Fightnews.com

By Robert Coster

WBA regular minimumweight champion Erick “Mini Pacman” Rosa is returning to ring action after one year and eight months without lacing the gloves. On August 25 Rosa (5-0, 1 KO) will be defending his title against Venezuelan challenger Orlando Pino (14-1, 8 KOs) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. A victory over Pino will open the door for Rosa to face WBA super champion Thamanon Niyomthing of Thailand. Rosa is part of a very select group of boxers who became a world champion with less than five pro fights.

Anthony Joshua 250 vs. Robert Helenius 249.4

Filip Hrgovic 243.1 vs. Demsey McKean 245.5

Derek Chisora 252.1 vs. Gerald Washington 237.9

Johnny Fisher 242.8 vs. Harry Armstrong 250.8

Campbell Hatton 141.8 vs. Tom Ansell 141.9
Geroge Liddard 162.3 vs. Bas Oosterweghel 164.7
Brandon Scott 131.9 vs. Louis Norman 133.9
Maiseyrose Courtney 114.4 vs. Gemma Ruegg 113.8

Venue: O2 Arena, London, England
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: DAZN

In a clash between unbeaten flyweights, Andy Dominguez (10-0, 6 KOs) scored a six round majority decision over Mohammed Aryeetey (7-1-1, 5 KOs) on Thursday night at Sony Hall in New York City. Close fight. Scores were 58-56, 58-56, 57-57.

In the co-feature, female super flyweight Christina Cruz (5-0, 0 KOs) swept past Nancy Franco (19-18-2, 5 KOs) over eight by scores of 80-72, 79-73, 79-93.

WBO junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) and former champion Oscar Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) faced off for all-Mexican duel on Saturday night on ESPN from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Emanuel Navarrete: “We all know that this fight is raising a lot of expectations. It would be totally fraudulent if Valdez and I didn’t give 100 percent in this fight. We all know that everyone expects a war in the ring. We have all that it takes to make for a great fight.”

Oscar Valdez: “This fight means the world to me…I want to win. I want to be a world champion again. I want to show the fans a good fight. So, I am ready.”

Former world champion Emmanuel “Manny” Rodriguez and top contender Melvin “Melo” Lopez went face to face at Thursday’s final press conference before they meet for the vacant IBF bantamweight world championship this Saturday on Showtime from The Theater at MGM National Harbor, Maryland.

Emmanuel Rodriguez: “I guarantee you I’m gonna come out with the win on Saturday, because I’m the toughest opponent he’s ever faced. I’m gonna prove I’m the best fighter in the division. This is gonna send a message to all the other champions that I’m here to stay…I feel like I can stop him between the fourth and seventh rounds.”

Melvin Lopez: “He can say whatever he wants, talk is cheap. Saturday night is where it’s all shown. He’s gonna have to back it up. I’m not gonna guarantee a knockout. I’m an animal that hunts for his prey. I’m gonna try to get him where I want and whatever happens, happens.”

Unbeaten IBF #1, WBA #8, WBO #13, WBC #15 heavyweight Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs) and unbeaten IBF #13, WBO #14 Demsey McKean (22-0, 14 KOs) traded barbs before their twelve-rounder on Saturday’s Joshua-Helenius stream on DAZN from London:

Demsey McKean: “He waffles on about ‘who has he knocked out that I haven’t knocked out?’ Well, who has he decisively beaten? He only has Zhilei Zhang and that was a controversial decision, so we have similar CVs as each other. He’s a good fighter, I just think I have the tools to beat him and give him a hell of a night.”

Filip Hrgovic: We will see – anything is possible in boxing and life. But I don’t see how he can beat me. He’s had 22 fights before, but I don’t see anything special in his game and as I said before, it’s one thing to be confident, but another to be delusional. Continue reading “Hrgovic-McKean heats up”

In a WBA super featherweight eliminator, Otar “Pitbull” Eranosyan (14-0, 7 KOs) scored an eightth round TKO over former world champion Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez (27-5-1, 21 KOs) on Wednesday night at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Eranosyan rocked Gutierrez in round one, but Gutierrez responded by dropping Eranosyan in round two. Eranosyan upped the pressure after that. Gutierrez was deducted a point for holding in round eight. Eranosyan blasted Gutierrez to the canvas with a barrage of punches moments later. The bout was stopped after the round.

Super lightweight Petros Ananyan (18-3-2, 9 KOs) scored a seventh round knockout over Cristian Baez (19-3, 17 KOs). Baez was winning the fight until Ananyan rocked him. Baez went to the canvas and was counted out. Time was 1:41. Ananyan is the only man to defeat current IBF champion Subriel Matias.

Super lightweight Tristan Gallichan (1-0-1, 1 KO) and Ryan Schwartzberg (3-11-3, 2 KOs) battled to a four round draw. Scores were 38-38, 38-38, and 40-36.

Pre-sale tickets for undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez against undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo are available tomorrow, Thursday, August 10 from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com by using the code: PBC. The bout takes place September 30 on PPV from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Canelo Alvarez: “I’m very happy that we got to make a fight of this magnitude between two undisputed champions. Jermell Charlo has also faced the best in his division, and I’m glad that the fans are going to enjoy a world class fight between us on September 30.”

Jermell Charlo: “I’m really excited to make history once again on September 30. This is the biggest fight in boxing and I’m coming to leave it all in the ring like I do every time. I manifested this fight into existence and earned it with everything I’ve done in this sport so far. Canelo is a great fighter, but he’s gonna see what Lions Only is all about. When the fight’s over, people are gonna have to recognize that I’m the best fighter in the sport.”

Lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla suffered a training injury and has been forced to withdraw from his ESPN-televised co-feature this Saturday against fellow unbeaten Diego Torres at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

The 10-round junior welterweight tilt between 2016 Olympian Lindolfo Delgado (17-0, 13, KOs) and Jair Valtierra (16-2, 8 KOs) is the new co-feature and will be televised directly before the WBO junior lightweight world title showdown between reigning champion Emanuel Navarrete and former two-weight world champion Oscar Valdez.

Navarrete-Valdez, Delgado-Valtierra, and the heavyweight showdown between Richard Torrez Jr. and Willie Jake Jr. will be broadcast live on ESPN.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and late sub Robert Helenius spoke about Saturday’s showdown in London and seen on DAZN.

Anthony Joshua: “The principles remain the same, worry about myself. Robert and I sparred years ago, we shared the ring, but I’ve sparred with so may styles, competed with so many styles, the objective remains the same – victory, and victory by any means. There’s no overtime in boxing so I have to be on my A-game and inflict pain to get the victory…it would be silly to underestimate him, or anyone. I have to take him deadly serious.”

Robert Helenius: “This fight offer came to me after my fight at the weekend. I was going on vacation with my family but not anymore, here we are. We had a good camp behind us, and we feel ready. I am ready to fight, otherwise I wouldn’t be here…I will give everything to win this fight.”

Today in London, heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius faced off for the first time in advance of their DAZN-streamed clash on Saturday night.

Following the postponement of the August 19 Artur Beterbiev against Callum Smith card, the duel between WBC #1, WBA #4, IBF #5 super middleweight Christian Mbilli (24-0, 20 KOs) and Demond Nicholson (26-5-1, 22 KOs) will be moved to Eye of the Tiger’s September 8 card at the Casino du Lac-Leamy.

Headlining is NABF super lightweight champion, Steve Claggett (35-7-2, 25 KOs) defend his title against Carlos “El Tiburon” Sanchez Valadez (24-1, 19 KOs).

By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Why was it expected to be a competitive war? It’s because both are devastating hard-punchers prone to take punches. But it didn’t become competitive but one-sided. Japanese super light champ Homura Fujita (11-1, 9 KOs), 140, kept his belt by a quick demolition of JBC#1 Hayato Ono (12-5-2, 11 KOs), 139.75, at 2:48 of the third round in the main event of the national title twinbill on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. The aggressive champ, from round one, caught up with the still nervous and stiff challenger, and almost stunned him with solid effective overhand rights. The second saw Fujita improve his precision in landing powerful shots upstairs and downstairs to obviously hurt Ono, who wobblingly returned to his corner. Fujita, a graduate from highly ranked Waseda university and now working in a renowned enterprise, swarmed over the damaged challenger, decking to the canvas with a furious combination. Though Ono resumed fighting, Fujita battered him from all angles so furiously that the ref stepped in and waved it off. Continue reading “Fujita halts Ono, keeps JBC 140lb belt”

IBF #3 world ranked bantamweight Melvin “Melo” Lopez (29-1, 19 KOs) of Nicaragua (now based in Miami) will get his long-awaited world title opportunity versus former world champion and IBF #2 world ranked Emmanuel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico. (The number one slot is vacant). The twelve round main event will take place this Saturday at the MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland. The card will be promoted by Tom Brown (TGB Promotions) and televised live on Showtime.

Lopez is riding an eight-bout win streak since his upset loss at the hands of now former world title challenger Jose Velasquez of Chile in 2019. It has been a long back getting to the world title fight but Lopez is confident is ready to become a world champion. Continue reading “Interview: Melvin “Melo” Lopez”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

After a long career full of ups and downs, newly crowned 38-year-old workman Yuichi Ideta (17-16-1, 9 KOs), 153.25, very barely kept his Japanese super welter belt as he eked out a hairline split decision (96-94 twice, 94-96 against him) over interim champ Rei Nakajima (6-2, 1 KO), 154, over ten see-saw rounds on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

Ideta, a Yaqui Lopez stylist, annexed the national belt from Makoto Kawasaki in a grueling fight last December, but suffered a detached retina on the left optic and had to take an optical surgery with a necessary recovering interval.  During his inactivity the JBC approved an interim title bout with Nakajima eventually winning the secondary belt this April.  Now it’s a national unification bout.  Ideta, who had experienced a notoriously losing streak in eleven bouts, really had a tough time as Nakajima swept almost all rounds in the first half.  Ideta, however, kept battering the early starter with his persistent attack to see Nakajima fading down the stretch.  Overcoming his early deficits on points, Ideta finally earned a split verdict and managed to retain his belt in his first defense. Continue reading “Ideta barely defeats Nakajima”

Super featherweight contenders Otar Eranosyan (13-0, 6 KOs) and Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez (27-4-1, 21 KOs) both made weight for their WBA eliminator fight on Wednesday night at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Eranosyan weighed in at 129.4 lbs, while the former world champion Gutierrez stopped the needle at 129.8 lbs. ProBox TV will stream.

Two of Mexico’s most accomplished boxers, Oscar Valdez and Emanuel Navarrete, will square off in an all-Mexican super featherweight title fight on Saturday, August 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Valdez, is managed by veteran manager Frank Espinoza who has helmed the career of 10 world champions. “I would be surprised if this doesn’t turn out to be a fight of the year candidate,” says the knowledgeable L.A. based manager. “Their styles will combine into something very exciting. These are extremely competitive, talented and hungry fighters. Mark my words. This will be an unforgettable fight.”

Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) is the former WBC and WBO super featherweight champion. He lost his WBC title to Shakur Stevenson in April 2022, but bounced back with a unanimous decision victory over Adam Lopez in May. Continue reading “Espinoza: Valdez-Navarrete will be a classic war”

Sad to announce that former heavyweight contender Roy Harris, from Cut and Shoot, Texas, passed away this morning at the age of 90. Harris was rated in the top 10 as a heavyweight from mid-1957 to mid-1960, and challenged Floyd Patterson for the world heavyweight title back in 1958. He also fought Sonny Liston, Henry Cooper, and many more. Harris finished with a record of 30-5 with 9 KOs. RIP.

This Tuesday, during the WBC weekly press conferencea, a purse bid was held for the rights to host the next mandatory bout in the super featherweight division. Matchroom Boxing was the only promotional company that participated in the purse bid, consequently, its offer of $466,666 USD, was the winner to acquire the promotional rights of O’Shaquie Foster vs. Eduardo “Rocky” Hernández.

With the situation getting sorted out in London, we are in store for a Super Saturday with DAZN, ESPN, and Showtime all delivering terrific shows.

DAZN has four heavyweight fights from London’s O2 Arena featuring former WBA/IBF/WBO unified champion Anthony Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs) against credible late sub Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius (32-4, 21 KOs), IBF #1 Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs) vs. unbeaten Demsey McKean (22-0, 14 KOs), a collision of former world title challengers between Derek Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) and Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs), and “The Romford Bull” Johnny Fisher (9-0, 8 KOs) against Harry Armstrong (5-1-1, o KOs).

ESPN has the must see clash between reigning WBO junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) and former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. On paper, this looks like an epic matchup. In that vein, Top Rank is bringing in Mexican ring legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales for the fight week festivities.

Showtime has a nice card at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, headlined by former world champion Emmanuel “Manny” Rodriguez (21-2, 13 KOs) taking on Melvin “Melo” Lopez (29-1, 19 KOs) for the vacant IBF bantamweight title formerly held by Naoya Inoue.

By Mauricio Sulaimán
President of the WBC – Son of José Sulaimán

I must have been about three or four years old when my dad first took me to a boxing show, and I remember walking down a corridor seeing the illuminated ring, as well as the rest of the arena in dim light, with smoke everywhere and euphoric people screaming while two men were hitting each other inside the ring.

My first impression was of great shock and considerable nervousness, but as the rounds went by, I calmed down and that’s when the passion for boxing kicked in and took hold for the rest of my life. From that day on, it was my dream to be a boxer. It was usual that on Saturday nights I went with my dad to the Arena Coliseo. I remember approaching in the car and seeing from a couple of blocks away the huge sign in the street of Peru, Number 77, in the heart of Tepito, Mexico City. Continue reading “The Legendary Coliseo Arena”

OTX – Overtime’s boxing platform – is back in action Friday with a slate of matches featuring undefeated super featherweight Albert Bell (23-0, 6 KOs) against Presco Carcosia (11-2-1, 9 KOs) at OTE Arena in Atlanta and live on DAZN. In the co-main event, Raul “Money” Salomone (12-1, 10 KOs) will fight Tyler “Hercules” Howard (19-1, 11 KOs).

Also seeing action in separate bouts are super lightweight David Navarro (5-1, 3 KOs), nephew of US Olympian and world title challenger Jose Navarro, plus welterweight Giovanni Marquez (5-0, 3 KOs), trained by his father former Olympian and world champion Raul Marquez. Continue reading “Bell-Carcosia collide Friday”

Mick Francis, co-promoter of IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia and head of Australian promotional outfit Tasman Fighters has reacted with disappointment to the news that mandatory contender Richard Riakporhe has withdrawn from the scheduled purse bid hours before it was due to be held.

“It’s clear to us that Jai Opetaia is the most avoided Cruiserweight in the world. Twice we’ve had mandatory challengers pull out on us at the last minute. Once with Mateusz Masternak and now with Richard Riakporhe.
I’ve been in regular contact with Ben Shalom from Boxxer the whole way during this negotiating period.

“I was amused to read that Richard stated he had accepted offers for the fight on two occasions. That’s news to me. If he accepted, then why were we going to purse bids in a couple of hours’ time? Continue reading “Riakporhe withdraws from Opetaia purse bid”

Following the announcement of the postponement of the event scheduled for August 19, featuring the unified WBC, WBO, and IBF light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) against former world champion Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs), Eye of the Tiger and Top Rank confirm that the fight will now take place on Saturday, January 13, 2024. The event, set to be held at Centre Videotron as originally planned, will be broadcast simultaneously on ESPN and Punching Grace.

Due to the emergency dental surgery Artur Beterbiev underwent on Sunday, July 31, preventing him from taking blows to the jaw for 2 to 4 months, it was impossible for the Quebec-based team to consider a closer rescheduling date. For Eye of the Tiger’s president, Camille Estephan, presenting the event without its headliner was inconceivable, so they decided to postpone the event. Continue reading “New Date for Beterbiev-Smith”

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will face “The Nordic Nightmare’ Robert Helenius in a 12-round main event at The O2 in London this Saturday, shown exclusively live worldwide on DAZN. This follows the news Joshua’s original opponent Dillian Whyte had returned adverse analytical findings as part of a random anti-doping protocol. As a result, their fight was immediately cancelled with a full investigation underway.

Anthony Joshua: “This wasn’t in the script. I respect Helenius and may I say, I respect any male or female who steps into the ring. I am laser-focused on the win. I can make steps forward to bigger and better things but the road map has a checkpoint, Saturday night. May the best man win.”

Robert Helenius: “I am excited about fighting Anthony Joshua on August 12. I am a true Viking that is willing to face any challenge at a moment’s notice. This is not an opportunity I was going to let slip away. I plan to make the most of it!” Continue reading “Helenius steps in to face Joshua”