Top Rank has announced that ESPN+ will stream the April 8 world title twinbill at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, which was announced today. The main event is the high-stakes light flyweight unification clash between WBC/WBA champion Kenshiro “The Amazing Boy” Teraji and WBO champ Jonathan “La Bomba” Gonzalez. It will be another early a.m. special.
After three postponements, it looks like the rematch between WBO jr welterweight champion Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall is off altogether. Top Rank is now reportedly working on making Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez in the UK this summer.
Sampson Lewkowicz (Sampson Boxing) and Paco Damian (Paco Presents) have signed featherweight Christian Olivo Barreda (20-0-1, 7 KOs) and lightweight Omar “Super” Salcido Gamez (16-0, 11 KOs) to multi-year, co-promotional contracts. The move is expected to open up opportunities for the two in the US with PBC and Showtime.
The WBO has announced a February 23 purse bid for the mandatory title clash between WBO jr. bantamweight champion Kazuto Ioka and former flyweight champion Junto Nakatani. However, there are reports that Ioka will instead vacate the title in favor of a rematch with WBA champion Joshua Franco, whom he fought to a draw with on December 31.
If Ioka does vacate, that might mean Nakatani fights Andrew Moloney or Tanaka, either of which are really good fights. And you have to feel for Catterall after the first fight then waiting (and waiting and waiting) for the rematch, only to get passed over in the end.
Yes…that Catterall decision was a bad one. I wonder if they are trying to make money with Lopez now because they are afraid he will implode.
I was thinking that too, Pete. Go ahead and put him in the biggest fight possible before he loses to one of these other guys. You bring him back against Barboza or someone and they might beat him.
Looks like we have a crappy year ahead of us. These greedy promoters like Al Haymon are completely screwing the fans over. Fight each other already, guys. Look at the immortals that took a loss and came back and made the fight game exciting. Spence, Crawford, Charlo..You are the fighters.. Man up and challenge yourselves. You only have so many years left to display your greatness.
Its always Al Haymon’s fault and his fault alone
Looks like Taylor is petrified of the rematch, hope Teo knocks him out. But doubt it, Teo has hit a brick wall
Teo will lose!! Bet he and crazy drunk pops are happy they’re not facing Prograis!!! Too much risk in getting knocked spark out!!
No one in America will be watching I’m sure of that.