland. After an entertaining battle, McGregor dropped his countryman in round eight. Allan made it up to his feet, but McGregor continued his attack and forced the referee to step in, sending the crowd home happy. McGregor: “It went exactly how I thought it would go. He started to feel my power and we took him out. I was breaking him down and it was a good performance. I’m absolutely flying and loving life at the moment. Mentally and physically I’m in a great place and I’d love the Kash Farooq fight next. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and it would be a huge fight for Scotland. Two Scottish undefeated fighters makes for a great fight.”
Kieran Smith W10 Ivan Montero... Elsewhere on the card, junior middleweight Kieran Smith (15-0, 7 KOs) defeated Ivan Montero (21-3, 9 KOs) on points. Smith: “I won every round and stuck to my game plan and boxing. I did what the coaches told me to do and I think he was looking for a way out from round five when he was busted up. I had him hurt a few times and I was pleased with the win. I’m progressing in this game now and hopefully I can get out in September in a big fight. I’ll fight anybody and whoever MTK Global decide to put in front of me I’ll fight.”
Lewis Bewnson W8 Renald Garrido... Benson: “It was what I expected with him coming forward constantly and throwing big shots. I had to weather the storms at times but these are the fights I want where my opponents come to win. “It was good to get the eight rounds and it will stand me in good stead. Garrido is a tough fighter but I had to do what I had to do and I got the win so I’m pleased. Hopefully we can kick on and get another good fight next.”
Craig MacIntyre TKO3 Chris Adaway... MacIntyre: “I’m delighted. I only had three weeks to train for this fight so to get the stoppage win against a tough opponent on ESPN+, I couldn’t be happier. “It was a perfectly timed shot that landed. I’m boxing for the big nights like this so it was brilliant to introduce myself to that audience at this stage of my career. Hopefully now we can get a title fight between the end of the year.”
Reece McFadden W6 Joel Sanchez... McFadden: “I suffered a cut but dealt with it really well. It was my first six rounder and I enjoyed it and I thought I came on well in the later rounds. “I want to be fast-tracked to higher levels and bigger fights as quick as possible. I wanted someone with a winning record and he came to win, and it meant you saw the slick stuff from me that I can do.”
Jack Turner W4 Jose Hernandez... Turner: “My performance was ten times better than my debut. I’m feeling good and back to my normal self. I enjoyed it and it was definitely better than last time. “My support out there was phenomenal and I love all of my fans for coming down. It’s brilliant to fight on these Scottish bills with these great fights on them. Scottish boxing is massive at the moment so for me to be apart of it is great.” source for all results: MTK Management
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After win, Dina Thorslund calls out Heather Hardy |
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Dina Thorslund W10 April Adams... Dina Thorslund (14-0, 6 KOs) made a home-country defense of her WBO 122-pound title with a wide win over mandatory challenger April Adams (11-2-1, 4 KOs) at the Forum Horsens in Denmark. The Danish champion showed her class, winning every round on all three of the judges’ scorecards. She also showed her compassion by sparing a visibly stunned Adams in the final seconds of the tenth round, stepping back with smile and allowing the Australian challenger to finish the fight on her feet. “I feel like I was in control for the whole fight,” said Thorslund following her second title defense. “There wasn’t one second where I felt in doubt. It was a hard physical battle. April is a tough girl. She came here to win. I feel good and I'm very happy to have defended my belt in such a good fight.”
After the bout, Thorslund and her promoter Nisse Sauerland discussed future plans for the Danish star, including a move up in weight with a fight against WBO 126-pound champion Heather Hardy topping their wish list. [Hardy, from New York, recently lost an MMA bout]. “That was a fantastic performance from Dina," said Sauerland. "She showed tonight why she is one of the most exciting female fighters in the world. There are a lot of big opportunities for her now including a move up to featherweight and a fight with Heather Hardy. That would be huge in Denmark or America."
"I want to be the best and that involves moving up in weight and collecting more titles," said Thorslund. "I am ready to face anyone and that includes Hardy." source: sauerland event
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After win, Dina Thorslund calls out Heather Hardy
Dina Thorslund W10 April Adams... Dina Thorslund (14-0, 6 KOs) made a home-country defense of her WBO 122-pound title with a wide win over mandatory challenger April Adams (11-2-1, 4 KOs) at the Forum Horsens in Denmark. The Danish champion showed her class, winning every round on all three of the judges’ scorecards. She also showed her compassion by sparing a visibly stunned Adams in the final seconds of the tenth round, stepping back with smile and allowing the Australian challenger to finish the fight on her feet. “I feel like I was in control for the whole fight,” said Thorslund following her second title defense. “There wasn’t one second where I felt in doubt. It was a hard physical battle. April is a tough girl. She came here to win. I feel good and I'm very happy to have defended my belt in such a good fight.”
After the bout, Thorslund and her promoter Nisse Sauerland discussed future plans for the Danish star, including a move up in weight with a fight against WBO 126-pound champion Heather Hardy topping their wish list. [Hardy, from New York, recently lost an MMA bout]. “That was a fantastic performance from Dina," said Sauerland. "She showed tonight why she is one of the most exciting female fighters in the world. There are a lot of big opportunities for her now including a move up to featherweight and a fight with Heather Hardy. That would be huge in Denmark or America."
"I want to be the best and that involves moving up in weight and collecting more titles," said Thorslund. "I am ready to face anyone and that includes Hardy." source: sauerland event
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Tonight on Fox: Jermell Charlo vs. Jorge Cota |
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Jermell Charlo felt cheated and disrespected after his cloase decision loss to Tony Harrison this past December. June 23rd was supposed to be a day of vengeance and the reacquisition of his WBC 154-pound title. One could hear the seething anger in his voice as he spoke about taking back what was his. Then Harrison tore ligaments in his right ankle during training, forcing him to pull out of the grudge-heavy rematch. Thus, on Sunday night at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Charlo (31-1, 15 KOs) will now face hard-hitting late replacement Jorge Cota (28-3, 25 KOs). The bout headlines a PBC on Fox and FoxDeportes card (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) that will also feature Cuban master boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux against Mexican battler Julio Ceja in a WBC junior featherweight title eliminator.
“It feels like a heartbreak,” Charlo said of Harrison’s injury and withdrawal. “I was ready to destroy Tony Harrison and now I'm going to get in there and destroy Cota… It's unfortunate that Tony Harrison isn't my next victim.
“I feel my title was taken from me and being held hostage and I want it back. I will go through anything to get it back. The moment he's cleared to fight I want the match and I will get my title back. I'm going in June 23rd for a dominant victory with a ferocious attitude and a mindset to destroy, because I know I can't leave it to the judges anymore.”
Although Charlo swears to keep the fire burning for Cota, it’s hard to imagine there not being some degree of letdown coming into Sunday’s non-title bout. And any sort of letdown, slipup, or lapse in focus plays right into the underdog’s heavy hands.
Cota, a 31-year-old native of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico is not as slick or as talented as the heavily-favored Charlo and, if not for the injury to Harrison, would not be on the world stage in the main event of a big Vegas show. But having to go through life the hard way and having to work through the doubts of cynics and critics is nothing new for the Northern Mexico battler.
A late-starter to the sport, “El Demonio” made his pro debut at 20 years of age with only 11 amateur fights under his belt and fought his way to a world ranking via the hardscrabble Mexican club circuit.
To this day, despite some fine-tuning from trainer and former three-division world champ Fernando Montiel, Cota still fights with the brutish inelegance of a fighter who’s learned his lessons as he’s needed them in the ring.
Heavy-handed and awkward with a taste for switching to a southpaw stance, Cota throws punches from odd, unexpected angles and is the type of ungainly opponent that gives skilled, technically-sound fighter like Charlo fits.
Throw in a bit of motivation from the heavyweight division and Cota has reason to believe that, at the very least, anything is possible in the ring.
“Watching my Mexican brother Andy Ruiz Jr. fight [versus Anthony Joshua]… I am very motivated,” Cota said. “I saw how he got an unexpected chance to become a champion and surprise the world. He has inspired me to win this fight in the same way. I will shock the world on June 23 just like Andy did on Saturday, for Mexico, the country that I love. This is the most important fight of my career.”
Charlo, meanwhile, enters the ring this Sunday in a bit of a no-win situation. With the boxing world expecting him to roll over Cota, anything less will seem like a disappointment. And even if he manages to register a brutal blowout victory, the win he really wants, over Harrison for the WBC belt, remains out of reach.
The 29-year-old from Houston, Texas fights tall and does his best work at a distance behind a sharp jab and quick, technically perfect follow-up rights. Despite a well-earned reputation for having a mean streak, Charlo is a careful, cautious boxer-puncher at heart who will jockey for perfect position before letting his hands go. He can do just about everything well in the ring, but off-putting movement has shut him down for stretches in the past, including in his lone career loss to Harrison.
Cota is not a boxer like Harrison, but his unorthodox ring style could definitely be seen as off-putting. Add into the mix a pair of heavy hands being flung from all directions and he could be a greater danger to Charlo than paper analysis and betting odds may indicate.
It would be in Charlo’s best interest to end Sunday’s fight as soon as possible to reduce the risk of being caught by some cuffing, out of the blue shot that could ruin plans and turn the talented, mega-competitive junior middleweight division upside down. Simply put, the longer the fight goes on, the greater chance there will be for the unimaginable and unthinkable to happen—and Jorge Cota’s power is certainly capable of flipping any script.
Jermell Charlo will walk into the Mandalay Bay this coming Sunday with every conceivable edge in skill, experience, and raw ability. But, as we’ve seen in the unpredictable world of big-time boxing, holding all the advantages hardly guarantees victory.
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Tonight on Fox: Jermell Charlo vs. Jorge Cota
Jermell Charlo felt cheated and disrespected after his cloase decision loss to Tony Harrison this past December. June 23rd was supposed to be a day of vengeance and the reacquisition of his WBC 154-pound title. One could hear the seething anger in his voice as he spoke about taking back what was his. Then Harrison tore ligaments in his right ankle during training, forcing him to pull out of the grudge-heavy rematch. Thus, on Sunday night at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Charlo (31-1, 15 KOs) will now face hard-hitting late replacement Jorge Cota (28-3, 25 KOs). The bout headlines a PBC on Fox and FoxDeportes card (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) that will also feature Cuban master boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux against Mexican battler Julio Ceja in a WBC junior featherweight title eliminator.
“It feels like a heartbreak,” Charlo said of Harrison’s injury and withdrawal. “I was ready to destroy Tony Harrison and now I'm going to get in there and destroy Cota… It's unfortunate that Tony Harrison isn't my next victim.
“I feel my title was taken from me and being held hostage and I want it back. I will go through anything to get it back. The moment he's cleared to fight I want the match and I will get my title back. I'm going in June 23rd for a dominant victory with a ferocious attitude and a mindset to destroy, because I know I can't leave it to the judges anymore.”
Although Charlo swears to keep the fire burning for Cota, it’s hard to imagine there not being some degree of letdown coming into Sunday’s non-title bout. And any sort of letdown, slipup, or lapse in focus plays right into the underdog’s heavy hands.
Cota, a 31-year-old native of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico is not as slick or as talented as the heavily-favored Charlo and, if not for the injury to Harrison, would not be on the world stage in the main event of a big Vegas show. But having to go through life the hard way and having to work through the doubts of cynics and critics is nothing new for the Northern Mexico battler.
A late-starter to the sport, “El Demonio” made his pro debut at 20 years of age with only 11 amateur fights under his belt and fought his way to a world ranking via the hardscrabble Mexican club circuit.
To this day, despite some fine-tuning from trainer and former three-division world champ Fernando Montiel, Cota still fights with the brutish inelegance of a fighter who’s learned his lessons as he’s needed them in the ring.
Heavy-handed and awkward with a taste for switching to a southpaw stance, Cota throws punches from odd, unexpected angles and is the type of ungainly opponent that gives skilled, technically-sound fighter like Charlo fits.
Throw in a bit of motivation from the heavyweight division and Cota has reason to believe that, at the very least, anything is possible in the ring.
“Watching my Mexican brother Andy Ruiz Jr. fight [versus Anthony Joshua]… I am very motivated,” Cota said. “I saw how he got an unexpected chance to become a champion and surprise the world. He has inspired me to win this fight in the same way. I will shock the world on June 23 just like Andy did on Saturday, for Mexico, the country that I love. This is the most important fight of my career.”
Charlo, meanwhile, enters the ring this Sunday in a bit of a no-win situation. With the boxing world expecting him to roll over Cota, anything less will seem like a disappointment. And even if he manages to register a brutal blowout victory, the win he really wants, over Harrison for the WBC belt, remains out of reach.
The 29-year-old from Houston, Texas fights tall and does his best work at a distance behind a sharp jab and quick, technically perfect follow-up rights. Despite a well-earned reputation for having a mean streak, Charlo is a careful, cautious boxer-puncher at heart who will jockey for perfect position before letting his hands go. He can do just about everything well in the ring, but off-putting movement has shut him down for stretches in the past, including in his lone career loss to Harrison.
Cota is not a boxer like Harrison, but his unorthodox ring style could definitely be seen as off-putting. Add into the mix a pair of heavy hands being flung from all directions and he could be a greater danger to Charlo than paper analysis and betting odds may indicate.
It would be in Charlo’s best interest to end Sunday’s fight as soon as possible to reduce the risk of being caught by some cuffing, out of the blue shot that could ruin plans and turn the talented, mega-competitive junior middleweight division upside down. Simply put, the longer the fight goes on, the greater chance there will be for the unimaginable and unthinkable to happen—and Jorge Cota’s power is certainly capable of flipping any script.
Jermell Charlo will walk into the Mandalay Bay this coming Sunday with every conceivable edge in skill, experience, and raw ability. But, as we’ve seen in the unpredictable world of big-time boxing, holding all the advantages hardly guarantees victory.
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Andrew Cancio continues unlikely championship run |
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Andrew Cancio KO3 Alberto Machado... A boxing Cinderella story continued in true Arturo Gatti fashion on Friday in Indio, California. In an immediate rematch, Andrew Cancio fought through a bad cut to knock out Alberto Machado and retain his WBA regular super featherweight championship. Cancio, who is not hard to hit, suffered a cut forhead in round two, but he immediately began walking Machado down, landing hard body punches that quickly took all the steam out of Machado. Cutman Carlos Vargas did a phenomenal job stopping the bleeding, and Cancio picked up right where he left off to start round three. A nasty Cancio left hook to the side put his opponent down on one knee, and the deflated Machado got up an instant after the referee reached the ten count. No controversy. The result is similar to their first fight, in which Cancio's body attack stopped Machado in four rounds. Cancio is an unlikely champion: he retired from boxing in 2016 and remains a full-time employee of California Gas & Electric. Cancio (20-4-2) holds a title that it listed by the WBA as secondary to Gervonta Davis' super championship, but Cancio's title is no less legitimate than Davis', as Cancio beat a reigning title holder (Machado) to get his belt while Davis beat a non-champion who had lost his prior fight (Jesus Cuellar) to acquire the super championship. Next up for Cancio is back to work on Monday and then likely a mandatory defense vs. Rene Alvarado (31-8). Machado (21-2) said making 130 pounds drained him and will be moving up to lightweight. source: dazn
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Andrew Cancio continues unlikely championship run
Andrew Cancio KO3 Alberto Machado... A boxing Cinderella story continued in true Arturo Gatti fashion on Friday in Indio, California. In an immediate rematch, Andrew Cancio fought through a bad cut to knock out Alberto Machado and retain his WBA regular super featherweight championship. Cancio, who is not hard to hit, suffered a cut forhead in round two, but he immediately began walking Machado down, landing hard body punches that quickly took all the steam out of Machado. Cutman Carlos Vargas did a phenomenal job stopping the bleeding, and Cancio picked up right where he left off to start round three. A nasty Cancio left hook to the side put his opponent down on one knee, and the deflated Machado got up an instant after the referee reached the ten count. No controversy. The result is similar to their first fight, in which Cancio's body attack stopped Machado in four rounds. Cancio is an unlikely champion: he retired from boxing in 2016 and remains a full-time employee of California Gas & Electric. Cancio (20-4-2) holds a title that it listed by the WBA as secondary to Gervonta Davis' super championship, but Cancio's title is no less legitimate than Davis', as Cancio beat a reigning title holder (Machado) to get his belt while Davis beat a non-champion who had lost his prior fight (Jesus Cuellar) to acquire the super championship. Next up for Cancio is back to work on Monday and then likely a mandatory defense vs. Rene Alvarado (31-8). Machado (21-2) said making 130 pounds drained him and will be moving up to lightweight. source: dazn
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New champion alert: Elwin Soto dethrones Angel Acosta on quick stoppage |
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Elwin Soto TKO12 Angel Acosta... The WBO 108-pound championship changed hands on a premature stoppage at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. Mexico's Elwin Soto, a sizable underdog was losing to Puerto Rico's Angel Acosta, behind on points going into the twelfth round. Soto hurt Acosta with an uppercut then landed two body shots on Acosta when referee Thomas Taylor jumped in too quickly to give Soto the championship. Acosta had been knocked down once earlier in the fight but overall was ahead in punches landed, 230-162. Soto is now 15-1 but he had only one quality win coming into this fight, and had never fought past round six prior to Friday. The hard punching Acosta has room for improvement on defense. He's 20-2 but deserves an improvement. source: dazn
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New champion alert: Elwin Soto dethrones Angel Acosta on quick stoppage
Elwin Soto TKO12 Angel Acosta... The WBO 108-pound championship changed hands on a premature stoppage at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. Mexico's Elwin Soto, a sizable underdog was losing to Puerto Rico's Angel Acosta, behind on points going into the twelfth round. Soto hurt Acosta with an uppercut then landed two body shots on Acosta when referee Thomas Taylor jumped in too quickly to give Soto the championship. Acosta had been knocked down once earlier in the fight but overall was ahead in punches landed, 230-162. Soto is now 15-1 but he had only one quality win coming into this fight, and had never fought past round six prior to Friday. The hard punching Acosta has room for improvement on defense. He's 20-2 but deserves an improvement. source: dazn
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Fundora gets TKO in ShoBox in main event |
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Sebastian Fundora TKO4 Manuel Zepeda... The world's tallest junior middleweight, Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora, used his five-and-a-half-inch height advantage to cruise to victory Friday night in his first ShoBox appearance, forcing a TKO stoppage of Manuel Zepeda after four rounds from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa. The southpaw Fundora (13-0, 9 KOs) started on the front foot and continuously backed up Zepeda (17-1, 4 KOs) with his activity, strong jab and excellent body punching. Fundora averaged 84 punches per round to Zepeda’s 54 and landed 26 jabs to just four for Zepeda. Despite his extreme height, Fundora was effective and persistent in his body attack, connecting on 35 body punches. “I’m pretty happy with my performance,” said the six-foot-five-and-a-half Fundora. “I got to do what I wanted to do, which was show off a little bit more of my boxing skills.”
Between rounds, Zepeda’s trainer, Romulo Quirarte, continuously warned his fighter that he would stop the fight unless Zepeda showed more aggression. After a lackluster fourth round, a frustrated Quirarte stuck to his word and informed referee Mark Nelson that his fighter would no longer continue.
“Honestly, Zepeda was a pretty tough guy so I didn’t think that they were going to stop it,” said Fundora, who has now registered five straight stoppages. “I thought that it would have taken the ref stopping it, but either way we still got the stoppage and the result we were looking for.”
Zepeda, the 188th fighter to lose his unblemished record in the prospect-oriented series, knew he was in trouble from the beginning of the fight, “He caught me with a good punch in the first round and that took a toll on me,” said a disappointed Zepeda. “It affected my performance. “My trainer Romulo Quirarte has been around and he knew better. Stopping the fight was what needed to be done. I was not performing well. We are going to keep on working hard and move forward. I’m not giving up on my dream. One day I will be a world champion.” source: showtime press release
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Fundora gets TKO in ShoBox in main event
Sebastian Fundora TKO4 Manuel Zepeda... The world's tallest junior middleweight, Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora, used his five-and-a-half-inch height advantage to cruise to victory Friday night in his first ShoBox appearance, forcing a TKO stoppage of Manuel Zepeda after four rounds from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa. The southpaw Fundora (13-0, 9 KOs) started on the front foot and continuously backed up Zepeda (17-1, 4 KOs) with his activity, strong jab and excellent body punching. Fundora averaged 84 punches per round to Zepeda’s 54 and landed 26 jabs to just four for Zepeda. Despite his extreme height, Fundora was effective and persistent in his body attack, connecting on 35 body punches. “I’m pretty happy with my performance,” said the six-foot-five-and-a-half Fundora. “I got to do what I wanted to do, which was show off a little bit more of my boxing skills.”
Between rounds, Zepeda’s trainer, Romulo Quirarte, continuously warned his fighter that he would stop the fight unless Zepeda showed more aggression. After a lackluster fourth round, a frustrated Quirarte stuck to his word and informed referee Mark Nelson that his fighter would no longer continue.
“Honestly, Zepeda was a pretty tough guy so I didn’t think that they were going to stop it,” said Fundora, who has now registered five straight stoppages. “I thought that it would have taken the ref stopping it, but either way we still got the stoppage and the result we were looking for.”
Zepeda, the 188th fighter to lose his unblemished record in the prospect-oriented series, knew he was in trouble from the beginning of the fight, “He caught me with a good punch in the first round and that took a toll on me,” said a disappointed Zepeda. “It affected my performance. “My trainer Romulo Quirarte has been around and he knew better. Stopping the fight was what needed to be done. I was not performing well. We are going to keep on working hard and move forward. I’m not giving up on my dream. One day I will be a world champion.” source: showtime press release
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: British results |
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Conor Benn TKO2 Juss Koivula ... Conor Benn survived a scary first round to destroy Juss Koivula one round later. In his first ever headline fight, the 22-year-old welterweight saw his legs buckled on more than one occasion in the opening session, but he showed his fighting genes in the second dropping his Finnish foe twice before the referee waved off the fight. Speaking after the fight Benn said: “He tried to bully me and treat me like a young boy but I was not having any of it. I wanted to let him know I am Conor Benn. I think I did box and then I applied my aggression. Two or three fights ago I might not have done that. I am not the fighter I was then I first started. “I was not hurt at all, nothing he did even woke me up.”
Ted Cheeseman D12 Kieron Conway... British junior middleweight champion Ted Cheeseman had to settle for a frustrating draw against Kieron Conway. The Bermondsey warrior fell short when moving up to challenge for Sergio Garcia’s European title in February, and seemed to have done just enough to successfully defend his Lonsdale belt on his ring return, but scores of 116-113 (Conway) 115-114 (Cheeseman) and 114-114 saw him draw for the first time in the pro ranks. After the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that ‘The Big Cheese’ will likely defend his belt against Preston’s Scott Fitzgerald next.
MORE RESULTS
6 x 3 mins Featherweight contest
REECE BELLOTTI WKO4 (2:14) v JOSUE BENDANA
(Watford) (Barcelona, Spain)
Watford’s Reece Bellotti returned to winning ways in the evening’s first contest to progress to 14-2, 12 KOs. Coming off a loss to British Featherweight Champion Ryan Walsh, Bellotti landed a body shot with the left in the sixth round that dropped Josue Bendana to the canvas.
6 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight contest
OTHA JONES III WTKO1 (1:46) v MICHAEL HORABIN
(Ohio) (Mottram)
Ohio Super-Featherweight Otha Jones III wowed York Hall on his UK debut with a blistering first round stoppage win over Mottram’s Michael Horabin to move to 2-0. The USA national team star came out firing and dropped Horabin to the canvas twice before the referee saved him from further punishment.
6 x 2 mins Super-Bantamweight contest
SHANNON COURTENAY WTKO2 (1:17) v VALERIJA SEPETOVSKA
(Watford) (Latvia)
Shannon Courtenay made it three wins from three with a stoppage of Valerija Sepetovska. Following two points victories at the Copper Box Arena and The O2, the Watford prospect displayed her power from the opening bell, dropping her Latvian opponent in the first before a big second-round finish.
4 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
CHARLES FRANKHAM WKO1 (1:43) v ILGVARS KRAUKLIS
(Crowthorne) (Latvia)
Charles ‘Boom Boom’ Frankham made light work of Latvia’s Ilgvars Krauklis in his second outing as a professional. The highly decorated amateur star from Crowthorne stopped in opponent in the opening round of his first ever outing at York Hall.
8 x 3 mins Light-Heavyweight contest
DUANE SINCLAIR v ANTHONY FOX WPTS8 (79-73)
(Croydon) (Westbury)
Duane Sinclair suffered a first career defeat at the hands of tricky Westbury man Anthony Fox. The South Londoner, recently signed by Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte, had hoped to extend his unbeaten run to 11 fights but Fox had other ideas, outpointing Sinclair 79-73.
12 x 3 mins Final Eliminator for British Light-Heavyweight Championship
CRAIG RICHARDS WPTS12 (117-111, 116-111, 115-112) v ANDRE STERLING
(Crystal Palace) (New Cross)
Craig Richards set-up a shot for the British Light-Heavyweight crown with a hard-fought win over South London rival Andre Sterling. The pair had traded verbal blows in the heated build-up to their York Hall grudge match, but it was ‘Spider’ who settled their feud, dropping his man in the sixth before taking a unanimous verdict of 117-111, 116-111 and 115-112.
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: British results
Conor Benn TKO2 Juss Koivula ... Conor Benn survived a scary first round to destroy Juss Koivula one round later. In his first ever headline fight, the 22-year-old welterweight saw his legs buckled on more than one occasion in the opening session, but he showed his fighting genes in the second dropping his Finnish foe twice before the referee waved off the fight. Speaking after the fight Benn said: “He tried to bully me and treat me like a young boy but I was not having any of it. I wanted to let him know I am Conor Benn. I think I did box and then I applied my aggression. Two or three fights ago I might not have done that. I am not the fighter I was then I first started. “I was not hurt at all, nothing he did even woke me up.”
Ted Cheeseman D12 Kieron Conway... British junior middleweight champion Ted Cheeseman had to settle for a frustrating draw against Kieron Conway. The Bermondsey warrior fell short when moving up to challenge for Sergio Garcia’s European title in February, and seemed to have done just enough to successfully defend his Lonsdale belt on his ring return, but scores of 116-113 (Conway) 115-114 (Cheeseman) and 114-114 saw him draw for the first time in the pro ranks. After the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that ‘The Big Cheese’ will likely defend his belt against Preston’s Scott Fitzgerald next.
MORE RESULTS
6 x 3 mins Featherweight contest
REECE BELLOTTI WKO4 (2:14) v JOSUE BENDANA
(Watford) (Barcelona, Spain)
Watford’s Reece Bellotti returned to winning ways in the evening’s first contest to progress to 14-2, 12 KOs. Coming off a loss to British Featherweight Champion Ryan Walsh, Bellotti landed a body shot with the left in the sixth round that dropped Josue Bendana to the canvas.
6 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight contest
OTHA JONES III WTKO1 (1:46) v MICHAEL HORABIN
(Ohio) (Mottram)
Ohio Super-Featherweight Otha Jones III wowed York Hall on his UK debut with a blistering first round stoppage win over Mottram’s Michael Horabin to move to 2-0. The USA national team star came out firing and dropped Horabin to the canvas twice before the referee saved him from further punishment.
6 x 2 mins Super-Bantamweight contest
SHANNON COURTENAY WTKO2 (1:17) v VALERIJA SEPETOVSKA
(Watford) (Latvia)
Shannon Courtenay made it three wins from three with a stoppage of Valerija Sepetovska. Following two points victories at the Copper Box Arena and The O2, the Watford prospect displayed her power from the opening bell, dropping her Latvian opponent in the first before a big second-round finish.
4 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
CHARLES FRANKHAM WKO1 (1:43) v ILGVARS KRAUKLIS
(Crowthorne) (Latvia)
Charles ‘Boom Boom’ Frankham made light work of Latvia’s Ilgvars Krauklis in his second outing as a professional. The highly decorated amateur star from Crowthorne stopped in opponent in the opening round of his first ever outing at York Hall.
8 x 3 mins Light-Heavyweight contest
DUANE SINCLAIR v ANTHONY FOX WPTS8 (79-73)
(Croydon) (Westbury)
Duane Sinclair suffered a first career defeat at the hands of tricky Westbury man Anthony Fox. The South Londoner, recently signed by Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte, had hoped to extend his unbeaten run to 11 fights but Fox had other ideas, outpointing Sinclair 79-73.
12 x 3 mins Final Eliminator for British Light-Heavyweight Championship
CRAIG RICHARDS WPTS12 (117-111, 116-111, 115-112) v ANDRE STERLING
(Crystal Palace) (New Cross)
Craig Richards set-up a shot for the British Light-Heavyweight crown with a hard-fought win over South London rival Andre Sterling. The pair had traded verbal blows in the heated build-up to their York Hall grudge match, but it was ‘Spider’ who settled their feud, dropping his man in the sixth before taking a unanimous verdict of 117-111, 116-111 and 115-112.
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More ShoBox results: Solano throws 100 punches per round |
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Yeis Solano W8 Elias Araujo... In the opening bout of the ShoBox broadcast, Colombian lightweight Yeis Solano (15-0, 10 KOs) kept his record intact in an all-action, punishing affair with Argentina's Elias Araujo (19-2, 7 KOs). Solano threw over 800 punches in eight rounds but won via split-decision in a battle of Colombia vs. Argentina. A total of 1,470 punches were thrown. The judges scored the fight 76-75, 78-73 and 74-77. Solano earned the split-decision due to his sharper punching and a key knockdown in the closing seconds of a frantic fourth round. The 26-year-old Solano staggered his opponent on three occasions and despite Araujo’s best efforts to survive the round, he finally went down for just the second time in his career when a right hook sent him face first into the ropes.
“I agree with the judges’ decision, I won the fight,” said Solano. “It wasn’t easy but I feel I won. I hurt him in the fourth. He’s a tough fighter. He’s hard to counter. He was coming forward, pushing me against the ropes, not allowing me to bring the fight to the center of the ring. Now I’m going to go back to the drawing board and work with my team to correct the mistakes I made tonight. I let Araujo dictate the pace and that almost cost me the fight.”
Araujo’s workmanlike, high-volume punching approach made the fight difficult to score. He averaged more than 100 punches thrown per round. Solano, despite throwing fewer punches, showed more power and precision. He connected on 33 percent of his power punches compared to Araujo’s 22 percent.
“I thought I won the fight,” said Araujo. “I was so sure I was winning by points. I was surprised when I heard the judges’ decision. I’m disappointed but I won’t let this bring me down. I’ll go back to California and continue training for the next opportunity that comes my way.”
Michel Rivera W8 Rene Tellez Giron ... In the ShoBox co-feature in Iowa, the Dominican Republic’s Michel Rivera (16-0, 10 KOs) made his U.S. debut in style, scoring a near-shutout decision over previously unbeaten Rene Tellez Giron (13-1, 7 KOs). The judges scored the fight 78-73 (twice) and 79-72. In a clash of young undefeated lightweights, it was the 21-year-old Rivera who dominated the outmatched but gamed Tellez Giron throughout the eight rounds. Rivera scored a knockdown late in the final round, finishing off a quick combination with a right hook that sent Tellez Giron to the canvas for the first time in his career. Rivera's power punches landed at a 57 percent rate, while Tellez Giron was limited to 23 percent power accuracy. In all, Rivera led 205-101 in overall punches connected and 158-86 in power punches landed.
Despite Rivera’s impressive performance, the Santo Domingo native feels he has more to give. “I’m my harshest critic and although I won tonight, I’m not happy with performance,” he said. “I was hoping to showcase my skills and I don’t think I did that. You saw half of what I can do in the ring. I can do so much better. There have been world champions from the Dominican Republic, but none of them have had long reigns. I want to be the first long reigning champion from my country, and to get there I have to work hard.”
Tellez Giron, who became the 187th fighter to lose his undefeated record on the developmental series, disagreed with the judges’ scorecards. “I felt the fight was closer than the judges saw it,” he said. “It could have been a draw. Rivera caught me off balance and that’s why I went down. Today we didn’t lose, this was a learning experience. You have to know the taste of defeat to appreciate a victory.”
Friday’s fights were promoted by Sampson Boxing in association with Paco Presents. The full telecast will replay on Monday, June 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime Extrene and will be available on demand. source for both results: showtime press release
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More ShoBox results: Solano throws 100 punches per round
Yeis Solano W8 Elias Araujo... In the opening bout of the ShoBox broadcast, Colombian lightweight Yeis Solano (15-0, 10 KOs) kept his record intact in an all-action, punishing affair with Argentina's Elias Araujo (19-2, 7 KOs). Solano threw over 800 punches in eight rounds but won via split-decision in a battle of Colombia vs. Argentina. A total of 1,470 punches were thrown. The judges scored the fight 76-75, 78-73 and 74-77. Solano earned the split-decision due to his sharper punching and a key knockdown in the closing seconds of a frantic fourth round. The 26-year-old Solano staggered his opponent on three occasions and despite Araujo’s best efforts to survive the round, he finally went down for just the second time in his career when a right hook sent him face first into the ropes.
“I agree with the judges’ decision, I won the fight,” said Solano. “It wasn’t easy but I feel I won. I hurt him in the fourth. He’s a tough fighter. He’s hard to counter. He was coming forward, pushing me against the ropes, not allowing me to bring the fight to the center of the ring. Now I’m going to go back to the drawing board and work with my team to correct the mistakes I made tonight. I let Araujo dictate the pace and that almost cost me the fight.”
Araujo’s workmanlike, high-volume punching approach made the fight difficult to score. He averaged more than 100 punches thrown per round. Solano, despite throwing fewer punches, showed more power and precision. He connected on 33 percent of his power punches compared to Araujo’s 22 percent.
“I thought I won the fight,” said Araujo. “I was so sure I was winning by points. I was surprised when I heard the judges’ decision. I’m disappointed but I won’t let this bring me down. I’ll go back to California and continue training for the next opportunity that comes my way.”
Michel Rivera W8 Rene Tellez Giron ... In the ShoBox co-feature in Iowa, the Dominican Republic’s Michel Rivera (16-0, 10 KOs) made his U.S. debut in style, scoring a near-shutout decision over previously unbeaten Rene Tellez Giron (13-1, 7 KOs). The judges scored the fight 78-73 (twice) and 79-72. In a clash of young undefeated lightweights, it was the 21-year-old Rivera who dominated the outmatched but gamed Tellez Giron throughout the eight rounds. Rivera scored a knockdown late in the final round, finishing off a quick combination with a right hook that sent Tellez Giron to the canvas for the first time in his career. Rivera's power punches landed at a 57 percent rate, while Tellez Giron was limited to 23 percent power accuracy. In all, Rivera led 205-101 in overall punches connected and 158-86 in power punches landed.
Despite Rivera’s impressive performance, the Santo Domingo native feels he has more to give. “I’m my harshest critic and although I won tonight, I’m not happy with performance,” he said. “I was hoping to showcase my skills and I don’t think I did that. You saw half of what I can do in the ring. I can do so much better. There have been world champions from the Dominican Republic, but none of them have had long reigns. I want to be the first long reigning champion from my country, and to get there I have to work hard.”
Tellez Giron, who became the 187th fighter to lose his undefeated record on the developmental series, disagreed with the judges’ scorecards. “I felt the fight was closer than the judges saw it,” he said. “It could have been a draw. Rivera caught me off balance and that’s why I went down. Today we didn’t lose, this was a learning experience. You have to know the taste of defeat to appreciate a victory.”
Friday’s fights were promoted by Sampson Boxing in association with Paco Presents. The full telecast will replay on Monday, June 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime Extrene and will be available on demand. source for both results: showtime press release
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: Cobbs wins when towel thrown in |
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Blair Cobbs TKO6 Robert Redmon Jr.... On the DAZN undercard in Indio, CA, welterweight Blair "The Flair" Cobbs (11-0-1, 7 KOs) defeated Robert Redmon Jr. (7-2-2, 6 KOs) by thechnical knockout when Redmon's corner threw in the towel midway through round six. In round two, Cobb's floored Redmon with a right hook to the head in a heated exchange. Redmon survived and followed with a solid round four but got hurt again in round five by a staggering left hook. In round six, Redmon's corner had seen enough and threw in the towel. Redmon's eye was severely swollen.
"Tonight, I showed a lot of patience and maturity by staying in control when I had Redmon hurt in two," said Blair Cobbs. "I took my time, broke him down, and got him out of there in round six. I know I have the talent to beat anyone in the world at 147 pounds. I'm 29-years old and there is no time to wait, I want all the top contenders in the welterweight division.'
"With another dominating performance, Blair Cobbs once again showed why he should be mentioned amongst the top welterweight prospects in the world," stated manager Greg Hannnely. "I want to keep Cobbs busy with step up fights and march him up the rankings. A world title shot is right around the corner. source: prince ranch managememtn press release
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: Cobbs wins when towel thrown in
Blair Cobbs TKO6 Robert Redmon Jr.... On the DAZN undercard in Indio, CA, welterweight Blair "The Flair" Cobbs (11-0-1, 7 KOs) defeated Robert Redmon Jr. (7-2-2, 6 KOs) by thechnical knockout when Redmon's corner threw in the towel midway through round six. In round two, Cobb's floored Redmon with a right hook to the head in a heated exchange. Redmon survived and followed with a solid round four but got hurt again in round five by a staggering left hook. In round six, Redmon's corner had seen enough and threw in the towel. Redmon's eye was severely swollen.
"Tonight, I showed a lot of patience and maturity by staying in control when I had Redmon hurt in two," said Blair Cobbs. "I took my time, broke him down, and got him out of there in round six. I know I have the talent to beat anyone in the world at 147 pounds. I'm 29-years old and there is no time to wait, I want all the top contenders in the welterweight division.'
"With another dominating performance, Blair Cobbs once again showed why he should be mentioned amongst the top welterweight prospects in the world," stated manager Greg Hannnely. "I want to keep Cobbs busy with step up fights and march him up the rankings. A world title shot is right around the corner. source: prince ranch managememtn press release
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Ward beats Conroy in Belfast thriller |
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Steven Ward W8 Liam Conroy... British light heavyweight Steven Ward defeated his former sparring partner Liam Conroy in a war waged in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The fight was scheduled for ten rounds but wound up as an eighth-round technical decision. A second-round clash of heads opened a cut just above Ward’s left eye. Conroy knocked Ward down in round four, but Ward got a second win and was coming on over the fight's second half. The cut had worsened by round eight, so the referee stopped the bout and sent it to the scorecards because the butt that caused the cut was ruled to be accidental. All three judges scored the bout 76-75 for Ward. source: wbo / nwemail.co.uk
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Ward beats Conroy in Belfast thriller
Steven Ward W8 Liam Conroy... British light heavyweight Steven Ward defeated his former sparring partner Liam Conroy in a war waged in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The fight was scheduled for ten rounds but wound up as an eighth-round technical decision. A second-round clash of heads opened a cut just above Ward’s left eye. Conroy knocked Ward down in round four, but Ward got a second win and was coming on over the fight's second half. The cut had worsened by round eight, so the referee stopped the bout and sent it to the scorecards because the butt that caused the cut was ruled to be accidental. All three judges scored the bout 76-75 for Ward. source: wbo / nwemail.co.uk
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Weigh-in report from Philadelphia |
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Here are the weights for Saturday Night's King's Promotions card at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia:
Anvar Yunusov 126.3 - Angel Luna 125.5
Colby Madison 236.6 - Robert Simms 227.4
Hector Mercado 148.3 - Paul Kroll 151.5
Lionell Tidwell 122.3 - Rasheen Brown 122.6
Jonathan Torres 118.6 - Hugo Rodriguez 117.6
James Martin 145.7 - Kashon Hutchinson 144.8
Weusi Johnson 127.8 - Kevin Asmat 130.7
Khainell Wheeler 167.2 - Tywaski Hendrix 166.7
Tickets can be purchased at www.2300arena.com
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Weigh-in report from Philadelphia
Here are the weights for Saturday Night's King's Promotions card at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia:
Anvar Yunusov 126.3 - Angel Luna 125.5
Colby Madison 236.6 - Robert Simms 227.4
Hector Mercado 148.3 - Paul Kroll 151.5
Lionell Tidwell 122.3 - Rasheen Brown 122.6
Jonathan Torres 118.6 - Hugo Rodriguez 117.6
James Martin 145.7 - Kashon Hutchinson 144.8
Weusi Johnson 127.8 - Kevin Asmat 130.7
Khainell Wheeler 167.2 - Tywaski Hendrix 166.7
Tickets can be purchased at www.2300arena.com
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Erickson Lubin training camp report |
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From his training camp, hard-hitting Erickson “Hammer” Lubin discussed his upcoming showdown with France’s Zakaria Attou (29-6-2 with 7 KOs) in a WBC junior middleweight elimination bout scheduled for Saturday, June 29th ive on Showtime from NRG Arena in Houston, Texas. The broadcast is headlined by unbeaten Jermall Charlo battling contender Brandon Adams in a twelve-round WBC interim middleweight title contest. Here is what Lubin (20-1, 15 KOs) had to say about his upcoming matchup, training camp with Kevin Cunningham and more as he prepares to enter the ring June 29th:
On his matchup with Zakaria Attou:
“Attou is coming into this fight with a lot of confidence being that he hasn’t lost a fight since 2015. He’s on a nice winning streak and I’m looking at this fight like a world title fight.
“Stylistically I feel I’m going to have every advantage with my speed, power and footwork. I’m taking this fight very serious. I’m going to adjust after the first few rounds and go from there. I see this being a fan friendly fight because both of us will have everything on the line.”
On working recent training camp with Kevin Cunningham:
“This is a 12-round bout, so I’ve been training for a long grueling fight. This will be my second fight with Kevin Cunningham as the lead and we are working great together. Right now, we are finalizing the last days of camp out here in West Palm Beach Florida. I feel great and I’ll be at my best on June 29.
On working his way back to a world title shot…
“Everything takes time and right now we are solely focused on Attou. When I’m victorious against him, I’ll be knocking on the door of another world title shot. When that time comes, I will take full advantage of the opportunity. I will be a world champion in my career.”
On the state of the 154-pound division…
“Right now, the 154-pound division has a lot of good fighters from top to bottom. All the champions are beatable though, so the division is wide open for me to take over, in my opinion. I must win this fight first. One thing for sure is I’m coming for all their heads.”
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Erickson Lubin training camp report
From his training camp, hard-hitting Erickson “Hammer” Lubin discussed his upcoming showdown with France’s Zakaria Attou (29-6-2 with 7 KOs) in a WBC junior middleweight elimination bout scheduled for Saturday, June 29th ive on Showtime from NRG Arena in Houston, Texas. The broadcast is headlined by unbeaten Jermall Charlo battling contender Brandon Adams in a twelve-round WBC interim middleweight title contest. Here is what Lubin (20-1, 15 KOs) had to say about his upcoming matchup, training camp with Kevin Cunningham and more as he prepares to enter the ring June 29th:
On his matchup with Zakaria Attou:
“Attou is coming into this fight with a lot of confidence being that he hasn’t lost a fight since 2015. He’s on a nice winning streak and I’m looking at this fight like a world title fight.
“Stylistically I feel I’m going to have every advantage with my speed, power and footwork. I’m taking this fight very serious. I’m going to adjust after the first few rounds and go from there. I see this being a fan friendly fight because both of us will have everything on the line.”
On working recent training camp with Kevin Cunningham:
“This is a 12-round bout, so I’ve been training for a long grueling fight. This will be my second fight with Kevin Cunningham as the lead and we are working great together. Right now, we are finalizing the last days of camp out here in West Palm Beach Florida. I feel great and I’ll be at my best on June 29.
On working his way back to a world title shot…
“Everything takes time and right now we are solely focused on Attou. When I’m victorious against him, I’ll be knocking on the door of another world title shot. When that time comes, I will take full advantage of the opportunity. I will be a world champion in my career.”
On the state of the 154-pound division…
“Right now, the 154-pound division has a lot of good fighters from top to bottom. All the champions are beatable though, so the division is wide open for me to take over, in my opinion. I must win this fight first. One thing for sure is I’m coming for all their heads.”
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WBA sets purse bid for Roman-Akhmadaliev |
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The WBA has ordered its 122-pound champion Daniel Roman of the United States and mandatory contender Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan to go to s purse bid on July 2nd if the parties can not close a deal to fight each other. The WBA has postponed the purse bid one time already. The minimum bid will be $120,000 to be split 75% for champion Roman and 25% for challenger Akhmadaliev. The purse bid will take place at the offices of the WBA in Panama City. Roman will be making the fifth defense of his championship, which he won in September 2017 against Japan's Shun Kubo.
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WBA sets purse bid for Roman-Akhmadaliev
The WBA has ordered its 122-pound champion Daniel Roman of the United States and mandatory contender Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan to go to s purse bid on July 2nd if the parties can not close a deal to fight each other. The WBA has postponed the purse bid one time already. The minimum bid will be $120,000 to be split 75% for champion Roman and 25% for challenger Akhmadaliev. The purse bid will take place at the offices of the WBA in Panama City. Roman will be making the fifth defense of his championship, which he won in September 2017 against Japan's Shun Kubo.
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Hanshaw vs. Quattroocchi set for Kentucky |
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Travis Hanshaw (14-1-1), last seen as a smallish cruiserweight, is set to move down to super middleweight on Saturday, June 29th. Having fought professionally in every weight division from welterweight to cuiserweight, Hanshaw now takes on Aaron Quattrocchi (11-2-1), at his usual stomping grounds, the Boyd County Community Center in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. “Rattlesnake” Hanshaw (age 27), nicknamed so because he was bitten by a rattlesnake as a child, is coming off a victory over 10-1-1 Roy King nearly a year ago. From Ashland, only a few miles from Catlettsburg, he is expected to be cheered on by his usual throng of fans, and he will need all the support he can get against a determined Quattrocchi, who is full of confidence after winning the West Virginia state title against then-undefeated Joey Holt in his most recent outing.
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Hanshaw vs. Quattroocchi set for Kentucky
Travis Hanshaw (14-1-1), last seen as a smallish cruiserweight, is set to move down to super middleweight on Saturday, June 29th. Having fought professionally in every weight division from welterweight to cuiserweight, Hanshaw now takes on Aaron Quattrocchi (11-2-1), at his usual stomping grounds, the Boyd County Community Center in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. “Rattlesnake” Hanshaw (age 27), nicknamed so because he was bitten by a rattlesnake as a child, is coming off a victory over 10-1-1 Roy King nearly a year ago. From Ashland, only a few miles from Catlettsburg, he is expected to be cheered on by his usual throng of fans, and he will need all the support he can get against a determined Quattrocchi, who is full of confidence after winning the West Virginia state title against then-undefeated Joey Holt in his most recent outing.
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Judd Burstein sued in $70 million malpractice lawsuit |
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Noted New York Boxing attorney Judd Burstein is being sued for $70 million dollars by a former client in New York court. It is not a boxing-related lawsuit, but the notice filed with the court alleges that Burstein accepted $4 million in legal fees and missed the filing deadline. In a complicated case involving an elderly and now deceased man named C. Robert Allen, Allen was allegedly conned into investing $70 million to buy radio stations, but the men he gave the money to never bought any radio stations and issued fake financial statements to Allen. Eventually, Allen hired a law firm named Cohen & Gresser to sue the two men, but Cohen & Gresser lost the suit. Burstein was then hired to sue Cohen & Gresser for malpractice, but according to this week's court papers, Burstein failed to file the lawsuit before the statute of limitations ran out. So now Burstein is charged with malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty. In boxing, Burstein was most famous for winning a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Don King on behalf of former champion Terry Norris. At the time, Burstein bragged, "Don King is a cancer on boxing and I am the cure."
REMEMBER WHERE YOU HEARD IT FIRST !
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Judd Burstein sued in $70 million malpractice lawsuit
Noted New York Boxing attorney Judd Burstein is being sued for $70 million dollars by a former client in New York court. It is not a boxing-related lawsuit, but the notice filed with the court alleges that Burstein accepted $4 million in legal fees and missed the filing deadline. In a complicated case involving an elderly and now deceased man named C. Robert Allen, Allen was allegedly conned into investing $70 million to buy radio stations, but the men he gave the money to never bought any radio stations and issued fake financial statements to Allen. Eventually, Allen hired a law firm named Cohen & Gresser to sue the two men, but Cohen & Gresser lost the suit. Burstein was then hired to sue Cohen & Gresser for malpractice, but according to this week's court papers, Burstein failed to file the lawsuit before the statute of limitations ran out. So now Burstein is charged with malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty. In boxing, Burstein was most famous for winning a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Don King on behalf of former champion Terry Norris. At the time, Burstein bragged, "Don King is a cancer on boxing and I am the cure."
REMEMBER WHERE YOU HEARD IT FIRST !
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With Easter Jr. rematch on the horizon, Rances Barthelmy apologizes to fans for stinker last time out |
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Greg Leon: What's the latest and greatest Rances? When can we expect to see you back in the ring? Rances Barthelmy: "I'm good, I'm good. As everyone knows in my last fight, I had a draw and I know that it wasn't most exciting fight in the world, but I feel like I did enough to win the fight. I'm still the number one contender for the title and I plan on fighting Robert Easter Jr again in a rematch for the [vacant IBF junior welterweight] belt." GL: Nobody wants to see this rematch. Can the rematch be anything other than just another very boring fight? RB: "Sometimes things play out differently in rematches. I think both me and Easter know we have to do more, we know what's on the line and I think we're both competitors. Our styles were weird that night but you've seen my fights with Denis Shafikov and Mickey Bey. I'm always in exciting fights, styles make fights and I know one thing, I want to be world champion and I feel I already should be. I'm just going after my world title and if it means I've got to fight him again for it then that's what I'm going to do."
GL: How frustrated are you with yourself that you didn't do more the first time around? Now you've got to fight him twice to clearly walk away with the title once.
RB: "I was frustrated because I obviously know I could throw more punches. That's not a debate, but when you're not in the ring with somebody punching back you don't understand. You have to know what it's like to be in there with somebody that doesn't want to engage you. It makes it hard for things to open up and it takes two to tango. I don't think either of us are proud of that performance and we're going to go into the rematch with something to prove."
GL: Is there any indication as to when the rematch will take place?
RB: "Not yet, but I'm back in the gym and I'm just waiting for the call so I know when I'm getting my belt. It's always been a dream of mine to get the WBA belt. The WBA has always supported the Cubans and that's a big reason why I came over here to fight for this belt."
GL: Your brother Leduan is in action this week against Jose Cayetano. What can we expect to see from him this weekend?
RB: "He's been working hard and he's going to give you guys a great show. He's fighting a tough Mexican that's been in there with Santa Cruz and Quigg. He's been active again and I think that's what he needs for his career to take off. I think he can give anybody a run for their money in the featherweight division."
GL: Closing thoughts.
RB: "I apologize to the fans for my last performance. This is boxing and sometimes things go down that way, don't knock me off one fight. Everybody knows me from exciting fights and I just don't want all the fans to judge me off one fight. The rematch will be better."
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With Easter Jr. rematch on the horizon, Rances Barthelmy apologizes to fans for stinker last time out
Greg Leon: What's the latest and greatest Rances? When can we expect to see you back in the ring? Rances Barthelmy: "I'm good, I'm good. As everyone knows in my last fight, I had a draw and I know that it wasn't most exciting fight in the world, but I feel like I did enough to win the fight. I'm still the number one contender for the title and I plan on fighting Robert Easter Jr again in a rematch for the [vacant IBF junior welterweight] belt." GL: Nobody wants to see this rematch. Can the rematch be anything other than just another very boring fight? RB: "Sometimes things play out differently in rematches. I think both me and Easter know we have to do more, we know what's on the line and I think we're both competitors. Our styles were weird that night but you've seen my fights with Denis Shafikov and Mickey Bey. I'm always in exciting fights, styles make fights and I know one thing, I want to be world champion and I feel I already should be. I'm just going after my world title and if it means I've got to fight him again for it then that's what I'm going to do."
GL: How frustrated are you with yourself that you didn't do more the first time around? Now you've got to fight him twice to clearly walk away with the title once.
RB: "I was frustrated because I obviously know I could throw more punches. That's not a debate, but when you're not in the ring with somebody punching back you don't understand. You have to know what it's like to be in there with somebody that doesn't want to engage you. It makes it hard for things to open up and it takes two to tango. I don't think either of us are proud of that performance and we're going to go into the rematch with something to prove."
GL: Is there any indication as to when the rematch will take place?
RB: "Not yet, but I'm back in the gym and I'm just waiting for the call so I know when I'm getting my belt. It's always been a dream of mine to get the WBA belt. The WBA has always supported the Cubans and that's a big reason why I came over here to fight for this belt."
GL: Your brother Leduan is in action this week against Jose Cayetano. What can we expect to see from him this weekend?
RB: "He's been working hard and he's going to give you guys a great show. He's fighting a tough Mexican that's been in there with Santa Cruz and Quigg. He's been active again and I think that's what he needs for his career to take off. I think he can give anybody a run for their money in the featherweight division."
GL: Closing thoughts.
RB: "I apologize to the fans for my last performance. This is boxing and sometimes things go down that way, don't knock me off one fight. Everybody knows me from exciting fights and I just don't want all the fans to judge me off one fight. The rematch will be better."
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Weigh-in report from Denmark |
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Dina Thorslund (13-0, 6 KOs) and April Adams (11-1-1, 4 KOs) both made weight ahead of Saturday's WBO 122-pound title showdown at the Forum Horsens in Denmark. Thorslund defended the WBO title against Germany’s Alesia Graf in January 2019 in Struer, Denmark and is now facing her mandatory challenger, April "Armageddon" Adams from Brisbane, Australia. The undefeated 25-year-old Dane has predicted a KO victory, while Adams believes she has what it takes to bring the WBO belt back to Australia. Thorslund weighed in at 121.7 pounds, while Adams weighed 121. In the heavyweight co-feature, scheduled for eight rounds, Denamrk's Kem Ljungquist (8-0) came in at 234.4 pounds, compared to 237.2 for Gabriel Enguema (10-8) of Spain.
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Weigh-in report from Denmark
Dina Thorslund (13-0, 6 KOs) and April Adams (11-1-1, 4 KOs) both made weight ahead of Saturday's WBO 122-pound title showdown at the Forum Horsens in Denmark. Thorslund defended the WBO title against Germany’s Alesia Graf in January 2019 in Struer, Denmark and is now facing her mandatory challenger, April "Armageddon" Adams from Brisbane, Australia. The undefeated 25-year-old Dane has predicted a KO victory, while Adams believes she has what it takes to bring the WBO belt back to Australia. Thorslund weighed in at 121.7 pounds, while Adams weighed 121. In the heavyweight co-feature, scheduled for eight rounds, Denamrk's Kem Ljungquist (8-0) came in at 234.4 pounds, compared to 237.2 for Gabriel Enguema (10-8) of Spain.
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: No Contest in Atlantic City |
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D’Mitrius Ballard NC3 Elias Espadas … In Atlantic City, New Jersey on Thursday, a ten-round middleweight bout between Maryland’s D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (20-0, 13 KOs) and Mexico’s Elias “Latin Kid” Espadas (18-4, 13 KOs) ended unsatisfactorily in the third round. The bout was ruled a no-contest due to a cut above Elias’ left eye. Source: golden boy twitter Eddie Gomez TKO2 Saul Corral... On the same show, welterweight Eddie Gomez won his third straight, stopping Saul Corral (30-14) in two rounds. In round two, Gomez dropped Corral with a hard right. Seconds later, it was a double left to the body that sent Corral to the canvas. Corral was hurt, and then a clipping left sent him down for a third time. Gomez ended the fight with a flurry of punches that had the referee stop the bout as Corral was falling for a fourth time. Gomez, of Bronx, NY is now 23-3. "Great fight, great team. I worked hard and it showed tonight. My opponent was a tough fighter, and we knew he was tough coming in. I just knew I had to do my job," said Gomez
Said Tim VanNewhouse of Split-T Management, "Eddie looked sensational tonight. He once again proved he is ready for big fights. Golden Boy has several intriguing options such as Vergil Ortiz, Jr., Anthony Young or a rematch with Rashidi Ellis. We would welcome any of those opportunities in our next bout." source: Split-T Management
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The Boxingtalk Scoreboard: No Contest in Atlantic City
D’Mitrius Ballard NC3 Elias Espadas … In Atlantic City, New Jersey on Thursday, a ten-round middleweight bout between Maryland’s D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (20-0, 13 KOs) and Mexico’s Elias “Latin Kid” Espadas (18-4, 13 KOs) ended unsatisfactorily in the third round. The bout was ruled a no-contest due to a cut above Elias’ left eye. Source: golden boy twitter Eddie Gomez TKO2 Saul Corral... On the same show, welterweight Eddie Gomez won his third straight, stopping Saul Corral (30-14) in two rounds. In round two, Gomez dropped Corral with a hard right. Seconds later, it was a double left to the body that sent Corral to the canvas. Corral was hurt, and then a clipping left sent him down for a third time. Gomez ended the fight with a flurry of punches that had the referee stop the bout as Corral was falling for a fourth time. Gomez, of Bronx, NY is now 23-3. "Great fight, great team. I worked hard and it showed tonight. My opponent was a tough fighter, and we knew he was tough coming in. I just knew I had to do my job," said Gomez
Said Tim VanNewhouse of Split-T Management, "Eddie looked sensational tonight. He once again proved he is ready for big fights. Golden Boy has several intriguing options such as Vergil Ortiz, Jr., Anthony Young or a rematch with Rashidi Ellis. We would welcome any of those opportunities in our next bout." source: Split-T Management
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ShoBox Weigh-in report from Iowa |
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Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and Manuel “Baby” Zepeda both made weight a day before their ShoBox: The New Generation debuts Friday night live on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/PT) from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa. The 21-year-old Fundora (12-0, 8 KOs), who was officially measured today at six-foot-five-and-a-half inches, has knocked out his last four opponents and started 2019 with a third-round knockout of then 10-0 Donnie Marshall. Said to be the tallest 154-pound boxer in the division’s history, Fundora faces Mexico’s Zepeda (17-0, 4 KOs), a five-year veteran who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on fight night. In the co-feature, Michel Rivera (15-0, 10 KOs) from the Dominican Republic takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (13-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. In the opening bout of the tripleheader which boasts six fighters with a combined record of 90-1, Yeis Solano (14-0, 10 KOs) will face former Argentine lightweight champion Elias Damian Araujo (19-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. Here is what the fighters had to say on Thursday from WinnaVegas Casino.
Junior middleweights, ten rounds
Sebastian Fundora – 152 ¾ lbs.
Manuel Zepeda – 152 ¼ lbs.
Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Las Vegas), Bob LaFratte (Iowa), Russell Mora (Las Vegas)
Lightweights, eight rounds
Michel Rivera – 134 ½ lbs.
Rene Giron – 135 lbs.
Referee: Adam Pollack; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Las Vegas), Bob LaFratte (Iowa), Russell Mora (Las Vegas)
Lightweights, eight rounds
Yeis Solano – 134 ½ lbs.
Elias Araujo – 133 ¾ lbs.
Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Las Vegas), Bob LaFratte (Iowa), Russell Mora (Las Vegas)
FINAL QUOTES:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA:
“I’m used to people focusing on my height. I’ve always been the tallest fighter in my division and in my age bracket. It’s not going to go away and I understand why people talk about it. If anything, it helps me get more publicity so it’s a good thing.
“I usually bring the fight to my opponents. I think the best defense is a good offense. It’s natural for me to fight on the inside because that’s what my father taught me when I was younger.
“This fight is just another stepping stone for me. It’s just another step to get higher in the rankings and get closer to a title shot.
“My opponent is taller than most fighters I’ve faced. I don’t know much about Zepeda but I know he comes from a boxing family and that usually makes for good fights. I’m expecting fireworks. We’ll take it round by round but I know what the fans like, and that’s knockouts.”
MANUEL ZEPEDA:
“Everybody is talking about Fundora’s height but it’s not that important to me. They are putting so much attention on it but this is a 50-50 fight. I think that I can win and I just hope that at the end of the fight we will go home to our families healthy.
“This will be my first time fighting somebody taller than me but I don’t feel at a disadvantage. I am very well prepared. This is a great opportunity for me. It’s a dream for me to be fighting here in the U.S. on television.
“Fundora has a Mexican style of fighting. He likes to come forward so I think the fans will be in for a great fight. This will be exciting and all-action. I’m prepared for 10 rounds but that’s not what I’m planning for.
“I’m going to use my intelligence and my ability to box. Fundora has never fought somebody with the skills that I have. I will read him and adjust my gameplan. I’ll capitalize on his mistakes.”
MICHEL RIVERA:
“I’m happy to be making my U.S. debut. I love the Dominican Republic but the opportunities are not the same over there. That’s why I’m slowly moving my training camp to Miami. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been training with Luis Ortiz’s trainer, German Caicedo. I can already feel the difference.
“Giron is a strong boxer but nothing that I haven’t seen before. He is a Mexican and he is always looking to fight. He’s small but he’s a warrior. I am prepared for every scenario. I don’t think he has enough skills to counter me. I believe I’m the better fighter and that I can win this fight.”
RENE TELLEZ GIRON:
“I’m usually the smaller fighter, so this is nothing different for me.
“This is my first time ever in the U.S. but I’m not worried about that. I’ve traveled to different places and challenged champions. I went to Ukraine and beat an undefeated fighter, so I am looking forward to a great fight.
“Rivera is a great fighter. To be undefeated is no easy feat, so of course he should be respected. But to me, this is just another fight and that’s how I will treat it. I came here to get the win.”
YEIS SOLANO:
“I’m so happy I finally get to fight on television in the United States. I’ve been here for 11 months, training very hard. I know a lot of fighters come to this country looking for their dreams to come true, trying to succeed, but not everybody makes it. I’m determined to make it and I will.
“Things are very different in Colombia. The level of sparring you can get there is not as good as the sparring partners I can get here. Training camps are different. You work harder here.
“I’m actually happy I’m fighting Elias Araujo instead of my previous opponent. Romero was a runner, he moved around a lot and that made him hard to pin down. Araujo, on the other hand, stands in front of you and comes forward. I like that. He’s a good match for my style.
“I can pack a punch. I have power and a mean left. I’m not concerned about Araujo. I’m winning on Friday night.”
ELIAS ARAUJO:
“Soccer was my passion for most of my life; I wanted to be like Lionel Messi. But that changed the very first time I went to a boxing match. A friend of mine invited me to his amateur fight in Rufino, Santa Fe and that was it. I fell in love with boxing.
“I started boxing at 25, that’s late for a boxer but I have been an athlete my entire life. I don’t feel I’m at a disadvantage. I was offered this fight a few weeks ago, and I took it, of course. I’ve been in training camp with Sebastian Fundora, the main event of this card. This is my time to shine.
“Argentina is a good place to start your boxing caeer but it has its limitations. Coming to the United States was the next step for me. There are more resources here: better sparring partners, more money and more opportunities.
“There are a lot of champions from my home state [Santa Fe]: Carlos Monzon, Marcos Maidana, Carlos Baldomir, even Lucas Matthysse can be considered from Santa Fe since he kind of grew up there. I want my name to be added to that list one day. I want to be the next boxing powerhouse that comes from Santa Fe, Argentina.”
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ShoBox Weigh-in report from Iowa
Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and Manuel “Baby” Zepeda both made weight a day before their ShoBox: The New Generation debuts Friday night live on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/PT) from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa. The 21-year-old Fundora (12-0, 8 KOs), who was officially measured today at six-foot-five-and-a-half inches, has knocked out his last four opponents and started 2019 with a third-round knockout of then 10-0 Donnie Marshall. Said to be the tallest 154-pound boxer in the division’s history, Fundora faces Mexico’s Zepeda (17-0, 4 KOs), a five-year veteran who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on fight night. In the co-feature, Michel Rivera (15-0, 10 KOs) from the Dominican Republic takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (13-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. In the opening bout of the tripleheader which boasts six fighters with a combined record of 90-1, Yeis Solano (14-0, 10 KOs) will face former Argentine lightweight champion Elias Damian Araujo (19-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. Here is what the fighters had to say on Thursday from WinnaVegas Casino.
Junior middleweights, ten rounds
Sebastian Fundora – 152 ¾ lbs.
Manuel Zepeda – 152 ¼ lbs.
Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Las Vegas), Bob LaFratte (Iowa), Russell Mora (Las Vegas)
Lightweights, eight rounds
Michel Rivera – 134 ½ lbs.
Rene Giron – 135 lbs.
Referee: Adam Pollack; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Las Vegas), Bob LaFratte (Iowa), Russell Mora (Las Vegas)
Lightweights, eight rounds
Yeis Solano – 134 ½ lbs.
Elias Araujo – 133 ¾ lbs.
Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Las Vegas), Bob LaFratte (Iowa), Russell Mora (Las Vegas)
FINAL QUOTES:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA:
“I’m used to people focusing on my height. I’ve always been the tallest fighter in my division and in my age bracket. It’s not going to go away and I understand why people talk about it. If anything, it helps me get more publicity so it’s a good thing.
“I usually bring the fight to my opponents. I think the best defense is a good offense. It’s natural for me to fight on the inside because that’s what my father taught me when I was younger.
“This fight is just another stepping stone for me. It’s just another step to get higher in the rankings and get closer to a title shot.
“My opponent is taller than most fighters I’ve faced. I don’t know much about Zepeda but I know he comes from a boxing family and that usually makes for good fights. I’m expecting fireworks. We’ll take it round by round but I know what the fans like, and that’s knockouts.”
MANUEL ZEPEDA:
“Everybody is talking about Fundora’s height but it’s not that important to me. They are putting so much attention on it but this is a 50-50 fight. I think that I can win and I just hope that at the end of the fight we will go home to our families healthy.
“This will be my first time fighting somebody taller than me but I don’t feel at a disadvantage. I am very well prepared. This is a great opportunity for me. It’s a dream for me to be fighting here in the U.S. on television.
“Fundora has a Mexican style of fighting. He likes to come forward so I think the fans will be in for a great fight. This will be exciting and all-action. I’m prepared for 10 rounds but that’s not what I’m planning for.
“I’m going to use my intelligence and my ability to box. Fundora has never fought somebody with the skills that I have. I will read him and adjust my gameplan. I’ll capitalize on his mistakes.”
MICHEL RIVERA:
“I’m happy to be making my U.S. debut. I love the Dominican Republic but the opportunities are not the same over there. That’s why I’m slowly moving my training camp to Miami. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been training with Luis Ortiz’s trainer, German Caicedo. I can already feel the difference.
“Giron is a strong boxer but nothing that I haven’t seen before. He is a Mexican and he is always looking to fight. He’s small but he’s a warrior. I am prepared for every scenario. I don’t think he has enough skills to counter me. I believe I’m the better fighter and that I can win this fight.”
RENE TELLEZ GIRON:
“I’m usually the smaller fighter, so this is nothing different for me.
“This is my first time ever in the U.S. but I’m not worried about that. I’ve traveled to different places and challenged champions. I went to Ukraine and beat an undefeated fighter, so I am looking forward to a great fight.
“Rivera is a great fighter. To be undefeated is no easy feat, so of course he should be respected. But to me, this is just another fight and that’s how I will treat it. I came here to get the win.”
YEIS SOLANO:
“I’m so happy I finally get to fight on television in the United States. I’ve been here for 11 months, training very hard. I know a lot of fighters come to this country looking for their dreams to come true, trying to succeed, but not everybody makes it. I’m determined to make it and I will.
“Things are very different in Colombia. The level of sparring you can get there is not as good as the sparring partners I can get here. Training camps are different. You work harder here.
“I’m actually happy I’m fighting Elias Araujo instead of my previous opponent. Romero was a runner, he moved around a lot and that made him hard to pin down. Araujo, on the other hand, stands in front of you and comes forward. I like that. He’s a good match for my style.
“I can pack a punch. I have power and a mean left. I’m not concerned about Araujo. I’m winning on Friday night.”
ELIAS ARAUJO:
“Soccer was my passion for most of my life; I wanted to be like Lionel Messi. But that changed the very first time I went to a boxing match. A friend of mine invited me to his amateur fight in Rufino, Santa Fe and that was it. I fell in love with boxing.
“I started boxing at 25, that’s late for a boxer but I have been an athlete my entire life. I don’t feel I’m at a disadvantage. I was offered this fight a few weeks ago, and I took it, of course. I’ve been in training camp with Sebastian Fundora, the main event of this card. This is my time to shine.
“Argentina is a good place to start your boxing caeer but it has its limitations. Coming to the United States was the next step for me. There are more resources here: better sparring partners, more money and more opportunities.
“There are a lot of champions from my home state [Santa Fe]: Carlos Monzon, Marcos Maidana, Carlos Baldomir, even Lucas Matthysse can be considered from Santa Fe since he kind of grew up there. I want my name to be added to that list one day. I want to be the next boxing powerhouse that comes from Santa Fe, Argentina.”
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Star Boxing to co-promote Popeye Rivera |
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Star Boxing announced the signing of undefeated light heavyweight/cruiserweight Richie "Popeye The Sailor Man" Rivera to a promotional contract. Rivera is partners in Hartford Boxing Promotions, which will co-promote Rivera along with Star Boxing. The 28-year-old Rivera (11-0, 10 KOs), born and raised in Hartford, CT, is scheduled to fight on Friday, June 28, on Fite.TV pay-per-view ($9.99), live from Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York. Rivera will face Brian "MVP" Howard (14-2, 11 KOs) in an eight-round cruiserweight contest. "I'm excited and ready to go," Rivera said between training sessions at the Hartford Boxing Center. "I was very nervous about the whole thing (process). I don't just sign a paper put in front of me. I read everything closely and ask questions. I really thought Joe worked with us and met our demands. I'm very happy to move on to the next level. I've worked with Joe Smith Jr. for the past two years. It started with the (Andrzej) Fonfara fight, then (Bernard) Hopkins, and I'm helping him now (as a sparring partner). He's mentioned a few things, gave me some good advice to be cautious with all my decisions, and to listen before speaking."
Hartford Boxing's other partners are Rivera's Tony Blanco and Michael Tran. Blanco drew a different analogy in terms of co-promoting Rivera with Star Boxing, saying: "The plane was on the runway, Richie is the engine, and now we have the pilot (DeGuardia) to take us where we want to go."
One of the key reasons for partnering with Star Boxing, according to Blanco, is DeGuardia's success working with former world light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver and Smith Jr.. "I like what Joe [DeGuardia] has done in the light heavyweight division, starting with Tarver, and more recently Smith Jr.," Blanco commented. "It's good for Richie because that's his division. This was kind of a no-brainer. Joe is reachable (in NYC), which is something I like. Some promoters sign fighters for no real reason and then they end up on the shelf, which is a fighter's worst nightmare. I think Joe is one of the top ten promoters in the world, but it seems like the top three are always bickering with each other. I like the fact Joe works with all other promoters. He's low key and I think a perfect fit for us. Another reason for us is Joe's new deal with NESN (home of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins), which is a New England regional network but available to watch nationally. It's huge for Richie to be on television. You just put the cameras on Richie, give him a microphone, and he does the rest. And Richie can really fight, too. I think he has the most star power in New England."
"The plan for Richie in 2019 is for him to continue developing, fighting a lot, and getting exposure. He's self-motivated, always working hard in the gym, and hungry. We're on the right path."
Star Boxing has another undefeated Hartford boxer under contract, junior welterweight "Action" Anthony Laureano (10-0, 3 KOs), who is also scheduled to fight on the June 28th card.
"We're excited to sign Richie and work with Hartford Boxing Promotions to guide him to the top,' CEO of Star Boxing Joe DeGuardia added. "Richie has so much potential. He's extremely strong, dedicated, hard-working, and charismatic. We learned a lot about Richie during his training and sparring sessions with Joe Smith Jr.. Star Boxing has committed itself to further developing New England boxers and Richie has everything we look for, and more, to build him into a star."
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Star Boxing to co-promote Popeye Rivera
Star Boxing announced the signing of undefeated light heavyweight/cruiserweight Richie "Popeye The Sailor Man" Rivera to a promotional contract. Rivera is partners in Hartford Boxing Promotions, which will co-promote Rivera along with Star Boxing. The 28-year-old Rivera (11-0, 10 KOs), born and raised in Hartford, CT, is scheduled to fight on Friday, June 28, on Fite.TV pay-per-view ($9.99), live from Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York. Rivera will face Brian "MVP" Howard (14-2, 11 KOs) in an eight-round cruiserweight contest. "I'm excited and ready to go," Rivera said between training sessions at the Hartford Boxing Center. "I was very nervous about the whole thing (process). I don't just sign a paper put in front of me. I read everything closely and ask questions. I really thought Joe worked with us and met our demands. I'm very happy to move on to the next level. I've worked with Joe Smith Jr. for the past two years. It started with the (Andrzej) Fonfara fight, then (Bernard) Hopkins, and I'm helping him now (as a sparring partner). He's mentioned a few things, gave me some good advice to be cautious with all my decisions, and to listen before speaking."
Hartford Boxing's other partners are Rivera's Tony Blanco and Michael Tran. Blanco drew a different analogy in terms of co-promoting Rivera with Star Boxing, saying: "The plane was on the runway, Richie is the engine, and now we have the pilot (DeGuardia) to take us where we want to go."
One of the key reasons for partnering with Star Boxing, according to Blanco, is DeGuardia's success working with former world light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver and Smith Jr.. "I like what Joe [DeGuardia] has done in the light heavyweight division, starting with Tarver, and more recently Smith Jr.," Blanco commented. "It's good for Richie because that's his division. This was kind of a no-brainer. Joe is reachable (in NYC), which is something I like. Some promoters sign fighters for no real reason and then they end up on the shelf, which is a fighter's worst nightmare. I think Joe is one of the top ten promoters in the world, but it seems like the top three are always bickering with each other. I like the fact Joe works with all other promoters. He's low key and I think a perfect fit for us. Another reason for us is Joe's new deal with NESN (home of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins), which is a New England regional network but available to watch nationally. It's huge for Richie to be on television. You just put the cameras on Richie, give him a microphone, and he does the rest. And Richie can really fight, too. I think he has the most star power in New England."
"The plan for Richie in 2019 is for him to continue developing, fighting a lot, and getting exposure. He's self-motivated, always working hard in the gym, and hungry. We're on the right path."
Star Boxing has another undefeated Hartford boxer under contract, junior welterweight "Action" Anthony Laureano (10-0, 3 KOs), who is also scheduled to fight on the June 28th card.
"We're excited to sign Richie and work with Hartford Boxing Promotions to guide him to the top,' CEO of Star Boxing Joe DeGuardia added. "Richie has so much potential. He's extremely strong, dedicated, hard-working, and charismatic. We learned a lot about Richie during his training and sparring sessions with Joe Smith Jr.. Star Boxing has committed itself to further developing New England boxers and Richie has everything we look for, and more, to build him into a star."
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ESPN+ keeps the UK fights coming this weekend |
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A pair of MTK Global Fight Nights from the United Kingdom will be featured this weekend on the ESPN+ streaming service. On Friday, from the historic Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Steven “The Quiet Man” Ward will face off against Liam Conroy in a light heavyweight ten-rounder. The following day, from Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, 22 year-old Lee McGregor will make the first defense of his Commonwealth bantamweight title against Scott Allan in a twelve-round showdown. The Ward-Conroy and McGregor-Allan cards will begin at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Ward (11-0, 4 KOs) will be taking part in only his second scheduled ten-rounder, but he has kept busy in the paid ranks, scoring dominant victories in March and April of this year. He will be taking a big step up in class versus Conroy (17-4-1, 9 KOs), a former English light heavyweight champion who made two defenses of that title. Conroy was knocked out in three rounds in March by top prospect Joshua Buatsi for the vacant British title, but he came back in May to score a second-round knockout over Elvis Dube.
McGregor (6-0, 5 KOs), a 22-year-old from Edinburgh, Scotland, won the Commonwealth title last October with a twelfth-round knockout over Thomas Essomba. He returned last month in a six-round non-title bout, scoring a six-round decision over journeyman Brett Fidoe. Allan (9-3-1, 0 KOs) has won two in a row, most notably defeating Gary Rae (8-0 at the time) via unanimous decision to pick up the Celtic bantamweight belt.
Friday’s stream will feature the following bouts:
• Darragh “Super” Foley (17-3-1, 9 KOs) will battle fellow southpaw Tyrone McKenna (18-1-1, 6 KOs) in a ten-rounder at 140 pounds. McKenna has won two in a row since a competitive decision loss to Jack Catterall, while Foley has won two straight since a points loss to Akeem Ennis-Brown.
• Welterweight Liam Wells (5-0, 2 KOs) will take a giant step up in class versus Paddy Gallagher (15-5, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
• Belfast native Lewis Crocker (8-0, 6 KOs) will aim for his second win in as many months against the rugged Karim Aliliche (11-8-2, 2 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight tilt.
Saturday’s stream will also include:
• Scotland’s Kieran Smith (14-0, 7 KOs) will be in a 154-pound ten rounder vs. Mexican veteran Ivan Montero (21-3, 9 KOs).
• In an eight-round junior welterweight contest, Lewis “Kid Caramel” Benson (11-2, 2 KOs) will face longtime spoiler Renald Garrido (24-23-3, 6 KOs).
• Junior welterweight Craig MacIntyre (10-0-1, 3 KOs) will fight veteran Chris Adaway (9-56-4, 1 KO) in a six-rounder
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ESPN+ keeps the UK fights coming this weekend
A pair of MTK Global Fight Nights from the United Kingdom will be featured this weekend on the ESPN+ streaming service. On Friday, from the historic Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Steven “The Quiet Man” Ward will face off against Liam Conroy in a light heavyweight ten-rounder. The following day, from Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, 22 year-old Lee McGregor will make the first defense of his Commonwealth bantamweight title against Scott Allan in a twelve-round showdown. The Ward-Conroy and McGregor-Allan cards will begin at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Ward (11-0, 4 KOs) will be taking part in only his second scheduled ten-rounder, but he has kept busy in the paid ranks, scoring dominant victories in March and April of this year. He will be taking a big step up in class versus Conroy (17-4-1, 9 KOs), a former English light heavyweight champion who made two defenses of that title. Conroy was knocked out in three rounds in March by top prospect Joshua Buatsi for the vacant British title, but he came back in May to score a second-round knockout over Elvis Dube.
McGregor (6-0, 5 KOs), a 22-year-old from Edinburgh, Scotland, won the Commonwealth title last October with a twelfth-round knockout over Thomas Essomba. He returned last month in a six-round non-title bout, scoring a six-round decision over journeyman Brett Fidoe. Allan (9-3-1, 0 KOs) has won two in a row, most notably defeating Gary Rae (8-0 at the time) via unanimous decision to pick up the Celtic bantamweight belt.
Friday’s stream will feature the following bouts:
• Darragh “Super” Foley (17-3-1, 9 KOs) will battle fellow southpaw Tyrone McKenna (18-1-1, 6 KOs) in a ten-rounder at 140 pounds. McKenna has won two in a row since a competitive decision loss to Jack Catterall, while Foley has won two straight since a points loss to Akeem Ennis-Brown.
• Welterweight Liam Wells (5-0, 2 KOs) will take a giant step up in class versus Paddy Gallagher (15-5, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
• Belfast native Lewis Crocker (8-0, 6 KOs) will aim for his second win in as many months against the rugged Karim Aliliche (11-8-2, 2 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight tilt.
Saturday’s stream will also include:
• Scotland’s Kieran Smith (14-0, 7 KOs) will be in a 154-pound ten rounder vs. Mexican veteran Ivan Montero (21-3, 9 KOs).
• In an eight-round junior welterweight contest, Lewis “Kid Caramel” Benson (11-2, 2 KOs) will face longtime spoiler Renald Garrido (24-23-3, 6 KOs).
• Junior welterweight Craig MacIntyre (10-0-1, 3 KOs) will fight veteran Chris Adaway (9-56-4, 1 KO) in a six-rounder
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Showtime confirms Boxingtalk Scoop: Shields injury postpones Habazin bout |
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A minor injury in training has forced undisputed middleweight world champion Claressa Shields to suspend training and postpone her bid to become the fastest fighter in boxing history, male or female, to become a three-division world champion. Shields injured her knee doing roadwork early this week while preparing to take on Ivana Habazin for the vacant WBO 154-pound championship on Saturday, August 17th at the Dort Federal Event Center in Shields' hometown of Flint, Michigan. The 24-year-old Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) says she looks forward to resuming training and having the fight take place this fall. "There's nothing I love to do more than boxing, and I train hard for all of my fights. It's going to be tough for them to keep me out of the gym for a few weeks," said undisputed champion Claressa Shields. "But I will heal quickly and then go to training camp, so I can make history in front of all my fans in the fall. I can promise you this - I'll be training harder than ever soon again, and I will provide a spectacular performance and make history for everyone in attendance and for the viewers on Showtime."
Shields' promoter, Dmitriy Salita, says a new date for the fight is already being hammered out, as he works feverishly behind the scenes.
"Claressa will bounce back quickly," said Salita. "Unfortunately, training injuries are part of the sport. A great champion like her will take it in stride and move forward to the new fight date we are currently working to finalize. The fight will be rescheduled for the fall and we will announce the new date shortly."
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Showtime confirms Boxingtalk Scoop: Shields injury postpones Habazin bout
A minor injury in training has forced undisputed middleweight world champion Claressa Shields to suspend training and postpone her bid to become the fastest fighter in boxing history, male or female, to become a three-division world champion. Shields injured her knee doing roadwork early this week while preparing to take on Ivana Habazin for the vacant WBO 154-pound championship on Saturday, August 17th at the Dort Federal Event Center in Shields' hometown of Flint, Michigan. The 24-year-old Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) says she looks forward to resuming training and having the fight take place this fall. "There's nothing I love to do more than boxing, and I train hard for all of my fights. It's going to be tough for them to keep me out of the gym for a few weeks," said undisputed champion Claressa Shields. "But I will heal quickly and then go to training camp, so I can make history in front of all my fans in the fall. I can promise you this - I'll be training harder than ever soon again, and I will provide a spectacular performance and make history for everyone in attendance and for the viewers on Showtime."
Shields' promoter, Dmitriy Salita, says a new date for the fight is already being hammered out, as he works feverishly behind the scenes.
"Claressa will bounce back quickly," said Salita. "Unfortunately, training injuries are part of the sport. A great champion like her will take it in stride and move forward to the new fight date we are currently working to finalize. The fight will be rescheduled for the fall and we will announce the new date shortly."
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Luis Ortiz: "I'm knocking Deontay Wilder out!" |
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Greg Leon: What's the latest and greatest brother? Congrats on getting this rematch with Deontay Wilder. When will the fight take place? Luis Ortiz: "I'm just really looking forward to this rematch with Deontay Wilder. Everybody knows it's signed, it's locked in, it's done. I've been waiting a while for this rematch and it's something I've been craving since my first fight. I'm just very happy to be getting te opportunity to fix what went wrong last time and walk away with that belt." GL: The first fight was a war, this is going to be another rough fight, but that's in the ring. Even before the first fight you and Wilder seemed to have a great deal of mutual respect for each other outside of the ring. Where does that come from? Luis Ortiz: "Obviously you respect all men who get in the ring, but especially a man who you've already went to war with. I've got a lot of respect for him because he was the first fighter who ever agreed to fight me. Not Joshua, not Fury, nobody would fight me and he's giving me that opportunity again. How can you not respect that? But he's doing this because he knows there was some controversy to that first fight. The referee took twenty seconds in between rounds when he was out on his feet and now he's doing this to put an end to any controversy. We also both have kids with certain disabilities and you always respect a man who is a good father and does right by his kids."
GL: Were you surprised at all that Wilder chose to fight you again? He could have just stayed warm against lesser opposition until a Fury rematch materialized, but instead he's chosen to fight you again.
LO: "Not at all. Do you see that guy Fury just fought? (Tom Schwarz) wouldn't have went two rounds with Dominic Breazeale, so that should tell you where he's at. You've got to be impressed with Wilder for what he's doing in choosing to fight the best. I respect him, but come the night of that rematch that goes away and I'm going to knock him out. Then we're going to have a trilogy and I'm going to knock him out in that one too."
GL: When will the rematch take place?
LO: "I don't have the exact date yet, but whenever it happens Deontay Wilder is getting knocked out."
GL: Are you disappointed that you didn't get the opportunity to fight Anthony Joshua?
LO: "I'm not disappointed because in all reality and people don't understand, I already had a deal in place to fight Wilder. That's the fight I wanted the most because I think Wilder is the best champion out there and he beat me. I'm a competitor. The Joshua fight was on the table, but I would have only had a few weeks to get ready for it, then there were other things going on that I don't want to discuss, but in the end I got the fight I wanted, which is Wilder. If I could have picked one fight, it was Wilder and now I've got it."
GL: If you're ever going to become the heavyweight champion of the world, does it have to happen in this fight?
LO: "It's going to happen in this fight."
GL: Do you have a preference on where it takes place?
LO: "I"m knocking Deontay Wilder out, so anywhere that there's a ring and a referee who can count ten is perfectly fine with me."
GL: Closing thoughts.
LO: "I want to thank you for the interview, I see what you've been doing for the Cubans this week. I want the fans to keep tuning in because I'm about to become first Cuban heavyweight champion ever when I get Deontay Wilder in the ring again. Cuban boxing is alive and well, I feel like Rances beat Easter, Ugas beat Porter, Lara beat Castano, they just didn't get the decisions, but when I get Deontay Wilder back in the ring there aren't going to be any decisions, I'm knocking Deontay Wilder out!"
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Luis Ortiz: "I'm knocking Deontay Wilder out!"
Greg Leon: What's the latest and greatest brother? Congrats on getting this rematch with Deontay Wilder. When will the fight take place? Luis Ortiz: "I'm just really looking forward to this rematch with Deontay Wilder. Everybody knows it's signed, it's locked in, it's done. I've been waiting a while for this rematch and it's something I've been craving since my first fight. I'm just very happy to be getting te opportunity to fix what went wrong last time and walk away with that belt." GL: The first fight was a war, this is going to be another rough fight, but that's in the ring. Even before the first fight you and Wilder seemed to have a great deal of mutual respect for each other outside of the ring. Where does that come from? Luis Ortiz: "Obviously you respect all men who get in the ring, but especially a man who you've already went to war with. I've got a lot of respect for him because he was the first fighter who ever agreed to fight me. Not Joshua, not Fury, nobody would fight me and he's giving me that opportunity again. How can you not respect that? But he's doing this because he knows there was some controversy to that first fight. The referee took twenty seconds in between rounds when he was out on his feet and now he's doing this to put an end to any controversy. We also both have kids with certain disabilities and you always respect a man who is a good father and does right by his kids."
GL: Were you surprised at all that Wilder chose to fight you again? He could have just stayed warm against lesser opposition until a Fury rematch materialized, but instead he's chosen to fight you again.
LO: "Not at all. Do you see that guy Fury just fought? (Tom Schwarz) wouldn't have went two rounds with Dominic Breazeale, so that should tell you where he's at. You've got to be impressed with Wilder for what he's doing in choosing to fight the best. I respect him, but come the night of that rematch that goes away and I'm going to knock him out. Then we're going to have a trilogy and I'm going to knock him out in that one too."
GL: When will the rematch take place?
LO: "I don't have the exact date yet, but whenever it happens Deontay Wilder is getting knocked out."
GL: Are you disappointed that you didn't get the opportunity to fight Anthony Joshua?
LO: "I'm not disappointed because in all reality and people don't understand, I already had a deal in place to fight Wilder. That's the fight I wanted the most because I think Wilder is the best champion out there and he beat me. I'm a competitor. The Joshua fight was on the table, but I would have only had a few weeks to get ready for it, then there were other things going on that I don't want to discuss, but in the end I got the fight I wanted, which is Wilder. If I could have picked one fight, it was Wilder and now I've got it."
GL: If you're ever going to become the heavyweight champion of the world, does it have to happen in this fight?
LO: "It's going to happen in this fight."
GL: Do you have a preference on where it takes place?
LO: "I"m knocking Deontay Wilder out, so anywhere that there's a ring and a referee who can count ten is perfectly fine with me."
GL: Closing thoughts.
LO: "I want to thank you for the interview, I see what you've been doing for the Cubans this week. I want the fans to keep tuning in because I'm about to become first Cuban heavyweight champion ever when I get Deontay Wilder in the ring again. Cuban boxing is alive and well, I feel like Rances beat Easter, Ugas beat Porter, Lara beat Castano, they just didn't get the decisions, but when I get Deontay Wilder back in the ring there aren't going to be any decisions, I'm knocking Deontay Wilder out!"
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