Ryan Garcia claims he has an agreement to fight undefeated, multi-division champion (but 49 year-old) Floyd Mayweather. Garcia tweeted: "Trust me at first I thought this was bull***. But it’s real Floyd and I agree to a fight. 147 for the WBC welterweight championship of the world. 50-0 vs. the current champ."

 

USA Boxing announced a new pathway for eligible professional boxers to compete for a place on Team USA, beginning with a Professional Pathway Tournament that will send its champions to the 2027 USA Boxing Elite Team Evaluation & Selection Camp. The pathway expands the pool of American boxers competing for international medals ahead of the Lima 2027 Pan American Games and the LA28 Olympic Games. The 2026 Professional Pathway Tournament will be held December 5-12, 2026, at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, Louisiana, alongside the 2026 USA Boxing Elite National Championships. It will be a separate competition, administered by USA Boxing officials under Olympic-style rules, in which Professional Pathway boxers compete only against one another. The first-place finisher in each Olympic weight class earns an invitation to the 2027 Elite Team Evaluation & Selection Camp in Colorado Springs in early 2027, where all invited athletes are evaluated under the same High Performance standards.

 

The traditional USA Boxing pathway remains in place for current amateur boxers to the High Performance Team and Squad, and nothing about it changes. Current USA Boxing athletes continue to advance through the Elite National Championships and the established selection procedures.

 

“Our goal is to field the strongest possible U.S. team. This pathway gives eligible American boxers, amateur and professional, an opportunity to compete for selection through our High Performance program. It reflects careful deliberation among USA Boxing’s Board, staff and the USOPC. For some athletes, the Olympics have been a goal since their first amateur bout. For others, this offers an opportunity to pursue that goal after turning professional. We look forward to seeing these athletes compete for the chance to represent the United States in Los Angeles.” Chris Trombetta, Chair, USA Boxing Board of Directors.

 

The pathway supports USA Boxing’s mission to place American boxers at the top of the podium and operates within the selection and eligibility framework of USA Boxing, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and World Boxing. To include professional boxers in the pathway to Olympic competition, USA Boxing must carefully navigate the rules and regulations established by the U.S. Congress, the USOPC, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), World Boxing, USA Boxing’s bylaws and Rulebook, the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), and state boxing commissions.

 

Full details, including eligibility requirements, tournament entry criteria, registration, selection procedures, frequently asked questions, the Preliminary Notice, Selection Procedures, and more are available on USA Boxing’s dedicated Professional Pathway page, HERE.

 

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) has formally challenged the decision in Lucas Bahdi’s Saturday, October 10 WBA lightweight championship loss against Floyd Schofield III. According to MVP, "the video evidence demonstrates multiple significant officiating errors that directly impacted the outcome of the fight. Our review shows that had these knockdowns been properly ruled and scored, Lucas would have won the WBA lightweight world championship by majority decision. We have a responsibility to advocate for our fighters, especially when a world championship is at stake. Lucas deserves a fair result, and we believe the evidence warrants a thorough review. We have submitted our findings to the WBA and requested an immediate rematch. Our fighters put everything on the line when they step into the ring, and MVP will always stand behind our athletes and advocate for the opportunities and fair treatment they deserve."

 

Super middleweight Jahyden Britton (10-0, 6 KOs) is putting the finishing touches on his training camp as he prepares to face Gonzalo Andreasen (13-13-2, 9 KOs) in a scheduled ten-round main event. The showdown will stream live worldwide on CombatVisionTV. Training camp has been focused on sharpening his skills, improving his conditioning, and preparing for the challenges that Andreasen will bring to the ring. Britton believes the work he has put in will be evident when the opening bell sounds. “This has been one of the best training camps of my career,” said Britton. “I've been pushing myself every single day, working on all aspects of my game, and making sure I'm prepared for anything that comes my way. My conditioning is great, my timing is sharp, and mentally I'm locked in. I know what's at stake, and I'm ready to go out there and put on a great performance.”

 

Britton knows that facing an experienced opponent like Andreasen presents a different challenge, but he welcomes the opportunity to showcase his growth and maturity as a fighter. “Andreasen has been in the ring with a lot of different fighters, and I respect the experience he brings,” Britton continued. “He's a tough opponent who knows how to compete, so I'm not taking him lightly. We've studied what he does well, and we've put together a solid game plan. I'm going to stay disciplined, use my speed and boxing ability, and make the adjustments I need to make. I'm confident in my preparation, and I believe my skills will be the difference.”

 

For Britton, this fight serves as an important stepping stone toward greater opportunities, higher rankings, and hopefully a shot at a world championship. “My goal is to keep winning, move up the rankings, and put myself in position for bigger fights. A victory over Andreasen is another step in that direction. I'm hungry, I'm focused, and I'm not satisfied with where I am right now. I want to reach the top.”

 

Bobby Harrison, CEO of BiYu Promotions, believes this matchup represents an important moment in Britton's development and a valuable opportunity to strengthen his position in the competitive super middleweight division. “This is a very important fight for Jahyden because he's entering a stage of his career where every performance matters,” said Harrison. “He's undefeated and he's continuing to develop into a complete fighter. We've seen tremendous growth in his skills, confidence, and maturity, and we believe he has the potential to become a major force in the super middleweight division. Andreasen brings valuable experience, and this is the type of challenge Jahyden needs as we continue building his career. A strong performance will help us position him for bigger opportunities and move him closer to the world rankings. At BiYu Promotions, we're committed to giving Jahyden the platform and opportunities he needs to reach his full potential.”

 

With training camp coming to a close, Britton is eager to step back into the spotlight and demonstrate why he is considered one of Houston's rising boxing talents. Backed by BiYu Promotions, the undefeated champion remains focused on making a statement and continuing his pursuit of championship glory. “I'm excited to get back in the ring and show everyone the improvements I've made,” Britton concluded. “I want to thank my team, BiYu Promotions, and everyone who continues to support me. I'm representing Houston every time I step into that ring, and I plan on making my city proud. The goal is to stay undefeated, and keep moving forward toward a world championship.”

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has signed a multi-fight deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom. The two-weight unified king’s new deal covers his next seven fights at the most exciting time in his career to date, with the 29-year-old closing in on his goal of becoming the undisputed champion at 154 pounds. The Philadelphia favorite first joined forces with Hearn and Matchroom in April 2024, and Hearn immediately brought Boots back home as he fought at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia twice that year, defending his IBF welterweight crown against David Avanesyan and Karen Chukhadzhian. Those wins set Ennis up with a unification bout at 147 with WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis a year after signing the deal, and Ennis dominated the Lithuanian in Atlantic City, forcing him to retire after six punishing rounds.

 

Ennis moved up in weight and returned home to Philadelphia to destroy Uisma Lima inside the opening round of their October showdown for the interim WBA junior middleweight title, and that led to the biggest fight of his career so far, when Boots unified with a stoppage win over Xander Zayas in Brooklyn in July. Ennis is hunting the remaining belts at 154 , with the IBF title held by Briton Josh Kelly, who also inked a deal with Matchroom, and the WBC crown held by American giant Sebastian Fundora, and Boots feels he has the right team around him to land those fights and become undisputed.

 

“I’m excited for my extended partnership with Matchroom,” said Ennis. “Together we have aligned ourselves in all the right positions to get what I want, and that’s undisputed The world is about to see why I’m different and why I’m the best fighter in the world! These guys aren’t on my level! They can’t do what I do! Road to undisputed! Road to the number one pound-for-pound best fighter in the world!”

 

“I am delighted that Jaron has signed a new deal with us,” said Hearn. “It’s an honor that this pound-for-pound star continues to trust us with his career, and the whole team intends to repay that faith by delivering what he wants; unification and undisputed fights and the biggest names and nights in the sport.”

 

 

Denis Boytsov, a fringe heavyweight contender, has passed away at the age of 40 according to the WBC. Boytsov ran his record up to 36-1 with wins over American several gatekeepers, Dominic Guinn, Vinnie Maddalone, Fernely Feliz Sr., Israel Garcia and Jason Gavern. His career was still on the ascent when, In May 2015, at the age of 29, he suffered a tragic incident in the Berlin subway that left him with severe head injuries. Although German prosecutors concluded it was an accident, the neurological damage proved devastating and permanent, taking away his ability to walk and speak, and permanently ending his boxing career.  Boytsov spent years in rehabilitation in Germany and later in Russia under the care of his family, fighting an admirable personal battle for his health. At age 40, the former heavyweight passed away at his family home in Orel, Russia, following a medical emergency attributed to a blood clot. With this, a decade-long struggle to reclaim his life came to a tragic end.

 

Boxingtalk joins the WBC in sending its deepest sympathies to the friends and family of Dennis Boytsov.

WBO/IBF junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs) will face WBC champ O’Shaquie Foster (25-3, 12 KOs) in a three-belt unification showdown Saturday, Oct. 24th at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. In the ten-round featherweight co-feature, Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez (18-0, 11 KOs) steps up to take on Fort Worth native and former title challenger Edward Vazquez (20-3, 6 KOs).Junior welterweight contender Frank Martin (19-1-1, 13 KOs) will battle Morocco’s Tarik Zaina (18-3-1, 12 KOs) in a ten-rounder, while former amateur rivals Steven Navarro (9-1, 6 KOs) and Emanuel Moreno (13-0, 3 KOs) meet in a ten-round bantamweight clash. Navarrete-Foster, Gonzalez-Vazquez, Martin-Zaina and Navarro-Moreno will stream LIVE on DAZN beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com.

 

Before the main broadcast, four undercard bouts will stream live beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on DAZN, Top Rank and DAZN’s YouTube channels, and the Top Rank Classics FAST channel on Roku, Tubi, Pluto and Vizio, featuring:

 

Scooter Davis vs. Joaquin Silva Faccio, eight rounds, lightweights;

Sammy Contreras vs. Oscar Pedroza Padilla, six rounds, lightweights;

Daniel Cortez III vs. Joshua Montoya, six rounds, super bantamweights; and

Joseph Almajdi vs. Miqal Dolphus, six rounds, junior middleweights.

 

Original programming and fight week activities will be featured on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter), and Facebook pages before Saturday’s event.

 

Fight Week Schedule

 

Thursday, Oct. 22: Navarrete vs. Foster Final Presser

3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

Streaming LIVE on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter), and Facebook pages.

 

Friday, Oct. 23: Navarrete vs. Foster Ceremonial Weigh-In

2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT

Streaming LIVE on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter), and Facebook pages.

 

Saturday, Oct. 24: Navarrete vs. Foster Fight Night

 

Undercard Stream

5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT

LIVE on DAZN, Top Rank and DAZN’s YouTube channels, and the Top Rank Classics FAST channel on Roku, Tubi, Pluto and Vizio

 

DAZN Broadcast

8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

LIVE on DAZN

 

Gustavo Trujillo KO2 Donald Haynesworth...  Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo (13-0, 12 KOs) continued his ascent in the heavyweight division with a second-round knockout victory over 44 year-old Donald Haynesworth (19-11-1, 17 KOs) on Sunday, October 18th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. After punishing Haynseworth over one round, Trujillo drilled him with a powrful right hand to end the contest.  “This is exactly the kind of performance I wanted to deliver,” said Trujillo. “I respect Donald Haynesworth for stepping into the ring with me, but I'm on a mission to become heavyweight champion of the world. Every fight is another opportunity to prove that I belong among the best heavyweights in boxing. I'm getting stronger, more experienced, and more confident with every victory. I'm ready for bigger challenges, and I want everyone in the division to know that I'm coming.”

 

Abe Swidan of Visionary Sports Group, who manages Trujillo, believes Trujillo is rapidly approaching a pivotal stage in his professional journey. “Gustavo continues to show why we believe he has all the tools to become a world heavyweight champion,” said Swidan. “He's an explosive puncher with tremendous upside, and what makes him especially dangerous is that he's still developing and improving. Being ranked #13 by the WBO is an important step, but we're looking well beyond that. Our goal is to move him strategically through the rankings, secure meaningful fights against top-level competition, and position him for a world title opportunity. Gustavo is ready to make a serious statement in this division, and we're excited about what lies ahead.”

 

“I've worked my entire life to be in this possition,” Trujillo concluded. “I know what I bring to the ring, and I believe I can compete with anyone in the world. My team has a plan, and I'm going to keep knocking down every obstacle in front of me until I get my shot at the world title.”

 

Matchroom Boxing announced that IBF junior middleweight champion Josh Kelly has signed a new, multi-fight contract extension. ‘Pretty Boy’ Kelly realised his boyhood dream when he defeated Bakhram Murtazaliev by majority decision to capture the title in his native North-East back in January at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena. Then, earlier this summer in July, the Sunderland fighter returned to the ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and succesfully retained his crown by defeating the then-unbeaten Irish challenger Caoimhin Agyarko by unanimous decision over a dozen rounds. Now Kelly, spurred on by his brand new deal, has his sights on landing more big fight nights – and the chance to win more titles. [The rumors say Kelly will face Jaron "Boots" Ennis in a unification bout next].

 

“I’m world champion and I am very excited about the future with Matchroom Boxing,” said Kelly.“Now I only want the biggest fights in the division. Unifications. Bring it on. Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Boxing and DAZN is the only place to be.”

 

A former Team GB Olympian, the 32-year old represented his country at the Rio 2016 Games before embarking on his professional career in 2017. Trained by Adam Booth, Kelly quickly established himself as one of British boxing’s most exciting prospects, earning a reputation for his speed, movement and technical ability.

 

Kelly won the Commonwealth welterweight championship in 2018 with victory over Kris George. After moving up to junior middleweight, he claimed the British title by defeating Troy Williamson in December 2022 and continued his progress with victories over Gabriel Alberto Corzo and Placido Ramirez.  

 

Now, with his new agreement in place, Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn believes Kelly is ready for a career-defining year in 2027. “We are thrilled to extend Josh Kelly’s contract with Matchroom Boxing,” said Hearn. “He is an elite operator and one of the pound-for-pound best the UK has to offer. It is no secret that we have some huge plans ahead for Josh in 2027, where he will be aiming to add more world titles to his collection.”

 

PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE

 

OCT. 17, 2026: After weighing in yesterday-- and missing the featherweight limit-- Brandon Figueroa has suddenly "fallen ill" and has withdrawn from fighting Tomoki Kameda on today's PBC card in Las Vegas. Figuroa may have committed career suicide with this move. Before yesterday's weigh-in, he was the WBA featherweight champion, and had he defeated ex-bantamweight champ Kameda today, Figueroa would have been well-positioned for a career defining fight and payday vs. Kameda's countryman -- world super bantamweight champion Naoya "Monster" Inoue. Instead, Figueroa lost the WBA featherweight title on the scales yesterday and by pulling out of the fight today, he has branded himself  to promoters and networks as an unreliable performer. 

 

All of this is totally unfair to Kameda. The most logical move would be for the WBA to allow Kameda to fight Inoue for the vacant featherweight title.

 

Here is the PBC announcement: The previously scheduled Brandon Figueroa vs. Tomoki Kameda bout is now off after Figueroa fell ill overnight. The new co-feature will now see former super middleweight champion Armando Resendiz battling Australia's Koen Mazoudier..."       

 

OCT. 16, 2026: Brandon Figueroa has lost the WBA featherweight title on the scales. On Friday in Las Vegas, Figueroa weighed in at 126.8 pounds in advance of Saturday's scheduled fight against former bantamweight champion Tomoki Kameda of Japan. If Kameda wins, he will win the now-vacant title. If Figueroa wins or the fight is declared a draw, the title will remain vacant. 

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz says he disagrees with critics of referee Thomas Taylor’s decision to award WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora a last-round knockout over Ermal Hadribeaj on Saturday night. After a gritty and physical war of attrition, from the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Fundora (25-1-1, 17 KOs), overcame a slow start to successfully defend his title for the fourth time by knocking out mandatory challenger Hadribeaj (23-1-1, 8 KOs), with a series of left hands capped by a “buzzer beater” punch that dropped his foe just as/after the final bell sounded to end the 12-round fight. Albania’s Hadribeaj rose at the count of nine, but Taylor assessed his condition as spent and waved the fight over immediately, making the official result a KO 12 at 2:59. There is no dispute as to who should have been the winner, as the eleven scored rounds later revealed Fundora was on his way to winning a clear unanimous decision (he was ahead by107-100, 109-98 and 108-99 at the time of the KO). But many voiced post-fight that the verdict should have been determined as a decision on the scorecards because Hadribeaj literally went the distance, given he was able to get back to his feet after the knockdown.

 

Lewkowicz says Taylor reacted correctly to the unusual circumstances. “The rules say a fighter cannot be saved by the bell in any round including the twelfth. If the referee ruled the fighter was not fit to continue, and if he would have stopped it immediately if it happened at any other point in the fight, he would be letting Hadribeaj be saved by the bell if he didn’t stop it, regardless of the clock. That was the right thing to do for a fighter who is not in shape to keep fighting. People are saying Hadribeaj was robbed of going the distance. If Thomas Taylor hadn’t waved it off, he would have been robbing Sebastian Fundora of a knockout he earned in the ring. It goes both ways.”

 

“Not everyone in boxing will ever agree on everything,” Lewkowicz added, but Hadribeaj was so badly hurt he was taken to the hospital on a stretcher after the fight. Safety must come before all else in boxing. Thankfully he was released the next morning and will fight another day.”

 

With Oscar Collazo's flyweight title shot called off due to his injury, he must now decide whether he wants to return to minimumweight. Collazo holds both the WBO and WBA titles at minimumweight (105 pounds).The WBO World Championships Committee has formally ordered negotiations between Collazo and WBO interim champion Ryusei Matsumoto (9-0) of Japan to fulfill the mandatory championship obligation and promptly terminate the interim championship status. Matsumoto becam einterim champion last month by defeating Russell Acosta Sivleira in a battle of unbeatens.  Representatives of Collazo and Matsumto have fifteen days to reach an agreement. Should negotiations prove unsuccessful, the WBO will order purse bid proceedings.

 

PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE

 

SEPT 19, 2026: Puerto Rico's Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo, who holds two of the four world titles at miniumweight has withdrawn from his scheduled flyweight title challenge due to a rib injury sustained in training camp. Collazo was scheduled to move up two weight classes to challenge another two-belt champion, Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval, on October 10th at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago. According to Collazo's promoter, Golden Boy, the show will proceed with undefeated lightweights Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield III (19-0, 13 KOs) and “Prince” Lucas Bahdi (20-0, 15 KOs) meeting in the main event for the vacant WBA lightweight title. Golden Boy and Most Valuable Promotions said additional details concerning the October 10th undercard will be announced once confirmed.

 

Heavyweight Pryce Taylor (13-0, 8 KOs) has followed the ageless boxing process during the past two years and on November 7th in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Brooklyn heavyweight will battle 2021 Ukraine Olympian Tsotne “Mr. T” Rogava (13-1, 8 KOs). A confident Taylor said, “Now I have my shot. A win should get me in the WBC ratings and that’s when I can get some big fights.” The 6’ 3”, 265-pound Rogava represents a major step up for Taylor, the 6’ 4”, 275-pounder who was a standout amateur boxer as was Rogava. They will throw down in the ten-round main event, streaming live from Kiva Auditorium. In July, Taylor proved he could go ten hard rounds and on Nov. 7th, he has a chance to prove he’s a world-class fighter. 

 

“Pryce Taylor continues to climb the heavyweight ladder, and [this] is another significant step toward our ultimate goal of a world title,” added manager Keith Sullivan. “Pryce has the size, talent, discipline, and determination to become a major force in the heavyweight division. We have been deliberate on building his career, and now he’s entering the stage where every fight carries greater significance. This is about making a statement that Pryce Taylor is a legitimate future contender for the heavyweight championship of the world. We believe the sky is the limit for this young man.”

 

A former New York State Athletic Commission Deputy Commissioner, Sullivan also manages two-division champion Miyo Yoshida (19-5, 1 KO), Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (21-2, 21 KOs), Serbian heavyweight Sanel Hasanovic (10-1-1, 8 KOs), Staten Island light heavyweight Artan Iseni (6-0, 5 KOs), Bronx NYPD officer Nisa Rodriguez (4-1, 2 KOs), lightweight Fei Faiva (6-0-1, 4 KOs) and junior featherweight Brooklyn “The Big Deal” Barwick (5-1, 5 KOs). Sullivan also co-manages welterweight contender Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (16-2, 12 KOs) and his cousin, middleweight Jim Donovan (2-0, 1 KO), alongside coach and ex-world champion Andy Lee.

 

Four-division champion Shakur Stevenson says he is free from his promotional contract with Zuffa Boxing before he even had one fight under the deal. The reigning WBO 140-pound champion released a YouTube video stating: "I've been in camp for like eight weeks preparing for fights that I was told was going to happen and have not happened. It is what it is, this is the business of boxing. I'm not mad at anyone, I'm not pointing no fingers. But upon all of these issues and things going on, I requested to be released from Zuffa Boxing. Now over the weekend, my request has been granted and I am officially a free agent. I am now taking my career in my own hands and I'm starting my own promotional company. I'm  willing to work with other promoters and anybody else that's out there who is willing to be serious about my career, as I am. I'm excited to be in this position, to be starting a new journey, but the mission is still the same: I want the biggest fights available at 135 pounds or 140 pounds, where I hold my title. Give it a year or two and I will get to 147 pounds... I will get there but on my time."

 

The final straw in the three-month Zuffa / Stevenson relationship seemed to be that after agreeing to fight at 145 pounds, Stevenson was unwilling to move up the final two pounds to make a super fight against three-division, and current WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney as a full welterweight. Here is last week's Twitter exchange between the two undefeated champions:

 

 

PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE

 

JULY 10, 2026:  Zuffa boxing announced a huge signing on Thursday, coming to terms with undefeated, four-division champion Shakur Stevenson. Zuffa social media provided the following quote from the 29 year-old Stevenson: "Now that I'm with Zuffa, we can make any fight happen. There are no restrictions. Boxing ain't the same anymore. Zuffa is about the best fighting the best. So, let's do it." Stevenson's last fight was in February in New York City's Madison Square Garden. In that outing, he won the world junior welterweight championship, routing Teofimo Lopez over twelve one-sided rounds. All three judges agreed on a tally of 119-109 for Stevenson (27-0 including the World Series of Boxing). Punchstat numbers favored Stevenson by a wide margin, 165-72 in punches landed. 

George Liddard will challenge Michel Soro for the IBO middleweight title at Monte Carlo on Saturday, December 12th, live worldwide on DAZN. Promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing in partnership with Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, the stunning Salle des Étoiles at Sporting Monte-Carlo hosts a defining evening for the 24-year-old Essex, England fighter, whose rise through the middleweight ranks has brought him to the brink of IBO honors. Standing in his way is Soro, the experienced Frenchman who  has a pro record of 39-4-2.

 

And, just 24 hours after Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s blockbuster clash in Cardiff, an action-packed undercard in Monaco promises to deliver another early festive treat for fight fans. Britain’s Josh Padley takes on Spain’s Moussa Gholam for the WBA interim junior lightweight title, with the Yorkshireman chasing another major milestone in a career that has taken a remarkable route from being a former electrician to lighting up the world stage.

 

Rising heavyweight Leo Atang will light up Monte-Carlo after he fights first in Sheffield next week on October 24. The 19-year-old’s visit to Monaco represents his third international outing, having shone previously on the road in Ghana last December and in July, where he produced a second-round stoppage over Glen Williams on his US debut.

 

And an all-British shootout between Yorkshire rivals Ishmael Davis and Junaid Boston awaits with Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn declaring Monte-Carlo Showdown VII as one of the most exciting cards of the year. “This fight night is always one of the highlights on our calendar, and this brilliant card certainly doesn’t disappoint,” said Hearn. "Over the years we have been treated to the likes of Dmitry Bivol, Gennady Golovkin, Joe Cordina, Zhilei Zhang and Derek Chisora. Now George Liddard has a golden opportunity to etch his name into history when he takes on a very tough Michel Soro for the IBO crown. Josh Padley has enjoyed a remarkable rise too, and he now faces a career-defining night as he fights for an Interim World Title. Bostan vs Davis will be a real humdinger of a fight. And, less than 24 hours after the Battle of Britain in Cardiff between AJ and Fury, we get to witness two of the country’s most promising Heavyweights light up the Principality as David Adeleye and Leo Atang underline why they are ones to watch.”

 

Liddard (15-0, 9 KOs) has built an unbeaten record with a series of statement performances. The Tony Sims-trained man claimed the vacant European middleweight title back in August with an impressive eighth-round stoppage over Dario Morello, adding to the British and Commonwealth titles he won by stopping Kieron Conway in the tenth round in October 2025, before a successful points victory defence over Tyler Denny last March.

 

Yet France’s evergreen Soro represents a significant step up as Liddard looks to convert domestic and European success into a World Championship.

 

Soro brings more than 17 years of professional experience to the contest. Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and raised in France, the seasoned contender has competed at 154 and 160 pounds, challenging Brian Castaño for the interim WBA junuior middleweight title in 2017 before facing Israil Madrimov twice in 2021 and 2022.

 

In June, Soro celebrated a crowning glory in his birth city of Abidjan, stopping Hassan Mwakinyo in the ninth round to claim the IBO middleweight title. However, Liddard is confident he will prise the belt away from Soro and enjoy a triumphant away day. “These are the fights I have looked forward to throughout my career,” said Liddard. "I am putting everything on the line in such a prestigious place. This is ‘The Monaco Job’, and I’m coming back home to Britain with the win and that IBO strap.”

 

 

Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring defended his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) bantamweight (135-pound) title for the first time with a split-decision victory over the previously undefeated John “The Magician” Dodson at the sold-out Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, worldwide on The BKFC App. Two judges scored the fight in favor of Herring (48-47, 49-46) and one scored it for Dodson (49-46), who entered fight night as the BKFC World Flyweight Champion. The Coram, NY product Herring, formerly a WBO 130-pound champion champ in his career as a gloved boxer, is now 3-0 under the BKFC banner. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title challenger Dodson, who hails from Albuquerque, NM, is now 4-1-1. “I think this is my first big test and I’m still getting better,” Herring said in his post-fight interview. “I understand it’s a decision, but it is what it is; the right man got the victory.”

 

It was announced on the BKFC 95 broadcast that BKFC interim flyweight (125-pound) champion Andrew “Legend” Strode will be the next challenger for Herring’s crown at 135 pounds as the two squared off after Saturday’s main event.

 

In the co-feature, Jimmie “El Terror” Rivera smashed his way to 4-2-1 under the BKFC banner by knocking out Brandon “Beastmode” Meyer. The Ramsey, NJ product Rivera dropped Meyer twice en route to the stoppage 46 seconds into the fourth round. Meyer, who represents Omaha, NE, is now 3-5 in his BKFC career. Rivera, an 11-time UFC vet, left the door open to another run at BKFC featherweight champion Kai Stewart: “Jersey, let me hear you! Mr. Feldman, you keep coming to Prudential and I’ll keep coming back.”

 

Tony “Loco” Soto upped his record to 7-4 with a second-round KO over Anthony “The Pistol” Pike. The stoppage came 40 seconds into the second frame. Pike, who hails from Tucson, AZ, is now 1-2. The Hickory, NC fighter Soto took aim at fellow combat sports superstar Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson in his post-fight interview: “Tony Ferguson, I want you to come to BKFC! You think you’re ‘El Cucuy,’ but I’m (expletive) ‘Loco!’ Come through!”

 

On the BKFC 95 broadcast, it was announced that combat sports superstar Derek “The One” Brunson is taking his talents to the BKFC squared circle at BKFC Fight Night Myrtle Beach on Nov. 20th, live worldwide on The BKFC App from Myrtle Beach Sports Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. Brunson is widely known and respected for his 21-fight tenure with UFC. His opponent will be announced soon.

 

Here are some highlights from BKFC Founder/President David Feldman at the BKFC 95 Post-Event Press Conference.

 

“Great night of fights here at Prudential Center again. Great crowd, and the fighters really, really brought it … Prudential Center and the State of New Jersey are going to be big homes for us. We’re really happy with how everything went tonight, and really excited for the future.”

 

Attendance: 8,392.

 

Performance of the Night: Brooke Evans.

 

Knockouts of the Night: Cole Cameron, Jimmie Rivera, Tony Soto.

 

Staten Island, NY’s Santo Curatolo turned heads in his BKFC premiere by knocking out Anthony “The Devil's Advocate” Yost 37 seconds into the second round of their flyweight matchup. Curatolo floored Yost twice before the fight was halted. Yost, who represents Pensacola, FL, is now 2-2.

 

Mays Landing, NJ lightweight Dalvin “The Hippy Disciple” Blair cruised to 3-1 with an 82-second KO victory at the expense of Paris Boyd. All of Blair’s wins have come in the opening round. Boyd, who hails from Detroit, is now 1-1.

 

Blacksburg, VA’s Dustin “Hollywood” Bailey and “Too Tall” Noah Getahoun of Boonton, NJ fought to a Unanimous Draw in their back-and-forth middleweight bout. All three judges agreed on the 28-28 decision. Getahoun logged the sole knockdown of the fight. Both fighters were making their first trip to the Squared Circle.

 

Neptune City, NJ’s Cole Cameron was victorious in his BKFC debut after stopping Phil “Hitman” Caracappa in the opening round of their bantamweight clash. Cameron recorded a pair of knockdowns before the fight was called to a halt at 1:44 of Round 1. Caracappa, who hails from Freehold, NJ, is now 1-2-1 under the BKFC banner.

 

Jersey City, NJ’s Mike Medrano earned the win in his BKFC debut with a split-decision victory over seven-fight UFC veteran Rob “The Saint” Emerson in welterweight action. Two judges scored the fight for Medrano (30-27, 29-28) and one judge scored it for the Phoenix, AZ fighter Emerson (30-27), who was also making his BKFC debut.

 

Dylan Pitt of Bronx, NY was victorious in his BKFC debut after Nick “One Shot” Saragosa couldn’t continue their lightweight battle due to injury. Pitt scored a pair of knockdowns before the ringside physician called a stop to the fight 52 seconds into the opening round. The Kaneohe, HI product Saragosa is now 1-1.

 

Edgewood, KY’s “Bare Knuckle” Brooke Evans smashed her way to 2-0 under the BKFC banner with a five-knockdown TKO victory over Gabrielle Roman in the women’s flyweight division. The fight was stopped with one second remaining in the second round. Roman, who represents Perth Amboy, NJ, is now 2-4-1 in her BKFC career.

 

BKFC 95 Results

 

(C) Jamel Herring def. John Dodson via Unanimous Decision (46-49, 48-47, 49-46) (defends BKFC bantamweight title);

Jimmie Rivera def. Brandon Meyer via KO in Round 4 (0:46);

Tony Soto def. Anthony Pike via KO in Round 2 (0:40);

Santo Curatolo def. Anthony Yost via KO in Round 2 (0:37);

Dalvin Blair def. Paris Boyd via KO in Round 1 (1:22);

Dustin Bailey vs. Noah Getahoun declared Unanimous Draw (28-28x3);

Cole Cameron def. Phil Caracappa via KO in Round 1 (1:44);

Mike Medrano def. Rob Emerson via Split Decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28);

Dylan Pitt def. Nick Saragosa via TKO in Round 1 (0:52); and

Brooke Evans def. Gabrielle Roman via TKO in Round 2 (1:59).

 

 

 

 

Undefeated light heavyweight Atif Oberlton will face Deon Nicholson in a matchup of hard-hitting 175-pounders on Saturday, Nov. 7th live on DAZN from Albuquerque. The ten-round showdown will serve as the co-feature prior to Abraham Perez’s homecoming title defense against Yankiel Rivera at Kiva Auditorium. Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions and Legacy Boxing Promotions in association with Wynn Records, are available on ticketmaster.com. Philadelphia’s Oberlton (17-0, 14 KOs) scored a shutout decision over Roamer Alexis Angulo on the Claressa Shields undercard in August, going the distance for the first time since 2024 after knocking out eight straight opponents. The 28 year-old southpaw, who is trained by Hall of Fame trainer Tom Yankello Jr., will face his toughest opponent to date in Nicholson, a fellow power-puncher who was previously scheduled to face former undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev. The 6-foot-3 Oberlton looks to make a statement against Nicholson to prove he belongs amongst the world’s top light heavyweights, with an eye toward bouts against Dmitry Bivol, Ben Whitaker and the other top 175-pounders in the wide-open division.

 

“My focus is the same as it’s always been, but every fight is another step up,” Oberlton said. “Going 10 rounds for the first time in my last fight gave me even more confidence. Nicholson doesn’t present anything I feel I can’t handle. Every fight is a step up and beating him on November 7 will keep me climbing the light heavyweight division and moving closer to a world title shot. I’m coming to show why my name belongs with the best.

 

“Since signing with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records, I’ve been active, and that’s exactly where I wanted to be. Having that support pushes me to keep getting better because I know what we’re working toward. I always knew the time would come for the world to see who Atif Oberlton really is. Nicholson is the next step, and I’m coming to put myself one step closer to a world title shot.”

 

Nicholson (23-1, 19 KO), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., is a power-punching product of Jay Deas, the original and long-time trainer of former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in Tuscaloosa. Nicholson was scheduled to fight Beterbiev on a Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia in November of 2025 before Beterbiev reportedly pulled out of the fight. The 36-year old has knockouts in six of his last nine fights, and owns a career-best win over Craig Baker, who had previously fought Edwin Rodriguez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk. “This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for,” Nicholson said. “I’ve been in camp, ready to fight, and I’m already in shape. This win will put the boxing world on notice that I deserve the biggest opportunities.”

 

Said promoter Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions: “Atif Olberlton is one of the best light heavyweights in the world, with a unique style, a standout personality and a burning desire to become a world champion. Representing the historic fight city of Philadelphia, he is ready to join boxing’s elite with a statement performance against the hard-hitting Deon Nicholson on Nov. 7.”

 

 

Sebastian Fundora KO12 Ermal Hadribeaj... Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora closed the PBC show in style on Saturday night in Las Vegas, retaining his WBC 154-pound championship. Fundora was credited with a final second twelfth-round knockout of previously undefeated Ermal Hadribeaj, although the knockout punch landed just after the bell sounded and Hadribeaj beat the count. Referee Thomas Taylor, already having a bad night with point deductions, ignored the bell and ruled it a knockout. Fundora would've won by decision anyway.  "It was an interesting fight,” said Fundora. “I had to go back and fight on the inside and show everyone again that I can still do that. It was dramatic to knock him out at the last second. But we'll go back to the gym and fix some things.”

 

Fundora’s (25-1-1, 17 KOs) fourth world title defense saw him weather an early storm from a game Hadribeaj (23-1-1, 8 KOs), who was determined to end the night as Albania’s first boxing world champion. After round one saw him effectively circle and jab his towering opponent, the fight quickly turned into a phone booth battle with both men looking to do damage on the inside.

 

The strategy to stay on the inside of Fundora led to Taylor twice taking away points from Hadribeaj for holding (rounds three and eleven), but allowed the challenger to smother much of Fundora’s early offense. As the fight transitioned to the middle rounds, Fundora’s tremendous work rate eventually began to work through as an onslaught of uppercuts and body shots slowly but surely diminished Hadribeaj’s offense. Overall, Fundora out landed Hadribeaj 202-144 and connected on 56 body shots according to CompuBox.

 

"I told the ref in the fourth round that I was hurting him,” said Fundora. “I kept landing body shots and was looking for that special shot to get him out of there. I was hitting him in the rib cage the whole time with the left hand and when I went up the middle, I heard the noise that he made. So I just kept touching that and knew it would break him.”

 

Once again showing a tremendous reserve of energy, Fundora kept that work rate up through round 11, landing 18 more power shots. In the end, Fundora was once again too much for his competition, blasting Hadribeaj with a power left just after the final bell sounded that sent Hadribeaj down hard and led to the referee ruling the fight a knockout. The official stoppage came at 2:59 of round twelve.

 

After the fight, Fundora was asked about a potential undisputed 154-pound matchup against the winner of a Jaron Ennis vs. Josh Kelly unification. "I want to go for undisputed in this division,” said Fundora. “We'll break either Jaron Ennis or Josh Kelly down. Just like the last guy and the guy before that. We'll keep breaking them down."

 

Daniel Dubois TKO2 Fabio Wardley... Daniel Dubois defeated Fabio Wardley for the second time this year, but this time around it was easy work for Dubois, who retained his WBO heavyweight championship. Just fifteen seconds into the fight, Dubois stalked Wardley and blasted a double jab, left hook to send Wardley nearly through the ropes. It was scored a knockdown.  Dubois poured it on throughout the round.  With time winding down, Dubois unloaded a violent right uppercut that staggered Wardley. Dubois went for the kill but Wardley somehow survived. Still, Wardley was shaky going back to the corner. In round two, Wardley was trapped in the corner and Dubois unloaded a barrage of power shots. Wardley's corner saw enough and threw in the towel. It goes in the books as a technical knockout win for Dubois at 2:21 of the second round.

 

ADDITIONAL RESULTS:

 

Michael Gomez Jr. D12 Louis O'Doherty... Lightweights Michael Gomez Jr. and Louis O'Doherty fought to a majority draw, but it was a horrendous decision that saw Gomez get robbed. What were these three judges thinking? O'Doherty, at best, won three rounds, which is being generous. Gomez (23-2-1) was more active and landed the harder shots. O'Doherty (12-0-1) didn't do much of anything to win enough rounds. You know the result is a robbery when Gomez stormed out of the ring, and O'Doherty looked relieved. Official scores were 115-114 Gomez and 114-114 (twice). O'Doherty remains the British champion.

 

Bakhodir Jalolov W10 Solomon Dacres... Two-time Olympic gold medal winner Bakhodir Jalolov defeated Solomon Dacres by unanimous decision. After ten rounds, the scores were 99-90x (twice) and 99-91. "The Big Uzbek" Jalolov dominated from start to finish. He scored a knockdown in the fifth and looked to be ready to put Dacres out. Instead, Jalolov was content to box, and that was just about it.  While it is about getting wins, you need to entertain in the process. Jalolov failed to do that. Going to be hard to get him a big bout due to his fighting style

 

Adam Olaniyan TKO2 Dan Garber... A destruction by Irish heavyweight Adam Olaniyan (5-0). His power proved to be too much throughout. Olaniyan dropped the 41 year-old Dan Garber (14-10) twice in the second to close things out. 

 

Nelson Birchall defeated Levi Giles by TKO at 0:51 of the seventh round.

Former super middleweight champion Armando “Toro” Reséndiz (17-3, 11 KOs) earned a unanimous decision over Australia's Koen Mazoudier (16-5-1, 6 KOs) in a slugfest that saw both men land over 150 power punches across ten rounds in the super middleweight division. Reséndiz took the fight by the scores of 98-92 and 97-93 (twice). "We pulled this off because we had great preparation,” said Reséndiz. “This was the kind of fight that I expected.”

 

"I had a lot of battles coming into this fight stepping up in weight against a tough opponent,” said Mazoudier. “We gave him a hard fight. I thought I won more than two or three rounds, but he's a tough, strong fighter. I hope to be back putting on more shows and get the win next time.”

 

The action heated up in round two as Reséndiz and Mazoudier each declared their desire to go toe-to-toe, with neither taking a step back across the ensuing rounds. Reséndiz looked in control over the first five rounds, using a strong body attack to open up power shots upstairs on his way to building up a 94-58 edge in power shots. "I had to change my game plan and box and move a little bit because this was a very tough fight,” said Reséndiz.

 

Mazoudier was able to change the tenor of the fight after proving he could take Reséndiz’s best punches, and used a lead right uppercut to begin to turn the tide. The Australian out landed Reséndiz 76 to 47 in power punches in rounds six through nine to close the gap on his opponent and leave the fight in doubt heading into the final frame.

 

"There were a lot of close rounds,” said Mazoudier. “I didn't win the rounds clearly enough. He was the better fighter tonight. I'm very grateful to be in this position and to have my team here supporting me. I hope the fans enjoyed it and I hope they have me back. I feel like I gained some new Mexican fans tonight."

 

"I knew this was going to be a tough fight,” said Reséndiz. “He's an Australian warrior. This is the kind of fight I wanted to give the fans. We clashed in the middle of the ring like warriors.”

 

Round ten saw Reséndiz land a fight high 32 power shots, including a series of blows in the final moments that sent Mazoudier backwards and seemingly hurt. Mazoudier was able to stay on his feet and see the final bell, but Reséndiz had already done enough to ensure that he’d continue his climb back toward world title contention.

 

"My corner was urging me that I had to finish strong and that's what I did,” said Reséndiz. “We closed out strong."

 

ADDITIONAL RESULTS

 

In another super middleweight contest,  Marco “El Tiburón” Romero (16-0, 14 KOs) delivered his third straight first-round knockout as he scored a sensational one-punch KO of Uruguay’s Matias Ferreira (8-4, 3 KOs). Making a quick return to the ring after a dominant performance in August, Romero made Ferreira eat his words after his opponent promised to stop him in four rounds or less at Thursday’s press conference. "This played out amazingly,” said Romero. “Karma came and hit him and I got him out in the first round.” Romero targeted the body early and often (11 body shots landed), eventually opening up an angle for him to deliver a blistering right hand that hurt Ferreira badly and sent him to the canvas. While Ferreira was able to get to his feet, he was still wobbly, forcing referee Tony Weeks to halt the bout. "He was too slow. His speed and experience didn't matter,” said Romero. “I'm here. The 160 division is on notice. There's a new face at middleweight and its 'Tiburón' Romero. "I was digging to the body because I knew he would drop his hands. Once I saw the opening, he got bit by the shark.” After the fight, Romero expressed his desire to continue facing tougher and tougher competition on his way to middleweight gold. "I'm ready to step it up in opposition,” said Romero. “I'm ducking no smoke. I'm here. I feel amazing and I'm being guided the right way. I'm ready for anybody at middleweight."

 

Opening the telecast, undefeated rising middleweight Jaime Osuna (12-0, 5 KOs) edged the previously unbeaten Cristian Cangelosi (13-1-1, 5 KOs) via majority decision after eight rounds of action. Osuna won with two scores of 77-75 overruling one 76-76 card. "It was a fight that took everything I had from beginning to end,” said Osuna. “I knew my opponent would be good and put me to the test, and I think I was able to show the fans who I am.” Osuna struck first in the battle of unbeatens, as he appeared to stun Cangelosi in round one with a series of power shots. However it was not long until Osuna was forced to face his own adversity as he suffered a cut under his right eyebrow in round two that he dealt with for the remainder of the bout. After Cangelosi got himself back in the fight with a strong round four, Osuna reclaimed control by again catching his opponent and hurting him in the opening moments of round five. Cangelosi closed strong, winning the final two rounds on all three cards, but was in too much of a hole in the judges’ eyes to overcome the hard-charging Osuna. Through the eight rounds Osuna landed 107 power shots to Cangelosi’s 75.   “I hope that this is a stepping stone that allows me to fight here in Vegas on cards like this many more times,” said Osuna. “Whoever is next, I’ll be ready.”

 

The event was promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing.

Michael Gomez Jr. D12 Louis O'Doherty... Lightweights Michael Gomez Jr. and Louis O'Doherty fought to a majority draw, but it was a horrendous decision that saw Gomez get robbed. What were these three judges thinking? O'Doherty, at best, won three rounds, which is being generous. Gomez (23-2-1) was more active and landed the harder shots. O'Doherty (12-0-1) didn't do much of anything to win enough rounds. You know the result is a robbery when Gomez stormed out of the ring, and O'Doherty looked relieved. Official scores were 115-114 Gomez and 114-114 (twice). O'Doherty remains the British champion.

 

Bakhodir Jalolov W10 Solomon Dacres... Two-time Olympic gold medal winner Bakhodir Jalolov defeated Solomon Dacres by unanimous decision. After ten rounds, the scores were 99-90x (twice) and 99-91. "The Big Uzbek" Jalolov dominated from start to finish. He scored a knockdown in the fifth and looked to be ready to put Dacres out. Instead, Jalolov was content to box, and that was just about it.  While it is about getting wins, you need to entertain in the process. Jalolov failed to do that. It may be tough to get him a big bout due to his fighting style

 

Adam Olaniyan TKO2 Dan Garber... A destruction by Irish heavyweight Adam Olaniyan (5-0). His power proved to be too much throughout. Olaniyan dropped the 41 year-old Dan Garber (14-10) twice in the second to close things out. 

 

Nelson Birchall defeated Levi Giles by TKO at 0:51 of the seventh round.

Conah Walker will be welcomed home to Wolverhampton when he faces American southpaw Alexis Rocha at The Halls on Saturday, December 5th – live worldwide on DAZN. Walker (18-3-1, 9 KOs) most recently produced a tenth-round stoppage against Sam Eggington in a Fight of The Year contender in May and established himself as one of Britain’s most exciting fighters. The Jamie Moore-trained welterweight, age 31, has seen his stock rise over the past two years – beating the likes of Pat McCormack, Liam Taylor, Harry Scarff and Lewis Ritson – and is riding a five-fight winning streak, with four of those victories coming inside the distance. Now the former British & Commonwealth champion Walker is closing in on his dream of challenging for a top prize in the 147-pound division, but ‘The Wolf’ knows he must first dispatch a game Rocha in this WBA eliminator.

 

Walker said: “I’m back headlining in Wolverhampton in front my people. They aren’t fans, they are friends and family and I’ll give them another night to remember. From the first bell you know what I bring and this fight won’t be any different. I want to do a right job on Rocha. I’m enjoying every minute of my career and a big win on December 5 puts me one step closer to winning a World Title. Let’s have it!”

 

Despite the strong home support against him, Golden Boy fighter Rocha insists he is “excited” by the prospect of facing Walker in his backyard.

 

“First, I want to thank Eric Gomez for this opportunity and for the continued support from him and the entire Golden Boy Promotions team,” said Rocha.

 

“I also want to thank my management team, Abraham Perez, my coach Hector Lopez and the rest of my coaching staff for everything they do for me.

 

“I don’t know too much about Conah Walker yet, but I’ve watched some videos of him, and he looks like a strong fighter who likes to come forward. I’m looking forward to getting in the ring with him and put on a great show.

 

“This is another important step in chasing my dream. I know that a win on December 5 will bring me one step closer to earning a World Title opportunity and that’s why I’m working hard every day.

 

“I’m excited to travel to the UK, compete in front of the fans and put on a great show. I’m ready to get to work and give everyone a great fight.”

 

Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn believes Walker is ready to compete at the top, but warns he must get the job done against Rocha first. “It really is shaping up to be a December to remember for fight fans,” said Hearn. “This event kickstarts an incredible run of fights over the festive period, with AJ versus Fury to follow just days later, before our annual Monte Carlo extravaganza. Conah Walker is without question, one of the most exciting fighters in the sport today. He has given us so many memorable nights and on Saturday, December 5, he will deliver an early Christmas treat in his hometown of Wolverhampton. The Halls will be absolutely rocking. And I am confident the Wolf will tee up what promises to be an exciting 2027.”

 

1 29 year-old Californian, Rocha, 29, is on a strong run of results himself. Rocha defeated former 130-pound champion Joseph Diaz by unanimous decision in March, before beating ex-two-belt junior welterweight champion José Ramírez in September.

 

And Golden Boy Promotions chief Oscar De La Hoya believes Rocha will be ready to spoil Walker’s party. “Alexis Rocha showed tremendous heart and grit in his last fight against Jose Ramirez, and that kind of performance proves he belongs in the mix with the best fighters in the welterweight division,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions De La Hoya. “Conah Walker is a tough, come-forward fighter, and with Alexis heading into his backyard in the UK, I expect an all-action fight.”

 

 

  

 

All of this is totally unfair to Kameda. The most logical move would be for the WBA to allow Kameda to fight Inoue for the vacant featherweight title.

 

Here is the PBC announcement: The previously scheduled Brandon Figueroa vs. Tomoki Kameda bout is now off after Figueroa fell ill overnight. The new co-feature will now see former super middleweight champion Armando Resendiz battling Australia's Koen Mazoudier. Preceding that matchup is undefeated Marco Romero dueling Uruguay's Matias Ferreira in an eight-round super middleweight clash, plus undefeated middleweights Jaime Osuna and Cristian Cangelosi will now meet in the eight-round opening bout."       

Joshua Kevin Anton W10 Freudis Rojas... On Friday at Rawhide Western Town & Event Center in Phoenix, Joshua Kevin Anton pressured, bullied and then exhausted Freudis Rojas to win a unanimous ten-round decision in the junior welterweight division. A Guatemalan-American, Anton (15-0, 12 KOs), got stronger every round to quickly overtake the advantage from Rojas (15-2, 11 KOs) of Las Vegas. Rojas showed his slick southpaw boxing skills in the first two rounds but progressively wilted as Anton’s conditioning and superior power took over the flow after that. By mid-fight, the punishment worsened, but referee Joey Chavez allowed things to continue. Under-powered Rojas, forced to sprint to keep world-class fighters off him from the start of fights, has now run out of gas midway through his last two fights and did well to (hopefully) escape lasting damage in this one. The judges agreed on the winner, with scores of 98-91 (twice) and 97-92.

 

It's always different when you find someone with that kind of style,” said Anton after the fight. “Freddy and I both had similar styles from the get-go and I just want to give him thanks. He was the late replacement, but I don't look away from the challenge. He put up a great challenge, and I knew he was a great fighter, so we had to adjust. We're here to give our all. Long live Guatemala!”

 

Justin Pauldo W10 Rene Tellez Giron... In the co-feature, Justin Pauldo won a ten-round split decision over fan-favored Rene Tellez Giron. Showing “ready for primetime” skills, Pauldo (20-2, 10 KOs) of Houston was able to outfight Tellez Giron (23-5 with 14 KOs), on the well-known Mexican slugger’s terms, nullifying his own size advantage to stand inside and trade with Tellez Giron. In a tense fight throughout, most punches were met with an equal reply and neither man perceptibly seizing control for long. In fact, the two normally entertaining styles produced a surprisingly tame affair with both contenders having moments, but not taking control. Pauldo worked slightly harder. Tellez Giron was more accurate. After the announcement of a score of 96-94 for Tellez Giron being overruled by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 for Pauldo.

 

ADDITIONAL RESULTS

 

In a ten-round “ProBoxTV-typical” featherweight war between Mexican sluggers, Carlos Arteaga moved to 17-1-1 with 14 KOs, with a fourth-round stoppage of Bryan Acosta (21-3, 8 KOs). Acosta was badly rocked by an Arteaga hook inside his own wider hook midway through the first and showed inhuman levels of durability to withstand a savage follow-up beating for the remainder of the opener. So brutal was the pasting Acosta took, he was examined extensively by the ringside physician before the start of round two. Despite still being clearly dazed, Acosta collected himself enough in round two to stage a power-punching rally and probably edged out the action-packed round purely out of instinct and fighting heart. Coming back to life more in round three, Acosta took control of the action by outfighting a seemingly tiring Arteaga with a two-fisted assault. Appearing to be losing momentum, Arteaga suddenly discovered his uppercut in round four, slamming several of them to the jaw of Acosta and dropping him late in the frame. Acosta bravely rose from the knockdown, but referee Chris Flores decided he’d seen enough. The end of the fan-friendly battle came at 2:12 of round four.

 

Junior welterweight Charles “LoLo” Harris Jnr put his educated skills on display in an entertaining but convincing unanimous decision over Misael Cabrera. Fighting in his first ten-rounder, Harris (13-1, 7 KOs), of San Bernardino utilized a strong body attack and his ring IQ to overcome Cabrera (18-3-1, 12 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. Harris, who fights out of Brian "BoMac" McIntyre’s BoMac's B&B Boxing Gym in Omaha, Nebraska, showed why the award-winning trainer freely touts the 23 year-old's potential by nullifying Cabrera’s offense with two-handed shots to the liver and solar plexus. Cabrera fought with determination and landed several strong shots, but Harris showed no reaction. The scores were 99-91 (twice) and 98-92.

 

In an eight-round junior welterweight bout to open the broadcast, Heidan Martinez stayed undefeated by winning a “southpaw vs. southpaw” showdown against Willmank Canonico Brito by unanimous decision. In an awkwardly fought puncher’s duel, the Bob Santos-trained Martinez, 19-0 (17 KOs), of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, got off to a slow start against Canonico Brito, 14-11-2 (12 KOs), of Caracas, Venezuela. Canonico Brito was able to frustrate the 22-year-old Martinez, especially early on. Martinez was warned for several fouls including hitting after the bell and using his forearm and was finally deducted a point by referee Jonathan Puu for a low blow in the fight’s final round. Beginning in round six, Martinez found a rhythm by moving forward against his crafty foe and slowly gained the clear advantage as the fight progressed. The scores were 78-73 and 77-74 (twice).

 

Here are the boxers' weights for the PBC show at the Chelsea in Las Vegas:

 

Sebastian Fundora, 152.8 pounds -vs.- Ermal Hadribeaj, 152.4 (WBC junior middleweight title, twelve rounds);

Brandon Figueroa, 126.8 -vs.- Tomoki Kameda, 125.8 (WBA featherweight title on the line for Kameda only twelve rounds);

Armando Reséndiz, 167 -vs.- Koen Mazoudier, 166.8 (super middleweights, ten rounds);

Marco Romero, 164.2 -vs.- Matias Ferreira, 162.8 (super middleweights, eight rounds);

Jaime Enrique Osuna, 161.2 -vs.- Cristian Cangelosi, 160.8 (middleweights, eight rounds); and

David Garcia, 127.8 -vs.- Ángel Carrillo, 126.8 (featherweights, six rounds).

 

TV: TNT Sports, Saturday, October 17th, 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT. 

 

 

The WBC will take no disciplinary action against heavyweight Lawrence Okolie for testing positive for a banned, performance-enhancing substance in April. The WBC accepted Okolie's claim that "the prohibited substance entered his system as a result of the actions of a third party." The positive test caused Okolie's bout vs. Tony Yoka to be cancelled by Queensberry Promotions, and neither man has fought since then. According to The Times of London and the New York Times, Okolie tested positive for a GHRP 2, a synthetic growth hormone that releases a peptide known to help muscle recovery, increase muscle mass and assist in fat loss. Okolie still has not been cleared to fight by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) or the British Board of Boxing Control. 

 

The WBC press release contained the following statement from Okolie: "Clean sport has always been extremely important to me. I have fully cooperated throughout the entire process and remain committed to the highest standards of integrity in boxing. I look forward to the next chapter of my career and to being actively involved in the sport again in the coming months, while using this experience to help educate other athletes about the importance of understanding and monitoring everything that goes into their bodies."

 

WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán stated:"The WBC Clean Boxing Program exists to protect athletes and the integrity of our sport. We appreciate Mr. Okolie's cooperation throughout this process and commend his commitment to helping educate fighters about anti-doping compliance and athlete responsibility. As part of the agreed resolution, Mr. Okolie will remain available for further testing and to work with the WBC in support of education, awareness, and compliance with anti-doping requirements among professional and amateur boxers."

 

PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE

 

APRIL 21, 2026: Queensberry Promotions revealed that "the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) has informed Queensberry that heavyweight Lawrence Okolie returned an adverse finding following ant anti-doping test conducted ahead of the show in Paris [scheduled for] this Saturday. A further update regarding the event will be made in due course." A few hours later, Queensberry announced that "Due to circumstances outside of our control, Queensberry and DAZN have regrettably made the decision to cancel this Saturday's scheduled event in Paris. For refunds, please contact your ticket [vendor]." Okolie, who has held world titles at cruiserweight and bridgerweight, was set to fight former Olympic champion Tony Yoka in Yoka's hometown this weekend.

 

Okolie posted the following statement on his Instagram account: "Before anyone starts imagining the worst, following my bicep injury last year, I sustained an elbow injury on the same arm during this camp. I had a treatment on it and now we are here. I truly hope sense prevails. I will of course be fully cooperating with all relevant authorities and I’m confident any investigation will clear my name. I won’t be making any further comment at this time. Thank you for all your support and see you soon."

 

Litzy Vazquez (9-0) and Stephanie Piñeiro (10-1) will fight for the WBC and WBA junior welterweight championships vacated by the recently retired Katie Taylor. The two-belt title fight is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5th as part of a Big Time Boxing event live on Wynn Records Network at 8 p.m. ET from Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The undisputed world champion at 140 pounds, Taylor vacated all four major titles when she retired in September in a massive farewell event witnessed by more than 80,000 fans at Dublin’s Croke Park. Now Vazquez, the WBA interim champion from Mexico, and Piñeiro, the hometown favorite, will look to honor Taylor’s legacy and impact on women’s boxing in a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico showdown for the WBA and WBC belts. Pineioro's lone loss came in a welterweight title bid vs. Lauren Price. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and Universal Promotions, in association with Wynn Records. The Wynn Records Network broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET and streams worldwide at www.wynnrecordsnetwork.com.

 

Tonight (Oct. 17th), TNT Sports and DAZN will present the next installment of The Fight, featuring a championshi bouts airing live on TNT and DAZN at 8 p.m. ET from  The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in a Premier Boxing Champions event. Headlining will be WBC 154-pound champion Sebastián Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KOs) putting his title on the line against unbeaten Ermal Hadribeaj (23-0-1, 8 KOs). The elongated southpaw Fundora will seek another successful title defense following his sixth-round stoppage of former champion Keith Thurman in March. Hadribeaj enters the biggest fight of his career after defeating previously unbeaten Bakary Samake in May. In the other scheduled world title bout, two-division champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa (27-2-1, 20 KOs) was stripped of his WBA featherweight championship for failure to make weight and has declined to fight former bantamweight title holder Tomoki Kameda (42-5, 23 KOs). The bout was cancelled on fight day.

 

The main card will also feature a pair of super middleweight matchups. Former WBA title holder Armando Reséndiz (16-3, 11 KOs), who scored an upset victory over Caleb Plant in 2025, will face Australia’s Koen Mazoudier (16-4-1, 6 KOs) in a ten-round bout and Marco Romero (15-0, 13 KOs) will put his perfect record on the line against Uruguay’s Braulio Ferreira (8-3, 3 KOs) in an eight rounder.

 

Todd Grisham will host studio coverage alongside undefeated five-division world champion Terence Crawford, International Boxing Hall of Famer Tim Bradley Jr. and former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter, providing analysis and reactions throughout the evening. Corey Erdman will handle play-by-play duties alongside ex-champ Sergio Mora and veteran boxing journalist Chris Mannix. Leading up to Saturday’s action, truTV will join today’s pre-fight press conference in progress following its MLB postseason coverage, with the press conference also airing in its entirety at 7 p.m. ET. truTV will present live coverage of the official weigh-in on Friday, Oct. 16, at 4 p.m. ET.

 

Brandon Figueroa has lost the WBA featherweight title on the scales. On Friday in Las Vegas, Figueroa weighed in at 126.8 pounds in advance of Saturday's scheduled fight against former bantamweight champion Tomoki Kameda of Japan. If Kameda wins, he will win the now-vacant title. If Figueroa wins or the fight is declared a draw, the title will remain vacant. 

 

On Saturday (Oct. 17th), at London’s o2 Arena, a classic heavyweight rematch takes place between Daniel Dubois (pictured) and Fabio Wardley, who'll be going at it hammer and tongs. Back in May, they engaged in one of the best heavyweight encounters in recent memory. Dubois survived a pair of knockdowns and came back to stop Wardley by eleventh-round technical knockout in Manchester, England. With the win, Dubois took Wardley's WBO championship and became a two-time champion. Although he scored the only two knockdowns of the encounter, it was Wardley who absorbed a terrifying amount of punishment.

 

If the rematch wasn’t contracted with Wardley calling in his rematch clause within days of taking his first career loss, the rematch would be the subject of public demand.

 

With the inevitable departure from the scene of Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua over the next year or two at most, the heavyweight division has been presented with pretty much a blank canvas. Still considered the world champion, Usyk took a step back by vacating his title belts, which opened up doors for the likes of Dubois, Wardley, Agit Kabayel, Murat Gassiev and Filip Hrgovic.

 

Should he win on Saturday, Wardley will join Dubois, Fury and Joshua in the record books as being a two-time heavyweight champion from Great Britain. It is not the way he would have chosen to pick up the accolade, but it will look good in the history books nonetheless.

 

Dubois has now proudly held the WBA Regular - if you choose to count it - plus the IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles. You could make an argument that he is currently The Man of the division, with his title successes and triumphs over the likes of the previously unbeaten Jarrell Miller, Hrgovic and Wardley, along with Joshua.

 

This new unfolding heavyweight era is that it is largely shaping up on British soil. Saturday will be the third heavyweight championship event to be staged in the UK so far this year. And then we’ve got Fury and Joshua finally coming to blows in December.

 

A multi-decade writer for Boxingtalk.com, Kirk Lang was honored with the George Smith Contribution to Boxing Award by the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame this past Saturday. He was one of seven award winners recognized in addition to the inductees. The Contribution to Boxing Award was renamed some years back to honor the late George Smith, who was both a sportswriter and a boxing judge. He was also one of the founding members of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame. In addition to Lang, the following were also honored: Kamarre Kemp (The Roland Roy Amateur Boxer of the Year); Chordale Booker (Marlon Starling Boxer of the Year); Marilyn Rosa (Amateur Official of the Year); Phyllis Roy (The William Hutt Official of the Year); Paul Cichon (Brian Clark Trainer of the Year) and Marcky “The Fighter” Foster (The Willie Pep Courage Award). Foster battled an embryonal tumor with multi-layered rosettes, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that strikes young children. He passed away on June 22nd, just before his 5th birthday.

 

The Professional Boxer of the Year Award was just renamed to honor former welterweight champion Marlon Starling, who presented the award to Booker, and the Trainer of the Year Award was just renamed to honor longtime New Haven-based trainer Brian Clark, who passed away in January. The most famous boxer to come out of Clark’s Ring One gym was former light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson.  “Congratulations to each and every one of you,” said newly elected President Peter Hary Jr.. “Your accomplishments and contributions to boxing have earned you this moment and we’re proud to celebrate you tonight.”

 

A writer / photographer, Lang was an invited guest at the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Las Vegas this month and had plans to attend. However, upon finding out he would be receiving the Contribution to Boxing Award from the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame – and that the ceremony was taking place on the same day as the women’s Hall event– he had to scrap the Vegas trip. 

 

In front of numerous members of his family, including his daughters Alyssa and Laila, who were stage-side helping to capture the moment for him, Lang said, “I really appreciate this award. I want to thank Peter Hary and everybody on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame for all that you do and for honoring me with this award. I’ve been doing this for a while and I appreciate the recognition.”

 

Lang kept his speech brief and didn’t go into his career highlights. However, he did note that a desire to meet his idol, former three-time heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, influenced his decision to get into boxing journalism. Initially majoring in physical education in college, numerous trips to the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekends in Canastota, New York with his dad further cemented his journalistic aspirations. Lang has covered or interviewed numerous legends of the sport, including Sugar Ray Leonard; George Foreman; Roy Jones Jr.; Joe Frazier; Floyd Mayweather Jr; Bernard Hopkins, Arturo Gatti; Evander Holyfield; Pernell Whitaker; Felix Trinidad; Oscar de la Hoya; Manny Pacquiao; Laila Ali; Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. 

 

A few stand-out moments of Lang’s career include covering the historic all-female card at Madison Square Garden last year, which was headlined by Taylor-Serrano III; covering former heavyweight champion George Foreman’s final fight; being ringside for numerous Roy Jones bouts; covering a fight card at a castle in downtown Boston; being asked to be a pallbearer for the 1940s featherweight legend Willie Pep; and providing a few lines to actor James Madio that would be used in Madio’s portrayal of Pep in the movie “The Featherweight.”

 

After accepting his award and largely staying near the stage to cover the ceremony – taking photos and recording speeches –  he was given silent auction items at the end of the evening his family had won for him, including the fight program for Ali-Frazier III “The Thrilla in Manila,” Ring magazines from the 1950s and a pair of gloves from the Ali Center. 

 

The CTBHOF honor took place inside the Earth Ballroom at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT in front of crowd of nearly 400 attendees. The silent auction raised over $4,000, a record, according to Hary, and the 50/50 raffle netted $1,000. Every dollar raised helps the Hall support the boxing community through its charitable giving program, which allows the organization to support amateur boxing in Connecticut, and to help fighters in need. 

 

In addition to the award recipients, the followed were immortalized with induction Saturday night: 1930s and ‘40s era light heavyweight Melio Bettina; promoter Rich Cappiello; timekeeper Lou Dell; referee Ken Ezzo; former heavyweight contender Fernely Feliz; former USA New England featherweight and super featherweight champion Joey Negron; trainer Luis Rosa Sr.; and New London-based trainer Kent Ward, who established a program for boxers with disabilities, such as Parkinson’s Disease. 

WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and his unbeaten challenger Ermal Hadribeaj went face to face at the final press conference on Thursday before they headline “The Fight” live on TNT and DAZN this Saturday, October 17th at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, presented by Premier Boxing Champions. The press conference also featured WBA featherweight champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa and former bantamweight champion Tomoki Kameda, who duel in the co-feature, all-action former title holder  Armando “Toro” Reséndiz, who battles Australia’s Koen Mazoudier in a ten-round super middleweight showdown, plus rising star Marco Romero and Uruguay’s Matias Ferreira, who meet in the eight-round super middleweight opening attraction at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The fourth installment of the live monthly boxing series will be broadcast in the U.S. on TNT, truTV and DAZN. 

 

TNT Sports and DAZN today announced an all-star announce team for Saturday’s event with Todd Grisham hosting studio coverage alongside undefeated five-division champion Terence Crawford, International Boxing Hall of Famer Tim Bradley Jr. and former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter. Corey Erdman will handle play-by-play duties alongside analysts Sergio Mora, a former champion, and veteran boxing journalist Chris Mannix. Tickets for the live event are on sale now through Ticketmaster.com.

 

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas:

 

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA

 

“This Saturday we have everything on this card. Make sure to tune in, because we’re gonna make it a knockout of a weekend.

 

“He’s an undefeated fighter. He’s hungry, but we’ve seen that before. We’ve fought champions. This is the major leagues of boxing and we’re here to prove again why we’ll remain the champion.

 

“I’ve been in this sport for a while. I’ve been fighting for 22 years. It’s been a lot of learning and now we’re showing you guys.

 

“This is gonna be a great fight. He’s undefeated and he only knows how to win. But we’re here to break him.

 

“Losing to Brian Mendoza made me realize some things. Obviously if you make mistakes, you’re gonna get hurt. It’s not just about realizing the mistake, but learning from it.

 

“Future fights only get in my mind because of everyone asking us about them. We have Ermal in front of us and we’re not overlooking him at all. You can’t overlook anyone. After Saturday, you can ask me all the questions.

 

“I’m very comfortable making weight. I ate breakfast today. This is Fundora fight week and we’re ready to go.”

 

ERMAL HADRIBEAJ

 

“I want to show that I’m an exciting fighter that people are going to want to watch Tell the fans around the world that ‘The Albanian Sniper’ is coming for Sebastian Fundora.

 

“I met Fundora three years ago and I want to shake his hand and let him know that the respect is there. We knew that we’d want to fight him, but I wasn’t ready at that moment. Now I’ve proven that I belong here.

 

“We worked a lot in training camp and I think we have the key. If that key doesn’t work, I have another key in my pocket. I have everything I need. I’m fast, I’m strong, I work hard and I have punch resistance. Everyone thinks he has the advantage, but his only advantage is that he’s tall.

 

“I’m able to out box him and I have the power to hurt him as well. I’m very unpredictable so I can’t say now how it will happen.”

 

BRANDON FIGUEROA

 

“I’m just ready. We prepared 110%. Just like what I did in the UK, going out there against all odds, nothing is gonna come between me and keeping this belt. I’ve lost it before and gained it back, now I don’t plan on losing it again.

 

“I will give the best of me in every fight. I can’t wait to let my hands fly and do what I was born to do.

 

“I wanted to get to the top level and fight the best of the best, that’s why I teamed up with Manny Robles. We went over there with all of the odds against me. But as a champion, you take it on the chin and figure it out. You have to overcome obstacles.

 

“I’m just getting better every fight. Everyone is going to see on Saturday everything that I’ve worked for. This belt isn’t going anywhere. I promise you that.

 

“He’s got a lot of experience and he’s been in there with a lot of champions. But I’m a hungry, young fighter and I’m strong. I’m going in there with everything and ready to showcase what I have in the tank.

 

“Everyone is on my hit list. Line them up. I want all of them. That’s what I’m here for. The belts are nice, but I want the names. I want people to say I fought the champions and beat them all.”

 

TOMOKI KAMEDA

 

“’El Mexicanito’ is back once again. I’m very thankful for this great opportunity. I’m so happy to be back here in Las Vegas once again. I’ve had a great training camp and I’m ready to be world champion once again.

 

“I’ve been training for nine months now. Now I’m here and more ready than ever. I can guarantee you that.

 

“I learned a lot from the loss to Angelo Leo. I was able to use those lessons in my preparation for this fight. On Saturday I’m going to show that I’m the superior fighter and come out on top.

 

“On Saturday night I’m going to prove that in boxing, anything is possible and that I’m willing and able to come out on top.

 

“I have to take advantage of this great opportunity. Chances like this don’t come around too often so I have to be 100% focused.”

 

ARMANDO RESENDIZ

 

“I’m always ready for a challenge. I just want to seek out the best. It makes me really proud to be on a prestigious card like this. I’m always in the gym so this was an opportunity I’m 100% ready for.

 

“There is a lot that I want to accomplish. I want to keep getting into the ring and being the best version of myself that I can be.

 

“It’s been a roller coaster for me, but I’ve proven that I will always get back up. There’s always a next chapter.

 

“I have full confidence in myself and my team. After Saturday night we’re going to look to move closer to becoming a world champion again.

 

“He’s a strong fighter who has a lot of heart. He’s very tough. The fans are going to end up being the true winners of the night.”

 

MARCO ROMERO

 

“I’m excited to be fighting alongside these champions and put on a great performance. He better live up to his words, because if he doesn’t it’s gonna be a long night for him.

 

“He thinks he has more experience than me, but with my amateur experience, that’s more than he’s had. He says he’s gonna come in and play my game, but I don’t think that’s a good game plan. You’re gonna get bit by the shark.

 

“He can believe whatever he wants. I’m going to go in there and do my job. I’m gonna let the shark go on the hunt. When I get the opportunity for the kill shot, don’t blink.

 

“I’m progressing and heading towards the top 10 and get to the world title level. A lot of guys I fight tend to move more, but if he comes in and brawl, that’s perfect for me. I’ll be ready for sure.”

 

MATIAS FERREIRA

 

“I’m going to be out there showing my speed from the first minute of the fight. I’ve been training hard for months now and I’m coming to knock him out before the fourth round. The fans are going to be in for a show.

 

“He’s a really good fighter, but he’s not going to be able to keep up with my speed. He doesn’t have the experience yet. I’m gonna come out and smother him from round one. I’ve trained hard and I know what I’m capable of.

 

“He struggles with the distance. I’ve seen how he likes to engage from short distance, but I’m going to play his game and make my speed count more.”

 

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

 

“We’re all very excited to be here promoting ‘The Fight’ on TNT. This card has a little bit of everything on it.

 

“With our main event, you have Sebastian ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora taking on his mandatory challenger Ermal Hadribeaj. He can’t look past his opponent who’s young and undefeated. The scary thing about Fundora is that he’s just getting better and better. His fights are always exciting and he’ll give fight fans everything they want in a fight night.”

 

“In the co-main event we have Brandon Figueroa, who went over the UK to win his WBA Featherweight World Title and upset Nick Ball. Now he’s back with a strong veteran fighter and former world champion in Tomoki Kameda.

 

“Plus we have a former world champion in Armando Resendiz returning for the first time since losing his title and he’s got a tough Australian in Koen Mazoudier to deal with. And we open the night with one of the top prospects in boxing today in Marco Romero. He’s definitely someone to keep your eye on.”

 

BRITTON HARDIN, Head of Boxing, North America, DAZN

 

“This is the perfect time for us to be bringing in new boxing fans with the partnership with TNT and this is an exciting card to do that with. You get the full gamut of what boxing has with these matchups that we’re able to put together.

 

“I’m really excited for Saturday night. Everyone up here knows the level of competition and I can’t wait to see what we have.”

 

 

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) returns to Newark, New Jersey this weekend with BKFC 95 on Saturday at the Prudential Center, live worldwide on The BKFC App. Former junior lightweight champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring defends his BKFC bantamweight (135-pound) title for the first time against BKFC flyweight (125-pound) champion John “The Magician” Dodson. Both fighters have been undefeated since entering BKFC's squared circle, boasting a combined 6-0-1 record. 

 

On the undercard, Jimmie “El Terror” Rivera will be headhunting for a second straight stoppage victory at the expense of the battle-tested Brandon “Beastmode” Meyer, who’s gunning for a fourth win under the BKFC banner... Tony “Loco” Soto throws down against hard-hitting Anthony “The Pistol” Pike, who’s eager to rack up a second straight finish against his toughest challenge yet, in a must-see matchup at 155 pounds.

 

BKFC 95 on Saturday will also feature a slate of rookies to the BKFC Squared Circle and the return of established fan-favorite fighters, like Dalvin “Hippy Disciple” Blair, Paris “PDott Da Knockout Artist” Boyd, Phil “Hitman” Caracappa, Booke “Bare Knuckle Brooke” Evans, “Relentless” Jeff Lentz, Eduardo Peralta, Gabrielle Roman, Nicholas Saragosa and Anthony “The Devil’s Advocate” Yost, all LIVE worldwide on The BKFC App. 

Matchroom Boxing returns to Australia on Wednesday, November 18th at Pullman Melbourne Albert Park as undefeated heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana takes on Hemi Ahio (25-1, 19 KOs) on live on Fox Sports and DAZN’sKayo Sports in Australia. A towering Aussie,  Teremoana has won all 12 of his professional fights to date by way of knockout and has been heralded by promoter Eddie Hearn as a future champion. Teremoana is relishing the challenge as he prepares to headline in Melbourne. “I’m excited to be fighting again down in Melbourne and this time headlining against a strong opponent from New Zealand in Hemi Ahio,” he said. “I am really looking forward to the challenge he will bring. Nothing changes for me. I am here to prove I am the best and Ahio is the next obstacle in my way. I respect what he’s achieved but he shouldn’t have taken this fight.

 

Teremoana continued, “I’ve been training hard and with another five weeks of preparation until fight night I plan to show the difference in levels. God willing, I will be victorious.”

 

However, Ahio – nicknamed ’The Heat’ – has warned Teremoana that he is ready to crank up the temperature and unleash everything he has when the two collide. “I’m in great shape, maybe in the best shape I have been my entire career,” said Ahio. “There’s going to be fireworks, and we will both be dropping big bombs. I’m ready to throw down with the big man. Let’s go!”

 

Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn is looking forward to big night Down Under with a card stacked with homegrown talent. “Australian boxing is flying and I am excited to be returning to Melbourne for what promises to be a brilliant fight card, headlined by the country’s most destructive fighter,” said Hearn. “We seriously have a superstar on our hands in Teremoana. He must close out this year with another big statement – but he’ll need to be at his best as Hemi Ahio is a very dangerous operator with plenty of experience. Teremoana truly has the potential to go far in the heavyweight division. I honestly believe he has the tools to go on and become a future champion. He is a man Australia needs to get behind.”

 

The undercard features local favorite Mitch Leek (14-0, 8 KOs) as he takes on Joel ‘Camo KO’ Camilleri (31-8, 15 KOs) ina middleweight contest.

 

The vacant Australian junior middleweight title is on the line as Melbourne’s Ky Hodgson (7-1) goes up against Victor Adis-Iosifidis (3-1, 1 KO).

 

Plus, unbeaten 21 year-old Omar El-Abdallah (6-0, 5 KOs) faces Lilo Telepe (6-1, 6 KOs) in a middleweight shootout.

Nothing But Sportz, the television, streaming and technology company founded by Steven Marcano, has announced it will not televise the October 24th boxing event featuring Maureen Shea after her scheduled opponent withdrew and a suitable replacement could not be secured within an acceptable promotional period. Effective immediately, NBS will require all essential athlete, promotional, production and broadcast agreements to be fully executed at least ten weeks prior to any scheduled live event. The policy is designed to ensure adequate preparation, marketing support, and audience development.

 

Entering its second year, NBS is transitioning from an early-stage entrepreneurial model into an institutionally structured television, streaming, and technology enterprise. The company is implementing enhanced governance standards, standardized contracting procedures, and centralized operational oversight, creating a foundation for national growth and long-term sustainability. NBS intends to televise Shea’s January 2027 return, with American Dream Presents remaining promotional company of record, subject to finalized agreements.

 

Two world-class championship boxing events are under negotiation for March and June 2027. Alongside promotional partnerships, NBS will acquire and license independently promoted boxing events targeting one major live event each month.

 

The company is expanding its programming interests into table tennis, pickleball, horse racing, motorcycle racing, motocross, tennis, flag football, volleyball, and surfing. NBS is also exploring the licensing of sporting events connected to U.S. Armed Forces sports programs. A major table tennis competition is targeted for February 2027.

 

Beyond live sports, NBS is developing original intellectual property, including King Carter, a vertical short-form project, Ring Card Girls and Scrap City, an interactive video game. The company is actively seeking submissions and distribution partnerships from independent filmmakers, documentary producers, digital content creators, and artificial intelligence companies. Its technology initiatives emphasize AI-powered sports analytics, interactive programming, personalized content discovery, and enhanced fan engagement. Building on existing distribution relationships with Roku, Apple, Amazon, Truth Plus, and KlowdTV, NBS is accelerating expansion across linear and digital platforms.

 

 

 

By the end of 2027, NBS is targeting distribution access across 85 percent of the linear television market and full digital platform availability. These are stated goals, not current market share. During its inaugural year, the company secured programming involving internationally recognized talent including Yuriorkis Gamboa, Guillermo Rigondeaux, and high-profile sports entertainment personalities.

 

 

 

The company has received substantial digital engagement, which management believes demonstrates the potential for a competitive position if its 2027 distribution and programming objectives are realized.

 

 

 

NBS is preparing its first eight-figure financing initiative with management reporting exploratory discussions with hedge funds and family offices as it advances its institutional growth strategy. Nothing But Sportz remains firmly committed to championship boxing while building a diversified sports media and technology platform. It is not moving away from boxing, it is building beyond it. With institutional standards, expanding content verticals, and a long-term distribution strategy, NBS is positioning itself for a defining second year. Nothing But Sportz — building the future of sports, television, streaming, and technology

 

Abraham Perez will defend his WBA interim flyweight title in a homecoming showdown with Yankiel Rivera at Albuquerque's Kiva Auditorium on Saturday, Nov. 7th live on DAZN beginning at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT. Perez returns for his first defense just two years after a near-fatal drowning incident left him in a coma eight days prior to the biggest fight of his career in August 2024. Facing the grim diagnosis that he may never walk again, Perez persevered, returned to boxing in 2025 and won the interim title in June on DAZN over defending interim champion Jonathan Gonzalez. Now Perez (15-0, 7 KOs) returns with the hopes of following in the footsteps of New Mexico legends Johnny Tapia and Danny Romero, fellow lower-weight class champions who established Albuquerque as a homebase for major events. Tickets for the Nov. 7th event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions and Legacy Boxing Promotions in association with Wynn Records, are available on ticketmaster.com.

 

“Most athletes dream to be in the current situation I am in - defending a belt in their hometown,” Perez said. “It means a whole lot to not only me, but the local fans who get to see the fight. I did not let what happened to me stop the dream of becoming a world champion, I could've quit boxing or even swimming, but it's the optimism, the fight in me, and the love I have for the sport that kept me going. I will never be Tapia or Romero, I can only aspire to be the best version of myself. So while there is a Tapia, a Romero, there is also a Perez.”

 

The 27 year-old “Hammer” Perez was a stellar amateur, having won the 2021 Olympic Trials at 114 pounds and the 2019 National Golden Gloves. He turned pro in 2021 and was moved quickly, earning his first title opportunity in his 14th professional fight.

 

Rivera (8-1-1, 4 KOs) was the only boxer from Puerto Rico to qualify for 2021 Olympics and finished his amateur career with a 133-14 record. He was also moved swiftly since turning professional in 2022, fighting for an interim flyweight championship in only his eighth professional fight, a draw with then-undefeated Angelino Cordova. In his next fight he was upset in a decision loss zagainst Gonzalez for the WBA interim belt. The 29-year old is coming off a first-round knockout last month over Francisco Vargas Martinez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “You will see a 100 percent Yankiel Rivera - completely focused, prepared and completely motivated,” Rivera said. “I know some are skeptical after my defeat, but I will show them that a defeat does not define me. With the exception of a very small group, every fighter faces a loss. It is not the loss that defines you, it is what you do afterwards.

 

“I see this fight as an opportunity to beat the guy who beat me. A victory will vindicate that defeat and will show that I belong in the mix with the elite fighters in the 112-pound division. My name has to be on that list. I’m ready to fight and defeat the best of the division.”

 

Albuquerque has a history as a boxing hotbed that has bred some of America’s best lower weight division champions - Hall of Famer and three division champion Johnny Tapia, who was a titlist at super flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight, and two division champion Danny Romero, a flyweight and junior bantamweight champion. Now the city has it’s newest champion in Perez, who looks to establish his own legacy as a young rising star in New Mexico.

 

“Albuquerque is one of America’s legendary boxing cities,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Our goal is to reignite that fire - both locally and nationally. We are proud to feature hometown world champion Abraham Perez, along with talented fighters from Albuquerque’s great local gyms. By teaming up with Legacy Boxing Promotions, we hope to build a lasting partnership and bring championship boxing back to this historic fight town.”

 

Added Aaron Perez and Gabriel Carlin of Legacy Promotions: “From day one, Legacy Promotions’ goal has been to put New Mexico back on the map as a destination for championship boxing. In 2024, we were proud to bring a world championship fight to Albuquerque. Now, we're honored to bring another world championship fight home - this time in partnership with Salita Promotions and DAZN, the premier boxing network in the world - with our own champion, Abraham Perez.

 

“After his latest victory, we asked Abraham what he wanted next. He said he wanted a big fight in Albuquerque, for a city that has been through a lot since the pandemic. We're excited to make that happen and give our city a night to remember."

 

Azariah Cottrell KO2 Karla Valenzuela Garcia... Hawaiian amateur standout Azariah Cottrell made a winning entrance into traditional professional boxing, scoring a second-round knockout over Karla Valenzuela Garcia (3-42-3, 1 KO) in their four-round lightweight bout. Cottrell entered the professional ranks after establishing herself as a childhood boxing prodigy, a USA Boxing national champion and a standout in Team Boxing League. Rather than allowing the moment to overwhelm her, Cottrell embraced it. Facing an opponent with nearly 50 professional fights, Cottrell displayed the confidence and experience developed through years of high-level competition. She took control of the fight before ending matters in the second round, officially beginning her traditional professional career at 1-0 with one knockout.

 

For Cottrell, however, the victory was less about making a statement and more about finally taking the first step toward a dream she has carried since childhood. “It was a special feeling,” said Cottrell. I've been boxing since I was a little girl, so I've dreamed about this moment for a long time. Once the bell rang, I just trusted my training and did what I know how to do. Getting the knockout was exciting but getting that first professional win is what really means the most to me.”

 

Long before Cottrell became a professional, she was already making history. At only 10 years old, Cottrell was ranked #1 nationally at 75 pounds in the 9-10 girls division in the 2018 National Silver Gloves final rankings. She became the first girl from Hawaii to win the Silver Gloves Tournament and later captured a USA Boxing National Championship as a teenager.

 

Her accomplishments earned recognition from the State of Hawaii and established Cottrell as one of the islands' promising young boxing talents. She later gained another valuable layer of experience through Team Boxing League, compiling a 16-2 record before making the transition into traditional professional boxing.

 

Despite everything she accomplished before turning professional, Cottrell views herself as a fighter starting over with plenty still to prove. “Everything I did in the amateurs and Team Boxing League prepared me for this, but now I'm starting a new journey,” she added. “I'm 1-0, and that's it. I still have so much to learn and prove. I'm hungry to keep fighting, keep getting better and see how far I can take this.”

 

No matter where boxing takes her, Cottrell remains deeply connected to her Hawaiian roots. Her success as a young amateur allowed her to represent Hawaii on the national stage. Now, as a professional, she hopes to continue carrying that identity with her while inspiring another generation of young fighters from the islands. “Hawaii is always with me,” Cottell continued. “I'm proud of where I come from and everything my family and the people back home have done for me. Every time I fight, I want to represent them the right way. Hopefully, young girls back home can watch my journey and believe they can chase their dreams too.”

 

Cottrell isn't hiding what she ultimately wants from professional boxing. But after spending most of her life around the sport, she also understands that championship opportunities are earned through development, consistency and increasingly difficult fights. “I want to be a world champion one day,” she concluded. “That's always been the dream. But I'm not trying to rush past the work it takes to get there. I want to stay active, keep learning and take it fight by fight. This was the first one. Now I'm ready for the next.”

 

Bobby Harrison, CEO of BiYu Promotions, believes Cottrell's combination of youth, experience and competitive mentality gives her an opportunity to develop into one of women's boxing's notable young fighters. After watching her deliver a knockout in her professional debut, Harrison is excited about what comes next. “Azariah has something special,” Harrison said. “She has been competing at a high level since she was a kid, so even though this was her pro debut, she didn't look like someone who was new to the ring. She stayed composed, did her job and got the knockout. She's young, she's hungry and she wants to learn. That's what excites me the most. We're going to keep her active, develop her the right way and give her opportunities to grow. I believe she has a very bright future in women's boxing.”

 

From the Rawhide Event Center in Phoenix, Arizona, here are the boxers' official weights for the ProBox show, beginning at 7 PM Eastern time on Friday:

 

Joshua Kevin Anton, 152.9 pounds -vs.- Freudis Rojas, 151.4;

Justin Pauldo, 134.1 -vs.- Rene Tellez Giron, 134;

Bryan Acosta, 125.3 -vs.- Carlos Andres Arteaga Orona, 126.1;

Charles Harris Jr., 138.1 -vs.- Misael Cabrera Urias, 138;

Heidan Martinez Morillo, 139 -vs.- Willmank Canonico Brito, 139.1;

Trini Ochoa, 147.8 -vs.- Alex Martin, 146.7;

Trenton Bradford, 161 -vs.- Aaron Mick, 159.2;

Rahman Muhamad, 146.6 -vs.- Jose Valenzuela Alvarado, 146;

Trevor Kotara, 233.1 -vs.- Aurek Anderson, 218.7; and

Siupeli Anau, 254.2 -vs.- Bryan Hall, 263.5.