Zuffa announces April 5th main event |
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Zuffa Boxing announced the main event for its fifth show, which is scheduled for April 5th. It will be a lightweight contest between Andres Cortes and Eridson Garcia, taking place, like its four predecessor shows, at the UFC's Apex in Las Vegas. Cortes is a popular local boxer, undefeated at 24-0 and on a run of quality wins. Garcia is a 31 year-old Dominican with a record of 23-1. Garcia has six straight wins since a 2023 knockout loss to Jordan White.
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Zuffa announces April 5th main event
Zuffa Boxing announced the main event for its fifth show, which is scheduled for April 5th. It will be a lightweight contest between Andres Cortes and Eridson Garcia, taking place, like its four predecessor shows, at the UFC's Apex in Las Vegas. Cortes is a popular local boxer, undefeated at 24-0 and on a run of quality wins. Garcia is a 31 year-old Dominican with a record of 23-1. Garcia has six straight wins since a 2023 knockout loss to Jordan White.
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IBF orders purse bid for Donovan vs. Chukhadzhian |
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On February 18th, the IBF ordered Paddy Donovan and Karen Chukhadzhian to begin negotiations for an elimination bout for the IBF #1 position in the welterweight division. An agreement was not reached, so the IBF has ordered a purse bid scheduled for March 24th. Donovan, from Ireland, is 14-2 and coming off back-to-back losses to Lewis Crocker in IBF title fights. He is a deserving contender, however, as one loss was a controversial disqualification and one was by split decision. The Ukrainian Chukhadzhian is 26-3 with two losses to Jaron Ennis, now a two-division champion, down at junior welterweight. Chukhadzhian had two decent wins in 2025.
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IBF orders purse bid for Donovan vs. Chukhadzhian
On February 18th, the IBF ordered Paddy Donovan and Karen Chukhadzhian to begin negotiations for an elimination bout for the IBF #1 position in the welterweight division. An agreement was not reached, so the IBF has ordered a purse bid scheduled for March 24th. Donovan, from Ireland, is 14-2 and coming off back-to-back losses to Lewis Crocker in IBF title fights. He is a deserving contender, however, as one loss was a controversial disqualification and one was by split decision. The Ukrainian Chukhadzhian is 26-3 with two losses to Jaron Ennis, now a two-division champion, down at junior welterweight. Chukhadzhian had two decent wins in 2025.
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Part three of eight: Fighter Leverage |
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When we speak about structural models, it is not an abstract exercise. They determine where the leverage resides in a boxer's business negotiations. The term "leverage" influences contracting details including ourses, title shot access, activity frequency, income trajectory and career options. The distinction between centralized integration and decentralized competition becomes clearest when viewed through practical pathways. The following illustrations are structural comparisons — not commentary on any specific contractual relationship.
Scenario 1: The Breakout Contender
A fighter secures a high-profile victory that materially elevates market visibility. Under the centralized structure, currently exemplified by the Zuffa Boxing venture, if the fighter is under contract within a unified model: his opponent selection is determined internally, all rankings and title eligibility are governed within the same ecosystem, media distribution remains aligned with the organization’s enterprise-level strategy and renegotiation opportunities occur within the existing contract framework.
Leverage during the contract term is primarily internal. Some value appreciation may be recognized, but negotiation alternatives are structurally limited until the boxers' contract expires or a defined renegotiation triggers. The advantages here are immediate event scale, better marketing support, a clear title pathway within the system and reduced delay.
But there are constraints too, such as limited external bidding tension, internalized championship governance and negotiation leverage restricted by to contract structure rather than open-market competition.
Under the decentralized structure of the traditional boxing model, if the fighter is aligned with an independent promoter, competing promoters may express interest, broadcast partners may seek event rights, sanctioning bodies may elevate ranking position and title opportunities may be negotiated across promotional entities. The leverage can become externally competitive. The fighter’s market value may increase through bidding tension and independent ranking advancement. The advantages of this model are multiple negotiating counterparties, independent ranking governance, cross-platform visibility opportunities and greater contract flexibility upon expiration.
But the constraints are potential scheduling delays, difficulties with cross-promotional negotiation and fragmented marketing alignment.
Scenario 2: Inactivity and Opportunity
If a fighter goes six months without a scheduled bout, under the centralized model, activity is determined within internal scheduling priorities. If the proposed Unified Boxing Organization (UBO) framework under H.R. 4624 is enacted with inactivity safeguards, contractual compensation mechanisms may apply. Leverage depends on contract drafting precision, statutory compliance standards and internal matchmaking priorities.
Under the decentralized model, inactivity may prompt renegotiation, contract expiration, the ability to explore alternative promoters and continued ranking retention through the sanctioning bodies
The leverage depends on external market interest and contractual duratio and the pathway is more competitive.
Scenario 3: Championship Access
When a fighter reaches legitimate contender status, the centralized model provides that rankings are internally maintained, championship opportunities are internally scheduled and title design and governance may operate within the same integrated structure controlling promotion. The path may be streamlined — but internally controlled.
Under the decentralized model, the championship access comes through the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. Rankings are maintained by separate sanctioning bodies, which provides more options and opportunity. Mandatory challenger rules may apply and cross-promotional negotiations may be required. Broadcast alignment of the promoter will influence bout location and timing. The path may be less predictable but there are more options.
Leverage Architecture
The distinction between systems is not protection versus no protection. The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act currently applies to professional boxing promoters, managers, and sanctioning bodies. The distinction lies in how structure interacts with leverage. Centralized integration concentrates authority and opportunity within a unified framework. Decentralized competition distributes authority and opportunity across multiple independent actors. One emphasizes internal valuation. The other emphasizes external bidding tension. One reduces fragmentation. The other preserves plurality. Neither model guarantees superior outcomes. But each shapes negotiation dynamics differently.
Strategic Observation
For fighters, the central question is not which model is philosophically preferable. It is where leverage resides during the life of a contract. Security and predictability may increase within integrated systems. Optionality and competitive tension may increase within distributed systems. Understanding that tradeoff is essential before entering any long-term agreement.
Transition to Part IV: The next section examines how federal law — specifically the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act and the proposed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624) — intersects with these structural differences. Because architecture and statute operate together in defining leverage.
Editor's note: This is the third of an eight part series.
Part one is published here: Boxing is at an inflection point.
Part two is published here: The Structural Divide.
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Part three of eight: Fighter Leverage
When we speak about structural models, it is not an abstract exercise. They determine where the leverage resides in a boxer's business negotiations. The term "leverage" influences contracting details including ourses, title shot access, activity frequency, income trajectory and career options. The distinction between centralized integration and decentralized competition becomes clearest when viewed through practical pathways. The following illustrations are structural comparisons — not commentary on any specific contractual relationship.
Scenario 1: The Breakout Contender
A fighter secures a high-profile victory that materially elevates market visibility. Under the centralized structure, currently exemplified by the Zuffa Boxing venture, if the fighter is under contract within a unified model: his opponent selection is determined internally, all rankings and title eligibility are governed within the same ecosystem, media distribution remains aligned with the organization’s enterprise-level strategy and renegotiation opportunities occur within the existing contract framework.
Leverage during the contract term is primarily internal. Some value appreciation may be recognized, but negotiation alternatives are structurally limited until the boxers' contract expires or a defined renegotiation triggers. The advantages here are immediate event scale, better marketing support, a clear title pathway within the system and reduced delay.
But there are constraints too, such as limited external bidding tension, internalized championship governance and negotiation leverage restricted by to contract structure rather than open-market competition.
Under the decentralized structure of the traditional boxing model, if the fighter is aligned with an independent promoter, competing promoters may express interest, broadcast partners may seek event rights, sanctioning bodies may elevate ranking position and title opportunities may be negotiated across promotional entities. The leverage can become externally competitive. The fighter’s market value may increase through bidding tension and independent ranking advancement. The advantages of this model are multiple negotiating counterparties, independent ranking governance, cross-platform visibility opportunities and greater contract flexibility upon expiration.
But the constraints are potential scheduling delays, difficulties with cross-promotional negotiation and fragmented marketing alignment.
Scenario 2: Inactivity and Opportunity
If a fighter goes six months without a scheduled bout, under the centralized model, activity is determined within internal scheduling priorities. If the proposed Unified Boxing Organization (UBO) framework under H.R. 4624 is enacted with inactivity safeguards, contractual compensation mechanisms may apply. Leverage depends on contract drafting precision, statutory compliance standards and internal matchmaking priorities.
Under the decentralized model, inactivity may prompt renegotiation, contract expiration, the ability to explore alternative promoters and continued ranking retention through the sanctioning bodies
The leverage depends on external market interest and contractual duratio and the pathway is more competitive.
Scenario 3: Championship Access
When a fighter reaches legitimate contender status, the centralized model provides that rankings are internally maintained, championship opportunities are internally scheduled and title design and governance may operate within the same integrated structure controlling promotion. The path may be streamlined — but internally controlled.
Under the decentralized model, the championship access comes through the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. Rankings are maintained by separate sanctioning bodies, which provides more options and opportunity. Mandatory challenger rules may apply and cross-promotional negotiations may be required. Broadcast alignment of the promoter will influence bout location and timing. The path may be less predictable but there are more options.
Leverage Architecture
The distinction between systems is not protection versus no protection. The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act currently applies to professional boxing promoters, managers, and sanctioning bodies. The distinction lies in how structure interacts with leverage. Centralized integration concentrates authority and opportunity within a unified framework. Decentralized competition distributes authority and opportunity across multiple independent actors. One emphasizes internal valuation. The other emphasizes external bidding tension. One reduces fragmentation. The other preserves plurality. Neither model guarantees superior outcomes. But each shapes negotiation dynamics differently.
Strategic Observation
For fighters, the central question is not which model is philosophically preferable. It is where leverage resides during the life of a contract. Security and predictability may increase within integrated systems. Optionality and competitive tension may increase within distributed systems. Understanding that tradeoff is essential before entering any long-term agreement.
Transition to Part IV: The next section examines how federal law — specifically the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act and the proposed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624) — intersects with these structural differences. Because architecture and statute operate together in defining leverage.
Editor's note: This is the third of an eight part series.
Part one is published here: Boxing is at an inflection point.
Part two is published here: The Structural Divide.
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Matchroom announces big Australian show for April 29th |
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Ex-featherweight champ Skye Nicolson kickstarts Matchroom Boxing’s new era on Kayo Sports in Australia in her first-ever headline show on Wednesday, April 29th. The WBC interim 122-pound title holder heads home to face ’The Golden Girl’, Mariah Turner in an all-Aussie title showdown at the Melbourne Pavilion – broadcast worldwide outside Australia on DAZN. Junior welterweight Jake Wyllie battles 2012 Aussie Olympian Ibrahim Balla in the co-feature, and another Olympic hero, heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana returns as part of a stacked undercard to kickstart the new partnership between Matchroom Boxing and DAZN’s Kayo Sports.
It is the first showcase as part of the recently extended agreement with DAZN’s Foxtel Group in Australia which will see seven major Matchroom Boxing events in 2026 broadcast live on Kayo SPORTS and Foxtel, bringing elite global boxing to Australian audiences. Following DAZN’s acquisition of Foxtel Group last year, the company has continued to expand its portfolio of sports content on Kayo SPORTS. The new partnership with Matchroom Boxing strengthens Kayo SPORTS’s position as Australia’s sports streaming leader.
Matchroom Sport Chairman, Eddie Hearn said: “We pride ourselves at Matchroom Boxing on being the only true global, promotional company in the world and we cannot wait to get this new, seven shows-a-year partnership with Fox Sports started. “We have a great chance to really get our teeth into what I believe is the most exciting time ever for Australian boxing and can’t wait to stage many major events here in what promises to be a big year.
“It all starts on April 29th with a fantastic fight for WBC interim champion Skye Nicolson against Mariah Turner – where a future undisputed shot awaits the winner. We’ve also got a man who is so good, they named him twice, in Teremoana Teremoana – a giant of a young man, who I believe will be a future heavyweight world champion. Plus, we’ve got a great card stacked with 50-50 fights including what will be a brilliant match-up between Jake Wyllie and Ibrahim Balla. For a long time, this has been a market that we’ve really, really wanted to make sure that we get our teeth into. And now we have the ability to do that with Kayo Sports which is Australia’s sports leader. So, it’s a major deal for us, a major deal for Australian boxing, and we look forward to expanding that fan base in Australia and trying to spread the sport to the masses. That’s the job for us. We plan to make boxing bigger than ever here and we can’t wait for the partnership with Kayo Sports to get going.”
Foxtel Group Executive Director – Commercial, Sport Adam Howarth said: “Through this partnership with Matchroom, we’re delivering more world-class boxing to fans across Australia. As partners in growth, we’re focused on expanding the sport’s reach, building on the momentum that’s already there and bringing fans closer to the awesome moments this sport offers.
“And what a way to kick off the new agreement – an all-Aussie showdown in Melbourne. Bring it on.”
Nicolson (15-1, 3 KOs) – who is currently training in Spain – has her sights firmly set on an undisputed clash with the winner of the upcoming Ellie Scotney vs Mayelli Flores fight in her quest to be the ultimate, undisputed ruler of the super bantamweights.
Having fought all around the world, the former Olympian is thrilled to be heading back to Australia for what will be her first headline show – and she insists she will not leave her home fans disappointed when she takes on a tough and game rival in Turner (12-1, 6 KOs). Nicolson said: “This is a huge moment for me and I’m thrilled to be coming home to defend my [interim] title and mandatory position for the soon-to-be-crowned undisputed champion. It’s an honor to headline such a strong card full of Australian talent – and my first headline event being back home is extra special.
“Mariah is a quality fighter and I’m expecting a tough challenge. But every time I step into the ring I level up and I plan on making a real statement on April 29 in Melbourne and setting up the mega fights in the division for 2026.”
Turner, herself ranked in the top 10 in the Featherweight division above, is dropping down in weight but is ready to cause a major upset.
“I’d like to thank Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing for giving me this opportunity,” said Turner.
“This is the biggest challenge of my career so far and the kind of opportunity that dreams are made of.
“To step into the ring with a [former] champion like Skye Nicolson on such an incredible global platform is a huge moment for me. I respect what Skye has achieved in the sport. At the same time, I truly believe in myself and in the work my team and I are putting in behind the scenes.
“I’m incredibly grateful to my team at Fortitude Boxing, my manager Stephen Deller for backing me, and to my major sponsor Cappah Group for supporting my career and helping me get here. We are leaving no stone unturned in this camp. I’m ready to rise to the moment on April 29. This is my chance to let my light shine, show the world who I am as a fighter, and prove that I belong on the world stage.”
Teremoana Teremoana, meanwhile, faces USA’s Curtis ‘The Hurt’ Harper in Orlando next Saturday, March 21st. And the undefeated 9-0 (9 KOs) behemoth has issued a challenge to any heavyweight rival who wants to step inside the ropes to face him on his return to Melbourne on April 29th. “I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a busy 2026,” said Teremoana Teremoana, as he awaits news on his homecoming opponent on April 29th.
“This new broadcast deal Matchroom Boxing has in Australia should be a great opportunity for me to fight in front of my supporters at home and I’m excited to continue on my journey to the heavyweight title.”
Jake Wyllie (18-2-1, 16 KOs), speaking at Fortitude Boxing’s base in Brisbane, is determined to bounce back from his split decision draw with Paul Fleming last December and reignite his charge up the Super Lightweight rankings when he faces veteran Balla (17-3-0, 7 KOs) next month.
“My full focus is on April 29 and getting the job done against Ibrahim Balla,” said Wyllie.
“I want the big fights and this is a massive stepping stone towards that. I will do my best to perform well and go down to his backyard and upset the apple cart. I’ll be coming in red hot for this one and I am really looking forward to it.”
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Matchroom announces big Australian show for April 29th
Ex-featherweight champ Skye Nicolson kickstarts Matchroom Boxing’s new era on Kayo Sports in Australia in her first-ever headline show on Wednesday, April 29th. The WBC interim 122-pound title holder heads home to face ’The Golden Girl’, Mariah Turner in an all-Aussie title showdown at the Melbourne Pavilion – broadcast worldwide outside Australia on DAZN. Junior welterweight Jake Wyllie battles 2012 Aussie Olympian Ibrahim Balla in the co-feature, and another Olympic hero, heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana returns as part of a stacked undercard to kickstart the new partnership between Matchroom Boxing and DAZN’s Kayo Sports.
It is the first showcase as part of the recently extended agreement with DAZN’s Foxtel Group in Australia which will see seven major Matchroom Boxing events in 2026 broadcast live on Kayo SPORTS and Foxtel, bringing elite global boxing to Australian audiences. Following DAZN’s acquisition of Foxtel Group last year, the company has continued to expand its portfolio of sports content on Kayo SPORTS. The new partnership with Matchroom Boxing strengthens Kayo SPORTS’s position as Australia’s sports streaming leader.
Matchroom Sport Chairman, Eddie Hearn said: “We pride ourselves at Matchroom Boxing on being the only true global, promotional company in the world and we cannot wait to get this new, seven shows-a-year partnership with Fox Sports started. “We have a great chance to really get our teeth into what I believe is the most exciting time ever for Australian boxing and can’t wait to stage many major events here in what promises to be a big year.
“It all starts on April 29th with a fantastic fight for WBC interim champion Skye Nicolson against Mariah Turner – where a future undisputed shot awaits the winner. We’ve also got a man who is so good, they named him twice, in Teremoana Teremoana – a giant of a young man, who I believe will be a future heavyweight world champion. Plus, we’ve got a great card stacked with 50-50 fights including what will be a brilliant match-up between Jake Wyllie and Ibrahim Balla. For a long time, this has been a market that we’ve really, really wanted to make sure that we get our teeth into. And now we have the ability to do that with Kayo Sports which is Australia’s sports leader. So, it’s a major deal for us, a major deal for Australian boxing, and we look forward to expanding that fan base in Australia and trying to spread the sport to the masses. That’s the job for us. We plan to make boxing bigger than ever here and we can’t wait for the partnership with Kayo Sports to get going.”
Foxtel Group Executive Director – Commercial, Sport Adam Howarth said: “Through this partnership with Matchroom, we’re delivering more world-class boxing to fans across Australia. As partners in growth, we’re focused on expanding the sport’s reach, building on the momentum that’s already there and bringing fans closer to the awesome moments this sport offers.
“And what a way to kick off the new agreement – an all-Aussie showdown in Melbourne. Bring it on.”
Nicolson (15-1, 3 KOs) – who is currently training in Spain – has her sights firmly set on an undisputed clash with the winner of the upcoming Ellie Scotney vs Mayelli Flores fight in her quest to be the ultimate, undisputed ruler of the super bantamweights.
Having fought all around the world, the former Olympian is thrilled to be heading back to Australia for what will be her first headline show – and she insists she will not leave her home fans disappointed when she takes on a tough and game rival in Turner (12-1, 6 KOs). Nicolson said: “This is a huge moment for me and I’m thrilled to be coming home to defend my [interim] title and mandatory position for the soon-to-be-crowned undisputed champion. It’s an honor to headline such a strong card full of Australian talent – and my first headline event being back home is extra special.
“Mariah is a quality fighter and I’m expecting a tough challenge. But every time I step into the ring I level up and I plan on making a real statement on April 29 in Melbourne and setting up the mega fights in the division for 2026.”
Turner, herself ranked in the top 10 in the Featherweight division above, is dropping down in weight but is ready to cause a major upset.
“I’d like to thank Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing for giving me this opportunity,” said Turner.
“This is the biggest challenge of my career so far and the kind of opportunity that dreams are made of.
“To step into the ring with a [former] champion like Skye Nicolson on such an incredible global platform is a huge moment for me. I respect what Skye has achieved in the sport. At the same time, I truly believe in myself and in the work my team and I are putting in behind the scenes.
“I’m incredibly grateful to my team at Fortitude Boxing, my manager Stephen Deller for backing me, and to my major sponsor Cappah Group for supporting my career and helping me get here. We are leaving no stone unturned in this camp. I’m ready to rise to the moment on April 29. This is my chance to let my light shine, show the world who I am as a fighter, and prove that I belong on the world stage.”
Teremoana Teremoana, meanwhile, faces USA’s Curtis ‘The Hurt’ Harper in Orlando next Saturday, March 21st. And the undefeated 9-0 (9 KOs) behemoth has issued a challenge to any heavyweight rival who wants to step inside the ropes to face him on his return to Melbourne on April 29th. “I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a busy 2026,” said Teremoana Teremoana, as he awaits news on his homecoming opponent on April 29th.
“This new broadcast deal Matchroom Boxing has in Australia should be a great opportunity for me to fight in front of my supporters at home and I’m excited to continue on my journey to the heavyweight title.”
Jake Wyllie (18-2-1, 16 KOs), speaking at Fortitude Boxing’s base in Brisbane, is determined to bounce back from his split decision draw with Paul Fleming last December and reignite his charge up the Super Lightweight rankings when he faces veteran Balla (17-3-0, 7 KOs) next month.
“My full focus is on April 29 and getting the job done against Ibrahim Balla,” said Wyllie.
“I want the big fights and this is a massive stepping stone towards that. I will do my best to perform well and go down to his backyard and upset the apple cart. I’ll be coming in red hot for this one and I am really looking forward to it.”
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Kissimmee, FL weigh-in report |
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Here are the boxers' weights for ProBoxTV’s show at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, at 8 pm EDT on Friday, March 13th:
Najee Lopez 174.8 pounds vs. Manuel Gallegos 174.4;
Dominic Valle 130.6 vs. Eduardo Ramirez 130.8;
Dante Benjamin 173.6 vs. Angel Lozano 175.4;
Christian Chessa 115.2 vs. Delvin Mckinley 115.4;
Kenyan Valle 123.4 vs. Anel Dudo 124.8;
Jeovanny Estela 157.4 vs. Jorge Rodrigo Sosa 158.2; and
Miguel Paredes 134.2 vs. Shaquille Rushing 135.8.
Promoter: Garry Jonas (Pro Box Promotions)
Matchmakers: Ramiro Hernandez, Daniel Rubin
Tickets: Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
ProBoxTV is available in 100% of U.S. and Canadian households with broadband access, on a wide range of platforms and media partners, including ProBoxTV’s YouTube and YouTube Espanol Channels, along with Roku, Amazon Prime, Fubo, Xumo (Comcast), Sling, Plex and Google TV.
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Kissimmee, FL weigh-in report
Here are the boxers' weights for ProBoxTV’s show at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, at 8 pm EDT on Friday, March 13th:
Najee Lopez 174.8 pounds vs. Manuel Gallegos 174.4;
Dominic Valle 130.6 vs. Eduardo Ramirez 130.8;
Dante Benjamin 173.6 vs. Angel Lozano 175.4;
Christian Chessa 115.2 vs. Delvin Mckinley 115.4;
Kenyan Valle 123.4 vs. Anel Dudo 124.8;
Jeovanny Estela 157.4 vs. Jorge Rodrigo Sosa 158.2; and
Miguel Paredes 134.2 vs. Shaquille Rushing 135.8.
Promoter: Garry Jonas (Pro Box Promotions)
Matchmakers: Ramiro Hernandez, Daniel Rubin
Tickets: Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
ProBoxTV is available in 100% of U.S. and Canadian households with broadband access, on a wide range of platforms and media partners, including ProBoxTV’s YouTube and YouTube Espanol Channels, along with Roku, Amazon Prime, Fubo, Xumo (Comcast), Sling, Plex and Google TV.
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Frank Hogan set for Beverly, MA fight |
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Middleweight Francis "Frank the Tank" Hogan (21-0, 17 KOs) will return to ring action on Saturday, March 28th when he faces battle-tested Ghanaian veteran Patrick Allotey (45-10, 35 KOs) at the iconic North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts. The eight-round bout headlines a CES Boxing eight-bout card. Tickets are on sale now at CESFights.com and at the North Shore Music Theatre. Doors open at 6pm, with the first bell scheduled for 7pm EST. The fight represents the next step in what is quickly becoming one of New England’s most promising middleweight runs, as Hogan has posted recent wins over Elvin Ayala (KO 2), Khiary Gray (W10), Esneiker Correa (KO 4) and Antonio Todd (W8).
Many observers considered the win over Todd at Encore Boston Harbor last November as the most complete performance of Hogan’s career. The rangy southpaw controlled the bout from the opening bell, dropping Todd in the seventh round in a disciplined performance that showcased both his ring IQ and his ability to break opponents down late. "The strategy was to keep hitting the hole on him," explained Hogan. "He was a flat-footed fighter who liked to come forward. Every time he attacked, I would pivot around him, hit the hole and land shots. Once I realized he didn’t have much power, I started breaking him down and by the last few rounds I was walking him down and looking to take him out."
The win earned Hogan a world ranking with the WBC and further cemented the 25-year old as a fighter to watch in the middleweight division. On March 28th, ‘Frank the Tank’ will face a different type of challenge in Allotey, a seasoned veteran from Ghana who brings experience, power and durability to the ring.
Hogan’s preparation for his first title defense has been business as usual. The heavy-handed middleweight continues to balance life in the gym with his day job as a certified welder in Walpole, all while sharpening his craft alongside some of the region’s top fighters. "I sparred ten rounds with [jr. middleweight contender] Rashidi Ellis this morning," said Hogan of his preparation. "I feel great. I’m ready for this fight."
With 35 knockouts in 45 wins, Allotey is a powerful puncher who has faced a who’s who of middleweight contenders, including recent bouts against Chordale Booker and Tommy Hyde. The Ghanaian’s most recent appearance was a majority decision loss to Hyde in September, a fight that some felt he should have won. "He’s a tough, rugged opponent," said Hogan. "He doesn’t really try to control the fight — he kind of fights your fight, so I feel like I can do what I want in there. I’m going to feel him out early, see how his power is, and then dominate him."
While Allotey offers Hogan the chance to see how he deals with a power puncher, the matchup also offers Hogan a chance to measure himself against fighters who recently shared the ring with Allotey. "I want to show everybody that even though he’s a seasoned veteran who’s been in there with world-class opponents, I’m also a world-class opponent and I can get him out of there."
Despite his rapid ascent, Hogan maintains a grounded outlook on his career. At just 25 years old, he believes the key to reaching the sport’s elite level is patience and steadily improving his level of opposition. "Right now we’re just fighting better fighters every time and seeing what my strengths are," said Hogan. "I can box, but I can also get in there and bang."
Hogan credits much of his growth to the tight-knit group surrounding him in the Boston boxing scene, including trainer Mark DeLuca and a stable of young fighters who push one another daily. "We all feed off each other," said Hogan of stablemates Jahyae Brown, Thomas O’Toole, and amateur heavyweight Gilbert "Big Tonka" Kabamba. "Everyone shows up and works hard. Mark motivates all of us and knows what each fighter needs individually."
"I’m just taking it fight by fight," said Hogan about the prospect of challenging for a world title. "If the phone call comes, it comes. Until then, I’m staying in the gym and getting better."
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Frank Hogan set for Beverly, MA fight
Middleweight Francis "Frank the Tank" Hogan (21-0, 17 KOs) will return to ring action on Saturday, March 28th when he faces battle-tested Ghanaian veteran Patrick Allotey (45-10, 35 KOs) at the iconic North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts. The eight-round bout headlines a CES Boxing eight-bout card. Tickets are on sale now at CESFights.com and at the North Shore Music Theatre. Doors open at 6pm, with the first bell scheduled for 7pm EST. The fight represents the next step in what is quickly becoming one of New England’s most promising middleweight runs, as Hogan has posted recent wins over Elvin Ayala (KO 2), Khiary Gray (W10), Esneiker Correa (KO 4) and Antonio Todd (W8).
Many observers considered the win over Todd at Encore Boston Harbor last November as the most complete performance of Hogan’s career. The rangy southpaw controlled the bout from the opening bell, dropping Todd in the seventh round in a disciplined performance that showcased both his ring IQ and his ability to break opponents down late. "The strategy was to keep hitting the hole on him," explained Hogan. "He was a flat-footed fighter who liked to come forward. Every time he attacked, I would pivot around him, hit the hole and land shots. Once I realized he didn’t have much power, I started breaking him down and by the last few rounds I was walking him down and looking to take him out."
The win earned Hogan a world ranking with the WBC and further cemented the 25-year old as a fighter to watch in the middleweight division. On March 28th, ‘Frank the Tank’ will face a different type of challenge in Allotey, a seasoned veteran from Ghana who brings experience, power and durability to the ring.
Hogan’s preparation for his first title defense has been business as usual. The heavy-handed middleweight continues to balance life in the gym with his day job as a certified welder in Walpole, all while sharpening his craft alongside some of the region’s top fighters. "I sparred ten rounds with [jr. middleweight contender] Rashidi Ellis this morning," said Hogan of his preparation. "I feel great. I’m ready for this fight."
With 35 knockouts in 45 wins, Allotey is a powerful puncher who has faced a who’s who of middleweight contenders, including recent bouts against Chordale Booker and Tommy Hyde. The Ghanaian’s most recent appearance was a majority decision loss to Hyde in September, a fight that some felt he should have won. "He’s a tough, rugged opponent," said Hogan. "He doesn’t really try to control the fight — he kind of fights your fight, so I feel like I can do what I want in there. I’m going to feel him out early, see how his power is, and then dominate him."
While Allotey offers Hogan the chance to see how he deals with a power puncher, the matchup also offers Hogan a chance to measure himself against fighters who recently shared the ring with Allotey. "I want to show everybody that even though he’s a seasoned veteran who’s been in there with world-class opponents, I’m also a world-class opponent and I can get him out of there."
Despite his rapid ascent, Hogan maintains a grounded outlook on his career. At just 25 years old, he believes the key to reaching the sport’s elite level is patience and steadily improving his level of opposition. "Right now we’re just fighting better fighters every time and seeing what my strengths are," said Hogan. "I can box, but I can also get in there and bang."
Hogan credits much of his growth to the tight-knit group surrounding him in the Boston boxing scene, including trainer Mark DeLuca and a stable of young fighters who push one another daily. "We all feed off each other," said Hogan of stablemates Jahyae Brown, Thomas O’Toole, and amateur heavyweight Gilbert "Big Tonka" Kabamba. "Everyone shows up and works hard. Mark motivates all of us and knows what each fighter needs individually."
"I’m just taking it fight by fight," said Hogan about the prospect of challenging for a world title. "If the phone call comes, it comes. Until then, I’m staying in the gym and getting better."
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"Sky" Walker signs with Wise Owl |
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Wise Owl Boxing has announced that lightweight Jalan “Skywalker” Walker (15-1) has officially signed a management agreement with the company, adding another exciting young talent to the Wise Owl Boxing roster. Walker enters the partnership as an established young fighter with a strong amateur pedigree. Known for his athleticism, speed, and ring IQ, Walker hopes to build a reputation as a dangerous competitor and future champion.
Wise Owl founder Mark Habibi expressed strong enthusiasm about bringing Walker into the Wise Owl team. “Jalen is a tremendous young fighter with a deep amateur background and a lot of upside,” said Habibi. “He has the talent, the work ethic, and the mentality to become a serious contender in this sport. We’re very excited to welcome him to Wise Owl Boxing.”
As part of the new partnership, Walker will now be working with highly respected trainer Trevor Sambrano, who is best known for coaching junior middleweight contender Brandon Adams. The addition of Sambrano to Walker’s corner is expected to elevate his development as he enters the next stage of his career. “Linking Jalen with Trevor Sambrano is a major step forward,” Habibi added. “Trevor has proven he can prepare fighters to compete at the highest levels of the sport. I believe he’s going to help take Jalen to the next level.”
Wise Owl Boxing will also continue working closely with Walker’s promoter, Patrick Ragan of Westside Promotions, to strategically guide the fighter’s career and secure meaningful opportunities in the ring. Habibi believes Walker is only a few fights away from breaking into the top 15 in the world rankings, and the long-term goal is clear. “Our plan is to move Jalen aggressively but intelligently,” said Habibi. “Working alongside Patrick Ragan and Westside Promotions, I believe he’ll be ranked in the top 15 within a few fights and climbing the rankings as we work toward a world title opportunity.”
Walker joins a rapidly growing Wise Owl Boxing roster that already includes several accomplished fighters, including Adams, ex-US Olympian Charles Conwell, Ebenezer Griffith, Mexican Olympian Brianda Tamara Cruz, and fan-favorite contender Chantel Navarro.
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"Sky" Walker signs with Wise Owl
Wise Owl Boxing has announced that lightweight Jalan “Skywalker” Walker (15-1) has officially signed a management agreement with the company, adding another exciting young talent to the Wise Owl Boxing roster. Walker enters the partnership as an established young fighter with a strong amateur pedigree. Known for his athleticism, speed, and ring IQ, Walker hopes to build a reputation as a dangerous competitor and future champion.
Wise Owl founder Mark Habibi expressed strong enthusiasm about bringing Walker into the Wise Owl team. “Jalen is a tremendous young fighter with a deep amateur background and a lot of upside,” said Habibi. “He has the talent, the work ethic, and the mentality to become a serious contender in this sport. We’re very excited to welcome him to Wise Owl Boxing.”
As part of the new partnership, Walker will now be working with highly respected trainer Trevor Sambrano, who is best known for coaching junior middleweight contender Brandon Adams. The addition of Sambrano to Walker’s corner is expected to elevate his development as he enters the next stage of his career. “Linking Jalen with Trevor Sambrano is a major step forward,” Habibi added. “Trevor has proven he can prepare fighters to compete at the highest levels of the sport. I believe he’s going to help take Jalen to the next level.”
Wise Owl Boxing will also continue working closely with Walker’s promoter, Patrick Ragan of Westside Promotions, to strategically guide the fighter’s career and secure meaningful opportunities in the ring. Habibi believes Walker is only a few fights away from breaking into the top 15 in the world rankings, and the long-term goal is clear. “Our plan is to move Jalen aggressively but intelligently,” said Habibi. “Working alongside Patrick Ragan and Westside Promotions, I believe he’ll be ranked in the top 15 within a few fights and climbing the rankings as we work toward a world title opportunity.”
Walker joins a rapidly growing Wise Owl Boxing roster that already includes several accomplished fighters, including Adams, ex-US Olympian Charles Conwell, Ebenezer Griffith, Mexican Olympian Brianda Tamara Cruz, and fan-favorite contender Chantel Navarro.
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Part two of eight: The structural divide |
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At its core, the current transition in professional boxing is not about personalities. It is about architecture. Two distinct structural models are operating in parallel: (1) a centralized, vertically integrated framework — currently exemplified by the Zuffa Boxing venture operating within TKO Group Holdings and supported by Sela vs. (2) a decentralized, distributed governance ecosystem — represented by Matchroom Boxing, Queensberry Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions, the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, and diversified broadcast platforms such as DAZN. Each model allocates authority, leverage and risk differently. Understanding that allocation is essential before evaluating outcomes.
Editor's note: This is the second of an eight part series.
Part one is published here: Boxing is at an inflection point.
The Centralized Model (Zuffa Boxing / TKO Group Holdings / Sela)
The centralized model aligns multiple governance functions within a unified corporate structure. Under this architecture: Promotion is consolidated; rankings and championships may be internally governed; scheduling authority can be integrated; media alignment may be coordinated at the enterprise level and capital backing (investment) is concentrated.
The Zuffa Boxing venture operates within TKO Group Holdings — whose leadership includes Ari Emanuel (Chief Executive Officer & Executive Chairman), Mark Shapiro (President & COO), and senior operational executives across UFC and WWE. Saudi-linked capital operating through Sela supports event-scale alignment within this framework. The defining characteristic is vertical integration.
Instead of relying on independent sanctioning bodies such as the WBC, WBA, IBF, or WBO for rankings and championship pathways, governance functions may be internalized. Instead of event-by-event broadcast negotiation across competing promoters, media strategy can be centrally coordinated. This model resembles league-style governance seen in other professional sports.
The structural advantages of the centralized model are: Unified branding; predictable scheduling; capital-backed event scale; streamlined decision-making; reduced cross-promotional friction
The implications of this structure are: Concentrated authority over rankings and opportunity allocation; internal leverage during contract terms; reduced reliance on external sanctioning pathways; and greater exposure to capital sustainability risk. The centralized model trades competition for operational integration.
The Decentralized Model (Matchroom / Queensberry / Golden Boy / WBC / WBA / IBF / WBO / DAZN)
The decentralized ecosystem reflects boxing’s historical struture. As boxing fans can understnad, control is distributed between ndependent promoters; sanctioning bodies; multiple broadcast and streaming platforms; state athletic commissions and managers and advisors.
Promoters such as Matchroom, Queensberry, and Golden Boy negotiate individual events, often in coordination with sanctioning bodies including the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO — each of which maintains independent rankings and mandatory challenger systems. Broadcast partnerships — including those with DAZN and other platforms — are negotiated independently and may vary by geography, scale, and promotional alignment.
The defining characteristic is plurality. No single entity simultaneously controls promotion, rankings, and championship governance.
The structural advantages of the decentralized model are: Competitive bidding tension; theoretcially, independent rankings; multiple championship pathways; diversified media relationships and risk diffusion across actors.
The implications of this structure are: Negotiation complexity; cross-promotional friction; scheduling delays; and market fragmentation
The decentralized model exchanges integration efficiency for distributed leverage.
The difference between these models is not philosophical.
It is structural allocation but neither structure eliminates competition. In the centralized model, competition could still occur between leagues or vertically integrated entities (imagine UFC vs.Bellator as was the case in mixed martial arts a few years ago). In a decentralized model, competition occurs among promoters within the same ecosystem. That distinction influences how leverage is experienced in practice.
Structural Tradeoffs
Every governance architecture contains tradeoffs.
The centralized model emphasizes: Scale; brand coherence; negotiation simplicity and event predictability.
The decentralized model emphasizes:Competitive pricing pressure (i.e. fighters have some ability to seek out the highest bidder or go to purse bid); independent ranking oversight (in theory); multiple access points and d Diversified opportunity pathways
The operative question is not which model is preferable. The answer will be which model proves to be legally durable; economically sustainable; operationally resilient and attractive to elite talent. Those variables will determine competitive balance over time.
But structural transitions rarely occur abruptly. They advance through contract design, media coverage, investment deployment, and legislative adjustment. As centralized actors scale, decentralized actors face modernization pressure. As decentralized actors preserve transparency and plurality, centralized actors face sustainability and compliance scrutiny.
This is not a zero-sum narrative. It is institutional realignment.
Transition to Part III
The next section examines how these structural models affect the most critical stakeholder in the ecosystem — the fighter-- because architecture does not operate abstractly. It determines where leverage resides in practice.
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Part two of eight: The structural divide
At its core, the current transition in professional boxing is not about personalities. It is about architecture. Two distinct structural models are operating in parallel: (1) a centralized, vertically integrated framework — currently exemplified by the Zuffa Boxing venture operating within TKO Group Holdings and supported by Sela vs. (2) a decentralized, distributed governance ecosystem — represented by Matchroom Boxing, Queensberry Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions, the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, and diversified broadcast platforms such as DAZN. Each model allocates authority, leverage and risk differently. Understanding that allocation is essential before evaluating outcomes.
Editor's note: This is the second of an eight part series.
Part one is published here: Boxing is at an inflection point.
The Centralized Model (Zuffa Boxing / TKO Group Holdings / Sela)
The centralized model aligns multiple governance functions within a unified corporate structure. Under this architecture: Promotion is consolidated; rankings and championships may be internally governed; scheduling authority can be integrated; media alignment may be coordinated at the enterprise level and capital backing (investment) is concentrated.
The Zuffa Boxing venture operates within TKO Group Holdings — whose leadership includes Ari Emanuel (Chief Executive Officer & Executive Chairman), Mark Shapiro (President & COO), and senior operational executives across UFC and WWE. Saudi-linked capital operating through Sela supports event-scale alignment within this framework. The defining characteristic is vertical integration.
Instead of relying on independent sanctioning bodies such as the WBC, WBA, IBF, or WBO for rankings and championship pathways, governance functions may be internalized. Instead of event-by-event broadcast negotiation across competing promoters, media strategy can be centrally coordinated. This model resembles league-style governance seen in other professional sports.
The structural advantages of the centralized model are: Unified branding; predictable scheduling; capital-backed event scale; streamlined decision-making; reduced cross-promotional friction
The implications of this structure are: Concentrated authority over rankings and opportunity allocation; internal leverage during contract terms; reduced reliance on external sanctioning pathways; and greater exposure to capital sustainability risk. The centralized model trades competition for operational integration.
The Decentralized Model (Matchroom / Queensberry / Golden Boy / WBC / WBA / IBF / WBO / DAZN)
The decentralized ecosystem reflects boxing’s historical struture. As boxing fans can understnad, control is distributed between ndependent promoters; sanctioning bodies; multiple broadcast and streaming platforms; state athletic commissions and managers and advisors.
Promoters such as Matchroom, Queensberry, and Golden Boy negotiate individual events, often in coordination with sanctioning bodies including the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO — each of which maintains independent rankings and mandatory challenger systems. Broadcast partnerships — including those with DAZN and other platforms — are negotiated independently and may vary by geography, scale, and promotional alignment.
The defining characteristic is plurality. No single entity simultaneously controls promotion, rankings, and championship governance.
The structural advantages of the decentralized model are: Competitive bidding tension; theoretcially, independent rankings; multiple championship pathways; diversified media relationships and risk diffusion across actors.
The implications of this structure are: Negotiation complexity; cross-promotional friction; scheduling delays; and market fragmentation
The decentralized model exchanges integration efficiency for distributed leverage.
The difference between these models is not philosophical.
It is structural allocation but neither structure eliminates competition. In the centralized model, competition could still occur between leagues or vertically integrated entities (imagine UFC vs.Bellator as was the case in mixed martial arts a few years ago). In a decentralized model, competition occurs among promoters within the same ecosystem. That distinction influences how leverage is experienced in practice.
Structural Tradeoffs
Every governance architecture contains tradeoffs.
The centralized model emphasizes: Scale; brand coherence; negotiation simplicity and event predictability.
The decentralized model emphasizes:Competitive pricing pressure (i.e. fighters have some ability to seek out the highest bidder or go to purse bid); independent ranking oversight (in theory); multiple access points and d Diversified opportunity pathways
The operative question is not which model is preferable. The answer will be which model proves to be legally durable; economically sustainable; operationally resilient and attractive to elite talent. Those variables will determine competitive balance over time.
But structural transitions rarely occur abruptly. They advance through contract design, media coverage, investment deployment, and legislative adjustment. As centralized actors scale, decentralized actors face modernization pressure. As decentralized actors preserve transparency and plurality, centralized actors face sustainability and compliance scrutiny.
This is not a zero-sum narrative. It is institutional realignment.
Transition to Part III
The next section examines how these structural models affect the most critical stakeholder in the ecosystem — the fighter-- because architecture does not operate abstractly. It determines where leverage resides in practice.
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ProBox TV preps for Friday the 13th show |
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On Friday, March 13th, ProBox TV returns to Kissimmee, Florida with a ten-round main event featuring light heavyweight Najee Lopez getting tested against Mexico's Manuel Gallegos... Dominic Valle will take on battle-hardened veteran Eduardo Ramirez of Mexico, his toughest opponent yet, in the action-packed co-feature... Also featured will be Elijah Garcia and unbeaten light heavyweight Dante Benjamin, plus additional bouts featuring hometown sluggers Jeovanny Estela and Kenyan Valle, plus bantamweight Christian Chessa of Italy in separate fights.
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ProBox TV preps for Friday the 13th show
On Friday, March 13th, ProBox TV returns to Kissimmee, Florida with a ten-round main event featuring light heavyweight Najee Lopez getting tested against Mexico's Manuel Gallegos... Dominic Valle will take on battle-hardened veteran Eduardo Ramirez of Mexico, his toughest opponent yet, in the action-packed co-feature... Also featured will be Elijah Garcia and unbeaten light heavyweight Dante Benjamin, plus additional bouts featuring hometown sluggers Jeovanny Estela and Kenyan Valle, plus bantamweight Christian Chessa of Italy in separate fights.
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Tim Tszyu to face undefeated Denis Nurja |
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Former junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu (pictured) will square off against undefeated Denis Nurja in the main event of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video action on Saturday, April 4th (U.S. date and time) from the Wollongong Entertainment Centre in Australia. The event will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free thirty-day trial to catch the card. Also featured on Prime Video will be a duel of super bantamweight contenders as Australia’s Sam Goodman takes on Argentina’s Rodrigo Ruiz in an IBF eliminator, plus 2024 Australian Olympian Callum Peters puts his perfect record on the line against fellow unbeaten Delio Mouzinho in middleweight action. The event is promoted by No Limit Boxing and The Rose Brothers, in association with TGB Promotions.
A 31 year-old Australian, Tszyu (26-3, 18 KOs) will enter this fight following his second straight training camp with new trainer Pedro Diaz in Miami. Most recently, Tszyu won a dominating unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Anthony Velazquez in December, five months after dropping the second of two memorable contests against current WBC champion Sebastian Fundora. Tszyu came into the first Fundora fight off a red-hot 2023 campaign that saw him elevated to world champion at 154-pounds while defeating former champion Tony Harrison, top contender Brian Mendoza as well as Carlos Ocampo. A native of Sydney, Tszyu made his U.S debut against U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in March 2022, earning a unanimous decision. Tszyu grew up playing soccer, but soon gravitated toward boxing. The decision led to him following in the legendary footsteps of his father, Kostya, who was an undisputed 140-pound champion.
“I feel better than ever and I’m ready to get back to work,” said Tszyu. “Denis Nurja is undefeated for a reason and he presents a real challenge. He’s got a big amateur pedigree with eight national titles and he’s fought at the world championships, so he’s been in there with some serious fighters. That’s the kind of opponent that motivates me and keeps me sharp. I’m inspired, focused and preparing for the toughest version of him.
“There are some massive opportunities ahead but none of that matters unless I get through this fight. My full focus is on Easter Sunday and the job in front of me. I want to get back to the top of the division and fight for world titles again and this is the first step. I’ve fought all around Australia but I haven’t fought in Wollongong and it’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to fight. I know it’s the territory of Sammy Goodman and Alex Volkanovski and there’s a huge combat sports culture down there, so it’s going to be a great atmosphere.”
A native of Tirana, Albania, Nurja (20-0, 9 KOs) has risen up the rankings while fighting and winning in six different countries as he looks to make it seven in Australia against Tszyu. The 31-year old had a big 2025 that saw him pick up three victories, including a July stoppage of Kiryl Samadurau, and decisions over Luigi Francesco Zito and Refik Tarhan. Now training and residing in Italy, Nurja has fought professionally since 2018 and owns a notable victory over the previously unbeaten Charles Shinima in March 2024. An accomplished amateur who won eight Albanian national championship while competing on the country’s national team, Nurja kicked off his 2026 in mid-February with a first-round stoppage of Jose Gregorio Marcano.
“I am 20-0 for a reason and I did not build that record by playing it safe,” said Nurja. “This is the biggest opportunity of my career and I am ready for it. People are talking about Tim’s comeback, but I am the one standing in front of him. I respect what he has done in the sport but I believe this is my moment. I am coming to Australia to win.”
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Tim Tszyu to face undefeated Denis Nurja
Former junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu (pictured) will square off against undefeated Denis Nurja in the main event of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video action on Saturday, April 4th (U.S. date and time) from the Wollongong Entertainment Centre in Australia. The event will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, with the action streaming exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free thirty-day trial to catch the card. Also featured on Prime Video will be a duel of super bantamweight contenders as Australia’s Sam Goodman takes on Argentina’s Rodrigo Ruiz in an IBF eliminator, plus 2024 Australian Olympian Callum Peters puts his perfect record on the line against fellow unbeaten Delio Mouzinho in middleweight action. The event is promoted by No Limit Boxing and The Rose Brothers, in association with TGB Promotions.
A 31 year-old Australian, Tszyu (26-3, 18 KOs) will enter this fight following his second straight training camp with new trainer Pedro Diaz in Miami. Most recently, Tszyu won a dominating unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Anthony Velazquez in December, five months after dropping the second of two memorable contests against current WBC champion Sebastian Fundora. Tszyu came into the first Fundora fight off a red-hot 2023 campaign that saw him elevated to world champion at 154-pounds while defeating former champion Tony Harrison, top contender Brian Mendoza as well as Carlos Ocampo. A native of Sydney, Tszyu made his U.S debut against U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in March 2022, earning a unanimous decision. Tszyu grew up playing soccer, but soon gravitated toward boxing. The decision led to him following in the legendary footsteps of his father, Kostya, who was an undisputed 140-pound champion.
“I feel better than ever and I’m ready to get back to work,” said Tszyu. “Denis Nurja is undefeated for a reason and he presents a real challenge. He’s got a big amateur pedigree with eight national titles and he’s fought at the world championships, so he’s been in there with some serious fighters. That’s the kind of opponent that motivates me and keeps me sharp. I’m inspired, focused and preparing for the toughest version of him.
“There are some massive opportunities ahead but none of that matters unless I get through this fight. My full focus is on Easter Sunday and the job in front of me. I want to get back to the top of the division and fight for world titles again and this is the first step. I’ve fought all around Australia but I haven’t fought in Wollongong and it’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to fight. I know it’s the territory of Sammy Goodman and Alex Volkanovski and there’s a huge combat sports culture down there, so it’s going to be a great atmosphere.”
A native of Tirana, Albania, Nurja (20-0, 9 KOs) has risen up the rankings while fighting and winning in six different countries as he looks to make it seven in Australia against Tszyu. The 31-year old had a big 2025 that saw him pick up three victories, including a July stoppage of Kiryl Samadurau, and decisions over Luigi Francesco Zito and Refik Tarhan. Now training and residing in Italy, Nurja has fought professionally since 2018 and owns a notable victory over the previously unbeaten Charles Shinima in March 2024. An accomplished amateur who won eight Albanian national championship while competing on the country’s national team, Nurja kicked off his 2026 in mid-February with a first-round stoppage of Jose Gregorio Marcano.
“I am 20-0 for a reason and I did not build that record by playing it safe,” said Nurja. “This is the biggest opportunity of my career and I am ready for it. People are talking about Tim’s comeback, but I am the one standing in front of him. I respect what he has done in the sport but I believe this is my moment. I am coming to Australia to win.”
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Thurman: "you can win against a soft champion, but that’s not Sebastian" |
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WBC 154-pound champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and former two-belt welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (pictured) previewed their world championship showdown during a virtual press conference on Wednesday before they headline a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video taking place Saturday, March 28th from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Fundora will look for a signature victory to bolster his claim as the world’s best 154-pounder when he takes on Thurman, one of the best fighters of his era, who can solidify his resume by being crowned champion in a second division. Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com. In addition to being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“We’re ready to defend our title and remain WBC world champion. I’m just looking at Keith as another fight. I’ve fought a reigning champion and former champions. So I just have to see it as another fight. I have to go make the ring mine and make this fight mine as well.
“I’m the younger guy and I’m the champion. Lots of things favor me in this fight. You can’t just rely on that of course. But I’m extremely confident and more matured at this point in my career.
“I have to expect the best Keith Thurman to come out. That’s what we’re training for. Whether he brings it or not, that’s not up to me. But I’ll be ready.
“He says I haven’t fought any OG’s, but that’s because those OG’s aren’t around anymore.
“He looked good in his last fight, but I think my skills are better. That’s why we’re fighting. I’m planning to go in there and defend my title successfully.
“I’ve fought a lot of good fighters and I’m just seeing Thurman as another fight. This would be a good win against another accomplished former champion.
“Boxing is full of opinions. Anybody can say whatever they want. Freedom of speech. Like whoever you like, but I consider myself the best at 154 pounds.
“What I watch when I’m working my sister’s fights is a more human reaction. I can see things from the outside view that you don’t notice because you’re only focused on your opponent. It gives you a different perspective.”
KEITH THURMAN
“He needs to be Sebastian Fundora, He’s trying to simplify it for himself. It’s a heavy weight on the shoulders being champion, I know. He’s gonna see what an OG can do.
“Great champions become champions again and you can’t stop a champion from rising to the top. I’ve got several more tangos left in me and that’s what March 28 is all about. I’m back in the spotlight and ready to showcase my talents.
“When he goes down, he’s gonna realize what a legend is. He hasn’t met one yet. He knows what he needs to tell himself to get in the ring like it’s just another day. I take it a little more serious than that, and he’s gonna find out that March 28 isn’t just another day, it’s Thurman’s day.
“Fundora is starting to get better and better. He’s starting to get some of those layers. But it takes a fight like this to really reach the highest level. That’s what makes great champions.”
“I’m healthy and I’m ready to get in the ring and swing. I want the best. Fundora says he’s the best. I love going for the belt and taking the belt. That’s what boxing is all about.
“Danny Garcia is the only champion I’ve gotten to take the belt from. Now it’s happening for the second time and in a second division. I’m ready to keep writing my history.
“My sparring partners definitely have the height and reach that’s gotten me familiar with what I need. Of course I won’t be facing the real Sebastian Fundora until I’m in the ring, just like he won’t be facing the real Keith Thurman until then.
“I’m in there trading punches with heavyweights for this fight. My two sparring partners are giving both of Fundora’s looks, the come forward fighter or the back foot jabber, and they’ve got me prepared for whatever he brings on March 28th.
“This would be a great win on my resume. It would be a legendary comeback win. There are times where you can win against a soft champion, but that’s not Sebastian.”
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Thurman: "you can win against a soft champion, but that’s not Sebastian"
WBC 154-pound champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and former two-belt welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (pictured) previewed their world championship showdown during a virtual press conference on Wednesday before they headline a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video taking place Saturday, March 28th from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Fundora will look for a signature victory to bolster his claim as the world’s best 154-pounder when he takes on Thurman, one of the best fighters of his era, who can solidify his resume by being crowned champion in a second division. Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com. In addition to being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“We’re ready to defend our title and remain WBC world champion. I’m just looking at Keith as another fight. I’ve fought a reigning champion and former champions. So I just have to see it as another fight. I have to go make the ring mine and make this fight mine as well.
“I’m the younger guy and I’m the champion. Lots of things favor me in this fight. You can’t just rely on that of course. But I’m extremely confident and more matured at this point in my career.
“I have to expect the best Keith Thurman to come out. That’s what we’re training for. Whether he brings it or not, that’s not up to me. But I’ll be ready.
“He says I haven’t fought any OG’s, but that’s because those OG’s aren’t around anymore.
“He looked good in his last fight, but I think my skills are better. That’s why we’re fighting. I’m planning to go in there and defend my title successfully.
“I’ve fought a lot of good fighters and I’m just seeing Thurman as another fight. This would be a good win against another accomplished former champion.
“Boxing is full of opinions. Anybody can say whatever they want. Freedom of speech. Like whoever you like, but I consider myself the best at 154 pounds.
“What I watch when I’m working my sister’s fights is a more human reaction. I can see things from the outside view that you don’t notice because you’re only focused on your opponent. It gives you a different perspective.”
KEITH THURMAN
“He needs to be Sebastian Fundora, He’s trying to simplify it for himself. It’s a heavy weight on the shoulders being champion, I know. He’s gonna see what an OG can do.
“Great champions become champions again and you can’t stop a champion from rising to the top. I’ve got several more tangos left in me and that’s what March 28 is all about. I’m back in the spotlight and ready to showcase my talents.
“When he goes down, he’s gonna realize what a legend is. He hasn’t met one yet. He knows what he needs to tell himself to get in the ring like it’s just another day. I take it a little more serious than that, and he’s gonna find out that March 28 isn’t just another day, it’s Thurman’s day.
“Fundora is starting to get better and better. He’s starting to get some of those layers. But it takes a fight like this to really reach the highest level. That’s what makes great champions.”
“I’m healthy and I’m ready to get in the ring and swing. I want the best. Fundora says he’s the best. I love going for the belt and taking the belt. That’s what boxing is all about.
“Danny Garcia is the only champion I’ve gotten to take the belt from. Now it’s happening for the second time and in a second division. I’m ready to keep writing my history.
“My sparring partners definitely have the height and reach that’s gotten me familiar with what I need. Of course I won’t be facing the real Sebastian Fundora until I’m in the ring, just like he won’t be facing the real Keith Thurman until then.
“I’m in there trading punches with heavyweights for this fight. My two sparring partners are giving both of Fundora’s looks, the come forward fighter or the back foot jabber, and they’ve got me prepared for whatever he brings on March 28th.
“This would be a great win on my resume. It would be a legendary comeback win. There are times where you can win against a soft champion, but that’s not Sebastian.”
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Katsuma Akitsugi gets Japanese homecoming fight |
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Garry Jonas, CEO ProBoxTV and the universally respected Mr. Akihiko Honda, president of Teiken Promotions, announced they have reached a co-promotional agreement for bantamweight contender Katsuma “El Cuete Japonecito” Akitsugi. Despite being a Japanese native, Akitsugi (14-0, 4 KOs) has never fought exclusively in the United States. The 28-year old grew up in Wakayama, Japan, but came to the US over a decade ago on a student visa where he continued to pursue his passion for boxing in his off-time.
To his credit, the fan-friendly southpaw found his way to coach Eddie Hernandez at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California where the pair have been able to see his career blossom after signing with ProBoxTV two years ago. Now a fan favorite worldwide, Akitsugi is ranked by all four major sanctioning bodies.
This deal with Hall-of-Fame promoter Honda will allow Akitsugi a televised homecoming, where he can be reintroduced to Japanese fans as he makes his run for a world championship in front of his countrymen on their biggest stage. Akitsugi will make his debut fighting under the Teiken/ProBox Promotional banners on Saturday, April 11th, against Mexico’s Jose Miguel Calderon (14-3, 6 KOs) at the famed Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
“I’m very honored to be fighting for Teiken Promotions, which I never imagined,” said Katsuma Akitsugi. “This definitely brings me closer to becoming a champion and doing it at home, in front of my Japanese people. I couldn’t be happier or more excited for this opportunity.”
The legendary Teiken Promotions was formed in 1964 and has grown into a powerhouse in Japanese boxing. Mr. Honda was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009. Teiken has hosted two of Mike Tyson's fights, including his legendary upset loss to Buster Douglas. They have also worked with myriad world champions and contenders, including their co-promotional work with undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue and boxers such as Masao Ōba, Jirō Watanabe, Genaro Hernández, Eloy Rojas, Jorge Linares, Edwin Valero and Román González among others.
“Katsuma Akitsugi has developed into one of the best Japanese fighters and is a serious championship contender in the 118-pound division,” said Honda. “We are excited to bring him home and showcase him in front of his people. Garry Jonas and his ProBoxTV platform have done a great job developing this fighter and we look forward to partnering with them.”
“We’re very excited to be partnering with Teiken as it relates to working with Akitsugi, said Garry Jonas. “Teiken has been a leader for many years and there’s no one better to work with on this.
“I’m also very happy for Katsuma,” he continued. “Ever since he came here, it’s been a dream of his to go back and fight in Japan, and to do so on their biggest stage with Teiken Promotions has him thrilled about this development.”
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Katsuma Akitsugi gets Japanese homecoming fight
Garry Jonas, CEO ProBoxTV and the universally respected Mr. Akihiko Honda, president of Teiken Promotions, announced they have reached a co-promotional agreement for bantamweight contender Katsuma “El Cuete Japonecito” Akitsugi. Despite being a Japanese native, Akitsugi (14-0, 4 KOs) has never fought exclusively in the United States. The 28-year old grew up in Wakayama, Japan, but came to the US over a decade ago on a student visa where he continued to pursue his passion for boxing in his off-time.
To his credit, the fan-friendly southpaw found his way to coach Eddie Hernandez at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California where the pair have been able to see his career blossom after signing with ProBoxTV two years ago. Now a fan favorite worldwide, Akitsugi is ranked by all four major sanctioning bodies.
This deal with Hall-of-Fame promoter Honda will allow Akitsugi a televised homecoming, where he can be reintroduced to Japanese fans as he makes his run for a world championship in front of his countrymen on their biggest stage. Akitsugi will make his debut fighting under the Teiken/ProBox Promotional banners on Saturday, April 11th, against Mexico’s Jose Miguel Calderon (14-3, 6 KOs) at the famed Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
“I’m very honored to be fighting for Teiken Promotions, which I never imagined,” said Katsuma Akitsugi. “This definitely brings me closer to becoming a champion and doing it at home, in front of my Japanese people. I couldn’t be happier or more excited for this opportunity.”
The legendary Teiken Promotions was formed in 1964 and has grown into a powerhouse in Japanese boxing. Mr. Honda was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009. Teiken has hosted two of Mike Tyson's fights, including his legendary upset loss to Buster Douglas. They have also worked with myriad world champions and contenders, including their co-promotional work with undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue and boxers such as Masao Ōba, Jirō Watanabe, Genaro Hernández, Eloy Rojas, Jorge Linares, Edwin Valero and Román González among others.
“Katsuma Akitsugi has developed into one of the best Japanese fighters and is a serious championship contender in the 118-pound division,” said Honda. “We are excited to bring him home and showcase him in front of his people. Garry Jonas and his ProBoxTV platform have done a great job developing this fighter and we look forward to partnering with them.”
“We’re very excited to be partnering with Teiken as it relates to working with Akitsugi, said Garry Jonas. “Teiken has been a leader for many years and there’s no one better to work with on this.
“I’m also very happy for Katsuma,” he continued. “Ever since he came here, it’s been a dream of his to go back and fight in Japan, and to do so on their biggest stage with Teiken Promotions has him thrilled about this development.”
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Michael McKinson books his return fight |
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Welterweight Michael “The Problem” McKinson (27-2, 4 KOs) returns to the ring on Friday, May 1st in Lagos, Nigeria, when he faces unbeaten Algerian Mohammed Sahnoun (8-0, 6 KOs) on a card promoted by Amir Khan Promotions that will be televised live worldwide on DAZN. The bout marks McKinson’s long-awaited return to action after more than a year out of the ring and comes on the heels of his signing with Gladiator Sports Group, which announced this week that the slick southpaw has joined the company under an exclusive advisory agreement.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Michael McKinson to Gladiator Sports Group,” said managing partner Mariano Agmi. “Michael is a world-class boxer with the kind of experience, talent, and character that aligns perfectly with our vision. His May 1st return is the first step toward putting him back in position for major opportunities.” The 31 year-old Portsmouth native is a technically skilled boxer who built his reputation with standout victories over Chris Kongo and Alex Martin, using his unique southpaw style and high ring IQ to outmaneuver opponents.
McKinson's toughness was in full display in 2022 when he challenged knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr. in a WBA final eliminator, boxing competitively for eight rounds before a hip injury ultimately led to a ninth-round stoppage loss. Now healthy and motivated, McKinson is eager to make up for lost time. “I’ve finally got a date and I’m buzzing,” said McKinson. “I’ve spent a long time watching everyone else get fights and opportunities. I’m going to take all my frustration out on Mohammed Sahnoun. He’s undefeated and can punch, so it’s a good fight to get back to it.”
With a new team behind him working alongside his trainer/manager Michael Ballingall and a return to the ring finally secured, McKinson begins what he hopes will be a renewed push to the top of the welterweight division.
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Michael McKinson books his return fight
Welterweight Michael “The Problem” McKinson (27-2, 4 KOs) returns to the ring on Friday, May 1st in Lagos, Nigeria, when he faces unbeaten Algerian Mohammed Sahnoun (8-0, 6 KOs) on a card promoted by Amir Khan Promotions that will be televised live worldwide on DAZN. The bout marks McKinson’s long-awaited return to action after more than a year out of the ring and comes on the heels of his signing with Gladiator Sports Group, which announced this week that the slick southpaw has joined the company under an exclusive advisory agreement.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Michael McKinson to Gladiator Sports Group,” said managing partner Mariano Agmi. “Michael is a world-class boxer with the kind of experience, talent, and character that aligns perfectly with our vision. His May 1st return is the first step toward putting him back in position for major opportunities.” The 31 year-old Portsmouth native is a technically skilled boxer who built his reputation with standout victories over Chris Kongo and Alex Martin, using his unique southpaw style and high ring IQ to outmaneuver opponents.
McKinson's toughness was in full display in 2022 when he challenged knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr. in a WBA final eliminator, boxing competitively for eight rounds before a hip injury ultimately led to a ninth-round stoppage loss. Now healthy and motivated, McKinson is eager to make up for lost time. “I’ve finally got a date and I’m buzzing,” said McKinson. “I’ve spent a long time watching everyone else get fights and opportunities. I’m going to take all my frustration out on Mohammed Sahnoun. He’s undefeated and can punch, so it’s a good fight to get back to it.”
With a new team behind him working alongside his trainer/manager Michael Ballingall and a return to the ring finally secured, McKinson begins what he hopes will be a renewed push to the top of the welterweight division.
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Introducing junior middleweight Ebenezer “The Stuntman” Griffith |
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Wise Owl Boxing announced the signing of undefeated junior middleweight Ebenezer “The Stuntman” Griffith to its growing roster. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Griffith now trains and resides in Denver, Colorado. He will enter this next chapter of his career with an impressive professional record of 7-0, following an accomplished amateur career that included more than 80 fights. Wise Owl Boxing founder Mark Habibi expressed strong enthusiasm about bringing Griffith into the organization.
“Ebenezer is the type of fighter who is going to frustrate a lot of opponents,” said Habibi. “He’s extremely athletic, in phenomenal shape, and his greatest weapon is his mind. He’s one of the sharpest fighters I’ve met. His ring IQ is exceptional, and I believe that will give him a major competitive advantage as he continues to climb the rankings.”
Outside the ring, Griffith’s talents extend far beyond boxing. Habibi describes him as a true renaissance man. “Ebenezer is incredibly intelligent and has a personality that’s magnetic,” Habibi continued. “He plays the piano beautifully, he’s fluent in Spanish, and he’s one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. Anyone who crosses his path immediately sees the quality of his character. I can’t wait to see how his career unfolds with Wise Owl behind him.”
Known as “The Stuntman” for his explosive athleticism and fearless style in the ring, Griffith is expected to remain active as he continues his rise in one of boxing’s most competitive divisions.
Griffith joins the Wise Owl Boxing roster that features other established junior middleweights, namely Charles Conwell and Brandon “The Cannon” Adams.
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Introducing junior middleweight Ebenezer “The Stuntman” Griffith
Wise Owl Boxing announced the signing of undefeated junior middleweight Ebenezer “The Stuntman” Griffith to its growing roster. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Griffith now trains and resides in Denver, Colorado. He will enter this next chapter of his career with an impressive professional record of 7-0, following an accomplished amateur career that included more than 80 fights. Wise Owl Boxing founder Mark Habibi expressed strong enthusiasm about bringing Griffith into the organization.
“Ebenezer is the type of fighter who is going to frustrate a lot of opponents,” said Habibi. “He’s extremely athletic, in phenomenal shape, and his greatest weapon is his mind. He’s one of the sharpest fighters I’ve met. His ring IQ is exceptional, and I believe that will give him a major competitive advantage as he continues to climb the rankings.”
Outside the ring, Griffith’s talents extend far beyond boxing. Habibi describes him as a true renaissance man. “Ebenezer is incredibly intelligent and has a personality that’s magnetic,” Habibi continued. “He plays the piano beautifully, he’s fluent in Spanish, and he’s one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. Anyone who crosses his path immediately sees the quality of his character. I can’t wait to see how his career unfolds with Wise Owl behind him.”
Known as “The Stuntman” for his explosive athleticism and fearless style in the ring, Griffith is expected to remain active as he continues his rise in one of boxing’s most competitive divisions.
Griffith joins the Wise Owl Boxing roster that features other established junior middleweights, namely Charles Conwell and Brandon “The Cannon” Adams.
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WBO does the right thing: orders Navarrete vs. Suarez II (again) |
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WBO president Gustavo Olivieri announced that Charly Suarez (18-0) of the Philippines will be getting the next title shot at 130 pounds. Olivieri tweeted: "Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee has unanimously voted to order negotiations between unified WBO/IBF junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete and the [WBO] #1 contender and mandatory challenger Charly Suarez to discharge [Navarrete's] pending mandatory obligation. The parties are granted twenty days to reach terms. Failing an agreement, purse bid proceedings will be ordered in accordance with WBO regulations. The minimum bid for the junior lightweight (130-pound) division is set at $150,000. Official ruling will be published later today." Suarez fought Navarrete in May of last year and should have been named the WBO champion after a Suarez punch led to a cut on Navarrete that ended the fight. The proper call was a TKO win for Suarez, but instead, they treated it like an accidental headbutt and went to the scorecards, where Navarrete was awarded a narrow technical decision. The result was later changed to a no contest, but that still wasn't fair to Suarez, who remains an uncrowned champion and has not fought in the past ten months. Credit to the WBO for eventually doing the right thing here.
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
MARCH 2, 2026: Emanuel Navarrete unified two junior lightweight titles on Saturday night with a TKO triumph over now former-IBF champion Eduardo Nunez. The pair arrived at Glendale, Arizona's's Desert Diamond Arena each seeking to secure a second strap to add to their collection. But it was Navarrete who claimed the second belt, doing so with an assured performance in Arizona. Victory for Navarrete, who entered the fight as WBO champion, increased the clamor for him to seek undisputed status across the junior lightweight division. A series of heavy blows in the ninth round damaged Nunez, forcing the doctors to examine him before the contest was allowed to continue. Navarrete, already a three-weight champion, exploited the issues however, leaving his foe with a swollen eyes and the contest waved off shortly after. Now a two-belt champ and already a three-division champ, Navarrete inches closer to Hall of Fame credentials.
JUNE 2, 2025: According to WBO president Gustavo Olivieiri, the California State Athletic Commission has officially ruled the May 11th bout between Emanuel Navarrete and Charly Suarez to be a no contest. The bout was originally ruled a technical decision win for Navarrete, allowing him to retain his WBO junior lightweight championship. Most people felt that the fight-ending cut suffered by Navarrete was caused by a Suarez punch, not an accidental headbutt, and therefore Suarez should have been declared the winner by technical knockout and awarded the WBO championship. In light of the CSAC's ruling, the WBO ordered an immediate rematch between Navarrete and Suarez. [The rematch did not take place on an immediate basis as Navarrete was allowed to unify vs. the IBF champion in March of 2026.]
MAY 11, 2025: Emanuel Navarrete retained his WBO junior lightweight world title in San Diego on Saturday with an eighth-round technical decision over Filipino contender Charly Suarez. The fight was halted early due to a cut over Navarrete’s left eye, which referee Edward Collantes ruled was caused by an accidental headbutt. [Instant replay showed Suarez landed a punch just before Suarez's follow through the clash of heads. It was very difficult to tell whether the punch or the head caused the cut, and the California State Athletic Commission conducted an instant replay review. Boxingtalk is of the opinion that thepunch caused the cut, which would have given Suarez the championship by TKO. It was a very difficult decision to make, and Suarez deserves a rematch.] The headbutt ruling meant that the winner wouldbe determined on the scorecards. Navarrete prevailed by scores of 77-76 (twice) and 78-75.
Navarrete (40-2-1, 32 KOs) came out firing, launching wild right hands and leaping left hooks that bloodied Suarez’s nose in the opening round. Suarez (18-1, 10 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, found moments of success, sometimes landing on Navarrete’s head and sometimes just on his gloves.
In the sixth, Navarrete suffered the cut, and the two continued to trade heavy shots in the seventh as the Mexican began to bleed profusely. The ringside physician waved it off just after bell sounded to start round eight.
“It’s that warrior spirit of being a Mexican that helped us today,” Navarrete said. “I felt good, I felt strong, I felt complete. Unfortunately, what happened with the headbutt obviously it ended like that. But while we were fighting, I felt good.
“From the first moment of the impact, I knew it was a headbutt. It split my eyebrow completely, and from the first moment I noticed it was a headbutt.”
Suarez said, “Right now I’m sad, but that is part of the game, and I know that Navarrete won the fight, but that’s part of the game. I would like to make a rematch. I want a rematch with Navarrete.”
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WBO does the right thing: orders Navarrete vs. Suarez II (again)
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri announced that Charly Suarez (18-0) of the Philippines will be getting the next title shot at 130 pounds. Olivieri tweeted: "Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee has unanimously voted to order negotiations between unified WBO/IBF junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete and the [WBO] #1 contender and mandatory challenger Charly Suarez to discharge [Navarrete's] pending mandatory obligation. The parties are granted twenty days to reach terms. Failing an agreement, purse bid proceedings will be ordered in accordance with WBO regulations. The minimum bid for the junior lightweight (130-pound) division is set at $150,000. Official ruling will be published later today." Suarez fought Navarrete in May of last year and should have been named the WBO champion after a Suarez punch led to a cut on Navarrete that ended the fight. The proper call was a TKO win for Suarez, but instead, they treated it like an accidental headbutt and went to the scorecards, where Navarrete was awarded a narrow technical decision. The result was later changed to a no contest, but that still wasn't fair to Suarez, who remains an uncrowned champion and has not fought in the past ten months. Credit to the WBO for eventually doing the right thing here.
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
MARCH 2, 2026: Emanuel Navarrete unified two junior lightweight titles on Saturday night with a TKO triumph over now former-IBF champion Eduardo Nunez. The pair arrived at Glendale, Arizona's's Desert Diamond Arena each seeking to secure a second strap to add to their collection. But it was Navarrete who claimed the second belt, doing so with an assured performance in Arizona. Victory for Navarrete, who entered the fight as WBO champion, increased the clamor for him to seek undisputed status across the junior lightweight division. A series of heavy blows in the ninth round damaged Nunez, forcing the doctors to examine him before the contest was allowed to continue. Navarrete, already a three-weight champion, exploited the issues however, leaving his foe with a swollen eyes and the contest waved off shortly after. Now a two-belt champ and already a three-division champ, Navarrete inches closer to Hall of Fame credentials.
JUNE 2, 2025: According to WBO president Gustavo Olivieiri, the California State Athletic Commission has officially ruled the May 11th bout between Emanuel Navarrete and Charly Suarez to be a no contest. The bout was originally ruled a technical decision win for Navarrete, allowing him to retain his WBO junior lightweight championship. Most people felt that the fight-ending cut suffered by Navarrete was caused by a Suarez punch, not an accidental headbutt, and therefore Suarez should have been declared the winner by technical knockout and awarded the WBO championship. In light of the CSAC's ruling, the WBO ordered an immediate rematch between Navarrete and Suarez. [The rematch did not take place on an immediate basis as Navarrete was allowed to unify vs. the IBF champion in March of 2026.]
MAY 11, 2025: Emanuel Navarrete retained his WBO junior lightweight world title in San Diego on Saturday with an eighth-round technical decision over Filipino contender Charly Suarez. The fight was halted early due to a cut over Navarrete’s left eye, which referee Edward Collantes ruled was caused by an accidental headbutt. [Instant replay showed Suarez landed a punch just before Suarez's follow through the clash of heads. It was very difficult to tell whether the punch or the head caused the cut, and the California State Athletic Commission conducted an instant replay review. Boxingtalk is of the opinion that thepunch caused the cut, which would have given Suarez the championship by TKO. It was a very difficult decision to make, and Suarez deserves a rematch.] The headbutt ruling meant that the winner wouldbe determined on the scorecards. Navarrete prevailed by scores of 77-76 (twice) and 78-75.
Navarrete (40-2-1, 32 KOs) came out firing, launching wild right hands and leaping left hooks that bloodied Suarez’s nose in the opening round. Suarez (18-1, 10 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, found moments of success, sometimes landing on Navarrete’s head and sometimes just on his gloves.
In the sixth, Navarrete suffered the cut, and the two continued to trade heavy shots in the seventh as the Mexican began to bleed profusely. The ringside physician waved it off just after bell sounded to start round eight.
“It’s that warrior spirit of being a Mexican that helped us today,” Navarrete said. “I felt good, I felt strong, I felt complete. Unfortunately, what happened with the headbutt obviously it ended like that. But while we were fighting, I felt good.
“From the first moment of the impact, I knew it was a headbutt. It split my eyebrow completely, and from the first moment I noticed it was a headbutt.”
Suarez said, “Right now I’m sad, but that is part of the game, and I know that Navarrete won the fight, but that’s part of the game. I would like to make a rematch. I want a rematch with Navarrete.”
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Starting today: Eight-part series on boxing at the crossroads |
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Executive Summary: Professional boxing is entering a decisive structural transition. Capital concentration, vertical integration, media consolidation and legislative recalibration are converging simultaneously. When these forces align, negotiating dynamics shift and institutional leverage recalibrates. At the center of this evolution is the emergence of a vertically integrated promotional structure — the best example of which is the Zuffa Boxing venture operating within TKO Group Holdings and supported by Saudi-linked capital through Sela. This model combines the roles of promoter, sanctioning body, scheduling and broadcast distribution within a unified organizational framework. Subsequent executive commentary has also clarified that Zuffa operates as a joint venture combining sovereign-linked capital with the corporate media infrastructure of TKO Group Holdings. The architecture of power in boxing is summarized here.
In contrast, we have the traditional decentralized ecosystem — represented by independent promoters such as Matchroom Boxing, Queensberry Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions; major sanctioning bodies including the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO; and diversified broadcast partners such as DAZN and other platforms — operating through distributed authority, competitive negotiation, and independent championship governance.
Overlaying this structural divide is proposed federal legislation — the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624) — which would authorize a new entity type known as a Unified Boxing Organization (UBO). The proposal does not repeal the existing Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, but it would formally recognize integrated governance structures and establish an alternative regulatory pathway for certified UBOs.
This series does not advocate for one model over the other. It examines how structural design influences leverage, transparency, sustainability, and competitive balance. But make no mistake, the structural inflection point is already underway. The long-term implications are institutional. The decisions made now will shape the sport’s architecture for years to come.
The debate before the sport — and before Congress — is not whether fighters deserve protection. It is how protection, leverage, transparency, and competitive opportunity function within the evolving market.
Centralized integration paired with baseline safeguards presents one trajectory or decentralized competition reinforced by transparency-driven leverage? The long-term future of professional boxing will be shaped not by rhetoric, but by whether its institutional architecture proves durable under economic, regulatory, and competitive stress. This series provides a structural map of that transition.
Roadmap of the Series
Part I – The Inflection Point
Examines how capital alignment, sovereign-backed investment, media consolidation, and regulatory reform are reshaping professional boxing’s governance framework.
Part II – The Structural Divide
Defines the centralized model (Zuffa/TKO/Sela) and the decentralized ecosystem (Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, DAZN), clarifying how authority, control, and opportunity flow within each system.
Part III – Fighter Leverage and Incentive Architecture
Analyzes how fighters stand within each structure — comparing internal leverage within an integrated model to external competitive leverage in a decentralized marketplace.
Part IV – Ali Act Protections in a Centralized vs. Decentralized Market
Clarifies how the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act applies to promoters, managers, and sanctioning bodies, and examines how the proposed UBO framework under H.R. 4624 may recalibrate disclosure standards, separation principles, and enforcement mechanisms.
Part V – Unanswered Questions Congress Must Clarify
Identifies the statutory definition points — including financial transparency, ranking governance, promoter-manager separation, private rights of action, and compliance certification — that will determine whether modernization preserves substantive safeguards.
Part VI – Distribution and Media Power
Explores the central role of broadcast and streaming partnerships, including platforms such as DAZN and other global distributors, and assesses why durable media alignment increasingly determines promoter viability.
Part VII – Capital Sustainability and Concentration Risk
Evaluates the durability of capital-backed expansion, including sovereign-aligned funding structures, and examines how long-term sustainability — not short-term scale — ultimately determines structural resilience.
Part VIII – Strategic Implications for the Ecosystem
Synthesizes the analysis to assess modernization pressures, competitive durability, and the long-term balance between integration and plurality.
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Starting today: Eight-part series on boxing at the crossroads
Executive Summary: Professional boxing is entering a decisive structural transition. Capital concentration, vertical integration, media consolidation and legislative recalibration are converging simultaneously. When these forces align, negotiating dynamics shift and institutional leverage recalibrates. At the center of this evolution is the emergence of a vertically integrated promotional structure — the best example of which is the Zuffa Boxing venture operating within TKO Group Holdings and supported by Saudi-linked capital through Sela. This model combines the roles of promoter, sanctioning body, scheduling and broadcast distribution within a unified organizational framework. Subsequent executive commentary has also clarified that Zuffa operates as a joint venture combining sovereign-linked capital with the corporate media infrastructure of TKO Group Holdings. The architecture of power in boxing is summarized here.
In contrast, we have the traditional decentralized ecosystem — represented by independent promoters such as Matchroom Boxing, Queensberry Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions; major sanctioning bodies including the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO; and diversified broadcast partners such as DAZN and other platforms — operating through distributed authority, competitive negotiation, and independent championship governance.
Overlaying this structural divide is proposed federal legislation — the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624) — which would authorize a new entity type known as a Unified Boxing Organization (UBO). The proposal does not repeal the existing Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, but it would formally recognize integrated governance structures and establish an alternative regulatory pathway for certified UBOs.
This series does not advocate for one model over the other. It examines how structural design influences leverage, transparency, sustainability, and competitive balance. But make no mistake, the structural inflection point is already underway. The long-term implications are institutional. The decisions made now will shape the sport’s architecture for years to come.
The debate before the sport — and before Congress — is not whether fighters deserve protection. It is how protection, leverage, transparency, and competitive opportunity function within the evolving market.
Centralized integration paired with baseline safeguards presents one trajectory or decentralized competition reinforced by transparency-driven leverage? The long-term future of professional boxing will be shaped not by rhetoric, but by whether its institutional architecture proves durable under economic, regulatory, and competitive stress. This series provides a structural map of that transition.
Roadmap of the Series
Part I – The Inflection Point
Examines how capital alignment, sovereign-backed investment, media consolidation, and regulatory reform are reshaping professional boxing’s governance framework.
Part II – The Structural Divide
Defines the centralized model (Zuffa/TKO/Sela) and the decentralized ecosystem (Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, DAZN), clarifying how authority, control, and opportunity flow within each system.
Part III – Fighter Leverage and Incentive Architecture
Analyzes how fighters stand within each structure — comparing internal leverage within an integrated model to external competitive leverage in a decentralized marketplace.
Part IV – Ali Act Protections in a Centralized vs. Decentralized Market
Clarifies how the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act applies to promoters, managers, and sanctioning bodies, and examines how the proposed UBO framework under H.R. 4624 may recalibrate disclosure standards, separation principles, and enforcement mechanisms.
Part V – Unanswered Questions Congress Must Clarify
Identifies the statutory definition points — including financial transparency, ranking governance, promoter-manager separation, private rights of action, and compliance certification — that will determine whether modernization preserves substantive safeguards.
Part VI – Distribution and Media Power
Explores the central role of broadcast and streaming partnerships, including platforms such as DAZN and other global distributors, and assesses why durable media alignment increasingly determines promoter viability.
Part VII – Capital Sustainability and Concentration Risk
Evaluates the durability of capital-backed expansion, including sovereign-aligned funding structures, and examines how long-term sustainability — not short-term scale — ultimately determines structural resilience.
Part VIII – Strategic Implications for the Ecosystem
Synthesizes the analysis to assess modernization pressures, competitive durability, and the long-term balance between integration and plurality.
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Part one of eight: Boxing is at an inflection point |
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Boxing is at an inflection point. The sport has historically operated within a decentralized marketplace. Promoters such as Matchroom Boxing, Queensberry Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions negotiated events independently.
Sanctioning bodies including the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO governed championship recognition through separate ranking systems.
Media platforms such as DAZN and other global distributors aligned with different promotional entities across competing broadcast agreements. This distributed structure produced friction — but also competitive tension.
Authority was dispersed.
Leverage was negotiated event by event.
Opportunity flowed through multiple institutional channels. That architecture is now being recalibrated.
The emergence of the Zuffa Boxing venture operating within TKO Group Holdings and supported by Sela introduces a materially different governance framework. Subsequent executive commentary has begun to clarify elements of the venture’s ownership structure. During a TKO Group Holdings earnings call, President and COO Mark Shapiro indicated that Zuffa Boxing is structured as a joint venture owned approximately 40% by TKO Group Holdings and 60% by Sela, the Saudi-linked events company widely reported to be owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Under this centralized integration model: Promotional rights may be consolidated within a unified corporate entity; Ranking authority may operate within an internally coordinated structure rather than through independent sanctioning bodies; Media negotiations can be aligned at the corporate level; and Boxer contracts may be centralized under a single promotional vehicle.
This is not simply new capital entering the sport.
It is a reconfiguration of institutional alignment. The distinction is structural. The traditional ecosystem — Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, and diversified platforms such as DAZN — distributes authority across independent actors.
By contrast, the Zuffa/TKO/Sela-aligned model concentrates promotional and governance functions within an integrated framework. Both systems can function.
But they allocate authority differently.
And differences in authority allocation shape negotiating leverage. At the same time, proposed federal legislation — the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624) — seeks to formally recognize integrated governance structures through the introduction of Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs).
When market architecture and statutory design evolve concurrently, structural effects compound. The inflection point is therefore not theoretical.
It is institutional. Capital alignment, governance integration, and legislative recalibration are unfolding in parallel. Understanding this structural moment is essential before evaluating fighter leverage, regulatory safeguards, media durability, or long-term competitive balance.
In Part II, to be published on Tuesday, we examine in operational detail how the Zuffa/TKO/Sela-aligned framework differs from the decentralized ecosystem built around Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, the major sanctioning bodies, and diversified broadcast platforms.
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Part one of eight: Boxing is at an inflection point
Boxing is at an inflection point. The sport has historically operated within a decentralized marketplace. Promoters such as Matchroom Boxing, Queensberry Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions negotiated events independently.
Sanctioning bodies including the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO governed championship recognition through separate ranking systems.
Media platforms such as DAZN and other global distributors aligned with different promotional entities across competing broadcast agreements. This distributed structure produced friction — but also competitive tension.
Authority was dispersed.
Leverage was negotiated event by event.
Opportunity flowed through multiple institutional channels. That architecture is now being recalibrated.
The emergence of the Zuffa Boxing venture operating within TKO Group Holdings and supported by Sela introduces a materially different governance framework. Subsequent executive commentary has begun to clarify elements of the venture’s ownership structure. During a TKO Group Holdings earnings call, President and COO Mark Shapiro indicated that Zuffa Boxing is structured as a joint venture owned approximately 40% by TKO Group Holdings and 60% by Sela, the Saudi-linked events company widely reported to be owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Under this centralized integration model: Promotional rights may be consolidated within a unified corporate entity; Ranking authority may operate within an internally coordinated structure rather than through independent sanctioning bodies; Media negotiations can be aligned at the corporate level; and Boxer contracts may be centralized under a single promotional vehicle.
This is not simply new capital entering the sport.
It is a reconfiguration of institutional alignment. The distinction is structural. The traditional ecosystem — Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, and diversified platforms such as DAZN — distributes authority across independent actors.
By contrast, the Zuffa/TKO/Sela-aligned model concentrates promotional and governance functions within an integrated framework. Both systems can function.
But they allocate authority differently.
And differences in authority allocation shape negotiating leverage. At the same time, proposed federal legislation — the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624) — seeks to formally recognize integrated governance structures through the introduction of Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs).
When market architecture and statutory design evolve concurrently, structural effects compound. The inflection point is therefore not theoretical.
It is institutional. Capital alignment, governance integration, and legislative recalibration are unfolding in parallel. Understanding this structural moment is essential before evaluating fighter leverage, regulatory safeguards, media durability, or long-term competitive balance.
In Part II, to be published on Tuesday, we examine in operational detail how the Zuffa/TKO/Sela-aligned framework differs from the decentralized ecosystem built around Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, the major sanctioning bodies, and diversified broadcast platforms.
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Fab Wardley named British boxer of the year for 2025 |
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This year’s British Board of Boxing Control (BBBofC) Awards ceremony took place on Sunday March 8th in London. Listed below are the award winners, which celebrated boxing in the United Kingdom during the year 2025:
Boxer of the Year – Fabio Wardley (pictured);
Contest of the Year – Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn I (April 26, 2025 – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium);
Overseas Boxer of the Year – Oleksandr Usyk;
Boxing Writers Young Boxer of the Year – Moses Itauma;
Services to Boxing – Nigel Travis;
Special Recognition I – Claude Abrams, Tris Dixon, Matt Christie;
Special Recognition II – Josh Taylor;
Boxing News Trainer of the Year – Ben Davison; and
CBC Dennie Mancini Trophy – Dalton Smith.
The Board also honored past and present British champions in the form of a number and certificate, more will follow on this shortly.
General Secretary, Robert W. Smith thanked all of those in attendance at this year’s event and congratulated the year’s winners and nominees.
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Fab Wardley named British boxer of the year for 2025
This year’s British Board of Boxing Control (BBBofC) Awards ceremony took place on Sunday March 8th in London. Listed below are the award winners, which celebrated boxing in the United Kingdom during the year 2025:
Boxer of the Year – Fabio Wardley (pictured);
Contest of the Year – Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn I (April 26, 2025 – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium);
Overseas Boxer of the Year – Oleksandr Usyk;
Boxing Writers Young Boxer of the Year – Moses Itauma;
Services to Boxing – Nigel Travis;
Special Recognition I – Claude Abrams, Tris Dixon, Matt Christie;
Special Recognition II – Josh Taylor;
Boxing News Trainer of the Year – Ben Davison; and
CBC Dennie Mancini Trophy – Dalton Smith.
The Board also honored past and present British champions in the form of a number and certificate, more will follow on this shortly.
General Secretary, Robert W. Smith thanked all of those in attendance at this year’s event and congratulated the year’s winners and nominees.
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Victor Ortiz turns to bare knuckle boxing |
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Last week, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing announced the signing of ex-welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (33-7-3) to a multi-fight, multi-year agreement. The former WBC champion and crossover star (Dancing With The Stars, Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables, and Hawaii Five-0) will bring his power, championship pedigree, and fan-favorite charisma to the bare knuckle trigon, making his highly anticipated debut in the coming months as he targets BKB world championship glory. Details on Ortiz’s debut fight and upcoming events will be announced soon.
This signing underscores the surging momentum of BKB, which continues to draw decorated gloved boxers and stage high-stakes, action-packed events. The promotion has welcomed stars like Olympic gold medalist and former multi-weight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa and former champions Lee Selby and Paulie Malignaggi. The latter enjoyed a hugely successful transition, delivering a thrilling Fight of the Night performance in his return at BKB 47 against Tyler Goodjohn. Building on that excitement, Malignaggi is now set to challenge reigning champion Rolando Dy for the BKB junior middleweight championship in Manchester on Saturday, May 16th, further elevating BKB's rising profile, expanding roster of elite talent, and relentless progression as one of the most disruptive forces in combat sports.
Ortiz, known as "Vicious," captured the WBC welterweight title in 2011 with a unanimous decision victory over Andre Berto and successfully challenged the elite at 147 pounds, including his memorable showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. His professional career from 2004 to 2022 produced a record of 33 wins (25 by KO), 7 losses, and 3 draws, cementing his status as one of America's most exciting and accomplished fighters. Beyond the ring, Ortiz gained widespread popularity as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars, and appearances on the big and small screens allowing him to transcend the sport, showcasing his athleticism, personality, and talent to a broader audience.
Ortiz's move to BKB is driven by his respect for the promotion's explosive growth, top-tier production, and the unforgiving intensity of bare knuckle competition. Ready to unleash his aggressive style without gloves, he sees BKB as the ideal stage to add a new chapter to his legacy in the rawest form of boxing.
Ortiz, said: “I’ve accomplished so much in gloved boxing - from winning a world title to battling the best in the world. Now, bare knuckle is the next challenge. It’s the purest, most intense version of the sport, and I’m pumped to bring my power, heart, and experience to BKB. I’m coming to win another world title and prove I’ve still got it. All glory to Jesus Christ.”
Mike Vazquez, Founder of BKB Bare Knuckle, said: “Victor Ortiz is a true legend with a world-class resume and star power that transcends boxing. We’re thrilled to welcome him to our roster. His knockout power and championship drive will electrify the trigon. With fighters like Gamboa and Malignaggi paving the way for elite crossovers, Victor’s signing proves BKB is the destination for icons chasing new greatness.”
David Tetreault, CEO of BKB Bare Knuckle, said: "I’ve known Victor since my days running the table at Golden Boy Promotions. Victor Ortiz is a massive coup for our organization. His world title experience, devastating power, and crossover appeal make this an incredible addition. We're excited to see him pursue bare knuckle dominance alongside our expanding lineup of world-class fighters. Bringing a fighter of Victor’s calibre to BKB shows just why we are the leading force right now in Bare Knuckle Boxing.”
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Victor Ortiz turns to bare knuckle boxing
Last week, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing announced the signing of ex-welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (33-7-3) to a multi-fight, multi-year agreement. The former WBC champion and crossover star (Dancing With The Stars, Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables, and Hawaii Five-0) will bring his power, championship pedigree, and fan-favorite charisma to the bare knuckle trigon, making his highly anticipated debut in the coming months as he targets BKB world championship glory. Details on Ortiz’s debut fight and upcoming events will be announced soon.
This signing underscores the surging momentum of BKB, which continues to draw decorated gloved boxers and stage high-stakes, action-packed events. The promotion has welcomed stars like Olympic gold medalist and former multi-weight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa and former champions Lee Selby and Paulie Malignaggi. The latter enjoyed a hugely successful transition, delivering a thrilling Fight of the Night performance in his return at BKB 47 against Tyler Goodjohn. Building on that excitement, Malignaggi is now set to challenge reigning champion Rolando Dy for the BKB junior middleweight championship in Manchester on Saturday, May 16th, further elevating BKB's rising profile, expanding roster of elite talent, and relentless progression as one of the most disruptive forces in combat sports.
Ortiz, known as "Vicious," captured the WBC welterweight title in 2011 with a unanimous decision victory over Andre Berto and successfully challenged the elite at 147 pounds, including his memorable showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. His professional career from 2004 to 2022 produced a record of 33 wins (25 by KO), 7 losses, and 3 draws, cementing his status as one of America's most exciting and accomplished fighters. Beyond the ring, Ortiz gained widespread popularity as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars, and appearances on the big and small screens allowing him to transcend the sport, showcasing his athleticism, personality, and talent to a broader audience.
Ortiz's move to BKB is driven by his respect for the promotion's explosive growth, top-tier production, and the unforgiving intensity of bare knuckle competition. Ready to unleash his aggressive style without gloves, he sees BKB as the ideal stage to add a new chapter to his legacy in the rawest form of boxing.
Ortiz, said: “I’ve accomplished so much in gloved boxing - from winning a world title to battling the best in the world. Now, bare knuckle is the next challenge. It’s the purest, most intense version of the sport, and I’m pumped to bring my power, heart, and experience to BKB. I’m coming to win another world title and prove I’ve still got it. All glory to Jesus Christ.”
Mike Vazquez, Founder of BKB Bare Knuckle, said: “Victor Ortiz is a true legend with a world-class resume and star power that transcends boxing. We’re thrilled to welcome him to our roster. His knockout power and championship drive will electrify the trigon. With fighters like Gamboa and Malignaggi paving the way for elite crossovers, Victor’s signing proves BKB is the destination for icons chasing new greatness.”
David Tetreault, CEO of BKB Bare Knuckle, said: "I’ve known Victor since my days running the table at Golden Boy Promotions. Victor Ortiz is a massive coup for our organization. His world title experience, devastating power, and crossover appeal make this an incredible addition. We're excited to see him pursue bare knuckle dominance alongside our expanding lineup of world-class fighters. Bringing a fighter of Victor’s calibre to BKB shows just why we are the leading force right now in Bare Knuckle Boxing.”
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Middle East war leads to postponement of international tournament |
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The International Boxing Association (IBA) has confirmed that the IBA Asia U23 [age 23 and under] and Youth Championships, scheduled to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia, will be postponed due to the current and evolving situation in the Middle East. Following careful assessment of the prevailing circumstances, the IBA has taken this decision in order to prioritize the safety, security, and well‑being of athletes, officials, and member federations. Athlete welfare and participant safety remain the organisation’s absolute and non‑negotiable priority. While preparations for the championships in Jakarta had been progressing positively in close cooperation with the local organisers and IBA Asia, the IBA considers it essential to act responsibly in light of the broader regional uncertainty. Ensuring safe travel, accommodation, and competition conditions for all participants is a fundamental obligation of the organisation.
“The safety of our athletes and member federations is our absolute priority,” said Chris Roberts OBE, IBA Secretary General & CEO. “In light of the current situation in the Middle East, we have taken the decision to postpone the IBA Asia U23 and Youth Championships in Jakarta. We will continue to closely monitor developments and will identify a suitable future date once conditions allow.”
The IBA remains in close contact with IBA Asia, the local organising committee, and relevant stakeholders, and will continue to assess the situation as it evolves. Options for rescheduling the championships will be explored in the coming weeks, subject to stability and safety considerations.
All member federations, athletes, and stakeholders will be kept fully informed, with further updates regarding revised dates and logistical arrangements to be communicated in a timely and transparent manner.
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Middle East war leads to postponement of international tournament
The International Boxing Association (IBA) has confirmed that the IBA Asia U23 [age 23 and under] and Youth Championships, scheduled to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia, will be postponed due to the current and evolving situation in the Middle East. Following careful assessment of the prevailing circumstances, the IBA has taken this decision in order to prioritize the safety, security, and well‑being of athletes, officials, and member federations. Athlete welfare and participant safety remain the organisation’s absolute and non‑negotiable priority. While preparations for the championships in Jakarta had been progressing positively in close cooperation with the local organisers and IBA Asia, the IBA considers it essential to act responsibly in light of the broader regional uncertainty. Ensuring safe travel, accommodation, and competition conditions for all participants is a fundamental obligation of the organisation.
“The safety of our athletes and member federations is our absolute priority,” said Chris Roberts OBE, IBA Secretary General & CEO. “In light of the current situation in the Middle East, we have taken the decision to postpone the IBA Asia U23 and Youth Championships in Jakarta. We will continue to closely monitor developments and will identify a suitable future date once conditions allow.”
The IBA remains in close contact with IBA Asia, the local organising committee, and relevant stakeholders, and will continue to assess the situation as it evolves. Options for rescheduling the championships will be explored in the coming weeks, subject to stability and safety considerations.
All member federations, athletes, and stakeholders will be kept fully informed, with further updates regarding revised dates and logistical arrangements to be communicated in a timely and transparent manner.
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Bivol agrees to defend vs. Eifert |
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UPDATE: After several postponements, the IBF has canmcelled the Bivol vs. Eifert purse bid and announced that the two sides have reached an agreement for world light heavyweight champion Dmitrii Bivol (pictured) to make his next defense against Michael Eifert of Germany. The fight is rumored to be headed to the Oleksandr Usyk undercard scheduled for May 23rd in Egypt. Original story (Feb. 12, 2026): The IBF announced that a purse bid for world light heavyweight champion Dmitrii Bivol's mandatory defense against Michael Eifert of Germany has been rescheduled from February 13th to February 20th. Bivol is the true world champion of the 175-pound division based on his winning the second of two undisputed championship bouts against fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev. But he has not fought since February of 2025. Eifert is very lightly credentialed at 13-1, with his best win coming in March 2023 in an IBF eliminator vs. former world champion Jean Pascal. Eifert has only fought once since then against a nondescript opponent, instead choosing to wait for this IBF title shot to come his way. Bivol is also recognized as champion by the WBA and WBO and actually is the true world 175-pound monarch, so there is little pressure on him to actually fight Eifert if he is not inclined to do so.
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Bivol agrees to defend vs. Eifert
UPDATE: After several postponements, the IBF has canmcelled the Bivol vs. Eifert purse bid and announced that the two sides have reached an agreement for world light heavyweight champion Dmitrii Bivol (pictured) to make his next defense against Michael Eifert of Germany. The fight is rumored to be headed to the Oleksandr Usyk undercard scheduled for May 23rd in Egypt. Original story (Feb. 12, 2026): The IBF announced that a purse bid for world light heavyweight champion Dmitrii Bivol's mandatory defense against Michael Eifert of Germany has been rescheduled from February 13th to February 20th. Bivol is the true world champion of the 175-pound division based on his winning the second of two undisputed championship bouts against fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev. But he has not fought since February of 2025. Eifert is very lightly credentialed at 13-1, with his best win coming in March 2023 in an IBF eliminator vs. former world champion Jean Pascal. Eifert has only fought once since then against a nondescript opponent, instead choosing to wait for this IBF title shot to come his way. Bivol is also recognized as champion by the WBA and WBO and actually is the true world 175-pound monarch, so there is little pressure on him to actually fight Eifert if he is not inclined to do so.
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Cruiserweight title overview |
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Here is a look at the recent lineage of the major championships in the cruiserweight (200-pound) division. The current champions are Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (WBO and WBA), Jai Opetaia (Zuffa) and Noel Mikaelian (WBC). The IBF title is vacant, having been stripped from Opetaia over a silly dispute between Zuffa and the IBF. Boxingtalk will be updating and expanding this recent history of the cruiserweight division from time to time.
IBF & ZUFFA / MARCH 8, 2026: Jai Opetaia punished Brandon Glanton for twelve rounds to claim the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight championship. All three official scores were 119-106, and it should be considered a shutout, as Opetaia had a point deducted and Glanton had two deducted by activist referee Allen Huggins. Opetaia (30-0) landed 250 punches to Glanton’s 118 over the course of the fight, and generally outclassed the game, but outgunned Glanton. Over the second half of the fight, Glanton (21-4) boxed with a sizable hematoma on his forehead. The fight ended a week of outside-the-ring turmoil that saw Opetaia stripped of the IBF championship because the IBF was unhappy with the way Zuffa promoted the show.
WBC / DEC. 15, 2025: Noel Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KOs) regained the WBC world cruiserweight championship by defeating Badou Jack (29-4-3, 17 KOs) in California over the weekend. The fight was a rematch of a disputed decision that Jack won by majoriy decision in May. The judges’ scorecards were 115-111 and 116-110 (twice) of the new champion. Mikaelian a/k/a Norair Mikaeljan controlled the fight with his defining jab and fast offense. Both men were penalized one point.
WBC / MAY 4, 2025: WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack retained his title against former champion Noel Mikaelian a/k/a Norair Mikaelian in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jack, who lives in the Middle East seemingly got some favorable treatment from the judges, winning a majority decision in what was a very close bout that leaned towards Mikaelian. The official scores were 114-114 and 115-113 (twice) for Jack. Compubox's Punchtats showed Mikaeljan threw 670 punches to Jack's 369, and outlanded Jack, 153 punches to 122. Each fighter entered the bout with some disadvantages. Mikaelian (27-3) stepped in as a somewhat late replacement, getting about three weeks notice to replace the injured Ryan Rozicki. Jack (29-3-3) is 41 years old and hadn't fought in two years, since he captured the crown on February 26, 2023. He was demoted to champion-in-recess, but then had his championship status revived when Mikaelian was demoted from champion to champion in recess due to promotional issues with Don King.
IBF / JAN. 8, 2025... Fighting in his native Australia, Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight championship by knocking out David Nyika of New Zealand. Opetaia was not troubled by the change in opponent three weeks before the opening bell. Opetaia increased his intensity towards the end of round three. A right hand sent Nyika on to the canvas, but the New Zealand fighter managed to beat the count. But Opetaia continued to land and eventually knocked out Nyika with a big left hand. Nyika was down on the canvas for several minutes but eventually stood up under his own power.
WBA & WBO / NOV. 16, 2024... A two-belt cruiserweight unification bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday was won by Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. Chris "CBS" Billam-Smith's WBO title was added to Ramirez's WBA version in an exciting but mostly one-sided contest. Ramirez, a southpaw, cut Billam-Smith over the left eye in round four, but the British fighter fought through it. Ramirez, the smaller of the two men, prevailed by unanimous decision, with scores of 116-112 (twice) and 116-113. It was an exciting and bruising twelve rounds but Billam-Smith made himself an easy target-- he spent too much time standing in front of Ramirez in an upright, easy-to-hit manner.
WBC / OCT 22, 2024: The WBC reinstated Badou Jack as champion and demoted Noel Mikaleian to champion in recess, even though Jack has not fought since February of 2023 when he conquered the WBC cruiserweight championship by defeating then-champion Ilunga Makabu. Soon thereafter, Jack petitioned the WBC to place him as champion in recess so he could try to schedule a fight for the WBC bridgerweight title, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Mikaelian won the vacant WBC cruiserweight title, knocking out Makabu. The WBC ordered Mikaelian to make his first mandatory defense against WBC #1 contender Ryan Rozicki of Canada who had won a final elimination bout via knockout of Olanrewaju Durodola. Mikaelian-Rozicki was postponed twice then cancelled as Mikaelian had a falling out with his promoter, Don King.
WBA / MARCH 31, 2024: In Inglewood, California, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez became a two division champion, taking the WBA cruiserweight title from Arsen Goulamirian, who will go down in the books as a weak, inactive champion. All three judges scored it 118-110. Give Ramirez credit, though. A natural super middleweight, he stood and traded with a naturally bigger opponent to become the first Mexican ever to hold a cruiserweight championship. Ramirez is now 46-1. He gave up his super middleweight title in 2019 and lost a 2022 light heavyweight title shot to Dmitriy Bivol. Goulamirian takes his first pro loss after a 27-win start to his career. Sadly, this was just his second fight since 2019.
IBF/ MAY 18, 2024: In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) defeated former two-time champion Mairis Briedis (28-3, 20 KOs) by unanimous decision in a bruising battle that saw both men finish with possible broken noses. Briedis rallied late but lost by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 (twice). Opetaia regained the IBF cruiserweight world title that the IBF basically forced him to vacate a few months ago. This was a rematch. In July 2022, Opetaia, a 2012 Australian Olympian, overcame an injured jaw to claim Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision. Official scores for the first bout were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improved to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joined Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
IBF / DEC. 18, 2023: Jai Opetaia of Australia vacated the IBF cruiserweight championship in order to move forward with a bout in Saudi Arabia against Great Britain's Ellis Zorro. Opetaia was ordered to grant Briediis a rematch by the IBF but when Briedis got injured, Opetaia sought to sneak in a lucrative voluntary defense on the huge show in Riadh. Reportedly, Briedis had no objection to Opetaia making a voluntary defense, but the IBF rigidly refused to budge, so Opetaia moved on without the belt and KO'd Zorro in a beautiful one-punch knockout in round one on December 23rd.
WBC / NOV. 4, 2023: There is a new WBC cruiserweight champion as Noel Mikaelian (27-2, 12 KOs) stopped the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ilunga Makabu (29-4, 25 KOs) one minute into the third round. After flooring Makabu in the second round, Miami’s Mikaelian, by way of Armenia, flustered the former champion with a barrage of punches. The title was recently vacated by Badou Jack. Mikaelian said about his knockout victory: “I didn’t expect the knockout so early, but I knew my hand would be raised (in victory) at the end of the night. I’m so happy. I waited two years. I was so close to winning that belt and this time I didn’t want to leave any doubts.” Mikaelian noted the significance of his win: “I had a great camp…I’m the first German to win a world championship on American soil in 90 years, since Max Schmelling.”
IBF / SEPT. 30, 2023: IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia made a successful first title defense in London, stopping previously unbeaten Jordan Thompson in the fourth round. The end came with a left-right combination from Opetaia's southpaw stance. Opetaia returns home to Australia with his belt plus a record of 24-0. Thompson is now 15-1.
WBO / MAY 28, 2023... In a crazy fight in Bournemouth, England, Chris Billam-Smith won the WBO cruiserweight champion from his fellow Brit, good friend and former sparring partner Lawrence Okolie. Billam-Smith scored thee knockdowns and Okolie was penalized two points for non-stop holding. But the championship rounds saw Okolie furiously pressing for a knockdown and Billam-Smith dealing with a bad cut over his left eye. Despite Okolie's late rally, when the final bell sounded, the three knockdowns and two point deductions seemed impossible for the champ to overcome, but there was one more plot twist to come. When the first score was read by the ring announcer, Billam-Smith was shocked to hear 112-112. Sanity prevailed as the other two judges favored Billam-Smith by 116-107 and 115-108. As the majority win was revealed, Billam-Smith broke down in tears and described how he was sick during the week. He also dedicated the win to his mother who was battling breast cancer. During his post-fight interview, Okolie acknowledged his loss but revealed that he had a rematch clause that he planned to invoke.
WBC / FEB. 26, 2023: Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs) is now a two-division world champion.* The 39-year old scored a technical knockout victory over Ilunga Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) to capture the WBC cruiserweight world title. Jack boxed an intelligent fight, mixing footwork and counterpunching to consistently find a home for his right hand. Makabu, on the other hand, seemed too cautious and had trouble putting his punches together. In the fourth round, Jack dropped Makabu with a right hand, and he repeated the knockdown in the eleventh. In the final round, Makabu was clearly worn out from Jack’s offense, and Swedish standout only needed an additional right hand and a brief fusillade of shots to force referee Mark Lyson to stop the fight.
*Some list Jack as a three-division champion because he won the WBA regular light heavyweight title in 2017. Boxingtalk does not recognize that as a legitimate world title because Sergey Kovalev was the WBA super champion at that time.
WBA / NOV. 22, 2022... Arsen Goulamirian retained his WBA cruiserweight championship this weekend against Aleksei Egorov with a unanimous decision victory at La Palestre in Le Cannet, France. The Armenian native and French national came off a nearly three-year layoff and came away with a win on the cards by scores of 116-112 and 117-111 (twice). Inactive since 2019, this was Goulamirian's mandatory defense. Goulamirian (27-0) went from strength to strength in the bout and improved as the rounds went by. He faced a very active opponent in the early rounds but was able to figure out his Russian foe to come on strong at the end of the bout. Egorov’s record stands at 16 wins and 3 losses including the World Series of Boxing. [After this win, Goulamirian would remain inactive for more than a year].
IBF / JULY 3, 2022: 2012 Australian Olympian Jai Opetaia overcame a broken jaw to claim Mairis Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksadr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision on Saturday in Broadbeach, Australia. Official scores were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improves to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joins Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
WBO / MARCH 21, 2021: Lawrence Okolie crushed former champion Krzysztof Glowacki to be crowned the new WBO cruiserweight champion in just his sixteenth fight at The SSE Arena, Wembley. Okolie unloaded a huge finishing punch to drop Poland’s Glowacki heavily in the sixth round and referee Marcus McDonnell waved off the fight to confirm the coronation of Britain’s newest champ. [The WBO title was vacant coming in after Mairis Briedis discarded it in order to pursue the IBF title in the World Boxing Super Series final]. The unbeaten 28 year-old from Hackney had emulated the likes of Tony Bellew, David Haye and Johnny Nelson, who previously held world crowns in the weight class.
IBF / SEPT. 27, 2020: Season II of the World Boxing Super Series came to its conclusion on Saturday with Latvia's Mairis Briedis taking home the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy and the IBF championship by defeating Yuniel Dorticos in Munich. The WBSS cruiserweight Final, contested behind closed doors, was a close battle. Briedis repeatedly troubled the Cuban Dorticos with powerful counter-punches during a commanding performance. Dorticos was never far behind, and one judge scored it a draw, 114-114, while the other two handed in wide verdicts of 117-111 for Briedis. The Latvian Briedis would only defend the title once in 2021 before losing to Jai Opetaia in 2022.
WBC / FEB. 1. 2020: Ilunga "Junior" Makabu is the new WBC cruiserweight champion, having won the vacant title by defeating Poland's Michal Cieslak via twelve-round decision. The judges’ scores were Omar Mintum 114-112, Carlos Flores 115-111 and Humberto Olivares 116-111, all in favor of Makabu. The fight took place in Makabu's home nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makabu is now 27-2, while Cieslak is 19-1. The WBC title went vacant after world champion Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight.
WBO / NOV. 26, 2019: The WBO cruiserweight championship has been declared vacant as part of a months-long legal battle arising from Maris Briedis' foul-tainted victory over Krzysztof Glowacki last June. That fight was part of the World Boxing Super Series. Briedis landed a deliberate foul, an elbow to the jaw of Glowacki, that hurt him badly but went unpunished by referee Robert Byrd. A few seconds after Glowacki got up from the foul, Byrd allowed the boxers to continue fighting well after the bell sounded to end round two, leading to Glowacki suffering a hard knockdown about ten seconds after the bell rang. Again, Byrd did nothing. Briedis admitted in his post fight interview that the elbow was deliberate and that he heard the bell but kept fighting anyway. Glowacki protested to the WBO, and after an arbitration was held in Puerto Rico, the WBO ordered Briedis to give Glowacki an immediate rematch. Briedis refused, intending to fight IBF champion Yuniel Dorticos in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series, although that fight still has not been scheduled. Glowacki will now await the WBO to name the co-challenger for the vacant title. NOTE: Glowacki was represented in the arbitration by Scott Shaffer, the author of this article.
WBO / JUNE 15, 2019: In a wildly entertaining and controversial bout in Riga, Latvia, Mairis Briedis took advantage of horrendous refereeing by Robert Byrd to become the new WBO cruiserweight champion. Fighting in his home nation, Briedis committed a blatant foul that led to a third-round technical knockout win over Kyrzysztof Glowacki. The win advanced Briedis to the World Boxing Super Series finals, where he will meet newly minted IBF cruiserweight champion Yuniel Dorticos. In round two, Glowacki twice hit Briedis on the back of the head during a clinch as Byrd yelled stop. The second time, Briedis decided to use self help, throwing a nasty, deliberate elbow that caught Glowacki flush on the jaw and sent the Polish man to the canvas. Byrd took a point away, but Glowacki was not fully recovered when the action resumed. Briedis pressed the action and the knocked Glowacki down with about nineteen seconds left in the round. Glowacki beat the count, but was foggy eyed, and definitely needed the minute rest between rounds. As the action resumed, one of Briedis' cornermen jumed up on the ring apron, which is grounds for disqulaification. Then, the bell sounded to end round two, but Byrd did not hear it, and the the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, with Briedis again knocking Glowacki down. The knockdown came a full ten seconds after the bell. In his post-fight interview, Briedis smiled and admitted he heard the bell but kept fighting. To recap round two, Glowacki was down three times: once from an illegal elbow, once from a legal blow while still buzzed from the illegal elbow, and once from a punch that landed well after the bell sounded. In round three, the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, but it was clear Glowacki was fighting at a diminished capacity. He was knocked down again, hard, with his arms flailing, and beat the count, but was in no shape to continue. Byrd, who put in a terrible performance tonight, stopped the fight, to the delight of the Latvian audience. Note: Briedis has the WBO title only, as the WBC threw a hissy fit and pulled the sanction. The WBC cruiserweight title remains vacant.
IBF / JUNE 15, 2019: In Riga, Latvia, Cuba's Yuniel Dorticos got a career-changing win, landing a hard right hand that put previously undefeated Andrew Tabiti to sleep in round ten of the World Boxing Super Series semi-final bout. The win was doubly significant because, in a surprise move, the IBF announced earlier in the day that the winner would be recognized as the IBF cruiserweight champion (Oleksandr Usyk formally vacated the belt in furtherance of his heavyweight campaign). Dorticos was ahead on points, but had to deal with a bad cut over his right eye. Dorticos will await the winner of the other semi-final, a WBO title fight in which Kryzysztof Glowacki defends against former WBC titlist Mairis Briedis. An emotional Dorticos shed tears of joy in the ring. He's now 24-1, with the only loss to Murat Gassiev in last years World Boxing Super Series. The disappointed Tabiti heads home to the United States with a 17-1 record.
WBO / JUNE 6, 2019: The WBO promoted its interim cruiserweight champion, Krysztof Glowacki of Poland, to its full champion in the 200-pound division. According to WBO social media, "With Oleksandr Usyk moving to the heavyweight division, interim champion Krysztof Glowacki is now recognized as the new WBO champion and will face Mairis Briedis in a voluntary defense on June 15th in Riga, Latvia" [as part of the World Boxing Super Series]. Glowacki (31-1) previously held the WBO title from 2015-2016, but lost it to Usyk in 2016. Briedis (25-1) held the WBC version of the title from 2017-2018, also losing his belt to Usyk.
WORLD / NOV. 11, 2018: World champion Oleksandr Usyk said goodbye to the 200-pound division with yet another road win to add to his resume. Fighting in his opponent's coutry, Usyk stopped Tony Bellew, who had earned this shot with an impressive run of five quality wins. After seven hotly contested rounds, Usyk knocked out Bellew with a left hand to Bellew's jaw that violently sent him crashing to the canvas. Promoter Eddie Hearn nearly cradled Bellew's head as he made his way to his feet. Bellew might have been able to beat the count, but the referee did the right thing by stopping the fight. After uifying all four major titles, Usyk will campaign as a heavyweight in the future.
WORLD / JULY 22, 2018: In Moscow, cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk of the Ukraine put on a master boxing class to become only the fifth boxer in history to gain undisputed world championship recognition from the IBF, WBO, WBC and WBA. Usyk accomplished this by defeating Murat Gassiev of Russia by unanimous decision. The win also made Usyk the winner of the World Boxing Super Series eight-man tournament. Official scores were for Usyk 120-108 and 119-109 (twice). Seeing Usyk draped in the Ukraine flag with four championships belts wrapped around him and the Ali Trophy raised over his head was quite an impressive ending to a fantastic tournament pulled off by Comosa AG. Usyk joins Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Cecilia Braekhus and Terence Crawford as the only boxers to hold all four major belts since the WBO gained recognition in the early 1990s. (In the cruiserweight division, the great Evander Holyfiled conquered all three major championships in 1988 prior to the emergence of the WBO). Both men were undfeated coming into this bout, and Gassiev, if not Usyk as well, will likely move up to heavyweight.
WBA / MARCH 26, 2018: Arsen Goulamirian got a significant win, plus a paper title in Marseille, France, defeating Ryad Merhy via eleventh-round technical knockout. The win gives Goulamirian the WBA regular cruiserweight title (Murat Gassiev is recognized as WBA super champion and Denis Lebedev as WBA champion in recess). A combination of many consecutive unanswered blows to Merhy forced the referee to stop the fight. Goulamirian, an Armenian living in France, is 23-0 while Merhy, from the Ivory Coast and living in Belgium, is now 24-1. Goulamirian would go on to inherit the WBA full title, emerging from a mess of WBA corruption involving Denis Lebedev, Murat Gassiev and Beibut Shumenov who repeatedly switched title designations as part of machinations of the WBA.
WBO & WBC / JAN. 28, 2018: Fighting in Latvia, his opponent's home country, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Mairis Briedis to add the WBC cruiserweight championship to the WBO version he already held. The Ukrainian Usyk, a 2012 Olympic champion, won by majority decision, with scores of 115-113 (twice) and 114-114. The unification bout was part of the World Boxing Super Series, and Usyk now qualifies for the finals, which will be held in Saudi Arabia. Usyk will face the winner of the bout between Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos, which will be contested next week in Sochi, Russia.
IBF & WBA / DEC. 4, 2016… In an all-Russian cruiserweight battle, Murat Gassiev defeated Denis Lebedev to become the IBF cruiserweight champion, and, along with WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, one of the top two cruiserweights in the world. Gassiev, a 23 year-old trained by Abel Sanchez, knocked the Freddie Roach-trained Lebedev down in round five and went on to win by split decision. Scores were 116-111, 116-112 for Gassiev and 114-113 for the 37 year-old Lebedev. In the very worst of boxing politics, Denis Lebedev will retain the WBA cruiserweight title because his promoter “convinced” the WBA that the title should not be on the line against an IBF mandatory.
WBO / SEPT. 18, 2016: A professional boxing star was born as Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk dethroned WBO cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Glowacki (26-1, 16 KOs) by twelve-round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Ergo Arena in Gdansk, Poland. The official scores were 119-109 and 117-111 (twice). Undefeated as a pro, Usyk was the 2012 heavyweight gold medal champion and also holds the distinction of being the 2011 World Amateur Champion at heavyweight and 2008 European Amateur Champion at light heavyweight.
WBC / MAY 31, 2016: Fighting in his home country, Tony Bellew (28-2-1, 18 KOs) delivered a third-round knockout win over South Africa’s Ilunga Makabu (19-2, 18 KOs) to claim the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt on Sunday in Liverpool, England. In round one, Bellew punished Makabu on the ropes, but then he got clocked by a Makabu straight counter left and went down. Bellwe got up and fought cautiously through round two. Bellew opened up in round three, severely rocking Makabu, then ended the bout with a barrage of punches, which knocked him cold. Makabu collapsed to the canvas just as referee Victor Loughlin stepped in to wave it off. Bellew (27-2-1 with 17 KO(s) previously dropped light heavyweight title challenges to Nathan Cleverly and Adonis Stevenson. With this win, he picks up the WBC title, which for now makes him a distant third in prestige to the other 200-pound champions, Denis Lebedev (IBF/WBA) and Kryzystof Glowacki (WBO). s
WBO / APRIL 16, 2016: In Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, Polish warrior Krzysztof Glowacki scored four knockdowns and retained his WBO cruiserweight championship via unanimous decision over former world champion Steve Cunningham of Philadelphia. Glowacki (26-0, 16 KOs) twice floored Cunningham (28-8-1, 13 KOs) with second-round, left-hand counters, then used short right hands to drop him once more in the tenth and twelfth rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Thanks to the four knockdowns, Glowacki prevailed by scores of 115-109 (twice) and 116-108, to the delight of a Barclays Center crowd that was packed with Polish fight fans. However, the contest was tougher than the scorecards indicated, as the 29-year-old Glowacki was often forced to hold or fight off the ropes against a former champion who engaged toe-to-toe throughout the night.
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Cruiserweight title overview
Here is a look at the recent lineage of the major championships in the cruiserweight (200-pound) division. The current champions are Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (WBO and WBA), Jai Opetaia (Zuffa) and Noel Mikaelian (WBC). The IBF title is vacant, having been stripped from Opetaia over a silly dispute between Zuffa and the IBF. Boxingtalk will be updating and expanding this recent history of the cruiserweight division from time to time.
IBF & ZUFFA / MARCH 8, 2026: Jai Opetaia punished Brandon Glanton for twelve rounds to claim the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight championship. All three official scores were 119-106, and it should be considered a shutout, as Opetaia had a point deducted and Glanton had two deducted by activist referee Allen Huggins. Opetaia (30-0) landed 250 punches to Glanton’s 118 over the course of the fight, and generally outclassed the game, but outgunned Glanton. Over the second half of the fight, Glanton (21-4) boxed with a sizable hematoma on his forehead. The fight ended a week of outside-the-ring turmoil that saw Opetaia stripped of the IBF championship because the IBF was unhappy with the way Zuffa promoted the show.
WBC / DEC. 15, 2025: Noel Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KOs) regained the WBC world cruiserweight championship by defeating Badou Jack (29-4-3, 17 KOs) in California over the weekend. The fight was a rematch of a disputed decision that Jack won by majoriy decision in May. The judges’ scorecards were 115-111 and 116-110 (twice) of the new champion. Mikaelian a/k/a Norair Mikaeljan controlled the fight with his defining jab and fast offense. Both men were penalized one point.
WBC / MAY 4, 2025: WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack retained his title against former champion Noel Mikaelian a/k/a Norair Mikaelian in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jack, who lives in the Middle East seemingly got some favorable treatment from the judges, winning a majority decision in what was a very close bout that leaned towards Mikaelian. The official scores were 114-114 and 115-113 (twice) for Jack. Compubox's Punchtats showed Mikaeljan threw 670 punches to Jack's 369, and outlanded Jack, 153 punches to 122. Each fighter entered the bout with some disadvantages. Mikaelian (27-3) stepped in as a somewhat late replacement, getting about three weeks notice to replace the injured Ryan Rozicki. Jack (29-3-3) is 41 years old and hadn't fought in two years, since he captured the crown on February 26, 2023. He was demoted to champion-in-recess, but then had his championship status revived when Mikaelian was demoted from champion to champion in recess due to promotional issues with Don King.
IBF / JAN. 8, 2025... Fighting in his native Australia, Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight championship by knocking out David Nyika of New Zealand. Opetaia was not troubled by the change in opponent three weeks before the opening bell. Opetaia increased his intensity towards the end of round three. A right hand sent Nyika on to the canvas, but the New Zealand fighter managed to beat the count. But Opetaia continued to land and eventually knocked out Nyika with a big left hand. Nyika was down on the canvas for several minutes but eventually stood up under his own power.
WBA & WBO / NOV. 16, 2024... A two-belt cruiserweight unification bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday was won by Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. Chris "CBS" Billam-Smith's WBO title was added to Ramirez's WBA version in an exciting but mostly one-sided contest. Ramirez, a southpaw, cut Billam-Smith over the left eye in round four, but the British fighter fought through it. Ramirez, the smaller of the two men, prevailed by unanimous decision, with scores of 116-112 (twice) and 116-113. It was an exciting and bruising twelve rounds but Billam-Smith made himself an easy target-- he spent too much time standing in front of Ramirez in an upright, easy-to-hit manner.
WBC / OCT 22, 2024: The WBC reinstated Badou Jack as champion and demoted Noel Mikaleian to champion in recess, even though Jack has not fought since February of 2023 when he conquered the WBC cruiserweight championship by defeating then-champion Ilunga Makabu. Soon thereafter, Jack petitioned the WBC to place him as champion in recess so he could try to schedule a fight for the WBC bridgerweight title, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Mikaelian won the vacant WBC cruiserweight title, knocking out Makabu. The WBC ordered Mikaelian to make his first mandatory defense against WBC #1 contender Ryan Rozicki of Canada who had won a final elimination bout via knockout of Olanrewaju Durodola. Mikaelian-Rozicki was postponed twice then cancelled as Mikaelian had a falling out with his promoter, Don King.
WBA / MARCH 31, 2024: In Inglewood, California, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez became a two division champion, taking the WBA cruiserweight title from Arsen Goulamirian, who will go down in the books as a weak, inactive champion. All three judges scored it 118-110. Give Ramirez credit, though. A natural super middleweight, he stood and traded with a naturally bigger opponent to become the first Mexican ever to hold a cruiserweight championship. Ramirez is now 46-1. He gave up his super middleweight title in 2019 and lost a 2022 light heavyweight title shot to Dmitriy Bivol. Goulamirian takes his first pro loss after a 27-win start to his career. Sadly, this was just his second fight since 2019.
IBF/ MAY 18, 2024: In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) defeated former two-time champion Mairis Briedis (28-3, 20 KOs) by unanimous decision in a bruising battle that saw both men finish with possible broken noses. Briedis rallied late but lost by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 (twice). Opetaia regained the IBF cruiserweight world title that the IBF basically forced him to vacate a few months ago. This was a rematch. In July 2022, Opetaia, a 2012 Australian Olympian, overcame an injured jaw to claim Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision. Official scores for the first bout were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improved to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joined Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
IBF / DEC. 18, 2023: Jai Opetaia of Australia vacated the IBF cruiserweight championship in order to move forward with a bout in Saudi Arabia against Great Britain's Ellis Zorro. Opetaia was ordered to grant Briediis a rematch by the IBF but when Briedis got injured, Opetaia sought to sneak in a lucrative voluntary defense on the huge show in Riadh. Reportedly, Briedis had no objection to Opetaia making a voluntary defense, but the IBF rigidly refused to budge, so Opetaia moved on without the belt and KO'd Zorro in a beautiful one-punch knockout in round one on December 23rd.
WBC / NOV. 4, 2023: There is a new WBC cruiserweight champion as Noel Mikaelian (27-2, 12 KOs) stopped the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ilunga Makabu (29-4, 25 KOs) one minute into the third round. After flooring Makabu in the second round, Miami’s Mikaelian, by way of Armenia, flustered the former champion with a barrage of punches. The title was recently vacated by Badou Jack. Mikaelian said about his knockout victory: “I didn’t expect the knockout so early, but I knew my hand would be raised (in victory) at the end of the night. I’m so happy. I waited two years. I was so close to winning that belt and this time I didn’t want to leave any doubts.” Mikaelian noted the significance of his win: “I had a great camp…I’m the first German to win a world championship on American soil in 90 years, since Max Schmelling.”
IBF / SEPT. 30, 2023: IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia made a successful first title defense in London, stopping previously unbeaten Jordan Thompson in the fourth round. The end came with a left-right combination from Opetaia's southpaw stance. Opetaia returns home to Australia with his belt plus a record of 24-0. Thompson is now 15-1.
WBO / MAY 28, 2023... In a crazy fight in Bournemouth, England, Chris Billam-Smith won the WBO cruiserweight champion from his fellow Brit, good friend and former sparring partner Lawrence Okolie. Billam-Smith scored thee knockdowns and Okolie was penalized two points for non-stop holding. But the championship rounds saw Okolie furiously pressing for a knockdown and Billam-Smith dealing with a bad cut over his left eye. Despite Okolie's late rally, when the final bell sounded, the three knockdowns and two point deductions seemed impossible for the champ to overcome, but there was one more plot twist to come. When the first score was read by the ring announcer, Billam-Smith was shocked to hear 112-112. Sanity prevailed as the other two judges favored Billam-Smith by 116-107 and 115-108. As the majority win was revealed, Billam-Smith broke down in tears and described how he was sick during the week. He also dedicated the win to his mother who was battling breast cancer. During his post-fight interview, Okolie acknowledged his loss but revealed that he had a rematch clause that he planned to invoke.
WBC / FEB. 26, 2023: Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs) is now a two-division world champion.* The 39-year old scored a technical knockout victory over Ilunga Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) to capture the WBC cruiserweight world title. Jack boxed an intelligent fight, mixing footwork and counterpunching to consistently find a home for his right hand. Makabu, on the other hand, seemed too cautious and had trouble putting his punches together. In the fourth round, Jack dropped Makabu with a right hand, and he repeated the knockdown in the eleventh. In the final round, Makabu was clearly worn out from Jack’s offense, and Swedish standout only needed an additional right hand and a brief fusillade of shots to force referee Mark Lyson to stop the fight.
*Some list Jack as a three-division champion because he won the WBA regular light heavyweight title in 2017. Boxingtalk does not recognize that as a legitimate world title because Sergey Kovalev was the WBA super champion at that time.
WBA / NOV. 22, 2022... Arsen Goulamirian retained his WBA cruiserweight championship this weekend against Aleksei Egorov with a unanimous decision victory at La Palestre in Le Cannet, France. The Armenian native and French national came off a nearly three-year layoff and came away with a win on the cards by scores of 116-112 and 117-111 (twice). Inactive since 2019, this was Goulamirian's mandatory defense. Goulamirian (27-0) went from strength to strength in the bout and improved as the rounds went by. He faced a very active opponent in the early rounds but was able to figure out his Russian foe to come on strong at the end of the bout. Egorov’s record stands at 16 wins and 3 losses including the World Series of Boxing. [After this win, Goulamirian would remain inactive for more than a year].
IBF / JULY 3, 2022: 2012 Australian Olympian Jai Opetaia overcame a broken jaw to claim Mairis Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight championship. Briedis was considered the top 200-pounder in the world since Oleksadr Usyk moved up to heavyweight but Opetaia bloodied and defeated the Latvian favorite by unanimous decision on Saturday in Broadbeach, Australia. Official scores were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia, who improves to 22-0 with 17 KOs. He joins Usyk as the only man to defeat Briedis, who is now 28-2.
WBO / MARCH 21, 2021: Lawrence Okolie crushed former champion Krzysztof Glowacki to be crowned the new WBO cruiserweight champion in just his sixteenth fight at The SSE Arena, Wembley. Okolie unloaded a huge finishing punch to drop Poland’s Glowacki heavily in the sixth round and referee Marcus McDonnell waved off the fight to confirm the coronation of Britain’s newest champ. [The WBO title was vacant coming in after Mairis Briedis discarded it in order to pursue the IBF title in the World Boxing Super Series final]. The unbeaten 28 year-old from Hackney had emulated the likes of Tony Bellew, David Haye and Johnny Nelson, who previously held world crowns in the weight class.
IBF / SEPT. 27, 2020: Season II of the World Boxing Super Series came to its conclusion on Saturday with Latvia's Mairis Briedis taking home the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy and the IBF championship by defeating Yuniel Dorticos in Munich. The WBSS cruiserweight Final, contested behind closed doors, was a close battle. Briedis repeatedly troubled the Cuban Dorticos with powerful counter-punches during a commanding performance. Dorticos was never far behind, and one judge scored it a draw, 114-114, while the other two handed in wide verdicts of 117-111 for Briedis. The Latvian Briedis would only defend the title once in 2021 before losing to Jai Opetaia in 2022.
WBC / FEB. 1. 2020: Ilunga "Junior" Makabu is the new WBC cruiserweight champion, having won the vacant title by defeating Poland's Michal Cieslak via twelve-round decision. The judges’ scores were Omar Mintum 114-112, Carlos Flores 115-111 and Humberto Olivares 116-111, all in favor of Makabu. The fight took place in Makabu's home nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makabu is now 27-2, while Cieslak is 19-1. The WBC title went vacant after world champion Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight.
WBO / NOV. 26, 2019: The WBO cruiserweight championship has been declared vacant as part of a months-long legal battle arising from Maris Briedis' foul-tainted victory over Krzysztof Glowacki last June. That fight was part of the World Boxing Super Series. Briedis landed a deliberate foul, an elbow to the jaw of Glowacki, that hurt him badly but went unpunished by referee Robert Byrd. A few seconds after Glowacki got up from the foul, Byrd allowed the boxers to continue fighting well after the bell sounded to end round two, leading to Glowacki suffering a hard knockdown about ten seconds after the bell rang. Again, Byrd did nothing. Briedis admitted in his post fight interview that the elbow was deliberate and that he heard the bell but kept fighting anyway. Glowacki protested to the WBO, and after an arbitration was held in Puerto Rico, the WBO ordered Briedis to give Glowacki an immediate rematch. Briedis refused, intending to fight IBF champion Yuniel Dorticos in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series, although that fight still has not been scheduled. Glowacki will now await the WBO to name the co-challenger for the vacant title. NOTE: Glowacki was represented in the arbitration by Scott Shaffer, the author of this article.
WBO / JUNE 15, 2019: In a wildly entertaining and controversial bout in Riga, Latvia, Mairis Briedis took advantage of horrendous refereeing by Robert Byrd to become the new WBO cruiserweight champion. Fighting in his home nation, Briedis committed a blatant foul that led to a third-round technical knockout win over Kyrzysztof Glowacki. The win advanced Briedis to the World Boxing Super Series finals, where he will meet newly minted IBF cruiserweight champion Yuniel Dorticos. In round two, Glowacki twice hit Briedis on the back of the head during a clinch as Byrd yelled stop. The second time, Briedis decided to use self help, throwing a nasty, deliberate elbow that caught Glowacki flush on the jaw and sent the Polish man to the canvas. Byrd took a point away, but Glowacki was not fully recovered when the action resumed. Briedis pressed the action and the knocked Glowacki down with about nineteen seconds left in the round. Glowacki beat the count, but was foggy eyed, and definitely needed the minute rest between rounds. As the action resumed, one of Briedis' cornermen jumed up on the ring apron, which is grounds for disqulaification. Then, the bell sounded to end round two, but Byrd did not hear it, and the the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, with Briedis again knocking Glowacki down. The knockdown came a full ten seconds after the bell. In his post-fight interview, Briedis smiled and admitted he heard the bell but kept fighting. To recap round two, Glowacki was down three times: once from an illegal elbow, once from a legal blow while still buzzed from the illegal elbow, and once from a punch that landed well after the bell sounded. In round three, the boxers engaged in a wild slugfest, but it was clear Glowacki was fighting at a diminished capacity. He was knocked down again, hard, with his arms flailing, and beat the count, but was in no shape to continue. Byrd, who put in a terrible performance tonight, stopped the fight, to the delight of the Latvian audience. Note: Briedis has the WBO title only, as the WBC threw a hissy fit and pulled the sanction. The WBC cruiserweight title remains vacant.
IBF / JUNE 15, 2019: In Riga, Latvia, Cuba's Yuniel Dorticos got a career-changing win, landing a hard right hand that put previously undefeated Andrew Tabiti to sleep in round ten of the World Boxing Super Series semi-final bout. The win was doubly significant because, in a surprise move, the IBF announced earlier in the day that the winner would be recognized as the IBF cruiserweight champion (Oleksandr Usyk formally vacated the belt in furtherance of his heavyweight campaign). Dorticos was ahead on points, but had to deal with a bad cut over his right eye. Dorticos will await the winner of the other semi-final, a WBO title fight in which Kryzysztof Glowacki defends against former WBC titlist Mairis Briedis. An emotional Dorticos shed tears of joy in the ring. He's now 24-1, with the only loss to Murat Gassiev in last years World Boxing Super Series. The disappointed Tabiti heads home to the United States with a 17-1 record.
WBO / JUNE 6, 2019: The WBO promoted its interim cruiserweight champion, Krysztof Glowacki of Poland, to its full champion in the 200-pound division. According to WBO social media, "With Oleksandr Usyk moving to the heavyweight division, interim champion Krysztof Glowacki is now recognized as the new WBO champion and will face Mairis Briedis in a voluntary defense on June 15th in Riga, Latvia" [as part of the World Boxing Super Series]. Glowacki (31-1) previously held the WBO title from 2015-2016, but lost it to Usyk in 2016. Briedis (25-1) held the WBC version of the title from 2017-2018, also losing his belt to Usyk.
WORLD / NOV. 11, 2018: World champion Oleksandr Usyk said goodbye to the 200-pound division with yet another road win to add to his resume. Fighting in his opponent's coutry, Usyk stopped Tony Bellew, who had earned this shot with an impressive run of five quality wins. After seven hotly contested rounds, Usyk knocked out Bellew with a left hand to Bellew's jaw that violently sent him crashing to the canvas. Promoter Eddie Hearn nearly cradled Bellew's head as he made his way to his feet. Bellew might have been able to beat the count, but the referee did the right thing by stopping the fight. After uifying all four major titles, Usyk will campaign as a heavyweight in the future.
WORLD / JULY 22, 2018: In Moscow, cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk of the Ukraine put on a master boxing class to become only the fifth boxer in history to gain undisputed world championship recognition from the IBF, WBO, WBC and WBA. Usyk accomplished this by defeating Murat Gassiev of Russia by unanimous decision. The win also made Usyk the winner of the World Boxing Super Series eight-man tournament. Official scores were for Usyk 120-108 and 119-109 (twice). Seeing Usyk draped in the Ukraine flag with four championships belts wrapped around him and the Ali Trophy raised over his head was quite an impressive ending to a fantastic tournament pulled off by Comosa AG. Usyk joins Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Cecilia Braekhus and Terence Crawford as the only boxers to hold all four major belts since the WBO gained recognition in the early 1990s. (In the cruiserweight division, the great Evander Holyfiled conquered all three major championships in 1988 prior to the emergence of the WBO). Both men were undfeated coming into this bout, and Gassiev, if not Usyk as well, will likely move up to heavyweight.
WBA / MARCH 26, 2018: Arsen Goulamirian got a significant win, plus a paper title in Marseille, France, defeating Ryad Merhy via eleventh-round technical knockout. The win gives Goulamirian the WBA regular cruiserweight title (Murat Gassiev is recognized as WBA super champion and Denis Lebedev as WBA champion in recess). A combination of many consecutive unanswered blows to Merhy forced the referee to stop the fight. Goulamirian, an Armenian living in France, is 23-0 while Merhy, from the Ivory Coast and living in Belgium, is now 24-1. Goulamirian would go on to inherit the WBA full title, emerging from a mess of WBA corruption involving Denis Lebedev, Murat Gassiev and Beibut Shumenov who repeatedly switched title designations as part of machinations of the WBA.
WBO & WBC / JAN. 28, 2018: Fighting in Latvia, his opponent's home country, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Mairis Briedis to add the WBC cruiserweight championship to the WBO version he already held. The Ukrainian Usyk, a 2012 Olympic champion, won by majority decision, with scores of 115-113 (twice) and 114-114. The unification bout was part of the World Boxing Super Series, and Usyk now qualifies for the finals, which will be held in Saudi Arabia. Usyk will face the winner of the bout between Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos, which will be contested next week in Sochi, Russia.
IBF & WBA / DEC. 4, 2016… In an all-Russian cruiserweight battle, Murat Gassiev defeated Denis Lebedev to become the IBF cruiserweight champion, and, along with WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, one of the top two cruiserweights in the world. Gassiev, a 23 year-old trained by Abel Sanchez, knocked the Freddie Roach-trained Lebedev down in round five and went on to win by split decision. Scores were 116-111, 116-112 for Gassiev and 114-113 for the 37 year-old Lebedev. In the very worst of boxing politics, Denis Lebedev will retain the WBA cruiserweight title because his promoter “convinced” the WBA that the title should not be on the line against an IBF mandatory.
WBO / SEPT. 18, 2016: A professional boxing star was born as Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk dethroned WBO cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Glowacki (26-1, 16 KOs) by twelve-round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Ergo Arena in Gdansk, Poland. The official scores were 119-109 and 117-111 (twice). Undefeated as a pro, Usyk was the 2012 heavyweight gold medal champion and also holds the distinction of being the 2011 World Amateur Champion at heavyweight and 2008 European Amateur Champion at light heavyweight.
WBC / MAY 31, 2016: Fighting in his home country, Tony Bellew (28-2-1, 18 KOs) delivered a third-round knockout win over South Africa’s Ilunga Makabu (19-2, 18 KOs) to claim the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt on Sunday in Liverpool, England. In round one, Bellew punished Makabu on the ropes, but then he got clocked by a Makabu straight counter left and went down. Bellwe got up and fought cautiously through round two. Bellew opened up in round three, severely rocking Makabu, then ended the bout with a barrage of punches, which knocked him cold. Makabu collapsed to the canvas just as referee Victor Loughlin stepped in to wave it off. Bellew (27-2-1 with 17 KO(s) previously dropped light heavyweight title challenges to Nathan Cleverly and Adonis Stevenson. With this win, he picks up the WBC title, which for now makes him a distant third in prestige to the other 200-pound champions, Denis Lebedev (IBF/WBA) and Kryzystof Glowacki (WBO). s
WBO / APRIL 16, 2016: In Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, Polish warrior Krzysztof Glowacki scored four knockdowns and retained his WBO cruiserweight championship via unanimous decision over former world champion Steve Cunningham of Philadelphia. Glowacki (26-0, 16 KOs) twice floored Cunningham (28-8-1, 13 KOs) with second-round, left-hand counters, then used short right hands to drop him once more in the tenth and twelfth rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Thanks to the four knockdowns, Glowacki prevailed by scores of 115-109 (twice) and 116-108, to the delight of a Barclays Center crowd that was packed with Polish fight fans. However, the contest was tougher than the scorecards indicated, as the 29-year-old Glowacki was often forced to hold or fight off the ropes against a former champion who engaged toe-to-toe throughout the night.
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The Architecture of Power in Boxing |
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Zuffa Boxing sits at the center of a new alignment between Saudi governmental capital and TKO’s global media platform. Boxing is no longer being shaped by individual promoters alone. It is being reorganized through institutional capital, sovereign strategy, and corporate sports infrastructure. At the center of that shift sits Zuffa, operating within the corporate framework of TKO Group Holdings, the publicly traded parent company of UFC and WWE. While public disclosures have not detailed every financial term, the model is widely described as a layered alignment: Saudi-linked institutions provide strategic direction and capital through affiliated entities, while TKO provides governance, production capability, and global media infrastructure. Understanding what this means requires mapping the structure — not amplifying speculation.
The Saudi Side: Strategy and Capital
At the strategic center of Saudi Arabia’s boxing expansion is Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority (GEA). The purpose of the GEA is to advance large-scale entertainment initiatives under the Kingdom’s broader economic diversification framework. Major Riyadh Season boxing events have been publicly associated with GEA’s leadership and alignment. Event execution and contracting, however, frequently involve Sela.
Public reporting describes Sela as owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). This distinction matters. Some commentary frames Saudi boxing funding as “Sela money, not PIF money.” Yet if Sela is owned by PIF — as widely reported — operational execution and sovereign capital are institutionally linked at the ownership level. A more precise structural description is:
Strategic direction is provided by the GEA leadership under Turki Alalshikh; operational execution comes from Sela and the capital ownership (as publicly reported) is derived from PIF.
The Zuffa Boxing Venture
On the U.S. side, the commercial structure operates through Zuffa Boxing, housed within TKO Group Holdings. This entity operates under the leadership of CEO Ari Emanuel and President / COO Mark Shapiro. Nick Khan serves as President of WWE within the TKO structure, while senior operating executives — including Dana White at UFC — oversee their respective divisions under the broader corporate governance framework.
This structure signals a model built not around isolated events, but around centralized promotion integrated with media and production infrastructure. “The power shift in boxing is not about personalities. It is about structure — sovereign capital, state-backed execution, and corporate media infrastructure operating through a single promotional vehicle.”
So Who Does What?
Sela functions as the operational delivery vehicle within the Saudi-linked structure, staging and executing major events associated with Riyadh Season. Widely reported to be owned by PIF, Sela translates strategic alignment into event execution and contractual arrangements.
As Chairman of the GEA, Turki Alalshikh is widely recognized as the strategic driver behind Saudi Arabia’s boxing expansion. The GEA provides institutional alignment and national-level coordination for major entertainment initiatives.
PIF is Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and is widely reported to hold ownership of Sela. While not publicly described as operating events directly, its ownership position links sovereign capital to the operational framework.
TKO provides corporate governance, production infrastructure, global broadcast capability, and executive oversight. Industry reporting characterizes TKO as contributing minority capital participation alongside operational leadership.
Zuffa Boxing serves as the promotional vehicle within the joint venture, contracting fighters and centralizing promotional rights under a unified brand.
As for the fighter contracts, fighters competing under the Zuffa Boxing banner are contracted directly to the promotional entity. In practical terms, Zuffa Boxing holds the promotional rights to those fighters’ bouts within its structure, rather than operating through multiple independent promoters on an event-by-event basis. This centralized model differs from traditional boxing arrangements, where fighters negotiate across separate promotional and broadcast relationships.
Why This Matters
For decades, boxing operated through fragmented promoters and network-by-network negotiations. Power shifted fight by fight. The Zuffa Boxing structure represents something different: centralized contracts, institutional capital backing, and coordinated broadcast infrastructure under a unified promotional vehicle. That shift carries implications, such as negotiating leverage being consolidated within fewer entities; fighter agreements will resemble league-style systems rather than independent deals; broadcast distribution can more easily become vertically integrated; and traditional promoters now face existential structural competition rather than event rivalry.
Whether viewed as modernization or consolidation, the model introduces a level of scale and coordination rarely seen in boxing’s modern era. Understanding this structure is essential before debating its impact.
Public announcements confirm that Zuffa Boxing operates as a joint venture between Saudi-linked entities and TKO. While audited filings have not disclosed precise capital contributions, industry reporting consistently characterizes the Saudi-linked side as providing the majority financial backing, with TKO contributing operational infrastructure and minority capital participation.
Without publicly disclosed audited figures, precise dollar allocations should not be asserted as confirmed fact.
The orginizational structure can be summed in the following chart:
Conclusion
The Saudi–TKO boxing initiative is best understood not through personalities, but through architecture. It is a layered institutional model — sovereign capital aligned with American commercial infrastructure — operating through coordinated but distinct entities. The purpose of mapping this structure is not to advocate for or against it, but to clarify it. In an era of institutional alignment, clarity is the prerequisite for meaningful debate. Only then can stakeholders assess how structure influences leverage, sustainability, and competitive balance.
Author's note: This analysis is based on publicly available company announcements, executive statements, and widely reported industry coverage regarding the formation of Zuffa Boxing and its alignment with Saudi-linked entities. Subsequent executive commentary has indicated that the venture operates as a joint venture owned approximately 40% by TKO Group Holdings and 60% by Sela. Detailed capital contributions and financial allocations between the partners have not been publicly disclosed in audited filings at the time of publication.
Boxingtalk will be publishing an eight-part advisory series will examine how this evolving architecture influences leverage, transparency, competitive balance, and long-term durability across the boxing ecosystem.
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The Architecture of Power in Boxing
Zuffa Boxing sits at the center of a new alignment between Saudi governmental capital and TKO’s global media platform. Boxing is no longer being shaped by individual promoters alone. It is being reorganized through institutional capital, sovereign strategy, and corporate sports infrastructure. At the center of that shift sits Zuffa, operating within the corporate framework of TKO Group Holdings, the publicly traded parent company of UFC and WWE. While public disclosures have not detailed every financial term, the model is widely described as a layered alignment: Saudi-linked institutions provide strategic direction and capital through affiliated entities, while TKO provides governance, production capability, and global media infrastructure. Understanding what this means requires mapping the structure — not amplifying speculation.
The Saudi Side: Strategy and Capital
At the strategic center of Saudi Arabia’s boxing expansion is Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority (GEA). The purpose of the GEA is to advance large-scale entertainment initiatives under the Kingdom’s broader economic diversification framework. Major Riyadh Season boxing events have been publicly associated with GEA’s leadership and alignment. Event execution and contracting, however, frequently involve Sela.
Public reporting describes Sela as owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). This distinction matters. Some commentary frames Saudi boxing funding as “Sela money, not PIF money.” Yet if Sela is owned by PIF — as widely reported — operational execution and sovereign capital are institutionally linked at the ownership level. A more precise structural description is:
Strategic direction is provided by the GEA leadership under Turki Alalshikh; operational execution comes from Sela and the capital ownership (as publicly reported) is derived from PIF.
The Zuffa Boxing Venture
On the U.S. side, the commercial structure operates through Zuffa Boxing, housed within TKO Group Holdings. This entity operates under the leadership of CEO Ari Emanuel and President / COO Mark Shapiro. Nick Khan serves as President of WWE within the TKO structure, while senior operating executives — including Dana White at UFC — oversee their respective divisions under the broader corporate governance framework.
This structure signals a model built not around isolated events, but around centralized promotion integrated with media and production infrastructure. “The power shift in boxing is not about personalities. It is about structure — sovereign capital, state-backed execution, and corporate media infrastructure operating through a single promotional vehicle.”
So Who Does What?
Sela functions as the operational delivery vehicle within the Saudi-linked structure, staging and executing major events associated with Riyadh Season. Widely reported to be owned by PIF, Sela translates strategic alignment into event execution and contractual arrangements.
As Chairman of the GEA, Turki Alalshikh is widely recognized as the strategic driver behind Saudi Arabia’s boxing expansion. The GEA provides institutional alignment and national-level coordination for major entertainment initiatives.
PIF is Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and is widely reported to hold ownership of Sela. While not publicly described as operating events directly, its ownership position links sovereign capital to the operational framework.
TKO provides corporate governance, production infrastructure, global broadcast capability, and executive oversight. Industry reporting characterizes TKO as contributing minority capital participation alongside operational leadership.
Zuffa Boxing serves as the promotional vehicle within the joint venture, contracting fighters and centralizing promotional rights under a unified brand.
As for the fighter contracts, fighters competing under the Zuffa Boxing banner are contracted directly to the promotional entity. In practical terms, Zuffa Boxing holds the promotional rights to those fighters’ bouts within its structure, rather than operating through multiple independent promoters on an event-by-event basis. This centralized model differs from traditional boxing arrangements, where fighters negotiate across separate promotional and broadcast relationships.
Why This Matters
For decades, boxing operated through fragmented promoters and network-by-network negotiations. Power shifted fight by fight. The Zuffa Boxing structure represents something different: centralized contracts, institutional capital backing, and coordinated broadcast infrastructure under a unified promotional vehicle. That shift carries implications, such as negotiating leverage being consolidated within fewer entities; fighter agreements will resemble league-style systems rather than independent deals; broadcast distribution can more easily become vertically integrated; and traditional promoters now face existential structural competition rather than event rivalry.
Whether viewed as modernization or consolidation, the model introduces a level of scale and coordination rarely seen in boxing’s modern era. Understanding this structure is essential before debating its impact.
Public announcements confirm that Zuffa Boxing operates as a joint venture between Saudi-linked entities and TKO. While audited filings have not disclosed precise capital contributions, industry reporting consistently characterizes the Saudi-linked side as providing the majority financial backing, with TKO contributing operational infrastructure and minority capital participation.
Without publicly disclosed audited figures, precise dollar allocations should not be asserted as confirmed fact.
The orginizational structure can be summed in the following chart:
Conclusion
The Saudi–TKO boxing initiative is best understood not through personalities, but through architecture. It is a layered institutional model — sovereign capital aligned with American commercial infrastructure — operating through coordinated but distinct entities. The purpose of mapping this structure is not to advocate for or against it, but to clarify it. In an era of institutional alignment, clarity is the prerequisite for meaningful debate. Only then can stakeholders assess how structure influences leverage, sustainability, and competitive balance.
Author's note: This analysis is based on publicly available company announcements, executive statements, and widely reported industry coverage regarding the formation of Zuffa Boxing and its alignment with Saudi-linked entities. Subsequent executive commentary has indicated that the venture operates as a joint venture owned approximately 40% by TKO Group Holdings and 60% by Sela. Detailed capital contributions and financial allocations between the partners have not been publicly disclosed in audited filings at the time of publication.
Boxingtalk will be publishing an eight-part advisory series will examine how this evolving architecture influences leverage, transparency, competitive balance, and long-term durability across the boxing ecosystem.
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A Club Promoter Asks: Is It Over For The Little Guy In Boxing? |
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In season six of The Sopranos, Patsy Parisi tries to shake down a new Starbucks-type coffee chain the same way the mob always extorted the local spots. The manager doesn’t flinch. It’ll have to go through corporate in Seattle, he tells them. They try to intimidate him with threats of vandalism and violence, asking how “corporate” would react to such disruptions. The manager shrugs—they’ve got ten thousand stores, they wouldn’t even feel it. Then he delivers the kill shot: “Every last fuckin’ coffee bean is in the computer. It has to be accounted for. If the numbers don’t add up, I’d be gone and someone else will be here.” Walking away, Patsy says: “It’s over for the little guy.” I think about that scene a lot lately. Not because I’m comparing boxing promoters to wiseguys—although some days, the wiseguys had more honor. When the corporations move in, they don’t just beat the little guy. They build a machine that doesn’t even have a place for him.
So is it over for the little guy? Not just in the ring. In business. In promotion. In the belief that hard work, relationships, and knowing your market still count for something when the other side of the table has a sovereign wealth fund. I grew up in Atlantic City {New Jersey] going to boxing. I loved the club shows at the casinos—packed rooms, real energy, the kind of fights where you could hear every punch from your seat. I used to work the buffet at the Tropicana. Now I promote fights in the same building. If you’d told that kid where he’d end up, he wouldn’t have believed you. Those shows were put on by working promoters who built companies literally named after themselves—Don King Promotions, DiBella Entertainment, Peltz Promotions, Cedric Kushner Promotions, Don Elbaum. These weren’t faceless corporations. These were individuals whose names were on the door because their reputations were the product.
That’s where I got the bug. That’s what made me want to do this. Today I promote under the banner of Boxing Insider Promotions. Nobody was going to name it Larry Promotions—but that’s essentially what it is. My team is Eric Bottjer, the greatest matchmaker in boxing. Matt Competello on the mic. Friends and top people I knew from boxing who all grew with us—announcers, medicals, corner support. A gig-work crew that comes together on show night and goes home after. That’s it. I handle the insurance, the hotel rooms, the ring rental, the ambulance, the security, the tickets, the sponsors—or the lack thereof—the marketing, the social media, the email list, the media bookings, the logistics at the venue, the production, compliance with state athletic commissions. We helped bring club boxing back to New York after the pandemic, and I’ve put on 20 shows since October 2022 at Tropicana Atlantic City and Sony Hall in Times Square.
But I’m not blind. The landscape is changing fast, and the question isn’t whether independent promoters can survive—it’s whether anyone outside the corporate machine will still have a seat at the table five years from now.
The small promoter’s dream always worked like this: you discover talent early, develop it, build the fighter’s record on your shows, and if they become a star, you cash out together. Like owning a racehorse. The next Floyd. The next Tyson. That was the whole game.
I’m lucky to say I never fell for it. People smarter than me told me early on: you’re never going to sign the next Floyd. And if you did, Al Haymon or Zuffa would take him from you and you’d never see your money. Just be the promoter who tries to make the best fights possible. Be a stepping stone. They were right.
But here’s the problem with the current landscape: even if the small promoter accepts being a stepping stone, the stepping stone still needs fighters who are willing to step. And right now, nobody wants to take risks at the club level. It’s gotten worse, not better, over the last couple of years. Fighters don’t want tough fights. They don’t want to test themselves. They’re posing for Instagram instead of getting in the ring. There used to be glory in being a club fighter—in being the guy who’d fight anyone, anywhere, on short notice, because that’s how you built a reputation. That culture is disappearing.
The proving grounds still matter. Somebody has to develop these kids before they’re ready for Paramount+ and a global audience. But fewer and fewer people want to be that somebody—because the economics of being a stepping stone are getting worse by the day.
I’ve had BoxingInsider.com since 1998. Covered this sport from every angle for over 25 years. I always thought I understood the business. Then in 2022 I jumped into the promotion side and learned the hard way—this business is not what we all think it is. Fighters are the last people to know what’s going on in their own careers. I’ve seen it firsthand. Decisions get made, opportunities appear or disappear, and the fighter—the person doing all the bleeding—finds out after the fact. That was true in the old model. It’ll be worse in the new one.
My advice to any fighter reading this: find a competent attorney. Not your buddy. Not the guy who approached you at the gym. A real attorney who understands this business.
There’s an old expression—I have enough problems, I don’t need yours too. That has never been more true than it is right now. Here’s what I mean. If your goal is to get to the next level, the person representing you matters more than ever. But most fighters sign with whoever’s in front of them without understanding the politics behind the scenes. They don’t know who has beef with who. They don’t know which relationships are burned. And here’s the trap—if your manager, your promoter, or your attorney has personal baggage or business history with the people making decisions, that baggage becomes your baggage. You didn’t do anything wrong. You might be the most talented fighter in your weight class. But the people on the other side aren’t separating you from your representation. You’re guilty by association. The phone stops ringing, opportunities dry up, and nobody calls to explain why. You’re just… not getting the call. And you might never find out the real reason.
A centralized system has real benefits—consistency, production value, clear matchmaking. But it also means fewer people control the door. And if you’re on the outside looking in, it doesn’t matter how talented you are. This isn’t theoretical. It’s playing out right now at the club level.
Here’s what’s happening on the ground that the analysts and podcasters don’t see. Every journeyman fighter who used to happily jump on a card at short notice is now sitting by the phone waiting for the big Zuffa or Turki call. For most of them, that call isn’t coming. But the waiting has taken them out of the available talent pool for guys like me who are actually putting on shows.
Making fights at the club level has become incredibly frustrating. Nobody wants to fight anybody—and they all want top dollar to fight nobody. I’ve got fighters who think that because they’ll sell 20 tickets, they deserve a handpicked opponent. But if you won’t sell those 20 tickets, there’s no money to cover the expenses. The ring, the officials, the commission fees, the insurance—none of it is free. The economics of a small show are brutally simple, and they don’t care about your feelings.
I want to put on good fights. Tough fights. But here’s the reality—I can only make money when I do A side vs. B side, where both fighters are selling tickets. That means I’m at the mercy of who’s willing to fight and what they’re willing to accept. I don’t get to just pick the best matchups. The fighters and their teams dictate what’s possible, and right now, most of them want easy nights for top dollar.
The guys headlining International superfights started in casino showrooms and hotel ballrooms, on cards put together by people who believed in them before anyone with real money noticed. But here’s the thing—the big players don’t need that pipeline anymore. They’re building their own. They control the development, the matchmaking, the broadcast, the whole chain. They don’t need the independent promoter. And that’s what kills us.
So Is It Over? I don’t think so. But the path forward looks different.
What the independent promoter still has is the local connection. I know the rooms I promote in. I know the fighters, their families, the fans who show up every time. That relationship between a promoter and a community is real, and it’s something that can’t be replicated at scale no matter how much money is behind it.
But that connection alone won’t keep the lights on. The game is changing and the independent promoter has to change with it. We need to think like media companies, not just event producers. Own our content. Build audiences between fight nights, not just on them. The billion-dollar players can buy attention. We have to earn it. That’s always been true. It’s just never been this stark.
Boxing has been here before—every few decades, some new wave of money floods the sport and everyone declares the old model dead. HBO. Showtime. DAZN’s billion-dollar era. Now Saudi Arabia and TKO. Each time, the independents who adapted survived. The ones who didn’t became cautionary tales.
I’m one of the last American club promoters. And I just had a local card to promote on Saturday night.
The author, Larry Goldberg, is the founder of Boxing Insider Promotions and owner of BoxingInsider.com.
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A Club Promoter Asks: Is It Over For The Little Guy In Boxing?
In season six of The Sopranos, Patsy Parisi tries to shake down a new Starbucks-type coffee chain the same way the mob always extorted the local spots. The manager doesn’t flinch. It’ll have to go through corporate in Seattle, he tells them. They try to intimidate him with threats of vandalism and violence, asking how “corporate” would react to such disruptions. The manager shrugs—they’ve got ten thousand stores, they wouldn’t even feel it. Then he delivers the kill shot: “Every last fuckin’ coffee bean is in the computer. It has to be accounted for. If the numbers don’t add up, I’d be gone and someone else will be here.” Walking away, Patsy says: “It’s over for the little guy.” I think about that scene a lot lately. Not because I’m comparing boxing promoters to wiseguys—although some days, the wiseguys had more honor. When the corporations move in, they don’t just beat the little guy. They build a machine that doesn’t even have a place for him.
So is it over for the little guy? Not just in the ring. In business. In promotion. In the belief that hard work, relationships, and knowing your market still count for something when the other side of the table has a sovereign wealth fund. I grew up in Atlantic City {New Jersey] going to boxing. I loved the club shows at the casinos—packed rooms, real energy, the kind of fights where you could hear every punch from your seat. I used to work the buffet at the Tropicana. Now I promote fights in the same building. If you’d told that kid where he’d end up, he wouldn’t have believed you. Those shows were put on by working promoters who built companies literally named after themselves—Don King Promotions, DiBella Entertainment, Peltz Promotions, Cedric Kushner Promotions, Don Elbaum. These weren’t faceless corporations. These were individuals whose names were on the door because their reputations were the product.
That’s where I got the bug. That’s what made me want to do this. Today I promote under the banner of Boxing Insider Promotions. Nobody was going to name it Larry Promotions—but that’s essentially what it is. My team is Eric Bottjer, the greatest matchmaker in boxing. Matt Competello on the mic. Friends and top people I knew from boxing who all grew with us—announcers, medicals, corner support. A gig-work crew that comes together on show night and goes home after. That’s it. I handle the insurance, the hotel rooms, the ring rental, the ambulance, the security, the tickets, the sponsors—or the lack thereof—the marketing, the social media, the email list, the media bookings, the logistics at the venue, the production, compliance with state athletic commissions. We helped bring club boxing back to New York after the pandemic, and I’ve put on 20 shows since October 2022 at Tropicana Atlantic City and Sony Hall in Times Square.
But I’m not blind. The landscape is changing fast, and the question isn’t whether independent promoters can survive—it’s whether anyone outside the corporate machine will still have a seat at the table five years from now.
The small promoter’s dream always worked like this: you discover talent early, develop it, build the fighter’s record on your shows, and if they become a star, you cash out together. Like owning a racehorse. The next Floyd. The next Tyson. That was the whole game.
I’m lucky to say I never fell for it. People smarter than me told me early on: you’re never going to sign the next Floyd. And if you did, Al Haymon or Zuffa would take him from you and you’d never see your money. Just be the promoter who tries to make the best fights possible. Be a stepping stone. They were right.
But here’s the problem with the current landscape: even if the small promoter accepts being a stepping stone, the stepping stone still needs fighters who are willing to step. And right now, nobody wants to take risks at the club level. It’s gotten worse, not better, over the last couple of years. Fighters don’t want tough fights. They don’t want to test themselves. They’re posing for Instagram instead of getting in the ring. There used to be glory in being a club fighter—in being the guy who’d fight anyone, anywhere, on short notice, because that’s how you built a reputation. That culture is disappearing.
The proving grounds still matter. Somebody has to develop these kids before they’re ready for Paramount+ and a global audience. But fewer and fewer people want to be that somebody—because the economics of being a stepping stone are getting worse by the day.
I’ve had BoxingInsider.com since 1998. Covered this sport from every angle for over 25 years. I always thought I understood the business. Then in 2022 I jumped into the promotion side and learned the hard way—this business is not what we all think it is. Fighters are the last people to know what’s going on in their own careers. I’ve seen it firsthand. Decisions get made, opportunities appear or disappear, and the fighter—the person doing all the bleeding—finds out after the fact. That was true in the old model. It’ll be worse in the new one.
My advice to any fighter reading this: find a competent attorney. Not your buddy. Not the guy who approached you at the gym. A real attorney who understands this business.
There’s an old expression—I have enough problems, I don’t need yours too. That has never been more true than it is right now. Here’s what I mean. If your goal is to get to the next level, the person representing you matters more than ever. But most fighters sign with whoever’s in front of them without understanding the politics behind the scenes. They don’t know who has beef with who. They don’t know which relationships are burned. And here’s the trap—if your manager, your promoter, or your attorney has personal baggage or business history with the people making decisions, that baggage becomes your baggage. You didn’t do anything wrong. You might be the most talented fighter in your weight class. But the people on the other side aren’t separating you from your representation. You’re guilty by association. The phone stops ringing, opportunities dry up, and nobody calls to explain why. You’re just… not getting the call. And you might never find out the real reason.
A centralized system has real benefits—consistency, production value, clear matchmaking. But it also means fewer people control the door. And if you’re on the outside looking in, it doesn’t matter how talented you are. This isn’t theoretical. It’s playing out right now at the club level.
Here’s what’s happening on the ground that the analysts and podcasters don’t see. Every journeyman fighter who used to happily jump on a card at short notice is now sitting by the phone waiting for the big Zuffa or Turki call. For most of them, that call isn’t coming. But the waiting has taken them out of the available talent pool for guys like me who are actually putting on shows.
Making fights at the club level has become incredibly frustrating. Nobody wants to fight anybody—and they all want top dollar to fight nobody. I’ve got fighters who think that because they’ll sell 20 tickets, they deserve a handpicked opponent. But if you won’t sell those 20 tickets, there’s no money to cover the expenses. The ring, the officials, the commission fees, the insurance—none of it is free. The economics of a small show are brutally simple, and they don’t care about your feelings.
I want to put on good fights. Tough fights. But here’s the reality—I can only make money when I do A side vs. B side, where both fighters are selling tickets. That means I’m at the mercy of who’s willing to fight and what they’re willing to accept. I don’t get to just pick the best matchups. The fighters and their teams dictate what’s possible, and right now, most of them want easy nights for top dollar.
The guys headlining International superfights started in casino showrooms and hotel ballrooms, on cards put together by people who believed in them before anyone with real money noticed. But here’s the thing—the big players don’t need that pipeline anymore. They’re building their own. They control the development, the matchmaking, the broadcast, the whole chain. They don’t need the independent promoter. And that’s what kills us.
So Is It Over? I don’t think so. But the path forward looks different.
What the independent promoter still has is the local connection. I know the rooms I promote in. I know the fighters, their families, the fans who show up every time. That relationship between a promoter and a community is real, and it’s something that can’t be replicated at scale no matter how much money is behind it.
But that connection alone won’t keep the lights on. The game is changing and the independent promoter has to change with it. We need to think like media companies, not just event producers. Own our content. Build audiences between fight nights, not just on them. The billion-dollar players can buy attention. We have to earn it. That’s always been true. It’s just never been this stark.
Boxing has been here before—every few decades, some new wave of money floods the sport and everyone declares the old model dead. HBO. Showtime. DAZN’s billion-dollar era. Now Saudi Arabia and TKO. Each time, the independents who adapted survived. The ones who didn’t became cautionary tales.
I’m one of the last American club promoters. And I just had a local card to promote on Saturday night.
The author, Larry Goldberg, is the founder of Boxing Insider Promotions and owner of BoxingInsider.com.
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Cuban heavyweight Gustavo Trujillo moves to 10-0 |
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Gustavo Trujillo KO1 Phillip Penson... Heavyweight Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo (10-0, 9 KOs) delivered another quick victory this past Saturday night, stopping Phillip Penson (8-6-3, 2 KOs) of Orlando, Florida, with a first-round knockout in the main event at the Hilton in Altamonte Springs, Florida. The event was promoted by Mike Sawyer Promotions. From the opening bell, Trujillo, who is managed by Abe Swidan of Visionary Sports Group, imposed his will on the fight, pressing forward aggressively and forcing Penson onto the defensive. The powerful Cuban heavyweight wasted no time setting the tone, applying relentless pressure that left Penson struggling to find space or rhythm. Midway through the opening round, Trujillo landed a barrage of body shots that sent Penson crashing to the canvas. The damage proved too much, as Penson was unable to continue, giving Trujillo another knockout victory and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Reflecting on his victory, Trujillo spoke about the mindset he brought into the fight and his determination to deliver an exciting performance for the fans. “I came into this fight ready to send another message to the heavyweight division. When I step into the ring, I want people to feel my energy and see the power that I bring. I trained hard for this moment, and I knew if I stayed aggressive and applied pressure, the knockout would come. The heavyweight division is about excitement and action. Fans want to see fighters who are willing to go after it, and that’s exactly what I did. I’m grateful for the support and I’m just getting started.”
Trujillo remains deeply motivated by his roots and the legacy of Cuban fighters who paved the way before him. “I grew up watching great fighters from Cuba, and they inspired me to chase this dream. Every time I step in the ring, I’m fighting for my country and my people. I want the world to see how strong Cuban fighters are, especially in the heavyweight division. My goal is simple…I’m fighting to make Cuba the home of the first heavyweight world champion in our history.”
Trujillo believes the victory marks another important step forward in his rise through the heavyweight ranks. “Every fight is about proving that I belong among the best heavyweights in the world. This win keeps my momentum going and shows that I’m ready for bigger challenges. I’m building my name one fight at a time. Victories like this help open doors, and I’m focused on continuing to climb the rankings until I’m competing for a world title.”
The Cuban knockout artist is eager to remain active and continue his rapid ascent. “I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible. I feel strong, confident, and I want to stay busy this year. The more I fight, the sharper I become. I’m hungry for more opportunities and ready to keep showing fans what ‘The Cuban Assassin’ is all about.”
Swidan, president of Visionary Sports Group, believes Trujillo’s latest performance confirmed what many in the boxing community are beginning to realize that the Cuban heavyweight has the potential to become a major star. “Gustavo possesses a rare combination of athleticism, power, and discipline that you seldom see in the heavyweight division,” said Swidan. “What impressed me most in this performance was not just the knockout itself, but the composure and confidence he displayed while applying pressure. Cuba has produced some of the most technically gifted fighters in boxing history, and I firmly believe Gustavo has the ability to carry that legacy forward. After a performance like this, our focus is to move him up the rankings on a fast track and position him for increasingly meaningful fights. With his talent and work ethic, I truly believe he has the potential to become the next big star from Cuba.”
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Cuban heavyweight Gustavo Trujillo moves to 10-0
Gustavo Trujillo KO1 Phillip Penson... Heavyweight Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo (10-0, 9 KOs) delivered another quick victory this past Saturday night, stopping Phillip Penson (8-6-3, 2 KOs) of Orlando, Florida, with a first-round knockout in the main event at the Hilton in Altamonte Springs, Florida. The event was promoted by Mike Sawyer Promotions. From the opening bell, Trujillo, who is managed by Abe Swidan of Visionary Sports Group, imposed his will on the fight, pressing forward aggressively and forcing Penson onto the defensive. The powerful Cuban heavyweight wasted no time setting the tone, applying relentless pressure that left Penson struggling to find space or rhythm. Midway through the opening round, Trujillo landed a barrage of body shots that sent Penson crashing to the canvas. The damage proved too much, as Penson was unable to continue, giving Trujillo another knockout victory and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Reflecting on his victory, Trujillo spoke about the mindset he brought into the fight and his determination to deliver an exciting performance for the fans. “I came into this fight ready to send another message to the heavyweight division. When I step into the ring, I want people to feel my energy and see the power that I bring. I trained hard for this moment, and I knew if I stayed aggressive and applied pressure, the knockout would come. The heavyweight division is about excitement and action. Fans want to see fighters who are willing to go after it, and that’s exactly what I did. I’m grateful for the support and I’m just getting started.”
Trujillo remains deeply motivated by his roots and the legacy of Cuban fighters who paved the way before him. “I grew up watching great fighters from Cuba, and they inspired me to chase this dream. Every time I step in the ring, I’m fighting for my country and my people. I want the world to see how strong Cuban fighters are, especially in the heavyweight division. My goal is simple…I’m fighting to make Cuba the home of the first heavyweight world champion in our history.”
Trujillo believes the victory marks another important step forward in his rise through the heavyweight ranks. “Every fight is about proving that I belong among the best heavyweights in the world. This win keeps my momentum going and shows that I’m ready for bigger challenges. I’m building my name one fight at a time. Victories like this help open doors, and I’m focused on continuing to climb the rankings until I’m competing for a world title.”
The Cuban knockout artist is eager to remain active and continue his rapid ascent. “I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible. I feel strong, confident, and I want to stay busy this year. The more I fight, the sharper I become. I’m hungry for more opportunities and ready to keep showing fans what ‘The Cuban Assassin’ is all about.”
Swidan, president of Visionary Sports Group, believes Trujillo’s latest performance confirmed what many in the boxing community are beginning to realize that the Cuban heavyweight has the potential to become a major star. “Gustavo possesses a rare combination of athleticism, power, and discipline that you seldom see in the heavyweight division,” said Swidan. “What impressed me most in this performance was not just the knockout itself, but the composure and confidence he displayed while applying pressure. Cuba has produced some of the most technically gifted fighters in boxing history, and I firmly believe Gustavo has the ability to carry that legacy forward. After a performance like this, our focus is to move him up the rankings on a fast track and position him for increasingly meaningful fights. With his talent and work ethic, I truly believe he has the potential to become the next big star from Cuba.”
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Introducing lightweight Sammy Contreras |
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Sammy Contreras, a 14-time national amateur champion from Los Angeles, has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank. The 21 year-old lightweight will return on Saturday, March 21st, in a six-rounder against Cesar Cantu at the National Orange Show Event Center in San Bernardino, California. Contreras (5-0, 2 KOs), whose parents are of Mexican, Salvadoran and Honduran heritage, began boxing at eight and compiled more than 200 amateur bouts, facing the likes of Abdullah Mason, Emiliano Fernando Vargas and Dedrick Crocklem. He represented the Mexican national team at the youth level in 2016 and El Salvador at the 2023 Pan American Games and the 2024 Olympic Qualifiers.
Contreras made his pro debut last May and went 4-0 with two knockouts in 2025. He kicked off the new year with a six-round unanimous decision against Nelson Hampton in January. He is trained and managed by his father, Sam Contreras, who has managed fighters such as Marlen Esparza and Ramon “El Inocente” Alvarez. “Sammy Contreras is a talented young lightweight with the ability to go very far in this sport,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “His future is limitless. He has ties to multiple communities, and that will allow him to connect with a wide range of fans. Los Angeles has produced many great fighters and champions, and we expect Sammy to carry on that tradition.”
“This moment means everything to me,” Contreras said. “All the hard work and sacrifice I’ve made every day have led me here with Top Rank. But this is only the beginning. I’m going to keep working, keep sacrificing, and continue proving that I belong here.”
Contreras joins a promotional banner that has played a pivotal role for Hispanic boxing. Aside from expanding the national audience for Mexican fighters, Top Rank also promoted trailblazers Carlos “El Famoso” Hernandez, who became the first Salvadoran-American world champion in 2003 when he defeated David Santos, and Teofimo Lopez, who stopped Richard Commey in 2019 to become the first Honduran-American world champion. Contreras now looks to contribute to this legacy as an American-born fighter who also represents his Salvadoran, Honduran, and Mexican heritage.
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Introducing lightweight Sammy Contreras
Sammy Contreras, a 14-time national amateur champion from Los Angeles, has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank. The 21 year-old lightweight will return on Saturday, March 21st, in a six-rounder against Cesar Cantu at the National Orange Show Event Center in San Bernardino, California. Contreras (5-0, 2 KOs), whose parents are of Mexican, Salvadoran and Honduran heritage, began boxing at eight and compiled more than 200 amateur bouts, facing the likes of Abdullah Mason, Emiliano Fernando Vargas and Dedrick Crocklem. He represented the Mexican national team at the youth level in 2016 and El Salvador at the 2023 Pan American Games and the 2024 Olympic Qualifiers.
Contreras made his pro debut last May and went 4-0 with two knockouts in 2025. He kicked off the new year with a six-round unanimous decision against Nelson Hampton in January. He is trained and managed by his father, Sam Contreras, who has managed fighters such as Marlen Esparza and Ramon “El Inocente” Alvarez. “Sammy Contreras is a talented young lightweight with the ability to go very far in this sport,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “His future is limitless. He has ties to multiple communities, and that will allow him to connect with a wide range of fans. Los Angeles has produced many great fighters and champions, and we expect Sammy to carry on that tradition.”
“This moment means everything to me,” Contreras said. “All the hard work and sacrifice I’ve made every day have led me here with Top Rank. But this is only the beginning. I’m going to keep working, keep sacrificing, and continue proving that I belong here.”
Contreras joins a promotional banner that has played a pivotal role for Hispanic boxing. Aside from expanding the national audience for Mexican fighters, Top Rank also promoted trailblazers Carlos “El Famoso” Hernandez, who became the first Salvadoran-American world champion in 2003 when he defeated David Santos, and Teofimo Lopez, who stopped Richard Commey in 2019 to become the first Honduran-American world champion. Contreras now looks to contribute to this legacy as an American-born fighter who also represents his Salvadoran, Honduran, and Mexican heritage.
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ProBox reveals full line-up for March 21st |
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The supporting bouts are taking shape for ProBoxTV’s big show on Saturday, March 21st, headlined by WBC Lester Martinez’s WBC interim super middleweight title fight against Immanuwel “The Chosen One” Aleem from the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino, California and broadcast live on ProBoxTV (7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST). While Martinez (19-0-1 16 KOs) will be hoping to make Guatemalan boxing history against Virginia’s Aleem (22-3-3, 14 KOs), Joshua Kevin Anton (12-0, 11 KOs) of Palmdale, California, will take his toughest test to date against “The Punisher,” Kudratillo Abdukakhorov (22-5, 14 KOs) of Uzbekistan in the ten-round junior middleweight co-feature.
Standing a towering 6′ 3″ for his weight division, Anton is a 27-year-old southpaw. Before turning professional in 2019, Anton was a 2016 US Youth Open Tournament Champion as an amateur. He was last seen in the professional ring scoring a seventh-round TKO over capable veteran Isaias Lucero in September of last year, live on ProBoxTV.
Abdukakhorov was once the IBF mandatory challenger for then-unified champion Errol Spence Jr. The 32-year old was a four-time national Uzbekistani champion as an amateur, finishing with an impressive record of 170-10.
The undercard will also feature a ten-round, junior welterweight battle between LA’s Anthony “2 Quick” Cuba (12-1-2, 5 KOs) and Jair “Kaiser” Valtierra (18-3, 9 KOs) of Mexico.... also at junior welterweight, Charles Harris Jr (11-1, 7 KOs) of Rialto, California, will take on Jason “El Gallo” Limon (11-2-1, 2 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas, over eight rounds... local fan favorite Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez (16-0, 9 KOs) of Riverside, California, will face Brandon “The Hitter” Chambers (12-4-1, 5 KOs) of Owings Mill, Maryland in a featherweight eight-rounder... also scheduled is a female super flyweight four-rounder between former USA National amateur champion Jocelyn Camarillo (5-0) of nearby Indio, California and Isis Sio (1-2) of North Dakota... and getting the ball rolling will be LA’s Sam Contreras (5-0, 2 KOs) against Cesar “El Matrix” Cantu (3-5-2, 1 KO) of Weslaco, Texas. Tickets for this event at the NOS Event Center are available through thundertix.com.
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ProBox reveals full line-up for March 21st
The supporting bouts are taking shape for ProBoxTV’s big show on Saturday, March 21st, headlined by WBC Lester Martinez’s WBC interim super middleweight title fight against Immanuwel “The Chosen One” Aleem from the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino, California and broadcast live on ProBoxTV (7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST). While Martinez (19-0-1 16 KOs) will be hoping to make Guatemalan boxing history against Virginia’s Aleem (22-3-3, 14 KOs), Joshua Kevin Anton (12-0, 11 KOs) of Palmdale, California, will take his toughest test to date against “The Punisher,” Kudratillo Abdukakhorov (22-5, 14 KOs) of Uzbekistan in the ten-round junior middleweight co-feature.
Standing a towering 6′ 3″ for his weight division, Anton is a 27-year-old southpaw. Before turning professional in 2019, Anton was a 2016 US Youth Open Tournament Champion as an amateur. He was last seen in the professional ring scoring a seventh-round TKO over capable veteran Isaias Lucero in September of last year, live on ProBoxTV.
Abdukakhorov was once the IBF mandatory challenger for then-unified champion Errol Spence Jr. The 32-year old was a four-time national Uzbekistani champion as an amateur, finishing with an impressive record of 170-10.
The undercard will also feature a ten-round, junior welterweight battle between LA’s Anthony “2 Quick” Cuba (12-1-2, 5 KOs) and Jair “Kaiser” Valtierra (18-3, 9 KOs) of Mexico.... also at junior welterweight, Charles Harris Jr (11-1, 7 KOs) of Rialto, California, will take on Jason “El Gallo” Limon (11-2-1, 2 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas, over eight rounds... local fan favorite Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez (16-0, 9 KOs) of Riverside, California, will face Brandon “The Hitter” Chambers (12-4-1, 5 KOs) of Owings Mill, Maryland in a featherweight eight-rounder... also scheduled is a female super flyweight four-rounder between former USA National amateur champion Jocelyn Camarillo (5-0) of nearby Indio, California and Isis Sio (1-2) of North Dakota... and getting the ball rolling will be LA’s Sam Contreras (5-0, 2 KOs) against Cesar “El Matrix” Cantu (3-5-2, 1 KO) of Weslaco, Texas. Tickets for this event at the NOS Event Center are available through thundertix.com.
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Butler gets quick win in Montreal |
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Steven Butler KO2 Ramadan Hiseni... At the Casino de Montreal last week, Canadian super middleweight Steven “Bang Bang” Butler crushed Switzerland’s Ramadan Hiseni with a second-round knockout. True to his aggressive style and fueled by the roar of the home crowd, Butler (38-5-1) stormed out at the opening bell determined to impose his will, making it clear he had no intention of letting the visitor spoil the night for his promoter, Eye of the Tiger, once again. After a first round in which the Canadian stalked Hiseni (22-3-2), cutting off the ring and measuring his timing, the finish came in the second stanza. A hard combination delivered with speed and precision found the opening in Hiseni’s guard. The impact sent the Swiss fighter crashing to the canvas, visibly hurt and unable to respond, forcing the referee to immediately wave off the contest to protect him.
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Butler gets quick win in Montreal
Steven Butler KO2 Ramadan Hiseni... At the Casino de Montreal last week, Canadian super middleweight Steven “Bang Bang” Butler crushed Switzerland’s Ramadan Hiseni with a second-round knockout. True to his aggressive style and fueled by the roar of the home crowd, Butler (38-5-1) stormed out at the opening bell determined to impose his will, making it clear he had no intention of letting the visitor spoil the night for his promoter, Eye of the Tiger, once again. After a first round in which the Canadian stalked Hiseni (22-3-2), cutting off the ring and measuring his timing, the finish came in the second stanza. A hard combination delivered with speed and precision found the opening in Hiseni’s guard. The impact sent the Swiss fighter crashing to the canvas, visibly hurt and unable to respond, forcing the referee to immediately wave off the contest to protect him.
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Ngannou returning to MMA on May 16th |
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Francis Ngannou is returning to mixed martial arts, and he will be doing it on a big Netflix show. After crossing over to boxing events (and going 0-2 vs. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua) and then scoring a dominant PFL championship victory in 2024, Ngannou returns to MMA to face Brazil’s Philipe Lins (18–5, 4 submissions, 9 KOs). Ngannou-Lins will be added to the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card, set for May 16th inb Los Angeles. The matchup is part of Most Valuable Promotions’ first MMA event and Netflix’s first-ever live MMA broadcast. “While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” Ngannou said. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence — it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation.”
A dangerous fighter in his own right, Lins expressed gratitude ahead of the monumental fight night: “To be part of the first MMA event on Netflix is going to be amazing. I’m very happy to be fighting on this card with so many legends. We’re going to make history.”
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
FEB. 17, 2026: Ronda Rousey is back, and she’s ready to return to combat sports. Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix announced the mixed martial arts event that will be headlined by the return of former UFC champion and Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey (12-2, 9 submissions, 3 KOs), who’ll compete in her first fight in nearly a decade against fellow women’s MMA pioneer Gina Carano (7-1, 1 submission, 3 KOs). The five-round fight will take place on May 16th at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Each round will last five minutes, as is typical in MMA. The bout will be contested with a 145-pound weight limit inside a hexagon cage. It will stream live globally on Netflix at no additional cost to subscribers.
“After the record-breaking success in boxing, we wanted our first MMA event to be truly legendary,” Gabe Spitzer, Netflix VP of Sports, says. “These are more than just athletes — they are generational stars, and having them headline our MMA debut at the Intuit Dome is a defining moment for us.”
Rousey shattered the glass ceiling for women’s MMA during a record-setting run from 2011 to 2016. An Olympic medalist in judo, Rousey racked up several submission and TKO / KO victories, many of which came within one minute of start time. After a dominant reign as UFC bantamweight champion, Rousey catapulted the WWE women’s division toward its first WrestleMania main event in history. Her star power is also on display via appearances in both the Fast and the Furious and The Expendables franchises.
“Been waiting so long to announce this,” Rousey tells Netflix. “Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest superfight in women’s combat sport history, and we’re partnering with the fighter-first promoter, MVP, as well as the baddest streamer on the planet, Netflix. This is for all MMA fans past, present, and future.”
It’s no coincidence that Rousey’s return will be against another legend of the sport. Carano says, “Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for, and it’s been her dream to make this fight happen between us.”
Carano is one of the first combat sports stars to cross over into the entertainment industry after her MMA tear from 2006 to 2009 — a time before women were invited to compete in the UFC. Carano’s marketability and mainstream appeal outside of fighting led to an acting career. She earned major roles in Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian. She also headlined the first major MMA main event to feature two women in 2009, a landmark moment for the sport.
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Ngannou returning to MMA on May 16th
Francis Ngannou is returning to mixed martial arts, and he will be doing it on a big Netflix show. After crossing over to boxing events (and going 0-2 vs. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua) and then scoring a dominant PFL championship victory in 2024, Ngannou returns to MMA to face Brazil’s Philipe Lins (18–5, 4 submissions, 9 KOs). Ngannou-Lins will be added to the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card, set for May 16th inb Los Angeles. The matchup is part of Most Valuable Promotions’ first MMA event and Netflix’s first-ever live MMA broadcast. “While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” Ngannou said. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence — it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation.”
A dangerous fighter in his own right, Lins expressed gratitude ahead of the monumental fight night: “To be part of the first MMA event on Netflix is going to be amazing. I’m very happy to be fighting on this card with so many legends. We’re going to make history.”
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
FEB. 17, 2026: Ronda Rousey is back, and she’s ready to return to combat sports. Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix announced the mixed martial arts event that will be headlined by the return of former UFC champion and Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey (12-2, 9 submissions, 3 KOs), who’ll compete in her first fight in nearly a decade against fellow women’s MMA pioneer Gina Carano (7-1, 1 submission, 3 KOs). The five-round fight will take place on May 16th at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Each round will last five minutes, as is typical in MMA. The bout will be contested with a 145-pound weight limit inside a hexagon cage. It will stream live globally on Netflix at no additional cost to subscribers.
“After the record-breaking success in boxing, we wanted our first MMA event to be truly legendary,” Gabe Spitzer, Netflix VP of Sports, says. “These are more than just athletes — they are generational stars, and having them headline our MMA debut at the Intuit Dome is a defining moment for us.”
Rousey shattered the glass ceiling for women’s MMA during a record-setting run from 2011 to 2016. An Olympic medalist in judo, Rousey racked up several submission and TKO / KO victories, many of which came within one minute of start time. After a dominant reign as UFC bantamweight champion, Rousey catapulted the WWE women’s division toward its first WrestleMania main event in history. Her star power is also on display via appearances in both the Fast and the Furious and The Expendables franchises.
“Been waiting so long to announce this,” Rousey tells Netflix. “Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest superfight in women’s combat sport history, and we’re partnering with the fighter-first promoter, MVP, as well as the baddest streamer on the planet, Netflix. This is for all MMA fans past, present, and future.”
It’s no coincidence that Rousey’s return will be against another legend of the sport. Carano says, “Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for, and it’s been her dream to make this fight happen between us.”
Carano is one of the first combat sports stars to cross over into the entertainment industry after her MMA tear from 2006 to 2009 — a time before women were invited to compete in the UFC. Carano’s marketability and mainstream appeal outside of fighting led to an acting career. She earned major roles in Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian. She also headlined the first major MMA main event to feature two women in 2009, a landmark moment for the sport.
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Opetaia punishes Glanton for twelve rounds |
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Jai Opetaia W12 Brandon Glanton... Zuffa Boxing returned to the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, where Jai Opetaia punished Brandon Glanton for twelve rounds to claim the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight championship. All three official scores were 119-106, and it should be considered a shutout, as Opetaia had a point deducted and Glanton had two deducted by activist referee Allen Huggins. Opetaia (30-0) landed 250 punches to Glanton’s 118 over the course of the fight, and generally outclassed the game, but outgunned Glanton. Over the second half of the fight, Glanton (21-4) boxed with a sizable hematoma on his forehead. The fight ended a week of outside-the-ring turmoil that saw Opetaia stripped of the IBF championship because the IBF was unhappy with the way Zuffa promoted the show.
Opetaia’s first round was largely spent feinting and popping out his southpaw jab, while Glanton tried unsuccessfully to walk him down and force him against the ropes. By the third round, Opetaia was in his rhythm and connecting with solid shots. Glanton connected with a solid body shot as he briefly caught the Aussie against the ropes, but as the round entered the final 30 seconds, he hit Glanton with a big straight left that showed that he’d mastered the range. In the fourth, Glanton gamely kept walking forward and looking to hurt Opetaia to the body, but Opetaia set his sights and cracked him with two clean right hooks in quick succession.
It showed that Opetaia was starting to warm to his task, and in Round 5, he willingly met Glanton in the center of the ring and traded big shots with the American as the Australian took the fight into Glanton’s comfort zone and outstruck him at close quarters.
Referee Huggins opted to penalize Glanton for holding in round six as Opetaia’s pressure fighting continued to wear on Glanton, who simply had no answer to the Australian, whose accuracy and power were starting to mount up. Then things went from bad to worse for the Atlanta native two rounds later when he was docked another point for a low blow. That second point deduction appeared to light a fire under Glanton, who came barreling forward trying to land heavy shots. But Opetaia’s smart footwork and accurate counters ensured he maintained the upper hand heading into the closing stages of the fight.
After dominant ninth round, Opetaia loaded up in the tenth and connected with a succession of heavy shots as he repeatedly stung Glanton. But, to his great credit, Glanton took them well and stood strong. But in the eleventh round, frustrated Glanton threw Opetaia to the mat, drawing another stern warning from referee Huggins, who deducted a point from Opetaia moments later.
The action had gotten scrappy, and with an overly-officious referee intervening too frequently, the bout became a stop-start affair. But while the action was in progress, Opetaia was connecting freely, and he finished up the round with a beautifully slick four-punch combination.
After a gritty, scrappy clash, the action went into the final round and, as the bout entered the final minute, Opetaia connected with a huge straight left that froze Glanton. But remarkably, the Atlanta man’s chin held strong as he took the Aussie the distance.
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Opetaia punishes Glanton for twelve rounds
Jai Opetaia W12 Brandon Glanton... Zuffa Boxing returned to the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, where Jai Opetaia punished Brandon Glanton for twelve rounds to claim the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight championship. All three official scores were 119-106, and it should be considered a shutout, as Opetaia had a point deducted and Glanton had two deducted by activist referee Allen Huggins. Opetaia (30-0) landed 250 punches to Glanton’s 118 over the course of the fight, and generally outclassed the game, but outgunned Glanton. Over the second half of the fight, Glanton (21-4) boxed with a sizable hematoma on his forehead. The fight ended a week of outside-the-ring turmoil that saw Opetaia stripped of the IBF championship because the IBF was unhappy with the way Zuffa promoted the show.
Opetaia’s first round was largely spent feinting and popping out his southpaw jab, while Glanton tried unsuccessfully to walk him down and force him against the ropes. By the third round, Opetaia was in his rhythm and connecting with solid shots. Glanton connected with a solid body shot as he briefly caught the Aussie against the ropes, but as the round entered the final 30 seconds, he hit Glanton with a big straight left that showed that he’d mastered the range. In the fourth, Glanton gamely kept walking forward and looking to hurt Opetaia to the body, but Opetaia set his sights and cracked him with two clean right hooks in quick succession.
It showed that Opetaia was starting to warm to his task, and in Round 5, he willingly met Glanton in the center of the ring and traded big shots with the American as the Australian took the fight into Glanton’s comfort zone and outstruck him at close quarters.
Referee Huggins opted to penalize Glanton for holding in round six as Opetaia’s pressure fighting continued to wear on Glanton, who simply had no answer to the Australian, whose accuracy and power were starting to mount up. Then things went from bad to worse for the Atlanta native two rounds later when he was docked another point for a low blow. That second point deduction appeared to light a fire under Glanton, who came barreling forward trying to land heavy shots. But Opetaia’s smart footwork and accurate counters ensured he maintained the upper hand heading into the closing stages of the fight.
After dominant ninth round, Opetaia loaded up in the tenth and connected with a succession of heavy shots as he repeatedly stung Glanton. But, to his great credit, Glanton took them well and stood strong. But in the eleventh round, frustrated Glanton threw Opetaia to the mat, drawing another stern warning from referee Huggins, who deducted a point from Opetaia moments later.
The action had gotten scrappy, and with an overly-officious referee intervening too frequently, the bout became a stop-start affair. But while the action was in progress, Opetaia was connecting freely, and he finished up the round with a beautifully slick four-punch combination.
After a gritty, scrappy clash, the action went into the final round and, as the bout entered the final minute, Opetaia connected with a huge straight left that froze Glanton. But remarkably, the Atlanta man’s chin held strong as he took the Aussie the distance.
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Zuffa 04 undercard results from Las Vegas |
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Vlad Panin TKO9 Shinard Bunch ... “Superbad” Vlad Panin got his Zuffa Boxing career off to a winning start with a ninth-round technical knockout victory over Shinard Bunch (22-4-1) in their welterweight matchup. Panin started swiftly, fighting on the front foot and taking the initiative in the early rounds, while Bunch seemed more content to download information on his opponent as he gauged Panin’s range. “Superbad’ moves on to 24-2, with his 16th career finish.
The opening four rounds were rinse and repeat for Panin as his controlled pressure saw him outwork and outland Bunch, who just didn’t seem to be able to let his shots go. After looking comfortable through four rounds, Panin loaded up and let his fists fly in the fifth as he connected on Bunch with a succession of big shots that threatened to overwhelm his opponent. Then, in the final minute of the round, “Superbad” connected with a huge right hand that sent Bunch’s mouthpiece flying across the ring.
It put Panin comfortably in charge at the half-way point of the matchup, and with Bunch starting to look demoralized in his corner between rounds, the Las Vegas-based fighter pushed forward looking to break his opponent’s spirit. The one-way traffic was eventually halted in the penultimate round when referee Allen Huggins stepped in at the 2:29 mark to spare Bunch further punishment. It gave Panin a fully deserved stoppage victory.
Ricardo Salas TKO8 Jesus Saracho... Ricardo “Magic Man” Salas stopped tough Jesus Saracho in the eighth round of their welterweight matchup. Both men wasted no time as they started trading big punches from the opening bell, with Salas loading up and connecting with some very heavy shots, while Saracho found a home for his counters in an action-packed first three minutes. Saracho turned Salas’s aggression against him mid-way through round two as he landed a big right hand that connected with the top of his opponent’s head and briefly stunned “Magic Man”. That success encouraged Saracho to step in and force Salas onto the back foot, as the 24-year-old southpaw started to hit his stride.
Both men were in full flow by the third, and both Salas and Saracho connected with eye-catching single shots at different points in the round but the back-and-forth action ensured neither man was able to build any sustained momentum. That all changed in the fourth, when Salas hurt Saracho with a huge straight shot that forced his man to back up and retreat for the first time in the fight. It served as huge encouragement to the Mexico City native, who continued to pour on the pressure through Rounds 5, 6 and 7, with the latter seeing him badly hurt Saracho with nasty body shots, mixed in with heavy shots upstairs.
By round eight, Saracho’s ability to sustain the punishment had started to wane. Salas saw his moment and put his foot on the gas to force referee Robert Hoyle to step in mid-way through the round to spare Saracho any more damage. The victory takes Salas to 24-2-2, with 18 wins by KO as the Mexico City native announced his arrival in Zuffa Boxing with an entertaining, hard-fought victory.
Pablo Rubio W8 Adan Palma... Undefeated featherweights went toe-to-toe in a thrilling main card opener as Pablo Rubio got off the canvas twice to defeat Adan Palma via unanimous decision. The fight caught fire almost immediately, as Rubio started quickly, forcing Palma to respond in kind. Despite his relative inactivity compared to his opponent, Rubio pushed forward, throwing multi-punch combinations. But Palma used his more compact frame and shorter reach to rip powerful shot from up close. After tasting the strength of Rubio’s best shots in round one and seemingly deciding he had the defense, and the chin, to handle it, Palma spent the entirety of the next round in the pocket, fighting fire with fire, and enjoying some success with his thudding hooks, which appeared to carry more power than those of his opponent. Rubio was enjoying his best spell in the fight, and two strong rounds in the sixth and seventh suggested that the momentum was swinging towards the Whittier, California native as the fight went into the final round. Then, in the third, Palma turned up the power and connected with a big left hook that stunned Rubio. Palma then closed in and landed a huge leaping left hook to send Rubio to the canvas for the first time in his career. Rubio unwisely tried to fire back, and eventually paid the price again as a short right from Palma sent him to the deck again.
Despite being dropped twice in the fourth, Rubio came out for the fifth and immediately got straight into the trenches with Palma once again, even beckoning him on. Even a peach of a right hook that connected flush on Rubio’s jaw didn’t deter the 29-year-old as he kept pushing forward. But, despite his forward pressure, Palma’s more accurate, impactful shots continued to catch the eye.
By the start of the fifth round, Rubio appeared to have fully recovered, while Palma appeared a little gassed after trying, and failing, to get the stoppage in the previous round. It opened up the opportunity for Rubio to come forward and land multi-punch combinations. But, despite his success in the round, there was another warning, as Palma landed another big shot just before the bell. With the fight hanging in the balance due to Rubio’s remarkable comeback, both men went to the center of the ring and threw down as they emptied the tank in a bid to secure victory. Palma landed two big shots on Rubio against the ropes, only for Rubio to come storming back again. After the featherweight eight-rounder went to the final bell, it all came down to the judges, who saw the fight for Rubio with scores of 77-73 (twice) and 76-74. Rubio’s stirring come-from-behind win saw him move to 15-0. Meanwhile Palma, despite securing the two early knockdowns, fell to the first loss of his career as he dropped to 14-1.
ADDITIONAL RESULTS
Mexican heavyweight Joshua Juarez extended his undefeated record to 15-0 with a workmanlike win over Jardae Anderson after eight rounds. Juarez never looked troubled as he worked his way through the eight-round duration to claim a unanimous decision victory on the scorecards. The action started at a steady pace, with Juarez establishing his jab and keeping Anderson on the back foot for the majority of the first round, then looking to put combinations together in the second. Anderson, meanwhile seemed a little more tentative early, but started to open up towards the end of round two. Round three continued in a similar vein, but following two rounds saw both men turn up the intensity, with Juarez landing some heavy shots on Anderson through the fourth and most of the fifth. But Anderson then landed his best shots of the fight in the final minute of Round 5 as he connected with some big punches to force Juarez against the ropes. Anderson pushed forward in rounda six and seven and landed some decent combinations, but overall, it was Juarez who had the edge as he boxed more effectively behind his jab, with occasional shots downstairs to the body. The final round saw Anderson dig deep in a bid to turn the fight in his favor, but it was Juarez who landed the best shot of the round as he walked the Davenport, Iowa native onto a big right hand. After a wild exchange in the final ten seconds, the fight went to the scorecards, where Juarez was declared the unanimous decision winner, with scores of 79-73, 78-74, 77-75.
Jaycob Ramos vs. Ethan Perez was scored a majority draw: 57-55 Ramos and 56-56 (twice). After losing out on his Zuffa Boxing debut back at Zuffa Boxing 01, Jaycob Ramos returned for his second bout at the Meta Apex and traded knockdowns with undefeated Ethan Perez in an entertaining six-round featherweight scrap that left the judges unable to determine a victor. Perez settled into his Zuffa Boxing debut as he worked behind a solid southpaw jab, while Ramos looked to step in and connect with heavy shots from close range. After a well-contested opening round, Perez unloaded a piston-like stright left hand that sent Ramos to the canvas in the opening seconds of round two. Ramos beat the count and recovered quickly. A big right hand from Ramos found its mark as he gave Perez a moment’s pause against the ropes, and the Dallas native kept the pressure on, despite his early setback. After a strong recovery in the second round – and following an encouraging pep-talk from his corner to let his hands go – Ramos came out in the third and returned the favor with a big right hand that caught a retreating Perez flush as he registered a big knockdown of his own. Ramos pushed the pace through the penultimate round as he backed up Perez with relentless pressure to leave Perez’s coach Robert Garcia telling his man that he needed to win the round to stand a chance of a draw. Ramos’s coach Rich Barrientes, meanwhile, continued his positive approach as he encouraged Ramos to put everything into his final round to secure victory. And with the final seconds counting down, both men swung for the fences in a bid to land a fight-altering knockdown. After an entertaining fight that saw both men land 83 punches, and both register knockdowns, the action went all the way to the judges, who scored the fight a majority draw.
Brady Ochoa vs. Adrian Serrano was also scored a majority draw, with scores of 58-56 Ochoa and 57-57 (twice). No one's 0 had to go as both Ochoa and Serrano emerged with their unbeaten records intact after their tightly-contested six-round lightweight battle ended in a majority draw. Serrano took the center of the ring and didn’t relinquish it as he looked to dictate terms through the opening round. The pair fought on level terms for much of the round, but by the end of the opening three minutes, an accidental clash of heads meant Ochoa returned to his corner bleeding profusely from a nasty cut above his hairline. Ochoa looked to move in and land flashy combinations in round two, but Serrano – the older man at 21 years of age – covered up well and didn’t seem too flustered by the teenager’s flurries. But that changed at the start of the third, when Ochoa started the round with some heavy hooks that found their mark and forced Serrano to take a backward step. Serrano later answered with a couple of solid hooks to the body, but Ochoa took them well and kept moving forward. After four tightly-contested rounds, both men upped the intensity in the fifth, with Serrano visibly planting his feet and loading up with his shots as he unloaded with venom to the body before moving upstairs to the head. Ochoa tried to respond in kind and landed a couple of solid shots, but the 18-year-old’s work wasn’t quite as accurate overall. A big right hand from Serrano put the exclamation point on the end of a strong penultimate round for the California native. It set things up perfectly for the final round, with both corners insisting to their fighters that the fight was still there for the taking. And, in the final three minutes, it was Ochoa who produced the more eye-catching work as he switched to southpaw and landed some decent shots as Serrano looked to adapt and counter. After six rounds of well-matched lightweight action that saw Ochoa land 105 punches to Serrano’s 104, the attention turned to the scorecards, with the judges scoring the first draw in Zuffa Boxing history.
Undefeated Mexican featherweight Emiliano Alvarado followed up on his win at Zuffa Boxing 03 as he made a swift turnaround to capture his second victory under the Zuffa Boxing banner. Alvarado had defeated Devin Gantt in the fourth round back in February, and at Zuffa Boxing 04, the 18-year-old overcame a fast start from Erick Rosado to drop his man en route to a unanimous decision victory after six rounds. Rosado arrived eager to make an impression, and the the 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic looked the livelier fighter through the opening round as he let his shots go and put some flashy combinations together. But in the second round, Alvarado turned up the intensity as he repeatedly ripped Rosado to the body. The teenage Mexican was noticeably the bigger, stronger man, and he put all those advantages into a huge left hook that sent Rosado down to the canvas. For a moment, it wasn’t clear whether Rosado would beat the count, but he eventually did, and the Santo Domingo native tried to fight fire with fire, as he stood and traded shots with Alvarado. But the Mexican’s heavier, more accurate shots found their mark again as the second round came to a close. Rosado showed plenty of grit and determination as he stepped into the pocket and traded with Alvarado through rounds three, four and five, but despite offering plenty of volume, he wasn’t able to pierce Alvarado’s guard too many times, as Alvarado’s constant targeting of the body to open up shots to the head saw him consistently outscore his opponent through the middle rounds. After dominating the fight from round two onward, Alvarado came out of his corner for the final round looking to cap off his performance with a finish. The Mexican loaded up with heavy shots, but Rosado gamely fired back as he made it to the final bell. It meant the fight went the distance, but there was no mystery over the identity of the winner, as Alvarado was awarded the unanimous decision victory with scores of 59-54 across the board from the three ringside judges. Alvarado’s victory gave him the honor of being the first fighter to register two victories in Zuffa Boxing, as he extended his perfect professional record to 11-0.
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Zuffa 04 undercard results from Las Vegas
Vlad Panin TKO9 Shinard Bunch ... “Superbad” Vlad Panin got his Zuffa Boxing career off to a winning start with a ninth-round technical knockout victory over Shinard Bunch (22-4-1) in their welterweight matchup. Panin started swiftly, fighting on the front foot and taking the initiative in the early rounds, while Bunch seemed more content to download information on his opponent as he gauged Panin’s range. “Superbad’ moves on to 24-2, with his 16th career finish.
The opening four rounds were rinse and repeat for Panin as his controlled pressure saw him outwork and outland Bunch, who just didn’t seem to be able to let his shots go. After looking comfortable through four rounds, Panin loaded up and let his fists fly in the fifth as he connected on Bunch with a succession of big shots that threatened to overwhelm his opponent. Then, in the final minute of the round, “Superbad” connected with a huge right hand that sent Bunch’s mouthpiece flying across the ring.
It put Panin comfortably in charge at the half-way point of the matchup, and with Bunch starting to look demoralized in his corner between rounds, the Las Vegas-based fighter pushed forward looking to break his opponent’s spirit. The one-way traffic was eventually halted in the penultimate round when referee Allen Huggins stepped in at the 2:29 mark to spare Bunch further punishment. It gave Panin a fully deserved stoppage victory.
Ricardo Salas TKO8 Jesus Saracho... Ricardo “Magic Man” Salas stopped tough Jesus Saracho in the eighth round of their welterweight matchup. Both men wasted no time as they started trading big punches from the opening bell, with Salas loading up and connecting with some very heavy shots, while Saracho found a home for his counters in an action-packed first three minutes. Saracho turned Salas’s aggression against him mid-way through round two as he landed a big right hand that connected with the top of his opponent’s head and briefly stunned “Magic Man”. That success encouraged Saracho to step in and force Salas onto the back foot, as the 24-year-old southpaw started to hit his stride.
Both men were in full flow by the third, and both Salas and Saracho connected with eye-catching single shots at different points in the round but the back-and-forth action ensured neither man was able to build any sustained momentum. That all changed in the fourth, when Salas hurt Saracho with a huge straight shot that forced his man to back up and retreat for the first time in the fight. It served as huge encouragement to the Mexico City native, who continued to pour on the pressure through Rounds 5, 6 and 7, with the latter seeing him badly hurt Saracho with nasty body shots, mixed in with heavy shots upstairs.
By round eight, Saracho’s ability to sustain the punishment had started to wane. Salas saw his moment and put his foot on the gas to force referee Robert Hoyle to step in mid-way through the round to spare Saracho any more damage. The victory takes Salas to 24-2-2, with 18 wins by KO as the Mexico City native announced his arrival in Zuffa Boxing with an entertaining, hard-fought victory.
Pablo Rubio W8 Adan Palma... Undefeated featherweights went toe-to-toe in a thrilling main card opener as Pablo Rubio got off the canvas twice to defeat Adan Palma via unanimous decision. The fight caught fire almost immediately, as Rubio started quickly, forcing Palma to respond in kind. Despite his relative inactivity compared to his opponent, Rubio pushed forward, throwing multi-punch combinations. But Palma used his more compact frame and shorter reach to rip powerful shot from up close. After tasting the strength of Rubio’s best shots in round one and seemingly deciding he had the defense, and the chin, to handle it, Palma spent the entirety of the next round in the pocket, fighting fire with fire, and enjoying some success with his thudding hooks, which appeared to carry more power than those of his opponent. Rubio was enjoying his best spell in the fight, and two strong rounds in the sixth and seventh suggested that the momentum was swinging towards the Whittier, California native as the fight went into the final round. Then, in the third, Palma turned up the power and connected with a big left hook that stunned Rubio. Palma then closed in and landed a huge leaping left hook to send Rubio to the canvas for the first time in his career. Rubio unwisely tried to fire back, and eventually paid the price again as a short right from Palma sent him to the deck again.
Despite being dropped twice in the fourth, Rubio came out for the fifth and immediately got straight into the trenches with Palma once again, even beckoning him on. Even a peach of a right hook that connected flush on Rubio’s jaw didn’t deter the 29-year-old as he kept pushing forward. But, despite his forward pressure, Palma’s more accurate, impactful shots continued to catch the eye.
By the start of the fifth round, Rubio appeared to have fully recovered, while Palma appeared a little gassed after trying, and failing, to get the stoppage in the previous round. It opened up the opportunity for Rubio to come forward and land multi-punch combinations. But, despite his success in the round, there was another warning, as Palma landed another big shot just before the bell. With the fight hanging in the balance due to Rubio’s remarkable comeback, both men went to the center of the ring and threw down as they emptied the tank in a bid to secure victory. Palma landed two big shots on Rubio against the ropes, only for Rubio to come storming back again. After the featherweight eight-rounder went to the final bell, it all came down to the judges, who saw the fight for Rubio with scores of 77-73 (twice) and 76-74. Rubio’s stirring come-from-behind win saw him move to 15-0. Meanwhile Palma, despite securing the two early knockdowns, fell to the first loss of his career as he dropped to 14-1.
ADDITIONAL RESULTS
Mexican heavyweight Joshua Juarez extended his undefeated record to 15-0 with a workmanlike win over Jardae Anderson after eight rounds. Juarez never looked troubled as he worked his way through the eight-round duration to claim a unanimous decision victory on the scorecards. The action started at a steady pace, with Juarez establishing his jab and keeping Anderson on the back foot for the majority of the first round, then looking to put combinations together in the second. Anderson, meanwhile seemed a little more tentative early, but started to open up towards the end of round two. Round three continued in a similar vein, but following two rounds saw both men turn up the intensity, with Juarez landing some heavy shots on Anderson through the fourth and most of the fifth. But Anderson then landed his best shots of the fight in the final minute of Round 5 as he connected with some big punches to force Juarez against the ropes. Anderson pushed forward in rounda six and seven and landed some decent combinations, but overall, it was Juarez who had the edge as he boxed more effectively behind his jab, with occasional shots downstairs to the body. The final round saw Anderson dig deep in a bid to turn the fight in his favor, but it was Juarez who landed the best shot of the round as he walked the Davenport, Iowa native onto a big right hand. After a wild exchange in the final ten seconds, the fight went to the scorecards, where Juarez was declared the unanimous decision winner, with scores of 79-73, 78-74, 77-75.
Jaycob Ramos vs. Ethan Perez was scored a majority draw: 57-55 Ramos and 56-56 (twice). After losing out on his Zuffa Boxing debut back at Zuffa Boxing 01, Jaycob Ramos returned for his second bout at the Meta Apex and traded knockdowns with undefeated Ethan Perez in an entertaining six-round featherweight scrap that left the judges unable to determine a victor. Perez settled into his Zuffa Boxing debut as he worked behind a solid southpaw jab, while Ramos looked to step in and connect with heavy shots from close range. After a well-contested opening round, Perez unloaded a piston-like stright left hand that sent Ramos to the canvas in the opening seconds of round two. Ramos beat the count and recovered quickly. A big right hand from Ramos found its mark as he gave Perez a moment’s pause against the ropes, and the Dallas native kept the pressure on, despite his early setback. After a strong recovery in the second round – and following an encouraging pep-talk from his corner to let his hands go – Ramos came out in the third and returned the favor with a big right hand that caught a retreating Perez flush as he registered a big knockdown of his own. Ramos pushed the pace through the penultimate round as he backed up Perez with relentless pressure to leave Perez’s coach Robert Garcia telling his man that he needed to win the round to stand a chance of a draw. Ramos’s coach Rich Barrientes, meanwhile, continued his positive approach as he encouraged Ramos to put everything into his final round to secure victory. And with the final seconds counting down, both men swung for the fences in a bid to land a fight-altering knockdown. After an entertaining fight that saw both men land 83 punches, and both register knockdowns, the action went all the way to the judges, who scored the fight a majority draw.
Brady Ochoa vs. Adrian Serrano was also scored a majority draw, with scores of 58-56 Ochoa and 57-57 (twice). No one's 0 had to go as both Ochoa and Serrano emerged with their unbeaten records intact after their tightly-contested six-round lightweight battle ended in a majority draw. Serrano took the center of the ring and didn’t relinquish it as he looked to dictate terms through the opening round. The pair fought on level terms for much of the round, but by the end of the opening three minutes, an accidental clash of heads meant Ochoa returned to his corner bleeding profusely from a nasty cut above his hairline. Ochoa looked to move in and land flashy combinations in round two, but Serrano – the older man at 21 years of age – covered up well and didn’t seem too flustered by the teenager’s flurries. But that changed at the start of the third, when Ochoa started the round with some heavy hooks that found their mark and forced Serrano to take a backward step. Serrano later answered with a couple of solid hooks to the body, but Ochoa took them well and kept moving forward. After four tightly-contested rounds, both men upped the intensity in the fifth, with Serrano visibly planting his feet and loading up with his shots as he unloaded with venom to the body before moving upstairs to the head. Ochoa tried to respond in kind and landed a couple of solid shots, but the 18-year-old’s work wasn’t quite as accurate overall. A big right hand from Serrano put the exclamation point on the end of a strong penultimate round for the California native. It set things up perfectly for the final round, with both corners insisting to their fighters that the fight was still there for the taking. And, in the final three minutes, it was Ochoa who produced the more eye-catching work as he switched to southpaw and landed some decent shots as Serrano looked to adapt and counter. After six rounds of well-matched lightweight action that saw Ochoa land 105 punches to Serrano’s 104, the attention turned to the scorecards, with the judges scoring the first draw in Zuffa Boxing history.
Undefeated Mexican featherweight Emiliano Alvarado followed up on his win at Zuffa Boxing 03 as he made a swift turnaround to capture his second victory under the Zuffa Boxing banner. Alvarado had defeated Devin Gantt in the fourth round back in February, and at Zuffa Boxing 04, the 18-year-old overcame a fast start from Erick Rosado to drop his man en route to a unanimous decision victory after six rounds. Rosado arrived eager to make an impression, and the the 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic looked the livelier fighter through the opening round as he let his shots go and put some flashy combinations together. But in the second round, Alvarado turned up the intensity as he repeatedly ripped Rosado to the body. The teenage Mexican was noticeably the bigger, stronger man, and he put all those advantages into a huge left hook that sent Rosado down to the canvas. For a moment, it wasn’t clear whether Rosado would beat the count, but he eventually did, and the Santo Domingo native tried to fight fire with fire, as he stood and traded shots with Alvarado. But the Mexican’s heavier, more accurate shots found their mark again as the second round came to a close. Rosado showed plenty of grit and determination as he stepped into the pocket and traded with Alvarado through rounds three, four and five, but despite offering plenty of volume, he wasn’t able to pierce Alvarado’s guard too many times, as Alvarado’s constant targeting of the body to open up shots to the head saw him consistently outscore his opponent through the middle rounds. After dominating the fight from round two onward, Alvarado came out of his corner for the final round looking to cap off his performance with a finish. The Mexican loaded up with heavy shots, but Rosado gamely fired back as he made it to the final bell. It meant the fight went the distance, but there was no mystery over the identity of the winner, as Alvarado was awarded the unanimous decision victory with scores of 59-54 across the board from the three ringside judges. Alvarado’s victory gave him the honor of being the first fighter to register two victories in Zuffa Boxing, as he extended his perfect professional record to 11-0.
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Welter wins by TKO in Wroclaw |
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Karol Welter TKO3 Evander Castillo... The Hotel Terminal in Wroclaw, Poland provided the perfect setting for local favorite Karol Welter. In a middleweight contest, Welter delivered in front of his hometown crowd by stopping dangerous Venezuelan Evander Castillo with a third-round technical knockout. The bout opened with an extremely focused Welter (21-1), who used his physical advantages to control the early aggression of Castillo, a fighter determined to land his power shots from the opening bell. However, the Polish fighter’s polished technique and his ability to exploit gaps in the visitor’s guard quickly became decisive factors. After two rounds of steady pressure, the finish came in the third. Welter unleashed a combination that left the native of Anzoátegui without answers, forcing the referee to step in at the 44-second mark of the round to wave off the contest. For Castillo, his modest three-fight win streak is over, and his record falls to 21-5.
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Welter wins by TKO in Wroclaw
Karol Welter TKO3 Evander Castillo... The Hotel Terminal in Wroclaw, Poland provided the perfect setting for local favorite Karol Welter. In a middleweight contest, Welter delivered in front of his hometown crowd by stopping dangerous Venezuelan Evander Castillo with a third-round technical knockout. The bout opened with an extremely focused Welter (21-1), who used his physical advantages to control the early aggression of Castillo, a fighter determined to land his power shots from the opening bell. However, the Polish fighter’s polished technique and his ability to exploit gaps in the visitor’s guard quickly became decisive factors. After two rounds of steady pressure, the finish came in the third. Welter unleashed a combination that left the native of Anzoátegui without answers, forcing the referee to step in at the 44-second mark of the round to wave off the contest. For Castillo, his modest three-fight win streak is over, and his record falls to 21-5.
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Las Vegas weigh-in report |
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Here the boxers' weights for the Zuffa show in Las Vegas on Sunday:
Twelve-round Zuffa cruiserweight title bout:
Jai Opetaia (199.5 pounds) vs. Brandon Glanton (200)
Ten-round welterweight bout: Ricardo Salas (145.5) vs. Jesus Saracho (146.5);
Eight-round featherweight bout: Adan Palma (125.5) vs. Pablo Rubio (125.5);
Ten-round welterweight bout: Vlad Panin (146.5) vs. Shinard Bunch (147);
Eight-round heavyweight bout: Joshua Juarez (258) vs. Jardae Anderson (263);
Six-round featherweight bout: Jaycob Ramos (126) vs. Ethan Perez (125.5);
Six-round lightweight bout: Brady Ochoa (134) vs. Adrian Serrano (135); and
Six-round featherweight: Emiliano Alvarado (125.5) vs. Erick Rosado (124.5).
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Las Vegas weigh-in report
Here the boxers' weights for the Zuffa show in Las Vegas on Sunday:
Twelve-round Zuffa cruiserweight title bout:
Jai Opetaia (199.5 pounds) vs. Brandon Glanton (200)
Ten-round welterweight bout: Ricardo Salas (145.5) vs. Jesus Saracho (146.5);
Eight-round featherweight bout: Adan Palma (125.5) vs. Pablo Rubio (125.5);
Ten-round welterweight bout: Vlad Panin (146.5) vs. Shinard Bunch (147);
Eight-round heavyweight bout: Joshua Juarez (258) vs. Jardae Anderson (263);
Six-round featherweight bout: Jaycob Ramos (126) vs. Ethan Perez (125.5);
Six-round lightweight bout: Brady Ochoa (134) vs. Adrian Serrano (135); and
Six-round featherweight: Emiliano Alvarado (125.5) vs. Erick Rosado (124.5).
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IBF to strip Opetaia over dispute with Zuffa |
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Sadly, the IBF will strip cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia of its title over a dispute with Zuffa Boxing, who is planning to offer its own version of boxing championships. Here is the IBF's statement:
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has withdrawn sanction of the optional defense of the IBF cruiserweight title between champion Jai Opetaia and Brandon Glanton scheduled for March 8, 2026. The initial sanction followed discussions that began on February 11, when IBF President Daryl Peoples, after learning about the contest on social media, reminded Opetaia’s representatives of IBF Rule 5. governing champions and unification bouts. After continued dialogue, on March 3, Opetaia’s team confirmed the fight would not be a unification and that any belt awarded by Zuffa would be “characterized as a trophy or token of recognition.” The IBF has not had any discussion regarding this bout with any direct representative from Zuffa Boxing. However, the organization received assurances from Opetaia’s representatives that this would be the case. The IBF approved the bout under these conditions as the bout would no longer conflict with IBF Rule 5.E.2 which states in part – “For the purpose of unification of titles, the preeminent champions of the WBA, WBC and the WBO may be designated as “elite contenders” and may be permitted to fight for the unified title.”
The press conference held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on March 6th made it clear that the Zuffa world cruiserweight title would still be contested on March 8th. The IBF reserves the right to sanction title bouts alongside other sanctioning bodies that comply with the same mandated regulations followed by the organization. With sanction withdrawn, the Opetaia vs. Glanton bout is now an Unsanctioned Contest. IBF Rule 5.H. states in part - “An Unsanctioned Contest is a fight which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanction has been formally withdrawn. If a Champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his prescribed weight limit, the title will be declared vacant whether the Champion wins or loses the bout.” The organization’s rules don’t always yield the preferred or popular outcome, but they provide structure and transparency, serving not just the champion but also those waiting for the opportunity to fight for the title. The pursuit of undisputed status – by unifying the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO titles – represents the highest ambition in the sport. The IBF is committed to providing professional boxers worldwide with meaningful opportunities to advance their careers.
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IBF to strip Opetaia over dispute with Zuffa
Sadly, the IBF will strip cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia of its title over a dispute with Zuffa Boxing, who is planning to offer its own version of boxing championships. Here is the IBF's statement:
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has withdrawn sanction of the optional defense of the IBF cruiserweight title between champion Jai Opetaia and Brandon Glanton scheduled for March 8, 2026. The initial sanction followed discussions that began on February 11, when IBF President Daryl Peoples, after learning about the contest on social media, reminded Opetaia’s representatives of IBF Rule 5. governing champions and unification bouts. After continued dialogue, on March 3, Opetaia’s team confirmed the fight would not be a unification and that any belt awarded by Zuffa would be “characterized as a trophy or token of recognition.” The IBF has not had any discussion regarding this bout with any direct representative from Zuffa Boxing. However, the organization received assurances from Opetaia’s representatives that this would be the case. The IBF approved the bout under these conditions as the bout would no longer conflict with IBF Rule 5.E.2 which states in part – “For the purpose of unification of titles, the preeminent champions of the WBA, WBC and the WBO may be designated as “elite contenders” and may be permitted to fight for the unified title.”
The press conference held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on March 6th made it clear that the Zuffa world cruiserweight title would still be contested on March 8th. The IBF reserves the right to sanction title bouts alongside other sanctioning bodies that comply with the same mandated regulations followed by the organization. With sanction withdrawn, the Opetaia vs. Glanton bout is now an Unsanctioned Contest. IBF Rule 5.H. states in part - “An Unsanctioned Contest is a fight which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanction has been formally withdrawn. If a Champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his prescribed weight limit, the title will be declared vacant whether the Champion wins or loses the bout.” The organization’s rules don’t always yield the preferred or popular outcome, but they provide structure and transparency, serving not just the champion but also those waiting for the opportunity to fight for the title. The pursuit of undisputed status – by unifying the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO titles – represents the highest ambition in the sport. The IBF is committed to providing professional boxers worldwide with meaningful opportunities to advance their careers.
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Inoue vs. Nakatani locked in: May 2nd at Tokyo Dome |
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Japanese boxing is preparing for one of the most important nights in its history when undefeated four-division champ Naoya Inoue faces undefeated three-division champ Junto Nakatani for Inoue's world super bantamweight championship on May 2nd at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. Inoue enters the fight as one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters in the world and the undisputed champion at 122 pounds. Throughout his illustrious career, he has dominated multiple divisions thanks to his power, speed, focus, angility and precision, cementing himself as one of the biggest stars in modern boxing. Nakatani, also comes in undefeated and with the opportunity to capture a world title in a fourth division. The talented, hard-hitting southpaw has demonstrated his quality in several weight classes and now aims to take the biggest step of his career against the undisputed champion.
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Inoue vs. Nakatani locked in: May 2nd at Tokyo Dome
Japanese boxing is preparing for one of the most important nights in its history when undefeated four-division champ Naoya Inoue faces undefeated three-division champ Junto Nakatani for Inoue's world super bantamweight championship on May 2nd at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. Inoue enters the fight as one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters in the world and the undisputed champion at 122 pounds. Throughout his illustrious career, he has dominated multiple divisions thanks to his power, speed, focus, angility and precision, cementing himself as one of the biggest stars in modern boxing. Nakatani, also comes in undefeated and with the opportunity to capture a world title in a fourth division. The talented, hard-hitting southpaw has demonstrated his quality in several weight classes and now aims to take the biggest step of his career against the undisputed champion.
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Ioka seeks to conquer new weight class on May 2nd |
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The historic May 2nd Tokyo Dome card will also feature Japanese legend Kazuto Ioka seeking to make in Japanese history. At 37 years old, Ioka (32-4-1) will attempt to make history by challenging Takuma Inoue for Inoue's WBC 118-pound title. Inoue (21-2) is the brother of world super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue, who headlines the May 2nd show against three-division champion Junto Nakatani. Ioka has held world titles at 105, 112 and 115 pounds. He was also a WBA regular titleholder at 108.
The card will also include other notable matchups, namely the bout between Jin Sasaki and undefeated Sora Tanaka, as well as the fight between Toshioki Shimomachi and Reiya Abe. There will also be a clash between Yoshiki Takei and China’s Dekang Wang.
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Ioka seeks to conquer new weight class on May 2nd
The historic May 2nd Tokyo Dome card will also feature Japanese legend Kazuto Ioka seeking to make in Japanese history. At 37 years old, Ioka (32-4-1) will attempt to make history by challenging Takuma Inoue for Inoue's WBC 118-pound title. Inoue (21-2) is the brother of world super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue, who headlines the May 2nd show against three-division champion Junto Nakatani. Ioka has held world titles at 105, 112 and 115 pounds. He was also a WBA regular titleholder at 108.
The card will also include other notable matchups, namely the bout between Jin Sasaki and undefeated Sora Tanaka, as well as the fight between Toshioki Shimomachi and Reiya Abe. There will also be a clash between Yoshiki Takei and China’s Dekang Wang.
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Big opportunity for Bunch on Sunday |
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Welterweight Shinard “Showtime” Bunch (22-3-1) just can’t quit his passion. Bunch will introduce himself to a wider audience on Sunday night at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, where he’ll take on Vlad Panin (23-2) in a ten-round welterweight bout. The 26-year old admits that he’s come close to walking away from boxing before, but his love for the sport keeps on bringing him back. “I've actually tried to quit boxing before,” Bunch told UFC.com ahead of his Zuffa Boxing debut in Las Vegas on Sunday night. “I actually tried to stop. I don’t want to box no more. It’s over with. But once you find the love again, it’s not like anything else. It’s your real first love. So I see it’s just different. I tried to stop boxing so I should tell everybody everything they need to know.”
So, what made him come back? “The love for it,” he admitted. “Family, friends, mentors, just the people around me – I know for a fact they want to see me do good. I know for a fact I want to do good, you know, just in life. I have kids. One day I want my kids to be able to say, ‘My dad was this, my dad was that. But all in all, he was a great person,’ you know? From start to finish, I just try to be the best man I can be, every day.”
Bunch’s passion for boxing reached new heights when he was offered the chance to join the Zuffa Boxing roster. As someone who had already checked out Dana White’s industry-changing brand of boxing, he had no hesitation when he was presented the chance to hop aboard the train.
“I’ve been watching Zuffa before I got signed to them,” he said. “I feel like Dana White and Turki (Alalshikh) are elevating boxing in a different kind of way. So, when I got the call, I definitely (accepted).”
For an unassuming character like Bunch, it’s a move that pushes him a little out of his comfort zone. The sporting side of the change will see him testing his mettle inside the ring with opposition that more closely matches his own talent. But it also opens him up to something he hasn’t had to deal with too often before – dealing with the media and telling his own story. “I don't really open up much, so anything that you learn about me, I feel like it’s a bonus,” he admitted. “As a fighter, I can do anything. I can box, I’m known for having knockouts, but not only having knockouts, just being a brilliant boxer. I have all the tools to make me a world champion.”
“I don't really know too much about Panin,” he admitted. “Everybody's here for a reason, so we don't underestimate nobody. But I said we coming to fight, because we’re coming to win. We're not coming for no loss. We're not coming for no draw. We're coming to win. So, you know, good luck to him.”
Bunch heads into his Zuffa Boxing debut with a career record of 22-3-1 with 1 no contest, and 18 knockouts. The New Yorker is confident in his skills, and says that the experience he’s picked up in his 27 pro fights to date will stand him in good stead when he takes on Panin on Sunday night. “I just feel like I can box with the best of them,” said Bunch. “When I'm on my game, it's, it's really hard to turn me down. I feel like my experience in the different type of looks, angles, boxing accolades that I have, I just feel like (they) will play a big part within our fight.”
Bunch is hopeful that he can get his Zuffa Boxing career off to a winning start and says that he wants to inspire people back home that there is a path to greatness from his hometown to the “Fight Capital of the World”.
“I’m here to stay, definitely here to stay.,” he said. “We have a lot of politics in boxing. We have a lot of people that love you when you’re up and hate you when you’re down. So, for anybody that's around me – wins, losses – it's always been the same. It's always been back to square one. It's always been championship mentality.
“So, for just the people around me, I just want to show them that we can do it. Everybody else around me, you know we can do it. The coaches, the guys back home – I train within a gym – it’s possible, coming from where we come from, it's possible.”
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Big opportunity for Bunch on Sunday
Welterweight Shinard “Showtime” Bunch (22-3-1) just can’t quit his passion. Bunch will introduce himself to a wider audience on Sunday night at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, where he’ll take on Vlad Panin (23-2) in a ten-round welterweight bout. The 26-year old admits that he’s come close to walking away from boxing before, but his love for the sport keeps on bringing him back. “I've actually tried to quit boxing before,” Bunch told UFC.com ahead of his Zuffa Boxing debut in Las Vegas on Sunday night. “I actually tried to stop. I don’t want to box no more. It’s over with. But once you find the love again, it’s not like anything else. It’s your real first love. So I see it’s just different. I tried to stop boxing so I should tell everybody everything they need to know.”
So, what made him come back? “The love for it,” he admitted. “Family, friends, mentors, just the people around me – I know for a fact they want to see me do good. I know for a fact I want to do good, you know, just in life. I have kids. One day I want my kids to be able to say, ‘My dad was this, my dad was that. But all in all, he was a great person,’ you know? From start to finish, I just try to be the best man I can be, every day.”
Bunch’s passion for boxing reached new heights when he was offered the chance to join the Zuffa Boxing roster. As someone who had already checked out Dana White’s industry-changing brand of boxing, he had no hesitation when he was presented the chance to hop aboard the train.
“I’ve been watching Zuffa before I got signed to them,” he said. “I feel like Dana White and Turki (Alalshikh) are elevating boxing in a different kind of way. So, when I got the call, I definitely (accepted).”
For an unassuming character like Bunch, it’s a move that pushes him a little out of his comfort zone. The sporting side of the change will see him testing his mettle inside the ring with opposition that more closely matches his own talent. But it also opens him up to something he hasn’t had to deal with too often before – dealing with the media and telling his own story. “I don't really open up much, so anything that you learn about me, I feel like it’s a bonus,” he admitted. “As a fighter, I can do anything. I can box, I’m known for having knockouts, but not only having knockouts, just being a brilliant boxer. I have all the tools to make me a world champion.”
“I don't really know too much about Panin,” he admitted. “Everybody's here for a reason, so we don't underestimate nobody. But I said we coming to fight, because we’re coming to win. We're not coming for no loss. We're not coming for no draw. We're coming to win. So, you know, good luck to him.”
Bunch heads into his Zuffa Boxing debut with a career record of 22-3-1 with 1 no contest, and 18 knockouts. The New Yorker is confident in his skills, and says that the experience he’s picked up in his 27 pro fights to date will stand him in good stead when he takes on Panin on Sunday night. “I just feel like I can box with the best of them,” said Bunch. “When I'm on my game, it's, it's really hard to turn me down. I feel like my experience in the different type of looks, angles, boxing accolades that I have, I just feel like (they) will play a big part within our fight.”
Bunch is hopeful that he can get his Zuffa Boxing career off to a winning start and says that he wants to inspire people back home that there is a path to greatness from his hometown to the “Fight Capital of the World”.
“I’m here to stay, definitely here to stay.,” he said. “We have a lot of politics in boxing. We have a lot of people that love you when you’re up and hate you when you’re down. So, for anybody that's around me – wins, losses – it's always been the same. It's always been back to square one. It's always been championship mentality.
“So, for just the people around me, I just want to show them that we can do it. Everybody else around me, you know we can do it. The coaches, the guys back home – I train within a gym – it’s possible, coming from where we come from, it's possible.”
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Atlantic City weigh-in report |
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Boxing Insider’s Club Boxing Series returns to the Tropicana Showroom in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday, March 7t with a six-bout card sanctioned by the New Jersey Athletic Control Board. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Here are the boxers' weights:
Justin Figueroa 159 pounds -vs.- Luis Caraballo 159;
John Leonardo 122 -vs.- Edgar Joe Cortes 122;
Josh Popper 235 -vs.- Dillion Pumphrey 330;
Lia Lewandowski 115 -vs.- Indeya Rodriguez 114;
Julio Sanchez III 139 -vs.- Christopher Williams 139; and
Jacob Riley Solis 165 -vs.- Jeremy Ramos 165.
Doors open at 6:00 PM with the first bell at 7:30 PM
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Atlantic City weigh-in report
Boxing Insider’s Club Boxing Series returns to the Tropicana Showroom in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday, March 7t with a six-bout card sanctioned by the New Jersey Athletic Control Board. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Here are the boxers' weights:
Justin Figueroa 159 pounds -vs.- Luis Caraballo 159;
John Leonardo 122 -vs.- Edgar Joe Cortes 122;
Josh Popper 235 -vs.- Dillion Pumphrey 330;
Lia Lewandowski 115 -vs.- Indeya Rodriguez 114;
Julio Sanchez III 139 -vs.- Christopher Williams 139; and
Jacob Riley Solis 165 -vs.- Jeremy Ramos 165.
Doors open at 6:00 PM with the first bell at 7:30 PM
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Rare win for Taiwan on international stage |
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Jhung Ciou W8 Ryuga Hattori ... Boxing in Taiwan celebrated a rare win on the international stage as local son Jhung Ciou defeated Japan’s Ryuga Hattori (6-4-1) by unanimous decision. It was an eight-round bout held in the minimumweight division. The event, organized by the promotional team Pro Boxing Team Taoyuan in the city of Taichung, represented a firm step forward in the expansion of professional boxing within the island nation. Before a dedicated audience, Ciou (11-2-1) demonstrated technical superiority and great physical conditioning to dominate the scheduled rounds. The bout was supervised by high-level officials, with referee Takeru Okaniwa directing the action in the ring. At the end of the contest, judges Eddie Lang, Saemi Okaniwa, and Koji Tanaka submitted scores of 79-73, 78-74, and 77-73, all in favor of the Taiwanese fighter.
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Rare win for Taiwan on international stage
Jhung Ciou W8 Ryuga Hattori ... Boxing in Taiwan celebrated a rare win on the international stage as local son Jhung Ciou defeated Japan’s Ryuga Hattori (6-4-1) by unanimous decision. It was an eight-round bout held in the minimumweight division. The event, organized by the promotional team Pro Boxing Team Taoyuan in the city of Taichung, represented a firm step forward in the expansion of professional boxing within the island nation. Before a dedicated audience, Ciou (11-2-1) demonstrated technical superiority and great physical conditioning to dominate the scheduled rounds. The bout was supervised by high-level officials, with referee Takeru Okaniwa directing the action in the ring. At the end of the contest, judges Eddie Lang, Saemi Okaniwa, and Koji Tanaka submitted scores of 79-73, 78-74, and 77-73, all in favor of the Taiwanese fighter.
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Tickets on sale for Baumgardner's NYC title fight |
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MVP returns to New York City for MVPW 02 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday, April 17th — the inaugural U.S. event for MVPW, the new global platform for women’s boxing. In the main event, unified junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner (pictured) will take on Korea's Bo Mi Re Shin in a ten-round bout at 130, to be contested under equal rules to men with three minute rounds. In the co-feature, unified super middleweight champion Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green will make a ten-round world title defense against former light heavyweight champion Lani Daniels (a former Claressa Shields victim). Tickets on sale now.
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Tickets on sale for Baumgardner's NYC title fight
MVP returns to New York City for MVPW 02 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday, April 17th — the inaugural U.S. event for MVPW, the new global platform for women’s boxing. In the main event, unified junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner (pictured) will take on Korea's Bo Mi Re Shin in a ten-round bout at 130, to be contested under equal rules to men with three minute rounds. In the co-feature, unified super middleweight champion Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green will make a ten-round world title defense against former light heavyweight champion Lani Daniels (a former Claressa Shields victim). Tickets on sale now.
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