Fire Fist Boxing Promotions returns on October 16 to Banquet Masters in Clearwater, Florida. Headlining will be a ten round 140-pound showdown between Joseph Fernandez (13-3-3, 4 KOs) and Jose Forero (13-8-1, 11 KOs) for the ABF Atlantic championship.

In an eight round heavyweight matchup where somebody’s 0 must go, Geovanny “La Bestia” Bruzon (6-0, 5 KOs) faces Lenier Pero (5-0, 3 KOs). Local middleweight Arnold Hill (11-16, 6 KOs) meets Emmanuel Sanchez (7-15-1, 1 KO) in a six rounder. Lightweight Willian “Baby Face” Silva (28-3, 16 KOs) and light heavyweight Imran Haddabah (2-0, 2 KOs) are scheduled to appear against opponents to be named. Continue reading “Boxing back in Clearwater, FL on Oct 16”

By Jeff Zimmerman

Rising contender Gabriel Flores Jr. shared his thoughts on the Oscar Valdez situation as Flores Jr. is the co-main event on the card vs. Luis Alberto Lopez on Friday, Sept. 10 in Tucson, AZ and shown live on ESPN+.

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After last week’s sudden main event change AND venue change, things finally look sorted out for Triller’s “Legends II” pay-per-view on Saturday.

As previously reported, former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield has stepped in for COVID-stricken Oscar De La Hoya against UFC favorite Vitor Belfort. In addition, the event has moved from Staples Center in Los Angeles to the Hard Rock LIVE at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Tickets start at $81 and will go up to $506 and the Hard Rock Live venue will be scaled back to only take a relatively small crowd. The PPV price is $49.99. Continue reading “Holyfield-Belfort Ticket Alert”

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

Last week was one of the most difficult ones since I have led the organization I proudly chair: the World Boxing Council (WBC).

The easy and utterly mistaken option would be to describe it as “a week to forget.” That would be a very serious mistake. Forgetting important events, especially challenging ones, is something that should never happen. We must always remember what happened, to serve as teaching and inspiration to continue moving forward, seeking to improve things and, in our case, on how to make boxing safer and fairer for athletes. Continue reading “Sulaimán: A Very Complicated Week”

Junior middleweight Xander Zayas (9-0, 7 KOs), the 19-year-old puncher from San Juan, will step up in class when he meets Jose Luis Sanchez (11-1-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round junior middleweight bout this Friday at the AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona.

Zayas-Sanchez and an eight-round lightweight battle between the unbeaten Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (12-0, 10 KOs) and Ecuador’s Jose Angulo (14-2, 7 KOs) will be part of the undercard of Oscar Valdez’s WBC super featherweight world title defense against unbeaten Brazilian Robson Conceição. Continue reading “Full Valdez-Conceição undercard”

By Bob Ryder

After a long pandemic enforced absence boxing returns this Friday night to Detroit’s Motor City Hotel-Casino. Promoter/matchmaker Carlos Llinas has scheduled a nine bout card headlined by Detroit’s Taylor Duerr taking on Mexico’s Josue Obando over six rounds in the main event. Undefeated cruiserweight Duerr (10-0-2, 7 KOs) will be looking to shake off some rust from his nearly two year layoff against ring vet Obando (20-30-2, 15 KOs). Obando was last seen here in the very same ring in 2018 losing a tough decision to Winfred Harris, Jr. A companion six round contest between welterweights Rolando Vargas (5-1, 5 KOs) and Akeem Jackson (5-2, 5 KOs) looks to be an evenly matched fight with potential for some fistic fireworks. Continue reading “Boxing Back at Motor City Casino”

Friday:

DAZN has unbeaten heavyweights Filip Hrgović (12-0, 10 KOs) and Marko Radonjic (22-0, 22 KOs) from Austria.

ESPN+ has unbeaten heavyweights Tony Yoka (10-0, 8 KOs) and Petar Milas (15-0, 11 KOs) from France.

ESPN+ has a big world title twin bill from Tucson with WBC super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) against Robson Conceicao (16-0, 8 KOs) and WBO flyweight champion Junto Nakatani (21-0, 16 KOs) against Angel Acosta (22-2, 21 KOs).

Saturday:

Triller PPV has late sub Evander Holyfield stepping in for ailing Oscar De La Hoya against Vitor Belfort. The card has shifted from Los Angeles to south Florida.

Newly-crowned IBO lightweight champion Maxi Hughes has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. Hughes (24-5-2, 5 KOs) upset the odds to outclass Jovanni Straffon over 12 rounds at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds on Saturday to seize the IBO 135lbs crown.

Hughes has now won the WBC International, British and IBO lightweight titles in his four fights since lockdown, being the underdog in three of them. Hughes now has his sights set on a showdown with undefeated WBC lightweight world champion Devin Haney, who is also promoted by Matchroom.

WBA #1 light heavyweight Robin Krasniqi (51-6, 19 KOs)) will take on WBA #3 Dominic Bösel (31-2, 12 KOs) on October 9 at the GETEC Arena in Magdeburg, Germany. Krasniqi scored an upset third round knockout against Bösel 12 months ago to take Bösel’s WBA interim world title. The WBA has since eliminated the interim titles, but Krasniqi retained his #1 ranking. This bout will be a de facto WBA title eliminator, but is being promoted as a world title fight since Krasniqi also holds the IBO belt.

Unbeaten WBA #11 welterweight Jesus “Mono” Ramos (17-0, 14 KOs) went the distance the second straight time, winning a ten round unanimous decision over Brian Mendoza (19-2, 13 KOs) in a super welterweight bout on Sunday night at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ramos stalked Mendoza, who had some success boxing from outside. Ramos turned up the heat in the middle rounds and dominated down the stretch. Scores were 98-92 3x.

“He started to break a lot more as the fight went on,” said Ramos afterward. “I was coming on really strong. I thought I might have been able to stop him in some of those later rounds, but he was motivated to go the distance. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get back in the ring once more this year and finish out strong.”

In an upset, Marcos “Madman” Hernandez (15-4-2, 3 KOs won a ten round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten WBA #11 middleweight Armando “El Toro” Resendiz (12-1, 8 KOs). A knockdown was credited to Hernandez after a pushdown in round two, but Hernandez outworked Resendiz after that. Scores were 97-92, 96-93, 96-93. Continue reading “Ramos remains unbeaten, Resendiz upset”

By Ron Jackson

Boxing in South Africa is at its lowest ebb since the Second World War with fewer tournaments and less active fighters due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

To date, there have only been 20 tournaments in South Africa and 269 active fighters with 213 of those being from South Africa, as advised by Andre de Vries of Boxing SA.

These are alarming statistics with a lot of South African fighters being on the breadline.

However, Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions whose first venture into professional boxing took place on 29 August 1977 when Charlie Weir knocked out Bushy Bester in the first round at the Wembley Ice Rink in Turfontein, continues to produce quality tournaments. Continue reading “Golden Gloves Promotions keep boxing alive in SA”

WBO #3 minimumweight Daniel “Cejitas” Valladares (25-2-1, 15 KOs) won a competitive ten round unanimous decision over José Javier “Popotitos” Torres (15-2, 9 KOs) on Saturday night in a light flyweight contest at the Parque La Ruina in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Scores were 96-93, 97-94, 95-94. Torres was deducted a point for hitting on the break in round nine.

Unbeaten flyweight Yahir Frank (8-0, 6 KOs) scored a spectacular fourth round knockout over Ivan “Tsunami” Garcia (6-2-1, 5 KOs). A left hook put Garcia on the canvas out cold. Time was 1:05.

WBA female atomweight champion Monserrat “Raya” Alarcón (16-4-2, 0 KOs) won an eight round unanimous decision over Tania Itzel García (6-5, 2 KOs) in a non-title affair. Scores were 80-72 twice and 78-74.

Welterweights Nicolás “El Elegante” Andino (16-1-1, 2 KOs) and Yoel “El Chacal” Peralta (8-1-1, 2 KOs) battled to a ten round draw in a bout for the vacant WBC Latino title on Saturday night at the Microestadio Municipal in Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Scores were 98-91 for Peralta, 96-93 for Andino, and 94-94.

In the co-feature, Argentinean female light flyweight champion Ayelen “Piru” Granadino (6-1-3, 0 KOs) and Jazmín “La Jefa” Villarino (4-1-2, 0 KOs) also fought to a ten round draw. Scores were 95-95 twice and 97-93 for Granadino.

The card was presented by Mario Margossian/Argentina Boxing Promotions.

WBO #15 lightweight Jesus Saracho (10-0, 8 KOs) of Guanajuato, Mexico impressively stopped late replacement Rodolfo Rudy Flores (14-5, 6 KOs) in a scheduled ten round non-title bout. Saracho dominated the action over the valiant Flores en route to the TKO victory at 22 seconds of round three.

Saracho currently holds the WBA/NABA and WBO Latino lightweight titles. Continue reading “Saracho TKOs Flores in Guanajuato”

Unbeaten local super lightweight Alex “El Toro” Vargas (11-0, 4 KOs) scored a six round unanimous decision over Alejandro Munera (6-3-4, 5 KOs) in the main event of Saturday night’s Star Boxing “Rockin’ Fights 39” card at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York. Vargas staggered Munera at the end of round five. Scores were 60-54 3x.

Pro-debuting Manhattan firefighter Lou “Il Martello” Maietta (0-0-1) and Perez Aughtry (0-2-1, 0 KOs) battled to a four round majority draw in a sloppy light heavyweight bout. Scores were 39-37, 38-39, 38-38.

Female middleweight Miranda Barber (2-2, 1 KO) scored a first round TKO over six-foot Ayanna Tramont (1-1, 1 KO). Tramont down twice.

Note: The bout of original headliner Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (25-1, 21 KOs) was scrapped due to a medical issue concerning Seldin’s opponent.

In the Stokes Promotions main event at the Jamil Shrine Center in Columbia, South Carolina, local middleweight DeAundre Pettus (5-0, 2 KOs) won a six round unanimous decision over Anthony Hannah (3-2, 2 KOs) of Atlanta. See full report and results…

Triller has announced that TrillerVerz II will feature former WBA champion “El Demoledor” Pablo Cesar Cano (33-7, 23 KOs) against unbeaten Danielito Zorrilla (15-0, 11 KOs) in a super lightweight bout on Tuesday September 14 at a venue to be named in Los Angeles.

The co-feature is a clash for the undisputed women’s super middleweight title between WBC/WBO champion Franchón Crews-Dezurn (7-1, 2 KOs) and WBA/IBF champ Elin Cederroos (8-0, 4 KOs).

Immediately following, a verzuz battle between Fat Joe and Ja Rule will air live from New York City. See it on fite.tv.

Jesus Ramos 154.4 vs. Brian Mendoza 154.6
Starling Castillo 135 vs. Juan Carlos Burgos 134.8
Armando Resendiz 163.8 vs. Marcos Hernandez 164

Iago Kiladze 226 vs. Mathew McKinney 251
Kyrone Davis 170.2 vs. Martez McGregor 169.8
Justin Cardona 137 vs. Jomar Robles 135.4
Travon Marshall 150.8 vs. Maycon Da Silva 151.6
Michael Angeletti 121.6 vs. Alexis Salido 121.2
VeShawn Owens 142.2 vs. Michael Ogundo 141.6

Venue: The Armory, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Promoter: TGB Promotions
TV: FOX, FS1

Super featherweight Marcel “The Chosen One” Braithwaite (10-3, 0 KOs) won a four round decision over Taka Bembere (1-18, 1 KO) in the main event at the Olympia in Liverpool, England. Score was 40-35. The bout was reduced from six to four rounds.

Welterweight Andy Colquhoun (15-2-1, 2 KOs) outpointed Naeem Ali (2-73-1, 1 KO) over four rounds 40-36.

Featherweight Michael Walton won his pro debut against Ricky Leach (3-55-1, 0 KOs). Score was 40-36.

Debuting super welterweight Tom Rafferty topped Josh Cook (0-3, 0 KOs) over four 40-36.

The rematch between former IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington (30-1-1, 7 KOs) and Mauricio Lara (23-2-1, 16 KOs) ended in a two round technical draw on Saturday night at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England. A second round head clash left Lara with a deep cut over his left eye and the bout was stopped.

Disappointing ending for Warrington and about 20,000 hometown fans, as Warrington was hoping to avenge his surprising knockout loss to Lara in a keep-busy fight in February.

Undisputed female lightweight ruler Katie Taylor (19-0, 6 KOs) defended her WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and crowns by shutout ten round unanimous decision against mandatory challenger Jennifer Han (18-4-1, 1 KO) on Saturday night at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England. The 38-year-old Han was never a threat, but she was savvy enough to often thwart Taylor’s aggressions. Taylor was credited with a knockdown in round eight which Han disputed and replays seemed to back her up. Scores were 100-89 on all three cards. Six straight decisions for Taylor.

Unbeaten WBC #11, WBA #12, WBO #13 welterweight Conor “The Destroyer” Benn (19-0, 12 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Adrian “El Tigre” Granados (21-9-3, 15 KOs) on Saturday night at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England. Benn pressed the action while the crafty Granados moved around the ring and occasionally engaged. Scores were 100-90, 99-91, 97-93 as Benn retained his WBA Continental title. Benn and Granados were originally supposed to clash July 31, but the fight was postponed after Benn got COVID.

Lightweight Maxi Hughes (24-5-2, 5 KOs) dethroned IBO beltholder Jovanni Straffon (24-4-1, 17 KOs) by twelve round unanimous decision. Hughes rocked Straffon in round five, but couldn’t get him out of there. Scores were 120-107, 120-107, 119-109.

Popular female bantamweight Ebanie Bridges 7-1, 3 KOs) edged Mailys Gangloff (5-3, 2 KOs) over eight rounds. Score was 77-76. Continue reading “Benn defeats Granados by decision”

WBA welterweight world champion Yordenis Ugás will be honored with the “Key to the City” of Miami by Mayor Francis Suarez on Tuesday, September 7 at 3:30 p.m. Ugás defeated ring legend Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao on August 21, 2021, to retain his title in a fight seen by millions around the world.

Former unified super lightweight champion Julius Indongo (23-4, 12 KOs) was stopped by Hassan Mwakinyo (20-2, 14 KOs) in round four on Friday at Kilimanjaro Hall in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. A barrage of punches by Mwakinyo prompted the referee to halt the fight. Indongo, 38, has now lost four of his last five fights.

The ten round main event saw prospect Juan Javier Carrasco (11-1, 6 KOs) of Argentina unanimously decision countryman Geradon Antonio Perez (9-2, 2 KOs) to retain his IBF Latino lightweight title. The official scores were 97-93 2xs 98-92. The event took place at the Club Atletico y Biblioteca River Plate, Bell Ville, Cordoba, Argentina. Continue reading “Carrasco decisions Perez in Argentina”