Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk (WBO/IBF/WBA heavyweight titles) … Prediction: Joshua by decision

Two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua defends his titles against former undisputed cruiserweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua is coming off a ninth-round knockout victory over Kubrat Pulev, whilst Usyk is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Derek Chisora. I believe that Joshua will fight mostly coming forward and at mid range, whereas Usyk will primarily box on the outside, occasionally stepping in and fighting a mid range. I ultimately see this fight going the distance with Joshua winning by unanimous decision. I can envision scores of 116-112 (twice) and 115-113.  

 

Lawrence Okolie vs. Dilan Prasovic (WBO cruiserweight title) … Prediction: Okolie by early KO

Current WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie defends his title for the first time against unbeaten cruiserweight contender Dilan Prasovic. Okolie is coming off a sixth-round knockout victory over Krysztof Glowacki, whilst Prasovic is coming off a fourth-round knockout victory over Tomislav Rudan. I believe that Okolie will both come forward and counter at mid range, whereas Prasovic will attempt to come forward with little success until he gets dropped and ultimately stopped from rounds one to round six.

 

 

Saul Sanchez KO1 Ja’Rico O’Quinn... In his return to ShoBox: The New Generation, Saul Sanchez scored a first-round knockout to topple unbeaten rising star Ja’Rico O’Quinn in stunning fashion on Friday night in front of an enthusiastic outdoor crowd on Main Street of the Rose District in downtown Broken Arrow, Okla. Sanchez (17-1, 10 KOs) has fought four times since O’Quinn (14-1-1, 8 KOs) last entered the ring, started fast by flooring the Detroit native with a huge left hand just a minute into the opening frame of their bantamweight main event. O’Quinn, who last fought in January 2020 on ShoBox, was never able to recover from the initial knockdown as Sanchez overwhelmed the highly regarded prospect en route to his career-best victory.

 

“I just stayed calm and knew I had to work behind my jab but then I surprised him with my left hook and I saw that he got dropped and was hurt,” exclaimed the excited young prospect Sanchez. “That’s when I finished him. Honestly, I never envisioned the knockout that early. In the later rounds, yes. But not that early.

 

“This moment feels amazing. I made a big statement. He was undefeated and I was on the ‘B’ side. And now I move onto bigger and better things. I will fight anyone right now and I am going to work my way up to a world title. I want to fight again this year. I know I gained a few more fans tonight.”

 

Hailing from Pacoima, Calif. and trained by renowned trainer Manny Robles, Sanchez effectively eliminated O’Quinn’s ability to recover by landing a huge right hand to the temple that sent the unbeaten star to the canvas moments later. Referee Gary Ritter allowed O’Quinn to continue but Sanchez did not let up and delivered an onslaught of clean combinations that promptly ended the fight at 1:58 of the first round. Ranked ninth by the WBA at 118 pounds, the 24-year-old Sanchez has positioned himself to earn bigger opportunities in the exciting bantamweight division.

 

“I could feel something was wrong in the dressing room,” said the 26-year-old O’Quinn. “I didn’t even feel like warming up. I knew something wasn’t right and I tried to work past it, but it was not my night. He did what he was supposed to do. He was just the better man tonight and I have no excuses. I will be back. This is a temporary setback.”

 

Luis Nunez W10 Jayvon Garnett ... Luis Nunez (12-0, 8 KOs) of the Dominican Republic made a statement in his U.S. debut by upsetting Cincinnati’s Jayvon Garnett (10-1, 5 KOs) via unanimous decision in their 10-round featherweight bout. The judges saw the fight a shutout with three identical scorecards of 100-90.

 

Fighting on his 22nd birthday, Nunez dictated the pace of the fight from the opening bell and invested to the body steadily throughout the fight with 51 landed blows. Promoted by notable boxing stalwart Sampson Lewkowicz, the WBA’s No. 11 ranked super bantamweight Nunez was methodical in dismantling the former amateur standout Garnett.

 

“It was a great performance and I agreed with the judges – I won every round,” said the rising prospect Nunez who made his ShoBox debut. “I feel like I had good defense and an attacking style. He was a good boxer but he never hurt me. I’m ready for whoever my promoter Sampson puts in front of me next.”

 

Despite giving up the height advantage to Nunez, it was Garnett who was more efficient with his jab with a 46-to-37 edge. Nunez, however, landed 39% of his power punches to claim a clear decision victory.

 

Otar Eranosyan W8 Alejandro Guerrero... In the telecast opener, 13-month pro and super featherweight Otar “Pitbull” Eranosyan (10-0, 6 KOs) remained undefeated with an all-action and entertaining eight-round unanimous decision win against three-fight ShoBox veteran Alejandro “Pork Chop” Guerrero (12-2, 9 KOs). The official scores were 79-73 and 78-74 twice.

 

The animated 27-year-old Eranosyan played up to the Broken Arrow crowd throughout the fight and looked like a seasoned professional in dominating Guerrero, who came out lighting fast winning the first round on all three judges’ scorecards. But it was all Eranosyan from then on as the Miami resident by way of his native country of Georgia outworked and outclassed Houston’s Guerrero, who suffered his first pro loss on ShoBox back in February.

 

“I am very happy,” said Eranosyan, who is ranked No. 9 by the WBA at 130 pounds and fought for the sixth time in 2021. “This was my first fight on SHOWTIME, but far from my last. I am the best in my division. I was never hurt, and I knew I had won. He was a good fighter, but I am Otar.”

 

Their output was nearly identical with Eranosyan edging Guerrero by a single thrown punch (585-584) and he was far more efficient throughout the fight landing 42.5 percent (176 of 414) of his power punches on his way to the win.

 

“There are little things here and there I should have adjusted,” said the 23-year-old Guerrero, a celebrated amateur who won two junior national titles. “Styles make fights and this was one hell of a fight. The better man got the win today. It was a real close decision. I would have given it a draw, if anything. We were both catching each other with good shots. It was a fun fight.

 

International Boxing Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins called the action from ringside with fellow Hall of Famer Al Bernstein and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. Hall of Famer Steve Farhood was the unofficial scorer. The executive producer was Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

 

The event was promoted by Salita Promotions in association with Holden Productions, Thompson Boxing and Sampson Boxing. The exciting night of fights will be replayed on Monday, Sept. 27, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

 

 

Timur Kerefov W10 Devaun Lee...  Russian middleweight Timur Kerefov (now 12-0, 6 KO) put in a workmanlike performance in outpointing Jamaica, Queens, New York’s determined but outgunned Devaun Lee (now 10-8-1, 5 KO) over ten rounds in the chief untelevised supporting bout of tonight’s ‘Rumble in the Rose District’ event, a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader presented by Salita Promotions and held outside in downtown Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Kerfefov, now living and training in Detroit, stifled the offense of Lee by constantly turning him and working the angles. Lee never stopped trying, but the 298-12 former amateur star Kerefov had too many weapons and physical advantages in speed and strength to be bested.

 

A tough customer who knows all the tricks, Kerefov was warned several times for using his head but was not penalized. Lee never seemed hurt by any of the Russian’s shots but his frustration with not being able to catch the elusive Russian was evident.

 

The scores were 100-90 by all three judges.

 

MORE RESULTS

 

Detroit-based middleweight Marlon Harrington (now 4-0, 3 KO) overcame the curse of the awkward but tough MMA opponent by pounding out a unanimous four-round decision over Herlong, California’s Justin Baesman (now 0-2).

 

Harrington had things all his way throughout but couldn’t find the right timing for a finishing shot. Basesman can take a punch and, to his credit, didn’t do much running or holding to run out the clock. Post-fight, he celebrated joyfully after having survived the full distance.

 

The scores were 40-36 by all three judges.

 

“Coming off a bicep injury, I felt pretty good early and then the layoff set in a bit,” said Harrington, post-fight. “Once I warmed up, I was ok. He was a tough guy and real awkward. He came to fight though. I hit him with shots that put other people to sleep.”

 

Harrington says having his KO streak ended was inevitable. “It’s bittersweet having the streak ended, but it had to happen eventually,” he said, “You can’t go your whole career knocking guys out and not getting hit back.”

 

Oxnard, California’s former world title challenger Hugo Centeno Jr. (28-3-1, 15 KO) kept active with a two-round TKO of Tennessee veteran Kenneth Council (11-5-1, 8 KO). 

 

Centeno had a look at Council for a round and then unloaded his world-class skills in round two. Council was down once and taking a two-fisted pounding before the action was stopped at 2:52 of the second.

About Salita Promotions

 

 

 In a women's super flyweight bout, Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz (9-0-1, 4 KOs) will face former champion Nancy “La Chatita” Franco De Alba (19-14-2, 5 KOs). It is scheduled to be a ten-round fight on Saturday. Franco is a former IBF 105-pound champion. Ruiz, originally from Los Angeles, comes off a technical draw due to an accidental clash of heads against Sonia Osorio, on March 20th. Franco, originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, comes from defeating Jessica Rangel by wide decision on August 21st. The fight will take place  at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena, California.

 

 

Also on the card, Tenochtitlan Nava will face Ivan Varela at featherweight and Maricela “La Diva” Cornejo will face Miranda Barber in a scheduled middleweight battle.

 

Tickets can be purchased at Marvnation.com. The card will be broadcast live at 5:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. ET through Marvnation Youtube, Supreme Boxing Official Facebook Page and Fighthub Tv Youtube Channel.

 

Here are the boxers' official weights and the assigned officials for tonight's (Friday) edition of ShoBox: The New Generation from Main Street in the Rose District of downtown Broken Arrow, Oklahoma:

 

Bantamweight 10-Round Bout

Ja’Rico O’Quinn – 115.2 pounds -vs.- Saul Sanchez – 117.8 pounds

Referee: Gary Ritter (Okla.); Judges: David Sutherland (Okla.), Henry Ellick (Okla.), Henry Gueary (Kan.)

 

Featherweight 10-Round Bout

Luis Reynaldo Nunez – 125.6 pounds -vs.- Jayvon Garnett – 125.6 pounds

Referee: Gerald Ritter (Okla.); Judges: David Sutherland (Okla.), Henry Ellick (Okla.), Henry Gueary (Kan.)

 

Super Featherweight Eight-Round Bout

Otar Eranosyan – 130 pounds -vs.- Alejandro Guerrero – 129.2 pounds

Referee: Gary Ritter (Okla.); Judges: David Sutherland (Okla.), Henry Ellick (Okla.), Henry Gueary (Kan.)

 

 

Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs) and Saul Sanchez (16-1, 9 KOs) both made weight Thursday, a day ahead of their ten-round main event on ShoBox: The New Generation this Friday, September 24th, live on Showtime at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT from the unique outdoor setting on Main Street in the Rose District of downtown Broken Arrow, Okla. The co-feature pits undefeated featherweights Luis Reynaldo Nunez (11-0, 8 KOs) and Jayvon Garnett (10-0, 5 KOs) against each other in a ten-round bout and undefeated Otar Eranosyan (9-0, 6 KOs) takes on Alejandro Guerrero (12-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight contest that opens the telecast. Here are the boxers' final quotes from the weigh-in:

 

Ja’Rico O’Quinn

 

“I don’t really care too much about the long layoff. I am going to go in there and make adjustments as the rounds go on. I am going to knock the rust off early.

 

“I watch all my opponents. I know he is going to come forward and pressure me. I want to go in there and have fun and do what I do. I expect him to come forward and think I am going wear him down.

 

“I have not yet gotten to show people my best boxing skills. I can’t wait to showcase them on ShoBox. I wanted to finish the last guy the last time I was on ShoBox. I hope I can catch [Sanchez] with some bigger punches earlier in the rounds. I have room for improvement. All boxers can improve.

 

“If he is ranked in the bantamweight division then with a win I should be too. I should be in the discussion. I should be somewhere in the mix. He has been more active than me and it should say a lot that I am taking this fight off a long layoff.

 

“I am in great shape. The more he comes forward, the more he will open up. I am a great boxer and I have an exceptional output. I’m strong, fast. I am ready for Friday night.”

 

Saul Sanchez

 

“It feels good to be back with Manny Robles. I had my pro debut with him. It’s already been a year that we’ve been back together but it has been great. I was slacking off on my defense when I was with Joel Diaz. Now, I am already letting go of my combinations and putting them together. I feel good.”

 

“The split decision loss was close against [Edwin] Rodriguez. I had a knee injury and I wasn’t 100%. It was hard for me to run and get my conditioning. I wanted to pull out of that fight but my team underestimated my opponent so they told me not to pull out of the fight. It was a learning experience and it made me work harder.

 

“[O’Quinn] is good. He’s fast. He hasn’t fought any tough fighters like me though. The guy he fought last time was backing him up and he’s smaller than me. We will find out on Friday night though.”

 

Luis Reynaldo Nunez

 

“I feel great moving up to featherweight. It’s less weight to lose and I moved up in weight class to challenge myself at the next level. As of now I am going to fight at 126 pounds and see how it goes. Depending on the results, I will go to my promoters and see what they say.

 

“I am grateful to fight in the United States. This is amazing to fight here and on SHOWTIME. I am going to show who I am on Friday, and I can’t wait.

 

“I am a wise fighter. I have a better reach than him and that will matter. I am used to fighting guys like him with my same style, but I am the smarter fighter. I don’t have a specific style. I fight however I need to. I fight from distance, I fight inside, I just fight however I need to in the moment against my opponent. My left hand is my greatest weapon though.”

 

Jayvon Garnett

 

“I had a long layoff from 2018 to 2020: There were a few promoters trying to get things off the ground. It was hard to get me fights. I was just trying to find the right place for me, and I did with my current promoter. It brought me to ShoBox.

 

“Working with Jamel Herring was very technical. He brought me up levels. I have actually been in camp with Jamel for a few years, but I never got the chance to work with him. He just brought me out to his last camp and he taught me a lot. It was an amazing experience and it showed me a lot about levels.

 

“[Nunez] is coming to fight. He throws a lot of punches, but I feel like I am more of a threat to him than he is to me. I make adjustments and I adapt to the situation I am in. I like to work my jab and I like to be sharp. Then I break them down.

 

“My conditioning was crazy for my first 10-rounder. It got tough toward the end but my conditioning kicked in.

 

“It is a blessing to be here. I take the adversities in my life to refocus me on boxing. I was going to a tournament right before I was shot when I was 17. It humbled me. Time is of the essence, and I can’t deal with that foolishness. My parents are amazing. My mom and my stepfather. I take my hat off to them because they have always kept me on the right path mentally and supported me through thick and thin.”

 

Otar Eranosyan

 

“I don’t consider myself a devastating puncher, but my pace and volume of punches is what creates the knockouts.

 

“I have had long separations with my family in the past and it has been difficult. But my family is here now and it makes my preparations much easier.

 

“I respect all of my opponents. Guerrero is a talented kid and a hard-punching opponent. I think this is going to be a great fight. I will dictate the pace and use that pace to break my opponent.

 

“It is time for me to show who I am and what I can do.”

 

Alejandro Guerrero:

 

“I learned a lot from my mistakes and better things are coming. I have been working on my technique and my style. I have learned that I can’t walk through all my opponents. I have learned that I can’t just be a brawler and I need to be smart and box more often.

 

“Fighting at 135 pounds was always so easy for me. So fighting at 130 is just another run, it’s easy.

 

“He is going to be tough. I fight great competition unlike a lot of fighters. I know he is a good fighter and I need to use my head. If I have the opportunity to take him out – I will take it. Anything can change when you get punched in the face but my game plan is to be the smarter fighter.”

 

“A lot of these fighters go and take these easy fights all day long. When they take tough fights, they lose, they quit, they get knocked out. I lost my last fight, but I could have won. I just wasn’t in the right place. I know I am one of the greatest at 130 and 126 and I can become a world champion.”

In the main event of a show to be held in Washington, D.C., at the Entertainment & Sports Arena on October 29th, Cobia “Soldier” Breedy (15-1, 5KOs) faces Sulaiman Segawa (13-3-1, 4 KOs) in a ten-round featherweight bout. Breedy, who hails from Barbados originally, most recently stepped in the ring a year ago, in a last-minute fight against Tugstsogt Nyambayar. Breedy lost a split decision in what was a big step-up in competition.

 

Segawa a former Olympic hopeful had a stellar amateur career, fighting in international tournaments on behalf of his native country of Uganda. Eight of his 17 bouts have been against undefeated fighters, some who were considered hot prospects at the time of their fights. The fearless fighter last fought in November of 2020, also stepping in as a late replacement.

 

The lead promoter will be New Jersey based Rising Star Promotions in association with Events DC, DHH Promotions, TCMFB Boxing and Millions.Co. “This card is going to be a stacked card from top-to-bottom,” promoter Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna said. “We have a D.C. legend in former world champion Chop Chop Corley, we have future star Jalil Hackett, and a fantastic featherweight title fight with Breedy and Segawa.”

 

Bantamweight Saul Sanchez (16-1, 9 KOs) discusses his training camp ahead of his ShoBox: The New Generation debut in a ten-round main event against Detroit’s Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs) this Friday, September 24th at the unique outdoor setting on Main Street in the Rose District of downtown Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The co-feature event pits undefeated featherweights Jayvon Garnett (10-0, 5 KOs) and Luis Reynaldo Nunez (11-0, 8 KOs) against each other in a ten-round bout and Alejandro Guerrero (12-1, 9 KOs) faces Otar Eranosyan (9-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight contest that opens the telecast. Here is what Sanchez had to say ahead of this Friday’s matchup against O’Quinn:

 

On recent training camp: “My trainers Manny Robles and Edgar Jasso have been pushing me hard. A lot of tough sparring, a lot of working on fundamentals, and fine tuning, is what we’ve been working on. My body feels great and I’m going to give the fans a great fight. I’ll be all-action come this Friday.”

 

On his matchup with Ja’Rico O'Quinn: “Like me, O'Quinn is coming off an impressive win against a fighter with a good record. Although he hasn’t fought since 2020, I know he’s been training hard like all fighters during the pandemic. He’s had a lot of time to prepare for this fight and I know he’s hungry, like me. We both have one loss, and someone is going to take a step backwards, and it isn’t going to be me.”

 

On what a win will do for his career: “Winning this fight will get me one step closer to getting a world title shot. The time is now for me to perform at me very best. In addition, a victory will get me to bigger paydays. I want to be a fighter that everyone wants to see, so I must win, and win impressively.”

 

On making his ShoBox debut: “I’m very grateful to my promoter Thompson Boxing for getting me this fight on SHOWTIME. It’s been a long time coming for me to get on this stage and I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity. A lot of champions fought on ShoBox and I want to be the next fighter to follow behind them and win a world title.”

 

 

Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder vowed revenge during a virtual press conference Wednesday, as he previewed his heavyweight trilogy grudge match against reigning WBC champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury taking place Saturday, October 9th on pay-per-view from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I want payback back in blood,” said Wilder. “On October 9, I will get my revenge. It’s an eye for an eye.” Here is more of what Wilder (pictured, right) had to say Wednesday:

 

DEONTAY WILDER

 

“I feel amazing. It’s past good or great. This time that has passed has been great for me. With the more time that’s passed, the more that we’ve been able to work on different little things and perfect them. You can’t always be perfect, but that doesn’t mean you can’t train to be perfect.

 

“Malik Scott is a wonderful person and trainer. We met years ago sparring with Tomasz Adamek. We clicked right away and we’ve formed a real bond and brotherhood. I have so much love around me in this camp, that I’m not dwelling on anything negative.

 

“We’re having fun while learning and creating things together during training camp. That’s just the passion that we have to become two-time heavyweight champion of the world.

 

“I’m super focused. I’m more focused now than I’ve even been in my entire career. This is the second phase of my career. I had fun winning and defending the title for five years. At this point, we’re just serious about everything. I’m in a happy place and I’m glad that I’m here.

 

“They say that things happen for a reason and that we don’t understand that reason until we get to a certain place in life, then we understand it. My whole team understands everything that has happened and we’re looking forward.  

 

“The delay was actually a blessing for me. The more they delayed it, the more time we had to work on my craft and art, along with strategically going over the game plan we’re going to have on October 9th. It was obviously frustrating, because I was ready to go, and this is the longest I’ve been out of the ring. There’s something about the ring that calls you and draws you back. But I’ve used the time and benefited tremendously.

 

“I appreciate the love from my true fans. I’ve received so many messages from people of all walks of life. Now we’re back again for redemption and retaliation on October 9. The BombZquad is back.

 

“This has hands down been the best training camp I’ve had in my entire career. Sometimes you need events to happen in life to bring about changes that you need. We’ve had no distractions and I’m just in a happy state mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

 

“You’re looking at a rejuvenated and reinvented Deontay Wilder. The old Deontay is no longer there. I can’t explain it to you, I have to show you on October 9th. I’m looking forward to it and I can’t wait.”

 

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.  

My Art My Rules videographer Terrell Groggins has released a nine-minute gritty, unblinking documentary about Ja’Rico O’Quinn’s impoverished childhood in Detroit and the obstacles he overcame to become an undefeated professional boxer on the verge of a bantamweight title challenge. In the video, one of an upcoming series on Detroit-based fighters, the 26 year-old O’Quinn reflects back on the poverty, crime and gang activity that claimed so many of his friends and on his good fortune and God-given talent that helped him make it out. O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time since January 2020 against Pacoima, California’s Saul Sanchez (16-1, 9 KOs) in the ten-round main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader telecast on Friday, September 24th live on Showtime at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT from Main Street in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

 

Promoted by Salita Promotions, the co-main event pits undefeated featherweight prospects Jayvon Garnett (10-0, 5 KOs) and Luis Reynaldo Nunez (11-0, 8 KOs) against each other in a ten-round bout and Alejandro Guerrero (12-1, 9 KOs) faces the undefeated Otar Eranosyan (9-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight contest that opens the telecast.

 

“Growing into greatness as a world-champion fighter takes character,” said Groggins of his work. “O’Quinn speaks honestly about his life and how his faith has shaped him as a professional boxer.”

 

“I thought it turned out very well,” added Ja’Rico O’Quinn. “My story has so much in it – so many different things I went through in life. Terrell did a great job summing it up for a quick promo for this fight to give it just enough to get people wanting to hear my story at the same time making it interesting…. a lot of people liked it and that’s good cause the fans and supporters are the ones that matter.”

 

Salita Promotions has taken a special interest in reviving boxing in Detroit and telling the stories of the boxers from ‘Americas Greatest Comeback City.’

 

"Throughout boxing history, the State of Michigan, and particularly Detroit, has been a hotbed for boxing talent such as Tommy Hearns, Floyd Mayweather, Claressa Shields and a host of others from the world-famous Kronk Boxing Gym," said Dmitriy Salita. "This show and series will take fans into the life in the neighborhoods and gyms, with a look into the motivations and conditions that drive these athletes to the top.”

Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles is about to take a giant step in his boxing career. The 6-foot-9, 265-pound heavyweight from Des Moines, Iowa, has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank and will make his professional debut in a four-rounder live on ESPN+ Friday, Oct. 15th on the Emanuel Navarrete-Joet Gonzalez undercard at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Mireles enters the paid ranks trained by Robert Garcia in Riverside, California. He is managed by David McWater.

 

Mireles, who started boxing at the age of 12, had a brief but successful amateur career. He went 28-4 with 10 knockouts, winning the 2020 USA Olympic Trials and a National Golden Gloves title in 2019. Despite winning the trials, Mireles was selected as an alternate for the 2020 Olympic boxing qualifiers. As a result, he set his sights on the pro game. “The more I thought about it, I realized I had no desire to fight as an amateur anymore,” Mireles said. “I wanted to take the next step and continue to grow as a fighter."

 

“Antonio is a big young man with a personality to match, and he has all the makings of a heavyweight superstar,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. "With Robert Garcia guiding him inside the ropes, I have no doubt he’ll develop into a formidable fighter.”

 

Mireles said, “I want to thank Top Rank for this tremendous opportunity. I’ve had my eye on Top Rank ever since I started taking the sport seriously, and it’s an honor to turn pro under their banner. I am a versatile boxer, but I’m not afraid to get in the trenches and have a shootout. My coaches try to stop me from doing that, but I’m aggressive by nature. I believe my style is more suited to the pro game, and I’m counting down the days until I step in that ring.”

 

 

 

In a homecoming bout set for Friday, Connecticut middleweight Chordale Booker finally gets the long-awaited opportunity to fight in front of his hometown fans in the Nutmeg State. Having established a successful run fighting on the road, the Stamford-born Booker (16-0, 7 KOs) makes his Connecticut debut Friday night on CES Boxing's UFC Fight Pass show at the Connecticut Convention Center. Booker faces Mexico's Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) in an eight-round bout. The preliminary card begins at 6:30 pm ET with the live stream kicking off at 7, featuring play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators "Sucra" Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host Madelyn Grimaldi. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.

 

For Booker, it’s the opportunity to feel the warmth of a hometown arena and the cheers of a supportive fan base for the first time as a professional, a well-deserved experience for the 30 year-old southpaw after spending his entire career fighting in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and even Biloxi, Mississippi. A late bloomer by boxing standards, Booker escaped a trouble past as a teenager and took up boxing at age of 18 as a form of "physical therapy," allowing him to escape the demons that nearly sent him behind bars and refocus his energy on something more productive. He began training under the guidance of Connecticut native and former pro Ahmad Mickens, who remains in his corner to this day.

 

What started out as a hobby to keep him off the streets quickly became Booker’s passion. Booker relocated to Brooklyn to build his boxing career – and stay closer to his mother’s side of the family – and eventually launched a successful amateur career, one in which he finished 111-19 and earned a trip to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in addition to the following achievements:

 

• 2015 Elite National Champion

• 2015 Golden Gloves Champion

• 2015 Sugar Ray Robinson Most Outstanding Boxer

• 2015 Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame Amateur Boxer of The Year

• 2015 Fairfield County Sports Person of The Year

• 2014 USA Elite Men’s Silver Medalist

• 2013 USA Elite Men’s Bronze Medalist

• 2013 Northeast Regional Champion

 

When Booker turned pro in 2016, the success continued; he raced out to an 8-0 start within two years and kept plugging away both in and out of the ring. He was the subject of a documentary that appeared at the New York Short Film Festival; he launched his own charity, the "Go The Distance Foundation" to help break down the barriers between at-risk youth and the police; and even began modeling in 2018 at the New York Fashion Week runway show for designer ACID NYC.

 

All the work outside the ring only made him stronger; he soon caught the attention of major networks, debuting on Showtime in 2017 with a win over unbeaten Malcolm McAllister.Since then, he’s been part of some Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) telecasts, defeated Ve Shawn Owens (9-1), Juan De Angel (21-9-1), Wale Omotoso (27-3), and most recently Sanny Duversonne (11-1-2) to keep his perfect record intact. An Achilles injury, and subsequent surgery, set him back in 2019, but the time off due to the pandemic also gave him the chance to recover without missing any major opportunities. 

 

With 16 wins under his belt, the only thing missing has been a fight back in his home state on a worldwide platform, which is where CES Boxing and FIGHT PASS come into play. Booker will get the chance to showcase his talents in front of a new audience on Friday and continue to prove there’s always a second chance at life for those with the drive and commitment to succeed. The Homecoming King finally makes his long-awaited return. 

 

On October 1st, a Maracaibo [Venezuela] boxing show will be held at La Curva de Molina, a city landmark. It will be a ten-bout show, honoring WBA 130-pound champion Roger Gutierrez. Promoter Rafael Morón plans to have Kelvinyer Salazar (16-01) and Robinson Garcia (14-11) in the main event fight, which will be contested in the lightweight division. 

Masamichi Yabuki TKO10 Kenshiro Teraji ... There is shocking news coming out of Japan as unheralded Masamichi Yabuki upset previously undefeated Kenshiro Teraji a/k/a Ken Shiro to win the WBC 108-pound championship. Yabuki, whose record is a very modest 13-3, stopped his better-known compatriot in round ten to claim the title. Teraji was recently disgnosed with the the coronavirus and postponed the original fight date for twelve days. Going into the fight, Yabuki said he would retire win or lose, but now Kyodo News says the new champion is reconsidering. Teraji is nw 18-1.

 

 

 

The WBC and its Board of Governors have ordered four mandatory fights and final eliminatory fights:

Joseph Diaz -vs.- Ryan Garcia (WBC lightweight interim title / final elimination)...

Gary Russell (pictured) -vs.- Mark Magsayo (WBC featherweight title defense)...

Nonito Donaire -vs.- Reymart Gaballo (WBC bantamweight title defense) and ...

Eduardo Ramirez -vs.- Lerato Dlamini (WBC featherweight final eliminator).

WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez and undefeated IBF champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant met for an intense stare down that turned into a scuffle Tuesday at a press conference previewing their historic and highly anticipated undisputed super middleweight championship showdown. During an extended face-off that kicked off the event, the fighters exchanged words and threw glancing blows. Editor's note: Alvarez instigated the confrontation with a push, Plant, wearing sun glasses returned with a slap, and Alvarez responded with a three-punch or slap combination that cut Plant under his right eye (see photo), at the spot where the frame of his glasses rested on his cheek.

 

Canelo and Plant will battle on Saturday, November 6th, live on Showtime pay-per-view the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in a Premier Boxing Champions event, with the winner stamping his name in the history books as the first undisputed 168-pound world champion of the four-belt era.  Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.  

 

Eddy Reynoso, Canelo’s trainer and manager, and Justin Gamber, Plant’s trainer, joined their fighters on stage at the event in Beverly Hills. Here is what the press conference participants had to say Tuesday:

 

CANELO ÁLVAREZ

 

“You are not on my level and you will see on November 6th. You don’t want to fight now, I promise you.

 

“We come from nothing and we worked hard to be here. For somebody to lie and talk trash about us, that upset Eddy. It is what it is though. We just have to show everyone who we are on November 6th. 

 

“Caleb might be on the same level as Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith, but he’s not on my level. I respect that he isn’t here to back down. You can see from today that this is definitely going to be a good fight. 

 

“I know what I need to do and I know a lot about him. He’s a good fighter but I know my skills. My experience is going to give me the edge in the fight. I have faced similar styles to Caleb’s against Floyd Mayweather, Erislandy Lara, Austin Trout and Saunders.

 

“He’s an insecure person and that’s why he came with a lot of excuses about lots of things. I don’t care about it though. I’m just going to do my best on November 6 and win the fight. 

  

“To be undisputed is history for Mexico and for everyone on my team. To be the undisputed champion is just a great thing for my career.

 

On the on-stage scuffle: “You can say whatever to me, but not to my mom. I’m going to fight anyone who says something about my mom. And he swung first. I just pushed him. He swung first, and I do what I do. He crossed the line. 

 

“It will be over in eight rounds or less. I’m going to knock out this guy. Easy.”

 

CALEB PLANT

 

“I know only one thing better than proving people right, and that’s proving people wrong. I’ve been doing that my whole life. As soon as I stepped on the stage, people started talking about what I can’t accomplish and what I can’t do. Where I come from, there is no boxing community. There was no other pro I could look to and say that if he can do it, then I can do it. All I had was my mind and my heart. 

 

“I don’t do this to be famous or to get attention. When I first started, it was just me and my dad. No one thought I’d be standing here today. I can remember him and my grandfather scrounged up a little bit of money to open a little boxing gym. There was just one heavy bag hanging in the corner. But when you really want something, you don’t need all the fancy things. You just need your mind and your heart. 

 

“I know that people don’t believe me when I tell them I’m winning on November 6. All those people who tell me that I can’t do something, you live believable lives and you do believable things. I promised myself that I was going to run this all the way to the top, with no problem crashing and burning along the way. I set out to live an unbelievable life and accomplish unbelievable things. Those people who doubt me are the very reason that I’m here. 

 

“Miguel Cotto’s brother can make you do the chicken dance but I can’t? Okay. Mark my words, on November 6th you will hear the words, ‘And the new undisputed super middleweight champion,’ but you will also hear the words, ‘and still undefeated.’ 

 

“Being undisputed would mean a lot. I’ve sacrificed so much to this sport and I’ve been doing this a long time. All that work would come down to one moment. I want my name in those history books and that’s the only reason that I’m here.

 

On the on-stage scuffle: “We just had some normal back-and-forth banter up there and then whatever happened, happened. It’s none of my concern though. I’m focused and locked in on November 6th.”

 

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer and Manager

 

“I think this is going to be a great fight, one where we unify the 168-pound division. As we do with every fight, we’re going to work hard in the gym. We’ve always worked hard in the gym.

 

"I'm a little upset by how things turned out today, but in the end we will settle things in the ring on November 6.

 

"The offensive language is what offended us the most. We are respectful people, and we move forward from this with our heads held up high. Now we are going to train well, win the fight and see what comes next after that.

 

 

“There are a lot of people who say things on social media but then they don’t show up. Some people want to take down a whole country and a great athlete that represents his country. They talk a lot of trash. You need to work hard though. You need to have guts to work as hard as we do.”

 

JUSTIN GAMBER, Plant’s Trainer

 

“I want to thank our whole team for believing in us and getting us this fight that we wanted and this opportunity to make history. It’s been blood sweat and tears, literally, to get here. It’s been a long journey. This fight is not about money, it’s about legacy. 

 

“In 1996, when I was 15 years-old, my favorite fighter was the IBF super middleweight champion Roy Jones Jr. Every fan back then craved an undisputed champion at 168-pounds and now I train the IBF champion and we’re going to be fighting for all of the marbles.

 

“Tune in on November 6 and you will see the first undisputed super middleweight champion of the world and he’s from Tennessee. Anything that happened today at this press conference is going to drive us and give us more hunger. 

 

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

 

“It took a couple of tries, but here we are today with the undisputed super middleweight championship on November 6. It’s a real pleasure to be working with our network partners at SHOWTIME for this event. Showtime has a long history of being involved in the sports’ biggest and most important events and that continues with this fight. 

 

“It’s an honor to be working with the pound-for-pound king Canelo Álvarez, Eddy Reynoso and everyone with Canelo Promotions. I’m also thrilled to be back working with everyone on team Plant. I promoted Caleb’s pro debut in 2014 and it’s great to see him up here today in this position.

 

“Canelo holds three titles, while Caleb owns the fourth title in the 168-pound division. They’ll battle to become the first undisputed champ in the four-belt era. History will be made on November 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.”

 

 

In 2019, J Russell Peltz celebrated 50 years as a boxing promoter.  Beginning this week, 50 years of boxing stories from the Hall of Famer are revealed in Peltz’ memoir, Thirty Dollars and a Cut Eye. The book is available for purchase via Peltz’ website and major book retailers.  The 404-page book chronicles Peltz’s first time watching fights on television at the age of 12 in 1959, to his first experience at a live boxing event at 14, and takes readers through his half century in the business.  Peltz promoted over 1,000 boxing events, and more than 40 world championship fights. Peltz’ savant-like ability to remember details of fights that took place half a century ago, what happened every round, every conversation, every travesty and every scandal makes Thirty Dollars and a Cut Eye a must-read for boxing fans.  A lifetime collector, Peltz saved every contract he ever signed, all the fight programs, posters, videos, along with the profit-and-loss statements from each promotion.  

 

From his days directing the career of middleweight legend Bennie Briscoe, through his hot-and-cold relationship with ill-fated junior lightweight Tyrone Everett and the controversial title fight with Alfredo Escalera, the five bouts he promoted with Marvelous Marvin Hagler (including Hagler’s first two defeats), the matches he featured with Emile Griffith, Thomas Hearns and Aaron Pryor, his years with Joltin' Jeff Chandler, the time his office building was fire-bombed, and throughout his silent interest in the career of Arturo Gatti--you don't want to miss these stories. Peltz has promoted cards at every major venue in Philadelphia as well as nearly every casino in Atlantic City, and his business has taken him around the world, from Argentina to France, and from Italy to Beijing.

 

There are 60 photos in the book, many of which have never been published. “The book contains it all,” said Peltz.  “The facts, the figures, and the finances.  Nothing was off limits. I've spoken with over 30 men who boxed for me. Some of them had nice things to say--others, not so much, but it's all in there.  I'm as proud of this book as I am of anything I've ever done in boxing."

 

To celebrate the debut of Thirty Dollars and a Cut Eye, Peltz will host a book launch party on Oct. 21 at 7 pm. at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.  The event will be open to the public, and, in addition to signing copies of the book for those in attendance, Peltz will be screening some of the most memorable Philly-area fights from the past 50 years. 

 

Readers can purchase the book at the book launch and at peltzboxing.com, or through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Readers who purchase the book via peltzboxing.com will have the opportunity to have the book inscribed.   

 

As part of Showtime’s 20th anniversary season of ShoBox: The New Generation, this Friday, September 24th, Salita Promotions will return to one of the most unique fight venues in the United States, outdoors in the City of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, for a live tripleheader broadcast featuring six prospects boasting combined records of 72-2-1. Set in the middle of the scenic city’s town square, in the ten-round bantamweight main event bout, 26 year-old Detroit native Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs) will face California’s 24 year-old Saul Sanchez (16-1, 9 KOs). The chief support will pit undefeated featherweights Jayvon Garnett (10-0, 5 KOs) and Luis Reynaldo Nunez (11-0, 8 KOs) against each other in a ten-round bout and in the opener, Alejandro Guerrero (12-1, 9 KOs) faces the undefeated Otar Eranosyan (9-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight / lightweight contest.

 

The event will be Salita Promotions’ second attempt to stage a fight at the outdoor boxing hotbed. In August 2019, a Salita event featuring undefeated Uzbek Shohjahon Ergashev had to be moved to the nearby confines of the Central Park Community Center due to rain. 

 

“I am thrilled that Showtime selected Broken Arrow for these boxing matches during ShoBox’s 20th anniversary,” said Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee. “I can’t think of a better place to showcase these amazing athletes than right here in the beautiful and award-winning Rose District. The atmosphere on Main St. is going to be like nothing we’ve seen before, and I’m excited that a global audience will get to see what we Broken Arrowans have known all along. The Rose District and our citizens are second to none when it comes to celebrating the arts and entertainment.”

 

Promoter Dmitriy Salita says he’s hopeful this time the weather will cooperate and set the stage for an unforgettable setting for the fights Friday night. 

 

“I am honored to promote the September 24 ShoBox in such a unique outside setting,” said Salita. “The City of Broken Arrow have been wonderful hosts and we are happy to be returning for this out-of-the-ordinary ShoBox event. The weather reports are favorable this time and we have a fantastic show lined up with crossroads fights, top to bottom.”

 

In the unlikely event of inclement weather, the show will once again relocate to Central Park Community Center at 1500 S. Main St.

 

O’Quinn vs. Sanchez – bantamweights, ten rounds

 

O’Quinn, a former 115-pound campaigner, last fought at 118 pounds in a dominating unanimous decision over Oscar Vasquez in the 250th edition of ShoBox in January 2020. Ranked as the No. 1 amateur bantamweight in the country compiling a record of 130-18 before turning professional in 2015, O’Quinn boasts fast hands and an ability to throw effortless combinations. A fan favorite in his hometown of Detroit, he was busy in 2018 and 2019, winning three times in each year, with five of the six fights taking place in his home state of Michigan. 

 

“I've been waiting for this moment,” said O’Quinn. “I can't wait to show my talent to the world again. I don't really know much about him, but he better learn all he can about me. Not that it will help him any. I'm going to win because there are levels to this and he is not on my level. That will be very apparent quickly. I'm a strong force in the bantamweight division. Training is going good but it's hard. I train hard and fight easy.”

 

The 24-year-old Sanchez is riding a four-fight winning streak. His last time out, Sanchez made quick work of Frank Gonzalez, knocking him down three times en route to a first-round stoppage. The Pacoima, Calif. native scored an eighth-round stoppage of Brandon Benitez in an entertaining and all-action fight in his ShoBox debut in May 2019. He dropped his next fight, a split decision to Edwin Rodriguez, but rebounded with a unanimous decision over Victor Trejo Garcia to jumpstart his winning streak. Trained by Manny Robles, Sanchez is the younger brother of 19-1 professional featherweight Emilio Sanchez.

 

“This is the biggest fight of my career on the biggest stage of my career, and I'm not going to let this opportunity pass me by,” said Sanchez. “I'm going to show everyone watching on Showtime that I belong with the big boys. O'Quinn is a good fighter but I'm going to give him his first loss. I'm at a point in my career where I need to make that turning point to a world title shot, and that time is now.”

 

Garnett vs. Nunez – super featherweights, ten rounds

 

Jayvon Garnett hails from the boxing talent-laden city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he first put on a pair of boxing gloves at the age of six. He had a stellar amateur career fighting over 110 times, developing his style and sharpening his skills in Ohio’s very competitive amateur boxing scene. The 26-year-old is coming off his career-best professional win, a unanimous decision over the once-beaten Jose Argel in June. Combining exceptional quickness and accuracy with a propensity for power, the 5’3” Garnett stopped five of his first six professional opponents. He has won his last four contests on the scorecards, all unanimously.   

 

“It feels great to be fighting on Showtime,” said Garnett. “I always dreamed of fighting on big platforms, but never dreamed it would be ShoBox for my first TV fight. I don’t know much about my opponent, but I will win this fight because I’m smarter. In the ring, I’m a boxer and a thinker, but I also have heavy punches. With this victory, I’m going to the next level up the ladder and getting closer to being in the world rankings.”

 

A decorated amateur in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata’s Luis Reynaldo Nunez started boxing at age eight and went on to win a number of national championships as a member of the Dominican national team, including gold in the 2016 Youth Championship. A fan-friendly pressure fighter with heavy hands, Nunez turned professional at 18, passing every test put in front of him in his native country. His unblemished resume includes a unanimous decision over then 20-3-1 Eliezer Aquino and a fourth-round KO over then once-beaten Giovanni Gutierrez. 

 

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be fighting on Showtime,” said the 21-year-old Nunez, who will be fighting outside of the Dominican Republic for the first time. “My opponent is a good fighter but I am here to show him what happens against real competition. Thanks to my team for getting me this opportunity and I look forward to making a splash on national television.”

 

Guerrero vs. Eranosyan – lightweights, eight rounds

 

Fighting out of Houston, Texas, Guerrero is a big-punching prospect who will be making his third appearance on ShoBox, looking to improve his record to 2-1 on the prospect development series. He won a closely contested slugfest via majority decision over Jose Angulo in March 2020, but was upset by Abraham Montoya in February. A celebrated amateur who won two junior national titles, the 23-year-old “Pork Chop” has sparred with the likes of world champions Mikey Garcia and Brandon Rios at the famed Garcia Boxing Academy in California.  

 

“Training is going great,” said Guerrero. “I've been in shape for two months so now it's just touching up basic stuff here and there with my technique. I know Eranosyan will be tough, so we're going in with a strong mind knowing he can fight. I'm training hard because I will have to be more than ready. The guy will not be a walk in the park. But I have a different mentality now. The last fight, I went in with the mentality of 'I can beat everybody.' This one, I have to go in with a smart mind and actually box the guy and use all my skills.”

 

A super featherweight, Eranosyan was a highly decorated Georgian amateur who has transitioned seamlessly into the paid ranks. The 27 year-old didn’t turn professional until August 2020, but has already fought nine times. Now based in Miami Beach, Fla., “Pitbull” owns two notable fourth-round KOs over the 32-4 Juan Carlos Pena, including in his last time out on August 13th. Eranosyan will make his ShoBox debut as he fights for the seventh time in 2021, which also marks his first pro fight outside of Florida. 

 

“I haven't studied Guerrero too much, but I watched a couple fights and he's a good fighter with very good punching power and very good stamina,” said Eranosyan. “I'm adding a lot of stamina training and working on my legs for this fight to be ready for him. I don't know exactly what will happen, but simply I am the best in the division, so I will win.”

 

It will be a battle of featherweights when Donald Smith takes on Elijah Pierce in the eight-round feature on Saturday, October 9th at the 2300 Arena.  The show is promoted by RDR Promotions.

Age 28 and from Philadlphia, Smith has a record of 12-1 with eight knockouts. He is a five-year professional, won his first ten bouts. In his last bout, Smith stopped Jonathan Leona Ramos on May 8th. Pierce of Midwest City, Oklahoma is 11-2 with 10 knockouts. Age 24, Pierce, is also a five-year pro who won his first seven bouts, including wins over Divante Jones (9-1) and previously undefeated Irvin Gonzalez (9-0). Pierce has won two in a row, and in his last bout he beat Mike Fowler in two rounds on August 14th.

 

Isaiah Wise (9-2-2, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Dewayne Williams (3-3, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia over six rounds at junior middleweight...  

 

In four-round fights:

 

Nicholas Sullivan (3-0, 1 KO) of Norfolk, VA battles Braulio Avila (3-11, 1 KO) of Mexico in a lightweight contest... 

 

Temirlan Raimkulov (2-1-2) of Kazakhstan fights Jahdon Ervin (1-0) of St. Clair, PA in a middleweight fight... 

 

In a battle of pro debuters, Rah'quand McDaniel takes on Soslan Alborov of Philadelphia in a super welterweight contest. 

 

Nafear Charles (7-0-1, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia returns to his hometown and will fight an opponent to be announced in a lightweight tussle. ...

 

RDR Promotions' Rashan Adams of Philadelphia will make his long awaited and much anticipated pro debut against an opponent to be announced in a 130-pound bout.

 

RDR Promotions fighter Raekwon Butler (3-0, 2 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY will fight an opponent to be named in a 140-pound bout. 

 

Tickets for this night of boxing can be purchased here.

 

Four Dominican fighters managed by Fighter Locker will be in action this Thursday at Teo Cruz Boxing Coliseum in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Two-time Olympian Leonel de los Santos (5-1 including the World Series of Boxing) takes on lightweight Andres “El Indomable” Zapata (9-10, 6 KOs) in a six-round bout... in four-round matches, pro-debuting light heavyweight Roki Berroa meets pro-debuting Orlando Peralta Beltran... junior middleweight Juan Solano makes his pro debut vs. Dioni Cadelaria Martinez (0-2) and... junior middleweight Orlando Perez (8-0, 6 KOs) goes for his ninth consecutive win without a loss against Angelo “El Olmpico” Munoz (18-19, 11 KOs).

 

“This is a big moment for these fighters all fighting in their home city for the first time as professionals,” Fighter Locker's Ryan Roach said. “Leonel, Juan and Roki fought all over the world together, but this is their first time at home, so this is special to them. I will be traveling down to be with them and i am really looking forward to watching these guys display their talent. This is my first time to watch live professional boxing in the Dominican Republic and I’m excited to team up with Shaun Boxing for the event.”

Unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has signed a new career-long promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing. The IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO ruler puts his crowns on the line against former world cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London this Saturday September 25th. "AJ" turned professional with Matchroom Boxing in October 2013 after memorably capturing gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Quickly establishing himself in the heavyweight division with a series of brutal KOs, Joshua picked up the vacant Commonwealth crown with another huge stoppage win over Gary Cornish in Greenwich.

 

The O2 became a home fortress for Joshua and his next assignment came against old amateur foe Dillian Whyte in December 2015. The pair were involved in a heated build-up before AJ made it 15 KOs in a row against ‘The Body Snatcher’, claiming the prestigious British title in the process.

 

Joshua climbed the ranks until he was in a position to fight for his first world title in April 2016 against IBF titleholder Charles Martin, who he quickly destroyed inside five minutes before making short work of American opponents Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina in his first two title defenses.

 

Joshua’s breakthrough victory came with the vacant WBA title at stake against Wladimir Klitschko in a battle in front of a post war record crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium in April 2017. He went on to sell-out the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales twice, defending his belts against the tough Cameroonian Carlos Takam in October 2017 before taking Joseph Parker’s WBO belt in March 2018.

 

Joshua defended his titles with a knockout of dangerous Russian Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium in September 2018 in what was the Olympic Champion’s fourth straight stadium fight in front of over 80,000 fans.

 

In his quest for global domination, the British sensation signed to defend against Brooklyn’s Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2019, but the Brooklyn native failed a series of drug tests leaving Joshua’s team searching for a replacement opponent for his big American debut. Joshua’s quest to become the undisputed heavyweight king was temporarily halted in its tracks as late stand in opponent Andy Ruiz Jr floored him four times on route to a monumental seventh round stoppage win that shocked the world.

 

After tasting defeat for the first time in his professional career, Joshua jumped into an immediate rematch with Ruiz Jr on neutral ground to reclaim his position. Ruiz and Joshua met again in Saudi Arabia, with the Watford man widely outpointing the Mexican to become a two-time heavyweight champion. Joshua returned home to take on his IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev a year later in December 2020 after their June meeting was cancelled due to the pandemic.

 

In the first fight attended by a British crowd since the global pandemic began, Joshua dominated and then floored Pulev to score a ninth-round knockout. The Bulgarian was down on three occasions, twice in the final round, before AJ ended the fight with a vicious right hand.

 

“We’ve built some great foundations over the years and I appreciate Matchroom – the company, the team, the family business,” said Joshua. “That’s kind of what drew me towards you guys as well, the integrity that the Hearns have when it comes to boxing and business. I’ve felt comfortable during my years as a boxer and I always felt that the business outside of sport is harder than the actual fighting due to the history and some of the problems that some fighters have had. So, to be with Matchroom Sport has been a blessing for myself, my family and my team. Outside of that, what Matchroom Sport have done is created an environment for boxing fans. The shows that we have managed to put on have been phenomenal. When I walk out to fight, I look around and I’m like, ‘mate, this is unbelievable’. From where we began, to the middle of the journey, the foundations we have created are phenomenal and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. In my humble opinion, what better place to be than Matchroom Boxing? I have heard that my signature was hot property. I’m happy where I am. A handshake is good enough for me, but the signature solidifies it and I’m happy where my signature is.

 

“Thank you to Eddie Hearn, Barry Hearn and the family, Frank Smith and all of the Matchroom staff, as well as Freddie Cunningham and the team at 258MGT.”

 

“When AJ and I met in the Matchroom HQ 8 years ago, we had a vision and a dream that we shared together,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “There is something quite special about sharing a journey together from the professional debut to the day the gloves are hung up, but it takes a huge amount of belief and an unwavering loyalty. Over those 8 years, AJ has been the face of British boxing, inspiring a new generation and audience to the sport we love.

 

“This is the fourth and final promotional agreement we have signed together, and I am honoured that AJ has confirmed his future with Matchroom. Just like we did from the debut, myself and the great team at Matchroom will continue to work relentlessly for Anthony in the many chapters that remain. I also want to thank Frank Smith and the whole team at Matchroom along with Freddie Cunningham and 258 who we have had a seamless partnership with. Here is to an amazing night this Saturday and many more for us all to savour.”

 

“The partnership between Matchroom, Anthony and 258MGT has been fantastic since day one,” said 258MGT Managing Director Freddie Cunningham. “Together we have all worked hand in hand to break records and sell out iconic venues all over the world. Matchroom have been a key component in helping give Anthony the platform to hit the pinnacle of his sport and we are excited to embark on the next part of the journey and make more history together. The deal has been a while in the making so we are really pleased to have it signed and sealed before another huge fight on Saturday night.”

Star Boxing regrets to inform everyone that Joe Smith, Jr.'s WBO title defense will be postponed due to Smith Jr. testing positive for the coronavirus.  The fight, scheduled for October 30th, which was set to be officially announced this week for Smith's home state, New York. A rescheduled fight date will be announced soon.  Smith had this to say about the disappointing news, "I was in camp working hard. I am very disappointed that I won't be able to defend my title in October due to having COVID. When I am better I will be back in the gym preparing to fight as soon as I can and put on a great show for all my fans." 

 

Star Boxing CEO Joe DeGuardia added, "We are disappointed that we must postpone Joe Smith's first world title defense in front of his dedicated New York fan base. Currently, our sole focus is to make sure that Joe is healthy and we wish him a speedy recovery. News on a rescheduled fight date will be announced soon." 

 

Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will fight Marcelo Esteban “El Terrible” Coceres in a ten-round 169-pound showdown, while Julian “J-Rock” Williams (pictured) will face Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez in a ten-round junior middleweight bout in Williams' first fight since losing his two title belts. Those two fights will happen on  Saturday, October 9th at T-Mobile Arena in preliminary bouts to be aired on cable before the heavyweight grudge match between WBC champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and his predecessor Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder. Berlanga-Coceres and Williams-Hernandez will be televised live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, FS1 and Fox Deportes, and simulcast on ESPN+. Preliminary bouts will stream live on the ESPN App and Fox Sports App starting at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

 

The all-heavyweight Fury vs. Wilder III pay-per-view bonanza begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features 2016 Nigerian Olympian Efe Ajagba squaring off against fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash”; a rematch between Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Adam “Babyface” Kownacki; and the eight-round pay-per-view opener featuring 21 year-old Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson versus Russian veteran Vladimir Tereshkin.

 

Berlanga (17-0, 16 KOs), the Brooklyn-bred puncher with Puerto Rican roots, became one of boxing’s most talked-about fighters by scoring first-round knockouts in his first 16 fights. The knockout streak ended in April, as Berlanga knocked down Demond Nicholson four times in eight rounds and had to settle for a unanimous decision.

 

Coceres (30-2-1, 16 KOs), from Argentina, challenged Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO super middleweight world title in November 2019 and was nearly level on the scorecards before being knocked out in the eleventh round. He last fought in June, knocking out Nelson Nicolas Rosalez in the second round.

 

Berlanga said, “I am thrilled to be fighting on the Fury-Wilder III card, and I am coming do what I always do, which is to steal the show and knock out my opponent in devastating fashion. Coceres is in for a rude awakening on October 9th. Do not get up for a snack when I’m fighting. It’s going to be a short, brutal night. Count on it.”

 

“Berlanga can say what he wants about making it a short night or whatever. The biggest talkers are usually the most insecure,” said Coceres. “I know what I bring to the table. I’ve been in there with the better fighters, while he’s feasted on a diet of nobodies. In my mind, it won’t be an upset when I beat this kid. On October 9th, it is man versus boy, and that boy is in for a rude awakening.”

 

Philadelphia’s Williams (27-2-1, 16 KOs) became a unified world champion at 154-pounds in May 2019 when he upset Jarrett Hurd in one of the year’s best fights, winning a close-quarters brawl by unanimous decision. The 31-year-old dropped the titles in his first defense, losing to Jeison Rosario in January 2020. Williams had been riding a five-fight winning streak going into the Rosario matchup, in which he added victories over former champion Ishe Smith and hard-hitting contender Nathaniel Gallimore to his ledger. He returns to action on Oct. 9 against the 32-year-old Hernandez (12-4, 6 KOs).

 

Originally from Durango, Mexico, Hernandez now lives in Denver, Colorado, and most recently earned a decision victory over longtime contender Alfredo Angulo in August 2020.

 

"I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete on this amazing card," said Williams. "I’m excited to be getting back in the ring and starting my journey back to the very top of the division."

 

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity to get back in the ring on October 9th,” said Hernandez. “I expect Julian Williams to be prepared like I am to give the fans a great fight. I have been doing nothing but staying ready and training since my last fight. I promise that I’m going to bring the action when that bell rings.”

 

Other preliminary bouts include a ten-round featherweight bout between two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (21-3 including the World Series of Boxing) and unbeaten Puerto Rican Orlando “Capu” Gonzalez (17-0, 10 KOs), heavyweight Viktor Faust (7-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder against Mike Marshall (6-1, 4 KOs), the pro debut of former U.S. amateur star Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington in a four-round featherweight contest against an opponent to be named, and junior welterweight standout Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez (11-1-1, 10 KOs) versus Victor Vazquez (11-5, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

 

New England rivals Jimmy Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs) of New Haven, Connecticut, and Greg Vendetti (22-4-1, 12 KOs) of Stoneham, Massachusetts, collide Friday night, September 24th at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT. The ten-round bout will air live on UFC Fight Pass.  Williams and Vendetti are two of New England’s most accomplished active fighters. Friday’s event also features the Connecticut debut of Stamford, CT middleweight Chordale Booker (16-0, 7 KOs), who faces Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Mexico in an eight-round supporting bout.

 

The preliminary card begins at 6:30 pm ET with the live stream kicking off at 7, featuring play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators "Sucra" Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.

 

Williams and Vendetti have built strong followings in and out of New England through the years despite their careers traveling vastly different paths. Williams, 35, a former college football standout born and raised in Plainfield, NJ, began his career with 15 wins in his first 16 pro bouts, the only blemishes being a draw against Greg Jackson in 2013 and a controversial no contest against Issouf Kinda in 2017. 

 

Along the way, the charismatic right-hander, who works as a truancy officer in West Haven, defeated Nick DeLomba in 2017. Never one to back down from a challenge, Williams hit a rough patch between 2019 and 2020, punctuated by a devastating knockout loss to prospect Brandun Lee, but a solid performance in his comeback bout against Mexican challenger Esteban Villalba, albeit a loss, proved to be enough to lift Williams’ confidence and convince him to keep moving forward.

 

The decision to continue fighting was a wise one; in June, Williams scored the best win of his career, outworking former WBA 154-pound champion Yuri Foreman. The next challenge is Vendetti, 31, a hard-nosed, workman-like fighter whom Williams respects for his willingness to fight anyone, a characteristic both have shared throughout their careers.

 

“Greg is a true warrior and he comes to fight, just like myself,” Williams said. “This fight will bring out the best in me. It’s going to be a night to remember.” 

 

Vendetti, a former plumber, is best described as a throwback fighter, one who charges his opponent from the opening bell and never lets up. In his first appearance with CES in 2017, Vendetti bullied the favored Khiary Gray to earn a majority decision win and capture the vacant New England Super Welterweight Title. 

 

The win helped catapult Vendetti to the next level and the opportunities he kept coming. First, he cleaned up the 154-pound weight class in New England, toppling regional rivals Casey Streeter and Derek Silveira. A year later, he earned another big break on ESPN, upsetting favored Japanese standout Yoshihiro Kamegai. Vendetti continued to work hard, even after a loss to Michel Soro in 2018.

 

In August of 2020, Vendetti faced one of the sport’s pound-for-pound top fighters, Erislandy Lara, for Lara’s WBA regular 154-pound belt. Vendetti lost the fight on the scorecards. Even Vendetti himself said entering the fight, “When I hear the odds and I hear people’s opinions that I’m going to get killed … I would say the same thing if I were them.” 

 

Furthermore, few could’ve predicted Vendetti would get the opportunity to face a fighter like Lara on that kind of stage when he finished a pedestrian 4-2-1 in his first seven fights, including a draw and a loss to journeyman Antonio Fernandes. To keep his composure, Vendetti continued to follow the advice of his longtime trainer Joe Ricciardi: “Work hard, and things can happen.” A lot has happened in the past eight years for Vendetti, and now he faces another New England rival on the road in his home state – just another day at the office. Simply put, Vendetti said, “My plan is to win.” 

 

 

Tommy Frank W12 Matt Windle ... Tommy Frank and Matt Windle treated a vociferous crowd at Ponds Forge Arena in Sheffield, England to a twelve-round war, that saw local man Frank (14-2) become the first fighter from the Steel City to win the British flyweight crown. A distance fight didn’t look likely after Windle (6-4-1) was down in round two from a solid right hand, but the Birmingham man showed the mettle he is known for, got back up and battled back. Both men had success in a see-saw contest, but Windle appeared just too small to dent Frank, who won via a unanimous winner on all three judges' cards. The British 112-pound title had been vacant for five years.

 

 

Kash Ali TKO7 Roman Gorst... In the main event in Sheffield, England over the weekend, heavyweight Kash Ali got a retirement win over Germany’s Roman Gorst (7-2). Gorst didn’t get much chance to land anything significant on Ali's chin.  Ali (20-1) was never in danger, controlled the action, and landed an uppercut in round seven that injured the German visitor’s jaw – forcing a corner retirement. Ali will look forward to a step up next as he continues to cement himself in the European and world rankings.

 

MORE RESULTS

 

Also on the card, Levi Giles remains unbeaten at 10-0 after an eight-round shutout win over the spirited Jonny Phillips...

 

Michael Gomez Jr. took out the frustrations of the last few months that have seen successive Central Area Title fights fall through with a stoppage win over Midlander Jahfibus Faure...

 

Irishman Lee Reeves got some rounds in against the always tough MJ Hall with a six-round decision victory...

 

Charlie Schofield ticked over with win number 17 against journeyman Lewis van Poetsch...

 

Sheffield’s Shakiel Thompson made a winning return to the ring after a two year hiatus with a first-round KO over Pavel Albrecht from the Czech Republic and...

 

Local fighter Perry Howe (3-1-1) was all at sea, losing after a big right hand from Nathan Junor (3-8-1). Junor stopped Howe in three rounds.

 

Matt Conway TKO2 Rodolfo Puente... Pittsburgh junior lightweight Matt “Sweet Child” Conway notched his twentieth career victory in this past Saturday night against Colombia's Rodolfo “El Tsunami” Puente (20-8-2, 16 KOs). Conway overcame Puente’s early aggression, but after the opening round, the Colombian did little more than hold. A Conway left hook dropped Puente in the second round and that marked the end of the fight shortly afterwards from a referee's stoppage.

 

This was our first time promoting at this venue and things went really well overall,” promoter Derek Gionta said. “We will come back here, hopefully, in the near future. This was our third show this year at two different venues and it’s great to remain consistent despite the difficult times we encountered earlier this year in regard to the pandemic. The plan is to keep moving forward and building up these guys.” There were a number of intriguing fights. Matt Conway had a monumental victory and will come back on January 15th in a big fight on our show in Cheswick, PA.”

 

Kiante Irving D6 Antonio Louis Hernandez... The co-feature was the “Fight of the Night.” Pittsburgh super middleweight Kiante Irving (9-0-1, 9 KOs), a 2018 National Golden Gloves Champion, and Antonio Louis Hernandez (5-11-3, 3 KOs), battled to an exciting six-round split draw. Irving won the first three rounds, primarily by using his stiff jab and landing solid rights to Hernandez’ body. Hernandez, however, owned the last three rounds, controlling the action and landing power shots that hurt Irving on multiple occasions. High drama filed the room as Irving proved a chin and heart to go along with his power. Hernandez, sporting a deceiving record and at just 22 years old, has time to turn the corner and make up for early struggles against high quality opposition. Both sides have expressed interest in a rematch. 

 

MORE RESULTS

 

Ohio lightweight Ryizeemmion “The Humble Beast” Ford (6-1, 4 KOs) dominated Carlos “Jaguar” Jimenez (1-3-1), of Mexico, setting the pace until he landed a hard right that buzzed Jimenez. A follow-up attack prompted the referee to halt the action midway through the opening round...

 

Pittsburgh super middleweight Eric Lomax kept rolling, setting the pace and blasting out Jacob Ikaika Martin (1-1) with only 9-seconds left in the fourth and scheduled final round. Lomax passed the test in impressive fashion as he boxed well and fought with explosiveness in spurts.... 

 

Kyrgyzstan native Baszybek Baratov (5-1-2, 1 KO), who fights out of Monroeville (PA), defeated Buffalo featherweight debutant Joe Reed, winning a unanimous decision. Scores were 40-36 (twice) and 39-37. “Baz” was slippery on the defense, while picking shots from all angles while Reed stood conventional and had some success of his own at times... 

 

Pittsburgh super lightweight and Matt Conway’s brother, “Maverick” Mike Conway (4-2-1, 1 KO), joined his bro in the winner’s circle, pitching a “shutout” four-round decision versus Joshua Zimmerman (0-4). Conway worked his way inside to nullify Zimmerman’s height and length advantage and used a double hook several times...

 

In the first match of the evening, southpaw Paul Palombo won his pro debut when his opponent, middleweight Jabrandon Harris (0-7) of Texas was unable to continue after two rounds. Palombo boxed well out of his southpaw stance and turned it up after a quiet opening round and picked his shots nicely on the inside. 

 

 

 

Boxing’s consensus #1 pound-for-pound fighter, Mexican superstar and unified WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Álvarez will face undefeated IBF champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant in a historic showdown on Saturday, November 6th, live on Showtime pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It will be a Premier Boxing Champions event.  Canelo, a four-division world champion, will look to capture undisputed status for the first time in his Hall of Fame-caliber career as he returns to Showtime. The unbeaten and supremely talented Plant attempts to earn a career-defining victory and keep his perfect record intact as he makes his fourth world title defense. The winner of the November 6th bout will stamp his name in the history books as the first undisputed 168-pound world champion of the four-belt era.

 

“This is the most highly anticipated fight of the year and rightfully so,’’ said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Canelo Álvarez has proven to be one of the best boxers in the sport today and he is seeking to become the first ever undisputed super middleweight champion. And Caleb Plant, who is a skilled technician in the ring and extremely confident in his abilities, wants to make history and not become a footnote. Both men will bring fire and determination into the ring and the eyes of the sports world will be focused on the action at MGM Grand on the evening of November 6th.’’

 

“We are very happy to have been able to reach an agreement for this fight as we look to make history in becoming the first undisputed champion of Mexico or Latin America, and just the sixth man in the history of boxing,” said Canelo’s manager Eddy Reynoso. “We are going to train very hard, focus on growing the sport of boxing and plan to lift up the name of Mexico.”

 

“In one of our most prolific years to date, Showtime has delivered 17 live boxing events in 2021 so far with several more to come. None more significant, however, than November 6,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Showtime Sports. “We are proud to welcome Canelo Álvarez back to Showtime [where he made his pay-per-view main event debut in September 2013], now as the consensus #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and the sport’s biggest draw. We also welcome undefeated world champion Caleb Plant to the network as both men chase a historic, undisputed world title in the most anticipated fight of the year.”

 

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com. The event is promoted by Canelo Promotions and TGB Promotions and sponsored by Hennessy and Value. 

 

Having already captured world titles at 154, 160, 168 and 175-pounds, Canelo (56-1-2, 38 KOs) has amassed a Hall of Fame resume at just 31-years-old. The fighting pride of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Canelo began his quest for the undisputed super middleweight championship in December 2020 by defeating then unbeaten Callum Smith to capture the WBA and WBC titles. Most recently, Canelo added the WBO belt via a stoppage victory over previously undefeated Billy Joe Saunders in May. November 6 will be Canelo’s first attempt at an undisputed title. 

 

Under the guidance of Reynoso, his renowned coach, Canelo has faced and triumphed over a long list of elite fighters since turning pro at just 15-years-old in 2005. Shane Mosley, Gennadiy Golovkin, Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto and Sergey Kovalev are among them. Canelo’s lone professional defeat came against undefeated legend Floyd Mayweather in September 2013. 

 

"At the end of the day, this is what I want to do with my career, make history,” said Canelo. “These things, like becoming the first to be the unified champion at 168 pounds, is making history. To potentially be one of the few who holds this prestigious honor in any weight class makes me very happy. For my country, this would be a huge accomplishment. I want to be remembered as one of the greatest in the history of the sport."

 

The 28-year-old Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) captured his world title and burst onto the 168-pound scene by defeating Jose Uzcategui in January 2019. Plant was the underdog coming into the Uzcategui fight. He quickly set the tone scoring two early knockdowns on his way to a clear unanimous decision victory. It was an emotional night for Plant, who had dedicated his championship win to the memory of his late daughter, Alia, who passed away in 2015. 

 

A native of Ashland City, Tennessee, Plant now lives and trains in Las Vegas, guided by his trainer Justin Gamber, along with his father and co-trainer Richie Plant. Caleb has successfully defended his title three times, dominating Mike Lee to earn a third-round stoppage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in July 2019. He then earned a TKO victory over Vincent Feigenbutz in a homecoming bout in Nashville in 2020. Most recently, Plant bested former super middleweight world champion Caleb Truax, winning a unanimous decision in their January clash.

 

“On November 6th, the world will witness boxing’s first ever crowned undisputed super middleweight champion,” said Plant. “When my hand is raised in victory, the world will know then, that I’m the new face of boxing. Everyone should order the PPV now and get their popcorn ready, because I’m about to put on a performance that will go down in history as one of the best ever. This man is in trouble.”

 

The most important heavyweight bout so far this year is just a few days away. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London this Saturday will host the heavyweight showdown between WBA/IBF/WBO champion Anthony Joshua (pictured) and former world cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. The 31 year-old Brit will be making the second defense of his current reign since regaining the title in December 2019. Joshua previously had a three-defense reign for two years until he lost by knockout to Andy Ruiz in June 2019. At the end of that year he regained his belts in a rematch vs. Ruiz and retained them in December 2020 against Kubrat Pulev.

 

Now he will have a very different challenge in the Ukrainian Usyk, the 2012 London Olympic champion and former undisputed cruiserweight monarch. The heavyweight division ot deeped when Usyk announced he would move up to the top division after cleaingin out the 200-pound category. The 34-year-old southpaw has won two fights in the division (Chazz Witherspoon and Dell Chisora) and has now earned the opportunity to challenge Joshua (24-1). Usyk is 24-0 including the World Series of Boxing.

 

 

 

Lightweight contender RyanGarcia: "It’s no secret I’m in talks to fight [former IBF 130-pound champion] JoJo Diaz. I don’t know why there is so much discussion??"

 

Response from Diaz: "Cause we don’t know if you’re going to pull out or not"

 

[From Saturday--] Question to former 130-pound title holder Joseph Diaz from Mr. Moonshine: "Did Devin Haney Promotions ever send you a term sheet to negotiate a fight or did they just let you do your thing with Ryan Garcia?

 

Diaz: "I never got nothing."

 

Jesse Hart W8 Mike Guy... Jesse Hart made a triumphant return to Philadelphia, pounding out an eight-round unanimous decision over Mike Guy at the 2300 Arena. The show was promoted by RDR Promotions. Hart was fighting for the first time since a pre-pandemic split decision loss to Joe Smith Jr. [Smith went on to win a world title]. Hart controlled the action and landed the harder punches throughout the contest. Guy was sturdy, but landed very few punches. Guy showed a good chin as he absorbed some nice uppercuts from the taller Hart. Hart, 169.5 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 (twice) and is now 27-3. Guy, 171 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 12-7-1.

 

 

Maliek Montgomery W10 Aleem Jumakhonov... Maliek Montgomery was victorious over Aleem Jumakhonov Sunday night as he scored a unanimous decision in a ten-round featherweight showdown that headlined FS1 PBC Fight Night from Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California. In a bruising performance that saw him go the distance for the first time as a pro, Montgomery (11-0, 10 KOs) was able to hold off a determined and heavy-handed Jumakhonov (9-4-2, 5 KOs) with a combination of skill and determination. “I feel great right now,” said Montgomery. “Me and coach Kenny Porter and my whole team, we had a great camp and we were prepared. I’m thankful for the opportunity and I feel really good.”

 

Montgomery showed off both orthodox and southpaw stances and threw a high volume of punches from the start. According to CompuBox, Montgomery landed 339 punches compared to 185 for Jumakhonov, including a 68 to 16 discrepancy in body shots landed. “I’ll tell anyone that we have the best team in the business,” said Montgomery. “With the conditioning we do in camp, the actual fight is the easy part.”

 

Jumakhonov had some success when he was able to navigate inside of Montgomery’s reach and blunt the impact of his punches. While he was forced to take punishment in accomplishing this feat, it put him in position to keep Montgomery honest with counter punches.

 

After referee Jack Reiss implored Jumakhonov that he needed to see more from him to keep the fight going heading into round nine, Jumakhonov responded with his best moment of the fight, connecting on a massive overhand right that temporarily buckled Montgomery.

 

The unbeaten Montgomery was able to recover from the temporary stumble and continued to push forward through the exciting final two rounds and clinch the unanimous decision, with scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92.

 

"I felt good tonight,” said Montgomery. “We’ve been ready for 10-round fights four fights ago. Going the distance and getting the recognition I deserve is a blessing."

Friday's CES undercard in Hartford, Connecticut features seven bouts (beyond the Jimmy Williams-Greg Vendetti main event), including the Nutmeg State debut of the 30 year-old southpaw Chordale Booker (16-0, 7 KOs), who faces Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Mexico. Booker is following up on a win in November against Sanny Duversonne. Booker has made a steady living on the road, upsetting Juan De Angel at the Barclays Center in 2019 and four months later chopping down Wale Otomoso by a wide margin....

 

Also on the card, super bantamweight Angel Gonzalez (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, who now fights out of Florida, returns to New England in a tough six-round matchup against Dominican Republic-born Juan Gabriel Medina (12-7, 11 KOs)... 

 

Featherweight Nathan Martinez (6-1, 2 KOs) of New Britain returns from a two-year layoff to face Mexican challenger Francisco Dominguez (7-11-1, 1 KO) in a six-round bout...

 

Making his professional debut, Providence, RI, heavyweight and former college football standout Timothy Hatfield finds himself in a four-round bout against Ohio’s Kaleb Slaughter (1-2-1)... 

 

Returning for the first time since 2019, New Haven super lightweight Carlos Perez (1-0) battles newcomer Tyriek Gainey of Paterson, NJ, in a four-round bout...

 

Ramon Caraballo of New Britain makes his professional debut against Montreal’s Samuel Lajoie-Dery (1-0, 1 KO)...

 

Friday’s card also features the Connecticut debut of female welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman (0-1), a Columbia, CT, native, in a four-round bout against “Scary” Christina Barry (1-7) of Manitoba, Canada. 

 

Senator Manny Pacquiao on his decision to run for president of the Philippines: "I boldly accept the challenge of running as PRESIDENT of the Philippines. We need progress. We need to win against poverty. We need government to serve our people with integrity, compassion and transparency. The time is now. I am ready to rise to the challenge of leadership."

 

Omar Juárez W8 Jairo Lopez ... The PBC broadcast from Bakersfield, California opened with Omar “El Relámpago” Juárez (12-1, 5 KOs) earning a unanimous decision victory over Mexico’s Jairo Lopez (23-14, 17 KOs). Known for being in action fights, Juarez pushed forward early and often, landing numerous big power shots the opening rounds, snapping his head back consistently. However, Lopez was able to withstand that early storm and worked hard to stay in the fight and offer return fire against his oncoming opponent. In his first outing since his first career loss back in June, Juarez was the more accurate and effective puncher statistically, out landing his opponent 195 to 103 with a 35% to 22% advantage in accuracy.

 

Late in round five, Lopez finally cracked under Juarez’s potent attack, as a perfect right hand connected and sent Lopez down with less than a minute to go in the frame. Juarez stayed composed in the final rounds and continued to inflict punishment on his way to an eight-round unanimous decision by the scores of 80-71 and 79-72 (twice).

 

Angel Barrientes W6 Victor Torres ... In the opening bout of the. broadcast, super bantamweight Angel Barrientes (6-1, 4 KOs) cruised to a unanimous decision over Victor Torres (7-9-1, 5 KOs) after six-rounds of action. It was the third-straight win for the 19 year-old Barrientes, who kept up a brisk pace throughout the bout, using his length to fight off his jab effectively. Barrientes was able to land numerous power shots and control the fight, including eye-popping blows in rounds two and four that sent Torres’ mouthpiece flying. Barrientes continued to increase the pressure as the fight went on, landing a fight-high 26 punches in the sixth round. After the conclusion of that sixth frame, all three judges saw the bout in favor of Barrientes by the score of 60-54. The event was promoted by TGB Promotions.

 

Irish amateur star Thomas O’Toole will make his professional debut this Friday night on the “Fight Night at Mosley’s  On The Charles II” card at Moseley’s on the Charles, located in the Boston suburb of Dedham, Massachusetts. The 23 year-old O’Toole captured top honors at the 2019 Irish Elite Championships. Last year, the Irish southpaw upset pre-tournament favorite Tony Browne in semifinals of the Irish Elite Championships, and he lost by split decision in the final to Emmet Brennan, who represented Ireland in Tokyo at the Olympics.  O’Toole, who is matched against veteran Francisco Ariri Neto (1-14, 1 KO) in a four-round bout, is following in the footsteps of Irish boxers who’ve traveled to the Boston area as a base for their professional careers, including WBO super middleweight Champion Stevie “Celtic Warrior” Collins (36-3, 21 KOs – 1986-97), Sean Mannion (42-14-1, 13 KOs) – 1979-93), and heavyweight Kevin “The Clones Colossus” McBride (35-10-1 (29 KOs) – 1992-2011), best known as the man who knocked Mike Tyson into retirement.

 

“I can’t wait,” an excited O’Toole said about his pro debut. “I’ve been training all during the Covid pandemic and have stepped it up the last three months. I’ve heard back from friends and family that there is a lot of talk about me coming over. So, I’m going to make sure my name is mentioned with the likes of Collins, McBride and Mannion. The kid is going to bring fireworks!"

 

Vertex Promotions, which will promoted “Fight Night On The Charles II” on Friday night, Sept. 24, also presents  “Fight Night On The Charles at Moseley’s III,” as well as the USA Boxing-sanctioned amateur card, 2021 New England Championships, Saturday afternoon, all at “Mosley’s On The Charles.”

 

Albany (NY) welterweight RayJay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (13-0, 10 KOs) headlines Friday’s show in the eight-round lightweight match versus Uganda-native Philip “The Hunter” Adyaka (7-15, 4 KOs), who is fighting out of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

 

Welterweight Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan (7-0, 7 KOs) puts his perfect pro record on the line in a six-round co-feature versus Rakim Johnson (6-13-1, 5 KOs). Representing Weymouth, MA, Hogan is the reigning New Hampshire super welterweight champion, as well as a 2019 New England Golden Gloves gold medalist.

 

Two-time New England Golden Gloves champion Bryan Daniels, a Worcester, MA heavyweight, two-time New England Golden Gloves champion, meets Larry “Hit Man” Pryor (14-24, 8 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

 

Providence (RI) middleweight Anthony Conception (7-0-1, 6 KOs) meets Lenwood “Mr. Composure” Dozier (10-26-3, 5 KOs) in a 6-rounder, while Malden, MA light heavyweight Alex Rivera (1-0, 1 KO) faces Tomi Archambault (1-13, 1 KO), in a 4-round bout.

 

Also slated to be in action in a four-round fight is New Bedford, MA middleweight Drew “Tomahawk” Dwelly (2-2-0, 2 KOs) versus Lashawn Alcocks (1-10).

 

Saturday night’s card will be headlined by welterweight Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (11-0, 9 KOs) of Lawrence (MA), in an 8-round bout against Danny “Venado” Flores (15-24-1, 8 KOs).

 

Samuel Teah TKO1 Larry Fryers ... In the Philadelphia's 2300 Arena's co-feature, Samuel Teah took out Larry Fryers in the opening round of their scheduled ten-round junior welterweight bout. In the opening frame, Teah landed a double-jab that was followed by a booming right hand that sent Fryers hard to the canvas. Fryers was wobbly and ate a huge flurry of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:42. With the win, Teah of Philadelphia is 18-4-1 with eight knockouts. Fryers of Yonkers, NY via Clones, IRE is 11-5.

 

MORE RESULTS: Jabril Noble stopped David Boria in the final round of their four-round lightweight fight. It was a tough fight that saw Noble get the better of the action. In round four, Noble hurt Boria with a left hook. Noble followed up with a barrage of punches, and the fight was stopped at 1:24. Noble, 134.5 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-0 with two knockouts. Boria, 140 lbs of Puerto Rico is 0-3.

 

Brendan O’Callaghan scored a four-round unanimous decision over debuting Davon Hall in a middleweight fight. O’Callaghan dropped Hall with a straight in the final round, but he could not put Hall away. O’Callaghan, 157.8 lbs of Philadelphia, PA won by scores of 40-35 scores on all cards and is now 2-0. Hall, 161 lbs of Wilmington, DE is 0-1.

 

Isaiah Johnson remained undefeated with a 3rd round stoppage over Leoniadas Fowlkes in a scheduled four-round junior welterweight fight. In round three, Johnson landed a blistering combination that snapped back the head of Fowlkes. Johnson hurt Fowlkes and the fight was stopped at 2:!5. Johnson, 140.7 lbs of Sicklerville, NJ is 2-0 with two knockouts. Fowlkes, 145.5 lbs of Winchester, VA is 2-4.

 

Romuel Cruz remained undefeated by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Roberto Pucheta in a super bantamweight fight. Cruz, 122.3 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 58-56 on all cards and is now 6-0-1. Pucheta, 122.5 lbs of Jalisco, MEX is 10-20-2.

 

Jerrod Miner broke a 14-fight winless streak by winning a four-round majority decision over Joshua Arrons in a bantamweight fight. Miner, 116.6 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38 to raise his mark to 2-12-1. Arrons, 116.3 lbs of Williamsport, PA is 0-1.

 

RDR Promotions will be back at the 2300 Arena on Saturday, October 9th.

 

Hyun Mi Choi TKO9 Simone Da Silva... Hyun Mi Choi, recognized as a champion by the WBA since her pro debut, and made the ninth defense of her WBA super featherweight title this Saturday with a ninth-round technical knockout against Brazilian softie Simone Da Silva (17-17). Da Silva has now lost four in a row. The North Korean-born Choi (19-0-1), who now lives in South Korea, returned home after having fought in the United States in her last bout and left a great impression in front of her people. She forced the referee to stop the fight in the ninth round when the South American was taking too much punishment.

 

 

Reuters reports that boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, just weeks removed from his loss to Yordenis Ugas, announced he will run for president of the Philippines next year. Pacquiao is currently a senator. Pacquiao accepted the nomination of the PDP-Laban Party after criticizing the current president Rodrigo Duterte.