After an intense 45-second faceoff, Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster started jostling while posing for photographers and had to be separated. They collide Saturday night for the WBC super featherweight world title in San Antonio, Texas. Showtime will televise.

The April 1 showdown between Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe, initially sanctioned for the interim title at 126 pounds, will now be for the full WBO featherweight world title due to the vacancy left by Emanuel Navarrete who will stay at 130 pounds. Robeisy and Dogboe clash atop an ESPN+-streamed card at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Ramirez, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, faces his toughest test to date in his first world title opportunity, while Dogboe will attempt to earn a world title belt in a second weight class.

Newly crowned three-division world champion Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete has vacated his WBO featherweight title in order to continue his campaign at junior lightweight. Navarrete captured the WBO 130-pound crown by defeating Liam Wilson via ninth-round technical knockout last week at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Navarrete said, “After closely analyzing the situation with my team, we have decided to keep the WBO junior lightweight title. I feel very happy with the three title defenses that I made at featherweight, but I am also convinced that my future is now at junior lightweight. We are going after the big fights at 130. I’m grateful for the support that I have always received from my promoter, Top Rank, and the WBO. I will now proudly carry and defend my junior lightweight belt.”

Rey Vargas 129.5 vs. O’Shaquie Foster 129.5
(WBC super featherweight title)

Mario Barrios 146.75 vs. Jovanie Santiago 145.75
Lenier Pero 242.75 vs. Viktor Faust 234

Claudio Marrero 135 vs. Gonzalo Fuenzalida 134.4
Eumir Marcial 161.4 vs. Ricardo Villalba 162
Dainier Pero 244.2 vs. Daniel Zavala 237.4
David Whitmire 148.8 vs. Keith Foreman 149

Venue: The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
Promoter: TGB Promotions
TV: Showtime, Youtube/Facebook

Former world title challenger Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) will defend his British middleweight title belt against Kieran Smith (18-1, 7 KOs) on the April 15 undercard of the Joe Joyce-Zhilei Zhang heavyweight showdown at the Copper Box Arena, live on BT Sport. Bentley is back fighting in London after his unsuccessful WBO world title tilt against Janibek Alimkhanuly last November in Las Vegas.

Also, Commonwealth super bantamweight champion Dennis “The Menace” McCann (14-0, 8 KOs) and WBC International Silver and Commonwealth lightweight titleholder Sam Noakes (10-0, 10 KOs) will be defending their titles. Unbeaten super lightweight Sonny Liston Ali (5-0, 0 KOs) will also see action.

King’s Promotions will be back at The Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on March 10 with an eight-round clash between welterweights Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez (21-1, 14 KOs) and Kashon Hutchinson (10-5, 2 KOs). The only loss on the 28-year-old Rodriguez’ ledger is to two-division world champion Jose Pedraza in 2021 in Las Vegas.

In the eight-round co-feature, surging lightweight James Bernadin (10-0-1, 6 KOs) looks to stay undefeated when he takes on Jesus Vasquez (10-1, 2 KOs).

Adam Azim 140 vs. Santos Reyes 140
(WBA International super lightweight title)

Zak Chelli 167 vs. Anthony Sims 167
(WBA International super middleweight title)

Tyler Denny 160 vs. Brad Pauls 159
Viddal Riley 198 vs. Annes Taj 198.3
Caroline Dubois 137 vs. Feriche Mashaury 138
Jeamie TKV 260 vs. Harry Armstrong 259.3
Hassan Azim 149.3 vs. Abdallah Luanja 144
Stephen McKenna 153 vs. Brendon Denes 151
Jordan Reynolds 171.3 vs. Mohamed Cherif 173
Razor Ali 124 vs. Hector Lozano 125.3

Venue: OVO Wembley Arena in London, England
Promoter: BOXXER
TV: FITE ($9.99), Sky Sports Arena

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Very sensational and speedy, Japanese southpaw prodigy Tenshin Nasukawa, 24, passed the JBC’s examination and officially became professional under Teiken Gym on Thursday. Nasukawa, formerly a tremendously popular kickboxer whose mark was 42-0, participated in three-round sparring sessions with Japan’s top ranked 118-pounder Jin Minamide and displayed surprising hand speed to impress press people as well as JBC officials at the Korakuen Hall. Teiken’s influential promoter Akihiko Honda said, “Nasukawa is the treasure in the Japanese boxing fraternity, and will become a real thing very soon. He’ll make a pro debut in April.”

Continue reading “Japanese prodigy Natsukawa officially turns pro”

By Jeff Zimmerman

Fightnews.com® caught up with Michael Williams Jr. (20-1, 13 KOs) as he prepares for the biggest fight of his life on February 25 against former 4-division world champ Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs). The fight will be shown live on BLK Prime PPV. Williams Jr. talked about working with Roy Jones Jr., what he learned from his only loss and what a win versus AB will do for his career and much more in this exclusive interview.

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Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and Jermain Franklin faced off at the kickoff press conference for their April 1 clash at The O2 in London. AJ was accompanied by new head trainer Derrick James. Franklin brought promoter Dmitry Salita.

George Acosta 131.2 vs. Marlin Sims 131.5
Nelson Oliva 157.7 vs. Wayne Boudreaux 156.5
Elias Diaz 146.5 vs. David Thomas 146.1
Juan Sanchez 146.2 vs. Xavier Madrid 145.7
Anthony Saldivar 161.1 vs. Cory Cook 163
Oscar Torrez 233.9 vs. Amulfo Cazares 250.4

Date: Friday, February 10
Venue: Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA
Promoter: Thompson Boxing
TV: The card will stream live for free on the Thompson Boxing website and their Facebook and YouTube pages.

Undefeated two-division champion Rey Vargas and top 130-pound contender O’Shaquie Foster squared off and exchanged verbal barbs at Thursday’s final press conference before they meet for the vacant WBC super featherweight title this Saturday live on SHOWTIME from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Rey Vargas: “He knows that I’m not just anybody and I know he’s lost sleep from the anxiety of getting ready to face me. I know that he likes to fight from either stance, but I’ve got a plan to counter anything he brings…“I have no problem with Foster saying he wants to send me back to 126, because I know that I would beat him at 126, 130 or 135 pounds. I can guarantee that…Foster better wake up, because he isn’t going to be able to sleep through this fight. We’re coming for him and we’re coming to leave with the title.”

O’Shaquie Foster: “I just woke up, so I’m not losing any sleep thinking about him. He can talk that talk, but he better know that I’m not Mark Magsayo or any of those guys he’s fought. The strength and the speed is different. He’s going to feel me. Whether it’s the first round or whatever round I stop him in, or if it goes all 12 rounds, he’s going to take a beating the whole time…I’d love to unify titles after a win on Saturday, but first we have to send Rey back down to 126 pounds.”

Welterweight Michael Williams Jr. (20-1, 13 KOs) plans to shock the world in his ten round PPV showdown with former 4-division world champion Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) on February 25 at The Gateway Center @ College Park, GA. Williams Jr. is trained by his father Michael Williams Sr. and Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr.

“I’m not here to just be a body in the ring,” said Williams Jr. “I’m coming to get rid of Broner and become a household name with an impressive victory. I have nothing to lose, and I’m going shock the world. I know the odds are against me, but I’m not afraid. Along with my father, who is an excellent coach, I have one of the best trainers in the world guiding my corner in Roy Jones Jr. I’ve been training for this moment my entire life. I’m ready for the challenge. I’ll give it my all and leave everything in the ring.”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Former world championship referee Pete Podgorski talks to Fightnews.com® about his life in boxing as a boxer, referee and working on the Board of Directors with the International Boxing Federation.

You recently worked as IBF supervisor for the Beterbiev vs. Yarde unified light heavyweight title bout in London, England. Tell me about that experience.

“The light heavyweight unified title bout was a great match. It was an exciting all-action bout where the fans definitely got their money’s worth.”

Continue reading “Q&A: Pete Podgorski”

By Joe Koizumi

Japan is all Inoue. The winner takes all, and the winner is “Monster” Naoya Inoue, former undisputed world bantamweight champion, who was unanimously named Japan’s Boxer of the Year by Sports Writers Club and boxing media on Wednesday. Naoya is given the most prestigious award for the record-breaking sixth time in five consecutive years, surpassing five-time winners and national heroes Yoshio Shirai (Japan’s first world champion in 1952) and Yoko Gushiken (who kept his WBA 108-pound belt no less than thirteen times). Continue reading ““Monster” Inoue named Japan’s Boxer of the Year”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO #3 super featherweight Liam Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) has challenged former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos (20-2, 10 KOs) to a bout that would place him among the leading 135-pounders if he scored an upset victory.

“We absolutely want George Kambosos for the super fight,” Wilson’s manager Steve Scanlan told the Daily Telegraph. “I think Liam showed he deserves a crack at George this week, I will reach out to the Kambosos camp and we’ll begin discussions to put together a possible title bout. George is a spartan warrior and Liam loves to entertain when he fights. It’s a fight the Australian public deserves to see. If Liam wins, it would really propel him into the mainstream. But the ball will be in George’s court if he wants to get a deal done with us.”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

For an ambitious Japanese ringman named Shuichiro Yoshino (16-0, 12 KOs), it is good news that he will participate in a WBC lightweight eliminator with also unbeaten ex-two-division champ Shakur Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) in Newark NJ on April 8. Yoshino, a dual regional titleholder of the OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) and the WBO ASPAC (WBO Asia Pacific), boldly said, “I’ll beat Stevenson on his home turf, and wish to challenge unified champion Devin Haney.” Continue reading “Yoshino: I’ll beat Shakur Stevenson in US”

The World Boxing Association (WBA) ordered the bout between middleweight super champion Gennady Golovkin and “regular” champion Erislandy Lara, as part of the WBA world title reduction plan. The WBA Championships Committee granted a 15-day negotiation period to both fighters, which began on February 8 and will end on February 23.

Originally, Golovkin was supposed to face the IBF mandatory challenger due to the mandatory rotation of fighters between organizations, but GGG relinquished the IBF title today and for that reason the WBA has decided to order the fight against Lara. Continue reading “Golovkin vacates IBF; WBA orders GGG-Lara”

In a good action fight, bantamweight local hero Alejandro “Conejo” Diaz (13-5-2, 7 KOs) hammered out a ten round unanimous decision against Brayan “Azteca” Rivera (11-4, 9 KOs) hammered out on Wednesday night at the Auditorio Blackberry in Mexico City. Scores were 97-93, 98-92, 96-92.

Jr flyweight Ivan “El Magnifico” Garcia (9-2-1, 6 KOs) scored a fourth round KO over Francisco Araujo (10-2, 7 KOs). After a glancing blow hit Araujo behind the head, he went down holding the back of his head and indicated he couldn’t continue. After some discussion, Garcia was awarded a KO win.

Unbeaten super lightweight Jesus Mauricio Estrada (8-0, 5 KOs) knocked out Leyver Lopez (3-4-1, 1 KO) in round five. Estrada laid out Lopez for the count with a hook to the body.

The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC), headed by President Michael Mazzulli, oversees many ABC Committees including a medical committee, appeals committee, officials committee and has now created a formal athlete’s voice committee in support of hundreds of current and retired fighters. “The ABC hopes this committee will allow all fighters to understand the sport from a regulatory standpoint.” said Mazzulli. “At every weigh-in I ask fighters questions relating to rules and regulations and it is apparent to me a majority of combative participants do not have clear knowledge of the Rules and Scoring Criteria. This committee will also allow fighters a voice at the table.”

Chaired by New York State Athletic Commission Executive Director Kim Sumbler, the committee’s purpose is to build a bridge between fighters and regulators and to provide fighters a meaningful opportunity to have a voice in their sport; a two-way platform for fighters to voice their concerns to regulators and equally an opportunity for regulators to create educational opportunities for fighters. Continue reading “ABC creates Athlete’s Voice Committee”

Unified super bantamweight world champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8 KOs) will defend his WBA and IBF titles against former champion Marlon Tapales (36-3, 19 KOs) on April 8 at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, as the co-main event to Jesse “BAM” Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs), who seeks to become a two-weight world champion against Cristian Gonzalez (15-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant WBO Flyweight crown, exclusively live worldwide on DAZN.

Also WBA #3 rated featherweight Raymond Ford (13-0-1, 7 KOs) will defend his WBA Continental Americas title against former world champion Jessie Magdaleno (29-1, 18 KOs), and super featherweight Thomas “Gunna Man” Mattice (20-3-1 15 KOs) goes against Ramiro Cesena (16-0-1, 13 KOs).

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach returned home to Boston this week bringing his latest protégé, super welterweight ‘King’ Callum Walsh (5-0, 4 KOs) to formally announce Hollywood Fight Nights – Boston on the Eve of St. Patrick’s Day, Thursday, March 16 at the Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University. Walsh will face Spain’s Leonardo Di Stefano Ruiz, (10-1, 9 KOs), in the ten-round main event.

On Monday night, Roach and Walsh held court for a large Boston media gathering at Hurricane’s at the Garden along with special guests ‘Irish’ Micky Ward and Mike Tyson conqueror Kevin McBride.

Super featherweight Marlin Sims (8-1, 4 KOs) aims to upset George “El Yuyu” Acosta (13-1, 1 KO) in their eight round main event bout headlining Thompson Boxing’s “New Blood” card taking place Friday at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California. The card will stream live for free on the Thompson Boxing website and their Facebook and YouTube pages.

“He is solid. He is confident. He believes in himself, but that is all fine and good. He should,” stated Sims. “I know what I am, and I know what I am capable of. Let’s be honest, he can’t crack at all with only one knockout, and he was hurt in one of his recent fights. He must fight a smart fight because I have a 50% KO ratio and my only loss is to a top fighter in Dominique Crowder. George Acosta is good, but I’m better!”

Showtime will stream four undercard bouts on its YouTube channel and Facebook page this Saturday from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The main fight features former WBA interim titleholder Claudio Marrero (26-5, 18 KOs) battling Gonzalo Fuenzalida (12-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. Also, unbeaten Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial (3-0, 1 KO) will take on Ricardo Villalba (20-7-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight scrap, heavyweight Dainier Peró (2-0, 2 KOs), younger brother of world-rated Lenier Peró, will clash with Daniel Zavala (2-1-2, 0 KOs) over four rounds, while David Whitmire makes his pro debut against Texan Keith Foreman (0-0, 1 NC) in a four-round super welterweight duel.

The live streaming fights will precede the Showtime Championship Boxing telecast headlined by two-division world champion Rey Vargas battling top contender O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant WBC super featherweight title.

Jake Paul had the media all to himself after Tommy Fury was a no show at the kick-off press conference for their February 26 PPV fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“I’m knocking him out four rounds or less,” promised Paul. “Bet the house on it. Put your mortgage on it.”

“I’m used to his behavior at this point. You know he’s unprofessional. He’s a flake. He’s not a serious businessman. He’s not a serious fighter and I’m gonna prove that.

“That’s why this fight’s called ‘The Truth’ because the truth’s gonna come out. I mean, he’s gonna have to pay for all the times he pulled out, all the business people he screwed over. It’s disrespectful. They’re some of the biggest names in boxing, some of the biggest promoters in the world, some of the most influential people in the world, one of the greatest countries in the world, and he doesn’t want to show up because ‘a private matter?’ Continue reading “Jake Paul rips Tommy Fury for no show”