By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni’s plans to compete in the 2021 Japan Olympics are over. Huni reinjured a knuckle in his right hand in his KO win over Paul Gallen last week and has been forced to withdraw from the Australian Olympic team. The injury will require surgery.

It’s not quite the perfect storm this Saturday evening, buy three boxing cards will be simultaneously competing for your attention.

• Gervonta Davis is about a 5:1 favorite to dethrone WBA super lightweight champion Mario Barrios on PPV.
• Former three-division titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko is a 12:1 to 20:1 favorite over Masayoshi Nakatani on ESPN+.
• WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez is a 25:1 pick over Joel Cordova on DAZN

On Sunday, FOX (and FS1) will have the only boxing show in town when WBA super middleweight champion David Morrell is a 20:1 favorite to beat Mario Cazares.

Undefeated WBA interim super featherweight champion Chris “Primetime” Colbert (15-0, 6 KOs) will now face WBC #2 featherweight Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar  (12-1, 9 KOs) on Saturday, July 3, headlining the live Showtime Championship Boxing telecast at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. Nyambayar replaces Yuriorkis Gamboa, who was originally scheduled to face Colbert before suffering an injury during training camp.

The telecast begins will also feature unbeaten rising star Michel Rivera battling lightweight contender Jon Fernández in a 135-pound WBA title eliminator in the co-main event.

By Jeff Zimmerman

Former title challenger Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin spoke to Fighnews.com® about his big fight this weekend, Sat, June 26, with former champion Jeison Rosario on the big Tank Davis – Mario Barrios PPV card in Atlanta. Lubin opened up about his loss to Jermell Charlo in 2017 and what he learned from that fight and how he is better than ever with trainer Kevin Cunningham. He also stated he would like a crack at the Charlo-Castano winner, but his ultimate goal is to take over boxing. Lubin also shared his thoughts on what a mega-fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Bud Crawford would look like and much more.

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Saturday’s Tank-Barrios undercard clash between former world champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams and Brian Mendoza is off after Williams was forced to withdraw because of an elbow injury. That bout has been replaced on the PPV telecast by a ten-rounder between super welterweight contender Carlos Adames (19-1, 15 KOs) and Alexis Salazar (23-3, 9 KOs).

Off-TV bouts at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena include Leduan Barthelemy (16-1-1, 8 KOs) against Viktor Slavinsky (12-0-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight fight, former title challenger Andres Gutierrez (38-2-1, 25 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight attraction.

The full ESPN+ card to be streamed Saturday from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is set.

As previously announced, former world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko faces Masayoshi Nakatani in a 12-round lightweight bout, and former world champion Rob “Bravo” Brant meets Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly a 10-round middleweight affair.

The undercard will feature unbeaten welterweight Giovani Santillan (26-0, 15 KOs) returning from a yearlong layoff to fight Cecil McCalla (23-4, 10 KOs) in a crossroads battle scheduled for eight or 10 rounds. Continue reading “Loma-Nakatani undercard set”

Former world champion Paul Butler (32-2, 15 KOs) will now go up against Mexican Willibaldo Garcia (12-4-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant WBO International bantamweight title on Friday’s MTK card at the University of Bolton Stadium in Bolton, England, on Friday and broadcast live on ESPN+. Butler was originally set to face fellow ex-world world Joseph Agbeko, but visa problems forced Agbeko out of the contest. Continue reading “Agbeko out, new opponent for Butler”

After 16 months, the wait is finally over for fight fans in Orange County and all of Southern California. Fight Club OC is back in business on Thursday, August 26th, at The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. This show is a guaranteed sellout (get tix at www.socafights.com.)

It was also announced that there will be NO COVID RESTRICTIONS. To make up for the loss of the five shows in 2020, promoter Roy Englebrecht stated that he will stage five Fight Club OC shows in 2021 starting with the August 26th show, with other Thursday shows set for September 23rd, October 14th, November 11th, and December 2nd.

By Joe Koizumi

Hard-punching southpaw WBC#14, WBO#14, IBF#8 super-fly Ryoji Fukunaga (14-4, 14 KOs), 115, kept his Japanese national and WBO Asia Pacific 115-pound belt when he kept battering JBC#8 lefty Takahiro Fujii (12-7-1, 3 KOs), 114.5, all the way and finally caught up with him, badly dropping him to prompt the referee’s halt at 1:19 of the eighth round in a scheduled twelve on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Fukunaga, a 34-year-old late bloomer, held three belts including the OPBF one, which wasn’t on the line. Prior to the stoppage all the judges identically tallied 70-63 in favor of the defending champ.

Promoter: Dangan Aoki Promotions.

Attendance: 635 (with the JBC’s regulation at the Korakuen Hall).

WBA super lightweight champ Mario Barrios, who take on Gervonta”Tank” Davis this weekend on Pay-Per View in Atlanta, stops by the Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer to talk about what we can expect in the big showdown and who he has his eyes on after Davis.

Barrios on Davis saying he personally chose Barrios as an opponent

“He might of bit off more than he can chew, come on the 26th everything will play out once both of us step into the ring.” Continue reading “Interview: Mario Barrios”

Super welterweights Erickson “Hammer” Lubin faces former unified champion Jeison Rosario in a WBC title eliminator in the Davis-Barrios PPV co-main event on Saturday in Atlanta.

“I think this is the wrong fight for Rosario to take coming off a knockout loss,” said Lubin in the lead up to the fight. “It doesn’t matter if I knock Rosario out or if I don’t. My job is to look good and come out victorious. I’m going to go in there and show the world that I can make anyone in this division look bad.”

Rosario stated, “First and foremost, I have the power to knockout Lubin and anybody in the 154-pound division. The camp that I’ve had, and the little tidbits of southpaw knowledge that I’ve picked up on, make me confident that I can knock Lubin out. Continue reading “Lubin-Rosario in action Saturday”

Unbeaten super welterweight prospect Leon Lawson (14-0, 7 KOs) will battleNathaniel Gallimore (21-5-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round showdown that headlines on FS1  Sunday night from The Armory in Minneapolis.

FS1 will also feature unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Atif Oberlton taking on Jasper McCargo in an eight-round bout, and undefeated super welterweight prospect Travon Marshall in a four-round contest against Ruben Torres.

The FS1 telecast will precede a FOX PBC Fight Night headlined by unbeaten WBA super middleweight champion David O. Morrell Jr. taking on undefeated contender Mario Cazares.

Unified WBC, WBA and IBF world champion Jermell Charlo and his trainer Derrick James spoke with the press on Saturday at the kickoff press conference for Charlo’s battle against WBO world champion Brian Castaño for undisputed status at super welterweight. Castaño was not in attendance. All four 154-pound belts hang in the balance for the first time in history on July 17 live on Showtime from AT&T Center in San Antonio.

“I’m working twice as hard as you can imagine. I’m going to be different. I’m going to be amazing,” – Charlo

“My prediction is that I am going to win and he will suffer,” – Castaño

Quotes

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

This past Saturday, June 19, a historic step was taken with the celebration of Juneteenth day, around the fight for the WBC world championship in Houston, Texas.

World champion Jermall Charlo defended his title against Mexican Juan Macías Montiel in a fight that was dramatic and spectacular. A sensational boxing card promoted by TGB Promotions and Lions Only Promotions and aired by Showtime, which included an action-packed undercard. Continue reading “Knock Out Discrimination”

Following the “Perfect Storm” last Saturday, we have a few interesting cards this Saturday, as well.

Lomachenko vs. Nakatani
ESPN+
Three consecutive weeks of fights at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas wrap up with the comeback of former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko against Masayoshi Nakatani. Lomachenko (14-2, 10 KOs) fights for the first time since last October’s showdown against Teofimo Lopez for the undisputed lightweight world title. Nakatani (19-1, 13 KOs) most recently knocked out Felix Verdejo in one of the best fights of 2020.

Davis vs. Barrios
Showtime PPV
Four-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) challenges WBA super lightweight champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs) at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. With a victory, Davis would hold world championships in three different divisions simultaneously, a feat only accomplished by a few fighters in history, including Henry Armstrong and Canelo Alvarez.

By Miguel Maravilla

WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (30-0-1, 21 KO’s) of England is set for the third fight with former heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KO’s) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Fury squares off against Wilder on Saturday, July 24, live on pay-per-view from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A greatly confident, Tyson Fury assured that he will close the chapter in this rivalry.

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“This fight is another routine fight for me. I hope Deontay brings something different for this fight. He needs to if we are facing facts. I hope he brings a challenge,” Tyson Fury told Fightnews.com®. Continue reading “Tyson Fury: I am looking for the KO”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

The Australian boxing community is in mourning with the passing of highly regarded trainer Charlie Gergen who began his career as a professional boxer in 1967 and had 28 fights retiring in 1977. Charlie would become a trainer and would teach the art of boxing to Australian Hall of Famers Tony Mundine, Troy Waters and Jeff Malcolm during their careers. Continue reading “Trainer Charlie Gergen passes”

Fighters: Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson, Jameel McCline, Danny Santiago, *Frankie Randall, Marcel Clay, Danny Sanchez
Trainers: Orlando Cuellar, Luis Camacho
Promoters: Terry Trekas
Historians: Carole Myer
Media: Arcadio Castro Jr., Brad Berkwitt
Participants: Rodolfo Aguilar, Walter “Butch” Flansburg, Orlando Fernandez, *Charley “Doc” Williams
Officials/Commission: Alex Levin, John Birmingham, Richard Green

Special Achievement Award: Steve Harris, Joey Orduna
Lifetime Achievement Award: *Bob Nicholson

*Deceased

“King” Gabriel Rosado (26-13-1, 14 KOs) reacts after his spectacular one-punch knockout victory over Bektemir Melikuziev (7-1, 6 KOs). After suffering a knockdown, Rosado landed a fight-finishing right hand at 1:21 of the third round.

“I knew I would have to dig deep,” said Rosado. “I had more experience than he, but he’s very strong and throws heavy shots. I was trying to time him, but he caught me with the body shot. He didn’t drop me, but I took a knee to recover. And then I got the win.”

It was announced on Saturday night’s Charlo-Montiel telecast that yet another huge summer unification fight has been added to Showtime’s summer lineup. On Saturday, August 14, WBO bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero will face the WBC bantamweight world champion Nonito Donaire in a 118-pound unification fight.

Casimero was previously scheduled to face two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux.

The 10 round lightweight main event Saturday night saw Juan Javier Carrasco (10-1, 6 KOs) of Argentina unanimously decision countryman Daniel Alejandro Combi (8-4, 1 KO) in Argentina. Carrasco started out strong but was dropped by Combi in round 2. Carrasco was not deterred by the knockdown and fought aggressively the rest of the night even blooding the nose of Combi. The official scores were 98-91, 98-92, and 97-92 all in favor to Carrasco who won the vacant International Boxing Federation Latino lightweight title. Continue reading “Carrasco dropped but decisions Combi in Argentina”

WRAM Boxing (William Ramirez) and Nica Boxing (Pablo Osuna) continued their run of monthly events Saturday night at the Nuevo Gymasio Nicarao in Managua, Nicaragua. The bantamweight main event saw local favorite Marvin Solano (24-6, 8 KOs) defeat countryman Harry Calero (6-13-2, 1 KO) by unanimous decision. Solano was in control but Calero was extremely game. The official three judges were in agreement with the scores of 80-72 all in favor to Solano. Continue reading “Solano decisions Calero in Nicaragua”

Harold ‘The King’ Calderon remains undefeated and adds another knockout to his record (25-0, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Double Tree Hotel and Conference Center at Miami Airport. From the opening bell, Harold started working the body of Ramal Amanov (16-3, 5KOs), who stepped in as a last-minute replacement. Continue reading “Calderon remains undefeated”

MMA legend Anderson Silva (2-1, 1 KO) scored an eight round split decision over former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (52-6-1, 34 KOs) on Saturday night at Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. Silva simply outworked Junior all night. Scores were 77-75 Chavez, 77-75, 77-75 Silva.

Silva: I feel so happy…I needed to do this because I love fighting and boxing is my dream for many, many years…maybe I’ll fight again very soon.

Chavez: I did enough for a draw….He never hurt me. I don’t think he did enough to take this fight.

Making what was billed as his final ring appearance, boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. fought an entertaining four round exhibition against Hector Camacho Jr. They wore headgear for the first three rounds. Both removed the headgear for the last round and were forced to put it back on. Continue reading “MMA legend Silva defeats Chavez Jr.”

WBA/IBF bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (21-0, 18 KOs) destroyed Michael Dasmarinas (30-3-1, 20 KOs) in three rounds on Saturday night at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Inoue dropped Dasmarinas with a body shot in round two and finished him with two more knockdowns from body shots in round three. Time was 2:45.

“Against the number one ranked fighter, Dasmarinas, I think I had a great win,” said Inoue. “I prepare myself to knock them out, whether with a head shot or a body shot. I came prepared and to get a win by knockout is good for me. Continue reading “Inoue destroys Dasmarinas, retains WBA/IBF belts”