Terence “Bud” Crawford will defend his WBO welterweight world title against former welterweight world champion Kell Brook on Saturday evening from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble. In the co-feature, Joshua “El Profesor” Franco will defend his WBA super flyweight world title against the man he dethroned in the Bubble back in June, Andrew “The Monster” Moloney. Both fights air on ESPN with undercard action to stream on ESPN+.

This is what the boxers had to say during Monday’s Zoom press conference.

Terence Crawford

“He’s not the only opponent that went into the fight thinking they were going to stop me or knock me out, so that’s nothing new for me. He’s just going to have to live up to his words.”

“I actually can’t rate him because I’ve never been in the ring with him. Actually, he was never on my radar from the jump. This was a fight that he wanted, that he kept calling for. Once the Pacquiao fight fell through, he was the next option given the circumstances of COVID and whatnot. I must’ve been on his radar. He was never on my radar. He’s on my radar now, and we’re fighting this weekend. That’s what it is.” Continue reading “Crawford-Brook, Franco-Moloney Virtual Presser”

Former WBC world champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (26-2-2, 18 KOs) will fight on November 20 against Otto Gamez (19-3, 14 KOs) at the Cultural Center of the Americas in Ecatepec, Mexico. Vargas commented that this fight will be at 135 pounds and at this point he will not fight again at 130 because it is a category that already cost him a lot. Continue reading “Francisco Vargas moving to lightweight”

World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaimán has further discussed the new division that the WBC recently created called bridgerweight. It’s specifically designed for boxers between 200 and 224 pounds. He explained that the WBC has already added the new division to the official rankings and during the month of November, boxers who fight at cruiserweight and heavyweight will be notified about this new addition to confirm in which category they wish to be included. Continue reading “More on new WBC bridgerweight division”

After nine long months of forced inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, boxing will finally make its return in Puerto Rico and on DIRECTV; when Miguel Cotto Promotions, H2 Entertainment along with Golden Boy Promotions present a card at the Pedrín Zorrilla Coliseum in San Juan on December 5. Headlining is undefeated super lightweight NABO champion Danielito ‘El Zorro’ Zorrilla (13-0, 10 KOs), as well as the second professional fight for Pan American light flyweight gold medalist Oscar Collazo (1-0, 1 KO). Continue reading “Boxing back in Puerto Rico”

Unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia previewed their upcoming pay-per-view event during a virtual press conference Tuesday. They square off December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Spence was joined during the event by his longtime trainer Derrick James, while Garcia was accompanied by his father and trainer Angel Garcia.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“I feel blessed and ready to go. I feel like I’m 100% physically. We’ve been training hard and staying focused. I can’t wait to give my hometown fans something to cheer for when I defend my title against a great opponent. Continue reading “Spence-Garcia virtual kickoff press conference”

Golden Boy Promotions has announced that the much anticipated December 5 lightweight showdown between Ryan “Kingry” Garcia and Luke Campbell has been postponed after Campbell tested positive test for COVID-19. The new date will be announced shortly.

Campbell’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed it on social media. “Unfortunately Luke Campbell tested positive for Covid 19. He has completed isolation and resumes training shortly but will not be fit for December 5. We are working on a new date with Golden Boy DAZN and only anticipate a very short delay to this great fight.” Continue reading “Covid: Kingry-Campbell postponed”

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

Modern boxing was born in England and for more than a century didn’t have any rules nor weight categories. After some rules were established, boxing continued and eventually, the National Sporting Club created the 8 original divisions to group into categories by weight in search for similar competition level between the contenders, these being the following:

Division / Pounds
Fly 112
Bantam 118
Feather 126
Light 135
Welter 147
Middle 160
Lt.Heavy 175
Heavy 176 to infinity

The New York Boxing Commission implemented three more divisions in 1909: Super bantamweight 122, Super Feather 130 and Super Light 140. Continue reading “A New Weight Division: Bridgerweight”

Jack Rafferty 150.2 vs. Tom Hill 150.1
Paddy Donovan 146.5 vs. Jumanne Camero 146.2
Lewie Edmondson 173.4 vs. Scott Williams 171.1
Inder Bassi 156.1 vs. Jack Martin 155.5
Danny Murrell 152 vs. Dale Arrowsmith 153.5

Venue: Production Park Studios, Wakefield, UK
Promoter: MTK Global
TV: ESPN+

Following the COVID-19 testing, there was a positive test for Hassan Azim’s trainer, meaning Wednesday’s fight between Hassan Azim and MJ Hall had to be called off.

By Jeff Zimmerman

The resume for WBA super flyweight champ Joshua “El Profesor” Franco (17-1-2, 8 KOs) looks like a throwback to the 40’s and 50’s when Sugar Ray Robinson fought Jake LaMotta 6 times and twice in a 3-week span. Although the comparison may be a bit of an exaggeration, when Franco meets Australian’s Andrew Moloney (21-1, 14 KOs) in their rematch this Saturday back at The Bubble at MGM in Las Vegas from their spirited first fight back in June where Franco won a convincing twelve round decision, Franco will have faced the same two fighters in five of his last six fights.

He fought three straight wars with Oscar Negrete that produced two draws and a win, followed up with a TKO victory against Jose Burgos sandwiched in between back in January in his hometown of San Antonio, before capturing the belt from Moloney in the summer. Continue reading “Franco: I’m better and that’s just a fact”

Congratulations to the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has commented on recent statements by former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who he TKO’d in February at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I think he has lost his marbles,” Fury told Talk Sport. “First of all it was the suit, then it was the bicep injury, then his trainer was on our team, then the referee was against him, then I had weights in my gloves, now someone spiked his water…it’s one of those things, eh?

“I’m not going to wait around forever.”

By Joe Koizumi

Japan’s sole four-division champ, WBO 115-pound ruler Kazuto Ioka (25-2, 14 KOs), 31, will put his belt on the line against unbeaten #1 compatriot Kosei Tanaka (15-0, 9 KOs), three-class titlist, 25, on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo, Japan. The defending champ Ioka today (Monday) made an online press conference, saying, “I’ll show the difference of technical level to Tanaka.” It must be a very sensational encounter of our annual year-end boxing shows.

WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney (25-0, 14 KOs) commented on his performance Saturday against Yuriorkis Gamboa at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida.

“I’m pleased with the performance because I didn’t take any punishment,” said Haney. “I came out of there looking like I did when I went in, I was ready to fight again if I had to…I knew that he would go into survival mode and he was successful with that, he was in there trying to survive as much as he did. I pitched a shut-out and I didn’t get hit with any big shots, it is what it is. Continue reading “Haney targets Teofimo: I want all the belts”

In anticipation of Saturday’s showdown between WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford and former welterweight champion Kell Brook, ESPN presented an in-depth interview with Crawford leading up to his return to the ring.

During the interview, Crawford discusses his desire to fight the other welterweight world champions, his win-at-all-costs mentality, and his legacy as a three-weight world champion and the fighter many experts regard as the pound-for-pound king. Continue reading “See the full Terence Crawford ESPN Special”

WBA International welterweight champion Alberto Palmetta (15-1, 11 KOs) shined with a fifth-round stoppage over Saul Corral on the Payne Boxing Series as Payne Boxing unveils a new destination for boxing in Rock Hill, South Carolina’s Sports and Event Center.

Palmetta peppered, pushed, and punished Saul Corral over five rounds and scored a smashing fifth-round TKO stoppage. After Corral repeatedly ate Palmetta’s jabs, body shots, and powerful combinations over three rounds, Hall of fame referee Bill Clancy repeatedly warned Corral and his corner the fighter was taking too much punishment. After ending the third, beginning the fourth, and ending the fourth Clancy asked Corral to show him something. At the beginning of the fifth, Palmetta landed another thudding left-hand uppercut, Clancy quickly stepped in and said it was enough and stopped the fight. Palmetta generated excitement and showed fans all over the world his star potential. Continue reading “Palmetta stops Corral in five”

Unbeaten WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney (25-0, 15 KOs) took a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over former unified featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-4, 18 KOs) on Saturday night at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Making the second defense of his WBC belt, Haney was in command all the way and never let the 38-year-old Gamboa into the fight. Scores were 118-109, 120-107, 120-107. Gamboa was deducted a point for holding in round eleven.

WBC #3 heavyweight Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (32-2, 27 KOs) needed just 45 seconds to blow away Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs) in the main event of an all-heavyweight card on Saturday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

It was then a perfectly placed lead right hook to the body that would end the night early, as Flores folded from a shot to the ribs. Continue reading “King Kong Ortiz stops Flores in 45 seconds”

Unbeaten IBF #6, WBC #9, WBO #14 heavyweight Filip Hrgovic (12-0, 10 KOs) stopped Rydell Booker (26-4, 13 KOs) in round five on Saturday night at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Hrgovic teed off on Booker the whole fight and the referee finally waved it off. Time was :43. Hrgovic scored a knockdown in round two.

Early results from tonight’s Payne Boxing Series 2 card in Rock Hill, South Carolina…

Super lightweight Shinard Bunch scored an impressive first-round KO over Christian Guido. Bunch, the Trenton, NJ fighter improves to 10-1, 9 KOs.

Super lightweight Carly Holman scored a first-round KO victory over Rebeka Lewis. Holman a South Carolina native moves her record to 2-0, 2 KOs. Continue reading “Results from South Carolina”

By Gabriel F. Cordero

Sad to report the passing of legendary boxing promoter Reginaldo Küchle, the founder and president of Promociones del Pueblo, the famed Mexican boxing promotions company. He passed away at the age of 77 from a heart attack. Küchle promoted boxing and wrestling for 45 years and staged more than 300 events throughout Mexico. Along with his son Osvaldo, Reginaldo Küchle promoted weekly boxing events on Televisa for years. Continue reading “Famed promoter Reginaldo Kuchle passes”

Former IBF flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng (21-4, 6 KOs) scored an eight round unanimous decision over former two-time WBO bantamweight champion Pungluang Sor Singyu (54-9, 36 KOs) on Saturday at the Workpoint Studio in Bang Phun, Thailand. 31-year-old Pungluang closed strong but it was the 40-year-old Ruenroeng’s earlier work that carried him to victory.