By Héctor Villarreal

Panamanian superbantam Rafael “El General” Pedroza, ranked #15 by the World Boxing Association, remained undefeated and adds another knockout victory to his record (11-0, 10 KOs) on Friday night at Palacio Dorado in Panama City by stopping Colombian Mauricio Martinez (15-22-2, 5 KOs) by KO at 2:38 of the second round.

Former interim champion, Venezuelan Liborio Solis (32-6-1, 14 KOs) won a unanimous decision (79-72, 80-71, 80-71) over Colombian Marlon Olea (14-7, 12 KOs) in a very exciting and competitive fight which deserved a closer score. Continue reading “Pedroza remains undefeated”

In a clash of unbeaten super middleweights, Isaiah Steen (16-0, 12 KOs) outpointed Kalvin Henderson (14-1-1, 10 KOs) over ten workmanlike rounds on Friday night at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island, Nebraska. Scores were 96-94, 97-93, 97-93 for Steen, who did a little more.

Unbeaten WBO #15 rated welterweight Janelson Bocachica (17-0-1, 11 KOs) and Shinard Bunch (15-1-1, 13 KOs) battled to a ten round draw. Bunch controlled the first half of the fight with his jab. Bocachica made it more competitive late. Scores were 97-93 Bunch, 96-94 Bocichica, 95-95.

In a clash of unbeaten featherweights, Martino Jules (11-0, 2 KOs) scored an eight round unanimous decision over Aram Avagyan (10-1-2, 4 KOs). Jules dropped Avagyan in the final minute. Scores were 77-74, 78-73, 79-72.

ShoBox: The New Generation celebrates its 20-year anniversary with tonight’s card on Showtime. The popular series ShoBox debuted in Atlantic City on July 21, 2001 and has produced 84 fighters who later went on to win a world title. Just like it has for the past 20 years, tonight’s tripleheader from the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island, Nebraska, will feature prospects matched tough with a combined record of 81-1-5, including five boxers who have yet to taste defeat at the professional level.

Super middleweight prospects Kalvin Henderson (14-0-1, 10 KOs) and Isaiah Steen (15-0, 12 KOs) meet in the ten-round main event.

Kalvin Henderson: I don’t think he is my toughest opponent, but we’ll see. I feel like I have to win every fight, but this one especially…I really think it will come down who wants it more.”

Isaiah Steen: After this fight, I want people to know me for my own name. Everybody knows me as Charles Conwell’s brother. I want to make a name for myself…I need to capitalize on his weaknesses and get him out of there. Continue reading “Unbeatens collide tonight on ShoBox”

After yesterday’s tense press conference that saw a colorful exchange of victory declarations, questions of power and espionage, with only one night’s sleep from Joyce-Takam fight night, it was time for the big boys to tilt the scales at the Brent Civic Centre in Wembley. Undefeated heavyweight Joe Joyce (12-0, 11 KOs) came in at 268.14 lbs. and Carlos Takam (39-5-1, 28 KOs) weighed in at 248.8 lbs.

Hamzah Sheeraz 153 vs. Ezequiel Gurria 153.75
Chris Jenkins 146.75 vs. Ekow Essuman 146.5
Chris Bourke 121.5 vs. James Beech Jr. 121.5
David Adeleye 226 vs. Mladen Manev 228

Venue: SSE Arana, London
Promoter: Frank Warren’s Queensberry/Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing
TV: PPV (fite)

By Robert Coster

The Jamaican Boxing Board (JBB) is paying tribute to its former President Keith Brown who passed away on Monday at the age of 83. Brown had many roles as a journalist and boxing broadcaster, and his contribution to Jamaican boxing was paramount. Keith was the main figure behind the television series Thursday Night at the Fights and also staging the Wray and Nephew Contender series from 2011 to 2018.

Nahir Albright 133.6 vs. Jeremy Hill 135.2
(NABA lightweight title)
Muhsin Cason 197.3 vs. Tristan James 194
Derrick Whitley Jr. 147.6 vs. Julian Smith 144.8
Ryan Umberger 155.1 vs. Ryan Schwartzberg 156.3
DuShane Crooks 167.7 vs. Bernard Thomas 168.8
Steve Galeano 143.1 vs. Marquis Hawthorne 138.8
Raekwon Butler 138.8 vs. Diemerci Nzau 144

Venue: 2300 Arena in Philadelphia
Promoter: RDR Promotions
Stream: bxngtv.com
1st Bell: 6 PM ET

Kalvin Henderson 166 vs. Isaiah Steen 168
Janelson Bocachica 146.5 vs. Shinard Bunch 146.5
Martino Jules 125.25 vs. Aram Avagyan 129*

*Avagyan came in over the featherweight limit. The fight will proceed as scheduled.

Venue: Heartland Events Center in Grand Island, Nebraska
Promoter: King’s Promotions
TV: Showtime

Former WBA and IBF cruiserweight world champion “Iron” Murat Gassiev (28-1, 21 KOs), now competing at heavyweight, scored a fourth round TKO over Michael Wallisch (22-5, 15 KOs) on Thursday at the Dynamo Volleyball Arena in Moscow, Russia. Gassiev started slow, but it was only a matter of time. Late in round four, he sent Wallisch down with a right hand. Wallisch seemingly survived, but the bout was stopped. Time 3:00. With the win, Gassiev claimed the vacant WBA Asia title. All five of Wallisch’s losses have been by KO. Continue reading “Gassiev stops Wallisch in four”

YouTuber Logan Paul has opened up as a 2:1 favorite in a proposed boxing match against UFC legend Anderson Silva. That PPV event is reportedly in the works. In their most recent action, Logan went eight rounds with Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition, while Silva upset former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a real fight.

Meanwhile, odds are tightening for the August 29 Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley clash in Clevelend. Tickets for that Showtime PPV event went on sale today.

Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley
Jake Paul -130 (10/13)
Tyron Woodley EVEN (1/1)

Logan Paul vs Anderson Silva
Logan Paul -200 (1/2)
Anderson Silva +160 (8/5)

Odds courtesy of www.BetOnline.ag.

Keeps Japanese 112lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Hard-punching Japanese flyweight champ Yuri Seigo Akui (16-2-1, 11 KOs), 112, impressively retained his national belt when he finally caught up with unbeaten speedster Taku Kuwahara (8-1, 4 KOs), 112, at 2:49 of the tenth and final round on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. Continue reading “Akui stops Kuwahara in the tenth”

By Ron Jackson

Former South African and Commonwealth super middleweight champion Andre Thysse who fought as a professional from 1999 to 2009 died of the Covid 19 virus on Thursday morning. He was 52.

Thysse who was born in Germiston on 24 March 1969 never really looked like a boxer with his long, thin legs, pipe-stem arms and sloping shoulders; no broad chest and bulging muscles.
He won the SA amateur light-middleweight championship in 1989 and 1990. And as a professional, he held the SA and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles. Continue reading “Former SA champ Andre Thysse dies of Covid”

The WBO has given the camps of WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford and #1 contender Shawn Porter thirty days to negotiate and reach an agreement to fight or a purse bid will be ordered. The minimum acceptable bid is $200,000. Either party may request an immediate purse bid at any time during the negotiation process, where the split will be 60/40 in Crawford’s favor.

Local prodigy Erick “Mini-Pacman” Rosa (4-0, 1 KO) took a spirited twelve round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Peruvian visitor Ricardo Astuvilca (21-1, 5 KOs) to claim the vacant WBA interim minimumweight belt on Wednesday night at the Pabellon de Volleyball, Centro Olimpico in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Astuvilca was credited with a flash knockdown in round four. Judges had it 114-113, 117-110, 117-110 for Mini-Pacman.

WBA interim super lightweight champion Alberto Puello (19-0, 10 KOs) won by twelve round unanimous decision to defend his title against Jesus Antonio Rubio (13-3-1, 7 KOs) of Mexico. Puello dropped Rubio in round one, but was forced to go the full twelve in workmanlike fashion. Scores were 120-107 3x. Continue reading “Rosa, Puello win WBA interim title fights”

The September 11 PPV return of ‘The Golden Boy’ Oscar De La Hoya against former UFC champion Vitor ‘The Phenom’ Belfort will land at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The clash will be a professional boxing bout, not an exhibition! PPV price will be $49.99.

Oscar Da La Hoya: “I decided if I was coming back it was for real, none of this exhibition stuff…this is the real deal, a real fight with real knockouts for a real win.”

Vitor Belfort: “I hope I don’t end up killing him but everything is on the table. This is a no holds barred, all out gladiator fight to the bitter end.”

WBO bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero previewed his upcoming championship showdown against two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. They clash August 14 live on SHOWTIME from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.

“I’m so ready for this fight on August 14. Training camp has gone so well and I’m just ready to rumble.

“Nonito Donaire didn’t want to fight me but that’s okay. Donaire is easy for me. Now, I have Rigondeaux and I know he’s very experienced. He’s a two-division world champion and a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. This will be a great fight. Continue reading “Casimero vows to retire Rigondeaux”

Unbeaten rising heavyweight Michael Coffie (12-0, 9 KOs) will look to continue his ascent up the heavyweight rankings when he takes on former title challenger Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington (20-4-1, 13 KOs) on July 31 in the main event on FOX from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

“I’m looking to make a big statement,” said Coffie. “I want people to look at this fight and see my calmness. I want it to look like I’m the veteran and he’s the prospect. If he has belief in himself in the beginning of the fight, he’s going to start fast. It’s my job to take that away from him.“ Continue reading “Coffie: I’m looking to make a big statement”

Murat Gassiev 234.8 vs. Michael Wallisch 226.2
(WBA Asia heavyweight title)

Venue: Dynamo Volleyball Arena, Moscow, Russia
Promoter: Evgeny Vainshtein (Ural Boxing Promotions), Vladimir Hryunov
TV: REN TV (Russia)

WBC/WBA/WBO super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and IBF champion Caleb Plant are getting closer to an agreement for a September 18 showdown for the undisputed 168lb title. Canelo would be moving off DAZN and returning to pay-per-view via the FOX network. It was known that options were an issue at one point. Las Vegas is expected to be the host city.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Australian boxing promoter Bill Treacy has sadly passed away at the age of 74 years in Sydney on Monday after a long illness. Bill promoted and managed former IBF and WBA middleweight champion Daniel Geale and also promoted former IBF light welterweight champion Lovemore Ndou and former IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib.

Treacy owned the Grange Old School gym at Smeaton Grange which was managed by Garrie Francisco with head trainer Graham Shaw. Kevin Holland was in charge of the boxing equipment. Bill promoted IBF world championship bouts in Sydney, New South Wales, Hobart, Tasmania, and Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Bill worked successfully with leading American boxing agent Gary Shaw during the world championship reign of Daniel Geale which would lead to bouts with Miguel Cotto and Gennady Golovkin in the USA. Continue reading “Promoter Bill Treacy passes”

A match-up between Mexican featherweights Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez (21-1, 21 KOs) and Jonathan “El Fenix” Aguilar (20-10, 15 KOs) will headline the next installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC Fightpass on July 29th at Benito Juarez Auditorium in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.

In the co-featured event, super featherweight Jose “Checke Choryboy” Valenzuela (10-3, 4 KOs) takes on an opponent from the same state of Sonora, Jose Luis “Cuate” Vazquez (12-2, 5 KOs), in a rivalry fight.

Alberto Puello 140 vs. Jesus Antonio Rubio 140
(WBA interim super lightweight title)

Erick “Mini-Pacman” Rosa 104.6 vs. Ricardo Astuvilca 105
(WBA interim minimumweight title)

Venue: Pabellon de Volleyball Centro Olimpico, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Promoter: Shuan Boxing Promotion
TV: DNSport and Shuan Boxing Channel

WBC super featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez authored a title-winning knockout for the ages in February over Miguel Berchelt. For his encore — and the first defense of his title — the undefeated two-time Mexican Olympian will make his desert homecoming. Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) will look to make it 30 for 30 against undefeated 2016 Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição (16-0, 8 KOs) on Friday, September 10 from the AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona. Valdez and Conceição fought as amateurs in the gold medal match of the 2009 Pan American Games, with Conceição prevailing by a single point.

In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated junior lightweight star Gabriel Flores Jr., from Stockton, California, will fight Mexican veteran Luis Alberto Lopez. Valdez-Conceição and Flores Jr.-Lopez will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+.

Anthony Joshua tours the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the announcement that his next fight will be there on September 25th against Oleksandr Usyk for the unified heavyweight championship of the world.

After nearly a two-year absence, Hitz Boxing returned with an entertaining card in front of a huge and enthusiastic at the Jennie Finch Stadium in Rosemont, Illinois. “The layoff made us recharge our batteries and the show was a draw. It was refreshing to see a large turnout, despite not having a huge name on the card. This speaks well for the future of our program,” said promoter Bobby Hitz.

In a mild upset, cruiserweight Chris Chatman (16-11-1) scored a six-round split decision over local favorite Mike Gavronski (26-5-1) in the most notable bout. Continue reading “Late Results from Chicago”

By Gabriel F. Cordero

Former WBA and IBF cruiserweight world champion Murat Gassiev (27-1, 20 KOs), now competing at heavyweight, takes on Michael Wallisch (22-4, 15 KOs) on Thursday at the Dynamo Volleyball Arena in Moscow, Russia. The ten-rounder will be for the vacant WBA Asia title.

The card also features Olympic medalists Mikhail Aloyan and Vladimir Nikitin. WBA gold lightweight beltholder Aloyan (6-1, 1 KO) has a ten-rounder against Yohana Mchanya (12-2, 10 KOs), while Michael Conlan rival Nikitin (4-1-1, 0 KOs) will meet late sub Rauf Aghayev (31-9, 14 KOs) in an eight round featherweight bout.