Prograis looks to end losing streak next month |
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Regis Prograis (pictured), twice a 140-pound champion, and Oscar Duarte will face each other in Anaheim, California, on February 15th in an event presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The fight, at the Honda Center, represents an enticing opportunity for Prograis (29-3) to return to winning ways after consecutive losses to Devin Haney and Jack Catterall. For Duarte (28-2-1), who fought most of his career ar lightweight, this represents another important step up, with Prograis undoubtedly one of the two biggest and most accomplished names Duarte has faced so far. Duarte, from Chihuahua, Mexico, lost in eight rounds to Ryan Garcia in December 2023, but has since bounced back by winning two in a row. Last year, he not only stopped Joseph Diaz in nine rounds, but also outpointed Botirzhon Akhmedov in ten.
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Prograis looks to end losing streak next month
Regis Prograis (pictured), twice a 140-pound champion, and Oscar Duarte will face each other in Anaheim, California, on February 15th in an event presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The fight, at the Honda Center, represents an enticing opportunity for Prograis (29-3) to return to winning ways after consecutive losses to Devin Haney and Jack Catterall. For Duarte (28-2-1), who fought most of his career ar lightweight, this represents another important step up, with Prograis undoubtedly one of the two biggest and most accomplished names Duarte has faced so far. Duarte, from Chihuahua, Mexico, lost in eight rounds to Ryan Garcia in December 2023, but has since bounced back by winning two in a row. Last year, he not only stopped Joseph Diaz in nine rounds, but also outpointed Botirzhon Akhmedov in ten.
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King's Promotions brings boxing to Philly tomorrow |
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Tomorrow (January 17th), King's Promotions brings boxing to Live! Casino Hotel Philadelphia with an excellent undercard headed up by an eight-round bout matching Quadir Albright (11-1, 11 KOs) of Philadelphia against Damian Rodriguez (13-2, 7 KOs) of Panama City in a welterweight bout. In a six-round heavyweight bout, Devon Young (5-0, 4 KOs) South Carolina battles Calvin Barnett (5-1, 2 KOs) of Oklahoma. The main event features undefeated light heavyweights Atif Oberlton and Joaquin Berroa Lugo in a ten rounder. The card will now be streamed live by BXNGTV.com
ADDITIONAL BOUTS:
Jorge Luis Moracen Sotolongo (4-0, 4 KOs) of Miami via Cuba takes on Tariq Green (5-2-2, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia in a middleweight fight;
Colby Madison (11-7-2, 7 KOs) of Baltimore takes on undefeated Ali Ellis (6-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia in a heavyweight out; and
In a four-round bout, MMA fighter Kayla Hracho of Coconut Creek, Florida via Reading, PA makes her pro debut against Ayeshia Green (0-2) of Princeton, New Jersey in a super flyweight contest.
As for the main event, Oberlton of Philadelphia is 11-0 with nine knockouts. The 26-year old is a four-year pro who has amassed wins over Ernest Amuzu (26-5), Christian Thomas (11-0), Artem Brusov (12-0), Juan Francisco Lopez Barajas (8-1), In his last bout, Oberlton stopped Harry Keenan Cruz Cubano in six-rounds on June 8th in Orlando. Lugo of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is 6-0 with four knockouts. the 29 year-old is also a four-year pro. Lugo is coming off a unanimous decision over Cabrera on July 20th in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.
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King's Promotions brings boxing to Philly tomorrow
Tomorrow (January 17th), King's Promotions brings boxing to Live! Casino Hotel Philadelphia with an excellent undercard headed up by an eight-round bout matching Quadir Albright (11-1, 11 KOs) of Philadelphia against Damian Rodriguez (13-2, 7 KOs) of Panama City in a welterweight bout. In a six-round heavyweight bout, Devon Young (5-0, 4 KOs) South Carolina battles Calvin Barnett (5-1, 2 KOs) of Oklahoma. The main event features undefeated light heavyweights Atif Oberlton and Joaquin Berroa Lugo in a ten rounder. The card will now be streamed live by BXNGTV.com
ADDITIONAL BOUTS:
Jorge Luis Moracen Sotolongo (4-0, 4 KOs) of Miami via Cuba takes on Tariq Green (5-2-2, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia in a middleweight fight;
Colby Madison (11-7-2, 7 KOs) of Baltimore takes on undefeated Ali Ellis (6-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia in a heavyweight out; and
In a four-round bout, MMA fighter Kayla Hracho of Coconut Creek, Florida via Reading, PA makes her pro debut against Ayeshia Green (0-2) of Princeton, New Jersey in a super flyweight contest.
As for the main event, Oberlton of Philadelphia is 11-0 with nine knockouts. The 26-year old is a four-year pro who has amassed wins over Ernest Amuzu (26-5), Christian Thomas (11-0), Artem Brusov (12-0), Juan Francisco Lopez Barajas (8-1), In his last bout, Oberlton stopped Harry Keenan Cruz Cubano in six-rounds on June 8th in Orlando. Lugo of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is 6-0 with four knockouts. the 29 year-old is also a four-year pro. Lugo is coming off a unanimous decision over Cabrera on July 20th in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.
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Argentina's Mirco Cuello gets big opportunity on Feb. 1st |
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Topping the prelims lineup prior to PBC's February 1st pay-per-view from Las Vegas will be Argentinian featherweight Mirco Cuello taking on a young but experienced opponent in Christian Olivo as the two 126-pounders look to make a statement in their ten-round clash. Cuello-Olivo will be live-streamed on Prime Video beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT and will be available via free access to all fans, regardless of Prime membership or purchase of the pay-per-view card it leads into. Representing his native Arroyo Seco, Argentina, Cuello (14-0, 11 KOs) turned pro in 2020 and also competed in the 2021 Olympic Games. As an amatuer, he won a bronze medal at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. The 24-year old has shown good punching power to match his Olympic skill set since turning pro. He has knockout wims in 11 of his first 12 fights. After dispatching of the previously unbeaten Rudy Garcia via unanimous decision in September 2023, Cuello returned last March to best the respected Sulaiman Segawa with another unanimous decision triumph.
“I’m excited to have the chance to show what I’m capable of in front of a large audience against a very skilled opponent,” said Cuello. “I will win this fight because I know what it takes to win at the highest levels. This is the most important fight of my professional career so far and I will be coming into the ring ready to make a name for myself and put the featherweight division on notice.”
“Mirco Cuello already beat a top featherweight contender in the world by defeating Sulaiman Segawa, who beat the then-#1 contender Ruben Villa last July and then lost a very controversial decision against the new #1, Bruce Carrington, in his last fight in September,” said promoter Sampson Lewkowicz. “After Mirco wins, he will be putting out a challenge to any other featherweight in the world. Mirco Cuello’s time has come.”
The 25 year-old Olivo (22-1-1, 8 KOs) has fought professionally since turning pro as a teenager in 2017, and went undefeated in his first 21 pro fights, with just one draw during that run. A native of Hermosillo, Mexico, he now fights out of San Diego as he steps into the ring stateside for the second time on February 1st. His previous U.S. outing saw him drop a decision to undefeated Luis Nunez in April 2023. Olivo bounced back in his last two fights, defeating the previously unbeaten Kevin Barron Crespo by decision in September 2023, before most recently stopping Javier Carrillo Montes in September 2024.
“I know that I’m in a tough fight against an accomplished opponent, but every great fighter becomes known by stepping up to their greatest challenges,” said Olivo. “I will be returning to fight in the U.S. as an all-new fighter in the best shape of my life and ready to do whatever it takes to have my hand raised.”
Cuello-Olivo is part of the lead-up to the PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video headlined by a clash between light heavyweight stars David “El Monstro” Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The streaming presentation will feature undefeated Argentine Olympian Mirco Cuello taking on Mexican contender Christian Olivo in a 10-round featherweight matchup, plus WBA #1-ranked middleweight Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez stepping in against Angel Ruiz in a ten-round duel that opens up the live stream. The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features WBC featherweight champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa defending his title against former unified 122-pound champion Stephen Fulton Jr. in a rematch of one of 2021’s best fights. The pay-per-view will also see former 140-pound title holder Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz dueling the hard-charging contender Angel Fierro in an all-Mexican duel, plus rising Mexican star Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. against former two-bnelt junior middleweight champion Jeison Rosario in a ten-round middleweight fight that opens the pay-per-view.
Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.
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Argentina's Mirco Cuello gets big opportunity on Feb. 1st
Topping the prelims lineup prior to PBC's February 1st pay-per-view from Las Vegas will be Argentinian featherweight Mirco Cuello taking on a young but experienced opponent in Christian Olivo as the two 126-pounders look to make a statement in their ten-round clash. Cuello-Olivo will be live-streamed on Prime Video beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT and will be available via free access to all fans, regardless of Prime membership or purchase of the pay-per-view card it leads into. Representing his native Arroyo Seco, Argentina, Cuello (14-0, 11 KOs) turned pro in 2020 and also competed in the 2021 Olympic Games. As an amatuer, he won a bronze medal at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. The 24-year old has shown good punching power to match his Olympic skill set since turning pro. He has knockout wims in 11 of his first 12 fights. After dispatching of the previously unbeaten Rudy Garcia via unanimous decision in September 2023, Cuello returned last March to best the respected Sulaiman Segawa with another unanimous decision triumph.
“I’m excited to have the chance to show what I’m capable of in front of a large audience against a very skilled opponent,” said Cuello. “I will win this fight because I know what it takes to win at the highest levels. This is the most important fight of my professional career so far and I will be coming into the ring ready to make a name for myself and put the featherweight division on notice.”
“Mirco Cuello already beat a top featherweight contender in the world by defeating Sulaiman Segawa, who beat the then-#1 contender Ruben Villa last July and then lost a very controversial decision against the new #1, Bruce Carrington, in his last fight in September,” said promoter Sampson Lewkowicz. “After Mirco wins, he will be putting out a challenge to any other featherweight in the world. Mirco Cuello’s time has come.”
The 25 year-old Olivo (22-1-1, 8 KOs) has fought professionally since turning pro as a teenager in 2017, and went undefeated in his first 21 pro fights, with just one draw during that run. A native of Hermosillo, Mexico, he now fights out of San Diego as he steps into the ring stateside for the second time on February 1st. His previous U.S. outing saw him drop a decision to undefeated Luis Nunez in April 2023. Olivo bounced back in his last two fights, defeating the previously unbeaten Kevin Barron Crespo by decision in September 2023, before most recently stopping Javier Carrillo Montes in September 2024.
“I know that I’m in a tough fight against an accomplished opponent, but every great fighter becomes known by stepping up to their greatest challenges,” said Olivo. “I will be returning to fight in the U.S. as an all-new fighter in the best shape of my life and ready to do whatever it takes to have my hand raised.”
Cuello-Olivo is part of the lead-up to the PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video headlined by a clash between light heavyweight stars David “El Monstro” Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The streaming presentation will feature undefeated Argentine Olympian Mirco Cuello taking on Mexican contender Christian Olivo in a 10-round featherweight matchup, plus WBA #1-ranked middleweight Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez stepping in against Angel Ruiz in a ten-round duel that opens up the live stream. The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features WBC featherweight champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa defending his title against former unified 122-pound champion Stephen Fulton Jr. in a rematch of one of 2021’s best fights. The pay-per-view will also see former 140-pound title holder Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz dueling the hard-charging contender Angel Fierro in an all-Mexican duel, plus rising Mexican star Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. against former two-bnelt junior middleweight champion Jeison Rosario in a ten-round middleweight fight that opens the pay-per-view.
Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.
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A few words with Hamzah Sheeraz |
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At Monday's press conference, middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz said he is physically and mentally prepared for his February 22nd title challenge against WBC champion Carlos Adames of the Dominican Republic. The fight takes place on the huge February 22nd show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sheeraz, from England, has a record of 21-0 with 17 KOs and had a great 2024 campaign with wins over Liam Williams, Ammo Williams and Tyler Denny. Adames has a record of 24-1 with 18 KOs and defeated Terrell Gausha in his only fight last year. “This is the opportunity. If I’m not ready now, I don’t think I will ever be,” said Sheeraz. “Since I was eight years old, being that little boy, who wanted to win that [WBC} green and gold belt. On February 22nd, it will be a tall order, I have no illusions about who I have in front of me, but I think I possess everything to win. And on February 22nd, we will have a new WBC middleweight world champion. I always said that once I get the opportunities, once I get the platforms…then I will deliver.”
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A few words with Hamzah Sheeraz
At Monday's press conference, middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz said he is physically and mentally prepared for his February 22nd title challenge against WBC champion Carlos Adames of the Dominican Republic. The fight takes place on the huge February 22nd show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sheeraz, from England, has a record of 21-0 with 17 KOs and had a great 2024 campaign with wins over Liam Williams, Ammo Williams and Tyler Denny. Adames has a record of 24-1 with 18 KOs and defeated Terrell Gausha in his only fight last year. “This is the opportunity. If I’m not ready now, I don’t think I will ever be,” said Sheeraz. “Since I was eight years old, being that little boy, who wanted to win that [WBC} green and gold belt. On February 22nd, it will be a tall order, I have no illusions about who I have in front of me, but I think I possess everything to win. And on February 22nd, we will have a new WBC middleweight world champion. I always said that once I get the opportunities, once I get the platforms…then I will deliver.”
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WBO orders Goodman to show proof of injury |
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On January 11th, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri, Esq., received an e-mail regarding Australian super bantamweight Sam Goodman reporting an injury sustained during training. The injury, affecting his left eye, preventedf him from participating in a scheduled world championship bout against Naoya Inoue on January 22nd in Tokyo. [Goodman was the WBO's mandatory contender. Inoue, who holds all four major titles, will fight a late replacement, Ye Joon Kim, on the same date]. According to the e-mail, Goodman is prohibited from engaging in any physical contact until April 11th and his availability to compete is projected for either May or June. In response the WBO has requested that, in order to have his WBO mandatory challenger status upheld, he must submit, within the next ten days, a detailed explanation of his injury, including medical findings, recovery prognosis, and a statement from his licensed physician specifying when he will be physically and medically cleared to return to active competition. Failure to comply will result in the WBO stripping Goodman of his madnatory contender status without further notice or hearing.
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WBO orders Goodman to show proof of injury
On January 11th, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri, Esq., received an e-mail regarding Australian super bantamweight Sam Goodman reporting an injury sustained during training. The injury, affecting his left eye, preventedf him from participating in a scheduled world championship bout against Naoya Inoue on January 22nd in Tokyo. [Goodman was the WBO's mandatory contender. Inoue, who holds all four major titles, will fight a late replacement, Ye Joon Kim, on the same date]. According to the e-mail, Goodman is prohibited from engaging in any physical contact until April 11th and his availability to compete is projected for either May or June. In response the WBO has requested that, in order to have his WBO mandatory challenger status upheld, he must submit, within the next ten days, a detailed explanation of his injury, including medical findings, recovery prognosis, and a statement from his licensed physician specifying when he will be physically and medically cleared to return to active competition. Failure to comply will result in the WBO stripping Goodman of his madnatory contender status without further notice or hearing.
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Crawford puts Davis in his place |
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Terence Crawford, a four-division and current WBA 154-pound champion, reacting to being called out, in a very disrespectful manner, by Gervonta "Tank" Davis, a two-division and current 135-pound champion: "Gervonta, look I got bigger fish to fry. Grow some balls and fight Shakur Stevenson or Keyshawn Davis and stop being scared." Crawford is reportedly seeking to fight world super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez for a fifth weight-division title.
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Crawford puts Davis in his place
Terence Crawford, a four-division and current WBA 154-pound champion, reacting to being called out, in a very disrespectful manner, by Gervonta "Tank" Davis, a two-division and current 135-pound champion: "Gervonta, look I got bigger fish to fry. Grow some balls and fight Shakur Stevenson or Keyshawn Davis and stop being scared." Crawford is reportedly seeking to fight world super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez for a fifth weight-division title.
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Benn's manager confirms Eubank vs. Benn is "done" for April |
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UPDATE: Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, reports that Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn is "done" for April in London. He tweeted, "Soon I will announce the day and the location, it will be The Ring’s first card in collaboration with the video game and SNK, and I will push to make pay-per-view price 19.99 Great British pounds [approximately $24.50] for the fans, with tough undercard…Lets get boxing great again and wait for huge announcement soon."
Benn's manager Keith Connolly confirmed the news on Facebook, saying, "Delivered Conor Benn the mega fight! It’s signed, sealed and delivered for this April in London. Huge thanks to Turki Alalshikh, Team Benn, Eddie Hearn, Frank Smith and Matchroom Boxing who all came together to get the big one done."
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
Earlier on Jan. 14, 2025: Chris Eubank Jr. is deep into negotiations for a big all-British, son-of-champions fight against Conor Benn, who has had performance-enhancing substance issues in the past. Eubank complained, "Just so you all know… these two rats Conor Benn and [his promoter] Eddie Hearn are now trying to enforce a rehydration restriction [i.e., an additional weigh-in to be held on the day of the fight] on me to make the fight. They talk a big game but when it actually comes down to it… just a pair of [cat emojis]."
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Benn's manager confirms Eubank vs. Benn is "done" for April
UPDATE: Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, reports that Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn is "done" for April in London. He tweeted, "Soon I will announce the day and the location, it will be The Ring’s first card in collaboration with the video game and SNK, and I will push to make pay-per-view price 19.99 Great British pounds [approximately $24.50] for the fans, with tough undercard…Lets get boxing great again and wait for huge announcement soon."
Benn's manager Keith Connolly confirmed the news on Facebook, saying, "Delivered Conor Benn the mega fight! It’s signed, sealed and delivered for this April in London. Huge thanks to Turki Alalshikh, Team Benn, Eddie Hearn, Frank Smith and Matchroom Boxing who all came together to get the big one done."
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
Earlier on Jan. 14, 2025: Chris Eubank Jr. is deep into negotiations for a big all-British, son-of-champions fight against Conor Benn, who has had performance-enhancing substance issues in the past. Eubank complained, "Just so you all know… these two rats Conor Benn and [his promoter] Eddie Hearn are now trying to enforce a rehydration restriction [i.e., an additional weigh-in to be held on the day of the fight] on me to make the fight. They talk a big game but when it actually comes down to it… just a pair of [cat emojis]."
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Eric Priest to face Tyler Howard this month |
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On January 23rd, Golden Boy Promotions has a show at the Commerce Casino & Hotel in Commerce, California. The headline bout will see Eric Priest (14-0, 8 KOs) of Kansas City in a middleweight ten rounder against Tennessee's Tyler "Hercules" Howard (20-2, 11 KOs). DAZN will broadcast. Priest's last ring action was an August win over Luka Lozo, while Howard is coming off a ten-round decision loss to undefeated Troy Isley in Novewmber.
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Eric Priest to face Tyler Howard this month
On January 23rd, Golden Boy Promotions has a show at the Commerce Casino & Hotel in Commerce, California. The headline bout will see Eric Priest (14-0, 8 KOs) of Kansas City in a middleweight ten rounder against Tennessee's Tyler "Hercules" Howard (20-2, 11 KOs). DAZN will broadcast. Priest's last ring action was an August win over Luka Lozo, while Howard is coming off a ten-round decision loss to undefeated Troy Isley in Novewmber.
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Zhang takes friendly approach to Kabayel |
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The WBC interim heavyweight title will be fought out on February 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between Zhilei Zhang of China (pictured, 27-2-1 with 22 KOs) and Agit Kabayel of Germany (25-0 with 17 KOs). “I am ready for the next challenge,” Kabayel said. “I am training hard for the fight. Let’s go. I think this fight is very good. The winner of this fight will become [interim] world champion.” At Monday's press conference in London, Zhang gave Kabayel a red envelope, a sign that the Chinese New Year is fast approaching. The red envelope contained new year's greetings and a photo of Zhang. It was given as a token of affection according to the time honored Chinese tradition. “After the press conference, we will both return to our camps and train like crazy,” Zhang said. “A month later, we will meet in the ring and the whole world will see and witness, what Chinese power is all about.”
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Zhang takes friendly approach to Kabayel
The WBC interim heavyweight title will be fought out on February 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between Zhilei Zhang of China (pictured, 27-2-1 with 22 KOs) and Agit Kabayel of Germany (25-0 with 17 KOs). “I am ready for the next challenge,” Kabayel said. “I am training hard for the fight. Let’s go. I think this fight is very good. The winner of this fight will become [interim] world champion.” At Monday's press conference in London, Zhang gave Kabayel a red envelope, a sign that the Chinese New Year is fast approaching. The red envelope contained new year's greetings and a photo of Zhang. It was given as a token of affection according to the time honored Chinese tradition. “After the press conference, we will both return to our camps and train like crazy,” Zhang said. “A month later, we will meet in the ring and the whole world will see and witness, what Chinese power is all about.”
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Introducing featherweight Julius “JuJu” Ballo |
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OTX, Overtime Boxing, and Top Rank announced today that they will co-promote Team USA amateur standout Julius “JuJu” Ballo. It’s the first co-promotional pact between the leading promoters, who will collaborate in guiding Ballo’s in-ring development and burgeoning social media profile. The San Diego-born Ballo, who is managed by James Prince, will turn pro as a featherweight and debut on a to-be-announced OTX card.“As OTX continues to grow, we’re looking to work with fighters who know not only how to fight in the ring but who can also captivate their audiences out of the ring on social media,” said OTX GM Brandon Rhodes. “Partnering with Top Rank on this co-promotion was a seamless decision as they bring their legacy and expertise to the table, while we bring our digital-first prowess and younger audience.”
“Julius Ballo is the entire package, a sensational young fighter with the ability and personality to be a superstar in the sport,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Top Rank is thrilled to be working with OTX, a forward-thinking brand that excels in connecting with a younger demographic.”
Ballo enters the paid ranks following a storied amateur run culminating in May’s gold medal at the National Golden Gloves. He won the USA National Championships in 2022 and 2021 and captured gold at the 2021 Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia. Ballo holds amateur victories over many notable names, including Top Rank stablemate Steven Navarro, 2024 U.S. Olympian Jahmal Harvey, and undefeated puncher Jhon Orobio.
“OTX has built a platform for the next generation of boxing fans. Combining that with Top Rank's prestige, I knew this was the perfect team to help launch my professional career," Ballo said. “I represent a new school of fighters looking to revamp the sport, and I’m looking forward to building my way to the top.”
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Introducing featherweight Julius “JuJu” Ballo
OTX, Overtime Boxing, and Top Rank announced today that they will co-promote Team USA amateur standout Julius “JuJu” Ballo. It’s the first co-promotional pact between the leading promoters, who will collaborate in guiding Ballo’s in-ring development and burgeoning social media profile. The San Diego-born Ballo, who is managed by James Prince, will turn pro as a featherweight and debut on a to-be-announced OTX card.“As OTX continues to grow, we’re looking to work with fighters who know not only how to fight in the ring but who can also captivate their audiences out of the ring on social media,” said OTX GM Brandon Rhodes. “Partnering with Top Rank on this co-promotion was a seamless decision as they bring their legacy and expertise to the table, while we bring our digital-first prowess and younger audience.”
“Julius Ballo is the entire package, a sensational young fighter with the ability and personality to be a superstar in the sport,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Top Rank is thrilled to be working with OTX, a forward-thinking brand that excels in connecting with a younger demographic.”
Ballo enters the paid ranks following a storied amateur run culminating in May’s gold medal at the National Golden Gloves. He won the USA National Championships in 2022 and 2021 and captured gold at the 2021 Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia. Ballo holds amateur victories over many notable names, including Top Rank stablemate Steven Navarro, 2024 U.S. Olympian Jahmal Harvey, and undefeated puncher Jhon Orobio.
“OTX has built a platform for the next generation of boxing fans. Combining that with Top Rank's prestige, I knew this was the perfect team to help launch my professional career," Ballo said. “I represent a new school of fighters looking to revamp the sport, and I’m looking forward to building my way to the top.”
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Harlem Eubank to battle Tyrone McKenna on March 7th |
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British welterweight Harlem Eubank is scheduled to meet Irish warrior Tyrone McKenna, on March 7th, live and free on UK domestic Channel 5. The unbeaten Eubank meets The Mighty Celt at the Brighton Centre. Eubank ended over 12 months out of the ring, with a victory in Newcastle before Christmas, while McKenna signed off by winning a staggering two-round Fight of the Year contender, dubbed the ‘Irish Hagler-Hearns’. Eubank (20-0) has put himself within touching distance of major fights but knows he must deal with McKenna (24-5-1), the crowd-pleasing Belfast brawler who has shared the ring with Jack Catterall, Regis Prograis and other top names.
Eubank said: “Last time I fought in Brighton, we made history. The fans showed up in force, and I delivered a statement performance. This year, I want the big fights, and on March 7th, back home at the Brighton Centre, live on Channel 5, I’m going to make a real statement at 147 pounds. McKenna is a fan friendly, aggressive fighter who’s competed at the elite world level. It’s a real exciting fight, and that’s exactly what I’m in this game for. There’s also a rich history between the Eubanks and Irish fighters. On March 7th, I’ll add a new chapter.”
McKenna said: “I am licking my lips at the prospect of going into Eubank’s hometown on March 7, meeting him in the middle of the ring, and going into battle. Harlem has never met anyone like me in his career, not even close, and when the leather starts flying, he will soon realise there’s no easy way out. I am one of the most entertaining fighters in Ireland, I have the heart of a lion, one of the best chins around and I am an absolute nightmare for Eubank. Everyone could see from my last fight, that I am still incredibly dangerous, so make sure you don’t miss it, live on Channel 5, on March 7 because Eubank is in deep trouble.”
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Harlem Eubank to battle Tyrone McKenna on March 7th
British welterweight Harlem Eubank is scheduled to meet Irish warrior Tyrone McKenna, on March 7th, live and free on UK domestic Channel 5. The unbeaten Eubank meets The Mighty Celt at the Brighton Centre. Eubank ended over 12 months out of the ring, with a victory in Newcastle before Christmas, while McKenna signed off by winning a staggering two-round Fight of the Year contender, dubbed the ‘Irish Hagler-Hearns’. Eubank (20-0) has put himself within touching distance of major fights but knows he must deal with McKenna (24-5-1), the crowd-pleasing Belfast brawler who has shared the ring with Jack Catterall, Regis Prograis and other top names.
Eubank said: “Last time I fought in Brighton, we made history. The fans showed up in force, and I delivered a statement performance. This year, I want the big fights, and on March 7th, back home at the Brighton Centre, live on Channel 5, I’m going to make a real statement at 147 pounds. McKenna is a fan friendly, aggressive fighter who’s competed at the elite world level. It’s a real exciting fight, and that’s exactly what I’m in this game for. There’s also a rich history between the Eubanks and Irish fighters. On March 7th, I’ll add a new chapter.”
McKenna said: “I am licking my lips at the prospect of going into Eubank’s hometown on March 7, meeting him in the middle of the ring, and going into battle. Harlem has never met anyone like me in his career, not even close, and when the leather starts flying, he will soon realise there’s no easy way out. I am one of the most entertaining fighters in Ireland, I have the heart of a lion, one of the best chins around and I am an absolute nightmare for Eubank. Everyone could see from my last fight, that I am still incredibly dangerous, so make sure you don’t miss it, live on Channel 5, on March 7 because Eubank is in deep trouble.”
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Undefeated light heavies to clash in Philly |
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Two undefeated light heavyweights, Atif Oberlton and Joaquin Berroa Lugo, will meet this Friday, January 17th at the Philadelphia Live Casino in Philadelphia. Oberlton is the hometown fighter and is 26 years old. He is a southpaw who started his professional career in 2021 and has shown good punching power to settle most of his fights before the limit. In his most recent fight-- on June 8th-- he defeated Harry Keenan Cruz by sixth round technical knockout. Overall Oberlton is 11-0 with 9 KOs. Berroa is Dominican and is 29 years old. The native of Bajos de Haina will be taking his first international assignment in a challenge that will not be easy, but that he intends to give it his all. Berroa has 6 wins in as many fights, including 4 knockouts.
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Undefeated light heavies to clash in Philly
Two undefeated light heavyweights, Atif Oberlton and Joaquin Berroa Lugo, will meet this Friday, January 17th at the Philadelphia Live Casino in Philadelphia. Oberlton is the hometown fighter and is 26 years old. He is a southpaw who started his professional career in 2021 and has shown good punching power to settle most of his fights before the limit. In his most recent fight-- on June 8th-- he defeated Harry Keenan Cruz by sixth round technical knockout. Overall Oberlton is 11-0 with 9 KOs. Berroa is Dominican and is 29 years old. The native of Bajos de Haina will be taking his first international assignment in a challenge that will not be easy, but that he intends to give it his all. Berroa has 6 wins in as many fights, including 4 knockouts.
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Mark Feb. 22nd on your boxing calendar |
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A press conference was held in London on Monday to announce the Last Crescendo fight card, one of the best boxing shows in living memory. It will take place on Saturday, February 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main headline fight, Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol II for the world 175-pound championship will be set for around 11pm GMT; 6pm ET; 3pm PT. That would mean Daniel Dubois's IBF heavyweight defense against Joesph Parker would start around 10pm; 5pm ET; 2pm PT. The night will also see Shakur Stevenson's WBC lightweight championship up for grabs against Floyd Schofield. Here are the seven featured bouts:
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol; Undisputed world light heavyweight championship, for Beterbiev's WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO belts;
Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker for Dubois' IBF heavyweight title;
Shakur Stevenson vs Flloyd Schofield for Stevenson's WBC lightweight title;
Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz for Adames' WBC middleweight title;
Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Israil Madrimov for Ortiz Jr's WBC world interim junior middleweight title;
Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel for the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title; and
Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith for Buatsi's WBO light heavyweight interim title.
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Mark Feb. 22nd on your boxing calendar
A press conference was held in London on Monday to announce the Last Crescendo fight card, one of the best boxing shows in living memory. It will take place on Saturday, February 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main headline fight, Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol II for the world 175-pound championship will be set for around 11pm GMT; 6pm ET; 3pm PT. That would mean Daniel Dubois's IBF heavyweight defense against Joesph Parker would start around 10pm; 5pm ET; 2pm PT. The night will also see Shakur Stevenson's WBC lightweight championship up for grabs against Floyd Schofield. Here are the seven featured bouts:
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol; Undisputed world light heavyweight championship, for Beterbiev's WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO belts;
Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker for Dubois' IBF heavyweight title;
Shakur Stevenson vs Flloyd Schofield for Stevenson's WBC lightweight title;
Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz for Adames' WBC middleweight title;
Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Israil Madrimov for Ortiz Jr's WBC world interim junior middleweight title;
Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel for the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title; and
Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith for Buatsi's WBO light heavyweight interim title.
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Alalshikh promises more big fights for 2025 |
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After a big weekend in London that featured the Ring Magazine awards banquet and a press conference for his huge February 22nd show in Saudi Arabia, Turki Alalshikh (picutred) tweeted that more big fight news is coming soon: "They talk a lot about the fights, but what happens in the end is that the final answer is with us. Prepare soon for announcing the biggest schedule for the year in boxing history." Alalshikh is the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia. Rumors are swirling that one big fight he is working on is world super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. WBA junior middleweight champion Terence Crawford in what would be a battle of four-division champions.
Two hours later, WBA 154-pound champion Terence Crawford tweeted, "Ima shock the world, watch!!! The best is yet to come. I had it in my back pocket this whole time."
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Alalshikh promises more big fights for 2025
After a big weekend in London that featured the Ring Magazine awards banquet and a press conference for his huge February 22nd show in Saudi Arabia, Turki Alalshikh (picutred) tweeted that more big fight news is coming soon: "They talk a lot about the fights, but what happens in the end is that the final answer is with us. Prepare soon for announcing the biggest schedule for the year in boxing history." Alalshikh is the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia. Rumors are swirling that one big fight he is working on is world super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. WBA junior middleweight champion Terence Crawford in what would be a battle of four-division champions.
Two hours later, WBA 154-pound champion Terence Crawford tweeted, "Ima shock the world, watch!!! The best is yet to come. I had it in my back pocket this whole time."
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Ex-champ Sadam Ali to self-promote comeback fight |
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A pair of past champions, Sadam “World Kid” Ali (27-3, 14 KOs) and Richard “RC” Commey (30-5-1, 27 KOs), will start their comebacks on Sunday, February 23rd, on a show promoted by Ali himself. His company is World Kid Promotions. All the action will be streamed on www.bxngtv.com live from Kings Theater in Brooklyn. Tickets are available for purchase online at https://www.kingstheatre.com/events/sadam-ali/. Ali, 36, hasn’t fought in 5 ½ years, and his company’s last promotion was in 2012, also in Brooklyn. A 2008 U.S. Olympian, Ali captured the WBO junior middleweight title in 2017, upsetting then future Hall-of-Famer Miquel Cotto (41-5) at the famed Madison Square Garden. This fight is not a one-and-done for Ali, who is making a full comeback, starting Feb. 23.
“I took a little time off from boxing,” Ali explained, “A break from something I’ve done my entire life. I was a 2008 Olympian and a champion for a reason. I’m all in. I got the itch. I’m excited and ready to go. My comeback will be step by step to get some rust off. I know I can do it, and I will. It’s time to go! I’m excited to be promoting again. We have a great card. Khalid Twaiti is an undefeated fighter, 14-0, Adam Saleh is a popular YouTuber fighting as a pro and, of course, Richard Commey. I’m ready to promote again and all these fighters are going to put on a show.”
Ghana-native Commey, who fights out of The Bronx, was the IBF lightweight champion during 2019, after he stopped Isa Chaniev (13-1) in the second round of their title fight. The 36-year-old Commey, who has been inactive for nearly two years, will be fighting in an eight-round bout.
Also slated to fight on Feb. 23rd is Brooklyn bantamweight Khalid Twaiti (14-0, 5 KOs), who was runner-up in the 2015 USA National Championships. Twaiti is coming off his first ten-round fight, which he won by way of a dominant tem-round unanimous decision (99-91, 99-91, 98-91) over Emmanuel Rodriguez (15-1) last October in Newark, New Jersey.
YouTube sensation, lightweight Adam Saleh (1-0-1, 0 KOs), will be in this third four-round pro fight, supported by his nearly 5-million subscribers. Complete bouts will soon be released. Card subject to change.
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Ex-champ Sadam Ali to self-promote comeback fight
A pair of past champions, Sadam “World Kid” Ali (27-3, 14 KOs) and Richard “RC” Commey (30-5-1, 27 KOs), will start their comebacks on Sunday, February 23rd, on a show promoted by Ali himself. His company is World Kid Promotions. All the action will be streamed on www.bxngtv.com live from Kings Theater in Brooklyn. Tickets are available for purchase online at https://www.kingstheatre.com/events/sadam-ali/. Ali, 36, hasn’t fought in 5 ½ years, and his company’s last promotion was in 2012, also in Brooklyn. A 2008 U.S. Olympian, Ali captured the WBO junior middleweight title in 2017, upsetting then future Hall-of-Famer Miquel Cotto (41-5) at the famed Madison Square Garden. This fight is not a one-and-done for Ali, who is making a full comeback, starting Feb. 23.
“I took a little time off from boxing,” Ali explained, “A break from something I’ve done my entire life. I was a 2008 Olympian and a champion for a reason. I’m all in. I got the itch. I’m excited and ready to go. My comeback will be step by step to get some rust off. I know I can do it, and I will. It’s time to go! I’m excited to be promoting again. We have a great card. Khalid Twaiti is an undefeated fighter, 14-0, Adam Saleh is a popular YouTuber fighting as a pro and, of course, Richard Commey. I’m ready to promote again and all these fighters are going to put on a show.”
Ghana-native Commey, who fights out of The Bronx, was the IBF lightweight champion during 2019, after he stopped Isa Chaniev (13-1) in the second round of their title fight. The 36-year-old Commey, who has been inactive for nearly two years, will be fighting in an eight-round bout.
Also slated to fight on Feb. 23rd is Brooklyn bantamweight Khalid Twaiti (14-0, 5 KOs), who was runner-up in the 2015 USA National Championships. Twaiti is coming off his first ten-round fight, which he won by way of a dominant tem-round unanimous decision (99-91, 99-91, 98-91) over Emmanuel Rodriguez (15-1) last October in Newark, New Jersey.
YouTube sensation, lightweight Adam Saleh (1-0-1, 0 KOs), will be in this third four-round pro fight, supported by his nearly 5-million subscribers. Complete bouts will soon be released. Card subject to change.
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Naoya Inoue gets replacement challenger, Ye Joon Kim of Korea |
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Naoya Inoue will now defend his undisputed world super bantamweight championship against Korean challenger Ye Joon Kim on Friday, January 24th at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Inoue was scheduled to face undefeated Australian Sam Goodman, who withdrew from the bout twice due to cuts sustained in sparring. Kim, who is 2-0 on Japanese soil, stepped in on short notice to face the pound-for-pound stalwart. Inoue-Kim and the welterweight co-feature between Jin Sasaki and Shoki Sakai will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 4:15 a.m. ET/1:15 a.m. PT.
Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) began his four-belt legacy in December 2022 when he stopped Paul Butler to unify all the bantamweight titles. Then, within a little over a year, the 31-year-old knocked out WBC/WBO champ Stephen Fulton in July 2023 and WBA/IBF king Marlon Tapales that December to achieve undisputed glory in a second weight class. He made history again last May by headlining the first boxing card at the Tokyo Dome since the historic Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas showdown, overcoming a first-round knockdown before icing former two-division world champion Luis Nery in six. In September, he registered a seventh-round TKO over one-time junior featherweight king TJ Doheny.
Kim (21-2-2, 13 KOs) turned pro in 2012 and has spent most of his career fighting in Korea. He has won two straight since a majority decision defeat to veteran Rob Diezel in Auburn, Washington. Kim picked up a win last May in Bangkok, knocking out Rakesh Lohchab in the fifth round.
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Naoya Inoue gets replacement challenger, Ye Joon Kim of Korea
Naoya Inoue will now defend his undisputed world super bantamweight championship against Korean challenger Ye Joon Kim on Friday, January 24th at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Inoue was scheduled to face undefeated Australian Sam Goodman, who withdrew from the bout twice due to cuts sustained in sparring. Kim, who is 2-0 on Japanese soil, stepped in on short notice to face the pound-for-pound stalwart. Inoue-Kim and the welterweight co-feature between Jin Sasaki and Shoki Sakai will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 4:15 a.m. ET/1:15 a.m. PT.
Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) began his four-belt legacy in December 2022 when he stopped Paul Butler to unify all the bantamweight titles. Then, within a little over a year, the 31-year-old knocked out WBC/WBO champ Stephen Fulton in July 2023 and WBA/IBF king Marlon Tapales that December to achieve undisputed glory in a second weight class. He made history again last May by headlining the first boxing card at the Tokyo Dome since the historic Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas showdown, overcoming a first-round knockdown before icing former two-division world champion Luis Nery in six. In September, he registered a seventh-round TKO over one-time junior featherweight king TJ Doheny.
Kim (21-2-2, 13 KOs) turned pro in 2012 and has spent most of his career fighting in Korea. He has won two straight since a majority decision defeat to veteran Rob Diezel in Auburn, Washington. Kim picked up a win last May in Bangkok, knocking out Rakesh Lohchab in the fifth round.
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Jesus Ramos says he "must" KO Jeison Rosario |
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Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. will look to steal the show when he takes on former unified champion Jeison Rosario in the opening bout of a PBC pay-per-view event available on Prime Video on Saturday, February 1st from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I have to get the knockout against Rosario and I have to do it in tremendous fashion, that’s what I’m preparing for,” said the 23 year-old Ramos. “Fans can expect to see me in there with even more intensity, angles, head movement and just good boxing. I’m training for that knockout. Even though I’m young, I’m a veteran in the sport, so fans are going to see me placing my shots a lot better and looking for the right punches to get him out of there early.” Ramos (21-1, 17 KOs) most recently fought last May, as he turned away the power-punching Johan Gonzalez via a ninth-round TKO. As he makes his return on February 1st, Ramos’ current training camp is buoyed by the work he put in helping his uncle Abel Ramos prepare for his recent fight that saw him battle WBC welterweigt champion Mario Barrios to a draw.
“It helped that Abel just had a big fight in November, so I was training with him to a certain extent for his fight and it worked out to be like a pre-camp,” said Ramos. “We’ve also added a recovery to our Ramos Boxing Academy and that’s been a new addition that’s really helped. My workouts can be really crazy, so being able to do recovery daily and not feel sore is a blessing.”
Heading into this fight, Ramos will face perhaps the most accomplished foe of his career in Rosario, who famously sprung one of 2020’s biggest upsets by knocking out Julian Williams to capture WBA and IBF 154-pound world titles. Not only does Ramos recall pulling for Rosario in that matchup, but was so inspired by the performance that worked to emulate the game plan that Rosario used to win his titles.
“I’ve been watching his career ever since he fought Nathaniel Gallimore, and when he beat Julian Williams I was actually rooting for him,” said Ramos. “We even practiced the style that he brought for that fight. I remember my Dad (trainer Jesus Ramos Sr.) and I watching it and studying him more in depth because he had the perfect game plan for Julian Williams. At the time I was fighting at 140 pounds, so I wasn’t even thinking about fighting him. I just really liked his pressure style, with great composure and the ability to pick the right shots.”
No stranger to being featured on the biggest cards in boxing, Ramos will again have an opportunity to display his talent on the sport’s biggest stage on February 1. Amongst the bevvy of talent entering the ring that night will include Ramos’ fellow Arizona-native David Benavidez, who headlines the event in a feverishly anticipated battle of unbeatens. Having fought on cards headlined by the Phoenix-native Benavidez in the past, Casa Grande’s Ramos expects to feel the support from their shared home state throughout their fight week.
“It’s a blessing to have been on so many great cards in my career,” said Ramos. “I’m excited to be back on the big stage at T-Mobile Arena with a fellow Arizona fighter in David Benavidez. I fought on his undercard when he beat Caleb Plant, and that was a great experience all around. I remember there were a lot of people from Arizona there all week and I expect it to be the same way this time.”
Ahead of his 2025 debut, Ramos shared his goals for the upcoming year, which is highlighted by his aim to make this the year he becomes a world champion. More specifically, Ramos his eyes set on who he believes to be the number one fighter at 154 pounds, former undisputed world champion Jermell Charlo.
“I want to fight at least three times this year and become a world champion,” said Ramos. I think it’s time that we stepped it up this year, so I’m going to stay ready year-round for any opportunity that comes.
“I’m focused on winning a world title at 154. I want to fight at that weight as long as possible before I move to middleweight full time. I’d like to fight Jermell Charlo, I think he’s the man to beat at 154 pounds, so I’m hoping that fight can be next.”
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Jesus Ramos says he "must" KO Jeison Rosario
Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. will look to steal the show when he takes on former unified champion Jeison Rosario in the opening bout of a PBC pay-per-view event available on Prime Video on Saturday, February 1st from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I have to get the knockout against Rosario and I have to do it in tremendous fashion, that’s what I’m preparing for,” said the 23 year-old Ramos. “Fans can expect to see me in there with even more intensity, angles, head movement and just good boxing. I’m training for that knockout. Even though I’m young, I’m a veteran in the sport, so fans are going to see me placing my shots a lot better and looking for the right punches to get him out of there early.” Ramos (21-1, 17 KOs) most recently fought last May, as he turned away the power-punching Johan Gonzalez via a ninth-round TKO. As he makes his return on February 1st, Ramos’ current training camp is buoyed by the work he put in helping his uncle Abel Ramos prepare for his recent fight that saw him battle WBC welterweigt champion Mario Barrios to a draw.
“It helped that Abel just had a big fight in November, so I was training with him to a certain extent for his fight and it worked out to be like a pre-camp,” said Ramos. “We’ve also added a recovery to our Ramos Boxing Academy and that’s been a new addition that’s really helped. My workouts can be really crazy, so being able to do recovery daily and not feel sore is a blessing.”
Heading into this fight, Ramos will face perhaps the most accomplished foe of his career in Rosario, who famously sprung one of 2020’s biggest upsets by knocking out Julian Williams to capture WBA and IBF 154-pound world titles. Not only does Ramos recall pulling for Rosario in that matchup, but was so inspired by the performance that worked to emulate the game plan that Rosario used to win his titles.
“I’ve been watching his career ever since he fought Nathaniel Gallimore, and when he beat Julian Williams I was actually rooting for him,” said Ramos. “We even practiced the style that he brought for that fight. I remember my Dad (trainer Jesus Ramos Sr.) and I watching it and studying him more in depth because he had the perfect game plan for Julian Williams. At the time I was fighting at 140 pounds, so I wasn’t even thinking about fighting him. I just really liked his pressure style, with great composure and the ability to pick the right shots.”
No stranger to being featured on the biggest cards in boxing, Ramos will again have an opportunity to display his talent on the sport’s biggest stage on February 1. Amongst the bevvy of talent entering the ring that night will include Ramos’ fellow Arizona-native David Benavidez, who headlines the event in a feverishly anticipated battle of unbeatens. Having fought on cards headlined by the Phoenix-native Benavidez in the past, Casa Grande’s Ramos expects to feel the support from their shared home state throughout their fight week.
“It’s a blessing to have been on so many great cards in my career,” said Ramos. “I’m excited to be back on the big stage at T-Mobile Arena with a fellow Arizona fighter in David Benavidez. I fought on his undercard when he beat Caleb Plant, and that was a great experience all around. I remember there were a lot of people from Arizona there all week and I expect it to be the same way this time.”
Ahead of his 2025 debut, Ramos shared his goals for the upcoming year, which is highlighted by his aim to make this the year he becomes a world champion. More specifically, Ramos his eyes set on who he believes to be the number one fighter at 154 pounds, former undisputed world champion Jermell Charlo.
“I want to fight at least three times this year and become a world champion,” said Ramos. I think it’s time that we stepped it up this year, so I’m going to stay ready year-round for any opportunity that comes.
“I’m focused on winning a world title at 154. I want to fight at that weight as long as possible before I move to middleweight full time. I’d like to fight Jermell Charlo, I think he’s the man to beat at 154 pounds, so I’m hoping that fight can be next.”
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IBA awards women's amateur world championships to Serbia |
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The IBA announced that the 2025 IBA women’s amateur world boxing championships will take place in the city of Niš, Serbia, from March 8th to 17th, with the registration period now open until February 20th. IBA President, Umar Kremlev, said: ‘I am very excited for the return of our IBA women’s world boxing championships, where the best female boxers in the world will fight for the crown. A world title or medal can be the catalyst and turning point for a great boxing career, IBA is very capable of changing the lives of athletes from every part of the globe, as boxing is a great tool for an upward mobility. It is a chance to achieve greatness, so I call for all to register their athletes to ensure they can fulfil their dreams. This is an opportunity for our loyal members to come together in Serbia, showing how important unity is in our sport – we are one Boxing Family. I wish all competitors, coaches and officials the best of luck during the championships.’
IBA Secretary General and CEO, Chris Roberts OBE, said: ‘The IBA’s relationship with Serbia continues to be strong and we once again absolutely know that the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), under the direction of the Serbian Boxing Federation President, will deliver the highest standards they have shown in the past. With the 2021 IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships and the 2024 EUBC Men’s and Women’s European Boxing Championships both held successfully in Belgrade, we are sure our hosts will deliver a spectacular event in Niš. My thanks go to the Serbian Boxing Federation and those organizers for their work so far.’
Serbian Boxing Federation President Nenad Borovčanin added: ‘Serbia will once again be the global epicentre of boxing. After the spectacular IBA Men’s World Boxing Championship in 2021, which we organized at the Stark Arena and wrote the history of boxing by shaping the biggest championships in this sport ever, it is time for the task in which we expect to move those set limits to another level. In two months from now, over 500 female boxers from over 100 countries will participate in the championships in 12 weight categories.’
He went on to say, ‘We have started the organization deep in 2024, now we are entering the final stages and can proudly say that we are expecting the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships to be something that has never been seen before. With the registration starting, we expect a large number of boxers to come to the largest city of the southern part of Serbia from all aspects of the globe and to fight not only for medals and titles, but also for valuable prize money. Serbia continues to be a force in the organization of world sports events with decades of-long tradition, that confirms its place as a sports superpower.’
The registration period will remain open until 20 February 2025.
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IBA awards women's amateur world championships to Serbia
The IBA announced that the 2025 IBA women’s amateur world boxing championships will take place in the city of Niš, Serbia, from March 8th to 17th, with the registration period now open until February 20th. IBA President, Umar Kremlev, said: ‘I am very excited for the return of our IBA women’s world boxing championships, where the best female boxers in the world will fight for the crown. A world title or medal can be the catalyst and turning point for a great boxing career, IBA is very capable of changing the lives of athletes from every part of the globe, as boxing is a great tool for an upward mobility. It is a chance to achieve greatness, so I call for all to register their athletes to ensure they can fulfil their dreams. This is an opportunity for our loyal members to come together in Serbia, showing how important unity is in our sport – we are one Boxing Family. I wish all competitors, coaches and officials the best of luck during the championships.’
IBA Secretary General and CEO, Chris Roberts OBE, said: ‘The IBA’s relationship with Serbia continues to be strong and we once again absolutely know that the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), under the direction of the Serbian Boxing Federation President, will deliver the highest standards they have shown in the past. With the 2021 IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships and the 2024 EUBC Men’s and Women’s European Boxing Championships both held successfully in Belgrade, we are sure our hosts will deliver a spectacular event in Niš. My thanks go to the Serbian Boxing Federation and those organizers for their work so far.’
Serbian Boxing Federation President Nenad Borovčanin added: ‘Serbia will once again be the global epicentre of boxing. After the spectacular IBA Men’s World Boxing Championship in 2021, which we organized at the Stark Arena and wrote the history of boxing by shaping the biggest championships in this sport ever, it is time for the task in which we expect to move those set limits to another level. In two months from now, over 500 female boxers from over 100 countries will participate in the championships in 12 weight categories.’
He went on to say, ‘We have started the organization deep in 2024, now we are entering the final stages and can proudly say that we are expecting the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships to be something that has never been seen before. With the registration starting, we expect a large number of boxers to come to the largest city of the southern part of Serbia from all aspects of the globe and to fight not only for medals and titles, but also for valuable prize money. Serbia continues to be a force in the organization of world sports events with decades of-long tradition, that confirms its place as a sports superpower.’
The registration period will remain open until 20 February 2025.
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WBC orders Jack to face Rozicki |
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The WBC has ordered its cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KOs) to make his mandatory title defense against WBC #1 rated Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1-1, 19 KOs) of Canada. If the two camps do not successfully negotiate a deal, the WBC will hold a purse bid on February 4th, after which Jack (pictured) vs. Rozicki must happen within 60 days. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, sent Team Jack an offer last week to promote the fight in Canada. “We’re waiting to hear their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most exciting and hardest hitters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the green WBC belt and, ultimately, to unify the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
Jack, age 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He has not fought since February 2023, and was demoted to champion in recess by the WBC as a result of his inactivity. However, when Jack's successor, Noel Mikaelian, also became inactive due to injury and then promotional difficulties with Don King, Jack was retored to champion status despite his extended hiatus from the ring. He is a two-division world champion having also been a WBC super middleweight champion. He was also a holder of the WBA regular light heavyweight title. Jack is 5-0-2 (2 KOs) in world championship bouts. [Some list Jack as a three-division champion because he won the WBA regular light heavyweight title in 2017. Boxingtalk does not recognize that as a legitimate world title because Sergey Kovalev was recognized as WBA super champion at that time.]
The 29-year-old Rozicki, who was born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and lives in Hamilton (Ontario), has had 22 pro fights against 21 different opponents (Yamil Alberto Peralta twice), stopping 19 of the 20 foes he defeated for a knockout percentage of 95%.
“We respect Jack, and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect into the ring, but he’s going to be fighting a young buck with power. Jack is going to be in a world of trouble and, honestly, I don’t think he’ll get past the first few rounds.”
The next move belongs to Badou Jack.
RECENT CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION TIMELINE
IBF / JAN. 8, 2025... Fighting in his native Australia, Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight championship by knocking out David Nyika of New Zealand. Opetaia was not troubled by the change in opponent three weeks before the opening bell. Opetaia increased his intensity towards the end of round three. A right hand sent Nyika on to the canvas, but the New Zealand fighter managed to beat the count. But Opetaia continued to land and eventually knocked out Nyika with a big left hand. Nyika was down on the canvas for several minutes but eventually stood up under his own power.
WBA & WBO / NOV. 16, 2024... A two-belt cruiserweight unification bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday was won by Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. Chris "CBS" Billam-Smith's WBO title was added to Ramirez's WBA version in an exciting but mostly one-sided contest. Ramirez, a southpaw, cut Billam-Smith over the left eye in round four, but the British fighter fought through it. Ramirez, the smaller of the two men, prevailed by unanimous decision, with scores of 116-112 (twice) and 116-113. It was an exciting and bruising twelve rounds but Billam-Smith made himself an easy target-- he spent too much time standing in front of Ramirez in an upright, easy-to-hit manner.
WBC / OCT 22, 2024: The WBC reinstated Badou Jack as champion and demoted Noel Mikaleian to champion in recess, even though Jack has not fought since February of 2023 when he conquered the WBC cruiserweight championship by defeating then-champion Ilunga Makabu. Soon thereafter, Jack petitioned the WBC to place him as champion in recess so he could try to schedule a fight for the WBC bridgerweight title, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Mikaelian won the vacant WBC cruiserweight title, knocking out Makabu. The WBC ordered Mikaelian to make his first mandatory defense against WBC #1 contender Ryan Rozicki of Canada who had won a final elimination bout via knockout of Olanrewaju Durodola. Mikaelian-Rozicki was postponed twice then cancelled as Mikaelian had a falling out with his promoter, Don King.
WBA / MARCH 31, 2024: In Inglewood, California, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez became a two division champion, taking the WBA cruiserweight title from Arsen Goulamirian, who will go down in the books as a weak, inactive champion. All three judges scored it 118-110. Give Ramirez credit, though. A natural super middleweight, he stood and traded with a naturally bigger opponent to become the first Mexican ever to hold a cruiserweight championship. Ramirez is now 46-1. He gave up his super middleweight title in 2019 and lost a 2022 light heavyweight title shot to Dmitriy Bivol. Goulamirian takes his first pro loss after a 27-win start to his career. Sadly, this was just his second fight since 2019.
IBF/ MAY 18, 2024: In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) defeated former two-time champion Mairis Briedis (28-3, 20 KOs) by unanimous decision in a bruising battle that saw both men finish with possible broken noses. Briedis rallied late but lost by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 (twice). Opetaia regained the IBF cruiserweight world title that the IBF basically forced him to vacate a few months ago. This was a rematch. In July 2022, Opetaia, a 2012 Australian Olympian, overcame an injured jaw to claim Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision. Official scores for the first bout were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improved to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joined Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
IBF / DEC. 18, 2023: Jai Opetaia of Australia vacated the IBF cruiserweight championship in order to move forward with a bout in Saudi Arabia against Great Britain's Ellis Zorro. Opetaia was ordered to grant Briediis a rematch by the IBF but when Briedis got injured, Opetaia sought to sneak in a lucrative voluntary defense on the huge show in Riadh. Reportedly, Briedis had no objection to Opetaia making a voluntary defense, but the IBF rigidly refused to budge, so Opetaia moved on without the belt and KO'd Zorro in a beautiful one-punch knockout in round one on December 23rd.
WBC / NOV. 4, 2023: There is a new WBC cruiserweight champion as Noel Mikaelian (27-2, 12 KOs) stopped the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ilunga Makabu (29-4, 25 KOs) one minute into the third round. After flooring Makabu in the second round, Miami’s Mikaelian, by way of Armenia, flustered the former champion with a barrage of punches. The title was recently vacated by Badou Jack. Mikaelian said about his knockout victory: “I didn’t expect the knockout so early, but I knew my hand would be raised (in victory) at the end of the night. I’m so happy. I waited two years. I was so close to winning that belt and this time I didn’t want to leave any doubts.” Mikaelian noted the significance of his win: “I had a great camp…I’m the first German to win a world championship on American soil in 90 years, since Max Schmelling.”
IBF / SEPT. 30, 2023: IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia made a successful first title defense in London, stopping previously unbeaten Jordan Thompson in the fourth round. The end came with a left-right combination from Opetaia's southpaw stance. Opetaia returns home to Australia with his belt plus a record of 24-0. Thompson is now 15-1.
WBO / MAY 28, 2023... In a crazy fight in Bournemouth, England, Chris Billam-Smith won the WBO cruiserweight champion from his fellow Brit, good friend and former sparring partner Lawrence Okolie. Billam-Smith scored thee knockdowns and Okolie was penalized two points for non-stop holding. But the championship rounds saw Okolie furiously pressing for a knockdown and Billam-Smith dealing with a bad cut over his left eye. Despite Okolie's late rally, when the final bell sounded, the three knockdowns and two point deductions seemed impossible for the champ to overcome, but there was one more plot twist to come. When the first score was read by the ring announcer, Billam-Smith was shocked to hear 112-112. Sanity prevailed as the other two judges favored Billam-Smith by 116-107 and 115-108. As the majority win was revealed, Billam-Smith broke down in tears and described how he was sick during the week. He also dedicated the win to his mother who was battling breast cancer. During his post-fight interview, Okolie acknowledged his loss but revealed that he had a rematch clause that he planned to invoke.
WBC / FEB. 26, 2023: Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs) is now a two-division world champion.* The 39-year old scored a technical knockout victory over Ilunga Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) to capture the WBC cruiserweight world title. Jack boxed an intelligent fight, mixing footwork and counterpunching to consistently find a home for his right hand. Makabu, on the other hand, seemed too cautious and had trouble putting his punches together. In the fourth round, Jack dropped Makabu with a right hand, and he repeated the knockdown in the eleventh. In the final round, Makabu was clearly worn out from Jack’s offense, and Swedish standout only needed an additional right hand and a brief fusillade of shots to force referee Mark Lyson to stop the fight.
*Some list Jack as a three-division champion because he won the WBA regular light heavyweight title in 2017. Boxingtalk does not recognize that as a legitimate world title because Sergey Kovalev was recognized as WBA super champion at that time.
WBA / NOV. 22, 2022... Arsen Goulamirian retained his WBA cruiserweight championship this weekend against Aleksei Egorov with a unanimous decision victory at La Palestre in Le Cannet, France. The Armenian native and French national came off a nearly three-year layoff and came away with a win on the cards by scores of 116-112 and 117-111 (twice). Inactive since 2019, this was Goulamirian's mandatory defense. Goulamirian (27-0) went from strength to strength in the bout and improved as the rounds went by. He faced a very active opponent in the early rounds but was able to figure out his Russian foe to come on strong at the end of the bout. Egorov’s record stands at 16 wins and 3 losses including the World Series of Boxing. [After this win, Goulamirian would remain inactive for more than a year].
IBF / JULY 3, 2022: 2012 Australian Olympian Jai Opetaia overcame an injured jaw to claim Mairis Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksadr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision on Saturday in Broadbeach, Australia. Official scores were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improves to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joins Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
WBO / MARCH 21, 2021: Lawrence Okolie crushed former champion Krzysztof Glowacki to be crowned the new WBO cruiserweight champion in just his sixteenth fight at The SSE Arena, Wembley. Okolie unloaded a huge finishing punch to drop Poland’s Glowacki heavily in the sixth round and referee Marcus McDonnell waved off the fight to confirm the coronation of Britain’s newest champ. [The WBO title was vacant coming in after Mairis Briedis discarded it in order to pursue the IBF title in the World Boxing Super Series final]. The unbeaten 28 year-old from Hackney had emulated the likes of Tony Bellew, David Haye and Johnny Nelson, who previously held world crowns in the weight class.
IBF / SEPT. 27, 2020: Season II of the World Boxing Super Series came to its conclusion on Saturday with Latvia's Mairis Briedis taking home the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy and the IBF championship by defeating Yuniel Dorticos in Munich. The WBSS cruiserweight Final, contested behind closed doors, was a close battle. Briedis repeatedly troubled the Cuban Dorticos with powerful counter-punches during a commanding performance. Dorticos was never far behind, and one judge scored it a draw, 114-114, while the other two handed in wide verdicts of 117-111 for Briedis. The Latvian Briedis would only defend the title once in 2021 before losing to Jai Opetaia in 2022.
WBC / FEB. 1. 2020: Ilunga "Junior" Makabu is the new WBC cruiserweight champion, having won the vacant title by defeating Poland's Michal Cieslak via twelve-round decision. The judges’ scores were Omar Mintum 114-112, Carlos Flores 115-111 and Humberto Olivares 116-111, all in favor of Makabu. The fight took place in Makabu's home nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makabu is now 27-2, while Cieslak is 19-1. The WBC title went vacant after world champion Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight.
WBO / NOV. 26, 2019: The WBO cruiserweight championship has been declared vacant as part of a months-long legal battle arising from Maris Briedis' foul-tainted victory over Krzysztof Glowacki last June. That fight was part of the World Boxing Super Series. Briedis landed a deliberate foul, an elbow to the jaw of Glowacki, that hurt him badly but went unpunished by referee Robert Byrd. A few seconds after Glowacki got up from the foul, Byrd allowed the boxers to continue fighting well after the bell sounded to end round two, leading to Glowacki suffering a hard knockdown about ten seconds after the bell rang. Again, Byrd did nothing. Briedis admitted in his post fight interview that the elbow was deliberate and that he heard the bell but kept fighting anyway. Glowacki protested to the WBO, and after an arbitration was held in Puerto Rico, the WBO ordered Briedis to give Glowacki an immediate rematch. Briedis refused, intending to fight IBF champion Yuniel Dorticos in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series, although that fight still has not been scheduled. Glowacki will now await the WBO to name the co-challenger for the vacant title. NOTE: Glowacki was represented in the arbitration by Scott Shaffer, the author of this article.
WBO / JUNE 15, 2019: In a wildly entertaining and controversial bout in Riga, Latvia, Mairis Briedis took advantage of horrendous refereeing by Robert Byrd to become the new WBO cruiserweight champion. Fighting in his home nation, Briedis committed a blatant foul that led to a third-round technical knockout win over Kyrzysztof Glowacki. The win advanced Briedis to the World Boxing Super Series finals, where he will meet newly minted IBF cruiserweight champion Yuniel Dorticos. In round two, Glowacki twice hit Briedis on the back of the head during a clinch as Byrd yelled stop. The second time, Briedis decided to use self help, throwing a nasty, deliberate elbow that caught Glowacki flush on the jaw and sent the Polish man to the canvas. Byrd took a point away, but Glowacki was not fully recovered when the action resumed. Briedis pressed the action and the knocked Glowacki down with about nineteen seconds left in the round. Glowacki beat the count, but was foggy eyed, and definitely needed the minute rest between rounds. As the action resumed, one of Briedis' cornermen jumed up on the ring apron, which is grounds for disqulaification. Then, the bell sounded to end round two, but Byrd did not hear it, and the the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, with Briedis again knocking Glowacki down. The knockdown came a full ten seconds after the bell. In his post-fight interview, Briedis smiled and admitted he heard the bell but kept fighting. To recap round two, Glowacki was down three times: once from an illegal elbow, once from a legal blow while still buzzed from the illegal elbow, and once from a punch that landed well after the bell sounded. In round three, the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, but it was clear Glowacki was fighting at a diminished capacity. He was knocked down again, hard, with his arms flailing, and beat the count, but was in no shape to continue. Byrd, who put in a terrible performance tonight, stopped the fight, to the delight of the Latvian audience. Note: Briedis has the WBO title only, as the WBC threw a hissy fit and pulled the sanction. The WBC cruiserweight title remains vacant.
IBF / JUNE 15, 2019: In Riga, Latvia, Cuba's Yuniel Dorticos got a career-changing win, landing a hard right hand that put previously undefeated Andrew Tabiti to sleep in round ten of the World Boxing Super Series semi-final bout. The win was doubly significant because, in a surprise move, the IBF announced earlier in the day that the winner would be recognized as the IBF cruiserweight champion (Oleksandr Usyk formally vacated the belt in furtherance of his heavyweight campaign). Dorticos was ahead on points, but had to deal with a bad cut over his right eye. Dorticos will await the winner of the other semi-final, a WBO title fight in which Kryzysztof Glowacki defends against former WBC titlist Mairis Briedis. An emotional Dorticos shed tears of joy in the ring. He's now 24-1, with the only loss to Murat Gassiev in last years World Boxing Super Series. The disappointed Tabiti heads home to the United States with a 17-1 record.
WBO / JUNE 6, 2019: The WBO promoted its interim cruiserweight champion, Krysztof Glowacki of Poland, to its full champion in the 200-pound division. According to WBO social media, "With Oleksandr Usyk moving to the heavyweight division, interim champion Krysztof Glowacki is now recognized as the new WBO champion and will face Mairis Briedis in a voluntary defense on June 15th in Riga, Latvia" [as part of the World Boxing Super Series]. Glowacki (31-1) previously held the WBO title from 2015-2016, but lost it to Usyk in 2016. Briedis (25-1) held the WBC version of the title from 2017-2018, also losing his belt to Usyk.
WORLD / NOV. 11, 2018: World champion Oleksandr Usyk said goodbye to the 200-pound division with yet another road win to add to his resume. Fighting in his opponent's coutry, Usyk stopped Tony Bellew, who had earned this shot with an impressive run of five quality wins. After seven hotly contested rounds, Usyk knocked out Bellew with a left hand to Bellew's jaw that violently sent him crashing to the canvas. Promoter Eddie Hearn nearly cradled Bellew's head as he made his way to his feet. Bellew might have been able to beat the count, but the referee did the right thing by stopping the fight. After uifying all four major titles, Usyk will campaign as a heavyweight in the future.
WORLD / JULY 22, 2018: In Moscow, cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk of the Ukraine put on a master boxing class to become only the fifth boxer in history to gain undisputed world championship recognition from the IBF, WBO, WBC and WBA. Usyk accomplished this by defeating Murat Gassiev of Russia by unanimous decision. The win also made Usyk the winner of the World Boxing Super Series eight-man tournament. Official scores were for Usyk 120-108 and 119-109 (twice). Seeing Usyk draped in the Ukraine flag with four championships belts wrapped around him and the Ali Trophy raised over his head was quite an impressive ending to a fantastic tournament pulled off by Comosa AG. Usyk joins Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Cecilia Braekhus and Terence Crawford as the only boxers to hold all four major belts since the WBO gained recognition in the early 1990s. (In the cruiserweight division, the great Evander Holyfiled conquered all three major championships in 1988 prior to the emergence of the WBO). Both men were undfeated coming into this bout, and Gassiev, if not Usyk as well, will likely move up to heavyweight.
WBA / MARCH 26, 2018: Arsen Goulamirian got a significant win, plus a paper title in Marseille, France, defeating Ryad Merhy via eleventh-round technical knockout. The win gives Goulamirian the WBA regular cruiserweight title (Murat Gassiev is recognized as WBA super champion and Denis Lebedev as WBA champion in recess). A combination of many consecutive unanswered blows to Merhy forced the referee to stop the fight. Goulamirian, an Armenian living in France, is 23-0 while Merhy, from the Ivory Coast and living in Belgium, is now 24-1. Goulamirian would go on to inherit the WBA full title, emerging from a mess of WBA corruption involving Denis Lebedev, Murat Gassiev and Beibut Shumenov who repeatedly switched title designations as part of machinations of the WBA.
WBO & WBC / JAN. 28, 2018: Fighting in Latvia, his opponent's home country, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Mairis Briedis to add the WBC cruiserweight championship to the WBO version he already held. The Ukrainian Usyk, a 2012 Olympic champion, won by majority decision, with scores of 115-113 (twice) and 114-114. The unification bout was part of the World Boxing Super Series, and Usyk now qualifies for the finals, which will be held in Saudi Arabia. Usyk will face the winner of the bout between Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos, which will be contested next week in Sochi, Russia.
IBF & WBA / DEC. 4, 2016… In an all-Russian cruiserweight battle, Murat Gassiev defeated Denis Lebedev to become the IBF cruiserweight champion, and, along with WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, one of the top two cruiserweights in the world. Gassiev, a 23 year-old trained by Abel Sanchez, knocked the Freddie Roach-trained Lebedev down in round five and went on to win by split decision. Scores were 116-111, 116-112 for Gassiev and 114-113 for the 37 year-old Lebedev. In the very worst of boxing politics, Denis Lebedev will retain the WBA cruiserweight title because his promoter “convinced” the WBA that the title should not be on the line against an IBF mandatory.
WBO / SEPT. 18, 2016: A professional boxing star was born as Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk dethroned WBO cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Glowacki (26-1, 16 KOs) by twelve-round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Ergo Arena in Gdansk, Poland. The official scores were 119-109 and 117-111 (twice). Undefeated as a pro, Usyk was the 2012 heavyweight gold medal champion and also holds the distinction of being the 2011 World Amateur Champion at heavyweight and 2008 European Amateur Champion at light heavyweight.
WBC / MAY 31, 2016: Fighting in his home country, Tony Bellew (28-2-1, 18 KOs) delivered a third-round knockout win over South Africa’s Ilunga Makabu (19-2, 18 KOs) to claim the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt on Sunday in Liverpool, England. In round one, Bellew punished Makabu on the ropes, but then he got clocked by a Makabu straight counter left and went down. Bellwe got up and fought cautiously through round two. Bellew opened up in round three, severely rocking Makabu, then ended the bout with a barrage of punches, which knocked him cold. Makabu collapsed to the canvas just as referee Victor Loughlin stepped in to wave it off. Bellew (27-2-1 with 17 KO(s) previously dropped light heavyweight title challenges to Nathan Cleverly and Adonis Stevenson. With this win, he picks up the WBC title, which for now makes him a distant third in prestige to the other 200-pound champions, Denis Lebedev (IBF/WBA) and Kryzystof Glowacki (WBO). s
WBO / APRIL 16, 2016: In Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, Polish warrior Krzysztof Glowacki scored four knockdowns and retained his WBO cruiserweight championship via unanimous decision over former world champion Steve Cunningham of Philadelphia. Glowacki (26-0, 16 KOs) twice floored Cunningham (28-8-1, 13 KOs) with second-round, left-hand counters, then used short right hands to drop him once more in the tenth and twelfth rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Thanks to the four knockdowns, Glowacki prevailed by scores of 115-109 (twice) and 116-108, to the delight of a Barclays Center crowd that was packed with Polish fight fans. However, the contest was tougher than the scorecards indicated, as the 29-year-old Glowacki was often forced to hold or fight off the ropes against a former champion who engaged toe-to-toe throughout the night.
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WBC orders Jack to face Rozicki
The WBC has ordered its cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KOs) to make his mandatory title defense against WBC #1 rated Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1-1, 19 KOs) of Canada. If the two camps do not successfully negotiate a deal, the WBC will hold a purse bid on February 4th, after which Jack (pictured) vs. Rozicki must happen within 60 days. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, sent Team Jack an offer last week to promote the fight in Canada. “We’re waiting to hear their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most exciting and hardest hitters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the green WBC belt and, ultimately, to unify the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
Jack, age 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He has not fought since February 2023, and was demoted to champion in recess by the WBC as a result of his inactivity. However, when Jack's successor, Noel Mikaelian, also became inactive due to injury and then promotional difficulties with Don King, Jack was retored to champion status despite his extended hiatus from the ring. He is a two-division world champion having also been a WBC super middleweight champion. He was also a holder of the WBA regular light heavyweight title. Jack is 5-0-2 (2 KOs) in world championship bouts. [Some list Jack as a three-division champion because he won the WBA regular light heavyweight title in 2017. Boxingtalk does not recognize that as a legitimate world title because Sergey Kovalev was recognized as WBA super champion at that time.]
The 29-year-old Rozicki, who was born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and lives in Hamilton (Ontario), has had 22 pro fights against 21 different opponents (Yamil Alberto Peralta twice), stopping 19 of the 20 foes he defeated for a knockout percentage of 95%.
“We respect Jack, and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect into the ring, but he’s going to be fighting a young buck with power. Jack is going to be in a world of trouble and, honestly, I don’t think he’ll get past the first few rounds.”
The next move belongs to Badou Jack.
RECENT CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION TIMELINE
IBF / JAN. 8, 2025... Fighting in his native Australia, Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight championship by knocking out David Nyika of New Zealand. Opetaia was not troubled by the change in opponent three weeks before the opening bell. Opetaia increased his intensity towards the end of round three. A right hand sent Nyika on to the canvas, but the New Zealand fighter managed to beat the count. But Opetaia continued to land and eventually knocked out Nyika with a big left hand. Nyika was down on the canvas for several minutes but eventually stood up under his own power.
WBA & WBO / NOV. 16, 2024... A two-belt cruiserweight unification bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday was won by Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. Chris "CBS" Billam-Smith's WBO title was added to Ramirez's WBA version in an exciting but mostly one-sided contest. Ramirez, a southpaw, cut Billam-Smith over the left eye in round four, but the British fighter fought through it. Ramirez, the smaller of the two men, prevailed by unanimous decision, with scores of 116-112 (twice) and 116-113. It was an exciting and bruising twelve rounds but Billam-Smith made himself an easy target-- he spent too much time standing in front of Ramirez in an upright, easy-to-hit manner.
WBC / OCT 22, 2024: The WBC reinstated Badou Jack as champion and demoted Noel Mikaleian to champion in recess, even though Jack has not fought since February of 2023 when he conquered the WBC cruiserweight championship by defeating then-champion Ilunga Makabu. Soon thereafter, Jack petitioned the WBC to place him as champion in recess so he could try to schedule a fight for the WBC bridgerweight title, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Mikaelian won the vacant WBC cruiserweight title, knocking out Makabu. The WBC ordered Mikaelian to make his first mandatory defense against WBC #1 contender Ryan Rozicki of Canada who had won a final elimination bout via knockout of Olanrewaju Durodola. Mikaelian-Rozicki was postponed twice then cancelled as Mikaelian had a falling out with his promoter, Don King.
WBA / MARCH 31, 2024: In Inglewood, California, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez became a two division champion, taking the WBA cruiserweight title from Arsen Goulamirian, who will go down in the books as a weak, inactive champion. All three judges scored it 118-110. Give Ramirez credit, though. A natural super middleweight, he stood and traded with a naturally bigger opponent to become the first Mexican ever to hold a cruiserweight championship. Ramirez is now 46-1. He gave up his super middleweight title in 2019 and lost a 2022 light heavyweight title shot to Dmitriy Bivol. Goulamirian takes his first pro loss after a 27-win start to his career. Sadly, this was just his second fight since 2019.
IBF/ MAY 18, 2024: In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) defeated former two-time champion Mairis Briedis (28-3, 20 KOs) by unanimous decision in a bruising battle that saw both men finish with possible broken noses. Briedis rallied late but lost by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 (twice). Opetaia regained the IBF cruiserweight world title that the IBF basically forced him to vacate a few months ago. This was a rematch. In July 2022, Opetaia, a 2012 Australian Olympian, overcame an injured jaw to claim Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision. Official scores for the first bout were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improved to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joined Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
IBF / DEC. 18, 2023: Jai Opetaia of Australia vacated the IBF cruiserweight championship in order to move forward with a bout in Saudi Arabia against Great Britain's Ellis Zorro. Opetaia was ordered to grant Briediis a rematch by the IBF but when Briedis got injured, Opetaia sought to sneak in a lucrative voluntary defense on the huge show in Riadh. Reportedly, Briedis had no objection to Opetaia making a voluntary defense, but the IBF rigidly refused to budge, so Opetaia moved on without the belt and KO'd Zorro in a beautiful one-punch knockout in round one on December 23rd.
WBC / NOV. 4, 2023: There is a new WBC cruiserweight champion as Noel Mikaelian (27-2, 12 KOs) stopped the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ilunga Makabu (29-4, 25 KOs) one minute into the third round. After flooring Makabu in the second round, Miami’s Mikaelian, by way of Armenia, flustered the former champion with a barrage of punches. The title was recently vacated by Badou Jack. Mikaelian said about his knockout victory: “I didn’t expect the knockout so early, but I knew my hand would be raised (in victory) at the end of the night. I’m so happy. I waited two years. I was so close to winning that belt and this time I didn’t want to leave any doubts.” Mikaelian noted the significance of his win: “I had a great camp…I’m the first German to win a world championship on American soil in 90 years, since Max Schmelling.”
IBF / SEPT. 30, 2023: IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia made a successful first title defense in London, stopping previously unbeaten Jordan Thompson in the fourth round. The end came with a left-right combination from Opetaia's southpaw stance. Opetaia returns home to Australia with his belt plus a record of 24-0. Thompson is now 15-1.
WBO / MAY 28, 2023... In a crazy fight in Bournemouth, England, Chris Billam-Smith won the WBO cruiserweight champion from his fellow Brit, good friend and former sparring partner Lawrence Okolie. Billam-Smith scored thee knockdowns and Okolie was penalized two points for non-stop holding. But the championship rounds saw Okolie furiously pressing for a knockdown and Billam-Smith dealing with a bad cut over his left eye. Despite Okolie's late rally, when the final bell sounded, the three knockdowns and two point deductions seemed impossible for the champ to overcome, but there was one more plot twist to come. When the first score was read by the ring announcer, Billam-Smith was shocked to hear 112-112. Sanity prevailed as the other two judges favored Billam-Smith by 116-107 and 115-108. As the majority win was revealed, Billam-Smith broke down in tears and described how he was sick during the week. He also dedicated the win to his mother who was battling breast cancer. During his post-fight interview, Okolie acknowledged his loss but revealed that he had a rematch clause that he planned to invoke.
WBC / FEB. 26, 2023: Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs) is now a two-division world champion.* The 39-year old scored a technical knockout victory over Ilunga Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) to capture the WBC cruiserweight world title. Jack boxed an intelligent fight, mixing footwork and counterpunching to consistently find a home for his right hand. Makabu, on the other hand, seemed too cautious and had trouble putting his punches together. In the fourth round, Jack dropped Makabu with a right hand, and he repeated the knockdown in the eleventh. In the final round, Makabu was clearly worn out from Jack’s offense, and Swedish standout only needed an additional right hand and a brief fusillade of shots to force referee Mark Lyson to stop the fight.
*Some list Jack as a three-division champion because he won the WBA regular light heavyweight title in 2017. Boxingtalk does not recognize that as a legitimate world title because Sergey Kovalev was recognized as WBA super champion at that time.
WBA / NOV. 22, 2022... Arsen Goulamirian retained his WBA cruiserweight championship this weekend against Aleksei Egorov with a unanimous decision victory at La Palestre in Le Cannet, France. The Armenian native and French national came off a nearly three-year layoff and came away with a win on the cards by scores of 116-112 and 117-111 (twice). Inactive since 2019, this was Goulamirian's mandatory defense. Goulamirian (27-0) went from strength to strength in the bout and improved as the rounds went by. He faced a very active opponent in the early rounds but was able to figure out his Russian foe to come on strong at the end of the bout. Egorov’s record stands at 16 wins and 3 losses including the World Series of Boxing. [After this win, Goulamirian would remain inactive for more than a year].
IBF / JULY 3, 2022: 2012 Australian Olympian Jai Opetaia overcame an injured jaw to claim Mairis Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksadr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision on Saturday in Broadbeach, Australia. Official scores were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improves to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joins Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
WBO / MARCH 21, 2021: Lawrence Okolie crushed former champion Krzysztof Glowacki to be crowned the new WBO cruiserweight champion in just his sixteenth fight at The SSE Arena, Wembley. Okolie unloaded a huge finishing punch to drop Poland’s Glowacki heavily in the sixth round and referee Marcus McDonnell waved off the fight to confirm the coronation of Britain’s newest champ. [The WBO title was vacant coming in after Mairis Briedis discarded it in order to pursue the IBF title in the World Boxing Super Series final]. The unbeaten 28 year-old from Hackney had emulated the likes of Tony Bellew, David Haye and Johnny Nelson, who previously held world crowns in the weight class.
IBF / SEPT. 27, 2020: Season II of the World Boxing Super Series came to its conclusion on Saturday with Latvia's Mairis Briedis taking home the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy and the IBF championship by defeating Yuniel Dorticos in Munich. The WBSS cruiserweight Final, contested behind closed doors, was a close battle. Briedis repeatedly troubled the Cuban Dorticos with powerful counter-punches during a commanding performance. Dorticos was never far behind, and one judge scored it a draw, 114-114, while the other two handed in wide verdicts of 117-111 for Briedis. The Latvian Briedis would only defend the title once in 2021 before losing to Jai Opetaia in 2022.
WBC / FEB. 1. 2020: Ilunga "Junior" Makabu is the new WBC cruiserweight champion, having won the vacant title by defeating Poland's Michal Cieslak via twelve-round decision. The judges’ scores were Omar Mintum 114-112, Carlos Flores 115-111 and Humberto Olivares 116-111, all in favor of Makabu. The fight took place in Makabu's home nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makabu is now 27-2, while Cieslak is 19-1. The WBC title went vacant after world champion Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight.
WBO / NOV. 26, 2019: The WBO cruiserweight championship has been declared vacant as part of a months-long legal battle arising from Maris Briedis' foul-tainted victory over Krzysztof Glowacki last June. That fight was part of the World Boxing Super Series. Briedis landed a deliberate foul, an elbow to the jaw of Glowacki, that hurt him badly but went unpunished by referee Robert Byrd. A few seconds after Glowacki got up from the foul, Byrd allowed the boxers to continue fighting well after the bell sounded to end round two, leading to Glowacki suffering a hard knockdown about ten seconds after the bell rang. Again, Byrd did nothing. Briedis admitted in his post fight interview that the elbow was deliberate and that he heard the bell but kept fighting anyway. Glowacki protested to the WBO, and after an arbitration was held in Puerto Rico, the WBO ordered Briedis to give Glowacki an immediate rematch. Briedis refused, intending to fight IBF champion Yuniel Dorticos in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series, although that fight still has not been scheduled. Glowacki will now await the WBO to name the co-challenger for the vacant title. NOTE: Glowacki was represented in the arbitration by Scott Shaffer, the author of this article.
WBO / JUNE 15, 2019: In a wildly entertaining and controversial bout in Riga, Latvia, Mairis Briedis took advantage of horrendous refereeing by Robert Byrd to become the new WBO cruiserweight champion. Fighting in his home nation, Briedis committed a blatant foul that led to a third-round technical knockout win over Kyrzysztof Glowacki. The win advanced Briedis to the World Boxing Super Series finals, where he will meet newly minted IBF cruiserweight champion Yuniel Dorticos. In round two, Glowacki twice hit Briedis on the back of the head during a clinch as Byrd yelled stop. The second time, Briedis decided to use self help, throwing a nasty, deliberate elbow that caught Glowacki flush on the jaw and sent the Polish man to the canvas. Byrd took a point away, but Glowacki was not fully recovered when the action resumed. Briedis pressed the action and the knocked Glowacki down with about nineteen seconds left in the round. Glowacki beat the count, but was foggy eyed, and definitely needed the minute rest between rounds. As the action resumed, one of Briedis' cornermen jumed up on the ring apron, which is grounds for disqulaification. Then, the bell sounded to end round two, but Byrd did not hear it, and the the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, with Briedis again knocking Glowacki down. The knockdown came a full ten seconds after the bell. In his post-fight interview, Briedis smiled and admitted he heard the bell but kept fighting. To recap round two, Glowacki was down three times: once from an illegal elbow, once from a legal blow while still buzzed from the illegal elbow, and once from a punch that landed well after the bell sounded. In round three, the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, but it was clear Glowacki was fighting at a diminished capacity. He was knocked down again, hard, with his arms flailing, and beat the count, but was in no shape to continue. Byrd, who put in a terrible performance tonight, stopped the fight, to the delight of the Latvian audience. Note: Briedis has the WBO title only, as the WBC threw a hissy fit and pulled the sanction. The WBC cruiserweight title remains vacant.
IBF / JUNE 15, 2019: In Riga, Latvia, Cuba's Yuniel Dorticos got a career-changing win, landing a hard right hand that put previously undefeated Andrew Tabiti to sleep in round ten of the World Boxing Super Series semi-final bout. The win was doubly significant because, in a surprise move, the IBF announced earlier in the day that the winner would be recognized as the IBF cruiserweight champion (Oleksandr Usyk formally vacated the belt in furtherance of his heavyweight campaign). Dorticos was ahead on points, but had to deal with a bad cut over his right eye. Dorticos will await the winner of the other semi-final, a WBO title fight in which Kryzysztof Glowacki defends against former WBC titlist Mairis Briedis. An emotional Dorticos shed tears of joy in the ring. He's now 24-1, with the only loss to Murat Gassiev in last years World Boxing Super Series. The disappointed Tabiti heads home to the United States with a 17-1 record.
WBO / JUNE 6, 2019: The WBO promoted its interim cruiserweight champion, Krysztof Glowacki of Poland, to its full champion in the 200-pound division. According to WBO social media, "With Oleksandr Usyk moving to the heavyweight division, interim champion Krysztof Glowacki is now recognized as the new WBO champion and will face Mairis Briedis in a voluntary defense on June 15th in Riga, Latvia" [as part of the World Boxing Super Series]. Glowacki (31-1) previously held the WBO title from 2015-2016, but lost it to Usyk in 2016. Briedis (25-1) held the WBC version of the title from 2017-2018, also losing his belt to Usyk.
WORLD / NOV. 11, 2018: World champion Oleksandr Usyk said goodbye to the 200-pound division with yet another road win to add to his resume. Fighting in his opponent's coutry, Usyk stopped Tony Bellew, who had earned this shot with an impressive run of five quality wins. After seven hotly contested rounds, Usyk knocked out Bellew with a left hand to Bellew's jaw that violently sent him crashing to the canvas. Promoter Eddie Hearn nearly cradled Bellew's head as he made his way to his feet. Bellew might have been able to beat the count, but the referee did the right thing by stopping the fight. After uifying all four major titles, Usyk will campaign as a heavyweight in the future.
WORLD / JULY 22, 2018: In Moscow, cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk of the Ukraine put on a master boxing class to become only the fifth boxer in history to gain undisputed world championship recognition from the IBF, WBO, WBC and WBA. Usyk accomplished this by defeating Murat Gassiev of Russia by unanimous decision. The win also made Usyk the winner of the World Boxing Super Series eight-man tournament. Official scores were for Usyk 120-108 and 119-109 (twice). Seeing Usyk draped in the Ukraine flag with four championships belts wrapped around him and the Ali Trophy raised over his head was quite an impressive ending to a fantastic tournament pulled off by Comosa AG. Usyk joins Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Cecilia Braekhus and Terence Crawford as the only boxers to hold all four major belts since the WBO gained recognition in the early 1990s. (In the cruiserweight division, the great Evander Holyfiled conquered all three major championships in 1988 prior to the emergence of the WBO). Both men were undfeated coming into this bout, and Gassiev, if not Usyk as well, will likely move up to heavyweight.
WBA / MARCH 26, 2018: Arsen Goulamirian got a significant win, plus a paper title in Marseille, France, defeating Ryad Merhy via eleventh-round technical knockout. The win gives Goulamirian the WBA regular cruiserweight title (Murat Gassiev is recognized as WBA super champion and Denis Lebedev as WBA champion in recess). A combination of many consecutive unanswered blows to Merhy forced the referee to stop the fight. Goulamirian, an Armenian living in France, is 23-0 while Merhy, from the Ivory Coast and living in Belgium, is now 24-1. Goulamirian would go on to inherit the WBA full title, emerging from a mess of WBA corruption involving Denis Lebedev, Murat Gassiev and Beibut Shumenov who repeatedly switched title designations as part of machinations of the WBA.
WBO & WBC / JAN. 28, 2018: Fighting in Latvia, his opponent's home country, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Mairis Briedis to add the WBC cruiserweight championship to the WBO version he already held. The Ukrainian Usyk, a 2012 Olympic champion, won by majority decision, with scores of 115-113 (twice) and 114-114. The unification bout was part of the World Boxing Super Series, and Usyk now qualifies for the finals, which will be held in Saudi Arabia. Usyk will face the winner of the bout between Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos, which will be contested next week in Sochi, Russia.
IBF & WBA / DEC. 4, 2016… In an all-Russian cruiserweight battle, Murat Gassiev defeated Denis Lebedev to become the IBF cruiserweight champion, and, along with WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, one of the top two cruiserweights in the world. Gassiev, a 23 year-old trained by Abel Sanchez, knocked the Freddie Roach-trained Lebedev down in round five and went on to win by split decision. Scores were 116-111, 116-112 for Gassiev and 114-113 for the 37 year-old Lebedev. In the very worst of boxing politics, Denis Lebedev will retain the WBA cruiserweight title because his promoter “convinced” the WBA that the title should not be on the line against an IBF mandatory.
WBO / SEPT. 18, 2016: A professional boxing star was born as Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk dethroned WBO cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Glowacki (26-1, 16 KOs) by twelve-round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Ergo Arena in Gdansk, Poland. The official scores were 119-109 and 117-111 (twice). Undefeated as a pro, Usyk was the 2012 heavyweight gold medal champion and also holds the distinction of being the 2011 World Amateur Champion at heavyweight and 2008 European Amateur Champion at light heavyweight.
WBC / MAY 31, 2016: Fighting in his home country, Tony Bellew (28-2-1, 18 KOs) delivered a third-round knockout win over South Africa’s Ilunga Makabu (19-2, 18 KOs) to claim the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt on Sunday in Liverpool, England. In round one, Bellew punished Makabu on the ropes, but then he got clocked by a Makabu straight counter left and went down. Bellwe got up and fought cautiously through round two. Bellew opened up in round three, severely rocking Makabu, then ended the bout with a barrage of punches, which knocked him cold. Makabu collapsed to the canvas just as referee Victor Loughlin stepped in to wave it off. Bellew (27-2-1 with 17 KO(s) previously dropped light heavyweight title challenges to Nathan Cleverly and Adonis Stevenson. With this win, he picks up the WBC title, which for now makes him a distant third in prestige to the other 200-pound champions, Denis Lebedev (IBF/WBA) and Kryzystof Glowacki (WBO). s
WBO / APRIL 16, 2016: In Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, Polish warrior Krzysztof Glowacki scored four knockdowns and retained his WBO cruiserweight championship via unanimous decision over former world champion Steve Cunningham of Philadelphia. Glowacki (26-0, 16 KOs) twice floored Cunningham (28-8-1, 13 KOs) with second-round, left-hand counters, then used short right hands to drop him once more in the tenth and twelfth rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Thanks to the four knockdowns, Glowacki prevailed by scores of 115-109 (twice) and 116-108, to the delight of a Barclays Center crowd that was packed with Polish fight fans. However, the contest was tougher than the scorecards indicated, as the 29-year-old Glowacki was often forced to hold or fight off the ropes against a former champion who engaged toe-to-toe throughout the night.
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Tyson Fury announces his retirement |
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Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, age 36, announced his retirement in an eighteen-second video posted on social media on Monday: "Hi everybody, I'm gonna make this short and sweet. I'd like to announce my retirement from boxing. It's been a blast. I've loved every single minute of it. I'm gonna end with this: Dick Turpin wore a mask! God bless everybody, I'll see you on the other side." The cryptic reference to Turpin is unclear but Turpin apparently was a British highway robber in the 1700s who became immortalized in a famous novel that was written in the 1800s. Time will tell whether Fury, coming off two competitive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, will remain retired or whether this is a bargaining ploy.
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Tyson Fury announces his retirement
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, age 36, announced his retirement in an eighteen-second video posted on social media on Monday: "Hi everybody, I'm gonna make this short and sweet. I'd like to announce my retirement from boxing. It's been a blast. I've loved every single minute of it. I'm gonna end with this: Dick Turpin wore a mask! God bless everybody, I'll see you on the other side." The cryptic reference to Turpin is unclear but Turpin apparently was a British highway robber in the 1700s who became immortalized in a famous novel that was written in the 1800s. Time will tell whether Fury, coming off two competitive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, will remain retired or whether this is a bargaining ploy.
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Will Garcia agree to VADA testing for a Haney rematch? |
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Ryan Garcia, who was in London this weekend for the Ring Magazine awards banquet, tweeted this message out about his rival Devin Haney, who was also there: "You can smell the desperate... Yall wonder why I'm quiet... [its] because I'm being sued. They are the real puss**s, trying to act like I ducked any smoke after I’ve already whooped him. And I am being drug tested just not by VADA [the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, considered the gold standard of drug testing]. So everything they said is lies lies and more lies." [Editor's note: Haney is suing Garcia over positive drug tests for performance enhancing substances after their fight last April. Haney was initially declared the winner but the verdict was changed to a no contest after the failed test]. Garcia also tweeted to Haney's father and manager, Bill: "I came here for business Bill. You are going to get that call. Just shut up take the deal drop the lawsuit and do what you’re told bum." To which Devin Haney responded, "Oh now he a business man? We got our offer from Turki Alalshikh already and accepted it. Now it’s time for you to accept and yes, you have to start drug testing now. So let’s hear your answer business man... This mf told Turki [that] one of many reasons he ain’t fighting me is cause he doesn’t wanna do drug tests months out before the fight, he wants to start a month before the fight.”
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Will Garcia agree to VADA testing for a Haney rematch?
Ryan Garcia, who was in London this weekend for the Ring Magazine awards banquet, tweeted this message out about his rival Devin Haney, who was also there: "You can smell the desperate... Yall wonder why I'm quiet... [its] because I'm being sued. They are the real puss**s, trying to act like I ducked any smoke after I’ve already whooped him. And I am being drug tested just not by VADA [the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, considered the gold standard of drug testing]. So everything they said is lies lies and more lies." [Editor's note: Haney is suing Garcia over positive drug tests for performance enhancing substances after their fight last April. Haney was initially declared the winner but the verdict was changed to a no contest after the failed test]. Garcia also tweeted to Haney's father and manager, Bill: "I came here for business Bill. You are going to get that call. Just shut up take the deal drop the lawsuit and do what you’re told bum." To which Devin Haney responded, "Oh now he a business man? We got our offer from Turki Alalshikh already and accepted it. Now it’s time for you to accept and yes, you have to start drug testing now. So let’s hear your answer business man... This mf told Turki [that] one of many reasons he ain’t fighting me is cause he doesn’t wanna do drug tests months out before the fight, he wants to start a month before the fight.”
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A few words with David Benavidez |
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Interim WBC light heavyweight champion David “El Monstro” Benavidez, an undefeated, former two-time title holder, held a Las Vegas media workout on Thursday before his Saturday, February 1st pay-per-view showdown, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, against fellow unbeaten David Morrell Jr. Here is what Benavidez had to say Thursday from Pound 4 Pound Gym:
“This camp has been amazing and it’s gonna be my best performance yet. This is the strongest I’ve ever been.
“I’m excited to really showcase my skills in this fight. I had a lot of injuries and adversity going into that fight, but I went in there against one of the best in the world and showed I have a lot of heart.
“I’ve been in big fights since I was 20 years old, so to be out there representing the Mexican and Mexican-American people on this stage, it’s everything I’ve wanted out of this sport. I have to show people that I’m the real ‘Mexican Monster’.
“The way I fight, I always try to take my opponents out. It doesn’t mean you always get it, but we’re definitely going to be pushing for it. David Morrell has made it personal for me.
“I’m glad he’s confident in himself. It’s all speculation until we get in there. On February 1st, I’ll show why I’m at this level.
“Right now I’m 100% focused on February 1st. After that we can talk about getting all of those light heavyweight belts.”
Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.
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In addition to the pay-per-view being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.
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A few words with David Benavidez
Interim WBC light heavyweight champion David “El Monstro” Benavidez, an undefeated, former two-time title holder, held a Las Vegas media workout on Thursday before his Saturday, February 1st pay-per-view showdown, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, against fellow unbeaten David Morrell Jr. Here is what Benavidez had to say Thursday from Pound 4 Pound Gym:
“This camp has been amazing and it’s gonna be my best performance yet. This is the strongest I’ve ever been.
“I’m excited to really showcase my skills in this fight. I had a lot of injuries and adversity going into that fight, but I went in there against one of the best in the world and showed I have a lot of heart.
“I’ve been in big fights since I was 20 years old, so to be out there representing the Mexican and Mexican-American people on this stage, it’s everything I’ve wanted out of this sport. I have to show people that I’m the real ‘Mexican Monster’.
“The way I fight, I always try to take my opponents out. It doesn’t mean you always get it, but we’re definitely going to be pushing for it. David Morrell has made it personal for me.
“I’m glad he’s confident in himself. It’s all speculation until we get in there. On February 1st, I’ll show why I’m at this level.
“Right now I’m 100% focused on February 1st. After that we can talk about getting all of those light heavyweight belts.”
Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.
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In addition to the pay-per-view being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.
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Ring Magazine hands out 2024 year-end honors |
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The 2024 Ring awards took place in London on Saturday. Here is a rundown of the winners:
Fighter of the year: Oleksandr Usyk;
Female fighter of the year: Gabriela Fundora;
Fight of the year: Raymond Ford vs. Otabek Kholmatov;
Knockout of the year: Daniel Dubois vs. Anthony Joshua;
Round of the year: Oleksandr Usyk v. Tyson Fury I, round nine;
Event of the year: Oleksandr Usyk v. Tyson Fury I;
Upset of the year: Bruno Surace vs. Jamie Munguia;
Prospect of the year: Moses Itauma;
Comeback of the year: Billy Dib, a former champion who returned for a final bout after defeating cancer;
Traniner of the year: Robert Garcia; and
Lifetime Achievement Award: Don King.
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Ring Magazine hands out 2024 year-end honors
The 2024 Ring awards took place in London on Saturday. Here is a rundown of the winners:
Fighter of the year: Oleksandr Usyk;
Female fighter of the year: Gabriela Fundora;
Fight of the year: Raymond Ford vs. Otabek Kholmatov;
Knockout of the year: Daniel Dubois vs. Anthony Joshua;
Round of the year: Oleksandr Usyk v. Tyson Fury I, round nine;
Event of the year: Oleksandr Usyk v. Tyson Fury I;
Upset of the year: Bruno Surace vs. Jamie Munguia;
Prospect of the year: Moses Itauma;
Comeback of the year: Billy Dib, a former champion who returned for a final bout after defeating cancer;
Traniner of the year: Robert Garcia; and
Lifetime Achievement Award: Don King.
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Caroline Dubois still champ after no contest |
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Caroline Dubois NC2 Jessica Camara ... Caroline Dubois was dominating Jessica Camara over two rounds, only to see the referee rule that an accidental clash of heads meant her opponent could not continue. Dubois retains the WBC lightweight championship and will likely consider this a victory in all but name. Dubois sent in a hard, firm jab and then a vicious straight one-two dropped Camara early in the fight. Throughout the second round Dubois kept Camara under pressure. The challenger was badly marked up, her nose damaged and a bad cut opened up.
Before the third round could begin referee Kieran McCann called a time-out so the doctor could inspect Camara. The Canadian was unable to continue but with the referee ruling that the injury was caused by an accidental clash of heads, the contest went down as a technical draw.
Dubois had dominated the contest for as long as it lasted and although she won't get the victory, she does retain the WBC world championship.
"I don't think she wanted it. I hit her with a straight right and knocked her down in the first round," Dubois said afterwards. "I saw her right eye was swelling up and that was from a punch. With the cut, the blood wasn't coming in her face, it was coming round the side of her face. I'm punching her and maybe it's splattering on her face. She didn't want it, man. It was getting stopped by the doctor or I was stopping it."
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Caroline Dubois still champ after no contest
Caroline Dubois NC2 Jessica Camara ... Caroline Dubois was dominating Jessica Camara over two rounds, only to see the referee rule that an accidental clash of heads meant her opponent could not continue. Dubois retains the WBC lightweight championship and will likely consider this a victory in all but name. Dubois sent in a hard, firm jab and then a vicious straight one-two dropped Camara early in the fight. Throughout the second round Dubois kept Camara under pressure. The challenger was badly marked up, her nose damaged and a bad cut opened up.
Before the third round could begin referee Kieran McCann called a time-out so the doctor could inspect Camara. The Canadian was unable to continue but with the referee ruling that the injury was caused by an accidental clash of heads, the contest went down as a technical draw.
Dubois had dominated the contest for as long as it lasted and although she won't get the victory, she does retain the WBC world championship.
"I don't think she wanted it. I hit her with a straight right and knocked her down in the first round," Dubois said afterwards. "I saw her right eye was swelling up and that was from a punch. With the cut, the blood wasn't coming in her face, it was coming round the side of her face. I'm punching her and maybe it's splattering on her face. She didn't want it, man. It was getting stopped by the doctor or I was stopping it."
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Simpson retains British title via premature stoppage |
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Callum Simpson TKO2 Steed Woodall ... Callum Simpson halted Steed Woodall to defend his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles on an emotional night in Sheffield. Simpson was boxing for the first time since the death of his sister, who passed away tragically at the age of 19. The name of Lily-Rae Simpson was emblazoned on his shorts and robe when he arrived to make his entrance at the Canon Medical Arena. At the first bell Woodall was unfazed by the boos that welcomed him and he tagged Simpson with arching right crosses in the first round, the kind of sharp punching that showed how dangerous he could be.
In round two, Simpson trapped Woodall on the ropes and a combination saw him batter the challenger to the canvas. He mingled right uppercuts into a sequence of blows, a finishing left hook-right hook blast putting the Birmingham man over. Simpson continued to tear into Woodall, although the challenger was bravely looking to fight back. He wanted to continue but the referee intervened to end it at 1:56 of the second round.
The stoppage was criticized as being premature. Sky Sports' expert Matthew Macklin considered it too soon to stop the fight. "He wasn't out on his feet," Macklin said. Even if he was going to go on and stop him, that wasn't the right time to stop it. I think Callum Simpson was going to go on and win the fight, probably by stoppage, but it shouldn't have been stopped when it was."
The result, of course, stands and now Simpson will want another stadium fight.
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Simpson retains British title via premature stoppage
Callum Simpson TKO2 Steed Woodall ... Callum Simpson halted Steed Woodall to defend his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles on an emotional night in Sheffield. Simpson was boxing for the first time since the death of his sister, who passed away tragically at the age of 19. The name of Lily-Rae Simpson was emblazoned on his shorts and robe when he arrived to make his entrance at the Canon Medical Arena. At the first bell Woodall was unfazed by the boos that welcomed him and he tagged Simpson with arching right crosses in the first round, the kind of sharp punching that showed how dangerous he could be.
In round two, Simpson trapped Woodall on the ropes and a combination saw him batter the challenger to the canvas. He mingled right uppercuts into a sequence of blows, a finishing left hook-right hook blast putting the Birmingham man over. Simpson continued to tear into Woodall, although the challenger was bravely looking to fight back. He wanted to continue but the referee intervened to end it at 1:56 of the second round.
The stoppage was criticized as being premature. Sky Sports' expert Matthew Macklin considered it too soon to stop the fight. "He wasn't out on his feet," Macklin said. Even if he was going to go on and stop him, that wasn't the right time to stop it. I think Callum Simpson was going to go on and win the fight, probably by stoppage, but it shouldn't have been stopped when it was."
The result, of course, stands and now Simpson will want another stadium fight.
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Kingsley Ibeh wins tenth straight |
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Kingsley Ibeh KO1 Scott Alexander ... Heavyweight Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh (15-2-1, 13 KOs) win his tenth fight at a Toro Promotions show in the EQC Event Center at the famed Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. Ibeh, 31, hasn’t lost since 2021. The former Canadian pro football player used his 70-pound advantage over Scott Alexander (17-7-2, 9 KOs), trapping his opponent on the ropes, [holding him behind the head], causing a pair of knockdowns. The latter closed the show at 2:36 of the first round for his second straight opening-round stoppage. Ibeh is a native of Nigeria who lives in Phoenix.
Austin Brooks KO8 Rosalindo Morales... Super featherweight Austin Brooks (13-0-1, 6 KOs) garnered an eighth-round stoppage of Rosalindo Morales (10-2, 2 KOs) in the co-feature. Brooks, fighting out of San Diego, controlled the pace from the opening bell and he hurt Morales with a vicious left hook to the body. Morales took a knee and beat the referee’s count, until another body shot ended the fight at 1:04 of round eight.
ADDITIONAL RESULTS
Celebrated amateur Dedrick Crocklem (1-0, 1 KO) turned in an auspicious pro debut in front of his hometown fans in Tacoma, knocking out Nesly Trezile (1-2, 0 KOs) at the 52-seconds mark of the second round. A junior welterweight, Crocklem, who recently signed a promotional contract with Top Rank, blasted Trezile through the ropes in the first round and he closed the show in the second with a flurry of effective punches that left Trezile unable to continue fighting. Among his amateur accomplishments, Crocklem was the 2022 USA Nationals champion, in addition to his 2020 and 2021 USA Youth Nationals gold medal performances.
New Mexico welterweight Rolyn Nez (5-0, 3 KOs) kept his undefeated record intact with a four-round unanimous decision (all three judges scoring it 39-37) over Cruz Becerro Monteon (1-1, 1 KO) in an exciting, competitive match.
Also fighting on the undercard was Washington (Federal Way) super featherweight Alexis De La Cerda (5-0, 3 KOs), who also kept his pro record unbeaten with a dominant four-round decision over his Nicaraguan foe, Nelson Guerrero (2-1-1, 2 KOs).
In the evening’s opening bout, Renton (WA) featherweight Joel Hernandez (1-0) was impressive in his pro debut, pitching a complete shutout (40-36 on all three cards) for a four-round unanimous decision over Julio Lanzas Carollo (0-1).
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Kingsley Ibeh wins tenth straight
Kingsley Ibeh KO1 Scott Alexander ... Heavyweight Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh (15-2-1, 13 KOs) win his tenth fight at a Toro Promotions show in the EQC Event Center at the famed Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. Ibeh, 31, hasn’t lost since 2021. The former Canadian pro football player used his 70-pound advantage over Scott Alexander (17-7-2, 9 KOs), trapping his opponent on the ropes, [holding him behind the head], causing a pair of knockdowns. The latter closed the show at 2:36 of the first round for his second straight opening-round stoppage. Ibeh is a native of Nigeria who lives in Phoenix.
Austin Brooks KO8 Rosalindo Morales... Super featherweight Austin Brooks (13-0-1, 6 KOs) garnered an eighth-round stoppage of Rosalindo Morales (10-2, 2 KOs) in the co-feature. Brooks, fighting out of San Diego, controlled the pace from the opening bell and he hurt Morales with a vicious left hook to the body. Morales took a knee and beat the referee’s count, until another body shot ended the fight at 1:04 of round eight.
ADDITIONAL RESULTS
Celebrated amateur Dedrick Crocklem (1-0, 1 KO) turned in an auspicious pro debut in front of his hometown fans in Tacoma, knocking out Nesly Trezile (1-2, 0 KOs) at the 52-seconds mark of the second round. A junior welterweight, Crocklem, who recently signed a promotional contract with Top Rank, blasted Trezile through the ropes in the first round and he closed the show in the second with a flurry of effective punches that left Trezile unable to continue fighting. Among his amateur accomplishments, Crocklem was the 2022 USA Nationals champion, in addition to his 2020 and 2021 USA Youth Nationals gold medal performances.
New Mexico welterweight Rolyn Nez (5-0, 3 KOs) kept his undefeated record intact with a four-round unanimous decision (all three judges scoring it 39-37) over Cruz Becerro Monteon (1-1, 1 KO) in an exciting, competitive match.
Also fighting on the undercard was Washington (Federal Way) super featherweight Alexis De La Cerda (5-0, 3 KOs), who also kept his pro record unbeaten with a dominant four-round decision over his Nicaraguan foe, Nelson Guerrero (2-1-1, 2 KOs).
In the evening’s opening bout, Renton (WA) featherweight Joel Hernandez (1-0) was impressive in his pro debut, pitching a complete shutout (40-36 on all three cards) for a four-round unanimous decision over Julio Lanzas Carollo (0-1).
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Jarrell Miller files for bankruptcy |
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Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller has filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. As part of his filing, Miller indicated that he owns about $31,000 in assets and has $6.5 million in debt. Among his listed debts is just north of $5 million to Star of David, Inc., a company owned by Dmitri Salita, who was Miller's promoter at the time Miller signed a very lucrative deal to fight then-heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Miller failed a drug test and the Joshua-Miller fight never happened. Salita eventually got a legal judgment against Miller which he is now seeking to collect. That judgment is likely the driving force behind Miller's decision to file for bankruptcy. There was no listing of any boxing contract with promoter Greg Cohen, who has also worked with Miller for several years.
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Jarrell Miller files for bankruptcy
Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller has filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. As part of his filing, Miller indicated that he owns about $31,000 in assets and has $6.5 million in debt. Among his listed debts is just north of $5 million to Star of David, Inc., a company owned by Dmitri Salita, who was Miller's promoter at the time Miller signed a very lucrative deal to fight then-heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Miller failed a drug test and the Joshua-Miller fight never happened. Salita eventually got a legal judgment against Miller which he is now seeking to collect. That judgment is likely the driving force behind Miller's decision to file for bankruptcy. There was no listing of any boxing contract with promoter Greg Cohen, who has also worked with Miller for several years.
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Report: Herring charged with misdemeanor domestic violence |
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According to TMZ Sports, former 130-pound champion Jamel Herring was arrested in Ohio on Thursday night on misdemeanor charges of assault and domestic violence. Herring's wife said Jamel punched her body, pulled her hair, choking and throwing her. The TMZ article referenced a separate incident from December of 2023, in which Jamel was also apparently arrested for domestic violence. Herring is a former Marine who saw combat action prior to becoming a 130-pound champion. His ring record is 24-5. His last fight took place in April of last year, a split-decision loss to Jackson Jon England.
In 2021, he wrote on Facebook, "I suffer from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], anxiety and depression and it's not a good place to be. Sometimes people don't believe me when I tell them I struggle. It can be hard to live with me and to be around me when I get like this and I know it. I try my best to control it. I manage to get strong but sometimes I break. So if you see me very quiet, I'm not being rude, I'm not mad at you, you're not bothering me, I may just need a minute to myself."
About a year ago, Herring, talked further on social media about the challenges he faces: "2023 has been quite a journey. My [U.S. Veterans' Administration] disability rating for PTSD increased, and a week before Christmas, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. This isn't a plea for sympathy, you all know I'm resilient. When you see me in public, by all means, I'm not hiding behind a smile; that's the real me. I just may deal with battles behind the scenes from time to time. I share this story to raise awareness overall, after all the recent news with mental health. Boxing has been my salvation; it helps me clear my mind from a lot of things. My family has had my back 100%, so I’m grateful."
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Report: Herring charged with misdemeanor domestic violence
According to TMZ Sports, former 130-pound champion Jamel Herring was arrested in Ohio on Thursday night on misdemeanor charges of assault and domestic violence. Herring's wife said Jamel punched her body, pulled her hair, choking and throwing her. The TMZ article referenced a separate incident from December of 2023, in which Jamel was also apparently arrested for domestic violence. Herring is a former Marine who saw combat action prior to becoming a 130-pound champion. His ring record is 24-5. His last fight took place in April of last year, a split-decision loss to Jackson Jon England.
In 2021, he wrote on Facebook, "I suffer from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], anxiety and depression and it's not a good place to be. Sometimes people don't believe me when I tell them I struggle. It can be hard to live with me and to be around me when I get like this and I know it. I try my best to control it. I manage to get strong but sometimes I break. So if you see me very quiet, I'm not being rude, I'm not mad at you, you're not bothering me, I may just need a minute to myself."
About a year ago, Herring, talked further on social media about the challenges he faces: "2023 has been quite a journey. My [U.S. Veterans' Administration] disability rating for PTSD increased, and a week before Christmas, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. This isn't a plea for sympathy, you all know I'm resilient. When you see me in public, by all means, I'm not hiding behind a smile; that's the real me. I just may deal with battles behind the scenes from time to time. I share this story to raise awareness overall, after all the recent news with mental health. Boxing has been my salvation; it helps me clear my mind from a lot of things. My family has had my back 100%, so I’m grateful."
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Weigh-in results from Sheffield, England |
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Caroline Dubois will defend her WBC lightweight title against Canada's Jessica Camara on Saturday at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England. This will be the first defense of the belt for Dubois, who is 10-0 with 5 KOs. Dubois won the title by knocking out Maira Moneo last August in the wake of Katie Taylor leaving the division. Camara, who is 14-4 with 3 KOs, will fight in the United Kingdom for the first time in her pro career and arrives in Sheffield on a four-fight winning streak. Both fighters weighed in right at the lightweight limit of 135 pounds. Callum Simpson and Steed Woodall also made weight for their British and Commonwealth super middleweight title bout, the former at 167 pounds and the latter on the 168-pound limit precisely.
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Weigh-in results from Sheffield, England
Caroline Dubois will defend her WBC lightweight title against Canada's Jessica Camara on Saturday at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England. This will be the first defense of the belt for Dubois, who is 10-0 with 5 KOs. Dubois won the title by knocking out Maira Moneo last August in the wake of Katie Taylor leaving the division. Camara, who is 14-4 with 3 KOs, will fight in the United Kingdom for the first time in her pro career and arrives in Sheffield on a four-fight winning streak. Both fighters weighed in right at the lightweight limit of 135 pounds. Callum Simpson and Steed Woodall also made weight for their British and Commonwealth super middleweight title bout, the former at 167 pounds and the latter on the 168-pound limit precisely.
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Figueroa ready to avenge loss to Fulton next month |
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WBC featherweight champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa will defend his title against former two-belt super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton Jr. on Saturday, February 1st on a PBC pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will be a rematch of one of 2021’s best fights, which Fulton won by majority decision. The first fight was at 122 pounds, and the rematch will be at 126. The main event on February 1st will see David “El Monstro” Benavidez defend his WBC interim light heavyweight belt against David Morrell Jr. Here is what Figueroa had to say Thursday at a press event at Pound 4 Pound Gym in Las Vegas:
“This is gonna be an action-packed fight and an action-packed card. I think everyone on this card is really hungry to prove themselves, and that’s gonna make this a great night.
“I’m coming into this fight hungry and prepared 110%. Every opponent is dangerous when given the opportunity. That’s my whole mentality. I over prepare, because you can’t be sure of anything in this sport.
“I’ve had good wins since our first fight and I’ve continued to grow as a fighter for sure. But I don’t take anything away from Fulton for his recent performances either. I know that I make him better as a fighter, just like he makes me better. I know that he’s gonna be at his best because he knows what I bring to the ring.
“I’m always evolving as a fighter. I have to make my style better and get sharper and sharper. To fight the top level guys like this, I have to keep getting better. I have to show that I can do everything.
“This is going to be a big year for me and I’m very excited to keep taking every opportunity that I get. I’m definitely in my prime right now. I feel strong and I can’t wait to put it all together in the ring.”
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Figueroa ready to avenge loss to Fulton next month
WBC featherweight champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa will defend his title against former two-belt super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton Jr. on Saturday, February 1st on a PBC pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will be a rematch of one of 2021’s best fights, which Fulton won by majority decision. The first fight was at 122 pounds, and the rematch will be at 126. The main event on February 1st will see David “El Monstro” Benavidez defend his WBC interim light heavyweight belt against David Morrell Jr. Here is what Figueroa had to say Thursday at a press event at Pound 4 Pound Gym in Las Vegas:
“This is gonna be an action-packed fight and an action-packed card. I think everyone on this card is really hungry to prove themselves, and that’s gonna make this a great night.
“I’m coming into this fight hungry and prepared 110%. Every opponent is dangerous when given the opportunity. That’s my whole mentality. I over prepare, because you can’t be sure of anything in this sport.
“I’ve had good wins since our first fight and I’ve continued to grow as a fighter for sure. But I don’t take anything away from Fulton for his recent performances either. I know that I make him better as a fighter, just like he makes me better. I know that he’s gonna be at his best because he knows what I bring to the ring.
“I’m always evolving as a fighter. I have to make my style better and get sharper and sharper. To fight the top level guys like this, I have to keep getting better. I have to show that I can do everything.
“This is going to be a big year for me and I’m very excited to keep taking every opportunity that I get. I’m definitely in my prime right now. I feel strong and I can’t wait to put it all together in the ring.”
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Azim confident he will defeat ex-champ Lipinets |
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British junior welterweight hopeful Adam Azim has vowed to defeat Sergey Lipinets ahead of his fight against the former champion in London. Azim, an unbeaten 22-year-old takes a sizeable step up in class against Lipinets, a former IBF monarch, at London's Wembley Arena on February 1st, live on Sky Sports. Lipinets is 18-3-1. His last two fights were a loss to Michel Rivera followed by a win over Robbie Davies Jr. "I'm looking forward to this fight, it's going to be a huge breakthrough for me," said Azim. "2025 is definitely when I bring myself through to the world stage," said Azim. "Not just domestically, [but on the] global [level], I'm going to announce myself on the world stage."
Azim, who has nine knockouts on his unbeaten 12-fight record, insists he deserves to be recognized alongside the elite names who have already beaten Lipinets. He said: "You look at it, Sergey is a good fighter, he's an elite fighter, but has he fought anyone like me? He's lost against [IBF welterweight champion Jaron] 'Boots' [Ennis] and former three-division champion] Mikey Garcia. I'm going to prove myself as an elite fighter. I've been in the game for quite a long time now. I started [boxing] at the age of four... Years of utter dedication and I'm ready for anyone."
Also on the bill, London cruiserweight rivals Viddal Riley and Isaac Chamberlain will meet in their long-awaited collision.
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Azim confident he will defeat ex-champ Lipinets
British junior welterweight hopeful Adam Azim has vowed to defeat Sergey Lipinets ahead of his fight against the former champion in London. Azim, an unbeaten 22-year-old takes a sizeable step up in class against Lipinets, a former IBF monarch, at London's Wembley Arena on February 1st, live on Sky Sports. Lipinets is 18-3-1. His last two fights were a loss to Michel Rivera followed by a win over Robbie Davies Jr. "I'm looking forward to this fight, it's going to be a huge breakthrough for me," said Azim. "2025 is definitely when I bring myself through to the world stage," said Azim. "Not just domestically, [but on the] global [level], I'm going to announce myself on the world stage."
Azim, who has nine knockouts on his unbeaten 12-fight record, insists he deserves to be recognized alongside the elite names who have already beaten Lipinets. He said: "You look at it, Sergey is a good fighter, he's an elite fighter, but has he fought anyone like me? He's lost against [IBF welterweight champion Jaron] 'Boots' [Ennis] and former three-division champion] Mikey Garcia. I'm going to prove myself as an elite fighter. I've been in the game for quite a long time now. I started [boxing] at the age of four... Years of utter dedication and I'm ready for anyone."
Also on the bill, London cruiserweight rivals Viddal Riley and Isaac Chamberlain will meet in their long-awaited collision.
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WBO moving towards giving interim title to winner of Caterall vs. Barboza |
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The WBO is moving towards creating an interim championship at 140 pounds in light of Teofimo Lopez's failure to agree to terms on a title defense. WBO president Gustavo Oilveri tweeted today, "In light of the uncertainty regarding [WBO junior welterweight champion] Teofimo Lopez’s career, it is in the best interest of boxing and the 140-pound division, recommending to the WBO Championship Commitee that Arnold Barboza vs. Jack Catterall be sanctioned for the interim title and mandatory [challenger position] subject to specific conditions and time frame to fight Lopez to terminate the interim champion status and have only one [WBO] champion in the 140-pound. The show must go on."
Catterall is laready scheduled to face Barboza at Co-op Live in Manchester, England on Saturday February 15th, live worldwide on DAZN. Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) floored Regis Prograis twice in the ninth round in October en route to decisioning the former two-time champion. That win capped a memorable 2024 for ‘El Gato’, who earlier in the year avenged the sole loss of his career against bitter rival Josh Taylor.
California’s Barboza Jr (31-0, 11 KOs) outpointed Jose Carlos Ramirez over ten rounds last time out.
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WBO moving towards giving interim title to winner of Caterall vs. Barboza
The WBO is moving towards creating an interim championship at 140 pounds in light of Teofimo Lopez's failure to agree to terms on a title defense. WBO president Gustavo Oilveri tweeted today, "In light of the uncertainty regarding [WBO junior welterweight champion] Teofimo Lopez’s career, it is in the best interest of boxing and the 140-pound division, recommending to the WBO Championship Commitee that Arnold Barboza vs. Jack Catterall be sanctioned for the interim title and mandatory [challenger position] subject to specific conditions and time frame to fight Lopez to terminate the interim champion status and have only one [WBO] champion in the 140-pound. The show must go on."
Catterall is laready scheduled to face Barboza at Co-op Live in Manchester, England on Saturday February 15th, live worldwide on DAZN. Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) floored Regis Prograis twice in the ninth round in October en route to decisioning the former two-time champion. That win capped a memorable 2024 for ‘El Gato’, who earlier in the year avenged the sole loss of his career against bitter rival Josh Taylor.
California’s Barboza Jr (31-0, 11 KOs) outpointed Jose Carlos Ramirez over ten rounds last time out.
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A few words with ex-champ Jeison Rosario |
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On Saturday, February 1st, as part of a PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, former two-belt junior middleweight champion Jeison Rosario (24-4-2) of the Dominican Republic takes on rising Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. (21-1) of Mexico in the opener of a four-fight broadcast. The main event that night will see David “El Monstro” Benavidez defend his WBC interim light heavyweight belt against David Morrell Jr. Rosario won the IBF and WBA 154-pound titles in 2020 with an upset of Julian Williams. Here is what Rosario had to say at a recent press event:
“Training camp is going great here in Las Vegas with [my trainer] Bob Santos. I have big plans for February 1st. I’m gonna shock the world and bring home the victory. My last fight [a draw vs. former champion Jarett Hurd] really tested me. It gave me what I needed going into this fight with Ramos. I’m ready to seize this moment and make the most of it. I’m very grateful for this opportunity and most of all, I can’t wait to show the fans what I’ve been working on. My plan is to make it a great night. I can’t wait for the bell to ring.”
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A few words with ex-champ Jeison Rosario
On Saturday, February 1st, as part of a PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, former two-belt junior middleweight champion Jeison Rosario (24-4-2) of the Dominican Republic takes on rising Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. (21-1) of Mexico in the opener of a four-fight broadcast. The main event that night will see David “El Monstro” Benavidez defend his WBC interim light heavyweight belt against David Morrell Jr. Rosario won the IBF and WBA 154-pound titles in 2020 with an upset of Julian Williams. Here is what Rosario had to say at a recent press event:
“Training camp is going great here in Las Vegas with [my trainer] Bob Santos. I have big plans for February 1st. I’m gonna shock the world and bring home the victory. My last fight [a draw vs. former champion Jarett Hurd] really tested me. It gave me what I needed going into this fight with Ramos. I’m ready to seize this moment and make the most of it. I’m very grateful for this opportunity and most of all, I can’t wait to show the fans what I’ve been working on. My plan is to make it a great night. I can’t wait for the bell to ring.”
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Tonight: Austin Brooks vs. Rosalindo Morales |
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Tonight (Friday) in the Pacific Northwest, junior lightweights Austin Brooks and Rosalindo Morales will clash in a main event at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. Brooks (12-0-1) is a 29 year-old Idaho native. The southpaw has been a pro since 2020 and has been making his way in a tough 130-pound division. He is coming off the toughest fight of his career against Aram Avagyan, scored a draw after ten hard rounds last June 15th. Morales is an American of Mexican descent who is 31 years old. The native of El Paso, Texas, is also a southpaw and has been a professional since 2017, compiling a 10-1 mark so far. He had a fairly successful start to his career with 9 wins in a row, but lost by knockout to Julian Gonzalez in 2023. He came back in 2024 to beat Marcelo Williams but now faces a bigger challenge.
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Tonight: Austin Brooks vs. Rosalindo Morales
Tonight (Friday) in the Pacific Northwest, junior lightweights Austin Brooks and Rosalindo Morales will clash in a main event at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. Brooks (12-0-1) is a 29 year-old Idaho native. The southpaw has been a pro since 2020 and has been making his way in a tough 130-pound division. He is coming off the toughest fight of his career against Aram Avagyan, scored a draw after ten hard rounds last June 15th. Morales is an American of Mexican descent who is 31 years old. The native of El Paso, Texas, is also a southpaw and has been a professional since 2017, compiling a 10-1 mark so far. He had a fairly successful start to his career with 9 wins in a row, but lost by knockout to Julian Gonzalez in 2023. He came back in 2024 to beat Marcelo Williams but now faces a bigger challenge.
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Trainer Shingo Inoue honored for his accomplishments with his sons |
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Shingo Inoue was honored as the WBA Trainer of the Year for 2024 in recognition of his work with his sons, Naoya and Takuma Inoue. Naoya is the undisputed world 122-pound champion while Takuma is a former WBA 118-pound champion. Naoya had two fights in 2024, winning both of them by knockout. He defeated Luis Nery in May by technical knockout and repeated the feat against TJ Doheny in September. Naoya was scheduled to fight Sam Goodman in December but had to be postponed to January 24, 2025 due to an injury suffered by Goodman.
Takuma also had a good 2024 with two defenses of the WBA bantamweight title. The first was a stoppage win over a former 115-pound champion, Jerwin Ancajas in the month of February and the second was against Sho Ishida in May, whom he defeated by unanimous decision. In October, Takuma lost the tile to countryman Seiya Tsutsumi in a fight of the year candidate.
Thee WBA also recognized trainer Brian McIntyre with an honorable mention for his great work alongside one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, WBA 154-pound champion Terence Crawford.
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Trainer Shingo Inoue honored for his accomplishments with his sons
Shingo Inoue was honored as the WBA Trainer of the Year for 2024 in recognition of his work with his sons, Naoya and Takuma Inoue. Naoya is the undisputed world 122-pound champion while Takuma is a former WBA 118-pound champion. Naoya had two fights in 2024, winning both of them by knockout. He defeated Luis Nery in May by technical knockout and repeated the feat against TJ Doheny in September. Naoya was scheduled to fight Sam Goodman in December but had to be postponed to January 24, 2025 due to an injury suffered by Goodman.
Takuma also had a good 2024 with two defenses of the WBA bantamweight title. The first was a stoppage win over a former 115-pound champion, Jerwin Ancajas in the month of February and the second was against Sho Ishida in May, whom he defeated by unanimous decision. In October, Takuma lost the tile to countryman Seiya Tsutsumi in a fight of the year candidate.
Thee WBA also recognized trainer Brian McIntyre with an honorable mention for his great work alongside one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, WBA 154-pound champion Terence Crawford.
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Simpson to defend British title in honor of his late sister |
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On Saturday, super middleweight Callum Simpson (15-0) kicks off the British boxing year with a domestic title defense against Steed Woodall (19-2-1). Once again fighting near his home, Simpson will be looking to get 2025 off to a strong start. According to Sky Sports reporting, It will be the champion's first fight since the tragic death of his nineteen year-old sister, Lily-Rae Simpson. She perished in an accident. Woodall will be arriving into this contest high on confidence after stopping Lerrone Richards in June. The fight will take place at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England. Sky Sports will broadcast the fight in the UK, while U.S. fight fans can stream the clash on Peacock. Here is the full line-up of bouts:
Callum Simpson vs. Steed Woodall; For Simpson's British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles;
Caroline Dubois vs. Jessica Camara; For Dubois' WBC women's lightweight title;
Billy Deniz vs. Mickey Ellison; light heavyweights;
Sam Hickey vs. Lewis Howells; middleweights;
Mauro Silva vs. Emmanuel Zion; middleweights;
Ellis Price vs. Liam Fitzmaurice; lightweights; and
Scott Forrest vs. Deevorn Miller; cruiserweights.
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Simpson to defend British title in honor of his late sister
On Saturday, super middleweight Callum Simpson (15-0) kicks off the British boxing year with a domestic title defense against Steed Woodall (19-2-1). Once again fighting near his home, Simpson will be looking to get 2025 off to a strong start. According to Sky Sports reporting, It will be the champion's first fight since the tragic death of his nineteen year-old sister, Lily-Rae Simpson. She perished in an accident. Woodall will be arriving into this contest high on confidence after stopping Lerrone Richards in June. The fight will take place at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England. Sky Sports will broadcast the fight in the UK, while U.S. fight fans can stream the clash on Peacock. Here is the full line-up of bouts:
Callum Simpson vs. Steed Woodall; For Simpson's British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles;
Caroline Dubois vs. Jessica Camara; For Dubois' WBC women's lightweight title;
Billy Deniz vs. Mickey Ellison; light heavyweights;
Sam Hickey vs. Lewis Howells; middleweights;
Mauro Silva vs. Emmanuel Zion; middleweights;
Ellis Price vs. Liam Fitzmaurice; lightweights; and
Scott Forrest vs. Deevorn Miller; cruiserweights.
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Ex-champ Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov to come back next month |
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Former IBF junior lightweight champion Shavkatdzhon “Shere Khan” Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14 KOs) will return to the ring under the Sampson Boxing promotional banner when he faces Justin “The Million Dollar Man” Pauldo (17-2, 8 KOs) in a ten-round lightweight special attraction on Saturday, February 8th at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The bout will be streamed live on ProBox TV. The show will also feature super bantamweight Ramon “Dinamita” Cardenas (25-1, 14 KOs) fighting in his hometown against Bryan “Latino” Acosta (20-0, 8 KOs) of Mexico in the ten-round main event. Also on the show, Guatemalan super middleweight Lester Martinez (18-0, 15 KOs) faces Joeshon “Shontime” James (9-0-2, 5 KOs) of Sacramento in a ten-round batlle of unbeatens.
Rakhimov, originally of Bokhtar, Tajikistan, and now fighting out of Downey, California, won the IBF 130-pound title via TKO over Zelfa Barrett in Abu Dhabi in November 2022. The 30 year-old southpaw will return to the ring in his first sanctioned appearance since losing his title in his first defense 22 months ago, via split decision to hometown challenger Joe Cordina of Cardiff, Wales, at the Cardiff International Arena.
“I am grateful to be returning to the ring for a new promotional company,” said Rakhimov. “My opponent a good, tough fighter, which deserves respect, but he is no match for me and my drive to return to the world championship.”
In his nine-year pro career, Rakhimov also fought to a majority twelve-round draw with Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz in a February 2021 in an IBF championship fight that saw an overweight Diaz lose his title on the scales the day before the draw.
“‘Shere Khan’ Rakhimov is back and looking to return to the top of the rankings where he belongs as soon as possible,” said new promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “We will put him in tough fights like these, which he needs to make a quick climb back to the top of the division for a world title challenge in the near future.”
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Ex-champ Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov to come back next month
Former IBF junior lightweight champion Shavkatdzhon “Shere Khan” Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14 KOs) will return to the ring under the Sampson Boxing promotional banner when he faces Justin “The Million Dollar Man” Pauldo (17-2, 8 KOs) in a ten-round lightweight special attraction on Saturday, February 8th at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The bout will be streamed live on ProBox TV. The show will also feature super bantamweight Ramon “Dinamita” Cardenas (25-1, 14 KOs) fighting in his hometown against Bryan “Latino” Acosta (20-0, 8 KOs) of Mexico in the ten-round main event. Also on the show, Guatemalan super middleweight Lester Martinez (18-0, 15 KOs) faces Joeshon “Shontime” James (9-0-2, 5 KOs) of Sacramento in a ten-round batlle of unbeatens.
Rakhimov, originally of Bokhtar, Tajikistan, and now fighting out of Downey, California, won the IBF 130-pound title via TKO over Zelfa Barrett in Abu Dhabi in November 2022. The 30 year-old southpaw will return to the ring in his first sanctioned appearance since losing his title in his first defense 22 months ago, via split decision to hometown challenger Joe Cordina of Cardiff, Wales, at the Cardiff International Arena.
“I am grateful to be returning to the ring for a new promotional company,” said Rakhimov. “My opponent a good, tough fighter, which deserves respect, but he is no match for me and my drive to return to the world championship.”
In his nine-year pro career, Rakhimov also fought to a majority twelve-round draw with Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz in a February 2021 in an IBF championship fight that saw an overweight Diaz lose his title on the scales the day before the draw.
“‘Shere Khan’ Rakhimov is back and looking to return to the top of the rankings where he belongs as soon as possible,” said new promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “We will put him in tough fights like these, which he needs to make a quick climb back to the top of the division for a world title challenge in the near future.”
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Jared Anderson books comeback fight |
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Heavyweight Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson is ready for a fresh start in 2025. The once-beaten puncher from Toledo, Ohio, coming off a loss to Martin Bakole, returns in a ten-rounder against Marios Kollias on Friday, Feb. 14th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Anderson-Kollias joins an ESPN+-streamed undercard headlined by the WBO lightweight world title showdown between reigning champion Denys Berinchyk and unbeaten American Keyshawn Davis. The undercard will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The undercard will also feature the pro debut of second-generation Puerto Rican Juanmita Lopez De Jesus, who will take on Bryan Santiago (1-1-1) in a four-round junior bantamweight tilt. Rising welterweight Keon Davis will see action in a four-rounder against an opponent to be named.
Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Xander Zayas-Slawa Spomer, and Vito Mielnicki Jr.-Connor Coyle will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.
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Jared Anderson books comeback fight
Heavyweight Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson is ready for a fresh start in 2025. The once-beaten puncher from Toledo, Ohio, coming off a loss to Martin Bakole, returns in a ten-rounder against Marios Kollias on Friday, Feb. 14th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Anderson-Kollias joins an ESPN+-streamed undercard headlined by the WBO lightweight world title showdown between reigning champion Denys Berinchyk and unbeaten American Keyshawn Davis. The undercard will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The undercard will also feature the pro debut of second-generation Puerto Rican Juanmita Lopez De Jesus, who will take on Bryan Santiago (1-1-1) in a four-round junior bantamweight tilt. Rising welterweight Keon Davis will see action in a four-rounder against an opponent to be named.
Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Xander Zayas-Slawa Spomer, and Vito Mielnicki Jr.-Connor Coyle will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.
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Ashleyann Lozada to make pro debut on Feb. 2nd |
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Puerto Rico’s first female Olympic boxer, Ashleyann Lozada, will make her pro debut on Salita Promotions' February 2nd card at Flint Michigan's Dort Event Center. Lozada will face California's Denise Moran (3-0) in the super bantamweight division. The show wil be headlined Claressa Shields's heavyweight title defense vs. Danielle Perkins live on DAZN. Tickets can be purchased at www.etix.com.
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Ashleyann Lozada to make pro debut on Feb. 2nd
Puerto Rico’s first female Olympic boxer, Ashleyann Lozada, will make her pro debut on Salita Promotions' February 2nd card at Flint Michigan's Dort Event Center. Lozada will face California's Denise Moran (3-0) in the super bantamweight division. The show wil be headlined Claressa Shields's heavyweight title defense vs. Danielle Perkins live on DAZN. Tickets can be purchased at www.etix.com.
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Watch Opetaia KO Nyika to retain cruiserweight title |
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Jai Opetaia KO4 David Nyika... Fighting in his native Australia, Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight championship by knocking out David Nyika of New Zealand. Making his first fight in Australia in two years, Opetaia was not troubled by the change in opponent three weeks before the opening bell. Opetaia increased his intensity towards the end of round three. A right hand sent Nyika on to the canvas, but the New Zealand fighter managed to beat the count. But Opetaia continued to land and eventually it proved too much for Nyika's resistance who was knocked out with a big left hand. Nyika was down on the canvas for several minutes but eventually stood up under his own power.
Boxing fans hope the next assignment for Opetaia will be a unification clash with WBA / WBO cruiserweight titleholder Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. Opetaia was lauded on social media by former cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis, whom Opetaia has defeated twice. Briedis tweeted, "Congratulations to Jai Opetaia on a stunning victory! A brilliant performance that showcases his world-class talent."
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Watch Opetaia KO Nyika to retain cruiserweight title
Jai Opetaia KO4 David Nyika... Fighting in his native Australia, Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight championship by knocking out David Nyika of New Zealand. Making his first fight in Australia in two years, Opetaia was not troubled by the change in opponent three weeks before the opening bell. Opetaia increased his intensity towards the end of round three. A right hand sent Nyika on to the canvas, but the New Zealand fighter managed to beat the count. But Opetaia continued to land and eventually it proved too much for Nyika's resistance who was knocked out with a big left hand. Nyika was down on the canvas for several minutes but eventually stood up under his own power.
Boxing fans hope the next assignment for Opetaia will be a unification clash with WBA / WBO cruiserweight titleholder Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. Opetaia was lauded on social media by former cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis, whom Opetaia has defeated twice. Briedis tweeted, "Congratulations to Jai Opetaia on a stunning victory! A brilliant performance that showcases his world-class talent."
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